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First Friday Scavenger Hunt – Holiday Edition

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Participate in updayton’s First Friday Scavenger Hunt!

Visit three of the five locations  below on Friday, December 2nd (or before if you’d like), find the answer to the  listed clue, and snap a photo of yourself with it. The three photos are your  ticket to the Hunt after party (110 W. 5th St.), which goes from 8:30 – 10:30 p.m. and features free wine, Yuengling, snacks, and a live DJ!

Hunters who visit all five stops will be entered into a drawing for a special prize!

Your clues are:

Blind Bob’s (430 E. 5th St., 937.938.6405):
A neon sign bearing the logo of a popular Kentucky bourbon can be found
somewhere in the bar.

Deaf Monty’s Wine (22 Brown St., 937.225.9463):
One of the current featured wines is named after a family member.

Peace on Fifth (519 E. 5t St., 937.367.7215):
A ready-to-wear item features a simple message and birds in flight.

Bonnett’s Book Store (502 E. 5th St., 937.228.1222):
A famous prop from a classic film can be found on the checkout desk. (Hint:
It’s a major award!)

Beaute Box (116 W. 5th St., 937.903.3165):
An elected city official will be partaking in Beaute Box’s services at 8pm.
Who is it, and what is the person having done?

Thanks for playing, and happy holidays from updayton!

The First Friday Scavenger Hunt is made possible by updayton, the Downtown
Dayton Partnership, and sponsored by DaytonMostMetro.com.

 

 

Pecha Kucha Volume 9 – An Idea Sharing Party

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Still haven’t experienced the adrenaline shot of a 20×20 presentation? Pecha Kucha Volume 9 will be an awesome introduction. It’s your chance to enjoy the brief but intense outpourings of eight creative thinkers and doers in a social atmosphere. Fans of the fast-paced talk format will enjoy returning to Carli and Hamilton Dixon’s art space, Atta Girl Art & Garden. And we’ll all be treated to tapas from Coco’s Bistro, along with wine and the requisite beer. You’ll see why PK has become a global phenomenon, held in 455 cities around the world.

Presenters will include several fine artists, an indie music devotee, a historian/archivist, a grass roots leader, an urban activist, and an intuitive life guide. Jason Sheets will MC. The mix and dynamics are different each time, and Volume 9 promises to be its own unique self. Come experience it. You may decide you want to present at a future PK. There are four a year.

Volume 9 is Thursday, December 8 at 7:30pm at Atta Girl Art & Garden, 905 East 3rdnear Keowee. Parking is free in the building’s lot. There is no door charge, but donations are accepted to cover the night’s food, drink and rental costs. Dragonfly Editorial generously sponsors Pecha Kucha Dayton.

PechaKucha Night was devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public.

It has turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in hundreds of cities around the world, inspiring creatives worldwide. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of “chit chat”, it rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds. It’s a format that makes presentations concise, and keeps things moving at a rapid pace.

(from Pecha Kucha Dayton)

Mayor to Get Nails Painted – You Pick the Color!

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(Most content taken from the Activated Spaces Web site)

Visit Peace on Fifth - one of the Activated Spaces Pop-Up Shops

On Friday, December 2nd, Mayor Leitzell will help raise funds for Activated Spaces by getting his nails painted at Beaute Box, one of the Activated Spaces Pop-up shops. Donate online now! The more they raise prior to the event, the crazier the color, plus you’ll help Activated Spaces start new pop-up shops in 2012. Every $250 raised helps to establish a new pop-up shop in downtown Dayton!

– If we raise $250, color: Wildfire
– If we raise $500, color: Tutti Fruitti:
– If we raise $750+, color: Hotski to Tchotchski:

Any amount you donate to the cause can help: $5, $25 or $50. Your support of these pop-up stores will help to spur a more permanent retail environment in our downtown – the next step in downtown revitalization.

The “grand painting” will happen at 8pm on Friday, December 2nd at Beaute Box. Attend the Activated Spaces grand opening and join in the fun.

Instead of just using his celebrity to promote the event and the pop-up shops, it was important to Mayor Leitzell that it be a fundraiser. Beyond promoting the “new and unique” pop-up shops,  he is adding his name (and nails) so Activated Spaces can get the funding to continue to do the good work in the community. Leitzell says, “it’s all in good fun and and it’s raising money for a good cause.”

Hello World – Welcome to Dayton

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When Dayton announced its Welcome Dayton Plan last month, it met with mixed reviews from the public. This was hardly surprising since the topic of immigration is currently a hot button issue in the United States. As the country is still struggling to regain its economic footing the subject of immigrant job seekers is and has been a particularly touchy one. Because of this strong stigma, the Welcome Dayton Plan may face its share of difficulty.

According to Mayor Gary Leitzell – who is himself an immigrant from England – the majority response to the Welcome Dayton Plan has been quite positive. “It’s so simple, it makes sense, all of the people that we’re trying to facilitate are already here anyway,” he said. The mayor added that those opposed to the plan seem to be those who are anti-Hispanic. The complaints he’s received regarding the plan have raised concerns over Dayton becoming a haven for illegal Hispanic immigrants.

However, Welcome Dayton is aimed at legal immigrants only. If an immigrant job seeker or business wants to find their place in Dayton, they have to go through all the verification processes. The word “immigrant” has become tied to the idea of Hispanic or Latino immigrants. However, Dayton has more than just one type of immigrant. A great example is our Ahiska Turk (or Meskhetian Turk) population that has been around for many years and continues to grow. Dayton also regularly receives refugee immigrants from many different countries.

“let’s come up with something to attract immigrants, and therefore attract entrepreneurs…” – Gary Leitzell

Mayor Gary Leitzell said that earlier this year as he and his staff began looking at immigrant statistics in Dayton, they realized the city’s immigrant population was incredibly diverse. In addition to Ahiska Turks, Hispanics and Latinos, the city is also home to people from Nigeria, Libya, Sudan, Iraq, Bosnia, Philippines, and Korea to name a few. “So we basically said let’s come up with something to attract immigrants, and therefore attract entrepreneurs, and come up with a plan that would facilitate their success in Dayton,” said Mayor Leitzell. The decision was influenced by the success the Ahiska Turk population has had as well as immigrant-related research and statistics. The committees were then formed to do just that and they drafted the Welcome Dayton Plan. Mayor Leitzell noted that the plan is a working one and is open and subject to change as new ideas or needs arise.

When it comes down to it, Dayton is on its way to becoming a very diverse population. The Welcome Dayton Plan seeks to make the most of this increasing population resource for all parties involved. But the question is, does Dayton really want to be recognized as an immigrant friendly city? The answer may very well be yes. With big businesses like GM and NCR leaving the state, Ohio has seen not only a revenue loss but also a population decrease as people migrate to other states looking for jobs.  Greaterohio.org has a good layout of this data and the immigrant population here. The Welcome Dayton Plan’s report notes that government studies – such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s report “Immigration Myths and Facts: Labor, Immigration & Employee Benefits Division” – have shown areas with similar economic issues have been rejuvenated with the influx of immigrant business and workers. They brought in jobs and money to these areas. Immigrant entrepreneurship could be a critical tool in the fight to stop the loss of business and profit in Dayton.

At its most basic level, the plan is designed to entice immigrant business and workers to Dayton by making itself immigrant friendly. This means Dayton will begin a two-way education campaign. One end will be aimed at immigrant entrepreneurs educating them on supportive resources to help reduce potential barriers to their integration. Specifically, access to and help understanding government services, laws, and health services. In example, there was a suggestion to put up a website regarding these services for the immigrants to easily access the information. Also recommended is a team of volunteers and public agency workers to help immigrants in their job searches and the process of opening a business. The other end will be aimed at current residents emphasizing the benefits of cultural diversity, immigrant business, and cross-cultural communication.

You might have noticed the mention of the word ‘volunteer.’ Some of this plan depends on community support in the form of volunteer services – the most important service being translation. For the Limited English Proficient (LEP), the plan suggests providing language services like ESL classes and translation support. Translation of both cultural mannerisms and linguistics are some of the largest barriers immigrants and non-immigrants face when it comes to integration.

Volunteering as an interpreter may simply require that you have a number at which you can be easily reached. If there’s an issue late in the night and an interpreter is needed, you may be able to fulfill your function from home through the telephone. Volunteerism could also keep more of the city’s budget in the black as it works to implement the plan, although some positions will be an expansion on current public jobs with a small stipend for the extra work. Now more than ever, being bilingual is an essential asset to any business and we can expect to see more job openings looking specifically for multi-lingual workers in banking, law enforcement, healthcare, and more. For college students wanting more real-world experience, or something nice to put on their resumes, volunteering as an interpreter could be for you.

The plan’s report also mentions the possibility of turning East Third Street in Dayton into an international marketplace. Mayor Gary Leitzell said that his vision is to open up space for a weekly open-air market. He believes selling in the proposed market could provide immigrants with the means to earn around $500 each month; which the mayor noted was typically the difference between owning and renting a house. So far, he’s received permission from Sandy Mendelson – who owns 70% of the large parking lot and the building behind the Webster Market – to set up the outdoor market at Third and Webster. The same rules that apply to Turtle Creek Market and Traders World would also apply to the International Market. This market could bring in more money from the suburbs and other areas as they seek out new flavors, decorations, and the like.

“Everyone needs to be open-minded and realize that when we talk about immigrants, we’re focused on a global aspect and if we can attract people from all cultures and all cultures, then we will increase the flavor that is Dayton,” said Mayor Leitzell. “Let’s realize that anyone who comes here from another country […] comes to America usually with a very open mind and the American dream in their head and they see America as the land of opportunity. And it turns out that a foreign born national is two times more likely to succeed as a small business than somebody that’s native born here.” He noted that not all immigrant workers will focus on small business. Many immigrants come over with specialized degrees that could benefit open positions in Dayton that lack qualified applicants. Perhaps the reason more of the qualified immigrant workers fail to obtain these jobs is due to a lack of understanding how to search for and apply to these jobs.

I’ve heard some people complain that it seems like Dayton will be bending over backwards for the immigrant businesses. I’d like to point out that cities and even states do more for big American businesses – typically including significant tax cuts – just to get them in their area. Big businesses don’t always invest as much in their locales as smaller businesses might because they aren’t terribly dependant on their locations. Especially with outsourcing being such a popular and cheap option.

For those of you still not convinced on the benefits of this plan, keep this in mind. New businesses pay rent, buy groceries, pay taxes, pay for utilities, buy furnishings, pay for construction work, and provide jobs directly and indirectly. New positions will be opening up in the coming years for workers with multiple language skills and to help set up or run services that provide support for immigrant businesses and workers. It’s important to remember the potential percentage of money that will be injected back into Dayton through any new local business. The more successful they are, the more they might spend to improve their business and expand.

There are still more facts, figures, and components included in the plan that I can’t cover here. I highly recommend that readers take a look at the easy to read plan for themselves here: http://www.daytonohio.gov/welcomedaytonreport.

Jane’s Best Bets (11/23 – 11/27)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

It’s that time of year when you get asked the question, “What are you thankful for?”  I am thankful for the many blessings in my life, including such things as my family, friends, food, shelter, etc.  In addition, I am thankful for the fact that there are always great things going on in Dayton…and I’m here to share a few of them with you.   

On Wednesday, head to the 2nd Street Market to get some of your last minute Thanksgiving items for their Stock-Up Wednesday.  If you didn’t get to catch opening night of Les Miserables at the Schuster Center, you will still have an opportunity on Wednesday (as well as a few other opportunities later in the week).  Also, many people say that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the biggest party day of the year, so if you are heading out to the bars (or anywhere, for that matter!), please remember to be safe! 

On Thanksgiving/Thursday, perhaps you’ll be one of the brave runners out there for the 33rd Annual Turkey Trot in downtown Miamisburg, which I am told is sold out!  I am also told that if you participate in it, you can eat WHATEVER you want on Thanksgiving and the calories don’t count!  If nobody in your family is cooking, then you can make your way to the Dayton Convention Center for Thanksgiving in Dayton: ‘A Feast of Giving’.  Or head out to one of several great restaurants for Thanksgiving dinner, such as McCormick & Schmick’s, L’Auberge, Amelia’s Bistro, C’est Tout, or Carver’s.  In addition, Neil’s Heritage House will be having their Grand Opening celebration on Thanksgiving Day!  Whatever you do, I wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!

 On Friday, I’m sure many of you will be out there bright and early to get some of those Black Friday deals!  After you go back to sleep for a few hours, be sure to make your way downtown for the Dayton Holiday Festival.  The Tike’s Shop and Wonderland Windows at the Schuster Center, as well LES MISÉRABLES November 22 – 27, 2011 – Schuster Centeras the Ice Rink at RiverScape will be open.  There will be the The Grande Illumination at Courthouse Square and the Dayton Children’s Parade Spectacular in Lights.  Also, you will be able to see Les Miserables at the Schuster Center and The Blue Moon Dancing (by the way, that is a great beer!) at the Dayton Theatre Guild. 

On Saturday, sit down and enjoy Les Miserables at the Schuster Center.  Do you have an old instrument that is just collecting dust in the garage?  If so, take it to the 2nd Street Market for “It’s Instrumental,” where the market is collaborating with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra in collecting instruments for Dayton Public Schools’ music programs.  Enjoy UD’s annual exhibit of international nativities as part of the At the Manger: World Nativity Traditions Open House.  Make your way to Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm for Candle Dipping and their Holiday Art Fair and Open House.  At Hara Arena, watch the Dayton Gems as they play Fort Wayne.  And finally, if you’re a boxing fan, head to US Bank Arena for HBO Boxing After Dark.   

On Sunday, enjoy a little R & R after the craziness of the holidays!  Be sure to check out Les Miserables at the Schuster Center if you haven’t already done so!  Prior to the show, check out some of the great things going on there, including The Tike’s Shop and Wonderland Windows. Or make your way to the Dayton Art Institute to see American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell. 

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

Why can’t you take a turkey to church?

Because they use such “fowl” language. 

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 Best FUN You Can Have While FREEZING!!

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Broomball.

(coming…)

(coming…)

AND here we are. Broomball. Around this very time last year, I was asked by Lorka Munoz-Daughtery if I would be a commentator when FiveRivers MetroPark’s RiverScape began hosting Monday Night Broomball.

“Sure,” I told Lorka. “But… uh… just what is… uh… Broomball.” (Okay. That’s not a TRANSCRIPT of the conversation we had; rather, it’s kind of the transcript of what was going on in my HEAD.) In essence?

I had no clue what Broomball was… and I certainly had no idea I would fall in love with this exciting, light-speed fast sport played on ice.  And no, Broomball is NOT ice hockey. Hmmm… Best to say that Broomball is not exactly ice hockey. That, I guess, would be a much more accurate description of the sport.

In fact, to get your head around Broomball and to understand how incredibly addictive the sport is, try and imagine a version of soccer played on ice… with a round ball being hit towards this goal with one hand and with that other hand using…

Yep: BROOMS.

Yep: you hit a BALL with your BROOM

And better – Broomball is being played by an equal number of women AND men, many of whom are wearing jeans, sweatshirts and running shoes. Oh, yeah. And they are having the time of their lives, sweating in their sweatshirts and running the soles of their running shoes off.

But all this understanding came to me slowly early this year, when I arrived at my first Broomball gig at RiverScape, to that brand new and beautiful ice rink. There I found… ta da!… Broomball teams with Broomball players eager to get out on that ice and play their matches.

Me, I’m a kind of a curious person, so I started talking to the closest player I could find; I’ll protect his anonymity because I believe in that, and I don’t think I ever got his real name… just his Broomball game – which, when the game was going well, was “CheeseHead” (I think the Green Bay Packers may have had something to do with that) and his Broomball nick name when things had gone awry was – BlockHead.

What he told me that night stunned me… and made me pretty happy about getting to be the commentator to… well, let’s just admit that over the course of the season from January (first week) to March (maybe the second or third week), my “commentator” job was to talk to the two or three folks who maybe roamed up from Monument to see what was going on in the rink.

So here’s what CheeseHead/BlockHead told me: most Broomball players in the U.S. of A. come from places like Wisconsin and Minnesota where it snows in August (well… maybe) on until like June or early July. (I am — I hope — exaggerating. For effect.)  “But,” he went on to say, “Broomball is a HUGE SPORT on college campuses. Like at Miami University down SOUTH in Oxford of Ohio”. There, he told me, a couple of THOUSAND students play intramural Broomball.

Right there in Oxford, Ohio. Right under our Dayton, Ohio noses.

But HOORAY and HALLELUJAH! because watching Broomball (bad knees… ice rinks would have me crawling the instant my left knee joined my right knee on the ice) is about as wonderful an experience in the bitter cold weather of Midwest winters as a person can have.

It’s FAST: ice does that, and the players go like the wind. The “soccer” part of it is like a thousand times more exciting than soccer on dirt and grass… and soccer played on those summer grounds is fast and exciting in itself. (I’ve already fessed up on these electronic pages to being from St. Louis, where there used to be only two sports: soccer and baseball. Football? What’s that? Basketball??? That’s for the Protestants who don’t know any better… Keeping in mind that even those “”proper and pious” followers of Methodism or the folks who go to the Temple every Saturday will identify their neighbors as being in, like Holy Innocents or Our Lady of the Pillar of… Well, the PARISH where their homes are located… because, well, Saint/St. Louis has a LOT of Catholics. And all those Catholic kids are usually playing… soccer of baseball.

(These days, probably even in St. Louis, Methodists and atheists probably are playing soccer.)

Oh and by the way – way to go St. Louis Cardinals. You guys had fun the whole baseball season (driving fans NUTS), and then you went to work in time to win the World Series. Sorry Reds fans. Whether a person lives in Dayton or Hong Kong… always a Cardinal fan. You go, Stan Musial.

Broomball, though. Ah… Broomball is a sport that must be enjoyed from close up. As close up as you can get, to appreciate the speed, athleticisim and the great manners with which the game is played.

Yep. Good manners. “Foul” somebody and you get sent off the ice for a minute or two (LONG MINUTES, it must be noted) and on the way off the ice, shake hands.  The intent of Broomball is not to hurt the other players: it’s to have fun.

To have fun. Not to “kill ’em” like in football or to “wing ’em” like in baseball and not to like those phony fouls in basketball… and my GOD… not even close to the “I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out” mentality of… Well, you get the comparisons.

Broomball will be played again, beginning right away in January on Monday and Wednesday nights. Wrap yourself up with every layer of clothing and outer wear you own (and borrow some more of that stuff just to be careful) and come down for Broomball. Really. You will be freezing and loving every frozen minute… Loving it all, in fact.

Really. Would I lie about freezing in January in Dayton?

Even Procrastinators Can Have A Fresh, Local Feast

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I have no excuse. It’s not as if Thanksgiving occurs on a rotating basis. It’s the fourth Thursday every November. Even leap years. Nevertheless, the weekend descends upon me and I wind up in an annual scramble to assemble a side dish with enough picky-eater consensus and stability to be transported across state lines. But even I, with my short-sighted meal planning capabilities, can give friends a family a taste of Dayton with the cooks’ last call known as Stock-Up Wednesday at the PNC 2nd Street Market.

Get your last-minute local feast fixins at Stock-Up Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. November 23.

The Market is usually open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays; however, on Thanksgiving Eve, the vendors hoist their booth curtains to accommodate perpetual procrastinators (such as yours truly), as well as home chefs in search of reprieve from meal preparations before they’re saddled with the responsibility of preparing enough eats for the Super Bowl of gluttony. Plucky shoppers will use this special day to pick up their turkeys, appetizers, desserts and other items they pre-ordered from their favorite vendors. Don’t kick yourself if you missed making a pre-order; the vendors will do another round of in time for Christmas.

Nothing makes up for a charred turkey better than a trip to the 2nd Street Market! We're closed on Thanksgiving Day, but stop by 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday or 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

The Market will be closed on Thursday, November 24, but will re-open on Friday, November 25. Great time to grab some lunch before you head out to MetroParks Ice Rink for opening weekend. Or “dinner” if you hit the department stores almost immediately after snapping the wishbone.

If you’re one of the “lucky” ones hosting out-of-town guests instead of being one yourself, the Market would be a dandy place to bring the relatives. Even persnickety Aunt Pauline will be charmed by the quaint atmosphere, browsing the handmade wares of local growers, producers, bakers and artisans in a restored, century-old railroad freight house.

So whether you’re in need of a loaf of fancy, crusty bread, a bottle of wine (or two) for your host, or just want to avoid your mother’s condescending glare as you meekly set the pizza box down among other buffet options, muttering something about paying tribute to your family’s fractional Italian heritage, get the goods you need to pull a holiday “Hail Mary” during Stock-Up Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. November 23, at the PNC 2nd Street Market.

The Motel Beds Assist in a Takeover of New York City

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A couple of weeks ago, New York City was under occupation. No, it’s not what you’re thinking, but good job keeping up with the news! I am talking about a completely different group of people. On Tuesday, October 25th, NYC was overrun by college radio staff, DJs, bands, various artists, and many more people from the music industry. So began the CMJ Music Marathon 2011, and Dayton was not without representation.

The CMJ Music Marathon is a chance for those breaking into music, whether from the business side or the performance side, to learn about the current state of the scene. It is also a chance for smaller
unsigned or indie-label bands to be exposed to a vast audience from all over the United States (and, in some cases, the world). I have been in attendance for the past two years, and the Dayton music scene has been represented in both. In 2010, local act Vanity Theft played one of the showcases. This year brought a greater number of southern Ohio acts: major label band Skeletonwitch, bands from other major cities like Walk the Moon (representing Cincinnati!) and, of course, Dayton representation in the form of The Motel Beds.

Back from CMJ and just coming off a recent performance with Bonneville over at WO Wrights, I had a quick chance to catch up with Ian from The Motel Beds and ask them about themselves and their experience at CMJ…

The Motel Beds performing at CMJ Music Marathon (Photo by Francesca Tamse)

Josh McGrath: How long have you guys been playing together?

Ian Kaplan [The Motel Beds]: Tommy, PJ and I have been playing as Motel Beds since 2003 or so… Derl joined in 2006, I believe and Tod joined last year around this time.

JM: What kind of successes have you seen thus far band-wise?

IK: We’ve had quite a few successes, hopefully which will combine into some kind of success Voltron[…]A few years ago, we were asked to be on a compilation for “The Artist’s Den,” The Huffington Post has mentioned us a few times in a column edited by Phil Ramone (who produced Billy Joel, Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney, etc. etc.). That was really amazing… we grew up listening to the records he produced and it was pretty insane to think he heard us at all, let alone liked us enough to talk about our music. Of course, playing CMJ this year was a huge success for us and the fact that we were hand- picked by the powers that be at CMJ to be included on the 2011 CMJ downloadable “mix tape” was incredible. Our label was invited to showcase at SXSW 2012 and so it looks like we’re going to that as well… We had an interview in “Ghettoblaster” magazine; we were selected by “Turntable Kitchen,” this really great blog that pairs music with food, to be the first band included in their new “Pairings Box,” which also yielded us our first 7” record.  Ultimately though, it’s so fun to make music with these guys… it sounds really corny but I consider that a huge success. Very seldom do you have situations where all the members of a band are like gears in a machine, each one interdependent and each one equally as important as the others.

JM: How did you get involved in this year’s CMJ?

IK: Earlier this year, after we released “Sunfried Dreams” our good friend Shelly hooked us up with
Misty at No More Fake Labels[…]She loved our record and wanted to work with us… the next thing you
know we were playing CMJ. She’s really great and works really hard for everyone on her label.

The Motel Beds performing at CMJ Music Marathon (Photo by Francesca Tamse)

JM: What showcase/show did you play, when and where?

IK: We played at the No More Fake Labels showcase on 10/20/2011 at The Bowery Poetry Club.

JM: Did this show differ at all compared to other shows you have played?

IK: Yes, definitely… we’ve had a couple of good shows in New York, but I think this was definitely the best of all of them. Attendance was great, Doug Gillard came out and told us he loved our music, we had a really good pizza, Kelley Deal was on stage with us… it was really, really cool.

JM: Any other experiences at CMJ you’d like to mention?

IK: The whole trip was such a blur that I don’t really recall anything but being in the van for 12 hours…being in the van for 12 hours was an experience. We also went to Cracker Barrel twice.

Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to catch the band during their showcase. Being in the biggest city in the US during the one of the biggest music festivals in the country makes you lose track of time…and mind. The Motel Beds, along with the hundreds of other bands that played during the festival, went out to accomplish one thing: to get their music heard by the masses. Judging from the sheer crowd at the festival this year, I would have to say they accomplished their goal.

I asked Ian one last question: Is there anything the band would like to say to those that attended the marathon this year? He took the chance to plug the bands newest album, “Tango Boys,” coming out later this month, give thanks to those who saw the show and have supported the band and left some words of assurance:

“No matter what the CDC says, you cannot catch syphilis from handling our CDs anymore.”

The Motel Beds will celebrate the release of Tango Boys on December 9th with a show at Canal Street Tavern.  They’ll perform with the Buffalo Killers and Chocolate Horse.

Lipstick Traces

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My love of pinup runs deep. I love women who are strong and have curves. I love the nostalgia and what it meant to be a woman in the days of the classic pinup. We stood for something……we were women who could do it all make dinner, have a baby and still have flawless eyeliner and pin curls when the men came home! I am amazed by the women of the 50’s and how they juggled it all plus had an immaculate beauty routine. Do you know how long it takes to do victory rolls? Well I can tell you I have done it and it takes me an hour. How many women can honestly say they would even bother to mess with their hair for an hour every single day?I know I am not the only one who has this passion for the days gone by so I am going to give you some easy steps to have that Mad Men look without actually spending an hour or even 30 minutes to achieve it.

First thing is first you must wear foundation and primer. I don’t care what foundation you use it can be Revlon, Dior or anything in between as long as it actually matches your skin tone. When it comes to primer paying a few extra dollars can make a difference. What is primer and what does it do? Primer preps the skin for the foundation and helps smooth the wrinkles and shrink the pores. Any woman over the age of 25 needs this in their makeup bag. Personally I like Nars but whatever works for you is fine.  So we have the primer and the foundation now to concealer. Concealer is your best friend so be sure and call for its help every day. Under eyes, around the nose and on the eyelids that’s your bare minimum no matter how old you are. The secret to the retro look is the flawless skin so be sure and prep your canvas and give yourself a perfect slate for all the fun stuff.


Step two, you need to create the rosy glow without looking dated. So many women struggle with blush but for this lesson we are thinking retro so don’t think this is the way to do your everyday look. You want to accentuate the cheekbones and create a strong jawline so you will need two colors of blush. You will need a bright pink, red or coral depending on your coloring and then a neutral. Start with the neutral and follow the cheekbone up all the way to your temple. My two favorites are MAC’s Dollymix and Melba. Now don’t get crazy, start off light and build. What we don’t want is you looking like a bad high school play.  Next take your bight color and apply just to the apples of your cheeks and blend with the neutral so they look like they are fading together.  Again start off light you can always add more later. Finish with a face powder all over for a soft glowing complexion.

Next we will move on to the lips. Yes I know you are thinking, “what about the eyes???” we will get there but for this look you need to see what the lips are going to do for your skin. You MUST wear color to get this right. I don’t know how many times I have this conversation with Boudoir clients. Even if you are a gloss kind of girl I promise you this look will fail without color. With that in mind don’t think that you have wear bright red. Revlon makes some great pinup colors that are also 16 hour wearing! Tomato, Tulip and Bare Maximum are a few that I like to use. Have fun and play with lip color you will be surprised how much it changes your skin.  If you are going with the bright red here are a couple tips. One use liner if you are not using an all day lipstick and number two if have trouble with color “feathering” out try a wax product such as Benefits Dr. Feelgood and apply around the lips.

Okay we are finally to the eyes. The eyes are not as difficult as you might think it’s all about precision and keeping it simple. Someone once told me that simplicity is the key to elegance and that is the look we want. Start with a lid primer and there is only one that I will even think about using and that’s Clinique’s touchbase. I have tried everything out there but this one is tried and true. No more creased lids or smeared eyeliner with this little gem. For eyeliner you can either use liquid or cream not pencil. If you are new to this go with the liquid. Lancome Artliners are the easiest to control. You can use dark brown or black and follow the shape of your eye right on the lash line from corner to corner. If you are not used to liquid this may take practice. Next use a light shadow all over the eye, I recommend Shroom by MAC. Apply all over the lid and up to the brow. Now take a mauve or brownish pink and apply to the crease. This you can make as dark or light as you prefer. I like to make the crease darker on the outside of my eye and fade in to the corners. If you like false lashes this would be the time to use them and if you don’t like them use lots of mascara and show off those lashes! Retro women were all about the lashes so use what you have and make them dramatic. The final optional step for the eyes is liner on the bottom. Usually with this look you wont need it but this comes down to preference. Finish up with filling in your brows and setting with powder and voila you have an easy retro look.

Coming up next the truth about lashes, what you need to know about putting them on, keeping them on and everything in between.

Become a Leonardo League Volunteer at the DAI

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The Dayton Art Institute is in need of volunteers, especially  during the American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell exhibit that runs through February.  Leonardo League Volunteers support the operations of the museum on a day-to-day basis, performing functions such as:

Your volunteer commitment may be temporary, extending through the end of an exhibition, working a specific event or program, or you may make a long-term commitment to the museum. Volunteers making a long-term commitment are encouraged to become museum members and complete a minimum of 25 hours annually. As a result, volunteers are entitled to:

  • Complimentary tickets to exhibitions
  • Discounts at The Museum Store and The Cafe
  • Attend Volunteer Information Sessions for Training and Art Appreciation (VISTA)
  • Receive quarterly newsletters
  • Receive invitations to exclusive travel and social events

Regardless of the time and commitment you are able to provide, what you can give is honored and greatly appreciated. To begin the process of becoming a DAI volunteer, you must complete the Volunteer Application Form. Send completed application to: The Dayton Art Institute, Monica Walker, Human Resources Manager, 456 Belmonte Park North, Dayton OH 45405-4700. Or email [email protected] or [email protected].

NOTE: Submitting an application to The Dayton Art Institute tells us that you are interested in becoming a volunteer, it does not mean you are a volunteer. You must complete an interview and orientation before you are considered a volunteer. For additional information on becoming a Leonardo League volunteer, contact Monica Walker at [email protected].

Ice skating season is almost here…

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Photo by Leah Stahl

(from Five Rivers MetroParks)

The region’s largest outdoor ice skating rink was a hit when it debuted in 2010, and this year, MetroParks Ice Rink at RiverScape MetroPark (229 E. Monument Ave., Dayton) is set to open Friday, November 25, from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Admission is only $5, which includes the cost of skate rentals.

MetroParks Ice Rink will be open every day of the week—even special holiday hours—through Sunday, March 11, 2012. Patrons can take advantage of concessions at Café Vélo, which will be open during skating hours, serving snacks, such as hot pretzels and also featuring healthy options, such as chicken snack wraps. Visitors can warm up with seasonal favorites like hot chocolate and cappuccino.

Work off Thanksgiving indulgence calories on the ice and enjoy holiday music during the grand-opening weekend:

  • Friday, Nov. 25, 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, Nov. 26, 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
  • Sunday, Nov. 27, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Patrons who bring their own skates can skate for free Mondays through Thursdays when there is no admission to the rink. Rentals are available for $3 on these days. Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays cost a $5 admission fee, which includes the cost of skate rentals.

MetroParks Ice Rink will be open during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays as well as several more holidays and special events throughout the season. Visit metroparks.org/IceRink to find the complete schedule. Lessons and other skating programs also will be hosted at the rink throughout the season. Visit metroparks.org/Skating or read the winter issue of ParkWays to learn more.

Season passes are available for purchase: $60 family passes cover admission and rentals for up to five people, and $25 individual passes cover the same costs. Visit the RiverScape MetroPark Facebook page for a chance to win a family pass!

Slots are still available for businesses, church groups, youth clubs and anyone else interested in renting the rink for a private function. Private rentals include 50 pairs of ice skates and 50 cups of hot chocolate for $200. Call (937) 274-0126 for more information and a list of available dates.

To learn more, visit the website or call the skating office at (937) 278-2607.

Photo by Leah Stahl

Nominate a Women of Influence

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The YWCA Dayton is seeking nominations for its 2012 Women of Influence Awards. This award honors women in the greater Dayton/Miami Valley community who have made a positive influence on the lives of others, as part of their careers, as volunteers, as role models or mentors.

Nominations are accepted from the community and honorees are selected by a panel of community leaders. Nominees do not have to be active in the YWCA. They should reflect the YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.  Additionally, nominees should also exemplify community spirit, leadership, volunteerism and making a difference in the lives of others. To nominate a Woman of Influence, go to the YWCA Dayton website and complete the online nomination form. Deadline to submit a nomination is Friday, December 9, 2011.

A luncheon celebration will be held on March 15, 2012 at the Dayton Convention Center to honor the award winners. For more information on tickets and sponsorship, please call 937-461-5550, ext. 118.

YWCA Dayton is a nonprofit organization located in Dayton, Ohio. YWCA Dayton has been dedicated to the mission of eliminating racism and empowering women for over 140 years. YWCA Dayton offers a variety of programs and services including the only domestic violence shelter in Dayton and Montgomery County. The full range of programs and services offered by the YWCA Dayton include: affordable and transitional housing programs (HomeShare, SRO, Safe Haven), teen services (Girls Inc, walk-ins), affordable childcare, and professional services including case management, group therapy, counseling, crisis intervention, hotline services, advocacy and economic empowerment programs.

For more information about this release, please contact Donna Sizemore, Director of Development, YWCA Dayton, at 937.461.5550 ext. 118.

What is the Price of Beauty?

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In a day of age where women not only want to feel beautiful but are expected to it comes as no surprise that we spend lots and lots of money on it. I am sure for most of us budgeting in our monthly beauty habits has become a fact of life. Do I get my nails done or do I buy a bottle of wine? (personally I would like both please) Many women now are sacrificing certain things in their lives in order to look and feel a certain way. Starvation used to be the disorder of choice but have we now developed a beauty disorder?

Everyone talks about the price of beauty – we fake everything from our hair color to our body shapes, so it really shouldn’t be a surprise that it is beginning to cost us and not just in our purses but in our mental stability. When I look at my monthly calendar it is full of beauty rituals, waxing, hair color, hair cut, manicure, pedicure, and eyelash extensions… when did it all become so complicated? I remember when buying a new lip gloss was enough to get me excited and now I can’t possibly live without all things listed above. My husband will often ask me why I need fake eyelashes, why do I need to constantly change my hair? There really isn’t a great answer other than I need them to feel pretty. I shouldn’t need them to feel beautiful and I think that is his point but as women we are expected to look a certain way, especially when you are in the beauty industry. No one wants their makeup artist to show up with one furry eyebrow and skin that looks like its been to the North Pole. You have to represent your product but how do we learn to represent ourselves in a real way that is affordable and also makes us feel special?

For the last few years I have been working on and researching this very issue. Although I am guilty of overindulging in the beauty world, I have also learned to cut some corners. I believe that women have a right to beauty and the answer to your next facial may be in your fridge. In this blog I will continue to discuss ways to cut back your beauty budget but also look and feel beautiful.

… Of course we will also have to talk about all those fun goodies we have seen in the magazines but in the meantime I have to know what is the one thing in your beauty ritual that you can not possibly go without?

Toxic Brew Company Needs Letters of Support For Zoning Variance to Open in Oregon District

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Local entrepreneurs Shane Juhl and Jason Hindson are working hard to rehab an old building at 431 E. 5th Street in the Oregon District in hopes of opening a Brewpub.  There goal is for Toxic Brew Company to  “celebrate the craft brewers of the area and try to have an eclectic mix of craft beer drawing inspiration from multiple places including Dayton history, American craft breweries, and European traditions.” according to Brewmaster Juhl.  But before they can even think about promoting the beer,  they are trying to work their way through the many obstacles that seem to face so many new businesses in this town- zoning.

If you’d like to see the first Brewpub in Dayton since the prohibition era, help make their dream come true by writing a letter of support to get variances for 18 parking spots, off-street loading/unloading area and to allow their hours of operation to go beyond 11pm.  You can email letters to [email protected] and copy [email protected] who is the staff contact at Zoning Appeals.

You may remember that  Kimberly Collett, owner of Olive- an urban dive and Shane Anderson of the soon to be open Ghostlight Coffee also had to appeal to the public to help obtain the necessary variances to get their businesses past similar hurdles.  So if that’s what the city needs us to do  to help get more locally owned business, let’s help them!

I for one can’t wait to try more of Toxic Brews!  I still have a craving for more of their pepper beer I got to try at the Big Beer and Barley Wines event last month!

For more info, you can check out the file from Toxic Brewing Company below:

City_of_Dayton_Variances for Toxic Brewing Company

A Groupon Garden Station Fund Raiser

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(From Lisa Helm of Garden Station)

Today is the last day of a three-day fund raising campaign on Groupon for Garden Station, a local community garden and art park.

Groupon generally does online coupons for goods or services using the “collective action” model, which means that a minimum number of people need to pledge to buy the deal, before the deal is good.  This minimum is called the “Tipping Point”. This also applies for G-Team fund raising campaigns on Groupon.  Garden Station needed a minimum of 32 donations to “tip” the deal and release 100% of the donations to Garden Station. That minimum is actually just over 20% of the total amount needed to complete the project goal of 9 accessible garden beds.

Garden Station is an all volunteer organization that in the past 3 years has completely changed the corner of 4th and Wayne in downtown Dayton. For the 50 years previous to that, the area was overgrown and trash filled and regularly a camping spot for homeless.

Since then, hundreds of volunteers and over 50 businesses and local organizations have participated in the creation of Garden Station and it has become one of the most unique attractions and venues in the area.

Because the project is all volunteer, your donations go a long way.  For example the new entryway that is currently under construction originally had bids between $5000-$9000 just for the block and concrete work and since organizers at Garden Station were able to solicit volunteers and donations for most of that, the entire finished project, including landscaping and mosaic work will end up being less that $2000 in material costs only.

That being said this Groupon fund raising campaign is not “extra” to their budget.  It IS their budget! Without donations and volunteers from the community Garden Station would never happen!

There are just a few more building projects planned, including a stage and a buffet area to support the increasing number of potlucks and receptions there. Once those projects are finished, Garden Station organizers anticipate being able to cover all their own regular expenses.

This campaign is a win-win for everyone. The community will have an asset for years to come that is truly built FOR the community BY the community.

For more information about Garden Station please visit their Facebook page or call 937-610-3845.

You have until midnight tonight to donate at http://www.groupon.com/deals/gt-garden-station

Ohio’s Issue 2 – Where do YOU stand?

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Governor Kasich

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been barraged with rhetoric from both sides of the Senate Bill 5 issue. Rhetoric is often persuasive, but it doesn’t really give a person any solid facts to stand on. So what is the bill really about?

At its core, SB 5 (also known as Issue 2) is another effort put forward by government officials to cut spending in the public sector with the bill largely affecting public and government workers. Although many Americans are pushing for stricter spending budgets in the government, SB 5 allows for some big changes that have been causing a lot of controversy.

For teachers, SB 5 eliminates the “step raise” statutory salary schedules in favor of performance-based-pay determined partly on student performance. It abolishes all continuing contracts for teachers except for those made before July 2011. It removes seniority and length of service considerations from decisions regarding layoffs. The bill also eliminates current rules of leave and places the authority to set new policies on the Board of Education.

For health care benefit costs, SB 5 limits public employer contributions to 85 percent. So public employers will still be helping significantly with health care benefit costs and still more than what the majority of employers offer in the private sector. The bill also removes unions’ most effective bargaining tool: the strike action.

Perhaps the most controversial issue in the policies in SB 5 lies in changes to collective bargaining rights. Many of the bill’s policies reduce the types of collective bargaining that public workers with public employee unions can do. Specifically the bill states that bargaining for things like class sizes, wages, hours of employment, and terms and conditions of employment cannot be collectively bargained for. The bill also limits new collective bargaining agreements regarding sick leave and the certain types of leave that can be accumulated. However, the bill continues to allow collective bargaining for some benefits like pensions or health care as well as work safety issues.

Although collective bargaining and striking is out of the question in SB 5 it doesn’t limit what an individual public worker can bargain for. In that way, SB 5 seeks to put public employees in the same shoes as private workers. It’s not that a public worker can never try to get their pay raised or change the terms and conditions of their employment – they just have to do it individually, as it is done in the private sector. They also align more with the private sector workers in that the ability to gain a pay-raise is more performance and result based. Seniority may play a factor in job security, but no more than it does in the private sector should SB 5 be brought into law.

The reason collective bargaining and strike action removal is such a big issue goes back to the founding of the first unions. Unions were created to put enough power in the hands of employees to match or nearly match the power the employer had. They emerged during the Industrial Age in response to jobs that had poor and often dangerous working conditions for minimal pay and benefits. The individual worker had so little bargaining leverage that there was usually nothing they could do to improve their situation. However, together in a union the workforce became strong and able to level the playing field and demand better terms in the workers’ interest. The unions’ biggest and most effective weapon against unfair management was the strike.

This is why SB 5 is so controversial. It breaks down something that has been in place for nearly a century. To go back on anything that has such a long history is never easy and often worrying. After having the ability to collectively bargain, strike, and more for so long, the unions are concerned that the dissolution of them will cause public employees to suffer.

Those in support of SB 5 argue that it deflates the bloated levels of power public workers have had for many years now. They believe unions have become too effective and have abused their power and allowed many public workers to become lazy and entitled. Their view of SB 5 sees the bill as a way to cut costs in hard times where it can and needs to be cut. Many have largely supported the performance-based-pay and job evaluations as a much needed change in the public work sector. They argue that cutting workers who don’t perform in their jobs will increase efficiency and encourage better working practices in other public employees. Supporters believe that the necessity for union abilities like collective bargaining has lessened as standards are more easily enforced and that it’s time for each public employee to be hired or fired on their own abilities.

Those opposing SB 5 see the bill in a very different light. Some have even gone so far as to label it as dangerous, unfair, and detrimental to the economy. They are also keen to point out that while government officials are cutting from the public sector, politicians have failed to make cuts in their own benefits and wages. Opponents also believe the changes will lead to things like decreases in emergency task forces and cause shortages in health care workers and lead to overpopulated health care facilities with limited staffing. They say public sector employees have already had to take enough cuts and believe Ohio’s budget trouble stems from big corporations. They are concerned that without collective bargaining, individual workers will once again fall prey to greedy management and return to working conditions that existed prior to the rise of the union.

Wherever your opinions fall on Issue 2, I hope you’ll take away something from this article and make your voice heard November 8th at the polls.