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Go back in time at the Ohio Renaissance Festival (TICKET CONTEST)

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Enter to win a pair of tickets – below article!

Visitors to the Ohio Renaissance Festival are entertained by nearly 100 engaging, live shows daily on eleven stages scattered throughout a 30-acre permanent village. This year, the festival features a full schedule of the most unique entertainment found anywhere.

New This Year

Robin Hood and Maid Marian will keep you in stitches as they transform audience members into the stars of heroic tales such as St. George and the Dragon during The Adventures of Robin Hood, a fun show for the whole family!

The haunting sounds of carillon bells played by the Spirit of the Bells will fill the realm. Cast in Bronze, the only musical act of its kind in the world, performs multiple times daily for six of the seven weekends. Weighing over four tons, the carillon is an impressive sight to see and hear!

Molotov the Gypsy will entertain audiences three weekends with a hilarious mixture of magic, juggling, fire-eating, and wild stunts. When not on stage find him in the village lanes, ready with an amazing trick or two.

The villagers of Willy Nilly-on-the-Wash have a gift for Her Majesty, but where is it? It’s been stolen and it’s up to the Sea Dogs to get it back. Swords, rope swings, gunfire and comedy burst from the decks of the 65-foot pirate ship during the Pirate Comedy Stunt Show as the Sea Dogs gather clues and try to solve the mystery. See if you can solve the mystery of the stolen gift before this surly band of pirates can!

Enjoy music and comedy performed by The Other Woman in the village pubs but don’t be embarrassed if you blush.  This maiden is always searching for her next true love and it just might be you!

Returning Favorites

The Da Vinci Bros Comedy Operas presents dynamic audience participation comedies that make the audience the stars. To help tell the story, the audience becomes the orchestra and the sound effects. Sensational fun for the whole family!

Father Son & Friends return for rollicking good times. Traditional Celtic songs, pub songs, bagpipes, and drums will keep your toes tapping and your hands clapping.

The Minstrel Lutenist – Craig of Farrington Couples seeking an unforgettable romantic experience are encouraged to meet the minstrel as he wanders the shady lanes of Willy-Nilly. His personalized love songs are a thing of legend.

The Mudde Show returns with a unique blend of comedy and earth as they perform Beowulf, Dante’s Inferno and the muddiest show of them all, The Viking Show in the only Olympic-sized Muditorium found in three states.

The Swordsmen offer sharp rapiers and even sharper wit as they teach what one needs to know in order to become a gentleman. A few lessons include the proper way to offer a kiss upon the hand and how to engage in dueling.

Enjoy these exciting attractions and more at the 2011 Ohio Renaissance Festival, September 3 through October 16, Saturdays, Sunday, and Labor Day.

Open 10:30am to 6:00pm, rain or shine. Discount tickets are available at all

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Kroger stores or online at www.renfestival.com.

Enter to Win Tickets!

Fill out the form below to be entered to win a pair of tickets to the Ohio Renaissance Festival!  We’ll draw winners every Wednesday until October 16th – your single entry is good for every week’s drawing (limit one pair of tickets per winning email address).

[form 1 “Contest Entry”]

Patterson Square: The new kid on the block.

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On the corner of First and Patterson is Dayton’s latest condo development: Patterson Square. Not your father’s townhouse, Patterson Square combines the best of traditional and modern interior designs. As a Realtor, I like seeing new builds or renovations in downtown Dayton. There is a need for it. I understand we have a lot of single family homes looking for owners, but people like variety. And no I don’t work for Charles Simms Development, I’m a HouseNerd who gets her kicks talking about real estate. So let’s take a quick tour.

It’s a (sing it with me) brick, house, and it is kinda mighty mighty if you want to know the truth. The exterior is all brick and like most townhouses, the windows are big. When you only have two sides to work with, you try to grab as much natural light as you can. At the street level is an attached 1 car garage w/ storage at the back, and a gated entry with a bricked courtyard at the front. Sandwiched between the two, is what they are calling a live/work space. Most likely to be used as an office or den, it could double as a guest room, this room is approx 12’2″ x 11′ 8″ with windows that will look out on the courtyard. Those buildings that face south will get some nice natural light in this room. HVAC system is in the garage.

Next level is what Simms calls the “Living Level”, but the rest of us call it the second floor. It’s an open kitchen/ living space with large windows on one side, and patio doors that lead to an 8×6 deck on the other which overlooks the common area of the development. Owners should get some nice views from here. You’ll be able to sit out there and enjoy music festivals at Riverscape. This level has an open floor plan and exposed beam 9′ ceilings, it’s a nice loft-like feel here- very modern. The entire space is 36″ long so you could pack some people in there for entertaining, but separate areas- kitchen, dining, living are nicely designated so it lends itself to more intimate gatherings as well. The powder room on this floor.

The third level is private spaces- two bedrooms and a shared bath. The master bedroom is 13’6″ x 11′ and features trey ceilings- a nice touch. Two separate closets? Yes, please. The second bedroom has its own walk-in closet, and the laundry is on this level. The full bath can be accessed from either the master or the hall. The entire unit is pre-wired for audio on all three levels, and is 1331 sq ft, not too shabby for a townhouse in the downtown residential district.

There are some Green Building features here, of course. You can’t really build these days without incorporating some green features and this development is Energy Star qualified- generally 20-30% more efficient than standard homes.

Overall, it’s another option to the growing residential district in downtown Dayton. Patterson Square will serve a market that is looking for something new, something efficient, close to everything in downtown Dayton, but a more traditional style than the Litehouse Development. These townhouses start at $139,900, and as of the offers of this post 9-18-11, they are offering pre-construction incentives such as closing costs if financed with their preferred lender, 6 months of HOA fees paid, flooring upgrades on Living Level (that is some beautiful flooring, I will say). Note: Prices and incentives are subject to change, please consult your Realtor or Simms Development for details. Each home comes with an in-house 1 year warranty, and a personal walk-thru with Charles Simms the developer, himself.

The Simms website is here, Patterson Square is here, but since it’s a new build there are no photos yet, so go to the Twin Lakes West photos to see a very similar townhouse. The photos included in this post came from the model at Twin Lakes West and while there will be some minor changes to the floor plan to make it optimized for the downtown site, you can see what Patterson Square is going to look like. How do you find out more? Contact Sales Rep Stephanie Dietz at Simms, 937-436-2913; or contact your Realtor who can walk you through the process and act as your professional eyes and ears to any new home purchase.

Food Adventures visit the legendary Hasty Tasty Pancake House

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Remember back in the day when waitresses used to be “real” waitresses?  When you had a server that made waitressing her career and was a staple at the restaurant for decades?  Well this type of throwback place still exists in Dayton, it is called the Hasty Tasty Pancake House.  This place also reminds us of the good old days because we ordered a ton of food, and the price was still cheap.

Betty, our waitress, has worked at Hasty Tasty since 1974

“Bunny’s Hasty Tasty Pancake House” has been in business for 59 years.  Located on Linden Ave in Dayton, memorabilia still hangs on the wall from the early days of this restaurant.  The atmosphere felt like 1973, and the booth furniture looks of the same era.  No longer open 24 hours, this establishment has seating of all booths with faux leather that surprisingly did not stick to Ragu’s chubby thighs.

Being lifelong Dayton area residents, it is mind boggling that we had never been to the Hasty Tasty Pancake house before.   Oh, the shame!   We have driven past the neon sign out front a bunch of times.   So we made up for it by going not once, but twice, in a month.  A double Food Adventure!

Our first visit was for the gluttonous reasons (big surprise, huh..).  Hasty Tasty has a Friday night special.  They have an All You Can Eat Fish Fry with 2 sides, for the astounding price of $7.25.  We saw this ad in a paper and it finally convinced us to go try it out.  And guess what, the fish is terrific!  We were blown away by the amount and the taste of the food.  Not what we expected for $7.25.  The cole slaw was great and they served butter pads with the dinner rolls. When is the last time you have seen butter served in pads?  We loved the side of mac n cheese, and Ragu even ordered a side of shrimp for only 99 cents!

Friday Nights: All U Can Eat Fish for $7.25

But the food was only half the story, as we met a wonderful waitress named Betty.  Betty is an older woman and has been working at the  Hasty Tasty Pancake House for 38 years.  She was a delightful server and her personality and advice reminded us of the time “when waitresses were waitresses.”  She brought out our fish fry plates gleefully, and told us about the rich history of this legendary Dayton diner.

After pictures with the staff and the fish, a completely stuffed Food Adventure Crew, wobbled out of the place on that fateful Friday night, vowing to return for breakfast sometime soon.

After we had a few weeks to digest our meals, we again snuck in for a Saturday morning breakfast at Hasty Tasty.  We were eager to see if our first trip was a fluke.

Our waitress this time was a little younger, but had worked for Hasty Tasty Pancake House for almost 2 decades.   We ordered a pecan waffle with eggs.  The Big Ragu wanted a country fried steak, but Ragu had his eye on pancakes.  This after all is a “pancake house.”  Ragu did the only diplomatic thing.  He ordered the country fried steak, and a side of pancakes.  Additional pancake add ons are only $1.60, so it had to be done.   Our waitress raised an eyebrow when Ragu ordered the pancakes and looked around.  The tone was set.

Our Incredible Breakfast Spread

We waited for our breakfast and observed our surroundings.  It was 9am and the place was packed with interesting clientele from all walks of life.  There were businessmen types, families, bikers, college kids, senior citizens, you name it.  There are many regulars here, and they refer to the place as simply “Bunny’s.”  We noticed some interesting hairstyles and dress, which only made the already throwback atmosphere that much more real.  And then it happened.  Our waitress came over with this huge tray full of plates.  She smiled and gave us eggs and Waffle.  She also plopped down Ragu’s Pancakes, Country Fried Steak, Hashbrowns and Bacon.  She then lowered a mammoth plate of biscuits and gravy.  We said to the waitress “Do other people eat more than this?”  She said “Oh gosh yes, this is nothing, a skinny waitress here could out eat anyone in this restaurant.”  We suddenly felt more at ease.   We then  saw a small crane lower another large tray of food to the couple sitting next to us.  Foodies! Ahhh we were among our peeps!  Our table was completely strewn with food and drinks, and the cost was about 20 bucks total.

Let us tell you, the food was PHENOMENAL! It was the best waffle we had ever eaten, and Ragu said they were the best pancakes he has ever had.

 

We have found the morning mecca, Hasty Tasty is thy name.  Everything was terrific, we are still talking about how good it was.  The bottom line is it that this place is an old, nostalgic greasy spoon, with some incredible food.  No gimmicks, no trinkets for sale, just good meals.  It was a rewarding experience and a perfect example of why we do these FOOD ADVENTURES, because you never know what you will find.  It is no mystery why this diner has been around for 59 years.  If you visit Bunny’s Hasty Tasty Pancake House, we promise, you will walk out full and your wallet will still be semi-full too!

Please visit FOOD ADVENTURES on FACEBOOK BY CLICKING HERE !

What are your thoughts on Bunny’s Hasty Tasty Pancake House?  Comment Below !

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Star-Crossed Lovers in Mixed Media

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DPO presents Romeo & Juliet Weekend: Ballet Music Meets Dramatic Script

@J_Capulet: Yo, Rom! What ^? Where U @?

@R_Montague: J-Babe! Can’t tweet/climb vines @ same time. ˄ in a sec!

The preceding conversation is part of the famous Balcony Scene from William Shakespeare’s tragic play Romeo and Juliet…in 2011-speak. Compared to the original, it lacks something, doesn’t it? Actually, it lacks a lot. In only 400-some years it has eroded to the former from this:

O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?

With love’s light wings did I o’er-perch these walls; For stony limits cannot hold love out.

Granted, taken out of context, the dialog seems stilted, archaic. But put it in its proper place in this story of extreme hatred offset by complete unselfishness, and you have the most ageless of love stories.

Barely in their teens, Romeo and Juliet see one another at a masked ball and fall completely and helplessly in love before they even know each other’s names. Then they learn they are cursed by their very birth: their families hate each other with a stab-on-sight mindset. What follows is their attempt to break through their parents’ hatred and to hope, no matter how naively, that their love for one another might be the cause of their families’ reconciliation.

Written sometime between 1591 and 1595, it is conceivable that the play could have taken Shakespeare as long as five years to complete. That’s a huge chunk of one’s life to devote to a project. But the tale is so compelling that not only have theaters around the world performed it again and again, but it also has found its way into other genres.

In 1968, Italian film director Franco Zeffirelli made an intensely and beautifully told film version extremely faithful to the original play (Romeo and Juliet). In 1957, West Side Story, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, opened on Broadway. A film version followed in 1961. Bernstein’s version is set in the 1950s in a Manhattan ghetto. The rival “families” were two gangs, the Jets and the Sharks; Maria (Juliet) belonged to the Sharks, and Tony (Romeo) was a Jet.

In 1996, William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, hit movie theaters across the U.S. with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in the title roles. The film was an updated and shortened reconstruction of Shakespeare’s play that retained the original Shakespearean dialogue. But then, the movie featured a novel twist: it was set in modern day. The Montagues and the Capulets were more like crime families, each owning big-dollar businesses at war and using guns instead of swords (the guns manufactured by Sword and Dagger rather than Glock or Smith & Wesson). The movie used some characters’ first, rather than last, names. And they all lived in the L.A.-esque city of Verona Beach.

In the 1930s, Romeo and Juliet was reborn in another media – ballet. Think ballet and ballet music, and the name Tchaikovsky usually comes to mind in connection with Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker. But in the 1930s another Russian composer, Sergei Prokofiev, wrote the musical score for the ballet Romeo and Juliet. Today, the score is generally recognized as a masterpiece. The ballet has four acts and ten scenes, and among its beautifully constructed musical score the love theme of Romeo and Juliet is at once the very soul of tenderness, longing, fervor, and refinement.

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On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, October 13, 14, and 15, at 8pm in the Schuster Center Neal Gittleman and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will bring both William Shakespeare’s and Sergei Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet to life again. Actor Bruce Comer brings over thirty years’ experience to the task of injecting the narrated script of Shakespeare’s original play into Prokofiev’s music.

In structuring the words with the music, Cromer – Professor and Head of Acting for the Professional Actor Training Program at Wright State University and a Resident Artist with the Human Race Theatre – faced a daunting challenge.

“Using the Prokofiev score, Neal and I worked together to find which parts of the text worked best with the music,” Cromer states. “Knowing the script as I do, I could hear beautiful ‘underscoring’ moments for some of the scenes and speeches. Neal was able to brilliantly assemble the pieces of the puzzle with his conducting – leaving pauses, sustaining notes, cueing me, etc.  The narration that I’ve added here and there is meant to fill in the gaps of the missing Shakespeare.”

And the challenges don’t end there. “Though I love transforming into characters, and have done a few one-person shows, it’s difficult to see myself as Juliet – a beautiful, fourteen-year-old girl, in the passion of her first (and tragically last) love.  But that music can drag any sensitive actor fully into the story – it plunges you into the savage duels, the madness of Mercutio, the torchlit dance where Romeo is first entranced by Juliet.”

“Romeo And Juliet is perhaps the touchstone of True Love for western civilization; Prokofiev’s score captures the sweeping passion of love-at-first-sight, that breathless combination of sexual attraction and spiritual union, the feeling of ‘I know you – I’ve always known you, I cannot breathe without you!!!,’” Cromer notes.  “Nothing’s more moving to Romantics than the notion that one cannot live without the beloved.  Nothing’s more powerful than that first moment when you connected with another human being, when you first said, ‘I love you’ – and knew it was The Truth.”

Ain’t it, though?

This artistic tour-de-force finds Bruce Cromer, from Human Race Theatre Company, enacting roles and providing narration to Prokofiev’s suite based on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet! Working in close collaboration, Neal and Bruce have created an excing new combination of Shakespeare’s immortal words and Prokofiev’s immortal music.

Thursday, Octob­er 13 & Saturday, O­ctober 15 ~ 2011
Schuster Center, ­8 pm­
Take Note Talk, Mead Theatre, 7pm

Buy your tickets TODAY!

Jane’s Best Bets (9/14 – 9/18)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

I must admit, I have a problem.  I’m indecisive, and Dayton isn’t helping since there are too many options from which to choose.  However, I’ve narrowed it down a bit and would like to provide you with some possibilities for the week!

On Wednesday, learn how to start a vegetable garden with Five Rivers Metro Parks’ Preparing a New Vegetable Bed class.  Enjoy some good wine at the Cameron Hughes Wine Tasting at Arrow Wine in Centerville or some good beer at the Beer Tasting with Beer Guru Charles at Rumbleseat Wine.  And if you enjoy theater, then make your way to The Loft Theatre to see God of Carnage.

On Thursday, there will be Apples Everywhere at the 2nd Street Market…well, I don’t want to lie.  They probably won’t be everywhere, but I’m sure there will be lots of them there.  Young professionals should definitely make their way to the Dayton Art Institute for jumpstART’s Jump into Fine Art!  For only $10, you get several things, including admission to their special exhibit, two Oktoberfest tickets, and much more.  Take that Groupon!  If you’re cheesy like me, then make your way to Dorothy Lane Market for the Cheeses of the World Show.  And if you’re a fitness pro unlike me, make plans to hit up the US Air Force Marathon Sports and Fitness Expo at the Nutter Center.  Runners have been instructed to pick up their bibs during this time, so they must think that runners are messy eaters.

On Friday, downtown is THE place to be.  PARK(ing) Day will be celebrated, which is a worldwide event in which metered parking spots are transformed into temporary parks.  During your lunch hour (or half hour), watch the SMAG Dance Collective as part of The Square Is Where at Courthouse Square.  And in the evening, Urban Nights is a MUST ATTEND event!  There will be tons to do, including Pecha Kucha Dayton Volume 8, as well as watching several crazy people (I can say that since I know some of them!) who are Going ‘Over the Edge’ for Big Brothers Big Sisters at the at Key Bank Tower.  You will also be able to combine the Urban Nights’ experience with the Taste of Miami Valley at RiverScape.  Some theater options for Friday include A Streetcar Named Desire at Xenia’s Kettering Health Network Theater; God of Carnage at The Loft Theatre; or Urinetown: The Musical at Centerville Schools Performing Arts Center…you know you gotta go.  Fling in the Springs will be happening up in Yellow Springs.  If you feel like being all “fitnessy”, then attend the US Air Force Marathon Sports and Fitness Expo at the Nutter Center.  And although Dayton’s Oktoberfest isn’t for another week, you can get a taste of it at Arrow Wine in Centerville during their 14th Annual Oktoberfest Celebration.

On Saturday, good luck to all the runners running in the Air Force Marathon.  And if you’re not a runner, you may want to avoid the traffic around base!  All you women out there (I know there are a lot of you) can head to the Dayton Airport Expo Center for the Dayton Women’s Fair.  Another type of fair/festival is happening in Yellow Springs – Fling in the Springs.  Consider seeing nearly 200 antique/classic automobiles and motorcycles as part of the The fifth Dayton Concours d’legance’s Preview Party at Carillon Park.  I’m all about pointing people in the right direction, so “I’m so excited” to tell you to head up north to the Clark State Performing Arts Center to see The Pointer Sisters.  Support United Rehabilitation Services by participating in the Rubber Duck Regatta at RiverScape.  Also there, you will be able to eat some delicious food as part of the Taste of Miami Valley.  If you live up north, no worries, as the Taste of Troy will also be happening on Saturday.  And if you ran in the marathon in the morning, then you definitely have to make up for all those calories you burned!

On Sunday, you’ll have the opportunity to check out some of the things you may have missed earlier in the weekend, such as the Dayton Women’s Fair or Fling in the Springs.  Some theater options include God of Carnage, A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Merry Wives of Windsor presented by Shakespeare in South Park.  Check out some antique/classic cars and motorcycles as part of The fifth Dayton Concours d’legance at Carillon Park.  And if you’re a pork fan, head to the Preble County Fairgrounds for the Preble County Pork Festival.

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

If a blonde and a brunette jumped off the Key Bank Tower, who would hit the ground first?

The brunette because the blonde would have to stop to ask for directions.

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!

Downtown’s Biggest Street Party Is Getting Bigger

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A child paints the street as part of an interactive component of Urban Nights.

If you are looking to take your weekend to new heights, look no further than downtown Dayton.

Urban Nights will be back with even more fun activities on Friday, Sept. 16, from 5 to 10 p.m. New this year is Over the Edge, a challenge that combines fundraising with adventure. Participants who raise at least $1,000 will be given the opportunity to rappel over the side of the 27-story KeyBank Tower. All proceeds will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Miami Valley. Space is limited; for more information, call 220-6857.

Urban Nights has plenty of live entertainment. Check out the stage featuring Celtic and folk music, including performances by  Norman’s Conquest. Back by popular demand is the Community Stage. For the first part of the evening, local bands and performers will be allowed 10-minute slots on the stages. The second half will feature karaoke, when anyone can take a turn at the mic.

Urban Nights is filled with interactive activities. The public pianos that debuted

A street performer juggles fire.

during the fall 2010 Urban Nights are also back by popular demand. Hauer Music will provide four pianos to be placed on street corners throughout downtown, which pedestrians are invited to play. Other interactive activities will include an opportunity to help create a work of art with jelly beans, a chalk walk on the sidewalk, and a chance to learn how to break dance and juggle.

K12 Gallery for Young People, 510 E. Third St., will host Round 1 of Art-Off, a new fundraising event in which individuals battle to create the greatest art-making spectacle in an Iron Chef-like competition. Participants will receive materials (announced the night of the event) to create artwork within the theme “chaos vs. order.” Ten artists will compete during six 30-minute time slots from 6 to 9 p.m., and audience members will vote on each time slot’s winning artist based on the artists’ performances in crafting their pieces, as well as their finished products. To sign up to participate, contact Kelly Sexton at 461-5149 or [email protected].

Winning entries from the Downtown in Focus amateur and professional photography contest will be on display in the Kettering Tower lobby during Urban Nights. One amateur winner and one professional winner were selected in each of the following categories: My Downtown Favorite, Downtown at Night and Abstract Downtown. A panel of judges awarded a $250 cash prize to the Best in Show winner in each division. In addition, City of Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell selected one photo that best represents the City’s “Dayton Originals” motto.

The weekend-long Taste of Miami Valley will kick off during Urban Nights at RiverScape MetroPark. Guests can sample food from more than 30 area restaurants. Admission is free, and most tastes are $3 each.

A street painter illustrates the vibrant downtown atmosphere.

A map of participating venues and a complete performance schedule, including a listing of all participating locations’ events and specials, is available online at www.downtowndayton.org. Follow Urban Nights on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UrbanNightsDayton for regular updates and more information.

The best way to see as much as possible during Urban Nights is to walk, and many of the destinations are just a short distance from each other. Greater Dayton RTA also will provide free event trolleys to help visitors get around. In addition, cyclists will gather at 5:15 p.m. at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field for Urban Bikes @ Urban Nights, a community ride through the action hosted by Bike Miami Valley.

For more information, contact Krystal Luketic at 937-224-1518 ext. 227 or [email protected].

Urban Nights is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership, Culture Works, Montgomery County and the City of Dayton, with additional support from WDTN-TV2, DP&L, Greater Dayton RTA, Budweiser Select, the Downtown Priority Board, Clear Channel and Mix 107.7-FM, Wright Dunbar, Inc., Generation Dayton and the Ohio Arts Council.

Dayton Campus Connect – Connecting College Students to the Dayton Region

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DaytonMostMetro.com, with the support of Southern Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE) and the Downtown Dayton Partnership, is proud to introduce our newest featured section – Dayton Campus Connect!  Formerly a program started by the DDP to connect college students to Downtown Dayton, Dayton Campus Connect has now been expanded to connect college students to the entire Dayton Region.  We’ve recently put out a call to all of the area colleges for interns to join DaytonMostMetro.com as contributing writers who will be covering local events, theatre, music, dining, active living, film and more as they earn college credits.  For this fall quarter we have brought on fifteen interns from the University of Dayton and Wright State University:

  • Andrea Wintrow (UD)
  • Cris Nance  (WSU)
  • Eugenia Volfson (WSU)
  • Megan Lachey (WSU)
  • Olivia Woodruff (WSU)
  • Rebecca Ann Weaver (WSU)
  • Jill Pajka (UD)
  • Justin Guinn (UD)
  • Megan Garrison (UD)
  • Cara Spray (WSU)
  • Cathryn O’Connell (UD)
  • Joshua A McGrath (WSU)
  • Lindsey Stover (UD)
  • Mariah Douglas (UD)
  • Natalie Middleton (WSU)

According to Bill Pote (DaytonMostMetro.com publisher), “we have a chance to give our readers a fresh perspective on the things happening in the region with Dayton Campus Connect.  And as we introduce these and other college students to the things our region has to offer, we have a chance to keep some of these students wanting to stay here once they graduate – with some valuable writing experience at the region’s premiere online magazine, of course!”

We’ll be posting all student articles here in our Dayton Campus Connect section (which you can reach directly at www.DaytonCampusConnect.com), and using our Dayton Campus Connect Facebook page to let you know about new articles as they are published (be sure to “like” our page today).  The program will continue in future quarters/semesters and we hope to get students from other area colleges involved.  And if you are a college student who is reading this, be sure to check out the rest of our site to find out what is happening outside of your campus – you’ll be glad you did!

Turning Parking Spots into PARKS – PARK(ing) Day 2011

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(press release from Garden Station)

In cities around the globe today, artists, activists and citizens will temporarily transform metered parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces, as part of an annual event called “PARK(ing) Day on Friday September 16th, 2011.”
Originally invented in 2005 by Rebar, a San Francisco-based art and design studio, PARK(ing) Day challenges people to rethink the way streets are used and reinforces the need for broadbased changes to urban infrastructure. “In urban centers around the world, inexpensive curbside parking results in increased traffic, wasted fuel and more pollution,” says Rebar’s Matthew Passmore. “The planning strategies that generated these conditions are not sustainable, nor do they promote a healthy, vibrant human habitat. PARK(ing) Day is about re-imagining the possibilities of the urban landscape.”

Feed meter... then lay sod!

This year Garden Station‘s Project Manager, Lisa Helm, has coordinated several local organizations to sponsor parks on Friday September 16 (same day as Urban Nights).  DaytonMostMetro.com is sponsoring a park in front of their clubhouse at 120 N. St Clair. Garden Station is sponsoring a park in front of Blind Bob’s in the Oregon District, and City Hall is sponsoring a park on Ludlow Street.  MetroParks is loaning plants for the day and Green Velvet Sod Farms has donated sod, which will end up at Garden Station.  This is the third year Dayton will participate in the event.

Since 2005, the project has blossomed into a worldwide grassroots movement: PARK(ing) Day 2010 included more than 800 “PARK” installations in more than 180 cities in 30 countries on six continents. This year, the project continues to expand to urban centers across the globe.

A much better use of a parking space...

PARK(ing) Day is an “open-source” user-generated invention created by independent groups around the globe who adapt the project to champion creative, social or political causes that are relevant to their local urban conditions. More information regarding local PARK(ing) Day activities can be found at www.facebook.com/GardenStation and a global map of all participating cities are available on the PARK(ing) Day website, at parkingday.org.
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About Garden Station
Garden Station is a community garden and art park founded in 2008 on the corner of 4th and Wayne, and is created completely by volunteers and donations. We love to encourage citizens to roll up their sleeves and be active in improving their city on a personal level.
About Rebar
Founded in 2004 in San Francisco, Rebar is an internationally recognized art and design studio operating at the intersection of art, design and ecology.

Food Adventures Gears up for the 2011 Festival Season

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Let’s face it, summer is over.   Many are bummed over the fact that the outdoor dining patios are closing, and they have no more days left at the pool.  Ragu is no longer laying out topless, scaring young kids. But the end of summer also brings some good news: Fall Festival Season is upon us !!

We absolutely love festivals, and the fall is our favorite time as the big dogs of the fest world make their appearance.  Two of our favorite festivals, The Greek Fest and The Italian Festival kick off the fall season.

Why are they on the same weekend? We do not know why.  Do the organizers understand the misery they put us through and the nightmare of scheduling our Food Adventure weekend?  Why won’t one of these old cultures move their festival a week later?   We may start a petition to put it on the November ballot, so we can spread out our campaign of gluttony.

First up is our study of the Greek Festival (www.daytongreekfestival.com), which is held at the Greek Orthodox Church next to the Dayton Art Institute.  This huge festival recently started charging a $2 admission fee.  Let us give you a bit of wisdom, GO DURING THE DAY, unless you want to experience the madhouse crowd and sheer pandemonium of trying to find a parking space near this festival.

Trigonas, Greek beer, and Gyros

Sure you can visit the arts & craft area or admire the dancers or a statue.  We prefer, however, to admire the gyros, greek beer, and those little golden honey puffs.  Oh, did we mention the baklava and trigonas in the building area kick  Mt Olymp-ass?  The food is reasonably priced, with most items around $3-$6.  Another highlight is a tour of the Greek church, one of the more spectacular churches in this area.  Oh yea, NO FOOD in the church.  This festival offers a huge variety of Greek food, but for you less adventurous souls, there are Greek french fries, and Domino’s pizza’s “Greek slices.”  Ragu says go for the good stuff, like a lamb shank dinner.  You only get it once a year.

If you are the artsy type, then you may enjoy the Greek Band at night, and the traditional Greek dancing.  These dancers jump over napkins, and are better than our best erotic dance moves.  We love the Greeks, we are huge Telly Savalas fans from way back in the day.

On the other side of town is our other favorite festival, The Italian Fall Festa (www.italianfallfesta.com), held at Bella Villa Hall on County Line Road, not far from

Wine Booth at Dayton’s Italian Festival

the Greene.  Ragu has to come here, he is Italian for goodness sake.  Again, may we plead that you go there during the day, unless you like a brisk walk from the nearby armory, or enjoy walking blocks of streets lined with cars.  As you enter the fest, you may be greeted by the sound of Italian music from the live stage.

The outside grounds of the festival features such fare as Cavatelli, Italian sausages, sub-par pizza, calzones and soups.  However, some of our favorite items are found inside the hall building and not outside on the grounds.  Inside, the hall offers nightly dinners.  Friday is Baked Pasta night, and Saturday is stuffed shells night, while Sunday is spaghetti and meatballs.  You may even find Ragu working a meatball sub booth outside, or the beer and wine booth inside the hall.  Ragu has also been threatening to enter the spaghetti eating contest, held at 3pm on Sunday.

We love, and we mean love the cannoli at this fest.  In fact, you are guaranteed to gain 5 pounds by just walking into the pastry area.  We love gelato because of this festival,  the tasty treat.

A Perfect Cannoli

The pastries are homemade, but unfortunately a lot of the other outside area food is not.   So if you choose to eat outside, be sure to let the vino flow and the food may taste a bit better.  And while you are outside, try your hand at bocce ball, where you can reserve a court for a small fee.

So this upcoming weekend, with a gleam in our eye and food stains on our shirts, we say thank you Dayton, for another year of Festival Food Adventures.

What is your favorite food at these festivals? What are your experiences?  Please comment below!

Visit FOOD ADVENTURES  on Facebook by clicking here and “like” our page to become and official fan.

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Jane’s Best Bets (9/7 – 9/11)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

This week, it’s all Greek to me.  Well, that’s not really the truth.  It’s only partially Greek, with a little Italian, a little German, and a little Hispanic, mixed in with many other things.  Variety is the spice of life, so if you want to spice up yours, check out some of these suggestions for things to do!

On Wednesday, make your way to Courthouse Square for The Square Is Where featuring Gary Hill (Solo Classic Rock).  Art lovers should hop on over to the University of Dayton’s Roesch Library Gallery for the University of Dayton Art Hop.  Looking to find a volunteer opportunity that matches your interests?  Consider attending Generation Dayton’s 2011 Volunteer Speed Match at the Dayton Racquet Club, where you will be able to “date” several non-profits in the area.  Also downtown, head to The Wine Gallery for their Weekly Wine Tasting or to the Trolley Stop for their Old Time Acoustic Jam.

On Thursday, there will be another “The Square Is Where” performance at Courthouse Square, which will feature Alabama Capital. If you are trying to eat healthier foods, consider making your way to the Centerville Farmers Market.  Head to McCormick & Schmick’s for their Greek Wine Dinner…make it a big fat party.  Although you may feel full afterwards, I don’t think it will make you permanently big and fat.  Don’t miss the nice weather and an opportunity to meet some of the players from the Dayton Silverback football team at Quaker Steak and Lube for their Bike Night.  Or head to Wings Sports Bar & Grille for their Weekly Cornhole Tournament.

Friday is when the Greek comes in – in a big fat way!  Go to the Dayton Greek Festival and be sure to eat a gyro…which is the result of butchering (unless you’re eating the vegetarian type) and whose name gets butchered on a regular basis.  The Italian also comes in with the Italian Fall Festa.  Both of these are awesome events that you do not want to miss.  They’re going on throughout the weekend, so make plans to head to one on Friday and the other on Saturday.  The Dayton Music Fest will be going on at a variety of locations this weekend to spotlight Dayton’s indie music scene.  So, music will also be ringing in your ears this weekend…perhaps literally with how loud speakers usually are!  (Please be sure to check out the link for a full listening of bands playing this weekend!)  All you ballerinas who have dreamed of making it big should put on your tutus and head to Victoria Theatre for the Dayton Ballet II Open Auditions.  And if you’re interested in theater, check out The Oldest Profession at the Dayton Theatre Guild or God of Carnage at The Loft Theatre.

On Saturday, you will again be able to get some fresh and healthy produce at the Troy Farmers Market or at the PNC 2nd Street Market, where there will be live music by Eli Everhart.  In addition to the Dayton Greek Festival and the Italian Fall Festa, you will be able to head to RiverScape for the Hispanic Heritage Festival.  If you’re German (or even if you’re not), participate in the German Wine Tasting at Arrow Wine in Centerville.  I’m usually used to German beer, but I’m guessing they have good wine too!  In addition, don’t miss some great live music as part of Dayton Music Fest…there are TONS of options at a variety of places including Canal Street Tavern, Oregon Express, Trolley Stop, and Blind Bob’s.

On Sunday, if you didn’t have a chance because you were working on some home improvement project (or something like that), be sure to check out either the Italian Fall Festa or the Dayton Greek Festival.  There are a couple other festivals going on including Guitar Fest at Stubbs Amphitheater and the Ohio Renaissance Festival.  Enjoy locally grown produce and locally made crafts at the Garden Station Sunday Market.  Make your way to Sinclair for A Day of Remembrance in order to observe the 10th Anniversary of 9/11.  At the Dayton Art Institute, enjoy one of their exhibits, including Exhibit: ‘Trash? Look Again’ and From Romance to Rifles: Winslow Homer’s Illustrations of 19th-Century America.  And if you feel like heading to your local bar or sitting on your couch to watch NFL football, that is perfectly okay too.

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

Wear short sleeves…support your right to bare arms!

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!

On Stage Dayton Theatre Guide: 2011-12

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Every new theater season in Dayton seems to be ripe with variety. It’s one of the great joys of the Dayton theatre scene that the ‘something for everyone’ cliche actually rings true. 2011-2012 is already proving to be among the most eclectic yet. This season promises……

  • parents behaving badly (God Of Carnage) AND children behaving badly (Spring Awakening)
  • romance of the sweet and fun kind (Hairspray) and of the creepy kind (The Phantom of the Opera)
  • true stories of tragedy (The Laramie Project) and of triumph (Jersey Boys)
  • journeys down familar roads (The Wizard of Oz) and unexpected ones (Caroline, Or Change)
  • wistful nostalgia (Lost in Yonkers) and celebratory joy (In The Heights)
  • even swashbuckling adventure (How I Became A Pirate) and cartwheels on Austrian mountainsides (The Sound of Music)

Below you’ll find On Stage Dayton’s picks for the most anticipated offerings for the 2011-2012 Dayton Theatre Season. It’s just a small sampling of a very full year of stage work. And with this official launch, you can count on OSD to be there all season long.

Russell’s Picks

HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY Caroline or ChangeIf you like ‘The Help’ you’ll like…

Caroline, or Change

The Human Race Theatre Company offers the overdue local premiere of this dynamic 2004 Tony Award-nominated musical from librettist/Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner (“Angels in America”) and composer Jeanine Tesori (“Thoroughly Modern Millie”). A potent study of race relations set in 1963 Louisiana, “Caroline, or Change” chronicles the testy yet engaging relationship between a headstrong African-American maid and her Jewish employers. Tesori’s sublime music encompasses klezmer, opera and Motown.

The Human Race Theatre Company

VICTORIA THEATRE ASSOCIATION, SCHUSTER CENTER Jersey BoysIf you like ‘Mamma Mia!’ or ‘The Sopranos’ you’ll like…

Jersey Boys

The local premiere of “Jersey Boys,” the sleek, sharp and surprisingly tender story of pop legends Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, is the hallmark of the Victoria Theatre Association’s Good Samaritan and Miami Valley Hospitals Broadway Series. One of the most popular jukebox musicals of the last decade and the recipient of the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical, “Jersey Boys” features such timeless numbers as “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You.”

Victoria Theatre Association

DAYTON THEATRE GUILD Dividing The EstateIf you like ‘Dallas’ you’ll like…

Dividing the Estate

Academy Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Horton Foote’s authentic, relevant 2009 Tony Award-nominated portrait of a Texas clan at odds will receive its local premiere courtesy of the Dayton Theatre Guild. Centered on a tough traditionalist matriarch and her squabbling children, “Dividing the Estate” uncovers the harsh realities that arise when economics and legacy threaten to tear a family apart.

Dayton Theatre Guild

CLARK STATE UNIVERSITY Dirty Rotten ScoundrelsIf you like ‘The Full Monty’ you’ll like…

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Clark State Community College provides the local collegiate premiere of librettist Jeffrey Lane and composer David Yazbek’s 2005 Tony Award-nominated musical based on the 1988 film of the same name. Yazbek, an outstanding songwriter, had great success with his critically acclaimed adaptation of “The Full Monty,” co-created by Terrence McNally, and the con artist-driven “Scoundrels” shares an appealingly naughty kinship. The “Scoundrels” national tour failed to connect four years ago at the Schuster Center, but perhaps Clark State will give the hilarious material the solid treatment it deserves.

Clark State

MUSE MACHINE Wizard of OZIf you like the Muse Machine you’ll like…

The Wizard of Oz

Dorothy’s ruby slippers will sparkle once more thanks to the Muse Machine, Dayton’s premier arts education organization celebrating its 30th year. The memories of Muse’s 1996 “Oz” production remain indelibly etched in my mind (the Broadway caliber performances of Tyler Maynard as the Scarecrow and Tory Ross as the Wicked Witch of the West were particularly extraordinary), but it will be refreshing to see a new generation tackle the iconic musical. Expect another Muse hit you will not want to miss.

Muse Machine

Continue to read David’s picks…

Top Chefs Cook for Glen Helen

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Photo Credit: Itinerant Studio

On Sunday, Sept. 11th at 4pm Glen Helen will host their 2nd annual culinary adventure to  benefit the Raptor Center.  Through its rehabilitation efforts the Raptor Center admits 150-200 birds of prey each year for rehabilitation, and is able to release more than half of them back into the wild.  Through its education efforts, the Center reaches thousands of people each year, who hopefully gain a greater understanding, appreciation, and concern for raptors and other wildlife.

The following  chefs  will prepare a bountiful six-course feast with local foods sourced from area growers:

Kim Korkan and Mary Kay Smith : The Winds Cafe

Doug McGregor and Margaret Mattox : Seasons Bistro and Grille

Carrie Walters : Dorothy Lane Market

Elizabeth Wiley : Meadowlark Restaurant

Margo Blondet:  Sidebar
Guests will enjoy music, complimentary wines, and a raptor meet and greet.  Tickets are available online at glenhelen.org for $150 each.

Remembering Irish Dance Teacher Ann Richens

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by Cityfolk Founder Phyllis Brzozowska

I was shocked and broken hearted receiving the news this week that Ann Richens had died. I can’t begin and actually don’t want to imagine the world without her.

One of my fondest memories of Ann Richens is seeing her dance with John Timm on the stage of the Victoria Theatre. It was during one of the Rhythm in Shoes concerts that Cityfolk produced in the early nineties. She danced with such joy, grace, precision and the embodied beauty of the Master dancer and teacher she was. It was a rare treat to see her on the big stage. Her role as teacher usually had her standing in the wings or coaching from the sidelines or judging at a competition.

I was still in high school when I first met Ann. My cousins, Mary and Bridget Palmer, took Irish dance lessons from her. I went to a number of feis (Irish dance competitions) to see Bridget and Mary compete and you couldn’t help but to get to know Ann. She knew everyone. She had an open and welcoming way, a pixie-impish beaming smile, an energy that seemed inexhaustible and an organizer’s skill that you couldn’t say no to.

In 1978, before Cityfolk was formed, I was doing a Celtic music radio show on WYSO-FM and a band I knew from Pittsburgh called “Devilish Merry” was coming through town. They were a great dance band that played ole’ timey music and Irish traditional music and I thought, “they could probably do a great ceili.” So, I called up Ann and suggested the idea. Ann was all for it. Ann and I together organized what I think was the first ceili with live music in Dayton at the Dayton Leiderkrantz Club on E. Fifth Street. We had a blast!

In the very beginning years of Cityfolk, (the early eighties) a lot of the Irish music we presented was in bars, Gilly’s and Canal Street Tavern, even the long defunct Sam’s. When we wanted to make the leap to go into a concert hall, I asked Ann and group of other local Irish and Scottish cultural supporters to act as “guarantors.” Ann led the way and was the first to step up to the plate with backing money which allowed us to take the concert into the auditorium at the Dayton Art Institute. Ann and all the guarantors got their money back and the Cityfolk Celtic Series was off and running. In just a few years, it moved into the Victoria Theatre with our very first presentation of the Chieftains and of course, Ann was in the audience along with many, many of her dance students and their families.

Ann’s dancers have graced the stages of Cityfolk concerts and the Festival more times than I can remember.

John Timm performs with
Cherish the Ladies at the
2005 Cityfolk Festival.
Photo by Andy Snow.

I actually took some Irish dance classes, myself, with Ann for a few years. I remember loving it. Ann was an extraordinary teacher. It was inevitable that the world champion John Timm would come from her school, along with numerous others after him qualifying and ranking as top Irish dancers in the world. She had the ability to perceive each person’s ability, communicate and demonstrate exactly what they needed to take them to the next level and to keep growing to higher and higher levels of excellence. Dedicated and hard working sound wimpy when used to describe the fierce focus she brought to her life’s passion.

I take some comfort in knowing that her incredible skills have been passed to the next generation of teachers. Still, the world has lost a most exquisite gem, a glorious emerald of an artist, cultural treasure and brilliant human being.

I only got to glimpse a small portion of Ann’s rich and full life but it seems to me, to paraphase Rumi, “the beauty she loved was what she did.” I know the gifts I received from knowing and working with Ann will always stay with me. And, I’m eternally grateful her support and the collaborations that lead to the formation and growth of my passion– Cityfolk. She was a partner at every major turn and Dave Barber tells me she was involved in projects that have yet to happen.

May the grace and beauty Ann cultivated and nourished continue to shine in the countless lives she touched and may that light surround and carry her as she “sevens and threes” now with God.

Celebrate the start of September with First Friday

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Whether you are in the mood to explore downtown or you just want to kick back and listen to some live music, the Sept. 2 First Friday has all the entertainment you need from 5 to 10 p.m.

All summer the local bands have been rocking out at the RiverScape MetroPark, 111 E. Monument Ave. This Friday, Human Cannonball will perform at the free First Friday @ 5 concert from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Beer will be sold from 5 to 7 p.m. and the concession will be open. Free bike parking provided.

First Friday also is a chance for visitors to win a $1,000 travel gift certificate from AAA Miami Valley by completing a First Friday Passport. Each month, AAA will award two prizes of one-year classic AAA memberships, with free renewals for existing members. Everyone who enters for the monthly prize now through Dec. 2 also will be entered into a drawing for a grand prize of a $1,000 travel gift certificate.

Visitors can pick up a First Friday passport at participating locations (click here for a list). The passport must be stamped by at least four locations, and once visitors have all four stamps, they fill out their contact information and drop their passports in any of the First Friday Passport boxes that will be at all participating locations.

Starting at 8 p.m., numerous First Friday locations will blast Rev. Cool’s Around the Fringe radio show, which features lively dance music from around the world and your own backyard and airs on WYSO-FM 91.3. A variety of roaming performers also will provide entertainment (weather permitting).

See the Sights

For those looking for a unique way to tour downtown, check out Courteous Mass. This community of bike-minded individuals will meet at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field at 5:15 p.m. for an urban street cycling ride through the city and First Friday action.

Another great way to stretch your legs while seeing the city is with Gem City Circle Walking Tours, which will host two tours highlighting local history. A tour of the Oregon Arts District will meet in the Jay’s Seafood parking lot at 5 p.m., and the Ghosts, Cemeteries and Murders Walk of Downtown Dayton tour will meet at Courthouse Square at 7 p.m. All walks are $10 per person, and advance reservations are required. Contact Leon Bey, tour guide, at 274-4749 or email [email protected].

Channel Your Inner Artist

First Friday is a great chance to interact with art. Press, 257 Wayne Ave., will host a kids’ art event in which children ages 4 to 10 are invited to explore their creative side by creating works in a variety of mixed media.  SMAG Dance Collective will perform in front of Boulevard Haus, 328 E. Fifth St., at 7 p.m. with painter Mike Elsass and musician Al Holbrook. Elsass will apply paint to a canvas and four dancers, each representing a different color and mood, will spread the paint with their bodies. The group also will perform its Homeless Series, which features solo and duet performances, throughout the Fifth Street corridor.

Additionally, K12 Gallery for Young People/TEJAS, 510 E. Third St., will host its first “Collaborative First Fridays for Families” sculpture-making event. First Friday visitors are invited to stop by and help create a collaborative sculpture around the theme “Junk It, Funk It.” Work alongside artists Cindi Remm and Michele Devitt to turn recyclables and junk into a community sculpture.

Dayton is filled with a variety of art exhibits.  Open until 8 p.m., Dayton Visual Arts Center, 118 N. Jefferson St., will feature “Coming to a Waterway Near You.” This exhibit by Virginia Burroughs examines the effects of blue-green algae on waterways across the country, and includes demonstrations by Burroughs on applying mixed media to photographs.

In the Orgeon Arts District, Color of Energy, 16 Brown St., will display works of pastel artist Daniel Wise and a preview of the “Sedona Vortex” exhibit by Mike Elsass. Down the street, Gallery 510 Fine Art, 510 E. Fifth St., will feature a variety of gallery artists will demonstrating their techniques, including painting, drawing, beading and Zentangle. The Cannery Art and Design Center, 434 E. Third St, will feature the “crazy quilt” paintings of Carol Stoops and the oil paintings and printmaking of Kathryn Pitstick, along with live jazz and refreshments.

Here’s what’s cookin’
After you’ve visited the galleries, grab a bite to eat or stop to watch the entertainment at numerous restaurants downtown.  Boulevard Haus, 328 E. Fifth St., will offer $1 off tap beer for those who mention First Friday. Deaf Monty’s Wine, 22 Brown St., will feature a discount on rose, $5 for a 6-ounce glass. Lucky’s Taproom & Eatery, will tap a firkin tapping of Left Hand Brewery’s 400 Pound Monkey at 5:30 p.m.

Newly opened Olive, an urban dive, 416 E. Third St., will offer dessert and a beverage for $7 and will feature the art of Melinda A Esmond. De’Lish Cafe, 139 Main St., will feature live music and the “downtowner” specialty cocktail. Blind Bob’s, Dublin Pub, Garden Station, Jay’s Seafood, Omega Music, Oregon Express and Trolley Stop will feature live music.

. . .and there’s more!
District Antiques, 122 Van Buren St., will offer 15 percent off any purchase of new items and 10 percent off consigned items. Newly opened Clash Consignment Co., 113 E. Third St., will host live DJs and a raffle for store gift certificates.

Restaurants, retail shops, bars and clubs, and other establishments throughout downtown will be open during First Friday. For regular updates about this event, follow First Friday on Facebook or text “FirstFridayDayton” to 90210. First Friday is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from AAA Miami Valley, the Oregon District Business Association, and WYSO-FM 91.3.

The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website has a complete list of downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, as well as a dining guide, parking map and much more. Click here for a complete list of events taking place downtown.

Can Dayton’s newest mall push the northern suburbs to new Heights?

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Here’s one of the lessons that the current residents of the Rustbelt have learned in the past few decades: Cities are fluid. They change, they morph, they grow and they stagnate, they change, they morph, they grow again and again. It’s kind of the beauty of the pulse of a city- what’s new becomes old and everything old is new again. For the past few years we’ve been watching quite a bit of decay and deconstruction in the Dayton area, but there’s been growth, too.

Austin Landing gets a lot of attention, but north of the river is a residential development called Carriage Trails, and its proposed anchor shopping mall, The Heights, has potential to bring a new interest, money, and energy to the Montgomery/Miami County border. Development in this part of Dayton is a healthy, thing and the timing is good. We’ve watched the demise of the Salem Mall, and retail pull out of downtown- what were once the two most convenient locations for shopping for Dayton north of I-70. So the northern Dayton area could use a bold plan. Today’s Dayton Daily News has a comprehensive look at The Heights, you can read that here.

Contractor meeting at Carriage TrailsI’ve heard mixed opinions from northern residents. With limited northern retail options, some of the comments I’ve heard suggest that finally we don’t have to drive to Beavercreek, Kettering, or Centerville to shop at a mall. I’ve also heard that Huber has seen some tough times recently so why would anyone put in upscale shopping here? Someone expressed the sentiment that we already have bus service so it could fill a void that the Fairfield Commons is unwilling to address.

This mall is likely to attract residents from all over the northern Miami Valley- residents from Brookville or Greenville to the west, Piqua, Troy, Sidney to the north, and Springfield from the east. It’s just off I-70 and 5 minutes east of I-75 so it could be destination for a largely under served area. The real estate side to this is that for homes in the area, this will make them more attractive and bring renewed interest and energy to the area, because the truth is that most people like to live in a somewhat concentrated area, not far from their jobs and retail, and this development will compliment a prime real estate combination- we have variety. The Huber Heights/ Bethel Twp/ Tipp City area has a wide range of older and newer housing stock, and a wide range of home prices, making for a nicely diverse selection for home buyers to choose.

With all the changes Dayton has seen in the last few years, growth is good to see, but this isn’t everyone’s idea of positive growth. I’m curious what you think? Are you looking forward to seeing a new mall in northern Dayton?

An Extra Ordinary Food Adventure with The Big Ragu & Crew

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We have been hearing “You should try “E.O.” Burgers,” for the last several months.  E.O. burgers stands for Extra Ordinary.  Being burger connoisseurs, we set out to The Greene Outdoor Mall in Beavercreek to give it a shot.

E.O. Burgers restaurant is not a chain.  Their meat is free range, 100% USDA Prime Beef — a standard only met by 2% of all restaurants in the U.S.  All of their burgers can be served on an Arnold brand “skinny bun” which is a low carb, low calorie thin multi-grain bun or on whole wheat or regular buns.  Your Food Adventure, your choice…

Our so-called “food runner” told us we could “cluck it” to make any burger on the menu chicken.  They also have portabello burgers, veggie burgers and a turkey burger option.

E.O. offers 2 sizes of burgers: regular 6 oz burgers, or large 9 oz burgers.  We thought it would be best for our belts to go with the smaller burger since we were also delving into the fries.

Try the Bourbon Street burger on a skinny bun.  This came with 2 toppings: grilled onions and hot peppers.  The burger also features a homemade Cholula mayo sauce which gave the sandwich an extra kick.  We loved the fact that no grease was dripping down our hand while indulging in this burger.  We also ordered a side of Parmesean Fries which we enjoyed dipping in the Cholula mayo.

The Big Ragu ordered the E.O. Classic Cheeseburger that he topped with various sauces from the condiment caddy.  The foodie purists ridicule him for desecrating the burger with so many sauces.  Ragu skipped the onion rings served with “sassy sauce” and instead ordered herb-rubbed fries with rosemary and thyme.  We think Ragu needs to be rubbed down with herbs as well, next Food Adventure.

Herb Rubbed Fries

The fries are hand cut daily. You can also get a “ring fry” which is half fries, half onion rings.  E.O Burgers also has a full bar with several offbeat draft beer options.

One of the curious things about this place is that there was a custard machine with an “arm” of custard hanging out.  They use the custard for shakes, cones, and sundaes.  All of their kids’ meals come with a cone!  Also, with any adult meal, you can buy one half price ticket for the movie theater across the street.

The E.O. Classic Cheeseburger

The restaurant’s atmosphere is comfortable and casual with great music.  The staff was friendly and there is an outdoor patio area.  It was a nice break from the bustle of The Greene.  To all of our friends who recommended this place, you were right, it is great!  We enjoyed every bit.. whoops, BITE of this Extra Ordinary Food Adventure.

Please visit FOOD ADVENTURES: “like” us on FACEBOOK by clicking here to become an official fan

Have you been to E.O. Hamburgers?  Please post your comments below !

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