Dayton937

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

Archives for January 2010

South Park Sculptor’s Work on Permanent Display at Airport

By 1 Comment

stokerrailingLocal metal sculptor, Hamilton Dixon, recently unveiled his latest public railing installation in the new Boston Stoker Coffee shop, located in the lobby of the Dayton International Airport.

Dixon, creator of the Dayton Art Institute railing, explored a new dimension with this railing fabrication, producing an outcome that is both fluid and multi-dimensional. The railing itself runs 30 feet in length, and it swoops and bows at a variety of heights and depths, complete with hand-forged interior components that seem to reflect an “Earth meets Sky” theme.

According to Dixon, the inspiration for this design came primarily from Don Dean of Boston Stoker, who makes a point of celebrating the local artists community. “I appreciate the opportunity that Boston Stoker has given me to have my work seen by so many people arriving to and departing from the Dayton airport, “ said Dixon.

HamiltonsculptsThe forging process used by Dixon is similar to that of an old-world blacksmith.  He begins his process with sticks of mild steel bar, either squared or round, then places them in a forge until they are red-hot.  He then manually removes the heated stick, and with hammer and anvil, hand-forges the steel into its intended shape.  Each and every element of this one-of-a-kind railing was hand-forged by the artist.

Dixon has been sculpting steel as an art form for 20 years. He began working with metal as a welder on an offshore oilrig in the 1980’s. He then attended Turley Forge School in Santa Fe, New Mexico where he learned basic techniques in forging steel, and in 1991 he relocated to Dayton, were he lives with his family in the historic South Park neighborhood.

He has produced a wide range of public art, installed throughout the Miami Valley; Dayton Art Institute Rotunda, Serenity Pines (University of Dayton), Aids Resource Center Kuntz Building, Cooper Loft Lobby, Kettering Delco Park, as well as private installations around Dayton and throughout the U.S.  For additional information about the artist and his other installations in the Dayton area, go to www.hamiltondixon.com.

ham'sbracletTo celebrate this most recent installation, Dixon has produced a line of limited edition, commemorative bracelet, which is currently on display at the Airport Boston Stoker. Bracelet is made of pure, solid, sterling silver,
hand-hammered by artist himself, numbered and signed for $180.  Purchase inquiries can be made by calling the  artists’s studio 228-3555.

The railing at the Dayton International Airport is a permanent installation and can be seen anytime, preferably with a hot latte in hand.

Dorothy Lane Market Lets You Choose Who They Support

By Leave a Comment

dlmDorothy Lane Market has been supporting our community since 1948 and even include this support as part of their mission statement.  Their Good Neighbor Program is the main ways they do this. Now with three locations, Dorothy Lane Market has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to numerous local non profit organizations over the past several years through this program.

In 2010, DLM will donate $40,000 back to the community. The fun part is that you choose how the money is distributed using your DLM Club Card! All you do is simply choose an organization from the over 400 on their list to have your purchases credited. The groups span the interests of the community, including  A Special Wish, Dayton Gay Men’s Chorus, the Humane Society, Stivers Seedling Fund and Project READ.  If your favorite charity isn’t included, just contact DLM to add it!

Every time you shop and scan your Club DLM card, your chosen nonprofit organization is “credited” with the purchase. At the end of the year participating charities will receive a pro-rated portion of the total $40,000, depending on the amount spent by participating customers with a Club DLM card. Sign up today and shop at Dorothy Lane Market to benefit the charity of your choice!  Neighbor Program for 2010!

The Last Truck: An Interview with Filmmakers Steve Bognar and Julia Reichert

By Leave a Comment

The Last Truck PosterThe workers of the General Motors SUV assembly plant in Moraine, Ohio, must have woken up on Christmas morning of 2008 with the feeling that they just got a lump of coal in their stockings. Two days prior, on December 23rd, the GM plant shut its doors for good, leaving its 2,500 workers and 200 management staff members without jobs.

With so many people affected by the foreclosure, two filmmakers wanted to tell the story of the final months of the GM plant through the eyes of the workers. Steve Bognar and Julia Reichert are the writers, directors, editors, and producers of a 40-minute documentary called The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant, which will be screened at UD on February 2nd.

As both Yellow Springs residents and independent filmmakers, Steve and Julia bring a unique perspective and philosophy on life that is reflected in their career.

Julia’s attraction to photography first spawned her interest in communicating social issues with a large group of people. Her first documentary, Growing Up Female, was released in 1971 and considered the first film to come out of the modern women’s movement.

“It wasn’t until later that I realized the power of film as an art form and not just a medium of communication,” Reichert said.

Steve’s journey into the world of independent film similarly started when he was introduced to the photography book The Americans by Robert Frank.

“It opened my eyes to the power, the poetry, and the meaningfulness of documentaries,” Steve said.

Their first directorial film project together was a documentary called A Lion in the House, which followed five families each with a child diagnosed with cancer. After six years of filming and 525 hours of footage, Steve and Julia were able to shape the story into a four hour long movie that premiered on PBS over two nights.

“It was the toughest film we’ve made by far, but as both humans and filmmakers, it was also the most profound thing we’ve been through,” said Bognar.

A Lion in the House had its world premiere at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and is considered the longest film to be presented in the documentary category. To Steve and Julia’s delight, many of the families and doctors featured in the movie came out to see the film.

While at the festival, however, Julia felt ill with what she thought was emotional and physical exhaustion as a result of her tireless efforts to complete the documentary. But in a stroke of cruel irony, Julia was diagnosed with cancer and had to leave the Utah screening early to undergo treatment.

With the help of the many people who came out to support the film, A Lion in the House finished its run at Sundance and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. Steve and Julia even won a prestigious Primetime Emmy for their documentary in 2007; an award that has since been overshadowed by Julia being cancer-free for three and a half years now.

On June 3, 2008, Steve, Julia and the Dayton community were shocked to hear about GM’s decision to close the local assembly plant.

“We both had seen the plant and knew it was a huge part of the Dayton community,” Steve said, “so it was devastating news to hear that the plant was going to close. Dayton is in a tough situation. Our city has been hit hard with job loss and I think we all have to do what we can to help each other out.”

Together Steve and Julia set out to help the thousands of people who considered themselves more family than GM co-workers by telling their story.

“Your job as a documentarian is to find and feel the story, open your heart to people, and throw away your own preconceptions,” Bognar said.

For six intense months, Steve and Julia shot 100 hours of footage and interviewed many workers who would prove the factory worker stereotype to be completely inaccurate. The Last Truck uses these revealing interviews to portray the emotional toll of not only losing a job, but a sense of self as well.

Since its HBO premiere on September 7, 2009, Baltimore Sun film critic David Zurawik named the documentary as one of the top ten television programs of 2009. In October, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences listed The Last Truck as a possible contender for the Documentary Short Subject Oscar at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. And now this powerful documentary will be featured at the University of Dayton.

Presented by ArtStreet, Film Dayton, and the University of Dayton Initiative on Sustainability, Energy and the Environment (SEE), The Last Truck will be screened on Tuesday, February 2nd at 7 p.m. in the Science Center Auditorium on the University of Dayton campus. This event is free and open to the public.

Be sure to stick around following the film as Steve Bognar, Julia Reichert, and one or more workers portrayed in the film will be having an open discussion about the documentary for all in attendance.

“My life has been enriched so much to be a part of such a creative medium,” Julia said. “Just going out into reality is such an adventure.”

“I feel so lucky to work, grow as a documentarian, and try to tell meaningful stories,” Steve said. “Bearing witness to the human experience is the best thing we can do with our skills.”

For more information about the February 2nd screening, please call (937) 229-5101. For a campus map, click here. A parking permit is required and can be obtained at the main visitor center on the University circle or parking booth at Lot C on Evanston Avenue.

Ticketmaster/Live Nation Merger Cleared by Department of Justice

By Leave a Comment

ticketnatio215
…although proposed last February, the US Department of Justice has just finally cleared the way for a landmark merger for music industry giants Ticketmaster and Live Nation to combine forces into the new megacompany, Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. In a statement from the two companies, “Through this merger, the parties believe that the combined company will have the tools to develop new products, expand access, improve transparency and deliver artists and fans more choice.” Sure it will…

…You can read all about the 17 state attorneys general that have already filed a civil antitrust lawsuit to block the merger at the DOJ website and the response from watchdog organization Ticketdisaster.org to get better informed on just how all this might play out. While the DOJ seems to have negotiated some “concessions” from both Ticketmaster and Live Nation that will outsource small parcels of each companies activities and are designed to “prevent abuse of its power over concert tours, artist management, ticketing and theaters,” according to a NY Times report, it appears as if commerce has trumped art yet again…

Dayton Theatre Guild presents “Precious Heart”

By Leave a Comment

image1Dayton Theatre Guild presents “Precious Heart“, a one-woman play about Fleeta Mae Bryte, a 60-something country southerner living in a small town in southwest Texas.

This simple, yet engaging, performance has a bit of a twist: In the tradition of Tyler Perry’s Madea character, the role of Bryte will be played by a man.

Guild veteran Greg Smith portrays the lovable, funny and endearing Fleeta Mae Bryte to life for this wonderful play, a part of the guild’s “Very Special Performance” Series.

Tickets for the Feb. 5 through Feb. 7 performances are on sale now, priced at $17 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for students with valid identification.

For additional information, please call (937) 278-5993.

Raffle to win Brunch With Project Runway’s Althea Harper

By Leave a Comment

altheahaprerOakwood’s own Althea Harper made it to Fashion Week last year in New York Ctiy!  TV Personality and fashion consultant  Tim Gunn made it to the Front Street Lofts here in Dayton to follow her progress.  And another Dayton Original got nationwide attention.

If you were enthralled watching  Althea’s weekly runway designs, sketches and Fashions on last year’s Project Runway, imagine the chance to talk about it all with her over brunch here in Dayton!

Purchase a $10 raffle ticket to help the Humane Society of Greater Dayton and you just might find yourself and 3 of your friends dining with Althea Harper and her mom this Sunday at Micheal’s Dining and Jazz for Brunch. Tickets still available, and the drawing will be Friday.

Find Out How Great Wine is Made While You Drink!

By Leave a Comment

hp_Rotation_AD2Casually stroll through the Boonshoft Museum and learn about wine, compare and contrast wines aged in stainless steel and wood, investigate maritime influences on wine making, explore how geology and soil affect vineyards, and discover interesting scientific principles of grape growing, wine making, tasting, selecting and serving.

Sample specially-selected wines while you listen to experts from E&J Gallo Winery, Heidelberg Distributing, Arrow Wine, Bella Vino, The Little Store and The Wine Gallery and Café, then help yourself to your favorites at the full, open bars.

Enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres, presentations by industry experts, live music, Laser Shows, Science On a Sphere ® and unforgettable Museum activities.

All proceeds benefit the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery’s STEM programs. Tickets are $75/person, all inclusive. VIP tickets are $100/person, and offer additional wine selections from rare and exclusive vineyards

For more information, please call 937–275–7431, ext. 136. You must be 21 to attend this event.

On-line reservations will be accepted through Friday, January 29 at 5:00 p.m. After that time, please call 937–275–7431 ext 120 to make your reservation using Visa or MasterCard. Live Responsibly.

To purchase tickets please click here

8-Bit Revival//Man Made Gods

By Leave a Comment

Design 1004-1T…it’s been a while since we’ve heard anything new from Dayton’s spazzed-out faves, 8-Bit Revival. Well, that’s all about to change. The quartet has a new album due out April 1 on the Minor Manor imprint entitled You’ve Been Believed. Picking up where 2007’s Under the Fairweather album left off, YBB finds the band honing a blend of slashing guitars, swirling synth punctuations, and propulsive rhythms into an infectiously understated dance party. Lead track “Man Made Gods” serves to introduce 8BR circa 2010 as the driving drum intro quickly gives way to the interweaving snarl of guitar and vocal lines while the relentless bass line subtly underpins every twist and turn…

MP3: 8-Bit Revival “Man Made Gods”
Download audio file (03-man-made-gods.mp3)

Can you say, “Bike Friendly Dayton!”

By 30 Comments

couteousmassIf you haven’t notice by now, cycling is a huge passion of mine, as is supporting the City of Dayton becoming a more bike friendly community.  I’m sure you’ve noticed the bike lane stripping, signage, events and construction going on around the city and are hopefully ready for more to come.  Most of these efforts are products of the BikeWalkDayton Team.

The BikeWalkDayton team is lead by Commissioner Nan Whaley and is comprised of City of Dayton Commission Staff, Police Dept., Planners, Engineers, and outside organizations such as Five Rivers MetroParks, Miami Conservancy District, and Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission.  Their mission is to create a more liveable, walkable and of course, bikeable city.

One current project of the team is creating a city wide bike map detailing trails, lanes, and on road suggested routes.  The map is still a work in progress but the BikeWalkDayton team is interested in soliciting your feedback and they asked the Outdoor Evangelist to help them do it.   Download the map here

If you care about the future of our community, want to be able to more safely walk and ride your bike to work and around Dayton then here is your chance to chime in.

Please take a moment to look over the map and consider a few of these questions.

  • Is it user friendly?
  • What other physical info is necessary (i.e. places of interest, cycling obstacles, etc.)?
  • What bike infrastructure should be shown?
  • What information is important to have on the reverse side of the map (rules of the road, traffic laws, bike shop locations, etc)?

After you are done commenting on the map, get your butt in the saddle and out on the streets of Dayton.  The more bikes on the road the safer it is!

Ride Well!

Photo Credit – Courteous Mass Facebook page

Top Ten Things I Love About Summer

By Leave a Comment

Some Like It Hot

  1. I can go to any pool or beach and see women wearing what are essentially bra and panties without the inconvenience of standing in the bushes outside their window.
  2. My melanoma is hungry after its winter hibernation.
  3. I absolutely love putting on SPF 5000 sunscreen all over my body, some zinc oxide on my nose and making sure that my hat creates a five foot circumference swath of shade around me so that I can go outside to enjoy the sun.
  4. I’ve never lost the tips of my toes to “heatbite”.
  5. Women + Thin T-Shirts + Air Conditioning = Eye Popping Event.
  6. You can urinate in the woods without the fear of shrinkage, frostbite, hungry squirrels seeking “nuts” or the potentially life threatening mistake of getting “it” frozen to a metal fence post.
  7. There is no better experience than hitting a swarm of cicadas on a motorcycle at 60 mph.
  8. It’s great to be able to turn the air conditioning on, lowering the temperature of the house to the same level that you were freezing at during the winter.
  9. Watching a bleach blonde’s hair turn green after she’s been in the pool for a while.
  10. Finding out exactly how hot the change in your car is after roasting in the car all day. I still have the imprint of a 1978 quarter on my hand. I felt just like the German guy in the first Indiana Jones movie.

Dr. Dog Announce Tour/New Album

By Leave a Comment

dr-dog

…it’s been far too long since we’ve heard any new from Dr. Dog. So, the recent announcement of their new album Shame, Shame [due April 6 on Anti Records] and accompanying tour certainly got our attention. Here’s all the details on the tour. Hope to see you out there…

January 27 Revolution Hall* Troy, NY
January 28 Higher Ground* Burlington, VT
January 29 Lupo’s * Providence, RI
January 30 Westcott Theatre* Syracuse, NY
February 1 Mohawk Place * Buffalo, NY
February 3 The Pike Room* Pontiac, MI
February 4 Turner Hall* Milwaukee, WI
February 5 High Noon Saloon* Madison, WI
February 6 The Mill* Iowa City, IA
February 8 Waiting Room* Omaha, NE
February 9 Rock Island Brewing Co.* Rock Island, IL
February 10 Case Western University* Cleveland, OH
February 11 Video Saloon Bloomington, IN
February 12 Newport Music Hall* Columbus, OH
February 13 State Theatre* State College, PA
April 14 Lee’s Place Toronto, ON
April 15 Blind Pig Ann Arbor, MI
April 16 Metro Chicago, IL
April 17 Fine Line Minneapolis, MN
April 19 Belly Up Aspen, CO
April 20 Gothic Theatre Denver, CO
April 22 Neuroluz Boise, ID
April 23 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR
April 24 Great American Music Hall San Francisco, CA
April 25 Great American Music Hall^ San Francisco, CA
April 27 Henry Fonda^ Los Angeles, CA
April 29 Santa Fe Brewing Company^ Santa Fe, NM
April 30 The Loft^ Dallas, TX
May 1 Emo’s Outside^ Austin, TX
May 2 Warehouse Live Studio^ Houston, TX
May 3 Majestic^ Fayetteville, AR
May 5 Workplay^ Birmingham, AL
May 6 Cannery Ballroom^ Nashville, TN
May 7 Headliners^ Louisville, KY
May 11 Paradise^ Boston, MA
May 12 Paradise^ Boston, MA
May 13 Electric Factory^ Philadelphia, PA
May 14 9:30 Club^ Washington, DC
May 15 Terminal 5^ New York, NY
May 23 Magnet Berlin, Germany
May 24 Blue Shell Koln, Germany
May 25 Paradiso Amsterdam, Netherlands
May 26 Tabernacle London, UK
May 27 Nouveau Casino Paris, FR
May 29 Primavera Sound Barcelona, Spain

*with The Growlers
^ with Deer Tick

MP3: Dr. Dog “Hang On”
Download audio file (Hang_On.mp3)

The Motel Beds On Huffington Post

By Leave a Comment

artistsden
…while The Artist’s Den Vol. 1 compilation is a couple of years old at this point, it’s impact for locals The Motel Beds is just now being felt. On the cusp of releasing their new Moondazed CD on the Fictionband Mechanics imprint, the Beds just got some love from The Huffington Post this morning in a review of their track, “Laugh Until You Die”. Certainly, this kind of attention may serve the Beds well as they continue to ramp up their activity…

…in anticipation of their upcoming release show on February 6 at Blind Bob’s with Smug Brothers, Toads and Mice, and John Gassett, have a look/listen at The Motel Beds most recent volume of their Moondazed series…

A.R.I.S.E. After School Arts Program launched

By 2 Comments

kids-paintingArtistic Resources in Social Empowerment (A.R.I.S.E.), an after-school arts program for youth ages 6 to 10, began a six-week schedule of classes on Monday, January 11. Week-long programs will be presented Monday through Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Dayton Cultural Center, 40 S. Edwin C. Moses Blvd.

Instructors will guide students through projects designed to build self-esteem and inspire artistic awareness, using media such as clay, paint, mosaic and more. The fee is $25 per week.

For information call the Department of Recreation and YOUth Services at 333-2489.

From the City of Dayton, Recreation and Youth Services.

10 ?’s with Chef Jenn DiSanto

By 1 Comment

6Sometimes you just get a feeling about people.  When I emailed Chef DiSanto to set up this interview she was in Atlanta, visiting with her ill father, yet took the time to send me a rather amusing email about how we could do the interview as she was driving home in the car with her little ones, but that it might be better to wait.  No problem, so we set it up at her Centerville kitchen and she asked me what my favorite foods were.  Of course anyone who knows me can answer this- CHOCOLATE!

I arrived on a snowy morning to her office at The Easy Way Out and Chef greeted me graciously and we headed back to her kitchen, which was spotless and well organized.   We made the usual getting to know you chit chat and in no time at all I was charmed.  And then she went to the cooler to pull out a batter she’d made so it could cook while we talked.  A molten chocolate lava cake-woo hoo-she knows how to please! Of course, as we got to question 2 and her dread of baking I felt pretty guilty- she’d done what she hated most, just to make a good impression on me!

A classically trained chef, she ran her own catering business in Connecticut, then moved to Europe and then came to Dayton about 3 years ago (you can read her official bio here).  She’s a guerrilla marketer, who started her current business by talking to total strangers about her passion and skill for making good food.  And having spent just a couple hours with her, it’s easy to see why she’s making such a big impression on folks, in such a short time in the region.

As we went through the questions over a spread of bleu cheese stuffed figs with balsamic vinaigrette, marinated mushrooms, shortbread cookies and chips with her own special salsa (which by the way was so flavorful and she’ll soon be selling it commercially),  it was so easy to feel Chef Jenn’s passion for food and cooking.  Right in the middle of a question, she’d sit in anticipation as I bit into a taste and wait and watch for my reaction.  She genuinely wanted me to get as much pleasure out of eating the food as she gets from cooking it. And I did!

She told me the story of how she ended up teaching at Dorothy Lane Market School of Cooking– she was ordering fish at the seafood counter, and as a true gourmet cook, wanted it whole- head and all.  A gentleman walked by, heard her talking and asked if she was a chef.  I have to believe he too was blown away by her enthusiasm for great, fresh ingredients because he turned out to be a DLM big wig and just a couple short weeks later she was teaching her first class.  Now she teaches 5 or 6 a month, and be warned, they sell out quickly. She teaches, caters events, prepares gourmet meals for you to purchase  and eventually, when her children are older, she’ll have a full service shop where you can pick out all your ingredients and she’ll whip them into a fabulous, mouth watering menu.

We laughed and talked so much, I felt guilty for taking up so much of her time.  But not so guilty I didn’t enjoy my chocolate cake!  Hope you get the warm feeling I got meeting Chef Jenn when you read this:

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
There are so many I love! Saffron, truffles, fresh morels, tomatoes, olives, smoked paprika, really, really good olive oil…so many more I love, but I’ll stop here. Oh, and fresh herbs!

What ingredient do you dread?
I don’t really dread an ingredient, so much but I don’t enjoy precise baking with complicated recipes. I will do it when I have to but I don’t love it. I do however love baking when it comes to breads and foccacias as they give you a little more freedom.

Chef Jenn plating up the bluecheese figs with balsamic vinagrette she made me.

Chef Jenn plating up some of the goodies she made for me during our interview.

What’s your favorite dish to make?
So many tapas dishes I could not begin to mention them all-it’s my favorite type of meal to cook and my favorite way to eat…small tastes of big flavors. If I had to pick a bigger dish I would say paella because it really is an art to me or osso bucco because I just love braised dishes. Braising is really all about creating a relationship with food. You combine flavors, it’s a slow cooking method that tenderizes the meat and it simmers and the smells flirt with you, building you up for the big taste finish.

What’s your favorite pig out food?
Is wine a food? Ok, I guess I would have to say pizza or really good chewy bread with great quality herb butter…and wines of course. I’m really into Spanish wines lately- I like really hearty full bodies reds with lots of tannins.
I’m not a wine snob I just like good wine!

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
I love Meadowlark, Rue Dumaine, The Winds, El Meson to name a few. Oh yeah and Amelia’s Bistro in Bellbrook and Pasha Grille at The Greene.

What’s your best advice for home chefs?
Don’t get so caught up in a recipe-it is merely a guideline-at least in cooking! Relax, have fun and try new things. Also, always start with the best ingredients to end with a great dish. Also if you are making yourself crazy trying to impress a dinner guest, they they may not really be a friend…

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?
As you can see there is a theme here…I can’t limit my answers…
First would be my husband, Jim, 4 year old daughter Eva and 2 year old son Max…but my kids wouldn’t be picky eaters at this dinner party. I would also always love to have dinner with my mother and father and six sisters anytime-great food was always a way of life for us growing up. I would also love to have dinner with Julia Child, but what chef wouldn’t? I would also love to have dinner with Shirley O. Corriher (author and food scientist)- oh the stories she has and the knowledge she has is amazing to me. Plus she is so funny and down to earth.

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
Again…so many and I truly believe that you can learn from anyone and everyone.  But here are a few:
Alice Waters for how she pioneered the importance of locally grown fresh food
Julia Child-again what chef- especially female chef-doesn’t look up to her?
Jose Andres who master the art of tapas beautifully everyday
and locally Chef Wiley form Meadowlark for running a great restaurant with great food and just being a great person.  Chef Anne Kearney from Rue Dumaine for being so incredibly talented, passionate and gracious all at the same time. Chef Carrie Walters the corporate chef at DLM for being so passionate about food and bringing it to life so beautifully in a more challenging type of food service-dishes that are not made to order.. Also any of the gang at DLM-The Mayne family (who own Dorothy Lane Market) is so passionate about food and this translates so beautifully through all of their employees to the customers- I love to shop there!

7427_128734303070_772803070_2448860_4798773_n

Chef Jenn, Eva and Max

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?
Spend time with my family. We absolutely love all the free parks in the Miami Valley. It’s one of the things that really made us love Dayton. After being in Europe where you pay for everything, even to pee, it’s amazing the abundance of open green space. We love to spend a day in Yellow Springs and at Young’s Jersey Dairy. The Boonshoft Museum has also been a wonderful place to explore with my kids.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

We all have a kitchen disaster story but I am pretty good about recovering, picking myself back up and laughing it off.  There was the time I catered for surprise birthday party for a client.  He said there would be about 50 people so we planned the menu to do tapas and then paella for the main meal.  Then a few days before the party, he called and said everyone was so exited about the concept of the party they all decided to rsvp so now the count was up to well over 100.  Ok-no problem, you have to be flexible in catering.  This was to be set outside but I only had an our after he got his wife out of the house to set up…the bar, the tables, the buffet tables for the tapas and burners foteh 5 large paella pans that I would be using.  He didn’t want to have a tent because his wife would obviously figure out something was happening.  Mission accomplished on time and the client was thrilled, but as I was cooking paella out of nowhere it started to rain.  One of my assistants very politely asked if we should postpone or move into the garage, but I was forming the perfect crust on the paella, so we held umbrellas over the paella to keep it protected, while I got completely soaked in my chef whites.  Just as the paella was ready, the rain stopped the guests came back outside and enjoyed the meal.  The guest had a blast, thoroughly enjoyed the party and I had a great laugh!

And of course as I left Chef Jenn’s kitchen that snowy day, she chased me out to the car with one more chocolate dessert for later.  And that reinforced that first feeling I had about her- this lady knows how to charm anyone, and she’s real!


Wine Gallery Opens at New Location!

By 3 Comments

winegallerywallTonight at 5pm you’re invited to toast the new location of the popular wine bar.   Formerly in the Cannery on Third Street, it’s move to the corners of Main & Monument, at the south end of the Main Street Bridge,  allow for more room inside, a bigger and more complete kitchen and perhaps the ability to grow into a 2nd floor as well.  But let’s now get ahead of ourselves!  There’s a PMI parking lot one block away (Wine Gallery is trying to work a deal for discounted evening parking- but no word yet) and there is plenty of surface parking around.  Remember after 6pm you don’t have to feed the meters!

For now, just check out the new place, complete with riverfront views.  As part of the grand opening celebration there will be about 30 wines and 6 beers available for tasting for a fee, accompanied by a complimentary buffet.

Just imagine- how nice this location will be for after theater shows at the Victoria, The Loft and the Schuster- why Dayton might just have a downtown scene after all!

Wine Gallery is open Tuesday through Thursday 2 pm to 10 pm, Friday 11 am to 1 am, and Saturday 10 am to 1 am.   For more information, call (937) 224-9463.  Actual address is 5 West Monument, Dayton OH 45402.