Archives for May 2010

Dayton Wine Fest- same wines, new location!

May 31, 2010 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

For years the 2nd Street Market played home to this uniquely Ohio made Wine event, but after losing National City as a sponsor, the fest skipped 2009 and for 2010 has found a new home at the Boonshoft Museum of Discorery. The event takes place Friday, June 4, 4-9pm and Saturday, June 5, 2-9 pm.

You’ll be able to stroll the grounds of the Museum as you sample the unique vintages of 12 Ohio wineries, and enjoy food from regional vendors. Musical entertainment includes Khalid Moss on Friday night and Saturday will feature Dan Rivers at 1:45p, Tim Jennens & Randy Villars at 3:30pm, Anne Harpen at 5:15pm and conclude with Puzzle of Light 7:15pm.

Participants may order a taste, a glass, or even bottles of the locally grown wine selections; all bottles must leave the premises still sealed. The Adult Sampler admission of $25 (21+) includes 10 sampling tickets and a souvenir wine glass. Youth (16+) and designated driver admission to the grounds is $10. Admission for youth 3-15 is $3; children under 2 admitted free.

Tickets may be purchased in advance by phone (800–227–6972) or online. Adult Sampler Tickets may be purchased at the reduced rate of $20/person in advance.

Participating Wineries include:

Brandeberry Winery-Enon
Breitenbach Wine Cellars-Dover
Debonné Vineyards-Madison
Eldchrist Winery, Plain City
Ferrante Winery & Ristorante-Geneva
Firelands Winery-Sandusky
Grand River Cellars-Madison
It’s Your Winery-Akron
Maize Valley Winery-Hartville
Meranda-Nixon Winery-Ripley
Mon Ami WInery & Restaurant-Port Clinton
Valley Vineyards-Morrow
The Winery at Versailles-Versailles
Wyandotte Winery-Columbus

Food is available from street vendors including Grumpy’s Barbeque , Brock Masterson’s Pita Pockets and Unique Eats. This event is produced by Ohio Wine Producers.

Southern Comfort Food

May 30, 2010 By J.T. Ryder 4 Comments

Huffie’s Serves Up The Best In Q

Mural by Dayton artist Ronnie Williams

Food. All you have to do is look at my expanding midsection and you will instantly know that, although I may not know the fanciest places to eat, I know the places that serve the down home cookin’ that you can only get from a family owned restaurant. Huffie’s Bar-B-Que, located at 925 McArthur Avenue, is one of those places. Now, I fully realize that describing any type of bar-b-que is tantamount to getting into a political argument with all sides taking up the cause of their own particular favorite, so I will avoid making any sweeping statement about it being the best bar-b-que in the city…even though it is.

Anyway, the secret is the method of preparing the ribs and the way that the bar-b-que sauce is created. Of course they did not tell me what went into the sauce, as they would have had to have killed me immediately afterward. Suffice it to say that the sauce is not too vinegary nor is it too overpowering. Some sauces strive too hard, covering up the taste of the meat with either a spicy heat or an overabundance of spices in general. Huffie’s is a perfect blend, allowing you to taste the preparation of the pork along with the rich tang of the sauce itself.

Huffie’s menu covers a broad range, taking in the Southern style favorites like fried okra, fried green tomatoes, greens and cornbread. Put that on as a side to your slab of ribs, pulled bar-b-que pork sandwich or whole fried catfish and you have yourself an incredibly satisfying meal. In recent years, they’ve added a lot of vegetarian items and heart friendly foods to the menu, such as salads, baked fish and vegetarian soups and beans. You can cap off that meal with a wide selection of pies and cheesecakes, especially their famous sweet potato pie with the crust still made with lard. Perhaps Dr. Oz might disapprove of the cholesterol count, but your palate will kick his Oprah lovin’ ass for saying such disparaging comments about something so wonderful.

I was able to sit down with the owner of Huffie’s, Howard “Huffie” Huffman, to talk about the history of the restaurant, the processes of running it and cooking for it as well as some of the memorable events that have happened there over the years.

J.T.: You guys have been here, what? Forty-three years?
Huffie: Forty-five years.

J.T.: I thought it was opened in ’65?
Huffie: Actually, it was ’63. My sisters started working here in ’65. I’ve worked here since I was thirteen and I was born in 1950, so about ’63 or ’64.

J.T.: Did it start out as a family business?
Huffie: Yeah, my father started it up. It all started out when we were in Joy Apartments on Millicent and they built a pit outside. Down South, everybody barbecues all the time and they share, so the neighbors would start coming over and we used to have as many as fifty or sixty people in the neighborhood coming over and eating our barbecue. That was at the Joy Apartments in the early sixties…sixty-one, sixty-two I’d say.

J.T.: Is most of your food still based on family recipes?
Huffie: Oh yeah, almost all of it.

J.T.: Have the recipes changed over the years?
Huffie: Not too much. It’s Memphis, Tennessee style barbecue. My father’s from Mississippi and my grandfather is also from Mississippi, so it’s basically Southern type food. It’s changed for like the extended menu, like cheese steaks and things like that, but the barbecue sauce is still the same, the ribs are still the same, the pork shoulder’s still the same. We smoke them outside. One time we got a commercial unit, but we found out that it just didn’t give you the same taste, the same authentic taste, so we went back to the hickory wood and charcoal. You know, we marinate the meat like two days ahead of time then we smoke them. We do things the old fashioned way.

J.T.: Do you buy your ingredients local?
Huffie: Oh yeah, we buy from meat companies and produce companies like, but things like the ribs and the pork shoulders, we buy from companies like GFS.

J.T.: Are there any plans for expansion, as in opening other restaurants?
Huffie: We had four or five restaurants before. I had my own restaurant one time and I’d do catering. I was over by the golf course for about two years and over by Kettering Field for like six years and that was enough. We found out it was best to just run your own single business than to try and have four or five others and trying to have someone else running them for you. You lose that family atmosphere and you kind of lose touch with things. You run into problems with people rushing the ribs or too much of a portion on a platter trying to get big tips. I mean, I’d do a franchise where someone could pay me a set amount of money and you could buy a franchise, because that gives you more control where you supply them with everything.

J.T.: Do you do a lot of catering?
Huffie: Like, I do hog roasts and Hawaiian luaus. I’ve catered for places like NCR, Mead and General Motors. I used to cater folks like the Temptations. I still have pictures. They used to know me by name. I fed the O’Jays and one time, a big named star was here at UD…I think he was about sixteen years old at the time…and he bought a couple of slabs of ribs and I took them to him and he gave me a hundred dollar tip! The best tip I’ve ever had to this day!

Huffie’s Bar-B-Que is located at 925 McArthur Avenue on the West side of Dayton, right off of Germantown St. You can call ahead to make a take out order or to make reservations for special occasions at (937) 263-2289. Their dining room is clean and spacious and, on many occasions, there are local jazz artists and other talented musicians playing while you dine. My only problem is after I eat my favorite meal there (pulled pork sandwich with a side of fries), I have to stave off the urge to curl up in the booth and take a nap. The “itis” is a force to be reckoned with.

Playing Possum In The Forest Of Argonne

May 28, 2010 By J.T. Ryder 6 Comments

Possum Creek MetroPark’s Hidden History

This man is exerting far too much energy for this to be considered a "relaxing" activity.

As Spring hurtles uncontrollably into Summer, my mind reaches out to find the activities I can do outside. My own definition of “outdoor activities,” however, has little or nothing to do with being active at all. More to the point, I like to try and find places where it can appear that I’m doing some sort of activity, while remaining completely inactive. Fishing usually fits this bill. I will confess here that I have rarely ever caught a fish (which would go against my goal of being inert) and sometimes, to insure that some fish with either a death wish or a very slow mental acuity won’t inadvertently leap onto my baited hook, I usually fish with no bait. This serves a twofold purpose: one, a fish will generally avoid my barren hook in search of a more agreeable dinner, thereby allowing me to remain in a seated position and two, it makes it so that I don’t have to put my hands near any icky worms which, on especially humid days, feel much like a semi-solidified string of undulating snot. I guess that while I’m confessing things here, I might as well add that, even if I had the misfortune of catching a fish, I would throw it back as I can’t stand to eat fish and I can assure you that a mounted fish on my wall would definitely clash with my rather eclectic form of interior design. Moving on…

The reason that I bring this up is that it reminds me of one of the places that I love not to fish: Possum Creek MetroPark. The first time I was there was sometime in the late eighties/early nineties… you will forgive me as time has been somewhat of an elusive creature my entire life, so remembering dates isn’t one of my strong points. I do remember that a group of us were supposed to be driving to Indianapolis for Pink Floyd’s Division Bell Tour, if that gives anyone a frame of reference. One of the group thought that the park would be a bitchin’ place to party before the concert. It wasn’t. Some of the group got lost and we damn near missed the concert. Fast forward to around ten years ago. I was scouting all the parks surrounding Dayton, exploring all of the wonderful points and playgrounds with my two youngest sons. We meandered over to Possum Creek one day and found that it not only had several fishable lakes, it also boasted some really interesting hiking trails, a community garden and a farm area with many types of animals on display.

On one of my excursions, I was trying not to fish on the shore of one of the lakes, but my wife insisted that I bait my hook so that I could catch her a catfish to fry up that evening. Not wanting to exert that much energy trying to reel in a catfish, let alone the potential injuries I may sustain from the stinging barbels, I convinced her that all the good catfish were in the middle of the lake. I got out my trusty inflatable raft and, utilizing the convenient foot pump, filled it with air and pushed off from the shore. Now I could actually lie down in public without seeming as if I were a lazy ne’er-do-well. This was pure genius. Well, while I was floating about on the water, I noticed some splashing and activity nearby. I didn’t even dare to have a hook on for fear that a catfish might be attracted to the shiny metal and hook it’s stupid self, so I just kept casting sinker in the general vicinity of the splashing, which seemed to create more splashing. From the shore, I’m sure that it must have looked impressive. Well, the splashing began to come closer to where I was floating and, after a few more casts, seemed to make a beeline directly for me. Now, I’ve seen Jaws I and II, so a tremor of fear trickled down my back until I remembered that the Great Whites were destined for deeper waters than those found at Possum Creek. I was rather shocked, however, when the splashing got really, really close and I found it to be caused by a very pissed off beaver that I had apparently conked in the head several times with my sinker. Apparently there are a literal ton of these flat tailed rodents gnawing about Possum Creek and, thankfully, I was able to extricate myself from the situation unscathed.

The walking trails are incredibly intriguing as well. You can explore areas that range from lakeside trails to wildflower fields to farmland and then into a beech tree forest, full of loamy trails and deep ravines. This is where I found some things that struck me as odd and made me explore the history of the park further. I came across a massive trestle, a large square expanse of concrete and several rusted out trolley car frames sitting inexplicably in the middle of the woods. The name of the woods also intrigued me: Argonne Forest. While it may sound like something out of Lord of the Rings, history’s most famous forest of the same name was a deadly battle site during World War I. Why would someone name a forest in Dayton after the site of such an epic battle?

In the late eighteen-hundreds, a boy was born named Null M. Hodapp. His boyhood friend was a boy named Ralph Clemons with whom he shared many adventures. They grew into adulthood together and enlisted in the Army to fight the Germans in World War I. In a sadly ironic twist of fate, Ralph was killed mere hours before the Armistice Treaty was signed. Ralph’s death was devastating to Hodapp as he returned to Dayton to resume his life. He eventually married LoRean D. Hodapp and became a widely regarded judge in the Dayton area. In the 1930s, Hodapp purchased 400 acres around Germantown Pike and dubbed the land Argonne Forest Park, in memory of his friend and the place in which he had died. The first building that was constructed was a clubhouse for veterans. Eventually, the park consisted of a dance pavilion, a horse track, a car racetrack, a shooting range and a swimming hole with a diving platform. “Swimming hole” is more than a slight misnomer as the “hole” was actually constructed by building a huge wall to block the Possum Creek, which created a massive swimming area replete with diving platforms, the remnants of which can still be seen today. Hodapp also bought several streetcars from the Oakwood-Dayton lines to be used as impromptu cabins and for the children to play in. Hodapp would also perform the Battle of Argonne Forest every Fourth of July, in memory of 322nd Field Artillery Unit who had fought there during World War I.

As the world moved into the next War, rationing and depletion of money contributed to the eventual demise of the park. Some sections were sold off, but the bulk of the park remained and was made into what is now known as Possum Creek MetroPark. Walking amongst the paths and seeing the relics of a bygone era, one can almost squint and see the shrieking children cannonballing off the diving platform or hear the music and the shuffling feet scrape over the dance hall floor. The grandeur is gone, but the memory remains indelibly etched into the sodden trails and the swaying branches of the forest.

THE NEON – Dayton’s Indie Cinema

May 28, 2010 By Jonathan McNeal 4 Comments

Hello DaytonMostMetro.

I’m so glad to be a part of this on-line community, and I’m hoping you’re already familiar with THE NEON. If not, we’re an independent movie theater located in the heart of downtown Dayton – just outside the Oregon District. We have the best first-run movie & concession prices in town and offer a great beer selection (that’s right – beer) at our concessions stand (we also offer a handful of mixed drinks and wine). We show indie films – that means movies that aren’t often found at the multiplexes…titles include smaller-budget films, foreign films, documentaries, and we also work with filmmakers in the region to help gain exposure to their work.

I’ll be updating you on a weekly basis on this site, but you can always find up-to-date showtimes on our homepage at www.neonmovies.com.

Tomorrow we open a new film. This comedy has been getting much better reviews than another comedy with CITY in the title (also set in New York), and it has already been seen by a couple of our regulars. One person saw it in NYC and another saw it in St. Louis…and they both loved it. CITY ISLAND, starring Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies, Emily Mortimer and Alan Arkin, is the comedic discovery of the season.

Synopsis for CITY ISLAND: “A dysfunctional family living on a picturesque island in the Bronx spares no expense in avoiding the truth about their messed-up lives in writer/director Raymond de Felitta’s dark family comedy. The family patriarch, Vince (Andy Garcia) is a prison guard who is secretly plotting a new career as an actor. Meanwhile, as Vince takes acting lessons on the down low, his daughter moonlights as a stripper and his younger namesake harbors a secret fetish that involves the family’s 300-pound neighbor. Under normal circumstances Vincent’s wife, Joyce (Julianna Margulies), would be the family rock, but lately she’s been preoccupied with uncovering the identity of the hired help, a secret that only her husband knows.” (Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide)

On Saturday & Sunday, we will have a special guest give a short presentation before the 3:00 screening of BABIES. Milly Hubler, resident of Dayton and friend of THE NEON, visited Namibia in March. Namibia is the home of Ponijao – one of the babies in BABIES. Milly will talk to the audience about her adventures in southern Africa and will be available in the lobby after the screening to show off some of the treasures she acquired on her trip.

On June 17, The Dayton Pride Partnership and The Downtown Dayton LGBT Film Fest are joining forces to bring a special film to town – PATRIK, AGE 1.5. Her’s the set-up: “Göran always wanted to become a father. He is married to his partner, Sven, and they have been cleared for adoption by the Swedish authorities. The problem is that no country seems to be willing to give a child to a homosexual couple. Göran refuses to give up his dream of having what so many others take for granted; a real family. Göran and Sven receive a letter with an offer from the social services to take care of “Patrik, Age 1.5″ – a Swedish child who needs a new family. They happily accept the offer and prepare the nursery for the baby’s arrival. On the day that little Patrik is expected to arrive, a lanky teenager rings their doorbell. He says his name is Patrik and that he has come to live with them. They realize, horror-struck, that their little baby Patrik is actually a juvenile delinquent. To add insult to injury, he is also homophobic.” The film will screen Thursday, June 17 at 7:00 and 9:40, and a special panel discussion about gay adoption with adoption professionals and a local gay couple who are adoptive parents will occur after the 7:00 screening. Tickets to this film – just $6.00 each – are currently on sale at THE NEON’s box office.

BABIES didn’t perform nearly as well as we had hoped…even with Oprah’s help. We’re crossing our fingers that things pick up with weekend.

Have a great holiday!
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for May 28 – June 3:

CITY ISLAND (PG-13) 100 Minutes
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:40, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40
Monday: 12:40, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30
Tuesday- Thursday: 2:50, 5:10, 7:30

BABIES (PG) 87 Minutes
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 3:00, 5:15, 7:20, 9:20
Monday: 1:00, 3:00, 5:15, 7:20
Tuesday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:15, 7:20

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative.
June 4 MOTHER
June 11 THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES (winner of “Best Foreign Film”)
June 18 PLEASE GIVE
June 25 THE SQUARE
July 16 I AM LOVE (My favorite from Toronto!)
July 16 CYRUS
July 30 WINTER’S BONE
TBD – MOTHER AND CHILD
TBD – JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK

Local Bands Pay Tribute to Girl Groups, Riot Grrrls and Ladyfest

May 27, 2010 By Juliet Fromholt 1 Comment

Ladyfest Dayton is still a few months away, but this Saturday night you can get in the mood and throw some support toward the festival all while hearing some great music. 10 local bands will take the stage at Blind Bob’s starting around 10pm and pay tribute to their favorite girl groups and riot grrrls. The $5 cover charge will go towards the expenses of this year’s Ladyfest Dayton, which will be August 9-8th at c{space. Here’s who’s playing:

Los Esposos

Human Reunion releases Carbonics 7″

May 27, 2010 By Juliet Fromholt 1 Comment

This Friday night is your chance to celebrate yet another great release from one of our local bands. Human Reunion will unveil their new 7″ inch, Carbonics at their show at Blind Bob’s. There will be a limited number of white-vinyl copies available at the show as well as standard editions on gold vinyl from Detroit’s Five Three Dial Tone Records. Also available that evening is Prelude to A Miss Volume 1. This is the first installment of a cassette series from Five Three Dial Tone and will feature demos and instrumental versions of songs from Carbonics.

If the music collector in you isn’t already lining up for this show, then the rest of the lineup will have you sold. Human Reunion will be joined onstage by the Motel Beds (who just sent their new album Feelings off to press) and Pittsburgh’s Summer Lungs.

This Zumba Queen Will Get You Lean: This ain’t sweatin’ to the oldies!

May 26, 2010 By Dayton Most Metro 2 Comments

Yvette Williams, aka "The Diva"

The old school method of getting a bikini ready bod for the summer used to involve breaking out a dusty old VHS tape, popping it in the VCR and listening to a poofy-haired, tiny shorts-wearing man scream positive affirmations at you through the television set.

But that was then. If performing awkward, antiquated dance moves in your living room wearing day-glow leg warmers isn’t cutting it any more, then it might be time to switch your style up.

The “new” way, ladies and gentlemen, to sculpt a hot bod is zumba.

And zumba ain’t no joke.

To characterize zumba – a fitness regimen that blends Latin grooves and dance moves – as simply a health craze would be a transgression and an inadequate description of the art form.

Zumba is a lifestyle for enthusiasts who shake their hips to the slick sounds of salsa, merengue and other afro-cuban inspired international rhythms. The popularity of zumba dance has exploded in recent years as many are discovering the numerous benefits of this fun, yet challenging, activity.

No one knows this better than Yvette “The Diva” Williams, a certified fitness instructor and sports nutritionist who has been leading high energy zumba sessions throughout the Dayton area for the last two years.

Williams, originally from Queens, New York, leads zumba workouts at DK & J Pump in Trotwood, Premiere Ladies Fitness in Kettering and Therapy Cafe in downtown Dayton.

Dayton MostMetro recently sat down with this mother of two for an honest discussion about zumba, music and machismo:

Dayton MostMetro: When did you develop your interest in fitness?

Yvette Williams: I began bodybuilding late…at thirty! I grew up always being unhappy with the way that I looked. I’ve always been a very self conscious person, never really liking the way that I looked. So, at thirty, I decided to do something about it. I was watching the Olympics…and was looking at some videos of track and field. [I was] looking at the bodies and how muscular [the women] were. I saw how beautiful they were. They were attractive and sexy. They didn’t look like men – they looked like shredded, beautiful women. I wanted to look like that.

DMM: How were you introduced to zumba?

Williams: I’ve always had a love for Latin music – especially from being in New York City for as long as I was. I grew up with the authentic Latin music…Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Mongo Santamaria, um…Ray Barretto, Willie Bobo. All of them. I grew up with this music! It was a very strong influence in my family – in my household.

I was at a gym, and I heard the music and it was catchy. I thought, “What are they in there doing?’ I ended up taking classes from an instructor named Christi Siler…and we had a ball! I loved the music! I loved how she moved! I found that I already knew the moves because I grew up with this music. I thought, “Oh my gosh. I can do this!” I really did it for the love of the music.

"The Diva" in her element

DMM: When did you began teaching your own classes here in Dayton?

Williams: I became certified and started teaching about a year later…The classes have just sort of taken off. I’m just appreciative – and very grateful – that people like what I do!

My style is very authentic. Zumba is a Latin word. It was developed by Alberto Perez, who is Colombian. So, in that spirit – it’s Latin. It’s what I identify with. It’s very authentic. [It’s] heavy salsa! Heavy meringue and reggae-ton! I stick with the authentic Latin moves, rather than incorporating too many other things. I’ve learned that the Latina population really appreciates that, because I’m not watering down anything…It is what it’s supposed to be.

DMM: So, what’s so cool about the zumba dance routines?

Williams: You’re working out without even feeling that you’re working out! You just let the music takes you wherever it wants to take you…The music is very motivating. It’s captivating and fun music. It takes you somewhere else!

It allows you a chance to escape. There’s whooping and hollering…clapping and cheering! The zumba logo says “Join the party!” So, we treat it like a party! It’s fun, and exciting. Every class is different…I’m trying to get some more men in the class…

DMM: …Which brings me to my next question. What was the inspiration behind your Zumba Men’s Challenges?

Williams: Diva is trying to gain more testosterone in her classes! [Laughs.] I’m not going to get the men in here by saying, “Would you guys please come to my zumba class?” Because they’re going to say that zumba is for girls! So I said, okay…How about if I challenge them? And I find that if I challenge them it’s like, “Hold on, wait a minute! You’re not gonna challenge me…” [Laughs]

When I challenged them, they came.

DMM: So you had a favorable response?

Williams: We had a huge one the first time. The entire dance floor was covered, and there were people going all the way to the back wall. That was in February. At the second men’s challenge, the men outnumbered the women.

Everybody can Zumba!

DMM: What is the age range for zumba? And are there any restrictions?

Williams: Before you start any fitness regimen, you should always check with your doctor. There are different levels. There’s even Zumba Gold, for the elderly or for people who have had injuries. But it’s all ages [for zumba.]

My classes are very diverse — from ages 13 to 60.

DMM: Lastly, what would you say to anyone who may be on the fence about trying your classes?

Williams: For the ladies, it’s just an amazing way to get fit and toned for the summer. I tell everybody, “Before you strut, you gotta sweat!”

For my men, I tell them, “Zumba ain’t sissy, it’s sexy!”

Williams is also a gifted vocalist who has performed on stage during Urban Nights

Mondays
DK&J Pump 1790 Shiloh Springs Rd Trotwood, OH
7:00pm $5 for non-gym members

Fridays
Therapy Cafe 452 E. 3rd St Dayton, OH
6:30pm $6

Saturdays
Premier Ladies Fitness, Kettering OH
1:00pm members only

Ms. Williams would like to give a special shout out to DJ Danny D for providing her with fabulous Latin music and remixes!

This Thursday at Blind Bob’s – The Young Republic, Wes Tirey and Sawgrass

May 26, 2010 By Juliet Fromholt Leave a Comment

Pairing well with the warm weather in the Dayton region, Blind Bob’s is hosting an evening of some great Americana music. Local folk singer Wes Tirey and Dayton/Springfield bluegrass duo Sawgrass will welcome the Young Republic, a folk-rock group from Tennessee. This show should get started around 9pm.

As a preview for this great lineup, check out Wes Tirey playing live on WYSO:

As We Go On, We Remember…

May 26, 2010 By Dayton937 1 Comment

The popular song “Graduation” by Vitamin C will be ringing in the ears of many Wright State students Saturday, June 12.

We go through many graduations in our lives. It beings when we are five, in kindergarten. We have just learned our alphabet and the colors and were advancing on to elementary school to learn how to add, subtract, multiply and divide. We make it all the way through to 8^th grade after our awkward pre-teen years and step through the doors of high school. We learn more advanced math and English skills, learn to drive, and experience our first loves. For most of us, after four years and a bigger graduation celebration than the one we had as a kindergartener, it is off for more schooling. We all choose different institutions to go to depending on which area of study we want to pursue. Now for thousands of Wright State students, it is time for their biggest graduation yet: college graduation.

Senior Kim Collins will be amongst those graduating this year. She will receive a Bachelors Degree in Business Management and Human Resources Management. She will walk across that stage and whereas before, she would be more prepared for more schooling this time Collins has plans of getting an entry-level human resource job and an HR Assistant. This graduation ceremony is completely different than the others before. Collins feels that Wright State has prepared her for the upcoming adventure known as the “real world”. “WSU has prepared me for graduation in a few ways. First, in most of my business classes, we worked in groups, and I know in the business world teamwork is essential” said Collins. Not only was teamwork learned in Collins’ classes, she got hands on experience as well. “In one of my classes I was able to help make a human resources manual for a local business, so that gave me valuable hands-on experience”.

So as some say good bye to Wright State and hello to new experiences, Wright State will always have a close spot in us. It is and has been teaching and preparing us for what is outside of the walls of the campus buildings. The instructors and staff have been responsible for creating the future employees of local Dayton companies. The Wright State graduates will be entering the work force in Dayton. With many skills and accomplishments on their resumes, they are ready to shine their bright white smiles and give you what they have to offer. Any they will be ready to accept what this world has to offer them.

*Commencement is Saturday, June 12^th at the Ervin J. Nutter center. The ceremony begins at 10 am and lasts about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Doors open at 8:30 am to the public but graduates are to report NO LATER THAN 8:30 am.

Jonathan Larson’s RENT @ C{Space in Downtown Dayton

May 26, 2010 By Dayton Most Metro 32 Comments

Jonathan Larson's RENT at C{Space June 3-5 www.RENTdayton.org ~ Win Tickets Below!

On June 3rd Encore Theater Company will open it’s summer season of musicals with a show which has become a cornerstone for the musical theater world of the past decade and a half. ETC will present Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer Prize winning Broadway musical RENT in C{space on three evenings next week, and if you don’t plan ahead, you just might miss out this highly provocative production in a truly unique downtown venue (Saturday is nearly sold out & tickets are selling fast for the other performances).

The musical, which is based loosely on Puccini’s opera La Boheme, follows a year in the lives of seven friends living the disappearing Bohemian lifestyle in New York’s East Village. AIDS and both it’s physical and emotional complications pervade these characters as they struggle to find their place in a quickly changing world.

We think of RENT as this iconic “rock opera” legend but what RENT was saying and how it was saying it was revolutionary in 1996 and the theater world has never been the same. The number of doors RENT opened for new musical theatre writers was unprecedented. Shows that have followed – like SPRING AWAKENING & 2010’s AMERICAN IDIOT (Yes, the GreenDay one) – are indebted to Larson & his show for their success. RENT’s influence is still profound in shows opening today, fourteen years after it quietly opened it’s Off-Broadway run the night after Larson died of an aortic aneurysm.

When talking with cast members of the show, it’s interesting, almost comical actually, to realize that for many of them, their first knowledge of this show was the 2005 film version. As depressing as that is to this almost-40-year-old, who could’ve been in the original Broadway cast (if he could act & sing that is), it’s also refreshing. This cast is approaching this material with such an infectious energy! They are exploring the souls of these characters, but through a new point of view, in a very different world.

“To be able to experience something so beyond myself in sharing with my fellow castmates and it’s viewers, the very real struggle that these characters live through has been life-changing. This chance to live in love, to spread the message to carry on and be thankful every single day has been a gift.”

Drew Bowen, “Roger”

“Being a part of RENT is something deeply profound that I’ve strived for in my art and I finally have the chance to play my dream role. I’ll carry with me the artistic lessons that I’ve learned from this production as I pursue my stage career.”

JJ Parkey, “Mark”

Since ETC carries as its mission the development and preservation of new musical theatre, it seemed only fitting that we honor Jonathon Larson – the pioneer who made our work and our mission possible. Along with a unique group of collaborators including C}Space, Sinclair Community College Theatre Department, AIDS Resource Center of Ohio, and Project Runway Finalist Althea Harper, ETC invites you to rediscover why you fell in love with RENT all over again and see this generation-defining musical in a fresh innovative production against the backdrop of one of Downtown’s Dayton’s most unique spaces.

Jonathan Larson’s RENT will play June 3, 4 & 5 in downtown Dayton’s C{space at 7:30pm each evening. An additional 11:30pm performance will take place on Friday, June 4th. Tickets for the event are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. You can order tickets by visiting www.RENTdayton.org

WIN TICKETS to RENT!

It’s easy! Just COMMENT to this post before midnight Saturday, May 29th to be entered into a drawing to win a set of tickets to the Encore Theater Company production of RENT. We will be giving away one set of tickets for each 7:30 performance (Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 1 winner per performance)…but you can help DOUBLE the number of tickets we will be giving away! If 50 readers “SHARE” this post, by clicking the FACEBOOK SHARE BUTTON before midnight Saturday…we’ll give away two sets of tickets for each evening’s performance! Start Sharing!

Dayton Dutch Lions Feature Former UD Standouts

May 26, 2010 By Dayton Most Metro 3 Comments

Former University of Dayton men’s soccer standouts Randy Dennis and Jeff Popella are happy to stay in Dayton a little longer than expected after graduation a few weeks ago. Both are playing for Dayton’s newest professional sports team, the Dayton Dutch Lions. “It’s great to be out here with all the guys playing soccer, but I still miss home,” said Randy Dennis, whose family resides in Texas. Dennis was a key member of the Dayton Flyers defense last season, as he played in all 20 games and helped lead them to 14-5-1 record and a regular season Atlantic 10 title.

The Dutch Lions play in the fourth tier of United States soccer, the Premier Development League, and look to win the league title in their first season of play. The team consists of many Dutch players, most of whom have played professionally for top teams in the Netherlands, and many younger American players from various universities and clubs around the United States.

The team, along with guidance from coach Sonny Silooy, looks to combine the precision play of Dutch soccer, with the physical play of US soccer. “Team unity is very important to us as we play different styles of soccer, said Popella. “There is the language difference (Dutch and English) and also trying to blend our styles of play together, so we all need to work especially hard on the team mentality.”

Priding themselves on youth development, the Dutch Lions consider their team the “Gateway to professional soccer” and strive to develop talent with players as young as four. Try-outs for the Dutch Lions Academy begin on June 1 for boys, and June 2 for girls at the Miami Valley South Stadium at 6:30 p.m. For more information on the academy, check out their web site.

The team plays their home games at the Miami Valley South stadium at Bellbrook High School. “The Dutch guys are used to soccer-only fields, so some of them don’t like the lines on the grass from football games,” said Popella. Even with this being the first season of soccer for the team, they have already developed a sizable fan base called the Orange Legion that supports them at every home game.

A few players from the Dayton area are on the Dutch Lions roster, including Popella and midfielder Eric Kissinger. Kissinger attended The Miami Valley School for high school and played D – III soccer at Haverford College. Kissinger looks to experience a successful season with the Dutch Lions as he only enjoyed 12 wins in his four years at Haverford. Popella attended Carroll High School before playing soccer for UD, where he scored seven goals in 11 games for the Flyers, as well as converting two penalty kicks.

Cooking Class Spotlights Strawberries!

May 25, 2010 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Beyond decorating your shortcake or slicing over your cereal, strawberries can be made into soup, salsa, and incredible sauces. Cooks Wares in Springboro will be offering up this 2 1/2 hour class with taught by actress/turned caterer Rhonda Clark. This class is a good warm up for the upcoming Troy Strawberry Festival.

Learn to serve strawberries with every course you prepare for an all strawberry extravaganza, or pick and choose the recipe that will complement the rest of your menu. Here’s what’s on the menu for Thursday’s class:

Strawberry Basil Lemonade
Spring Salad with Strawberries, Pancetta, Farmer‘s Cheese and Fig Vinaigrette
Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Strawberry Salsa and Maple-Orange Glazed Carrots
Chilled Strawberry Soup with Lemon Shortbread

How to go:

Strawberry Fields Forever
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
6:30 – 9:00pm at
The Marketplace at Settlers’ Walk

756 N. Main Street (St RT 741)

937-748-4560

Class Price: $45

How 1,500 Vacant Dayton Lots Could Blossom into the Growth of Civilization

May 24, 2010 By Teri Lussier 1 Comment

There are 1,500 vacant lots in the city of Dayton. Fifteen hundred?!? Let that sink in for a moment. These aren’t boarded up homes, vacant homes, abandoned homes, these are vacant lots that the City of Dayton has to maintain, somehow. It’s staggering to think about. I see plenty of these lots, and you do too, but to think about 1,500? So the question of what we should do with these lots comes with some urgency behind it, but also some promise and potential. Dayton now has Jonathan Cain with the Lot Links program and several months ago he took some time to talk to me about Lot Links. Mr Cain, like Leah Werner, is a true champion of the potential in Dayton. He’s excited about the possibilities and the opportunities the Lot Links program could represent, if we really thought about it, and he’s open to discussion and willing to help, and looking for a chance to spread the word about this program to clubs, churches and any organization that wants to learn more about it.

You may know that Lot Links is an inexpensive way for Dayton residents to purchase vacant lots that are owned by the City of Dayton. Jonathan told me that most purchasers are neighboring home owners who want to expand their yard space to create a play area for the kids, or a garden, or to put up a garage. Useful purposes all, and those lots would fit well into an established neighborhood without much distraction or disruption in neighborhood aesthetics. You can purchase a lot for as little as $235.00, although a buildable lot is $635.00- still cheap land ownership and the city guarantees clean title without liens. The problem, as I see it, is that land ownership has to be profitable somehow. It doesn’t do any good to simply own a lot. Either you have a house and all the positives that can potentially come with home ownership: Freedom, independence, stability, or you have property with which you can create income: Food production, rental space of some sort, a business.

Ohio is often considered the “Mother of Presidents” with eight Presidents who thought of Ohio as their home (seven if you don’t count William Henry Harrison who was born in Virginia, but was raised and is buried here). Ohio has an extraordinary and rich history and no small part in shaping our country. One of my favorite quotes is from Ohioan and President William Howard Taft “Next to the right of liberty, the right of property is the most important individual right guaranteed by the Constitution and the one which, united with that of personal liberty, has contributed more to the growth of civilization than any other institution established by the human race…”

Back to those fifteen hundred empty lots? That’s a lot of property. But we also now have the opportunity to offer people, for dirt cheap, the chance to enjoy one of the most “important right(s) guaranteed by the Constitution”. How can we use this opportunity to its best advantage? I have a few ideas. We can, and probably should, have a community garden every few blocks- gardening is good for us, but that’s not likely to be an income-producing or highest and best use of land. Expanding your lot size adds value to a house, as does a garage, so for a neighbor to acquire a lot for their own use, that’s a good idea. We tend to think of these lots as either private residential, or some sort of community property, but I think it might be beneficial to start to consider business uses and allow room for developing the lots in profitable ways- I’ve begun to think of this as “micro-development”.

If we want to promote the “growth of civilization” in Dayton Ohio we might do worse than making room for unique uses for all these vacant lots: Allow someone to build a garage and rent it to a neighboring homeowner; pave an empty lot and rent out off-street parking; true urban gardening including chickens for income producing fresh eggs. In other words, we open the land for micro-development, for someone to use for a small business. It’s weird, perhaps. It’s certainly not what we signed on for when we decided to plant roots in Dayton, but the only constant in life is change, and the strong adapt. Momentum builds momentum and rethinking highest and best uses for what we have in abundance is a possible way out of our current situation.

We can flourish, if only in small ways at the start, by reveling in our right of property, which is one thing Dayton has plenty of right now- inexpensive and available property. San Francisco doesn’t have it, nor does Oakwood for that matter. Dayton has an opportunity to celebrate what President Taft understood was crucial, integral, part and parcel to what makes America such an extraordinary place- our right to own property. It would be a shame for us to ignore such strengths.

Photo: Teri Lussier

Correction: Initially this article stated there were 15,000 vacant lots; it has been corrected to 1,500.

This Week in YP: music, food and professional development

May 24, 2010 By Megan Cooper Leave a Comment

YP Events coming up THIS WEEK:

Generation Dayton presents Next-Generation Consulting Webcast. Tuesday May, 25 from 11:30-1PM. You’re moving up in the world and got that promotion – this Webcast will give you the tips and hints you need to be an awesome manager. Brown bag lunch – drinks and desserts provided. RSVP by Monday!

JumpstART presents Jump into the DPO . Not ready to spend a Saturday on the arts? Join other YPs after work on Wednesday, May 26 for $10 tickets to see 24-year old wonder Jessica Hung perform in a 45-minute concert she designed. After the show, meet Jessica at a private JumpstART reception with pizza and a beer tasting sponsored by Boston’s Bistro and Pub. Call 228-3630 and mention the jumpstART deal.

Generation Dayton: Even More on the calendar for the group affectionately known as “GenD.” Coming up, you can check out the regular Fourth Friday lunch on Friday, May 28. Get together with other young professionals at El Meson at Noon to meet new people, check out a great restaurant, and have some fun that fits into your work schedule.

Post below if I missed anything or if you have plans to attend one of these great events!

A Break in Format – Austin’s White Rhino at Canal Street Tavern on Tuesday

May 24, 2010 By Juliet Fromholt Leave a Comment

Tuesdays at Canal Street Tavern are traditionally reserved Musician’s Co-Op, but every once in a while Co-Op goes on hold for a week for a special event. This Tuesday Austin’s White Rhino will stopping by Canal Street as part of their national tour for some good old fashioned rock and roll. They’ll be supported by locals Electric Smoke with Fuzz Hound opening. This show gets started around 9:30pm and is $5.

Musician’s Co-Op will return next week, but if you’re really missing it, check out this great mini documentary about Co-Cop by former Daytonians Angelle Haney Gullett and Steven Gullett.

Off the Beaten Path: Dayton’s National Park Offers Unique Cycling Experience

May 24, 2010 By Dayton Most Metro 1 Comment

Park Ranger Mark Dues leading cyclists along the Great Miami River.

Cyclists looking for an atypical riding experience will find one this summer as Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park has announced their 2010 bicycle tour dates.

The “Bike With A Ranger” program, sponsored by the National Park Service, is an exciting, yet casual, way to explore Dayton’s historic sites. Park guide, and experienced cyclist Mark Dues will lead the tours – interpreting the region’s rich heritage of creativity and innovation along the way.

Two bicycle programs will be offered:

“The Gem City: Cradle of Creativity”

Learn how Dayton became a hotbed of inventiveness, innovation, and creativity. This bicycle ride on flat terrain along quiet urban streets and bike trails visits the Wrights’ bicycle shop; the home of internationally-renowned poet, Paul Laurence Dunbar; the invention and transportation exhibits at Carillon Historical Park; and various historic sites in Downtown Dayton. The tour ends where it started–in Wright-Dunbar Village. The Wright Cycle Company Complex is located at the intersection of West Third and South Williams Streets, 22 South Williams Street, Dayton OH 45402, just west of downtown. June 6, July 11, August 8, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

“Huffman Prairie and Historic Patterson Field (Wright-Patterson AFB, Areas A & C)”

Discover how one of the largest aviation complexes in the world, Wright-Patterson AFB, began as a humble 84-acre cow pasture just a few miles northeast of Dayton. This moderately difficult bicycle ride down mostly bicycle trails and less-traveled roads will take the trail leading to Huffman Prairie Flying Field and historic old Patterson Field (present day Wright-Patterson AFB, Areas A & C). Due to Air Force security requirements, all participants must register at least seven days prior to the tour. No exceptions! The tour will end where we started–at Wright Memorial Hill. Wright Memorial Hill is located close to the intersection of State Route 444 and Kauffman Road, just 1.5 miles east of the National Museum of the United States Air Force. At Huffman Prairie Flying Field Interpretive Center, 2380 Memorial Rd., Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433. June 20, July 25, and August 22, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

– All participants should be present no later than the times mentioned above for sign-in and orientation.

– Bicyclists should be in good physical condition and feel comfortable gearing up and down hills.

– Inclement weather may cause tour cancellation. Huffman Prairie Flying Field may close without prior notice since it is located on an active military installation.

– Participants are required to bring their own bicycles and personal gear, including snacks and/or lunch. Proper wear of helmets is required.

– Bicycles should be in good operating condition and are subject to safety inspections.

For additional information, or to register for these free tours, contact Mark Dues at 937-425-0008.