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

Archives for November 2011

Learn something new about.me

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With the constant explosion of social media sites and networks launching left and right, the last thing anyone is thinking about is trying to learn a new one, right?  Well, I’m going to prove you wrong.  There is a new (sort of) category of social sites out there that actually help you to kind of manage your social media interactions.  They serve as personal home page for either you or your business.  These sites are about.me and flavors.me.

Why should you use one of these sites? For me, it all comes back to personal branding.  The page serves as another spot for you to put your “brand keywords” into that ultimately get indexed by Google and bring your PageRank up – AND because it’s linked to your social accounts, that almost guarantees that if you use it correctly, there is no doubt that it will help bump you up higher on the list when you Google yourself.

Here’s a nice article from TechZulu about the differences between the two sites.  The net is, one has a cleaner look while the other makes a bit of money off of your quest for complete customization.  Setting up your personal page is pretty straightforward.  Sign up for an account, then walk your way through each step to customize.  Each site offers you a place to include a biography, connect to your social media accounts, and add a background (custom or stock).  It does take some playing around to get the perfect look.

 

So what are you waiting for?  Get started building your page now, then post it here in the comments for everyone to see!

Jane’s Best Bets (11/16 – 11/20)

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Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

Life is busy with the holidays drawing near, but hopefully you still can find time to get out and enjoy some of these events! 

On Wednesday, you’ll have an opportunity to eat some delicious food!  In the morning/mid-morning, eat some made from scratch waffles at Christ Episcopal Church for their 82nd Annual Waffle Shop.  In the evening, make your way to the Greenfire Bistro for a dinner to benefit Aullwood, Giuliano for their Lasagna Dinner, or to Jay’s for their Kokomo Wine Dinner.  Afterwards, make your way to The Loft Theatre to see Caroline, or Change or to the University of Dayton, as Cityfolk will be presenting Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba. 

On Thursday, attend the Junior League of Dayton Town Hall Lecture & Luncheon at Sinclair entitled, 55 Years in the Making: A Celebration of Tradition and Transformation with Daryn Kagan.  Head to Deaf Monty’s Wine, The Wine Loft, A Taste of Wine, or Arrow Wine in Centerville for “Beaujolais Noveau”.  I figured “Beaujolais Noveau” was important since it was happening at so many of the places around town where you go to get wine, but I had to google what it meant.  For those of you wondering, it’s a special type of wine whose arrival means that Thanksgiving is one week away…gobble gobble!  If you love the movies, be sure to make your way to The Neon for the Media That Matters Short Film Festival.  At the Schuster Center, catch the DBJ Business of the Year Awards.  And if you’re interested in theater, check out Caroline, or Change at The Loft Theatre.

On Friday, chocolate lovers should make their way up to Greenville for the Greenville Chocolate Walk.  And beer lovers should get their fill at the Dayton Liederkranz Turner German Club’s Fall/Winter Bierfest.  If you love theater, there are plenty of opportunities for you, including The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet at Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School; The Ladies Man at Centerville Schools Performing Arts Center; Violet: The Musical at Hugh G. Heiland Theatre (Wilmington College); and Caroline, or Change at The Loft Theatre.  At the Schuster Center, listen to the sounds of the Dayton Philharmonic with Promethean Exploits.  And if you are a young professional, you can get a special “Encore Friday” deal!  And finally, even though it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet, you can make your way to Springboro for their famous Christmas in Historic Springboro Festival. 

On Saturday, take your kids to the Dayton Art Institute for their Family Workshop with Children’s Book Illustrator Tim Bowers.  If you’re a yogi (not the bear kind), then make your way to Practice Yoga on Fifth for GROOVE + FLOW: Power Yoga with live beats by DJ HyFi.  At UD, check out their Dance Ensemble Fall Concert.  Theater options include The Ladies Man (Centerville Schools Performing Arts Center), The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet (Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School), Violet: The Musical (Wilmington College’s Hugh G. Heiland Theatre), and Caroline, or Change (The Loft Theatre). At the Schuster Center, you will still be able to listen to the Dayton Philharmonic’s Promethean Exploits.  You will also again be able to attend the Christmas in Historic Springboro Festival.  The Salvation Army’s Kroc Center is also starting Christmas early, so bring the whole family there for Christmas at the Kroc 2011: Believe.  And finally, if you enjoy good food, good drinks, and Dayton history, be sure to get your tickets to Ringing in the Holidays at Carillon Park, which I am told is an awesome event! 

On Sunday, get moving for the Hometown Holiday Walk in the heart of Centerville.  If you have or know someone who has a child with autism and would like to get his/her picture taken with Santa, bring him/her to the Dayton Mall for Sensitive Santa for Children with Autism.  You will still be able to catch a couple shows you may have missed over the weekend, including Caroline, or Change at The Loft Theatre and The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet at Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School.  And finally, don’t miss your opportunity to see American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell at the Dayton Art Institute!

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

What do you call a deer with no eyes?  No ideer…

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!

Victoria Theatre Association Presents: Les Miserables

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(Read our On Stage Dayton review of Les Misérables by Russell Florence, Jr.)

Victoria Theatre Association announces the cast for Cameron Mackintosh’s new 25th anniversary production of Les Misérables premiere Dayton engagement at the Benjamin & Marian Schuster  Performing Arts Center, November 22-27, 2011. The all new production of Les Misérables features glorious new staging and spectacular reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo.  To purchase tickets, visit www.ticketcenterstage.com, call 937-228-3630, or visit Ticket Center Stage Box Office, located in the Wintergarden of the Schuster Center. Ticket prices start at $40.00.  For more information on the production, engagement dates, and locations please visit www.LesMis.com. For a video sneak peek of the New 25th Anniversary Production of Les Misérables, please visit www.LesMis.com/watch.

J. Mark McVey portrays the fugitive Jean Valjean.  He is joined by Andrew Varela as Javert, Richard Vida as Thénardier, Shawna M. Hamic as Madame Thénardier, Betsy Morgan as Fantine, Jeremy Hays as Enjolras, Chasten Harmon as Éponine, Max Quinlan as Marius and Jenny Latimer as Cosette.  Maya Jade Frank and Juliana Simone alternate in the role of Little Cosette/Young Éponine.  Anthony Pierini and Sam Poon alternate in the role of Gavroche.

The New York Times calls Les Misérables “an unquestionably spectacular production from start to finish.” The London Times hails the new show “a five star hit, astonishingly powerful and as good as the original.”  The Star-Ledger says “a dynamically re-imagined hit.  This Les Misérables has improved with age” and NY1-TV proclaims “this new production actually exceeds the original. The storytelling is clearer, the perspective grittier and the motivations more honest. Musical theatre fans can rejoice: Les Miz is born again.”

“I’m delighted that 25 years after Les Miz originally opened in London the audience for this marvelous show is bigger and younger than ever before,” said producer Cameron Mackintosh. “Over the years I have seen many successful but visually different productions, so it has been exciting to draw inspiration from the brilliant drawings and paintings of Victor Hugo himself, integrated with spectacular projections.  The new Les Miz is a magnificent mix of dazzling images and epic staging, driving one of the greatest musical stories ever told.”

Based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel, Les Misérables is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit.  The magnificent score of Les Misérables includes the classic songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “Do You Hear the People Sing?,” “One Day More,” “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables,” “Master Of The House” and many more.

Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Les Misérables has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer from the original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, additional material by James Fenton and original adaptation by Trevor Nunn and John Caird. The original Les Misérables orchestrations are by John Cameron with new orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke and additional orchestrations by Stephen Metcalfe and Stephen Brooker.  The production is directed by Laurence Connor and James Powell, designed by Matt Kinley inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo with costumes by Andreane Neofitou and additional costumes by Christine Rowlands, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Mick Potter, musical staging by Michael Ashcroft and projections by Fifty-Nine Productions.

Les Misérables originally opened in London at the Barbican Theatre on October 8, 1985, transferred to the Palace Theatre on December 4, 1985 and moved to its current home at the Queen’s Theatre on April 3, 2004 where it continues to play to packed houses. When Les Misérables celebrated its 21st London birthday on October 8, 2006, it became the World’s Longest-Running Musical, surpassing the record previously held by Cats in London’s West End.

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In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the legendary musical Les Misérables made theatrical history with an international first – three different productions in London at the same time. The Original Production (still playing to packed houses at the Queen’s Theatre), the acclaimed New 25th Anniversary Production at the Barbican (where the show originally premiered) and a celebratory concert at The O2 Arena.  The O2 Concert was presented in over 500 cinemas throughout the United States on November 17, 2010 and is now available on Blu-ray DVD through Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

The Broadway production of Les Misérables originally opened at the Broadway Theatre on March 12, 1987 and transferred to the Imperial Theatre on October 17, 1990 running for 6,680 performances.  The US National Tour began in November 1987 and visited over 150 cities before closing in St. Louis, MO in 2006.  Broadway audiences welcomed Les Miz back to New York on November 9, 2006 where the show played the Broadhurst Theatre until its final performance on January 6, 2008. To date, Les Misérables remains the 3rd longest-running Broadway production of all time.

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Seen by nearly 60 million people worldwide in 42 countries and in 21 languages, Les Misérables is undisputedly one of the world’s most popular musicals ever written, with new productions continually opening around the globe, with seven more currently scheduled. There have been 36 cast recordings of Les Misérables, including the multi-platinum London cast recording, the Grammy Award-winning Broadway cast and complete symphonic albums and the soon to be released live recording of the New 25th Anniversary Production. The video of the 10th Anniversary Royal Albert Hall Gala Concert has sold millions of copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling musical videos ever in the UK. There are over 2,500 productions of the Les Misérables School’s Edition scheduled or being performed by over 125,000 school children in the UK, US and Australia, making it the most successful musical ever produced in schools. Cameron Mackintosh is currently developing a film of Les Misérables with Working Title and Universal.

Les Misérables is welcomed by Victoria Theatre Association, with the help of Leadership Sponsors WHIO-TV and the WinWholesale and The Win Group of Companies; and, Performance Sponsors WHIO AM/FM and K 99.1.

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TICKET CONTEST

We have a pair of tickets to see Les Misérables on November 23, courtesy of Victoria Theatre Association!  Just fill out the form below and you’ll be entered to win in our drawing on Friday November 18th.  Check back here on the 18th to see if you’ve won – GOOD LUCK!

Contest Closed

Congratulations to Amanda Barhorst, she is our winner!

Become a Leonardo League Volunteer at the DAI

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

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

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

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

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

Roost Modern Italian: The New Kid on the Block in the Oregon District

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13hs8lz520xiogyqmpr70hmjzjeikcfaYou know what goes well with Tuesdays? Italian. More specifically, a refreshing, upscale take on traditional Italian dishes. And I can tell you the perfect place to get just that—Roost Modern Italian, a brand new restaurant opening today at 524 E. Fifth St. in the Oregon District. The owners, Dana Downs and Beth Hirschbach, had a dry run last Friday, and Dana was “beyond pleased it went so well.” This event allowed the owners to completely perfect the menu in time for their opening today. According to Dana, whom I had the pleasure of speaking with over the phone this afternoon, “you have to be a little crazy to open up a restaurant!” But this “crazy” duo seems to have a copy of the recipe for success; the ingredients consist of an original idea, a great location, and a lot of hard work and dedication.

Dana and Beth started off this journey in the food industry in 2009, when they opened their own catering business, Veritas Foods. They decided to get their name out by using a booth at the Second Street Market, but unfortunately, no booths were available so they began selling frozen Italian food. Today, Black Rooster Pasta Bar consists of two booths at the Second Street Market, where they create a variety of pastas catered to the customers’ wishes. The next rung in the ladder consisted of opening their 397844_312391075470636_1815886819_nown restaurant. And thus, Roost Modern Italian was born on this Tuesday, the fifteenth of November.

Roost? Yes, that’s correct. The rooster theme of both Black Rooster Pasta Bar and Roost Modern Italian originated from Dana’s love of Italian wine. On the foil of a bottle of Chianti Classico wine, the label includes a picture of a rooster. So from this spun the memorable and unique theme of a rooster in both eateries’ names.

Capesante in Crosta

            Why Italian, you may ask? Well, Dana spoke of having experience cooking Italian for years, but she and Beth aspired to create something unique—a modern twist on Italian. “The dishes go beyond traditional pasta and pizza,” explained Dana. Roost’s selection has been described as “refreshing” when referring to the new techniques and presentations of their cuisine. This eatery also offers an adult beverage list that was specifically selected to complement the food being served; this includes craft beers and high-class Italian wine. The owners specifically focused on featuring Italian wines connoisseurs will enjoy. And although this is considered a high-class restaurant, the prices are reasonable across the menu.

Alright—so we’ve got great cooking and beverage selection. Check. But in order to truly enjoy a venue’s selection, the dining

Sorbetto Stuffed Lemon

experience must be superb as well. This is something Dana and Beth truly understand. When I was speaking with Dana, she emphasized how Roost has a great location; the neighboring restaurant owners have been very supportive and welcoming, and Roost is in a great position to inherit a lot of foot traffic. The setting within the restaurant itself is very quaint, but “[felt] like big-city” to many attendees this past Friday. The energy within the space makes the dining area seem larger than it really is, while the inside eating scene is complemented by a great patio, which will eventually become the site of spring wine tastings. This ideal setting adds class and comfort to Roost Modern Italian, providing a great atmosphere for the enjoyment of great food.

Lastly, the recipe for success could not be complete without a lot of dedication and hard work put in by the owners. Dana described opening a restaurant as “building a concept you need people to fall in love with. In the end, it’s all you. You receive tons of help, but you have to get it off the ground exactly the way you want it while on a budget.” Dana and Beth have put in many hours preparing for this day, and soon it will all be worth it.

Black rooster statue in Chianti, Italy

“You just have to trust your gut on things.” This piece of advice Dana has acquired from her success in the food industry thus far. It has brought Beth and her to this day, a completely different world than where they were just two years prior. Roost Modern Italian is officially open for business, providing a delicious modern take on Italian dishes, while also presenting a comfortable, high quality dining setting. Roost will be accepting a few reservations (so call in quick!), while also providing catering services and gift certificates. So come join the festivities! Crack open a bottle of Italian wine and enjoy a dish, such as the Capesante in Crosta (Crusted Sea Scallops) or Arrosto alle Erbe T-Bone (Herb roasted T-Bone Steak). No matter your choice, you are sure to bite into a savory bit of unique Italian cuisine.

And in the words of Porky the Pig—“Th-th-that’s all, folks!”…But only after dessert. I’ve got my eye on the Créme Brule del Giorno.

Roost will be open Tues – Thurs for dinner from 4pm – 10pm, and stay open an hour later on Fri and Sat.  Sundays they’ll serve brunch  from 10am – 3pm, appetizers from 3-5pm and a dinner menu from 5-8pm.   They will be closed on Monday.  Call for reservations at 937.222.3100.  And yes, you can still visit them at the 2nd Street Market Thurs- Sat.

Dayton History – Carillon Park is Ringing in the Holidays!

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“Ringing in the Holidays” is an enchanting evening that will kick off the holiday season with style for a 17th year on Sat, Nov 19, from – 10 pm. Guests will be treated to live music by the Erik Augis Trio, tasty hors d’oeuvres prepared by Chef Matt Hayden  from Scratch Event Catering , delicious desserts, and specialty cocktails while giving them an opportunity to bid on auction items and purchase chances to win fabulous raffle prizes. This year’s Winter Get-Away Raffle features trips to Hilton Head Island and Lake Erie. The event also features the fourth in a series of hand painted commemorative ornaments, depicting elements from the Carousel of Dayton Innovation, by artist Melanie Haislip.

The highlight of the event is our “Dayton’s Most Delightful Dessert” contest, featuring gourmet desserts from  region’s finest chefs. Guests will be invited to sample each of the offerings throughout the evening to vote for the People’s Choice award.

AMELIA’S BISTRO – Chef Marcus Montrevic
Sugar Plum Fantasy -Molasses Marshmallow, Bacon Brittle, Caramel Macchiato Truffle

CAKE, HOPE & LOVE – Chef Shannon Teague & Connie McFarren
Mini Cupcakes – Bite sized cupcakes topped with delicious buttercream

CULP’S CAFE – Chef Jose Calzada
Rustic Hot Chocolate  – Spicy hot chocolate with cinnamon whipped cream and chocolate covered churro

THE DAYTON WOMEN’S CLUB – Chef Joseph Ragno
Holiday DuJour – Layered, spiced carrot cake with an apple cranberry chutney, accented by a cream cheese frosting

OLIVE, AN URBAN DIVE – Chef Justin Mohler
Champagne Chocolate Truffle Tart – Champagned whip cream and an almond sesame Florentine cookie decorate a chocolate truffle tart with raspberries.

As a special treat guests will be treated to a demonstration and samples of coffee using   multiple brewing methods such as the French Press, Pour Over, and more!  The Baristas of PRESS will be on hand to educate and delight with coffee facts.
Expert judges (including Dayton Dining‘s Lisa Grigsby and Superfry & the Big Ragu) as well as WDTN’s Jim Bucher and Amelia Robinson from Dayton Daily News  will award the Critic’s Choice and Best Presentation awards.

Ringing in the Holidays, presented by Liberty Savings Investment Services, Inc. & Rieck Services, is a fundraiser supporting the educational programs and conservation efforts of Dayton History, which operates Carillon Historical Park, The Archive Center, Paul Laurence Dunbar State Memorial, Patterson Homestead, Memorial Hall, Old Courthouse and Hawthorn Hill – Orville Wright’s home.  The programming of Dayton History reaches over 160,000 visitors each year

Ticket Prices are $60/Dayton History member; $75/non-member.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 937.293.2841 or visit www.daytonhistory.org.

CJ Chan: Embodying the True Trifecta of a Quality Dining Experience

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“CJ Chan provides delicious food with a smile and serves the best sushi in Dayton,” testified Alex DeJulius, a University of Dayton senior studying Finance and Economics, who definitely can be considered a regular at this venue since its opening last November. From the outside, it may appear like your typical take-out Chinese restaurant, but step inside their doors, and you realize this experience is anything but typical.

CJ Chan has been open for exactly one year this month. This cozy little restaurant is owned by Him Chan and Juan Zhang; I had the pleasure of sitting down with Juan this last Friday to get some behind-the-scenes perspective. The couple is very hospitable and truly cares about providing for the customer’s needs. Because of this, their restaurant focuses on three main aspects: the best selection, the in-house dining experience, and affordable prices. All three of these things bundled into one enjoyable meal makes for some pretty good eats.

ONLY THE BEST—that’s what you can expect from the selection at CJ Chan. This restaurant is both Chinese and Japanese. Juan explained to me that the name CJ Chan actually stems from this: C for Chinese, J for Japanese, and Chan for Him’s family name. In offering this dual cultured cuisine, CJ Chan stands apart from any other restaurant in the Dayton area. The couple decided their restaurant needed to offer the customer with more choice. Their menu offers over eighty dishes “ranging from the traditional Chinese favorites and innovative specialties to classic from across Asia.” The kitchen at CJ Chan also prides themselves on using only the freshest, most natural ingredients, which further enhances the quality of their selection. The menu also gives customers the option to create-your-own dish, ensuring satisfaction. Located up the hill from the University of Dayton, the owners’ choice to include beer and wine on the menu was also very intuitive. Their food—arguably the most important part of a restaurant—is only complemented by the dining atmosphere this eatery provides.

QUALITY SERVICE—CJ Chan’s in-house dining experience offers you just that, the second key to running a successful restaurant. Juan and Him didn’t want a typical Asian restaurant; they wanted to provide unbeatable service in a setting that is comfortable and enjoyable for the customer. CJ Chan is mainly a sit-in restaurant, though they do provide call-in and pick-up service for those with busy lifestyles. Okay, who am I kidding? We all have busy lifestyles nowadays, but the festive wooden furniture and Chinese and Japanese decorations that line CJ Chan’s walls, as well as the employees’ smiling faces, coax you to sit down and stay a while; and believe you me, you won’t regret it. When I had the chance to sample some of CJ Chan’s selection, I was amazed at how quickly the food was brought to our table. The presentation, by no means, looked rushed, either. Their timely service, as well as accommodating staff make you feel at ease and satisfied, which quite frankly makes it a lot easier to truly enjoy their food. Sure, it may be nice to go to a fast-food restaurant where you can get your grub and go, but those restaurants only care about that one thing: fast service. Wouldn’t it be more worth your time and money to be able to have timely service at a restaurant where the quality of their cuisine is just as important as the time it takes for your meal to be placed in front of you?

AFFORDABLE PRICES—The last of the trifecta embodied at CJ Chan. The owners wanted their customers to be fully satisfied, and this really wouldn’t be possible if they were being offered the best service and best food, but their wallets were still being torn to shreds. So CJ Chan focuses on providing affordable prices for quality meals. Juan emphasized how they specifically focused on making sushi affordable, it being something that many people love but can’t afford to eat on a regular basis. For busy families and the average poor college student, CJ Chan’s prices won’t rob your piggy bank and the food and service will be more than worthy of the price.

As is expected of any business, competition is present for CJ Chan, but “within this first year, the business has been pretty good,” explained Juan. As the word spreads about the whole package this cozy eatery is offering, their consumer base continues to grow. Juan mentioned how they are hoping to expand their restaurant to include the next door property sometime next year; this would offer more dining space for customers and allow their kitchen to grow as well. I’m excited to watch the size of this restaurant grow in the upcoming years, but it is questionable if it is even possible for CJ Chan’s physical size to match the size of the amount of care that truly goes into this business.

Many say, “Good things happen in three’s.” This holds true for CJ Chan, but the only true way to understand the excellence of this trifecta is through experience. So next time you’re craving Asian cuisine, stop on in and stay awhile. They are located conveniently on Wilmington Avenue, and their healthy, affordable Chinese and Japanese concoctions are sure to put a smile on your face and keep some green in your pocket.

In the words of my wise father—“That’s all I got to say, and I’m stickin’ to it!”

CJ Chan is located at 536 Wilmington Ave Dayton OH 45420.

Share the Harvest Dinner to Benefit Aullwood

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Greenfire Bistro in Tipp City  is hosting it’s annual buffet dinner to benefit the Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm.

The buffet will feature Aullwood Audubon Farm’s healthy meats — free range organically certified chicken and turkey and all natural, hormone-free beef . Greenfire will donate 20% of all sales, including alcohol, to support Aullwood’s education programs for children. A raffle with wonderful wines and other items will also benefit Aullwood.

The dinner will feature a Salad of Mixed Greens with marinated grilled chicken breast in a light Dijon vinaigrette; Beef with Fresh Basil and Mint Spring Rolls and Honey-Soy Dipping Sauce; Traditional Roast Turkey with Garlic-Mashed Potatoes and Gravy; fresh vegetables; cranberry relish; Roast Pork Tenderloin with Ginger-Plum Crust finished with a Hoisin-Mirin sSuce and served with lightly stir-fried wild mushrooms; Cider Poached Pears and Buttermilk Cake topped with Vanilla Crème Fraiche.*

 The buffet, which starts at 6:30pm on Wed, Nov 16th is $30 per person, which does not include drinks or tip.  Up to 50 reservations will be taken.  You may RSVP to the Greenfire Bistro by calling 667-6664.
The restaurant is located just off I 75 at  exit 68, at 965 W. Main St.

 

 

Dayton librarian’s whale of an art book scores big

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Matt Kish presents “Moby-Dick In Pictures: One Drawing For Every Page”

The legendary 19th-century novel Moby-Dick, or The Whale, is a story of obsession. No one, perhaps, understands that obsession quite so well as a Dayton librarian who spent 543 days creating an illustration for each of Moby-Dick’s pages – and now has the published book to prove it.

Matt Kish, who lives in Columbus, describes the closing months as brutal: “Those final 100 or so pages, when the book itself becomes pretty bleak, I had no personal time whatsoever, and I knew the only way I was going to get my life back was to finish this project.

“The only way through it was to symbolically kill the whale myself. I isolated myself, because I felt I had to save every available ounce of energy for the project. I became just as obsessed with finishing the project as Ahab was with the whale. Thankfully, my wife stayed with me.”

The final drawing emerged Jan. 29, his book contract was completed, and now the only obsession in Kish’s life is dealing with the incredible publicity his project has generated.
“I’m simultaneously excited by it all and overwhelmed and exhausted,” he says.

A whale of a response

How much publicity? Starting just a few days into the project, his posts to a daily blog for friends and family began to be featured on literary and art websites and talked about all over the globe. In December 2009, he was invited to speak about his work in New York.

Within days, even though he hadn’t even reached the halfway mark of the book, he was approached by an agent who almost immediately landed him a publisher.

“It started slow, but then things happened with dizzying speed,” Kish recalls. “This incredibly personal exploration of the novel suddenly had a contract and a deadline.”

He speculates that there’s three reasons for the powerful response.

“Moby-Dick is a cultural touchstone. Even people that haven’t read it, they know the whale, they know Ahab, they know Ishmael, they know that it ends tragically. It’s part of our cultural consciousness. It’s really an American myth.”
The second reason? Kish is not a formally trained artist. Yet his bold, unusual style is immediately gripping, conveying a raw emotional presence with every image. Some pieces are abstract, others intensely detailed. He used spray paint, brushes and ink, ballpoint pens, colored pencil, acrylics, collage, markers, stickers. The quickest took 30 minutes, others took up to 12 hours.

“I know if my work was to be critiqued, there are long lists of errors and completely missing blocks of an art foundation,” Kish says. “I didn’t even attempt to make my illustrations historically accurate. It’s very much about my life, my perspective – it’s influenced by video games I played in the ’80s, comic books from my childhood, covers of progressive rock albums from my dad’s basement. So it’s something that’s never been seen.”
The third reason? The sheer insanity factor of anyone taking on such a monster project.

Life-long connection

“Monster” being the key word. Kish says his lifelong passion for Herman Melville’s 1851 novel began around age 5, when he saw a film version of the story.

“The movie monsters were fictional, but this grabbed me,” he says. “This was a monster that could almost have been real.”

An illustrated children’s version of the story was his next encounter with the white whale; he read the full novel for the first time in junior high. Seven more trips through the book would pass before he started the project.

“What’s odd is that each time I read it, it’s shown me things that almost seem to echo or parallel things happening in my own life — the complexities of growing up and growing old and dealing with life,” Kish says. “In some ways, really grappling with that book requires some life experience.”

In 2009, the former English teacher and bookstore clerk heard about a man illustrating every page of another famous novel.

“I was feeling very creatively restless. I wasn’t really enjoying what I was drawing anymore,” Kish says. “I realized it had been four or five years since I read Moby-Dick, the longest absence in my life. And I thought, ‘I’m just going to jump right in. It’s a way to get me closer to the book, and this is going to keep me inspired artistically.’ And the next day I got started. That was Aug. 5, 2009.”

Two years later, on Nov. 13, Kish will share his creation with readers used to seeing his touch in the DVD, CD and young adult collections. He says he’s not sure what art will flow next for him.

“This project completely shaped and structured my life every day for a year and a half, and that was really trying,” Kish says. “I had an intense sense of relief to finally be done. But I was also really wistful. All those characters had become companions to me.”

To attend

Matt Kish presents “Moby Dick In Pictures: One Drawing For Every Page” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, at the Dayton Metro Library, downtown branch, 215 E. Third St., Dayton. The event is free. Information: 937-463-2665, http://everypageofmobydick.blogspot.com.

It’s 11-11-11. Have you talked with a crystal skull lately?

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Mayan elder’s cross-country pilgrimage involved visit to Serpent Mound

Late on the afternoon of Oct. 29, Mayan elder Hunbatz Men carefully climbed the first steps of a steel observation tower overlooking the ancient Serpent Mound in southeastern Ohio.

The site was Men’s second stop on a cross-country sacred journey this fall, leading from Manhattan on Oct. 26 to its culmination today in Los Angeles, on 11-11-11.

“I’m very happy to see you here,” Men told the crowd of about 600. “We see something wrong with this crazy time, this crazy civilization. Mother Earth is in a bad situation. But many of the people here with the crystal skulls, they are bringing the light and the knowledge. Today, we bring the cosmic knowledge.”

The crystal skulls are famous in New Age circles as ancient Mayan or Aztec tools, with ancient secrets programmed into their crystalline matrices by humans or, some say, aliens. The skulls are expected to release their information as humanity enters a new era of harmony. Scientists and archaeologists say the skulls they’ve examined can be traced to German workshops of the late 1800s, and don’t reflect the artistic styles of the South American civilizations. Still, thousands of believers gather every year for ceremonies honoring the skulls and connecting with fellow visionaries of a more peaceful future.

Hunbatz Men works closely with The Cosmic Mysteries School of Kentucky to engage people in that visioning process. His tour is timed to coincide with other New Age consciousness-raising events celebrating the alignment of today’s date in the Gregorian calendar, and involves teachings on Mayan prophecies.

 

Rainbow of perfect timing

 

Gesturing to the winding, grassy curves of the quarter-mile-long snake effigy built some 1,000 years ago, Men said, “The snake, for the Mayans, is the symbol of the Milky Way, the symbol of cosmos. Coming back again is cosmic culture. We need to be happy for that. Peace is coming in that way.”

Hundreds of voices cheered as Men stepped back down to lead a ceremonial trek around the mound. Carrying smoking bundles of sage, playing rattles and drums, wearing sacred garb and chanting, he and 13 guardians of the crystal skulls led a winding line of people bundled against October’s chill. As they rounded the ancient village site at the open mouth of the snake, a brief sprinkle of rain passed over the plateau and a breeze kicked golden leaves across the sky. A few minutes later, a rainbow – the Mayan symbol of renewal and divine favor – emerged in the east.

“When we saw the rainbow, I just couldn’t help but break into tears,” said Roxana of Nashville, Tenn. “There’s a lot of nature traditions that say a light, gentle rain with the sun is a blessing from the heavens, a reminder of the divine within.”

The “divine within” and “worldwide transformation” were the predominant themes at the gathering, the second stop on Men’s cross-country pilgrimage with the crystal skulls. Besides an early afternoon teaching on the changes happening around the Earth, visitors and guardians led drum circles and dances, invited people to touch and pray with the crystal skulls, sang Native American songs and invited new connections. Seekers of all ages were drawn to the event, from hoop spinners in colorful garb to parents taking part in drum circles to white-haired veterans of the ’60s. Many traveled long distances, including one group of 15 from Cleveland, more than four hours to the north.

 

‘Absolute joy’

 

“Supposedly, the Mayan calendar ended yesterday, and this is the first day of whatever else,” said Satya, one of the Cleveland group, referring to the Oct. 28 conclusion of the ninth and final cycle described in the Mayan calendar. “The combination of the Serpent Mound and the holy grounds, having a Mayan elder here with the crystal skulls, that’s why I’m here.”

Mallory, also of the Cleveland group, said she came for the experience of “downloading the absolute joy of the energy of the skulls, while being in community. People are awakening more and more to themselves every day – how we can live, and how we’re choosing to live.”

What that life will look like depends on how much attention we pay to the natural energies around us, Men said as the group came to rest around a tree surrounded with the crystal skulls. Facing the setting sun, Men led the gathering in several minutes of toning “eee” – “This is the word for Maya to activate the body” – and “awhll” – “This is the word for the other dimension, to draw energy in.”

 

Symbol of sacred knowledge

 

“In this sacred place, the initiation is ready,” Men said. “The Christians say the snake is the devil. No! It’s the symbol of knowledge. We’re entering a New Age, not a darkness, not a time of bad ending. The Maya don’t believe this. Remember the spirit of the tree, the spirit of the cloud. The rainbow came in to move your seven powers. You’re going to wake up.”

The Cosmic Mysteries School of Kentucky invited donations and prayers, encouraging participants to ground in the positive energies of the gathering in order “to let Earth know we’re remembering the sacred knowledge.” For more information, visit www.cosmicmysteries.com/journey.

All images courtesy Ria Delight Megnin. View more photos from Serpent Mound here.

The trip’s highlights…

Oct. 26: New York City

Oct. 29: Serpent Mound, Ohio

Oct. 31: Cahokia Mounds, Collinsville, Ill.

Nov. 3: Sacred Circle Medicine Wheel, Crestone, Colo.

Nov. 7: Ceremony in Sedona, Ariz.

Nov. 11, 12, 13: Crystal Skulls World Mysteries Gateway, Los Angeles, Calif.

Nov. 13: Mayan Prophesies seminar, Los Angeles, Calif.

For details, donation options and more: www.cosmicmysteries.com/journey

Psst…Over Here. I Have Some Yuengling…

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It's Heeeeeeeeere...

You have no doubt at this point seen a billboard or a bus with a sign proclaiming Yuengling is coming in fall of 2011. You may have even had a pint of it if you go to one of the many places that offers it on tap, like the Oregon Express, Archer’s Tavern, or Bullwinkle’s. Maybe you have heard the excited whispers of some of your beer loving friends discussing how much they could not wait for it to come to Dayton. And all of them have a friend, family member, friend of a friend, or some runner who brings them a case of Yuengling any time they visit one of the thirteen states it is currently on sale in. The stories make it sound like Yuengling is a banned substance in the state of Ohio, and there is a stiff penalty for possession.

Yuengling does not need to be sold in dark alleys by seedy people. It is one of the better examples of an American lager that is available, and up until this year, Ohio was not one of the thirteen states that you could buy it in. You had to go to Pennsylvania or West Virginia to buy it, as it was mainly sold along the east coast and the South. The company is based in Pottsville, PA, about sixty miles northeast of Harrisburg, and is America’s oldest continuously run brewery. It is also a small brewery, producing two million barrels of beer in a year for the first time in 2010. To put that in perspective, Budweiser produces over one hundred million barrels of beer a year, and has been doing so since the late 90’s. They are very passionate about the product they produce, and will not sell it in an area unless they know they can support the demand for it. That happened in 1996, when they pulled out sales from other states because of too much demand. That is also the company’s main reason for taking so long to get to Ohio. We love our beer, and they were concerned they would not be able to meet demand. In some ways, they were right; Dayton is getting bottled product mid-November because Columbus and Cleveland bought quite a bit more beer than was expected. Cleveland alone bought double what the company projected. In some areas it was triple.

Beer and ice cream...a natural fit.

Yuengling began as a small company in a small town in Pottsville in 1829, when German immigrant David Yuengling started the Eagle Brewery. That brewery burned down in 1831, but David quickly rebuilt it, and kept producing beer. In 1873, when his son Frederick joined the company, he changed the name to D.G. Yuengling and Son. When David passed away in 1899, the brewery was thriving. It was doing so well that Prohibition could not stop it. When the country dried out for thirteen years after the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment, Frederick did two things. The first was starting to brew “near beer” from their Pottsville plant, the only alcoholic beverage that was still legally allowed to be produced in the United States. It was a .5% beer by volume, the equivalent of O’Douls or Sharp’s. Their other venture to help them through was to start producing ice cream. Yes, really. They produced ice cream until 1981, when they finally closed the dairy they opened across the street from their plant. On the day Prohibition was repealed, President Franklin D. Roosevelt received a shipment of Winner Beer from the Yuengling plant as a thank you. This was curious, because the beer takes about three weeks to brew.

The company hummed along nicely, until the 1970’s, when the boom in commercial and mass produced beers came and wiped out or bought up all of the competition. The highlight of that era happened during America’s bicentennial year if 1976; Yuengling became officially registered as America’s Oldest Brewery. Yuengling had a solid base in its home county of Schuykill, and was able to survive nicely on just what the locals were buying. This was not good enough for Dick Yuengling, who took over the company in 1985. He immediately reintroduced the very popular lager that had not been brewed in decades. The beer itself is an amber or copper color, and a little sweeter than the traditional lager. The malt notes assert themselves a little more than the bitter of the hops. The hops add a little bit of a citrus flavor, but it is very, very light. His timing was excellent, as the craft beer movement was just beginning, and people were drifting away from Budweiser and Miller to look for other beers. That beer is the beacon that we are all drawn to, and is part of the reason Yuengling is enjoying a boom. It has been growing in leaps and bounds since he took over, adding several new breweries to expand their distribution area, choosing their path of expansion carefully. Yuengling now accounts for about 1% of beer sales in the United States. They grow slowly, from state to state, to preserve the quality of the beer. This business that has been going since 1829, and the whole family is committed to continuing that tradition. As Jennifer Yuengling, Dick’s daughter, once put it in a story for The Morning Call “This is our family history and there’s no other family in the world that can claim what we have.”

Where it all began.

What will the future hold for Yuengling in Ohio, now that bars have it on tap and stores will soon have bottles to take home? Will it hurt the demand of Yuengling, since part of its popularity was its scarcity in the state? Listening to people discuss it, the opinion seems to be mixed. People who were familiar with the brew before it was widely available are excited that they can now go out and get it on tap, or bring home a six pack of it. People who had not tried it before are a bit more puzzled. They do not see what all of the hype was about, and have consigned it to the pack with other lager beers. Maybe the hype has hurt the spread a little, raising the bar a little too high for the Pennsylvania lager. Its rabid fan base will make sure that they keep the beer popular in Dayton, and the bars that have it now are making sure people know about it. The bars that have it on tap have benefitted from the initial release at the end of October. Next week, retailers and bars that have it by the bottle will see people coming in and buying out the available stock, checking out this beer with the almost contraband reputation to it. Cheers!

Worlds Collide In The Bayou

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Malachi-Phree J. Pate – Yvette Williams – J. Miguel Conrado Rojas (photo by Scott J. Kimmins)

Long before the critically acclaimed Tony Kushner joined the pantheon of great American playwrights with his iconic “Angels in America” saga, he was raised in Lake Charles, Louisiana by musical parents (his father and mother favored woodwinds) who employed an African-American maid. Decades later, exceptionally assisted by composer Jeanine Tesori (“Thoroughly Modern Millie”), Kushner loosely chronicled his impressionable 1960s childhood by providing book and lyrics for the compelling sung-through musical “Caroline, or Change,” a thoroughly engaging, stunningly whimsical tale of personal strife, cultural shifts, race relations, and domestic economics that garnered numerous 2004 Tony Award nominations and currently receives an outstanding local premiere courtesy of the Human Race Theatre Company.

Set in Lake Charles during November and December of 1963, “Caroline” sharply centers on abrasive, divorced African-American maid Caroline Thibodeaux, a hard-working, churchgoing mother of four earning $30 per week from an emotionally scarred Jewish family consisting of recent widower Stuart, his supportive new wife Rose and their young son Noah. Idolized, befriended and innocently pestered by Noah, Caroline (splendidly portrayed by Tanesha Gary of the original Broadway cast) routinely finds solace in the family’s scorching basement while conversing with her faithful posse: a washing machine, radio and dryer. These soulfully inanimate devices provide revealing commentary on a variety of situations chipping away at Caroline’s spirit, particularly her meager finances, troubling history as a battered wife and the danger of defying her employers. Following news of John F. Kennedy’s assassination, situations swell when Rose asks Caroline to keep any spare change she finds in Noah’s pants pockets. What begins as a simple exercise ultimately sparks a clash that brings Caroline, surviving on her last nerve, to a pivotal breaking point psychologically and spiritually.

Unsurprisingly, Kushner’s musical theater debut is not without his standard polemic impulses. His insightful if prolonged libretto, greatly benefitting from its civil rights era backdrop, specifically overreaches when Rose’s outspoken father arrives for Hanukkah and eventually berates the cause of African-American non-violence. Even so, this musical character study, warmly and atmospherically directed by Scott Stoney, is not defiantly agenda-driven, marking a stylistic departure for the sociopolitical Kushner. He creates colliding worlds beyond Northerners and Southerners or whites and blacks. Most significantly, he depicts the judgmental mentality within the black community in terms of class, opportunity, religion and terminology. In turn, profound drama arises, particularly when Caroline, virtually living at a standstill at the age of 39, finds herself at odds with the bold progressiveness of her old friend-turned-college student Dotty Moffett (the wonderfully earthy Taprena Augustine) and her spirited, rebellious daughter Emmie (the absolutely radiant Yvette Williams). In a dynamic, verbally heated sequence, strikingly accented by the anthropomorphoric appearances of the Moon (the winsome Tonya Thompson) and the Bus (booming baritone Dwelvan David, who also portrays the Dryer), Dotty bluntly responds to a furious Caroline with a poetic retort recalling August Wilson: “Sorry you is sick and shame/Sorry you drinkin’ misery tea/Sorry your life ain’t what it should be.” Soon after, their wounds begin to heal in “Moon Trio,” a truly ravishing, quasi-operatic number within a melodically sublime, lyrically beguiling score flavorfully encompassing Yiddish Klezmer, blues, gospel, familiar holiday strains, and Motown-inspired R&B.

Whether humorously dreaming of Nat King Cole in “Gonna Pass Me a Law” or executing a powerhouse rendition of Caroline’s emotional aria “Lot’s Wife,” Tanesha Gary, masterly comprehending the vocally demanding complexities of the score, firmly humanizes a character some might perceive as excessively cold, prideful or standoffish. (A male equivalent would be Leo Frank, the protagonist of the underrated Jason Robert Brown/Alfred Uhry musical “Parade”.) In a refreshing departure from Tony nominee Tonya Pinkins’ imposing yet harsh portrayal, Gary doesn’t overplay Caroline’s tough rigidity, which can be intimidating and downright chilling, most notably in her climatic Act 2 exchange with Noah (the endearing, focused Brendan Plate). Caroline, suffocated by her stubbornness, may never be the life of the party, but she isn’t a woman made of stone. In every inch of Gary’s skillful performance, it is possible to connect on some level with the substantial weight of Caroline’s painful struggles and deep disenchantment which keep her from experiencing and obtaining her idea of fulfillment.

Additionally luminous within the intimate world of “Caroline” are the pleasant Brittany Campbell as the Washing Machine, amiable Adrienne Gibbons Oehlers as Rose, a convincingly detached Bruce Sabath (of the 2007 Tony Award-winning actor/musician revival of “Company”) as Stuart, the delightfully compatible Kay Bosse and K.L. Storer as Grandma and Grandpa Gellman, the vigorous Saul Caplan as Mr. Stopnick, the adorable Malachi-Phree J. Pate and J. Miguel Conrado Rojas (who winningly step into the spotlight for the infectious “Roosevelt Petrucius Coleslaw”), respectively, as Caroline’s young sons Jackie and Joe, and the terrifically magnetic Ashanti J’Aria, Kimberly Shay Hamby and Shawn Storms as the Radio. J’Aria, Hamby and Storms, supplying a lovely version of the beautifully harmonic gem “Salty Teardrops” late in Act 2, synchronize in the aisles with fetching finesse thanks to choreographer Teressa Wylie, who captures the girl group essence of the 1960s with similar pizzazz in Wright State University’s current production of “Hairspray.” Dan Gray’s attractive set effectively incorporating a turntable, Kristine Kearney’s fine period costumes, John Rensel’s expert lighting design, Nathan D. Dean’s crisp sound design evocatively summoning the outdoors, and music director Scot Woolley’s commendable offstage orchestra also heighten the production’s immense appeal.

“Change come fast and change come slow but change come Caroline Thibodeaux,” warns the Moon. Transition, in all forms, is an inescapable fact of life uniquely addressed in the remarkably relevant “Caroline, or Change,” which blew me away when I saw its off-Broadway incarnation and subsequent Broadway transfer. Without question, the Human Race has created an equally unforgettable, must see presentation.

“Caroline, or Change” continues through Nov. 20 at the Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St. Performances are Wednesdays-Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Act One: 60 minutes; Act Two: 65 minutes. A special post-show discussion will be held following the Nov. 13 performance. Tickets are $15.50-$40. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.humanracetheatre.org

Buckeye Vodka Nabs Gold Medal In National Tasting

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The Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) awarded a Gold Medal to Buckeye Vodka this week. The tasting occurred in BTI’s Tasting Room in Chicago, IL, on November 1, 2011.

Buckeye Vodka actually received two awards. The first was a Gold Medal with an “Exceptional” rating, earning 92 points out of 100 on BTI’s rating scale, as well as a “Best Buy” award, indicating it to be of extraordinary value. Buckeye Vodka is priced under $20 per 750ml bottle across the state. In its review, the BTI praised Buckeye Vodka as “an exceptional smooth and clean vodka for every application.”
“The Buckeye Vodka family could not be happier with the rating,” said Jim Finke, CEO of Crystal Spirits LLC. He continued, “Our team spent countless hours perfecting Buckeye Vodka and to get national recognition for our Ohio brand is just wonderful.”

Finke hopes the Gold Medal will translate into continued success as far as sales are concerned. Last week, the company reported that sales during its first six months of operations tripled expectations. Buckeye Vodka sold 2,000 cases of product between April and October, contributing nearly $500,000 to the Ohio economy.  “We certainly welcome the “Exceptional” rating from BTI and expect it will resonate with Ohio consumers who have not yet tried Buckeye Vodka,” said Robinson C. Cooper, Vice President and General Manager of Southern Wine and Spirits of Ohio, distributor of Buckeye Vodka. He added, “We intend to promote Buckeye Vodka as a gold standard for spirits crafted in Ohio.”  Finke also believes Ohioans will take notice, saying, “The Gold Medal proves that people here in the heartland know good vodka. Our fans have served as our most important ambassadors, consistently promoting and endorsing Buckeye Vodka aone of the best vodkas they’ve tasted. Now, they’ve been proven right.”

The BTI recruits a panel of industry experts to award its annual ratings. The panel blindly tastes each spirit in a controlled environment under identical circumstances. The ratings are then determined by a statistical method relying on the mode, or most frequent score, instead of the mean, the average score. The BTI credits this method for creating ratings closer to the panelists’ true feelings and reducing the
impact of maverick scores.

Buckeye Vodka was one of three Ohio vodka brands receiving Gold Medals from the BTI, the others being Crav Spirits of Avon Lake and Middle West Spirits of Columbus.
About Buckeye Vodka:
Capping its first batch by hand in spring, 2011, Buckeye Vodka is a family-owned artisanal vodka company with a vision of bringing an ultra-premium vodka to consumers at a price that reflects Ohioan sensibilities. Handcrafted in the rolling hills of the Miami Valley, Buckeye Vodka utilizes water sourced from The Crystal Water Company, which has been supplying the Miami Valley with a better water option
since 1919. Its state-of-the-art distillation process ensures an extraordinary purity and exceptional taste. We invite you to make Buckeye Vodka part of your next great Ohio celebration. To learn more, visit us online at www.BuckeyeVodka.com.

MARGIN CALL Opens Friday at THE NEON!

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Hello Everyone,

Opening weekend of TAKE SHELTER was perfect.  We had a couple full houses, and folks have really been liking the film.  Many thanks to all of you who attended our special Q&As with Tyler Davidson – having the chance to pose questions and gain further insight into the film was a great opportunity, and I’m so glad many of you were able to come out.

TAKE SHELTER will hold over for another week, and we’ll open a new film about the 2008 Wall Street collapse – MARGIN CALL – on Friday (the cast of this film is enough reason to see it…but the reviews are great, too).  If you still need to see THE WAY, Thursday will be your last chance to see it at THE NEON.

Synopsis for MARGIN CALL:  “This tense Wall Street thriller follows the staff of a high-powered brokerage firm in the 24 hours before the stock market crash of 2008. Featuring an all-star cast, Margin Call was one of the most talked about films of the Sundance Film Festival and was also the Opening Night selection of New Directors/New Films.” (Roadside Attractions)  Click this LINK to visit the film’s official website.

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The Ohio Liberty Film Festival is gearing up for its third year this November.  With numerous presenters and sponsors, the festival is able to make admission free to all of their screenings.  Click this LINK to see the entire line-up for various venues around town.  The following are movies that will play at THE NEON:  Friday, Nov. 11 at 3:00 – THE GREAT DICTATOR (The Charlie Chaplin classic).  Saturday, Nov. 12 at 1:30 – AS FAR AS MY FEET WILL CARRY ME. Sunday, Nov. 13 at 1:30 – PATTON.

There is only 1 film left for Living City’s VAMPIRE retrospective.  Single tickets will be available at the door before the screening for $8 each.  BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (1992 – 35mm) will play November 14 at 7:30.

“Help support DATV and be inspired by short films that aim to make a difference in our lives. DATV presents the MEDIA THAT MATTERS SHORT FILM SHOWCASE on Thursday, November 17th at 7:30pm…The festival features 12 jury selected short films that tackle a broad range of social issues with humor, humanity and honesty in 12 minutes or less.  Special thanks to our sponsor Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management OGDM Group – Centerville, Ohio…Proceeds from the event will benefit DATV.  DATV’s mission is to be a community forum that empowers all citizens to learn, create and express their ideas through electronic media…”  (taken from press notes)  Visit the official site for this event.  Tickets are already available at our box office for $10 each.

The rest of November is great!  With MARGIN CALL, MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE (the huge Sundance hit – being called “this year’s WINTER’S BONE”) and THE DESCENDANTS (an incredible film directed by Alexander Payne & starring George Clooney), I think we’ll be seeing a lot of you over the coming weeks!

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[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWHNXJ1K4yA’]

And don’t forget that we’ll be hosting holiday films on Saturdays in December…flyers are in our lobby now, and I’ll give you a full update next week.

For remaining showtimes for this week visit our site.

Hope to see you very soon,

Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Nov 11 – Nov 17:

MARGIN CALL (R) 1 Hrs 47 Min

Friday: 12:20, 2:45, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40

Saturday, Sunday: 2:45, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40

Monday – Wednesday: 2:45, 5:00, 7:20

Thursday: 2:45, 5:00

TAKE SHELTER (R) 2 Hrs

Friday – Sunday: 12:30, 5:10, 7:30, 9:50

Monday: 2:50, 5:10

Tuesday – Thursday: 2:50, 5:10, 7:30

OHIO LIBERTY FILM FEST

The Great Dictoator (125 minutes) – Fri. at 3:00

As Far As My Feet Will Carry Me (158 min) – Sat. at 1:30

Patton (172 min) – Sun. at 1:30

BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (R) 2 Hrs 8 Min

Monday: 7:30

MEDIA THAT MATTERS (NR)

Thursday: 7:30

COMING SOON:

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

In some cases, titles may disappear.

Nov. 18  MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE

Nov. 23  THE DESCENDANTS

Dec. 16   WEEKEND

 

 

 

 

 

TBD   THE ARTIST

TBD   THE SKIN I LIVE IN

 

TBD   MELANCHOLIA

TBD   THE HEDGEHOG

Ice skating season is almost here…

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Photo by Leah Stahl

(from Five Rivers MetroParks)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by Leah Stahl

Homemade Deliciousness and Genuine Care: The Perfect Recipe

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The warmth of the sun’s rays kissing my cheek, the smell of homemade goodness embracing me as I push open the entryway, and the friendly smile of the woman behind the counter all contribute to my gentle coaxing into this cozy shop in the middle of Oakwood. This woman, Theresa as I will come to know her, is the owner of Ashley’s Pastry Shop, and located all around her is heaven on earth—homemade pastries.

Now, I’ve always been blessed with a very intense sweet tooth (…or is it a curse?), so as you can imagine I was more than overjoyed to have the chance to “do my homework”, as we shall say, in order to write this article. But it wasn’t only the sweet treats that will bring me back to this bakery in the future; it’s also the people. The friendly environment and observable relationship between their customers and workers contribute to the little shop’s homey character. I felt like I wasn’t just another dime in the bucket, but an actual person whom they were excited to treat with the most satisfying treat possible. Once I arrived, Theresa very kindly offered me her most recommended pastry—a cheese Danish—which I can honestly say is the best I have ever tasted. It didn’t have that pre-packaged quality we have all experienced when biting into a mass-produced name-brand goodie. This Danish was the real deal. And shortly after I found out exactly what the secret is to the decadent sweets made exclusively in house at Ashley’s Pastry Shop.

The owners, Greg and Theresa Hammons opened this shop twenty-nine years ago and named the bakery after their first daughter. Greg’s family had owned bakeries throughout his life and when the opportunity arose for the Hammons to open their own in Oakwood on Park Avenue, they jumped at the chance. “It has allowed us to bake, be creative, and show our passion for the love of baking, while being part of the community,” explained Theresa. And over the years, this cute little shop has definitely become sewn into the fabric of the community. Ashley’s Pastry Shop now supplies many surrounding restaurants with pastries, such as the delicious bread at The Pine Club and Old Hickory Bar-B-Que. Ashley’s also gives all of their unsold bakery items to Catholic Social Services daily. This bakery may be little, but it has the biggest heart. When I spoke to Theresa, she emphasized how she believed we all have an obligation to give back to the community: “it is much better for a lot of people to do little things, because when it comes down to it, we may not have the means, time, or talent to do one big thing if we wait.” And let me tell you, these gifts that Ashley’s is giving to deserving charities and non-profit clubs are no little thing—a lot of time and effort goes into each pastry made in their kitchen.

Ashley’s Pastry Shop is very fortunate to have a great group of employees, most of them considered family now after being together over twenty-five years. A crew comes in at 11 o’clock each night and begins to bake for the next day. There are no cake mixes or prepackaged crescents behind those kitchen doors. Every item in their display cases and every wedding cake that appears on that couple’s special day are baked from scratch on site. Now that’s an amazing, and delicious, feat. Ashley’s is one of the few remaining bakeries that offer such a large homemade selection, ranging from Danishes to cookies to wedding cakes to donuts—anything catered to the customer’s desire. That’s another wonderful thing about this quaint, cozy shop; they are more than willing to work with the customer to fill any need, just itching for the opportunity to put their creativity to use. They are truly at your service, and trust me, you really can’t go wrong with any pastry you choose.

So next time you have a special occasion, or maybe you need something sweet to brighten your day, or hey, maybe it’s just a Tuesday, I highly recommend meandering over to Ashley’s Pastry Shop.  You could have the pleasure of sinking your teeth into a sand-tart cookie—a classic favorite that was actually shipped to three different coasts just last Friday! Or you could start your morning off right with a breakfast treat, like their cheese pocket (I know…I’m getting hungry, too). With the season being fall, Ashley’s is also featuring a lot of homemade pumpkin pastries. I assure you whichever you end up choosing will be pristine and truly a treat. Really, your taste buds might not be able to take the deprivation much longer, which is truly what it is considered if you haven’t yet savored a pastry from Ashley’s. It’s homemade goodness away from home, baked with love and care, and probably even a hug if that’s what the customer needs.

Doesn’t it just make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside?

Ashley’s Pastry Shop
21 Park Avenue
Dayton, OH 45419
937.293.1719

Hours
Tuesday-Friday 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday  7:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday-Monday  Closed