Dayton937

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

Archives for July 2013

Chef Dana Downs leaves Leo Bistro at the Dayton Art Institute

By 1 Comment

imagesToday is a day of change at the Dayton Art Institute, as Chef Dana Downs and her crew were seen moving out of the building.  Today was the last day serving food, after a very successful launch of Leo Bistro six months ago.

In a prepared Statement the DAI says:

The Dayton Art Institue will be undergoing an evaluation of its restaurant as the
operating partnership with Veritas Foods comes to an end.  

“We thank Veritas Foods for their work in helping us open Leo Bistro and wish them well in their endeavors, “said Executive Director Michael R. Roediger. “The needs and priorities of both organizations have changed since the Bistro opened, and we mutually agreed that it was in everyone’s best interest to move in a new direction.”

The change will not affect services for any weddings, events or meetings already scheduled during regular museum hours,
offering lunch via counter service Tuesday through Saturday, 11am – 2pm and Sunday noon – 2pm.  A new 5 to 8pm
menu will be available in the near future- please check the website for details.

Leo Bistro opened in February 2013 and features a casual, relaxed atmosphere with free Wi-Fi, made possible by a
federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).  The Bistro offers a variety of soups, salads and appetizers, sandwiches and entrees, as well as desserts.  “Leo to Go” has food and beverage options for museum guests,
such as bottled waters and sodas, snacks, coffee and espresso beverages, wine, beer and cocktails.  Museum members
receive special discounts and offerings at Leo Bistro.

Chef Dana was not reachable for a comment.  We do know that a new interim operator will be in the kitchen as 8am tomorrow and they are prepared with a menu that still celebrates food as art!

Coming Up in Local Jazz – July 31 through August 13

By Leave a Comment

image003

Tony Monaco

   As a rule, I don’t dwell on past jazz performances but sometimes they’re so good you want to let your readers know what they missed in hopes some small spark of memory may entice them to come to see the artists who performed on a particular occasion the next time they’re available. So to all the fans that missed this great show remember the artist names for future events.

     What a night; the place was packed and the joint was jumppin! This was another outstanding show at Jazz Central showcasing the Mighty Hammond Organ. In this case three organs manned by three of the best in the business – Tony Monaco, Lincoln Berry and John Slate accompanied by Rob Pad dock on drums and Cameron Voorhees on guitar. That’s right folks; just five players on stage and the walls were vibrating like they couldn’t hold anymore sound! Last night wasn’t a show; it was an experience of what Jazz is

John Slate

John Slate

supposed to be in what a Jazz Club is supposed to be.

     The show started with a set of all players on the stage trading fours, switched over to a set for each organ player accompanied by drums and guitar and then back to all five players for the finale. The final song Back to the Chicken Shack by Jimmie Smith was the longtime favorite of Miss Freddie, who managed the club for many years before her passing. At Jazz Central, because of its longevity, you can feel the spirit of many people and their associated music living on.

     There is no way to give justice to what came off at this event with words; you just had to be there. In addition to their weekly Sunday Night Jazz Jam events, Jazz Central offers many special jazz events in the $5 to $10 range, which can’t be beat for entertainment value. Man, it’s great in Dayton!

Jazz Calendar

Here are some (not all) of the upcoming jazz events for the next couple of weeks:


Today Wednesday, July 31 – Tuxedo Junction Big Band is at The Dayton Event Connection in Dayton and NYOH’S Buckeye Bar & Grill has Swing Dancing & Music in Columbus.

Thursday August 1 – The Jazz Central Big Band is holding Jazz Ed night calling students up to sit in and play with their awesome professionals at Jazz Central in Dayton.

Friday August 2 – The Shawn Stanley Trio is at Carvers Steaks & Chops in Centerville and the John Von Ohlen Trio at Dee Felice in Covington, KY.

Saturday August 3 – The Eddie Brookshire Quintet is at the DeLish Café in Dayton and James & Moore will be at the C’est Tout Bistro in Oakwood.

Sunday August 4 – There will be a new Sunday Night Jam w/ Deron Bell at the top of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dayton.

Monday August 5 – The John Taylor Trio is at Brio Tuscan Grille in Beavercreek and Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra is at the Clintonville Woman’s Club in Columbus.

Tuesday August 6 – Dave Greer’s Classic Jazz Stompers holds fort at Jimmie’s Ladder 11 in Dayton and the Part St. Tavern Jazz Jam continues in Columbus.

Wednesday August 7 – The Blue Wisp Big Band continues their long running series at the Wisp in Cincinnati and Rich Lopez is at Rigsby’s in Columbus.

Thursday August 8 – The Dayton Art Institute will offer the Generations Big Band for your pleasure in Dayton and the Glen Miller Band is at Coney Island’s Moonlight Pavilion in Cincinnati.

Friday August 9 – Elizabeth Hayes is at Jack Binion’s Steak at the Horseshoe Casino and a Friday Night Jazz Show is at Washington Platform Saloon & Restaurant both in Cincinnati.

Saturday August 10 – The Eddie Brookshire Quintet is at the Fraze Pavilion in Kettering for the Festival of the Vine and the Bobby Floyd Trio is at Boudin’s Bistro in Columbus.

Sunday August 11 – Dayton’s longest running Jazz Jam Session with Kenny Baccus and John Hampton Wagner continues every Sunday at Jazz Central in Dayton.

Monday August 12 – Local jazz artists who performed with Rick Evans will be hosting a Celebration of Life Memorial at Jazz Central in Dayton.

Tuesday August 13 – Jazz Cab is at the Greenwich in Cincinnati and Tony Monaco is at the Rumba Café in Columbus.

 

More info and jazz listings can be found at JazzAdvocate.com

Cityfolk to Focus on Jazz – Cancels Season, Festival and other Programs

By Leave a Comment

Ruthie Foster at the 2010 Cityfolk Festival.©2010 Andy Snow

Ruthie Foster at the 2010 Cityfolk Festival.©2010 Andy Snow

After several years of financial challenges, including a rained out festival in 2012, a festival in 2013 that didn’t meet its attendance goals, along with declining ticket sales and sponsorships, Cityfolk has announced it will focus on jazz, while canceling its 2013-14 season and its plans for a 2014 festival. It will also discontinue its residency program, Culture Builds Community, and has withdrawn from its anticipated partnership with The Dayton Art Institute.  Ohio’s only full-time traditional arts presenter was founded in 1980, and was committed to presenting ethnic and traditional folk arts. Through the years Cityfolk presented Celtic music, jazz, blues, world music, American roots, and more. In 1996, the National Folk Festival chose Dayton as its location for a three-year run. After the third year, Cityfolk kept the tradition going. Early festivals were at Courthouse Square and surrounding streets. Recent festivals have been at Riverscape.

According to Matt Dunn, Cityfolk Board President, Cityfolk knew it had to change its business model. “Even prior to last year’s festival, we were realizing declining ticket sales, sponsorships, and government support,” said Dunn. “The rain that devastated last year’s festival put us in a deeper hole and sped up our process for making changes, including having a fundraising campaign, while also letting go of some staff.”

The change, according to Dunn, included the staff reductions, a post-festival campaign following the 2012 festival, seeking potential partners, and making the decision to charge admission for the 2013 festival. “Many festival-goers,” Dunn said, “didn’t realize we were a non-profit organization with a full-time staff and year-round programming. The festival costs money to produce and we couldn’t continue to offer it for free.” The other change involved a pending partnership with The Dayton Art Institute.  That change was to take place after the festival. According to Dunn, Cityfolk had planned to let its remaining staff go, and responsibilities for the programming and management of Cityfolk would have been contracted with The Dayton Art Institute, under a management agreement. Likely because of a combination of rain and the paid admission, the festival didn’t meet its attendance goals. “Money raised at the festival is used to support the organization’s year-round programming,” Dunn said. “And this year’s festival came up short.”

“It’s disappointing,” said Michael Roediger, Executive Director at The Dayton Art Institute, “We were looking forward to a relationship that would have been beneficial to both organizations.” Dunn and Roediger both acknowledge that a lot of work went into defining the partnership with the hope that new and creative opportunities would evolve to capitalize on, and integrate, the mission and strengths of both organizations.

In recent years, other arts organizations realized they needed to change in order to realize economies of scale. The most prominent and recent change was the merger between the Dayton Opera, Dayton Ballet, and Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra to form the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance. Before that, Carillon Park and the Montgomery County Historical Society merged to become Dayton History. While the partnership between Cityfolk and The Dayton Art Institute wasn’t a merger, each organization was hoping its structure would have impacted their bottom lines in a favorable way. However, citing the desire to enter into the partnership with cash on hand, and no debt, Dunn said “in the end, we just couldn’t make the numbers work.” He continued, “It would have been irresponsible to enter into a partnership knowing that we wouldn’t be able to meet our commitment or live up to our end of the agreement.” Taking it a step further, Dunn continued, “The only responsible thing to do is to discontinue programs that lost money.”

While the 2013-14 concert season was announced at the 2013 Festival, no tickets have been sold, according to Dunn. Shows, in partnership with the University of Dayton’s Arts Series, will continue. The other shows will be canceled. Knowing the power of the arts, and referring to Culture Builds Community and the Welcome Dayton initiative, in which Cityfolk was involved, Dunn said, “hopefully the community will continue to use the arts to affect social change and to bring people together using the arts as a bridge between cultures.”

“Cityfolk has 33 years of history under its belt,” said Dunn, “We have had great relationships with major institutions, including the City of Dayton, Five Rivers Metroparks, Dayton Public Schools, the University of Dayton, WYSO, The Dayton Art Institute, The Masonic Center, Gilly’s, Canal Street Tavern, and more. We’re grateful to the county, the city, the Ohio Arts Council, Culture Works, the National Endowment for the Arts, and our many volunteers, sponsors, foundations, members, and other supporters. We’re proud of the diverse artistic experiences we’ve brought to Dayton. That will be our legacy.”

While suspending normal operations will allow the organization to down-size, Dunn hopes Cityfolk will not go away completely.  An all-volunteer-led Cityfolk will use the coming weeks to assess its options to continue presenting jazz, for which it has an endowment to help cover the costs. The endowment, specifically for presenting and preserving jazz, was raised locally and matched by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Said Dunn, “Cityfolk is committed to keeping this money in the community and using it for the purpose for which it was intended.”

GLSEN Working Locally To Promote Anti-LGBT Bullying in Schools

By Leave a Comment

glsensagifGLSEN Greater Dayton is excited to be active again in the Dayton and surrounding areas. The goal of GLSEN Greater Dayton, is for every student, in every school, to be valued and treated with respect, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. GLSEN  believes that ALL students deserve a safe and affirming school environment where they can learn and grow.  The Dayton chapter was   reformed in September 2012 and is now active in a 19 county area from Dayton, to Celina, to Columbus. They are one of 38 chapters across the nation spreading respect in our local schools.

They  accomplish these goals by working in hallways across the country — from Congress and the Department of Education to schools and district offices in your community — to improve school climate and champion LGBT issues in K-12 education.

Currently, CLSEN is seeking educators, school administrators, and principals to join them on August 6, 2013 at the Downtown Dayton Metro Library for their  first Teacher’s meeting at 6:30 PM. They have numerous resources to provide to teachers about respect in the classroom, safe playgrounds, and activities to promote individuality.  The  teacher’s meeting will be conducted by Lasue Juniel, a local teacher at Kiser PreK – 8 School and Kevin Mabrey, Co-Chair of GLSEN Greater Dayton. More information on the meeting can be found here.
[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_967ZXI9qIE’]

GLSEN Greater Dayton has made some great local connections with schools and is hopeful to be able to connect with more schools and educators soon. They recently sent Safe Space Kits to all Middle and High Schools in our territory to promote respect in our communities. Their main goal is to have a GLSEN advocate represented in every school![yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_967ZXI9qIE’]

Every day GLSEN works to ensure that LGBT students are able to learn and grow in a school environment free from bullying and harassment. Join them as they transform our nation’s K-12 schools. If you or anyone you know are interested in making our schools a safe space for kids, please contact us at [email protected], Twitter @GLSENDayton, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GLSENDayton.

 

 

Fifth Street Brewpub Officially Opening its Brewpub Saturday, August 3:

By Leave a Comment

fsbrewpub Fifth Street Brewpub (FSB), the fastest growing co-operatively owned brewpub in the nation, announced today that they would open their brewpub and courtyard to both the general public and member-owners during their grand opening on Saturday, August 3 from 11 am to midnight. The event will begin with a ribbon cutting at 11 am to officially open for business.

 

Fifth Street Brewpub will initially feature twelve craft beers on tap, rotating out varieties to include Southern Tier 2x Stout, Dark Horse Sapient Triple, and Boulder Mojo IPA, and will also serve a selection of wine and liquor. Alcohol service will be available in the courtyard as well.

 

Local musicians Dave and Pam Baugham, Dustin Vincent, and Jonathon Hamilton will perform at various times throughout the day. Street food will be offered by several vendors including Pa’s Pork from Noon – 5 pm, McNasty’s from 4 – 8 pm, and Cheeky Mobile Meat Pies from 5 – 10 pm. The grand opening also will include a number of festivities throughout the day including random prize give-ways and a raffle of a large basket containing a variety of craft beers, FSB-branded pint glasses, coasters, t-shirts, and hats. Tickets can be purchased during the grand opening, and the winner does not need to be present to win.

 

The new brewpub isn’t yet offering its own signature craft beers from their seven-barrel fsbrewpubcourtyardbrewing system that will be housed in the brew house. Fifth Street Brewpub co-founder and president Brian Young stated that construction of the brew house is ongoing, and once brewing begins he expects to replace at least half of the taps with FSB’s own signature brews.  “We are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. It is very exciting to be talking about what beers and styles we are starting with, and what we can accomplish with our new equipment, both with regard to brewing and the kitchen.”

 

When Fifth Street Brewpub set out on this journey a little over a year ago, they had hoped to attract 300 members initially, but in just over a month they were well over 850 members. Setting an ambitious goal for themselves, they reached 2,000 member-owners on the day they celebrated their 1st birthday as a co-op, June 22,2013, making them the fastest growing co-op in the nation. Membership director Maureen Barry said, “It was very exciting to welcome our 2,000th member-owner at our first birthday party.  Reaching that milestone together as a community, at our brewpub, was truly a special occasion.”

 

Non-members can still join the brewpub at the one-time fee of $125 and own a share of the co-op. For more details visit www.brewpubgifts.com.

 

Fifth Street Brewpub’s hours are Monday through Thursday 4 pm to 10 pm, Friday 11 am to midnight, and Saturday 11 am to midnight. The brewpub will be open on Sunday from Noon to 10 pm starting mid-August. For more information, call (937) 443-0919.

 

For a complete schedule of events during the grand opening, visit Fifth Street Brewpub on Facebook: www.facebook.com/FifthStreetBrewpub.

 

 

 

About Fifth Street Brewpub

Fifth Street Co-op formed in June 2012 by community members who began the initiative of opening the Fifth Street Brewpub in the St. Anne’s Hill Historic District near downtown Dayton. Brewpub membership grants access to exclusive, member-owner only events, patronage refunds, as well as rotating food and merchandise discounts. The first 2,000 brewpub member-owners will also receive discounts on food and beer. Fifth Street Brewpub is a not-for-profit entity, and supports the efforts of local charities throughout the community. For more information visit www.FifthStreet.Coop and www.brewpubgifts.com.

 

 

 

 

Celebrate Hot Yoga’s First Anniversary with Free Classes

By Leave a Comment

cache_3037310604Join us for a day of celebration as we welcome everyone to the studio to try any class free of charge. Please bring a mat, towel, and a bottle of water. We will have lot’s of specials, and give aways! Please come 10 minutes early. If this will be your first time to the studio , you will need to sign a waiver. All classes 90 minutes. Please arrive on time , doors are locked at the start of class. This is for the safety of yourself and your belongings.

NEW STUDENTS
Please be well hydrated prior to your first class, drink plenty of water up to 24 hrs. before attending class. Try to eat 2-3 hrs before class, so you will have an empty stomach. If you must eat prior to class please choose fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables.

Class times:

9 am – Hot Series w/ Sarah A. – In Hot Series we do 26 poses, each done twice. We start with a breathing exercise followed by a standing series, a floor series, and finishing with a breathing exercise. All levels welcome to this class.

5 pm – Hot Power Flow w/ Anca – Come to this highly energizing class that will flow along to some great tunes. This class will move along at a faster pace.

7 pm – Hot Vinyasa w/ Becky – Vinyasa means ‘ breath synchronized movement ‘ Be ready to flow through this yoga class as you practice a variety of asanas, and learn the power of inhaling and exhaling.

Come in to our hot studio and let us help you take your yoga practice to a new level. We practice several types of yoga in a room that is heated to 95-100 degrees. The heat is going to help warm your muscles for greater flexibility, and to achieve a deeper stretch. Get ready to flush the toxins from your body as you sweat your way through class burning upwards of 600-1,000 calories.

Enjoy all of these great benefits from hot yoga:
* Tones, strengthens, and lengthens your muscles

*Reduce weight- lose pounds by balancing your
metabolism

*Restore flexibility

*Improve circulation

Sweat, work hard, have fun, and leave feeling wonderful!

The Tastiest Week of the Summer is Back

By Leave a Comment

Diners will once again get an opportunity to eat at some of the Miami Valley’s  best restaurants at affordable prices, while helping to support  local charity’s during Restaurant Week July 28 – Aug 4th. Looks like this time around there are about 50 restaurant to choose from, down about 10 from last summer’s promotion.    Restaurants will be offering multi-course prix fixe menus at either $20.13, $25.13 or $30.13.

DaytonDinings Tips:  Make reservations when possible

New this year, many restaurants seem to be offering multiple price points to choose from and guests can choose the menu they prefer.  You’ll find many of the menu’s  on the MVRA site.  Spinoza’s, Hickory River Smokehouse, McGullicutty’s  and Nick’s  are offering to feed a couple for $20.13.  The Caroline in Troy is including a glass of beer or wine, plus 3 courses with their options and Christopher’s options include 4 courses to choose from.

Expect crowds!

Many restaurants are closed on Sun &/or Monday- check first

Traditionally Restaurant Week has kicked off on Sunday and ended on Friday.  This summer’s promotion has been extended to run Sunday through Sunday.   And keep your eye out, several restaurants often carry over the dining deals for a second week.

No matter where you chose to dine, part of the package includes a donation to charity partners.  $1 of each meal will be split between  Cancer Support Community of Western Ohio and the MVRA scholarship fund.

While saving on your meal- splurge on wine to compliment your meal

Many people have a love/hate relationship with Restaurant Week.  Before I go any further, I should admit that I was the President of the Restaurant Association when this promotion was launched in 2005 and I am quite proud of the impact it’s had on our community.  But I also know folks that dine out regularly and yet avoid this week due to the crowds.  I also have a group of friends that can’t wait for the menu’s to be posted so they can plan their eating extravaganzas.

Restaurant staff also have mixed feelings about this promotion.  Most appreciate that they will be busy all week, but I’ve heard bartenders complain that while the servers and cooks are busy, that guests aren’t buying anything but the dining deal and therefore they don’t make much money.  As a former restaurateur, I know that those who embrace this promotion as a marketing opportunity are the ones that get the most from it. Owver/Chef Wiley at Meadowlark has been a great example from the very beginning.  She involved her staff, planned creative meals and promoted the menu’s ahead of time to her regular guests and even poured wine for waiting guests.

Menu offerings can change – be flexible

I too, have things I dislike about this week.  Like restaurants that sign up for the promotion, but don’t get buy in from their staff.  I’ve been to several places that print a special Restaurant Week menu on an insert and the guests get seated without the promo menu. Whether  intentional or an oversight, I’ve then heard guests questioning whether the restaurant is participating or that they don’t see the $20.13 meal.  Restaurants please don’t make it hard for guests to partake.  The MVRA also promotes a contest offering guests a chance to win gift certificates for filling out a comment card, but many restaurants don’t pass them out- so be sure and ask your server for yours and your meal deal can really pay off if you win!

If you do go out for these dining deals, please keep in mind that for many places, this is the busiest week of the year for them and that can mean longer waits, frazzled staff and sometimes running out of the advertised items.  Be patient and please remember to share the savings you got on your meal when you tip.  Happy dining!

June Home Sales in Dayton Best in Five Years

By Leave a Comment

DABR stats juneBeen looking for a home, but can’t find one you love? Found a home you love but it sold to someone else before you wrote an offer? Last year you saw tons of homes you liked and they were on the market for a long time, but now that you are ready to buy, the market has changed? You are not imagining things. Dayton has posted the most sales for June since 2007, just before the economic downturn began. First half 2013 sales stats are up at the Dayton Area Board of Realtors (DABR), here are some highlights from the report:

  • June’s transactions produced a cumulative sales volume of over $183.8 million, which translated to an average sale price of $142,288, 9.27% higher than last June’s $130,211, and represented the highest monthly sales price since June of 2008. The median sales price was $124,000, a 10.2% increase compared to June 2012.
  • June’s robust showing topped off an excellent first half of 2013, which saw 6,290 sales transactions of single-family homes and condominiums take place, compared to 5,412 during the first half of 2012, a 16.2% increase.
  • A cumulative sales volume of over $783 million brought the average sale price to $124,497 and the median sale price to $105,500 for the six-month period. These were increases of 4% and 7%, respectively.
  • This was the third straight month of increases in listing entries compared to 2012, as activity for both listings and sales seemed to be picking up steam.

Every market has its unique opportunities. 2011-2012 were great years for investors, this market is good for move-up buyers. First- time buyers are finally making their move and those sellers in move-up markets who have been just waiting for the market to return are finally putting their homes up for sale, add in that interest rates are still low, and you’ve got a nice opportunity to sell your home for a great price and also buy while interest rates are low.

For you number-crunching types, the complete DABR report, with stats and links to charty-goodness, can be found here.

Experience the Best of Downtown During the Aug. 2 First Friday

By Leave a Comment

SAMSUNG CSC

Roaming performers, saxophonist Tyrone Martin and steel drum player Joseph Glenn, entertain the crowd during the July First Friday.

Art. Music. Shopping. Food. Fun. First Friday in downtown Dayton is about all of these things.

This free event will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 2, throughout downtown. The August First Friday is always one of the year’s largest, and this year promises to be the same with the range of activities taking place. Roaming performers — the McGovern Ceili Dancers, acoustic duo Pourover and juggler Tony Steinbach — will provide entertainment throughout downtown.

If you plan to enter the Downtown in Focus photo contest, be sure to bring your camera along. From 8 to 11 p.m., most of downtown’s buildings will be lit for photographers who would like to capture city nightscapes to enter in the competition.

Just a few events taking place during the Aug. 2 First Friday are listed below:

Are you ready to rock? Canal Street Tavern (308 E. First St.) is presenting a tribute show by American Pink Floyd. The show starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are $12. Call 937-461-9343.

In honor of the second anniversary of Clash Consignment (521 E. Fifth St.), the store will throw a party to celebrate with all its customers. Entertainment will be provided by DJs Mike Wishnewski and Matt Freeman and henna artist Lily Whitehead. Boston Bistro will cater, and a $2 sidewalk sale will be held. Work by artist Robert Walker also will be featured. Call 937-241-9434.

The monthly Courteous Mass Ride will meet for two rides this month at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field, (220 N. Patterson Blvd.). The first will ride leaves at 5:30 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m. Rides are free of charge and all skill levels are welcome. This month’s route will go past the downtown dog park, hit spots in Old North Dayton and surrounding areas (DATV, Mike Sell’s Potato Chips, Charlie’s Deli and Whitewater Warehouse) and head down the Mad River bike path back.

Synergy Incubators  will produce their fourth  First Friday Food Truck Rally.  Street Food is all the ragea and Dayton Food Park  (2oo S. Jefferson St.) will have 14 of Dayton’s food trucks lined up from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.  After you grab some grub, browse through the booths of local artisans that include jewelry, homemade soaps, pottery and other crafts.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Great Dayton Flood, the Dayton Visual Arts Center (118 N. Jefferson St.) is showcasing artwork by local artists around the theme “Water, Water Everywhere.” Visitors can talk to the featured artists from the exhbit. The gallery will be open until 8 p.m. Call 937-224-3822.

Green Baby (31 S. St. Clair St.) will exhibit work by local artist Bley Hack, offer free chair massages to visitors and host a sale on select children’s items. The store will be open until 8 p.m. Call 469-8665.

Miami-Jacobs (110 N Patterson Blvd.) will host a Summer Block Party. HOT-FM 102.9 and WROU-FM 92.1 will broadcast live from the event, and entertainment includes a photo booth, indoor cornhole tournament and outdoor games. Call 937-668-0213.

As part of the First Friday Salsa Music Series, Son del Caribe will play live music from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at RiverScape MetroPark (111 E. Monument Ave.) on the MetroPark Pavilion Stage. Experience sounds that include salsa and other styles of Latin dance music. Call 937-274-0126.

Sew Dayton (16 Brown St.) will showcase artist-of-the-month Craig Galentine, creator of the The Kokeshi Clan. A group of local children will be selling lemonade for Hanna’s Treasure Chest outside the store and the winner of the “Make It Work” contest will be announced, along with the next challenge. Call 937-234-7398.

Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub (101 Pine St.) presents Cutthroat Freakshow by Dirty Little Secrets. This off-the-beaten-track show begins at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 for 18 and older. Call 937-224-5653.

First Friday is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from the Oregon District Business Association and Rev. Cool’s “Around the Fringe” show that airs on Fridays from 8 p.m. to midnight on WYSO-FM 91.3. The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website has a complete list of downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, as well as a dining guide, parking map and much more. Download the Find It Downtown mobile search tool for smartphones at http://mobile.downtowndayton.org.

A complete list of what downtown businesses have on tap for First Friday is available on the DDP website. Call 937-224-1518 or email [email protected] for more information.

FRUITVALE STATION and THE WAY WAY BACK Open at THE NEON!

By Leave a Comment

The-Way-Way-Back-Liam-James-620x339Hello Everyone,

As much as we’d like to hold THE KINGS OF SUMMER (it performed very well over the weekend, and audiences loved it), we have to keep moving (otherwise we’d have to skip this weekend’s titles). On Friday (July 26), we will open 2 of the biggest indie hits of the summer – FRUITVALE STATION and THE WAY WAY BACK. Thursday will be your last chance to see 20 FEET FROM STARDOM and THE KINGS OF SUMMER. For this week’s remaining showtimes, visit our website at www.neonmovies.com.

Synopsis for FRUITVALE STATION: “Winner of both the Grand Jury Prize for dramatic feature and the Audience Award for U.S. dramatic film at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, director Ryan Coogler’s FRUITVALE STATION follows the true story of Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan), a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who wakes up on the morning of December 31, 2008 and feels something in the air. Not sure what it is, he takes it as a sign to get a head start on his resolutions: being a better son to his mother (Octavia Spencer), being a better partner to his girlfriend Sophina (Melonie Diaz), and being a better father to Tatiana (Ariana Neal), their beautiful four year-old daughter. His resolve takes a tragic turn, however, when BART officers shoot him in cold blood at the Fruitvale subway stop on New Year’s Day. Oscar’s life and tragic death would shake the Bay Area – and the entire nation – to its very core.” (The Weinstein Company) With production design from WSU Motion Picture Alum Hannah Beachler! Beachler will be available for Q&As after screenings on Friday (July 26) at 7:30 and Saturday (July 27) at 5:10. Click THIS LINK to visit the film’s official site.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhfuZo0Vju4′]

Synopsis for THE WAY WAY BACK: “THE WAY, WAY BACK is the funny and poignant coming of age story of 14-year-old Duncan’s (Liam James) summer vacation with his mother, Pam (Toni Collette), her overbearing boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), and his daughter, Steph (Zoe Levin). Having a rough time fitting in, the introverted Duncan finds an unexpected friend in gregarious Owen (Sam Rockwell), manager of the Water Wizz water park. Through his funny, clandestine friendship with Owen, Duncan slowly opens up to and begins to finally find his place in the world – all during a summer he will never forget.” The cast in this film is terrific – featuring one of Dayton’s own – Allison Janney! Click THIS LINK to visit the film’s official site.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwNo1i3jkCo’]

“Roger Brown — the greatest basketball player Dayton has ever known — will be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame on Sept. 8. Without the love and sacrifice of 84-year-old Daytonian Arlena Smith, it wouldn’t be happening. Join us at THE NEON on Aug. 15 at 7:30 for a benefit screening of the acclaimed documentary UNDEFEATED: THE ROGER BROWN STORY, with all proceeds going toward Arlena Smith’s trip to Springfield, Mass., for Brown’s Hall of Fame induction. Arlena and her late husband Azariah could not have children of their own, so they regularly welcomed troubled teenagers into their modest West Side home. One of those was Roger Brown. Among the greatest young basketball players in New York City history, Brown in 1961 had been unfairly implicated in a gambling scandal just as he was finishing his freshman year at the University of Dayton. Though never charged with a crime, he was kicked out of school and banned for life by the NBA. The Smiths came to the rescue. They opened up their home, found Brown a job, gave him the strength to move on. And finally, Brown bloomed anew. In 1967, he became the first player of the ABA’s Indiana Pacers. He led them to three championships, and became an Indianapolis City Councilman. All along, until his death at age 54 of cancer, Brown credited the Smiths — his ‘second parents’ — for making it possible.” (taken from press notes) Mark your calendars now! Tickets, just $10 each, are now available at our box office and at EbonNia Gallery.

“The Libertarian Party of Ohio is hosting an evening of film, food, and discussion in support of the rights of individuals, families, and farmers to make healthy choices about what to grow and eat without interference from government. Food, Freedom and Farmageddon begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, with the film Farmageddon: The Unseen War on American Family Farms screening at 7:30 p.m at the The Neon, 130 E. Fifth St., Dayton. Fressa and Harvest Mobile Cuisine, two of Dayton’s most popular food trucks, will be parked right outside, and local food vendors will have their goods for sale. Also co-sponsoring the event is The Heights Cafe of Huber Heights. Admission is $5.” (taken from Libertarian Party Press Notes) Click THIS LINK to reserve your seat.
Hope to see you this weekend!

All the best,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Fri. July 26 – Aug 1:

FRUITVALE STATION (R) 1 Hr 25 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:45
Monday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:45

THE WAY WAY BACK (PG-13) 1 Hr 43 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, 9:30
Monday – Thursday: 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, 9:30

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.
TBD – FILL THE VOID
TBD – IN THE HOUSE
Aug. 2 – I’M SO EXCITED
Aug. 23 – BLUE JASMINE
TBD – BLACKFISH
TBD – THE HUNT

Six Pack: Top 6 DRUNK DINING SPOTS in the Dayton Area

By 9 Comments

Intoxicated royalty: The “Awful Waffle”

Here is another original food story that you won’t see anywhere else.  However, it is a part of Miami Valley eating that is worth mentioning.  Behold the dreaded DRUNK DINING.

We have all been there, or at least helped a friend through a night of inebriation.  What’s the best fix?  Answer: Soak up that alcohol up with a full blown Food Adventure.   We are here to help you, not unlike Betty Ford, but our expertise is more on the caloric end.  The Big Ragu, Chef House and Hungry Jax have compiled Dayton’s first ever  TOP 6 DRUNK DINING SPOTS.  These are just our six pack.   We would love your comments below on who made your list.

1) THE WAFFLE HOUSE – The greasy spoon, the unruly crowd.  Simply put, the ‘awful waffle.’   The only time that the Waffle House sounds good is when you are too drunk to know what you are getting yourself into.  Go in this place at 2:30 a.m. and not a sober person is to be found.  It is a land where diets are blown and the key words are smothered and covered.  We are talking about hash browns, covered with cheese and another assortment of ingredients.  The rest of the food isn’t worth mentioning and the good thing is that you won’t remember anyhow.  We also recommend not going into the bathrooms after 3 a.m, it looks like a war zone in there.  This restaurant gets extra points for the sheer entertainment factor of other drunks in the dining room.  It is like a 3D movie, but without those annoying glasses.

The sign is like a beacon, calling all buzzed

2) PERKINS – Pound for pound, their waitresses are the biggest bad asses.  Some have even been seen chasing drunk patrons in the parking lot.  But alas, the wonderful, green neon sign is a beacon.  It calls to inebriated souls to come in and sober up with some pancakes.  In fact, they have some of our the pancakes around.  But don’t mess around with the Sugar Free Syrup, we learned the hard way that it screws up a perfectly done pancake.  Perkins also offers many fried foods such as  cheese sticks, green beans, chicken tenders.  If that won’t sober you up, at the front counter is a bakery display with muffins the size of your head.  Those should surely soak up the booze.  A full breakfast and dinner menu offers plenty of choices that will act as a sponge in your stomach, sucking you back into sobriety.

 

3) TACO BELL – If your vision is blurry then a  ‘run for the border’ is in order.  The late night drive thru makes life simple.  This might be everyone’s “Go To” drunk dining place.  The food is cheap, the meat and tastes so damn good when you are a bit hammered.  The worst part of  Taco ‘Hell’ is that the drive thru that takes forever.  That would be because every other drunk person has the same idea as you.  What do we recommend here?  Does it really matter?  It is all the same.  Flour Tortilla, Melted Cheese, & that questionable ‘meat product’ loaded with fillers.   For you healthy drunks out there, there is the Cantina Collection of lower calorie options.  Like it matters at this point!  Drawbacks like ‘early morning gas’ kept this restaurant out of the number 2 spot.

Mexican Pizza – because red sauce & bean paste is a good idea to mix into a volatile stomach

4) WHITE CASTLE – Oh, how we love our White Castle!  It is one of greatest dining experiences a person can have either drunk or sober.  First, the strong smell of the onions will start to sober you up immediately.  Secondly, the first one tastes so damn good, you just keep stuffing yourself until you don’t know any better.  Want a side dish? Splurge on a get a large sack of onion chips and go to town on these.  When your friends are drunky pants, White Castle will make them dance.   Get a crave case, that way you won’t crave em for a while.  We particularly love  when our friends launch into philosophical drunk conversations about why there are 5 hole punches in the meat patty.  The bad news is the 24hour White Castle Restaurants are only in Cincinnati these days.  You’re buzzed and happy and then all of a sudden it happens.  A belch and then the stomach cramps.  It is pretty much all over from here.  Our advice:  Roll the windows down on the way home so you don’t create a “Rolling Dutch Oven” (you might have to google that term).  It is the gift that keeps on giving because the next morning, you can be assured that you will be doing a lot of sitting.  You know why they call them sliders?  Because they slide in and slide out.  Unfortunately, only 2 White Castles are nearby.  One is on Salem Ave and the other is in Franklin off I-75.

 

Onion chips soak up the alcohol

5) STEAK N SHAKE – This restaurant is the only late night choice for drive thru OR dining alongside other corralled patrons.  The slick floors offer an obstacle course like dining room for some of the more drunk guests.  It is like Russian roulette to see who gets squeezed into a booth next to the Big Ragu for an elbow filled eating experience.  Great prices and decent drunk food make this a stellar choice, probably one of the greatest drunk dining spots in America!  The burgers and shakes are incredible.  The staff are used to drunk bastards, and they will even give your drunk ass one of those little white Steak n Shake paper hats to wear while dining.  This place has food that mixes well with alcohol like chili cheese dogs, steak burgers & milk shakes.  Plus it is open 24 hours and serves breakfast.

 

6) DENNY’S – This is one of the more interesting places that you can visit after 3am.  There is only one remaining in Dayton, on S. Main St. near the fairgrounds.  The food isn’t the greatest but does the trick.  We actually love the onion rings.  The choices from dinner to breakfast give you a good variety, if you can read the menu at this point.  Denny’s is the best spot to see an unusual variety of people from all walks of life.    Nothing says drunk dining like eating a Grand Slam Breakfast next to a drag queen.

The Steakburger : a dream on a bun if you’re drunk

Honorable mention, we give a tipsy nod to the following:

SMOKIN’ BAR-B-QUE – The place to stumble after a night of drinking at the Oregon District

AL’S SMOKEHOUSE – Ribs downtown at 4am?  Yes !

BILLS DONUTS – It is fascinating to watch people with bloodshot-eyes trying to concentrate and pick out donuts from a glass case at 3am.

COUSIN VINNY’S – Open til 4am, these guys will deliver to trashed patrons.  Don’t pass out while waiting for your pie.

**Remember Food Adventure fans,  always drink responsibly and get a designated driver***

For more fun from these “foodies in their forties,”  like FOOD ADVENTURES on Facebook HERE.

What are your favorite spots for a late night drunk bite???  Please comment below !

[flagallery gid=49]

 

Motel Beds Gives Dayton More ‘Sunfried Dreams’

By 1 Comment

Living in Dayton, Ohio throughout the summertime is pretty standard.  You have the ability to enjoy the sun longer than the other seasons.  Kids are outdoors longer.  People take their much needed vacations more often during this period of time.  The local and private pools are visited frequently.  Cookouts replace cooking indoors.  We celebrate the nation’s birthday by gathering around and watching fireworks litter the night’s sky.  There is a sense of freedom when it comes to the season.

Another summer staple is the rising temperatures.  A recent Tuesday evening provided uncomfortable conditions.  The sweltering heat wave that Dayton was experiencing didn’t let loose of its grip.  In town, six individuals gathered together in a small locale that didn’t provide any escape.  The meeting spot had two air conditioners.  One was in a small area where a beaten down, black leather couch sat.  In the same space was a computer and soundboard for recording.  As you walk out of the small area and into the larger section of the room, another air conditioner sits atop the wall farther down at the end.  There are three fans that are scattered about.  Two of them are your typical pedestal fans.  Sadly, they have become decorations because they no longer work.  The other fan is a box version and its down at the other side of the room.  The lime green color makes it look like it’s been rocking and rolling since the early 70s.  The heat inside the space was unreal.  The ice cold cans of Miller Lite helped some, but it wasn’t going to solve the problem.  The heat wave had taken over the room.  However, the group that consisted of six individuals couldn’t care less.  The collection of people was myself and the Dayton rock band, Motel Beds.

Photo by Chris Corn)

Photo by Chris Corn)

Guitarists Tommy Cooper and Darryl Robbins, drummer Ian Kaplan, singer PJ Paslosky, and bassist Tod Weidner make up Motel Beds.  This Saturday, the band will be releasing their 2011 album Sunfried Dreams.  The reissue will be released on CD and for the first time on vinyl.  The LP will include a bonus track.  The band will be having a show at Blind Bob’s in the Oregon District.  Joining Motel Beds will be The Harlequins, Speaking Suns, and Holy Smokes.  Label and design studio Brain Candy will helping with the release of the special release.  “The guys over there love the album and wanted to do something special”, Kaplan explained when asked why this album was choose above the others.

Motel Beds was formed in 2003, with the Kaplan, Paslosky, Cooper, and bassist John Lakes.  The band released their first EP, Hasta Mañana.  Hasta Mañana features dreamy, surf rock songs that are driven with acoustic guitar play.  The band would dissolve in 2005, and remerged in 2009, with Robbins joining the group.  That same year, the band released a much different sounding EP, the rock heavy Go For A Dive.  Shortly after that, Moondazed was released.  The 29 song, lo-fi album ranges from rough demos to polished rock gems that show the band’s range bouncing all over. In 2011, Weidner joined the band and the group marched forward by releasing Feelings, an fantastic collection of indie rock songs that continue to highlight the band’s continuing growth at that time.

Immediately following Feelings is the album that will be celebrated this Saturday night at Blind Bob’s.  Sunrise Dreams is the band’s most solid and most different to this point in their musical journey.  “It was one of the fastest and most fun albums we have done”, Robbins mentions.  “Everything just came together smoothly with this album”.  The album’s sound shows the band reaching back to their first EP, and expanding it.  The songs on the album each have a blend of influence from 60s rock to garage rock. ‘Western Son’ is a slow moody song that will creep up on you without notice with Paslosky’s vocals.  ‘Bat Naps’ has a British punk rock feel to it.  The influence of The Clash roars through the song with the resounding drum play of Kaplan and the thrashing guitar play of Robbins and Cooper.  To continue with the British rock theme, ‘Obey Your Lunch’ really highlights that.  The Who-influenced track really shows off Weidner’s bass playing skills.   Sunrise Dreams is truly a beautifully made album that is destined to be a staple for vinyl lovers.

Motel Beds didn’t stop working on perfecting their craft with Sunfried Dreams, which started to see some critical acclaim throughout the US.  In the same year, the band released another marvel Tango Boys.  Tango Boys is a quick, 34-minute album that resembles what you come to expect with another band that Dayton calls their own.  Some of you may have heard them-Guided By Voices.  Once again, Tango Boys is filled with British punk, but an added element of lo-fi and hi-fi presents the album with a different spin.  The album also features local Daytonian/guitarist for the alternative rock band The Breeders Kelley Deal on the song ‘Tropics Of The Sand’.  The song with Deal got spun extensively on Sirius XM, nationwide on terrestrial radio stations, and gave the band a chance to perform at 2011’s CMJ Music Marathon, 2012’s SXSW, and the 2012 Downtown Dayton Revival Festival.  Dumb Gold is their recent album, having been released last year.  Dumb Gold continues to showcase the band’s growth.  Staying true to their British indie influences, Dumb Gold keeps pushing the envelope.  ‘Smoke Your Homework’ is an exemplary garage rock song.  Dumb Gold just proves that the band continues to strive to be a better band with each album.

The band strives to make sure that their music is as accessible as possible. “You can easily find most of our music all over the internet”, Weidner says.  “YouTube is amazing.  It truly is one of the best search engines to find music”, added Kaplan.  “If you have someone tell you about a band, you can easily go to the website and find all this music on that band.  It’s so easy to have your music on there.”  The band stands by that statement by doing what most local bands don’t do-present music videos.  One of the recent music videos the band released was for ‘Smoke Your Homework’.  The video shows the band visiting a neighborhood, and looking into purchasing some equipment from a creepy man.  The humorous video is one of many videos that are easily accessible videos that you can find from the band.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3Vt8yucJXE’]

Another exciting event will be coming up soon for Motel Beds other than the reissue of Sunfried Dreams this Saturday.  On August 27th, the band will perform at the Fraze Pavilion in Kettering, Ohio.  The outdoor amphitheater will be one of the greatest accomplishments that the band has experienced.  The venue will also give folks from all walks to come and witness a local band taking the stage at larger scale.  “It’s going to be a true honor to be playing there”, Kaplan said.

Motel Beds are one of the many bands in Dayton to continue to be another reason for music to be noticed in town.  Saturday night, the reissue release party of Sunfried Dreams will be happening at Blind Bob’s Bar.  Showtime is 9pm.  For more details, click on the Dayton Most Metro event calendar link here.

2013 Ohio Ride for Autism Run July 27th

By Leave a Comment

courtesy of Make It Fit Foundation

courtesy of Make It Fit Foundation

The fourth annual Ohio Ride for Autism Poker Run will be held Saturday, July 27th at 10 a.m. at C&A Harley Davidson 7610 Commerce Place, Plain City. Event proceeds will benefit Autism Speaks, Make It Fit Foundation, Ingram Autism Research Center, Recreation Unlimited, the Autism Society of Ohio, and the Lettuce Work Foundation.  500-1000 participants are expected as event organizers hope to raise $30,000 for Autism Research. Proceeds will also help buy IPads for, Cookies for IPads to help kids with autism communicate with the outside world.

Registration begins 9 a.m. with a $10 entry fee at C&A Harley Davidson in Plain City, with the run ending at 4 p.m. at Quaker Steak & Lube on Lyra Drive in Columbus, with stops at The Waldo American Legion Post 605, Waldo Ohio, Recreation Unlimited in Ashley and The Mudflats Bar & Grill in Galena during the day. There will be activities and festivities at the finish line including a live auction, raffles, drawings and more.

This is the events fourth year and the Make It Fit Foundation is honored to have Boyd’s Tire & Service Centers, C&A Harley Davidson, Quaker Steak & Lube, Thunder Roads Magazine, Beckner’s Custom Cycles and Glassburn Body Shop as Official Event Sponsors.

Make It Fit founder Mike Hoover is overjoyed by the attention and support shown by the community. “I’m incredibly humbled by the outpouring of support and effort we receive from our volunteers, participants, sponsors, donors and the media. What makes The Make It Fit Foundation work are the people that give themselves to collectively make a difference and they see it happening around them. We’re moms, dads, friends, strangers and regular people that get together for a common cause and have fun doing it and it helps others.”

“With autism affecting 1 in 88 families the number of people whose lives have been impacted have grown astronomically. We feel that we’re all in this together and together we’ll do all we can to make the most impact possible with every dollar raised.”

The Make It Fit Foundation is 100% run by volunteers and every dime made, other than expenses does directly to areas where we feel we can make the biggest difference.

“It’s truly a humbling and almost spiritual thing to see hundreds upon hundreds of motorcycle enthusiasts and bikers spending their precious time and money to do something good and 100% completely unselfish.”

Gem City Cycling: How Dayton Became The Best Of Ohio

By Leave a Comment

Gem City Cycling - OhioActive

Cycling in Downtown Dayton (Photograph by bsom, Flickr)

Dayton might not be the first city that comes to mind as a cycling haven in Ohio. Surely Cleveland, Columbus or Cincinnati has more to offer than a city with less than 150,000 residents, right?

Turns out the Gem City is arguably king of Ohio cycling with the Miami Valley claiming 330 miles of trail to explore and a bronze ranking from the League of American Bicyclists in 2010. Not to mention the area is served by the competitive Team Dayton Cycling and the Dayton Cycling Club on the advocacy front. And nobody involved in Dayton cycling plans to slow down anytime soon as the aerospace hub continues its march toward building a community cycling commuters and athletes can be proud of.

Complete Streets

Matthew Lindsay, Manager of Environmental Planning for the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission (MVRPC), describes himself as a fair weather bike commuter to his downtown office. His first assignment put him in charge of the Comprehensive Local-Regional Bikeways plans. Lindsay says this offered the opportunity to engage with long-time and new cycling advocates across the Dayton region.

“Soon after the plan was done, I brought a group of interested people together and we founded Courteous Mass Dayton,” Lindsay explains, describing the event as a cousin of the national Critical Mass movement where cyclists take the streets in a monthly ride to remind motorists of their presence. Today, Courteous Mass has expanded since its 2009 inception with additional rides, meet ups and even a social media presence. “I’m very proud that it has continued and is growing.”

Growing, indeed. But not just the Courteous Mass rides. New trails continue to be constructed as an integral piece of the Miami Valley Bike Trails system.

“The Regional Bikeways Plan envisions our network of trails as the interstates for bikes, connecting between communities and across county lines,” Lindsay describes. “The vision here is that these trails will lead to vibrant communities with bike-safe streets so that a cyclist can exit the trail and continue through town safely to the final destination.”

It’s all part of the MVRPC’s complete streets policy, a transportation design that requires streets to be compatible for all ages regardless of their choice of transportation. “Each new piece of trail, each new connected complete street makes the whole system more valuable.”

Hooked

Chuck Smith, Chair of the Ohio Bicycle Federation and Vice President of the Dayton Cycling Club, agrees with Lindsay’s sentiment. A “serious cyclist” since riding his bike to school in the 5th grade, Smith calls the Dayton River Corridor Bikeway System the city’s greatest success story. “This system follows the Great Miami, Mad and Stillwater rivers and has grown to become more than just recreational trails,” he explains, noting how he has personally benefited from the system. “I rode the Great Miami Trail every day on my bike ride home from work at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to my home in Vandalia over a 22-year period and 52,000 cycling miles.” That’s not even counting the miles he puts on as a member of Team Dayton.

To read the rest of the story please go to Ohio-Active.

OhioActive’s mission is to increase awareness of Ohio’s recreational opportunities while providing in-depth fitness knowledge to individuals seeking to live an active lifestyle. Our goal is to tell engaging stories of  local everyday athletes in order to demonstrate that we all have the power to get fit, healthy and active. We sometimes just need a little help and encouragement!.

10?’s with the Chef of Mohawk Freestyle Grill Food Truck

By Leave a Comment

941117_410294842445187_590716949_nChef Aaron Hanover has always loved food for the art and wonder it can create. At a young age, art was always a great outlet for his creativity, but the prospect of work behind a desk as a graphic designer day in and day out was an option that didn’t interest him. Food always seemed like a hands on artistic outlet that included few desks and endless possibilities for medians to work with. With his culinary degree from Pennsylvania Culinary, he started honing is skills in local restaurants and big corporate kitchens. Learning management, fine dinning, and banquets from names like Aramark, Marriott, Bob Evans,  as well as working a few other local upstarts and private events. After a few years in the business working under corporate rule, he stepped out to create his own way. It’s been his motto to do it his own way. He worked in  sales and marketing, kitchen design, and even became a national expert in sports memorabilia.  All the while meeting chefs  and trying all kinds of regional foods at the places only the locals would eat at. He wasn’t completely out of the industry, still  doing small private events and catering weddings to keep his skills sharp. In 2010 he and his wife Allison, started the preliminaries for 185880_140286429446031_961840840_ngetting back full time in the kitchen. In June 2012 for his birthday,  Aaron bought his kitchen- a 1974 ex-Phillidephia Fire Department Equipment Truck. It is his restaurant, his way. Called Mohawk Freestyle Grill named after the mohawk on Chef Aaron’s head and the way he runs a kitchen. He describes it as “an ever evolving style of food using local seasonal ingredient in an out of the box way.”

 

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
I like fresh local seasonal ingredients like when I was in Georgia for a year the Georgia coastal shrimp were the sweetest freshest shrimp, or Stone crabs in Florida, lobster, scallops, and clams in New England.  Here I like the local Beef and bison and elk,  it’s bigger and more flavorful when it hasn’t been frozen and shipped across the country. So I guess meat is a main ingredient of mine. Definitely bacon has to be a favorite also, but that’s seems like a cop out. you can’t go wrong with.

 

What ingredient do you dread?
Lima beans there just isn’t any reason for anyone to ever eat them, I’m not sure bacon can even make them better.

 

What’s your favorite dish to make?
I know as a chef I should say some crazy french something or some great souffle or so1001491_411337945674210_1059881076_nmething but at the moment I like making our Mohawk burger.   It’s a ground ribeye steak blend that is messy and just a great classic burger made the right way. I love it when someone trying a dish I make goes -wow that was great. That is what makes it a Favorite to me it seems to always bring a smile to peoples faces.

 

What’s your favorite pig out food? 
Anyone that has ever eaten with me will laugh at this question because anytime we go to a new restaurant or truck I tend to order way more than I need but I love to try new food and different interpretations of the dishes they make. So I’m always sitting at the table at a new place with like five plates, passing this one to this friend and saying “hey can I try that.” That is how I roll. Food wise though I tend to pig out on greasy foods like pizza and burgers, bar foods wings and the normal stuff.

 

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
I like local authentic and original idea places, like Thai9, Coldwater Cafe, and definitely all the local food trucks.
 
What’s your best advice for home chefs?
Keep it simple.  Sometimes salt and pepper is all you need, but you definitely always need them.
 

 

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?Ty-Cobb
I thought about this pretty hard probably for my answers, too hard,  but there are plenty that could take anyone of these four seats but here they are. Ty Cobb- he was hated and loved at the same time for being the best and most focused in his field and at the same time was never happy.   He seems like now he may have some life lessons and I am forever a Detroit tigers fan. Teddy Roosevelt -he once rode a moose in a river – need I say more. Ernie Harewell- he seemed to be a great guy always had a funny story to tell and again I love baseball and the Tigers. Fourth seat is always reserved for my wife, you never can eat enough meals with your spouse and she has the best pallet I know, so afterward we could talk about the food and so she’d believe me when I said who was there.

 

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
I have to look up to all the guys in trucks already,  vastly more popular and successful than me. There are some great trucks already in the Miami Valley. A guy I’ve looked up to for years in the food industry is Scott Schmucker. An instructor and Chef extraordinaire at Art Institute Pittsburgh, who I had the  privilege of having as an teacher at PA Culinary.

 

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off? 
Swim in my pool. Look for other food trucks. My favorite days are when I go out and eat at three or four restaurants for lunch like an appetizer here, a side here, entree here, some desert here, some food shopping at Dorothy Lane Market and or a farmers market I come across, and then home to create something new.

 

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:943732_398893570251981_1630578662_n
As a food truck owner you’re always battling a vehicle as well as the  normal kitchen issues. I’ve blown engines and had to tow my truck into an auction on a tow cord but this week after just getting a new engine,  it broke down again.  I towed the truck to the event and on the way home I realized that when they fixed the truck last they added a new fuse for the fuel pump and I had over looked that,  looking for fixes for why it wasn’t running. I towed it 30 miles to Kettering and back before I realized my problem was a $1.10 fuse.  It’s always something silly like that for me.

 

Dog Days of Summer

By Leave a Comment

1002107_10200273167699469_851988554_nMany of us here in Dayton, myself included, are crazy about spending time with our four legged pals. Luckily there are lots of places to take them these days that are “dog friendly” In the greater Dayton area we are lucky to have ten off leash dogs parks, pet friendly venues, an indoor dog park and daycare pet paradises. In addition to these pet perks there are also tons of fun pet events in the area including my favorite the “Splash in Dash” which is held in Xenia every August.

Downtown Dayton’s newest dog park Deeds Point is located on the river and up the road from Kettering fields. This park has been a work in progress and has taken some tough canine advocates to put this all together. Local board member and canine advocate Karen Stephens had this to say about the park: “We’ve been in operation a little over a year and in that time, in 529972_3227163510924_135917808_nconjunction with the city, have installed double gates, fixed fences, cleared brush and met a wonderful dog loving community in the heart of the city! We have several upcoming benefits to help raise the funds for establishing our non profit status. Once we have that, we can get liability insurance to open the bathrooms, upgrade the food stand, and hopefully lure someone with a hot dog stand knowledge to run our little food station. We also want to raise funds for a small dog area and a socialization area. This is a small area that allows dogs that need socialization, to feel secure in a small environment, but still can interact through the fence with the other dogs. The last thing is that we have an area that used to be a wading pool. It is still under discussion what to do with this area.” Parks like these are popping up throughout the area and providing a much needed area for dogs to socialize and get some energy out.

Keep in mind pet parks and events can be great fun but “owner beware” just because your pooch is well behaved doesn’t mean that everyone’s pet is. With that in mind here are some basic rules for the dog park:

  • All dogs must display a valid license.
  • Dogs must be current on their vaccinations
  • Leash all dogs while entering and exiting.
  • Owners must be within eyesight and voice control over their pets at all times.
  • Puppies under 4 months are prohibited to protect their own health. .Maximum of 3 dogs per adult.
  • All children must be monitored and accompanied by a guardian at all times.
  • Be prepared to leash your dog immediately if your pet becomes unruly, worrisome to others, aggressive to animals or humans, or displays mounting behavior .
  • Honor the request of others to leash your pet if asked.
  • Dogs in heat are not permitted
  • Aggressive and/or vicious dogs are not permitted.
  • CLEAN UP AFTER YOUR PET! WASTE MUST BE DISPOSED OF COMPLETELY!

For a full list of area dog parks please visit http://www.daytondogblog.com/2012/05/updated-list-of-dog-parks-in-dayton.html

MSPC (16)Maybe you are unsure of how your pet may react or you already know that your dog may not have the best social skills. No worries there are options to help even the hardest behavior issues! Pet paradises are a great option to get your dog on the right path or maybe you need a day away from home without worrying about who will let the dog out. Janee Moore owner of Moore Specialty Pet Care (MSPC) located off of Smithville Road has dedicated her home and life to helping dogs learn to be properly socialized. The mission of MSPC is as follows: ” To provide Personalized Quality Care for ALL Canines.  MSPC specializes in caring for and rehabilitating senior, traumatized, aggressive and rambunctious pets in a healthy pack atmosphere.  Through client education and training pets, we will strengthen the bond between owners and their beloved companions.  Our years of experience/knowledge of dog psychology/behavior will enhance pets’ lives by providing individualized rehabilitation and training. We create client convenience by offering multiple pet services and specialty products either on-site or at the client’s home.” It is important to note that this is a daycare not a kennel your dogs will be ridiculously spoiled walked several times a day and never be locked in a cage. Janee recommends having doggy play dates at your home especially if you have an un-socialized pet or a pet with issues. “Start with family that has dogs and move your way to all your friends or coworkers that own dogs.  Plan your play dates at each other’s houses to run around and go for walks or venture to constructions stores or Tractor Supply for a nice walk and sniff around the places.  Of course MSPC is available for doggies that need to be reminded of their doggy manners or build social skills.”

It is very important as pet owners to take responsibility for your pets behavior good or bad. 403890_3557657187726_1899818836_nWhen in a dog park environment or pet event there are always some minor scuffles that’s just the way it goes. The difference is pet parents who react by gaining control of their pets and the owners who are unable to do this thus causing injuries. The biggest problem are owners who don’t know how to properly introduce their dog to new dogs. Dogs are highly social creatures and will react when they feel scared, threatened or overly excited. We do have trainers in the area (Janee Moore and Kelly Kirsch) who specialize in helping owners and pets do this correctly. If you are not sure about your pet or have had problems at pet events in the past please consult a professional for proper training. Just because your pet may have reacted poorly in a social situation is not a reason to ban them or give up on trying. Usually it is something minor that can be corrected with training and consistency.

So you now have a perfectly mannered pet in Dayton so where should you go? There are lots and lots of fun events scheduled in the next months. A great local group called Dayton Dogs Unleashed schedule monthly outings to local dogs parks or dog friendly venues. Past events have included “Dogs Night Out” at Ritters, “4 Paws for Ability” 5k and mile walk, and the annual Woodland “Woof Walk.”  Other local events include:

Tails to Trails Hike

Friday, Aug 2 9:00am, Bellbrook

This dog hiking program is a fun opportunity to socialize. All dogs are required to have an accompanying adult human and six-foot leash. Participants must have control of their dogs at all times

Doggie Splash and Dash390846_407324069316280_1163834535_n

August 17- 210 Fairgrounds Road Xenia

5k-9 Run, Walk and Wag

Sunday, Sep 15 10:00a
Riverfront Park, Miamisburg

In conjunction with the 9th Annual Canine Carnival, this accurate 5K benefits the Humane Society of Greater Dayton

Canine Carnival

Sunday, Sep 15 10:00a
Riverfront Park, Miamisburg

This 9th annual event is a festival for dogs and the people they own

Blind Bob’s

Every Tuesday at 4pm-8pm Yappy Hour

Olive and Urban Dive

Well behaved dogs only allowed on patio when available.

 

If you know of other local events or pet friendly establishments please let us know! We look forward to seeing you and your furry companion around Dayton 🙂