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Archives for March 2017

The Dayton Dragons Home Opener is April 6th!

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The Dayton Dragons will open the 2017 Midwest League season at home on Thursday, April 6, when they host the Lake County Captains at 7pm at Fifth Third Field. This will be the first of 70 Dragons’ home games in 2017. The Dragons will open the season at home for the first time since 2014 after beginning the Midwest League season with a road trip in 2015 and 2016.

The Dragons will again play a 140-game schedule. The final home game is scheduled for Friday, September 1, and the regular season will conclude on Monday, September 4.  For the first time since 2007, the Dragons will be home for the entire Memorial Day weekend. They will host the West Michigan Whitecaps in a Friday-Monday series, May 26-29.

 All home game times have been set for the 2017 season. All Monday through Saturday games will start at 7pm except the Memorial Day game. All Sunday games will start at 2pm except the day before Memorial Day. The game on Sunday, May 28, will have a special start time of 7pm. The game on Memorial Day (Monday, May 29) will start at 2pm.

The 2017 season will be the 116th year of Minor League Baseball, the 71st season for the Midwest League, and the Dragons’ 18th year in the Midwest League.  The Midwest League features two eight-team divisions and includes teams from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin.  Click here to view a printable full-color graphic of the Dragons 2017 schedule. 

New at the ballpark this year, The Dragon’s Lair, with an all-inclusive ticket package, guest will enjoy an all you can eat buffet of hamburgers, hot dogs, pulled pork & chicken, southern style baked beans, mac & cheese, watermelon, cookies,  soda and water. Everyone in the group will also get a Dragon’s t-shirt and hat.  There are 120 seats in The Dragon’s Lair, just perfect for a company outing.

For more information call 937.226.2287 or log on here 

DLM hosts Eat Healthy Tours

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Are you ready to start eating healthier, but just don’t know where or how to begin? We see it every day in action—shoppers walking through the store with their cell phone in hand trying to make sense of healthy eating resources. With the often confusing information given on calories, fat, and sugar, it can be mind-numbing.

That’s why Lori Kelch, a nutrition and wellness educator with more than 20 years of experience, will be teaming up with DLM to give free group Eat Healthy Tours once a month at each DLM location. Lori’s perspective is not that of a physician and should never be seen as something to replace those professional recommendations. But she can help you make sense of your nutrition goals, whatever they may be, by walking you through how to better understand labels and how to identify the right foods throughout the store that align with your goals. She’ll open your eyes to a new way of thinking about shopping so that you can put your plans into action.

April Tours:

DLM Springboro • Saturday, April 1 • 10-11 a.m.

DLM Oakwood • Saturday, April 22 • 10-11 a.m.

DLM Washington Square • Saturday, April 29 • 10-11 a.m.

You can sign up for a tour by using this online form.

TEDxDayton Call For Speakers

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 The fifth edition of TEDxDayton event will take place on Oct. 20 at the Victoria Theatre in downtown Dayton. This year’s theme is CURRENT.

TEDxDayton spreads ideas and perspectives to spark conversation and connections in the community. The event uses TED’s celebrated format of short, carefully prepared talks, demonstrations and performances that foster learning, inspiration, and wonder while also prompting conversations that matter.

To find this year’s presenters, organizers have issued a “Call for Speakers” on the TEDxDayton website, www.tedxdayton.com. Anyone with a big idea they want to share with the region is invited to apply for consideration. In addition to the application process, visitors may also nominate a person whom they believe should audition.

This year, for the first time, TEDxDayton is accepting applications for performers to take part in TEDxDayton 2017. In years past, some of the most memorable highlights from TEDxDayton have been provided by performers. Classical pianist Steffin Johnson, poets Herbert Martin and Sierra Leone, the Stivers School for the Arts Jazz Orchestra, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, and World Jump Ropers are just a few examples of artists and performers who have inspired and entertained TEDxDayton audiences.

“TEDxDayton audiences have high expectations. They demand thoughtful talks that open their minds to new concepts and ideas, as well as issues that impact our region. For our Fifth Anniversary signature event, we need our speakers and performers to take our audience through a mental discovery process, while honoring the technology, entertainment and design format that guides all TED talks,” said TEDxDayton Co-chair Diane Farrell.

Potential speakers should complete the speaker application on www.tedxdayton.com by April 21, 2017. The speaker’s committee will review all applications and invite selected candidates to audition on June 6, 7, and 10. Participants will be notified within a few weeks of auditions if they have been selected to be a TEDxDayton 2017 speaker.

“Toruk” Flies into Nutter and Amazes

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After attending last evening’s premier of Toruk The First Flight, as told by world-renowned Cirque Du Soleil and inspired by James Cameron’s magical Avatar, I realize I learned two important lessons while being entertained more than I have been in ages: there is life outside our own planet, and the inhabitants of at least one of those worlds are in MUCH better shape than me! The nonstop performance and acrobatic displays made me truly appreciate the passion of the players and their ability to display that passion nonstop for the duration of the show. And flawlessly, I might add. Films are great but shot over long periods of time, and edited for the big screen. “Toruk” plays out “live” before our eyes.

I’ve been reviewing for nearly four decades and the one thing most reviewers face is to tell what we witnessed without revealing too much for those who will be attending. As with all Cirque performances the real entertainment is the majesty and breath-taking acrobatics, and “Toruk” lives up to that promise from the opening scene to the curtain call.

A Storyteller walks us through a story that took place on Pandora long ago, as the people of Pandora were facing a great time of struggle. Toruk is a giant, magnificent winged “monster” feared by most. The story takes us on a journey of two childhood friends, as close as brothers, in their coming-of-age training to become great hunters. The ultimate of their hunting adventures is to face Toruk and save their people. That salvation takes an ironic, yet visually spectacular, turn as the story winds down.

I have heard some suggest that “Avatar” (the inspiration) may be too old for some to remember and that the story and its magnificent set are too “busy” for some to follow the story. I suggest neither is the case. “Avatar” introduced us to a magical new world and the “busyness“ of what should be an award-winning set kept us on the edge of our seats all-performance long! If I have one suggestion, although I have no solution for it, some form of subtitling would benefit at times since most in the audience don’t speak or understand Pandorese.

The journey of the two friends takes us through earthquakes, floods and fires that you truly buy into as actually happening before your eyes. Peppered in amongst those elements are the signature death-defying performances that have made Cirque a household name by a team of global actors and technicians. From the moment we took our seats until our exit, we escaped totally to another blue world and lived the sadness, struggles, battles and joys. And after all, isn’t that what an evening away from reality is supposed to do?

TORUK – The First Flight is performing at the Wright State Nutter Center in Dayton, OH from March 22-26th 2017.  For more information and full schedule visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/toruk.

I’m told great seats are still available. Box Office 937-775-4789

 

This guest post is written by Mike Scinto, a veteran radio/TV talk show host, award-winning columnist and a USAF disabled veteran

Young’s Annual Ice Cream Sale

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The once a year weekend for the Young’s Jersey Dairy homemade ice cream pint sale is here!  

So head on out to 6880 Syoungs-cowpringfield-Xenia Rd in Yellow Springs and fill your freezer with $2.19 pints, while they last!  Young’s says they’ve stocked the cases with several thousand pints so now’s the time to stock up!

All you care to buy, while supplies last. This is a once a year sale, so don’t miss out! Stock up on Young’s homemade ice cream now through March 26th!

Flavors that will be ready for pick-up:

Vanilla Chocolate P-Nut Butter
Cow Patty Lemon Custard
Mint Chocolate Chip No Sugar Added Vanilla
French Vanilla Cookies & Cream
Sea Salty Caramel Chocolate Fudge Brownie
Key Lime Crunch Cappuccino Latte Gelato
Chocolate Butter Pecan
Coffee Peaches & Cream
Chocolate Chip Tiramisu Gelato
Caramel Chocolate Toffee Lemon Sorbetto
Black Walnut Bubble Gum
Black Raspberry Salty Caramel Pretzel Crunch
P-Nut Butter Cup German Chocolate Brownie
Cookie Dough Cotton Candy
Strawberry Orange Sherbet

A Garden of Cocktail Delights

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Get your hands dirty!

Spring has finally arrived! The days are getting longer, the ground is thawing, and the weather is getting warmer. It is the proper time to clean out the house and to have to start tending to the yard. The first order of business will be to clean up all the leaves and sticks that have accumulated over the cold winter months. Then it is time to get the garden, or gardens, ready. If you are one who plans everything out before heading to the nursery, make sure you consider what you may be drinking during the spring and summer months. You can have all the ingredients you need for warm weather sipping within your reach, fresh and ready for muddling, infusing, and otherwise flavoring your cocktails.

All liquor, no matter what you are drinking, is in some way plant based. While you may not have room to grow corn, agave, or wheat, everyone has a small plot of land that they can put a few herbs in. Maybe a strawberry plant or two. This garden can be the base for your special gin-like concoction. Possibly a delightful blueberry or mint infused simple syrup or liquor. Many of the bitters and amari that are so popular in the modern cocktail movement have dozens of herbs and other aromatics infused in them. Jagermeister, one of the best-known liqueurs, has no less than fifty-six herbs, roots, fruits, and spices. You may not need THAT many in your garden, but it can’t hurt to have a few very attractive, easy to grow options.

Fruits

I can see some strawberry syrup, strawberry vodka, strawberry shrub…

Strawberries – Is there anything that says summer more than a ripe strawberry? Perfect for garnishing and infusing, these juicy treats go with pretty much anything. They are a relatively hardy plant that can grow almost anywhere. They prefer a lot of sun but can make it with some shade. Because of their rapid growth, you need to give them room if you are planting them in the ground. If you plant them too deep, they will not grow at all. Maintain them, and strawberry plants will produce fruit for roughly four years.  Plant them while there is still a chill in the air, then wait for them to flower. A month later, enjoy the fruits of your labor. Do not put them in bed the first year with flowers. The fight for resources will not go well.

Raspberries/Blackberries – Both pop up a little earlier in the season than strawberries do; they are almost the harbinger of fresh fruits. They will also grow rapidly, so they need room AND a good trimming. Let them go too far, and they start to turn into thickets. They do not enjoy lots of water, so be sparing when you give them extra watering. Missing the spring planting season is not a big deal; they will be fine if you plant them in summer. You can plant them anywhere in the garden, except near the tomatoes. Tomatoes can leave diseases that these berries can pick up. Speaking of…

Tomatoes – These are fruit. Keep that in mind. They are also a little sweet. If you grow them right, you can have fresh tomato juice for brunch Bloody Marys, or maybe make some tomato water. These guys are going to take a little more work. You are going to need a trellis or some method to get them off the ground and keep them clean and growing well. Like the other fruits, give them plenty of room to grow and lots and lots of sun. Unlike the berries, do not plant them too early. Cold is not their friend at all. Pro hint: plant the stem deeper for them to grow more roots and you to get more tomatoes.

Vegetables

Rhubarb is amazing, offering a tart crispness to cocktails.

Cucumbers – I could almost write “see tomatoes” for how to grow cucumbers. They want something to climb on, want warm soil, but they like much more moisture and fertilizer than the tomato. Throw some mulch on top of that soil to keep that water in, and you will have happy cucumbers. Perfect to muddle into a refreshing gin cocktail or use as a garnish.

Rhubarb – Hear me out. A simple rhubarb syrup, or making a batch of bitters with a little rhubarb as part of the mix, is a delight to have in your repertoire. Rhubarb growing is another early indicator that spring has sprung. This is one plant that enjoys the Ohio winter. More freezes of the ground can produce more stems. All rhubarb needs is fertilized, wet soil, plenty of sun, and some room to grow. Take care of this celery-like vegetable, and you can expect savory delights for up to eight years. Do NOT eat the leaves.

Herbs

Mint – You know that you’ll be having juleps and mojitos when it gets warm. There is no excuse for not having scads of mint in the garden or around the house. Growing these in pots and keeping them well trimmed is the best way to check their growth. Left to their own devices, they can take over a yard. Maybe the next yard. Possibly the world. Mint is aggressive when it comes to growing, but shy when it comes to the sun. Keep them in in the shade if possible. To get even tastier Kentucky Colonel in your harvest, trim the flowers when they start to appear. That will encourage more leaf growth. Which means more juleps for everyone.

Maybe I promised you a herb garden. Just not a rose garden.

Basil – You are already growing tomatoes, right? Add a little sweet basil to that plot of land, and you have plenty of flavors covered. They not only taste amazing together, but they also grow well together. You can plant them in pots while it is still cold out, then transfer them to the soil when it warms up. As the stalks get taller, they will start to flower. Like mint, trim the flowers when they start to emerge. Then bruise them up with some strawberries for a vodka infusion.

Rosemary – This potent herb can provide a refreshing burst of flavor to cocktails. You do not need much muddled into a cocktail to get that flavor going. Another easy grower, put it in the sun and stand back. This little herb will grow as much as you will allow it. It is a low maintenance herb to have. When the soil around it gets a little dry, give it some water, but otherwise do not worry about it much.

Sage – Delicious, and not just for cooking. It goes well with many fruits, especially citrus. Citrus is the soul of many cocktails, and sage and citrus work well together. Throw in some gin, and you have the base of an excellent cocktail started. This plant will sit nicely with the rosemary and the strawberries, so grow them all together. It loves our Midwestern weather and will thrive in this mild climate. It grows out, not up, so this is another one that needs a wide berth. After five years, digging it up and planting a fresh plant is recommended.

Mint juleps for all the days of the summer!

This is by no means a complete list. Dill, lemon verbena, thyme, and many other herbs can be added, depending on the flavors that you love. Marigolds, violets, and roses are edible and can offer some lovely garnishes to your cocktails. They may be useful additions. If you are looking at the long game, apple trees and grape vines will grow in this area, so you can start on those now and see some results in five years. You can even grow your lemons indoors if you have the patience, the vessel, and a window with good light.

The variety of things you can do with these plants is extensive. Even if you do not have a plot of land to call your own, you can use one of the community plots of land that Five Rivers MetroParks offers. Many herbs and flowers can also be grown indoors so that you can put fresh mint in your cocktails all year round. While the weather is nice, head out into the yard and get your hands dirty. Spend a little time getting your garden ready now, and you’ll be enjoying a strawberry basil lemonade cocktail right out of your backyard.

Phish Coming to Nutter Center

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In addition to The Baker’s Dozen at Madison Square Garden, a few more shows have been added to the band’s summer plans including three shows at Chicago’s Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island and one night stands at Dayton, OH’s Nutter Center and Pittsburgh, PA’s Petersen Events Center. The band will also return to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for their seventh annual Labor Day Weekend run in Commerce City, CO.

The Dayton show at the Nutter Center will be Tuesday, July 18 at 7pm with doors opening at 5:30pm.

An online ticket request period for pre-sale tickets and weekend ticket bundles are available now at http://tickets.phish.com through Monday, April 3 at NOON ET. There will be no additional dates announced for summer or fall.

Dayton Artists At Work: Stephanie McGuinness – Painter

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I first saw the paintings of Stephanie McGuinness at the Dayton Visual Arts Center.  Stephanie was one of three artists featured in an exhibit called “The Secrets We Keep.”  The other two were Ashley Jonas and Zoe Hawk.

Three of Stephanie’s works from that show appear below.

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I wanted to arrange a visit to Stephanie’s studio for two reasons – I liked her work and I was fascinated by what DVAC’s Executive Director Eva Buttacavoli told me about how Stephanie uses discarded notes to fuel her painting process.
When I called Stephanie I learned that she said she lived and worked in this home in Englewood.

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When Stephanie met me at the door I could see she was really painting.  Sometimes when I arrive artists are dressed for a photo shoot and then pretend to paint as I photograph them.   But Stephanie has young kids.  Her painting time is precious, and she wasn’t going to waste it.

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I asked Stephanie about her process and learned that since her college days she has been collecting discarded notes and lists she finds in public spaces.  She found many of the notes in the parking lots of stores.

I asked if I could see some of the notes and she got out a large plastic container filled with scraps of paper.  Some of the notes were short mundane – things like shopping lists – but some were very long and very personal.  They could have been rough drafts of important letters, or maybe personal letters that were discarded by the recipient.

 

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Stephanie reads these notes and thinks about the people who wrote them.  Then she journals about the lives she imagines for those people.

Stephanie has been collecting these discarded notes since her college days.  At first she painted collections of the notes, and her professors challenged her.

“They wondered what was so interesting about these notes,” Stephanie said.  “Well I found them interesting.  But eventually I agreed that the notes, in themselves, were not enough.”

Her current paintings come from what her found notes have led her to imagine about a family of six (three children two parents and a maternal grandmother) who share a home. Stephanie journals about their life events, thinks about how those events would impact their living space, and then creates paintings of that living space.

“A lot of my journaling about this family focuses on the relationship between the grandmother and her daughter” Stephanie said.

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“Although I have been painting the interior of the home, I do have a definite idea about what the exterior looks like,” Stephanie said.  “It looks like some of the old frame houses in Eaton, where I lived as I was completing my MFA at Miami University.”

Stephanie paints in her home’s dining room, which works well as long as she remembers to dodge the chandelier. With a baby and a toddler at home, Stephanie’s painting time is limited. But having her work-in-process up in the dining room helps her think about the piece even when she’s not painting.

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“I used to have two or three paintings going at a time, but when my second baby came that stopped.  Now I have one piece going and it typically takes me a couple of weeks to finish.”


“My two kids have one nap that overlaps, and that’s usually when I paint.  Also, my Mother-in-law and my Dad are retired.  They take the kids sometimes which gives me more time to paint.”

“This fence keeps my paintings and art materials safe from the two kids and the dog.  The dog’s name is Keiko.  I’m a big Star Trek fan, and the dog is named after Keiko O’Brien, a botanist on the U.S. Starship Enterprise.”

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How To Score An Invite To The Zombie Dogz 4th Anniversary Party

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On Sunday March 26th Zombie Dogz is throwing a party at Club Masque to celebrate their 4th anniversary.   They’ve rented out the entire club for the party.

They are even giving 200 of their customers a chance to attend.  All guests will need a ticket and here’s how you can get a chance to get one of the 200 tickets to the big shindig they are giving away:

Starting tomorrow, Wednesday, March 22nd through Saturday March 25th
for every hotdog purchased at the Brown Street Zombie Dog location, you can fill out a raffle ticket. On Saturday the 25th at 8pm they will do a drawing for the winners. They will call all the winners to let then know who gets to attend the party!

The Gem City Slasher

What’s included you ask….?

On free hotdog and chips, runs from 7pm-9pm, then with your guest pass, you’ll receive 4 free domestic beer tickets and enjoy local Dj’s throwing down all night.

So hustle on down to 1200 Brown Street, enjoy your favorite hot dog and you’ll have a chance to win a ticket to the Sunday night party.

Shirley MacLaine’s LAST WORD at THE NEON This Weekend

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Hello Everyone!

How can you not love Shirley MacLaine? From THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY to THE APARTMENT to THE CHILDREN’S HOUR to IRMA LA DOUCE to SWEET CHARITY to TERMS OF ENDEARMENT to STEEL MAGNOLIAS to POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE to BERNIE – there’s so much to love! This Friday, we will bring this legend’s latest film to town – THE LAST WORD – and MacLaine fans won’t be disappointed. We will also hold onto both KEDI and THE SENSE OF AN ENDING for one more week.

Synopsis for THE LAST WORD: “In THE LAST WORD, Shirley MacLaine is Harriet Lauler, a once successful businesswoman in tight control of every aspect of her life. As she reflects upon her accomplishment, she’s suddenly inspired to engage a young local writer, Anne Sherman (Amanda Seyfried), to pen her life’s story. When the initial result doesn’t meet Harriet’s high expectations, she sets out to reshape the way she is remembered, with Anne dragged along as an unwilling accomplice. As the journey unfolds, the two women develop a unique bond which alters not only Harriet’s legacy, but also Anne’s future.” (Bleecker Street) Click this LINK to visit the film’s official site.

Don’t forget about THE REEL PADDLING FILM FESTIVAL – returning to town this Thursday evening at 7:30. Advanced tickets are available on-line or at THE NEON’s box office.

“LUNAFEST, a national festival of women’s films, comes to Dayton for the 8th time this Sunday, March 26 from 3:00-5:00 pm at THE NEON. This season’s program of nine selected films will compel discussion, make you laugh, tug at your heartstrings and motivate you to make a difference in your community. Incredibly diverse in style and content, the films are united by a common thread of exceptional storytelling – by, for and about women. Two additional short films will be presented by Pens to Pictures, a local filmmaking collaborative that worked with incarcerated women at the Dayton Correctional Institute to help them make their own short films, from script to screen. Funds raised by this event will go to the Breast Cancer Fund and to Pens to Pictures. Tickets are $10.00 ($5.00 for students) and donations over this amount are gratefully accepted. The event is sponsored nationally by Luna, makers of the nutrition bar, and locally by Dayton Women’s Rights Alliance and the Dayton chapter of the American Association of University Women. Tickets are now available at THE NEON’s box office.” (Press Notes) Visit the Lunafest official site to check out clips from this year’s festival.

Equitas Health is bringing the film FREEDOM TO MARRY to town on Thursday, March 30 at 7:30. This film is “The nail-biting, untold story of how same-sex marriage became law of the land. THE FREEDOM TO MARRY follows Evan Wolfson, the architect the movement, civil rights attorney Mary Bonauto and their key colleagues on this decades long battle, culminating in a dramatic fight at the United States Supreme Court. More than the saga of one movement’s history, this is an inspiringtale of how regular people can change the world.” To watch the trailer and reserve your ticket, visit this LINK.

“On Saturday, April 8, from 9:00 am until Noon, come out to Kick-off and Celebrate MINORITY HEALTH MONTH! This event is free and open to the entire community. Starting at 9:00 am, there will be a free breakfast and health screenings (Hepatitis B, Cholesterol, Blood pressure and confidential HIV), and a live radio broadcast with WROU’s Host Faith Daniels! At 10:00 am, health leadership awards will be given to Gina McFarlane-El, CEO, Five Rivers Health Center, the 2017 Shero of Health recipient, and Richard “Clay” Dixon, for Community Action Leadership. At 10:00, watch the award-winning movie UNNATURAL CAUSES: IS INEQUALITY MAKING US SICK? How do you have good health? How do you live longer? Housing, education, community development and so much more impact choices, behaviors, health conditions, and quality of life. Get answers on how to improve health and quality of life. Free popcorn. Funded by Public Health, Buckeye Health Plan, and the Ohio Commission on Minority Health.”

Vu-Do Swing is hoping to bring ALIVE AND KICKING to town on April 26, but they still need to reserve 55 tickets by April 17 to make it happen. “ALIVE AND KICKING is a feature-length documentary that takes an inside look into the culture of swing dancing and the characters who make it special. We explore the culture surrounding Swing dance from the emergence of the Lindy Hop to the modern day international phenomenon. The film follows the growth of Swing dance from its purely American roots as an art form, to countries all over the world. Alive and Kicking looks at the lives of the Swing dancers themselves to find their personal stories and why this dance fills them with joy.” If not enough tickets are reserved by the deadline, your credit card will never be charged. Click this LINK to watch a trailer and reserve your ticket.

The Dayton Jewish Film Festival will kick off in late April, but they’ll have a sneak peek at this year’s fest during a screening of the classic film THE FRISCO KID (starring Gene Wilder) on Sunday, April 2 at 3PM. Brochures for the entire festival are now available in our lobby, and you can visit the official site to read about the films, watch trailers and purchase tickets in advance. This year’s line-up looks pretty amazing!

We’ve added numerous films to our “Coming Soon” list, and I’m very happy that we’ve added FRANTZ (from Francois Ozon) and THEIR FINEST (a period film with Bill Nighy) to the line-up – they are films I loved in Toronto, and I know you’ll like them, too.

Thanks so much for your continued support.
See you soon,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Tuesday, March 21 – Thursday, March 30:

KEDI (NR) 1 Hr 20 Min
Tuesday-Thursday (March 21-23): 3:10, 5:15, 7:20
Friday & Saturday (March 24 & 25): 1:00, 5:30, 9:45
Sunday (March 26): 1:00, 5:30
Monday-Wednesday (March 27-29): 3:00, 7:40
Thursday (March 30): 3:00

THE SENSE OF AN ENDING (PG-13) 1 Hr 48 Min
Tuesday & Wednesday (March 21 & 22): 2:50, 5:10, 7:30
Thursday (March 23): 2:50, 5:10
Friday & Saturday (March 24 & 25): 3:00, 7:20
Sunday (March 26): 7:20
Monday-Thursday (March 27-30); 5:10

REEL PADDLING FILM FESTIVAL (NR) 2 Hrs
Thursday (Mar 23): 7:30

THE LAST WORD (R) 1 Hr 48 Min
Friday & Saturday (March 24 & 25): 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:45
Sunday (March 26): 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30
Monday-Thursday (March 27-30): 2:50, 5:10, 7:30

LUNAFEST + PENS TO PICTURES (NR) 2 Hrs
Sunday (March 26): 3:00

FREEDOM TO MARRY (NR) 1 Hr 26 Min
Thursday (March 30): 7:30

COMING SOON:
(All Dates Are Tentative. Dates Often Move And Sometimes Disappear)
March 31 – WILSON
April 4-9 – CONTEMPORARY COLOR (limited screenings, lots of local ties)
April 7 – FRANTZ
April 21 – COLOSSAL
May 5 – THEIR FINEST
May 26 – THE LOVERS
TBD – TONI ERDMANN, THE RED TURTLE, PERSONAL SHOPPER

Best Local Spaghetti Sauces in a Jar + *Win 3 Jars*

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Giovanni’s will be selling their sauce in jars soon !

Food Adventures  has the scoop!! Here is an announcement that is 60 years in the making… for the first time since the 1953 history of the Giovanni’s restaurant, they will be selling their sauce in jars !

Yes, Giovanni’s, located at 215 W Main St. Fairborn, has announced that some of their in house sauces will be available for purchase in mass quantities.  They plan to start selling the jars at the restaurant and some local grocers in the northern Miami Valley area. Managing owner Cassaundra Spaziani says they are a couple of months away from being available in stores.  She said they are currently working on developing artwork/photography for the labels on the jars.  The mystery is whether her father, Tony Spaziani, will be on the label or not.  It has yet to be decided.

Givoanni’s Marinara over Gnocchi

They are going to start with 2 sauces:

1) GIOVANNI’S MARINARA:
An old Spaziani family recipe, this sauce typically tomato based, and seasoned with garlic, onions and spices.

2) GIOVANNI’S PUTTANESCA: 
An aromatic sauce that combines tomatoes, onions, black olives, anchovies, capers, garlic and oregano, simmered with olive oil.

*** LEARN HOW TO WIN 3 JARS OF SAUCE BELOW !

Ranking other Dayton jarred sauces: Mamma DiSalvo’s

Oh you know we love the sauces at Giovanni’s in Fairborn.  And the marinara from Franco’s Italian Ristorante is delightful.  Even Jimmy’s Italian Kitchen, and Palermo’s & Troni’s family have their spots in Miami Valley eats.  And wow, what about Roost Modern Italian! But in today’s Food Adventure article, we are also going to talk about the local sauces that you can find in jars or cans for your eating pleasure at home.

Chef House, the Big Ragu and of course Hungry Jax know all about homemade spaghetti sauce.  It is what we grew up on, it is what we prefer.  But sometimes we don’t have 2, 4 or 6 hours to tend to the sauce.  Well Chef House always does 🙂  she cray cray..

So when in need, The Big Ragu likes to get local for premade spaghetti sauce.  Sometimes in a pinch he cracks open a jar.  Whether it is for manicotti to mostaccioli, from eggplant parm to baked ziti.  Which local ones are the best?  We have the breakdown, so learn from us !

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY ON THE BEST LOCALLY JARRED SPAGHETTI SAUCES:

1) MAMMA DISALVO’S MARINARA SAUCE:  
In Big Ragu’s opinion, this jarred sauce is the closest thing he has found to his family recipe.  And the taste is fantastic.  The thick tomato sauce is slightly sweet, with chunks of basil and tomatoes.  When you heat this sauce, sometimes a little olive oil rises up to the top, just like it is

Annarinno’s Marinara over Spaghetti

supposed to…. You don’t need to add a thing to doctor it up.  We are going to be honest, the sauce isn’t cheap, but it is worth it.  In our list, all heads must bow to this #1 iconic Dayton jarred sauce.  Also available in a spicy version, which is second best. Did we mention their incredible house salad dressing for sale in jars too?

 

2) ANNARINO’S MARINARA SAUCE:  
A dark horse squeaks in at #2.  The great flavor surprised us and the sauce has a terrific flavor.  If you have yet to try this brand, give it a shot.  We tried it on spaghetti a couple of times and were really impressed. As much as you can be from jarred sauce  (Again, ain’t nothing like the real thing baby). They sell various flavors from mushroom to meat sauce, but we prefer the Marinara.

 

Schiavone’s Marinara over Rigatoni


3) SCHIAVONE’S CANNED MARINARA SAUCE:
This versatile sauce comes in a can, and needs a bit of doctoring up with oregano and basil, then it is perfect.  It is a great base sauce for baking pasta dishes.  Many of you may remember the fantastic restaurant in Middletown where this sauce originated.  Long closed down, only the canned sauce remains as a reminder of that wonderful Italian eatery.  Take advantage, and try some of this old school sauce.  This is a very basic building block for a great meal.

 

4) ZAPPIA’S MARINARA SAUCE:
A newer Dayton sauce, this one has a rich taste and good flavor.  This family might be known for local car dealerships, but the sauce could eclipse that.  It is an old family recipe passed down from Zappia generations back in Italy.  Definitely worth a pick-up, if you have not tried this jarred sauce.  One of the places it is available for purchase is the Flying Pizza Downtown.  Try it, you’ll like it !

 

 

 

5) CAPOZZI’S SPICY MARINARA SAUCE: Here is an example where we like the spicy version better than the original.  This marinara has a nice flavor and a kick to it.  Great over pasta and even with another splash of red pepper to get Food Adventurous.  We are lucky to have so many local families with great sauce recipes for us on the “go.”  This sauce is more nutritional than most on the market and it is even low fat, low cholesterol, and low sodium based.

Capozzi Family Sauce

 

 

6) LAROSA’S MARINARA SAUCE:
The pride of Cincinnati sauces ends the list. From Kings Island to the Kentucky shore, Buddy LaRosa has been wowing the crowds with his sauce for decades.  From pizza to pasta, this familiar sauce will have you licking your lips.  This basic sauce again is not only great on pasta, but lends itself to baked dishes like lasagna.

There you have it  – scoop on Giovanni’s and Dayton’s best local jarred sauces !  Now how about some freebies???

***** WIN 3 FREE JARS OF YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL SAUCE ! *****

LaRosa’s Original Recipe

Comment below and tell us which local sauce is your favorite and which one you would like to try 3 jars of?   You have 7 choices – Giovanni’s, Mama Disalvos, Annarino’s, Schiavone’s, Zappia’s, Capozzi’s or LaRosa’s.  One person who comments will be picked at random next Monday (note: if you choose Giovanni’s we have to wait til it is available….).

 

Feel free to browse the photos below of some of Dayton’s greatest canned spaghetti sauces.

For more great food topics and pictures, hit Food Adventures up on Facebook and “like” us by clicking HERE.

 

LaRosas’s Sauce over pasta

LaRosa’s over Spaghetti with a pinch of cheese

Mamma DiSalvo’s sauce with Manicotti is amazing

Mamma DiSalvos’s Marinara over Manicotti with fresh basil and fresh garlic

Baking Manicotti with DiSalvos’s sauce

Schiavone’s sauce over pasta

Zappia history

Annarino’s meaty version

We prefer the marinara to the mushroom

Cooking with Annarino’s sauces

Capozzi’s sauce with spaghetti and Parmesan cheese

Giovanni’s in Fairborn will soon be jarring spaghetti sauce !

The sauce taste you love is coming to a grocer near you !

Congratulations to Giovanni’s on their plan to start selling their sauce in jars too !

 

 

 

 

 

Vote For Dayton’s Cutest Pet

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Do you think you have Dayton’s cutest pet? Well 64 of Dayton’s finest are currently competing in Pet Wants Dayton’s “Bark Madness” bracket challenge, with the winner receiving a month of Pet Want’s all-natural pet food delivered for free right to their door.

Bark Madness sought out contestants in the days leading up to the NCAA Tournament, and began the voting for the bracket on Thursday the 16th. Currently, “Bark Madness” is in the Round of 32 with voting running through 10pm on March 22nd. Each remaining round will last for three days, with the winner being crowned on Monday, April 3rd.

Facebook users are eligible to vote once per round for their favorite furry neighbor. To leave your paw-print on the outcome, visit the voting page at the link below:

http://woobox.com/pbx9sa

Be sure to submit a name at completion to make sure that the form is fully submitted!

You can also stay up to date with the competition and learn more about Pet Wants Dayton’s all-natural pet food by clicking “Like” on their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/petwants.dayton/).

Pet Wants Dayton is a local, all-natural pet food company that has been delivering their products throughout the Miami Valley for the last 18 months. They offer a range of all-natural dog and cat foods produced locally in right here in Ohio, as well as a variety of pet treats and pet wellness products.

Luminaries of Dayton: The Mead Monument

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The Mead monument was once the tallest obelisk at Woodland Cemetery. Today, just a few short feet away from the Mead family lot stands the tallest obelisk, that of John Alexander Collins. During a search through the Wright State University Archives, a series of photographs were found of storm damage at Woodland involving the Mead monument. On the back of each photo was written “Storm Damage July 1944.”  I did some checking with the local National Weather Service office in Wilmington and found out that there was a heat wave and drought in the summer of 1944. On July 11th the temperature was 100 degrees; on July 12th the temperature dropped to 83 degrees. The local office did not have written records dating back that far other than a few statistics but stated that with a dramatic drop in temperature, it was possible that a storm had blown through.

A search of the Dayton Daily News microfilm at the Dayton Metro Library Genealogical Center on Maryland Avenue revealed a Wednesday, July 12, 1944 page 1 short article titled, “Lively Shower Brings Relief from Heat.” The first paragraph states, “Residents of Dayton and vicinity Wednesday were given at least a temporary respite from the prevailing high temperatures with the first break coming shortly before 10 am Wednesday when the city was visited by a shower which peppered down right lively for about 10 minutes. It is estimated that about one-hundredth inch of rain fell.”

Most Dayton and Miami Valley residents know that the wind can pick up in an instant in the area and knock a few trees down. Perhaps the answer to what happened was truly blowing in the wind.

Woodland Cemetery, founded in 1841, is one of the nation’s five oldest rural garden cemeteries and a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton, Ohio as you will see as you read through this new MostMetro.com series. Visit the cemetery and arboretum and take one of the many tours Woodland offers free of charge. Most of Dayton’s aviation heroes, inventors and business barons are buried at Woodland.

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the UD Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland website.

Miami County Home Grown Stories: Tomfoolery Outdoors

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HomeGrownStories – Tomfoolery Outdoors has a mission to encourage people to live an active outdoor lifestyle while making a difference in the world. The company’s founder, Tom Helbig, an outdoor adventure enthusiast, has just returned to Ohio from a 5-week adventure in the Great Exumas region of the Bahamas. This tropical excursion was spent on stand up paddleboards and had Tom and his group camping outside for 34 of the 35 nights spent on the most crystal clear water Tom has ever seen. Tom was interviewed for Miami County Visitors Bureau’s new series  #HomeGrownStories campaign before he sets off on his next adventure following the blue blazes of the The Buckeye Trail Association, Buckeye Trail in Ohio.

On living in Miami County:
I live in a camper full-time at Adventures on the Great Miami in Tipp City. I have lived in Miami County on and off since 1998. I’m originally from the Cleveland area. My post-college career is what brought me to Miami County where I worked as the Special Olympics Coordinator at Riverside in Troy. After working at Riverside I worked at Five Rivers MetroParks for seven years as the special events and development coordinator. I’ve lived north of Dayton, primarily in Miami County since moving to Tipp City in 1998.

On starting his own business, Tomfoolery Outdoors:
I loved all of my previous jobs, they were very rewarding and had a great impact on the community, but I was spending a lot of hours working especially in the evenings and weekends. My work life balance was not in balance. I did not get to spend much time outdoors. I was approaching 40; I’m not going to call it a mid-life crisis, but I started to reflect on my life. I realized I didn’t want to spend my life behind a desk. I had always kind of had an entrepreneurial spirit and I had a lot of ideas for teaching people some of the skills I knew. I left my job at Five Rivers MetroParks and started Tomfoolery Outdoors in May 2014. May 3rd this year is my 3-year anniversary.

On the community response to Tomfoolery Outdoors:
It’s been really positive in the first 3 years now. I’ve promoted a really playful, fun, whimsical lifestyle, a lot of my events have a quirky nature to them and I think people are drawn to that. A lot of people crave that quirkiness. I am who I am and I’m an adventurous spirit. That energy lives within my company and people have embraced it.

Why he loves Miami County:
I love the people number one. There are a lot of just down to earth, kind and very supportive people in the area. From an outdoor and natural standpoint, I enjoy that we have bikeways and rivers to paddle and hiking trails in the Miami County Park District. It’s a very good area for someone that likes the outdoors like myself.

Hobart Urban Nature Preserve in Troy

There’s a big community focus in Miami County. When I worked for the Special Olympics the community really supported the program. I got to know the athlete’s families. I saw members of the program graduate from high school and go on their first dates and ski down a mountain for the first time. There’s this amazing community-family feel of Miami County. Now, as a small business owner in Miami County, I take a lot of pride in my foundation of my business that it started in Miami County.

How is Miami County different from places he has visited:
The outdoor recreation opportunities are really strong which is very unique. I think sometimes we take for granted what we have in our community: the bike path, the recreational trails, and the parks. I really like the small towns in Miami County; Troy, Piqua, Tipp City. I enjoy that corridor in Miami County. It’s fun to go somewhere where you know people. It’s a like a family, we’re-all-in-it together type of attitude.

His favorite Miami County event and spots:
Canoegrass is my favorite event. I think it’s the best event, even though I might be biased. We put a stage on the Great Miami River and everyone hangs out in the water. We have bluegrass and Americana bands on stage and it feels like you’re hanging out with 400 of your best friends on the river.

I love 311 Drafthouse in Piqua and I love Leaf AndVine in Troy. My favorite private park is Adventures on the Great Miami and my favorite public park is Charleston Falls Preserve.

This story first appeared on the Miami County Convention and Visitors Bureau website.  Follow author,  storyteller and interviewer, Courtney Denning, at ThisOhioLife.com.

 

 

Next up for Tomfoolery:

Tomfoolery Outdoors and the Massie Creek Paddlers have partnered to bring the Reel Paddling Film Festival to Dayton, Ohio and the historicThe NEON on Thursday, March 23rd at 7pm. Tickets are $11 in advance and $15 at the door.
Purchase tickets:
https://events.ticketprinting.com/event/22459

Festival will be 2 hours and 30 minutes with an intermission. Social begins at 7:00 pm and films begin promptly at 7:30 pm.

Rapid Media’s 12th annual Reel Paddling Film Festival showcases the world’s best paddling films to audiences in Canada, United States and around the world. The festival inspires more people to explore rivers, lakes and oceans, push physical and emotional extremes, embrace the lifestyle and appreciate the heritage of the wild places we paddle.

The Reel Paddling Film Festival is a film contest awarding winning films in 10 categories. The winners and other shortlisted films are then toured to more than 100 cities around the world, screening for an audience of more than 30,000 outdoor adventure enthusiasts, their friends and families. The Reel Paddling Film Festival is produced by Rapid Media. Rapid Media also publishes four leading paddlesports magazines: Rapid, Adventure Kayak, Canoeroots and Kayak Anglermagazines. Your ticket to a Reel Paddling Film Festival World Tour stop includes a free one-year digital edition subscription to all of the above magazines. Special offer details are available in your evening program

Grapes of Gratitude- Wine Tasting Helps Others

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Competitive wine tasting comes to the Miami Valley this Thursday, Feb 23rd  at 6pm.  Grapes of Gratitude is a team wine tasting event created to allow local nonprofits to raise money while participants blindly taste an array of wines of the same varietal.

The competition is based on what we call the “Rule of Three.” Huh?

3 BOTTLES FOR EACH TEAM OF UP TO 3

A different wine varietal (such as chardonnay, merlot, pinot noir, etc.) is featured at each event. Teams, consisting of 1 to 3 participants, are admitted by bringing 3 bottles of the same featured varietal to the event. For example, for the March event the featured varietal is merlot, your team could bring 3 bottles of the 2005 Hess Select Merlot.

At the event, 2 of each team’s 3 bottles are bagged, tagged and ranked by each participant. The 3rd bottle is set aside and left unopened. The teams that brought the 5 highest ranked wines divvy up each team’s 3rd unopened bottle, except for the lowest ranked wine which will be returned to the team that brought it. If 2 or more teams bring the same wine, rankings can still differ depending upon the temperature of the wine, how long it has been open, etc. Team must be present to win.

Please remember, teams can consist of 1 to 3 participants. Thus, a group of 4 participants, for example, will be considered 2 teams and must bring 6 bottles of the featured varietal to enter the event. Still don’t get it? Just remember, the “Rule of Three,” which is visually depicted above.

Our charity partner for the March Grapes of Gratitude is BOGG Ministries, a Miamisburg based charity who’s mission is to feed people. They host weekly block parties and distribute enough food to feed a family 3 meals a day, for 3 – 5 days.

Tickets are $10 in advance available at Arrow Wine or online.  Tickets at the door are $15.  Each team member will need a ticket and each team should bring their 3 bottles of Merlot to the Normandy Banquet and Event Center, located behind The Melting Pot on St Rt. 725.  Munchies provided by Mack’s Tavern, host of the official after party.

If you have a non-profit organization you think might be a great partner for a future Grapes of Gratitude event, please fill out this form for consideration.

 

Trace Adkins “Something’s Going On” Tour Stops at The Rose

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With over 11 million in album sales, three Grammy nominations, and dozens of major motion pictures and television credits to his name, Trace Adkins always has something going on. It is that constant motion and creative diversity that has fueled his latest music, the much-anticipated forthcoming and aptly titled Something’s Going On – his 12th studio album – scheduled for release on March 31. Adkins is hitting the road in support of the new album, including a stop at Rose Music Center in Huber Heights, OH on Friday, July 7th. The show will feature support by Parmalee and Jordan Rager.

Although the first single off Something’s Going On, “Watered Down,” will go to Country radio on March 13, fans can view the lyric video HERE, featuring Adkins enjoying a simpler life and slower pace on his Nashville farm.

“When I first heard ‘Watered Down’ I felt an immediate connection with what I wanted to say. A man comes to a point in his life where he begins to reflect on his past and what he’s learned and that’s what fueled this song,” shares Adkins. “If you’ve led the kind of life I’ve led, at some point you have to temper your vices.”

It’s been four years since Adkins’ last studio album Love Will… released in 2013, which debuted in the top ten on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, and fans have eagerly awaited this follow up ever since. Some of Nashville’s favorite and most respected songwriters contributed to the range and inspiration of Something’s Going On, boasting credits such as Tyler Farr, Craig Campbell and Shane McAnally to name a few.

Something’s Going On marks Adkins’ first album release on his new label, BBR Music Group / Wheelhouse Records and was produced by Mickey Jack Cones.

Something’s Going On:

  1. “Ain’t Just The Whiskey Talkin’” (Terry McBride, Brett Beavers)
  2. “Jesus And Jones” (Tyler Farr, Jim McCormick, Casey Beathard)
  3. “Watered Down” (Matt Jenkins, Trevor Rosen, Shane McAnally)
  4. “Something’s Going On” (Chris Cavanaugh, Mark Stephen Jones)
  5. “If Only You Were Lonely” (Jon Coleman, Troy Johnson)
  6. “Gonna Make You Miss Me” (Tommy Lee James, Matt Nolan, Andrew Dorff)
  7. “I’m Gone” (Craig Campbell, Max T. Barnes)
  8. “Country Boy Problems” (Tommy Lee James, Josh Osborne)
  9. “Lit” (Mickey Jack Cones, Monty Criswell, Derek George)
  10. “Still A Soldier” (Phil O’Donnell, Wade Kirby)
  11. “Whippoorwills And Freight Trains” (Phil O’Donnell, Jeff Middleton, Brandon Kinney)
  12. “Hang” (Lynn Hutton, Phil O’Donnell)

As a gift to his fans, Adkins is offering a physical copy of Something’s Going On with each ticket order. Visit www.traceadkins.com for full details.

Adkins’ trademark baritone has powered countless hits to the top of the charts. The three-time GRAMMY-nominated member of the Grand Ole Opry is a TV personality, actor, author, and spokesman for the Wounded Warrior Project and the American Red Cross, for whom he raised over $1.5 million dollars as winner of NBC’s All-Star Celebrity Apprentice.

In recent years, Adkins has performed for our service men and women across 11 USO Tours, with his 12thscheduled for spring 2017. In his 2007 autobiography, A Personal Stand: Observations and Opinions from a Freethinking Roughneck, he recounted his rise to fame, brushes with death, and battles with personal demons.

Trace has played a tough as nails biker in The Lincoln Lawyer (starring Matthew McConaughey), a desperate father in Deepwater Horizon (starring Mark Wahlberg) and a wise oracle of a tattoo artist in the family-friendly film Moms’ Night Out (starring Patricia Heaton, Sean Astin, Sarah Drew).

Tickets for the Huber Heights show will go on sale to the public beginning 11:00am on Friday, March 24TH atwww.Ticketmaster.com, www.Rosemusiccenter.com, and the Rose Music Center box office. Charge by phone at 1.800.745.3000.