Dayton937

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

Dayton Most Metro

Friends really can drop out of the sky!

By Leave a Comment

Imagine a warm summer day in July— you are shucking corn on your dairy farm when without warning, an old wood and fabric airplane just misses your silo and lands on your hay field…. followed by yet another antique flying machine.  What do you do?  If you are a young lad, you race toward these colorful contraptions and the brave souls piloting them screaming, “Wow! Cool!”

This scene was a common occurrence thousands of times throughout the Midwest in the 1920s and 30s, but it was not common at all when two such gypsy pilots “dropped in” unannounced on the Dirksen family’s farm in nearby Winchester, Indiana in 1999.

That accidental meeting between those bonded to the earth and those bonded to the sky initiated an annual fly-in that now features nearly a dozen vintage aircraft (plus local vintage automobiles to complete the ambience) and close to 200 neighbors, friends, and family… and as the documentary film Barnstorming celebrates, just showing up makes you part of the family.

We have the added value of witnessing something so special happening here in our own area.  The film features local landmarks and local individuals, and I find it particularly poignant that this annual celebration of flying at its most basic— wind in the wires, leather flying helmets, goggles, and silk scarves trailing in the slipstream— takes place just a short drive from the big iron at USAF Museum and the regular, unremarkable commercial flights in and out of Dayton International Airport.  Flying has long ceased being romantic because there is nothing romantic about being body-searched and crammed into an Airbus like clowns in a circus car.  But to hop into an open-cockpit Waco for a free spin around the patch? Simpler times indeed, and a smile guaranteed.

One of the pilots observes, “flying gives you an entirely different perspective, not only on the world but on life.” From 1,000 feet, the Midwest looks much the same as it did to the original barnstormers nearly 100 years ago.  There are many parts of our collective American mythology that, once we have studied the facts, we should be glad are gone forever.  This documentary, shot in a visually charming unpretentious style with a lovely soundtrack to match, is a timely reminder that there are some parts of Americana past that embody an innocence for which we have every right to wax nostalgic.

The title of the motion picture pays homage to those daring barnstormers of yesteryear—the pilots in this story are even prone to asking “WWWD?” What Would Waldo (Pepper) Do?— but Barnstorming is definitely not just for propeller-heads like this author.

The children in the film are as integral to this story as the pilots because both groups share the wonder of flight.  The sheer joy of the Dirksen kids straining their eyes skyward in unconstrained anticipation of the annual return of the airplanes to their farm is itself worth the price of admission.  As one very young girl asserts matter-of-factly, “I’ll just go in the sky.” And because the sky is so much larger than our television sets, this film demands to be seen on the big screen.

Barnstorming plays at the Little Art Theatre in Yellow Springs at 4:00pm Saturday, March 12.  For those of us without hayfields welcoming the gypsy pilots, this will be as close as we get to experiencing the “Wow! Cool!” of our own private air show.

Thomas Girvin is a local screenwriter and film professor who flies modern day light aircraft in real life and open-cockpit biplanes in his dreams.

Cars & Cabernet

By Leave a Comment

The Board of Trustees of The Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio is pleased to invite you to their Wine Tasting event.

The Epilepsy Foundation in partnership with Mr. John Dixon, owner of the Taj Ma Garaj, hopes to bring awareness, education and support to people living with the uncertainty of seizures.  You will enjoy a rich selection of fine wines and delectable Hors D’oeuvres from area caterers as you peruse through Dayton’s most unique automobile museum featuring not only rare and vintage cars but over 500 framed pieces of automotive artwork, room sized hand painted murals, original paintings, automotive collectibles and rarities, posters, toys, sports memorabilia and more.

The cost for standard tickets is $50 and VIP tickets are $100 for this event on Sat, March 15th that runs from 6 – 10pm.  To purchase tickets and view sponsorship opportunities, please visit: www.CarsAndCabernet.kintera.org or contact the Epilepsy Foundation by phone (937-233-2500) or email ([email protected]).

Kira LaFave & The Art of Eastern Dance

By 1 Comment

Kira LaFave at her Kira's Oasis dance studio located at 590 Congress Park Drive in Centerville. Photo @2011 Frank H. Coleman Jr.

While it can be difficult for an eastern-bred tradition to gain traction in a predominately western-oriented culture, the art of belly dance has thrived in the United States, experiencing a recent surge in popularity due to its widespread acceptance into the fitness community, where variations of the dance have found their way into the workout routines and regimens of fitness studios, personal trainers and celebrities.

Not only is belly dance performer/instructor Kira LaFave well versed in the sensuous arts of Middle Eastern belly dance, but her travels abroad to Egypt, where the popular dance custom originated centuries ago, gave her an intimate cultural insight into the tradition.  With hip movements as exact as any handmade Swiss timepiece, and polished arm-work so smooth it would make a serpent blush, the Rochester, New York native is one of the most sought-after performers throughout Ohio, routinely drawing throngs of belly dance enthusiasts as far as Cincinnati and Columbus to her community-driven Kira’s Oasis dance studio in Centerville.

As an American woman practicing an ancient dance that originated from the other side of the globe, immersing herself within the fabric of a seemingly otherworldly set of laws  and customs – both written and unwritten – became a exciting, but sometimes harrowing adventure. [NOTE: The author was surprised to discover that Mrs. LaFave was not of middle-eastern descent.]  Her respect for the culture, and the women who practice it, however, has garnered this middle-aged mother of three an unprecedented amount of respect from her peers – both inside and outside of the Western hemisphere.

For the last twelve years, LaFavre’s life has been one of movement – a vibrant undulation of rhythmic cycles, not unlike the hypnotizing agitations witnessed at one of her public haflas.  The one-time “overweight and overwhelmed” former corporate meeting planner has traveled the world over, from California to Cairo – as both student and teacher – in an unyielding quest to perfect her craft, share her gifts of infectious and unfettered joyfulness, and to pass on the knowledge of the art to a new generation of eager women.

On March 16, LaFave brings that knowledge and her considerable talents to the stage for the upcoming Dirty Little Secrets variety show at Wiley’s night club.  DaytonMostMetro.com recently talked with the stunningly beautiful Kira LaFave about her life of dance, her love of the culture, and a few of the misconceptions surrounding the artistry and artisans of belly dance.

DMM: How were you introduced to belly dance?

KL:  I went to the Renaissance Festival back in 1998, and I saw Laylai who is a belly dancer from Columbus.  I sat in the front row while she was dancing to all of these rhythms.  It was magnificent!  She danced to all this fantastic music, and then she put her sword on her chin and she dropped on the stage with her legs folded underneath her…she hung her shoulders off the stage with her sword on her head and looked at me with her head upside down.  I fell on the floor.  It knocked me right off my chair! [Laughs.]  So I started pursuing it.

I have studied with every teacher in this entire area, Laylia, Deniz, Nadeja, and many others.  I danced in a show that Deniz and I co-sponsored when someone asked me to teach them because they liked my style.  I was stunned by this request but began working on the dance from the standpoint of teaching and started about a year later, after I felt I had some competency to actually teach it.  I had been dancing over 3 years by then before I started teaching.

DMM: Did you have a dance or fitness background prior to that experience?

KL:  I didn’t actually!  I had a meeting planning background, and I did that for a few different companies.  I stopped my career several years ago to raise my family.  I really just picked this up when I ran across Laylai because it looked like so much fun.  [The dancing] was beautiful and I had never seen anything like that!  I found her very inspiring.  I initially just picked it up from a hobby standpoint before I began teaching it.

Kira's Oasis is an elegatly decorated dance studio/ballroom replete with full-length mirrors, middle eastern decor, ample seating arrangement and plenty of open floor space. Photo @2011 Frank H. Coleman Jr.

DMM: What inspired your trip to Egypt?

KL:  I’ve been to Egypt twice.  I wanted to study the culture in addition to the dance.  Once I started being in the dance scene long enough, it started to make sense to me that I really should be taking the culture that it belongs to seriously.  It’s okay to be an American belly dancer…but ultimately this doesn’t belong to us.  It belongs to the women of the Middle East.  So, as I became a more seasoned dancer, I began to take that more seriously.

DMM:  Describe music that you dance to, and how does it make you feel while performing to it?

KL: Middle-eastern music is really written for inspiring your emotions.  They’re very passionate people and I love their music!  They like to change the tempo – they go from fast to slow…from sad to happy.  They really like to yank your emotions around with their music!  It’s written expressively for this purpose.  Their drum rhythms are the focus of their music.  Their dancing to a rhythm pattern – and there are many rhythm patterns across the Middle East.  Hundreds!  A lot of the patterns actually define cultural regions, like Persia and Lebanon.  [There are] desert rhythms that no one ever hears unless you travel out there.  It’s an incredibly huge art form!  There’s a myriad of hip movements and foot patterns that go with these rhythms.

The rhythm patterns actually repeat like a sentence.  A seasoned dancer will listen to that and read the rhythms, the violins and vocals and respond to that.  The vocal attaches to your soul, the rhythm is going to attach to your hip, while the violin is attaching to your heart area.  Typically, you might respond to violin with upper body, and the lower body to rhythm patterns.  It’s incredibly emotional.  The “job” of a Belly Dancer is to be the visual representation of the music being played – ALL the instruments, like her body is one of them, the instrument being seen with the eye.

DMM: I’m assuming that a lot of women are attracted to belly dancing as a way to get physically fit.  Can you discuss a few of the physical benefits?

KL: Like anything, you’re going to benefit more the more you do it.  When I was introduced to belly dance, I had just got the last of my three children into school.  I had driven them all around for all those years, eating fast foods and such…before I knew it I gained 35 pounds!

When I started belly dancing, I was doing it a lot – just because I loved it!  I never stuck with anything before.  Step aerobics in the gym?  Blech!  [Laughs.]  It was boring!  Anyone that wants to stick with it, spend some time with it…it can be as beneficial as any other form of exercise.  I had surgery in December and afterward the doctor said, “Kudos to belly dance, Kira!”  She told me that the muscle fibers on the inside of my abs were tight and densely packed.  That meant that I had real strength in my abdominal muscles – not just the “washboard ab” look so popular in our culture.  That’s what belly dance does.  You’re working the core of your body from the inside out.  It’s an amazing exercise that’s similar to Pilates.

A lot of exercise just works the top layer [of muscle], and you get that ‘washboard’ look that is so popular here in the US.  It is “our” style and we are entitled to it.  But, much of the Middle East is still Third World and being as thin as we want our models to be on our magazine covers looks like poverty.  To me, it is so much better for a woman to be soft on the surface and strong underneath.   Belly Dance builds strength deep inside the body and you can tell when you watch a dancer if she has it.

But I can see the psychological effects belly dance has had on my students.  Some women walk in slouching a bit, head down, maybe they’ve put on a few pounds…and after a few months they are like this! [Stands erect, with head straight.] It’s a magical experience that builds poise, strength and confidence.  It awakens creativity.  It certainly did for me.  I create all of my own costumes and I never sewed a stitch before doing this!

DMM: Speaking of the costume?  What most of us Westerners see on a belly dancer here – Is that traditional dress for the women over there who practice the art?

KL: The women in the Middle East are very modest.  Most of their costumes were originally a dress…and they would take a scarf and tie it around the hips so that the hip movements would be seen.  But the whole body would be covered.  Somewhere along the line – and the historical accuracy of this sort of thing gets very blurry – this ‘bra and belt’ costume happened.  And Hollywood created it!  However, the Middle East discovered that Americans liked that, and they started making that style of fashion and shipping them here.  But that really is a ‘Hollywood’ thing – the ‘bra and belt’ look.  We created it, but they adopted it and sold it back to us.

DMM: You’ve studied in France, New Zealand, England, Egypt…all over the globe.  What was one of your more memorable experiences performing abroad?

KL: I danced in a club one time over in Egypt, and it was only by accident because my husband took me there.  That was the only way I could get in and see dancing in a club because he took me.  They even gave my taxi driver an argument at the door about letting me in because I was an American dancer.  It was a tiny club well off the beaten path of Cairo.

At first they put me in the back.  They wouldn’t let me anywhere near the stage.  After a while, they saw that I was clapping and I knew the rhythms – so they moved me up a little closer to the front.  After watching me more they figured that I must really know the music.  When the dancers took a break, they asked me to come up on stage.  I was terrified!  I wouldn’t turn and look at the audience.  I danced to just the band.  But that was a very unusual thing over there.  For us over here, it’s rare that we have live musicians.  I’d never danced to live musicians before so I danced to each musician reflecting the music they were playing.  The last guy on the end was the drummer.  By the time I finished dancing to his playing, he stood up from his chair, then got on his knees and started clapping! [Laughs.] All the dancers who worked there had been treating the musicians like they were not even there – like that live band was nothing more than a CD player.  I was THRILLED for the opportunity to dance to what they were playing.

I thanked them nicely, and I went to turn around to exit because my heart was pounding!  But the singer headed me off…he stopped me and he physically backed me up.  I looked over to my taxi driver to see if this was acceptable.  I wasn’t sure if I should stay or go!  He started yelling, “Yalla! Yalla!” (“Let’s go!” in Arabic) so I stayed and danced and started facing the audience.  I looked back over to my driver for some kind of cultural cues.  The singer had stepped aside and I was dancing facing the audience. I began to make my way dancing around the perimeter of the stage but as I was headed toward the far side of the stage, the taxi driver started to yell at me to not go on that side.  Apparently there was a fellow over there, a frequent customer, they all new well as an unseemly character and the singer and taxi driver did not want me to dance over there near him out of respect for me!  Amazing!

It was one of the most magical experiences I ever had.  But also terrifying.  I was literally trembling!

Kira LaFave (pictured middle) served as a waitress at the inaugural Dirty Little Secrets show in February. She'll perform double at this months show as server and featured act. Photo @2011 Frank H. Coleman Jr.

DMM:  What’s one of the biggest misconceptions about the art form?

KL:  That we provide entertainment by taking our costumes off.  Not true!  There are dancers in strip clubs that like the dance movements and take them from us, and that’s fine.  In the end it’s still just dance.  That’s absolutely not a part of middle eastern dance.  Anybody can take dance moves and decide that they’re gonna strip with them.  But it is not what our art form is about, and it is a misnomer.

Some of it is attributed to the fact that, in the Middle East it used to be -and in some places still is – how a dancer makes their money.  You may have seen the tradition where they fan the money over the dancer’s head and it falls all over the floor.  Or sometimes the maitre’ d collects all the money from the tables, staples it into a necklace and puts it over the dancer’s neck.  In some cases, the dancer may allow money to be placed on her costume – but never here [points to her chest.] That’s the only way some women get paid over there.  Over here, dancers that get money placed on their bodies are strippers.  So when Americans see that, there can be some confusion.

DMM:  Lastly Kira, what can we expect from your performance at the Dirty Little Secrets show? (Kira will be performing a solo set, in addition to a collaborative piece with Geborah – a hip-hop dancer making her second appearance at the showcase.)

KL: Geborah and I are going to combine our abilities.  We’re going to take a fusion-sounding piece and display how she would dance to it, and how I would dance to it…and kind of blend with each other.  And then for my performance, I’ll say that most of the audience at the show will not have ever seen anything like this! [Laughs.] Most people are not familiar with what belly dancing really is.  So that will be exciting!

God’s War: Bug Punk and Bel Dames

By 1 Comment

God’s War starts with an intriguing first line, preparing the reader for a brutal ride:

“Nyx sold her womb somewhere between Punjai and Faleen, on the edge of the desert.”

Local author Kameron Hurley tells a dystopian tale of female assassins set in a terrifyingly harsh world of bugs, magicians and religious wars.

Nyx, a female bounty hunter, finds herself in too deep when she takes an assassination note for a missing alien who might be the key to ending the perpetual war in her land.

The inventive and dark story is Hurley’s first published novel and the first of a planned trilogy.

Bloodlines

Bel dames are the thread for the ambitious story. Most people envision a strikingly beautiful woman, but Hurley borrowed the term from ancient Assyrian/Babylonians, which actually means blood avenger. God’s War follows Nyx unflinching through a world of intense, ongoing religious wars, where bugs are both technology and food.

“A lot of what I researched is driven by fascination. There is some terrifying imagery in the Bible. Those Old Testament Bible stories are utterly violent. Heads are chopped off and they are burning people…and as I’m reading, I’m thinking, this is awesome!”

“I really wanted an Old Testament feel for God’s War. I read a lot of accounts of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Ancient Babylonia and Assyria—really getting into a different world view than my own,” said Hurley.

The bug research came from real world experience as well, since Hurley lived in South Africa for a year and a half, in a home overrun with bugs.

“I thought, what if this was normal? How could you leverage them? They use hornets to sniff out explosives in some places. What if bugs could be controlled and utilized in otherworld technology? I took these little nuggets of what happened in the real world and extrapolated it out.”

Next Up

Publishers Weekly calls Hurley’s world-building “phenomenal, with casual references to insectile technology and the world’s history that provide atmosphere without info dumps.” As weighty as the book is, the sensory feel is rich, deep, and at times overwhelming. The main characters—deeply scarred and caustic—can be brought to mind long after the book is finished.

Hurley has mentioned Zuleikha Robinson (Ilana in Lost) as an appropriate choice to play Nyx in a movie version of God’s War.

“Then when I saw Isaiah Mustafa [from the Old Spice commercials] I thought, he could play Rhys. Absolutely!”

It would be fascinating to see two traditionally beautiful people abused and scarred as Nyx and Rhys. The entomophobics among us would cringe at the idea of millions of CGI created bugs populating the movie—but using the real thing would both break the bank and freak people out.

With one book under her belt and more slotted, Hurley has three full time jobs—a marketing and advertising writer in Dayton, promoting and marketing God’s War, and writing and editing her next books.

“I’m not a plot person. It’s on my list of things to do. I start with the different characters and settings and the rest is the process of discovery. I also don’t let myself play World of Warcraft online until the draft is done.”

A self-defined late adopter, Hurley doesn’t own an e-reader yet, but her fans clamored for God’s War in a digital format. Sci-fi and fantasy readers are often ahead of the curve in technology, so it’s no surprise that the book is in demand for e-readers.

“I’ll always have printed books. They are definitely a good thing. But digital publishing will be great in the long run.”

Book two and Hurley’s next novel, Infidel, is slated for a December 2011 release. Building on its success, she is hopeful Night Shade Books, her publisher, will pick up the third book, Babylon.

Visit Kameron at www.KameronHurley.com. God’s War can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Borders.

American Heart Association Sing Your Heart Out [GALLERY]

By 2 Comments

Participants at the "Sing Your Heart Out" belt out a tune at Therapy Cafe on Thursday, Feb. 26.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow Sr. and WHIO-TV’s Brittany McGraw lent their voices to a good cause Thursday Feb. 24 for the 2nd “Sing Your Heart Out” fundraiser held at Therapy Cafe.

The event was an effort to to raise funds and awareness in the fight against heart disease in children and childhood obesity.

Attendees donated money to the American Heart Association for a chance to rock-out to their favorite songs, karoake-style in front of the packed house Thursday night.  If you missed out and still want to contribute, visit http://www.heart.org/daytonohheartball for information about the upcoming 16th Annual Stars of the Heart Ball (March 26), a red carpet affair benefiting the American Heart Association.

For now, see if you spot any familiar faces singing’ to the oldies:

[album: http://www.daytonmostmetro.com/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/Sing Your Heart Out Feb. 2011/]

Baron Von Porkchop Presents The Baron’s Ball [GALLERY]

By Leave a Comment

Members of local punk-rock band Jasper the Colossal perform at The Baron's Ball at Gilly's night club on Saturday, Feb. 26.

DATV’s Baron Von Porkchop held his inaugural Baron’s Ball on Feb. 26th at Gilly’s night club in downtown Dayton.

Four bands played to a raucous crowd of music lovers: the enigmatic Henrique Couto and the Tally Wacker Express, punk-blues man Todd the Fox with Lisa Bunny Foo Foo, rock band Team Void and the frenetic Jasper the Colossal, fronted by singer-songwriter Paige Beller.

All four acts played blistering sets well into the early morning – even sharing the stage at times during frequent impromptu group jamming sessions.

Here’s a glimpse into the music, the madness and the majesty that was the Baron’s Ball:

[album: http://www.daytonmostmetro.com/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/2011 Barons Ball Feb./]

11th Annual Crown Jewels Hat Show [GALLERY]

By 2 Comments

All eyes are on Natasha Williams as she sashays down the aisle during the 11th Annual Crown Jewels Hat Show on Feb. 26.

Books & Company at the Greene hosted the 11th Annual Crown Jewels Hat Show on Feb. 26 and the 300-plus spectators in attendance were treated to a hat and fashion show featuring women from the 2011 Crown Jewels of Dayton calender, as well a few new faces.

The event was everything you’d expect from co-founder Sharon Davis Howard: some strut, a little sass, and a lot of class!

Participants included Generation Dayton’s Jennifer Rettig, Maha Kashani and Jen Cadieux,  news personality Natasha Williams, Deb Norris of Sinclair Community College and a host of other prominent area women (and the first male) strolling down the catwalk.

The event was flashy, fun and fabulous!  For more fun with Crown Jewels plan on attending the Derby Day Brunch on Saturday, May 7th at Brio.

[album: http://www.daytonmostmetro.com/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/11th Crown jewels Show/]

A-Z The Best Food For Runners: A

By Leave a Comment

Everyone loves food. Every….some of us love running. So which foods are the best to stock up on while you pursue that illusive runner’s body? This is the first in a series going through each letter of the alphabet in which I’ll tell you what to eat during the day, what to eat before or during a workout and even throw a few healthy desserts in there. Let’s do this Sesame Street style, one letter at a time.

Big Bird. Keepin' it real since 1969.

Lunch/Dinner

Some people make guacamole just because they like saying "guac"

Most of us are searching for some new things to spice up our lunch and/or dinner menus, and don’t want to try anything too crazy. One of the simplest foods that can easily change your entire meal is the avocado.

Nutrition Facts: Avocados have 60 percent more potassium than bananas. Avocados are high in fiber, so avoid before runs. This will avoid an unnecessary trip to the bathroom! (speaking of which, if you need help in that area – try eating an apricot before a meal!)

There are so many different ways to use this versatile fruit. Making a salad? Dice up an avocado and mix it in with some olive oil. Making corn, peas or other mixed vegetables? Mix in some grilled avocado for a twist on an old favorite.  All of these are great, but the one idea that I’m seeing in more restaurants now is to top a burger with a few slices of avocado. I feel like it works best with a turkey burger, as the tastes just seem to compliment each other perfectly. Here’s a great turkey burger recipe that I found.

Snacks

Source: http://bit.ly/ho88Nv

Post-run:

Guacamole. Duh. Guacamole is made from mashing up an avocado and is relatively healthy, but eat in moderation or you’ll chock up the calories and fat. All it takes to make is to scoop out the avocado from the core, mash up in a bowl, and add things like salt and garlic to taste before blending for a few seconds. This recipe should come in under 1,000 calories, so sharing this with a few people is no big deal. Food Network recipe. Apples can also serve as a great snack after a run, or on any non-running day, especially when combined with peanut butter. Slicing up an apple and dipping it in peanut butter, the more all-natural the better, can serve as a tasty snack that won’t make your stomach churn.

Pre-run:

One of my favorite foods to snack on before a run, or during one, for some light protein are almonds. Although expensive, the almond is very tasty and easy to eat while on the run or in a hurry.

Nutrition Facts: Almonds are high in vitamin E and are relatively low in calories. (The Blue Diamond oven roasted almonds I have contain only 170 calories, while providing 6 grams of protein per serving of 24 almonds!)

Simply delicious.

Dessert

This is the section you were looking for right? I found a great way to incorporate almonds into dessert! Gross right? Well it turns out that almond biscotti tastes great! Originating in Italy, biscotti is a popular type of Italian cookie cake which my grandmother has perfected over the last 50+ years. If you don’t trust her recipe, try another great one from Runner’s World.

I hope you enjoy this series, and I hope you learn about some foods that you may have never known are healthy! Like beans? Hmm…more on that next time.

CROWNS Hat Show Celebrates 11th Anniversary

By Leave a Comment

Back by popular demand, the 11th anniversary edition of the “CROWNS Hat Fashion Show” is returning to Books & Company Saturday, February 26, 2011 at The Greene in Beavercreek.  Sharon D. Howard, event founder and producer will emcee this program, a tribute to the African American women’s tradition of wearing extraordinary hats to church services.

Serving as our models will be women from African-American churches from all over the Miami Valley, who will model their own hats.  Be prepared to see gorgeous creations!  You won’t find prettier hats anywhere.  Also participating will be celebrity models from throughout the Dayton area, including Beavercreek Council Member Vicki Giambrone, Trotwood Mayor Joyce Cameron and Montgomery County Commissioners Debbie Lieberman and Judy Dodge.  Guest escorts will be Kettering Mayor Don Patterson and WDTN’s Jim Bucher.

The “CROWNS Hat Fashion Show” will begin promptly at 3:00pm; it is FREE and open to the public.  Arrive early to get the best seats because this is typically a “standing room only” event!  Books & Company at The Greene is located at 4453 Walnut Street.

For more information about the CROWNS Hat Show, call (937) 572-8001 or (937) 429-6302.

Fairy Godmothers wanted!

By 1 Comment

Going to the Senior Prom is the highlight of mostly every student’s high school experience, especially for girls.  There is nothing more fun for girlfriends to do then to going shopping for dresses made of chiffon, sequins and rhinestone jewels and then go looking all around town or out of town for the perfect shoes and matching clutch purse.

It is a magical time in every high school girl’s life and one of her most memorable. For one night, she is Cinderella. It is a night that every girl should experience but may not due to financial constraints. Like Cinderella, some girls need a fairy godmother to make this dream come true.

Fairy Godmother Project

Therefore, Clothes That Work, in partnership with the Dayton Chapter of The Links, Inc, is hosting the Fairy Godmother Project.  This project allows women to be a fairy godmother to underprivileged local high school girls by donating new and gently used prom gowns, shoes and accessories for the girls to wear. The goal is to make the girls feel like princesses for this very special occasion!

Be a part of the Fairy Godmother Project! Clothes That Work is accepting donations of dresses, shoes and accessories until March 11, 2011 at the following locations: Clothes That Work (1133 S Edwin C Moses Blvd, Suite 392,  Monday – Friday 9am -3pm), The Oakwood Florist (2313 Far Hills Ave, Dayton, Ohio 45419) and Lutheran Church of Our Savior (155 E Thruston Blvd., Dayton, Ohio 45409).

Clothes That Work

The girls will be fitted for their dresses and shoes while eating cake and drinking punch on March 12, 2011 at the Clothes That Work offices.

Last year’s highlight was hearing from the father of one of the beautiful young girls. As the daughter was packing up her dress the father came over and said:

“Thank you for doing this. I had been going crazy trying to figure out how I was going to afford to send her to the prom and thanks to you I don’t have to worry anymore. Today you have not only made my daughter feel like a princess, but you’ve made me feel like Prince Charming.”

For more information contact: Lacie Sims, Marketing & Events Manager, 937-222-3778 x150, [email protected]

Salsa Saturdays At Therapy Cafe [PHOTOS]

By 5 Comments

A couple competes in the Bacahata Dance Contest during Salsa Saturdays on Feb.12 at Therapy Cafe.

Salsa Saturdays with DJ Danny D isn’t a spectator sport.  It requires full participatory ass-shakin’ and hip-swayin’.

Every weekend, DJ Danny D (Danny Diaz) brings a little Miami to the Miami Valley with his Latin-laden dance mixes that keep mamis’ and papis’ hearts racing and pulses pounding.  Last Saturday’s edition featured a Valentine’s Day Bachata dance contest that transformed downtown Dayton’s Therapy Cafe into a Cuban-style dance hall.

Bodies slick with sweat dipped, rolled and spun across the floor.  There were no wallflowers in this urban oasis.  Even the lights danced – performing their own erratic routine against the backs and faces of the torrent of dancers in the darkened night club.

No palm trees.

No LeBron James.

But plenty of Miami heat!

[album: http://www.daytonmostmetro.com/wp-content/plugins/dm-albums/dm-albums.php?currdir=/wp-content/uploads/dm-albums/salsa saturdays/]

Look for an upcoming profile on Danny Diaz (aka DJ Danny D) on DaytonMostMetro.Com soon!



Mistaken Identity: Classic Farce Opens at Sinclair

By Leave a Comment

The Foreigner at Sinclair Theatre - Feb. 18-26, 2011The Foreigner

SINCLAIR THEATRE

Larry Shue loved his comedy. And not just any comedy – but slapstick, drag down, knock out, CLASSIC comedy. Even though The Foreigner opened to sell-out audiences in Milwaukee in 1984, the script feels more like the golden age of comedy a la Sid Caesar. Under the expert direction of Nelson Sheeley, Sinclair Theatre tackles Shue’s classic romp beginning this weekend.

The Foreigner at Sinclair Theatre - Feb. 18-26, 2011Set in a resort fishing lodge in Georgia, the comedy revolves around two of its guests, Englishman Charlie Baker and Staff Sergeant Froggy LeSueur. Charlie is so painfully shy that he is unable to speak. To explain it away, Froggy claims his companion is the native of an exotic country who does not understand a word of English. Before long, Charlie finds himself privy to assorted secrets and scandals freely discussed in front of him by the other visitors. These include spoiled Southern belle Catherine Simms and the man to whom she is somewhat reluctantly engaged,and impregnated by, the Reverend David Lee, a seemingly humble preacher with a dark underside. Her younger brother, Ellard, a chubby and somewhat “slow” boy is a simpleton who tries to teach Charlie how to speak English. Owen Musser, the racist county property inspector, plans to oust property owner Betty Meeks and convert the lodge into a meeting place for the Ku Klux Klan.

The Foreigner is undoubtedly a great evening of laugh-out-loud antics.

It’s hilarity heaped upon hilarity in a style as old as the Greeks, perfected by Carol Burnett, and still the stuff of television sitcoms. In an unprecedented feat for such a wild farce, Shue won two Obie Awards and two Outer Circle Critics Award for Best New American Play and Outstanding Off-Broadway Production of 1984. The only other major return to New York for the play was the 2004 Roundabout Theatre Production starring the then fresh-off-The Producers Matthew Broderick. However, Shue never saw the success of his work following the Milwaukee original cast as he passed away just one year after its premiere. He was just 39, and still his two major plays – The Foreigner and 1981’s The Nerd are indeed a part of the American Theatre fabric.

The Sinclair cast includes: Chris Hahn, Isaac Hollister, Melissa Kerr Ertsgaard, Nick Moberg, Sarah Parsons, Travis Clyburn and Steven Brotherton.

-DB

We encourage local theatre companies to submit calendar items HERE, and official press releases to [email protected].

Tickets & Performance Information:

The Foreigner presented by Sinclair Theatre February 18-26, 2011Larry Schue’s THE FOREIGNER – February 08-26 – Performance Times Vary (click for details)

Tickets Prices: $15 Adult; $10 Students/Seniors/Sinclair Employees

Location:  Blair Hall Theatre, Building 2, Sinclair Community College – 444 West Third St, Dayton, OH 45402 (MAP)

Tickets are on sale now through Sinclair Theatre’s Online Box Office, or via phone at (937) 512-2808

For more information about Dayton Theatre Guild’s entire 2010-2011 season, visit http://www.sinclair.edu/arts/theatre/season/index.cfm or contact Sinclair Theatre via email at [email protected]

Our Bikeways Are At Risk!

By Leave a Comment

The feeling that our community is an amazing place to live, work and play is something I’m sure all most all Dayton area residents posses.  The increased quality of life provided by access to recreation facilities and programs has been proven via numerous scientific studies and survey research over the years.  Facilities such as hiking trails, multi-use paths, and rivers provide a unique character to a community supporting a vibrant and active culture.  There is an obvious correlation between the most livable cities in the United States and those that are considered “Outdoor Adventure” destinations and “Bike Friendly Communities.”

That outdoor culture and vibrancy many of us value so highly is currently at stake as proposed legislation at the state and federal level poses a threat to the funding streams communities rely on to support projects of this nature.  Over the past 30 years over 50 million dollars have been invested in our amazing regional bikeway network which has now become one of the most exstensive trail systems in the US, totally over 260 miles in the Miami Valley.

Please take a moment to review the message below from American Trails, an organization whose mission is to ensure the development and protection for trails in the future. For over 20 years, American Trails has been the collective voice for a diverse coalition of enthusiasts, professionals, land managers, conservationists, and friends of the outdoors and livable cities. For more information about American Trails, visit www.americantrails.org

Now more than ever, advocates must convince Congress that money spent on trails, bike/ped facilities, parks, and outdoor recreation is a sound investment in the country’s economy. The health of our children, as well as our cities, will depend on expanding transportation choices and preserving trails, open space, parks, and places for recreation.

As our nation looks closely at the increase in childhood obesity, the need for healthier lifestyle choices for everyone, safe routes for active transportation, and urban development, there are major issues to address. Trails, greenways, bikeways, and other routes are a critical part of the solution.

Every individual and organization concerned with trails and bike/ped facilities should tell their members of Congress why funding for these programs is important.

Please pass this message on through your networks!

Federal budget cuts will affect trails!

This week in Washington, the focus is on the federal budget, the deficit, and proposed cuts to spending on every aspect of national programs. The House of Representatives will vote on legislation (H.R. 1) that would cut current spending by at least $100 billion below the President’s FY 2011 request. Floor debate begins Tuesday. Here’s what we know so far that will affect trail funding:

Land and Water Conservation Fund: The House proposal would reduce funding for trails, parks, and land conservation by 90 percent. Funds that are appropriated to states would be virtually eliminated. See details and how you can take action…

Federal land management budgets: Major cuts are also proposed in the current House budget for a wide variety of construction, maintenance, and supporting programs on federal public lands. This includes trails and recreation areas on National Forests, Bureau of Land Management lands, US Fish & Wildlife Refuges, and the National Parks. Read more on cuts to federal land management…

ATTENTION: Devastating attack on trails, walking, and bicycling could happen this week! Though we do not know details yet, we anticipate a congressional amendment that could do away with or hobble transportation-funded programs like the Recreational Trails Program, Transportation Enhancements, (the nation’s largest funding source for trails, walking, and bicycling), and Safe Routes to School. There is strength in numbers! Therefore, we are working with many other organizations to defeat such a damaging amendment. No action is needed to protect these three programs at the moment; we just wanted to give you a heads-up that an amendment could be offered in the coming days. You can expect an action alert from us. If it comes, please do not delay in speaking up. If such an amendment is offered, we might have mere hours to respond.

Proposed House budget: Read the details of the House proposed reductions in federal programs for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2011: Table of FY 2011 Continuing Resolution reductions (pdf 53 kb)

Hearings on Federal Transportation reauthorization: The House Transportation Committee has scheduled a series of field hearings on Federal Transportation reauthorization during February 2011, starting with West Virginia on Feb. 14 and moving on to the West Coast by Feb. 21-23. Plan to attend these sessions and speak up for continuing trails and bike/ped facilities (Recreational Trails Program, Transportation Enhancements, and Safe Routes to School) in the next reauthorization bill. Please help spread the word! See current hearing schedule and locations…

TAKE ACTION!

American Trails, the League of American Bicyclists, the Rails to Trail Conservancy, and other nationwide organizations have been urging key members of Congress and Administration officials to recognize the importance of funding for trails and related facilities.

There is strength in numbers and we need to present a unified voice for trails, to tell their story, to present their endless benefits, and to make the case for funding them. Join us in contacting your Senators and Representatives to let them know why these programs are vital to your local efforts.

Contact your Representative by visiting this website: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Contact your Senators by visiting this website: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Please pass this message on through your networks!

Virtuosos at Home – In South Park

By 2 Comments

Eileen Whalen

The following was submitted by Galen Wilson

South Park’s own is one of two featured soloists in concert with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra on Friday and Saturday, February 25 and 26, at the Schuster Center, 8:00 p.m.  The concert, titled “Virtuosos at Home,” includes solos by Eileen Whalen, the orchestra’s principal oboe, and John Kurokawa, principal clarinet.

Eileen will play Bach’s Concerto in A Major for Oboe d’amore.  She describes it as a “happy, joyful piece with an introspective inner movement.”  It is not accompanied by the full orchestra but only by strings.  She chose this piece in part because she has never played it before.

A surprising detail of this concert is that the orchestra’s principal oboist will not, in fact, be playing the oboe, but rather the “oboe d’amore.”  Eileen describes this instrument as the “forgotten middle child” of the oboe family, larger than the oboe but smaller than the English horn.  Invented in the mid-17th century, it was a very popular instrument in the Baroque era but is no longer part of the standard contemporary orchestra.  It differs from the oboe in having a bell-shaped rather than a simple flared horn, and is pitched a minor third below the oboe.  In other words, the fingering Eileen uses on the oboe to obtain a “C” pitch produces an “A” on the oboe d’amore.  Eileen also notes that most oboe players do not own an oboe d’amore, including her.  She will be playing a rented instrument on February 25 and 26.

Eileen first heard an oboe in a recording of Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” that her parents played for her when she was only two or three, and she loved the sound of it from the start.  She did not start to play the oboe until junior high school.  Unlike violins, there is no such thing as oboe “junior” sizes, so most oboists do not start when very young.  Although she loved music, she did not decide to make a career of it until the summer before starting college, and gave up a slot in the honors program of one college to enroll in Rice University’s music department.  She finished her bachelor’s degree at the University of Cincinnati’s Conservatory of Music, and has since earned her Master’s degree at the California Institute of the Arts.

Although it is upwards of 300 years old, the oboe continues to be refined and improved.  Minor adjustments to the basic instrument have even come about since Eileen began to play.  Ironically, these improvements may actually make it more difficult to play Baroque pieces on instruments of newer design.  Continual design changes are possible because unlike many other instruments, particularly strings, oboes do not survive for decades or hundreds of years.  Wear and tear, particularly on the “central bore” of the instrument, robs an oboe of projection and eventually of correct pitch as the bore shrinks, enlarges, and warps.  A professional needs to replace her oboe every three to five years.

A good oboist is also a good craftsman.  Eileen devotes an entire room in her home to making reeds for her instrument.  Beginning with pieces of cane grown in France, Eileen uses a series of tools such as the pregouger, gouger, shaper, and—interestingly—guillotine to craft reeds for her instrument.  Because it is organic matter, a reed is subject to changes brought about by humidity and even altitude.  A reed lasts on the average only 10 to 15 hours of playing.

Eileen moved to Dayton’s Historic South Park neighborhood in 2005, primarily because it was a neighborhood where she could find a house she both liked and could afford.  She loves the high ceilings and carved woodwork inside her home, and the rich variety of architecture throughout the neighborhood.  But more importantly, she loves the community spirit of South Park and the fact that she has made so many friends here.  She says, “I’ve moved around a lot.  The older you are, the harder it is to make friends in a new place because people of your own age group are more settled and involved with their own families.”  If she had known how many friends awaited her in South Park, she’d have moved here the minute she arrived in Dayton.  She has been active in neighborhood activities, most recently in spearheading a morning of “guerilla landscaping” in which neighbors gathered to clean up an abandoned lot.

Eileen has been the principal oboe of the Dayton Philharmonic since 2001.  Prior to that, she held that same position at the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra and Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic.  As a member of the Dayton Philharmonic Woodwind Quintet, Eileen performs 52 concerts that reach over 3,000 school children each year.  She says she is fortunate to be able to do what she loves as a full-time job, to have great colleagues to work with in the Dayton Philharmonic, and to play in such a “fantastic” hall as the Schuster Center.

Virtuosos at Home is part of the Miami Valley & Good Samaritan Hospitals Classical Series and can be seen at the Schuster Center on Friday and Saturday February 25-26.  Ticket information can be found at http://www.daytonphilharmonic.com/content.jsp?articleId=1804

Valentine Tip – Take her to the Dayton Ballet’s “A Streetcar Named Desire”

By Leave a Comment

Kettering Health Network presents Dayton Ballet’s sizzling, A Streetcar Named Desire along with the very athletic Freudian Slip, Five Flights up and Basics, Valentine’s weekend, Feb. 10-13, 2011 at the historic Victoria Theatre.

Premiered in 2008, Karen Russo Burke’s steamy A Streetcar Named Desire was called “…a triumph…” by Dayton Daily News arts reporter Terry Morris, and includes a hot original score plus stunning choreography. Audiences will delight in the revivals of additional repertory pieces on the program including another Russo Burke favorite, Freudian Slip, a tongue-in-cheek showcase of the athleticism and beauty of the Company’s female dancers. Stephen Mill’s Five Flights Up is a fun and cheeky vaudevillian ballet. The final ballet on the program, Dermot Burke’s Basics, highlights fast-paced physical choreography by the Company’s male dancers and is so intense even the audience is out of breath at the end!

Performances of Dayton Ballet’s A Streetcar Named Desire will play Thursday, Feb. 10 at 8 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 12 at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m.

Tickets are on sale now and start at $20! Call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or (888) 228-3630 or visit online at www.ticketcenterstage.com.  Ticket Center Stage hours are Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday Noon-4 p.m. and two hours prior to each performance.

Permission to utilize A Streetcar Named Desire material is by arrangement with The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee.

Founded in 1937 by Josephine Schwarz, Dayton Ballet is the second-oldest professional dance company in the United States and holds a unique historical place in the nation and in the Miami Valley.  Performing in the state-of-the-art Schuster Center and the historic Victoria Theatre, Dayton Ballet is known as the “Company of Premieres.”  Throughout the last decade, Dayton Ballet has been one of the top three dance companies in the nation in the production and presentation of new work.

Under the leadership of Director, Dermot Burke, Dayton Ballet has 15 professional dancers and is supported by the Board of Trustees and the Associate Board.  Committed to its mission to “educate, enlighten and entertain,” Dayton Ballet presents new works and traditional American dance classics as well as remaining devoted to its youth education and community outreach programs, including the Dayton Ballet School.

Dayton Ballet is a non-profit organization funded by the Ohio Arts Council, Culture Works, the Montgomery County Arts & Cultural District and numerous corporations, foundations and individuals.

Oregon District’s “Rule of 17” is History

By 10 Comments

As a follow-up to my previous article (please read first) detailing my take on the situation in the Oregon District, I’ll begin by telling you that at last night’s Oregon Historic District Society (OHDS) general membership meeting that I attended, the board of trustees ultimately voted to sign a letter of agreement with the City of Dayton and the Oregon District Business Association that abolishes the “Rule of 17” – an informal resolution passed by city commission stating that at the neighborhood’s request, the city commission would formally object to the State of Ohio Division of Liquor Control any liquor license applications within the OD above and beyond 17.  The funny thing is, after having sat through this sometimes-contentious two-hour meeting with the board and a couple dozen or so neighborhood residents, I get the feeling that this was about much more than liquor licenses.  The following is my personal account of the meeting, and my personal view of the situation.

OHDS vs ODBA

After other less controversial neighborhood business, the discussion turned to the “Rule of 17” and I quickly understood just how deep the divide is between the neighborhood OHDS and the Oregon District Business Association (ODBA).  It is possible that the Israeli–Palestinian conflict might be an easier nut to crack than the OD Divide, with the City of Dayton playing a similar role to the U.S. in that never-ending struggle.  As the conversation moved between trustees and neighborhood residents in the audience (no ODBA or City of Dayton reps were present – correction, one trustee and at least one audience member were ODBA members but not officially representing the ODBA at this meeting), I quickly noticed that many people looked at the situation in terms of a negotiation – one in which they insisted on “getting something” in return for their “concessions” with the perceived enemy.  Emotions ran high with some, and at one point an audience member even started cursing before storming out.  Dissension among the trustees was also obvious despite their genuine attempt to maintain a level of professional decorum.

The specific issue at hand was an agreement drafted by the City of Dayton and signed by the president of the ODBA that outlined a series of steps involving the drawing of new precinct boundaries between the neighborhood and business district, the creation of a ballot measure in which neighborhood residents would have the opportunity to vote their neighborhood precinct “dry” (meaning no liquor license applications could be granted to any business within the residential neighborhood), and finally the abolishment of the “Rule of 17”.  (DaytonMostMetro.com obtained a copy of this letter that can be downloaded here)  As it is worded, the abolishment of the “Rule of 17” would take effect once the letter was signed – language that was the center of debate at the OHDS meeting.

Some trustees and residents voiced concern that if the letter was signed as was currently worded, neither the ODBA nor the city would be required to actually work with the OHDS on the new precinct boundaries or ballot measure and there was the potential for the neighborhood to “get nothing in return” for abolishing the “Rule of 17”.  One trustee insisted that getting rid of the “Rule of 17” would not necessarily mean that desirable businesses would suddenly begin to fill the vacant spaces that exist on Fifth Street.  An audience member dismissed the usefulness of voting the neighborhood precinct dry since any new bar or restaurant would most likely be looking to locate in the business district anyway.  Various audience members voiced concern about parking issues and potential for more problems in the neighborhood should more businesses open along Fifth Street.  It was hard to tell but it seemed like half of those opposed simply wanted to maintain the status quo, and the other half were willing to move forward but wanted stricter language in the agreement that ensured that the ballot measure to vote the neighborhood precinct dry was implemented before getting rid of the “Rule of 17”.

Some in favor of moving forward believed the city commission and others viewed the OHDS as an unreasonable body not willing to compromise on anything, and that by simply signing the agreement and trusting the other parties to continue to work in good faith would help the OHDS’s image and help finally bring the neighborhood and business district together.  One trustee made the point that the “Rule of 17” had little meaning as an informal resolution that neither the city commission nor the state liquor board were bound to abide to.  Another trustee made a motion to draft an alternative letter that would abolish the “Rule of 17” once new precinct lines were drawn and the city commission passed an informal resolution stating that they would work with the neighborhood to get the ballot measure implemented by 2012.  After a lot of back and forth between trustees and audience members, that motion was removed and another trustee moved (in an almost “let’s just do it and go home” gesture) that the board simply sign the letter as is and be done with it.  By then it had been almost two hours since the meeting started, and the feeling that this whole thing would likely be drawn out for eternity was suddenly replaced with a climatically abrupt and suspenseful vote by the board of trustees.

The vote started with one trustee who went on to explain her no vote until shockingly being yelled at by another trustee who insisted that everybody had their chance to speak and nothing more needed to be said.  The next three trustees voted yes, the next three voted no.  4-3 no, with two more to go… the next trustee voted yes and the deciding vote came down to the board president.  I think everybody expected the board president to vote no which at best would draw this process out until God knows when; at worst it would simply stop all progress and further the divide between neighborhood and business district.  But in a dramatic climax that had the feel of a “Law and Order” court scene, the board president gave his one-word response… “Yes”.  The motion passed 5-4 and the thick suspense that had been hanging in the room was quickly replaced by gasps – some of victory, some of defeat.  The meeting was quickly adjourned and I left minutes later.  I have no idea if blood was spilled after that.

Now understand – while I personally know many of the players involved on both sides and plenty of residents in the OD, my perspective is that of somebody who does not live there.  I’ve never been to an OHDS meeting before last night.  But in the two hours I spent at that meeting and with a better-than-average knowledge of the issues, I can comfortably offer my perspective.  This is a complicated issue that goes way beyond the “Rule of 17”, and while I still believe the decision to abolish it was good, I doubt doing so will do much to solve the real problems of the neighborhood, nor will it magically bring all of the Meadowlarks and Rue Dumaines of the world to Fifth Street.  The residents against getting rid of the “Rule of 17” have very valid concerns, and the more I heard those concerns last night the more I get the feeling that many held onto the “Rule of 17” because they felt it was the only thing they had to maintain their quality of life.  Granted, it is still my belief that if you want peace and quiet then go live in Oakwood – but even somebody looking for the urban living experience shouldn’t have to be woken up in the middle of the night on a regular basis by drunk assholes smashing beer bottles and pissing on a few houses on the way to their parked cars that they probably shouldn’t be driving anyway.  I really believe that if the city granted the neighborhood permit parking then the liquor license debate would end for most people in the neighborhood.  It is time for the city to step up and seriously work with the neighborhood to get something to that effect passed.  Fix the atrocious intersection at Fifth and Patterson and make it pedestrian friendly.  Finish by making the massive Transportation Garage (that is literally steps away but barely used by OD patrons) more inviting with nice lighting and signage.  Parking problem solved… you’re welcome.

As for the feud between the OHDS and ODBA, I think it comes down to a few personalities on both sides that have long ago given up on working together.  I have no idea who is right and who is wrong.  Perhaps just because of the nature of things (bars and homes rarely mix well), there will always be friction.  But without a true cooperative spirit, the OD will never reach its full potential.  Perhaps it is time for those who refuse to let go of the past to become part of the past and step aside so that those with fresh ideas and optimism untainted by past failures can step forward and lead the OD into a brighter future.

Now excuse me while I go have a drink with a side of irony at my neighborhood bar, which happens to be… the Southern Belle.