Lisa Grigsby

Celebrating Life’s Stories® Virtual Event Supports Mission of Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton

September 12, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton is hosting its first-ever virtual fundraising event, Celebrating Life’s Stories®, on Thursday, Sept. 17, at noon via zoom. The event will feature highlights about the services and programs available to the patients and families Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton has the privilege to serve.

“This event supports our mission of celebrating the lives of those we have the privilege of serving by providing superior care and superior services to each patient and family,” said Lori Poelking-Igel, executive director of the Hospice of Dayton Foundation. “Because of the generosity of the community, we are able to provide exceptional support services to our patients and families.”

Funds raised through the virtual event will help support patient care through 2020 and beyond. Community support enables Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton to:

· Provide superior care and superior services to anyone in the community facing end-of-life illnesses, regardless of their ability to pay.

· Provide individualized grief support at no cost to anyone in the community.

· Provide complementary services, such as massage, music and art therapy.

· Provide palliative care to patients whose chronic disease compromises their quality of life.

To learn more about the Celebrating Life’s Stories® virtual event on Sept. 17, which begins at noon, visit https://hospiceofdayton.org/cls2020.

10?’s With Chef Aimee Plesa

September 11, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

Aimee Plesa is a 34 year industry professional. She started her culinary career at the age of 14 at the K&W in Springboro before moving on to her first management position at Hot Sam’s in the Dayton Mall and eventually the executive chef at Ollie’s Place, kitchen manager at Bargos Grill & Tap and the executive chef at Hammel House Inn Bed & Breakfast. She is a self taught chef who has participated locally in the Dayton Chef Showdown, Bloody Mary Showdown and AleFeast. She is also a food writer for Warren County Online News and Tastes of the Tri-State as well as being the owner of Thyme After Thyme Gourmet.

While she’s been getting ready to open the restaurant at Hammel House in Waynesville, she took a few minutes to answer our 10 question interview:

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

Overall, I have to say tomatoes are my favorite ingredient to work with. There are so many ways to use them, the possibilities are virtually endless. My current tomato obsession is working with heirlooms. The flavor is unmatched and I can get lost in the colors as I prep them.

What ingredient do you dread?

I’m not sure “dread” is the right word, but I always flinch a little when I have to work with seafood of any kind. I’m allergic to any water dwelling creature, so I can’t taste any of the recipes I create that use them. I fly by the seat of my pants and rely that my intuition is right when it comes to pairing flavors and textures. And pray to the kitchen gods that my coworkers are completely honest when they taste test.

What’s your favorite dish to make?

Soups! They are so warm and comforting and can make any meal feel a little more special. Plus, they can be a true test of creativity when you’re met with a random assortment of ingredients that need to be used up.

What’s your favorite pig out food?

This is probably the hardest question on this list LOL My favorite pig out food really depends on what kind of mood I’m in and what time of the year it is. Some of my favorites include Taco Bell Doritos los Tacos, DLM Killer Brownies and the peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal cookies from Big Sky Bread Company. Special shoutouts for pumpkin spice lattes, Ghiradelli peppermint chocolate squares and Reese peanut butter eggs.

What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

For Italian food, hands down Mama DiSalvo’s! The Eggplant Parmesan is simply to die for. And nobody beats the chicken tenders at Bargos! Bentino’s 4 cheese pizza also keeps me coming back for more.

What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Some of the weirdest sounding combinations can be absolutely delicious.

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

I don’t need 4 guests to answer this question, I just need one. My father. He passed away when I was 24, well before my culinary career took off, and I would love to have him sample my cooking. One of my happiest memories from my childhood was cooking for him and I think he would be pleasantly surprised at what I can cook now.

If I absolutely had to include 3 more people, I would choose former President Obama because I think it would be a great experience to break bread and share a drink with him; Keanu Reeves because he is the epitome of non-chalant celebrity cool. Number four would have to be a package deal-Neil Peart, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson of Rush. They have been my favorite band since I was in grade school for so many reasons.

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?

To be honest, I don’t closely follow the people of the industry-locally, nationally or globally. I loosely follow the trends and local news but I’m not really invested in it as a whole.

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I am on the verge of opening a new kitchen, what is a day off? LOL

I love visiting Jungle Jim’s. I can literally spend an hour in the cheese section alone. My close friends Cathy and Megan can confirm this. I also enjoy walking the trails around Caesar’s Creek, shopping for carnival glass in Waynesville and playing music trivia at Heather’s. Scott Hall IS the trivia host with the most. I have also recently accepted a writing position with Warren County Online News, so a good chunk of my free time is spent sharing recipes on there.

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

The biggest “lucky break” I have gotten in this industry led me to my current position at Hammel House. One night I had to work late and open early at my former position, so I just got a hotel room for the night. Once I checked into my room, I opened my Facebook messenger and had a random message pop up. A business owner in Waynesville was asking if I was the Aimee that used to work at Cobblestone Cafe (I was one of two), and if I was that Aimee, the new owners at Hammel House would like to speak with me. I followed up on her message the following morning and through a series of texts, emails, phone calls and in-person meetings, I was offered the job. Jona-thank you!!!

Zac Pitts Leaving TV Show To Coach Others

September 9, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

Many have you may have heard that Zac Pitts will be leaving Living Dayton in October. We’ve spent many hours visiting with him on the set between appearances on the show to promote events over the years, but we still had some questions for him:

After 5 years on Living Dayton- what have you learned?

The last 5 years of Living Dayton taught me the power of collaboration and creativity. The Living Dayton team is made up of some of the hardest working people I’ve ever met. It’s a small, but mighty team. Producing an hour’s worth of live content 5 days a week requires a great deal of efficiency and planning. However, the most valuable thing I learned from Living Dayton is how to truly connect with people through a screen. I love meeting people who watch the show that say…”Oh, you’re the same guy in person that I watch on tv”. Living Dayton taught me the power of authenticity.

Favorite Memories from the show?

Let’s be real…I got paid to have fun every day and meet some really cool people! I had the opportunity to interview some of my favorite celebrities like, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rob Schneider, Steve-O and the list goes on. But the one thing that really stands out is when my photographer (and really good friend) Phil and I drove to Perfect North and spent the whole day shooting stories for the start of ski season. We literally spent the day getting paid to ski and have fun talking to people. I remember thinking “damn, this is cool!”

What won’t you miss?

Touring Mikesell’s Snack Food Company

Simply put…a 9 to 5. When I started my professional career, I would wake up at 2:30am to do the morning news and sometimes get home around 2pm. When I started the 9-5 schedule I loved it! However, 3 years into it I started feeling like every day was predictable. Don’t get me wrong, I love structure and order to my day, but I want my day to start and end differently every day!

What’s Next?

Earlier this year I started creating Passion2Profession. My team and I will focus on helping our community transition into the new digital economy, teaching them how to profit from their personality, knowledge, passions and expertise through video content. Passion2Profession will help entrepreneurs and small business owners build courses, content membership communities as well as producing live virtual workshops and events. My driving force behind this company is to create jobs and financial opportunities for anyone willing to put in the work to build a better future for themselves and others.

What gave you inspiration for Passion2Profession?

Years ago when I was a reporter in Cincinnati I was covering a story about a career workshop for high school students. Somewhere in the presentation the speaker told the crowd of students that no matter what career they pursued, to find a way to make their passion their profession. It was such a profound statement that’s stuck with me ever since.

A few years into hosting Living Dayton I started developing terrible anxiety and having panic attacks on live tv! I had dealt with them before when I worked in news. It was really embarrassing. Though I loved my job I kept struggling with the question of “Is this what I’m really meant to do?” What helped me snap out of the funk was focusing 100% on making the guests feel comfortable and confident on camera! Often times Living Dayton would be people’s first experience going on live tv. Understandably, they were nervous! They’d say, “What if I freeze up?” “What if I stumble?”. I’d coach them before going on air and let them know I wouldn’t let them fail! I loved hearing “Wow, you made that really easy!” “Thanks, you really helped me calm down.”

That’s when I realized my true calling is to give people the confidence to get their message out into the world! I believe the point of life is to grow and to give. So I figured if I can help someone become confident on camera and show them how to monetize their knowledge, expertise or experiences through video content I could help them develop a new revenue stream for their business.

The 2 in Passion2Profession is meant to highlight the concept that it takes at least 2 people working together to make something great. Life should be a series of collaborations, not competition.

What kind of classes can we anticipate?

We’re kicking things off with “The On Camera Switch”. This introductory course is ultimately designed to help people be more confident on camera and develop their message. But it really goes into the fundamental framework of growing your personal brand on social media and how you can become a person known for a particular skill or expertise. This course will really help people start wrapping their heads around the knowledge business and how to get started. You can pre-order the course now through September 27th at Passion2ProfessionDayton.com.

As we continue to grow we’ll partner up with different clients and experts to help them scale their business by helping them with all the technical and production aspects of growing their online channel. We want to have programs that cater to personal and professional development, but leave plenty of room for content that’s just fun!

Who do you envision as your perfect customer?

The ideal Passion2Profession client is someone who’s not only driven, but is also “a giver”. We want to work with people who are hungry to make an impact serving others with their knowledge, passions and experiences! We want to work with people who are open to new ideas and want to grow personally and professionally.

What else should we know?

My goal is to create jobs and revenue streams for people passionate about their calling in life. Every one has a story and life lesson that could help someone else. As I mentioned before, I think the meaning of life is to grow and to give. The more we can grow and learn from our experiences, the more insight we can give to others to help them along their path!

Dayton Mall To Host Drive-In Gospel Concert

September 8, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

Jeff and Sheri Easter

Dayton Mall invites families to enjoy a special social distancing concert event on Sept. 20. The concert is sponsored by Mosaic Church, and will feature their own band as the opening act. Headlining the concert are Jeff and Sheri Easter. Jeff and Sheri travel with a live band, have garnered many awards and chart topping songs, and appear regularly on the Bill Gaither Homecoming Series on TV, radio, and live concerts. Also featured is the Cincinnati based Derrick Loudermilk Band, bringing their blend of Southern Gospel and worship style of music to the concert.

Cars will be admitted starting at 1pm, concert starts at 1:30pm and guests can secure their free tickets in advance through Eventbrite starting Friday, Sept. 11^th.

“This will be our fourth outdoor concert this summer, and our third drive-in event,” said Dave Duebber, General Manager, at Dayton Mall. “We are excited to continue to provide our community with a safe way to enjoy music.”

When guests arrive, cars will be directed to a spot safely spaced from other visitors where they can tune their radio to a designated station for audio streaming. With health and safety as the top priority, teams will ensure community members stay inside or within arms-length of their cars while they have a fun afternoon out.

Food and beverages will be available from a variety of food trucks as well as great options from the mall food court and outside restaurants. Restrooms and hand-washing stations will be available at the event site.

The concert is free to the public, and guests are required to reserve one ticket per vehicle. Please visit daytonmall.com for all the details.

Dayton Mall remains focused on providing a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. In the continued need to address COVID-19, the town center has proactively implemented additions to the Code of Conduct, effective immediately and until further notice.

These additions include the following guidelines:

Practice social distancing and stay at least 6 feet (2 meters) from other people.
Covering your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover in accordance with state and local guidelines.
Do not gather in groups.
Adhere to each individual tenant’s COVID-19 policies.
Adhere to all federal, state and local regulations, recommendations and mandates regarding COVID-19.

The Code of Conduct is posted at the Center and available online.

Dayton Mall’s already rigorous disinfectant and cleaning practices will also continue many times per day, including periodically disinfecting areas most susceptible to the spread of germs. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer dispensers are located in highly trafficked areas and walkways for public use.

10 ?’s with Chef Xtine Brean

September 4, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

Chef Xtine Brean is well known within the Miami Valley vegan circle. She’s been cooking up some amazing plant-based meal for years, first out of a pop up truck at various festivals, then from her food truck, the
Om Nom Mobile Cafe . Most recently she has served as food-services coordinator at Central State University. Her dream has always been to make her food accessible to everyone, and awakening omnivores to the tasty food she can make using 1000’s of plants. This Saturday, Sept 5th, she will open the doors to Cafe 1610, located in the District Provisions Building at at 521 Wayne Ave with partners Molly Blackshear and Cathy Mong.

Hours:

Wed- Fri 8am- 2pm

Saturday: 10am – 4pm

Sunday: 10am – 4pm and 5-9pm with Guest Chefs

While she was busy prepping to open her new restaurant, Xtine made time to answer our Chef 10?’s.

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?

Trumpet Mushrooms

They are so wonderful and “meaty”. The fact that they shed so perfectly means you can use them as ‘pulled pork’. Saute them, roast them, delicious. The other thing their known for its vegan scallops, perfect texture

What ingredient do you dread?

Jackfruit

So labor intensive to break down and not terribly excited about the flavor although I was talking to another chef earlier who suggested rinsing it before cooking.

What’s your favorite dish to make?

Chili This has been my signature dish for over 8 years. I served it at LARP events to meat eaters and forgot to tell him that it was vegan and they never complained and in fact ask for more every single time. plus I can make a megaton of it at a time, put it in Ziploc bags and freeze it in portions that I can use later

What’s your favorite pig out food?

I will kill a bag of chips! it’s unfortunate that the chip world seems to think you need a milk products to make flavor stick. Standing around in the chip aisle reading ingredients people think I’m crazy but so many of them hide whey. And besides I just like a good Ripple chip that’s nice and salty….. Goes great with a nice michelada!

What restaurant, other than your own, do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?

Melt in Fairborn, love that place. They have so many vegan versions of their classic menu items that they had to create a whole separate menu for them! And although their mac and cheese is not quite as good as mine they have plenty of mix-ins that can make it really fun

What’s your best advice for home chefs?

Don’t be afraid of fresh herbs! They can take a dish from okay to oh wow. I feel like parsley is particularly underrated. it will brighten up so many dishes if added at the end

If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?

My 2 business partners, my bestie and my boyfriend

I like to break bread with people I can relax with, eat, drink and laugh with….and who will be glad to do the dishes afterward!

Who do you look up to in industry and why?

Isa Chandra Moscowitz, the most innovative and creative vegan chef out there. She took her career from influencer to restaurateur!

What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?

I’m a big history fan. I like to stroll through Carrillon Park as often as I can

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:

I remember a grand opening 7 or so years ago that caught us completely off guard. Over 100 people showed up, we had no hostess, the ticket time was over an hour in some cases, complete chaos BOH. That’s the only time I’ve ever wanted to cry in a kitchen. Knowing what can go wrong will for sure make this new opening as smooth as possible!

Fleming’s Rolls Out Three Course Filet Meals

September 2, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar at The Greene is welcoming fall with a new three-course menu featuring filets, starting at sixty dollars, for a limited time. Available for service in their dining room, or paced to-go for your dining room.

The meal starts with a seasonal Harvest Salad- arugula, hearts of romaine, toasted pistachios, herbed goat cheese, crispy prosciutto, dates & fig vinaigrette.

Then chose your Filet:

Petite Filet Mignon & New Orleans Barbeque Shrimp | 65
8oz filet mignon topped with a trio of sautéed shrimp in a spicy worcestershire sauce

Petite Filet Mignon & Wild Mushroom Ragout | 60
8oz filet mignon topped with a gruyère au gratin mushroom medley & parmesan crisp

Petite Filet Mignon & Blue Cheese Crust | 60
8oz filet mignon topped with danish blue cheese & fig demi-glace

Guests may substitute for 11oz Main Filet Mignon for an additional seven dollars

And end your meal with STICKY DATE PUDDING – a spiced cake, warm caramel served with honeycomb brittle & chantilly cream.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar

4432 Walnut Street
Dayton, OH 45440
937-320-9548

Labor Day Family Value Weekend at Young’s Jersey Dairy

September 2, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

Take advantage of a special Family Value wristband good for all day, unlimited family fun at Young’s Jersey Dairy.

Play Udders & Putters miniature golf, batting cages, driving range, Moovers & Shakers, Cowvin’s Fast Slide, Cowvin’s Kiddie Corral, Cowvin’s Corny Maze, and Wagon Ride on the Farm.

Each wristband is good for all day fun on the date purchased. Cost is $15 (ages 12 & over) $9 (ages 11 & under). Wristbands can be purchased at Cowvin’s Corny Bin.

Cowvin’s Corny Maze Playland

Opens for weekends for now, then daily starting September 21st – 11am-6pm

Cowvin, the baby of the Cow Family, has created a family fun maze at Young’s Jersey Dairy. The maze is created from more than 3½ acres of cornfield and has over one mile of paths.

The maze is open 11am everyday (weather dependent) to around 6pm to give the last group at least an hour before it starts getting dark to find their way out.

Cowvin’s Corny Maze goes through our cornfield and has many twists, dead-ends and tricky twists. It’s an adventure!

The price is $7.50 a person age 5 and older. Age 4 and under are free. Children age 11 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Price includes a wagon ride to and from the maze.

Tickets can be purchased at Cowvin’s Corny Bin or in The Marketplace in The Dairy Store. Are you up for the challenge?

Udders & Putters

10am-10pm Daily

(Miniature Golf, Driving Range & Batting Cages)

11am-7pm Daily

(Moovers & Shakers, Cowvin’s Fast Slide & Cowvin’s Kiddie Corral)

Lemon Berry Radler Raises Funds for Breast Cancer Services

August 31, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

Moeller Brew Barn has once again partnered with a local organization, the Pink Ribbon Girls, in an effort to raise awareness about breast cancer.

“It’s the perfect end-of-summer beer and is pink in color due to its refreshing flavor and works well to raise awareness about breast and gynecological cancer and the Pink Ribbon Girls mission,” Nick Moeller, founder of Moeller Brew Barn, said.

Light bodied and bursting through with lemon and berry aromas with a delightfully pink hue that makes this collaboration with Moeller and the Pink Ribbon Girls a perfect match to raise awareness, and to make sure “no one travels this road alone.” Funds raised for the Pink Ribbon Girls through the sale of this beer will provide Healthy Meals, Housecleaning, Rides to Treatment, and Peer Support to individuals with breast and gynecological cancers free of charge.

ABV 4.2% | IBU 408

Membership-Based Doctor’s Office Opens in Centerville

August 31, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

Dr. Charles Opperman, a UD grad and formerly with Kettering Health Network, has opened Simplicity Health Direct Primary Care in south Centerville. The practice is a direct primary care model, a growing trend among physician practices nationwide, and Simplicity Health Direct Primary Care will be one of the first of its kind in the area.

Simplicity Health Direct Primary Care seeks to change the status quo when it comes to visiting the doctor. They aim to do this through four unique pillars not typically synonymous with healthcare: time with the doctor, direct access to the doctor, superior personalized and attentive quality of care, and healthcare cost savings. Deviating from the standard billing of insurance for doctor’s visits, Simplicity Health Direct Primary Care utilizes a membership-based model. The affordable monthly membership allows for extended 30 or 60-minute office visits and access directly to the physician’s personal cell phone. By limiting their patient empanelment to 10% of that of a typical physician’s office, Simplicity Health Direct Primary care is able to offer highly personalized care and often with substantial healthcare cost savings to the patient.

Simplicity Health Direct Primary Care will not charge the patient’s insurance company for their services. By doing so, this allows the practice to negotiate more reasonable healthcare costs outside of the insurance company often at steep discounts hovering around 90-95% off the typical retail cost. Simplicity Health will also be drawing their own labs in-office, will offer many discounted prescription medications through their own in-house pharmacy, and will also be offering house calls.

Dr. Charles Opperman, founder and sole provider at Simplicity Health Direct Primary Care, stated, “People are fed up with the 5-minute doctor visit. You wouldn’t be satisfied with a 5-minute haircut yet we often settle for 5-minutes on something as important as our health. It’s not the doctor’s fault, it’s the system’s fault. The system is set up to force the doctor to see 30 or 40 patients in a day. Furthermore, the doctor is in a constant bureaucratic battle with the health insurance companies to play by ‘their rules’ which are more about saving the insurance company money than about care for the actual patients. We are changing the status quo and taking healthcare back to where it belongs: between doctor and patient. Simple.”

Simplicity Health Direct Primary Care is a membership-based doctor’s office that seeks to improve the traditional patient experience at the doctor. Simplicity Health Direct Primary Care is not a replacement for insurance and they still accept patients with all types of insurance, but simply do not bill their insurance. They also proudly accept those without health insurance. They seek to cut out the middlemen in the bureaucratic healthcare system, lower healthcare costs, and return healthcare back to patient and doctor. It’s healthcare reimagined.

Simplicity Health Direct Primary Care
Dr. Charles Opperman
937-260-8008 (personal cell phone)
937-813-2124 (office)
[email protected]

Our First Impressions of Warped Wing Barrel Room & Smokery

August 28, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

We first wrote about the opening of Warped Wings newest spot that opens Saturday to the public.
But one of the cool perks we get at DaytonDining is being invited to pre-openings of some of the areas restaurants, breweries, bakeries and distilleries.

The logo hangs on the wall in the private function room.

Today we headed to the the new Warped Wing Barrel Room & Smokery in Springboro.⁣ Nicole Marie, Bryan Suddith and I visited this afternoon and all three of share our first impressions:

Nicole Marie

Nicole:
I’m looking forward to bringing friends to this new location! The addition of their curated cocktail menu is a great touch. While Warped Wing is known for their beer, the option for something different should make this location a must-visit. I tried the – the Ole Hickory Shandy and The Panther were pretty tasty.⁣- Oyo Vanilla Bean Vodkea, hickory smoked simply syrup, fresh lemon and pineapples juices topped with Trotwood Lager and The Panther- Stillwrights Light run, coconut liqueur, blue cuacao, pineapple juice, fresh squeezed lime juice topped off with Warped Wings housemade Ginger Ale.

They’ve done a fantastic job of trying to keep as many things as possible locally sourced. Cheers to that!

Bryan Suddith

Bryan:

Sometimes you find superb barbecue in the unlikeliest of places. Like the new Warped Wing Barrel Room & Smokery. They are smoking brisket, pork belly, wings, pork shoulder and turkey on a legit Ole Hickory Pits smoker out back.

I’m not gonna lie. Expectations were low and they exceeded them all. The pork belly sliders with fried jalapeño slices were awesome. Just a touch of sweet bbq sauce. Same with the brisket sliders. Great peppery bark and full of smoke flavor. Tender. Good pull. One of the best bites of brisket I’ve had in Ohio! The onion straws and cheese just added to the bite. Wings. Smoked then flash fried for service. Get em with the dry rub.

All In all. 4.5 ribs out of five. Great room. Great service. Awesome bbq.

Lisa Grigsby

Lisa:

The layout felt very urban and if it hadn’t been raining when we went, I’m sure the 2 big garage doors opening to the patio would have let in an awesome breeze. There is a private room, perfect for a meeting or special event, which seats about 30 right now, but post-covid will be a great place for beer dinners of up to 50. Servers came to your table to take your drink orders. If you wanted to order food, you were given a timed buzzer and when if went off you could go to the Smokery Window and place your order, which kept you from waiting in line and is very socially distance and safe. When your food is ready, they bring it right to your table.

I agree with Bryan on the meat, and thoroughly enjoyed the Tater Kegs- big oversized tots stuffed with bacon, cheddar cheese and chives. The sliders come with your choice of fresh cut fries, cowboy chili, mac ‘n cheese, collard greens, jalapeno cheddar grists, BBQ bans or coleslaw.

I predict that this Springboro brewery will be quite the hot spot!

Warped Wing Barrel Room & Smokery

Wright Station
at the intersection of State Routes 741 and 73
Springboro, OH 45066

Hours of Operation:

Mon-Thurs 11am – 10pm

Fri & Sat 11am – 12am
(10pm curfew per COVID Public Health Regulations)

Sun 11am – 10pm

Rent an Event Kit For Your Next Backyard Party

August 26, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

Want to add some fun to your backyard party? But don’t want to buy all the games for a one time event, and don’t have room in the garage to store them. No worries- use event drop to rent a party kit that will be dropped off at your house. Kits run from $75 – $125 and that includes delivery, setup and pickup for a 12 hour event.

AJ Ferguson has launched this business as a side hustle that will deliver a box trailer full of tables, chairs, a sound system, yard games, trash cans, extension cords, and more. We asked him where the inspiration for this event came from.

Giant Connect 4

AJ: A while back I was working on a bunch of events within a week or two, and I had all the usual event supplies piled high in the back of my car. I realized my week was going to be much easier if I just left it all in the car, so I did. From then forward I found myself frequently wishing my event kit could always be packed and ready to go. That’s where the event-in-a-box approach started to take shape.

We plan to add more event essentials into the kits over the coming year, but we’re starting with the fun stuff like yard games and sport courts (volleyball, badminton, pickleball). When I was a kid, I would put hours into preparing the backyard for my family’s parties. I’d measure out a full wiffle ball stadium, make sure the

Giant Jenga

volleyball net was perfectly taut, and even made my dad buy field marking paint from Tuffy Brooks so I could line the volleyball court. He loves it as much as I do, so he always came through.

I know you’ve been talking about this for a while, why now?

AJ: More than anything else, it was the not so busy evenings and weekends of the pandemic that pushed me to finally put all the pieces together. I realized that the stay at home order was an opportunity to take on the projects I had always wanted to finish, and this one was very high on the list. The top project on the list was proposing to my fiancé, Meggie. That went well, so I figured I should keep going on the Event Drop idea, too. She’s been especially helpful getting it

Spikeball

off the ground, and she frequently reminded me that I would always regret not giving it a real shot.

Launching an event rental business during a pandemic isn’t ideal. We want people to enjoy the event kits safely. They’re great for creating a special day in the backyard with your family or close friends, but we hope people wait to throw that big backyard bash until it’s safe to do so.

How did you determine what games to start with?
AJ: I’ve kept a running list of games that others suggested or that caught my attention at some point. I chose these 8 because they invite a variety of skill and intensity levels. I’m probably most excited about introducing people to some of the less widely known games like Kubb and Molkky.

How much advance notice do folks need to reserve?

Molkky

AJ: Earlier is better of course. For now now there’s only one of each game, so if we’ve already booked it for someone else you’re likely going to be out of luck. That said, we want people to submit a request no matter how quick the turnaround is. We’ll follow up to let them know whether it’s available and whether we think we can pull it off.

Do folks have to be at home when you drop off or pick up?
AJ: Generally yes. We’ll work with customers to find times that work because we’ll want to go over what’s in the kit and talk through any final questions or concerns. If there are unique circumstances, we’re open to developing a more creative solution. While we’re still new we’d rather use these special cases to help us improve the business than turn someone away.What is the charge if you are outside the 15 mile delivery radius?

Bocce

AJ: We aren’t looking to nickel-and-dime anyone on the delivery radius. If we can get to you in 20-25 minutes, we’re going to make it work within the listed pricing. From there we’ll add $15 for every extra 10 minutes of total travel time. It’s definitely an area we’ll fine tune after we have some more deliveries under our belt.

Anything else you want to share?

AJ: Event Drop is a social enterprise. It’s a for-profit business, but we’re here to help make our community better and brighter, too. Parties, events, and games bring people together and we hope Event Drop makes it easier to gather family, friends, colleagues, or neighbors over and over again. We hope you’ll try it out and help us find ways to keep improving.

Vegan Eatery Debuts Sept 5th

August 24, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

Xtine’s Om Nom Mobile Cafe

I first met Xtine Brean when I was arranging Food Truck Rally’s downtown Dayton at the old Chin’s Cafe. She was working from a pop up tent, creating some really flavorful food that just happened to be Vegan. Her goal at that time was to open a food truck. Thus was born the Om Nom Mobile Cafe

She just recently announced that she’s partnered up with fellow vegans Molly Blackshear and her mother Cathy Mong to bring her longtime dream to life an actual vegan restaurant. On Sat, September 5th they will open Cafe 1610 in the District Provisions building. They’ve signed a short term 4 month lease to work out of the Glasz Bleu Oven space and will use that time to see if the Miami Valley is ready to support an all vegan eatery. If all goes well, they will build out their own space in the building. When asked about the origin of the name, Xtine explained when she put all 3 of the owners names into roman numerals it added up to 1610.

Xtine

Cathy

Molly

The ladies behind

Cafe 1610.

Xtine says she’s been polling the Dayton market for years to see if they are ready for a vegan eatery. During the Pandemic she was doing carryout from her home and that it was a steady level of business and that things have just aligned to make this the right time. Her partner Molly will handle the front of the house, Cathy is in charge of the delivery service and Xitne will use her years of experience to run the back of the house. She knows she has a following of vegan customers, but she is really looking forward to feeding those that who don’t know how flavorful and nutritious it can be.

“Most folks eat from six different animals, chicken, fish, steak, lamb, pork, turkey. There are 1000’s of edible plants, each with it’s own flavor and different nutrients. I want those people that don’t think about that to be excited to try my food,” Xtine shares. “We know we have a loyal following of vegans who’ve been eating our food for years, now we want to see if we can expand to serving their friends and family as well.””

Asking about signature items, Xtine shares that her Bionico Fruit Salad and her Breakfast Taco’s are probably her most requested items. “In looking over our initial menu over 70% is gluten free and about 40% is soy free,” Xtine shares. Most meals run in the $10-$12 range so our food will be affordable and we know it travels well.

They are working on lining up a local coffee supplier and deciding on bottled juices and other beverage that will pair well with the food. Perhaps even a kombucha.

Here’s a peak at their opening menu:

They will also have an in-house baker, Chloe of Krisxmoon Bakery will be making danish, croissants, muffins and cookies for Cafe 1610. You may have tasted her all vegan treats at Glo Juice Bar or at some of the area farmers markets. This opportunity will allow her to expand from her licensed home kitchen to a larger commercial oven.

All orders from Cafe 1610 will beserved to go in biodegradable packaging, allowing you to explore the Grist Provisions stores or take your food outside. Delivery will be available within 12 miles of their location for a $5 fee.

Cafe 1610

521 Wayne Ave,
Dayton, OH 45410

937-815-1610

Hours:

Wed – Fri 8am -2 pm

Sat & Sun 10am – 4pm

Sun nights 5-9pm – with rotating Chefs showcasing Vegan cuisine

Nasty Bingo on the Patio at Spinoza’s

August 24, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

Friday Night LIVE on the Spinoza’s Patio with Nasty Bingo. Spinoza’s is offering a safe way to see some live music. They offer covered patio dining with Socially Distanced Table Seating. So come get your pizza and beer on while grooving to some Folkedelich Fun! Reservations required and Tips Encouraged. $5.00

Trolley Stop Celebrates With 25th Anniversary Deals!

August 17, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

As the Trolley Stop posted on their Facebook Page :We’d love to have a giant celebration but since that’s definitely not in the cards right now. So we are going to celebrate all week! We have Throw Back Menu items from 1995 (when we officially joined the Oregon District family) and we will have them available all week!”

Tina’s Terrific Turkey

Cucumber Cheese

No Date Nachos

Throwback Cocktails

Mack’s Tavern Now Serving Brunch- PJ’s Welcome!

August 15, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

After the Governor’s orders forcing bars to stop serving liquor at 10pm, MacKenzie Manley, owner of Mack’s Tavern, knew she was going to have to do something to replace the lost business. Historically she makes 70% of her revenue after 10pm. So she decided, ” I am going to do sloppy diner breakfast now to try to make up for some loss.”

“Rolling out of bed on a Saturday or Sunday is hard enough, let alone to get up put on makeup, fix your hair, put in contacts and make yourself presentable to go out and eat breakfast just to go back home and veg out on the couch. So pajamas are recommended, so much so that if you come in and you are in your PJ’s, your coffee will be free,” says Manley.

Notorious P.IG.- a Big Poppa biscuit, with sausage gravy and bacon.

Mack has created a breakfast menu that just screams comfort food!

A Butchers biscuit with sausage patty and cheese served on a bed of sausage gravy with star spangled hash browns.

While you’re having breakfast don’t forget Mack’s Tavern’s was the Bloody Mary Showdown Champ 2 years in a row! Her award winning Bloody Mary is served up in a mug with a double shot of vodka and garnished with a slim jim, celery and 3 pepperoni bagel bites.

Breakfast is served up from 91m – 1pm Saturday’s and Sunday’s at Macks, located at 381 Miamisburg Centerville Road in Centerville.

Rock Piqua Drive-In Concert This Saturday

August 14, 2020 By Lisa Grigsby

Piqua Arts Council and Mainstreet Piqua are excited to announce that the Rock Piqua Drive-In Concert is happening this Saturday, August 15, 2020 from 7pm to 10pm at the Miami Valley Centre Mall. Performing at the concert will be Jamie Suttle at 7pm and Clark Manson at 8pm. The Drive-In style concert will happen in the parking lot between the old Elder Beerman and JC Penney with parking beginning at 4pm.

In addition to the Rock Piqua Drive-In, there will also be a food truck rally from 4pm to 7pm featuring Susie’s Big Dipper, Yummy Gyro, Buckeye Burger and Cumberland Kettle Corn. Organizers ask that anyone attending for the Food Truck Rally maintain social distancing and wear a mask when not consuming food.

“We are excited to be able offer one of the planned concerts for the year, even if it is in a different format,” said Piqua Arts Council Executive Director Jordan Knepper. “These events are great for bringing the community together, but that’s the one thing we aren’t allowed to do right now, so we worked with the City’s Health Department and Special Events coordinator to make sure we could do something that fit within the rules and guidelines.”

Piqua Arts Council and Mainstreet Piqua want to remind attendees that alcohol is not permitted, but they should feel free to bring their own food and drinks to the event.

“We want everyone to have a good time and stay safe. As this is a drive-in style concert, we won’t be offering any alcohol for the concert and we hope that attendees will make wise choices as well,” continued Knepper.

Kentucky born singer-songwriter Jamie Suttle has roots that reach deep into the rich soil of American music. The seeds of her inspiration were planted at a young age while singing in church. As she grew, it flourished under the sweltering heat of soul, R & B, and rock, all the while being suffused with gospel and classic country music.

Jamie’s music pays homage to classic country music while effortlessly creating her own style. While playing shows with people like Ashley McBryde, Lee Brice, Tyler Farr, the Kentucky Headhunters and Shooter Jennings; Jamie’s knack of blending soul with heartfelt lyrics provides a connection with her audience that cannot be broken. Jamie’s newest single, “Pissed Off and Reckless” was released, April 24 and can be found on iTunes, Spotify and more.

“Jamie has been on our radar for a while,” said Knepper. “She’s a phenomenal talent and I love her originals as much as the covers. She actually sang for our Sounds of the Season Holiday Concert one year, so she has been to Piqua.”

Closing out the night will be Covington’s Clark Manson. A small town in Ohio and a guitar are the ingredients that make up Clark Manson. It all began when Manson was a 12-year-old. A hand-me-down guitar caught Clark’s eye, so he picked it up and a few months (and several country concerts) later, he knew he had found his calling. Fast-forward some years later and Clark began playing bar shows while attending school. Soon the shows began to spread farther and farther from his college, but nothing could take the “hometown” out of him. Writing and co-producing all of his own music today, Clark resides back in his hometown with his wife and their children. The catalogue of Clark Manson reads like a well written novel from his young rowdy beginnings, to growing into the loving husband and father he is today. June of 2020 has brought with it a new music with his EP – “Lotta Bout You” which is available on iTunes, Spotify, and more.

Rock Piqua is a free event made possible through the generosity of our sponsors, Emerson, City of Piqua, Polysource Inc., Premier Health – Upper Valley Medical Center, French Oil Mill Machinery Co., Park National Bank, Edison State Community College and Vectren Energy. Additional sponsorship provided by McColloch Baker Insurance, Hartzell Industries, WPTW Classic Hits, Troy Community Radio, Koverman Staley Dickerson Insurance, Michael Web Solutions, and Buckeye Insurance Group.