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Welcoming the movies to Dayton – and your house!

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Production companies reach out to the local nonprofit FilmDayton for help in securing the best locations for commercials, films and television program. Now FilmDayton is reaching out to the Miami Valley for help in learning about more film-friendly homes, businesses and locations.

Are you excited by all the buzz about the growing film industry in Ohio? Do you want to support it without FilmDayton launched the Reel Treasures of the Miami Valley contest for you!

You don’t have to be a glamorous movie star or an award-winning filmmaker to get in on the growing film industry in Ohio. The old cliché that “Everything in life is location, location, location” is true for those in the business of film making. Setting the scene is an early step in projects from television series to a critically-acclaimed indie film to a major summer blockbuster.  FilmDayton wants that step to be taken in the Miami Valley, and you can help make it happen.

“Our region has so many possibilities – cozy houses to large mansions, unique restaurants and shops, great classic cars and antique farm equipment, interesting warehouse districts and cutting-edge medical centers, and urban, suburban and rural treasures. This diversity of locations can help our region attract film productions and put money in the pockets of some property owners,” says Megan Cooper, Director of FilmDayton.

FilmDayton, a regional non-profit organization seeking to foster the local film making community, has announced a competition to find the varied locations in the greater Dayton area.  The competition is open through November 17.  If you are the owner of a home, business, property or facility and like the possibility of seeing your location in a movie, this is the contest for you.

FilmDayton serves the entire Miami Valley; submissions from Montgomery, Darke, Miami, Shelby, Clark, Champaign, Greene, Warren, Preble and Butler Counties are encouraged. It’s vital that the locations database be able to accurately reflect the diverse landscape across our region to be competitive and give all people across the Miami Valley a shot to be considered.

How important is the right location? Multiple reality shows seeking businesses, restaurants, exotic pools, interesting homes, and haunted locations are interested in filming in the Miami Valley – but they need to find the right spot. Feature filmmakers are currently in conversation with FilmDayton and looking for the perfect location.

We’re Doing Fine, by acclaimed New York-based filmmaker Djuna Wahlrab, will film in the Dayton area in Spring of 2013 and the team has begun the search for the right locations. A furnished side-by-side double and a hospital setting are high on their list of location needs.

Helping build up the region’s locations database is a vital step for our growing film community. Cooper says, “When FilmDayton gets the call that a production is looking for a farm house near a stream, an office in a high-rise, or a thriving local business – having a photo to get to the director immediately will make us more competitive with our colleagues across the state.”

Often requested locations include furnished houses of all sizes, medical centers and schools. But Cooper says that being prepared for anything requires a complete database of photos from all people willing to welcome a film production to their property.

When True Nature, the drama and supernatural thriller written and directed by Patrick Steele, filmed in Dayton familiar locations like a beautiful historic mansion, a downtown office building and a local restaurant were featured.

There’s benefit in it for the property owner, too. Typically, productions pay for use of the house, property, land or object. But beyond the financial benefit – you may get to see your place on the big screen.

Reel Treasures of the Miami Valley – How to Submit

The process is simple, but please note that ONLY the owner (and the person who grants permission) of the property, item or location has the authority to submit to the contest.

First, take a clear, low-resolution photo from a solid angle.  Include your name, physical address of location and contact information with the photos. Here are some photo taking tips!

To encourage some friendly competition, FilmDayton will invite industry insiders to review the submissions and select top submission from the following categories. Top photos may be featured on the FilmDayton web site. Categories include:

  • Industrial/Warehouse
  • Arts (galleries, theaters, auditoriums, etc)
  • Open Spaces (parks, gardens, farms, water, etc)
  • Residential (homes of all sorts – include a second shot of special features)
  • Businesses (offices, storefronts, restaurants/bars, etc)
  • Medical/Hospital
  • Era Location Shots – Examples include office from the 70s with authentic furniture and shag carpet, a fully-furnished kitchen from the 50s, etc
  • Special Props – antique cars/farm equipment, unique kitchen items, etc…

Thanks to partner Dodd Camera, two overall winners will get our top prize of a digital camera. In addition to their many Dayton stores, Dodd Camera is now open in Cincinnati near the Kenwood Mall with a gigantic selection of cameras, lenses and accessories plus a rental department including a rental studio.

More information can be found at www.FilmDayton.com. The contest ends on November 17, so grab your camera today and show the rest of the country that locations all across the Miami Valley are worth immortalizing on film.

Submit your photo to:

FilmDaytonLocations@gmail.com

Include your name, physical address of location, and contact information.

Madness, Murder And Magnificient Music with Dayton Opera’s Lucia Di Lammermoor + TICKET CONTEST

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On Friday, October 26 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, October 28 at 3 p.m. in the Mead Theatre of the Schuster Center, Dayton Opera will present Gaetano Donizetti’s chilling tragedy Lucia di Lammermoor performed in Italian with English surtitles. The opera kicks off the passionate 2012-2013 Occupy Opera Season.

In this opera based on a novel by Sir Walter Scott, madness – or at the very least confusion – is running rampant. For starters, although all the characters are Scottish, their first names are Italian and — like TV’s “Mad Men” — men rule the day and women are pawns as marriages are arranged to create powerful family alliances. Obviously there’s no eHarmony, not even Match.com!

Here’s the drill: Enrico Ashton of Lammermoor has plans for his sister, Lucia, to marry Arturo Bucklaw. But she only has eyes for Edgardo, a hunter who rescued her from a mad bull, even though a ghostly maiden has warned her that loving Edgardo will only end in tragedy. To trick her into marrying Arturo, Lucia’s brother hands her a forged letter from Edgardo maintaining that he loves another woman. Near suicidal, Lucia nonetheless consents to marrying Arturo. At the wedding ceremony Edgardo suddenly bursts in, sees Lucia’s signature on the marriage contract, tears his ring from her finger, curses her, and runs out. In a word, he’s mad!

So, what’s a girl to do? You guessed it. Now completely bonkers, Lucia stabs and kills her husband on their wedding bed and returns to the wedding party blood-spattered and not realizing what she’s done (talk about killing a party). Then in one of the most famous and hair-raising mad scenes in the history of theatre, Lucia, in a dream-like state, recalls her first meeting with Edgardo as if he’s the one that she’s married. Having reached her limit she collapses to the floor dead and, to make things worse, when Edgardo learns she’s dead, he kills himself. Talk about messy breakups!

All kidding aside, the suspense, tension, and sheer terror in this opera is palpable, but above all the music is absolutely magnificent!

“It takes truly talented singing artists to recreate the masterful music of Donizetti’s demanding score, and that’s what we have in our Dayton Opera cast,” explained Dayton Opera Artistic Director Thomas Bankston. “We are excited to have company debuts in three of the leading roles of this production, soprano Angela Mortellaro as Lucia, tenor Joshua Kohl as Edgardo, and baritone Lee Poulos as Enrico. Returning to Dayton Opera in the role of Raimondo is bass Matthew Burns.”

Dayton Opera favorites Kathleen Clawson, stage director, and Joseph Mechavich, conductor, who collaborated on last season’s La Bohème, return to lend their talented direction.

There are several opportunities to learn all the “scoop” about Lucia di Lammermoor!  Back by popular demand, Art & Arias returns to Dayton Art Institute, 456 Belmonte Park North on Sunday Oct. 21 at 2:00 pm. This lively hour-long look at opera and art features musical performances and insight into how the visual arts relate to this production. Art & Arias is free and open to the public.

Also, the free and informative Opera Overture presentations, with the humorous opera aficionado and University of Dayton professor Dr. Sam Dorf, will be held on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012 at 5 p.m. at Books & Co. at The Greene and Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2012 at 7 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3211 Lakeview Ave., Dayton.

In its third year, the Mid-Day Arts Café series continues, highlighting the professional arts organizations in the Dayton area. On Tuesday, Oct. 23, Bankston, Clawson and Mechavich will provide interesting insights into the upcoming production and the rest of the Dayton Opera season. Tickets are $12 and include a box lunch provided by Citilites Restaurant & Bar.  Lunch begins at 11:30 a.m. and the presentation starts promptly at noon.

Enjoy pre-performance entertainment and food-by-the-bite and beverages on sale in the Wintergarden beginning one-hour prior to the performance. For ticket holders, a 20-minute “Opera Preview” with Dr. Dorf is also offered one hour prior to both performances.

Tickets range from $36 to $92 and are available at Ticket Center Stage (937) 228-3630 or online at www.daytonopera.org. Friday Nite $15 Tweet Seats, which allows muted mobile devices during the performance and is sponsored by DP&L, are also available. Senior, teacher and student discounts are available at box office. Attendees are invited to attend the cast party following Friday’s performance at the Dayton Racquet Club.

Leadership Sponsors for Lucia di Lammermoor are Miriam Rosenthal Memorial Trust Fund, Caryl D. Philips and Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc. Entrepreneurship Circle Sponsors are Vectren and Dayton Marriott. Orchestral Music Sponsor is The Jesse Philips Opera Fund of The Dayton Foundation.

Dayton Most Metro Ticket Contest

We have TWO PAIRS OF TICKETS to give away for the Friday Oct. 26 show – simply fill out the form below and then leave a comment saying that YOU want to win tickets to see Dayton Opera’s Lucia Di Lammermoor.  We’ll announce winners on Friday 10/19 after 4pm.

PLUS – next week we’ll give away a pair of Tweet Seats (Friday Oct. 26 show) each day (Monday through Friday) on our Twitter page – after you’ve filled out the form, tweet the link to this article with the hashtag #TWEETSEATS.  We will direct-message winners.  GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to our winners:

Kirstie Young
Valerie Loveall

Giovanni’s: The Fairborn Legend

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With Halloween approaching, many people are stopping at the costume shops in Fairborn.  But The Big Ragu suggests you make another stop, Giovanni’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant.  Located at 215 W. Main Street, this place has been a Fairborn icon for decades.   Since 1953, this local favorite has been serving up pizzas and pasta dishes that will make your mouth water.  Originally owned by Giovanni DiPasquale, the restaurant was purchased by Tony Spaziani in 1994.  Soon after the menu and dining rooms were expanded and they even started a full in-house bakery.  This bakery allows for fresh bread, pasta and dough to be made on premises.  It also allows for homemade desserts that are nothing short of amazing.  Many things at Giovanni’s are made from scratch, the way they ought to be, to guarantee fresh tasting food.

The restaurant is always bustling and the servers are friendly and caring.  In fact, our waiter was the pastry chef, who waits tables on Sunday to stay in tune with customer feedback while making some extra dough .. pun intended.

During our Food Adventures, we have tried the sandwiches and the pastas.   We especially liked the Chicken Parmesan and the Gnocchi.   You can really tell the sandwich bread and pasta is made on site, the taste is amazing and homemade.  The same can be said about their homemade cheesecakes, cannoli, and tiramisu, all produced at the in-house bakery.

However, all the locals know that the main attraction at Giovanni’s is their pizza.  A semi-thin crust pizza with a unique tasting sauce makes each pie simply scrumptious.  The fresh, delicious toppings offered are plentiful on each pizza.  They even have anchovies for the true Italian style Food Adventurer in you.  Of course, all the dough for the pizzas are made on site, which is noticed on each bite into the crunchy crust.  The prices are reasonable and the product is good.  They even offer 7 inch personal pizzas with up to 3 toppings for less than 6 bucks during lunch time.

The food speaks for itself so check out the photos and click on them to get a larger, tastier view.  Visit this mom and pop restaurant in Fairborn, and find out for yourself what the legend is all about.

Please “like” Food Adventures and follow The Big Ragu, Hungry Jax and Chef House on Facebook by clicking  HERE ! 

 

 

BeardCon 2012 – At Their Beardest

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(Editor note: after reading Shana’s post-BeardCon article, be sure to read our pre-BeardCon 2012 feature “BeardCon: The Cutting Edge Of A Hairy Subject” by J.T. Ryder on the subject of the beard culture in Ohio and beyond)

Anyone who knows me is painfully aware of my obsession with beards. Through it’s continues rise and fall, the trend of facial hair is something I’ll never cease to adore about men. Those manly enough to grow one that is. So of course, I was ecstatic when approached by Dayton Most Metro to attend BeardCon as their media correspondent to cover this momentous event. At the risk of sounding ridiculous, it may or may not have been one of the best days for me in 2012 and I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to attend.

Both a learning experience and a pleasure to attend, BeardCon Ohio’s Third Charity Beard and Mustache Competition and Festival took place on October 6th in Columbus. Their promise? To see, feel, learn about, and live facial hair at the first ever Beard Convention! Styling demos, facial hair product expos, beard games, an opportunity to meet some of the finest beardsmen (which I did) and beardswomen from all over the globe, all topped off by a grand beard and mustache competition to finish the night.

Over the course of history, men with facial hair have been ascribed various attributes such as wisdom, sexual virility, masculinity, or a higher status; says, Wikipedia. I just happen to find them sexy – from nicely trimmed to gnarly and outrageous. This beard lover does not discriminate. I could go on and on about my love for the bearded ones but I’m sure you’re more interested in the day, background and winners of the competition. I had an opportunity to sit down with Nate Stevens, one of the integral individuals in planning and hosting BeardCon and member of The Gem City Gentlemen of the Gilded Beard to ask a few questions. Nate’s a great guy and again, I’m thankful he took the time to speak with this drooling beard fan. Here’s the Beard deets:

Nate Stevens with a BeardCon 2011 participant

DMM: What is the true inspiration for the conferences?

Nate: “The reason for all of our events are essentially the same, and BeardCon is certainly no exception. When we started this club about 3 years ago, we established a few basic goals: to have fun, to foster unity amongst those who decide to wear facial hair, to promote acceptance of facial hair and derail discrimination, and most importantly, to support our local community and give it some small niche to be proud of. BeardCon is the culmination of a year of very hard work in pursuit of those objectives.”

DMM: How do you pick your themes and any idea what next year’s will be?

Nate: “We don’t necessarily set out to establish a theme each year, we just kind of start planning the event, and so far the ‘theme’ has more or less revealed itself to us. It sounds cliche to say that we let it happen ‘organically’, but that truly has been the case”

DMM: It’s not cliche at all, they’re quite creative geniuses these beards.  How was this year different than the last two? Did it live up to your expectation?

Nate: “It’s difficult to say at this point how successful the event was financially, as those details are still coming together. During the event, the core group of us are so busy making sure everything happens the way it’s supposed to, that the whole thing is a blur, and it’s tough to get a read on it until the aftermath begins to settle. What I can say is that the response from the attendees and the community has been SO positive, and that the new elements we introduced to this year’s event (discussion panels, styling demos, etc.) were a huge hit. The competition was, as always, just spectacular, and we are so grateful to our beloved state of Ohio and the facial hair community for helping us hit another home run this year.”

DMM: The convention left me impressed, sad I didn’t make the last two..but uber excited for 2013.  Why Prostate Cancer? Would you consider supporting other one issue causes in the future or do you have a personal connection to PC?

Nate: “Supporting Central Ohio Men Against Prostate Cancer made sense to us on a number of levels. First, I think it’s fair to say that prostate cancer is a man’s disease, and beards are a man’s gift from nature. Why not use the blessing to fight the curse? The disease has impacted some members of our club and their families, so there are those among us for whom the cause is more personal. Also, we aim for maximum impact with our charitable fundraising, so finding a smaller organization that combats a global affliction on a local scale was a perfect fit for us. We do, however, support other causes and organizations with other events, big and small, and are always open to new endeavors for the good of mankind.”

Bearded Philanthropists. Need I say more?

Among the vendors and wandering gild men there were also bearded ladies and bearded wee ones. Informative panels like in the video below were also a part of this awesome convention.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dxhLpODj6jo’]

I will say that I feel a little self conscious about this healthy little beard obsession of mine, having met such great people at this convention. To come together for such a great cause is admirable; I give two thumbs up to them for making it fun to attend. Below is a list of winners from the competition. For more information and to find out when the next Bearded affair will happen, visit their site or “Like” Beard Team Ohio on Facebook. Whether Bearded or a fan like me, you don’t want to miss whatever remarkable event these dudes come up with for next year!

2012 Beard-Con Winners

Full Beard Styled:
1. John Buckler, Michigan
2. Lyman Robertson, Michigan
3. Chad Roberts, Virginia

Full Beard Natural
1. Neil Moherman, Ohio
2. Myk O’Connor, New York
3. Jeff Langum, New Jersey

Full Beard Groomed
1. Cody Corcoran, Tennessee
2. Kyle Muston, Michigan
3. Joel Andrus, Michigan

Partial Beard Styled
1. “Taxi” Phil Jones, Ohio
2. Colin Cousins, Ohio
3. Chris Newman, Ohio

Partial Beard Natural
1. Dan Roberts, New York
2. Dustin Hall, Ohio
3. Scotty “BigStyle” Lees, Ohio

Moustache Styled
1. Nathan Wilson, Wisconsin

Moustache Natural
1. Albert Dennis, Ohio
2. Sheraz Sadiq, Ohio

Fake Beard – Most Fantastic
1. Lindsey Stinner, California
2. Ashley Brown, Virginia
3. Emily Ann Fette, Kentucky

Fake Beard – Most Realistic
1. Micki Martin, Ohio
2. Deb Smith, Ohio
3. Mrs. Cousins, Ohio

Kids Fake Beard
1. Gavin Dunham, Ohio
2. Mya Harrel

See you next year Beards!

Sing & Celebrate with The Bach Society of Dayton

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The Bach Society of Dayton, under the direction of John Neely, will open its 10th anniversary season with a concert of audience favorites on Sunday, October 21, at 4:00 p.m.  The Bach Society chorus will be joined by the Oakwood Brass in a concert that spans works from the 16th century phenomenon Giovanni Gabrieli to 21st century choral “rock star” Eric Whitacre. R. Alan Kimbrough is accompanist and organist. The concert will be held at Kettering Adventist Church, 3939 Stonebridge Road, Kettering, Ohio, which offers free parking and is handicap accessible.

“Choral music composers through the centuries have always innovated to appeal to the audiences of the day. What we consider to be classical music today was once contemporary. So our first concert of the 10th anniversary season is a celebration of both old and new choral works that our audience members and singers have recommended as their all-time favorites,” said John Neely, music director, Bach Society of Dayton. The concert program includes: Plaudite, In Ecclesiis, and music for brass by Giovanni Gabrieli Sicut Cervus by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Lift Thine Eyes and He Watching Over Israel from Elijah by Felix Mendelssohn The Seal Lullaby and selections from Animal Crackers by Eric Whitacre A Psalm of David by Norman Dello Joio Imperial March for brass and organ by Edward Elgar, arranged by Steven Winteregg for the Bach Society.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”200px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]The Bach Society of Dayton
Sing and Celebrate
Sunday Oct. 21st at 4:00pm
$18 for adults; $10 for students
Purchase Tickets[/dropshadowbox]The concert preview at 3:00 p.m. features Dr. Richard Chenoweth, Professor of Horn and Graul Chair in the Arts and Languages at the University of Dayton and former Principal Horn of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra.  Tickets are $18.00 for adults and $10.00 for students. Children 12 and under are admitted free of charge. Season tickets for all four concerts are available for $60 for adults. Individual and season tickets may be purchased at the door on the day of the concert or in advance by visiting www.bachsocietyofdayton.org or by calling 937-294-2224. The Bach Society honors the Culture Works passport for two-for-one tickets to any single concert.

The 2012-13 season also includes:

  • Sweet Sounds of the Holidays – Sunday, December 2, 2012, at 7:30 p.m.
  • St. Matthew Passion by J.S. Bach- Sunday, March 10, 2013, at 4:00 p.m.
  • Bach to the Future – Sunday, May 5, 2013, at 3:00 p.m.

Dayton Most Metro Ticket Contest

We’re giving away tickets to The Bach Society of Dayton’s concert “Sing and Celebrate” – just fill out the form below and leave a comment telling us that YOU want to win.  We’ll announce winners Tuesday 10/16 after 3pm – GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to Steve Seboldt!

Grab Your Mask for Dayton’s Party of Parties “MASQUERAGE”

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As charity fund-raisers go, the AIDS Resource Center Ohio’s Masquerage has earned a reputation as being an over the top, all out bash.  The masked ball was dubbed  Dayton’s Party of Parties by  Ron Rollins of the Dayton Dayton Daily News several years ago and  this themed event has continued to grow.  Started in 2002 by Square One Salon owners Brent Johnson, Doug Henderson and Josh Stucky at Therapy Cafe, the party has grown and moved across town, to such unusual venues like The Merc, The Foundry and it’s latest home- the Roundhouse at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds.

Designer Chris Newman

Hundreds of volunteers will spend the week transforming the two story white barn into a fantasy set, under the direction of designer Chris Newman, owner of Cheeky Monkey, an interior design and faux painting company.  Newman volunteered in 2009 to help with one room at the Circus themed event that year, as then stepped up the next year as the creative visionary behind the Heavenly Pleasures and Sinful Delights 2010 Masquerage.   In 2011 the ARC Ohio party celebrated a Decade of Decadence, bringing back some of  the scenery and entertainment of the past 10 years.

Masquerage 2012…Where Evil Can Be Tempting will pay homage to Vixens and Villains.  This theme was chosen to encompass a wide range of costume possibilities- from Gangsters and Molls of the 2o’s and 30’s, to B Movie Vixens, and without a doubt there will be some Disney villains like Cruella De Vil, Ursulas and  Maleficent.  While costumes aren’t required, over the years more and more of the crowd has gotten into the spirit, and  last year about 70% of the crowd were decked out. But the one thing that is required of all party guests is a mask, and whether you choose an elaborate professionally created head, a mardi gras mask or have one painted on, your options are endless.  Make up Artist Kelly Heuss explains “the painted on masks are the most comfortable, as often the plastic ones get pretty hot and sweaty when you’re dancing the night away. ”  You can make an appointment with Kelly  of www.airodynamic.net to get a mask painted on at Square One Salon, the Beauty Box and Mac cosmetics counters are also offering the service.

Cake Hope & Love’s Red Velvet Cupcakes will help raise $ for Masquerage.

What makes Masquerage more than just a dance party is the entertainment.  Over the years there have been Aerialists dangling from silk ropes, escape artists, contortionists, dance crews, fire dancers, knife throwers, and more. While ARC Ohio won’t reveal the line up for this year, they promise to continue the tradition of sexy, sultry and super eye catching performers.

And what’s a party without great food.  Chef Matt Hayden of Scratch Catering has created amazing munchies over the years and always has something tasty planned.  Cake Hope & Love will be featuring some sweet treats this year and has even gone a step further by offering to donate a a portion of all proceeds from the sale of their red velvet cupcakes from their Beavercreek store to ARC Ohio.

All  guests will be welcomed with a Jaegermesiter cocktail and Yeungling Beers and Buckeye Vodka are the barsponsors this year.  General admission tickets are $50, which is exactly what it costs ARC Ohio to administer one HIV test.  Testing is provided free to anyone who asks, and the test is a swab of the cheek with results in just 20 minutes.

If you prefer to attend Masquerage as a VIP, splurge for the Red Ribbon Lounge tickets, which include valet parking by Lexus of Dayton, face painting, all of your drinks, appetizers, entry into the 2nd floor lounge and the always coveted Swag Bag for $150.   Tickets can be purchased online  or at Square One Salons, Lexus of Dayton or Ghostlight Coffee. Tickets will be available at the event, but will cost $10 more there. The party starts at 8pm and runs til 1am, but the fun won’t end then, the official Masquerage After Party is hosted by MJ’s Cafe at 119 W. Third Street.

[flagallery gid=6 name=Gallery]

Dayton Most Metro Ticket Contest

Dayton Most Metro is a proud sponsor of Masquerage and we’ve got a ticket hook up for three of our loyal readers!  Just fill out the form below, and then leave a comment telling us that YOU want tickets to go to Masquerage from Dayton Most Metro (and what VILLAIN or VIXEN you might go as)  – we’ll announce winners on Wednesday October 17th after 3pm – GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to our winners:

Carol Narigon

Jamie McQuinn

Annette Looper

SummitUp – The Bowman Connection

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David Bowman head shot

David Bowman

Facebook had just 100 million members around August of 2008. That is just a little less than the population of Mexico at the time, which would have put it at fourteenth in the world. The number of Facebook users has recently eclipsed  1 billion people, putting it at third in the world in terms of world population, just behind India. That is a massive amount of eyeballs looking to connect to something: entertainment, information, conversation, the list is endless. Since that explosion, everyone from major companies to small businesses have been trying to harness the power of this ever expanding opportunity to connect. It has become a source of innovative campaigns and beautiful disasters. It is a new frontier, and everyone is still looking for how to make it work for them.

David Bowman was one of those people. He had just come back to Dayton from seeing a presentation from Chris Brogan, and was discussing the experience with Sara McCatherine over lunch. The idea was to bring the top speakers from all over, at the edges of the fledgling explosion of social media, and bring them here. Thus the seeds of SummitUp were born. Through plenty of work and hustle, the first SummitUp in Dayton (2009) was brought to life. Every year it has been growing as social media grows, and this year is no different. David took some of his precious time in the final weeks before the Tuesday, October 16th event to answer a few questions about social media for us.

DMM: Your first degree was in political science. What attracted you to marketing from there? Did you see it as a natural extension, or did your interests change?

David Bowman: In college I was drawn to political science, as it was something that was inherently interesting to me.  I did well in Political Science classes, so decided to major in it, as I really had no idea what I wanted to do professionally.  I had considered becoming an attorney for a while, but ultimately the law did not appeal to me.  Instead I went to work in the business world, where I migrated into sales.  From there I came to discover the field of marketing and have never looked back.  Eventually I got my MBA with a concentration in Marketing, where I began to get a deeper understanding of the field.  In the end, Marketing and Political Science are both based in understanding needs and influencing human behavior.  The principles I learned in Political Science are directly applicable to my job, and probably give me a bit of a different perspective on things.

SummitUp Logo

Another year, another batch of wisdom.

How have you liked your teaching experience so far at the School of Advertising Art (SAA) ? What are some of the things the students are teaching you?

Teaching at SAA has been amazing.  It is one thing to believe you understand something.  It is something else entirely to have to understand something well enough to explain it to others in a way that is clear and compelling.  I am so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to teach Marketing at SAA.  It is making me a better practitioner of my craft and the energy, creativity, and curiosity of my students is inspiring.

DMM: What is the biggest challenge to creating an event like this, where you will have a significant cross section of new users and seasoned veterans looking for something to take away?

DB: SummitUp is challenging in that we want the event to be appealing to early adopters of technology who demand complexity and bleeding edge information while at the same time delivering content that is accessible to newcomers too.  Compounding things is that fact that the event is a collaborative volunteer effort with a focus on keeping prices low so that we can attract and educate the largest number of people possible.  The goal of the event is not to maximize profits, but rather to maximize the potential of those who attend.  We do our best to attract exceptionally talented speakers and presenters to the event, often at a fraction of their typical speaking fee or for free.  We then pass these savings on to attendees in the form of very affordable ticket prices.  Ultimately, the event has an incredible team of volunteers who work very hard to make sure that those who invest the time and money to attend get value from coming to the event.

DMM: What do you think is the biggest hurdle people have to understanding the value and potential of social media?

DB: People get lost in the incredible amount noise and dizzying pace of change.  Author Clay Shirky describes media as the “connective tissue” that holds us all together, which is a great way to think of it.  Social media is simply about people communicating with one another, and all media is now social.  If people keep things in the perspective of finding ways to use communication to build real and lasting relationships, social media is fairly simple to understand.

DMM: What brands are the best story tellers in the social media realms?

DB: Starbucks, Zappos, Amazon, and Southwest Airlines are some great examples of national brands that are using social media successfully and in very different ways.  Locally, brands like Dorothy Lane Market, Olive, and Dayton Children’s are all great examples.

DMM: What do you see brands or people doing on social media that frustrates you?

DB: Not listening, participating, or considering the opportunity to use social media as more than just a push marketing tool.

DMM: How do you see social media platforms evolving over the next five years?

DB: More mobility, more video, more speed, more content, more noise, more people, more, more, more.  Hopefully, what brands choose is to more carefully integrate social media with marketing strategy.  A recent Duke University Study cites that over 16% of organizations describe their social media efforts as “not at all integrated” with their overall business strategy.  This is something that must and will change, as brands begin to understand the real value that strategic integration can deliver.

DMM: Will social media become more integrated into the media department, or is this a new entity?

DB: They will become one in the same.  Traditional media is still alive and well, but it is becoming ever more social.  As best practices are established and technology matures, social media will become the tradition.  Anytime you have disruptive technology changes it takes a while for people to make sense of it all.  Eventually people begin to figure it out and then shift their focus to execution.  This is currently happening right before our eyes.  It is an exciting time to be a marketing professional.

Books full of storiesDMM: Social media professionals are still wrestling with how to prove the value to CEO’s, CIO’s, and other C-suite people. Are there certain numbers that offer more proof of value than others? It is ROI, or something else out there?

DB: It is ROI but that has to be framed in the context of customer equity.  Social media has the ability to strengthen relationships.  The ROI is less about the platforms and technologies and more about the actions and responses created through them.  Ideally, marketing professionals are moving toward an integrated approach to marketing.  This is more akin to systems thinking as opposed to trying to compartmentalize things.  The revolution in technology requires a paradigm shift.  It is no longer only about impressions or mass attention.  Now it is about connections, loyalty, and long term brand equity that can only come from focused, ongoing communication.

DMM: Are there any social media platforms out there that you can see emerging as a major player over the next few years?

DB: Certainly Pinterest has already shaken thing up in the last year.  Google+ will continue to evolve and grow, particularly as Google continues to integrate it with organic search.  There are countless other projects and platforms emerging to solve niche problems and connect niche audiences.  I will not pretend to have a crystal ball, but I can tell you that we will likely be talking about a whole new mix of tools by this time next year.

David has once again helped to organize an amazing event, bringing talents like Todd Henry, Rohit Bhargava, and Tim Schigel as keynote speakers, and a diverse group of other professionals to run a wide range of breakout sessions. SummitUp tickets are available by phone only, so call and make sure that you have yours. This is going to be a great opportunity to learn about the basics, meet and connect with new people, or refresh and recharge your batteries with new insights. We look forward to connecting with you this Tuesday!

 

Under a Red Moon – A Chilling Production by Human Race Theatre

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The Human Race Theatre Company adds a special production to its 2012-2013 Season with Michael Slade’s new play Under a Red Moon. Witness a chilling psychological thriller inspired by the true events of Britain’s notorious 1949 “Acid Bath Murderer.” Confessed serial killer John George Haigh awaits trial in prison as Dr. Ruth Covington arrives to determine his mental state for the court. While he welcomes their one-on-one encounter, Haigh won’t give up his secrets too easily, knowing full well that it’s the hangman’s noose if he is found sane. This world premiere co-production with The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center is a tightly-wound cat-and-mouse game to define the meaning of good and evil. Under a Red Moon runs for a limited two-week engagement at The Loft Theatre, October 18 through 27, before transferring to The Carnegie’s Covington, Kentucky venue for an additional nine performances, November 2 through 18.

Michael Slade (Photo: Susan Burnstine)

Playwright Michael Slade was intrigued by the story of the Acid Bath Murderer’s horrific deeds years ago when he was having lunch with a wealthy theatre producer who confided in him that she and a friend nearly became Haigh’s victims when they met him while on a European tour in the 1940s. They met him while staying in a London hotel and it was only through luck that a last minute change of plans kept them from a taking a daytrip with him. Slade continues, “Several weeks later, every newspaper had a picture of Haigh and the caption: ‘Acid Bath Murderer Confesses!’ They learned that he routinely befriended his well-off victims and lured them to the country where he killed them and disposed of the bodies in vats of acid.” Haigh’s “confession” and his insanity plea intrigued Slade. “Can any serial killer be considered truly sane? And how does one prove oneself insane?” he wondered. And in that exploration, Slade had found his play.

[dropshadowbox align=”left” effect=”lifted-both” width=”200px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Under a Red Moon
Oct 18 – 27, 2012
Tue: 7pm
Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat: 8pm
Sun: 2pm & 7pm
At The Loft Theatre
Purchase Tickets
[/dropshadowbox]Under a Red Moon’s three-member cast includes returning regional actor Daniel C. Britt (Human Race and Wright State University’s 2010 August: Osage County) as Ralph Gow, and newcomers Bradford Cover (A Thousand Clowns on Broadway) as John George Haigh and Dee Pelletier (Broadway’s August: Osage County) as Dr. Ruth Covington. The production is directed by Margarett Perry (Human Race’s God of Carnage and The Retreat from Moscow) with set design by Scott J. Kimmins, costume design by Ayn Wood, lighting design by John Rensel and sound design by Nathan D. Dean. Aaron Vega is the stage manager.

“We’re very excited to be able to work with The Carnegie Center on Under a Red Moon,” says Human Race Producing Artistic Director Kevin Moore. “We share a similar mission and I’ve long admired their willingness to do daring work. We’ve been looking for a show on which we could collaborate for years, and when Michael presented us with this script, all the pieces just fell into place.” The co-production opportunity allows both companies to present this brand new work to their audiences while sharing expenses and combining resources.

Submitted by The Human Race Theatre Company

Dayton Most Metro Ticket Contest

We have TWO PAIRS OF TICKETS to give away to see Under a Red Moon at the Metropolitan Art Center’s Loft Theatre – simply fill out the form below and leave a comment telling us that YOU want to win tickets (be sure to check the Post To Facebook box so you can share with your FB friends).  We’ll announce winners on Monday 10/15 after 10am – GOOD LUCK!

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to our winners!

Karla Jervis
and
Kathy Chambers

Hallow’s Eve Tea at Patterson Homestead

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Throughout history, many have remembered the souls that have departed this earth on All Hallow’s Day with many traditions forming around this day, and All Hallow’s Eve the night before. Come enjoy a warm cup of tea and tour through the Patterson Homestead while learning about the rituals the Patterson family would have observed during the Victorian Era.
This historic house museum provides a glimpse into the multi-generational lives of Dayton’s influential Patterson family, who lived on the site from 1804 to 1904. The Federal style house, which was constructed in three major components between 1810 and 1850, was originally the home of Revolutionary War veteran Colonel Robert Patterson and his wife, Elizabeth Lindsay Patterson.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”300px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Hallow’s Eve Tea at Patterson Homestead
1815 Brown Street, Dayton, OH
October 27 & 28, 2012
2:00pm-4:00pm
$18 for Dayton History members
$20 for Non-members
Call 937-222-9724 for Reservations
Website
[/dropshadowbox]Frank J. Patterson’s son, Jefferson, donated the house and its 8.5 acres to the City of Dayton in 1953 for use as a meeting center and family memorial. At the time of donation, the house was presented fully furnished with 18th and 19th century antiques along with several original family pieces. Over the years, the artifact collection has grown to include more family-related artifacts that are housed in six period rooms.

Fifth Annual Jewish Cultural Arts and Book Festival

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The Fifth Annual Jewish Cultural Arts and Book Festival will open at the Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture and Education (CJCE) on Thursday, October 11 at 7 p.m. The festival (running from October 11 through December 4) will bring to Dayton a colorful array of cultural events for all ages, including bestselling authors, a local film premiere and musical entertainment the whole family can enjoy. Festival events will be held at the Boonshoft CJCE, except for the Dayton premiere of local filmmaker Aileen LeBlanc’s documentary Take Us Home, which will be held at the Dayton Art Institute on Thursday, November 15 at 7 p.m.

David F. Chapman

Opening night (Thursday, October 11, 7 p.m.) at the Boonshoft CJCE will feature a solo performance of Raoul Wallenberg: Letters From Young Men by New York based director, writer and performer David F. Chapman. Honoring his 100th birthday, the performance tells the story of Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish humanitarian who chose to act and saved thousands of Jews from extradition to Nazi death camps. The performance humanizes the Holocaust hero by combining theatre, historical events, selections from a recently published archive of Wallenberg’s letters, and Chapman’s own childhood diaries.

The nationally-known a cappella group The Maccabeats will kick off his year’s 2013 United Jewish Campaign at the Boonshoft CJCE on Sunday, November 4, 2:30 p.m. Known for their family-friendly musical stylings, The Maccabeats inject Jewish culture into current pop-music favorites, creating comedy and history lessons every generation can enjoy and learn from. During the event, community members will have the opportunity to make their 2013 pledge to the United Jewish Campaign, which provides funds to Jewish agencies and social services in Dayton, Israel, and around the world.

The Maccabeats

The line-up, spanning from October through December, also includes four author events that cover genres such as history, post-apocalyptic political and historical fiction, lighthearted romantic satire, and deep personal loss and recovery.

The Jewish Cultural Arts and Book Festival is presented annually by the Dayton Jewish Community Center (DJCC). “On behalf of the Dayton Jewish Community Center, we are excited to bring an array of thought provoking events to the community. Our festival allows participants to immerse themselves in rich, cultural activites that everyone can enjoy.” says Cheryl Carne, director of the DJCC.
The chairperson of this year’s festival, Dr. Martin Jacobs, says, “Each year we try to feature a diverse collection of interesting authors and performers. We want not just the Jewish community but anyone and everyone in the area to feel welcome and engaged by the activities. Our goal is something for everyone!”
Tickets for events are available at the door or in advance online at www.jewishdayton.org. For more information, please call the DJCC at 937-853-0372.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”300px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Fifth Annual Jewish Cultural Arts and Book Festival
Opens Thursday Oct. 11, 2012
Click for Details
Click to Purchase Tickets
[/dropshadowbox]

2012 Cultural Arts and Book Festival Lineup

 

Thursday, October 11 Raoul Wallenberg: Letters From Young Men

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

Co-sponsored by the National Conference for Community and Justice

Event Details

 

Tuesday, October 16 Sweet & Meet with Author Rich Cohen

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

Event Details

 

Sunday, November 4 The Maccabeats

2:30 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

 

Wednesday, November 7 Perfect is Overrated with author Karen Bergreen

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

 

Thursday, November 15 Take Us Home

7 p.m. Dayton Art Institute

A collaborative sponsorship: The Dayton Art Institute; FilmDayton; WYSO; the DJCC’s Cultural Arts Department and the Jewish Community Relations Council

 

Thursday, November 29 The Aftermath of 9/11 with author Jennifer Gardner Trulson

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

Sponsored by the Brandeis-Joffe Scholarship Fund of the Dayton Jewish Federation Foundation in memory of Eugene and Pearl Joffe

 

Thursday, December 6 The Truth About Fiction: An Interactive Panel Discussion with authors Martha Moody and Eileen Pollack

7 p.m. Boonshoft Center for Jewish Culture & Education

SummitUp, A #Socialmedia Confab

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In the 1920’s, radio broadcasters were looking for more. They knew they had a great way to deliver information into the homes of everyone in the country, but how to get sponsors to buy into it? Radio up to that point had been informational; mainly news and politics delivered in factual and dry terms; nothing really compelling to listen to. Advertisers were not seeing much of a return from the money they were investing, and were leery about investing more. Broadcasters needed to create something that would attract a different audience; an audience that was around the house all day, and was going to make the decisions on what household goods to buy. They decided that fresh content should be mainly about families, and how they lived their lives. They wanted this content to appeal to the housewife, as if they were looking into another person’s house without leaving their own. This new content attracted sponsors in the early 1930’s like Proctor and Gamble, who used these shows to help promote their soaps like Oxydol. Thus was born the “soap opera”, turning what once was used to just a platform for delivering information into a money maker. The Golden Age of Radio boomed, and the soap opera, and eventually the sit com and variety show, boomed with it.

Now, being eighty years removed from radio soaps, marketers are all facing the same questions in a new realm that once simply provided information, or a way to connect, and a few small advertisements. How do we get more Facebook “Likes”? What do we need to do to get more Twitter followers? What makes something that is visually compelling on Pinterest, so we can pin it and tweet about it? And how do we get all of these people we are interacting with to go somewhere to buy our product? On top of that, how do we measure all of this so when people in the C-suite start asking questions, we have good answers for them? We are all asking these questions, some of us longer than others. As we all wander, searching for the same answers, we have a few intrepid people that have found some of the edges of this new realm, and brought back new and exciting information to share. The marketing community of Dayton has helped to organize some of these people at Sinclair Community College on October 16th, 2012, for SummitUp, a full day marketing communications, public relations, and digital information conference.

This event is a major undertaking, involving the efforts of not only many of the top talents in the area, but a small army of volunteers. David Bowman, Chief Marketing Strategist for The Ohlmann Group and one of the organizers of SummitUp, states they want it appeal “to early adopters of technology who demand complexity and bleeding edge information while at the same time delivering content that is accessible to newcomers too.” The speaking talent this year is top notch, with major keynote speakers, local brilliant talent, and opportunities to meet all of the top marketing and communication talent in the area. On top of that, the volunteers help to make the event as affordable as possible to the widest number of people, so more people can experience it. “Ultimately, the event has an incredible team of volunteers who work very hard to make sure that those who invest the time and money to attend get value from coming to the event.”, affirms Bowman.

The day begins at 7 AM at breakfast. It is going to be a full day, and you are going to need all the energy you can get. The first keynote speaker of the day will be Todd Henry, creator of the website and podcast The Accidental Creative, as well as the writer of the highly praised book The Accidental Creative, How to be Brilliant on a Moment’s Notice. He is an expert on how to build an environment that encourages the generation of creative ideas. His podcast interviews some of the top creative minds across a wide variety of industries, and offers insights about everything from generating ideas quickly to getting over the dreaded creator’s block.

After his speech, every attendee will be able to attend multiple breakout sessions. There are twelve sessions total, given by some of the best business and social media thinkers in southwest Ohio and Indiana. Each of the sessions is offered twice in back-to-back time frames, so everyone will have a chance to see six of the speakers. Eight of the sessions will happen before lunch, and the final four sessions will happen after lunch. These breakout sessions are designed to give every attendee the greatest chance to bring the right information back to help the social media and communication strategies of your company.

Lunch will be served around noon, and then it will be time for the second keynote of the day. Rohit Bhargava is the a founding member of one of the largest social strategy groups at Oglivy as well as a professor of Global Marketing at Georgetown University. He is a proponent of bringing the human touch back into the marketing world, touting the importance of being likeable as a major factor in success. He is the author of several highly rated and incredibly popular books, Likeonomics (his most recent book) and Personality Not Included. His books are not just something to read; Likeonomics also offers a website full of useful exercises and ideas to help make you and your brand more likeable, and attractive, to future clients.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”320px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]SummitUp
Sinclair Community College, Building 12
October 16th, 7:00am – 4:30pm
Full Day Ticket Member Pricing: $119.00
Full Day Ticket Non – Member Pricing: $159.00
Click for Tickets[/dropshadowbox]

The final keynote of the day is at the end of the last group of four sessions. If you are familiar with the name of the person who is presenting, you have certainly seen his work on multiple websites. His name is Tim Schigel, and he is the chairman and founder of ShareThis, which has their widgets for social media sharing scattered across the Internet. Tim has done innovative work for some of the biggest firms in the country, from Apple to Procter and Gamble. The impetus behind ShareThis was to start measuring how people share the interesting things that they find outside of search engines, and that involves tracking how people use social sites to share. What is getting shared? How is it getting shared? And what is the future of measuring and sharing data?

The transition to social media presents a new set of challenges, much like the first pioneers into radio media faced. Whether you are in traditional media or cultivating pin boards, if you are new to the game or still think fondly of your AOL marketing efforts, SummitUp is a great way to develop your skills in this new realm. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and a bevy of other new platforms are out there for people to use, integrate, and broadcast from. This is a fine opportunity to take advantage of all this brilliance in a local environment, at a great price. Connect with the best talent in Dayton and beyond, and take your marketing efforts to the next level. We all hope to see you on October 16th!

Patterson Canal Parkway: Connecting Downtown Culture

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Image: MorrisTerra www.morristerra.com

For years, Dayton city planners and downtown advocates have heard the same remark over and over:  downtown has many individual assets, but they need to be better connected physically. If one parks for a Dragons game and then walks to bars in the Oregon District, or watches a movie at the Neon and goes for a stroll to Riverscape, the pedestrian experience tends to leave something to be desired.

Pylons to tell the story of the canal

That will soon change with the completion of the Patterson Boulevard Canal Parkway Project, a half-mile, $2 million complete overhaul of the pedestrian amenities between Second and Sixth Streets. Elements include new landscaping, lighting, historical signage, sidewalks and crosswalks.

“Through conversations and focus groups for the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan,” says Sandy Gudorf of the Downtown Dayton Partnership, “we heard a clear desire to make downtown more walkable and connected, and its eastern edge is our strongest residential area. We’re excited that the City of Dayton has acted so quickly on this critical infrastructure.”

Reinterpreting the Past

The Winters monument is currently being re-installed after many decades in storage.

The City of Dayton is implementing the project with funds from the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission, who helped define the project with a focus on the history of the Miami-Erie Canal. Its story will be interpreted through text and graphics on striped pylons.The canal ran from Toledo to Cincinnati and crossed Dayton through the path that is now Patterson Boulevard. Construction began in 1825 and lasted twenty years, providing physically demanding work for many Dayton residents and growing our size considerably. Though it was a key shipping artery, the canal struggled to compete with rail throughout its life and suffered a final death blow with the 1913 flood, yet wasn’t filled in for a quarter-century.

Another relic from Dayton’s past – a monument removed from the old library site – has been unearthed from a City of Dayton storage yard after fifty years. The former fountain is being installed at the eastern edge of Cooper Park, greeting pedestrians on the Canal Parkway. The monument was dedicated to Ambrose Winters, a lawyer credited with rallying support for much of Dayton’s early streetscape infrastructure. Project manager Amy Walbridge says, “As a citizen of Dayton, I am so very happy about this.  While it’s important to look forward, it’s good to look back and see what great work the citizens of Dayton who came before us did for this community.”

The new public sculpture ‘Fluid Dynamics’ will be installed in conjunction with the Canal Parkway Project.

Looking Forward to a Thriving Downtown Neighborhood

Even prior to construction, downtown residents began embracing Patterson Boulevard as the important center to their emerging neighborhood. Last year a group of volunteers made dramatic improvements to the triangular greenspace at Fourth Street, with new seating, landscaping, and art. That small park will see even more transformation with the upcoming installation of the major new public sculpture ‘Fluid Dynamics’ by local artist Jon Barlow Hudson. The sculpture was commissioned thanks to a $55,000 donation from the Pflaum family and its pedestal has already been constructed as part of the Canal Parkway infrastructure.

Some of the new lighting that will brighten the downtown landscape

Downtown resident, realtor, and Priority Board Chair Steve Seboldt senses new enthusiasm for downtown living. “I think the rapid sales of the townhouses by Simms [Patterson Square] shows that people are interested in the livability of downtown. The improved walkway on Patterson will encourage people to walk to Oregon and around Downtown.”

Construction for the Canal Parkway is scheduled to be completed in the first half of December 2012.

The Scream, Art Battle, Dayton Music Fest Among Highlights of Oct. 5 First Friday in Downtown Dayton

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Downtown’s next free First Friday art hop will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5.

Fire dancers from the Soul Fire Tribe, belly dancers from Roja and solo musician Jason Trout will provide entertainment while roving the streets of downtown. Triclectic, an alternative bluegrass band, will play on East Fifth Street across from Omega Music from 6 to 8 p.m.

Artists compete during 2011's Art Off at K12 Gallery for Young People. Round two of the 2012 contest will be held during October First Friday.

The eighth annual Dayton Music Fest will kick off during First Friday, with live music at Omega Music and Canal Street Tavern. On Saturday, Oct. 6, the festival will continue at several other downtown venues, including Trolley Stop, Tumbleweed Connection, Blind Bob’s and Oregon Express. Dayton Music Fest aims to spotlight local musicians and other acts with ties to the Dayton area. Weekend passes are $10 for the festival, which features more than 30 musical acts.

Several art galleries will host special events this month. The CADC will host a Halloween tribute, featuring several artist renditions of the famous impressionist painting “The Scream.” Patrons are encouraged to dress as their own version of the painting. K12 Gallery for Young People/TEJAS will host round two of the Art-Off Battles. At the top of the hour from 6 to 10 p.m., watch artists compete while creating works of 2-D art within the theme of “Time, Memory and Place.” The final round will take place Nov. 9. Blue Sky Project will feature a closing reception for Michael Casselli’s “Slackwire,” a contemporary art show that utilizes high-voltage plasma traveling across music wire and asks viewers to consider the space they inhabit and how impositions affect them. Work by folk artist Omope Carter Daboiku will be shown at Cachet G! International Boutique, including tiles, drawings and weavings.

Band Boston Spaceships rocks out at a past Dayton Music Fest. The festival will kick off during October First Friday at Omega Music and Canal Street Tavern.

More than 40 downtown businesses will participate in September First Friday; see a complete list of what downtown businesses have on tap for First Friday on the DDP website.

First Friday is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from the Oregon District Business Association, the Ohio Arts Council and WYSO-FM 91.3. The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website has a complete list of downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, as well as a dining guide, parking map and much more.

All kinds of “outdoorsy” happening at the Midwest Outdoor Experience

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I am not an “outdoorsy” person. But I’m learning. Honestly. If you ask anyone who knew me from grade school, college or even just a few years ago will attest to an increase in the amount of sporting goods equipment I own and the number of shoes featuring actual soles that are created for purposes outside of pure fashion. My greatest impetus for this foray into the outdoors is my husband, followed closely by my occupation. So pretty much “life” is encouraging me to venture off the couch and into the woods.

“Hang out” with the Gibbon Slackline team at the Midwest Outdoor Experience.

As a new inductee into a world filled with adventure and hiking boots and roof racks and moisture-wicking clothing, I can tell you it’s a lot of fun. You might feel uncertain about trying a new activity, but if you can brush your trepidation aside for just a little while, you’ll get a peek into what life is like for those friends whose Facebook walls are plastered with photos of their latest exploration.

Your journey can begin Friday, October 5, and Saturday, October 6, when the Midwest Outdoor Experience, presented by Subaru, rolls into Eastwood MetroPark. Regular festival attendees may remember the event as “GearFest.” Props to those die-hards who were with us from that first swap meet in the PNC 2nd Street Market parking lot. Now that’s grown to a full weekend-long event filled with experiential outdoor activities, we thought a name change would more accurately convey the spirit of the event (and it helped nab some sponsors).

There will be plenty of activities to try, including backpacking, mountain biking at the IMBA Bike Village, canoeing, climbing, disc golf, fly fishing, geocaching, cycling, kayaking, orienteering, skateboarding, slacklining, snow tubing, stand-up paddleboarding, yoga and ziplining. Not ready to take the leap? Be a spectator at one of the demos or competitions.

Headlining this year’s competition slate is the Gibbon USA Slackline Championship. What’s slacklining? Dwight Schrute defines it as “tightrope for babies,” but those who attended last year’s event or watched the 2012 Super Bowl Halftime Show can tell you it’s an amazing athletic display that’s equal parts Chuck Blondin and Shaun White.

Does your pooch cut the MUTT-stard to be an Ultimate Air Dog?

Also not to be missed is the Subaru Ultimate Air Dogs competition. That’s right, in addition to having a full outdoor recreation dance card, this festival is also a celebration of our favorite fuzzy fur-beasts. Enter your dog into the competition or just bask in the gratuitous puppy atmosphere on Subaru Pooch Island. You can even adopt your own dog from the Humane Society of Greater Dayton.

It’s a reasonable assumption that you will be having so much fun, you won’t want to leave. That’s OK; on-site camping is available on a first-come, first-served basis. But if you’re idea of “roughing it” means continental breakfast over room service, be sure to book your room at the official hotel, the Crowne Plaza. There will also be performances via Dayton Music Fest, a beer garden and on-site food vendors to round out your outdoor experience.  (listen to the DMF bands playing here on our calendar listing)

It’s OK, Bear Grylls, there are lots of food vendors and a craft beer garden at the Midwest Outdoor Experience. No need to eat bugs.

True to its roots, you can also get the gear you need to “Get Out & Live” all year long. Stop by the exhibitor village and check out the latest in outdoor recreation equipment and hook up with local clubs and enthusiasts who will really get you on your way. Awaken your dormant inner outdoor adventurer October 5 and 6 at the Midwest Outdoor Experience.

BeardCon: The Cutting Edge Of A Hairy Subject

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BeardCon Is Growing

 “He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man.”

~ William Shakespeare

 

A beard. It is an enigma that is constantly being defined and redefined. At times throughout man’s history, it was viewed as a badge of sexual virility, a symbol of wisdom and then, paradoxically, as a follicle folly ascribed to the slovenly and the shiftless. Biologically, it is described as a secondary sexual characteristic brought upon by an influx of dihydrotestosterone during puberty and is defined as a signal that a man is ready to sire offspring. It is sometimes viewed with fear and, in a wild pendulum swing of rhetorical reactions, a leisure left only to the vain fool.

Whatever one’s perception may be, there is one thing that can be said about facial hair for certain: There is no one that does not have an immediate, transcendent and wholly personal reaction to someone with a beard. Perhaps this is why, within recent years, clubs and competitions have been sprouting up here and there giving a focus and forum to those that celebrate the manliness of the beard.

Locally, that group would be The Gem City Gentlemen of the Gilded Beard, who created the upcoming follicle fest that has come to be known as BeardCon. BeardCon will take place on Saturday, October 6, 2012 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center located at400 North High St., Columbus,Ohio. The event features competitions in such diverse categories as Natural Full Beard, Styled Moustache, Fantastic Beards and even Best Costume and Best Team awards, plus seven more categories. There will be a variety of vendors aimed at those who are captivated by facial coiffing as well as discussion groups, demonstrations and the history and social significance of facial hair. This event is drawing groups from all around the country as well as a representative group from Canada and has all the earmarks of being not only fun and entertaining, but an event that stems out of a sense of community as well.

Recently, I was able to speak with several members of The Gem City Gentlemen of the Gilded Beard. Nate Stevens, Stephen Arthur Alexander Jr. and Thomas Smith are the integral persons responsible for creating BeardCon. As with the growing of facial hair, what started out as a shadow of a discussion grew in length and complexity as time wore on.

Nate Stevens

Thomas: The BeardCon is in its third iteration of our personal competition. The first one we did was in Dayton and it ended up being a bigger success than we had imagined. We repeated that in Columbus the next year at COSI (Center of Science & Industry). It’s the whole Dayton club (The Gem City Gentlemen of the Gilded Beard) that heads the statewide chapter and of the Beard-Con planning committee.

Nate: Yeah, so we have a annual competition every year and this year we decided to expand it and alter it so that BeardCon would be more of a convention rather than something like The Ohio Beard Championships, or whatever people were kind of seeing it as in the past. Like last year, we had a ton of vendors and combined with the space we had at COSI, people were saying, ‘Oh! It kind of feels like a convention!’ So, we have decided to go with that momentum and kind of embrace that this year and we will see how that goes. As far as the relationship is concerned, the core of us who started The Gem City Gentlemen of the Gilded Beard are the same people behind Beard Team Ohio and the same core people behind Beard-Con.

J.T.: How did you get all the other clubs and vendors from other states involved? Was Facebook an integral part of connecting with everybody and getting the word out to them?

Stephen: Oh yeah. I did most of that. I got a lot of the teams from around the country to come…not all of them, but a majority of them…just through Facebook. Actually, that’s all I used. I mean, Facebook is a huge part of our promotion.

Nate: The three of us all have different roles and we kind of have titles that we have dubbed ourselves with at the beginning of the club. Stephen is the Ambassador and that is his role is to constantly be extending these olive branches and making relationships with other clubs so that we are welcomed wherever we go and so people think fondly of us all around the country. I am the Speaker, so I write a lot of the stuff on our Facebook page, write press, manage our web site and stuff like that. Thomas is kind of the Doer. He makes things happen behind the scenes as far as logistics, contracts and organizing and scheduling things.

J.T.: If you all could do me a personal favor and get The Gem City Fake Mustache Society to quit, that would be great. It’s confusing to see hot women with moustaches. It really is.

Nate: (Laughing) Confuses you in your nether regions?

Thomas Smith

Thomas: Well, the women are huge part of what we do. They are probably one of the better parts of the competition, honestly. They are just so creative. I don’t think we would want to get rid of them.

Nate: The ladies of The Gem City Fake Mustache Society are members of our club as well. I wouldn’t say that we have absorbed them because they still go out and do their own thing, but we are definitely linked. Knowing their personalities, they wouldn’t take it if we just told them to stop so that we could prosper and so that you wouldn’t be sexually confused. (Laughter)

J.T.: Is there an equivalent in beardom of a ‘bad hair day’?

Thomas: Absolutely! Actually, I compete pretty frequently and I make it a point to travel to a lot of the competitions and there are just days that I cannot get my beard to do what I want it to do. That just honestly has a lot to do with climate and what you have done to your face.

Nate: Yeah! Everything from diet to humidity to sleep deprivation and all that kind of stuff can effect you in minor ways and they stack up on you.

J.T.: I can grow a beard quickly, but I can’t seem to get past that point when you want to claw your own face off because of the relentless itching. Is there a point when it gets better?

Thomas: There are stages of beard growth. It’s weird, but it’s kind of like having a child and you have to coddle it and nurture it as such. In the beginning, it is itchy and it whines a lot and you just want to tear your face apart and then you get to the point where it reaches its terrible twos and your beard makes you look like the most wretchedly disgusting hobo bastard. But then, it becomes and adolescent and you start to see some maturity in your beard and a little bit of wisdom and it starts to make its own decisions and defines its own pattern, and then when you get like a four inch beard, that’s a young man right there! That’s a hunter, a warrior…that’s a solid beard! That beard travels with you everywhere you go.

Nate: Then you have to hope that you raised it right, that it goes to college, gets a good job and that it makes you proud out there in the world! But seriously, we get that question a lot. Of course it’s going to itch for eight days and if you can’t take it, then I guess that’s your destiny. It takes a little bit of fortitude. You have to really want it.

J.T.: Do people with beards have derogatory names for those who are clean shaven?

Thomas: Baby face. It’s like, a clean shaven person is one of two things, and when you first meet them, if they are excited about the beards, then they are a prospect; they are future beardsmen. But if someone is being really rude to you, then they are a baby-faced ninny, and that’s the end of that friendship.

Nate: It’s like with anything; we don’t judge people because they don’t choose to have beards. Now, if they are an asshole, the fact that they don’t have a beard will become part of the ammunition you can use against them. Hate and love are born from who you are.

J.T.: Here’s a loaded question; Darwin and other anthropologists have equated the profusion of facial hair with virility and that the beard is indicative of the sexual prowess of the wearer. Thoughts?

Thomas: It’s challenging because, for European descendant males, it is definitely a defining attribute of manhood. You do not grow a beard until you are literally capable of sexually reproducing offspring. The two other aspects of a beard is that, as far as sexual prowess goes, when you can grow a big beard, it shows that you are mature in the aspect that you can foster a working relationship with something that takes a large amount of care and the other aspect is that you have the balls enough to grow a massive beard and no one can tear it off your face because you’re a badass. Have you ever had an instance where you can’t tell if someone really far away is a man or a woman? When a guy is coming towards you with a sizable amount of facial hair, you can tell it’s a dude from like a mile away.

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Urban Bites, Urban Nights

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Ribs from “HIckory River” in Tipp City

Friday Sept 14th, 2012 was a great evening in Downtown Dayton.  The Urban Nights event showcased dining, nightlife, retail shops and more.  Good art and good music filled the city, as did festival goers.  But The Food Adventures Crew were at this huge street party to try the street food for an Urban Food Adventure.  It was great to see the bustling downtown area with businesses and restaurants opening their doors to the public.  Dancers and musicians entertained the masses and there were even people repelling down one of Dayton’s tallest buildings!

Crowds gathered from Riverscape to the Oregon District.  Dayton was hopping during Urban Nights.  There were dozens and dozens of restaurants and food vendors selling their eats.  So many vendors, that it would be impossible to list them all here, so please click on our photos below.  A picture is worth a thousand words, right?

Oyster Shooter from Jay’s Seafood Restaurant

There was soul food and seafood.  There were pies and burgers ‘n fries.  Varieties ranges from Bratwurst eats to vegetarian treats.  We ate South American food, Italian food and Indian specialties.  The event also featured beer and wine vendors.  Some vendors, like the ones near Riverscape, made you purchase 3 dollar tickets to buy food at any vendor.  Other street vendors downtown were on a cash for food basis.

There were even 3 separate stages spread out across the downtown area where you could listen to live bands and more.  We dined to some classic rock by local band ‘Spungewurthy.’

Empanadas from “El Meson” restaurant

Did you miss Urban Nights and the food extravaganza?  Then mark your calendars for Friday night May 10th, 2013 when Urban Nights returns to the Gem City.

The atmosphere was friendly and fun.  It was really something to enjoy a Food Adventure while standing among Courthouse Square or underneath Dayton’s skyline.   Urban Nights was a great time and made us proud of our hometown of Dayton!  Enough of the sentimental stuff, you have to check out these amazing food photos below !!

But first, please comment below and tell us what you thought of URBAN NIGHTS !

Also, check out Food Adventures on Facebook and “like” us HERE.

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