You Want a Taste of New York?

A day in the life of a FOOD ADVENTURER may include using culinary skills from time to time.  When Johnny’s Slice of NY Pizzeria in Centerville approached us about being “Guest Pizza Makers” for a day, we jumped at the chance.  We have enjoyed Johnny’s food, from their pizza to their calzones, so we couldn’t wait to toss a few pies for fun.

Owners Johnny and Michelle Rivera asked us to develop our own special pizza that would be added to their menu.  We came up with the “MANHATTAN SPLITSVILLE” pizza, which is any 3 toppings on each half of the pie.  The event took place on Sunday, January 22nd. Friends, family and Johnny’s regular customers joined us for the festivities.  That day only, the 18inch versions of the Manhattan Splitsville sold for the special price of $15.

Manhattan Splitsville: Any 3 Toppings on each half

We showed up an hour before the event, ready for training.  We were greeted by the staff who had made us special t-shirts adorned with our names  and the Johnny’s Slice of NY logo.  We changed into our uniforms and the phones began to ring with orders an hour before they opened!  Johnny took the orders and opened early, so we had to train on the fly!

Superfry helped both in the kitchen and bringing orders to the crowded tables.  He also welcomed customers and explained the special of the day.  Superfry was “Mr Hospitality” at the front of the house, mingling with new and old customers.

Meanwhile the Big Ragu was putting cheese and toppings on the pizzas and loading them into the oven.  He even brushed the crusts with garlic butter, then sliced the pizza pies into those huge NY slices.  It was a blast and we are very thankful for the people who came to visit and support the event.  We got to serve up slices of love, Superfry and Ragu Style.

Fresh Homemade Calzone - the Best !

Those who have not had a chance to visit Johnny’s Slice of NY Pizzeria, need to try this family-owned place.  Johnny, who grew up in the boroughs of New York City, learned to develop his own pizza sauce, with a terrific flavor.  Their dough is made fresh daily.  They have many  specials including two New York sized slices and a soft drink for 6 bucks which is popular with the high school students.   Not in the mood for pizza? Let us suggest the calzone or stromboli, which are the best we have ever tasted.  Another favorite is the stuffed pizza creation called the Brooklyn Brawler.  This huge pizza is sold by the slice or whole.  There is even a “Brooklyn Brawler Challenge”where if two people can eat the 18-inch, eight-pound pizza stuffed with pepperoni, sausage, ham, bacon, mozzarella, and provolone in 30 minutes, they get it for free!  Winning contestants also get a T-shirt and picture on the “Wall of Fame.”   If the pie doesn’t get finished, the photo goes on the “Wall of Shame.”

Superfry, Johnny, and the Big Ragu

Johnny’s also offers subs, salads, breadsticks and pasta dishes as well. Visit them at 57 W. Franklin Street in Centerville for authentic New York Style Pizza and more.  Below are lots more photos from our “Guest Pizza Makers Event.”  Maybe you will see yourself in the photo album.  Please feel free to leave your comments below about the event or your experience with Johnny’s Slice of NY Pizzeria.

Visit FOOD ADVENTURES of SUPERFRY and the BIG RAGU on FACEBOOK by clicking here.  “Like” us to become an official fan !!

View Photo Album

The Problem We All Live With

You only have a few days to get to The Dayton Art Institute or you’re going to miss something surprisingly evocative and just plain cool.

Until recently, my idea of Norman Rockwell was a memory of images painted on dishes displayed in my granny and grandpa’s dining room cabinet. Those images were cutsey, small-town Americana and very, very quaint.

My Norman Rockwell has changed an awful lot.

When I first visited the exhibit “American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell,” I was surprised to learn this iconic American artist was a progressive thinker. To be honest, I had no idea he created a body of work addressing such issues as desegregation, civil rights and poverty. I admit I was stunned when standing in front of The Problem We All Live With, a recreation of the walk 6-year-old Ruby Bridges took as a first-grade student and the first African American to attend a previously all-white school in New Orleans. This was not only because of the powerful imagery but because I had not expected to see this ― feel this ― in a Norman Rockwell exhibit. I had trouble breaking myself away from Murder in Mississippi, Rockwell’s depiction of the murders of three young civil rights workers in Philadelphia, Miss., during the civil rights era.  I was late for a meeting (OK, really late) but I really didn’t care. These paintings!

I had the same intense feeling ― you know, when you think a wooly worm is crawling along your spine ― when hearing that same Ruby Bridges Rockwell painted years ago tell a packed auditorium at The Art Institute about her experience and emotions that November day as she and her mother, riding in a car with federal marshals, made their way to her new school.  (Tangent: Check out Bridges’ book, Through My Eyes, if you get a chance.)

Ruby Bridges shares images from the day she made history as the first African American to attend a previously all-white school. "Even back then, I knew 'separate but equal' was not true," she said.

And there were more surprises. Bridges’ parents were not activists. They simply wanted a better life for their daughter, which is why they answered when the NAACP knocked on their door. Bridges used her imagination to decipher what was happening during those days when she unknowingly was making history. Since she had been one of only six African American children to pass a test engineered for them to fail, Bridges thought she was so smart she was going to college. Since her neighbors walked alongside the car that drove her to her first grade class, she thought she was in a Mardi Gras parade. Bridges said the worst thing about first grade was being lonely, as nearly all the white families had withdrawn their children from the school. She revealed the horror of walking by white protestors holding an infant’s coffin containing a black doll, constant threats that she would be poisoned, the schoolboy who told Bridges his mother insisted he not play with her and the weight she felt lifted off her shoulders upon hearing that comment because, finally, she knew what was going on. She knew it was about color, the color of her skin.

Continue…

The first ballet on the evening’s program is the revival of Ballet Austin Artistic Director, Stephen Mills’ Red Roses; a neo-classical ballet, which explores the ecstasy and anger of love through the melodic songs of Edith Piaf.

The second piece is choreographed by Dayton native, Gina Gardner-Walther. Gina makes her Dayton Ballet debut with the world premiere, Between Heaven and Earth. This contemporary ballet explores the feelings of romance that go beyond attraction.

Dayton Ballet’s Artistic Director, Karen Russo Burke, completes the evening with a new world premiere, The Butterfly Suite. This one-act story ballet is loosely based on Puccini’s famous opera, Madame Butterfly. This beautifully choreographed ballet tells a heart wrenching story about clashing cultures, naivety, love, lust and sorrow.

Performances of The Romance Series are at the Victoria Theatre February 9, 10, & 11 at 8:00 pm, and February 11 & 12 at 3:00 pm.  Tickets are on sale now! Call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or (888) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com.  Ticket Center Stage hours are Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday Noon-4 p.m. and two hours prior to each performance.

WIN FREE TICKETS

We have a pair of tickets for each of the five shows, courtesy of the Dayton Ballet!  Just fill out the form below and we’ll draw five winners on Monday Feb. 6 at noon.  Good luck!

First Name:
Last Name:
Phone Number:	( )  -
Mailing Address:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Email:
Age:	<1819-2122-3031-4041-5051-65>65
Like DMM’s On Stage Dayton Facebook Page:
Like Dayton Ballet Association’s Facebook Page:
	Enter the characters you see to the left:

The schedule is:

Feb. 5: Stivers Singers
Feb. 12: Strings
Feb. 19: Concert Pianists
Feb. 26: Jazz Quintet

Each Sunday will feature two brunch sessions, from 10 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.; the same menu will be served at both seatings. Cost is $30 per person; $15 of this is a tax-deductible donation to the seedling Foundation, which supports the arts at Stivers. All funds raised during the Sunday brunches will support arts instruction at the school.

This year’s menu has not yet been release, but based on last year’s menu you’ll have a choice from about 1/2 a dozen choices, from traditional breakfast meals, salads and entrees, including vegetarian options.  Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s will be available for an additional charge. Advanced reservations are required; and based on previous years attendance, these brunches will sell out.  Call 228-COCO (2626), or go online at www.228coco.com/brunch to reserve

Flavors Eatery in Centerville

If you could use a little California sunshine in the midst of this cold Ohio winter, consider heading to Centerville ’s West Coast inspired FLAVORS EATERY.   Rich and Elaine LoRusso’s little eatery whose slogan is “LIVE, LOVE, LIFE,” has been a favorite dining spot in Centerville for several years.   Rich and Elaine had a successful string of restaurants in California , but decided to move back to Ohio to be closer to family.  Once they returned, they decided to open FLAVORS EATERY – a restaurant concept which provides diners with healthy menu alternatives in a fast-food-dominated world.  The concept worked and the restaurant has developed quite a following since its inception.

The Incredible House Garlic Sauce

The menu is dynamic and unique like the personalities of the charismatic owners.  The couple know their customers well and have developed many friendships with their returning clientele.  Once inside the restaurant, you are promptly greeted by the highly energetic Elaine LoRusso.

The atmosphere is casual and eclectic with music playing overhead and walls adorned with pictures of the owners with many legendary musicians.  The place has an artsy and relaxed West Coast vibe.

The food is totally unique and bursting with flavor. The menu consists of California-style wraps, homemade soups, subs, salads, smoothies, and burritos.  They even have ice cream and low-fat yogurt.  It is very easy to eat at FLAVORS EATERY if you are watching your weight!  Since both of us could be described as “husky”, this is one of our favorite dining spots.

Monterey Grilled Chicken - Superfry's Favorite Dish

Superfry has become addicted to the Weight Watcher friendly Monterey Grilled Chicken –a flatbread loaded with organic chicken and topped with fresh grilled veggies.  If you want a different flavor to your food, they will gladly accommodate your request.  Since Superfry loves his Thai food, Rich prepares his Chicken Monterey Grille with a little Thai sauce… delish!

The Big Ragu loves fish and always goes for the heaping Salmon Wrap.  They start off with a Honey Whole Grain Wrap and stuff it with salmon, black beans, organic brown rice, lettuce, and cheese.  The wraps also come with a side of tortilla chips that are topped with the House Garlic Sauce.  If you haven’t tried the House Garlic Sauce, then you are missing out!  We highly suggest you pick up a bottle to take home!  The house-made salsa is also very refreshing and unique as they change the vegetables with each batch!

If the large portions don’t quite fill you up, you can always try one of their many desserts. They offer espresso drinks, smoothies, baked goods, ice cream, and frozen yogurts. One of Superfry’s favorite desserts is the large chocolate chip cookie warmed and topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream.  Nothing beats a fresh, warm cookie!

Peanut Butter Cup Shake - click to enlarge

The Big Ragu goes the frozen route and orders up a milkshake.  His favorite is the Peanut Butter Cup Shake that is packed with huge chunks of peanut butter cups.  If you decide to try these desserts, you might want to spend a few extra hours in the gym to burn off the calories! Believe us, every drop of sweat will be worth it!

Flavors is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:15 p.m., Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and closed on Sundays.  A popular lunch spot, you might have to wait a little longer during the lunch rush, but the food is that good.  One taste of their unique food and you will be addicted too.  It’s easy to understand the loyal following FLAVORS EATERY has acquired. Check them out at www.flavorseatery.com or even better yet….stop in this restaurant and give them a try.  They are located at 865 East Franklin Street by Centerville High School in the Centerville East Plaza shopping center.

CLICK on any photo to enlarge, and get the true feel of this FOOD ADVENTURE !

For more photos, visit FOOD ADVENTURES of SUPERFRY and the BIG RAGU on FACEBOOK and “like” us to become an official fan.

Have an opinion on our FOOD ADVENTURE to FLAVOR’s EATERY?

FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW !

View Photo Album

(L to R) Brandon Andrus, Brad Weinstock, Jason Kappus and Colby Foytik as The Four Seasons in Jersey Boys (Photo by Joan Marcus)

“Jersey Boys,” which captured the 2006 Tony Award for Best Musical and remains one of the most popular jukebox musicals on the Great White Way, enjoyably depicts the triumphs and pitfalls of legendary 1960s hitmakers The Four Seasons.

Sleekly directed by Des McAnuff in one of his finest efforts and presented at the Schuster Center courtesy of the Victoria Theatre Association’s Premier Health Partners Broadway Series, “Jersey Boys” chronicles the talented blue-collar troupe from their rocky evolution in the 1950s to their 1990 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Instead of adopting the common jukebox trend of shoe-horned songs taking conceptual precedence (a shortcoming of “Mamma Mia!” and “Million Dollar Quartet”), librettists Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice wisely craft terrifically authentic, fully developed central characters (not caricatures) that resonate as strongly as the assortment of pop classics which smoothly accent the story. In addition to constructing infectious momentum in the middle of Act 1 with three knockout numbers in a row (“Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man”), Brickman and Elise’s delightfully personable, occasionally gripping narrative, full of intriguing revelations, evenly spotlights the rise and fall of the group within the appropriate backdrops of spring, summer, fall and winter.

As Frankie Valli (born Francis Castelluccio), the admirable Carlos Valdes possesses a firmly distinctive, Valli-esque falsetto and a delightfully youthful spunk which effectively dissolves as Frankie matures. Delivering superb renditions of “Moody’s Mood for Love” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” Valdes greatly connects in the darker Act 2 as the philandering Frankie comes to grips with the pains of touring and his fractured relationship with his drug-addicted daughter. Colby Foytik is a charming scoundrel as troublesome Tommy DeVito, whose shady financial dealings plague the troupe beyond belief. The marvelously understated Brandon Andrus, bearing a striking resemblance to Craig Bierko, substantively embodies the unassuming, plain-spoken Nick Massi with a sharply droll attitude. As Bob Gaudio, who composed the hit “Who Wears Short Shorts” at age 15, Jason Kappus endearingly blends with his fellow cohorts, who are crisply choreographed with suave masculinity by Sergio Trujillo.

Barry Anderson (a standout as the Four Season’s flamboyant producer/lyricist Bob Crewe), E. Clayton Cornelious, Kaleigh Cronin, Thomas Fiscella, Natalie Gallo (a lovely inclusion in “My Eyes Adored You”), Ruby Lewis (leading a feisty “My Boyfriend’s Back”) and Christopher Messina are notable in featured roles.

A particular draw for men who enjoy musicals served with testosterone, “Jersey Boys” wholeheartedly entertains as a prime source of toe-tapping nostalgia.

“Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons” continues through Feb. 5 at the Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets. Performances are Tuesday-Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Act One: 75 minutes; Act Two: 60 minutes. Brad Weinstock and Hayden Milanes are also cast as Frankie Valli. Tickets are $42-$111. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com

Biscotti

Full-fledged perseverance has led Hilary Browning to her career as a baker, but truthfully, most of the credit for her success belongs to no one other than Hilary, herself. She is the most driven, inspiring person I have yet to meet, and it has been an honor to hear and write about her story. She is the owner and mastermind behind Thistle Confections, which supplies the baked goods for Ghostlight Coffee, but her newest addition to this one of a kind business is her booth at the Second Street Market, which will open February 11! She has finally made this “baking dream a reality,” as she puts it, and I was along to get the quite delicious dish on the details.

When looking up the term “self-starter” in the dictionary, one should find the name “Hilary Browning” listed. Just sitting down for this brief interview, I could sense her drive and determination, which no doubt has brought her this far in her baking career. The platform of her baking knowledge originated from her mother and grandmother, who were recent Italian immigrants. They supplied her with the basics, but from this jumping off point, Hilary is completely self-taught. She likes to deviate from traditional recipes, making them her own. As she explained to me, she finds “pride in the creative aspect of flavor.” And boy, oh boy! The Better Breakfast cookie I tried sure did pack a punch of flavor!

Hilary describes the line of events that led her to the present as a “natural progression,” all starting with her food blog in 2006, while she was studying at Ohio State for graduate school. This was her outlet for stress, a way to test recipes, and a chance to keep in contact with friends, as well as acquire new friendships. As Hilary explains,

Cinnamon Roll

“business grew from that.” After her transfer to and graduation from the University of Dayton, her husband was stationed at a military base, and she decided the timing was perfect to give her baking idea a try. Even her partnership with Ghostlight Coffee can be seen as part of this natural series of events, as her relationship with Shane as a neighbor and friend eventually evolved into this partnership. A partnership that has brought forth delicious, unique recipes and support for local producers, but not much sleep as she points out: “it’s a choice. You make choices, and you make sacrifices for those choices.” But she stands firmly behind her decisions, especially her commitments to quality and local producers, her two biggest concentrations when it comes to running Thistle Confections.

Whoppie Pie

“My goal is not profit.” This was one of the first things Hilary shared with me. Quality, as aforementioned, is one of her two greatest concerns when it comes to her creations. She has personally met and fed the chickens from the two farms from where she gets her organic eggs. “It’s a lot of work,” but it’s worth it for quality. Every baked good is made from whole grains, providing a healthy aspect. Hilary also doesn’t sell anything she has not tasted or include any ingredient from a box. Everything is made from scratch, using only organic ingredients from local producers who have gone through Hilary’s inspection. Another amazing aspect of Thistle Confections is that all goods are baked fresh daily. She specializes in nostalgic and savory pastries; reinventing old recipes are her specialty. Two such nostalgic baked goods are her “Whoopy Pie,” which actually came from Pennsylvania in the 19^th century, and her cinnamon rolls, which are prepared using a technique from when the recipe was first brought to America! But she also has a lot of pride in writing her own recipes (which are 100% original or tweaked slightly and tested), which are available for purchase on her blog.

By reaching for quality, Hilary cares for local producers, as well. It’s quite a bit of work to research and taste everything, but by marrying these two principles she supplies her customers with delicious products, while also providing the economy with a little pick-me-up. As she puts it, “the heart of her business is local producers.” The ingredients can be traced directly back to local whole salers, making the goods more health-conscious and you more responsible for eating such deliciousness!

So now, it’s your turn! Help support the local economy and a worthy business owner by grabbing a delicious baked good from Thistle Confections! Ghostlight Coffee will still be housing Hilary’s creations, but make sure to check out the new booth at Second Street Market when it opens February 11! Doesn’t a salted caramel brownie sound scrumptious? Or a cinnamon roll with really soft filling? What about a piece of olive oil cake filled with rosemary and orange accents? Yum!

Thistle Confections  2^nd Street Market 600 East 2^nd Street Dayton, OH 45402  (937) 228-2088
Thistle Confections Blog

Ghostlight Coffee  1201 Wayne Avenue Dayton, OH 45410    (937) 985-2633

All pictures are credited to Nicole Hodac of hodacphotography.com

Though Vincent and Dailey had worked in the same musical circles for years, they didn’t really know each other until 2001, when they met for breakfast to discuss working together. Riding home, they began singing in the car. “When we heard that, it was instant,” says Vincent. “We knew it sounded unique, and really tight. Our voices just blend so uniquely together. It blows my mind. Where I’m weak, he’s strong. And where he’s weak, I’m strong. We think alike, and we sing alike. So it works out well.”

The band Dailey & Vincent—which consists of Jamie Dailey (guitar, bass, lead and harmony vocals), Darrin Vincent (mandolin, bass, guitar, lead and harmony vocals), Christian Davis (guitar, harmony vocals), Joe Dean, Jr. (banjo, guitar, harmony vocals), Jeff Parker (mandolin, guitar, harmony vocals) and Jesse Stockman (fiddle)—has recorded five widely acclaimed albums:Dailey & Vincent, Brothers from Different Mothers, Singing from the Heart, Dailey & Vincent Sing the Statler Brothers and most recently, The Gospel Side of Dailey & Vincent.

Dailey & Vincent’s vocal prowess and versatility have launched the band to the top of the bluegrass world in a few short years. Not together even five years yet, Dailey & Vincent has already won IBMA’s top award, Entertainer of the Year, three times.

The New York Times has called the band “the most celebrated new bluegrass act of the last few years,” and it’s hard to argue with that assessment. Billboard calls Jamie Dailey “the greatest pure tenor singer since Ira Louvin” (that’s high praise indeed), while that same Times review observed that “Dailey’s voice [is] cleansing, a high-pitched tenor that pierces through the band’s nimble, complex arrangements…Stunning.”  

“We do feel like we’re chiseling away at it, and we’re having some success,” says Jamie Dailey of the band’s ascent. “We’re blessed to have the career that we have, but you can never take anything for granted,” adds Darrin Vincent. “We stay humble and keep it in the front of our minds that nothing lasts forever. We were lucky enough to find each other.”

Cityfolk favorites Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers—which includes Joe Mullins (banjo, vocals), Mike Terry (mandolin, vocals), Adam McIntosh (guitar, vocals), Evan McGregor (fiddle, vocals) and Tim Kidd (bass)—was formed in 2006. The hard-working band, nominated for IBMA’s Emerging Artist of the Year Award in 2011, performed in almost 20 states and three Canadian provinces last year and has an even busier year scheduled for 2012. Mullins, the son of the late fiddler and broadcaster Paul “Moon” Mullins, is one of the greatest banjo players in bluegrass.

The band released a pair of outstanding albums in 2010, Rambler’s Call and Hymns from the Hills.  The latter record, which takes its name from a bluegrass and country gospel program Joe’s father Moon Mullins used to host on WPFB in Middletown, is an outstanding all-gospel set that showcases the band’s fine vocal work and features such guests as Ralph Stanley, Doyle Lawson, Larry Sparks and Rhonda Vincent. A nice historical touch is the inclusion of Aubrey Holt’s “We Missed You in Church Last Sunday,” the title song from the 1974 debut album by Paul Mullins, Noah Crase and the Boys from Indiana.

Dailey & Vincent with special guests Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers perform, Saturday, February 11 at 8 PM at the Dayton Masonic Center. Information and tickets are available by calling 937-496-3863 or online at www.cityfolk.org

Ticket Contest

We have a pair of tickets to see this show – just fill out the form below and we’ll draw a winner on Friday 2/3 at noon.  Good luck!

(Contest Closed)

Congratulations to Lori Kershner, whose name we randomly picked to win the pair of tickets to see Dailey & Vincent – courtesy of Cityfolk!  Enjoy the show!

Tom Sand and Chef Anne Kearney

Successful Washington Township restaurant Rue Dumaine will be moving  to the new Austin Landing, where it will share a kitchen with a second more casual concept , Alligator Annie’s,  in a 10,600 square-foot building.  Thomas Sand Jr. and Chef Anne Kearney, founder and chef/co-founder of Rue Dumaine, hope to use their location at Austin Landing as a way build on their passion for food and a good experience.

“When you walk out of our restaurants at Austin Landing, I want you to say you had an experience,” Sand said. “We try to create a place where you can go and be treated the way you want to be treated, experience good food and good service, refresh and rejuvenate yourself and let the worries of the day disappear.”

Rue Dumaine will continue serving the American bistro fare inspired by French cuisine for which it has become known, while

Alligator Annie's

Alligator Annie’s will take the form of a casual Southern-style social club and will offer lunch and dinner service 7 days a week.

Since their departure from New Orleans, Sand and Kearney said they have enjoyed becoming part of the Dayton community and sharing a bit of themselves with anyone looking for a good meal. They said they look at the choice to open at Austin Landing as a decision to put down roots in a community setting in which everyone is there to benefit each other.

“We are making a commitment to this village, city, state and region we call home.” Sand said. “This venue will allow us to showcase the partnerships we have formed with our nearly 100 vendors, local farmers and artisans and provide our present and future clientele with more food options. We look forward to exploring all the possibilities.”

And in a long talked about expansion, The Dublin Pub will be opening a 6000 square foot second location.  “Since the day we opened up, we’ve always had a focus on expansion and growth,” Tieber said. “We know that a lot of restaurants make mistakes with expansions, but we’re doing this right. We knew with Austin Landing coming, it would be a perfect fit for a pub location.”

Tieber said The Dublin Pub would be partnering with other local restaurateurs Dan Apolito and Mike Fullenkamp of Archer’s Tavern with the intention to create their flagship Irish Pub with hopes of a multi-pub chain expansion. “Dan and Mike have over 40 years of corporate restaurant experience between them.  We knew combining our talents and over 60 years of experience would make the transition and growth to a second location successful,” Tieber said.

He said the newest location of The Dublin Pub would have the same beloved recipes and provide the same atmosphere and live music as the original Downtown Dayton location, making it a great fit for the Austin Landing development.  “We’re blessed with being a restaurant that caterers to a lot of different crowds,” Tieber said. “We are one of the few restaurant concepts that can transition well from being a perfect location for lunch for the business crowd and dinners during the week to becoming more of a bar atmosphere on the weekend.”

Randy Gunlock, president of RG Properties, the commercial real estate firm developing Austin Landing, said it is fitting that the first restaurants to open at Austin Landing will be independents.  “Rue Dumaine and The Dublin Pub have garnered excellent reputations throughout the community, and Alligator Annie’s is poised to follow suit, making all three restaurants a perfect fit with Austin Landing,” Gunlock said. “We all want a unique experience when we go out, and Austin Landing will be the place where people will come to enjoy that experience. “

Work is set to begin this year on construction of the restaurants, and RG is looking toward a spring of 2013 opening date for each.  Gunlock said RG Properties is active in conversations with a number of other restaurants, working to bring the best mix to the Austin Landing development. He said the company is targeting small and large chains as well as independents and hopes to settle on between four and five full-service restaurants and four and five fast-casual restaurants.

Dow Thomas: Comedian & Musician 1953-2012

Sifting through scattered memories, most of which are second hand recollections that occurred before my time, I find myself overwhelmed by a life lived with a manic exuberance. I found out about comedian Dow Thomas’ passing from a friend and regular customer of Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub who called to inform me of the news. I stayed up until around 2:00am poring over the condolences that poured out from all over the country, cascading down from Dow’s Facebook page and other social media outlets. I looked through pictures that I had of Dow, read through transcripts from interviews I had done with him and reflected on conversations that we had had in the past. While many around me knew Dow longer and were closer friends than he and I were, Dow possessed the ability to make you feel that you were the only one in the room. Even during performances where there were a hundred or more people in the room, he made you feel as if you were within his inner circle, that this was an intimate gathering of friends and not just a group of people watching a performance. Even beyond his unerring talent and exuberant imagination, this was his true gift.

Born in Chillicothe and raised in the Akron/Cleveland area, Dow moved to the Dayton area in 1971 to attend Wright State as a theater major, a fitting field of study for someone who had been familiar with the stage for much of his youth. Even though Dow was not a native ofDayton, he embraced the area with the fervor that a lifelong resident should have.

“I didn’t originally come from Dayton. I just kind of adopted the city in 1971. I moved to the area to go to Wright State and I just stayed.” Dow said during one of our conversations. “I ended up living in downtown Dayton. I used to hang out at the Arcade a lot there. I’m a downtown kind of guy.”

Dow Thomas as Cléante in Molière’s Tartuffe

Dow was very active in the drama department while at Wright State, performing in several theater productions, such as Shakespear’s Romeo and Juliet and a pair of Molière’s plays; That Scoundrel Scapin and as Cléante in Tartuffe. In the latter drama, he caught the eye of a fellow student, Rob Haney, which signaled the beginning to a lifelong friendship.

As his hair grew, so did Dow’s creative yearnings. He began playing music around town, playing at venues that are but a mere memory to most Daytonians.

“I started my shows at the Upper Krust on North Main St. for ten dollars a day. I liked being up on North Main because I liked to go to shows and Gilly’s used to be up on North Main and there was also The Tropics and Suttmiller’s, which was fun for me to go see supper club type comedians like Jerry Van Dyke or Pete Barbutti and those kind of guys.”

Even though many venues and stages were opening themselves up to Dow’s music and acting, this was still not enough to contain Dow’s imaginative energies. He started sneaking his oddly skewed humor into his songs and banter with the audience.

A poster from 1972 for the Upper Krust

“I was actually doing comedy in 1972, but at that time there weren’t any comedy clubs, so I was just doing comedy along with music. I would get hired as a musician/entertainer and just add in the comedy in between songs.” Dow reflected. “I would always put on masks and stuff…I just can’t help myself from clowning around. I’d have the gig and eventually I had bands, but when I clowned around, everyone clowned around with me. What was always part of the show was me being stupid. It was what I said in between songs and me ruining songs, like singing like a dog and getting a ‘bark along’ going.”

In those days, you may have seen Dow tooling around town in his hearse, decked out like a Bohemian undertaker, black clad and sporting his ubiquitous top hat, running from gig to gig. He played with Astrid Socrates for seven years (creatively billed as Astrid & Dow) as well as drummer Doug Buchanan Tim McKenzie on lead guitar during yet another incarnation of his ingenuity. He was a featured act at The Trolley Stop, Clancy’s, the Iron Boar and Bogey’s.

Comics don’t need to spend actual time together to feel like brethren or family.  We are constantly accruing that common experience that instantly bonds us all separately and continually.  But, few of us are as pure, kind, original, and superbly funny as Uncle Dow.  I feel forever indebted to him for making it possible for me to ever start and I know that anyone who knew him feels like they, too are some of the luckiest people alive.  Uncle Dow made people laugh, but even more so he made them feel alive and always made them smile. ~Ryan Singer

“I’ll never forget the day Dow Thomas and my path crossed. I was part owner of a night club called Bogey’s onWatervliet Ave. in Dayton when Dow and Jeffro stopped in after buying guitar strings at Ace Music.” Mike Adams reminisced recently. “Things weren’t going very well at the bar and we couldn’t afford a barmaid or a cook so I was working. Dow Thomas ordered two drinks and asked for a menu and ordered a sandwich. Upon serving him he asked who owned the place and I confessed. He asked how things were going and I said not to well. He said he could tell. He asked if I had ever heard of Dow Thomas and I said yes but had never seen him and he told me I was talking to him. He offered to do a show one night a week for free as long as I didn’t interfere with him trying new material. I lost a lot of money owning that bar but memories like this makes the money seem irrelevant.”

Dow also frequently played in a bar onPatterson Road called the Iron Boar and becoming steadfast friends with the owners, Dan and Jodi Lafferty.

“We used to do a Gong Show at the Iron Boar and it was fun because we’d have some guy come up and go, ‘I’m going to do my imitation of a lobster’ and we’d go, ‘Good!’  So he’d put claws on and hop around like a freak…it was just so stupid!” Dow began chuckling to himself on the phone before going on. “I used to do a thing called Punt The Fish and I’d yell out, ‘It’s time to…’ the audience would scream, ‘Punt the Fish!’ I had this rubber fish and audience members would come up and kick this fish and we’d measure it off with toilet paper and the one who kicked it the farthest won. One night I had this woman up on stage and she kicked the fish and it went into the propeller of the ceiling fan and came back and smacked me in the face. Everybody was just laughing and I stood up and screamed, ‘Disqualified!’ It was all just so stupid, but you’ll never be able to have a moment like that ever again.”

In ’91 when I took over Jokers Comedy Café, Dow was running the open mic night.  I’d never heard of Dow and looking at this man in a black trench coat and top hat, I have to admit my first impression was not great-   he’s gonna be dark and sarcastic and egotistical, I thought.  I could not have been more wrong!  Dow loved being on stage and his joy radiated through the crowd. He would have an audience pounding their table to Power & Light, and tossing paper plates across the room as he sang Sail Cats. ~Lisa Grigsby

The comedy began usurping the music and Dan Lafferty began booking ventriloquists, jugglers and other oddball acts to fill out the shows.

“I used to have people like Jay Haverstick, who owned Jay’s Seafood, he would come and see my shows. So would Mike Peters. They would be out late at night and they would just say, ‘Hey! Let’s go and see what crazy Dow is doing!’” Dow said during another conversation. He went on, describing another huge change that was bout to occur in his life. “But there wasn’t a comedy club, so I left forL.A.I gave them (the Lafferty’s) a one year’s notice (laughing) and said, ‘In a year, I’m going toL.A.’ and that’s when we turned it into a comedy club.”

Eventually, the Lafferty’s decided to change not only the whole format of the club to comedy, but the name itself. In an unexplainable instance where someone could legitimately name a comedy club Lafferty’s, Dan decided to use his nickname instead, dubbing the newly restructured club Wiley’s.

Dow, true to his word, eventually left forLa-LaLand, seeking his fame and fortune, both of which proved to be elusive in the land of silicone and sunshine. He found that the venues that were available to him were less than conducive to his creative talents. At one point, he found himself doing sets between bouts at a boxing match and, towards his triumphant return toDayton, he was unceremoniously replaced with disco music at a Newport Beachclub. Yet the comedy scene was heating up nationally and Dow was riding the cusp of this chaotic wave. The shows were not the structured tight sets that we witness now in the clubs, but were given to more improvisational melees and surprise guests.

“There were these guys like Rich Purpura, who was a comedy/magician, and Tim Walko, a guitarist, and they were both fromChicago. We’d do a show, just packing the place, but at the end, we’d just get up there and jam and kept the show going and clown around with each other.” Dow said. “By then, we were just trying to make each other laugh, and that’s what the audience liked. It was kind of like. It was kind of like having the Rat Pack or something. It was that kind of feel, where everybody’s in the groove. Back then I could have Emo Philips come in and do twenty minutes and then I’d get a chance to go to the bathroom. Then maybe Judy Tenuta would come in and do twenty to thirty minutes and then I’d get a chance to go to the bathroom. For me, I thought it should go on all night.”

Rob Haney

Another person that benefitted from the burgeoning comedy scene was Rob Haney, a newly touring comic and future owner of Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub.

“Rob Haney came up to me one time and said, ‘Can I get up and do some time? I just got back from The Comedy Store.’ He had just done some showcasing there…which surprised me because Rob was a bouncer in a bar I used to work at.” Dow recalled that, “When I first met him, he was a doorman at a place called The Bar inWest Carrollton. It was a rough little joint that ended up being Omar’s for a while. It was an old basement bar and the family that owned it was pretty rugged. I actually had guns pulled on me in that bar. I’ve seen him mace guys and throw guys out…he’s a pretty tough guy. He had like shoulder length hair at the time and pretty well built, so it was a different Rob Haney that came up to me with short hair and asked if he could do like twenty minutes and I said, ‘Sure!’ I let him up at the Trolley Stop and I had a gig there like six nights a week…it was crazy.”

Another iconic staple of the Miami Valley that Dow had a huge role in was with his friend Dr. Creep (Barry Hobart) and Shock Theater. The inception of Shock Theater was supposed to be actually scary, as an accompaniment to the B-rated horror flicks that they screened, but the campy ineptness and irrepressible humor of Dr. Creep and the people that worked on the show quickly made the show a campy carnival for all of those late night viewers.

“I ended up getting on just about every television show in Dayton, but I got with Dr. Creep in the late seventies when it was called Saturday Night Dead because they had him on after Saturday Night Live, so it was kind of a neat spot.” Dow went on to say, “So I wrote The Ballad of Dr. Creep and went on there with my girlfriend at the time, Astrid Socrates and also with a bunch of my friends and we did skits.”

Barry Hobart (Dr. Creep) And Dow

“You know, what’s funny about that whole thing is that they became the number one, locally produced television show while I was writing for them. They would go, ‘Okay, we’re showing Dracula: Prince of Darkness’ and we made up the Bat Photo Studio and all of the prints would come out really dark, and customer’s would comment, ‘Wow! These prints are really dark!’ and I’d go, ‘Well, I am Dracula: Prints of Darkness! Sometimes I accidently cut their heads off!’ and I’d hold up a severed head. It was just stupid stuff like that.” With a tinge of regret, Dow added, “Of course, Joe Smith said, ‘No, you can’t do this and you can’t do that.’ He was an integral part of the studio there, so I got censored quite a bit and got into a little bit of trouble. I remember John Riggi and I getting yelled at because we changed the weather map one time. We got up there and started putting a bunch of tornados around Xenia…they were just little magnetized things back in those days. We were hippies in a studio that had rules.”

Dow played some forty different clubs in the MiamiValley the years that he was here and developed a huge fan base locally as well as in other cities that he performed in. In 1997, he moved to Florida with his wife Kay and they took up residence at some of the local clubs near their new home. Even after his departure, Dow was voted Dayton’s Best Comedian for two year’s running. He would still make frequent sojourns to Ohio, usually performing at Wiley’s one to two times a year, creating comedic chaos with his skewed humor and especially with his song Sailcats, in which he would cajole the audience into throwing paper plates in lieu of flattened kittens as the song implied. The staff would usually find the last paper plate stuck in the rafter shortly before Dow’s next scheduled appearance.

Dow Thomas At Dirty Little Secret Sanitarium Show

I contacted Dow in February of 2011 to ask if he would perform at my upcoming Dirty Little Secret Sanitarium show in May. He was eager to do the show because of the variety aspect of the event, but was reluctant in some ways, feeling that it would be a conflict of interests with his Wiley’s appearances. Rob Haney assured him that there would be no conflict and he agreed to do the show. That evening became an impromptu reunion of sorts in honor of Dr. Creep as not only had Dow worked closely with him, but so had some of the other performers slated for that evening. Thomas Nealeigh from FreakShow Deluxe had worked with Dr. Creep as had A. Ghastlee Ghoul. Our emcee for the evening was Dr. Creep’s protégé  Baron Von Pork Shop and some of the members of Team Void had recorded music for Shock Theater’s DVD’s. Dow had a blast at the show and had garnered yet a few more fans for his cult of comedy.

I contacted him again this past December to see if he wanted to be part of the Dirty Little Secrets Sick Of Santa Show and he readily agreed. We spent the rest of the conversation talking about old horror movies and other trivialities. On the night of the show, December 28^th, 2011, his wife Kay showed up at the club saying that Dow was really sick and would be unable to perform. Seeing the look on her face and knowing Dow’s penchant for performing, I knew then that it was ore serious than she was letting on. The next evening, Dow arrived at Wiley’s to do his Thursday night set and we could all tell that something was wrong. The current owner, Rob Haney, and other staff and friends finally convinced Dow he needed to seek medical attention. He was admitted toMiamiValleyHospital and, two days later was released. He performed the New Year’s Eve show as well as the shows the following week.

His last show on January 7^th, 2012 was astounding. Offstage, he seemed somewhat fragile, but as soon as he was on stage, that glimmer came into his eyes and the casual smirk shown across his face. He performed Sailcats and wheedled the audience into throwing the paper plates once again, daring any one of them to land one of them on his top hat. It was a picture perfect performance where someone actually landed a paper plate onto his top hat. The show ended with a standing ovation for our Uncle Dow, with audience members shouting out their approval and appreciation for Dow’s show.

After the show, Dow was surrounded by family and friends, well wishers and fans. It was the way of Dow: that feeling that you just needed to be near him and everything would be alright. You would be safely ensconced in his world.

Shortly after returning to Akron, Dow was hospitalized. He died January 18^th, 2012. The outpouring of condolences and memories was immediate and Dow’s Facebook page became a makeshift memorial for a legion of stunned fans and friends to share their grief as well as their memories.

I think now of the boarded up Upper Crust, the warped wooden floors of the Trolley Stop, the comfortably worn carpet of the Wiley’s stage and I can hear the clank of glasses against the cascading laughter and see Dow with a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he dons a mask and unleashes a dialogue of absurdity in the voice of Lon Chaney. I can see him on stage doing what he did best: fashioning a world without limits, pushing the envelope until it bent and combining chords to nonsensical songs that bring laughter to all who are compelled to bang their glasses on the table and sing along. I see him smile down from the stage wearing a paper plate atop his felted hat, an improvised halo for our imaginative jester.

Read my previous article from 12/2010 – “Dow-Town Dayton”