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

Alivera (Photo by Rick Wait/waitphoto)

The holiday months were busy for the local scene, with a number of bands releasing new albums and EPs. Both bands old and new, more experienced and younger, were busy releasing their newest tracks to their audiences. One of the artists on the newer side, whom I’ve been following for the past couple months, is the band Alivera. With most members on the border of 20, and some of them fresh out of high school, Alivera is one of those bands bringing a refreshing sound to the local rock scene.

This post-hardcore outfit released their debut self-titled EP back in November and is preparing to begin touring around the area in February. With this EP, Alivera brings forth a sound that is a bit more mature than their previous demos, toning down the hardcore edge and bringing forth stronger melodies and harmonies.

Alivera’s new EP is a quick four tracks long, and opens with the track “Aurora’s Winds”. A fade-in guitar leads right into a full force, pop-ish post-hardcore sound, with chord-heavy guitars and echo-effects vocals. The track begins loosening up as it moves on, giving hints at vocalist Chris McGrath’s range as guitarists Tyler Smith and Trevor Johnson begin trading out chords for a more melodic focus.  Overall, this track provides samples of the band’s various ranges and strengths, which are further highlighted in later tracks.

The following track, “The Civic Pt. II”, fades in the drums this time around, before leading into a opening that feels similar to the track beforehand. McGrath uses his vocal shifts a bit more in this track, while drummer Aaron Queener becomes a bit more highlighted, pushing forth the various minor style shifts in the track.

Alivera performs live (Photo by Michael Smart Photography)

The band picks up to something a bit stronger in the next track, “Predecessors”. Guitar gains a stronger focus at the beginning of this track, providing melody right off the bad rather than starting with chords. The vocalist pushes his range higher in this track, and gains a bit of an angry edge at some points. This also marks the first time that the “hardcore” part of the band is really brought out, with a slight breakdown and some screamed vocals during the bridge.

The EP ends with what is, in my opinion, the strongest track: “Planetary Aspect”. This track is the strongest out of the gate, with emotional vocals at the outset, moving right into a strong drum-and-guitar lead to the chorus. The chorus is where McGrath breaks out the top of his range: a high-reaching voice that doesn’t sound forced. Smith, Johnson, and Queener all come together during the verses to provide their best instrumentals on the EP, moving to a breakdown-style bridge and a strong drive to a satisfying ending.

I have met a number of individuals in the area that outright dismiss younger bands, claiming that they don’t have “experience” or something like that. I will never understand why some people hold opinions such as this. I believe that it is the younger bands that are bringing the freshest sounds to the scene, whether with Alivera to the rock scene, or various other acts to the others. Keep an eye on the younger up-and-comers, as they are the ones that are taking the Dayton scene to new heights.

While home prices across the U.S. fell slightly in 2011, the Dayton metro area bucked the trend, posting the largest increase in home values among 50 major metros, according to a leading property valuation firm.

Median home prices rose 11.5 percent in the Dayton area to $72,000 last year, California-based ClearCapital reported Monday.

Local home prices appreciated nearly twice as fast as the next two strongest markets, and Dayton was the only metro to post a double-digit gain in home prices, according to the market report.

Before we break out the champagne and start singing Happy Days are Here Again, allow me to be the wet blanket. First things first, this report takes the entire Greater Dayton area into consideration, and as I say with every post, neighborhoods vary so what happens in Santa Clara is not what is happening in South Park which is not what is happening in Tara Estates or Carriage Trails. Okaythen, back to the news and what this means for us as a region. I think this means we are showing signs of some stabilization. We have likely reached the bottom and can now focus on stabilizing our real estate values as a region, although some neighborhoods are going to continue to be hollowed out with foreclosures, vacancies, and demolition. As I said last week, land banking and planned demolition will become a integral part of Dayton’s future for at least the next few years, but I think we can figure longer. I wish it were not so, but I’ve not seen any other way for cities to aggressively fight the combined problems of shrinking population and deteriorating and aging  housing stock. I also think that our first-tier suburbs like Huber Heights, Kettering, Trotwood, Riverside, should start developing plans to deal with some of these issues as well. Which brings us to our second bit of news:

Compared to 2010, the number of properties with foreclosure filings in Montgomery, Greene, Miami and Preble counties fell by about 31 percent to 6,131 last year, according to a RealtyTrac’s annual market report released today. On a month-to-month basis, the number dropped nearly 45 percent from November to 525 last month, RealtyTrac reported.

In Clark County, the number of properties with foreclosure filings fell 23 percent to 1,001 last year. In Champaign County, the number fell 71 percent to 74 properties. In Warren County, the number fell 18 percent to 1,481 properties in 2011.

By comparison, the number of properties in the state hit with default notices, auctions or bank repossessions declined 27 percent to 79,422 last year.

… But researchers were quick to point out that processing delays stemming from the so-called robosigning scandal, in which some big banks admitted processing foreclosures without verifying documents, stymied foreclosure activity across the country.

In other words, while we had a respite from mass foreclosure filings, we are still dealing with this mess and will be for a few years, even if it’s not at the levels seen in 2009. Again with the wet blanket: It’s an unpopular opinion, I’m aware, however, if you live next to a foreclosed home, it is in your best interest to keep an eye on the property. I realize it’s not your home, the banks might be the bad guys, etc. however, your property values are determined by the neighborhood and a buyer’s perception is affected by the neighboring properties. You do have an interest in how that property is maintained and cared for. It might not be your job, I get that, but it is your business. I digress…

Overall, these two pieces of news would indicate that the Greater Dayton area, which got slammed hard with foreclosures, declining home values, and shrinking population, appears to have hit the bottom, and the next few years should show continued signs of stabilization to the general area, if not the beginnings of recovery in real estate. Right then, cue-up some Gloria Gaynor for you oldtimers, maybe a little Destiny’s Child for the whippersnappers.

Photos: Teri Lussier

To officially kick things off, informational announcements will take place at center-court, including the introduction of selected committee members and sponsors, key event partners, and an overview of community events, referred to as “The Big Hoopla.”  The announcement will include business, civic and local elected leaders, as well as supporters from the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB, representing Big Hoopla partners. The LOC plans to reinforce the important relationship between the Dayton community and the U.S. Air Force.

Don Donoher, legendary UD Men’s Basketball Coach will serve as an honorary spokesperson for this year’s event.  “We are honored to have someone of Coach Donoher’s stature join us in the community celebration of NCAA College Basketball,” said JP Nauseef, this year’s LOC Chair.

Updates on ticket sales and other events planned for this celebration also will be discussed. Tickets to get into the NCAA First Four games at UD Arena are going fast and some of the best seats have only limited availability at this point.

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is one of the most widely watched, successful media spectacles in all of sports.  Last year, the NCAA expanded the field of participants and selected Dayton and UD Arena to host the inaugural NCAA First Four Games.  Because Dayton was successful in hosting the inaugural event, the NCAA selected UD arena to host again this year and next year (2012-2013).  Dayton has a strong track record hosting these events; in fact, the University of Dayton has hosted more NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games than anywhere else in the Country, totaling 87 tournament games over the past 41 years, including the start of each championship since 2001.  Hosting this event provides Dayton Region with a tremendous economic development opportunity for national exposure. 

(The following was submitted by Shawn Cassiman – a member of Occupy Dayton since its inception. She is involved in the education working group, the process and facilitation group, and others as the need arises and time allows.)

Reading Mayor Leitzell’s perspective on Occupy Dayton illustrates the nature of truth as partial (i.e. there are many truths) and contextual. My version of the truth bears some similarity to Mayor Leitzell’s, but not much. However, before I address the content, I would like to address the tone.

The Mayor begins his missive by describing “truths, half truths, and outright lies”  associated with the events that lead to Occupy Dayton leaving Dave Hall Plaza, and then declares his narrative the truth. He goes on to discuss his efforts to “educate” Occupy Dayton on local government and permitting processes, while referring to the “mostly” young people of the movement. In fact, as he may have noticed at the General Assembly meeting he attended, the average age of our members is probably somewhere in the mid-thirties. There are retired people, working professionals, students, working–class and under and unemployed people that identify with Occupy Dayton. Some of the youngest members of our group might be the “campers” that were arrested after not being given a chance to leave their location-despite claims otherwise.  It is unsurprising that campers would be young, since frequently young people are more willing and able to endure the physical conditions required by the camp experience. It is also unsurprising that many young people would be attracted to the Occupy movement, since we, as a society, have gone busily about the business of criminalizing youth. There are few safe spaces for young people to gather without drawing suspicion. It is no wonder that young people seek a space that offers them a sense of community and equal participation in decision-making when they have few other places to turn. However, to dismiss the movement as “mostly young people” serves distinct discursive purposes; it trivializes the experiences and contributions of young people, while continuing to perpetuate the stereotype of young people as dangerous.

It is true that Occupy Dayton did not apply for a permit. Perhaps Mayor Leitzell is unaware of the symbolism associated with this occupation movement? By eschewing the permit application in the process of occupation the movement draws attention to some of the very problems identified in the Occupy Wall Street Declaration such as the erosion of our rights, for instance, the right to peaceably assemble. The occupation also draws attention to the continued privatization of public space-the relationship between corporation and government. This is why many chants you might overhear at Occupy events include phrases such as, “Whose streets? Our streets!”  Ours. The people’s. Not the corporation’s.

The Mayor also condescendingly suggests that Occupy Dayton’s “complaint is with the federal government”. While I certainly agree that there is much to complain about in relation to the federal government, our local government must not attempt to absolve itself of responsibility to its citizens. Some of the same practices we might identify at the federal level certainly occur locally. In fact, after the campers voted to move to Dave Hall Plaza (at the suggestion of the DDP, City and County) in order to ease the minds of the public and not interfere with the “Grand Illumination”, they were then served, simultaneously, with two documents; 1) a ‘reminder’ of city park rules, and 2) a notice that the county was in the process of changing the ordinance on Courthouse Square in order to ban any activity between the hours of midnight and six am. The ACLU has registered a complaint as a result and had a representative in attendance at the second meeting of the County Commission dealing with this topic. Despite many people speaking out against the new regulations of Court House Square the vote passed unanimously in less than a minute. The erosion of rights is not only a federal problem. Occupy Dayton did not have an opportunity to move back to Courthouse Square. Perhaps you’ll pardon me for thinking that was the plan all along. As for “understanding the system”, I believe this sort of practice contributes all to well to our understanding of the system.

Oddly, last night I was chatting with a friend online. He asked me if I had been to a building called “The Ark”—a large plywood structure that serves as the camp’s command center. I knew where it was, but had not been there. He said that I would find a Hall of Heroes in The Ark. This is a place where numerous photographs are displayed along the walls and hallways; the photographs depict fallen military members from US and foreign services, as well as civilians serving with the military, who were killed in action. My friend asked me to visit the photograph of one of his fallen Marine brothers. As I stared into the eyes of the young Marine in the photo and touched the frame, I knew that I could not begin to understand the sacrifice that he had made, nor the impact of his sacrifice on his family and friends. Though I am now a civilian, I rendered a hand salute in the silent hall, and I offered the unworthy sentiments that echoed in my heart. It was not the last time I would feel unworthy.

Five of my team members plus a young Marine piled into a vehicle that we affectionately call “HIMAR” and headed for the ceremony. We laughed and joked along the way, like we always do to pass the time, and to help alleviate the weight of living under such unusual circumstances. Oblivious to the deep dark and dusty haze, our minds far from the circumstances ahead, we crawled along at the mandated pace of twenty-four miles per hour, and I watched other vehicles join a procession that wound its way to the flight line.

We pulled to a stop in a parking area near the flight line and hopped out of the vehicle still laughing and joking. As we walked toward the entrance to the tarmac I noted a stillness and silence that lay just ahead of us. The silence descended like night soaking into us with the cold—slowly and deliberately. As we rounded the corner onto the tarmac everything changed. We no longer laughed and joked, rather we accepted the mantle that had descended and fell silent too.

Two long lines of people stretched from the edge of the tarmac to where we entered. Military members from all services and other countries, as well as government civilians and contractors, stood facing one another over a space of about thirty feet. Not a word was spoken, and every person stood with their feet shoulder-width apart, hands behind their backs, as if at the position of parade rest. Heads bobbed this way and that. Some faces held stoic expressions, while others showed curiosity about who was arriving. Some trucks passed through the procession. We shifted to allow more people to join our ranks. And then the lines began move.

People turned toward the tarmac and began to move forward haltingly. As we finally started onto the tarmac the two lines pushed together, and we snaked our way toward a C-130 transport aircraft that waited with the rear cargo hatch open pouring light onto the cold, hard cement. As we arrived we split off into two formations on either side of the cargo door and faced each other again, this time five or six ranks deep. As I looked over the shoulders of those in front of me and into the faces of those opposite our formation I saw expressions harden behind clouds of steamy breath. Every one of us was determined to honor our dead warriors—our heroes—with stoic pride befitting a warrior.

We stood for a long while in the cold. Everybody now stood stiffly at parade rest. Every head faced forward. Every eye looked straight ahead. I was no longer a civilian. I was a part of a military formation. We were rooted together in our cause as the seconds ticked past. The soldier in front of me shivered uncontrollably as he stood coatless, without gloves—his weapon slung over his shoulder. We waited.

A voice growled out, “Dee-tail…Ah-ten-TION!” Both formations snapped to attention in unison. The voice growled out again, “Paaah-rade…REST!” and both formations fell to parade rest with practiced ease. Another voice called out for prayer. Once again, in unison, every head was bowed.

“The Lord is my Sheppard; I shall not want,” the voice began. During the prayer the voice called out the names of the three airmen who had been killed in action:

Matthew Schwartz

Bryan Bell

Matthew Seidler

He did not call them by rank. He did not name their unit. He did not speak of their deeds. He said only their names. They were human beings, like us—it was the only thing that we had left in common with them.

Sgt. Matthew S. Schwartz and his wife, Jennifer Schwartz

As the prayer ended I looked up. Over the shivering bodies and through the haze of breath I saw cold pale faces with eyes now soft. Each face showed now the compassion and sorrow that hung heavy on hearts beneath. Each body still stood tall and resolute, but the humanity of the moment infused each of our souls, as the cold bit into our fingers and faces. I wiggled my bare digits as I held back a tear that I felt was not mine to shed.

“DEE-TAIL…AH-TEN-TION!” the hardened voice growled out again, and we all snapped too like a massive machine

Ever so slowly the detail of six uniformed men stepped forward in carefully measured steps carrying their precious cargo. I could feel everybody in both formations straining to achieve proud, rigid form. These fallen heroes—these men—would be given every ounce of honor that could be squeezed from sinew and bone. Every thought in every head—every intension in every heart—was concentrated in holy unison on the cold body that passed, prone and flag covered, toward its destination on the plane, as if our united and resolute might could rekindle the warmth in that body.

The soldier in front of me shivered on.

Bryan Bell

“PREE-SENT…ARMS!” Without thought for my civilian status, my arm rose in defiance of any rules and in unison with every other right arm there. Every arm snapped and then rose slow and steady to the position of a proper hand salute. As the detail passed each row turned slowly toward the plane in order to follow the procession and maintain some sort of contact with the passing hero through the cold, dark night.

The detail reached their destination inside the plane. I tried to imagine this young man’s parents sitting at home only hours after learning of their son’s death. The detail turned and shuffled the casket into position. I attempted to picture the faces of his brothers and sisters as they wept for their lost sibling. The detail lowered the casket into place and stood slowly. I thought of my own children. I thought of the sea of eyes staring back at me in the Hall of Heroes and the young Marine who I passed a message to from his still living marine brother. The detail rendered a painfully slow hand salute. I thought of the cold, still body in the casket, and I wondered who he was. I felt thankful and selfish for the cold air in my lungs and the tingling in my fingers. The detail turned and exited the aircraft.

“ORDER…ARMS!” We dropped our salutes slowly and followed another command to face center. Two more times the detail passed. My mind went numb along with my fingers and face, and I watched the passing each time with sadness. My body lied about the truth of my soul as it followed each command without question. I honored the dead, but I also mourned them. I felt pride and shame all in a single moment.

And then it was over.

Matthew Seidler

We walked back to the car. Some people spoke in hushed tones as we moved across the tarmac. Voices raised in conversation as we left the flight line. Smiles and jokes returned to our mouths as we pulled away in the crowd of vehicles and headed onto the dust choked avenue. Our hearts and minds returned to us as we stepped out of the vehicle and walked back to the warmth of our work centers.

I looked at the young marine who had accompanied us. He had never said a word. I didn’t know his name, where he was from, or even what football team he liked. I wondered where he was going. I wondered what he would do tomorrow. I wondered if he ever went out on patrol. As we passed through the Entry Control Point the Marine walked off in another direction and left my vision—and my mind—like so many Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, and Airman do every day when they leave home behind.

When do we remember them? When should we remember them?

(submitted by Chris Rowley – a resident of South Park in Dayton currently working in Afghanistan as a civilian contractor)

First Friday is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from the Oregon District Business Association 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.

Art Exhibits and Events in the Central Arts District

• Beaute Box, 116 W. Fifth St.: Complimentary facials and nail polish changes, as well as a display of work by a local artist. Call 903-3165.

• Canal Street Tavern, 308 E. First St.: Live music by Emily & the Lost Cat Ramblers and Fox and Hounds at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $5. Call 461-9343.

• De’Lish Café, 139 N. Main St.: Coffee tasting from Stoney Creek Roasters and live jazz entertainment featuring Wade Baker and guest performers. Call 461-2233 for cost.

• RiverScape MetroPark, MetroParks Ice Rink, 111 E. Monument Ave: Ice skate from 5 to 9 p.m.; $5 includes admission and skate rental. The park’s concession will be open to purchase hot chocolate and more. Call 278-2607.

• Schuster Performing Arts Center, Second and Main streets: The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will present a concert in its classical series that includes works by Debussy and Brahms with guest artist William Wolfram, along with a piece titled “Rockwell Reflections” in which projected works by the American artist will accompany the music. A Take Note Talk begins at 7 p.m. prior to the 8 p.m. show. Call 228-3630 for tickets and cost.

Art Exhibits and Events in the Oregon Arts District

• Amore!, 16 Brown St.: Sip wine and nibble hors d’oeuvres while shopping for designer labels on re-sale and vintage clothing, accessories, jewelry, household items and one-of-a-kind gifts at affordable prices. Call 367-5941.

• Boulevard Haus, 328 E. Fifth St.: $1 off tap beer for those who mention First Friday. Call 824-2722.

• Color of Energy, 16 Brown St.: Works of abstract architectural photography by Larry Faulkner and the new Sedona collection of paintings by gallery owner Mike Elsass. Call 266-3491.

• Dayton Theatre Guild, 430 Wayne Ave.: Opening performance of Heroes, the musings of three aging WWI French Army veterans; 8 p.m. Click here for tickets or call 278-5993.

• Deaf Monty’s Wine, 22 Brown St.: $5 for a 6-ounce glass of red or white wine. Call 225-9463.

• Dublin Pub, 300 Wayne Ave.: Live music and 20 percent off food for those who mention First Friday. Call 224-7822.

• Gallery 510 Fine Art, 508 E. Fifth St.: A selection of work by local artists and handmade items perfect for gift giving. Call 672-6717.

• Jimmy Modern, 605 E. Fifth St.: Showing work by more than 30 artists. Call 520-3782.

• The Neon, 130 E. Fifth St.: Call 222-SHOW (7469) for films and show times.

• Omega Music, 318 E. Fifth St.: Live music by Mount Caramel and Andy Gabbard, together for one night only, at 8 p.m. The store will offer 10 percent off a purchase with a receipt from any Oregon Arts District business. Call 275-9949.

• Peace on Fifth, 519 E. Fifth St.: Tasting of a fair trade food, plus fair trade, slave-free and eco-friendly merchandise on sale at this satellite of the Dayton International Peace Museum’s store. Fair foods tasted will include Rumi and Nabali oil with bread from Rahn’s at the PNC 2nd St. Market, along with sun-dried tomatoes and Nabali olive tapenade. Call 367-7215.

• Press, 257 Wayne Ave.: One-year anniversary art show featuring work by local artists, a DJ and raffle; open until 11 p.m. Call 231-7107.
• Trolley Stop, 530 E. Fifth St.: Live music by The Fun Size at 9:30 p.m. Call 461-1101.

• Urban Krag, 125 Clay St.: Climbing gym open until 11 p.m. Call 224-5724.

• Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub, 101 Pine St.: Dow Thomas at 9 p.m.; tickets are $10. Call 224-5653.

• Yellow Cab Building, 700 E. Fourth St.:  A variety of multi-media arts at the inaugural First Friday at Yellow Cab event from 7 to 11 p.m. Call 789-0591.

Art Exhibits and Events in the Cannery Arts District

• K12 Gallery for Young People/TEJAS, 510 E. Third St. (open from 6 to 9 p.m.): 2-D artwork by students from and graduates of Wright State University. Call 461-5149.

• Olive, an urban dive, 416 E. Third St.: Serving dinner and dessert until 11 p.m., featuring new flavors of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream and Esther Price hot chocolate, along with an exhibit of work by local artist Lea Wise-Surguy made from sugar paint specifically for viewing at Olive, and playing Rev Cool’s “Around the Fringe” radio show that airs on 91.3 WYSO-FM. Call 222-DIVE (3483).

(from Downtown Dayton Partnership)

Emily Ochs Carlile

(the following was submitted by Emily Ochs Carlile – a Daytonian now living in Prague, Czech Republic)

I was born and raised in Dayton… Well, born at Kettering hospital and raised in Oakwood. But I am definitely a Dayton native. From minute one, I lived in Dayton all my life.

Then I moved to Prague, Czech Republic. It was a spontaneous move, but I have now been here for a little over 11 years and am raising my two sons (age 6 and 8 ) bilingually… Most people think because I live in Europe I have this exotic life, but I have to admit, things are pretty much the same, except completely different…

Apart from the obvious differences, such as language, culture, architecture, history… the first thing I missed when moving here were the American grocery stores. My first job when I was 15 was as a cashier at Dorothy Lane Market on Far Hills. Being a kid in Oakwood, it was the only grocery store I knew. But little did I know it was the most fabulous grocery store. Ever! I would have paid a million dollars for a Killer Brownie or some Chicken and Grape salad… and pecans! The unavailability of simple things (or what I thought were simple things) was unbelievable to me. I couldn’t find a pecan in the entire city. Peanut butter, no way. Luckily things have a changed a lot since 2000, but I promise you, when I visit Dayton the first place I go is DLM.

Then I head directly to The Pine Club. Still the best steak ever! Dave Hulme watched me grow up.  Saturday night was Pine Club burger night at our house. I had my first house account at age 22. They serve dinner until midnight. Perfection. And since they are kind enough to put a few of their yummies in jars, I am able to bring some House and Blue Cheese Dressings and Stewed Tomatoes back to Prague with me. Too bad I can’t bring the onion rings….

After finishing school at Oakwood and Wright State University, the next natural step for me was to move to the Oregon District. My mom moved from Oakwood to the OD when I graduated from high school, so for the first few years out of school, it became my hangout. I had my coffee at the Oregon Emporium, my pizza at the Oregon Express, the Trolley Stop still had build your own sandwiches, Feathers  filled my apartment with bric-a-brac, and I had a Goodwill wardrobe. Over the years I rented apartments, houses and half-doubles on Green St. (3 different places just on that street alone!), Hess St., and of course The Samu on 5^th St. By age 20 I had a job at Gem City Records, and at 21, Pacchia (and I continued with jobs at Coco’s, Blue Moon and Jay’s Seafood), was a regular at the Southern Belle (the original one on the corner of Green and Brown), ate at Wimpy and went to the movies at The Neon… I’ve missed the past 11 years of the Oregon District morphing – luckily some things still remain – Urban Krag, Coco’s, Thai 9… I miss them ALL!!! Every time I visit, I look forward to seeing the new things developing in Dayton – 3^rd St, Atta Girl Art + Gardens, Press, Riverscape…

But of course, what I miss the most are my family and friends… It can get lonely living abroad, but knowing that Dayton is always there, waiting patiently for my visit or return, eases the homesick blues … I have to admit, there isn’t much I don’t miss about good ol’ Dayton, Ohio. Regardless of where I am in the world, Dayton will always be my home. After all, it’s where my heart is.

A few things to keep in mind if you are buying a home: some markets are being driven by foreclosures or short sales. One of trends that seems to be emerging among foreclosures or cosmetically flipped homes is that are being listed at below market prices which creates a bidding war. In other words, a home hits the market priced lower than other homes and within days there are multiple offers on the property. It’s a good strategy for a seller to get at or above asking price so be prepared if you are looking at foreclosures- you may need to act fast, and might end up paying full price or more to get the home you want. Now this isn’t horrible in and of itself as long as the price supports updates you will be making so don’t panic, but also don’t get sucked into more for a home than its worth. Know what the neighborhood will support.

Short sales are a different beast altogether and while the process for buying and selling short sales has improved over the past year, you should still expect that they could take months to close. However, because short sales account for a large percentage of homes on the market, it’s worth it to plan ahead and take them into consideration. In many communities, distressed properties are driving the market, so if sweat equity doesn’t bother you, this is a good market for you. If you don’t want to do the work yourself, there are a few loan options available for owner occupants who would prefer to finance any repairs or upgrades. Programs like the 203k financing require preparation, organization, and stick-to-it-tiveness on your part, but the repairs have to be made by contractors and professionals. These trends will continue for quite some time in this area as housing stock ages and becomes more distressed.

The other big trend this year is in rentals and seller financing. People need a place to live, and while interest rates have hit record lows and there are lots of homes on the market, if you can’t get a loan, you can’t get a loan. Enter seller financing like land contracts and lease-to-own, and a market for rentals. If you are considering being a landlord, this is a good time to do that, if you are a seller looking for a way to create a niche seller’s market within this broader buyer’s market, this is a remarkable time to do that.

Speaking of trends, I want to point out that a few weeks ago it was reported that National Association of Realtors (NAR) got it wrong:

“All the sales and inventory data that have been reported since January 2007 are being downwardly revised. Sales were weaker than people thought,” NAR spokesman Walter Malony told Reuters. “

If you’ve been paying attention to what is happening in your own neighborhood, this should not be news to you. There are few established neighborhoods in the Greater Dayton area which haven’t taken a hit the last 4 years in particular, but for a number of neighborhoods in Montgomery County, this has been going on for years as those neighborhoods have been bleeding population for decades. It’s supply and demand and I don’t see us picking up in population for awhile. Now, shrinking should no longer be confused with dying, but it is a trend and that’s what we are concerned with for this post. So expect inventory to stay up. Land banking and planned demolition will be part of life in the Miami Valley. Again, this may or may not be doom and gloom, but it is change.

Still, the NAR is the national organization that is tasked with representing its members and they have become one of the most important lobbying groups on K St. When the NAR talks, our elected officials pay attention, but that doesn’t mean you should. If you want to know what is going on in your community, ask a local real estate agent to pull the stats for a particular area, because for us the market talks and in order to serve our clients, we listen to the market, not the NAR.

One more possible trend to be aware of: Because the real estate market has changed, many agents have left the business, some numbers suggest as much as 40-50% and I see this as positive. It’s anecdotal I know, but it seems that those agents who are left are highly professional and some of the best I’ve had the pleasure of working with, and to me, this is good news for everyone.

All the best to the entire DaytonMostMetro.com family- editors, readers, contributors, and here’s to finding more silver linings in 2012!

Eighty years ago, the Dayton Daily News gave the following report as Daytonians weathering the Great Depression made plans to celebrate the New Year holiday. The “clarion blasts” and “owl cars” have passed along with the heyday of hotel parties and public dances, but it’s likely their great-grandchildren will also see “many whistles made wet as usual.”

Dayton ready to help greet 1932 new year

Many public and private parties arranged for annual event

A few more hours and Dayton residents will greet a new year.

Indications Thursday were that the event which comes with the ushering in of a new cycle will be observed about as usual, with the celebrants finding their pleasure during the later hours of the evening.

All of the uptown hotels were prepared to greet little 1932 in a big way, with dances holding forth in some of them and with reservations having been received for dinner parties which will last through midnight.

‘Gaiety and splendor’

At the Biltmore the custom which was established with the opening of that hotel will be pursued, that of holding a dance to which the public is invited. The management of the hotel reported Thursday that a large number of reservations have been made and that the usual scene of gaiety and splendor is expected to prevail.

At the Miami, the Van Cleve and Gibbons there will be no public dances held, although there were numerous reservations made for private parties. On the roof of the Miami a dinner party will be given by Oscar Pryor.

All of the uptown theaters have announced that special late shows will be given. Some of these will begin at 11 p.m., some at 11:30 p.m. and a few not until the magic hour has struck.

Hangovers, ’30s style

The greater portion of the reception to the new year in Dayton, however, will have its setting in private homes. With Friday, New Year’s, a holiday on which most factories, offices and stores will be closed, the celebrants will be privileged to enter into the spirit of the occasion without the dread of what must come the “morning after” when otherwise another workday would beckon.

There have been indications for the past week that the usual noisemaking devices again will be in evidence. Bells will ring, whistles sound their clarion blasts, pistols and cannon will be fired and the new year will be given the greeting common with age-old custom.

So much for discouraging drunk driving

The managements of some of the street railway companies were undecided during Thursday as to whether extended service would be given on their lines for benefit of the merrymakers. Definite announcement was made by the City Railway Co. that its latest cars would leave Third and Main sts. at the usual hour of 12:10 a.m. The Peoples Railway Co. was not certain whether owl cars would be operated and the same was true of Oakwood and Dayton Street. The last Peoples cars under regular schedule on the Main st., Valley and Cincinnati-Leo divisions leave the center of the city at 12:10 a.m. north and south. On the Oakwood line the last car departs from Third and Main sts., south at 12:34 a.m. and north, 12:10 a.m.

When dancing actually meant dancing

The various night and dinner (venues) have announced special (merri)ment at the midnight hour. These, like the hotels, have reported that they have made heavy reservations. In all of these places dancing will be the principal attraction of the evening, with floor shows prevailing in some of them.

There were no evidence, on the surface at least, of a scarcity of some of the liquid adjuncts which go with a New Year’s celebration. Reports were to the effect that, in spite of the current economic depression, demands have been in keeping with previous years since prohibition, with every indication that there will be as many whistles made wet as usual. With it, reports say, the quality will be improved over former years and at the lower prices which have prevailed for the past few months in Dayton.