Things to do in Butler County

What about local 'Grammys?'

erobinette@coxohio.com — 2010-02-01T11:27:25-05:00

OK, so we had the Grammy Awards last night and Taylor Swift and Beyonce were the big winners. So I wonder - if we had Grammy awards for local musicians and bands? Who would get Grammys then? Who is the Best Band? Best Vocalist? Best rock group/country group and so on? Give out your “Grammys” via the comments below.

Ever been to a public cooking class?

erobinette@coxohio.com — 2010-01-26T12:27:55-05:00

Sometime in February, I was planning on writing a feature story about the cooking classes held at The Learning Kitchen in West Chester and/or at Jungle Jim’s in Fairfield. Does anyone know of any more besides these? And has anybody been to a public cooking class? I want to get a taste of what I’m in for, I guess you might say. And for the record, I probably will not be cooking myself, as most of my culinary skills are of the microwave variety. And besides all that, it’s rather messy to cook and take notes at the same time. Clue me in, if you could.

La Comedia gets 'Revenge' on country critic

erobinette@coxohio.com — 2010-01-25T12:31:06-05:00

Country music has never rung my bell. Just a few bars of “Achy Breaky Heart” are enough to give me an achy-shaky stomach. So when I found out La Comedia Dinner Theatre was staging a show called Bubba’s Revenge, featuring several country music tunes, I shuddered a little at the prospect. And to top it all off, “Achy Breaky Heart” was in the show. Still, La Comedia has a way of making subjects that aren’t normally to my liking appealing. They did it with High School Musical last year, and they’ve done it again with Bubba’s Revenge, which is ridiculously entertaining. By ridiculously entertaining, I mean that the cast of this show is willing to go to almost any lengths for a laugh. I don’t want to give too many of the gags away, but suffice it to say some of the countrified shenanigans are positively shameless. Not every country show features a guy wearing a dress on stage. The show is a sequel to Honky Tonk Angels, about three women who struck out on their own to realize their dreams of being country singers. In Bubba’s Revenge, the hand of fate plays a cruel trick on the trio, leading to the reopening of a bar called Honky Tonk Heaven that proudly serves O’Douls. Not to mention there’s also a seance that prompts the playing of the theme to Ghostbusters. It’s that kind of show. La Comedia’s shows almost always feature at least a few local faces, but Bubba’s Revenge has even more than usual. Leslie Jo Bissett of Carlisle directs the show and stars as Angela, one of the Honky Tonk Angels. Chris Beiser, who has directed many local shows over the years, has become a fixture at La Comedia, and in this show, he has the flamboyant, scene-stealing role of Little Jimmy Timmy, who often hogs the spootlight. Tina Shatto plays Suellen Smith-Barney-Fife, another of the Angels, and she has directed shows for Middletown’s Summer Youth Theatre. Dustin Farris of Hamilton plays Cornell Crawford, Suellen’s beau, a retired professional wrestler prone to bursting into tears. Harold Skaggs of Carlisle plays the titular character, whose slovenly ways belie a fine stage presence. Rounding out the players is Jackie Snyder as the third Angel, Darlene, who spends most of her time, playing a ghost. Yep - it’s that kind of show - but it’s a very funny one, and the performers are all in great voice - so much so that I didn’t even mind all that much when “Achy Breaky Heart” came on. The show plays through Feb. 28. Here’s my feature story about it.

Where in the world is the local music scene?

erobinette@coxohio.com — 2010-01-14T11:40:42-05:00

Recently when I wrote a story about a local band playing a New Year’s Eve event in Middletown, and he told me one reason this event happened was because there were no places in Middletown for local bands to play anymore, and most of them go to Cincinnati or Dayton. And I wondered, is that really true? I know a number of places in Middletown where local bands played, like Barb’s Pub and Coconuts have closed, so there aren’t as many places as there used to be. But what about places outside Middletown, like Froggy Blues in Monroe or Mutt’s Brewery in Trenton? And for that matter, what’s the scene like in the Hamilton area? I’m less familiar with the music scene there, having only started to cover that region recently. I’m going to be writing a news story on this topic that will publish in February, but I thought I would use this blog as a place to start getting some comments and ideas. Is it true there are no places for local bands to play? If you want to see a local band play, where do you go?

What entertainment events do you most want to see?

erobinette@coxohio.com — 2010-01-06T10:59:16-05:00

Last week we compiled a comprehensive list of events coming up in 2010 in Butler and Warren counties, and you can see that list here. Among all those, what events are you most looking forward to this year? What changes would you like to see?

Look what they found at the holiday light display!

erobinette@coxohio.com — 2010-01-04T12:16:46-05:00

I’ve never been much for New Year’s resolutions, but one I WILL make for 2010 is to update this blog much more frequently to provide you with insight on things to do in Butler County and beyond. One way I would like to do that is by telling quirky stories about events you might not hear otherwise. For instance, I’m working on a story about the 2009 attendance figures for Light Up Middletown, that city’s holiday light display, and from publicist Ann Mort, I received a list of unusual items left behind in the donations box: 2- Cans Tuna 1-Can SeaLife Fortables 1-Can mixed vegetables 1 can green beans 1-can Cream of Mushroom soup 1-can Manwich 1-can corn 3-cans peas 2-cans mandarin oranges 1-can sliced carrots 1-can refried beans 1-can vegetarian beans 1-piece tree bark 1-electrical tie 1-piece plastic 1-piece metal 1-gum wrapper 1-Field of Dreams token 1-Family Dollar receipt - plates, napkins, LED clip lights 3-Pocket Change tokens 3 - unknown tokens 1-Strike Zone token 1-set of keys to master lock #2179 1-watch battery 1-screw 1-thank you note from Community concepts - Ohio Group Home for MRDD 1-poorly spelled obscene note 1-coupon for Scope 1-coupon for Advil 2-car wash tokens 1-Dayton RTA bus token 1-200 peso coin - 20 cents in US money 1-pop top 1-Iraqi Freedom 2003 pin 3-religious pamphlets 1-Speedway receipt for $38 in gas Anybody missing anything?

Christmas isn't over quite yet

erobinette@coxohio.com — 2009-12-29T10:49:06-05:00

The holiday season is just about over, but there’s at least one more holiday event on tap after the calendars change to 2010. Click here to read my story about the Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony chamber orchestra’s holiday show on Sunday, Jan. 3.

What are your traditional Christmas Day outings?

erobinette@coxohio.com — 2009-12-16T14:07:33-05:00

In the Dec. 25 LIFE section that you’ll find tucked inside the Middletown Journal or Hamilton JournalNews, we plan to print a story about events that are open on Christmas day for people to venture out and see. Some families may be content to unwrap presents, eat food, clean up tons of wrapping paper and recover from the food coma. However, we’re sure there are some families out there who like to go out to see something Christmas-y on Christmas. So what do you like to see or where do you like to go? Light Up Middletown? Pyramid Hill’s light display in Hamilton? Or something else altogether? Tell us what you like to do on Christmas day via the comments and we just might print some of your responses in the story. Deck the halls with your 15 minutes of fame!

Free Christmas movies to show at Sorg Opera House

erobinette@coxohio.com — 2009-12-14T13:04:57-05:00

A number of Christmas movies will be shown at the Sorg Opera House in Middletown for the remainder of the month. At 3 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 19 will be a double bill of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (the Jim Carrey version) and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” At 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 20, “Grinch” will show again, followed by the 1970 movie “Scrooge,” with Albert Finney as the title character. “The Santa Clause” will show at 3 p.m. Dec. 26, and “Home Alone” and Home Alone 2” will play starting at 3 p.m. on Dec. 27. There is no admission charge for any Donations of canned goods will be accepted to help needy families, but a donation is not required, said Ed Hall of Road Apple Music, which organizes the screenings. What Christmas movies would you like to be able to see in theaters?

What holiday event is a MUST for the season?

erobinette@coxohio.com — 2009-12-08T10:48:06-05:00

To get this blog rolling again, I thought I’d try to keep the holiday vibe going by asking you all a question. Most people have their Christmas traditions - those things they simply HAVE to do every year to make Christmas complete. So along those lines, I’d like to ask - what local holiday events are must-sees for you? Although this is a Butler/Warren County-centric blog, if you answer is something outside this area, go ahead and say so. Might make for an interesting conversation. So I query, “In other words, “It’s just not Christmas until I go out to __.” Fill in the blank.

And yet another holiday event - and another Nutcracker

erobinette@coxohio.com — 2009-12-07T15:43:53-05:00

Versions of The Nutcracker are about as plentiful as versions of A Christmas Carol, but one Nutcracker is as close as Middletown this weekend. It’s a collaborative effort between The Academy of Dance Arts and the Middletown Performing Arts Academy. It is being staged Dec. 11-13 at Monroe Jr/Sr. High School at 220 Yankee Road in Monroe. The show is at 7 p.m. each day and tickets are $12. Call (513) 594-7242 for tickets. For more in formation, click here.

Your one-stop shop holiday events list

erobinette@coxohio.com — 2009-11-25T15:42:14-05:00

Now that the holiday season is right on top of us, it’s time to take stock not only of what we are thankful for, but what holiday events there are throughout Butler and Warren counties. Please note this list WILL be updated with even more entries. If you don’t see an event listed below, free free to leave a comment and let us know about it. MIDDLETOWN AREA Light Up Middletown: 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27, through Dec. 31 at Smith Park, 500 Tytus Ave. A drive-through fantasy light display. Admission by donation. Balloon glow will be Dec. 8. Christmas Spectacular: Various times through Dec. 31, La Comedia Dinner Theatre, 765 W. Central Ave., Springboro. Combines Santa story with Nativity story. Santa Parade: 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28. Macy’s-style parade starts at the Middletown Public Library and moves down Broad Street to Governor’s Square Park. Features meet and greet with Santa at the park after the parade. Charity Ball: 6 p.m. Dec. 4, at the Manchster Inn, 1027 Manchester Ave., Middletown. Annual event raises funds for the Maternal Child Health Center at the Atrium Medical Center. Santa’s Wonderland of Art: Holiday sale at the Middletown Arts Center, 130 N. Verity Parkway, featuring a glass-blowing workshop, visits with Santa and more. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 5, noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 6. Santa and glass blowing Saturday only. Christmas in Trenton: City’s annual holiday celebration starts at 11 a.m. Dec. 5 with a parade starting at the Community Park and ending at Barn n’ Bunk. Entertainment at Bloomfield Elementary School from 1 to 4 p.m. Lighting of tree in Founders Park at 5:30 p.m. Kinderconcert: Music/dance show by the Sorg Opera Company, 1 and 4 p.m. Dec. 5. Dave Finkelman Auditorium, Miami University Middletown. Handel’s “Messiah:” Annual free concert by the Middletown Civic Chorus, 3 p.m.. Dec. 6, First Christian Church, 4520 Rosedale Road, Middletown. Highlands Holiday Home Tour: 4 to 8 p.m., Dec. 6, in the Highlands Historic District around the Church of the Ascension, 2709 McGee Ave., Middletown. Middletown Lyric Theatre: “The Spirits of Christmas” featuring William “Kip” Moore, 8 p.m. Dec. 11, 12 and 3 p.m. Dec 13 at Middletown Lyric Theatre, 1530 Central Ave. Blue Christmas: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Manchester Inn, 1027 Manchester Ave., Middletown. Annual blues concert raises money for Hope House. Christmas in Warren County: Community Concert featuring all local groups: bells, choirs, churches, schools and other local performing groups. 7 p.m. Dec. 13, free. Lebanon Presbyterian Church, 123 N. East St., Lebanon. Hamilton-area events after the jump:

The holiday rush starts NOW!

erobinette@coxohio.com — 2009-11-20T11:19:57-05:00

Think all holiday rush starts on Black Friday? Oh ho ho ho noooooo …. the holiday rush starts this very day, Nov. 20, when Hamilton has its tree lighting ceremony at 5 p.m. today, with the Main Street Music Fest at the same time. Click here for details on the tree lighting and here for more on the Music Fest. Pyramid Hill’s Holiday Lights on the Hill opens tonight too. And Hamilton’s Santa parade is at 10 a.m. Saturday morning. Middletown’s celebration starts Sunday, Nov. 22 with the Holiday Affair on the Square and its homeless art exhibit. The day begins with a holiday brunch at the Manchester Inn, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Middletown Arts Center will be open from noon to 4 p.m. featuring the art work of graphic artist and historian Sam Ashworth. At 3 p.m. the festivities begin on Central Ave, between Verity Parkway and Main Street. The street will be closed to traffic, allowing guests to enjoy free horse-drawn carriage rides through the district. The opening art walk of a traveling exhibit entitled “Homeless: Telling Our Own Stories” will also run from 3 to 5 p.m.. The show features different types of artwork asking the viewer to explore homelessness through the eyes of the homeless themselves. A discussion of the exhibit will be at Miami Middletown Downtown at 4:30 p.m. at 4 N. Main St. Miami Middletown Downtown will also host a reception for work by the Guerilla Arts Collaborative. There will be free warm beverages, and holiday entertainment will be provided by local musician Chuck Evans. At 5 p.m., the action moves to Governor’s Square Park on the corner of Central Avenue and Broad Street. Brief performances will be given by William “Kip” Moore & Friends representing Middletown Lyric Theatre, the Angel/Wesley Choir from the First United Methodist Church, the GATE music class from Middletown Public schools and others. The evening will be capped off by the lighting of the city’s holiday tree. Most of the Saturday events were coordinated by the Art Central Foundation. For more information, see their Web site at www.artcentralfoundation.org. Other upcoming Middletown holiday events include the opening of Light Up Middletown in Smith Park at 6 p.m. Nov. 27 and the Santa Parade at 5 p.m. Nov. 28 along Broad Street. Already ongoing in Springboro is La Comedia Dinner Theatre’s Christmas Spectacular, which I review here. Time does not permit the listing of every holiday event in this post, but watch this space; there will be PLENTY more where this came from.

Nothing to do? Not if you look in here!

erobinette@coxohio.com — 2009-11-16T11:47:40-05:00

Greeetings and salutations! My name is Eric Robinette. You may have known me in a former life as Sir Critic, who has moved to his own domain. Now you can call me Sir Culture. That’s another way of saying I’m the arts and entertainment reporter for the coverage areas of our newspapers, including Middletown, Hamilton and the general vicinity. I have been the entertainment reporter in Middletown for 10 years, but my geographic boundaries have been enlarged, and I’m enjoying learning more about the Hamilton area. One of my new responsibilities is to post to this Things to Do blog. I’ll be alerting you all to various entertainment events in Butler and Warren counties, and I’ll give you my insight on the events that I attend. One of the complaints I hear quite often is that “there’s nothing to do here.” Sorting through the mountain of emails and press releases I get, I can only raise my eyebrows and respond, “Really? Seems like there’s quite a lot to me.” One of my favorite things to do on the movie blog was to ask my readers for their input, and that’s what I’d like to do with this blog. So I ask you - what would be most helpful to you? What would you like to see on this blog that could help you find things to do? What events do you like to attend? What would you like to see more of? Do tell. There’s something to do right there!

Pyramid Hill holds 7th annual Art Fair, Sept. 26-27

rjones@coxohio.com — 2009-09-23T14:33:31-05:00

**Pyramid Hill Arts Fair, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26-27, Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park, Hamilton. $8 adults, free children 12 and under. (513) 868-8336. ENTERTAINMENT Saturday 1 p.m. Hula Dancers 3 p.m. Murstein Dancers Sunday 12:30 p.m. Tree of Life World Music 2 p.m. Mark Camden << o >> More than 100 artists from all over the Midwest will gather at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park this weekend for the seventh annual Pyramid Hill Art Fair. “Attendees will witness live art demonstrations and have the chance to purchase world class art direct from the artists,” said spokesperson Terry Dillon. While many of the artists have become staples of the event, the Art Fair has attracted a number of first-time exhibitors, too. Batavia-based painter Shannon Godby came to last year’s event as a spectator, but found it enough to his liking that he’ll be exhibiting his “nature-inspired abstract paintings.” “I’m also an avid photographer, and many of my works come from the photos I’ve taken,” he said. “They’ll start out fairly realistic, but then I abstract them as I go along.” Cincinnati artist Karen Cowden has been working double-time the past few weeks preparing her embellished tableware for her second year at the Pyramid Hill Art Fair. She and a friend started embellishing plates and service settings about eight years ago, she said, after seeing similar products in a store. They start with plain plates, glasses and silverware and use beads, wire and other craft materials to create unique designs. “People pretty much fall in love with it,” she said. Other exhibitors include: > Classic Copper by Don Persinger of Lancaster, Ohio, who creates his own unique design of copper wind sculptures. > Kiln Fired Glass by Deborah Lewis of New Vienna, Ohio, who uses the process of fusing glass into functional, decorative piece of art. > Smithacus Art & Design, a partnership between Stephen Smith and Jennifer Acus-Smith of Hamilton, who create customized pet portraits, striving to create vibrant and expressive artworks that focus on color while capturing the the personality of the subject. > Totally Twisted, jewelry by Jennifer Nye of Hamilton, who creates work of sterling silver or 14k gold-filled adorned with stones and handmade beads. She also makes heirloom-quality rosaries. Local vendors will provide food for purchase. Live entertainment and activities are planned for children.