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Fun Date Days & Nights

Canoe Rental

Bellbrook Canoe & Kayak Rental

Need to know:

  • seasonal
  • all trips leave promptly at the top of the hour
  • please be in the office checking in at least 20 minutes before the top of the hour
  • 5.2 miles
  • takes about 2-3 hours
  • last trip leaves at 4 p.m.
  • boats must be back by 7 p.m.
  • download rental agreement from their website
  • $$

 

Concerts

Fraze Pavilion in Kettering

Need to know:

  • outdoor concerts
  • seasonal
  • $2 Tuesdays
  • $-$$

 

Cooking Classes

Dorothy Lane Market at Washington Square location in Centerville

Need to know:

  • Classes are at the DLM Culinary Center next to the Washington Square store
  • they have classes specific to couples (or other themes)
  • new classes are posted seasonally
  • classes book up quickly
  • classes start right on time, get there a few minutes early
  • seating is on a first come basis
  • $$$$-$$$$$

 

Cosmic Bowling

Need to know:

  • Many bowling alleys around Dayton have cosmic or glow bowling
  • Don’t forget to wear socks
  • Bowling alleys have snack bars and alcohol
  • Check the website of the alley you are going to visit to see if they have specials or coupons
  • $$-$$$

  

Dayton Art Institute

Need to know:

  • Closed Monday and Tuesday
  • Opened later on Thursday evenings
  • On Site Bistro for lunch or dinner on Thursday
  • Suggested entry price $8.00 per adult, $5.00 seniors/active military
  • If you are unable to pay full price, donation of what you can pay accepted
  • Special exhibits are an additional charge
  • $$

  

Festivals 

  • there are many great festivals all over the Dayton region
  • seasonal (April-November)
  • most are free to enter (just a few have entry fees or parking fees)
  • most provide shuttles if parking is a challenge
  • check out the festival websites for complete details
  • Some of our Favs:  Sugar Maple Festival in Bellbrook (April), Yellow Springs Street Fair (June & October), Pow Wow at Sunwatch Indian Village (June), Celtic Festival (July),  Holiday at Home in Kettering (Labor Day Weekend), Concors Festival at Carillon Park (September), Oktoberfest @ Dayton Art Institute (September).
  • Free to $, food and crafts extra

  

Hike & Ice Cream

Hike at John Bryan State Park then head to Young’s Dairy for ice cream

Need to know:

  • wear sturdy shoes
  • rocks are slippery
  • stairs are steep leading down to the path by water
  • Hike is free, ice cream $

 

Ice Skating

Downtown at Riverscape-Seasonal

Need to know:

  • End of November thru February
  • Snack Bar on site
  • Skating rink under covered shelter
  • Heated area
  • Skate Rental available or bring your own ice skates
  • Don’t forget heavy socks so you don’t get blisters
  • Don’t forget gloves
  • $-$$

 

Miniature Golf

Indian Trails in Kettering

Need to know:

  • you have to start the game 1 hour before closing
  • they have a snack bar
  • reduced price for both courses during same visit
  • sign up on their website for coupon/emails
  • $$

 

Movie Night

Need to know:

  • Danbarry Dollar Saver behind the Dayton Mall $3.00 movies, $1.75 on Tuesdays!
  • Cash only for tickets (there is a bank machine in the lobby)
  • Snacks can be purchased with credit card
  • Cinemark Cinemas at The Greene ($5.50 Wednesdays) 
  • Cool Films at Victoria Theatre (summer)
    • classic movies
    • free popcorn and soda before movie in the lobby (can not be taken into theater)
    • 10 ticket passbook can be purchased for reduced ticket prices
  • $ to $$ (depends on theater, day, and # of snacks)

  

Nature Hike

Cox Arboretum

Need to know:

  • no pets
  • park closes at dusk
  • lots of walking trails and gardens
  • koi fish in the pond
  • look for turtles in the pond
  • bridge makes a great photo spot
  • climb the Tree Tower
  • Butterfly House (seasonal)
  • restrooms are in the larger Education Center and in the smaller Education Building
  • drink vending machine in Education Center
  • porch swings
  • picnic tables
  • Please be respectful of meetings, wedding ceremonies and receptions occurring on property
  • Free

  

Zoo

Cincinnati Zoo

Need to know:

  • park on the street and walk in or pay for parking
  • if you are going to go to the zoo twice in the same year, a membership may be the way to go
  • save by buying tickets on-line, coupon savings thru Kroger stores or AAA membership
  • feed the giraffe
  • Festival of Lights (seasonal November-December 30th)
  • Check the website to see the events, animal encounters and shows available that day
  • $$$

 

Free=Free per couple

$=Under $10 per couple

$$=Under $20 per couple

$$$=Under $40 per couple

$$$$=Under $80 per couple

$$$$$=Under $150 per couple

Welcome and Thank-you Baskets

Welcome & Thank-you baskets are a nice touch for brides and grooms to put in hotel rooms for out of town guests or to give to the host of your bridal shower.

 

I am excited to feature a Dayton-based Ohio Welcome & Thank-you Basket idea.

 

The first step is to round up all of the great products that are made in and around Dayton, Ohio.

The best items for the out of town guests are items they can actually snack on in their hotel room.

 

Bag of Mike Sells Potato Chips (available at grocery stores)

Mike Sell’s was founded in 1910 by Mr. & Mrs. D.W. Mikesell in Dayton, Ohio.

 

Esther Price Chocolates (available at 4 Esther Price Locations in Dayton, 3 in Cincinnati)

They have 4 pieces custom favor boxes, candy bars, caramels and much more.  You can also

purchase a larger box and split it up into smaller bags to split to the different baskets.

Made in Dayton for over 90 years.

 

Winans Chocolates 

Maybe choose some Buckeyes (an Ohio staple) and this adorably sweet Ohio shaped chocolate sucker.

 

Brock’s Dust -locally made spices that can be sprinkled or rubbed onto meats, potatoes and vegetables.  Locally made in Oakwood, Ohio by Brock Masterson’s Catering.  Available at Dorothy Lane Market, Dots Market and Arrow Wine.

 

Jump’s Gourmet Peanuts  These “almonized” peanuts are crisp and crunchy, with a flavor you

won’t believe.  Available at Dorothy Lane Market.

 

Boston Stoker Coffee  In business since 1973, there are 10 stores around the area where you can select bags of various flavors of coffee beans-whole beans or ground on site.

 

Laura’s Cookies  Made at Dorothy Lane Market, available in small and large in many different shapes.  You can special order specific shapes (wedding themed or maybe an airplane shape to honor the Wright Brothers).  Pre-order specifics shapes 3 days in advance.

 

Caesar Creek Vineyards Bottle of Wine located in Xenia, a 200+ acre farm with 4,500 vines. 

 

Warped Wing make great local beers-purchase a 6 packs of several types and split between the baskets.

 

Other local ideas:

(Note: glass jars are perfect for shower hostess, maybe not for

out of town guests that flew in for the wedding)

 

Pine Club Salad Dressing (“One of the Greatest Steak Houses in the country” was founded in 1947)

 

Mama DiSalvo’s Spaghetti Sauce  They opened their restaurant in 1979 in Kettering, Ohio

 

Graeter’s Ice Cream gift card (started in Cincinnati in 1868)

 

Skyline Chili gift card (started in Cincinnati in 1949)  (some location give you a small to go box to hold the gift card along with, 1 packet of Skyline hot sauce and a small bag of their oyster crackers)

 

Rothschild Farms dips, salsas and mustards, started in 1970 in Urbana.

 

Buckeye Vodka & Belle of Dayton Gin or Vodka

 

Space Food  Maurice Krug was the inventor of space food. The first space food eaten was applesauce, squeezed out of a tube, such as what you use for toothpaste. Visit the Dayton Air Force Museum gift shop or Boonshoft Museum gift shop to purchase Space food

 


“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” Bridal Shower

Planning a bridal shower? A beautiful and elegant theme is “Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Think diamonds, pearls, little black dresses, martini glasses, and of course the iconic robin egg blue Tiffany’s box.

Suggested Attire:

*Encourage guests to wear Little Black Dresses, just like Audrey Hepburn

“Arrival” Favors:

*As guests arrive, hand out black sunglasses, tiaras, and pearl bead necklaces. Both of these can be purchased inexpensively and in bulk at www.orientaltrading.com or www.rinovelty.com

“Thank-you” Shower Favors:

*Martini Glass filled with Tiffany blue candies (M-n-M’s or Jelly Belly jelly beans), place a cello bag over the top
of the martini glass and cinch around the stem and tie with a blue ribbon. These candies are available locally at Special Occasions Party Supply on Stroop Road in Kettering. Regardless of your event theme, you can find all the colors of these candies sold individually at this great store.

Linens:

Go for the Tiffany Blue tablecloths in satin for an elegant look. Visit Prime Time Party Rental and ask for Aqua in the Matte Satin. Add a white satin runner which will look like the white ribbon traditionally tied around the box

5 foot round tables-seat 8 guests
-120″ linens will hang to the ground
-90″ linens will be lap length

90″x132″ banquet linens will fit a 6 foot banquet (rectangle) table
90″x156″ banquet linens will fit an 8 foot banquet (rectangle) table

Don’t forget white matte satin linen napkins. Add a “diamond” napkin ring for some bling!

Centerpiece Ideas:

*Square Vase, filled with “diamond” scatter and white hydrangeas

*Stack of 3 Tiffany boxes (you can find plain wrapping paper in the robin egg blue and wrap 3 boxes), tie with white ribbon.

*Over sized Martini Glass, filled with “diamond” scatter, draped in pearl beads, with a Tiffany box in the center of the glass. Don’t have real Tiffany jewelry boxes? These can be ordered from www.orientaltrading.com or purchased locally at Special Occasions Party Supply. Don’t forget to tie a white satin or organza ribbon around the blue box.

Menu Suggestions:

Well…since your theme is Breakfast at Tiffany’s…breakfast/brunch fare sounds delicious!

  • Quiche or Breakfast Casseroles
  • Fruit Kabobs
  • Scones with homemade whipped cream
  • Build-Your-Own Omelet station
  • Belgian waffle & toppings station
  • Create-a-Yogurt-Parfait Station.

Decor:

There are some fantastic lines/quotes from Breakfast at Tiffany’s that you can print or mount on Tiffany Blue scrapbook paper and frame them to add to the buffet or as decor around the party area. Try to find frames with pearls or diamonds.

  • *”Of course, Personally, I think it’d be tacky to wear diamonds before I’m forty.”
  • *”A girl can’t read that sort of thing without her lipstick.”
  • *”Did I tell you how divinely and utterly happy I am?”
  • *”It’s a mistake you always make, trying to love a wild thing.”
  • *”I don’t think I’ve ever drunk champagne before breakfast before. With breakfast on several occasions, but NEVER before, before!”
  • *”On this day 175 years ago, Mr. Tiffany opened the store of his dreams and gave the world something to dream about.”
  • “I am a very stylish girl.”
  • “People do fall in love.”
  • “People do belong to each other.”
  • “You can always tell what kind of person a man thinks you are by the earrings he gives you.”
  • “Do they still really have prizes in the Cracker Jack boxes?”
  • “I’m gonna march you to the zoo and feed you to the yak!”
  • “I’m just CRAZY about Tiffany’s!”
  • “Tough beans Buddy, cause that’s the way it’s gonna be!”
  • “There you are, you Sneak.”

Enjoy, and Happy Bridal Shower!

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