Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope that 2011 has many great things in store for all of you! Hopefully some of these events can help to make it that way!

On Wednesday, for a tasty dinner at a reasonable price, head to the Bonefish Grill for Bang Bang Shrimp Wednesdays, Sammy’s El Pueblo for their Fajita Dinner for 2 for $19.99, or Champps for their 9.99 Fajitas. If you really wanted to eat fajitas and save money, you should go to Champps since you could get two fajita dinners for a whole penny cheaper…just sayin’. Help promote the Five Rivers MetroParks’ Outdoor Recreation Department by attending their Volunteer: Street Tream Training. And if you are environmentally conscious, attend the Environmental Film Series: End of the Line at Cox Arboretum…which is absolutely free!

On Thursday, enjoy a glass or two of wine along with your dinner at the delicious Coco’s Bistro where they have 1/2 Price Wine Bottles. If you are in downtown Miamisburg, head to TJ Chumps for their Three Course Thursday-All Day and/or A Taste of Wine (which is right across the street) for their Wine Tasting. Sorry, I may not be helping your New Year’s resolution to lose weight. And in the evening, all you Dancing with the Stars fans will want to see Mark Ballas as he performs at McGuffy’s.

On Friday, after perhaps your first full week of working in a little while, head downtown for the First Friday Art Hop! If someone asks you about the Riverscape ice rink, say “I’ll be there” so that you can enjoy the thrill of ice skating as part of the King of Pop Skate. For a different style of music, join the Dayton Philharmonic as they perform ‘Titanic Brahms, Vibrant Liebermann’ at the Schuster Center. Over at the Dayton Theatre Guild, see the show Ravenscroft. And finally, up in Yellow Springs, head to Emporium Wines/Underdog Café for a Wine Tasting accompanied by live music.

On Saturday, head to the Yellow Springs Winter Farmer’s Market – just don’t tell any secrets because remember…a corn has ears! While you’re there, bring some items that will help you de-clutter your house, items you would like to share with others, or an unwanted Christmas gift as part of the Really Really Free Market at Emporium Wines/Underdog Café in Yellow Springs. I have never participated in anything like this, but it sounds like an awesome idea! For more info, check out this link. If you got engaged over the holidays and are trying to navigate your ways through all the wedding planning, head to the Dayton Bridal Expo at the Dayton Convention Center. With the amount of food allergies on the rise, consider attending Dorothy Lane Market’s Gluten-Free Food Lovers’ Club: How to eat your way throughout the year. And in the evening if you are downtown, head to RiverScape for their Star-Late Skate, the Dayton Theatre Guild for Ravenscroft, or the Schuster Center for ‘Titanic Brahms, Vibrant Liebermann’. And if you decide to head over to McGuffy’s, you’ll be swinging, sliding, and perhaps doing a little bit of monkey barring as the 90s band Marcy Playground performs.

On Sunday, chase those winter blues away by heading to the Mu Crew Pool Party at the Holiday Inn Dayton Mall. Over at the Dayton Art Institute, participate in the two T’s – Tour and Tea. If you love to write, get a little help by heading over to Books & Co. for their Second Sunday Free Writers’ Workshop. And finally, over at the Dayton Theatre Guild, if you haven’t already done so, be sure to check out Ravenscroft.

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…

“Doctor! Something’s wrong! I’m shrinking!”

“Take it easy, sir. You’ll just have to be a little patient.”

These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar. There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today! Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it– it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE! And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!