My Favorite Articles from 2025

I thought I’d celebrate two years of my blog relaunch by highlighting my favorite articles from Girl About Dayton in 2025.

January

How to Plan the Perfect Downtown Dayton Date Night

This article was in partnership with DPAA to show how easy it is to create the perfect evening with someone special right here in Dayton. I really do love that Dayton has this wealth of performance art that you can just get tickets to throughout the week and weekend.

February

Where to Find Valentine’s Gifts in Dayton & Celebrate Galentine’s in Dayton

I love celebrating love and finding fun things to do and cute gifts to gift is always a great way to beat the winter blues.

March

Meet Bistecca: Dayton Theatre District Restaurant

One of my most popular articles from 2025 is this one about Bistecca, a new restaurant that opened on the first floor of Hotel Ardent downtown.

I was clearly pretty excited about the opportunity to try it out!

April

Experience an Open-air Oasis in Dayton at The Silos

My second most popular article this year was about The Silos. It’s such a unique space and a wonderful addition to downtown. I’ve had so many opportunities to revisit The Silos again and again this year and each time I see something new and beautiful.

May

Take a Sneak Peek at the New Hotel Inside the Dayton Arcade

One seriously petty win I’m going to celebrate forever is Dayton proving SO MANY people wrong by successfully reopening The Dayton Arcade. And one of the biggest businesses to join the revival is Hilton Garden Inn with a gorgeous hotel that maintains so much of the historical character of the building it’s in. I loved getting a chance to take a private tour and about 3,000 photos.

June

Take a Look Inside Three Birds Restaurant in Dayton, Ohio

2025 was a year of exciting business openings but none more anticipated than Three Birds. This restaurant caused a stir in Dayton and Kettering with people driving by daily to check on the progress as they got closer to opening. This article was the #1 most popular by a mile on my blog! Plus, my videos of previewing Three Birds were my most popular on TikTok and Instagram ever.

July

Step Inside Tender Mercy – Dayton’s Underground Bar

Tender Mercy opened at arguably the worst possible time – right before Covid – but have managed to thrive by keeping people hooked on the drinks, ambiance, and excitement of a truly unique experience like nowhere else in Dayton.

August

Who Won the First Great Dayton Cake Off?

I had the amazing opportunity to take part in the first Great Dayton Cake Off as a judge. I was absolutely dazzled by the level of creativity and skill I saw on display there and loved being a part of something so special. (And no, we did not get to eat the cakes!)

September

Oktoberfest Ticket Giveaway with Dayton Art Institute

Partnering with Dayton Art Institute this year to promote their iconic Oktoberfest celebration was wonderful because we created a giveaway!

Fun fact: The person who won the giveaway ALSO ended up winning the stein-holding competition!! She’s Amanda DeLotelle, the Executive Director of Miami Valley Meals! After meeting through the giveaway, she invited me to a Chef’s Table opportunity to tour Miami Valley Meals and try a meal myself. I loved learning all about this amazing organization.

October

Inside Crystal City – Dayton Found Object Art Experience Moving to Wisconsin

It was an absolute dream come true getting to step inside Crystal City. Every time I would walk by this art environment, I would stop and stare, trying to see as much as I could from the outside over the years. It’s incredible and I hope the people of Wisconsin enjoy having access to Crystal City, as well.

November

My Unbelievable Stay at Hotel Ardent in Dayton

I’m still in shock at having our anniversary getaway turned into a dream stay in the Presidential Suite at Hotel Ardent. I can’t say enough about how beautiful this hotel is or how relaxing and luxurious the rooms are. Plus, having Bistecca on the first floor is just icing on the cake!

December

My Fun Night Out at Scene75

Celebrating my birthday at Scene75 was a lot of fun and it’s actually not the first time. 10 years ago, I partnered with Scene75 to do the exact same thing. It felt like a full circle moment, having the chance to do this again.

Two Years Since Relaunch

Thank you all so much for reading along about my adventures in Dayton this year! It’s an absolute privilege to get to share what I love about Dayton with people who love it, too.

And a huge thank you to the (MANY) new businesses that opened their doors, the established businesses that helped keep Dayton fun, and the big, national businesses that are investing in this region. You all see Dayton for what it really is – a growing, creative community that has an even brighter future ahead.