Bethesda Magazine: September-October 2019

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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The Battle

THE BATTLE

HOW TENSION OVER SCREEN TIME IS PITTING PARENTS AGAINST THEIR KIDS

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Luxury is defined as homes priced $1 Million and above. Information contained in this report is deemed reliable but not guaranteed, should be independently verified, and does not constitute an opinion of BRIGHTMLS or Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. ©2019 All rights reserved.

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September/October 2019 | Volume 16 Issue 5

contents P. 104

104 The Battle

117 Extraordinary Educators

124 College Bound

Kids are hooked on their iPads and video games. When it’s time to turn off the electronics, life at home can get ugly.

Six local teachers who are making a difference—from getting middle school students excited about science to helping second graders learn about the world beyond their classroom walls

Where 2019 high school graduates applied to college—and where they got in

BY DINA ELBOGHDADY

BY CARALEE ADAMS

12

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

COMPILED BY SETOTA HAILEMARIAM

COVER: Laikwunfai/Getty Images

PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

ON THE COVER

contents

P. 210

FEATURES When your daughter dreams of playing in the Women’s World Cup, life as a soccer dad can get intense

BY PAUL TUKEY

180 Taking on the Water When streets flood or someone’s in danger on the Potomac River, a team of specially trained Montgomery County firefighters answers the call for help

190 Dog Days Having a puppy is great, except when it isn’t

BY LEAH ARINIELLO

BY JULIE RASICOT

14

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

202 Bethesda Interview

210 A Day at the Market

Honest Tea co-founder Seth Goldman talks about becoming a vegetarian, a possible future in politics, and his latest venture, Beyond Meat

Behind the scenes at the Bethesda Central Farm Market

BY STEVE GOLDSTEIN

BY CAROLE SUGARMAN

PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

168 Field Days

Wydler Brothers

$115M Sales Volume YTD

4.84 Average Uber rating

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Hans and Steve Wydler's mission is to provide their clients with sound business advice, and to represent their interests with the highest level of professionalism, intelligence, and integrity. They take their role as trusted advisors seriously, but never themselves. Or at least, Hans doesn't take Steve seriously, and Steve doesn't take Hans seriously.

contents

DEPARTMENTS 22 | TO OUR READERS 24 | CONTRIBUTORS

P. 68 225

home

277

226 | HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS

art. festivals. culture. day trips. hidden gems.

Fall means back to school, and the return of coats, boots and backpacks. Manage the mess with a stylish and organized mudroom.

36 | BEST BETS

228 | THINKING INSIDE THE BOX

31

good life

Can’t-miss arts events

40 | ARTS CALENDAR Where to go, what to see

Three local families realize their dream kitchens without adding square footage to their homes

236 | HOME SALES BY THE NUMBERS

53

banter

261

60 | QUICK TAKES

262 | BE WELL

News you may have missed

64 | BOOK REPORT New books by local authors, literary events and more

68 | HOMETOWN Gwen Reese grew up in Sugarland, a community in Maryland formed by free blacks after the Civil War. Now she’s devoted to preserving the heritage of her hometown.

278 | REVIEW At Commonwealth Indian, chef Sunil Bastola offers intriguing fare in a luxurious setting

282 | TABLE TALK What’s happening on the local food scene

286 | DINING GUIDE

301

etc.

302 | SHOP TALK Kids clothes created by two local moms.

Plus, snake prints for your fall wardrobe.

health

people. politics. current events. books.

dine

306 | WEDDINGS

A Bethesda dietician on fad diets, making healthy choices and why she eats dark chocolate every day

264 | ONE STEP AT A TIME Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis two years ago, the owner of a Kentlands ballet studio won’t let the disease rule her life

272 | WELLNESS CALENDAR

Two high school friends fell in love after college and got married a mile from where they grew up

309 | FLASHBACK An armed group of escaped slaves heading north clashed with a local militia in Montgomery County

312 | GET AWAY Your cheat sheet for a weekend away

314 | DRIVING RANGE

BY STEVE ROBERTS

On Virginia’s Eastern Shore, the centuriesold town of Onancock is a good launch point for exploring the dynamic shoreline

AD SECTIONS PROFILES: WOMEN IN BUSINESS 73

16

PRIVATE SCHOOL GUIDE 140

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

LONG & FOSTER AD SECTION 221

PROFILES: ASK THE HOME EXPERTS 242

PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

320 | OUTTAKES

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What’s online @ BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

enter our

ONLINE ARCHIVES Explore past issues and stories using our searchable archives.

JOB BOARD

GIVEAWAYS STARTING

SEPT. 1

Job Board by Bethesda Magazine is a new online resource that connects area employers with Montgomery County job seekers. Learn more at BethesdaMagazine.com/JobBoard.

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Annabel Burch-Murton Realtor® DC/MD/VA 202.285.7166 Annabel@BurchMurton.com Compass is a licensed real estate brokerage that abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Compass is licensed as Compass Real Estate in DC and as Compass in Virginia and Maryland. 5471 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 300, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 | 301.298.1001

18

Bethesda Beat is Bethesda Magazine’s local news site. Each weekday, Bethesda Beat publishes an average of eight news stories covering local politics and government, development, crime, schools and restaurants. Read Bethesda Beat at BethesdaMagazine.com.

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Enter for a chance to win a

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The winner will receive a one-year Strathmore Stars membership plus a pair of premium seats to two shows in Strathmore’s 2019-2020 season.

Choose from Chris Thile, Dave Koz, Lea Salonga and more. The package is valued at $400.

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To enter, go to BethesdaMagazine.com/giveaways

STAY CONNECTED

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COURTESY PHOTOS

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T T RS I R .C O M | B RO K E RAG ES : B E T H ES DA R OW — 4 8 0 9 B E T H ES DA AV E N U E , B E T H ES DA , M D C H EV Y C H AS E , M D •

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Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Equal housing opportunity. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Price and availability subject to change.

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to our readers

THE WAITING GAME WHEN MY SON SAM was a senior at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, he had a decidedly nonchalant attitude about applying to college. Sam, now 29, was a good student, but he seemed unfazed by the college admissions frenzy around him.

He decided to apply early decision to Kenyon College in Ohio but refused to do any other applications until he heard back. Why do the additional work, he figured, when it might not be necessary.

I, on the other hand, was anything but chill. I pleaded with Sam to apply to other colleges—after all, Kenyon was notifying early-decision applicants in mid-December, and the applications deadline for other schools was Jan. 1. He wouldn’t budge.

Sam got into Kenyon—although not before tormenting me the week he was due to get the news. On Monday, he called me at the office and told me that he had gotten in, and then said “just kidding” after I had celebrated for a few seconds. On Wednesday, he called and—sounding upset—said he had been rejected. I comforted him and gave him a pep talk, and then got another “just kidding.”

In reality, he hadn’t heard from Kenyon yet.

On Friday, when a thick envelope finally arrived from Kenyon with a purple thumbs up emblazoned on it, I didn’t believe he’d gotten in until I returned home and read the acceptance letter.

The college admissions ritual plays out in thousands of Bethesda-area households every year. Over time, I’ve spoken to scores of parents whose kids were in the process of visiting or applying to colleges. Most parents say their kids weren’t as nonchalant as Sam—and that’s probably a good thing. The vast majority of parents complained, however, about the frenzy and pressure—and the stress on their kids, on them and in their homes.

For the last 14 years, Bethesda Magazine has published a chart in the September/October issue showing where students from several public high schools in the Bethesda area applied to college. (It also shows where the students were accepted, but that data is self-reported by students 22

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

and, as a result, may not be 100% reliable.)

Some readers have complained that by publishing the chart the magazine adds to the pressure and stress. That’s certainly not our intent. In fact, I decided to start publishing the annual chart mostly to show that there’s a college for everyone. Yes, many students apply to the Ivies and other elite schools. From the seven high schools (B-CC, Blair, Richard Montgomery, Wootton, Whitman, WJ and Churchill) that provided data for our chart this year, students sent 1,978 applications to Ivy League schools, with Penn and Cornell leading the way with 357 and 373 applicants, respectively.

However, public schools—some elite, many not—were the most popular. Of the 10 colleges and universities that received the most applicants, eight were public, led, not surprisingly, by the University of Maryland College Park with 1,988 applicants. The other public schools were Montgomery College (748), University of Maryland Baltimore County (689), Towson (555), Penn State (505), Michigan (439), Pittsburgh (428) and Virginia (377). The only private schools among those 10 were Cornell (373) and the University of Pennsylvania (357).

Students who graduated in 2019 applied to public schools in 39 states and to a total of 278 public and private schools overall. Our college chart begins on page 124.

IF YOU’RE READING THIS before Sept. 13, there’s still time for you to take our annual Best of Bethesda Readers’ Poll. This year we’re looking for your favorites in 90 categories, from stores and restaurants to doctors and schools.

You can take the Readers’ Poll at BethesdaMagazine.com.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Bethesda Magazine.

STEVE HULL Editor & Publisher

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PAUL TUKEY

DAVID GOLDSTEIN

LIVES IN: Potomac

LIVES IN: Silver Spring

IN THIS ISSUE: Wrote about girls soccer in Montgomery County, a national hotbed of club teams that compete throughout the Washington, D.C., region and beyond.

IN THIS ISSUE: Wrote about Hope MacDonald, who runs a Gaithersburg ballet studio and hasn’t been stopped by a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis two years ago. “Hope is one of those people who you admire from afar, and when you meet her lives up to every expectation and more. She’s an object lesson in how to deal with a serious health concern but never lose your sense of what’s possible.”

WHAT HE DOES: A longtime journalist, author and environmental activist, he serves as chief sustainability officer at the Glenstone Museum in Potomac.

CAREER PATH: He’s worked as a sportswriter in Portland, Maine, covering the Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots and Bruins, and as a professional landscaper, gardening magazine publisher, and host and producer of People, Places & Plants on HGTV. MOST UNFORGETTABLE STORY: Tracking down the origins of the anti-pesticide movement in North America, which led to the documentary film A Chemical Reaction. “That whole phenomenon is traceable to one town in Canada and one remarkable doctor, a dermatologist named June Irwin.”

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

WHAT HE DOES: He’s a freelance writer. During a career in journalism as an editor and reporter, he’s covered national politics, problems in veterans health care and everything from President Donald Trump’s Russian connections to the day prairie dogs pulled off a mass escape from the Kansas City Zoo. ONGOING PROJECT: “Visiting every national park (or as many as possible). Ten down, 51 to go.”

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contributors

Christina O’Dea

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Lifelong residents of Bethesda, Lynda O’Dea & her daughter Christina help buyers & sellers navigate the often complex real estate sales process. With expertise in business, technology, marketing & online advertising, plus staging & interior design — clients receive added-value services to maximize value & minimize stress, helping make the process more enjoyable. Give us a call to arrange a confidential no-obligation conversation!

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EDITORIAL EDITOR

Steve Hull SENIOR EDITOR

Cindy Rich ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Kathleen Seiler Neary DEPUTY EDITOR

Julie Rasicot CONSULTING ART DIRECTOR

Sylvia Gashi-Silver DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR

Laura F. Goode ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR

Jenny Fischer BETHESDA BEAT MANAGING EDITOR

Andrew Schotz BETHESDA BEAT REPORTERS

Caitlynn Peetz, Dan Schere, Charlie Wright WEB PRODUCER

Erin Roby RESTAURANT CRITIC

David Hagedorn CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Eugene L. Meyer, Louis Peck, Carole Sugarman COPY EDITORS

Elisabeth Herschbach, Steve Wilder EDITORIAL INTERN

Setota Hailemariam DESIGN INTERNS

Alisa Gao, Meghan Kimberling CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Caralee Adams, Jennifer Barger, Stephanie Siegel Burke, James Michael Causey, Amanda Cherrin, Dina ElBoghdady, Margaret Engel, Michael S. Gerber, Steve Goldstein, Janelle Harris, Melanie D.G. Kaplan, Rachael Keeney, Christine Koubek, Laurie McClellan, Melanie Padgett Powers, Amy Reinink, Steve Roberts, Charlotte Safavi, Kelly Sankowski, Mike Unger, Mark Walston, Carolyn Weber, Adrienne Wichard-Edds PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS

Edgar Artiga, Skip Brown, Laura Chase de Formigny, Stacy Zarin Goldberg, Lisa Helfert, Alice Kresse, Deb Lindsey, Liz Lynch, Maxine Schnitzer, Amanda Smallwood, Mary Ann Smith, Matthew Stebenne, Michael Ventura Bethesda Magazine is published six times a year by Kohanza Media Ventures, LLC. © 2009-2019 Letters to the editor: Please send letters (with your name, the town you live in and your daytime phone number) to letters@bethesdamagazine.com.

Story ideas: Please send ideas for stories to editorial@bethesdamagazine.com.

Bethesda Magazine 7768 Woodmont Ave., #204, Bethesda, MD 20814 Phone: 301-718-7787/ Fax: 301-718-1875 BethesdaMagazine.com

26

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

GalantiGroup_0919.pdf

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Five years in a row!

8/6/19

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5407 Huntington Parkway

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SOLD ABOVE ASKING / MULTIPLE OFFERS

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“

Selling a home is not a matter of luck.

Avi calmly and methodically kept us focused on what was important: coached us on staging, helped identify home improvements that were needed and those that increase home value, and worked with us on the sales price. Avi helped us evaluate which was the best offer and how to best counter it. We sold our home the first day on the market for over asking price, with no contingencies, and closed within the timeframe that we wanted to close. I couldn’t have asked for more from a real estate professional.

It's having the right real estate professional to help you devise and implement a winning strategy.

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* In the overall BCC Market, 2019 YTD closed transactions.

www.galantigroup.com

Compass.com | 301.298.1001 | Compass is a licensed real estate brokerage that abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Compass is licensed as Compass Real Estate in DC and as Compass in Virginia and Maryland.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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art. festivals. culture. day trips. hidden gems.

good life

SHUTTERSTOCK

REACH THE ROCK HIKERS OF ALL AGES, backgrounds and skill levels can probably agree on one thing: A scenic view on a long hike is a reward that never gets old.

Once adventurers reach the top of Annapolis Rock, they can marvel at the bird’s-eye perspective of Maryland’s Washington County, nearby Greenbrier Lake and, on a clear day, Sideling Hill, a ridge that’s part of the Appalachian Mountains.

The Annapolis Rock hike, which is about a 50-mile drive from Bethesda and is part of the Appalachian Trail, falls within South Mountain State Park in Boonsboro, Maryland. If you’re entering from U.S. Route 40, as most people do, the hike to the rocks and back is 4.4 miles, says Michael Burditt, assistant park manager at South Mountain Recreation

Area. “There’s a little bit of uphill and there’s one section that’s pretty steep, but for the most part you’re fairly level, so I would call it a moderate hike,” he says.

The terrain is too rocky for strollers, but bring older children if they’re up for the physical challenge. Leashed dogs are also welcome.

Burditt says Annapolis Rock is one of the Appalachian Trail’s most popular day hikes, and that a busy weekend day could see 400 to 500 hikers.

Annapolis Rock, South Mountain State Park, GPS address to parking lot: 11174 Baltimore National Pike, Myersville, Maryland.

—Setota Hailemariam BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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good life

EXPLORE FARM LIFE IF YOU WERE TO time travel to Derwood’s Magruder-Bussard farmstead in the mid-1800s, you might find children playing with corn husk dolls, women dyeing fabric and men creating tools and household items out of tin. Visit the farm during Montgomery County’s Harvest Festival and you’ll see families doing the same things. The festival takes place at the 455-acre Agricultural History Farm Park, which includes a modern farming activity center and the historic site of one of the county’s working farms from around 1750 to 1950. The annual event celebrates autumn’s arrival, but it also ties into the park’s mission to educate the public and preserve the county’s agricultural past. So along with seasonal activities such as hayrides, scarecrow-making and pumpkinpainting, you’ll find candle-dipping, tin-punching and woodworking. Kids can learn to write with quill pens, try on period clothing and play with antique toys and games, among other hands-on activities.

Farm animals, costumed historians demonstrating old-time crafts, and displays of antique farm equipment set the scene for what farm life was like in the county’s past, while live country music and bluegrass performances provide the soundtrack. Festivalgoers can also wend their way through a corn maze, plant seeds to learn about locally grown crops, and play in a hayloft.

Although much has changed since the county’s farming heyday, celebrating the harvest is a tradition that endures.

The 2019 Harvest Festival is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 5 at the Agricultural History Farm Park, 18400 Muncaster Road, Derwood; $15 per car; montgomeryparks.org.

—Stephanie Siegel Burke

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF MONTGOMERY PARKS

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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good life

BEST BETS

Our picks for things to see and do in September and October

BY STEPHANIE SIEGEL BURKE

Sept. 15

Sept. 26 through mid-2020

Aiming to inspire people to build a better future, KID Museum’s FutureFest combines two festivals previously organized by the STEM-focused learning center—KIDfest and the World of Montgomery Festival. FutureFest celebrates the many cultures of local residents, along with creativity, innovation and a maker mindset. Kids can learn computer coding, use tools to construct unconventional wooden houses, “grow” textile trees, and design spinning light “gardens.” Vibrant cultural music and dance performances are also planned. The festival takes place in the Silver Spring Civic Building, outside in Veterans Plaza and along Ellsworth Drive.

Viewing art at a gallery doesn’t usually involve eating, but visitors at Rirkrit Tiravanija’s exhibition “Fear Eats the Soul” will be served a bowl of soup to taste. It’s one way the artist, whose work often involves serving food, blurs the line between art and life. In addition to the soup, made from recipes by the artist, the exhibition in Glenstone’s original gallery building will include an installation with ceramic sculptures representing the artist’s first gallery show in New York and other interactive elements, such as a silk-screening T-shirt workshop and a graffiti piece that local artists will contribute to over time.

Noon to 5 p.m., free, downtown Silver Spring, kid-museum.org

ART THAT STIRS THE POT

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, free, reservation required, Glenstone Museum, Potomac, glenstone.org

Sept. 18-Oct. 13

QUEENS OF MEAN Fresh from a nearly $9 million renovation, Round House Theatre in Bethesda kicks off its 2019-2020 season with the off-Broadway hit School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play, a comedy that follows a group of “frenemies” vying for a pageant title at Ghana’s Aburi Girls Boarding School in the 1980s. As the subtitle implies, it’s a take on the American “mean girl” genre, centering on a familiar dynamic between “queen bee” Paulina and Ericka, the new transfer student who captures a pageant recruiter’s attention—but in a setting and culture that may be unfamiliar to many American theatergoers. $30 and up, Round House Theatre, Bethesda, roundhousetheatre.org

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Rirkrit Tiravanija’s exhibit at Glenstone will include this artwork made from plywood, tempered glass, aluminum window frames and glazed ceramic.

Hometown Holidays features a full schedule of live music.

Southern Avenue performed at last year’s event.

KIDFEST PHOTO BY REMSBERG PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF RIRKRIT TIRAVANIJA AND GAVIN BROWN’S ENTERPRISE, NEW YORK/ROME

BACK TO THE FUTURE

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good life

BEST BETS Oct. 1

GRAMMER LESSON Andy Grammer started out as a busker in California, but with his positive pop hits, such as the uplifting “Keep Your Head Up” and countrytinged “Honey, I’m Good,” the singer-songwriter went on to become a platinum-selling recording artist. This summer he released his fourth album, Naive, with songs “My Own Hero” and “Don’t Give Up on Me,” which was featured in the soundtrack of the 2019 movie Five Feet Apart.

Grammer’s high-energy performances keep the good vibes flowing with plenty of sing-along moments and enviable dance moves (the singer was also a contestant on Dancing With the Stars).

8 p.m., $32.50, The Fillmore Silver Spring, fillmoresilverspring.com

Oct. 10-12

Fans of Amy Tan can hear The Joy Luck Club author give a reading or can participate in a master class she’ll lead at this year’s F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival, where she’ll also receive the F. Scott Fitzgerald Award for Achievement in American Literature. The festival also features writing workshops, literary discussions and a bus tour of Fitzgerald’s haunts in Rockville. The Great Gatsby author is buried in the cemetery at St. Mary’s Church in Rockville. $10-$15 Thursday literary luncheon; $35 festival registration; Glenview Mansion, Rockville (some events are free and at other locations), fscottfestival.org

Oct. 12-13

ART FOR ALL

Oct. 4-Nov. 2

INTO THE WOODS

The annual Bethesda Row Arts Festival brings fine art and crafts by nearly 200 artists to downtown Bethesda. This year, in addition to showcasing art, the festival will have a focus on both new and established art collectors and building connections among them and artists. The new StARTer Gallery will be a specially tented area aimed at new art collectors and featuring the work of 18 young and local artisans.

Curatorial students will be on hand to help those interested in buying art to choose pieces.

Hiking the trails at Markoff’s Haunted Forest is no walk in the park. The Halloween attraction in Dickerson has been scaring people for more than 25 years. The frightening experiences include two haunted trails where hikers encounter gruesome scenes, scary characters and a spooky ghost town. You’ll also find a zip line, carnival games, food, and performances by fire dancers and others. The Haunted Forest is open Fridays and Saturdays in October, plus Halloween and Nov. 1 and 2. For a gentler experience, the Enchanted Forest at Calleva offers a well-lighted trail walk where visitors will see scenes from fairy tales and folk stories. The Enchanted Forest, which runs Oct. 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26, is recommended for ages 8 and younger.

Free, Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda Avenue and Elm Street, bethesdarowarts.org

Haunted Forest $25 and up; Enchanted Forest $15, younger than age 2 free; 19120 Martinsburg Road, Dickerson, markoffshauntedforest.com ■

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

COURTESY OF THE FILLMORE SILVER SPRING; TAN PHOTO BY JULIAN JOHNSON; FOREST PHOTO BY CHRIS KNOWLES

HONORING AMERICAN AUTHORS

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good life

arts & entertainment

CALENDAR COMPILED BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN

Reckless Kelly will play its Americana songs at AMP by Strathmore on Sept. 14.

and country influences. The band’s most recent album, Bulletproof Live, celebrates the 10th anniversary of their 2008 breakthrough album, Bulletproof.

8 p.m. $27-$43. AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, ampbystrathmore.com.

Sept. 14 STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO. This sevenpiece ska band’s energetic music includes tones from Latin, klezmer, folk, world, funk, jazz and classical music. 7:30 p.m. $27.50 (prices may vary based on demand). The Fillmore Silver Spring. 301960-9999, fillmoresilverspring.com.

Sept. 19 CALIDORE STRING QUARTET. Praised

by The New York Times for its “deep reserves of virtuosity and irrepressible dramatic instinct,” the quartet will regale the audience with a program of Ravel, Schumann and Three Essays—a piece written for the foursome by Pulitzer Prizewinning composer Caroline Shaw. 7:30 p.m. $30. The Mansion at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Sept. 6 JOHN PATITUCCI TRIO. The four-time Grammy-winning bassist has collaborated with the likes of John Mayer, Alicia Keys, Sting and Bono, and is an active composer with 16 solo recordings. A portion of ticket sales will go to the Salla Treatment and Research Foundation. 8 p.m. $50-$200.

AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301581-5100, ampbystrathmore.com.

Sept. 12 SNARKY PUPPY. The culturally diverse collective of more than 25 musicians in 40

regular rotation will play from its latest release, Immigrance. 8 p.m. $29-$69.

The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Sept. 13 TGIF DOWNTOWN STREET PARTY. Enjoy a fun night of music, games, beer and sangria stations, as DJ Damon spins Top 40 hits. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Fountain Plaza, Silver Spring. downtownsilverspring. com/events.

Sept. 14 RECKLESS KELLY. The Grammy-winning group embodies Americana music, masterfully combining roots, rock

Sept. 21 THE BELL BOTTOM BLUES. The band’s frontman Al Caprara recreates Eric Clapton’s signature guitar style and gruff voice in a tribute performance that will feature hits—and deep cuts—from the rock legend’s entire catalog. 8 p.m. $20$35. AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda.

301-581-5100, ampbystrathmore.com.

Sept. 21 FUNKATEERS BALL 2019. Iconic funk drummer Frankie “Kash” Waddy will be the master of ceremonies at the fourth annual celebration of funk music, which will feature Clip Payne’s 420 Funk Mob with a special guest, guitarist Mike “Kidd Funkadelic”

PHOTO BY CASSANDRA WEYANDT

MUSIC

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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good life Hampton. 8 p.m. $54.50; $20 food/ beverage minimum not included in ticket price. Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, Bethesda. 240-330-4500, bbjlive.com.

Sept. 22 PARKER QUARTET AND BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA QUARTET. The evening’s program includes Beethoven, Szymanowski and Mendelssohn. The Grammy-winning Parker Quartet will be joined by members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra to perform Mendelssohn’s Octet in E-Flat Major. 7:30 p.m. See website for prices. Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington.

301-881-0100, benderjccgw.org.

Sept. 24 2013 | 2016 | 2017 | 2019

LUCINDA WILLIAMS. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of her Grammy-winning album, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, the singersongwriter and her band, Buick 6, will play the album in its entirety—followed by a collection of her greatest hits. 8 p.m. $38$88. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Sept. 26 CLARICE ASSAD. The classically trained pianist and vocalist’s enthralling music is rooted in the folkloric rhythms of Brazil, and features African rhythms mixed with European melodies and harmonies. 7:30 p.m. $30. The Mansion at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Oct. 2 AMERICA’S NAVY—CELEBRATING 244 YEARS OF SERVICE. The evening, which will honor America’s naval heritage, will feature performances by three U.S. Navy bands: Concert Band, Sea Chanters chorus, and Cruisers. 8 p.m. See website for prices. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org.

Oct. 3 AROOJ AFTAB. The Pakistan-born artist, whose mesmerizing music features atmospheric vocals and swirling soundscapes, was named one of the Top 100 Young Composers of 2012 by NPR. 7:30 p.m. $30. The Mansion at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org.

Oct. 15 RAY LAMONTAGNE. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter brings his signature warm, raspy vocals to the Strathmore 42

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

stage. The crooner will be accompanied by My Morning Jacket’s Carl Broemel as the duo performs songs from LaMontagne’s six studio albums. 8 p.m. $55-$125.

The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Oct. 16 SERGIO MENDES & BEBEL GILBERTO. Celebrate 60 years of bossa nova—a Brazilian style of music fusing samba and jazz—with three-time Grammy-winning musician and producer Sergio Mendes.

The internationally successful artist will be joined by Bebel Gilberto, daughter of one of bossa nova’s original creators, João Gilberto. 8 p.m. $39-$89. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda.

301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Oct. 19 A NIGHT OF WONDER. Strathmore’s Artists in Residence pay tribute to Stevie Wonder in an evening full of Motown hits. The concert benefits Strathmore’s programs to help young musicians on the rise.

7 p.m. See website for prices. AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, ampbystrathmore.com.

Oct. 20 SHE ROCKS THE ’90s. Join Band of Roses, an all-female R&B, funk and soul group, for a throwback party. The set list will include hit songs from popular female artists from the ’90s, including Salt-N-Pepa, SWV and Lauryn Hill. 7 p.m. $30; $20 food/ beverage minimum not included in ticket price. Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, Bethesda. 240-330-4500, bbjlive.com.

Oct. 24 JOSANNE FRANCIS AND CHAO TIAN. This transglobal collaboration features two musicians from Strathmore’s Artist in Residence Class of 2018. Expect a flurry of pansticks and mallets as Francis (tropical steelpan drums) and Tian (Chinese dulcimer) create a mesmerizing, ethereal sound. 7:30 p.m. $24. The Mansion at Strathmore, North Bethesda.

301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Oct. 25 VAN MORRISON AND BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN ALBUM TRIBUTES. Newmyer Flyer brings together some of the area’s best musicians to recreate Van Morrison’s Moondance and Bruce Springsteen’s The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle. 8 p.m. $35-$48. AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, ampbystrathmore.com.

Oct. 26 LEONARD, COLEMAN AND BLUNT. The former lead singers of legendary groups The Temptations, The Platters and The Drifters have collectively sold more than 1 million records. Expect an evening full of favorite Motown hits, including “My Girl,” “Only You,” “Under the Boardwalk” and “Broadway.” 8 p.m. $30-$40. AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, ampbystrathmore.com.

OUTDOOR CONCERTS You bring the picnic fare, blankets and low-rise chairs; they provide the music. Shows are free.

Thursdays through Sept. 26 EVENINGS IN OLDE TOWNE. Live musical acts range from Celtic to Americana, folk, rock, reggae and pop. See website for full schedule of performers. 6 p.m. City Hall Concert Pavilion, Gaithersburg. 301-2586350, gaithersburgmd.gov.

Fridays through Sept. 27 FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE. Performers include Will Hill (Sept. 6), Baltimore Rockabilly

(Sept. 13), Justin Trawick and the Common Good (Sept. 20) and Mambo Cambo (Sept.

27). 6-9 p.m. Rockville Town Square, Rockville. rockvilletownsquare.com.

Fridays through Sept. 27 NANDO’S FIERY FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERTS. Performers include D Bassline (Sept.

13), Priceless Advice (Sept. 20) and Loose Ends (Sept. 27). 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Boardwalk Stage, RIO Washingtonian Center, Gaithersburg. riolakefront.com/ events.

Saturdays through Sept. 28 BANDS ON THE BOARDWALK. Performances, which include Sons of Pirates (Sept. 14), Film at Eleven (Sept.

21) and Quiet Fire (Sept. 28), range from classic rock to pop, R&B and soul.

6-9 p.m. Boardwalk Stage, RIO Washingtonian Center, Gaithersburg. riolakefront.com/events.

Saturdays through Sept. 28 NANDO’S SPICY SATURDAY NIGHT CONCERTS. Enjoy live music by a selection of local bands, including Loose Shoes (Sept. 7), Freezer Burn (Sept. 14),

Over 25 years of performance, style and a global lifetime warranty.

Trackside (Sept. 21) and Gabrielle Zwi and Friends (Sept. 28). 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Fountain Plaza, Downtown Silver Spring. downtownsilverspring.com.

THEATER, FILM, TALKS AND COMEDY Through Oct. 6 CABARET. Set in post-World War I Berlin, this Tony-winning musical follows the journey of an American writer trying to finish his first novel—instead finding himself swept up in the life of the cabaret.

If this were a film, it would be rated PG-13.

See website for schedule and prices. Olney Theatre Center, Olney. 301-924-3400, olneytheatre.org.

Sept. 6 MOVIE IN THE PARK. In the evening’s selection, The Sandlot, nerdy newcomer Scotty Smalls is taken under the wing of the town’s baseball prodigy Benny Rodriguez and his friends. 7:30-10 p.m.

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43

good life

A puppet show of The Very Hungry Caterpillar comes to Imagination Stage from Sept. 28 to Oct. 27.

See page 46 for details.

Free. Kensington Park Senior Living, Kensington. 301-946-7700, tok.md.gov.

Sept. 6-8

THE QUEEN’S LACE HANDKERCHIEF. This comic operetta has it all: politics, love triangles and competition for power over the throne. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. $28 adults; $24 ages 65 and older; $20 students. F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville. 240-3148690, rockvillemd.gov/theatre.

Sept. 14

THE GOLDEN RATIO LIVE. Join a golden retriever foursome—and their parents— for a night of storytelling. 7 p.m. $20-$25.

F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville. 240314-8690, rockvillemd.gov/theatre.

THE ROYALE. Inspired by the true story of Jack Johnson, this play follows Jay “The Sport” Jackson as he pursues his dream of becoming the first African American boxer to fight for the heavyweight championship. See website for schedule and prices. Olney Theatre Center, Olney.

301-924-3400, olneytheatre.org.

Sept. 26

EMMY BLOTNICK. The former staff writer for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and head writer for Comedy Central’s The President Show brings her self-deprecating, witty humor to the stage. 8 p.m. $14-$24.

AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301581-5100, ampbystrathmore.com.

Sept. 26-Oct. 6

ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. When Mortimer Brewster visits his “sweet spinster” aunts to announce his recent engagement, he uncovers a murderous family secret in this dark comedy. See website for full schedule. $22; $20 students and seniors ages 62 and older. F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville. 240-314-8690, rockvillemd.gov/theatre.

Oct. 2

ARTS & THE BRAIN. Sarah Lenz Lock speaks on the impact of creativity on aging, memory and more in this session entitled “Art, Aging & the Creative Brain.” 7 p.m. $25. AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, ampbystrathmore.com.

Oct. 11

KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN. The Tony award-winning musical juxtaposes gritty reality with liberating fantasy as it takes audiences inside the imaginary world of

44

a gay window dresser being imprisoned in Argentina. 8 p.m. $60. Olney Theatre Center, Olney. 301-924-3400, olneytheatre.org.

Oct. 12 WHOSE LIVE ANYWAY? Cast members Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops, Jeff B. Davis and Joel Murray perform improvised comedy and song based on audience suggestions.

8 p.m. $33-$58; $100 VIP packages include a post-show meet and greet.

The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Oct. 16 ARTS & THE BRAIN. In “Using Rhythm to Strengthen Your Brain & Build Connection,” co-presented by Strathmore and AARP Maryland, Jessica PhillipsSilver, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University Medical Center’s Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition, discusses the effects of music on the brain. 7 p.m. $25. AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, ampbystrathmore.com.

ART Tuesdays through Oct. 1 TACO TUESDAY SIP & PAINT. Enjoy food and drinks while learning to paint from local artist Tychelle M. All materials are provided. 7-9 p.m. See website for prices.

Fire Station 1 Restaurant, Silver Spring. silverspringdowntown.com.

Aug. 31-Sept. 2 49TH ANNUAL LABOR DAY ART SHOW. More than 200 artists from the midAtlantic region display their work in this

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

exhibition presented by the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture.

The show will include a variety of artistic media, including sculpture, painting, drawing, ceramics, glass and photography.

Noon-6 p.m. Free. Spanish Ballroom, Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo. 301-634-2222, glenechopark.org.

Aug. 31-Sept. 2 PAINT THE TOWN ART SHOW & PLEIN ART EVENT. Works in various media by local artists will be on display and for sale.

Artwork will be judged with prizes up to $500. During Saturday’s “Plein Air Event,” artists can be found around town until 3 p.m. painting Kensington scenes. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday. Reception 6-8 p.m. Saturday. Free. Kensington Town Hall, Kensington. 301-949-2424, tok.md.gov.

Sept. 4-28 TRAWICK PRIZE: BETHESDA CONTEMPORARY ART AWARDS EXHIBIT. A group show displaying work by the 2019 Trawick Prize finalists. The annual juried competition is produced by the Bethesda Arts & Entertainment District and honors artists from Maryland, Virginia and D.C. Noon-6 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Opening reception on Sept. 13, 6-8 p.m. Free.

Gallery B, Bethesda. 301-215-6660, bethesda.org.

Sept. 4-Oct. 20 MIGRATION AND MOBILITY. The third installment of the Parallels and Peripheries series explores how emigrant and firstgeneration immigrant artists use their platforms to reflect social issues. Noon4 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday; noon-8 p.m.

Friday; noon-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.

PHOTO BY PAMELA RAITH PHOTOGRAPHY

Sept. 25-Oct. 27

EYEWEAR SINCE 1981 RMNYC.COM

good life Opening reception and artist talk on Sept.

13, 7-9 p.m. Free. Kaplan Gallery, VisArts Rockville. 301-315-8200, visartscenter.org.

Sept. 4-Oct. 20 NONUMENT 01:: MCKELDIN FOUNTAIN. Multidisciplinary artists Lisa Moren and Jaimes Mayhew collaborated with Slovenian artists Neja Tomšicˇ and Martin Bricelj Baraga to recreate Baltimore’s Brutalist-style monument that was demolished in 2017. The “no monument” is an augmented reality public art project.

Noon-4 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday; noon8 p.m. Friday; noon-4 p.m. SaturdaySunday. Opening reception and artist talk on Sept. 6, 7-9 p.m. Free. Concourse Gallery, VisArts Rockville. 301-315-8200, visartscenter.org.

Oct. 9-Nov. 2 THE ABSTRACTION OF WORDS. An exhibition by American postwar and contemporary artist Jamie Marin-Price.

Noon-6 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Opening reception on Oct. 11, 6-8 p.m. Free.

Gallery B, Bethesda. 301-215-6660, bethesda.org.

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

it. 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Free. Gaithersburg Community Museum, Gaithersburg. 301258-6160, gaithersburgmd.gov.

Sept. 20-Oct. 20

Oct. 17

ELEPHANT & PIGGIE’S “WE ARE IN A PLAY.” Characters from Mo Willems’ award-winning children’s books jump from page to stage in this jovial musical recommended for kids of all ages. See website for schedule and prices. Adventure Theatre MTC, Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo. 301-634-2270, adventuretheatre-mtc.org.

S’MORES AND GAME NIGHT. Montgomery Parks and Bethesda Urban Partnership present a night of board games, live music, food and drinks—with complimentary s’mores. 5-7 p.m. Free. Elm Street Park, Bethesda. 301-215-6660, bethesda.org.

Oct. 26

Sept. 28-Oct. 27

TRICK-OR-TREAT IN THE MUSEUM. Put on your best Halloween costume and head over to the Gaithersburg Community Museum for a treat. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Gaithersburg Community Museum, Gaithersburg. 301258-6160, gaithersburgmd.gov.

THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR. The beloved children’s book comes to life with more than 70 larger-than-life puppets and original music. Recommended for children ages 3 and older. See website for schedule and prices. Imagination Stage, Bethesda.

301-280-1660, imaginationstage.org.

Oct. 26-27 DRAGONS LOVE TACOS. Taco-loving dragons headline a collection of favorite children’s books, including The Interrupting Chicken, The Dot, Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride and Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: School Days.

Recommended for kids ages 4 and older.

See website for schedule and prices. Olney

Oct. 12 TRAIN DAY. Celebrate Gaithersburg’s railroad history and check out BANTRAK’s (Baltimore’s local NTRAK club) N-Gauge model train displays—the locomotive will be open for those able to climb up into

BOOK BY

JOE MASTEROFF MUSIC BY

JOHN KANDER LYRICS BY

FRED EBB BASED ON THE PLAY BY

JOHN VAN DRUTEN AND STORIES BY

CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD MUSIC DIRECTION BY

CHRISTOPHER YOUSTRA CHOREOGRAPHY BY

KATIE SPELMAN DIRECTED BY

ALAN PAUL FEATURING ALEXANDRA SILBER (TZEITEL IN BROADWAY’S FIDDLER ON THE ROOF) AS SALLY BOWLES

AUG 28 OCT 6 46

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

OlneyTheatre.org 301-924-3400

good life

At the Pumpkin Rock N’ Roll in Kensington on Oct. 26, kids can race pumpkins, be in a costume parade and more.

Theatre Center, Olney. 301-924-3400, olneytheatre.org.

SEASONAL AND FESTIVALS Sept. 2 52ND ANNUAL LABOR DAY PARADE AND FESTIVAL. Local school bands, equestrian show groups, dance troupes, elected officials and others march through Kensington. The annual event includes food trucks, vendors, games and other activities for children of all ages. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. Parade starts at St. Paul Park, Kensington. 301-949-2424, tok.md.gov.

Sept. 7-8

Sept. 15 KENSINGTON CAR SHOW. Celebrate the automobile—classic and new—at the sixth annual event, which will also include live music, children’s activities, local food vendors and more. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. See website for event details. 301-949-2424, kensingtoncarshow.com.

Sept. 19 YAPPY HOUR. Presented by Montgomery Parks and Bethesda Urban Partnership, this event includes a pop-up dog park, live music, food and drinks. 6-8 p.m.

Free. Elm Park, Bethesda. 301-215-6660, bethesda.org.

Oct. 5 INTERNATIONAL OBSERVE THE MOON NIGHT. Join in as people from all over the world explore the moon. Learn about the moon with hands-on activities and lunar observation. 6-8 p.m. Free. Observatory Park, Gaithersburg. 301-258-6160, gaithersburgmd.gov.

Oct. 5 ROCKTOBIERFEST. The City of Rockville’s Oktoberfest celebration includes two stages of live entertainment, featuring German and rock music, traditional food, artisans, children’s activities, and beverages sold by local breweries. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Rockville Town Square, 48

Rockville. 240-314-8620, rockvillemd. gov/1952/rocktobierfest.

Oct. 5 TASTE OF BETHESDA. The annual event includes more than 50 participating restaurants and five stages of live entertainment. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free; taste tickets sold on-site in bundles of four for $5. Woodmont Triangle, Bethesda. 301215-6660, bethesda.org.

Oct. 12 POTOMAC DAY. The 37th annual event includes a parade, classic car show, business fair and children’s festival with moon bounces, rides and ponies. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Potomac Promenade, Potomac. 301-299-2170, potomacchamber.org.

Oct. 13 OKTOBERFEST. The City of Gaithersburg’s 28th annual event includes live German musical and dance performances, traditional festival food and local beer and wine. Other fall festivities include professional pumpkin carving, an apple cider pressing demonstration, hands-on crafts and face painting. Noon-5 p.m. Free.

See website for location details. 301-2586350, gaithersburgmd.gov.

Oct. 19-20 and 26-27 PUMPKIN TROLLEYFEST. This National Capital Trolley Museum event includes a trolley ride to Pinson’s Pumpkin Market, where kids can exchange tokens for pumpkins and then decorate them to take home. 12:30-3:50 p.m. See website for prices. National Capital Trolley Museum, Silver Spring. 301-384-6088, dctrolley.org.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Oct. 19 ROCKVILLE ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC CAR SHOW. More than 550 antique and classic automobiles will take over the Glenview Mansion grounds. The event includes a flea market, car sales area and food/drink sales. 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Free. Glenview Mansion, Rockville. 240314-8620, rockvillemd.gov/667/antiqueclassic-car-show.

Oct. 20 SILVER SPRING ARTS & CRAFTS FALL FAIR. This eclectic collection of arts and crafts vendors offers an opportunity to get an early start on this year’s holiday shopping.

1-6 p.m. Free. Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring. silverspringdowntown.com.

Oct. 26 PUMPKIN ROCK N’ ROLL. The familyfriendly Halloween festival will include a costume parade, live music, food trucks, inflatable rides and slides, a hay maze and the Pumpkin Roll—a derby race of Halloween pumpkins-turned-boxcars.

Noon-4 p.m. Free. Warner Circle Park, Kensington. pumpkinrocknroll.com.

Oct. 26 SKYWATCHING: SATURN & NEBULA. Look for Saturn—and its infamous rings— and one of the visible nebulae in the Milky Way using the City of Gaithersburg’s telescopes. The event includes hands-on activities—and the observatory building will be open. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free.

Observatory Park, Gaithersburg. 301-2586160, gaithersburgmd.gov. ■ To submit calendar items, or to see a complete listing, go to BethesdaMagazine.com.

PHOTO BY K-TOWN STUDIO

KENSINGTON TRAIN SHOW. The National Capital Trackers set up a detailed display of electric trains on multiple layouts. The show will also include live music and children’s activities, and proceeds benefit the Noyes Children’s Library Foundation and Kensington Historical Society. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. $2-$7 ($15 max for a family).

Kensington Town Hall, Kensington. 301949-2424, tok.md.gov.

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culture watch Fall & Winter Classes at Glen Echo Park

Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture September 2019 – February 2020 Come to Glen Echo Park to find endless ways to be creative! We have hundreds of classes to choose from in our FallWinter 2019-20 session.

Painting & drawing, photography, sculpture, silversmithing, pottery, music, dance, children’s fine arts, nature programs, arts-based parent/child classes, and more. The new season is full of possibilities! In addition to classes, the Park presents dances, festivals, concerts, children’s theater, and art exhibitions to keep you tapped in to your creative side.

WWW.GLENECHOPARK.ORG | 301-634-2222

Akhmedova Ballet Academy Professional Training Program Sept. 2019 – June 2020 Award winning ABA offers exceptional training: PTP 2 age 14-19, PTP 1 age 11-14, Preparatory level age 8-11 We are moving! Grand Opening on September 28 from 1-4pm New state-of-the-art studios in downtown Silver Spring 8505 Fenton St., #206 Auditions for talented students are open!

Classes are small so that dancers receive the finest quality Vaganova method ballet training in a semi-private environment. The comprehensive program includes technique, pointe, repertoire, contemporary, character, conditioning and Pilates. PTP students perform at Montgomery College, US and international ballet competitions and community outreach.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM: @AKHMEDOVABALLET AKHMEDOVABALLET.ORG OR 301-593-6262

AWARD WINNING TRAINING

EXCEPTIONAL THEATRE IN BETHESDA

Round House Theatre’s Homecoming 2019-2020 Season Round House Theatre

Schoolgirls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, Sep 18 – Oct 13, 2019 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Nov 20 – Dec 22, 2019 Spring Awakening, Jan 22 – Feb 23, 2020 Cost of Living, Apr 1 – 19, 2020 The LOVE/HATE Rep, May 20 – Jul 3, 2020 After a full interior renovation, Round House Theatre introduces our dramatically transformed theatre and lobby with improved acoustics and sightlines, state-of-the-art technical upgrades, and a curved stage designed to bring artists closer to the audience.

Round House’s meteoric rise continues with a sixplay lineup brimming with heart, soul, and humor.

The theatre reopens its doors with the Off-Broadway hit comedy, School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls Play by Jocelyn Bioh. The holidays spark wonder with a run of Simon Stephens’ Tony Award-winning The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. The season continues with the powerful and poignant musical Spring Awakening—followed by Martyna Majok’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Cost of Living. THE LOVE/HATE REP completes the season with two electrifying comedies in rotating repertory.

EXPLORE THE FULL SEASON AT ROUNDHOUSETHEATRE.ORG OR CALL THE BOX OFFICE AT 240.644.1100

4545 East-West Highway Bethesda, MD

Creative Voices + Cultural Happenings at CultureSpotMC.com CultureSpotMC.com is a service of the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County

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Come Dance with Us!

Bi-Lingual Conversation Concert

Maryland Youth Ballet September 2019 - June 2020 One of the finest schools of classical ballet in the region. MYB prepares young dancers for professional careers in the performing arts. Offering classes for ages 2-adult with emphasis on love of dance, personal enrichment, and pre-professional achievement.

Early dance classes for children ages 2-5 (8-wk sessions), academy classes for youth ages 5-20 (Sep.-Jun.), separate program for boys and young men, contemporary dance for youth ages 9+, and daytime conservatory classes for ages 14+. Located in downtown Silver Spring. Metro accessible.

ChorSymphonica Oct 20, 2019 3pm Bach’s iconic “Jesu, meine Freude,” introduced in English and Spanish by Richard Allen Roe and Diana V. Sáez. Sung in German with English/Spanish supertitles.

CHORSYMPHONICA.ORG 240-888-1035 INFO@CHORSYMPHONICA.ORG

MARYLANDYOUTHBALLET.ORG | 301-608-2232

Sign up for Dance Classes!

CityDance School & Conservatory Tuesday, September 3, 2019 Sunday, May 24, 2020 CityDance provides high-quality dance education, taught by a worldclass faculty. Classes include ballet, tap, hip hop, jazz and world dance forms! Ages 3 and up CITYDANCE.NET | 301.581.5204 REGISTRAR@CITYDANCE.NET

Building Community Through Documentary

LIGHTS! CAMERA! REALITY!

Elephant and Piggie’s “We Are In A Play!”

Docs In Progress Fall programs begin Sept 9 at our new space in downtown Silver Spring Lights! Camera! Reality! Learn how to make documentary videos with classes on production, editing, and storytelling. Be a part of the creative process as you give feedback to local filmmakers on their nearly-finished documentaries. Celebrate local people, places, and history at our free Community Stories Festival.

DOCSINPROGRESS.ORG | 301-789-2797

Adventure Theatre September 20- October 20, 2019 A vaudevillian romp of a musical based on the bestselling series by Mo Willems. Piggie is especially excited, and elephant is especially anxious, as they both are going to a party hosted by the Squirrelles!

ADVENTURETHEATRE-MTC.ORG

Exceptional Harpsichordists in Extraordinary Concerts

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Capriccio Baroque Capriccio’s intimate concerts present internationally acclaimed harpsichordists performing gorgeous Baroque music, sometimes accompanied by Baroque dancers & voice.

Venues in Montgomery County & DC. CAPRICCIOBAROQUE.ORG

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Special Advertising Section

culture watch Heritage Harvest

Exceptional Dance Education since 1989 Metropolitan Ballet Theatre & Academy September 2019 - June 2020 Classes for beginners through pre-professionals Ages 3-18, Adult drop-in program MBT offers exceptional dance education in a nurturing environment in state-of-the-art studios in Gaithersburg and Clarksburg. This non-profit dance school is committed to offering high-caliber training in classical ballet, jazz, modern, and hip hop from professional artists and degreed faculty, as well as providing a robust community outreach program. Students selected annually for YAGP international ballet competition.

Auditions for The Nutcracker on September 7. MBT’s Nutcracker season: December 6-15 at Montgomery College, Rockville.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND TWITTER WWW.MBTDANCE.ORG | 301-762-1757

Heritage Montgomery October 5-6 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Come out and celebrate the 2nd annual Heritage Harvest Weekend!

Take a drive through the countryside along the county’s historic Rustic Roads and enjoy autumn splendor amidst forests, fields and farms – some of which have been in operation since the 1700s. More than 25 farms throughout Montgomery County will be open with FREE admission for farm tours, hikes, demonstrations, children’s games and crafts, farm animals, and autumn produce and products for sale! Free Admission!

HERITAGEMONTGOMERY.ORG | 301-515-0753

DANCE EDUCATION

Create, Play, and Learn

A PASSION FOR MUSIC

Levine Music 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD 20852 900 Wayne Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910 Fall Semester Begins Sept. 3 Levine Music offers outstanding music instruction and programs to students of all ages, interests, and skill levels. Come explore our lessons, classes, and programs for children and adults in classical music, jazz, rock, musical theatre, and so much more!

LEVINEMUSIC.ORG | 301-897-5100

Upcoming Events: Levine Music Album Release Concert and Fall Open House MD Campus: Strathmore Sept. 8 at 2pm Our Fall Kick-Off Open House, featuring our First Music Department and the release of their new children’s album, “Animals, Animals, Animals!” Enjoy live music, demo classes, and the opportunity to speak with staff and faculty about the next steps on your musical journey.

Jazz Jam MD Campus: Silver Spring Sept. 14 at 2pm Levine’s free monthly jazz and blues jams are a great opportunity for musicians of any age and proficiency to practice their skills in a supportive, fun environment.

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people. politics. current events. books.

PHOTO BY MATTHEW STEBENNE

banter

ON POINT Fifteen-year-old Bethesda fencer Honor Johnson is winning medals in competitions—and setting her sights on the 2024 Olympics BY SETOTA HAILEMARIAM

AT AGE 15, Honor Johnson is a nationally ranked fencer who travels the world to compete. But her passion for the sport didn’t come naturally.

“I tried so many different sports— soccer, lacrosse, ice skating—and they just didn’t fit with me. I didn’t like them, or I wasn’t very good at them,” says Honor, a Bethesda resident and

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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banter

Nationally ranked fencer Honor Johnson practices at the Capital Fencing Academy in North Bethesda.

54

Carolina. “That was when I knew—oh, maybe I should stick with this sport. I’m actually kind of good at it,” she says.

Seven years and many victories later, she’s ranked No. 1 in the country for women’s saber by USA Fencing in the Cadet division for ages 16 and under.

She’s competed in events held in places such as Columbus, Ohio, Verona, Italy, and Toruń, Poland, where she won a bronze medal at the 2019 Cadet World Championships.

Coached by Gilman, Honor has her sights set on the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Fencers qualify for international competitions by scoring points during national tournaments, and must be among the top 12 in the U.S. to qualify for participation. Their cumulative scores from international competitions are among the criteria considered when fencers are trying to qualify for the Olympics.

Rogers says that helping Honor reach her current level of competition has required a constant financial commitment and lifestyle changes for their

family. These days, the family only eats organic food because Honor is “a high-level athlete, so we kind of have to support that,” Rogers says.

Depending on the time of year, Honor will spend 15 to 25 hours per week in training, mostly after school, according to Rogers. She also works with a strength and conditioning coach, and runs and hikes in her spare time. Despite this intensive regimen, Gilman says he doesn’t push Honor beyond her limits.

“I know that Honor is very young. Last year, we skipped many competitions; we didn’t compete in all the possible competitions that Honor could have,” he says.

“It’s very important to grow organically, not to overdo it” to avoid burnout.

Rogers says she still gets nervous watching her daughter compete. To understand the sport better, she took an adult fencing class and learned to appreciate the level of skill required to perform as well as her daughter. “I didn’t last very long, but I did learn just how difficult it is,” she says.

I T T M

PHOTO BY MATTHEW STEBENNE

sophomore at the National Cathedral School in Washington, D.C. When she was 8, her mother, Sharon Rogers, suggested giving fencing a try and enrolled Honor in a foil fencing class that spring. Rogers believes her three kids— including Honor’s older brother True, 19, who plays basketball, and younger sister Merit, 12, who swims—should play sports to help balance their focus on academics.

At first, Honor didn’t like the sport, but she began to enjoy it after attending a saber fencing camp held that summer

by Dariusz Gilman, a certified fencing master with the United States Fencing Coaches Association who is now the owner and head coach of the Capital Fencing Academy in North Bethesda.

The switch from foil to saber helped ignite Honor’s interest because saber is more exciting to watch and participate in, Rogers says.

“It was quite difficult in the beginning,” Honor says. But she adapted quickly, and just a year later scored second place in her first competition, in Durham, North

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

The Kin

EXQUISITE DESIGN & DETAIL

Rockville, Maryland Interior Design by Lee Gorsky Design

www.BeautifulRosenKitchens.com Showroom: 12223 Nebel Street, Rockville | 240.595.6732 Voted best Kitchen Design Firm by the readers of Bethesda Magazine, 2011, 2016, 2018.

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We Know Bethesda Bethesda Knows Us Poolesville | $3,875,000 Exquisite c. 1824 manor home on 156 acres in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve. Barns, tenant homes, guest house, pool, pond. Listed on the National Historic Registry. Approval pending for five buildable lots.

Cindy Souza | 301-332-5032 | cindy.souza@LNF.com

Bethesda Gateway agents have sold more homes year-to-date in 20814 & 20817 than any other real estate office in the area.

Bethesda | $1,549,000 Elegant all brick Colonial with 3-car garage on 2 lush acres with tiered deck and sport court. Formal living and dining rooms, private library, walls of windows, embassy-sized spaces for large-scale entertaining. Ben Fazeli | 202-2532269 | ben.fazeil@LNF.com

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Silver Spring| $799,900 Wonderful 3-story Georgian Colonial in sought-after Woodside, just moments to downtown Silver Spring.

Renovated kitchen, 1st-floor family room, fireplace, office, slate roof. A beauty! Pat Grace | 301-580-1855 | patrick.grace@LNF.com

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Gorgeous, custom-built Patrick Keating home on private half-acre in one of Bethesda’s most soughtafter neighborhoods. High-end finishes, three finished levels, over 6,000 square feet of living space! Sarah Funt | 301.215.6843 | sarah.funt@LNF.com

Stunning 2007 Colonial on magnificent lot bordered by towering trees. Open floor plan with gourmet kitchen, English library, family room with wall of French doors to deck, beautiful wooded views. Susan Fitzpatrick | 240-793-8523 | Sue@LNF.com

Meridian Homes has a passion for creating exceptional residences and their superb craftsmanship can seen throughout this beautiful custom home. GREEN features and fine finishes throughout. Sarah Funt | 301.215.6843 | sarah.funt@LNF.com

North Bethesda | $1,200,000

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Large, newly renovated Colonial with unique, custom finishes. Open floor plan features chef’s kitchen with island, great room with vaulted ceiling, 1st-floor office, luxury master suite. Megan Bonanno | 202-683-7290 | megan@teambonanno.com

Expansive Colonial on two serene acres . Open floor plan features vaulted ceilings in living and family rooms, eat-in kitchen, 1st-floor bedroom, 4-season sunroom, lower level theatre/rec room. Susan Fitzpatrick | 240-793-8523 | Sue@LNF.com

Meticulously renovated and expanded split colonial tucked away on a beautiful corner lot. Modern, open floor plan, gourmet kitchen. Just a few short blocks to restaurants, minutes to Metro! Linda Lizzio | 202.997-1664 | linda.lizzio@LNF.com

Laurel | $599,000

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Pristine end-Unit townhome in gated community with stunning lake views. Soaring ceilings, gourmet kitchen, 1stfloor master suite, 2-car garage. Community beach, putting green, tennis court, docks and more. Susan Fitzpatrick | 240-793-8523 | Sue@LNF.com

Enjoy million dollar views from this Quillens Point home.

Watch the sun rise and set from your great room, screened porch or rooftop deck. Elevator closet on each floor, level yard, marina for boats. Cindy Souza | 301-332-5032 | cindy.souza@LNF.com

Beautifully upgraded end unit Villa with open floor plan, 1st-floor master suite, and 2-car garage. Porch, outdoor firepit. Award- winning BayForest @Bethany Beach offers pools, fitness center, marina for kayak! Cindy Souza | 301-332-5032 | cindy.souza@LNF.com Source: Broker Metrics, total units by office, Jan 1-Aug 9, 2019

8/12/19 1:38 PM

banter

An award-winning documentary captures the humor in two Chevy Chase brothers’ relationship

BY MARGARET ENGEL

LIKE MANY BROTHERS, Peter and Matthew Mullin bicker and goof off when they’re together.

Unlike most brothers, though, their close but often contentious relationship has been captured in an award-winning documentary film featuring them and their Chevy Chase family. Filmed by 58

two of their cousins during the summer of 2015, the 69-minute Don’t Be a Dick About It focuses on two siblings known as the “reds” because of the color of their hair—Peter, then a 22-year-old with autism who is a boisterous devotee of the long-running TV reality show Survivor, and Matthew, a 15-year-old sports fan with a crippling fear of dogs.

Brothers Ben and Jack Mullinkosson of Chicago spent hours filming the Mullin brothers at the suggestion of their sister, Kerry, now 23, who also took part along with older brother Brendan, now 29, and parents Mary Jo, 56, and Tim, 55.

The Mullin brothers’ strong personalities and the extended time they spend together have created a special bond, says Kerry, a counselor for homeless youths in Salt Lake City.

“There would be a ton of conflict and

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

not much resolution,” she recalls telling Ben. “Matthew is just so hilarious. And Peter’s brilliant. You watch Jeopardy! with him and he can run categories none of us can do.”

Brendan agrees that their brothers’ relationship can be riveting. “They bicker like nobody I’ve ever met,” he says.

Ben Mullinkosson, now 28 and filming for Vice TV in China, and his brother moved into the Mullins’ basement for six weeks. The film captures the Mullin brothers’ daily life, including Peter’s nightly ritual of acting out his own version of Survivor, which he calls “Peter’s World Adventure,” in the family’s living room. Every night for 18 years, Peter has created characters and explained during tribal councils why he’s eliminating some, following the TV show’s format.

PHOTO BY LIZ LYNCH

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Peter Mullin (left) and his brother Matthew are the focus of a documentary film called Don’t Be a Dick About It.

was not intrusive. “They captured what is very funny and very real around this house,” he says.

Brendan says he was “ashamed” that the camera captured him using a bong.

“My father handled it very well. And my mom hates that scene,” he says. “But we weren’t acting. I thought it was a good moment where Peter was curious and engaged in questions and not just in his fictional world.”

Recording these true-life moments helped the film win the Audience Award in November at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. Mary Jo, Tim, Peter and Matthew attended and spoke at the festival. The documentary premiered in the U.S. at this year’s Maryland Film Festival and has been shown at events in Scotland, the Czech Republic and England.

“I was proud to be part of the documentary,” says Peter, now 26. “They can see me making mistakes in life, like

fighting with my brother over stupid things like food.”

Four years later, the brothers have matured, but taunting continues. One recent morning, Matthew, now 19 and attending the University of Oklahoma, was grateful that Peter hadn’t followed his usual routine of holding a cellphone blaring reveille over his sleeping head.

Matthew is no longer the skinny teen with braces that’s seen in the film. A graduate of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, where he played football, he’s now over 6 feet tall. The film captures the summer he overcame his lifelong fear of dogs.

He and his mother often visited the dog park at Cabin John Regional Park, where he learned to deal with his terror.

By the end of the summer, viewers see Matthew petting dogs.

“I just worked out my fear,” he says.

“It’s very different seeing the film now and seeing how much I’ve grown.”

PHOTO BY LIZ LYNCH

Peter, who is often the only one in attendance, conducts the ritual even if the family is traveling or if it’s late when he returns from his part-time job as a member of the “Power Pack,” a fan booster organization for the NBA’s Washington Wizards and the Arena Football League’s Washington Valor. A huge bamboo torch stands in the Mullins’ living room, and a framed Survivor logo hangs over the fireplace mantel. The torch, along with Survivor hats, T-shirts and a personal letter, was shipped to Peter by host Jeff Probst after he saw the documentary last fall.

Another scene from the documentary shows Peter’s irritation when Matthew is riding ahead of him on a bicycle as he walks along a street. “Can you get out of my way when I walk?” Peter complains.

“I’m not in your way,” Matthew retorts.

Tim Mullin says that with few exceptions, such as a scene showing Brendan smoking marijuana, his nephews’ filming

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

59

banter

QUICK TAKES

News you may have missed

BY THE BETHESDA BEAT STAFF

A DEGREE IN MARIJUANA

DLC NO MORE

HOLD YOUR HORSES

The Department of Liquor Control has a new name. The DLC is now called Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS). ABS sells and distributes alcoholic beverages in the county. The name emphasizes customer service and “better defines the department’s work,” according to a county press release. The DLC was established in 1951 to regulate county liquor sales, replacing the Liquor Control Board. The recent change to ABS came after the Maryland General Assembly passed a state law to allow it. “The DLC sounds like a correctional facility,” said Mark Moore, the co-founder of St. Arnold’s Mussel Bar in Bethesda and Washington, D.C.

The horses on the Dentzel Carousel at Glen Echo Park are taking a break.

On July 1, the carousel was shut down for the season for repairs.

The teal and magenta roof of the multicolored carousel “house” must be replaced, said Katey Boerner, executive director of the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture. “The carousel is in fabulous shape. The band organ is in fabulous shape. We’re just taking care of stuff that surrounds it and the protective systems there,” Boerner said. The carousel is expected to be back in action by the spring of 2020.

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FRIENDS FOREVER Online dating has a new companion: friendship matchmaking. Michelle Jacoby and Rob Slattery, a married couple from Bethesda, have created BFF Matchmaking, a strictly platonic platform. The company brings people together based on their answers to questions. “I’m a compulsive connector,” said Jacoby, who spent years matching single people in the Washington, D.C., area through a similar company, DC Matchmaking. “I’ve always connected people romantically and just decided to make a living doing it.” BFF’s Best Friend package, the lowest priced, provides three friend introductions within three months.

Customers are connected through email and strongly encouraged to meet in person at least three times in the first month.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARY ANN SMITH

Cannabis has moved to the classroom. Students at The Universities at Shady Grove now can earn a Master of Science degree in medical cannabis science and therapeutics. The two-year graduate program, based at the Rockville campus and taught through the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, is designed to educate students about patient support and drug policy. It’s the first of its kind in the nation, according to a School of Pharmacy news release. The program will blend online coursework with live symposiums featuring cannabis policy, therapeutics and science experts. The course prepares students for roles throughout the medical cannabis industry, from health policy to product manufacturing.

S:7.5 in

G E T YO U R FI RST TA STE O F TH E N E W LY R E I N V E NTE D B E TH E SDA M A R R I OT T The iconic Bethesda Marriott has recently undergone extensive renovations to suit the needs of forward-focused travelers.

Conveniently located by Pike & Rose, stay in redesigned guest rooms with minimalist décor, 55” LCD TVs streaming Netflix, Hulu and YouTube, and all the connectivity you need, plus access to our state-of-the-art fitness center and yoga studio.

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We welcome our local community to sample new Corby Kitchen’s enticing menu that celebrates the bounty of the Chesapeake Watershed. With ingredients sourced from sustainable farms and fisheries, it’s a refreshing new place to dine in the neighborhood with flavors that will bring you back again.

S:10 in

The transformations have enhanced all 56,000 square feet of meeting and event space and added new places to mingle, including the Corby Market (a coffee shop featuring illy® coffee) and the M Club.

banter

Amal Haddad, a graduate of Albert Einstein High School, helped organize a sit-in (pictured below) at Swarthmore College in the spring.

STANDING UP Silver Spring’s Amal Haddad helped lead the charge to force fraternities off campus at Swarthmore College

ONE NIGHT IN APRIL, Swarthmore College freshman Amal Haddad, 18, stood atop a stone ledge outside the Phi Psi fraternity house and prepared protesters to face police officers who were en route to the campus in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

The police had been called by fraternity members as about 50 students participated in a sit-in at the house, protesting the conduct of fraternities on campus following the release of documents said to be connected to Phi Psi that contained offensive language and references to sexual assault. Organized 62

by Haddad and a few of her fellow students, the protesters were prepared to inhabit the Phi Psi house until the fraternities disbanded.

“The fraternities were the only social [groups] on campus,” says Haddad, describing the group’s impetus to challenge the powerful position of the two fraternities among a student body of about 1,600. “We were all impacted.”

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Haddad, a graduate of Albert Einstein High School in Kensington whose family is Jordanian, has activist roots that date back to her childhood. Born in New York City and raised in Silver Spring, she was always “very passionate about everything she did,” according to her mother, Fida Adely, a Georgetown University associate professor. “Amal was never one to be silent about something,” says Adely,

PORTRAIT COURTESY PHOTO; BOTTOM PHOTO BY GRACE DUMDAW

BY AMANDA CHERRIN

describing Haddad’s early activism, which included founding a gay-straight alliance at Eastern Middle School in Silver Spring and becoming a passionate advocate for Palestinian rights. “She’s never feared taking a strong stance when there has been an injustice.”

Haddad brought those convictions to Swarthmore in the fall of 2018 and became involved in the school’s political scene almost immediately. That September, during the Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Haddad attended a vigil set up by Organizing for Survivors, an on-campus group of sexual assault survivors and allies. After the event, Haddad expressed her interest in joining the effort and was assigned a speaking role at an upcoming rally about the Kavanaugh hearings, according to Morgin Goldberg, 22, then a senior and one of the group’s leaders. “She did a great job,” Goldberg says of Haddad, who spoke passionately to about 60 onlookers in the center of campus. “She’s a super articulate, charismatic and powerful person. She’s still 18, but she is very thoughtful and very persuasive. She has a real presence.”

This past spring, after two campus publications obtained and released documents implicating both Phi Psi and Delta Upsilon, Swarthmore’s other fraternity, Haddad and a handful of Organizing for Survivors members formed the Coalition to End Fraternity Violence. According to Haddad, the group first tried to engage Swarthmore’s administration to address what it saw as a systemic issue that endangered the student population. “We interrupted meetings and went to offices, but none of it worked. Nothing changed,” says Haddad, describing the events that led the group to stage the sit-in.

On April 27, the coalition organized a group of about 50 students to storm the Phi Psi house, a building used for social

functions but not occupied by fraternity members. Haddad and a smaller group of about 25 students set up camp in the house, sleeping in the building’s living area and refusing to leave until their demands were met. Police officers who responded monitored the scene, but did not arrest anyone, according to Haddad.

What was initially envisioned to be a one-day event turned into an almost weeklong protest that brought the campus to a standstill and garnered national press coverage. “I’ve never seen campus that united,” says Haddad, who estimates that more than 200 students eventually participated in the demonstration both inside the house and on its grounds. According to Haddad, the protesters also received support from professors who brought them food and held classes on the lawn outside the fraternity house.

On May 1, the Swarthmore chapters of Phi Psi and Delta Upsilon announced they were disbanding. “It was amazing,” Haddad says of the scene inside the fraternity house. “Everyone was laughing, crying and hugging each other. It was the most joyous environment you could experience.”

Shortly after the victory, Haddad returned to Maryland for the summer to work as a counselor at a Girl Scouts camp in Stafford, Virginia. While at home, Haddad received an inquiry from an external investigator hired by Swarthmore to examine the protesters’ conduct—a situation that is still unfolding. “It’s bittersweet,” Haddad says, reflecting on the entirety of the experience and the possible disciplinary actions she may face.

Haddad, who won the Fran Abrams Creative Writing Award for Montgomery County high school seniors in 2018, says she hopes to continue writing fiction and poetry, but the sit-in experience “solidified my view that I need to do something around social justice and organizing.”

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

63

banter

BOOK REPORT

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

A Good Provider Is One Who Leaves: One Family and Migration in the 21st Century (Penguin Random House, August 2019) tells the story of a large extended family as it moves from an impoverished community in the Philippines to the suburbs of Houston.

Author Jason DeParle met the family when he was a young reporter in the 1980s, and wrote about its journey as the politics of immigration evolved in the United States. He dispels the idea that immigrants take jobs from Americans as he chronicles the family’s success and assimilation.

“There are a lot of stories in the country of positive global incorporation of immigrants that we tend to overlook amid bitter controversies of illegal immigration,” says DeParle, a resident of Chevy Chase.

Natalie Wexler says schools often place too much emphasis on teaching reading skills to younger students and not enough on what they are reading.

“It’s hard to get kids excited about inferences or the difference between a caption and subtitle,” says Wexler, the author of The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System—and How to Fix It (Avery, August 2019). “We underestimate what kids are capable of doing.” In her book, the author describes innovative elementary schools that focus more on providing a rich diet of history, science and the arts instead of comprehension drills that she calls “empty calories.” Wexler, who lives in Northwest Washington, D.C., argues that such content can help level the playing field for students from low-income families who lack the basic knowledge that other students may have.

© 2019 Anthony Wilder Design Build. All rights reserved.

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With so much talk in the news about what Congress, the president and the courts can and can’t do, attorney and law professor Kim Wehle says she saw an opportunity to use her expertise to explain to the public the separation of powers outlined in the U.S. Constitution. The author of How to Read the Constitution and Why (HarperCollins, June 2019) writes about the complex document in simple, nonpartisan terms, urging readers to grasp the theory behind its intention to keep the government in check and accountable.

“Our constitutional democracy is hanging on by a thread. It happens as a slow drip,” says Wehle, of Chevy Chase. “People need to pay attention or we will lose it.”

ALL BOOK COVERS FILE PHOTOS

Ian Urbina spent the last two years traveling the high seas on boats from places including the coast of the Arctic as well as Somalia, Indonesia and Brazil to research The Outlaw Ocean (Knopf, August 2019). The book, based on Urbina’s 2015 and 2016 New York Times series of the same title and including 70 percent new material, tells stories of lawlessness and exploitation at sea.

Urbina, who lives in Chevy Chase, D.C., writes about forced labor on ships in the South China Sea and an environmental group’s dramatic 100-day pursuit of a well-known fishing scofflaw. “There is a diversity of criminal behavior out there, and the spectrum of activity is much broader than most people realize…murder of stowaways, intentional dumping of oil, arms trafficking,” he says. “Some of the characters were heroic, a lot of them not.”

Stacy Zarin Goldberg

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READING LIST

LITERARY

DATA PROVIDED BY

The top-selling books in our area. Data is based on books sold at Politics and Prose’s Connecticut Avenue location in Upper Northwest D.C., from July 2 to 16, 2019.

EVENTS CALENDAR

Note: Author event sales may influence the presence of some titles on these lists.

Sept. 15

HARDCOVER FICTION 1.

Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens

2.

Fleishman Is in Trouble, Taffy Brodesser-Akner

3.

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong

4.

5.

The Spies of Shilling Lane, Jennifer Ryan

6.

Big Sky (Jackson Brodie Series, No. 5), Kate Atkinson

Sept. 21 LYNNE OLSON. The journalist, historian and New York Times bestselling author of eight books—most of which revolve around World War II—will discuss her latest book, Madame Fourcade’s Secret War: The Daring Woman Who Led France’s Largest Spy Network Against Hitler. 1-3:15 p.m. Free. Potomac Library, Potomac. 240-777-0690, montgomerycountymd.gov/library

Sept. 22 GINA RIPPON. In her recently released book, Gender and Our Brains: How New Neuroscience Explodes the Myths of the Male and Female Minds, Rippon, a professor of cognitive neuroimaging at Aston Brain Centre in England, explores the impact society’s constant gendering has on our thoughts, decisions, behavior—and our brains. Book signing to follow discussion. 3-4 p.m. Free. Politics and Prose, Washington, D.C. (Connecticut Avenue location).

202-364-1919, politics-prose.com

66

Normal People, Sally Rooney

7.

Conviction, Denise Mina

8.

The Satapur Moonstone (Perveen Mistry Series, No. 2), Sujata Massey

9.

Murder in Bel-Air (Aimée Leduc Investigation Series, No. 19), Cara Black

10. The Nickel Boys, Colson Whitehead

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

PAPERBACK 1.

Immigration Reform: The Corpse That Will Not Die, Charles Kamasaki

2.

The Mueller Report, The Washington Post

3.

The Overstory, Richard Powers

4.

A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles

5.

Whiskey When We’re Dry, John Larison

6.

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, Gail Honeyman

7.

Washington Black, Esi Edugyan

8.

Little Fires Everywhere, Celeste Ng

9.

Severance, Ling Ma

10. Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, Trevor Noah

CHILDREN’S

1.

The Land of Flickering Lights: Restoring America in an Age of Broken Politics, Michael Bennet

1.

The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! Mo Willems

2.

Good Night, Gorilla, Peggy Rathmann

2.

The Conservative Sensibility, George F. Will

3.

3.

When Islam Is Not a Religion: Inside America’s Fight for Religious Freedom, Asma T. Uddin

Women Heroes of the US Army: Remarkable Soldiers from the American Revolution to Today (Women of Action), Ann McCallum Staats

4.

One Giant Leap: The Impossible Mission That Flew Us to the Moon, Charles Fishman

4.

Lovely War, Julie Berry

5.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle

5.

Educated, Tara Westover

6.

Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown

6.

The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America, Margaret O’Mara

7.

Ada Twist and the Perilous Pants (The Questioneers Series, No. 2), Andrea Beaty

7.

Places and Names: On War, Revolution, and Returning, Elliot Ackerman

8.

Chengdu Could Not, Would Not, Fall Asleep, Barney Saltzberg

8.

Three Women, Lisa Taddeo

9.

With the Fire on High, Elizabeth Acevedo

9.

Bleeding Out: The Devastating Consequences of Urban Violence—and a Bold New Plan for Peace in the Streets, Thomas Abt

10. Sand and Blood: America’s Stealth War on the Mexico Border, John Carlos Frey

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

10. The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives, Dashka Slater

ALL BOOK COVERS FILE PHOTOS

PHYLLIS L. FAGELL. The licensed clinical professional counselor, certified professional school counselor and journalist says the middle school years are a critical stage in children’s development that should not be ignored. Fagell sits down with The Washington Post’s “On Parenting” writer and editor Amy Joyce for a discussion of Fagell’s recently released book, Middle School Matters: The 10 Key Skills Kids Need to Thrive in Middle School and Beyond—And How Parents Can Help. Book signing to follow discussion. 3-4 p.m. Free. Politics and Prose, Washington, D.C. (Connecticut Avenue location). 202-364-1919, politics-prose.com

ALL BOOK COVERS FILE PHOTOS

A House Divided Brian and Amy may be a house divided but in real estate they are united in one goal — yours!

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banter | HOMETOWN

BY STEVE ROBERTS

A PLACE OF THEIR OWN

Gwen Reese grew up in Sugarland, a community formed by free blacks after the Civil War. Now she’s devoted to preserving the heritage of her hometown.

68

written backwards. “It’s comforting— that’s the word—to know that they’re all right, that they’re at peace,” she tells me.

“It feels so peaceful out here.”

Reese was born in Sugarland, one of about a dozen communities in this part of the county that were formed by free blacks after the Civil War. The 1860 census lists 5,421 slaves among Montgomery County’s 18,322 residents, and after they were freed in 1864, buying land and building homes was a powerful impulse. “The most important thing to them was to have a place that was considered their own,” Reese says. Writer Ta-Nehisi Coates put it this way in the Washington City Paper in 1997: “Sugarland belonged to its people, something that black sharecroppers and tenant

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Gwen Hebron Reese, pictured at St. Paul Community Church, which her family helped rebuild.

Reese is the greatgranddaughter of Patrick Hebron Jr., a former slave who helped found the community of Sugarland.

PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

ON OCT. 6, 1871, three former slaves— William Taylor, John Diggs and Patrick Hebron Jr.—bought a small piece of land for $25 and founded the community of Sugarland, just south of Poolesville in the northwest corner of Montgomery County. That plot eventually contained a church, a school and a graveyard, and, 148 years later, I am walking through the cemetery with Gwen Hebron Reese, Patrick Hebron’s great-granddaughter.

She estimates that the area contains about 300 graves, and while most remain unidentified, she points out the tombstones of many relatives—her only child, a son who died of a brain tumor at 25, her husband, her grandparents and her great-grandfather on her mother’s side, Philip Johnson, who was born into slavery in 1847 and died at age 90. His name is crudely etched into a small stone marker, and the “s” in Johnson is

PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

banter | HOMETOWN

farmers throughout the country could not claim.”

Now 77, Reese worked most of her life in child care centers around the county. She moved to Gaithersburg in 1985, but Sugarland kept pulling her back, and today she is devoted to preserving the heritage of her hometown and the history of her ancestors. She recalls visiting here in the early ’90s, when the graveyard was overgrown and the current church building, which dates to 1893, was virtually abandoned. Jobs and schools had lured the young people away, and a community that once numbered 30 black families was almost gone.

“It was heart-wrenching to see because we grew up in this church,” she recalls.

“I felt so badly about the whole thing.”

What really drew her in were the stories of the people who had worshipped in that church and were now buried behind it. As she recalls: “I started wondering: Who were the families? What were they like? How did they manage to do what they did? I didn’t know what I was doing, but I tried to find out everything I could to reconnect with my family’s ancestors, and I feel like they approved.”

Reese enlisted two of her many cousins to help rebuild the church, and she had to sell off her family’s land—to another cousin—to finance the project.

A retired army major, also a relative, agreed to maintain the cemetery. Inside the old sanctuary Reese keeps a collection of records and artifacts, from her grandmother’s butter churn and a box

full of rusting tools to a file of death certificates and a church register from 1882.

“I tell people, ‘If you’re cleaning out your attic and don’t want to throw something away, call me,’ ” she says with a laugh.

One treasure is a framed transcript of an oral history Philip Johnson gave in 1937. He talks about an overseer so cruel that, “I promised him a killin if I ever got big enough.” He describes clashes between Union troops that occupied Maryland and Confederates who would sneak across the Potomac River from Virginia: “I used to like to watch em fightin. I saw a Yankee soldier shoot a Confederate and kill him.” And he recalls his days as an itinerant preacher visiting other black communities in the area: “I think preaching the gospel is the greatest work in the

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banter | HOMETOWN

world. But folks don’t seem to take the interest in church that they used to.”

Reese’s own memories of growing up in Sugarland remain vivid. She recalls canning days, when plums were in season at Aunt Molly’s, or apples at Uncle Arthur’s.

“It was a family affair,” she says, with the men building the fires, the kids stirring the pots, and the women filling the jars.

“When they finished, everybody got an equal share, that’s the way they lived.”

Fishing trips to Chain Bridge on the Potomac were all-day events, and when the shad and herring were running in the spring, “you could literally scoop them up, there were so many of them, sacks and sacks of fish,” Reese says. The kids were assigned to clean the catch “and we’d have scales up and down our arms.”

Then the adults would salt the fish down and pack them in barrels to last through the winter. “It tasted horrible to me,” she shudders, “I don’t care for fish.”

Sugarland had its own baseball field, the social center of the community, and since Gwen was one of 12 children, her father used to joke that he “had his own team.” But there was no high school.

Segregation didn’t end in Montgomery County until 1961, and before then children from Sugarland had to endure a long bus ride to reach the county’s only black high school, called Carver, located in Rockville. “You didn’t think of it as being a hardship,” she tells me, “that’s just where you went.”

Inside St. Paul Community Church, as it is now named, I ask Reese where

her family liked to sit on Sunday mornings. She points to a pew and says, “My mother sat on that third bench there, we were usually behind her, right at the end.” It’s that sense of continuity and connection that keeps her going: “I feel like they were the caretakers, and now I guess it’s my turn to do what I can for the next generation to come.”

But who is that next generation of caretakers? With only two elderly relatives still living in Sugarland, I ask, who comes after you? She replies sadly, “I don’t know.”

Steve Roberts teaches journalism and politics at George Washington University. Send ideas for future columns to sroberts@gwu.edu.

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Andy Alderdice

LONG & FOSTER | CHRISTIE’S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE What qualities do you think a successful real estate agent should have?

Every successful real estate agent must have integrity, honesty, experience and commitment.

How do you measure success?

I always measure success through the eyes of my clients. When I witness the excitement in my buyer’s eyes when we find their perfect home or the satisfaction in my seller’s when we reach the settlement table, that’s success.

Success is always the end result when you take the time to listen to your clients, make it your goal to fully understand their wants and needs, and then deliver more than they expected. I never waver in my determination to exceed my clients’ expectations. This has aided in my success and has remained the key ingredient in keeping me successful.

“When I witness the excitement in my buyer’s eyes when we find their perfect home or the satisfaction in my seller’s when we reach the settlement table, that’s success.”

TONY J. LEWIS

What are your top priorities?

I’ve always made it my top priority to recognize and value the trust my clients have placed in me with one of the largest—if not the largest—purchase they will ever make. I hold myself accountable to deliver the utmost value to make a difference in their lives!

What do you love most about doing business in this area?

My family has been in the Washington area for multiple generations, and I’ve been a real estate professional in this area for more than 25 years. I have loved being a part of the transition that the Washington, D.C. metro has experienced over the last few decades.

As the landscape continues to change, so does real estate. With the only constant in this area being change, working with buyers and sellers never becomes stagnant.

4701 Sangamore Road, LL1 Bethesda, MD 20816 301-466-5898 andy4homes@gmail.com andy4homes.com

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L-R: Emily Lampe, Rachel Drake Grund, Marielle Shortell, Tatiana Jastrebsky, Thy Parra, Amy Rose Oechslerar (front), Natalia Weber (back), Heather Guay Yoo

Marielle Shortell

SILVER LINING DESIGN GROUP What woman inspires you and why?

Julie Rice and Elizabeth Cutler, the founders of Soul Cycle. They reinvented the way people view exercise and created a community. It was about improving peoples’ lives, not just succeeding in business. They introduced an emotional connection to their product and immersed their riders in positive messaging, which propelled them from one little studio in New York City, to 93 nationwide.

What was a major turning point in your life and/or career?

Without a doubt, losing my second child in 2014. I named my company Silver Lining in memory of our son Tristan. I realized I needed to invest my time into something that gave me hope and purpose—I love being in an industry of celebrations, where everyone is excited for their next event—and that allowed me to spend precious time with my family. I also needed to do something to help others who have experienced similar tragedies. Silver Lining, recently recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of America’s top 5000 fastest growing companies, contributes percent of all profits to pro rams assistin parents who lost children

“Women in business need to avoid comparisons and use the success of others as inspiration to reach their own goals.”

What will be the biggest challenge for the generation of women behind you?

Social media has provided an amazing platform for creativity and connection, but it’s also become a tough measure of success. Women in business need to avoid comparisons and use the success of others as inspiration to reach their own goals. For the next generation, self confidence is crucial for success 74

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11400 Rockville Pike, Suite 106 Rockville, MD 20852 888-344-5133 www.silverliningdg.com

HILARY SCHWAB

How do you employ new technology in your business?

Virtual and augmented reality have enabled us to immerse clients in our designs and environments. We now build all our renders out in 3D models to fully utilize these platforms.

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Annabel Burch-Murton

COMPASS | THE BURCH-MURTON GROUP What woman inspires you and why?

My mother. She came to this country by herself in her early 20's not knowing how to speak English. She put herself through school and built a successful career and a life he is stron brave and intelli ent was and am inspired and in uenced by her incredible work ethic.

What was a major turning point in your life and/or career?

Leaving the broadcast business for real estate; becoming a business owner was the best career decision I ever made. There is nothing more satisfying than loving what you do, and I am fortunate and grateful to have a profession that never feels like ‘work.’

“There is nothing as rewarding as having my clients repeatedly refer their families, friends and colleagues to me.”

How do you measure success?

I consider a transaction to be successful if my clients’ expectations have been met, and exceeded, and I know that I have done everything in my power to ensure the outcome was as successful as possible. I also take pride in the fact that more than 90% of my business is either repeat or referred to me by my past clients. There is nothing as rewarding as having my clients repeatedly refer their families, friends and colleagues to me. Industry accolades are nice too—I have been recognized as one of ‘America’s Best Real Estate Agents’ by Real Trends since 2014 and as one of Washingtonian magazine’s ‘Best Real Estate Agents,’ since 2014.

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7200 Wisconsin Ave. Bethesda, MD 20814 202-285-7166 www.theburchmurtongroup.com

COURTESY PHOTO

What qualities do you think a successful real estate agent should have?

Empathy, great negotiating skills, experience, a sincerely positive outlook, a forensic knowledge of the market we work in and a sense of humor.

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Lindsay Parvis, Anne Grover and Veronica Nannis PARTNERS, JOSEPH GREENWALD & LAAKE, PA

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give to yourself as a young professional?

Veronica Nannis: Everyone doubts themselves sometimes; don’t let self-doubt cloud your judgment or hold you back. Anne Grover: Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. Remember, you are your best advocate. If you don’t ask for it or pursue it, you won’t get it. Lindsay Parvis: Don’t be so hard on yourself—put that energy into acknowledging areas of improvement and focusing on growth.

“If you don’t ask for it or pursue it, you won’t get it.”

HILARY SCHWAB

What will be the biggest challenge for the generation of women behind you?

Anne Grover: Many women have been taught that modesty is a virtue and ofttimes, women need to change their mindsets from the ways in which they’ve been raised. Be aware of your value and don’t be afraid to educate your clients or potential clients on what you bring to the table. Lindsay Parvis: Fewer people are seein the merit in slow and steady’ today echnolo y makes us more e cient but seduces us into uick turnaround at the sacrifice of thou htful detailed results Veronica Nannis: Taking advantage of shifting social norms and seizing opportunities that were traditionally not seized by women. Nothing is handed to you; those who work harder than others effect chan e How do you measure success?

Lindsay Parvis: I treat each case and client as an opportunity to learn and improve.

Seeing that personal and professional growth over time, is success for me.

Veronica Nannis: For me, it’s knowing I am helping my clients and challenging myself along the way. Anne Grover: Representing my clients with honesty, showcasing innovation and zealous advocacy in court and in person is success for me.

111 Rockville Pike, Suite 975 Rockville, MD 20850 240-399-7900 www.jgllaw.com

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L-R: Theresa Mihalik, Michelle Locey, Caitlyn Feiter and Marcia Kuntz

Michelle Locey

KUDER, SMOLLAR, FRIEDMAN & MIHALIK, PC What woman inspires you and why?

I am inspired by many women, but those with the most lasting impact are women who fi ht fervently for the ri hts of women and irls uth ader insbur is an inspiration to many female lawyers n addition to bein brilliant and hard workin she was one of the pioneers for women’s e uality followin and achievin dreams that didn’t fit into the societal norms of the time ’m inspired in a different way by sin er son writer !nk who is an incredible role model in unapolo etically ownin who you are he always stays true to herself and takes ero criticisms lyin down

“Celebrate—and take credit for—your successes, and learn from your mistakes.”

What was a major turning point in your life and/or career? bout years a o transitioned from securities work at the lar e law firm where be an my le al career to family law here at uder mollar riedman ihalik and never looked back he move was pivotal in my development as a lawyer as a leader and as a person amily law is uni ue in that not only does it re uire le al skills particularly liti ation but the understandin of personal relationships the development of empathy and the ability to acknowled e clients’ emotional needs nd

What advice would you offer for women just starting out? ake every opportunity to learn that you are offered nd if you are not offered any demand them elebrate and take credit for your successes and learn from your mistakes 78

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onnecticut ve ashin ton www ksfmlaw com

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JOSEPH TRAN

What are your top priorities? y top priority is to be a ood human in both my personal and professional lives yes that is possible even when ’m involved in a contentious divorce case

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Deb Levy

SENIOR HOME LENDING ADVISOR, CHASE What motivates and inspires you in your work?

Do what you love and the rest will fall into place. Buying a home whether it’s someone’s first home the home for a rowin family a vacation home or empty nester home—is such a special time in a person’s life. Playing a part in making those dreams come true continues to motivate and fulfill me every day What has changed for women in business over your career? e are no lon er salesmen or saleswomen we’re all sales people with no distinction. But the industry itself has also changed and I’ve continued to evolve with it. s most of our work is now conducted electronically I have incorporated new approaches and technology to meet the needs of the market owever since what we do is so personal we still make an effort to meet with as many of our clients in person as possible What advice would you offer women just starting out?

I highly recommend training and mentoring to further one’s career. In 1993 I enrolled in Dale Carnegie Sales dvanta e which at the time was a hu e e pense for me fter raduatin became a coach and then an instructor he lessons learned both as a participant and an instructor—still resonate with me daily.

What do you love most about doing business in this area? orkin for or an hase ives me the best of all worlds hase is the lar est bank in merica and as a lifelong Washingtonian and an industry professional for years have carved out a nice community niche It’s the perfect marriage of an industry leader and a nei hbor who truly knows and ont omery County.

“I highly recommend training and mentoring to further one’s career.”

COURTESY PHOTO

ew ork ve ashin ton deb levy chase com homeloan chase com deb levy L-R: Lisa Bennett, Assistant, and Deb Levy

All home lending products are subject to credit and property approval. Rates, program terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Not all products are available in all states or for all amounts. Other restrictions and limitations apply.

Home lending products offered by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

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Lauren Latessa MUSIC ENRICHMENT MANAGER, RING HOUSE INDEPENDENT LIVING CHARLES E. SMITH LIFE COMMUNITIES What motivates and inspires you? have seen firsthand the role music can play in findin peace meanin and oy durin stressful times and am driven to use my e pertise achelor of usic in ello erformance from the eabody onservatory and aster of usic in ello erformance from orthwestern niversity to help others tudies have shown the positive effects music can have on our health both physically and mentally ccordin to an reativity and in study pro rams run by professional musicians and artists improve the overall well bein and health of older adults feel fortunate that can develop pro rams to enrich the uality of life and enhance the vibrancy of our residents hrou h performances lectures small roups and individual music classes strive to cater musical opportunities to residents’ needs What do you look forward to when you go to work? ’ve always been intri ued by the use of music as a tool in developin a sense of community and love connectin with everyone in our senior livin community here’s so much kindness and wisdom en oy listenin to residents’ life stories and learnin from their e periences ’m inspired and o home with a new appreciation for the life have every day

“I’ve always been intrigued by the use of music as a tool in developing a sense of community…”

PHOTO CREDIT

Lauren Latessa during an individual music session with a Ring House resident

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ontrose oad ockville smithlifecommunities or

COURTESY OF CESLC

Is there a project you’re particularly proud of? n my first year at in ouse a arisio rust oun rtist rant enabled us to brin three uest artists for chamber music festivals ollowin that pro ram’s success worked with our lifestyle and leisure team to develop the in ouse and andow ouse usic ro ect brin in professional classical musicians to our campus throu hout the year e’re honored our pro ram has been reco ni ed by the ssociation of ewish in ervices and the ational rts trate ies

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Women in Business

Stein Sperling female Principals L-R: seated: Kathryn E. Deckert, Alexia Kent McClure, Monica Garcia Harms L-R: standing: Darla J. McClure, Ivonne Corsino Lindley, Karen N. Shapiro Not pictured: Julie B. Christopher, Jolie S. Deutschman

Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll PC

HILARY SCHWAB

Why choose Stein Sperling? onnection and confidence are the foundation of tein perlin ’s culture and define the relationship the firm has with its attorneys staff and clients tein perlin is passionate about helpin those who need our services e pride ourselves on listenin bein empathetic and respondin uickly to our clients ur attorneys are driven to become trusted advisors to their clients and find optimal creative and personali ed solutions to their le al challen es How have you mentored or inspired others who are following in your footsteps? he ei ht tein perlin female principals have each advanced within the firm startin as associates and take the professional development of our associates and senior counsel half of which are female seriously ur achievements within the firm and the le al community have paved the way for other female attorneys

“Our attorneys are driven to become trusted advisors to their clients and find optimal, creative and personalized solutions to their legal challenges.”

est iddle ane ockville www steinsperlin com

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L-R: Shelly D. McKeon, Esq. and Jessica S. Kern, Esq.

Shelly D. McKeon, Esq. THE MCKEON LAW FIRM

What ualities do you thin a successful law rm should have? stron ly believe in creatin a workplace that is conducive to teamwork cooperation and rowth y associate essica ern and have worked to ether for over nine years and my support staff has also been with my firm for years believe this continuity helps clients feel more comfortable and has contributed to my firm’s success at both the settlement table and in court y firm represents both men and women throu h divorce alimony custody child support and other family related matters ur all woman team offers uidance and understandin to clients who are typically navi atin one of the most di cult parts of their lives hen clients retain us they are retainin the entire firm not ust one attorney believe this sets us apart What s the most im ortant lesson you ve learned during your career? ever stop learnin hrou hout my year career have found that there is always somethin new to learn hether it is a chan e in the statute new technolo ical advances or a new way to present e hibits and evidence there is always something new and fresh out there. I enjoy taking the time to analyze new developments in case law and determining how this may impact my practice.

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“When clients retain us, they are retaining the entire firm, not just one attorney. I believe this sets us apart.”

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mckeon mckeonlawfirm com www mckeonlawfirm com

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

What do you look forward to when you go to work every day?

I genuinely enjoy my work and the people with whom I work. This was my goal when opened my own firm years a o knew that by openin my own firm would have the autonomy within my cases and business to provide my clients with e cient and well rounded representation

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Susan Riel

PRESIDENT & CEO, EAGLEBANK What’s changed for women in business over your career?

When I started my career over 35 years ago, there weren’t many women in senior leadership positions t’s wonderful to see that chan in eople are finally recognizing that women can and should have a seat at the table. Women also have more e ibility now when it comes to havin children and carin for their family members. Perceptions have changed. It’s now widely accepted that a woman can be committed to her career and her family at the same time.

TONY J. LEWIS

What advice would you offer for women just starting out?

My mother always taught me to do my best and treat people fairly. She has been such an inspiration in my life, and I’ve remembered her advice throughout my career. would tell youn women that they shouldn’t be afraid to deal with con ict and have di cult conversations e open minded and e ible but stay firm and advocate for yourself. Setbacks are going to happen. Don’t be deterred! Use those setbacks as a tool to keep learning and moving forward. Familiarize yourself with the key values that underpin the business you’re in and find a mentor or coach to have as a resource as you move through your career. Above all, be yourself and trust yourself.

What changes or innovations are on the horizon in your industry? How are you preparing for them? he di ital revolution has drastically chan ed the financial services industry Financial technology companies will continue to alter the landscape, so banks need to redefine the bankin e perience e’ve made it a priority to build dedicated teams that are focused on staying current, evaluating new products and services and e ceedin customer e pectations

“I would tell young women that they shouldn’t be afraid to deal with conflict and have difficult conversations. Be openminded and flexible, but stay firm and advocate for yourself.”

7830 Old Georgetown Road ethesda www a le ank orp com

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Sandra Guzman-Salvado LAW OFFICES OF SANDRA GUZMANSALVADO, LLC

What qualities do you think a successful attorney should have?

A strong work ethic, the ability to adapt—and adjust—to varying circumstances, and the desire to keep learning. The best attorneys refuse to stay stagnant. A successful attorney should also have a trusted network of colleagues, or friends, to call upon when help or support is needed—and should not be afraid to do so.

What advice would you offer for women just starting out?

Go for your dreams—you never know what might happen if you don’t at least give it a shot.

Many of the world’s most successful people have tried and failed many times on their way to where they are today. It’s those who do not give up, and stay optimistic, who eventually succeed.

It’s also important to keep learning—read books, listen to podcasts and attend seminars to learn from others—to stay current on the latest developments in your industry. ow do you measure success?

To me, success means achieving a good life balance. I am only successful when I am able to devote enough time to three areas of my life: health, family and business.

What changes or innovations are on the horizon in your profession? How are you re aring for them?

Everything is turning to the internet or going digital and having an internet presence has become vital to staying in business. Staying in peoples’ minds is crucial for business development. To help me do so, I post blogs on family law related topics and have started recording a podcast that will soon be advertised, and will hopefully help people looking for information and guidance in the areas of divorce, custody and overall personal development.

11 N. Washington St., Suite 230 Rockville, MD 20850 301-340-1911 | www.guzmansalvadolaw.com 84

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STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

PHOTO CREDIT

“It’s those who do not give up, and stay optimistic, who eventually succeed.”

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Beth Venit, CFP ; Jennifer MacLennan, CFP , CPA; Maria Cornelius, CFP and Deanna Tomasetti, CFP BURT WEALTH ADVISORS ®

®

®

;

®

Why choose Burt Wealth Advisors? ur bouti ue wealth mana ement firm has served the ashin ton metro area for nearly years ensurin that our personali ed care is backed by e tensive knowled e and e perience all si advisors are ertified inancial lanners s fiduciaries we’re committed to puttin our client’s interests first always e strive to become a partner and on oin resource to each client helpin them navi ate their financial life and many times the lives of their families to achieve their financial oals in the most e cient way possible e also take reat pride in the many accolades we’ve received over the years includin bein named as one of the est inancial dvisors in aryland and ir inia ’ by dvisory and featured in Washingtonian ma a ine’s mart oney ee nly inancial lanners ’

“We strive to become a partner and ongoing resource to each client, helping them navigate their financial life…”

HILARY SCHWAB

What are the ene ts of having more women in your rofession? e see many women who are amid a life transition often after the death of a spouse or divorce and handlin finances or servin as their own advocate for the first time ith four female advisors we’re well e uipped to offer uidance when sensitivity and understandin can be of the utmost importance ur oal is to en a e clients in the plannin and investment process empowerin them when it comes to their finances What are our to riorities? akin sure clients come to us first when they have uestions needs or concerns related in any way to their financial health ssistin clients with other important decisions includin si nin up for edicare and ocial ecurity education fundin for children or randchildren and care options or downsi in o see all award details with inclusion criteria and disclosures eprint atri etailed version

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Jane Brodsky FOUNDER & OWNER, BIKER BARRE What woman inspires you and why?

My mom was one of 10 or so women who graduated from Columbia Law her year.

Very few women in our community worked, let alone as lawyers. She had to take the bar exam in Florida wearing a dress. She took care of every single detail for my brother and me and ran her own law firm too I know how hard it is to run a business with two young daughters. My dad’s wonderful, but when we were kids he probably couldn’t name one of my teachers or where and when my tennis practices were. Mom was surrounded by women who devoted their lives to what kind of pocketbook they were carrying and where they vacationed. atchin mom plow her own path helped me fi ure out what makes me happy y daughters love that I’m not like everyone else, but I get what my daughter means when she cautiously asks me if I’m going to wear sequin sweats to a parent/teacher meeting.

“I am a hostess at heart—I wake up every day and try to throw the best party you’ve ever attended.”

What are your top priorities?

I will always run a business that makes my two girls proud to tell their friends about.

That means that I am kind and respectful, I produce a product that is the best in the business, and everyone who walks in the door feels welcome.

I am a hostess at heart—I wake up every day and try to throw the best party you’ve ever attended.

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11325 Seven Locks Road, Suite 180 Potomac, MD 20854 301-605-1090 jane@bikerbarre.com www.bikerbarre.com

STEPHANIE BRAGG

How do you measure success?

It’s having a constant stream of customers who love coming to Biker Barre—that they benefit from our classes fun and welcomin environment and tell their friends ein recognized as the Best Barre Studio in D.C. (Washington City Paper) is amazing and so rewarding for our team. I love hearing we've had a positive impact on someone's life.

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Seated: Paula Calimafde, Hope Eastman, Jessica Summers, Deborah Cohn, Tracey Coates Standing: Lynette Kleiza, Emily Whelden, Jennifer Pope, Cristen Rose, Trish Weaver, Michelle Chapin Not pictured: Eva Juncker, Katherine Palumbo

Paley Rothman What should ros ective clients now a out your rm? n aley othman became one of the first ta business firms in ont omery ounty to hire a female attorney ince then our firm has e panded and more than percent of our attorneys are women his ives us an advanta e when representin our female clients women oin throu h divorce custody battles adoption issues real estate matters estate plannin employment issues and more e also understand our male clients well

“Thinking outside the box is an excellent way of helping our clients achieve their goals.”

MICHAEL VENTURA

ow has wor ing at aley othman a mid si ed regional law rm enhanced your career? everal attorneys here left careers at lar e downtown firms ovin to aley si nificantly improved their work life balance by eliminatin lon commutes and enablin them to be more involved with their families e attendin mid day school events rofessionally it was a leap of faith any clients followed them to aley othman and our platform allowed them to e pand the type of services provided to their clients e handle a wide ran e of le al counsel and representation in diverse areas includin liti ation overnment contracts ta retirement plannin corporate transactions and a variety of other matters for clients both locally and nationally ow do you measure success in your career? ost of us measure success by satisfied clients pleased with the outcomes of their le al matters any of us take pride in sharin the aley erspective which means ar uin new areas of the law in creative and productive ways for our clients as well as usin cuttin ed e le al strate ies and applyin them to our cases hinkin outside the bo is an e cellent way of helpin our clients achieve their oals

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th loor

www paleyrothman com

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Fabiana Zelaya REALTOR®, COMPASS

What woman inspires you and why?

I’m inspired by the women around me—women who push themselves each day as working women, moms, wives and friends. I’m surrounded by entrepreneurial women, who are still there for their families, seeking healthier lives with their kids. I’m inspired by my autism mom friends, who just never give up on the battle. They roll their sleeves up every single day with a huge smile.

I’m more inspired by everyday things.

7200 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 500 Derwood, MD 20855 240-463-2815 fabianarealty@gmail.com

Fabiana Zelaya, Realtor® and Agne Salgado, Realtor®

DARREN HIGGINS

How do you measure success?

I think success has very little to do with money. It’s about going to sleep at night knowing I put my best foot forward. I’m very handson with my work and truly care about our clients—it’s impossible not to care when you’re involved in someone’s life for several months, or even a year. Many of our clients have become good friends. So, to me, success is seeing my family, friends and our clients happy.

Law Offices of Jo Benson Fogel, P.A. Why do you do what you do? What motivates and inspires you? elpin our clients navi ate throu h some of life’s most di cult challenges is always rewarding. Our clients are good people who often have been thrust into situations beyond their control, and we are inspired by their strength and resilience. We view our role as a legal guide or coach, always supporting and advocating for our clients and we appreciate our clients choosin our firm to help them throu h life’s di cult transitions What was a major turning point in your life and/or career?

All clients are someone’s child. As each of us has had children, we recognized fundamental changes as to how we practice family law.

Having children presents new perspectives on parenting and the recommendations we make to our clients. Our children help us to better understand the challenges our clients and their children face as they work through an uncertain and unsettling period in their lives.

Jo Fogel

5900 Hubbard Drive Rockville, MD 20852 301-468-2288 www.jobensonfogellaw.com 88

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STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

Farida Robinson

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Bottom row, L-R: Marian Vaias, Kelly Ward, Maria Fanjul, Kirsten Gable, Shannon Kadwell Top row, L-R: Shira Rosenthal, Keira St. Claire, Rebecca Wood

Anthony Wilder Design/Build

DESIGN TEAM: ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN, KITCHEN AND BATH DESIGN What advice would you offer for women just starting out?

Dream big, work hard and be disciplined, because it will all be worth it. Figure out what your strengths are and what excites you. With those in mind, create a big picture, setting targeted goals and then integrate those goals into a timeframe. That way you’re always workin toward oals you’re e cited about e confident that your ideas and designs are just as good as anyone’s but know that you won’t always have the answers to everything—the learning process never ends. And always be ready to change directions when necessary—you never know what’s on the horizon.

“There’s nothing better than a client beaming with pride over their new space.”

STEPHANIE BRAGG

ow do you measure your success as a designer?

Happy clients. We strive to create designs that are not only beautiful, but high functioning. And there’s nothing better than a client beaming with pride over their new space hen clients are satisfied enou h to refer or introduce us to family and friends it’s rewarding and tells us we’re doing a good job. Collaboration is also a major component of our success. As a full-service, custom architecture, construction and interior design provider, our team consists of professionals from a variety of disciplines, who work together seamlessly to deliver each individual client’s wants and needs.

What do you loo forward to when you go to wor every day? eetin all of our different clients each of whom have their uni ue styles and personalities. Improving on our craft every day, whether it’s implementing new design trends, sharing innovative products or cutting-edge technology. And the exhilaration of seein a pro ect completed from the first sketch to the end of construction you never get tired of that feeling.

7913 MacArthur Blvd.

Cabin John, MD 20818 301-907-0100 www.anthonywilder.com

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Lynn Perry Parker, Esq. LPP LAW

What woman inspires you and why? andra ay ’ onner the first woman upreme ourt ustice who overcame blatant se discrimination to prove herself and earn her success throu h perseverance lthou h she’s not a feminist ’ she’s one of women’s reatest liberators thanks to her work ethic real life challen es and empathy er le al opinions re ect her brilliant mind values and e periences not her own or anyone else’s politics ustice ’ onnor was not only a self made professional success but a dedicated wife mother and friend to many he lived a value driven rich and purposeful life that inspires me and reminds me how blessed am What advice would you offer for women just starting out? ersevere! othin happens overni ht or without hard work hen you hit a dead end turn around and take another turn Why do you do what you do? What motivates and inspires you? client’s hank you so much you’ve really helped me ’ never ets old! fter years of practice ’m still e cited to apply my wealth of le al knowled e and e perience to e peditiously help clients resolve their issues What will e the iggest challenge for the generation of women ehind you? see the reatest challen e as an opportunity for women willin to take risks ue in lar e part to technolo y and cost more companies are outsourcin operational functions such as marketin accountin and le al often to sin le member limited liability micro companies whose owners have to fore o re ular paychecks he ne t eneration of women can embrace and levera e these new economic realities by startin their own businesses to not only offer outsourced services but develop new products and services in response to current challen es and consumer desires think lobal warmin and carbon footprints

ockville ike uite ockville www lpp law com 90

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STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

PHOTO CREDIT

“When you hit a dead end, turn around and take another turn”

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Sunita Bali

RE/MAX TOWN CENTER AT PARK POTOMAC What was a major turning point in your life and/or career?

In 2013 my daughter had an accident and broke both her knees. At the time, I was workin in aeronautics but needed a ob with more e ibility so could help her et back on her feet eal estate and investments had always been of interest to me so decided to et my o cial real estate license and pursue it as a career couldn’t be happier for landin on this path love knowin that have the tools and e pertise to help people achieve their real estate dreams

“I love knowing that I have the tools—and expertise— to help people achieve their real estate dreams.”

ERICK GIBSON

What qualities should a successful real estate agent have? n entrepreneurial spirit and willin ness to work relentlessly as well as resilience to bounce back after setbacks eal estate a ents should be ood problem solvers when une pected challen es arise we need to take action and find solutions t’s also important to have a uni ue sellin proposition somethin that lifts you above the crowd am a certified home sta er and speak seven lan ua es which helps me connect with a wide ran e of clients nd at its core real estate is all about personal connection What woman inspires you and why? any women have inspired me at different sta es of my life rowin up in ndia admired ndira andhi the first and only female prime minister of ndia ot for her politics but her elo uence and coura e ttendin colle e in rance became inspired by women in literature other eresa arie urie aro ini aidu the way she spoke we called her the i htin ale of ndia ndra ooyi epsi o’s first female chief e ecutive and melia arhart she knew she was meant to y nd of course perhaps most in uential my mother

ark otomac ve otomac www sunitabalihomes com

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Claudia N. Williams Conerly, DDS AGE ONE PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

What motivates and ins ires you?

Access to care is an important issue to me. During my years working as a dentist in community health centers, many adults reported being afraid of the dentist as a result of a childhood dental e perience his motivated me to focus my ener y on the most vulnerable amon us children s a pediatric dentist provide children of all economic backgrounds access to dental care in a safe and entle environment t’s a privile e to be part of the lives of so many of our future leaders, educators, entrepreneurs and professionals.

What woman ins ires you and why? ’m reatly inspired by my mother everend r ersey illiams ’ve learned countless lessons about perseverance by observin my mother's journey. Despite many obstacles, she raised three children, worked full time and completed three degrees. My mother s faith ave me a secure spiritual foundation for my success and accomplishments. uite

info@age1dentist.com www.age1dentist.com

ERICK GIBSON

eor ia ve ilver prin

Sherri Hatam and Betty Barati BELINA BOUTIQUE

What advice would you offer to women just starting out?

Follow your dreams and be willing to take risks. It’s not easy to step out of your comfort zone but there’s nothing more gratifying than pursuin a field you love and are passionate about f you work hard, anything is possible.

10215 Old Georgetown Road Bethesda, MD 20814 301-897-2929 www.belinaboutique.com 92

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HILARY SCHWAB

What ualities do you thin a successful stylist should have?

Stylists need to be on the lookout for new trends and also able to understand the clients’ lifestyle and body type ot every fashion trend works for everyone t’s important to have a ood eye and be an e cellent listener ver the last years the retail landscape has changed drastically as e-commerce has emerged and grown. ndividuali ed service is becomin increasin ly important in the retail industry hat’s what we offer every day t has been our secret to success and it’s what keeps our clients coming back.

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L-R: Megan Parlette, Christy A. Zlatkus, Esquire, Dr. Elizabeth DuBois, PhD

Christy A. Zlatkus, Esq. Z FAMILY LAW, LLC

JENNIFER LUST PORTRAIT DESIGN

What are your top priorities?

My overarching goal is to change how our society as a whole—and my clients in particular—view divorce. So many people feel stuck in miserable, even abusive marriages because of our culture’s negative narrative about divorce. Marriages don’t fail; they end, and that ending is the start of a new normal. Divorce is a reset button, not a “game over” button. We help reframe divorce as a positive starting point for building the life our clients deserve.

What motivates and inspires you?

Walking alongside my clients through some of the worst challenges they will face in their lives inspires me every day hile my firm provides hi h uality le al services to families in all situations, we excel in cases that involve issues of power and control.

Since my participation in the George Washington University Law School’s Domestic Violence Clinic, I have approached cases involving these issues with awareness and compassion. We have a Ph.D. on our team who has researched divorce and domestic violence in countries around the globe. This considerable knowledge and passion allow us to understand and advocate for the people we serve.

What do you look forward to when you go to work every day?

I genuinely enjoy working with my phenomenal team to change people’s lives. e each draw on our uni ue e perience to benefit our clients ur director of operations is an ace paralegal with incredible attention to detail. Our client relations director possesses e pertise in the areas of addiction trauma and con ict resolution. Together, we encourage our clients to dream big while helping them take real steps to achieve their goals. We lift our clients as they climb.

“Divorce is a reset button, not a ‘game over’ button.

We help reframe divorce as a positive starting point for building the life our clients deserve.”

100 Park Ave., Suite 205 Rockville, MD 20850 hello@zfamilylaw.com Twitter: @zfamilylaw Facebook: @zfamilylaw www.zfamilylaw.com

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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Jamie Kent Hamelburg PRESS, DOZIER & HAMELBURG, LLC

What woman inspires you and why?

If I had to pick one person it would be my mom. She ran a small business well into her 80s and when I was growing up I worked alongside her. She showed me the great opportunities and occasional challenges in running a business. This spurred my interest in entrepreneurship and small business matters. Today, co own a business a law firm in ethesda and dedicate a si nificant part of my practice to helpin business owners like my mom.

How have you mentored or inspired others who are following in your footsteps? volunteer at the aryland omen’s usiness enter I teach a class that walks entrepreneurs through the key legal steps needed to start a business. My goal in teaching these classes is to inspire entrepreneurs and help them realize their dreams of starting a business etween my workshops at the center and my client work at my firm ’ve partnered with hundreds of women and men as they launch and grow their companies.

What’s changed for women in business, if anything, over your career?

At the start of my legal career, there were relatively few women in senior level roles either in law firms or as clients. It’s gratifying to see that this is changing. I now have many clients who are women, and during negotiations it’s much more common to see other women at the table.

What advice would you offer for women just starting out?

Every job is important, no matter what it is. Especially when starting your career, you may be asked to do tasks you don’t find particularly interestin or important. That’s the nature of many entry-level positions. If you approach every job with determination, people will notice your diligence and drive, and you can learn from every opportunity.

7910 Woodmont Ave., Suite 1350 ethesda jhamelburg@pressdozierlaw.com www.pressdozierlaw.com 94

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HEATHER FUENTES

“I’ve partnered with hundreds of women and men as they launch and grow their companies.”

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Dr. Rachel Cohn OPTOMETRIST, WINK EYECARE BOUTIQUE

TAMZIN B. SMITH PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

What made you decide to get into your line of work?

I’ve had poor eyesight since childhood. Optometry always interested me, so I followed that course of study. I'm also interested in fashion, and glasses have become super fun and stylish. So, I combined my medical skills and fashion sense and opened Wink—my own optometry practice with a built-in glasses boutique.

How do you employ new technology to help your patients?

Several new technologies have made a great impact in my work and patient care. The Optomap and OCT allows me to look at the retina without using dilating drops. There are specialty lenses, including those that block blue light—which can interfere with circadian rhythm—and lenses with larger reading zones. Wink has a certain specialty in helpin kids too offerin anti fati ue lenses and nighttime contacts that can stop the progression of nearsightedness in young people, which has reached epidemic proportions.

1095 Seven Locks Road Potomac, MD 20854 301-545-1111 www.wink.net

Malini Iyer, DMD, MD

MARYLAND ORAL SURGERY ASSOCIATES What woman inspires you and why?

When I think of inspiring women, Ruth Bader Ginsberg is one of the true trailblazers who broke the glass ceiling in a meaningful way. Her capacity to visualize complex situations, perseverance in achieving her goals and her commitment to enduring excellence in her chosen field has been an inspiration and a uidin li ht

HILARY SCHWAB

What do you love most about doing business in this area?

Every morning, I am truly appreciative of working in a dynamic, diverse community. The whole process of meeting a patient, understanding their concerns and addressing them is rewarding.

We try and connect with patients at a personal level. This helps in achieving an overall holistic experience and better outcome. Each day is a successful one when I see one of my patients bringing their family and friends back to MOSA Bethesda for treatment. The trust in our practice is priceless.

14955 Shady Grove Road, Suite 300 Rockville, MD 20850 301-340-6884 | kredmond@mosa4os.com www.mosa4os.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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Natasha M. Nazareth, Esq. and Ginny Cascio Bonifacino, Esq. MCMILLAN METRO, P.C.

What ualities should an effective attorney have?

It is essential to be compassionate, creative and collaborative.

Businesses and individuals come to us because they don’t know how to move forward on their own e harness our knowled e and experience together with the client’s strengths to advance their interests e offer inte rative advice tenacious advocacy and a uni ue perspective to et the ob done e become their trusted resource for business employment intellectual property and education law and litigation.

7811 Montrose Road, #400 | Potomac, MD 20854 301-251-1180 | nnazareth@mcmillanmetro.com cbonifacino mcmillanmetro com www mcmillanmetro com

HILARY SCHWAB

What do you like most about doing business in this area? ultural diversity is a si nificant driver of successful businesses in ont omery ounty e’re honored to serve many entrepreneurs who bring their values and perspectives to customers in their communities. Getting to know them and their businesses improves our ability to find solutions to the challen es they’re facin ur clients know they’re in ood hands with us hey often say e’re so lad you’re on our team.”

Sabine de la Croix-Vaubois, MD WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL PEDIATRICS

What was a major turning point in your career?

I never expected to become a pediatrician—I was pursuing a career in oncology. But while I was conducting cancer research at eor etown niversity was offered a four month internship in pediatrics and immediately realized that was my true calling. I love working with children and seeing them grow. I intentionally keep my full service pediatric practice small to ensure can provide the best comprehensive and individuali ed care to every infant child and young adult I see. Our slogan is ‘Growing with your Family,’ because we are a practice where families can row and thrive

4808 Moorland Lane, Suite 109 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-654-9476 www.wipediatrics.com 96

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JOSEPH TRAN

What advice would you offer women just starting out? ome of the best e periences you’ll et are in the early parts of your career so don’t be afraid to et your hands dirty and work your way to the top. Don’t let your ego hold you back.

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Libby Dubner-King EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WESTMORELAND CHILDREN’S CENTER What are your top priorities?

I believe in providing an excellent and engaging early childhood education experience. I continue to foster our philosophy in a play-based curriculum by providing an environment rich in diversity, nurturing, warmth and creativity mployin hi hly ualified and dedicated teachers is evidence of my commitment to maintaining our license and accreditation by the Maryland State Department of Education and the National Association for the Education of Young Children. We incorporate music and movement, physical education, and we partner with the USDA Child and Nutrition Program to serve healthy and nutritious meals and snacks.

What do you look forward to when you go to work every day?

Honestly, the greetings I get each morning from the children and their parents. Our preschool is more than a school that offers a uality early education learnin experience—we are a community. Our parents and teachers work together to foster growth and development in our children. WCC is a special place. I am fortunate to work in a job where happiness surrounds me.

What are some of the ene ts of early childhood education?

Early childhood education is recognized as playing an integral part in a child’s development and future success.

It helps children increase their vocabulary by familiarizing them with words and their meanings. Early education has lastin benefits showin increases in levels and cognitive abilities—understanding both concrete and abstract thought. Children exposed to early childhood education can be more prepared to interact with adults and other children, and understand what is socially appropriate in the home, classroom and public places.

Children who are educated early are less likely to need special education and more likely to finish hi h school and go to college.

MICHAEL VENTURA

“Our preschool is more than a school that offers a quality early education learning experience—we are a community.”

5148 Massachusetts Ave. | Bethesda, MD 20816 301-229-7161 | www.wccbethesda.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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Regina A. DeMeo, Esq

4550 Montgomery Ave., Suite 760N Bethesda, MD 20814 240-621-0559 www.reginademeo.com

HILARY SCHWAB

What was a major turning point in your life and/or career?

Going through my own divorce and discovering that there is a way to collaborate on a solution that works for everyone, without havin to o to court y first years as a practicin attorney all did was liti ate he past years however ’ve en oyed shiftin my focus to promotin alternate dispute resolution methods. When a commitment is made to settle outside of court, we have more room to be creative with our solutions without having to adhere to certain guidelines. We look at every piece of the pu le and work to ether to find a resolution that satisfies all parties is ood for the family and preserves my client’s wealth y personal e perience also offers my clients comfort in knowin that althou h their present situation may be a very di cult time it will et better

Emily Cook, PhD, LCMFT EMILY COOK THERAPY, LLC

9617 Arlington Road, Suite 226 Bethesda, MD 20814 240-424-5328 hello emilycooktherapy com www emilycooktherapy com 98

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

COURTESY PHOTO

What’s the best advice you’ve received and how has it helped you? hen was trainin to become a marria e and family therapist my supervisor told me here aren t any points for doin thin s the hard way er advice stuck with me and has helped me personally and professionally he didn’t mean the easy way is better or that hard thin s aren’t worth doin he was tryin to challen e my belief that if was sufferin was therefore earnin points he encoura ed me to ask for help when needed it and to trust the voice inside that whispers or shouts that need to rest. As a woman in business who is also a mother, wife, friend dau hter and therapist ’m often balancin more than can accomplish in any iven day ememberin that am in control of the choices make empowers me to ask is there a different way?

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Laura Zuckerman OWNER, WOWED! HOME STAGING What are your top priorities? rovidin fantastic service to ealtors and sellers ur clients always come first and we move heaven and earth to get their homes staged for sale. I also care deeply about creating the right culture for my team. Our talented stagers and moving crew deserve a workplace where they feel productive, empowered and appreciated.

What do you look forward to every day?

I love meeting sellers and am deeply honored to be entrusted with preparing their homes for sale. I start each day excited because I know our work is valuable and directly helps our clients sell faster and for more money. I really believe in what we do, and I’m always thrilled to demonstrate that value.

“I love meeting sellers and am deeply honored to be entrusted with preparing their homes for sale.”

JOSEPH TRAN

What was a major turning point in your career?

When I focused on my true passion. I used to be an attorney but my heart was always in design and real estate. I was about to take another legal job when I realized I needed to take a risk and start a staging business. I actually work harder now than I did in my earlier career, but I have a much greater sense of meaning and accomplishment.

What do you love most about doing business in this area?

I grew up here so it’s been fun to work in neighborhoods I’ve known all my life and to discover new places completely transformed in recent years. But by far the best thing about doing business in this area is the fact that we have such highquality Realtors and endlessly interesting sellers. I have formed so many rewarding relationships as a result of my staging career.

Bethesda, MD wowedstaging@gmail.com www.wowedstaging.com

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Stuart K. Skok, Esq. STUART SKOK LAW LLC

What advice would you offer for women just starting out?

Pave your way in your style; don’t be afraid to experiment with who you are—or are not—as a lawyer. Learn from others without trying to be like them and find what advocacy style best suits you he reatest advocates are not the loudest or smartest, but those who are most prepared and in tune with themselves, and their client’s story o don’t ust study the facts records and caselaw listen to your clients nderstand their uni ue stories both ob ectively and sub ectively see thin s throu h your clients’ eyes to most effectively ali n yourself with their long-term needs.

What was a major turning oint in your life and or career? avin my son who has own yndrome in y life perspective and rules were redefined and reshaped for the better ’d discover learned about my own stren th and that in the face of adversity can accomplish anythin set my mind to ith humility of circumstance comes ratitude for the small incremental achievements y son has not only brought new positive light to our family, but to my work in cases involvin children with special needs can apply my e periences to better understand and help clients with similar families ow are you re aring for changes or innovations in your industry? recently developed the concept for a divorce app called y ivorce ourney ’ that is in testin with a provisional patent and e pected for release in 2020. There is an app for everything, so why not for divorce his app will streamline the divorce process by ivin users anyone in the nited tates the tools and resources to start and mana e their divorce and manifest their future.

esearch lvd uite ockville 301-296-4512 www stuartskoklaw com 100

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

DARREN S. HIGGINS

“Learn from others without trying to be like them…”

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Katharine Vincent

NURSE PRACTITIONER/OWNER, DEFY AESTHETIC Why do you do what you do? What motivates and inspires you?

I do what I do for my clients. They motivate and inspire me every day to provide the best skincare treatments possible ’ve desi ned my o ce e clusively for them and enuinely care about every one of them like they re family ’ve created a comfortable rela ed environment that defies the taboos and closed door sti mas traditionally associated with cosmetic procedures elf care should be fun! ’ve crafted a uni ue menu that offers proven treatments truly believe in ’m determined to make these services accessible because they make people feel ood about themselves esthetic is a place that empowers women and men too! to feel their best

“DEFY Aestheic is a place that empowers women (and men too!) to feel their best”

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

What do you love most about doing business in this area? ethesda is home for me was born and raised in the area and have seen it ourish over the years t’s the many family owned and small businesses here that ives our area so much character can now say that esthetic is becomin part of ethesda s cultural fabric and could not be more deli hted ’ve poured my heart and soul into esthetic and love sharin what ’ve built with our beautiful community What woman inspires you and why? y randmother arbara has been the most inspirational woman in my life he established multiple woman owned family businesses all of which ori inated and are still head uartered here in ethesda he ran her businesses and a household two full time obs simultaneously at a time when women weren’t necessarily supposed to be businesswomen he is my uperwoman! like to think that ’m continuin her le acy and makin her proud

ast ethesda

est

i hway

uite

info@defyaesthetic.com www.defyaesthetic.com

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Rismiller Law Group What advice would you offer for women just starting out?

Mary Craine Lombardo: Be yourself. It is great to learn from others, but you will never be successful if you are trying to be someone else. Gloria Lee: Don’t lock yourself into a career or set path because you’re afraid of change. Trust and believe in yourself.

L-R: Elizabeth Danquah-Brobby, Mary Craine Lombardo, Donna K. Rismiller, Zhia Shepardson, Gloria Lee Not pictured: Maura Lynch

51 Monroe Place, Suite 1406 Rockville, MD 20852 301-340-1616 www.rismillerlaw.com

ERICK GIBSON

What motivates and ins ires you?

Donna K. Rismiller: The desire to help has always been my most powerful motivator. I’m fortunate to be in a position to help people get through challenging times, tackle tough decisions and reach an outcome that improves their and their families’ lives.

Elizabeth Danquah-Brobby: I’m passionate about helping my clients navi ate throu h di cult times and findin solutions tailored to their family’s unique needs.

Zhia Shepardson: Hearing clients’ stories and collaborating with them to fi ure out how we can improve their situations Maura Lynch: I am motivated by seeking justice for those who are wronged and speaking for the voiceless.

Mary Lou Goehrung

PRESIDENT, SIGNS BY TOMORROW ROCKVILLE, IMAGE 360 DC BETHESDA What do you love most a out doing usiness in this area?

As a rare Washington native, I love being on my home turf and feeling so comfortable conducting business these 27 years with a variety of industries and cultures, as well as with the multitude of connections and friends I have assembled here.

7676 Standish Place, Rockville, MD 20855 301-881-7446 | marylou@signsbytomorrow.com www.SBTRockville.com 102

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HILARY SCHWAB

What ualities do you thin a successful usiness erson should have?

A successful business person is humble, a good listener, assembles an excellent and diverse team, and isn't afraid to take risks. They are also smarter, faster and better than their competition.

You also need to love what you do. My top daily priority is helping clients get the signage they need in the form of superior products they expect and excellent service they deserve. Success to me is being blessed and excited to go to work each morning and help people in all walks of life, and then repeat, and repeat each and every day.

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Cara Nazareth, MS, LCMFT

CARA NAZARETH THERAPY

Why do you do what you do?

Relationships are fascinating and I enjoy working with couples at every stage of theirs, whether they’re deciding to get engaged, juggling full-time jobs and young children, preparing for retirement or planning to separate. Couples therapy can feel like a giant puzzle with thousands of tiny pieces scattered across a table, but when you start asking questions and are curious about the answers, the picture starts to emerge.

MICHAEL VENTURA

What motivates and inspires you?

I want people to feel comfortable asking for help—on average, couples trudge through six years of unhappiness before considering therapy. While Montgomery County is a progressive place, there is still a stigma attached to being vulnerable and asking for help. Many lives would be so different and better if more people looked at therapy as a first or second line solution instead of a last resort

4424 Montgomery Ave., Suite 201 Bethesda, MD 20814 240-560-2261 www.caranazareth.com

Andrea Hirsch

LAW OFFICE OF ANDREA HIRSCH What do you look forward to when you go to work every day? elpin my clients navi ate a di cult situation that can affect all aspects of their lives, and move forward. My practice focuses on settlement resolution through mediation, collaborative practice and neutral case evaluation. Going to court is always an option, but I believe reaching settlement agreements leads to better outcomes for the entire family. You can’t do this work at arm’s length—I care about my clients and am committed to helpin them throu h this di cult time smoothly.

TONY J. LEWIS

What qualities do you think a successful family law attorney should have?

The willingness to listen and acknowledge your clients’ emotional needs. The ability to think outside the box in coming up with creative solutions every family is different ou need to be patient and help clients understand their options, and how best to evaluate their options, to come up with a durable agreement.

1630 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20009 202-480-2160 www.andreahirschlaw.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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The Battle Kids are hooked on their iPads and video games.

When it’s time to turn off the electronics, life at home can get ugly.

BY DINA ELBOGHDADY PHOTOS BY MICHAEL VENTURA

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S

SIX-YEAR-OLD SASHA Rozofsky can open the

YouTube tab on her family’s Chromebook with ease, as she happily demonstrates one summer evening in the dining room of her Bethesda home. “I really like this one,” she says as she hits play on a video featuring two of the popular L.O.L. Surprise! dolls.

The video has 1,424,475 views. Her mother, Libbie, groans. “We’re not sure how many views Sasha has contributed to that,” she says.

In the video, the tiny plastic dolls—siblings named Witchay Babay and Little Witchay Babay— complain in high-pitched tones that they need mom and dad to feed them. Enter the voice of a perky female narrator, who vows to make “custom parents” for the sisters using Barbie and Ken Fashionista dolls. On the screen, a pair of wellmanicured hands pulls Barbie and Ken out of their boxes, painting their eyes violet and their clothes black with gold crescents to match the Witchay Babay look. “That’s a good one,” Sasha says, eyes on the screen. “They’re painting stuff, and I like art.”

Her older sister, Lily, 9, rolls her eyes. “We’ve tried to stop her from watching this because it isn’t very educational,” Lily says, gently prying the

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Caroline, Cole (center) and Kyle Frye are allowed to use iPads and play video games on weekends, but typically not on school days. Their mom once had to hide the Xbox after too many arguments.

Chromebook from her sister’s hands so she can play online math games. Sasha grabs her father’s iPhone from the dining room table, enters the passcode and returns to YouTube. She likes the phone better anyway. “More apps,” she says.

Rozofsky says she’s struggling to manage her kids’ screen time and tired of constantly negotiating their use of the family’s mobile devices. Lily keeps nagging to get her own phone, even though the fourth grader has been told repeatedly that she’ll need to wait awhile longer. Sasha’s insatiable appetite for videos shows no sign of waning. When the house gets eerily quiet, it usually means that she has a device in her hands and YouTube on autoplay, looping in one video after another without a break. Rozofsky once caught her younger daughter hiding her father’s iPhone under her pillow at bedtime. And both girls, recognizing their parents’ weakness for “educational” online material, will argue that whatever they’re watching or playing falls into that category.

“It’s a huge uphill battle,” says Rozofsky, who often calls for a “digital diet” when she feels her daughters have been glued to their screens too long, or when they fight over time on a device. They’ll

whine a bit, and she’ll tell them to go outside, read a book, or play with their toys, even if it means pulling out the dozens of real-life L.O.L. dolls that Sasha begged her to buy after watching the videos. “But the first thing Sasha wants to grab is the iPhone, the iPad or the Chromebook,” Rozofsky says. “I’d prefer that she play with her own games instead of watching someone else play with theirs.”

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ANGST-RIDDEN PARENTS STRUGGLING to cope with

the disruptive force of the screens in their homes are the new normal, and the hand-wringing is no longer confined to their teenagers’ digital lives. Today’s modern family operates in an “always on” digital environment in which younger kids have quick and easy access to a wide array of content when and where they want it—unless mom and dad intervene, creating tensions unrivaled by old-fashioned squabbles over the use of the family telephone or television.

“These old shared devices were stationary and didn’t go with you,” says Amanda Lenhart, deputy director of Better Life Lab at New America, a D.C.-based think tank. “With mobile devices, everybody is always connected, and the information they deliver is fed to us in binge-y ways, making it much harder for kids and their parents to have a balanced relationship with screens.”

By age 9, 42% of kids have their own tablets, up from 7% in 2013 and 1% in 2011, according to a 2017 survey by Common Sense Media. Of the kids in the United States who have a smartphone with a service plan, about 45 percent got the phone at ages 10 to 12, largely because their parents wanted to be able to reach them easily and track their whereabouts, according to a Nielsen/HarrisX survey conducted in 2016.

The technology offers conveniences, both practical and frivolous. It educates and entertains. Rozofsky’s children watch Russian cartoons on the iPad as they try to learn their father’s native language. Even the toy-unboxing videos, with their predictable format, serve a purpose by surprising young children without frightening them, experts say. And it’s a bargaining chip when parents want to keep younger kids quiet in

a car, restaurant or doctor’s office.

But the technology is also a nuisance when it’s time for dinner or bed, says Susan Apgood, who has three boys, including 12-year-old twins. In her Bethesda home, there’s a laptop that the family shares, a PlayStation 4 (PS4) video game console, an iPod touch for each twin, an iPhone for their 14-year-old brother, and an iPad. One of the twins is especially attached to the game console, which he uses to connect with school friends.

“He and his friends put on their headsets and meet online at certain times to play. They discuss the games, but I also hear them talking about school and teachers and what they’re learning. It’s a new way to socialize,” Apgood says. The problem arises when it’s time to unplug. “When I came home from work last night, I asked him to set the table, and he said he needed one minute because he was building something in Minecraft,” she says. “The one minute turned into two, then five. Sometimes I have to physically turn off the device, and I know he’ll throw a tantrum.”

He’s not a moody kid, she says, but he’ll toss his headset to the floor, stomp around and whine for a minute or two if she shuts down a game. “He’ll say it’s not fair,” Apgood says, “and that he never gets to hang out with his friends.”

A study this year on the screen habits of kids ages 5 to 12 by the marketing firm Insight Strategy Group found that boys outpace girls in the use of game-based sites like Minecraft and Roblox, while girls more often use Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok (the lip-syncing app formerly known as Musical.ly that kids use to make, share and watch music videos using filters and special effects). The firm also reported that 52% of kids in that age group have at least one account on a major social media platform—YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter. But they spend more time on YouTube than anything else, even the blockbuster video game Fortnite, according to a Bloomberg News report that cites Insight Strategy’s data.

The impact of screen time on a child’s behavioral and social development remains unclear due to a lack

A Chevy Chase mom reluctantly acknowledges that she and her husband sometimes give their young kids a mobile device to “buy time.”

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of long-term research. But the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and more recently the World Health Organization have recommended limiting or eliminating screen time for children younger than 5, emphasizing that kids of all ages have to sit less, play more and establish healthy sleeping and eating habits in order to thrive. The AAP recommends no more than one hour of screen time per day for children ages 2 to 5, but the guidelines for older kids are vague, with the AAP advising parents to set “consistent limits” that suit their family’s lifestyle. But many parents say they can barely get dinner on the table at

Seth Price installed an app on his phone that enabled him to shut down internet access in the house or to turn off specific devices. His 12-year-old son still found a way to play Fortnite while his parents were asleep.

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a reasonable hour after a long day at work, let alone curate their kids’ digital lives.

A Chevy Chase mom reluctantly acknowledges that she and her husband sometimes give their young kids a mobile device to “buy time.” The television is the screen of choice for her 5-year-old son, though he prefers playing in the park. Her daughter, 4, loves the iPad and uses it to watch YouTube Kids.

For a time, the little girl was hooked on videos featuring people who make slime, mix it with things, or just throw it away. (Videos showcasing slime getting tossed into a trash can attract millions of hits.)

Price created media use plans for the family, a tactic that comes highly recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other experts.

But those contracts only worked for a while, he says, and then everyone fell back into their old habits.

Now, the preschooler is more into videos of kids who unbox toys and play with them, specifically Ryan, the 7-year-old YouTube star who raked in an estimated $22 million in one year, according to Forbes magazine.

“Sometimes you just need to cook dinner and you don’t want your 4-year-old at your leg. Sometimes you just want to be able to get something done, like get on the stationary bike without 800 questions,” the mom says. “So you turn to the TV or hand over the iPad. I’m guessing not too many people want to admit that they do that because we live in such a judgmental society where everyone is trying to be the ideal parent.”

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SETH PRICE THOUGHT HE’D found the answer to

his family’s screen woes. About two years ago, the Bethesda dad and his wife hired an information technology consultant to set up parental controls on their desktop computer. Their sons—Jacob, now 12, and Dylan, 10—used it all the time, and Price wanted to restrict their access to Minecraft and other video games and to encourage the use of educational websites. “A week later, I found [Jacob] on one of those sites we’d blocked,” says Price, who also has a 5-yearold daughter. “He proudly told us that he’d disabled the parental controls. We were impressed by his gumption, but annoyed that the controls didn’t work. We just threw up our hands.”

A year after that, their older son latched on to Fortnite. “That was a game changer. It went from wanting the screen to needing it, like a drug addict needs his stuff,” Price says. “He constantly wanted time on it.

Nothing else mattered. Food didn’t matter. Sleep didn’t matter.”

Meanwhile, Dylan had started watching more YouTube videos featuring celebrity gamers, race cars and NBA stars. Price noticed that the longer his boys were on their screens, including the video game console, the harder it was to pull them off. So he installed an

app on his phone that enabled him to shut down internet access in the house or to turn off specific devices.

“Next thing we know, the 10-year-old is telling us that the 12-year-old is having overnight playdates with his friends on Fortnite,” says Price, a partner at the D.C.based law firm Price Benowitz.

Using an old iPad, Jacob was able to bypass the new system and download his beloved video game so he could play while his parents were asleep. Price punished his son, taking away his screen privileges for a few weeks. Jacob, a seventh grader, kept pleading with his parents to let him play the game, but they held strong.

Since then, Price has brought the video game console to his office at times to keep it out of his son’s reach.

The summer offered a reprieve when both boys left for six-week stints at sleepaway camp, where screens were not allowed. Jacob will not be getting a smartphone this school year. His parents considered it, but decided to hold off.

Price created media use plans for the family, a tactic that comes highly recommended by the AAP and other experts. But those contracts only worked for a while, he says, and then everyone fell back into their old habits. “It almost feels like the inmates are running the asylum,” says Price, adding that Jacob grumbled about going to camp this year because he didn’t want to miss out on his video games. “Every time we think we have it solved, he finds the next level. We have to step up our game.”

Dr. Dan Shapiro, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician in Rockville, says parents often confuse a temporary setback with failure, so when it comes to screens, they’re quick to give up on the rules they’ve set. But Shapiro maintains that a well-crafted contract that’s designed with input from everyone involved, including kids as young as 5, can help families navigate through the rough patches.

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Psychiatrist Clifford Sussman, pictured at his D.C. office with his 6-year-old daughter, has a small technology-free room filled with games and toys.

reasonable for school days, weekends and summers, keeping in mind how well each child self-regulates, Shapiro says. For some kids, it’s a breeze; they watch one show and call it quits. Other children will watch one inane YouTube video after another under their bedcovers until 4 a.m. Between the two extremes is a sizable gray area. Parents need to tailor the contracts to match the level of support their child needs, Shapiro explains, paying particular attention to defining the consequences. “Often, when people say the contract doesn’t work it’s because the contract wasn’t sufficiently explicit about what happens when there’s a violation,” Shapiro says. Parents then find themselves winging it, which leads to screaming matches and frustration.

Shapiro, who runs workshops designed to help parents identify the source of their child’s challenging behavior and learn what they can do about it, says it’s reasonable to set the stakes higher with each repeat offense. With younger kids, parents can take away the mobile devices for an hour the first time around, then a day the next time, then a week. Sticking to a plan helps parents condition their kids into forming healthy screen habits in the same way they condition their kids to eat well and 110

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get a good night’s rest, Shapiro says. Just because a child doesn’t fall in line right away doesn’t mean the contract isn’t working.

“Most rule violators have a problem with self-control, and they need to experience the consequences of violating the rules—and sometimes they need to experience it many times over—before they internalize the rules,” Shapiro says. “That’s just part of your child’s learning curve, and some kids have a steeper learning curve than others.”

Bridget Frye of Bethesda typically doesn’t allow her three children—Cole, 10, Kyle, 8, and Caroline, 6— any screen time on school days. She lets them use an iPad or play video games on weekends, but if they act up, she doesn’t hesitate to yank away their screens. Frye once hid the Xbox for two weeks after she’d had one too many battles with Cole about ending his lengthy Fortnite sessions. She’d ask him to stop playing and give him warnings, but he’d push back and launch into complaints: Everybody else’s parents let them play. I can’t believe you made me stop. I need to get to the next level.

When Frye finally took the video game console away, she didn’t tell her husband where it was or commit to ever hooking it up again. The boys

pestered her about it at first, but the nagging subsided quickly. Frye and her husband then decided to reintroduce the Xbox to see if the boys could handle the limits on it, and so far it seems they can. In fact, Cole is far less interested in Fortnite than he used to be, preferring sports video games instead. “When we first got [the Xbox], we weren’t prepared and we didn’t have a framework in place,” Frye says. “Now, they know there are limits to how much we’ll take. They understand that if they act out or have a bad attitude it could just go away again, maybe for good next time.”

Even her young daughter seems to grasp the concept. Caroline woke up cranky one recent morning and was being unkind to her mother. “So I told her that when everyone was on their screens that [Saturday] afternoon, she’s going to have 15 minutes less,” Frye says. That got the little girl’s attention—Caroline threatened to scream loudly and throw her iPad—but her mom didn’t back down. The next morning, Caroline woke up all smiles and wanted to know if she could get extra screen time for being nice. “No,” was the answer. “I told her the lesson learned is just to be nice,” Frye says. “It’s amazing the connections their minds make.”

Katherine Reynolds Lewis, the Rockville-based author of The Good News About Bad Behavior, says parents are often tempted to use extra screen time as a reward, but they should resist doing that. “When we give something as a reward, it makes it more valuable,” Lewis says, in the same way that rewarding your child with dessert if they eat their vegetables diminishes the value of the vegetables and increases the appeal of the sweets. “So giving screen time as a reward just reinforces a child’s love of the screen.”

But sometimes that’s what works. Jessica Farnsworth’s son is motivated by rewards, not punishments, she says.

Every morning, the first thing the 7-year-old asks for is time to play video games. Last school year, Farnsworth let him as she got ready for work, but only after he ate breakfast, got dressed, got his backpack ready, and put on his coat and shoes. When her husband came home from work in the afternoons, he

allowed the boy to play the games again to keep him from bickering with his 5-year-old sister, who would then watch princess videos on YouTube Kids. “His video games are the only leverage we have because they are the most meaningful thing to him,” says Farnsworth, who once reached out to a local Facebook moms’ group for advice about screen time. “That’s what we can dangle and offer him so that he does what we want him to do.”

In hindsight, Farnsworth wishes she’d handled things differently with her kids, starting early on, “but I feel I am past the point of saying: ‘Do this because I told you to,’ ” says the mother of three. “They’re not built that way now.” This school year, the Potomac family has an au pair. “We have another set of hands to keep them entertained or help monitor them,” Farnsworth says. “We don’t have to rely on the screens as much.”

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CLIFFORD SUSSMAN, A CHILD and adolescent psychia-

trist who specializes in internet and gaming addiction, has seen patients as young as 9 at his D.C. office. For the younger set, he has a small technology-free room filled with games and toys, many of which require time and patience, such as puzzles and collaborative card games. “Kids with screen problems are always complaining about being bored, especially the younger kids, and they say the only thing that helps them with their boredom is being on a screen,” Sussman says. “But there’s value in delayed gratification and being bored.

It’s the time when a lot of our creativity is generated.”

A self-proclaimed computer geek, Sussman has spent the better part of his 11 years in private practice studying the effects of video game addiction on the brain—long before “gaming disorder” was recognized as a medical condition by the World Health Organization in 2018. As he explains it, the brain consists of the “driver” (the inner portion that mediates pleasure by producing feel-good dopamine transmitters) and the “brakes” (the outer portion that controls impulses, decision-making and other factors that affect judgment). For all kinds of addicts, whether they’re hooked on drugs or video games, the relationship between the driver and the brakes is out

Katherine Reynolds Lewis, the author of The Good News About Bad Behavior, says parents are often tempted to use extra screen time as a reward, but they should resist doing that.

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the battle

Many parents are navigating this new terrain without any role models from their childhood, making it difficult for them to distinguish “normal” from “problematic.” of whack, making it tough for them to control their impulsivity. With excessive gaming, prolonged exposure to screens floods the brain with dopamine and desensitizes players to the pleasureinducing effects of the game, so they hit the gas and play more to get the same high, even if it means neglecting schoolwork, jobs or relationships. They grow accustomed to getting what they want when they want it, and the less time they have to wait for something, Sussman says, the more dopamine their brain produces.

Sussman says his work informs his own parenting as he raises two young daughters, ages 3 and 6, both of whom are drawn to screens “like moths to a flame.”

His older daughter, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, probably could spend hours watching the YouTube videos of strangers cracking open hollow chocolate Kinder Eggs, each filled with a toy surprise. “When she was 4 years old, if you left her on a screen, she would find those videos and scream when you took them away,” says Sussman, adding that the response is predictable. Having the narrator open many eggs in rapid succession satisfies that craving for instant gratification, and having a different prize every time kept her glued to the screen.

Knowing that she likes the eggs with Disney characters from Frozen, Sussman has offered to watch the movie with his daughter, but she declined. She doesn’t have the patience. “She just wants to see what comes out of the egg,” he says. “It demonstrates how simple the principles of addiction are.”

At his Bethesda home, Sussman tries to practice what he preaches. When he and his wife allow their daughter online, they 112

no longer let her watch the egg videos, and they limit her to a consistent length of time. “We picked half an hour,” Sussman says. “I got her a digital watch, and she’s kind of fascinated with the concept of time. …She likes the numbers because they’re within her control. She can see when it’s zero, and she doesn’t fight with us because the numbers don’t lie.”

Giving her a warning before the 30-minute mark helps. Sussman says kids, and even adults, are prone to losing track of real-world time when they get on a screen, an effect known as time distortion. But having a clock within sight helps develop what he describes as the commuter instinct, the one that kicks in for subway riders who nod off on the way to work but wake up just in time for their stop because they’ve grown accustomed to a fixed pattern of behavior.

Equally important, he says, is following up every block of time online with a stretch of off-screen time, which builds their capacity to entertain themselves and gives the brain time to recover from online stimulation.

Sussman doesn’t claim to have all the answers. He and his wife remain unsure of what to do about exposing their younger daughter, who is on the autism spectrum, to screens. They know from experience that screens soothe the little girl when she’s distraught. But they fear that allowing screen time when she’s agitated will reinforce the behavior they’re trying to avoid. So for now, they’ve decided to keep her off screens and away from toys that beep or play music. They say both are distractions that prevent her from connecting with people, focusing on faces and reading social cues.

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THE GROWING CONSENSUS AMONG

experts these days is that parents should focus more on mentoring their kids online than on monitoring them, which is the track one Kensington mom has decided to take with her three children.

When security issues arose about the TikTok app a few years ago, Audrey spoke to her 12-year-old daughter, Rachel, about “stranger danger” and restated the need for Rachel to keep her account private. (Audrey asked that her real name and the name of her daughter not be used in this story.) She tries not to bristle when Rachel or her brothers— who are 9 and 14—come to the dinner table with their iPhones. Instead, she gently reminds them to put away the electronics, mindful to engage in conversations rather than confrontations.

But sometimes she grapples with her own decisions.

Recently, when Rachel had a fallout with her friends that played out in a string of texts, Audrey was kicking herself for not intervening sooner. As the spat continued, Rachel’s closest friends cut her off from their group chats, which left her—and her mother—reeling.

“I feel as if I’m watching her ice skate, and when she’s having fun, I’m all good.

When the ice cracks beneath her, then I’m mad at myself, like, how did I not see this coming?” says Audrey, who follows her daughter on social media and occasionally checks her texts. “When I went through this kind of thing in middle school, my mother had no idea. She wasn’t walking alongside me.” But now, problems that erupt in school follow kids home on their devices. “I’m trying not to tell her what to do,” Audrey says,

“but it’s all happening in front of me.”

Rachel’s parents gave her an iPhone toward the end of fifth grade so they could keep tabs on her as her roster of after-school activities grew. The preteen joined several group chats, including one with about 40 classmates and another that kept her connected with friends from summer camp. Her online activities eventually expanded to include Instagram and Snapchat. She says social media can be a burden. “On the chat groups, it feels like you have to read every single [post] because you don’t want to lose track of what’s happening,” or what others might be saying about you, Rachel says. It’s also tough to decipher someone’s tone. “It’s hard to tell if someone is joking or being sarcastic.”

While Rachel is grateful for her mother’s support, she’s not quite sure what to make of it. “It can be a good thing and a bad thing,” Rachel says. “I want her to

tell me what’s good and what’s bad, but at the same time, not many of my friends have their parents following them, like watching what they’re doing. So sometimes I’m kind of like, ‘Leave me alone.’ ” Her mother laughs. “It’s funny that [my daughter] thinks her friends’ parents are not walking alongside them,” Audrey says. “They do. We are all keeping our eye on our kids.”

And sometimes even other people’s kids. Vicki Klein, a clinical social worker in North Bethesda who specializes in anxiety, says parents are often at a loss on how to handle what they see their children’s friends doing online. One mother was on her daughter’s Instagram account when she noticed that one of the girl’s friends had posted a close-up of her eyeball with a tear in it. The caption read: “My life sucks.” The mom decided to tell the friend’s family, and it turned out the child was just having a bad day.

“But that parent did the right thing,” Klein says. “I think parents struggle with how closely to monitor their kids’ social media accounts, and at what point is it an invasion of privacy.”

The struggle may be moot, given that every generation of kids usually manages to outsmart their parents, which helps explain the popularity of “finsta,” or fake Instagram accounts. People typically limit their finsta following to a small, select group and share more candid posts in that space than they do on their main Instagram account. “These are posts that kids don’t want everyone else to see,” Klein says. A positive takeaway is that children may be starting to understand that they need to be discerning when sharing information, she says, but they don’t necessarily understand that their posts for a perceived limited audience can still be shared.

Many parents are navigating this

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the battle new terrain without any role models from their childhood, making it difficult for them to distinguish “normal” from “problematic.” Dana Spencer, a mother of three boys in Bethesda, believes today’s parents are raising an “experimental generation,” which is why she erred on the side of caution when her two oldest sons—now 16 and 19—were younger.

Spencer and her husband drafted a contract for them.

“We were trying to limit screen time to no more than one hour a day during the week” she says. “But it got muddled up.

We struggled with what’s legitimate use of the screen and what isn’t?” Was doing homework online past the one-hour mark OK? What about making movies, an artistic endeavor that her oldest son got into in middle school and is still pursuing in college? The family kept revisiting the contract and tweaking it.

Only recently, after reading The Art

of Screen Time by Anya Kamenetz, did Spencer learn to relax and embrace what’s good about the technology her boys love so much. In her book, Kamenetz plays with Michael Pollan’s famous take on food in offering advice to parents: Enjoy screens. Not too much. Mostly with others.

Now, with her 12-year-old son, Gray, she uses parental controls to shut down his internet access at 9:30 p.m. so that she doesn’t have to pester or police him.

She limits his screen use to homework on school nights, but on weekends she allows him more freedom without enforcing limits.

“I had a shift in thinking,” says Spencer, a certified parenting educator at the Parent Encouragement Program, a nonprofit in Kensington. “I started thinking about what are they getting from screens, as opposed to how should I protect them from screens.”

Spencer was spooked when her oldest son spent hours on the screen making videos and then creating his own YouTube channel, but the exercise fostered his love of moviemaking. Her middle son spends a lot of time playing video games with his friends, but he’s an outgoing guy with good grades, and the games are an important social space for him, she says.

“I realized that sometimes we look at our kids on their screens and think they’re wasting time, but they’re actually doing work on themselves and trying to figure out who they are,” Spencer says.

“So now, instead of fighting a battle that I feel I can never win, I’ve given myself permission to embrace the technology.

Nothing has changed in the household, I just feel more comfortable about it.”

Dina ElBoghdady spent more than two decades as a journalist at several newspapers, most recently The Washington Post.

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Extraordinary

EDUCATORS Six local teachers who are making a difference— from getting middle school students excited about science to helping second graders learn about the world beyond their classroom walls

BY CARALEE ADAMS | PHOTOS BY SKIP BROWN

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Extraordinary Educators

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KYMBERLEE BEHNIA McLean School, Potomac NEARLY 300 ORIGAMI butterflies hang from the ceiling over the main worktable in art teacher Kymberlee Behnia’s classroom, helping to create a peaceful, comfortable vibe as she draws or paints alongside her students.

“I want my students to know that this is a safe space for them to creatively explore and feel vulnerable without judgment,” says Behnia, who has taught high school students for 24 years at the private school for children in kindergarten through 12th grade. “It’s about getting past their insecurities and taking artistic risks.”

Behnia, who teaches drawing, painting, printmaking and ceramics, says she’s teaching as much about managing frustrations and solving problems as she is about art. That means incorporating mindfulness, deep breathing and music into her classroom lessons. “Because I struggled in school with attentional and learning issues, I feel like it helps me relate to students with more empathy and an understanding that structure and consistency are as important as flexibility and compassion,” says Behnia, 56, of Bethesda.

Maggie Wills, who graduated from McLean in June, says Behnia is like a second mom to her students. “She gives you space to talk to your friends, but you also kind of want her to overhear because she gives really good advice about having a positive attitude and dealing with difficult situations,” Wills says.

Nicknamed “Mama B” at the school, the mother of two adult children is known among colleagues for her kindness, organizational skills and dedication.

Behnia decorates bulletin boards, creates backdrops for theater productions, paints murals on hallway walls and displays student art throughout the school.

“Her projects are just so inventive. She does something different every year,” says Heather Carvell, an English teacher who has co-taught a visualizing literature class with Behnia. “She gets the best out of students.”

THEA SINGLETON ALEXANDER Silver Creek Middle School, Kensington A LOT MORE THAN math is going on in Thea Singleton Alexander’s eighth grade classroom.

Students have posted inspirational words on a vision board along the back wall. There’s a “calm corner” with jigsaw puzzles. Exercise balls, yoga mats and throw pillows are scattered around the room. “True or false: The Wicked Witch of the West dies at the beginning of The Wizard of Oz?” she may ask in her daily trivia game.

Singleton Alexander also holds “community circles” where students share their thoughts as they pass around a talking stick. Most days, her class “pet,” Nigel, a stuffed monkey, posts pictures on Instagram of things that have been covered in the daily lesson. Her classroom is a popular place for students to eat lunch and share their latest personal drama, or introduce their 37-year-old teacher to a hip social media app.

“Middle schoolers want to be heard,” says Singleton Alexander, who lives in Silver Spring. “They are not quite who they want to be, but are just starting to have an idea and they still want your help.”

With a master’s degree in the social sciences of education from Stanford University, Singleton Alexander moved to Maryland in 2011 and taught at A. Mario Loiederman Middle School in Silver Spring before coming to Silver Creek when it opened in 2017. Establishing trust and rapport makes it easier to teach math, she says. She differentiates instruction but lets the students choose the level of difficulty at “mild, medium or spicy” stations depending on their comfort with the skill. “If you want kids to make good choices, they have to have practice making choices,” she says.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

119

Extraordinary Educators

ADAM ATWOOD Tilden Middle School, Rockville

MICHELLE ELIE Montgomery Blair High School, Silver Spring MICHELLE ELIE TALKS to her students about her fear of drowning. She shares details on the discrimination she’s faced as a black woman traveling abroad. She also explains how she can be a feminist and still take her husband’s last name.

In turn, Elie’s students open up to her. They talk about race, gender, identity and other topics in the African American literature course that she developed at Montgomery Blair High School. They also seek her out away from the classroom.

“She taught me that as a woman of color, I am allowed to take up space. I don’t need to shrink myself for other people to feel more comfortable,” says Emily Kombe, who graduated from Blair in June and now attends the University of Maryland. “She really listens and wants to know your opinion. Her advice is not typical stuff grown-ups tell kids. She doesn’t say ‘brush it off.’ She makes you feel like you and your problem are valid and [helps you] think of ways to address it. That’s very empowering.”

Elie, who has been teaching English at Blair for 14 years, writes the script for and directs an annual show to celebrate Black History Month, giving 150 students the opportunity to act, sing, dance and perform music. It’s named Sankofa after a mythical bird that looks back while flying forward. “It reminds students we have to know where we come from to know where we are going,” says Elie, 37, who lives in Silver Spring. She also started a slam poetry team and serves as adviser for the student-run news website Silver Chips Online.

Elie says she hopes students leave her class with the ability to connect what they read with who they are—and who they are becoming. “I realized early on that the gift of teaching is all the things outside the curriculum,” she says. “It’s really how we learn from each other.”

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WHILE MANY KIDS—and their parents— are focused on academic success, teacher Adam Atwood says there are valuable lessons to be learned from failure.

That was Atwood’s philosophy when he developed new technology and engineering design classes at Tilden Middle School two years ago. In the electives, students learn coding, make robotic devices and airpowered vehicles, and tackle other handson projects that require trial and error.

“I want them to feel frustration and overcome it,” says Atwood, 34, who lives in Gaithersburg and is the sixth grade science team leader. “They develop some resilience and get better at understanding themselves and realize they can do it.”

Since coming to the school five years ago, Atwood has started after-school activities for two national programs. He has sent Tilden students to the “You Be the Chemist” chemistry bee competition three times. He formed a Science Olympiad club, where students team up and compete in events that involve building, knowledge and lab skills. Last year, the program attracted about 45 Tilden students, and the school placed third among 24 teams at the state competition in Baltimore.

Students in the after-school Science Olympiad sessions excitedly called Principal Irina LaGrange to come and look at cars they’d built. “I’d go into those classrooms and see students engaging with each other, having fun…and Adam is walking around and encouraging them and laughing with them,” says LaGrange, who asked Atwood to create the tech electives. Interest in the electives was so high that more sections were added this year.

Middle school is often thought of as a tough time for kids, but Atwood says those years were some of his best, and he tries to reflect on them when relating to his students. “I put myself in their shoes,” he says. “I think about my time as a middle schooler, what I enjoyed, the teachers that I appreciated and what they did for me.”

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

121

Extraordinary Educators

SARAH POLAND Washington Episcopal School, Bethesda

122

WITH A PASSION FOR teaching and traveling, Sarah Poland spent 15 years abroad teaching kindergarten at private international schools in cities such as Vienna, Rome and Singapore. She returned to her hometown of Bethesda in 2013 and has been teaching second graders at Washington Episcopal School since 2015.

Poland celebrates cultural differences in her classroom and tries to expose students to life beyond the private school in Bethesda that serves children in preschool through eighth grade. Two years ago she read Emmanuel’s Dream to her students, the true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, a Ghanian boy born with one leg who became an athlete and activist. The students were “wowed,” Poland says, and wanted to know more about Yeboah.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

So she researched him online and then contacted him on Facebook. To her surprise, he quickly responded.

Yeboah, 42, is a motivational speaker who also runs a soccer league for amputees in Ghana and works with The Challenged Athletes Foundation based in San Diego.

Poland’s class exchanged letters and phone calls with him, and other students joined the class in projects that raised $450 for Yeboah’s causes. In April, students met him when he visited the school.

“The children were just enthralled. The environment was electric,” says Poland, 55, who hosted Yeboah in her Bethesda home.

He is expected to return this fall to the school, which is working on collecting 100 bicycles for children in Ghana. Poland plans

JACOB WOHL Bethesda Elementary School, Bethesda

to visit the country in December to see the distribution of the bikes.

Poland also serves on the school’s community service committee. She has organized monthly outings with students that include visits to Sunrise Bethesda, an assisted living and memory care facility, where students sing and read to the residents.

Nate Dennison, a former director of the elementary grades who now works at another private school, hired Poland and says she brings a sense of warmth and an adventurous mindset to the classroom. “She is a teacher who is able to take risks and try new things,” he says. “We are always trying to model and create that culture in class.”

KERRY GREEN SAYS IT was a daily struggle to motivate her son, Asher, to get excited for school when he was in third grade. But he never wanted to miss a day in Jacob Wohl’s fourth grade classroom, where she says the 25-year-old teacher makes sure each student feels valued.

Knowing that students are constantly comparing themselves to each other, Wohl structures his class so that their academic levels in reading and math aren’t obvious. “He has this magical way of soothing the kids’ fears and anxiety, and instilling self-confidence in them,” Green says. “He makes each child feel smart and special.”

Wohl, a 2011 graduate of Bethesda’s Walt Whitman High School, says he tries to create a calm and engaging classroom. His approach is influenced by his brothers—Ben, who was born when Wohl was 12, and Julian, who was born two years later with Down syndrome—and the close bonds he formed with them. A graduate of St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Wohl earned a master’s degree in elementary education at the University of Maryland.

Because of its strong model of inclusion for students with a range of disabilities, Bethesda Elementary School was the only place Wohl wanted to work. “There is a really big push to say, ‘Let’s meet [students with disabilities] where they are at and not put them into a box,’ ” says Wohl, whose class includes a handful of students with special needs. “They do a good job here of saying special education is not a place, it is a service.”

Each year, Wohl, who lives in Rockville, presents a slide show featuring Julian and asks students for their impressions. Then he reveals a photo taken with his brother. “We discuss who he is to me and that everyone has a story, and we need to take time to get to know people and how they interact with the world differently,” he says. ■ BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

123

COLLEGE BOUND

Where Bethesda-area high school graduates applied to college and where they were accepted COMPILED BY SETOTA HAILEMARIAM

THE FOLLOWING IS a chart of the colleges and universities where 2019 graduates from seven Bethesda-area high

124

Bethesda- Montgomery Richard Chevy Chase Blair Montgomery 1 0 1 1 N/A N/A 3 3 0 0 3 2 46 13 24 18 53 14 13 0 6 0 16 2 12 7 3 3 15 9 4 4 0 0 5 3 2 0 0 0 4 2 9 5 2 2 N/A N/A 16 1 3 1 5 0 8 2 2 0 N/A N/A 4 3 2 2 4 1 1 1 2 2 N/A N/A 4 3 1 0 N/A N/A 29 5 8 6 17 8 56 15 25 16 35 13 8 1 4 2 5 0 15 4 7 7 11 3 2 0 6 6 6 4 32 4 37 9 52 5 4 1 5 2 5 3 15 5 2 0 4 0 2 1 0 0 N/A N/A 0 0 26 5 12 0

Thomas S. Wootton 2 2 0 0 27 13 2 0 5 2 5 2 4 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 1 0 21 5 54 17 0 0 5 3 5 3 31 2 1 0 6 3 5 3 9 0

Walt Whitman 0 0 1 1 24 13 7 1 11 10 7 6 1 0 3 2 5 2 7 3 0 0 2 2 4 4 28 11 49 16 12 2 1 1 13 7 37 3 3 3 14 3 5 4 7 1

Walter Johnson 4 3 2 2 46 13 8 0 16 10 3 1 0 0 1 0 3 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 16 2 54 13 2 0 6 2 3 1 17 0 2 0 7 3 3 3 5 0

Winston Churchill N/A N/A N/A N/A 41 24 7 1 13 6 4 2 N/A N/A N/A N/A 4 0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 30 8 45 23 7 2 N/A N/A 8 3 36 1 N/A N/A 5 3 N/A N/A 9 0

AC CE PT ED

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

D IE PL AP

Albright College Allegheny College American University Amherst College Arizona State University Auburn University Babson College Bard College Barnard College Bates College Baylor University Belmont University Binghamton University Boston College Boston University Bowdoin College Bowie State University Brandeis University Brown University Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University Butler University California Institute of Technology California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Capitol Technology University Carleton College Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University The Catholic University of America Chapman University

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

schools applied and were accepted, based on data provided by the schools. The schools are: Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Walt Whitman and Walter Johnson in Bethesda; Richard Montgomery and Thomas S. Wootton in Rockville; Winston Churchill in Potomac; and Montgomery Blair in Silver Spring.

The acceptance information that the schools sent is self-reported by students, so school officials could not guarantee its accuracy. Richard Montgomery only provided data from schools that had at least three applicants, and Churchill only provided data from schools that had at least four applicants, so we have designated some of their numbers as not applicable (N/A). For brevity’s sake, we have limited the list to colleges and universities with at least seven applicants from the combined high schools.

TOTAL 8 9 261 59 75 28 11 15 39 17 13 7 11 149 318 38 45 43 242 20 53 15 68

6 8 108 4 47 18 3 9 5 5 9 7 7 45 113 7 20 24 24 9 17 11 6

4

1

2

1

N/A

N/A

1

1

5

2

1

1

N/A

N/A

13

6

1 4 30 13

1 1 6 5

0 2 28 19

0 2 17 16

3 6 44 18

3 1 10 10

0 1 62 23

0 0 12 7

0 5 31 20

0 3 8 9

3 0 27 10

2 0 2 4

N/A N/A 41 27

N/A N/A 9 12

7 18 263 130

6 7 64 63

14

10

13

11

13

8

7

5

3

3

12

6

14

8

76

51

4

3

2

2

N/A

N/A

1

0

2

1

2

0

N/A

N/A

11

6

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

AC CE PT ED

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

IE PL AP

Christopher Newport University Claremont McKenna College Clark Atlanta University Clark University Clemson University Coastal Carolina University Colby College Colgate University College of Charleston The College of Wooster Colorado College Colorado School of Mines Colorado State University Columbia University Connecticut College Coppin State University Cornell University Dartmouth College Davidson College Denison University DePaul University Dickinson College Drexel University Duke University Duquesne University East Carolina University Eckerd College Elon University Emerson College Emory University Florida A&M University Florida Atlantic University Florida Institute of Technology Florida International University Florida State University Fordham University Franklin & Marshall College Frostburg State University Furman University George Mason University The George Washington University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology Gettysburg College Goucher College Grinnell College Guilford College Hamilton College Hampton University Harvard College Harvey Mudd College Haverford College High Point University Hofstra University

Bethesda- Montgomery Richard Chevy Chase Blair Montgomery 2 0 1 1 N/A N/A 3 0 2 1 3 0 2 2 1 1 N/A N/A 3 2 5 5 5 4 24 15 2 2 15 6 7 5 0 0 5 2 21 2 2 1 5 2 7 2 2 2 7 0 15 10 1 1 7 4 3 2 3 3 N/A N/A 9 2 1 1 N/A N/A 5 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 2 2 3 2 30 1 31 5 52 8 7 3 2 2 3 2 1 0 8 8 N/A N/A 41 2 39 14 58 10 22 3 6 0 16 1 8 0 1 1 4 1 5 3 3 3 N/A N/A 5 4 7 6 N/A N/A 20 10 4 1 3 2 33 25 16 14 11 7 30 3 31 6 54 6 2 2 0 0 N/A N/A 3 1 0 0 3 1 8 6 2 2 3 1 20 15 3 3 5 4 11 8 9 8 N/A N/A 33 8 13 2 28 7 1 0 1 1 4 2 3 1 0 0 N/A N/A 1 1 2 2 N/A N/A 1 0 0 0 4 0 18 9 3 3 11 1 36 20 18 5 23 13 9 2 2 2 4 1 15 11 8 8 10 5 4 2 0 0 N/A N/A 19 15 13 13 27 16

Thomas S. Wootton 0 0 1 0 1 1 4 2 18 9 4 2 1 1 2 1 10 9 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 3 35 2 0 0 1 0 66 14 15 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 22 16 48 3 3 2 8 5 1 0 17 13 1 0 34 7 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 11 6 11 7 1 1 5 3 0 0 30 24

Walt Whitman 3 3 6 0 0 0 8 7 19 9 5 5 8 4 12 6 15 12 6 6 3 1 4 2 6 4 30 2 5 3 0 0 56 8 18 2 12 3 6 5 2 2 11 8 20 18 50 5 2 1 1 0 6 3 26 21 6 4 42 9 1 1 1 0 2 2 2 2 10 2 9 6 6 3 3 2 3 1 7 5

Walter Johnson 2 1 0 0 3 1 3 2 17 6 3 2 2 0 6 1 12 8 2 2 1 0 0 0 3 2 21 2 0 0 2 2 35 4 5 0 5 1 4 3 4 2 4 2 28 22 23 2 3 1 2 1 2 1 14 12 7 2 38 5 2 0 1 1 2 2 3 1 18 9 17 13 8 2 11 6 3 3 22 16

Winston Churchill 4 3 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 36 14 N/A N/A 6 0 8 4 17 17 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 27 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A 78 10 19 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 22 18 45 3 N/A N/A N/A N/A 5 2 24 9 4 1 39 6 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 21 4 20 8 6 3 11 2 N/A N/A 27 21

12 15 7 28 131 24 45 44 77 14 15 15 19 226 17 12 373 101 32 18 18 44 152 281 10 17 27 109 38 227 10 8 7 10 92 134 36 63 10 145

8 1 5 22 61 16 10 16 61 13 4 9 14 21 10 10 62 8 7 14 14 25 120 28 6 8 15 77 23 44 5 2 7 3 34 72 14 37 6 110

TOTAL

42

14

23

12

54

14

41

14

24

14

47

17

38

20

269

105

41 14 5 34 4 3 6 6 21 3 10 8 5

7 2 4 18 1 3 3 4 1 1 1 4 5

20 31 3 7 8 2 1 2 27 6 9 1 7

11 12 3 7 7 2 0 1 5 3 5 1 7

24 23 6 4 N/A N/A 3 6 52 3 5 7 8

5 5 2 2 N/A N/A 0 3 2 1 1 6 5

26 50 4 4 0 1 0 2 20 1 0 13 5

9 11 3 2 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 10 3

26 23 5 8 4 2 8 1 24 2 11 8 2

7 11 3 6 3 1 3 1 2 0 8 6 2

30 17 0 5 2 2 1 5 21 3 4 9 7

4 2 0 3 1 2 0 1 1 0 0 7 6

34 34 4 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 36 5 N/A 16 7

8 8 3 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 1 2 N/A 12 5

201 192 27 62 18 10 19 22 201 23 39 62 41

51 51 18 38 12 9 6 11 13 8 15 46 33

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

125

Bethesda- Montgomery Richard Chevy Chase Blair Montgomery Hollins University Hood College Howard University Indiana University at Bloomington Indiana University of Pennsylvania Ithaca College James Madison University Johns Hopkins University Kenyon College La Salle University Lehigh University Lewis & Clark College Louisiana State University Loyola Marymount University Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Maryland Loyola University New Orleans Lynn University Macalester College Marist College

Thomas S. Wootton

AC CE PT ED

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

D IE PL AP

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

college bound

Walt Whitman

Walter Johnson

Winston Churchill

TOTAL

5 27 13

3 19 2

1 8 29

1 8 18

N/A 8 13

N/A 5 6

1 1 5

1 0 3

0 8 1

0 6 1

0 5 10

0 2 5

N/A 7 12

N/A 4 2

7 64 83

5 44 37

18

13

3

3

6

5

57

48

44

39

47

32

57

55

232

195

1

0

0

0

5

2

4

4

0

0

0

0

N/A

N/A

10

6

17 9 30 13 2 13 3 5 5 5 12 1 4 8 9

12 8 1 9 1 2 2 2 2 4 7 0 4 4 6

6 11 44 3 0 4 5 2 3 2 9 3 2 6 0

6 10 8 2 0 2 5 2 3 2 9 3 2 4 0

N/A 10 77 5 N/A 6 N/A 7 N/A N/A 11 N/A 3 5 3

N/A 6 8 2 N/A 2 N/A 5 N/A N/A 6 N/A 1 2 3

11 39 53 0 0 16 0 3 2 6 5 1 2 1 2

5 31 5 0 0 6 0 1 2 4 2 0 0 0 1

11 18 40 7 1 17 0 6 5 0 11 3 7 10 2

7 13 4 7 0 5 0 6 5 0 7 2 6 10 2

10 17 38 2 6 13 2 5 7 3 16 0 4 3 4

6 10 5 1 5 4 2 3 4 3 10 0 3 0 0

7 25 63 N/A N/A 21 N/A 6 5 N/A 9 N/A N/A N/A N/A

3 20 5 N/A N/A 6 N/A 6 4 N/A 8 N/A N/A N/A N/A

62 129 345 30 9 90 10 34 27 16 73 8 22 33 20

39 98 36 21 6 27 9 25 20 13 49 5 16 20 12

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127

Bethesda- Montgomery Richard Chevy Chase Blair Montgomery Marquette University Maryland Institute College of Art Marymount Manhattan College Marymount University Massachusetts Institute of Technology McDaniel College McGill University Miami University, Oxford Michigan State University Middlebury College Montana State University, Bozeman Montgomery College Morehouse College Morgan State University Mount Holyoke College Mount St. Mary’s University Muhlenberg College The New School New York University Norfolk State University

7 4 2 5

5 2 2 2

1 1 1 3

1 1 1 3

N/A 3 N/A N/A

N/A 1 N/A N/A

Thomas S. Wootton 0 8 0 1

0 6 0 1

Walt Whitman

Walter Johnson

Winston Churchill

TOTAL

0 2 3 1

2 8 2 5

N/A 5 N/A N/A

N/A 4 N/A N/A

10 31 8 15

0 2 3 1

1 4 2 3

7 20 8 10

7

1

37

5

41

4

24

0

18

1

7

0

23

2

157

13

13 7 20 5 17

9 3 18 3 2

17 4 2 2 8

16 2 2 2 2

16 6 5 6 13

12 2 5 3 2

14 0 23 11 1

9 0 21 8 1

12 6 21 8 13

9 2 20 5 3

9 11 6 11 2

4 6 5 9 0

10 11 23 9 N/A

6 1 18 7 N/A

91 45 100 52 54

65 16 89 37 10

1

1

1

1

N/A

N/A

0

0

1

0

0

0

4

4

7

6

113 2 28 0 13 6 10 32 2

110 0 18 0 11 6 4 8 1

305 1 16 2 4 1 7 28 1

305 1 16 2 4 1 6 15 1

138 3 9 3 13 N/A 3 50 N/A

115 1 2 2 9 N/A 1 10 N/A

56 0 2 1 10 4 0 49 1

51 0 1 0 7 1 0 12 1

22 0 2 2 4 6 6 45 1

18 0 2 1 4 3 5 16 1

65 1 9 0 7 3 8 62 2

40 0 4 0 4 3 3 14 1

49 N/A 9 N/A 15 8 4 65 N/A

47 N/A 0 N/A 4 3 0 12 N/A

748 7 75 8 66 28 38 331 7

686 2 43 5 43 17 19 87 5

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Spring & Summer Transportation Provided

128

AC CE PT ED

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

D IE PL AP

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

college bound

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

North Carolina A&T State 5 1 5 5 5 2 University North Carolina State University 13 3 3 3 9 4 Northeastern University 44 14 23 15 33 12 Northwestern University 35 1 19 2 42 4 Oberlin College of Arts and 12 7 8 7 4 2 Sciences Occidental College 13 5 7 5 8 1 The Ohio State University 19 9 7 6 16 8 Ohio University 4 3 1 1 5 2 Ohio Wesleyan University 1 1 1 1 N/A N/A Old Dominion University 3 3 0 0 N/A N/A Oxford College of Emory 0 0 0 0 N/A N/A University Pace University, New York City 5 4 3 3 9 3 Pennsylvania State University 43 28 31 28 60 39 Pennsylvania State University 0 0 0 0 N/A N/A Abington Pennsylvania State University 1 1 0 0 N/A N/A Harrisburg Pepperdine University 4 1 0 0 N/A N/A Pitzer College 2 0 3 0 3 0 Pomona College 7 0 Page 8 1 2 SU_BethesdaMag_V2_2016.qxp_Layout 1 08/2/1642:01 PM

Thomas S. Wootton

AC CE PT ED

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

IE PL AP

Bethesda- Montgomery Richard Chevy Chase Blair Montgomery

Walt Whitman

Walter Johnson

Winston Churchill

TOTAL

3

3

0

0

4

1

N/A

N/A

22

12

13 34 31

5 11 3

16 36 53

9 15 5

8 57 21

5 22 3

17 51 41

7 22 2

79 278 242

36 111 20

0

0

10

9

3

0

N/A

N/A

37

25

1 44 10 2 2

1 26 6 2 1

8 23 5 2 1

5 15 4 2 1

2 23 6 1 5

1 12 4 1 2

N/A 41 4 N/A N/A

N/A 35 2 N/A N/A

39 173 35 7 11

18 111 22 7 7

3

1

1

0

0

0

10

3

14

4

3 109

2 99

2 62

0 52

8 88

5 66

5 112

1 81

35 505

18 393

1

0

0

0

0

0

8

7

9

7

0

0

1

1

0

0

8

6

10

8

0 0 1

0 0 0

1 3 13

0 2 1

2 2 5

1 0 0

8 N/A N/A

2 N/A N/A

15 13 38

4 2 3

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129

Pratt Institute Princeton University Purdue University Quinnipiac University Radford University Reed College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhode Island School of Design Rice University Roanoke College Rochester Institute of Technology Rollins College Rutgers University—New Brunswick Rutgers University—Newark Saint Joseph’s University Salisbury University San Diego State University San Francisco State University Santa Clara University Savannah College of Art and Design School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Bethesda- Montgomery Richard Chevy Chase Blair Montgomery 6 3 0 0 5 1 27 3 35 4 68 6 15 5 6 5 17 6 3 2 0 0 3 2 4 4 1 1 N/A N/A 5 2 2 1 N/A N/A 11 3 9 8 13 6 2 0 1 1 N/A N/A 12 0 19 6 28 5 3 1 1 1 N/A N/A 18 13 10 8 14 7 4 2 0 0 N/A N/A

Thomas S. Wootton 4 3 34 1 22 17 4 3 1 1 1 0 8 3 6 3 18 2 0 0 9 2 1 0

Walt Whitman 3 3 26 3 20 10 1 1 1 1 4 3 7 3 6 1 18 1 0 0 8 6 2 1

AC CE PT ED

Walter Johnson 5 1 23 2 10 2 4 3 4 3 3 0 3 1 4 2 7 1 4 3 9 6 1 1

Winston Churchill N/A N/A 35 0 22 17 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 10 7 8 2 25 3 N/A N/A 10 9 4 4

23 248 112 15 11 15 61 27 127 8 78 12

11 19 62 11 10 6 31 9 18 5 51 8

TOTAL

5

4

0

0

7

6

8

6

5

2

9

6

16

11

50

35

1 10 61 4 2 3

0 9 41 4 1 2

2 0 35 1 1 3

2 0 32 1 1 2

N/A N/A 31 4 N/A N/A

N/A N/A 19 1 N/A N/A

1 3 38 3 0 0

1 3 27 2 0 0

1 3 25 2 0 2

1 2 22 2 0 1

0 3 32 4 4 4

0 3 24 2 2 1

4 N/A 41 5 N/A 6

3 N/A 40 3 N/A 3

9 19 263 23 7 18

7 17 205 15 4 9

7

3

2

2

4

3

5

5

3

2

11

9

6

4

38

28

3

0

0

0

N/A

N/A

3

3

2

2

1

1

N/A

N/A

9

6

7735 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 700 Bethesda, Maryland

w w w . g t m a r c h i t e c t s . c o m 2 4 0 . 3 3 3 . 2 0 0 0

130

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AP

PL

IE D

college bound

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

School of Visual Arts Scripps College Seton Hall University Skidmore College Smith College Southern Methodist University Spelman College St. John’s University St. Lawrence University St. Mary’s College of Maryland Stanford University Stetson University Stevens Institute of Technology Stevenson University Stony Brook University Susquehanna University Swarthmore College Syracuse University Temple University Texas A&M University Towson University Trinity College Trinity Washington University

0 3 1 12 3 8 6 3 6 36 19 1 5 31 3 1 19 37 34 4 88 5 3

0 0 1 5 2 6 2 3 3 29 2 1 2 22 3 1 0 16 24 2 50 1 1

0 2 2 2 5 0 5 8 1 11 42 0 0 8 4 1 12 10 29 1 76 1 5

0 1 2 2 3 0 4 8 0 11 5 0 0 8 4 1 3 7 25 1 65 1 5

N/A N/A 3 N/A 4 N/A 4 3 5 26 61 5 3 7 4 N/A 17 20 17 6 86 N/A N/A

N/A N/A 2 N/A 1 N/A 2 0 3 14 7 3 0 3 3 N/A 0 7 8 1 47 N/A N/A

Thomas S. Wootton

Walt Whitman

3 0 0 2 1 0 3 1 0 20 26 1 4 2 1 4 5 32 13 5 85 0 0

2 2 1 8 2 2 1 1 0 19 30 2 1 0 0 1 8 28 5 3 40 4 0

3 0 0 1 1 0 3 1 0 13 0 0 4 2 0 4 2 14 8 2 59 0 0

1 1 0 7 1 2 1 1 0 18 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 18 5 1 33 3 0

Walter Johnson 5 3 0 2 3 2 1 5 0 23 15 2 2 12 1 2 12 40 16 4 101 3 3

1 1 0 1 0 2 1 5 0 22 1 0 1 10 1 1 2 19 14 1 66 2 1

Winston Churchill N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 18 34 N/A N/A 7 6 N/A 7 31 16 N/A 79 N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 18 2 N/A N/A 1 2 N/A 0 19 16 N/A 75 N/A N/A

AC CE PT ED

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

IE D PL AP

Bethesda- Montgomery Richard Chevy Chase Blair Montgomery

TOTAL 10 10 7 26 18 12 20 21 12 153 227 11 15 67 19 9 80 198 130 23 555 13 11

5 3 5 16 8 10 13 18 6 125 19 6 7 46 13 8 7 100 100 8 395 7 7

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131

Bethesda- Montgomery Richard Chevy Chase Blair Montgomery Tufts University 37 5 14 1 22 2 Tulane University 55 14 15 8 23 2 Union College 5 3 0 0 N/A N/A United States Air Force Academy 2 1 0 0 N/A N/A United States Military Academy 5 1 0 0 N/A N/A United States Naval Academy 4 0 1 1 3 1 The University of Alabama 9 8 0 0 3 2 The University of Arizona 14 11 3 3 6 4 University of British Columbia 6 2 3 3 N/A N/A University of California, Berkeley 16 4 31 12 37 13 University of California, Davis 5 2 3 3 5 4 University of California, Irvine 5 2 2 1 7 2 University of California, Los 15 1 14 7 29 6 Angeles University of California, San 11 8 8 7 13 2 Diego University of California, Santa 13 7 7 6 9 6 Barbara University of California, Santa 6 5 3 3 N/A N/A Cruz University of Central Florida 4 2 1 1 5 3 University of Chicago 22 2 14 5 50 2 University of Cincinnati 3 1 1 1 4 4 University of Colorado Boulder 38 29 11 10 14 11

Thomas S. Wootton 19 3 51 25 0 0 4 1 2 0 4 1 6 5 15 11 2 1 31 6 8 8 6 4

Walt Whitman 46 7 53 25 3 3 0 0 1 0 1 0 10 9 7 5 5 3 40 6 9 6 10 6

Walter Johnson 19 0 47 19 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 15 11 4 2 25 7 2 2 3 0

Winston Churchill 21 5 59 14 N/A N/A 4 1 5 2 7 1 14 14 10 9 N/A N/A 45 10 9 3 10 8

178 303 10 10 13 21 42 70 20 225 41 43

23 107 8 3 3 5 38 54 11 58 28 23

28

12

49

12

24

6

41

8

200

52

22

13

29

18

8

5

23

10

114

63

9

8

25

12

14

5

25

5

102

49

2

2

7

6

2

1

N/A

N/A

20

17

3 21 5 18

1 5 4 11

2 22 2 33

1 2 0 28

4 19 3 24

1 1 1 16

5 28 N/A 45

1 2 N/A 41

24 176 18 183

10 19 11 146

TOTAL

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AC CE PT ED

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AP

PL

IE D

college bound

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133

University of Connecticut University of Dayton University of Delaware University of Denver The University of Edinburgh University of Florida University of Georgia University of Hartford University of Illinois at Chicago University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign University of Iowa University of Kansas University of Kentucky University of Mary Washington University of Maryland University College University of Maryland, Baltimore County University of Maryland, College Park University of Maryland, Eastern Shore

Bethesda- Montgomery Richard Chevy Chase Blair Montgomery 7 5 4 3 4 3 3 2 0 0 N/A N/A 18 9 4 4 14 6 10 8 3 3 3 1 4 2 3 3 3 0 14 10 2 2 9 4 22 10 1 1 8 2 3 3 1 1 N/A N/A 1 1 3 2 3 1

Thomas S. Wootton 8 3 1 1 45 24 2 0 0 0 42 25 44 20 4 4 0 0

Walt Whitman 8 2 2 1 27 18 5 3 6 4 23 13 22 6 0 0 1 0

Walter Johnson 7 2 2 2 48 21 3 2 1 0 19 8 13 5 2 2 0 0

AC CE PT ED

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AP

PL

IE D

college bound

Winston Churchill 17 9 N/A N/A 28 23 6 3 N/A N/A 24 21 33 16 N/A N/A N/A N/A

55 8 184 32 17 133 143 10 8

27 6 105 20 9 83 60 10 4

TOTAL

7

5

15

15

11

9

28

13

11

2

8

4

25

16

105

64

3 4 1 0

3 3 0 0

1 0 0 1

1 0 0 1

N/A N/A 7 N/A

N/A N/A 5 N/A

2 0 3 4

1 0 3 3

1 1 2 3

1 1 2 2

2 4 5 4

2 4 4 3

N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/A N/A N/A N/A

9 9 18 12

8 8 14 9

0

0

0

0

5

0

3

0

1

0

0

0

7

1

16

1

62

37

91

75

132

73

156

124

37

27

104

74

107

74

689

484

237

134

233

171

283

175

372

279

246

188

282

166

335

240

1,988

1,353

12

5

4

4

7

5

4

1

0

0

0

0

N/A

N/A

27

15

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University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Miami University of Michigan University of Minnesota, Twin Cities University of Mississippi University of Missouri Columbia University of New Hampshire at Durham University of North Carolina at Asheville University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Charlotte University of North Carolina at Greensboro University of North Carolina at Wilmington University of Notre Dame University of Oregon University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh

Thomas S. Wootton

Walt Whitman

Walter Johnson

Winston Churchill

AC CE PT ED

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

IE D PL AP

Bethesda- Montgomery Richard Chevy Chase Blair Montgomery

TOTAL

9

4

1

1

12

8

13

10

10

6

16

9

14

9

75

47

39 59

18 13

8 26

6 16

18 54

5 12

17 83

12 16

47 76

14 17

34 47

13 2

43 94

18 26

206 439

86 102

9

6

7

7

5

4

6

3

7

6

3

2

8

5

45

33

0 0

0 0

0 1

0 1

N/A N/A

N/A N/A

4 6

4 4

4 1

4 1

2 0

2 0

4 N/A

3 N/A

14 8

13 6

5

3

3

2

N/A

N/A

0

0

0

0

0

0

4

0

12

5

3

3

4

4

N/A

N/A

2

2

2

2

0

0

N/A

N/A

11

11

47

4

27

13

51

16

60

11

52

8

41

2

56

7

334

61

4

2

3

2

3

1

1

0

0

0

1

1

N/A

N/A

12

6

7

4

1

1

3

1

3

3

1

1

0

0

N/A

N/A

15

10

4

1

1

1

3

2

4

3

2

2

12

8

6

2

32

19

9 7 44 50

0 5 1 28

4 3 40 36

1 3 5 32

5 N/A 81 57

2 N/A 7 32

9 2 60 102

1 1 4 81

14 2 46 50

0 2 6 40

6 6 32 75

0 4 1 53

6 8 54 58

0 6 2 47

53 28 357 428

4 21 26 313

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135

Bethesda- Montgomery Richard Chevy Chase Blair Montgomery University of Rhode Island University of Richmond University of Rochester University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of South Carolina University of Southern California University of St Andrews University of Tampa University of Tennessee, Knoxville The University of Texas at Austin University of Toronto University of Utah University of Vermont University of Virginia University of Washington University of Waterloo University of Wisconsin— Madison Vanderbilt University Vassar College Villanova University Virginia Commonwealth University

Thomas S. Wootton

Walt Whitman

Walter Johnson

Winston Churchill

AC CE PT ED

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

IE D PL AP

college bound College Bound

TOTAL

3 16 11 9 7 22 27 6 11

2 5 5 3 5 13 3 3 6

0 3 14 2 6 3 26 1 4

0 3 10 1 6 3 7 1 4

N/A 9 8 3 3 13 50 3 6

N/A 3 4 0 1 10 9 0 2

3 6 2 0 4 47 23 0 8

3 2 1 0 2 32 6 0 5

1 14 12 4 2 36 39 7 9

1 5 7 1 2 29 6 4 7

4 9 7 6 7 16 32 4 5

2 3 2 2 3 11 3 4 4

5 6 16 4 N/A 51 49 N/A 19

3 1 9 0 N/A 37 6 N/A 13

16 63 70 28 29 188 246 21 62

11 22 38 7 19 135 40 12 41

3

3

0

0

8

7

6

3

14

14

2

2

N/A

N/A

33

29

23 5 6 35 59 11 0

3 4 5 23 11 6 0

10 0 1 10 23 10 1

2 0 1 9 12 8 1

10 5 N/A 3 47 8 3

1 2 N/A 2 17 4 1

39 2 1 9 57 7 1

9 2 0 5 9 4 1

33 16 1 43 69 14 0

6 13 0 36 13 7 0

21 3 0 18 59 10 0

1 2 0 13 8 6 0

44 13 N/A 21 63 28 5

9 3 N/A 14 7 9 3

180 44 9 139 377 88 10

31 26 6 102 77 44 6

42

24

13

10

11

5

41

24

57

44

45

21

72

44

281

172

28 9 19

3 3 7

14 6 3

6 3 2

36 N/A 8

8 N/A 2

36 1 16

4 0 4

46 9 22

5 4 7

18 1 24

2 0 10

43 N/A 26

2 N/A 11

221 26 118

30 10 43

10

7

6

5

7

5

9

9

4

3

14

11

13

9

63

49

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BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

137

Bethesda- Montgomery Richard Chevy Chase Blair Montgomery Virginia State University Virginia Tech Wake Forest University Washington Adventist University Washington and Lee University Washington College Washington University in St. Louis Wellesley College Wesleyan University West Virginia University William & Mary Williams College Worcester Polytechnic Institute Xavier University Yale University York College of Pennsylvania

138

Thomas S. Wootton

Walt Whitman

Walter Johnson

Winston Churchill

AC CE PT ED

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

D IE PL AP

AC CE PT ED AP PL IE D

college bound College Bound

TOTAL

3 29 22 2 5 6

2 16 4 1 0 4

2 9 5 7 1 6

2 9 4 7 1 6

N/A 40 3 3 N/A 4

N/A 20 1 1 N/A 1

1 93 8 1 1 3

1 65 6 0 0 2

0 43 15 0 4 2

0 24 1 0 1 2

2 61 18 1 3 2

1 30 5 0 0 2

N/A 81 15 N/A N/A 4

N/A 47 1 N/A N/A 3

8 356 86 14 14 27

6 211 22 9 2 20

26

5

19

10

31

3

24

4

40

10

17

3

43

15

200

50

5 20 13 22 13 5 5 35 5

2 4 11 4 2 3 4 2 5

3 5 3 13 7 4 0 34 0

2 2 3 7 2 4 0 4 0

7 5 9 11 13 N/A N/A 58 N/A

1 2 5 3 1 N/A N/A 5 N/A

1 3 14 0 2 3 2 22 0

0 0 13 0 0 1 2 0 0

0 19 9 21 10 4 0 31 0

0 5 9 12 2 2 0 5 0

4 1 17 20 7 4 3 18 5

0 0 11 4 0 1 2 0 4

8 N/A 4 22 N/A 4 N/A 32 N/A

1 N/A 3 10 N/A 4 N/A 4 N/A

28 53 69 109 52 24 10 230 10

6 13 55 40 7 15 8 20 9

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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PRIVATE SCHOOL

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Guide

CHOOSING A PRIVATE SCHOOL for your child isn’t easy. There are scores of good schools to chose from and a countless number of factors that you need to consider. Co-ed or single gender? A school with a religious affiliation or not? What’s the educational philosophy and approach?

Bethesda Magazine’s Private School Guide will help you to find the school that’s the best fit. In the following pages, we provide essential information on 32 schools. You’ll find the information you need to narrow your search and to start your exploration in a targeted and effective way.

140

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

Private School Guide

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The Academy of the Holy Cross

4920 Strathmore Ave. Kensington, MD 20895 301-942-2100 www.ahctartans.org Grades: 9-12 Gender: Girls Total number of students: 450 Average class size: 19 Student/teacher ratio: 11:1 eligio s affilia ion Catholic a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e 9 Languages offered: Spanish, French, Latin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $26,300 Annual tuition for grade 12: $26,300 Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: Ride-on Bus stop at school entrance; Metro 5-minute walk Number of AP courses offered: 17, Additionally we have a dual credit/dual enrollment program with Marymount University Varsity sports: Basketball, Bocce, Crew, Cross Country, Equestrian, Field Hockey, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming/ Diving, Tennis, Track, Volleyball Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: 8 (Musical, Dance, Vocal, Instrumental, Dramatic) Music ensembles: 1 Instrumental, 4 Vocal Acc e i a ions Affilia ions National Catholic Education Association, Middle States, Independent Education, International Baccalaureate Organization, Maryland State Department of Education Founded: 1868

The Auburn School, Silver Spring Campus

9115 Georgia Ave. Silver Spring MD 20910 301-588-8048 www.theauburnschool.org Grades: K-8 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 65 Average class size: 10 Student/teacher ratio: 10:2 eligio s affilia ion none Seniors with National Merit recognition: N/A Languages offered: Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: Please inquire S en s ecei ing financial ai 47% Uniform: no Bus transportation: no Teacher retention rate: 98% Theater productions per year: 1 Acc e i a ions Affilia ions AdvancEd/Mansef Founded: 2011

Barrie School

13500 Layhill Road Silver Spring, MD 20906 301-576-2800 www.barrie.org Grades: 12 months - Grade 12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 300 Average class size: 16 Student/teacher ratio: Lower School, 13:1; Middle-Upper School, 10:1 eligio s affilia ion N/A Seniors with National Merit recognition: N/A a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e Primary Languages offered: Spanish, French, Chinese, Independent Study Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $18,500 Annual tuition for grade 12: $33,230 S en s ecei ing financial ai 47% Uniform: No Bus transportation: Yes Number of AP courses offered: 7 Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 13 Varsity sports: Soccer, Volleyball, Cross Country, Basketball, Golf, Equestrian, Track & Field, Lacrosse Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, Cross Country, Basketball, Equestrian Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: 2 Music ensembles: 5 Acc e i a ions Affilia ions American Montessori Society, Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, National Association of Independent Schools, Association of Maryland & DC Founded: 1932

Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School

3500 Woodley Road NW Washington, DC 20016 202-537-6485 www.beauvoirschool.org Grades: PK-3 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 390 Average class size: 20 Student/teacher ratio: 6:1 eligio s affilia ion Episcopal a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e PK Languages offered: Spanish, additional options after school Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $37,500 S en s ecei ing financial ai More than $1.7 million in grants were awarded last year to approximately 24% of Beauvoir students.

Students currently receive grants ranging from

approximately 3% to 96% of the full tuition.

Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Number of art studios: 1 Acc e i a ions Affilia ions See www.beauvoirschool.org Founded: 1933

Bright Horizons at Democracy Center

6901 Rockledge Drive, Suite 100 Bethesda, MD 20817 240- 671-0700 www.brighthorizons.com/democracycenter Grades: Infant, Toddler, Preschool, Kindergarten Prep Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 147 Average class size: Varies by age Student/teacher ratio: Infants and Toddlers 1:3 Twos 1:6 Preschool and Kindergarten Prep 1:10 eligio s affilia ion None Tuition: Please inquire Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Special features: Catered lunch available, onsite playground, two indoor movement spaces Founded: September 2018

Bullis School

10601 Falls Road Potomac, MD 20854 301-299-8500 www.bullis.org Grades: K-12 Gender: Co-ed Lower School Enrollment: 87 Middle School Enrollment: 184 Upper School Enrollment: 545 Average class size: 15 Student/teacher ratio: 7:1 Languages offered: French, Spanish, Latin, Mandarin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $35,050 Annual tuition for grade 12: $44,280 S en s ecei ing financial ai 39% Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: Yes, throughout the metro area Teacher retention rate: 92% AP courses offered: 21 US Varsity sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball, Wrestling MS Interscholastic sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Football, Lacrosse,

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

141

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PRIVATE SCHOOL

Guide Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track & Field, Wrestling Number of art studios: 4, plus dance studio, 2 makerspaces Music ensembles: chorus, chamber singers, concert band, concert choir, jazz ensemble, jazz workshop, string ensemble, winter and musicals and ensembles LS Arts: Grade-based theatrical productions, 5th Grade Musical, visual arts classes & shows, movement classes, general music class and band, string, and choral ensembles. All groups perform several times during the school year.

MS Arts: Grade 6 & 7 students participate in Visual Arts classes and shows and one Performing Arts class (choices: band, strings, chorus, dance, theater). Grade 8 students choose a Major and Minor area of the arts in which to delve more deeply.

US Arts: Students may pursue an Honors Capstone. Arts students participate in multiple shows and performances during the course of the year.

US courses offered in Music, Audio Engineering, Theater, Dance, and Visual Arts.

Acc e i a ions Affilia ions Middle States As-

sociation of Colleges and Schools, Maryland Department of Education, National Association of Independent Schools, Independent Education, Association of Independent Maryland Schools, Secondary School Admission Test Board, The Black Student Fund Founded: 1930

Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School

wer effer n t Rockville, MD 20852 er nter ane Rockville, MD 20852 301-881-1400 www e d r Grades: JK-12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 910 Average class size: 17 Student/teacher ratio: 8:1 eligio s affilia ion Open to all backgrounds and affiliations Seniors with National Merit recognition: 10% of

class of 2019 a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e Dual language program in Hebrew begins in Kindergarten; others begin in grade 7 Languages offered: Hebrew, Spanish, Arabic Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $22,630 (Jr. Kindergarten) $28,290 (Lower school) Annual tuition for grade 12: $18,550 (seniors graduate in February); 6-11 tuition is $36,280 S en s ecei ing financial ai 49% Uniform: No Bus transportation: Yes Number of AP courses offered: In keeping with the school’s educational philosophy, emphasizing personal academic discovery, creativity, and a deep exploration of course material, CESJDS does not offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

However, students often elect to take AP exams.

For the class of 2017, students took more than 50 AP exams.

Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 91% Varsity sports: 12

school SCHOOL green acres • • • Profile

•

11701 Danville Drive North Bethesda, MD 20852 301-881-4100 info@greenacres.org www.greenacres.org Celebrating its 85th anniversary

Enrollment

215

Grades

age 3-Grade 8 Average Class Size

11

Student/Teacher Ratio

7:1

Annual Tuition (Grade 8)

$38,730

Year Founded

1934

142

this year, Green Acres School is among the nation’s foremost—and one of the area’s original—progressive schools. Founder Alice Mendham Powell believed that education was the engine of social change, and so she set out to build a school that would give children a voice, empower them to think critically and inventively about real-world problems, and equip them with the skills they would need to participate fully in democracy.

This legacy of engaged citizenship and academic excellence continues today at Green Acres and is bolstered by the school’s commitment to inclusion and diversity, social justice, service learning, and environmental stewardship.

Green Acres graduates find success in high school, college and beyond, using their solid intellectual foundation, creativity, and strong ethical framework to emerge as leaders in a wide variety of disciplines.

Located on 15 wooded acres in North Bethesda, learning at Green Acres extends into an oasis of pristine forest, outdoor pathways, gardens, and streams—particularly advantageous for STEAM learning across all divisions—as well as playgrounds and athletic fields. Green Acres was named a MAEOE Maryland Green School in 2015 and 2019; the campus also features a greenhouse.

To learn more, go to www.greenacres.org/visit.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

“ Think what they could be

“

Learning!

Green Acres School Founder,

Alice Mendham Powell

Green Acres School

Ultimately, our world and our country will be in our students’ hands, and they will either step forward as doers and leaders or they will cede these roles to others.”

“People at Green Acres are always encouraging you to take the lead. It doesn’t matter that you’re a kid—

you’re not too young to change the world.”

-Julia ’22

- Peter Klam, Middle School Head “My experiences at Green Acres helped me develop

my awareness of injustices in the world.”

At Green Acres, we learned to treat all

human beings with dignity and respect.

- Jacob ’14

- Michael ’14 Experience

Green Acres School !

WEDNESDAY, 10/16/19 – SQUISH, SQUASH, SPLASH! (AGES 2-6, 8:30-10 AM) SUNDAY, 10/20/19 – DISCOVERY DAY (1:30-3:30 PM) MONDAY, 11/11/19 – ADMISSION OPEN HOUSE (9-11:30 AM) GREEN ACRES SCHOOL 11701 Danville Drive | North Bethesda, MD 20852 | 301.881.4100 www.greenacres.org | admission@greenacres.org

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PRIVATE SCHOOL

Guide Interscholastic sports (middle): 9 Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: 2 Music ensembles: 7 Acc e i a ions Affilia ions Association of Independent Maryland & DC Schools Founded: 1965

Primary: $24,950 K-Grade 3: $27,250 S en s ecei ing financial ai 9% Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Teacher retention rate: 91% Number of art studios: 1 Acc e i a ions Affilia ions AIMS/ IE, NAIS, NAEYC, Black Student Fund, Latino Student Fund Founded: 1965

Concord Hill School

6050 Wisconsin Ave. Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-654-2626 www.concordhill.org Grades: Preprimary (age 3) through grade 3 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 90 Average class size: 15 Student/teacher ratio: averages 7:1 eligio s affilia ion None a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e Preprimary (age 3) Languages offered: Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: Preprimary: $16,950

Feynman School

11810 Falls Road Potomac, MD 20854 301-770-4370 www.feynmanschool.org Grades: PS-8 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 115 Average class size: 12 Student/teacher ratio: 6:1 Teacher retention rate: 6:1 eligio s affilia ion None Seniors with National Merit recognition: N/A a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e Preschool

Languages offered: Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $18,936 S en s ecei ing financial ai 45 Uniform: No Bus transportation: N/A Number of AP courses offered: No Interscholastic sports (middle): N/A Number of art studios: 1 Theater productions per year: 1 Music ensembles: 1 Acc e i a ions Affilia ions NAGC; National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools (NCSSS) Annual applications per opening: 3 Founded: 2009

Geneva Day School

11931 Seven Locks Road Potomac, MD 20854 301-340-7704 www.genevadayschool.org Grades: 2 years old-Kindergarten Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 250 Average class size: 15

SCHOOL Rochambeau the french Profile international school Enrollment

1,110

Grades

Age 2-grade 12 Student/Teacher Ratio

11:1

Annual Tuition (Grade 12)

$24,050

Year Founded

1955

144

•• ••

9600 Forest road bethesda, md 20814 7108 bradley blvd. bethesda, md 20817 3200 woodbine st. chevy chase, md 20815 301-530-8260 rochambeau.org

•

For over 60 years, Rochambeau The French International School has been educating generations of multicultural, multilingual and internationally-minded students. Students can start as of age 2 in our French preschool without any prior knowledge of the French language*, and continue through high school (12th grade or Terminale) to graduate with both the French Baccalauréat and the High School diploma. Our comprehensive academic program is based on the French National Curriculum, with in addition a strong language program, allowing our students to master at least three languages at a native level: French, English and Spanish.

Arabic and German are also offered. Rochambeau graduates gain access to the best universities in the U.S., Canada, U.K., France or anywhere in the world. Rochambeau is part of the global network of French schools (AEFE) allowing students to move with ease to any of the 500 schools around the world, and enjoy the same quality of the education. *Rochambeau welcomes non-French speaking students in a specially designed French Immersion program from age 2 through 3rd grade.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

M R n

AG

IM

ww

Rocham

Multicultural. Inclusive. Bilingual.

Rigorous. An education like no other in Washington D.C.

THE FRENCH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

AGE 2 – 12TH GRADE

IMMERSION FOR NON-FRENCH SPEAKERS www.rochambeau.org/bethesdamagazine Rochambeau-Bethesda magazine 2019.indd 1

8/1/19 8:31 PM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PRIVATE SCHOOL

Guide Student/teacher ratio: 4:1, 8:1 – varies by age eligio s affilia ion None a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e 3 years old Languages offered: Spanish, Chinese, Farsi Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $7,640 S en s ecei ing financial ai 5-10% Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Teacher retention rate: 98% Acc e i a ions Affilia ions Maryland State Department of Education Office of Childcare, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Maryland State Board of Education Kindergarten Certification, Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education Certified Green School, Maryland State Childcare Association Founded: 1965

Georgetown Hill Early School 9905 Counselman Road Potomac, MD 20854

301-527-1377 www.georgetownhill.com Grades: Infants, Toddlers, Preschool, Elementary Before and After Care Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 140 Average class size: Infants: 6, Toddlers: 9, Twos: 12, Threes: 20, Fours: 20 Student/teacher ratio: Infants & Toddlers: 1-3, Twos:1-6, Threes & Fours: 1-10 eligio s affilia ion None Age o a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e 3+ Languages offered: Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: Varies by age Uniform: No Bus transportation: For school age children Accreditations/Affiliations: MSDE, EXCELS, NAEYC Annual applications per opening: varies Founded: 1980 by Ellen Cromwell

Georgetown Preparatory School 10900 Rockville Pike N. Bethesda, MD 20852

301-493-5000 www.gprep.org Grades: 9-12 Gender: Boys Total number of students: 490 Average class size: 16 Student/teacher ratio: 8:1 eligio s affilia ion Jesuit (Catholic) a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e 9 Languages offered: 4 Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $38,330 S en s ecei ing financial ai 28% Uniform: Sport Coat and Tie Bus transportation: Bus transportation from the Grosvenor–Strathmore (Red Line) Metro stop.

Students commuting to Georgetown Prep from Virginia can take advantage of a new joint transportation option with Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart.

Number of AP courses offered: 25 Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 95% Varsity sports: Football, Soccer, Cross Country, Basketball, Wrestling, Hockey, Swimming

SCHOOL Washington Episcopal School • • • Profile •

5600 Little Falls Parkway Bethesda, MD 20816 301-652-7878 admissions@w-e-s.org www.w-e-s.org

Enrollment

285

Grades

Nursery (age 3)-8 Average Class Size

14

Student/Teacher Ratio

6:1

Annual Tuition (Grade 8)

$36,750

Year Founded

1986

146

Washington Episcopal School (WES) believes that learning should be joyful, because academic excellence and happy children belong together. An independent, co-educational school for students from Nursery through Grade 8, WES is committed to helping every child develop his or her fullest potential. Our skilled, caring and attentive teachers nurture the abilities and talents of each student. The broad and enriched curriculum builds knowledge and strengthens moral awareness, self-reliance and leadership. Our supportive community — true to Episcopal tradition — welcomes and celebrates a diversity of faiths and cultures. WES graduates are accepted, attend and seamlessly transition to a wide variety of top secondary schools. Here, children stand out without burning out.

The best way for you to learn about WES is to visit and meet the students and faculty in-person.

WES hosts two Open Houses in the winter and offers private tours throughout the year. Call today to schedule your visit!

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

& Diving, Winter Track, Baseball, Lacrosse, Track, Rugby, Tennis, Golf Number of art studios: 2 Theater productions per year: 3 Music ensembles: 3 Acc e i a ions Affilia ions Accreditation: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Maryland State Department of Education, Jesuit Province of Maryland Annual applications per opening: 3.5/1 Founded: 1789

German International School Washington D.C.

8617 Chateau Drive Potomac, MD 20854 301-365-3807 www.giswashington.org Grades: age 2 - grade 12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 540 Average class size: 16 (Elementary and Upper Schools)

Student/teacher ratio: 7:1 eligio s affilia ion none Seniors with National Merit recognition: N/A a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e German in Pre-K, English in Grade 1 Languages offered: German, English, French, Spanish, Latin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: 2-year-old (full day): $18,950 (half day also available); 3 & 4-year-old (full day): $15,740 (half-day also available); School Entry Level: $20,000; Grade 1-6: $ 21,000; Grade 7-9: $ 21,700; Grades 10-12: $ 21,700 Uniform: No Bus transportation: DC, MD, NOVA Teacher retention rate: 90% Number of AP courses offered: 5 Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 95% Varsity sports: Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, Swimming, Track & Field, Tennis Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, Swimming, Track & Field, Tennis Number of art studios: 1

Theater productions per year: 4 Music ensembles: Choir and Orchestra Acc e i a ions Affilia ions Accredited by the Federal Republic of Germany’s Central Office for Schools Abroad and approved by Maryland State Department of Education Founded: 1961

Green Acres School

11701 Danville Drive North Bethesda, MD 20852 301-881-4100 www.greenacres.org Grades: Age 3 – Grade 8 Gender: Gender Inclusive Total number of students: 215 Average class size: 11 Student/teacher ratio: 7:1 eligio s affilia ion None a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e Pre-K Languages offered: Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $15,870 (Half-day Pre-K)

spirit of

achievement

Washington Episcopal School students love to learn. They are challenged daily in a balanced, joyful environment that lets kids be kids. With teachers always instructing – from books, the latest technology, studios, hallways, and athletic fields – children reach new levels of achievement.

Our students stand out without burning out out.

COME AND SEE FOR YOURSELF Daily Private Tours

Schedule by phone 301-652-7878 or email admissions@w-e-s.org

Open Houses

December 7 • 9:30 a.m.

January 25 • 9:30 a.m.

RSVP at www.w-e-s.org/admissions

WASHINGTON EPISCOPAL SCHOOL An independent, co-educational school for Nursery – Grade 8 5600 Little Falls Parkway, Bethesda, MD 20816 | www.w-e-s.org

Located about a mile from the DC line and 10 minutes from northern Virginia, off River Road BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

147

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PRIVATE SCHOOL

Guide $24,230 (Pre-K) $29,310 (Kindergarten) $33,980 (1st Grade) $38,730 (2nd–8th Grade) Annual tuition for grade 12: N/A S en s ecei ing financial ai 50% Uniform: No Bus transportation: Yes Teacher retention rate: 75% Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, Cross Country, Basketball, Softball Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: Multiple Music ensembles: Middle School Instrumental Ensemble; 4th Grade Chorus Founded: 1934

Lowell School

1640 Kalmia Road NW Washington, DC 20012 202-577-2000 www.lowellschool.org Grades: PK-8 Gender: Co-ed

Total number of students: 340 Average class size: 16 Student/teacher ratio: 6:1 eligio s affilia ion None Seniors with National Merit recognition: N/A a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e Kindergarten Languages offered: Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $19,340 (Half day, Pre-Primary) S en s ecei ing financial ai 1/3 Uniform: No Bus transportation: Yes Interscholastic sports: Co-ed Cross Country, Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Co-ed Swimming, Co-ed Jr. Track & Field, Co-ed Sr. Track, Girls Lacrosse, Co-ed Ultimate Frisbee, Baseball, Water Polo Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: A variety of music, drama, and dance performances occur throughout the year in the Primary and Middle Schools. Students perform in class and at school-

wide assemblies and special events.

Music ensembles: 4th-5th Grade Chorus, Middle School Chorus, Middle School Band, Recorder Consort, Jazz Band, Pop Bands Acc e i a ions Affilia ions National Association of Independent Schools, The Association of Independent Maryland Schools, The Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington, National Association for the Education of Young Children, Progressive Educators Network, Capital Area Progressive Schools, Black Student Fund, Latino Student Fund, Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network, Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education, Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning, The Parent Encouragement Program, Secondary School Admission Test, Educational Records Bureau Founded: 1965

The Maddux School

11614 Seven Locks Road Rockville, MD 20854 301-469-0223 www.madduxschool.org

SCHOOL st. john’s college high school • • • Profile

2607 Military Road NW Chevy Chase, DC 20015 202-363-2316 www.stjohnschs.org St. John’s College High School is an independent,

Enrollment

1,170

Grades

9-12

Average Class Size

20

Student/Teacher Ratio

10:1

Annual Tuition (Grade 12)

$20,675

Year Founded

1851

148

Catholic, Lasallian, coeducational, college preparatory school committed to academic excellence and preparing young men and women for lives of leadership, achievement and service.

St. John’s offers 24 AP and 16 honors courses, as well as a Scholars Program for gifted and talented students. Our dynamic 1:1 educational technology program, featuring iPads provided by the school at no additional cost, allows students to learn, produce and collaborate in a manner now commonplace at colleges across the country. Our graduates have a 100 percent college acceptance rate; the Class of 2019 earned $30.5 million in scholarships. We field 29 varsity teams that train with our full-time performance coaches and offer more than 50 clubs and activities. Unique to St. John’s are the Cadet Corps Leadership Program and the Entrepreneurial Center for Innovation and Social Justice. We have invested approximately $45 million in recent improvements to our 30-acre campus, including the Donatelli Center for the Visual and Performing Arts (2016), the Cap Mona Family Student Center (2017) and the Center for Performance and Leadership (opening in 2020).

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Grades: PK-2 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 44-48 Average class size: 10-12 Student/teacher ratio: 5:1 eligio s affilia ion none Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $31,500 S en s ecei ing financial ai Please inquire Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Number of art studios: 1 Teacher retention rate: 96% Acc e i a ions Affilia ions State approved curriculum Annual Applications per opening: Please inquire Founded: 2004

McLean School

8224 Lochinver Lane Potomac, MD 20854 301-299-8277 www.mcleanschool.org Grades: K-12

Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 430 Average class size: 10 Student/teacher ratio: 5:1 eligio s affilia ion None a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e Grade 5 Languages offered: Spanish, Latin, American Sign Language Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $27,790 Annual tuition for grade 12: $47,670 S en s ecei ing financial ai 36% Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: Yes Teacher retention rate: 95% Number of AP courses offered: 12 Varsity sports: Volleyball, Softball, Lacrosse, Track & Field, Cross Country, Soccer, Wrestling, Basketball, Dance Interscholastic sports (middle): Volleyball, Softball, Volleyball Lacrosse, Track & Field, Tennis, Golf, Cross Country, Soccer, Wrestling, Basketball Number of art studios: 4 Theater productions per year: 1 drama/comedy

per year, 1 musical per year, 2 musical concerts per division, talent shows Music ensembles: Strings Ensemble, Jazz Band, Rock, Pop & Blues Band, Chorus Acc e i a ions Affilia ions Maryland Department of Education, National Association of Independent Schools, Association of Independent Maryland Schools, Association of Independent Schools in Greater Washington, The Black Student Fund, Latino Student Fund, International Dyslexia Association, Learning Disabilities Association, Secondary School Admission Test Board, Association of Independent School Admission Professionals, National Business Officers Association Founded: 1954

National Presbyterian School 4121 Nebraska Ave. NW Washington, DC 20016 202-537-7500 www.nps-dc.org Grades: Nursery (3) – Grade 6 Gender: Co-Ed

stjohnschs #spirit #fun #friendship #scholars #lasallian #cadets #community #artists #athletes #leaders #entrepreneurs #service #creativity #tradition #teamwork #innovation #champions #caring #family #WeAreStJohns N

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Opening Minds | Unlocking Talents | Building Leaders 2607 MILITARY ROAD, NW, CHEVY CHASE, DC 20015

WWW.STJOHNSCHS.ORG

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

149

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PRIVATE SCHOOL

Guide Total number of students: 300 Average class size: 13 Student/teacher ratio: 7:1 Teacher retention rate: N/A eligio s affilia ion Presbyterian Seniors with National Merit recognition: N/A a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e Pre-Kindergarten Languages offered: Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $17,725 Annual tuition for grade 6: $33,250 S en s ecei ing financial ai 23% Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Varsity sports: N/A Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, Basketball, Lacrosse Number of art studios: 2 Theater productions per year: 1 Music ensembles: 3 Acc e i a ions Affilia ions NAIS, AISGW Founded: 1969

The Nora School

955 Sligo Ave. Silver Spring MD 20910 301-495-6672 www.nora-school.org Grades: 9-12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 65 Average class size: 8 Student/teacher ratio: 5:1 eligio s affilia ion None a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e 9 Languages offered: Spanish, Latin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $32,750 Annual tuition for grade 12: $33,150 S en s ecei ing financial ai 20% Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Varsity sports: 4 Co-ed JV teams Number of art studios: 2 Music ensembles: 2 Acc e i a ions Affilia ions NAIS, AISGW and

Middle States Accreditation Association Founded: 1964

Norwood School

8821 River Road Bethesda, MD 20817 301-365-2595 www.norwoodschool.org Grades: PK-8 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 440 Average class size: 10-12 Student/teacher ratio: 6:1 eligio s affilia ion None a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e pre-Kindergarten Languages offered: Spanish, French, Latin, Mandarin Chinese Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $22,680 S en s ecei ing financial ai 19% Uniform: Dress Code Bus transportation: Morning and afternoon routes available

SCHOOL OUr lady of Good Counsel Profile high school •

•

•

17301 old vic blvd. olney, md 20832 240-283-3230 olgchs.org

Enrollment

1,200+ Grades

9-12

Average Class Size

19

Student/Teacher Ratio

13:1

Annual Tuition

$24,215

Year Founded

1958

150

Our Lady of Good Counsel High School is a Catholic, co-educational school that inspires students to excel, serve and love. Rooted in the Xaverian values of compassion and trust, Good Counsel provides a supportive environment in which students grow academically, personally and spiritually.

Academics: • Advanced Placement: 18 courses • Global Programs: exchange trips, classes, clubs • International Baccalaureate: 33 courses • Ryken: for students with mild learning differences • STEM: top 3% of Project Lead the Way schools; Community: • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program • Service curriculum, local and international • Spiritual retreats and Mass offerings • Small group advisories; Excellence: • 89% of faculty hold advanced degrees • 2019 college scholarship offerings > $34.7 million • 12 consecutive DC/MD/VA Speech and Debate Team titles • 67 WCAC titles in the past decade • Award-winning instrumental and choral programs; Facilities: • 51-acre campus in Olney opened 2007 • 650+ seat Performing Arts Center opened 2016 • State-of-the-art STEM lab opened 2018 • New turf field, baseball stadium and track

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, Field Hockey, Volleyball, Basketball, Lacrosse, Baseball, Softball, Cross Country, Track & Field Number of art studios: 4 Theater productions per year: 2 (Fall Play and Spring Musical) Music ensembles: 4 (Choral, Strings, Band, Hand Bells) Acc e i a ions Affilia ions AIMS, AISGW Founded: 1952

ONENESS-FAMILY MONTESSORI SCHOOL

6701 Wisconsin Ave. Chevy Chase, MD 20815 HIGH SCHOOL: 9411 Connecticut Ave. Kensington, MD 20895 301-652-7751 www.onenessfamilymontessorischool.org Grades: Ages 2 – Grade 12 Gender: Co-ed

Total number of students: 145 Average class size: 24 Student/teacher ratio: 12:1 eligio s affilia ion Non-sectarian a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e PS Languages offered: Spanish, French, Italian Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $21,700 Annual tuition for grade 12: $33,000 S en s ecei ing financial ai 18% Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Number of art studios: 2 Theater productions per year: 1 Music ensembles: 1 Acc e i a ions Affilia ions International Montessori Council / American Montessori Society / NAIS Founded: 1988

Our Lady of Good Counsel High School 17301 Old Vic Blvd.

Olney, MD 20832 240-283-3235 www.olgchs.org Grades: 9-12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 1,200+ Average class size: 19 Student/teacher ratio: 13:1 eligio s affilia ion Roman Catholic Average SAT score: 1431 Top 25% Tuition: $24,215 Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: Yes Number of AP courses offered: 18 Number of International Baccalaureate courses offered: 33 Number of Honors courses offered: 50 Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 100% Varsity, Junior Varsity and Freshmen sports: 54 State of the Art STEM Lab: Opened 2018 Theater productions per year: 2 Music ensembles: 11 Founded: 1958

Good Counsel is a Catholic, private, co-educational community that inspires each student to excel, serve, and love.

OPEN HOUSE olgchs.org

— Join us Sunday, October 27 10a.m. - 1p.m. / 17301 Old Vic Blvd., Olney, MD 20832

come explor #BeAFalcon — Follow on

facebook.com/olgchs /

twitter.com/olgchs

instagram.com/olgchs

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151

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PRIVATE SCHOOL

Guide The Primary Day School

7300 River Road Bethesda, MD 20817 301-365-4355 www.theprimarydayschool.org Grades: PK-2 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 135 Average class size: 16 Student/teacher ratio: 8:1 eligio s affilia ion None a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e Pre-K Languages offered: Spanish, Chinese, French Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $22,400 S en s ecei ing financial ai 11% Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Number of art studios: 1 Music ensembles: twice a month Acc e i a ions Affilia ions AISGW/AIMS Founded: 1944

The River School

4800 MacArthur Blvd. NW Washington, DC 20007 202-337-3554 riverschool.net Grades: 18 months-Grade 3 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 220 Average class size: 14 Student/teacher ratio: 5:1 eligio s affilia ion None a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e part of After School Enrichment, starting at age 3 Languages offered: Spanish, Mandarin Chinese Lowest tuition for 5-day students: Visit https:// riverschool.net/welcome/tuition-fees/ S en s ecei ing financial ai 26% Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Number of art studios: 1 Theater productions per year: 1 Acc e i a ions Affilia ions Association of In-

dependent Maryland and District of Columbia Schools (AIMS-MDDC), Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington, National Association of Independent Schools Founded: 2000

Rochambeau, the French International School

9600 Forest Road Bethesda, MD 20814 301-530-8260 www.rochambeau.org Grades: Age 2-Grade 12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 1,100 Average class size: 20 Student/teacher ratio: 11:1 eligio s affilia ion None a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e Bilingual French/English program in all grades. Additional language in 3rd grade.

Languages offered: Spanish, German, Arabic French Baccalaureate: 97% passed: 44% high-

SCHOOL westmoreland children’s center Guide • • • Profile PRIVATE SCHOOL

5148 massachusetts ave. bethesda, md 20816 301-229-7161 www.wccbethesda.com

Enrollment

142

Grades

Age 2-5 Average Class Size

12-15

Student/Teacher Ratio

12:3

Annual Tuition for 5-day Students

$18,550

Year Founded

1970

152

A respect for children is the heart of WCC’s philosophy. We recognize and value each child’s individuality. We promote self-esteem and facilitate growth in each aspect of development.

We provide emotional development for children by building confidence, trust and independence. We want children to enjoy the school experience, to feel good about transitioning from home to school.

We help children learn how to join, understand and play in a group.

We offer a curriculum rich in concrete experiences that expand a child’s knowledge and understanding. Through individual and group activities, skills in communication, language development, social studies, mathematics, science, pre-reading and problem solving are strengthened.

We view play as an essential part of development to any child. In the context of imaginative play, children are able to set up, resolve social and emotional conflicts, extend their ideas about the world, and expand conversational skills.

WCC is licensed and accredited by the State of Maryland and the Office of Child Care. WCC is the only NAEYC accredited preschool in the 20816 ZIP code.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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est honors, 23% high honors, 18% honors Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $18,500 Annual tuition for grade 12: $25,490 Uniform: No Bus transportation: Yes Interscholastic sports: Soccer, Rugby, Basketball, Volleyball, Swimming Music ensembles: 1 Vocal Theater productions per year: 2 Acc e i a ions Affilia ions French Ministry of Education, State of Maryland Dept. of Education, International Option Baccalaureate Founded: 1955

The Siena School

1300 Forest Glen Road Silver Spring, MD 20901 301-244-3600 www.thesienaschool.org Grades: 4-12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 128

Average class size: 10 Student/teacher ratio: 10:1 eligio s affilia ion None a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e 9 Languages offered: Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $40,519 Annual tuition for grade 12: $42,442 S en s ecei ing financial ai 42% Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Teacher retention rate: 97% Varsity sports: Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis, Softball, Jiu Jitsu Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, Basketball, Flag Football, Cross County, Softball Number of art studios: 2 Theater productions per year: 2 Music ensembles: 2 Acc e i a ions Affilia ions NAIS, ISM, MSACS, IDA, LDA-MC Annual applications per opening: 8 Founded: 2006

St. Jane de Chantal

9525 Old Georgetown Road Bethesda, MD 20814 301-530-1221 www.dechantal.org Grades: PK - 8 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 400 Average class size (Pre-K): 14 Average class size (K-8): 22 Student/teacher ratio: 17:1 Teacher retention rate: 85% for three consecutive years eligio s affilia ion Roman Catholic a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e Grade 6 Languages offered: Spanish Annual tuition (Pre-K): $8,750 Annual tuition (K-8): $7,775 S en s ecei ing financial ai 15% Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: No On-Site After School Care available until 6 P.M. daily

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PRIVATE SCHOOL

Guide Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, basketball, baseball, softball, track & field, cross country, golf Number of art studios: 1 Theater productions per year: 4 Music ensembles: 5 (beginning band, advanced band, beginning choir, advanced choir, chimes) Acc e i a ions Affilia ions Archdiocese of Washington Founded: 1953

St. John’s College High School

2607 Military Road NW Chevy Chase, DC 20015 202-363-2316 www.stjohnschs.org Grades: 9-12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 1,170 Average class size: 20 Student/teacher ratio: 10:1 eligio s affilia ion Catholic/Lasallian Tradition

Seniors with National Merit recognition: 12 a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e 9 Languages offered: Spanish, French, Latin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $20,675 Annual tuition for grade 12: $20,675 S en s ecei ing financial ai 39% Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: Yes Number of AP courses offered: 24 Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 79% Varsity sports: Baseball, Basketball (Boys and Girls), Crew (Fall and Spring), Cross Country, Equestrian Team, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey (Boys and Girls), Lacrosse (Boys and Girls), Rugby, Soccer (Boys and Girls), Softball, Swim and Dive, Tennis (Boys and Girls), Track & Field (Indoor and Outdoor), Volleyball, Wrestling Number of art studios: 2 Theater productions per year: 2-3 Music ensembles: 20 Acc e i a ions Affilia ions Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Association of In-

dependent Schools of Greater Washington Annual applications per opening: 4:1 Founded: 1851

St. Timothy’s School

8400 Greenspring Ave. Stevenson, MD 21153 410-486-7401 www.stt.org Grades: 9-12 Gender: Girls Total number of students: 185 Average class size: 9 Student/teacher ratio: 8:1 eligio s affilia ion Episcopal Seniors with National Merit Recognition: 1 a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e 9 Languages offered: Spanish, French, Mandarin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: Day students $33,900 Boarding students $59,900 S en s ecei ing financial ai 53%

PRIVATE SCHOOL

GEORGETOWN HILL EARLY SCHOOL SCHOOL Guide • • • Profile

9905 Counselman Drive potomac, MD 20854 301-284-8144 www.georgetownhill.com Love Where They Learn...

Enrollment

140

Grades

Infants, Toddlers, Preschool, Elementary Before and After Care Bus transportation

For school age children Year Founded

1980

154

with over 40 years of experience and 40,000 little footsteps walking through their door, Georgetown Hill Early School is leading the child care industry with a play-based, joyful approach to preschool learning. Their P.L.A.N* curriculum is research based and time-tested, all revolving around a child and family first environment. Georgetown Hill Early School is a non-profit organization and believes in giving back to their families and community. Children and families develop lasting relationships with their teachers as the organization leads the country with less than 10% teacher turnover. Their whole-child approach to learning is evident as their happy teachers create happy children, and in return happy parents. Georgetown Hill's newest location will open in Potomac Village in September, offering full and part-time enrollment for infants/toddlers, preschool, and school age before/after care.

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SCHOOL Profile Beauvoir, The National

Cathedral Elementary School

Enrollment

380

Grades

PK-3

Average Class Size

20

Student/Teacher Ratio

6:1

Year Founded

1933

•

•

3500 Woodley Road NW washington, dc 20016 202-537-6485 www.beauvoirschool.org

•

Beauvoir is an independent elementary school located on the picturesque grounds of the Washington National Cathedral in Northwest Washington, D.C. A PreKindergarten through Third Grade elementary school serving a coed population of approximately 380 students, Beauvoir focuses exclusively on the early childhood and early elementary years. All curricular goals, projects and community decisions, as well as the scale of the classrooms and Beauvoir Outdoors, are designed specifically for children under the age of 10. Beauvoir is French for “beautiful view” and we believe that the most effective education occurs when children are engaged, excited and motivated by a “beautiful view” of learning. For children to make the most of their education, they should be in an elementary school that values them, knows how to challenge and nurture them, and encourages their self-worth and sense of responsibility.

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PRIVATE SCHOOL

Guide Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: No Number of AP courses offered: St. Timothy’s offers the IB Diploma program Varsity sports: Soccer, Indoor Soccer, Field Hockey, Volleyball, Cross Country, Tennis, Swimming, Lacrosse, Softball, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Badminton, Golf, Equestrian Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, Indoor Soccer, Field Hockey, Tennis, Golf, Basketball, Swimming, Lacrosse, Softball, Badminton, Cross Country, Equestrian Number of art studios: 2 Theater productions per year: 3 Music ensembles: A Capella, Choir, Handbell Choir, and opportunity for students to take music classes at the renowned Peabody Conservatory Acc e i a ions Affilia ions Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, Association of Independent Maryland Schools, Approved by Maryland State Department of Education, International Baccalaureate World School,

SCHOOL Profile Enrollment

135

Grades

Pk-2

Average Class Size

16

Student/Teacher Ratio

8:1

Year Founded

1944

156

National Association of Episcopal Schools, the Association of Boarding Schools, the Council of International Schools, National Coalition of Girls’ Schools Founded: 1832

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart 9101 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20814 301-657-4322 www.stoneridgeschool.org Grades: Preschool-Grade 12 Gender: Co-ed Preschool, Pre-K, K; All-girls Grades 1-12 Total student population: 730 Avg. class size: 16 Student/teacher ratio: 11:1 eligio s affilia ion Catholic Seniors with National Merit Recognition: National Merit Commended Scholars: 5 National Hispanic Recognition Program: 1

a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e Preschool (3 year-olds) Languages offered: Spanish, French, Latin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $21,000 Annual tuition for Grade 12: $37,100 Uniform: Yes Bus: Yes Number of AP courses offered: 20 Students Scoring 3+ On AP Exams: 91% Varsity sports - high school: Basketball, Crew, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Swimming/Diving, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball, Winter Indoor Track Club Level: Archery, Equestrian Interscholastic sports - middle school: Basketball, Cross Country Field Hockey, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming, Softball, Tennis, Track And Field, Volleyball Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: 2 in upper school, 2 in middle school

The primary day school •

•

•

7300 River road bethesda, md 20817 301-365-4355 www.theprimarydayschool.org The Primary Day School is a nondenominational, diverse, coeducational, independent school for children in pre-kindergarten through grade 2. These are the four most crucial learning years of their lives, a time when they are ready for quantum leaps of development.

At Primary Day, everything we do focuses on helping young children flourish both academically and emotionally during this vitally important time of life.

The Primary Day curriculum is designed specifically to engage young learners. Children gain essential building blocks in reading, writing, phonovisual, mathematics, science, STEM, world languages, social studies, music and art, creating a firm foundation for ongoing school success and continued personal growth. Primary Day provides enrichment after-care options for families.

Individual tours and parent interviews with our head of school are offered during the school day and open houses are hosted in October, December and January. We also invite you to join our popular Ultimate STEM Event, scheduled in November and February.

For additional information about Primary Day, please call 301-365-4355, email us at admission@ theprimarydayschool.org or visit our website at www.theprimarydayschool.org.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

SCHOOL Profile Enrollment

65

Grades

9-12

Average Class Size

8

Annual Tuition (Grade 12)

$33,150

Year Founded

PK–GRADE 2

1964

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the nora school •

•

•

955 Sligo Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-495-6672 www.nora-school.org Think differently. At The Nora School, these are words we take to heart. This intentionally small, personal, college preparatory high school works to bring out the best in bright students with diverse learning styles. Students turn to us because they’ve become frustrated in large, impersonal institutions, while others seek a richer, more engaging education without the emphasis on standardized testing.

In our discussion-based classrooms, we inspire a critical world view, and students find their voice in an intellectually rigorous, accepting, nurturing environment. With a thought-provoking curriculum, inclusive sports and arts programs, Intersession, mindfulness and more, The Nora School helps students find their unique paths and prepare for college, work and life. Building deep connections between the faculty and students, we encourage responsibility and build confidence and excitement about learning.

We’ve expanded, offering more curriculum choices and openings for more students! Discover the essence of our school. RSVP for an open house or call us to arrange a visit. Come see how our students thrive. Celebrating the same mission for over 50 years. Think Differently.

The Nora School

JOIN US AT AN OPEN HOUSE Thurs, Oct 24 6:30—8:30pm Fri, Dec 6 8:45—10:15am Fri, Jan 10 8:45—10:15am SCHEDULE A VISIT 301.365.4355

DISCOVER PRIMARY DAY www.ThePrimaryDaySchool.org

Bethesda, MD

A college prep high school www.nora-school.org

A Good Fit Is Everything A Good Fit is Comfortable

When you're a college prep student, “comfortable” isn't often the first word that comes to mind. With 12 or fewer students in a class, there’s time to question, probe, explore, clarify, and even laugh.

A Good Fit Makes Sense

When you're a college prep student, dealing with with a “system” can make school feel meaningless. We help students make connections - we teach to the “why.” Work is meaningful, and connected to life. Students who have lost motivation, or have found school frustrating, find at Nora a real school that makes sense.

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PRIVATE SCHOOL

Guide Music ensembles: Upper School Heartfelt (A Cappella), Middle School RidgeSound (A Cappella), Chorus, Handbells, Instrumental Ensemble, Band, Orchestra and Junior Chorus Acc e i a ions Affilia ions AIMS, Middle States Associations Of Colleges And Schools, Network Of Sacred Heart Schools, National Catholic Education Association, National Association Of Independent Schools, National Coalition Of Girls Schools, National Association Of Principals Of Schools For Girls, Association For Supervision And Curriculum Development, Independent Education, National Association For The Education Of Young Children Founded: 1923

Washington Episcopal School 5600 Little Falls Parkway Bethesda, MD 20816 301-652-7878 www.w-e-s.org Grades: Age 3 –Grade 8 Gender: Co-ed

SCHOOL Profile

Total number of students: 285 Average class size: 14 Student/teacher ratio: 6:1 eligio s affilia ion Episcopal a e fo eign lang age fi s offe e Age 4 Languages offered: Spanish, French, Latin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $12,500 Annual tuition for Grade 8: $36,750 S en s ecei ing financial ai 23% Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: No Teacher retention rate: Average tenure of 15 years Interscholastic Sports: Soccer, Cross Country, Basketball, Lacrosse, Track, Swimming Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: Every grade performs at least once/year for entire school Acc e i a ions Affilia ions Association of Independent Maryland Schools; Mid-Atlantic Episcopal Schools Association; National Association of Episcopal Schools; National Association of Indepen-

dent Schools; Independent Education; Black and Latino Student Fund.

Founded: 1986

Westmoreland Children’s Center

5148 Massachusetts Ave. Bethesda, MD 20816 301-229-7161 www.wccbethesda.com Grades: age 2-5 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 142 Average class size: 12 to 15 Student/teacher ratio: 12:3 eligio s affilia ion None Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $18,550 for full day Uniforms: No Bus Transportation: No Teach retention rate: 97% Acc e i a ions Affilia ions NAEYC Accredited Founded: 1970

The Auburn School, Silver Spring Campus •

•

•

9115 Georgia Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-588-8048 info@theauburnschool.org www.theauburnschool.org

•

The Auburn School grows

Enrollment

65

Grades

K-8

Average Class Size

10

Student/Teacher Ratio

10:2

Year Founded

2011

158

the social and academic potential of bright students with social and communication challenges.

The Auburn School is an independent day-school with a specialized program that offers a stimulating educational program for intellectually engaged students with challenges in the areas of communication, socialization, language and organization. Auburn’s program simultaneously supports the development of academic skills, social competency and pragmatic language in an engaging educational environment. Our program is appropriate for students who can learn successfully and appropriately in a small classroom setting.

The Auburn School integrates social skills and pragmatic language development throughout the curriculum and school day using research-based programs and educational best-practices, and provides a challenging academic curriculum featuring multi-sensory instruction, research-based curriculum and appropriate student accommodations.

The Auburn School has campuses in Silver Spring, Fairfax, Virginia and Baltimore.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

SCHOOL Profile

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

lowell school •

•

•

1640 Kalmia Road NW Washington, DC 20012 202-577-2000 www.lowellschool.org At Lowell, dedicated teachers nurture curiosity and help

Enrollment

340

Grades

PK-8

Average Class Size

16

Student/Teacher Ratio

6:1

Year Founded

1965

children develop fundamental skills and deep, conceptual understandings that will last a lifetime. In the Pre-Primary School, opportunities abound for exploration, discovery and learning. Teachers pay close attention to each child’s social, emotional and academic development.

In the Primary and Middle Schools, a rigorous, integrated curriculum— which includes the full complement of academic classes, as well as arts, technology and physical education—engages students in active, experiential learning. A strong social curriculum develops interpersonal skills, multicultural understanding and community engagement. A full array of after-school activities—including sports, swimming lessons, music lessons and minicourses—are also available for all enrolled students.

Lowell’s dynamic and welcoming community is committed to ensuring that the principles of diversity and inclusivity permeate all aspects of the school from administrative decisions and event planning to curriculum and student life.

Lowell is centrally located on eight, tree-filled acres adjacent to Rock Creek Park in Northwest Washington, D.C.

Celebrate

HAPPINESS

Encourage

CURIOSITY

CHALLENGE

Unique Minds No

w

En ro

llin

g!

Ready to Take on the World At Lowell, children gain the knowledge and skills to become the creative leaders and problem-solvers our world needs.

Sign up for a tour to learn more.

Campuses in Fairfax , Silver Spring & Baltimore

www.TheAuburnSchool.org A school for academic and social success!

1640 Kalmia Road NW Washington, DC 20012 www.lowellschool.org admissions@lowellschool.org Bus service available in MD/DC BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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Caring | Challenging | Community

Co-ed K-12 10601 Falls Road Potomac, MD www.bullis.org/admission

10601 Falls Road Potomac, MD www.bullis.org

SCHOOL Profile

St. Timothy’s School •

8400 Greenspring Ave. Stevenson, MD 21153

• 410-486-7401 • www.stt.org

St. Timothy’s students are

Enrollment

185

Grades

9-12

Average Class Size

9

Student/Teacher Ratio

8:1

Annual Tuition for 5-day Students Day students: $32,950 Boarding students: $58,300 Year Founded

1832

160

the recipients of an educational experience unlike any in the region. Through study in the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, our girls develop the habits of mind that make them fearless in their pursuit of knowledge and become problem solvers valued by the nation’s best and most interesting colleges and universities.

Through the school’s signature program, Winterim, they engage in opportunities to apply their knowledge and love of inquiry in some of the world's leading organizations, such as the World Bank, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Brookings Institution, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York Botanical Gardens, and the Museum of Modern Art. And on a campus named by Architectural Digest as among the nation’s 50 most beautiful boarding schools, day and boarding students share the resources of a true 24/7 living and learning community.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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SCHOOL Barrie school Profile •

•

•

13500 Layhill Road Silver Spring, MD 20906 301-576-2800 www.barrie.org/admission

Enrollment

300

Grades

12 months-grade 12 Average Class Size

16

Annual Tuition (Grade 12)

$33,230

Year Founded

1932

Located in Silver Spring, just minutes from the ICC and Glenmont Metro, Barrie is a progressive independent school and learning community—rooted in Montessori and Project-based Learning approaches—that inspire excellence, resilience and responsibility through learning by doing. Serving students from 12 months through grade 12, we create rich and challenging learning experiences, foster a deep sense of belonging, and empower student voice and responsibility. The result: a truly diverse student body of engaged citizens with diverse and inclusive world-views, who are confident to be themselves. Barrie provides an extraordinary learning environment that integrates local, national and global educational opportunities. Our 45-acre campus is also home to Barrie Camp and the Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies.

Inspiring excellence, resilience and responsibility through learning by doing

Lower School

All we ask? Be you.

OPEN HOUSE

Discover Montessori 12 months - Grade 5 Sat., Oct. 19 | 10 to 11:30 am

j

Middle & Upper School

OPEN HOUSE

EXPLORE CAMPUS VISIT DAYS Monday, October 14, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. or 2 – 4 p.m.

Saturday, November 2, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Monday, November 11, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. or 2 – 4 p.m.

For more information or to RSVP contact us at 410 486 7401 or admis@stt.org.

8400 Greenspring Ave, Stevenson, MD 21153

STT.ORG

The Power of Project-Based Learning Grades 6-12 Sun., Oct. 27 | 1 to 3:30 pm

RSVP Today! admission@barrie.or 301-576-2800

barrie.org

13500 Layhill Road • Silver Spring, MD Minutes from the ICC & Glenmont Metro Bus Transportation & Extended Day Available

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SCHOOL school Profile norwood • •

•

8821 River Road Bethesda, MD 20817 301-841-2130 www.norwoodschool.org

Enrollment

440

Grades

PK-8

Average Class Size

10-12

Student/Teacher Ratio

6:1

Lowest Tuition for 5-day Students

$22,680

Year Founded

1952

At Norwood School, we believe that families shouldn’t have to choose between challenging academics and a joyful community. It begins with a simple promise: your child will be known. When students are known, teachers can design learning experiences that stretch without stress. When students are known, they are best able to learn. This is because they feel comfortable asking big questions, taking on advanced challenges, and, most importantly, becoming their true selves.

At Norwood School, education expands beyond academics to tap a full range of intellectual, artistic, athletic, social and emotional potential, allowing our students to develop a deep sense of who they are and who they want to be. We are a warm and welcoming community where the voice of every student is heard, and where caring adults model a love for learning and a responsibility for making positive contributions to our world.

The result? A vibrant community of students who love coming to school each day. Life-long learners who are confident, curious and creative. Ethical and compassionate leaders who have the skills and values necessary to actively engage in high school and in the wider world.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR GIRLS. To find their voices, speak their minds, stand up for their beliefs, and lead change.

Be Empowered.

OPEN HOUSE OPEN HOUSE: Saturday, Nov 9, 1-3pm

Sunday, November 3 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

All-Girls, Grades 9-12 4920 Strathmore Ave. Kensington, MD

www.AcademyOfTheHolyCross.org • 301.942.2100 162

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SCHOOL FEYNMAN SCHOOL Profile • •

•

11810 Falls Road Potomac, MD 20854 301-770-4370 FeynmanSchool.org

Enrollment

115

Grades

PS-8

Average Class Size

12

Lowest Tuition for 5-day students

$18,936

Year Founded

2009

Feynman School is an internationally recognized STEM-focused school for academically gifted children.

Co-ed, independent and nonsectarian, Feynman enrolls preschool through eighth-grade students.

Academically gifted children seek deep understanding, learn rapidly and think conceptually.

Creative, determined and exhibiting keen interests, they are capable of great achievement given the appropriate education. Feynman School supports these children’s intellectual and social-emotional development to the fullest.

Our experienced teachers recognize that gifted learners are bored by repetition but joyful and motivated when learning something new. We offer favorable student, teacher ratios, place no ceiling on academic achievement, explore real science, and provide a supportive environment in which learning is interdisciplinary and fun. Upon graduation, Feynman students are fully prepared to excel at the area’s most elite private high schools and public magnet programs.

Feynman’s community promotes student success. Here, students build lasting relationships with peers, show care and concern for others, and effect meaningful change. As one Feynman student reasons: “Feynman is about more than just a better future; it’s also about a better today.”

Richard Feynman • Physicist • Nobel Laureate • Teacher • Bongo Drummer • Curious Mind

What can young gifted students learn from Dr. Feynman? A lot, actually.

While it may be a tad early for quantum mechanics, they can use their curiosity to question, invent, and excel. > Curious? Call 301-770-4370 or visit feynmanschool.org today.

Preschool - 8th Grade / 11810 Falls Rd, Potomac

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OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY

OCTOBER 20, 2019 12-3 PM

MIND

BODY

Founded in 1789, Georgetown Preparatory School is America’s oldest Catholic boarding and day school for young men in grades nine through 12, and the only Jesuit boarding school in the country. Situated on 93 acres in beautiful suburban Washington, D.C., Prep’s mission is to form men of competence, conscience, commitment and compassion; men of faith and men for others.

Prep’s campus features state-of-the-art academic, athletic and student centers, small classes and a curriculum that prepares its graduates to earn admission to the world’s best colleges and universities.

SPIRIT

REGISTER ONLINE AT www.gprep.org/admissions

10900 ROCKVILLE PIKE | NORTH BETHESDA, MD 20852 | 301-493-5000 | WWW.GPREP.ORG

Excellence. Purpose.

HEART.

Discover the Magic of The River School Where Small Steps Become GIANT Leaps.

Come Visit Us!

UPPER SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE

REGISTER FOR A PARENT & CHILD OPEN HOUSE AT RIVERSCHOOL.NET

Sunday, October 20, 2019 • 12:30-3:00 PM

Dedicated to children 18 months - Grade 3

(Grades 9-12)

Empowering leaders to serve with faith, intellect, and confidence.

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart is an all-girls, Catholic, independent school located in Bethesda, Maryland, with a co-educational Little Hearts program for children age three months through Kindergarten.

WWW.STONERIDGESCHOOL.ORG 164

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Innovative educational model pairs master’s level educator and speech-language pathologist in each classroom Thematic curriculum seamlessly integrates literacy, math, science, drama, music, art, physical education and yoga riverschool.net | 202.337.3554 | admission@riverschool.net 4880 MacArthur Blvd., NW, Washington, DC 20007

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Open House 9:00 am Friday, October 18 Saturday, November 9

We invite you to visit! mcleanschool.org/visit

McLean Sees Gifts.

Help Your Child Discover Their Strengths.

McLean School transforms lives. Our small classes and Abilities Model® prepare bright students K-12 including those with dyslexia, anxiety, attention, and organizational issues for college success.

Potomac, Maryland 240.395.0698 admission@mcleanschool.org

St. Jane de Chantal School Catholic Education for Children Pre-K through Grade 8 St. Jane de Chantal Catholic School is a Christ-centered educational community committed to meeting the individual needs of students through a flexible and innovative curriculum. For more information, visit us at Dechantal.org

Join us for our Open House 9525 OLD GEORGETOWN RD

•

Nov. 11, 9:00-11:30 am

BETHESDA, MD 20814

•

301.530.1221

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CONCORD HILL SCHOOL A leader in early childhood education since 1965

To schedule a visit, please contact Susan Arzt, Director of Admission & Financial Aid at sarzt@concordhill.org or 301-654-2626.

6050 Wisconsin Avenue | Chevy Chase, MD 20815 | www.concordhill.org 166

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OUR STUDENTS DON’T JUST LOOK FOR THE ANSWERS, THEY ALSO LEARN TO ASK THE QUESTIONS.

Building Strong Foundations for Learning and Friendship

OPEN HOUSE

FALL 2019

AGE 2 - GRADE 12

The Maddux School

Pre-K through Second Grade Offering an innovative curriculum targeting social skills, academic success, andacademic self-esteem self-esteem, and success.

For more details, contact:

301.767.3807 admissions@giswashington.org

11614 Seven Locks Road · Rockville, MD 301-469-0223

www.madduxschool.org

ADMISSIONS TOUR FIRST WEDNESDAY of the MONTH 9 A.M. REGISTER ON-LINE

“Washington Post 2011 Distinguished Educational Leadership Award Winning Principal”

WWW.GISWASHINGTON.ORG/INFO CHARLES E. SMITH JEWISH DAY SCHOOL WHERE TRADITION MEETS INNOVATION

CESJDS is a JK-12 independent school that engages students in an exemplary and inspiring general and Jewish education.

Students grow in an expansive and dynamic learning environment full of opportunities, and develop into confident, creative thinkers who engage the world through Jewish values.

Average Class Size: 17 4 student publications received honors from nationally-recognized journalism organizations Teacher:Student Ratio: 8:1

Scholars, Faith, and Community Our Lady of Victory School

SCHEDULE A TOUR:

Learn Today and Lead Tomorrow

4755 Whitehaven Parkway, NW, Washington, DC 20007 t I 202.337.1421 e I admin@olvschooldc.org f I 202.337.2068 w I www.olvschooldc.org

30+ zip codes around DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia are represented by our community

301.692.4870

Lower School (JK-5) 1901 East Jefferson Street Rockville, MD A NATIONAL SCHOOL of EXCELLENCE

www.cesjds.org

ADMISSION@CESJDS.ORG

Upper School (6-12) 11710 Hunters Lane Rockville, MD

/cesjdsconnect

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FIELD DAYS

BY PAUL TUKEY

168

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

When your daughter dreams of playing in the Women’s World Cup, life as a soccer dad can get intense

The writer and his daughter Angie

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER2019 2019 169 169

at the memory of one of my first girls soccer experiences back in New England. My daughter Aimee, then 5, would spend most of her recreational team’s games holding hands with her little blond girlfriend while all the other boys and girls ran circles around them. Late in the season, desperate to get her to do something—anything—on the field, I offered Aimee a candy bar of her choice if she scored a goal. She left her friend in the dust, dashed down the sideline, stole the ball and kicked it squarely into the tiny oblong net that served as the target.

170

Even as I was jumping up and down in unabashed glory, my daughter had already run back downfield to reembrace her friend’s hand.

“Don’t you want to score another goal?” I yelled across the field.

“Do I get another candy bar?” Aimee asked with a knowing smile.

That was, as I was about to learn, just the first (and the cutest) of many questions I would face in my new life as a soccer dad. When our family moved to Montgomery County in 2013, my youngest child, Angie, started playing too, meaning that I would soon get to rejoice after even more goals. Just as

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

quickly, however, I began to agonize about what can feel like a minefield of confusing and expensive choices that I hadn’t faced before.

Aimee never truly fell in love with soccer and left the sport at age 10 to join a theater group. Angie, however, appears to be a different story. She attends every home game of the Washington Spirit, one of only nine teams in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), the only professional soccer league for women in the United States, and she could tell you the name and number of every player on the U.S. team even before they won this year’s Women’s World Cup

PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

I

HAVE ALWAYS CHUCKLED

Bottom right: Angie and her friend Katelin, pictured during a water break in 2017, started playing together on an MSI rec team when they were 4 years old. When it was time to try out for club soccer, Angie’s main worry was getting separated from Katelin, but they ended up on the same team.

in France. When it’s too cold to play outside, Angie props an old mattress against the living room wall to absorb the blow of kick after kick. If there’s a birthday sleepover the night before an 8 a.m. game, she willingly leaves the party early to get her rest. Above all else, she hates to lose.

“I’m not worried about making a college team,” she says with the nonchalant confidence that comes with being 10 years old. “The national team might be harder, though.”

I’m 58 and probably should know better, but who am I to quell her passion? I have made her the same vow regarding her dreams that I offered my three older children: “If it’s really what you want, and you’re willing to put in the work, then I’ll do just about anything to help you.”

since 1971: through Montgomery Soccer Inc., known as MSI. The organization serves about 11,000 boys and girls ages 4 to 19, according to its president, Doug Schuessler, and focuses on recreational and intermediate-level leagues coached by parents; MSI also has travel teams.

Jenna was thin and fast with no special affinity for soccer when she joined her first MSI team in 2000, Cantor says. “At first, you see the swarm, the beehive of tiny little players chasing the ball all over the field. Then, after a few years, certain kids start to separate out from the pack. …That’s when, especially in this county and the D.C. region, it really starts to get interesting, especially for girls.”

Virginia and Maryland rank third and fourth nationally, behind only Colorado and Utah, in terms of the number of Division I college soccer players they produce, according to Washington, D.C.-based accountant Patrick O’Rourke at scholarshipstats.com. About one in eight Maryland girls high school players goes on to play at one of the nearly 1,700 colleges offering soccer programs, from community and junior colleges to NCAA Division I schools.

Inspired by NWSL players with local

roots—such as Silver Spring native Joanna Lohman, who recently retired from the Washington Spirit; Andi Sullivan, a Bethesda Soccer Club alum who’s now a Spirit midfielder; and Midge Purce and Imani Dorsey, who played at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney—young players in this area can see the college and pro dream as especially real. According to national and regional statistics, the D.C.-metro area, including Montgomery County and Northern Virginia, is considered a hotbed of girls soccer in the U.S. today.

“It’s actually much harder for boys to make it in college soccer because they just don’t have the same breadth of opportunity,” says MSYSA Executive Director Flo Egan. “If you’re a Maryland girl who really wants to keep playing soccer in college, chances are there’s a school out there somewhere for you. You and your parents just have to do the homework.”

That’s the good news. But the trends aren’t all positive. According to the National Alliance for Youth Sports, about 70% of young athletes quit organized sports by age 13—and soccer, with its frequent injuries (see sidebar), is no exception. Aimee broke her arm after

“WELCOME TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY soccer madness!” Mark

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL TUKEY

PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

Left: Angie (center) plays on a club team coached by Jason Travis, a retired army sergeant. The team has practices and games four or five days a week for 10 months of the year.

Cantor said, his voice booming through the iPhone. I’d called Cantor, a building contractor who lives in Potomac and serves as president of the board of directors for the Maryland State Youth Soccer Association (MSYSA), for advice on how to proceed with a daughter who shows promise. Cantor’s daughter, Jenna, now 26, started her soccer journey the same way Angie and hundreds of thousands of other county children have BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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In Montgomery County, though, one of the biggest reasons for the decline of MSI recreational soccer participation appears to be the unrelenting pursuit of the same dream my daughter has.

Seemingly everyone around here wants in on club soccer, also known as travel soccer, no matter the impact on the bank account or family time. According to 2015 NCAA data, 95% of women college players come from club soccer teams, which are often run by certified professional coaches and require at least two practices a week and weekend games 10 months a year, plus optional summer leagues and clinics. With all the practicing, playing and driving—typical games for teams from Montgomery County can be played anywhere from southern Pennsylvania to Fredericksburg, Virginia, with some tournaments even farther away—club soccer means 12 to 20 hours or more per week dedicated to a single pursuit. That leaves little time

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Angie (in the blue shirt) and some of her teammates traveled to New Jersey in late May to watch the U.S. women’s national team play Mexico in a World Cup send-off match.

for other sports, family vacations and friendships outside of soccer.

“At some point, when you think you have an athlete on your hands, you take her out of recreational soccer and you put her on a club team to get her better competition, better coaching, better teammates,” Mark Cantor says. “As a parent, you can’t help but think that maybe there’s a future in soccer, maybe even a scholarship, and you want to give your kid every chance. But you better be ready for the commitment that entails.”

For me, the moment of truth came when Steve Abramson, my co-coach for our MSI recreational team of Potomac

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL TUKEY

getting tripped on the field, which hastened her exit from the sport, and Angie suffered a serious knee injury when she was 8. My wife, Katie, and I frequently wonder how much soccer is too much.

“Historically speaking, youth soccer in Montgomery County was an unbelievable engine in keeping kids involved in positive activities throughout their childhood, and through their teenage and high school years,” says Schuessler, who has seen MSI’s enrollment drop by about 3,000 players over the past decade. That drop appears traceable to a variety of factors beyond injuries. Success breeds competition, and organizations like BritAm Soccer Academy, Soccer Shots and the Soccer Association of Montgomery now offer clinics and youth programs for children starting as young as 18 months old. Boys and girls also have more onfield options, with lacrosse becoming increasingly popular, especially in affluent communities.

GO OUT AND PLAY MONTGOMERY COUNTY OFFERS A wide range of opportunities for soccer players—from toddler programs and parent-coached recreation leagues to competitive club teams that travel for games. The most elite programs include the Maryland Olympic Development Program and a development academy team aligned with U.S. Soccer.

Recreation programs may allow flexibility with age

groupings, but players on club teams are typically grouped together according to birth date, rather than their grade in school. Girls born in 2009, for example, would play this fall with an under-11 (U11) team. Many clubs have multiple teams in the same age group to accommodate different levels of skill.

Here’s an overview of many of the organizations in this area offering girls soccer.

ORGANIZATION

REC/DEVELOPMENT TEAMS

GIRLS TRAVEL TEAMS*

LOCATION**

WEBSITE

BETHESDA SOCCER CLUB

—

U8 - U19

BETHESDA

bethesdasoccer.org

BRIT-AM SOCCER ACADEMY

AGE 18 MO. - 18

—

BETHESDA

brit-am.com

CITY OF ROCKVILLE

K - 8TH

—

ROCKVILLE

rockvillemd.gov/672/ youth-leagues

DAMASCUS SOCCER CLUB

AGE 3 - 19

U10 - U19

DAMASCUS

damascussoccer.org

DC STODDERT SOCCER

AGE 3 - 9

U9 - U20

WASHINGTON, D.C.

stoddert.com

ELITE SOCCER YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY

AGE 5 - 13

U12 - U18

SILVER SPRING

esyda.org

FC GIRONDINS DE BORDEAUX USA

—

U13 - U16

DARNESTOWN

fcbordeauxusa.com

JUVENTUS ACADEMY DC METRO

—

U7 - U12

POTOMAC

juventusdcmetro.com

THE LIONS SOCCER

AGE 4 - 8

—

POTOMAC

thelionssoccer.com

MARYLAND RUSH MONTGOMERY

AGE 8 - 10

U11 - U19

GAITHERSBURG

marylandrush montgomery.com

MONTGOMERY COUNTY RECREATION

AGE 3 - 8

—

COUNTYWIDE

montgomerycounty md.gov/rec

MONTGOMERY SOCCER INC.

AGE 4 - 18

U10 - U19

COUNTYWIDE

msisoccer.org

OLNEY BOYS AND GIRLS COMMUNITY SPORTS ASSOC.

PRE-K - 8TH

U10 - U19

OLNEY

obgc.com

PLAYER PROGRESSION ACADEMY

AGE 4 - 12

U8 - U15

POTOMAC

ppateam.com

POTOMAC SOCCER ASSOC.

—

U8 - U19

POTOMAC

potomacsoccer.org

SOCCER ASSOC. OF MONTGOMERY

AGE 2 - 7

U7 - U19

BOYDS

samsoccer.org

SOCCER SHOTS

AGE 2 - 8

—

ROCKVILLE

soccershots.org

S.O.T.A.M. FUTBOL ACADEMY

—

U10, U12

SILVER SPRING

sotamfa.com

TAKOMA SOCCER

AGE 3 - 18

—

TAKOMA PARK

takomasoccer.org

XENEIZES MD SOCCER ACADEMY

AGE 5 - 7

U7 - U11

DARNESTOWN

xeneizesmd.com

* Depending on enrollment levels, clubs may add or remove age groups year to year. ** Location refers to the area where most practices and home games are held.

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SIDELINED KNOWN THE WORLD OVER as “the beautiful game,” soccer’s inherent exercise is certainly beneficial. But for a parent, the sport can also be scary. Injuries to the brain, neck, knees and ankles are a fact of soccer life—especially for girls, who are more likely than boys to suffer concussions and sprained or torn ligaments, according to numerous medical studies.

“Now that we have made it a year-round sport, the injuries have really become an epidemic,” says Bethesda physical therapist Stacy King, who specializes in treating youth soccer players. “We are seeing more of a broad spectrum of problems, especially from overuse injuries, because parents are letting things get out of control with their children playing one sport too much and too young.”

Here are the three biggest issues King sees in girls who play soccer 10 to 12 months of the year:

CONCUSSIONS In soccer, concussions can occur after contact with the ball, the ground, a goal post, or another player’s elbow or head. A study released in March by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that from 2010 to 2016, an average of 11,670 girls in the U.S. were treated in the emergency room each year for soccer-related brain injuries. Some doctors have recommended an outright ban on teens and pre-teens striking the ball with their heads, but Maryland State Youth Soccer Association rules only forbid players under the age of 11 from heading the ball. Some research suggests that learning to strike the ball with the forehead near the hairline reduces the risk of concussions; other data shows that repeated head contact with the ball may prove to be problematic and could even cause long-term cognitive damage.

ACL INJURIES Ligament strains are common in many sports, but research shows that in soccer, the incidence of torn anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) of the knee is greater among females after puberty than it is for males.

Several members of this year’s U.S. Women’s World Cup team have suffered the injury, which typically requires a year or more of recovery time. Though the experts don’t all agree that the risk of ACL tears in soccer can be alleviated through proper training, King feels that exercises to strengthen the hamstrings and learning to “play lower, with knees bent,” can reduce the chances of this injury.

OVERUSE INJURIES While bone breaks, ankle sprains and concussions happen in an instant, other maladies, such as tendinitis of the knees or ankles, often occur as a result of overuse. “Your body absolutely needs training seasons and cycles to help avoid injuries,” King says. “There needs to be an offseason for the body to rest.” That doesn’t mean soccer players should be sedentary all summer or winter. King recommends playing other sports so the body works all muscle and tendon groups. “Believe it or not, that will help your child get better in her primary sport…but try selling that idea to the parents in Montgomery County.”

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Elementary School first graders, tapped me on the shoulder after a lopsided victory at Herbert Hoover Middle School on a Saturday morning more than three years ago when my youngest child was 6. “It’s Angie’s time to go,” he said reluctantly.

“Go where?” I asked.

“A club team,” he said. “She’s ready.”

ACCUSTOMED TO THE PIERCING

fever pitch of an MSI rec field and the giddiness coming from the line at the ice cream truck after Saturday games, I barely recognized the scene at Angie’s club soccer team tryout in 2016. Some girls clung to their stone-faced parents, whose eyes moved from player to player to assess their relative sizes. I did it, too.

When Angie, normally ebullient, saw Katelin, her best buddy from their rec team, the two girls huddled tightly and quietly, talking in whispered tones.

Angie’s worry, maybe bigger than not making the club team for the Potomac Soccer Association, was that she would get separated from her friend. For Katelin’s dad and me, the concern was how far behind our daughters might fall if they made the “B” team rather than the “A” team. Judging from the looks on other parents’ faces, some seemed worried that their daughters might not make it at all.

It didn’t take long, though, to reveal a barely hidden truth about club soccer in Montgomery County: Almost everyone makes it. According to Jessica Hafer, registration director at MSYSA, about 15,700 of the roughly 60,000 girls who play soccer in Maryland are on club teams, with more than 60% of those— about 9,600—coming from Montgomery County. If you’ve got the cash and the will, one of the dozen or so for-profit and nonprofit organizations in the area is probably willing to give your daughter a spot, even if she’s barely touched a ball in her life. The demand for girls club soccer is so high that the most sought-after organizations, such as the Bethesda Soccer Club, have as many as four teams of Under-11 (U11) girls, separated by ability

Left: Angie had a private coaching lesson with Shae Yanez, a goalkeeper for the Washington Spirit who stayed with the writer’s family earlier this season to save on living expenses.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAUL TUKEY

Below: Jenna Cantor and her dad, Mark, in front of the well-worn plywood goal in their Potomac backyard. Mark constructed the goal for his daughter when she was 12.

levels—blue, white, green and orange— competing in different area leagues.

“It’s almost insane how many kids are being put into travel soccer,” Schuessler says. “If travel soccer is supposed to be the pinnacle of the soccer talent pool, why does it represent such a high percentage of all of the kids? It did not historically. This is a phenomenon of the last 10 years. To me, it is commercialization. Club soccer has become big business for a lot of people.”

Angie’s soccer tab at age 10, if I dared to add it all up, is probably north of $6,000 a year. That includes the $2,300 annual club fee, summer camps, private coaching lessons, gas money and hotels, along with the balls, goals, cones, backpacks, uniforms and other clothing she needs to look the part. I used to fantasize that maybe someday I could get it all back in the form of a scholarship, but reality paints a different picture: Playing soccer is a resume-builder that can often help your daughter get into college, but it rarely pays the bills. NCAA data shows

that the average scholarship among all college divisions is less than $10,000 a year, and only the two or three most elite players on a team get anything close to a full scholarship.

For my daughter, her club soccer friends, and likely many of the 3 million or so other girls who are playing in the U.S., the biggest lure of all might be Alex Morgan, a top goal scorer for the U.S. national team. Morgan has posed for Sports Illustrated, starred in the 2018 soccer fantasy film Alex & Me, and made Time magazine’s 2019 list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

But Morgan and her 28 teammates—just about the only women making a living wage playing on the soccer field in this country—sued the U.S. Soccer Federation in March for gender discrimination based on compensation inequities. The

starting annual salary for an entry-level NWSL professional player is $16,538 a year; the starting salary for the men playing Major League Soccer is $54,500.

For the past three years, my family has volunteered to provide housing for a member of the Washington Spirit during the season to help players make ends meet. Seeing that economic reality up close has made Katie question my priorities at times when I’d rather kick a soccer ball with my daughter than help her with math and reading homework. She and Aimee can get annoyed when I sit at the dinner table and share others’ opinions about whether Angie is on the right

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for you.”

I glanced into the rearview mirror and saw fear in their faces. “It would be totally up to you.”

“Wait, what?” Katelin asked.

“Would coach Jason come with us?”

Angie wondered.

“Would they take both of us?” Katelin asked.

“You’d have to see,” I said. Later that evening, long after I had tucked Angie into bed, she came into our room and nestled between me and my wife. “I want to get better, but I just really love playing with Katelin, so it’s a hard decision,” she said softly. “Can I stay at Potomac for now?”

“Are you kidding?” I asked, trying to lighten the moment. “Coach Jason would kill me if I take you off his team.”

JENNA CANTOR SAYS SHE was so nervous at her first big club tryout that she could barely breathe. Thirteen years ago, the Bethesda Soccer Club’s “A” squad, known as the Freedom, was the only elite travel soccer team in Montgomery County for girls, and more than

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

100 candidates were vying for two open spots. The more the preteens passed, dribbled and shot, the more Jenna doubted her ability to keep up with the girls who’d been playing together for years. After a water break, Mark Cantor silently put his hand on his daughter’s shoulder, then nudged her onto the field.

“You got this,” he said.

A few days later, Jenna received the phone call she’d been dreading, but the result wasn’t what she expected. She’d made the team. But she spent the next two seasons mostly on the bench during games. The sting of those memories is still vivid now.

“A lot of these girls at Bethesda were taught these crazy skills at age 5, 6 or 7, and I was definitely intimidated by them because I knew I wasn’t as good,” she says. “I was skinny and scrawny, with no skills. But the thing is, my dad was chill about it. He always stayed positive. …He had more confidence in me than I had in myself.”

As a father who has emailed the Potomac Soccer Association’s administrators to discuss everything from what

PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

club team to match her ability. Clubs in Maryland aren’t supposed to blatantly recruit players from other clubs—that’s prohibited by an unofficial code of ethics—but that doesn’t stop us soccer dads (and many moms) from constantly strategizing our child’s next move.

On the way to practices and games four or five days a week, Angie and Katelin are silly fifth graders who sit in the back seat and gossip about their classmates and teachers. I often jokingly plug my ears when they belt out, at the top of their lungs, the theme songs to more television commercials than little girls ought to know by heart. During an evening drive this spring, while they were singing, I interrupted them to share a new rumor.

“Bethesda is starting an elite U12 girls team next year,” I said. “Would you want to try out?” The response was total silence. “You know that Andi Sullivan played at Bethesda, right?” Not a peep. “And Bethesda is the only club in this area that places teams in the ECNL, which stands for Elite Clubs National League. It’s where the most colleges are likely to be scouting. It could be good

team my daughter should play for to why a certain coach wasn’t trying harder to win, Jenna’s last point struck me. Chill?

Not me, if I’m being honest. The day I was kicked off a soccer field by a referee in McLean, Virginia, for arguing about why he wasn’t calling pushing fouls on 8-year-olds flashed before my eyes.

I called Laurie Lane, executive director of the Potomac Soccer Association, in February to set up a face-to-face interview for this story. Knowing that she spends much of her day fielding calls and emails from people like me, I figured I might get an earful.

“I do think parents can take the joy out of it,” she says bluntly, but with a smile, as I squirm in my chair. “I think if you are standing on the sidelines screaming at the ref, screaming at the coach, emailing the club constantly, always bitching about something, you are going to take the joy out of it. That is just the fact.

And if every single time your kid gets in the car you are bitching at them about what they did or didn’t do, you should only be saying, ‘Hey, I really enjoyed watching you play today.’ Your kids want you to love them unconditionally, that’s it.”

EAGER TO GIVE HIS daughter every

edge to match her work ethic, Mark Cantor eventually found his way to the late Rolly Magallanes of Silver Spring, whom Cantor would recommend to me years later for private lessons for Angie.

A drill sergeant of a coach who barked out commands—“A little harder on that shot!...We need more concentration!”— Magallanes loathed a modern soccer culture in which everyone who can afford to pay can play. He required players to try out in order to prove they were worthy of his semiprivate $50-an-hour lessons, and Jenna, who was transforming physically

by her midteens, made the cut.

“That changed everything for Jenna,” Cantor says. “Puberty is a big equalizer, especially for girls. A lot of the 11-yearold superstars begin to slow down because puberty affects every girl differently. Then you had Rolly, who just whipped her into shape, and she became rocket fast. Her friends started calling her ‘JJ,’ for ‘Jenna Jet.’ ” Cantor’s advice to be patient and not read too much into my 10-year-old’s success or failure is echoed by others who have clawed their way to college soccer, or even the pros. Purce, who now plays for the NWSL’s Portland Thorns, recalls “too many low points to possibly pinpoint one” on her way to a four-year career as a starter at Harvard. Joanna Lohman says that “being the player who starts every game and plays every minute is valuable, but so is being the player who never sees the field. You can gain

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field days

something from any experience; it just depends on how you look at it.”

What matters most, top players say, is not which club a girl plays for in this county—Bethesda, Potomac, Damascus, Maryland Rush or so many others—it’s who she plays for: her coach, her teammates and herself. Family support helps, but no amount of enticements, candy bars or otherwise, will eventually matter. Coaches and players say enjoying the practices, games and tournaments is still the most important outcome. But, as Andi Sullivan says, “If you want to make it in soccer, you better think running is fun.”

For my daughter and her teammates on her Potomac travel team, Thursdays test that theory. By 6:55 p.m. on an April evening, they’ve already been practicing for nearly 90 minutes. “Line up in 15 sec-

onds,” says coach Jason Travis, a retired Army sergeant. Some of the girls groan because they know what’s coming: windsprint drills Travis calls “Uniteds”— named for a famous men’s team in Britain—that require the girls to run to the center of the field and back to the 18-yard line in 15 seconds or less.

Each girl finishes in the allotted time for the first four sprints. On the fifth, Travis counts the time in ascending volume—“13…14…15”—and two players miss the mark. “We need another one,” he says. More girls groan, this time hanging their heads. The sixth time, several other players are unable to finish in 15 seconds, and two of the girls begin to cry. When certain parents edge closer to the sideline, the coach seems to get the message.

“Who can tell me why we run?” Tra-

vis asks as he walks off the field with his red-faced players.

“Because when we’re tired against Arlington, we’ll make bad decisions,” Katelin says.

“That’s right!” the coach says. “Great job tonight, ladies. Now get some rest.”

AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 1,000

hours each year for practices, private lessons and tournaments across the U.S. and even Europe, Jenna and her dad had developed a private language of hand signals that allowed him to convey information from the sidelines to the field. They had one signal for running faster, another for moving to the middle of the field. The two-fingered victory sign meant that a college scout was in attendance. During his daughter’s junior season at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac,

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Cantor says he began to feel more like a sports agent than a father.

“College recruiting is kind of like dating,” he says. “Sometimes things are hot, and sometimes it’s cold. Coaches can be hot on you for a while, and the next thing you know you don’t hear from them again.”

In the end, Jenna spurned dozens of Division I scholarship offers and signed with Cornell University—which as an Ivy League school doesn’t offer athletic scholarships—only to soon find out that the coach who recruited her had taken a job elsewhere. After more than 10 years with soccer as the main focus of her life, freshman year taught her an unexpected lesson: College soccer felt like a job she didn’t love. That May, a growing pit in her stomach stuck with her for the six-hour drive south from Ithaca, New

York, to her family’s driveway. Instead of kicking thousands of shots into the well-worn plywood goal in her Potomac backyard that summer, she agonized day after day about her future. Conversations with her parents were often tearful. “It was a massive, massive decision to quit,” she says. “It’s not easy. You really feel like you’re losing this core part of you, but I wasn’t even thinking about myself, honestly. I was thinking about my dad and my mom. I felt like I was letting them down in such a big way that it crushed me.”

Were there any regrets? I impulsively needed to ask this of Jenna as a knot formed in my stomach. Angie is my last athlete, and I really adore watching her play. Except for the injuries, I love all of it: the goals, wins and smiles, and even the long drives, the losses and the occa-

sional tears. It will be profoundly sad whenever, and at whatever level, she decides to stop.

“Regrets? No. Not really,” Jenna says without hesitation. “In some ways my life began the day I quit soccer, but soccer gave me everything I have in life—my grit, my determination, my competitive spirit. Soccer is what got me into Cornell University. Cornell! And soccer gave me my best friend…my dad. I thrived because my dad was with me every step of the way. I just loved having him there.

Because of soccer, we have a bond that will never be broken.”

I can only hope for so much.

Paul Tukey is a longtime journalist and photographer who serves as the chief sustainability officer at the Glenstone Museum in Potomac.

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Deck Deck Deck Deck Deck Deck Deck Deck Deck Deck Deck Deck

BY JULIE RASICOT

Taking on the Water When streets flood or someone’s in danger on the Potomac River, a team of specially trained Montgomery County firefighters answers the call for help

BY JULIE RASICOT | PHOTOS BY EDGAR ARTIGA BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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F

FLOODWATER WAS RISING ABOVE the guardrails on a stretch

of the Clara Barton Parkway near the Beltway on the morning of July 8 as Capt. Mike Stream and three other Montgomery County firefighters waded into the swirling brown current.

Ahead of them, they could see several stranded cars. Two drivers yelled and waved, one standing up through the sunroof of her white car, its back end bobbing in the rushing water.

Several yards beyond her car, a man in an orange Camaro was also waving for help. Another driver had managed to escape her red SUV and stood on the Beltway access ramp.

In less than 60 minutes during rush hour, 3 to 6 inches of Caption rain had fallen throughout the county, quickly overwhelming storm drains and creeks, causing flash flooding on roads, and stranding drivers, sometimes in swiftly moving water like the current coursing across the parkway. Since about 7:30 a.m., members of the Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service Swift Water Rescue Team had been responding to dozens of reports of stranded motorists. Stream’s crew had passed by the area just minutes before it flooded as they headed north for a call in Carderock. They were on their way back to Fire Station 10 in Bethesda when another unit radioed about the stranded cars on the parkway.

After assessing the situation—even an SUV can be swept away in just 2 feet of moving water, team members say— the rescuers, wearing black waterproof suits, life vests and red helmets, sloshed toward the stranded drivers.

After helping one driver out of her car and walking her through the water to higher ground on the Beltway ramp, Stream and firefighter Rob Rogers headed back into the current toward the woman in the white car. The water kept rising, hitting waist-level as they helped the woman open her car door and get out just as her car began floating away. Holding onto her between Capt. Mike Stream, who comes them, the men fought the current as from a family of local firefightthe three headed to safety. ers, is in charge of training for the Swift Water Rescue Team.

“It’s really difficult to make forward

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STREAM PHOTO BY EDGAR ARTIGA; JULY 8 PHOTOS COURTESY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE

Members of the county’s Swift Water Rescue Team responded to dozens of reports of stranded motorists during the flash flooding on the morning of July 8. Over a span of three hours, the team rescued as many as 20 people.

progress, even just to maintain what you have. Every time you step, it almost feels like you’re going to be washed away,” Stream, 44, recalls.

Once the woman was on safe ground, Stream and Rogers headed toward the Camaro, where two other crew members were struggling to remove the man from the car’s tight confines. As Stream and Rogers held on to the car to keep it from floating away, the others finally maneuvered the man out through the driver’s side window.

“We let go, and the car floated a few feet and submerged almost instantly,” says Stream, who estimates the water at that location soon rose to a depth of about 8 feet. “It went deep fast.

I have not seen water rise that quickly in a long time.”

Meanwhile, a silver SUV, which was too far away for the rescuers to reach, floated down the parkway and under the Beltway overpass to a spot where the water was lower and another crew was able to get to the driver.

Ten minutes after the rescuers had arrived, the stranded motorists were safe. Another crew had launched an inflatable boat and searched the floodwater, making sure no one else was stranded. Nobody was injured, but Stream, a five-year veteran

of the team, knows that timing was everything that day. “Had we not been where we were, I’m sure it would have been a different outcome for them,” he says.

OVER A SPAN OF three hours that July morning, the Swift

Water Rescue Team responded to more than 50 calls around the county. While several motorists stranded in floodwater were able to escape before crews arrived, team members rescued as many as 20, according to fire department officials.

“We were running from one call to another, basically kind of chasing the storm,” says Lt. Mark Mechlin, 34, who responded to the scene on the parkway.

Part of the special operations section of the fire and rescue service, the team is the latest evolution of the River Rescue and

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Tactical Services Team originally formed in the 1950s by the Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department. With roughly 100 firefighters, including eight women and about 40 firefighters in training, the team handles service calls involving swift water anywhere in the county, though most calls involve people in trouble on the Potomac River—boaters, swimmers and others who fall in and get caught in the violent currents. The specially trained team members are stationed in two-person crews at Fire Station 30 in Potomac, the team’s home base, and Fire Station 10, both of which are located within a few minutes’ drive of the river. While other county firefighters are trained to handle incidents involving so-called “flat water,” like a lake, the team gets the call if the water is moving faster than a person can walk in comfortably and more than 6 or so inches deep, according to fire Capt. J. “Andrew” Bell, the team’s leader.

The team has also deployed to assist first responders in street flooding incidents in other parts of the state, including Ellicott City and Baltimore.

Bell, 46, recalls a cold, damp day in April 2011 when the river was running high and a woman had been swept out of her kayak after entering the frigid water at Violettes Lock in Darnestown.

Bell and team members Peter Gillis and Master Firefighter Chad Pollard arrived at the river after rescuing a group of Boy Scouts and chaperones whose campsite near the C&O Canal in White’s Ferry had been cut off by rising floodwater.

By the time the firefighters got to Violettes Lock, the woman had been clinging to the branches of a partially submerged tree for a half hour. “Help me!” she screamed as she held on “for dear life,” Bell recalls. The firefighters quickly launched their inflatable boat from a flooded area on the canal towpath, and Bell maneuvered upstream through the rushing current until the boat was next to the woman. “She

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Caption

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The team trains yearround in the Potomac River, practicing swimming and rescue techniques such as a shallow water crossing (below) and a drill that involves throwing lines from a moving boat to a moving victim (top left). The team also trains with the U.S. Park Police Aviation Unit.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE

couldn’t get her fingers or her hands to work to release her grip from the tree because she was so cold,” he says. “The guys had to pull her up off the tree to get her into the boat.”

Within seconds, Bell was speeding back to the shore. The woman—a 31-year-old from Woodbridge, Virginia, according to published reports—was transported to a local hospital and released the next day, he says.

In addition to handling river rescue missions, the team responds to incidents in the C&O Canal National Historical Park on the Potomac, where transporting hikers injured on rocky and steep trails is often easier by boat than by trying to walk them out. The park’s Great Falls and the Potomac The team responded to River Gorge are popular with visia call in May about two men found sitting in the tors, but the strong currents, changing C&O Canal next to their depths and slippery rocks pose danoverturned SUV. The gers to boaters and others on its banks. injured men were transported to a hospital.

According to the National Park Ser“Every event we go to vice, more than half of all river-related is completely different,” injuries in the gorge are fatal, and more Capt. Bell says. than 70 percent of river-related incidents involve swimmers, waders and others who fall off slippery rocks and into the river.

During the peak months of May through September, the bank of a river chute off the Clara Barton Parkway in Bethesda team is often called to an area that runs from the treacherous on an early June day, wearing a waterproof suit, a flotation vest, white water of Great Falls to the area near Old Angler’s Inn and a safety helmet while waiting her turn to reenter the water on MacArthur Boulevard in Potomac, which has “always been during a training exercise. kind of our bread-and-butter operation,” says Bell, who has led “I don’t like the water. Everybody knows that,” says the the team for two years.

63-year-old veteran firefighter. “You have far less control in Sometimes, crews don’t arrive in time to save people from the water.” drowning. “In summertime, you get the kids swimming on both As of July, the team has expanded its response capability to sides of the river. Every year we run a number of [these calls] and Fire Station 14, and firefighters stationed there are training to they end up dying,” Bell says of the 18- to 22-year-olds who most become team members. Acquiring certification can take a year often run into trouble in the river. “From a fatality perspective, or two as firefighters have to fit in required classes and river they are our target audience.” When a death occurs, the team is training with their regular firefighting duties. Becoming a boat responsible for assisting police in their investigation and retriev- operator can take another year or two. ing the body. They’ll search for as long as three days.

Today, Deputy and firefighters from her station are practicing swimming and rescue drills along with other team CAPT. AUDREY DEPUTY, a shift commander at Fire Station 14 members. The team, which trains year-round in the river, often outside Poolesville, would rather be in a burning building than uses the chute, which is lined with guide poles for the whitein the Potomac River’s swift current. But she’s standing on the water kayakers who also practice there. Set to retire at the end

of this year after 34 years of service, Deputy is participating “to set the example” for the firefighters under her command, even though she will not complete the certification process.

One drill requires the firefighters to catch a line thrown from the bank as they float past. After grabbing the line, each firefighter is supposed to swim to the bank, a difficult task in the churning water with a depth of just under 4 feet. While some firefighters are able to grab the rope easily and swim to shore, Deputy and others bob under the water as they scramble for it.

“How did I do? Be critical,” she asks the other team members.

Master Firefighter David DeVore, in charge of safety for the team, explains the best way to grab the rope as Deputy and the other trainees agree that it was difficult to hold in the rushing current.

“It was hard to see the rope, and then I’m choking on water,” she says. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought, but it wasn’t much fun.”

DeVore says the training helps the firefighters understand what the river is like and learn not to panic if they are in the current—though the team’s goal “is to not end up in the water” during a rescue mission. “You are never going to beat the water,” he says, “but you can learn to use the water to your advantage.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE

ONE SUNDAY MORNING IN June, Bell sits in a team pickup truck

parked at a boat launch on the riverbank near Old Angler’s Inn. Radio mic in hand, he is coordinating the team’s crews as they rescue a woman who suffered a knee injury while hiking on the Billy Goat “A” Trail in the park.

After heading upriver in four inflatable boats, Stream and other rescuers climb a steep rocky incline to reach the woman and then carry her down in a basket for the ride back to the boat ramp. A U.S. Park Police helicopter, part of the standard dispatch for swift-water rescue calls, hovers above after radioing information about the woman’s location.

When someone gets injured on a trail, rescuers walk the person out if possible, carry them to a boat that’s waiting at

the river’s edge, or hoist them out via helicopter. Team members train with the U.S. Park Police Aviation Unit at its base in Washington, D.C., so they know how to quickly secure a rescue basket and then maneuver the attached lines to keep it horizontal as it is hoisted. The helicopter can only hover in one place for five minutes because doing so any longer uses up too much power, says the aviation unit’s Sgt. Timothy Ryan, who trains the team.

On July 20, with the heat index hovering near 110 degrees, crews faced what Stream called the team’s “worst nightmare” when a 32-year-old Severn woman suffered cardiac arrest after climbing a rock face on a difficult section of the Billy Goat Trail. Bystanders were performing CPR when swift-water rescuers climbed to the spot after securing their boats on the riverbank below, says Stream, who coordinated the rescue.

The woman was transported by the Park Police helicopter to Suburban Hospital in Bethesda. Though she later died, “she was at the hospital much quicker than if we had to carry her out by boat,” he says.

Traveling by boat, though, is often the safest and fastest option, team commanders say. “Trying to put somebody in a basket, a 150-, 250-pound person, and having four to six of us carry you is dangerous for us,” Stream says. “If we can just get you down to shore and put you in a boat, it’s a nice leisurely ride back to shore and we can have a pickup truck take you from here up to the ambulance in the parking lot.”

Helping the hiker with the knee injury was the team’s third service call that June morning. Crews had just returned from rescuing fishermen who were trapped in a boat among the rocks at Seneca Breaks, a small waterfall near the Trump National Golf Club in Potomac Falls, Virginia. They had ferried the uninjured fishermen to shore with help from a Maryland Park Service Department of Natural Resources boat that was patrolling the area.

As he monitors the radio, Bell’s black shorts, socks and New

When a death occurs, the Swift Water Rescue Team is responsible for assisting police in their investigation and retrieving the body. They’ll search for as long as three days.

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taking on the water Balance sneakers are still wet from helping the stranded fishermen. Now in his 20th year with the fire department, Bell joined the team about 11 years ago, when he was assigned to fill a leadership vacancy at Fire Station 30 after he was promoted. Bell, who lives in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and is the grandson of a firefighter, soon realized that handling rescue calls dealing with swift water was “pretty rewarding” and often more challenging than fighting fires. “In the Greater D.C. area, when you go to a structure fire, a regular house on fire, you’re going to have 30, 40 firemen all trying to put out a very small house, usually,” he says. “On the river, usually there is only a handful of us that are trained, certified, that are actually doing the rescue.”

Bell recalls the time he and Master Firefighter Keith Federroll saved a man in his late 20s who was swept over Great Falls after falling into the river while trying to take a picture from a rock on the Virginia side. “Anytime you take a boat up there, that close to the falls, is considerably dangerous,” Bell says, because the turbulent waves can flip a craft. That nearly happened to Bell and Federroll once, when waves tipped their boat onto its side as Federroll was driving. “It felt like I was hanging by the rope, hanging straight up and down,” Bell says.

The boat dropped back down and Bell looked back to see that Federroll was “pretty much out of the boat except for his left

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foot.” He managed to pull his crewmate in.

As Bell and Federroll searched for the man who’d gone over the falls, they finally saw his head bobbing in the water. “He was basically in the waterfalls hanging off of this rock, had lost most of his clothes,” says Bell, who pulled the man into the boat. “We were kind of amazed that he was in that location and he was still alive with his head above the water.”

Though they are often praised by kayakers and others who use the river, swift-water rescuers were criticized by some in July 2013 after team leaders determined it was too dangerous to retrieve the body of Shannon Christy, a 23-year-old white-water kayaker from South Carolina who drowned after becoming pinned underwater during a practice run for the annual Great Falls Race. Perching precariously on rocks and using ropes, several expert white-water kayakers recovered her body. “Where she was, it was almost impossible to get there,” Stream says. The team used the incident as a teachable moment, increasing its practice with ropes so members “may be able to do something” if they encounter a similar situation, says Stream, who’s in charge of training.

If a similar incident were to occur, Bell says he would probably make the same decision as his colleagues did—knowing that the body would surface within a few days. “I never would have put my guys in that level of danger for somebody who I

know was dead,” he says. “If somebody is on a rock and I know they’re still alive, I’m gonna do an awful lot of stuff to try to get them. We’re gonna take that risk. But when I know they’re dead, I’m going to have a really hard time with it.”

HEADING UPRIVER TOWARD Great Falls in an inflatable boat

one June morning, Stream is supervising certification testing for a trainee in another boat. “One of the things we try to beat into these guys is the area of knowledge, knowing where we’re at, knowing where the victims are,” he says.

Stream, who lives in Thurmont, joined the team after he was promoted to captain and assigned to Fire Station 10. He comes from a family of local firefighters—his grandfather was chief of the Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department at Fire Station 10 in 1933, and Stream’s father and three uncles were also firefighters.

As Stream steers the boat, another team member lying prone leans over the bow and scans the water for obstacles such as submerged rocks, debris and broken tree limbs that Stream may not be able to see. Stream points out the various spots on the water and its banks where park visitors are likely to get in trouble, such as Purple Horse Beach, where the current is deceptively powerful and the team often has to chase people out of the water.

“They know we’re coming, and they see us and get up on the

rocks and watch us go by and wave,” says Stream, who says rescuers don’t have any enforcement authority. “As soon as we’re gone around the corner, they’re back in the water.”

During a training day in 2017, Stream and his crews were putting their boats back on their trailers when a call came in that a hiker had fallen into the river, tumbling about 75 feet down a rock face on the Virginia side, across from Purple Horse Beach. A bystander on the beach and a nearby kayaker supported the seriously injured woman in the water until the crews arrived. “It was just sheer luck that we happened to be there with the trailer and the boats,” he says. “We were providing patient care for somebody with significant trauma within five minutes. Within 10 minutes, she was in the helicopter and being flown to a trauma center.”

After years with the rescue team, Bell and Stream say they remain amazed at the risks some people take, such as swimming in dangerous currents, hiking rocky trails in flip-flops, driving down a flooded street, or taking an unsuitable boat onto the river. “You kinda go out there and you do your best for them,” Bell says, “and you shake your head…and you wonder, how did they get through life this far and survive?”

Julie Rasicot lives in Silver Spring and is the deputy editor of Bethesda Magazine.

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Having a puppy is great, except when it isn’t

BY LEAH ARINIELLO | PHOTOS BY LIZ LYNCH

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The writer and her dog, Mellie, at home in Bethesda

ONE DAY IN THE spring of 2018, I found

myself lying flat on the kitchen floor, throwing a pity party. A doctor later told me I had pneumonia, but at the time I only knew that my head felt too heavy to lift off the cool tile. I started to cry. Mellie, my 10-pound golden fluffball puppy, pounced on me like the cub from The Lion King and licked my tears, eyeballs included. I started coughing and laughing and coughing and laughing.

Her dog kisses cheered me up.

Mellie, a Cavachon—part bichon frise, part Cavalier King Charles spaniel—had been with us for about five weeks. Getting a dog was a long time coming. My 17-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter had been lobbying for one since they could speak. One of my son’s first words 192

was dog. When he was little, the only way I could get in a decent run was to push him in a jogging stroller on the Capital Crescent Trail and have him point out the dogs he saw. The same tactic worked on my daughter. Over the years, they’ve written several persuasive school essays about dogs, and “dog” was always first on their Santa lists. One Christmas, when the kids were in elementary school, we surprised them with a guinea pig. We only had to feed Ginger daily and clean her cage every month, and in return she was delightfully happy, spending many nights nestling in someone’s armpit while they read or watched TV. My kids loved Ginger, who lived until she was 5, but they would not get off their dog kick.

With my children getting older and

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

more able to help out (we hoped), we decided it was time for a dog. But we probably weren’t really ready. I’d only considered the positives. My husband, Brett, and I both had great experiences with dogs while growing up. I got Sniffy, who looked a lot like Mellie, when I was 5, and she slept with me at night and cuddled with me during the day. But looking back, my parents did all the hard labor. When Brett was in college and a black Lab puppy ended up at his fraternity house, he brought her home to his parents. They also did all the work; his main role was to cuddle with her when he managed to get home for a weekend.

Cuddling aside, we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into with Mellie. Every month, a new report seems to detail how pets are the latest, greatest elixir, with an ability to help improve our physical, mental and emotional health. More than 63 million households in the U.S. own a dog, according to the most recent National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association. I expected that Mellie would be a joyful addition to my family—and she is—but I wasn’t thinking about what could go wrong.

I’ve discovered that dogs are a huge time suck, extremely expensive and tend to behave in all kinds of surprising ways that can be annoying and at times seriously troubling. Frankly, a dog can be a big pain in the neck. My kids chose the name Mellie, which is short for Carmela, the wife of the mob boss in The Sopranos. She’s a real pistol, as my mother-in-law likes to say. If I turn my back for a second, Mellie kangaroo leaps onto the dining room table, makes a mad dash for the napkins and races around the room shredding them. If she’s left alone in the backyard for a few minutes, she goes into adventure mode and gets herself stuck under the deck. We discovered that she’s a hunter (I won’t get into the details), and she’s also known for spotting open bathroom doors, racing in, grabbing the toilet paper and TP’ing the entire house.

WHEN WE FIRST BROUGHT Mellie to our

Bethesda home, we took her out hourly for potty training, and then at 1 a.m. we put her in her crate to “sleep.” She barked.

All. Night. Long. Desperate, I ran the bathroom fans to try to mask the noise, but the whole house was still up most of the night.

“You guys wanted a dog!” I yelled to my angry kids. Brett and I kept blaming each other for allowing this whole dog thing to happen. The next night I made sure everyone wore earplugs.

My husband and I, both 49, weathered the first week like we did when we had newborns, stealing chunks of sleep between taking Mellie out until our puppy settled into a nighttime routine. As the month went by, she started snoozing in longer stretches, and we finally got her to sleep for seven hours straight. We tucked her into a sheetcovered crate (for darkness) along with a blanket and a stuffed dog that has a heartbeat to mimic a puppy sibling—and then we put on meditation music. A bit overboard, yes, but it works. Now Mellie sleeps from about 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

BETHESDA RESIDENT Carolyn Boulter,

31, who volunteered at a pet shelter

during college, got a second Lab mix a year ago. “At the shelter, I saw a lot of people not ready to give that much time and energy to their dog, and then having problems,” she says. “If you can’t provide a lot of time, then maybe get a cat.” Either Boulter or her husband will try to take Mouse, 4, and Nelson, 2, on an hourlong jog in the morning, spend a couple hours a day on things like training and games, and then take them for another jog at night. They’ve used doggy day care when their work schedules made it hard to give the dogs enough attention. Millennials like Boulter and her husband make up the largest segment of dog owners, 34%, according to the National Pet Owners Survey. The work involved has made Boulter push off having kids. “There have been some eyeopening things,” she says. “During potty training, we were getting up once in the middle of the night, but only every other night because [we] alternated, and after two weeks [my husband] was going, ‘I don’t think I can do this anymore,’ and

Mellie, a Cavachon—part bichon frise, part Cavalier King Charles spaniel—likes to leap onto the dining room table, steal napkins and shred them.

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dog days

I expected that Mellie would be a joyful addition to my family—and she is—but I wasn’t thinking about what could go wrong.

I thought, dear God, you do know what it’s like to have babies, right?”

House-training Mellie was easier than potty training my kids, thankfully, but it still required more work

than I anticipated. No wonder a friend in Potomac kept her nanny just to help care for her new doodle (a type of poodle mix), even though her kids were older.

While my friend and her family were

tied up at work or school, the nanny got the pup on a regular potty schedule.

“If you buckle down and put the time in early on, it’s going to make your life easier more quickly,” says Sarah Stoycos, a Rockville resident who provides in-home training and teaches classes at Your Dog’s Friend in Rockville. The first week we had Mellie, Brett and I stayed home with her in shifts so she was never alone. For the next few months, we tried to leave her alone for no more than an hour or two a day, coordinating our schedules to either work from home or take Mellie with us. Mellie has been to many of my son’s baseball games, peeing on fields all across the county.

Stoycos says the goal is to provide puppies with as many bathroom opportunities as possible—once an hour or so—and then reward them like crazy. “I

The writer, pictured with Mellie, has noticed that if the dog is left alone in the backyard, she goes into adventure mode and often gets stuck under the deck.

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5Star PR

dog days

Y C

F

E R

When Mellie plays fetch in the morning, she’s less likely to get herself into trouble.

understand now why my mom got dogs in the spring,” says Bethesda resident Agnes Thompson, 48. She brought home Pistachio, a golden retriever puppy, this past winter. “In the beginning, I would get up really early and it was so cold, like 20 degrees, and he’d be enjoying himself in the snow and I’d be waiting and waiting for him to pee.”

Mellie is house-trained today, but I hesitate to even say that because it means she’s bound to have a setback.

At 10 months old, she’d had zero accidents in the previous five months, and then, surprise. We had just unpacked a new $600 plush beanbag chair when Mellie hopped onto it and took a giant pee. Brett and I both screamed, “No!” and then yelled at each other for not walking her. I thought he had taken her out; he thought I had taken her out. My 196

son and daughter hadn’t taken her out, either. I figured that my kids would be a big help with the dog, and they care for her when they’re home. But with school, sports, extracurriculars and their jobs as dog walkers—they walk other people’s dogs—they’re never home.

My vet, Shanthi Ramachandran at Alpine Veterinary Hospital in Cabin John, says making your dog a priority is key in helping to prevent behavioral issues. “Around here we’re so busy, and there are a lot of families where both parents work, have kids,” she says. “We often forget about the time we need to dedicate to an animal.” Whether it’s the pet parent or a hired helper, Ramachandran recommends that a dog gets at least an hour or more of stimulation and exercise a day, and more on weekends: Go full sprint during walks, have the dog use its nose to search for things, maybe spread the animal’s food throughout the yard. “[Stimulation] can help with

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

almost anything, whether it’s separation anxiety or destructive behaviors in the house,” says Ramachandran, who lives in Bethesda. “A lot of these behaviors are just driven through excess energy in the system.” After this conversation, I noticed that if I make time in the morning to play fetch with Mellie, she is less likely to play her shred-the-napkin game or chew the chair leg when I’m busy on a phone call.

ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN Society

for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, pet owners can expect to spend about $1,800 on a medium-size dog in the first year. That’s a low estimate, in my experience. I spent almost $1,000 just on Mellie’s grooming. She doesn’t shed, so I don’t have to vacuum every 10 minutes. But we have to brush her hair daily to prevent matting and get it cut every month or so for $70. (It’s an additional $20 to cover a pickup and drop-off

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service.) I also spent several hundred dollars the first year for food, treats, leashes, harnesses (including one for the car), a rain jacket, a winter coat, poop bags, a car crate, two house crates, three dog beds, blankets, a brush, toothpaste and a toothbrush, a feeding bowl, a nail clipper, urine disinfectant spray, shampoo, toys, gates and Safe Paw ice melt. I spent another $800 to enclose my backyard so Mellie could run off leash, and $390 to board her during a six-day trip.

Then there are the vet costs, which can come as a shock to pet owners. “I didn’t think to get pet insurance at first, but within six months of having my dog I had over $800 of vet bills,” says Christine Burke, 34, of Gaithersburg.

Burke’s pit bull mix, Kobe, cut himself wrestling with another dog at a park and needed a chest X-ray, stitches and a stent to let the wound drain. “It was quite an ordeal,” she says. I also decided to get pet insurance. For $41 a month, my plan takes care of 90% of covered expenses after I pay the yearly $250 deductible.

Plans vary, but they tend to mainly cover treatments for accidents and illnesses. I paid about $500 out of pocket the first year for checkups and vaccines.

Vigilance can help save money, according to longtime Bethesda veterinarian Charlie Weiss. He says dogs often end up at an emergency vet because they’ve eaten something that’s bad for them.

Chocolate, raisins, grapes and sugarless gum with xylitol are particularly problematic, according to Weiss. (Before we got Mellie, I only knew about chocolate.)

“Even one or two sticks of gum [with xylitol] can cause a small dog to go into liver failure,” he says. “You really have to dogproof the environment.” We usually keep Mellie gated in the kitchen and dining room area or the office so we can keep an eye on her, but she’s speedy. So far, she’s enjoyed a protein bar, wrapper included, and old coffee.

That’s nothing like what Kerry Ryan’s dog has devoured. Despite baby gates, locks and latches, J.J., an 85-pound lab mix, has gotten sick at various times from eating eight boxes of Girl Scout cookies, a pound of flour, $80 worth

of raw steak and some gross things he gobbled up outside. “Charges are about $700 to $900 when it’s bad enough that I have to take him to the vet,” says Ryan, 44. She’s made the trip three times since she got J.J. four years ago—her pet insurance covers some of the costs—and the dog hasn’t mellowed with age. “He just ate my lunch,” Ryan says.

DOGS CAN BEHAVE IN ways that require adjustments, but some things just have to be accepted, Ramachandran says.

Mellie doesn’t like to interact with anyone outside of her family, which Ramachandran told me is not a bad thing—it’s just her personality. “We see so many doodles around here, and they tend to be very happy and outgoing, but there are other dogs that are more like cats, more independent,” she says. I was surprised to get a dog that’s basically a cat. Mellie is friendly with us, but other people? Forget it. If they try to pet her, she’ll bark at them and retreat, even if they have treats. She is not much better with other dogs. Sometimes she will do a hello sniff to a small dog, but she really just likes the four of us and that’s it.

Mellie has been pretty reserved since day one, but dogs can also take a while to show their true personality. Camden, a Lab mix, was calm and timid when Rockville resident Liz Reinckens, 27, first brought her home from a rescue about a year ago. But soon she became a “wild woman,” Reinckens says as Camden does circle sprints in the backyard.

Reinckens and her boyfriend discovered that Camden has some greyhound in her and needs about three to four hours a day of activity, which they manage to fit in around their jobs.

“You may think [your new dog] is amazing when she is still sleeping off that shelter hangover, but once she settles in, a lot of behaviors can come out,” says trainer Kimmie Harlow, who lives in Rockville. “She may be like, my favorite thing to do is bark out the window all day long, or my vice is shredding pillows.”

Fortunately, Harlow says, there are strategies to help dogs with particularly troublesome behavior issues. Indoors, it

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dog days MICAH A. BONAVIRI

Principal

Estates & Trusts Attorney

CLARIFYING CO-OWNERSHIP

We are often asked what it means to own an asset with another that involves a “tenancy.” In Maryland, there are three ways you can own an asset in the form of a tenancy with another: 1. A joint tenancy with rights of survivorship; 2. A tenancy by the entirety; or 3. A tenancy in common Although probate avoidance is often a driving force, it is important to understand the differences of these types of ownership interests and the impact they play in your estate plan as a lack of coordination may result in unintended consequences.

In a joint tenancy with rights of survivorship, co-owners have equal interests in an asset and, as the name suggests, have rights of survivorship. So, upon a co-owner’s death, his or her interest is then owned by the surviving co-owner(s) by operation of law, overriding what is provided in the Will or Living Trust for such asset. A significant benefit is that the asset passes at death instantly without the costs and delays of probate.

A tenancy by the entirety has similar features to the joint tenancy with rights of survivorship, except that the co-owners must be married. An additional benefit is creditor protection (with narrow exceptions) against either spouse’s individual creditors though not the couple’s joint creditors.

In a tenancy in common, however, each co-owner may have unequal interests in an asset. At death, a co-owner’s interest passes as provided in a Will or Living Trust, or under the laws of intestacy, to his or her heirs and not to the other co-owners by operation of law.

As a result of these differences, it is important to regularly review the titling of your co-owned assets to ensure that they pass upon your death as you intend.

Michelle L. Vesole assisted in the writing of this article.

25 West Middle Lane • Rockville, Maryland 20850 301-340-2020 • www.steinsperling.com Micah A. Bonaviri and Michelle L. Vesole are attorneys with Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll PC. As members of the Firm’s estates and trusts department, Micah and Michelle guide individuals and families as they consider wealth preservation, succession planning and charitable gift planning techniques.

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can be helpful to set up an environment with activities that are reinforcing and entertaining, like food puzzles, bones and chew toys. “Before your dog thinks about doing the thing you don’t want her to do, give her five other options before she gets there,” Harlow says. “Anytime you see your dog doing something calm like lying down or playing with a toy, say ‘good girl’ and give a piece of kibble or a treat.” Harlow’s own dog, Nicky, a 60-pound pit bull mix, was sweet at the shelter, but when Harlow brought her home she would sometimes snap at people out of fear.

“She is really smart—she can turn a light on—but she is also very nervous to where I have to pick her up to go past a storm drain,” Harlow says. In these instances, training, managing the environment and also medication can help. A Prozac-type drug called fluoxetine made a huge difference, Harlow says. “She is visibly less stressed, more willing to cuddle and less likely to bark at something right away.”

Having a dog is a lot. But after living with Mellie for more than a year, I’ve found that the bond we share outweighs any hassles. I hate to leave her. When possible, Brett or I work from home with Mellie, now 15 pounds, either tucked across the back of our chair like a lumbar support or draped across our laps with her butt hanging off the side. Or we take her with us. Last summer, she came on a family vacation to the Outer Banks.

When we had to board her for a week in the winter, we spent half the time looking for her on the pet hotel’s webcam.

She greets me with pure joy every time I come home, or even reenter the room after checking the mailbox. I imagine if she could speak she’d be yelling, “Yay, you’re back, you’re back! It’s been three minutes—why did it take you so long to come and see me again when I love you so?” as she wiggles, jumps, kisses and makes little squeaky noises of delight.

And the first person to get Mellie out of her crate in the morning gets the fullblown lick attack. Eyeballs included. ■ Leah Ariniello is a science and health writer based in Bethesda.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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interview

A CONVERSATION WITH

SETH GOLDMAN The Honest Tea co-founder talks about becoming a vegetarian, a possible future in politics, and his latest venture, Beyond Meat

BY STEVE GOLDSTEIN | PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

FOR YEARS, SETH GOLDMAN’S three sons were embarrassed to have friends over for a cookout. “Dad,” they’d explain, “nobody wants to come to our house and eat a veggie burger that’s probably going to crumble and fall through the grate.”

These days, the co-founder of Bethesda’s Honest Tea is cooking up burgers from Beyond Meat—a southern California company that produces plant-based meat substitutes that Goldman, 54, believes can change the world. As executive chairman of Beyond Meat, Goldman wants to wean people off beef, in part because cattle and the methane gas they emit are a significant contributor to climate change.

“The grill we had when we became vegetarians is now a wasp’s nest,” Goldman says with a laugh. “We bought a new grill for Beyond Meat.”

The son of two eminent professors—his late father, Marshall, an economist and Russia expert; his mother, Merle, a China scholar—Goldman had the pedigree and the predestination to become another standout academic. However, he was bitten 202

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by the entrepreneurial bug while growing up in the Boston area, starting things throughout high school and college. (He graduated from Harvard in 1987 and earned an MBA from the Yale School of Management.)

For a long time, Goldman had been searching for something nonsugary but flavorful to drink after he went running. At Yale, he and one of his business school professors came up with the idea for a bottled tea unsullied by sugar.

In 1994, Goldman landed in Bethesda when he accepted an internship with an investment firm, and he cofounded the beverage company three years later.

“Let’s call it Positive Juices,” Goldman suggested. Would the world have embraced that name as readily as the one that was finally chosen: Honest Tea? Goldman and his wife, Julie Farkas, raised their sons in Chevy Chase, and they now also own a $3.6 million threebedroom house in Manhattan Beach, California, near the Beyond Meat offices.

The Coca-Cola Co. purchased Honest

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Tea in 2011. Goldman stepped down as CEO but still retains a role in exploring new markets for the company. He says he invested in Beyond Meat in 2012, and he later became executive chairman of the company. The return on his investment—and everyone else’s—has increased exponentially following the company’s initial public offering in May. In June, we met in the office he maintains on Bethesda Avenue, a large open-plan space with a fishbowl conference room and a free, fully stocked vending machine with the entire Honest Tea repertoire.

When did you realize you had an entrepreneurial gene?

Very early, I think. I loved creating things. I started a debate club and other activities in high school. I sold golf balls at a local course in Wellesley, [Massachusetts]. I started a music group in college. I got a lot of that from my dad.

Most people don’t think of college professors as entrepreneurs, but he was always coming up with ideas. He kept a pad by his bed so he could write down ideas when they occurred.

What kind of work did you envision?

I always planned to work in the nonprofit field. I wanted to create programs that would have an impact [on society]. Even after I went to business school, I was not thinking of for-profit enterprises.

So there was no expectation that you would join the “family business” —academics?

Not really. My mother used to joke that I was the academic slouch in the family, having gone to Harvard and business school at Yale. I have a sister who’s a professor at the University of Michigan and another sister is a doctor. For me, academics was just a vehicle for meeting people. But my father was all in; he was the first investor in Honest Tea. 204

He was always supportive of your ventures?

Yes. When times were tough he’d ask, ‘Can I write you a check?’ But sometimes money wasn’t an answer. My father’s father had run a liquor distributorship in Elgin, Illinois. My father was always energized by entrepreneurship, like when American companies began opening in Moscow. He admired Edwin Land and was an early investor in Polaroid. He could sense what I wanted to do.

How did you meet your wife, Julie Farkas?

We actually met in Texas while working on the [Michael] Dukakis-[Lloyd] Bentsen presidential campaign. Before we met, I had accepted a job teaching at a cooperative school in Moscow. I invited Julie to come, but she could only share my visa if we were married—we weren’t, but we said we were. We didn’t feel guilty about lying to the Communists [laughs]. We spent a year living on the local economy, and it was great for our relationship. We learned to be very happy with little.

Name some entrepreneurs you admire.

Well, [founder and CEO] Ethan Brown of Beyond Meat, of course. He’s from here; he went to Sidwell [Friends School] and grad school at the University of Maryland. I admired the late Ray Anderson of Interface Inc., the carpet company. I’m friendly with Ben [Cohen] and Jerry [Greenfield], but I don’t think their product on its own has merit. It’s fine, but ice cream on its own is not doing great things for people. What we’re trying to do is make products that in the course of being produced or consumed are doing good.

In their defense, Ben and Jerry might say their product makes people happy.

No one says, ‘Let’s go celebrate and

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

have an Honest Tea.’ Well, some people might [say that]. But their [Ben & Jerry’s] product is not inspiring, it’s not an inspiration.

Your co-founder, Yale professor Barry Nalebuff, is credited with coming up with the name Honest Tea. What other names did you consider?

Barry had just returned from studying tea in India. I had thought of calling the product ‘Positive Juices.’ He suggested ‘Honestea,’ which I liked, but when we filed for a trademark we got a letter from Nestea saying our trademark leveraged their name, as in ‘HO NESTEA,’ and was a violation. So Barry said let’s just make it a two-word name, and so we called it Honest Tea. Whatever its name, would you say the product exceeded your expectations?

Without sounding arrogant, this is what we hoped would happen—an international brand that stands for authenticity.

In terms of revenue, we hoped to be a billion-dollar brand. We’re on our way, probably about 60 percent there, counting international sales.

Was the sale to Coca-Cola controversial?

At the time of the transaction we did get some questions, and some criticism. In the last five years I haven’t heard any, and I think that’s because we haven’t just upheld our mission, we’ve strengthened it. The criticism would have been justified if we sold to Coke, the product and what it stands for was diluted, it was just a cash-out and I went off golfing or yachting. Now our product is sold not only in health food stores, but also at McDonald’s, Subway and other places like that. Coke is a company that is trying to evolve—it should evolve—and we [Honest Tea] are part of that evolution for the company to promote more healthy beverages.

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Did any of your family oppose the sale to Coke?

Ironically, the only one was my father, but not specifically because of Coke. He said to me, ‘I see you working at such a moment of fulfillment, in harmony with something you care about. I’d hate to see you lose that sense of fulfillment.’ And, of course, that was the great challenge— not to lose that sense of fulfillment.

Now you’ve taken on another food startup—Beyond Meat. Describe your involvement.

My wife read an article about Beyond Meat. It was her birthday, and she said that if this company ever succeeded it would be the best birthday gift ever. So I just sent an email to info@beyondmeat in 2012. My family has been vegetarian for 13 years, but we were consistently dissatisfied with the options. I became an investor and ultimately board chairman. I divide my time equally between Honest Tea and Beyond Meat—or as my wife says, I spend 75% of my time on Honest Tea and 75% on Beyond Meat.

Leading up to the public stock offering of Beyond Meat, I was part of the ‘road show’ to meet with potential investors and the strategy meetings on pricing and other issues.

What are your duties as executive chairman of Beyond Meat?

Financing and strategy, working closely with the CEO to determine our team composition, thinking about our expansion and growth strategy, exploring potential markets overseas—for sales and production. I’m basically a partner for the CEO in thinking about the bigpicture future of the company.

Why might vegetarians crave food that looks and tastes like meat?

My family became vegetarian not because we disliked the taste of meat, but because we’d rather not kill or consume animals.

David B. Hurwitz

CFP®, CRPC®, CRPS®, RICP®, APMA®

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One-Stop Shoppes

interview

Beyond Meat has changed the quality of our lives. We had stopped having cookouts because no one wants to eat most veggie burgers. We joked that veggie burgers are a conspiracy by the meat industry.

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So wouldn’t it be more appropriate as well as brand-consistent to call your company ‘Dishonest Meat’?

Nooooo [hearty laughs].

What is your financial stake in Beyond Meat?

My family owns over a million shares of stock, and it did very well in the IPO in May. Are vegetarians the main consumer target for Beyond Meat?

Vegetarianism is actually static in the U.S. and around the world. The growth is with flexitarians [people who observe a semivegetarian diet]. Taste matters, and the success of Beyond Meat is in the fact that this is really the first time plant-based products are displayed in the meat section.

Is there another food category requiring reinvention in your view?

Plant-based cheese. There is nothing good out there. We meet with burger places, pizza places, and they ask, ‘What do you recommend for cheese?’ It’s tough to do: the texture, the taste, the kind of slipperiness to it—no one has mastered it. Beyond Meat has science behind it, and we need to use science with cheese. At Beyond Meat, we have something called the ‘Manhattan Beach Project’, where we try to put the best brains available to work on the problem.

What’s bicoastal life like?

I physically spend seven to 10 days per month in California. The key is having enough jeans and clothes in each place so I’m not worrying about packing each trip. I just carry a backpack. And having

DURING DIVORCE, SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN ARE A PRIORITY. a bike in each place so I can bike to work here or there. It’s kind of seamless. It’s politically a little more removed out there, so I welcome a break from Beltway intensity.

What about restaurants—your own restaurants?

With [celebrity chef] Spike Mendelsohn, we are opening PLNT Burger in Silver Spring. This is a plant-based restaurant and you can read the name as Plant Burger, Planet Burger or Plenty Burger.

In addition to Spike, the co-founders are Ben Kaplan [a Boston-based restaurant consultant] and my wife, Julie, and our son Jonah is heading up the marketing.

I am not directly involved because due to my role with Coca-Cola and Beyond Meat there are concerns on both fronts about me building an enterprise that could compete with our customers. The restaurant is inside the Whole Foods Market on Wayne Avenue.

Why inside Whole Foods instead of a standalone?

It is a much lower-risk way to get the concept up and running. Many startup restaurants spend lots of time and money on real estate and build-out and equipment, and, as a result, start off in a hole.

This approach avoids those pitfalls.

If you could magically wave a wand, what one thing would you do to make Bethesda more livable?

I’d like to see more dedicated, separated bike lanes. I’d also like to see more residential composting options. I want to give people an alternative to a green lawn.

Do you approve of the development plans for Bethesda?

I do. You should build where there is transportation. I think it’s right to build where people live. Density should be supported, but up to a point; the streets are almost too crowded now. I was not

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interview

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Many folks admire you. Some also call you a relentless self-promoter.

Confirm or deny?

When you build a brand you become connected to it. People tell me I always have a bottle of Honest Tea in my photos, well…that’s what I care about.

It’s disappointing to hear that’s how I’m thought of, but I believe in the business and the brand. I like to think of myself as an advocate for a different kind of business, so I don’t have any apologies for trying to get that message out.

Might that include getting into politics?

I have thought about it [running for office]. I was a government major in college and I worked on a presidential campaign. I haven’t ruled out doing that at some time. I have to think about what is the best way for me to have an impact.

The question is whether government will be as satisfying [as business]. I know it can be frustrating; that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth doing. It just means I have to think about where I’d have the most impact on the things I care about. It’s something I actively consider. I’ve been very fortunate, and the community has been very good to me. I like to think I’ve given a lot back, but I could give more if there’s a way to do it that can be a positive.

Perhaps by serving Honest Tea in the governor’s mansion?

I think my main point was that it would be hard for me to envision myself in a legislative role, so an executive role would feel much more in line with my work, my mindset and my strengths.

Steve Goldstein is a freelance writer and editor and the former bureau chief in Moscow and in Washington, D.C., for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Bethesda Interview is edited for length and clarity.

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A Day at the Market Behind the scenes at the Bethesda Central Farm Market

B

BY CAROLE SUGARMAN

efore the Bethesda Central Farm Market opens at 9 a.m. on Sundays, vendor and pizza-maker Josh Anson does some shopping of his own. As the other sellers set up their stalls, Anson makes the rounds, joking and high-fiving with them while bartering his soon-to-bemade pizzas for ingredients he’ll use as toppings.

“Could I grab some kale, and do you have sweet potatoes today?” Anson asks Lucas Brownback one morning in June. Brownback, a manager at Spiral Path Farm in Loysville, Pennsylvania, hands over the produce and orders a “Sir Porkalot” pizza, a pie with pepperoni and sausage. Anson’s mother, Jaci, will deliver the pizza to Brownback when it’s ready.

The camaraderie and familial atmosphere that permeates the market begins long before customers arrive, and it’s a tone set by the founders that continues today. Food marketing experts Mitch Berliner and Ann Brody Cove started Bethesda Central Farm Market in 2008—in the parking lot on Elm Street behind the restaurant Jaleo—with 18 vendors. When the market outgrew that space in about two years, Elm Street between Wisconsin and Woodmont avenues was closed to traffic to accommodate double the number of farmers and artisans. In 2012, the market moved to the Bethesda Elementary School parking

PHOTOS BY DEB LINDSEY

lot, where it now has about 60 vendors and attracts a couple thousand people most Sundays.

Over time, three other Central Farm Markets have opened—one at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, another that’s now in Falls Church, Virginia, and a third, in 2018, at Westfield Montgomery mall in Bethesda. Cove stopped working with the Bethesda market in 2013. Berliner’s wife, Debbie Moser, a food and marketing guru herself, now co-runs the four markets with her husband.

The Bethesda market, the largest in terms of turnout and vendors, sprouts from the school parking lot Sunday mornings like wildflowers in a field. Color, character and wafting scents rise from the empty asphalt. The market soon fills with conversation, live music, barking dogs and excited (or crying) children.

And it has become more than a place to buy fresh local food; it’s a year-round community gathering spot.

“We’ve got customers who’ve been with us since the market opened,” says Catherine Webb of Springfield Farm in Sparks, Maryland. “One couple were dating, then they got a dog, and now they have two kids.”

Bethesda Magazine spent a day at the Bethesda Central Farm Market, joining the vendors near the crack of dawn before the market opened and leaving after the last truck weaved its way out of the parking lot.

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At 10 p.m. on Saturday night, farmer Arnie Medina of Westmoreland Produce in Warsaw, Virginia, had finally finished harvesting and washing fruits and vegetables, and loading them onto his truck. On Sunday morning, he drove two hours and 15 minutes from his home near the farm, arriving at the market about 6:30 a.m. to unload and set up, a task that takes another two hours. “It’s really hard work,” he says. Medina is the son of Arnulfo and Rosa Medina, who leased farmland in Virginia in 1989 and now own about 110 acres in three locations in the Northern Neck. Arnie Medina and his three sisters grew up farming, and with their parents retiring at the end of this year, the siblings will be in charge.

The family sells a large variety of produce at 14 farmers markets in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

Josh Anson (right), the owner of the mobile pizza catering company Cipolla Rossa, gets two packs of bacon and two dozen eggs from Springfield Farm’s mother-daughter team of Catherine (center) and Rachel Webb. In exchange, the women order “Brunch” pizzas, made with bacon, egg over easy, roasted sweet potato, fresh mozzarella, basil, extra-virgin olive oil and hot honey. Anson starts his “shopping” around 8:15 a.m., and says he barters or buys about half of the ingredients he uses on his pies from fellow vendors at the market. In return, Anson offers them free pizza. “I can barely remember their names, but I can tell you what they order,” he says. “Rachel usually does a ‘Brunch,’ and her mom likes the same pizza, no egg.”

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Josh Anson’s mother, Jaci, delivers pizzas ordered by other vendors in exchange for bartered ingredients. Since she retired from her desk job at the National Geographic Society and started helping out with her son’s business about four years ago, Anson says she’s more active and healthier, and no longer needs her blood pressure medication. She especially enjoys interacting with customers and the other sellers. “I love it,” Anson says of her post-retirement job.

The market’s schmoozer-in-chief, founder and co-owner Mitch Berliner (center) likes to walk around and talk to patrons and vendors. He’s always ready with a joke or anecdote. One of his favorites is that when kids who attend Bethesda Elementary are asked where they go to school, they sometimes say “at the farmers market.” Berliner started his long food career in the 1970s selling soups, cakes, pies and more at the Montgomery Farm Women’s Cooperative Market in Bethesda, while running four farm stands in Montgomery County.

He now spends long hours co-running the Central Farm Markets. He says he’ll never retire. At the market, “the kids come up and hug me,” he says.

“It’s worth it for that.”

Potomac resident and market regular Diane Berinstein (left) brings Christine Ilich, the owner of Heirloom Kitchen in Front Royal, Virginia, some berries from Westmoreland Berry Farm.

Berinstein sometimes snags items that sell out quickly and takes them to sellers who can’t leave their stalls. She also totes around drinks from Baltimorebased Zeke’s Coffee, offering them to new vendors, sellers who are having a slow day, or to the farmers she patronizes.

Berinstein says she simply wants the vendors to know that they’re appreciated.

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At 9:40 a.m., the line at the Westmoreland Berry Farm stand is snaking through the parking lot and the golden raspberries are looking (and smelling) particularly enticing to one young patron. The wait at the popular Colonial Beach, Virginia, farm stand doesn’t deter shoppers such as Ursula and Mak Dehejia (both not pictured), who leave with two cartons of blueberries and a carton of blackberries. The Dehejias, who also purchase tomatoes, eggs and cheese from other stalls, once hired Rita’s Crepes (another vendor) to cater a family reunion at their Chevy Chase home. “Rain, shine or snow, we come here,” Ursula Dehejia says.

About 60 core vendors typically travel to the market from Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and the District. Woodbourne Creamery of Mt. Airy is the only Montgomery County farm at the market (though some small county-based businesses have booths there). Given the time and labor it takes to drive to a market and run a booth, the county’s small farmers are more apt to sell at on-farm markets and roadside stands and via community-supported agriculture (CSA) operations. The vendors are a close-knit group, handing out hugs and hellos before the market opens, and even teaming up on products.

Painted Hand Farm owner Sandra Miller sold ramp sausage made with pork from her Mt. Holly Springs, Pennsylvania, farm and ramps from Young Harvests in Charles Town, West Virginia; Cipolla Rossa used the sausage on its pizzas. “That’s the collaboration that helps make markets successful,” Miller says.

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The produce sold at the market comes from as far south as Virginia’s Northern Neck and as far north as central Pennsylvania. Market co-owners Mitch Berliner and Debbie Moser deliberately chose a geographically diverse group of vendors to ensure the longest possible produce season for shoppers. Strawberries are available from the end of April through mid-June; the first blueberries arrive at the end of May, and some varieties will continue to show up in the fall.

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Algerian-born and multilingual chocolatier Ismael Neggaz is also a globe-trotter. He’s been a pastry chef in London (where he met his wife), lived in Tunisia, attended cooking school in Boston, owned a chocolate shop in Guatemala, and spent 18 months backpacking and camping around Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

In 2010, Neggaz and his wife moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked at the Four Seasons Hotel as a line cook.

Three years later, he started making bean-to-bar chocolate again—this time at TasteLab, a commercial kitchen and food incubator in Northeast D.C.—and his company, Chocotenango, has won 17 international chocolate awards. His best seller is “Arabian Nights”—dark chocolate redolent with cardamom.

Celebrity chef José Andrés lives in Bethesda and regularly attends the market. On this day, a film crew accompanies him for a documentary that will be released this fall. Andrés is far from the only notable patron. Vendors say their clientele includes international diplomats, military brass, National Symphony Orchestra musicians, World Bank officials and other local power brokers, most of whom just want to quietly and anonymously enjoy their Sunday shopping.

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Sandra Miller, the owner of Painted Hand Farm, sometimes brings a baby lamb to the market; today it’s Snowball’s turn. Miller, who sells poultry, lamb, goat and veal, and has written for publications such as the Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal, pens the market’s weekly “Dishing the Dirt” blog. She says she loves the international clientele at the market, and often takes special orders, such as calf udders for an Argentine patron, and sheep, goat and pig heads for a Chinese doctor.

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Jonathan Bardzik, a storyteller, author and cook, conducts cooking demonstrations four times a year at the Bethesda market.

Working ahead of time with market co-owner Debbie Moser and some of the vendors, Bardzik designed four dishes with ingredients available at the market this day. His strawberry chive ricotta pasta features strawberries from Westmoreland Berry Farm, ricotta from Sterling, Virginia’s Blue Ridge Dairy Co., and fettuccine from Richmond’s Cavanna Pasta; Bardzik brings only pantry staples such as spices, oil and vinegar. Over the course of his cooking demonstration, he’ll engage in a lengthy conversation with a patron about za’atar, the Middle Eastern spice mixture (in the za’atar crusted lamb chops); talk about how garlic scapes are the flowering stems of the garlic plant (in the stir-fried beef, garlic scapes and zucchini dish he makes); and discuss the importance of sharp knives and cutting skills, all with the goal of getting people excited about making dishes from market ingredients.

Marie-Noelle and Bob Hunt of Chevy Chase (center) have been coming to the market every week since it opened in 2008. “I go religiously. I don’t go to church, but I go to the market,” says Marie-Noelle, who grew up in Paris, where she shopped at openair markets. At the Bethesda market, she says, “the service is so nice, and yes, it may be a little bit expensive, but the products are tasty, and it’s no comparison to the supermarket.”

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After the market closes at 1:30 p.m., some vendors do their own shopping, trading leftover items. Rob Young of Young Harvests uses his single wheel skateboard to weave in and out among the stalls. He swaps his lettuce for flowers, strawberries and squash.

Shortly before the market ends, co-owner Mitch Berliner purchases leftover goods using county-funded Manna grants, patron donations and his own money. Some vendors donate items. Over the last five years, 300,000 pounds of fresh produce have been donated to Manna Food Center, the county’s lead food bank, from the three Central Farm Markets in Montgomery County. Here, Berliner (left) and Manna driver Michael Carter load donated produce in plastic bags into a Manna truck at the end of the market day.

It’s 2:20 p.m. ■ Carole Sugarman is a longtime food writer and a contributing editor at Bethesda Magazine.

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interior design. architecture. home sales.

PHOTO BY BRIAN TOMAINO

home

A Potomac couple reconfigured the space in their home to make room for a wide-open kitchen. For more on their project and two other kitchen remodels, turn to page 228.

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home | HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS

1 2

MAKE AN ENTRANCE Fall means back to school, and the return of coats, boots and backpacks.

Manage the mess with a stylish and organized mudroom.

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1. GRAB AND GO

2. DIRT CATCHER

3. SITTING PRETTY

Save time and avoid stress by keeping keys in a dedicated spot. At 12¾ inches wide and 3½ inches high, this key rack and mail holder is perfect for a small space. It’s made of powder-coated steel with wood-capped hooks and a velour-lined bin to hold a phone, letters or sunglasses. Check out the Umbra Estique 5-Hook Organizer for $15.99 at The Container Store in Rockville (301-770-4800; containerstore.com).

Contain gloppy galoshes with this great looking copper boot tray. The raised relief design, which helps shoes dry faster, comes in two patterns—pinecones and circles. It measures 34 inches long by 14 inches wide and is priced at $59 at Orvis in Bethesda (301-652-3562; orvis.com).

Planks of acacia wood with rustic edges and exposed butterfly joints form a simply elegant modern bench. A black iron shelf provides a sleek contrast and practical storage for shoes. The Yukon natural entryway bench is 56¾ inches long with two color options (natural or gray), and costs $799 at Crate & Barrel in D.C.’s Spring Valley neighborhood (202-364-6100; crateandbarrel.com).

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ALL COURTESY PHOTOS

BY CAROLYN WEBER

4 5

6

4. HANG UPS

5. THIRSTY THREADS

6. STOW AWAY

A hall tree is a classic entryway or mudroom piece. With a built-in bench, two drawers, hooks for backpacks and dog leashes, and a mirror for last-minute hair and makeup checks, it’s the complete package. The paneled Logan Hall tree is 78 inches high and 44½ inches wide, and is constructed of maple in a choice of five finishes. It sells for $2,199 at Ethan Allen in Rockville (301-9844360; ethanallen.com).

Protect floors in high-traffic areas with the heavyweight Waterhog mat runner. This commercial-grade rug is easy to clean and stain- and crush-resistant. It dries quickly and is made from 94% recycled plastic materials. It features a locked circle pattern and comes in six colors in two sizes, 2½ by 6 feet and 2½ by 8 feet, priced at $120 and $170 at L.L. Bean in North Bethesda (888660-1570; llbean.com).

Extra storage is always a good thing, so contain clutter in a sturdy round basket that blends with any décor. Handmade of natural water hyacinth with a twisted chunky weave and loop handles, the Margaux tote baskets are available in two sizes—14¼ inches and 19 inches in diameter—and retail for $29.99 and $39.99 at World Market in Chevy Chase, D.C. (202-244-8720; worldmarket.com).

Carolyn Weber lives in Silver Spring and frequently writes about architecture and home design.

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home

THINKING INSIDE THE BOX Three local families realize their dream kitchens without adding square footage to their homes

Before

WHEN HOMEOWNERS BEGIN PLANNING a kitchen renovation, their first impulse may be to build an addition. The conventional wisdom is that bigger is better, but adding a room isn’t always necessary, appropriate or the most cost-effective approach, according to home designers. Taking advantage of existing spaces can yield satisfying results.

Hope Hassell, director of project development at Bethesda-based Case Architects & Remodelers, recently worked with a client to convert an underused formal living room into a kitchen in his Chevy Chase colonial. “He was storing bikes in there,” Hassell says.

The room is now a big kitchen with a built-in window seat, great light and views, and the original fireplace is a unique design feature and focal point.

“So many homes are well sized but not well laid out,” says Jennifer Menassa Kirwan of Menassa Architecture in Silver Spring. “I work with my clients to evaluate the space they have and figure out creative ways to use it better.” Interior modifications such as 228 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

removing walls and reallocating square footage can improve efficiency, circulation and sightlines, making a house look and feel larger—even if it isn’t.

And then there’s the savings that can be achieved by renovating rather than building. “Anything we do to enlarge the footprint adds money,” Kirwan says.

“When you already have exterior walls and a roof, that equals huge savings.” Money saved by not building a new foundation can pay for such upgrades as highend appliances and finishes, or adding a powder room.

But a decision against adding on isn’t always budget driven—it’s about what makes sense for the house and the homeowners. Consulting with an architect or designer early on can save time and effort. “They can help you reimagine your home,” Hassell says, “and suggest options you may have never thought possible.”

The owners of these three Bethesda-area homes chose to reimagine their spaces and build the kitchens of their dreams.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA; BEFORE PHOTO COURTESY

BY CAROLYN WEBER

An attached single-car garage became a lightfilled kitchen in Ann Horton’s Silver Spring home.

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PHOTOS BY MICHAEL VENTURA

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230 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Let There be Light Left: Ann Horton and her daughters Daly, 17, (right) and Julia, 13, enjoy baking together in their new kitchen.

Below left: Windows and white tile help light up the new kitchen.

Below right: The former kitchen is now a multifunctional space that includes a butler’s pantry with a wet bar and wine fridge.

MOST DESIGN EXPERTS AGREE that it’s best to live in a house for a while before making any major modifications.

This was not a problem for Ann Horton, who had spent many years in her 1933 brick Tudor-style home in Silver Spring before she decided to renovate the kitchen. Horton grew up in the threebedroom house and now lives there with her husband, Brendan, and their two teenage daughters.

Horton enjoys cooking, baking with the girls, and hosting parties for her friends in their close-knit Indian Spring neighborhood. However, her kitchen’s original footprint was problematic. The layout was broken up by several doors, and storage and counter space were limited. But it was the lack of light that really bothered her. “It was so dark, and I am a person who needs natural light,” she says.

Horton had been contemplating a change for a long time, saving a folder full of inspirational photos on her computer and consulting with her sisterin-law, architect Jennifer Menassa Kirwan. With help from friend and neighbor Tom Linstrom of Linstrom Home Improvements, the renovation began in the fall of 2017.

Although the house sits on a spacious lot, an addition was not an option. “It was cost prohibitive and not necessarily the best solution for this gorgeous period house,” Kirwan says. The women had a better idea: convert the attached single-car garage into a new kitchen. “It’s something we

had always talked about in my family,” Horton says. “My mom had that vision, that dream.”

A doorway connecting the garage to the kitchen was closed off with drywall before Horton’s parents bought the house in the early 1970s, but it was visible from the garage side. The builders broke through and widened the opening.

They also raised the garage floor for a comfortable transition and built a twostep stair descending from the old kitchen into the new one. Kirwan designed the new room, measuring 91/2 by 19 feet, to include a 2-foot-deep bump-out with a window where the rising garage door had been. It’s just the right size to fit a table and four stools, which was a top priority for Horton.

Kirwan replaced the garage’s four original windows with insulated casements, and added two new windows overlooking the backyard and three on the far wall, maximizing light and views. “We use the back patio from May to October, and now it’s easy to have conversations through the window,” Horton says.

Three large beams accentuate the 12-foot ceiling. “They add character, definition and a sense of scale,” Kirwan says. The beams are wrapped in pine, which adds warmth and texture, and contrasts with the white cabinets and subway tile, black countertops, stainless steel appliances and cool dove-gray walls.

A fixed window near the peak of the gable at the end of the former garage also draws the eye up. Horton actually tried to cut the window from the budget, but Kirwan encouraged her to keep it, and Horton is glad she did. “To me, that room is like a cathedral,” she says. “The light in the morning is magical.”

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home

No addition required AS JUDY BROCIES AND Kip Johnson planned for their future, they knew they would have to update the kitchen in their 1934 Colonial Revival in Chevy Chase’s Somerset neighborhood if they ever wanted to sell the house. “But we figured, why not do it now so we can enjoy it for a while,” Brocies says.

When the couple bought the house in 1998 and moved in with their two young sons, it was outdated and in need of renovations. Over the years, they did a lot, including outfitting the kitchen with new cabinets and countertops. They didn’t change the original floor plan, however, which included a peninsula dividing the cooking space from a breakfast room. “We had a small round table in there, and the arrangement worked well for us when the boys were young,” Brocies says.

Their sons are in their late 20s now and don’t live with their parents, so a bigger kitchen wasn’t necessary—or even possible due to the constraints imposed by a front porch and side yard setback restrictions. The couple hired Gilday Renovations in Silver Spring and Sue Burgess of Burgess Interiors in Chevy Chase to create a stylish, comfortable place to cook and entertain. “I always encourage clients to rethink how they use the kitchen, and make changes that will complement their lifestyle,” says Ellen Witts, one of Gilday’s interior designers.

Gilday devised an open floor plan that unifies the two rooms in the front of the house by removing the peninsula and creating a space about 12 feet wide

and about 22 feet deep. Relocating the back door to a different spot made way for a new commercial-style range on a side wall, and moving the sink to the front wall and adding triple windows in a 1-foot-deep box bay provided extra light and a better view of the street.

“We wanted a warm space, not a cavernous one,” Brocies says. To that end, Burgess wrapped the entire room in wood paneling, ordered custom cabinetr y with matching vertical grooves , and had it all painted in “Natural Linen” from Benjamin Moore.

The greige shade picks up the caramel tones of the honed Calacatta marble countertops. “This color makes the room feel warm and clubby,” Burgess says. “It gives it personality.” Recessed ceiling lights, glass pendants and wall sconces set the tone, combining for a soothing atmosphere that glows at night.

Instead of another Before breakfast table, Burgess suggested a center island inspire d by a chef ’s table. More than 8 feet long, it is topped with stainless steel, has storage at one end, and plenty of space for four comfortable counterheight chairs. Inevitably, the couple says, it’s the place where everyone gathers during parties and when the kids and their friends are home for the holidays.

232 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTOS BY MORGAN HOWARTH; BEFORE PHOTO COURTESY

Above: Judy Brocies wanted a clean look in her remodeled kitchen, so the design team provided ample concealed storage, including drawers and an appliance garage.

Right: A 30-inch stainless steel farmhouse sink and shelves that display the homeowners’ pottery collection add charm to this sophisticated kitchen. Four counter stools, upholstered in sand-colored linen, tuck into the narrow island.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

233

Moving the first-floor laundry room upstairs made space for a large kitchen that is open to the family room.

Additional windows over the sink flood the rooms with natural light.

234 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTOS BY BRIAN TOMAINO; BEFORE PHOTO COURTESY

home

PHOTOS BY BRIAN TOMAINO; BEFORE PHOTO COURTESY

wide open spaces SEVEN YEARS AGO, JUST before their son was about to start kindergarten and their daughter was still a toddler, Kristine Korva and Kathleen Crowley left Capitol Hill and moved to Montgomery County.

They chose the River Falls neighborhood in Potomac for its good schools, familyfriendly environment and proximity to highways. “It has a suburban feel, but with easy access to the city,” Korva says.

The five-bedroom, 1973 Dutch Colonial was move-in ready, but Korva and Crowle y kne w it would need updating at some point. “It was very compartmentalized, and we wanted an open-concept kitchen/family room where large groups could gather,” Korva says. After several years in the home, they took the remodeling plunge Before in 2018.

“We didn’t need more space, we just needed to use it smarter,” says Korva, who relied on the husband-and-wife team of Shahnur Bostan and Elena Romero of Axis Architects in Rockville and Gaithersburg-based Finecraft Contractors to make it happen. “Our goal was to rearrange the first and second levels without adding square footage or sacrificing a bedroom

or living area,” Romero says.

In the center of the first floor, a big block containing the laundry room, coat closet and pantry divided the kitchen and family room and cut off circulation. The key to opening it up was moving the laundry room upstairs. The architects reconfigured the master bedroom closet and bathroom to make way for a full-size washer and dryer.

With that problem solved, and two massive steel beams in place to support the second floor, a new pantry, closet and mudroom were built along the back wall, behind the kitchen. These modifications and the elimination of an original breakfast nook made way for a wide-open 15- by 23-foot kitchen, where an 11-foot navy blue island anchors the room and is the center of the action.

“They said that they didn’t want a boring kitchen,” says Romero, who chose a color scheme that combines bluishgray cabinets, white quartz countertops, bright yellow counter stools and a bold Moroccan-inspired backsplash tile for a fun, fresh look.

Looking back, the couple wouldn’t change a thing. “It’s completely ideal,” Korva says. The family eats breakfast, lunch and on-the-go bites at the island, and enjoys the dining room off the kitchen for family dinners. “Now we use the dining room, which we hadn’t really done much before,” Korva says. “I feel like we are taking full advantage of all the rooms in the house.” ■

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

235

home | BY THE NUMBERS

Data provided by

JUNE’S MOST EXPENSIVE

at A peek rea’s f the a some o pensive x most e sold n rece tly s house

HOME SALES SALE PRICE:

$2.8 million LIST PRICE: $3 MILLION

SALE PRICE:

$3.4 million LIST PRICE: $3.2 MILLION

Address: 6401 Garnett Drive, Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 6 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 6/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.9 million LIST PRICE: $3 MILLION

Address: 3405 Rolling Court, Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 197 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 7/2

Address: 9809 Newhall Road, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 65 Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 8/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.8 million LIST PRICE: $3.2 MILLION

Address: 6810 Barrett Lane, Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 67 Listing Agency: Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/2

SALE PRICE:

$2.7 million LIST PRICE: $2.8 MILLION

Address: 5207 Norway Drive, Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 29 Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.6 million LIST PRICE: $2.6 MILLION

$2.9 million LIST PRICE: $2.9 MILLION

Address: 5600 Brite Drive, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 1 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

236

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

SALE PRICE:

$2.5 million LIST PRICE: $2.6 MILLION

Address: 8920 Burdette Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 123 Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 8/1

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SALE PRICE:

Address: 10706 Riverwood Drive, Rockville 20854 Days on Market: 1 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/3

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home | BY THE NUMBERS SALE PRICE:

$2.3 million LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

Address: 4712 Essex Ave., Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 157 Listing Agency: Rory S. Coakley Realty Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.3 million LIST PRICE: $2.4 MILLION

Address: 6701 Wilson Lane, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 42 Listing Agency: Proplocate Realty Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 6/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.2 million LIST PRICE: $2.4 MILLION

Address: 8301 Persimmon Tree Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 18

Listing Agency: RE/MAX Elite Services Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 7/3

Address: 3302 Shepherd St., Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 47 Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.1 million LIST PRICE: $2.2 MILLION

Address: 7015 Arandale Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 25 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2 million LIST PRICE: $2.2 MILLION

Address: 5510 Lambeth Road, Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 40 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.1 million LIST PRICE: $2.1 MILLION

Address: 8009 Newdale Road, Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 0 Listing Agency: None provided Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2 million LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

Address: 11 Hesketh St., Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 1 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.1 million LIST PRICE: $2.1 MILLION

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM RCSC_Bethesda Ad_1/4 page.indd 1

7/31/19 6:24 PM

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2 million LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

Address: 5324 Wapakoneta Road, Bethesda 20816 Days on Market: 13 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2 million LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

Address: 8920 Saunders Lane, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 60 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 7/3

SALE PRICE:

$2 million LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

Address: 8810 Saunders Lane, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 54

SALE PRICE:

$1.9 million LIST PRICE: $1.9 MILLION

Address: 9641 Eagle Ridge Drive, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 19 Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/2

SALE PRICE:

$1.9 million LIST PRICE: $1.9 MILLION

Address: 4233 Leland St., Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 8 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 3/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.9 million

LIST PRICE: $1.9 MILLION

Address: 9905 River View Court, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 36 Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/2

SALE PRICE:

$1.8 million LIST PRICE: $1.9 MILLION

Address: 10405 Bridle Lane, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 1 Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.8 million LIST PRICE: $1.8 MILLION

Address: 4509 49th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016 Days on Market: 7 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1 Note: Some sale and list prices have been rounded.

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Prepare to be wowed at every turn by the presentation and luxurious amenities this spectacular 7 bedroom/6.5 bath colonial offers. Featuring four finished levels, nine foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, designer touches and fine craftsmanship throughout, with expansive entertaining and private spaces, an incredible walkout lower level and over $300k in recent renovations - all surrounded by nature and backing to parkland. This home is like no other. Offered at $1,585,000.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

| SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

239

home | BY THE NUMBERS

REAL ESTATE TRENDS

BY ZIP CODE

JUNE 2018

JUNE 2019

20015 (Upper NW D.C.) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

19 $1.4 Mil. 13 5 15

31 $1.6 Mil. 13 12 26

26 $1.3 Mil. 13 11 19

20814 (Bethesda) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

24 $1.2 Mil. 8 12 15

29 $1.2 Mil. 7 15 18

20815 (Chevy Chase) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

32 $1.3 Mil. 12 14 22

38 $1.3 Mil. 14 18 25

20816 (Bethesda) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

28 $1.1 Mil. 9 13 20

21 $1.1 Mil. 12 5 11

67 $1.1 Mil. 17 40 34

51 $1.2 Mil. 13 23 24

20817 (Bethesda) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

JUNE 2019

20832 (Olney) 24 $1.2 Mil. 14 7 19

20016 (Upper NW D.C.) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

JUNE 2018

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

JUNE 2018

20877 (Gaithersburg) 26 26 $583,304 $622,746 6 13 12 12 0 1

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

10 11 $437,633 $438,891 4 6 4 3 0 0

20850 (Rockville)

20878 (North Potomac/ Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

34 20 $686,022 $711,663 14 7 14 10 2 3

45 41 $736,814 $737,654 8 8 26 24 4 2

20851 (Rockville)

20879 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

15 11 $404,557 $400,432 8 5 7 5 0 0

16 11 $484,250 $403,573 3 1 11 5 0 0

20852 (North Bethesda/Rockville)

20882 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

22 18 $852,390 $855,889 6 6 10 10 5 3

16 19 $676,862 $594,584 2 2 9 14 1 0

20853 (Rockville)

20886 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

23 41 $536,300 $533,013 12 20 11 16 0 1

20854 (Potomac) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

11 11 $465,391 $484,518 3 1 6 8 0 0

20895 (Kensington) 63 $1.1 Mil. 16 39 32

69 $1.1 Mil. 17 43 27

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

30 27 $830,609 $728,074 10 8 13 10 10 4

20818 (Cabin John)

20855 (Rockville)

20901 (Silver Spring)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

240

3 6 $1.3 Mil. $857,250 2 3 1 1 3 1

JUNE 2019

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

16 18 $595,767 $539,156 5 8 8 6 2 0

45 51 $531,089 $551,178 24 22 14 19 0 0

COLDWELL BANKER Annapolis I 4/3/1 I $1,425,000 2646 Greenbriar Lane

Bethesda I 5/4/1 I $1,410,000 10106 Dickens Avenue

Ellicott City I 6/5/1 I $1,350,000 12614 Fawn Run Ct

Washington, D.C. I 3/2/1 I $989,000 1400 K Street SE, #2

Martin Conroy 202-247-6139 Search MDAA400878 on cbhomes.com

Justin Lin 240-401-2366 Search MDMC669434 on cbhomes.com

Dalys Keith 410-336-5516 Search MDHW265324 on cbhomes.com

Joyce Gardner 301-674-1102 Search DCDC432336 on cbhomes.com

Gaithersburg I 4/3/1 I $939,000 805 Gatestone Street

Chevy Chase I 3/2/1 I $735,000 6640 Hillandale Rd, #52

Rockville I 3/3/1 I $682,900 9911 Lambertina Lane

Baltimore I 4/3 I $565,000 222 Goodale Road

Christine Sherman 301-518-4174 Search MDMC651612 on CBHomes.com

Marlene Aisenberg 301-785-6313 Search MDMC670900 on cbhomes.com

Deidra Stubbs 803-447-8700 Search MDMC666748 on cbhomes.com

Sacha Moise 202-656-8218 Search 1001189834 on cbhomes.com

Columbia I 4/3/1 I $495,000 8643 Stonecutter Road

Silver Spring I 3/3/1 I $475,000 1641 Whitehall Drive

Chevy Chase I 1/1 I $194,500 4242 East West Highway, #1002

Bethesda I 1/1 I $169,888 5225 Pooks Hill Road, 225N

Sacha Moise 202-656-8218 Search MDHW266202 on cbhomes.com

Roddy Jean 301-648-7896 Search MDMC661836 on cbhomes.com

Cathy Paulos 240-353-5127 Search MDMC654698 on cbhomes.com

Sandy Sugar 301-318-1126 Search MDMC672096 on cbhomes.com

INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN REAL ESTATE? Tammie Henderson Branch Vice President, Bethesda Tammie.Henderson@cbmove.com

Kelly R. Vezzi Branch Vice President, North Potomac/Rockville Kelly.Vezzi@cbmove.com

Downtown 301.718.0010 4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 100 Bethesda, MD 20814

Park Potomac 301.983.0200 12435 Park Potomac Avenue Suite #550 Potomac, MD 20854

The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. Any affiliation by you with the Company is intended to be that of an independent contractor sales associate, not an employee. Š2018 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. 503182MA_11/18

home | BY THE NUMBERS JUNE 2018

JUNE 2019

JUNE 2018

JUNE 2019

JUNE 2018

20902 (Silver Spring)

20904 (Silver Spring)

20906 (Silver Spring)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

33 32 $462,221 $427,308 16 17 9 7 0 0

29 26 $500,586 $512,042 9 8 11 16 0 0

29 36 $416,736 $450,411 15 15 6 17 0 0

20903 (Silver Spring)

20905 (Silver Spring)

20910 (Silver Spring)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

5 8 $461,600 $390,625 0 5 3 1 0 0

19 25 $534,511 $552,303 6 12 12 10 0 0

JUNE 2019

33 27 $629,409 $627,271 9 9 20 13 1 0

Information courtesy of Bright MLS, as of July 15, 2019. The Bright MLS real estate service area spans 40,000 square miles throughout the mid-Atlantic region, including Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and parts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. As a leading Multiple Listing Service (MLS), Bright serves approximately 85,000 real estate professionals who in turn serve more than 20 million consumers. For more information, visit brightmls.com. Note: This information includes single-family homes sold from June 1, 2019, to June 30, 2019, as of July 15, 2019, excluding sales where sellers have withheld permission to advertise or promote. Information should be independently verified. Reports reference data provided by ShowingTime, a showing management and market stats technology provider to the residential real estate industry. Some sale and list prices have been rounded.

Ask the Home Experts PROFILES

Cheryl Leahy

LONG & FOSTER | CHRISTIE'S BETHESDA What s ecial e ertise do you offer new home uyers? any homebuyers have specific space needs or want their home to re ect their personal style which often leads to new construction early percent of my business involves new homes ’ve had continued success procuring lots and helping clients select architects and builders who best suit their needs and the nuances of the site ther buyers choose to buy a home that’s already in the construction process have almost years of e perience ne otiatin on behalf of buyers and advocatin for them throu hout the buildin process have relationships with interior desi ners landscape architects and others who can help my clients realize their vision e ciently and within bud et HONORS AND SPECIALTIES

7700 Old Georgetown Road | Bethesda, MD 20814 301-370-2484 | Cheryl.Leahy@LNF.com www.CherylLeahyHomes.com 242

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

COURTESY PHOTO

ndividual ent e ion eal rends ent in aryland Washingtonian op ents ember on oster hristie’s u ury lliance elpin buyers sellers in ethesda surroundin communities

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PROFILES

Ask the Home Experts

Doug Monsein

DOUGLAS CONSTRUCTION GROUP (DCG) What makes the homes you build unique and different?

Every home we build is unique, and well over half of the homes we build are custom. When the opportunity to work directly with the homeowner from the ground up exists, the individuality of each home comes to life, truly taking on our client's personality. Listening to clients is a lost art, but not at DCG–we deliver what our client wants, not what we think they want.

We've built over 160 new homes in the Bethesda area, all based on a foundation of integrity. Past clients are our best ambassadors. They can attest to our exceptional communication, and an organized and stressfree process, with quality craftsman and vendors involved. Our primary goal is to ensure our clients enjoy their homebuilding experience.

What are eo le as ing for in their new and custom homes today?

Bethesda homeowners are well-informed, setting their own standards and trends. We've been adding design and engineering touches in homes for years, as the rest of the industry plays catchup on lots of elements.

Green initiatives are important to owners, and it starts with the building envelope of framing, windows, exterior doors and the insulation package.

We believe that green building should be an everyday standard, not an added feature or upsell.

Granite counters are great, but quartzite is replacing granite today as the go-to. Don't confuse it with quartz, which is man-made.

Quartzite is Mother Nature-made. Our clients are asking for more stainless steel in their kitchens.

We're building grander mud rooms. In baths, more clients are asking for free-standing tubs, which are always an eye-catching design touch.

There's clearly a new consciousness in our area of quality over quantity. I welcome it, too, because we have high expectations and we appreciate clients that do, as well.

HONORS

TONY J. LEWIS

Industry Expert, Home & Design magazine; Best Green Builder (only builder ever), Bethesda Magazine’s Best of Bethesda Readers Poll; A Top Vote Getter, Best Builder, Best of Bethesda Readers Poll

8429 Fox Run Potomac, MD 20854 301-983-6947 | doug@dcghomes.com www.dcghomes.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

243

Ask the Home Experts

PROFILES

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Seated: Margie Halem, Harrison Halem Standing; Elizabeth Meltzer, Ashley Townsend and Amy Gordon Not pictured: Lori Silverman, Jared Maites, Hal Stuart, Justin Stuart, Ellen Sternberg and Leslie Fitzpatrick

Margie Halem

THE MARGIE HALEM GROUP OF COMPASS

What is unique about your approach to selling a house? rom the moment list your home am committed to you percent provide sta in suggestions, complimentary accessories, pricing and marketing strategies, and a professional network do whatever it takes to et your home sold in the time frame you want at the best possible price ’m involved every step of the way y sellers are re ularly updated with market research web statistics on virtual visits industry feedback ways to ma imi e e posure and more e stay on the cuttin ed e of social media and marketin hat’s a bi advanta e in marketin homes for sellers and findin homes for buyers hatever your price ran e we provide e cellent representation and you receive my hi hest level of service and professionalism ’m completely accessible and a valuable resource for everythin you may need for buyin sellin and movin 244

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

op ote etter est eal state ent Bethesda Magazine op a ents nationwide op eam ompass op ent Washingtonian to merica’s est ents by REAL TRENDS

isconsin ve ethesda

uite

ar ie compass com www mar iehalem roup com

COURTESY PHOTO

How do you work with a new client?

Each home and client is unique, and I treat each as such, listening and looking for the qualities that make your situation different from anyone else’s learn by listenin to you ask uestions so can understand your needs and e pectations then tailor a marketin platform includin sta in pricin strate y and uidance for the current market conditions in your nei hborhood he ar ie alem roup is part of ompass’s ational rivate lient etwork e’re positioned to deliver a seamless e perience across our clients’ entire real estate portfolio includin strate ic advice and consultation ecause real estate is so dynamic and hyper local we ve built a uni ue nationwide network of hi h performin and like minded associates to service client needs wherever they mi ht be ollectively via our etwork artners we operate in lu ury markets across the country and we sell over in lu ury real estate annually

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L-R: Erick, Rebecca, Daniel, Jessica and Matthew

Daniel A. Carrero

PRESIDENT, HOUSE TO HOME SOLUTIONS

ERICK GIBSON

COURTESY PHOTO

How do I choose the right contractor for my project?

The old adage of getting three estimates and chooing the one in the middle doesn’t work as effectively with lar er desi n based pro ects our best option is to o with a reputable company that can provide certificates of insurance and is not afraid to provide you a full list of references of all their customers not ust the ood ones bviously check licenses insurance and reviews but the interview is the most important piece of your research ou want a partner when it comes to lar e pro ects not a salesman ave uestions ready to ask that address your concerns e always recommend meetin with multiple companies but it is not about estimates but instead about interviewin the company and findin the company that has processes and procedures in place that fit your e pectations vision timeline and of course bud et How do you handle those unknown behind-the-scenes obstructions that may create setbacks on the project? his is where we feel most contractors and homeowners make a bi mistake ushin to et to construction as soon as possible and normally prematurely he most import phase of construction is development and plannin t s not ust desi n but also inspectin the home checkin the infrastructure and understandin all the costs that will be involved to complete the pro ect on time and on bud et here can always be a surprise or two but e perience and proper plannin can avoid ma or surprises and bud et overruns ouse to ome olutions offers desi n build pro ects like additions whole house remodels kitchens bathrooms and basements with a concier e level of service

HONORS

est of ou ervice ont omery ounty est icks eport ertified n ie’s ist uper ervice ward emodelers dvanta e ward emodelers dvanta e mpact ward ominee

rabbs ranch ockville

ay

info ouseto ome olutions com www housetohomesolutions com

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Deb Levy

SENIOR HOME LENDING ADVISOR, CHASE ow is uying a home today different from the past?

I started my mortgage banking career in 1986 with Chase Bank of Maryland. A lifelong Washingtonian and native to Montgomery County, I've seen the market evolve over the past 33 years.

It’s a faster market than in prior years. For the most part, buyers have to make instant decisions and move quickly to secure a contract on a home. ompetition means multiple offers and buyers need to be prepared, as often sellers are looking for items that make the buyer take more risk.

We’re seeing a lot of all-cash contracts with the ri ht to take financin meanin that buyers are going in with limited contingencies. To make this happen, buyers need to speak with an industry professional and not ust accept a pre ualification as a go-ahead to buy a home. We're encouraging our buyers to be fully underwritten with a conditional approval letter that their financin will be in place when they need it. This also allows our buyers to settle quickly as the contract dictates.

How is buying a home the same today?

Buyers still need full representation. As much information is on the Internet, there's a lot of misinformation, too. It’s great that we can see homes online, but an industry professional can help a buyer navigate potential pitfalls.

As the largest bank in the country, Chase can offer full service bankin products as well as individualized service. It’s the perfect blend of an industry leader and a neighborhood expert. We’re expanding into the D.C. area and the addition of the new banking centers has been exciting. uyin or refinancin a home can seem overwhelming. I can help make the process easier for you by reviewing loan options and answering all questions.

HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

1401 New York Ave. NW Washington, DC 20005 301-332-7758 | deb.levy@chase.com homeloan.chase.com/deb.levy NMLS ID 481255 L-R: Lisa Bennett, Assistant, and Deb Levy

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All home lending products are subject to credit and property approval. Rates, program terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Not all products are available in all states or for all amounts. Other restrictions and limitations apply.

Home lending products offered by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

COURTESY PHOTO

PHOTO CREDIT

Many 5-star reviews on Zillow; Nationally registered; 33 years of experience as a senior home lending advisor

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Front L-R: Brooke Bassin, Emily Moritt, Wendy Banner, Gail Gordon, Ilene Gordon, Julia Fortin, Sharyn Goldman.

Back L-R: Michelle Teichberg, Jody Aucamp, Pat Karta

The Banner Team

MICHAEL VENTURA

Why should I hire a team of Realtors?

Why would you hire only one Realtor when you can have the expertise and responsiveness of 10? Each member of our team brings unique strengths and skills. Any of our agents would be an excellent choice as your Realtor, as we support each other with our combined experience. We use our collective expertise to get the best price for every one of our sellers and buyers. With so many transactions under our belts, we have extensive negotiating experience.

As one of the most successful, award-winning teams locally and nationally, with accomplished a ents and five full time dedicated staff behind the scenes we re committed to an unsurpassed level of service. Buying and selling a home, while exciting, can be stressful, so we strive to make it an enjoyable and anxiety-free experience.

What else sets The Banner Team apart?

We love being an established, reliable presence in our community. Whether we’re helping friends and neighbors buy and sell homes, donating a portion of every commission to local charities through our Pay It Forward Program, hosting community events, or serving local or ani ations we find oy in bein a part of the nei hborhood Buyers, sellers, and other agents trust our integrity and experience. Each of us is intimately familiar with everything from product inventory and current market conditions to tax ramifications financial options and of course the best restaurants and ni htspots in town!

We’re up-to-date with what’s been bought and sold, as well as the history of homes we sell.

Our hard work and reputation have landed us the most prestigious and coveted awards in the industry. Honored as Top Producers and Top Agents by Bethesda Magazine, Washingtonian, The Wall Street Journal and more, we’d be delighted to help you buy or sell your ne t home!

HONORS

Over $1 billion sold & settled; Top Producer, Bethesda Magazine, 2019; Best Realtor Team, Washingtonian, 2019; roup in on oster o ce Top 10 Real Estate Groups, Maryland, Real Trends, 2019; Top 250 Real Estate Teams, U.S. – Real Trends, 2019

4650 East West Highway ethesda 301-365-9090 Info@BannerTeam.com www.BannerTeam.com

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Robert Jenets, Matthew Maury and Kathleen Slawta STUART & MAURY, INC.

In an age where there is an increasing focus on technology and teams, how is a boutique brokerage able to compete? e’re e cited to say that not only are we able to compete but we’re able to lead the field in both areas! ur tech and visual desi n people are superb and our brokera e effectively operates as a skilled, interactive team. To go one better, we’re proud of our reputation for being ultraprofessional (yes, we have two attorneys on board) and of the respect our brokerage has earned from clients and colleagues over the past 63 years!

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HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Washingtonian, Best Level Production; GCAAR Gold Awards, multiple years; DC Metro Real Producers; Top Agent Network

4833 Bethesda Ave., Suite 200 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-654-3200 robert@robertjenets.com www.stuartandmaury.com

DARREN S. HIGGINS

Tell us about the Top Producers at Stuart & Maury.

Robert Jenets shoulders the duties of President and Principal Broker while adeptly maintaining his exemplary sales career. Bob’s volume last year of approximately $20 million is representative of his 35-year career and places him among the elite Platinum-Level agents in the Washington area.

Matthew Maury is now entering his 40th year in sales and has sold close to $1 billion worth of Bethesda-area real estate. Matthew has been involved in the sale of over 500 ood cres prin field area homes in particular is roots run deep as a lifelon ethesda resident and a hitman rad class of e balances his life s work with a passion for music e is the leader of he in s a popular s musical roup in the area ate lawta practiced law for many years before enterin the real estate world in he credits her success partly to the natural syner y between the two professions ate has been a longtime member of the Top Agent Network, a recurring DC Metro Producer and a recipient of the old ward ate also loves spendin time at her small lakeside cabin in Pennsylvania and working with underprivileged children.

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L-R: Tyler Abrams, Ray Sobrino, Phil Leibovitz, Mimi Brodsky Kress, Brian Abramson, Tom Bennett

Phil Leibovitz, Mimi Brodsky Kress & Brian Abramson SANDY SPRING BUILDERS

MICHAEL KRESS PHOTOGRAPHY

What are the most important factors to consider when selecting a lot for my new custom home? r uably ďŹ rst is location any of our clients want convenience and walkability e t is price the lot must be at a number where your bud et will work ince we re custom builders once we have found the property li ht and view are very important uildin restriction lines too as they show you the width and depth of the house you can build plus the si e of the footprint allowed opo raphy matters because it will show how much li ht you can get into the lower level, plus how usable a yard you will have.

We re a out to uild our rst custom home Where should we s lurge and where should we save? pend on architecture because reat desi n makes or breaks a house sin a builder like us with years of e perience in livability of the house is really important too he most important rooms in the house to spend money are the kitchen family room master bath and formal powder room e also believe in spendin money on hi h e ciency windows and doors his makes the house a much happier e citin place to live in ther elements include an overbuilt oor system uality insulation packa e e terior sheathin and lifetime warrantied architectural rade asphalt roof products and ice and water uards esthetically you may look at a stucco foundation instead of stone and brick nside et a hi h e ciency mechanical system with proper onin uality cabinetry millwork and hardware, and recessed lighting no larger than 4". our house does not need to be overly lar e ust very livable ou can still do a beautiful clapboard house without havin to spend the money on brick and stone asements too don t have to be fancy ust ri ht for you

SPECIALTIES

est uilder est of ethesda ead ers Poll, Bethesda Magazine, 11 years; old wards from aryland uilders Custom Contemporary Home, Custom ome sf ustom ome sf

4705 West Virginia Ave. Bethesda, MD 20814 info sandysprin builders com www.sandyspringbuilders.com

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Kevin Gilday and Tom Gilday GILDAY RENOVATIONS

What are some issues to consider when downsizing your home?

Think about how you want to live. Drive less? Walk or bike more? Looking for conveniences and amenities nearby? These come with an urban setting. If you want to spend time at home, the privacy of suburban living might be your thing. ondos and townhomes offer urban lifestyles with theater and restaurants in a short walk or quick cab ride. If you want outdoor space for gardening and more seclusion, a smaller home on an easily manageable lot might be right. Whatever you choose, you'll probably be looking at a space that needs updating or customizing. A renovation is an investment in enhanced uality and refinements in your new space

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SPECIALTIES

Home & condominium renovation specialists; years of e perience ward winnin architects, designers and builders; Highly collaborative design-build process

9162 Brookville Road Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-565-4600 | info@gilday.com www.gilday.com

LISA HELFERT

What are the special considerations when downsizing to a condominium?

Most condos have less space than a single-family home, so you're making a lifestyle chan e that swaps s uare foota e for freedom and e ibility ou ain freedom from maintainin rooms that you rarely spend time in from e terior maintenance and upkeep and havin to drive everywhere ou can travel for e tended periods and have the e ibility to come and o as you please Consider whether you prefer a modern high-rise or the rich character of a legacy building. Condos in older buildings may have larger room dimensions in addition to builtin charm ew condos may have less space but offset that with hi h end finishes lots of lass and open oor plans he process of downsi in lets you reinvent yourself too ou can renovate with the enhancements and upgrades you want. Having less space to deal with, you can put more into it.

Over 40 years, Gilday Renovations has provided clients with a highly collaborative desi n build process that seamlessly blends e pertise of its award winnin team of architectural designers, interior designers and master builders.

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Legendary Homes

LYNDA O'DEA AND CHRISTINA O’DEA

COURTESY PHOTO ERICK GIBSON

ow are your services different from other area ealtors? s a mother dau hter team we offer a broad perspective for any buyer or seller from first time buyers to the hi hest price brackets e were both raised in ethesda and we still live here now love our local communities and know them very well hat’s uni ue but we truly e cel for clients in other important ways such as technolo y home sta in and desi n n today’s di ital world you can reach buyers and sellers fast and easily in many ways and our technical e pertise and online presence offers very effective marketin ur websites are at the top of searches when buyers look for homes in ethesda hevy hase otomac and orthwest his ensures your listin is in front of potential buyers e actly when they re searchin e make sure houses show beautifully online too oth of us offer desi n and sta in e pertise and accessories to help showcase your home e have also personally desi ned and renovated many lu ury properties and we thorou hly understand what oes into these pro ects and how to uide clients in their thinkin re there other advantages to wor ing with you? e sure think so e’re one of the top teams at on oster hristie’s o ce and we speciali e in the lu ury real estate market which means some the finest homes in our area e re e perts in the current condominium townhouse and sin le family home markets in ont omery ounty and orthwest ur relationship with on oster and hristie’s provides stren th support knowled e and a lobal reach e believe that e endary omes deserve e endary ervice and our hi h level of service is well known e ve worked with many top e ecutives politicians professional athletes and entertainment personalities ur desire is to always e ceed every client’s buyin and sellin e pectations from start to finish

HONORS

latinum a ent op lite erformers at on oster hristie’s nternational eal state ent est of Washingtonian op ote etter ethesda Magazine’s est of ethesda eaders oll

on

oster hristie’s oodmont ve ethesda

ynda e endary omes com www e endary omes com

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Trent Heminger and Mary Noone TRENT & CO. | COMPASS

Is staging that important to selling my home? bsolutely! ta in is the most cost effective way to support your sale, even more than painting or renovating and why Trent & Co. invests in this important piece as agents.

We see properties sit on the market too long simply because they aren’t de-personalized. A strong agent will help you decide room by room what’s important. Even with new construction, we spell out where things go for buyers. In this market, staging will get you the biggest return to any improvement and why we have this niche offerin at rent o What will it cost to get my home ready for market and how will I pay for this?

On average we spend anywhere from $7,000 to $35,000 to prep a home for market. “Updating” a bathroom could be as simple as changing a light fi ture or framin out a mirror to help moderni e the space. A good agent will tell you what’s worth investing in to get you the highest return.

Since our team is a part of Compass, you have access to “Compass Concierge,” a service that lets you easily prepare your home for sale by fronting the cost of home improvement services like staging, painting and more. Then, pay back this investment from your settlement proceeds. have to sell my home rst in order to uy something new, how can I do this?

Over 80 percent of our Bethesda transactions are e actly this scenario omeone wants to move but is concerned with how to make it work. We make this as seamless as possible for clients, from levera in e uity or sellin off market with Compass Coming Soon or working on strategies to win clients what they need. The key to success in the buy sell market is a well e ecuted plan HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

5471 Wisconsin Ave., Third Floor Chevy Chase, MD 20815 O: 301-298-1001 Trent: 202-210-6448 | Trent@trentandco.com Mary: 240-461-3928 | Mary@trentandco.com www.trentandco.com 252

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COURTESY PHOTO

years collective e perience years rated as "America’s Best Real Estate Agents” Wall Street Journal & eal rends op roducer op ent eam Washingtonian More than $250 million in sales since January 2018

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Erich Cabe

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, COMPASS ERICH CABE TEAM, LLC What has changed since you started working in real estate? How have you responded to those changes?

The fundamentals of selling a home haven’t changed, nor will they ever. Accurate pricing, accessibility and presentation are still the three most important factors when selling. One aspect that has changed dramatically is how people present their homes.

Today, homes that are professionally staged and prepped sell for substantially higher prices and have fewer days on the market than those that aren’t.

Photos and virtual tours have become a crucial part of “touring” a home before a potential buyer decides to visit a property hat’s why we offer free loans with no fees and no interest for our clients to sta e and prep their homes. It’s that important. We also provide complimentary staging consultations to all of our clients at the beginning of the process, and we refer them to staging professionals and contractors who are exceptionally skilled at what they do.

What are some important factors to consider when choosing an agent?

Reputation is critically important. More than 90% of our business comes from referrals, whether it’s past clients, friends of clients, or other agents throughout the country and all over the world. Our team has built a solid reputation by collaborating with other agents and brokers and consistently putting our clients’ best interests above our own. We are a relationship-based team, and we truly value the long-term connections we have with our clients.

It’s also essential to work with an agent who understands and appreciates the importance of marketing. We create a comprehensive marketing plan for each client to expose their property to every potential buyer. We aren’t salespeople; were marketin professionals and fiduciaries e draw upon our vast knowledge of the real estate market to serve as advocates for our clients.

AWARDS AND HONORS

COURTESY PHOTO

COURTESY PHOTO

Bethesda Magazine Top Producer; Washingtonian Best Agents; Washingtonian Top Producer; Top 1% Internationally; Zillow 5-Star Premier Agent; America’s Best Real Estate Professionals, REAL Trends

5471 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 300 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 202-320-6469 erichcabe@gmail.com erichcabeteam.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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Jason Holstine

AMICUS GREEN BUILDING CENTER What sets you a art?

We're a design center and home improvement store that creates fresh spaces using products that foster a proud home and planet. e offer e pertise in a wide selection of curated materials from cabinetry to oorin tile paints and more that will be best for you your tastes and future generations. We work on small projects and lar e from kitchen bath remodels to new homes e offer desi n services and packages with special project pricing.

Whether you have a builder or need one from our network, we will work with your project team for a smoother experience.

Why should my roject e green?

If you prefer a smooth process to choose your materials and to feel good about how they’re made; feel better about the air you’re breathing; freedom for nearly any aesthetic style; leave a legacy protecting our environment; and without a premium…then green is for you.

HONORS

4080A Howard Ave. | Kensington, MD 20895 301-571-8590 | info@amicusgreen.com www.amicusgreen.com

ERICK GIBSON

Best of Houzz, 2015-2019; NARI COTY winner

Barbara Hawthorn Interiors

AWARDS AND HONORS Fearless Woman Award, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, 2018; Professional Woman of the Year, National Association of Professional Women, 2011; Bethesda Magazine, Best of Bethesda, “Best Restaurant Design,” 2011

McLean, VA 703-241-5588 | barbara@barbarahawthorninteriors.com www.barbarahawthorninteriors.com 254

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KENNETH M. WYNER PHOTOGRAPHY

What do you offer that the others in the industry might not?

With over 35 years of experience, we have built a reputation for designs that create that special magic, combining both beauty and function. Creating the perfect space is about stretching all the elements of design in new and fresh ways, while still respecting the principles of good design. Over the years we have assembled a team of contractors, artists and artisans to translate our clients’ vision into original custom furniture, lighting and art. We do it all—from working on new construction, to renovation, to simple makeovers, in any style from raditional to ontemporary he end result re ects our clients’ aspirations in a way that is uniquely personal. Barbara Hawthorn Interiors is the team for you if you want something that is not “cookie cutter”—executed by a team that cares deeply about your satisfaction.

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Anne-Marie Finnell, Kelly Lee, Marge Lee and Eva Anifantis TTR SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY, FINNELL LEE HOMES

COURTESY PHOTO

How do you help your buyers and sellers navigate this dynamic real estate market where some neighborhoods are continuing to see competitive bidding situations?

A lot of the “close-in” neighborhoods we specialize in are extremely competitive right now, and we think being successful in that type of environment on either side of the deal comes down to preparation and pricing.

For our buyer clients, being fully prepared by having a loan approval in place and a complete understanding of the transaction timeline and costs is key. For our sellers, the importance of properly preparing and pricing their home cannot be overstated. Most sellers understand that overpricing their home is a bad idea... but we are not fans of underpricing either. Presenting the house to the market looking its best with the price ust ri ht which is part art part science and definitely requires a thorough knowledge of the neighborhood—will create a scenario where buyers will see value in the home, fall in love with it and have to have it.

If you were selling your own home, how would you go about choosing an agent? here is no shorta e of well ualified a ents in our market e think the best choice of a representative for any given buyer or seller comes down to a combination of professional experience, neighborhood knowledge and reputation.

Assuming they check all those boxes, however, the most important question we think we could ask ourselves is s this a ood fit s this person someone that we like and trust and can see ourselves working closely with on what might be the bi est transaction of our lives to date or the most successful outcome it really has to be!

HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Top Producer, Bethesda Magazine, 2019; Top Producers Platinum Award, Washingtonian, 2015-2019; Real Trend’s America's Best Realtors, 2019; TTRSIR Community Leadership Award, 2015; Over $40 million in sales in 2018

isconsin ve Chevy Chase, MD 20815 M: 202-329-7117 | O: 301-967-3344 afinnell ttrsir com ttrsir.com | sothebysrealty.com www.FinnellLeeHomes.com

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Christy, Chris & John Scango CAPITOL HARDSCAPES

Bethesda, MD 301-887-1880 sales@capitolhardscapes.com www.capitolhardscapes.com

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

What hardscape project brings the most curb appeal and adds value to my home?

Deciding what to spend your money on can be overwhelming.

People often underestimate the value of adding curb appeal to their homes he front of your house is the first thin people see when they pass by or walk up. By simply replacing your front walkway, porch or steps, Capitol Hardscapes can transform the look and feel of your home. Brick and natural stone can make the front of your house look polished. We can also broaden the project by adding railings, stone edging or stone walls to frame out planting beds.

We help simplify decisions by breaking them down into segments you can clearly envision. We enjoy working closely with you to choose stones, colors and textures to complement your home. In the end, it brings us great pleasure when our customers thank us for helping them transform the look of their home.

Chris Lapp, AIA

CLAUDE C. LAPP ARCHITECTS, LLC What kinds of projects do you really love working on?

I enjoy working on all sorts of projects, but I cut my teeth on traditional architecture. There’s something soothing for me about detailin entryways wainscotin fireplaces ceilin s and built ins Seeing those drawings come to life always puts a smile on my face and reminds me of why I fell in love with this profession.

I really enjoy working closely with clients to design and build their dream home, then see it come to life. From walking the lot, selecting trim packages and attending the housewarming party, you really get to see a homeowner take pride in their investment.

Over my 40 years as an architect, I’ve noticed that clients who take a bigger role in their build are often the happiest. Every project is a team effort comprised of a dedicated roup of en ineers builders, designers and eager homeowners.

HONORS

11820 Parklawn Drive, Suite 100 Rockville, MD 20852 301-881-6856 | chris@cclarchitects.com www.cclarchitects.com 256

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JAMES KIM

“A Top Vote Getter,” Best Architect, Bethesda Magazine’s Best of Bethesda Readers Poll, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019; Best of Houzz.com, 2014 to 2019

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Dana Rice Group

DANA RICE, MEGAN CONWAY, LISA RESCH, KAREN KELLY AND KCRYSTAL BOSCHMA

COURTESY PHOTO

Love it or list it?

We sell homes and we personally renovate homes. In fact, we’ve renovated a dozen homes in recent years. Because of this experience, we bring a truly holistic view to buying, staging and marketing a home. Every. Detail. Matters. o when to sell very house has a buyer ven with aws there is a buyer who will love it just like it is. You don't have to sell to a builder who will tear it down. In our market risk is not as hi h as other areas uyers are e tremely well ualified and enjoy the process of expanding or improving homes themselves. The home you loved for 30 years is just waiting for the next owner, and we love playing matchmaker.

Can’t we just put our house on the market these days and it sells?

News reports like “D.C.-area home prices hit record high—listings hit six-year low” make this a wonderful seller’s market. While true, going about it without guidance is a bigger risk that it seems.

Don’t be lulled into thinking it’s just “the market” that allows success in home prep or sale. Look around your neighborhood at the houses are sitting unsold amon houses that are yin off the shelf he difference is positionin pricin launch strategies and obsessive attention to details. We know the tactics that make buyers swoon.

Dana Rice Group has a proven track record, selling in less time for more than list price on almost every listing. Even if you are just thinking of renovating or possibly selling, make a call to Dana Rice. Our advice is free of charge but could prove to be priceless t mi ht ust be the difference between sittin and sold when you decide to enter the market.

AWARDS

A Top Vote Getter, Best Real Estate Agent, Bethesda Magazine Best of Bethesda Readers Poll, 2019; “Best Of,” Washingtonian, 20172019; Compass top team & biggest year-overyear growth; DC Metro Real Producers “Rising Star,” 2019; Wall Street Journal/Real Trends “America’s Best”

5471 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 300 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 202-669-6908 danaricegroup@compass.com www.compass.com

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Nick Bobruska, Andi Kay, Lisa Rudden and Gary Rudden RUDDEN BOBRUSKA TEAM

How does the in-house construction and renovation team work? ll work is mana ed and completed throu h our licensed and bonded construction crew o need to call outside contractors e are like but we ust don’t have a show! hether it’s a small makeover or a ma or renovation we do it all ur sellers love this aspect of our team because we make preparin your home for the market so seamless ur buyers love the advice and insi ht we can ive for future renovations and repairs avin a licensed aryland ome mprovement contractor as part of our team alon with the knowled e e perience commitment and services that we offer truly puts our team as a van uard in the real estate industry 258

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HONORS AND AWARDS

Bethesda Magazine op roducer Washingtonian op roducer anked e a teams in aryland e a latinum lub op etro eal roducers

e

a

ealty ervices hady rove ourt aithersbur

ary rudden rema net www he on ressional eam com

ERICK GIBSON

What sets your team apart from other real estate teams? here is no team out in the market that offers what we do ll of us are ealtors but we each have speciali ed roles which make our team so uni ue! fter decades of livin and sellin real estate in the we have established ourselves as one of the top real estate teams with our market e pertise and cuttin ed e technolo y ur savvy hi h tech marketin is on every website and social media source e have a hu e network with other top a ents which helps to premarket homes and discover homes for buyers before they reach the open market ur services include professional in house sta in services broker e pertise in ne otiatin and navi atin contracts and buyer representation in all price ran es ach client has different needs and we create a marketin plan based on those needs ur most distinct feature is our in house construction and renovation team e are literally a full service one stop shop when sellin or buyin a home!

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Tom, Dan and Ilan Fulop ROCKVILLE INTERIORS

TONY J. LEWIS

What makes Rockville Interiors unique and special?

Tom: Our company was founded and is managed by me with my sons Dan and Ilan. It’s been the D.C. area’s premier fabric workroom since 1971. We specialize in the design, fabrication and installation of custom window treatments, re-upholstery, slipcovers, pillows, cushions, bed ensembles and more.

We operate in locally owned workrooms where our team of artisan tailors, seamstresses and carpenters pair state-of-the-art technology with old world craftsmanship. Everything is made by hand usin only the world’s finest home fashion fabrics Dan: Our design team travels from Milan to Mumbai, collecting gorgeous home design fabrics. The breadth of style options and richness of patterns and textures infuses our products with unsurpassed beauty.”

Customers can meet with interior designers in the showroom or at home for guidance on selecting perfect fabrics for their projects. Our workrooms bring those designs to life. Factorytrained technicians oversee delivery and installation.

How did Rockville Interiors start and then grow?

Tom: I founded Rockville Interiors at age 22 after emigrating from Hungary. I had studied architecture back home but stru led to et my career off the round in the without speaking good English. But I needed to support my family, so I began knocking door-to-door offerin a craft my randmother tau ht me sewin plastic slipcovers Ilan: People were so amazed by his exquisite craftsmanship they began requesting his assistance on related home projects, including furniture upholstery, draperies and pillows. Dan and I admired Dad’s determination, as he worked tirelessly to keep up with demand. When his burgeoning business required more hands, he began assembling his team.

We watched our dad pour his heart and soul into his craft. He’s inspired us to lead Rockville Interiors into the future, focusing on industry-leading quality, unrivaled service and stunning results.

5414 Randolph Road Rockville, MD 20852 301-830-6447 hello@rockvilleinteriors.com www.rockvilleinteriors.com

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fitness. wellness. medicine.

PHOTO BY LIZ LYNCH

health

Hope MacDonald, who runs a ballet studio in Gaithersburg, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis two years ago. For more, turn to page 264.

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health | BE WELL

FOOD MATTERS A Bethesda dietician on fad diets, making healthy choices and why she eats dark chocolate every day

BY CARALEE ADAMS | PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

LIVLEEN GILL HAD never been inside a grocery store until she moved to Bethesda when she was 24. She’d grown up on army bases in India and purchased food at small markets or from vendors who came to her home. “I was just taken aback by all the colors of the vegetables and fruit—and the meat section blew me away,” Gill says of the Giant Food on Westbard Avenue, which she visited a day after arriving in the U.S. as a newlywed. “I had never seen so much food.”

After settling in Bethesda with her husband, Indermit, she experimented with new dishes and expanded her mostly vegetarian diet. “Food, I think, in every culture is the center of life. It doesn’t matter where you grew up, where you come from,” says Gill, now a registered dietician. She was motivated to make healthy meals for her kids—she has twin sons, 21, and a daughter, 22— and smart nutritional choices for herself because of her family’s history of diabetes and weight problems.

Gill, 53, worked as a dietician at hospitals in Towson and Cheverly, Maryland, and at skilled-nursing facilities in Montgomery County before shifting her focus to the preventive side. In 2001, she opened Bethesda NEWtrition & Wellness Solutions. While many of her patients are trying to lose weight or manage diabetes, she sees clients of all ages—from toddlers to seniors—with a variety of nutritional issues. “Everybody eats, so everybody thinks they are an expert on food,” says Gill, a former president of the Maryland Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

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“People don’t want to be told that what they are doing is not correct. We think there is a judgment—that is what really keeps people from getting help.”

Gill believes in a holistic approach to nutrition, and she has expanded the business to 15 employees, including primary care physicians, behavioral therapists and an acupuncturist. Several years ago, a busy couple with young children came to Gill to get on a healthier track. The family was eating out a lot, so she helped them plan basic meals to cook together at home and slowly move away from processed foods. The family added more beans to their diet, and Gill taught them to bake or grill chicken using a marinade and herbs rather than heavy cream sauces.

“By the time we were done, they were diligently cooking more than three meals a week,” she says.

Some of Gill’s patients come in for one or two sessions, while others see her for months or years for weight maintenance. She says she suggests slight adjustments—rather than drastic changes—to help people make better food choices, noting that fad diets often do more harm than good. “We’ve become a diet-obsessed nation,” says Gill, who doesn’t have a scale at home and uses the fit of her clothes as a gauge for managing her own weight. “People often have this cookie-cutter approach to weight loss: ‘Just follow the keto diet or follow the cabbage diet and you are going to lose weight.’ I wish it was that simple, but it isn’t.”

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

IN HER OWN WORDS...

REFRIGERATOR MAKEOVER “What I would really like to see is cut-up fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator.

When we first come in from a day’s work, everybody opens the fridge and says, ‘What am I going to make?’ You’re starving at that point, so you are going to go for the first thing. If you start with fruits and vegetables while you are preparing dinner, you’re already ahead.”

HONOR THE CRAVING “If you have a craving for having something—dried mangoes, for example—and it’s your favorite food, plan that into what you are having for the day. Don’t resist it. Otherwise, one day you are going to sit with that whole bag and eat it. …You need to be in control of what you are eating. Listening to your body is important. My weakness is dark chocolate.

I have a small piece every afternoon. Everybody in the office knows if they want chocolate, it’s in my drawer.”

ON PICKY KIDS “You have to introduce new foods to young kids not just once. Try as many as four times. The first time—the smell of it, the taste of it, what it looks like—they aren’t used to it. Slowly, they may eat it. It shouldn’t be a struggle.”

RAISING HEALTHY EATERS “I never pushed food or categorized food into good or bad. It wasn’t…if you reject my cooking or don’t clean your plate, you are one terrible child.

I wanted my kids to understand they could eat most of the things, but my emphasis was more on portion size. You can control what they eat in the house, but when they start to go out with their friends and go to college, you are not there. My goal was that they had taken in enough that they could make good choices. …If they went to McDonald’s, they knew not to get triple hamburgers.”

SMALL STEPS “We don’t go for a number of pounds, I rarely do that.

When you have to lose a lot of weight, setting a target becomes almost like it’s not going to happen. I reorient the conversation to: What are we going to do on a daily basis?

One small thing that they can do easily—sometimes it may be pushing breakfast from 9 a.m. to 8:30. Or not eating after 9 p.m., something very small that they can do to build upon.

If they feel successful, then the next week they can take a bigger step.”

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health

One

Step at a Time

Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis two years ago, the owner of a Kentlands ballet studio won’t let the disease rule her life

BY DAVID GOLDSTEIN | PHOTOS BY LIZ LYNCH

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Hope MacDonald with students at Bella Ballet

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health

O

ON A FEBRUARY AFTERNOON two years ago, Hope MacDonald was enjoying a sauna after completing her usual 90minute workout at LA Fitness in Gaithersburg: reps with 15-pound weights for each arm, then a 45-minute run on the treadmill.

At age 28, she owned and operated Bella Ballet, a Kentlands ballet studio for children that Washington Family Magazine the year before had named as having the Best Arts Program and also as Best Ballet or Dance Studio for families. Her 266

patient and exuberant instruction had produced a fierce devotion among her students, many of them no taller than a daylily, and their parents.

MacDonald, who was living in Gaithersburg, had also recently gotten engaged to “the most supportive partner I could ever even dream of” and was spending a lot of time—too much time, she would joke—on Pinterest, fantasizing about her dream wedding. It was set for December, just 10 months away.

She came from a close-knit family and

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often saw her parents and three siblings who lived in Virginia. MacDonald also spent a lot of time being “auntie” to her nine nieces and nephews.

Life was good.

So why, as she unwound in the warmth of the sauna, was she seeing double when she stared at one of the heated rocks? She looked at another.

Two again. And then another. Still two— and they were blurry.

When she covered her right eye, she saw only one rock. Her mind raced. Were

her new contacts causing the problem?

Did she have a brain tumor?

THE EMERGENCY ROOM AT the Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville is a busy suburban facility with about two dozen beds. MacDonald was propped up on one inside a curtained cubicle. It had been less than a week since she started seeing double. She had just returned from getting an MRI in the radiology department, where for 90 minutes she had to stay motionless inside a dark tube while a loud pulsing noise echoed inside her head as an imaging machine took pictures of her brain.

Nervous, she was waiting for a doctor to tell her the results.

It had been a circuitous route from the sauna to the ER. MacDonald was seeing double in her right eye, and the sight in her left was blurred. The weekend after her workout, a photographer at a dance recital at her studio noticed that the white portion of her right eye—the sclera—was barely visible.

That Sunday night, her fiance, Brad Bingham, took her to the emergency room at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda to have her eyes examined. Just dry eyes, she remembers the ER physician saying before sending her home with a prescription for eye drops.

“Are you sure this isn’t neurological?”

MacDonald asked. “I’m 28 years old and I have double vision.”

The next day was a whirlwind. Not satisfied that drops were the answer, she and Bingham saw an ophthalmologist who told her to come back in three weeks if her symptoms persisted. Still concerned, they went to an optometrist who sent her to a neuro-ophthalmologist in Hagerstown. He said she needed an MRI. By that evening, she was in the Shady Grove ER waiting to be seen. It was flu season, and the ER was jammed with patients. After waiting for seven hours, MacDonald and Bingham decided to leave and return in the morning.

The next day, she was seen imme-

diately because the ER nurses knew she had been there the night before.

As she lay on the MRI table, she tried to distract herself by reviewing the choreography for her dance classes. “I remember in my solitude praying and asking God for me not to have a brain tumor,” MacDonald says. “…I knew that once I knew what I was dealing with, I would figure it out. But those moments were some of the hardest ones.”

When the scan was completed, an aide wheeled her back to the ER. By then, her mother, Joyce MacDonald, and one of her older sisters, AnnMarie MacDonald, had arrived. With Hope’s family around her, Bingham left the hospital to finish packing up his Gaithersburg apartment, which he had to vacate by the next morning. He was

Band-Aid on and kiss it and say everything’s going to be OK,” she says. “I can’t put a Band-Aid on this.”

MacDonald quickly sent an ominous text to Bingham, who was boxing up his belongings: “Can you get down here as soon as possible?”

With everyone gathered around, Smith showed MacDonald’s MRI to the family. She had several lesions—a typical sign of MS—on her brain. Lesions can appear as either light or dark spots on the MRI. They pinpoint sites where nerves have malfunctioned. One of them was on MacDonald’s brain stem, which controls the messages between the brain and the rest of the body. That was the cause of her double vision. “It’s one of these instances where a picture is worth a thousand words,” Smith said.

When she covered her right eye, she saw only one rock.

Her mind raced. Were her new contacts causing the problem?

Did she have a brain tumor? moving in with Hope.

Finally, Dr. Perry Smith entered the cubicle. A Yale-trained neurologist, Smith studied brain tumors at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda. Joyce MacDonald was standing beside Hope’s bed, her arm around her daughter’s shoulders.

“You have what is called multiple sclerosis,” Smith told Hope.

She broke into tears.

Her mother stepped away for a moment so Hope wouldn’t see her cry. “I felt like I had been shot,” Joyce MacDonald recalls. At that moment, she felt the helplessness of a parent unable to make it all go away.

“When they’re little, you just put a

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS IS AN autoimmune disease; the body attacks itself. Dr. Jack Burks, a neurologist and chief medical consultant to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America, has studied MS for more than 50 years and is responsible for helping to build many of the MS treatment programs around the country.

Burks explains how the disease works: The nerves connected to the brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system and are surrounded by a white fatty substance called myelin. The substance acts like the insulation that coats electrical wiring. MS damages the insulation and causes messages from the brain—say, to raise your arm up and down—to short-circuit.

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health MacDonald was 24 when she opened Bella Ballet, where her students range in age from 2 to 12.

Burks says fatigue is an early symptom.

Double or decreased vision can follow because the nerves connected to the eyes aren’t receiving the proper messages.

Pain and numbness in the face, limbs and other parts of the body, overall weakness, dizziness, and vertigo are all symptoms. MS can also affect the bowels, the bladder—causing incontinence—and sexual function. Hot weather, stress and overwork can trigger a flare-up. The disease also can go into remission for days or years before symptoms reoccur.

Nearly 1 million adults in the United States are living with MS, according to a 2019 study by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. That’s more than double the number reported in a similar survey done in 1975. Most people are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, and “at least two to three times more women than men” are found to have MS, according to the study.

Burks says symptoms can lie in wait for years before revealing themselves.

What MacDonald experienced that day in the sauna is called Uhthoff’s phenomenon, which occurs when MS symptoms worsen as the body overheats, according to Smith.

When MacDonald was diagnosed, she was an outwardly healthy, vibrant, physically fit woman and an accomplished dancer—she once dreamed of Broadway but found a more rewarding calling as a ballet teacher and mentor. “As a 28-yearold, Hope was extraordinarily typical,” 268

Smith says.

Why the disease struck her is unclear because its causes remain a mystery.

Experts speculate that genetics or environmental factors could play a role.

MacDonald has relapsing-remitting MS, the most common form. She has done extensive research and speculates that her immune system did not develop fully as the result of her premature birth at 32 weeks, leaving her vulnerable to the disease. Or perhaps it was the mononucleosis she had in her early 20s; researchers are studying whether the immune system and viruses, among other factors, play a role in triggering MS. Of the four types of MS, MacDonald’s form is the least debilitating. She experiences relapses and remissions, and has been hospitalized a total of eight weeks since her diagnosis. The symptoms associated with the other types of MS worsen over time and there’s no bouncing back.

Until 1993, when the Food and Drug Administration approved the drug Betaseron, there was no approved drug treatment for MS. Now there are 17.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

MacDonald takes Rituximab, a drug approved for treating other conditions including lymphoma that is also used to treat MS. The medications are designed to stop the formation of brain lesions and slow the progression of the disease, according to Joan Ohayon, a nurse practitioner at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at NIH. “I think there’s a lot of hope out there,” says Ohayon, who has worked in the field for more than 25 years. “The landscape has changed. I don’t think MS should keep anybody from doing anything they want to do with their lives.”

But to MacDonald, lying on the bed in the ER as Smith put a name to her fears, MS evoked images of deteriorating capabilities and wheelchairs. She worried that she no longer would be able to dance. But soon, her innate self-confidence and pragmatism began to kick in.

“I was so relieved it wasn’t a brain tumor, and I now had a diagnosis that I would figure out how to tackle,” she says.

“I asked if I would end up in a wheelchair,

After learning that she has multiple sclerosis, MacDonald told her ballet students and their parents that she would continue teaching.

and Dr. Smith very matter-of-factly said, ‘Well, maybe if you are, God forbid, in a car accident or something. This disease is not the disease it was 20 years ago.’ ”

AT HER DANCE STUDIO behind Panera Bread in Kentlands on an April afternoon, “Miss Hope” is leading a ballet class for about a dozen 3-year-olds.

When she speaks to the little girls lined up in front of her, it’s in an overly expressive tone, operatic one minute, a stage whisper the next. She gets down on her knees to meet them at eye level. She wears a black leotard and a pink tutu, similar to what many of her students have on. The connection is purposeful.

MacDonald claps her hands to get their attention. “First position,” she says.

All eyes on her, they attempt to stand with their heels together and toes pointing outward. It’s a jumble of flailing arms and legs seeking balance. MacDonald then pirouettes fluidly, and they awkwardly mimic her. A few fall over.

“Amazing!” she exclaims with delight.

MacDonald was mesmerized by the

idea of dancing as far back as she can remember. Her mother says that at age 3, with a broken foot wrapped in a cast— she had jumped off the stairs pretending she was a ballerina—Hope was singing and dancing in the driveway. She wore out the cast in less than a week.

“As a kid, she constantly had music in her head and she was always dancing,” Joyce MacDonald says.

MacDonald began ballet lessons as a toddler and studied jazz and hip-hop as she got older. She took musical theater at the Shenandoah Conservatory at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia. But after teaching a dance class for 3-year-olds during college, she saw a more appealing life for herself.

“Do I want to be in a cockroachinfested apartment in New York with $150,000 in student loans,” she recalls thinking, “or do I want to still be able to pursue the arts and help to empower and inspire little girls?”

MacDonald taught at several studios in Delaware, Virginia and Maryland, but was repelled by their emphasis on

competition and attention to body image. She was 24 years old when she opened Bella Ballet.

MacDonald did not keep her diagnosis a secret, telling her students, who range in age from 2 to 12, and their parents not to be alarmed. She told them she would miss some classes from time to time, but that she would continue teaching.

“These little girls,” she says of her students.

“They are seeing a role model who is strong. Life is not always sunshine, honeysuckle and gumdrops.

They’re seeing me as a living, breathing…physical example of overcoming adversity.”

MACDONALD HASN’T HAD AN active lesion on her brain since November 2017, nor has she ever had any on her spine that could restrict her mobility.

Still, while MS is not always the medical sentence it once was, it has taken its toll.

MacDonald has the scars to show for it, like the ones on her neck, the result of having to undergo three plasma exchanges since her diagnosis. Known as plasmapheresis, the procedure removes the toxins in her blood that trigger MS flare-ups. Each time has involved at least a week in the hospital.

And there was the time she had to undergo a spinal tap to collect fluid from her spine and it leaked. Her surgeon had to perform a blood patch, in which he used MacDonald’s own blood to repair the hole in the membrane around the spinal cord. The headaches afterward

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health “were beyond awful,” she says.

She has had more IVs inserted than she can count. She’s spiked fevers and contracted hives. She’s received chemotherapy, which is used in MS treatment to kill the white blood cells that mount the attack on the myelin coating over her nerves.

She continues to weather the twists and turns of her disease’s insidious course. The waves of fatigue, which she describes as “a killer.” The recurring numbness in her hands and legs.

The intermittent spells of double vision.

Even without active lesions, symptoms can occur. But she will not halt a lesson even as her legs begin to tingle with an oncoming bout of numbness. “Muscle memory,” she says. “I still do my turns.

I still do it all.”

There are days, though, when she has to summon the strength just to get out of bed.

“Like today,” MacDonald says over an iced tea at the Panera one spring afternoon. “I woke up feeling like I had been hit by a truck. How do I get through the day? I power through.”

Her double vision hasn’t completely disappeared. It intrudes from time to time like an unwanted guest, usually after a long day of dance classes and recitals. She finds ice baths to be therapeutic.

She also drinks a lot of caffeinated beverages and water, takes nutrients and follows a diet developed by a physician who used it to treat her own MS. Like a paleo diet, it eliminates processed food and emphasizes green leafy vegetables, fish and berries—also chicken livers, which MacDonald despises but often eats for breakfast. “They really are an awesome brain food,” she says.

Bingham, who works in social media marketing, is her cook, and “my saving grace, my cheerleader,” she says.

Bingham says he and MacDonald, who married as planned in 2017, have adjusted to the ways MS has affected their lives, from the simple things they can control, like diet and making sure she stays out of the sun because of the 270

MacDonald and her husband, Brad Bingham, got married in 2017, less than a year after her diagnosis.

heat, to its more unpredictable and taxing consequences. “Hands down the most resilient, mentally tough person I’ve ever come across in my life,” Bingham, 31, says of his wife.

Danielle Wateridge, an older sister, says MacDonald’s resilience comes from their mother. Joyce MacDonald was pregnant while attending law school.

Later, running a household with four children, she also took care of her aging parents.

Hope MacDonald describes herself as “not a woe-is-me kind of girl,” but that’s not to say she doesn’t ever get low and wonder about her fate.

“She breaks down from time to time when she just can’t brave the battle any longer,” Bingham says. “It will be a few hours, at most, often at the end of a really hard day, where she’ll let out all the bottled emotion and frustration, and then she’ll pick herself up and we’ll keep waging war.”

AT PANERA, BETWEEN dance classes, MacDonald is wearing jeans over her long-sleeved black leotard. Her blond hair is tied in a ponytail that falls to the middle of her back. On the table is a

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

bottle of water and a notebook containing her calendar, chock full of meetings, dance lessons, doctor’s appointments and an upcoming “Tutu Walk” to raise money for MS. “Tons of tutus!” MacDonald says with a laugh.

Now 30, she has started doing motivational speaking and engaging in charity work for MS and other causes.

Her dance studio has become a springboard for books, dolls and a clothing line, all centered around empowering young girls.

She has no intention of letting MS stop her from starting a family; pregnancy can actually reduce the number of relapses, experts say. She looks forward to spending Saturdays on the sidelines with other parents, cheering on her kids and serving orange slices to the players at halftime.

“I want to have a year without being in the hospital before I even think about taking that on,” MacDonald says. “...I am such a soccer mom in my soul.”

David Goldstein is a former political and investigative reporter in Washington, D.C., for McClatchy Newspapers and The Kansas City Star.

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health wellness

CALENDAR COMPILED BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN

Runners will traverse a 5K trail in Cross Country on the Farm on Oct. 20.

registration is race-day only. Cabin John Regional Park, Potomac. mcrrc.org.

Sept. 22 OUT OF THE DARKNESS WALK. Sponsored

by Adventist HealthCare and aiming to raise awareness of suicide and mental illness, proceeds will help the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention fund new research, create educational programs, advocate for public policy and support survivors of suicide loss. 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free; registration required. Maryland SoccerPlex, Germantown.

240-499-3800, adventisthealthcare.com.

Sept. 28

Sept. 2 MOCO INTERFAITH 5K. The event brings together communities of faith and benefits local faith-based charities. Includes a 1K fun run for ages 6-12 and tot trot for ages 5 and younger. 8 a.m. opening ceremonies; 8:05 5K; 9 a.m. tot trot; 9:05 1K. $35 for online registration, which closes Sept. 1 at 8 p.m.; $40 race day. Maryland SoccerPlex, Germantown. mocointerfaith5k.org.

Sept. 8 PARKS HALF MARATHON. Runners trek from Rockville to Bethesda, through urban parkland areas and along the Rock Creek Stream Valley. A two-person team race called the Parks Relay is also part of the event. 6:45 a.m. $75-$90 for individuals; $100 per team.

Race starts at Redland Road and Somerville Drive adjacent to the Shady Grove Metro station, Rockville. parkshalfmarathon.com.

Sept. 14 LAKE NEEDWOOD CROSS COUNTRY. This challenging 10K course features hills, mud, grass and trails. The event also includes quarter- and half-mile young runs and a 1-mile fun run. 8:30 a.m. quarter- and halfmile; 8:50 a.m. 10K; 8:52 a.m. 1-mile. $10 272

ages 18 and older; $5 younger than 18; free for members of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club. Lake Needwood, Derwood. mcrrc.org.

Sept. 15 RUN FOR EVERYMIND 5K RUN AND 3K WALK. Hosted by Rockville-based EveryMind, which strives to raise awareness of mental health and wellness within the community— and reduce the stigma often surrounding mental health challenges. 8:30-10 a.m. $30-$35 5K; $25-$30 3K. Rockville Town Square, Rockville. 301-424-0656, every-mind. org/2019-run-for-everymind.

Sept. 21 KENSINGTON 8K. Proceeds benefit local schools, including Kensington Parkwood Elementary School, North Bethesda Middle School and Walter Johnson High School.

Open to runners of all levels and includes 2-mile and 1K options. 7:30 a.m. See website for prices. Noyes Library for Young Children, Kensington. 301-949-2424, kensington8k.org.

Sept. 22 CABIN JOHN KIDS RUN. For kids 17 years and younger, in the hopes of promoting children’s running. 9 a.m. quarter-mile; 9:10 a.m. half-mile; 9:25 a.m. 1-mile. Free;

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Sept. 29 CHRISTALIS 5K SUPERHERO RUN/WALK. Proceeds benefit Christalis, a nonprofit organization that supports poor and orphaned children in Uganda. 8 a.m. $20; $15 for college students; $12 Washington Adventist University students. Washington Adventist University, Takoma Park. christalis. org/events/superhero-5k-2019.

Sept. 29 INSPIRATION 5K RUN AND 1K WALK. The seventh annual event supports Special Olympics Maryland-Montgomery County. See website for details. Georgetown Preparatory School, North Bethesda. somdmontgomery.org.

Sept. 29 NATIONAL CAPITAL 20-MILER AND 5-MILER. The race is on a straight and flat course.

More than $1,100 in prize money will be awarded. 7 a.m. 20-miler; 7:20 a.m.

5-miler. $60-$65 20-miler; $30-$35 5-miler.

Carderock Recreation Area, Potomac.

20miler.dcroadrunners.org.

Sept. 29 ROCK THE CREEK RELAY. Teams of six runners will compete. The nearly 29-mile race will take most teams between four and five hours; there will be food and music at the

PHOTO BY KARIN ZEITVOGEL, COURTESY OF MCRRC

RUNNING/WALKING

SENECA CREEK 5K AND 10K. This race takes runners on a scenic journey with views of Seneca Creek and Clopper Lake. 7:45 a.m.

10K; 8 a.m. 5K. $40-$45 10K; $25-$30 5K. Seneca Creek State Park, Gaithersburg. bishopsevents.com/event/2019-seneca-creek5k-10k.

start/finish. Teams start between 7:30-8:30 a.m. $420 six-person team; $240 teams of three. Lake Needwood Park, Derwood. rockthecreekrelay.com.

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Oct. 6 SOMERSET ELEMENTARY BACK-TO-SCHOOL CLASSIC. Includes a new USA Track & Fieldcertified 8K course, a 2K non-timed event and a children’s fun run for ages 11 and younger. 9 a.m. See website for details.

Somerset Elementary School, Chevy Chase. somersetrace.com.

Oct. 6 WE KARE-EOKE 5K. Hosted by the Friends of the Stone and Holt Weeks Foundation, which honors the Weeks brothers, who grew up in North Bethesda and were killed at ages 24 and 20, respectively, in a 2009 highway truck crash. The day will include a 5K run and 1-mile walk on the Capital Crescent Trail followed by a karaoke party at World of Beer in Bethesda. Proceeds will support Environment America. Details of the event are subject to change; see website for updates.

Noon. $30; free for kids younger than 16.

Race starts at Ourisman Honda, Bethesda. stoneandholtweeksfoundation.org.

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Oct. 12 CLOPPER LAKE TRAIL RACE. Includes 5K and 10K races and follows the Lake Shore Trail around Clopper Lake in Seneca Creek State Park. 9 a.m. $35-$45. Seneca Creek State Park (Buck Pavilion), Gaithersburg. runsignup. com/race/events/md/gaithersburg/ clopperlaketrailrace.

Oct. 13 KEVIN STODDARD SUPERHERO 5K AND FUN RUN. Held in memory of Stoddard, a running enthusiast and educator who lived in Bethesda and died in 2018 at age 36, following an 18-year battle against the effects of bipolar disorder. Proceeds benefit the SuperHERO Kevin Stoddard Memorial Foundation. Small prizes will be awarded for best superhero costume and spirit. 8:30 a.m.

5K; 8:45 a.m. fun run. $30-$40 5K; $15-$20 fun run. Wheaton Regional Park, Wheaton. kssuperhero.org.

Oct. 20 CROSS COUNTRY ON THE FARM. Runners traverse a 5K trail through farmland in this event that is part of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club’s low-key race series.

8:30 a.m. $10 ages 18 and older; $5 younger than 18; free for MCRRC members.

Agricultural History Farm Park, Derwood. mcrrc.org.

Bethesda Magazine Readers’ Pick

“Top Vote Getter, BEST PLACE TO “BEST EYE DOCTOR & BEST PLACE TOBUY BUYGLASSES” GLASSES” Comprehensive Pediatric and Adult eye examinations through state of the art eye care technology ANNE ET VALENTINE • LINDBERG • ROBERT MARC OLIVER PEOPLES • FACE A FACE • RAY BAN

1095 Seven Locks Road | Potomac, Maryland 20854 | 301. 545.1111

www.wink.net

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

DENTIST

FINDER

Your Guide to Leading Dentists in the Bethesda Area

health

DR. ROY ESKOW

SCREENINGS/CLASSES/ WORKSHOPS

Bethesda Dental Implant Center

Sept. 9

PERIODONTICS, DENTAL IMPLANTS

5626 Shields Drive Bethesda, MD 20817 301-493-6200 www.bethesdadentalimplantcenter.com

Dental School: University of Maryland School of Dentistry Expertise: We provide state of the art periodontal therapy in a comfortable and caring environment. 30 years experience in dental implant surgery, periodontics, oral medicine, dental sleep apnea. Paramount is building a quality relationship with each and every patient.

GENERAL DENTISTRY, COSMETIC DENTISTRY

DR. H. BRANDT FOSTER Comprehensive Contemporary Dentistry 4702 Chevy Chase Drive Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-986-8804 www.fosterdds.net

Dental School: University of Maryland, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery Expertise: At our office we love what we do. We believe dentistry should be painless, functional and esthetic. We are committed to exceptional personalized care and use the latest technology to help you achieve a healthy beautiful smile.

14TH ANNUAL PROSTATE CANCER SYMPOSIUM. Kenneth Pienta, the Donald S. Coffey Professor of Urology and Director of Research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s Brady Urological Institute, will speak on precision medicine and treatments based on a tumor’s genetic profile. Presented by Suburban Hospital.

6-8:30 p.m. Free; registration required. Johns Hopkins University Montgomery County Campus, Rockville. 301-896-3939, events. suburbanhospital.org.

Sept. 26 ALL ABOUT GERD. Join Dr. Gary Roggin to learn more about gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), including potential complications and treatment options. 1-2 p.m. Free; registration requested. Rockville Senior Center, Rockville. 301-896-3939, events.suburbanhospital.org.

Oct. 8 HERE TO THRIVE: HOW HOLISTIC, FUNCTIONAL AND INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE SUPPORTS HEALTHY AGING. In this Suburban Hospital Aging in Place Forum, Dr. Andrew Wong discusses how integrative medicine is being used to support the aging-in-place movement. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Free; registration required. Normandie Farm, Potomac. 301-896-3939, events. suburbanhospital.org.

Oct. 9-Nov. 13

GENERAL DENTISTRY, COSMETIC DENTISTRY

DR. JOHN J. HIGGINS John J. Higgins, DDS PA 5648 Shields Drive Bethesda, MD 20817 301-530-8008 www.johnjhigginsdds.com

Dental School: Georgetown University Expertise: Provide patients with excellent care and health education in a contemporary and comfortable atmosphere

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HEALTHIER LIVING: MANAGING ONGOING HEALTH CONDITIONS. Participants in this evidence-based Suburban Hospital WellWorks chronic disease self-management program will learn how to manage their symptoms for better living. 6-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays.

Free; registration required. Suburban Hospital, Bethesda. 301-896-3939, events. suburbanhospital.org.

Oct. 17 TAVR: CHANGING THE FUTURE OF HEART SURGERY. Cardiologists Eric Lieberman and Greg Kumkumian discuss Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, a minimally invasive procedure that can be a good option for those who cannot undergo surgery or have a high risk of surgical complications. This event is presented by Suburban Hospital. 5-7 p.m. Free; registration required. Sunrise of Bethesda. 301-657-6880, sunriseseniorliving. com/communities/sunrise-of-bethesda.

Oct. 28 BECOMING A FATHER. A class designed to help new dads navigate fatherhood. Topics include basic baby care and safety, what it means to be a father and adjustments to life with a child. 6:30-9:30 p.m. $30. Holy Cross Resource Center, Silver Spring. 301-7547000, holycrosshealth.org.

Oct. 29 GIRL TALK. For girls ages 8-11 and their mothers and/or grandmothers. Topics include puberty, menstrual cycles and the importance of communication. 6:30-9:30 p.m. $20. Holy Cross Resource Center, Silver Spring. 301754-7000, holycrosshealth.org.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Support groups are free unless otherwise noted.

Sept. 21 and Oct. 19 THYROID CANCER SUPPORT. Hosted by Holy Cross Hospital in affiliation with the Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, this group is open to all thyroid cancer survivors and families. 10 a.m.-noon. Free. Holy Cross Hospital, Silver Spring. 301-943-5419, holycrosshealth.org.

Oct. 7-28 MOVING FORWARD. This course—designed to provide support and guidance for those up to 24 months post cancer treatment— will cover topics including exercise, long-term health risks, nutrition and psychological issues. 6-8 p.m. Mondays. Free; registration required. Beaumont House, Bethesda. 301634-7500, hopeconnectionsforcancer.org/ events/moving-forward.

Oct. 10-Nov. 14 PARENT LOSS GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP. For adults grieving the loss of one or both parents. 6:30-8 p.m. Thursdays (does not meet on Oct. 31). $25 for anyone who lives/works in Montgomery County; free for Montgomery Hospice families. Hughes United Methodist Church, Wheaton. 301-921-4400, montgomeryhospice.org.

Oct. 16-Nov. 20 EVENING GRIEF SUPPORT. Those dealing with the loss of a loved one can share personal experiences and discuss concerns in a supportive environment. 6:30-8 p.m.

Wednesdays. $25 for anyone who lives/ works in Montgomery County; free for Montgomery Hospice families. Montgomery Hospice, Rockville. 301-921-4400, montgomeryhospice.org. n To submit calendar items, go to BethesdaMagazine.com.

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Saturday, October 5

11am- 4pm

The Taste of Bethesda food and music festival takes place in Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle along Norfolk, St. Elmo, Cordell, Del Ray & Auburn Avenues. The festival site is three blocks from the Bethesda Metro.

Produced By

Sponsored By

Photos by: Christy Bowe 2018

For more info, please call 301-215-6660 or visit www.bethesda.org.

TOB-BethMag2019_cmr.indd 1

8/5/19 8:51 AM

restaurants. cooking. food. drinks.

dine

PHOTO BY LAURA CHASE DE FORMIGNY

At the recently opened Commonwealth Indian in North Bethesda, an appetizer of samosa chips is garnished with nasturtiums. For our review, turn the page.

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Sunil Bastola (opposite) opened his fine-dining restaurant Commonwealth Indian in May in North Bethesda. Dishes include a minced chicken kebab with Israeli salad (bottom left) and lamb biryani (center).

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Overall Rating:

B+

Commonwealth Indian 11610 Old Georgetown Road (Pike & Rose), North Bethesda; 240-833-3055; commonwealthindian.com

UNCOMMONLY GOOD

At Commonwealth Indian, chef Sunil Bastola offers intriguing fare in a luxurious setting

BY DAVID HAGEDORN PHOTOS BY LAURA CHASE DE FORMIGNY

WHEN YOU WALK INTO Commonwealth Indian restaurant in the Pike & Rose development for the first time and look around, be prepared to reset your expectation meter to high. Banquettes upholstered in tufted gold lamé and rich silk prints line an entrance waiting area beyond the host stand. A lounge area features a flecked granite bar with velveteen bar chairs so comfortable and roomy you could curl up for a nap in one.

Some walls are adorned with gold herringbone-patterned textured wallpaper;

others shimmer with gold motifs. With this design, the restaurant’s chef and owner, 41-year-old Sunil Bastola, sends a loud and clear message: There’s nothing common about Commonwealth Indian.

In the 100-seat dining room (there are also 12 seats outside), ornate crystal chandeliers, a tray ceiling lined with gold-hued tin tiles, and large teal and lime-green upholstered chairs are luxurious and welcome stand-ins for the bare Edison bulbs, exposed ductwork and plankboard chairs diners have gotten

FAVORITE DISHES: Samosa chips (a stack of pastry rounds); roti sang maas (minced chicken kebab with Israeli salad); lamb biryani; bhindi (okra) masala; saag gosht (spinach curry with chicken); tamarind margarita PRICES: Appetizers: $8 to $15; entrées: $17 to $27; dessert: $9 LIBATIONS: The nine signature cocktails ($10 to $14)—such as the mojito (gin, lychee syrup, basil leaves) and the somras (bourbon, cardamom rose petal syrup, iced tea)—are generously portioned, well balanced and quite tasty. Eleven beers include some local brewers (DC Brau, Flying Dog) and one Indian selection, Taj Mahal. The wine list, about a 60/40 mix of Old World (France, Spain, Italy) and New World (U.S., New Zealand) offerings, features 18 reds ($40 to $300), 18 whites ($36 to $195) and five sparklers ($38 to $136). Wine by the glass (18 selections) is $8 to $14.

To balance the bold flavors of the dishes at Commonwealth, consider one of the nonalcoholic yogurt-based lassi drinks.

SERVICE: Very accommodating and pleasant, but occasionally forgetful.

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Clockwise from left: Bhindi masala (okra sautéed with tomatoes and cumin); a tamarind margarita; saag gosht (spinach curry with chicken substituted for lamb); the entrance waiting area; and samosa chips

used to. The finery continues with cocktails. The margarita, tastily tangy from tamarind, comes in a cut-glass coupe; the negroni is chilled with a single spherical ice cube, just like at the hippest lounges.

(Ask for the delightful little round crackers called papadums that are made with lentil and rice flours and served with two chutneys. Commonwealth serves them with dinner entrées, but they go great with pre-dinner cocktails.)

Bastola is from Nepal, near India’s northern border. He says he didn’t plan to be a chef but that’s what happened.

He immigrated to Germantown in 2001 with the intention of becoming a pilot but couldn’t keep up with the costs. He had learned to cook from his mother and grandmother and worked in restaurants at home. To support himself in the States, he started working in Indian restaurants.

In one of them, he met Pankaj Sharma.

The two teamed up to open Bollywood Bistro in Fairfax in 2009, then another outpost in Great Falls in 2014. (Sharma is not a partner in Commonwealth.)

Bastola also earned an associate degree in advanced culinary arts from Stratford University in Fairfax, Virginia, in 2018, but his cooking at Commonwealth reveals that he already possessed vital requirements for excellence: natural ability and a refined palate. That’s evident in the samosa chips appetizer, Bastola’s riff on the familiar, triangular, potatostuffed pastries. His version is a stack of four flaky disks stuffed with mashed potato and flecked with carom seeds, which are in the same family as caraway seeds. The chips are delicate, ultra-flaky and rich, and hardly need the two chutneys (date and mint-cilantro) that prettily dot the plate. Nasturtium garnishes add 280

extra flair to the presentation.

For one intriguing appetizer, Bastola hangs yogurt in cheesecloth to expunge water, then forms patties around a dried fig and charred onion filling and sautés them. For another, chicken drumsticks are marinated in yogurt, mint, cilantro and chili peppers and then roasted in a tandoor oven. Their perfume and smokiness intoxicate. Other standout starters are minced chicken or lamb kebabs, a northern Indian specialty. Both are heady with cumin, clove, ginger and coriander, but I prefer the fowl. The cylinder of spiced meat rests atop warm naan (flatbread) with roasted tomato

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

sauce and a salad of diced tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers. I fold it and devour it as a sandwich.

Some appetizers miss the mark.

Potato puffs with gold leaf and flavorless black truffle slices are opulent but lackluster. And does the world need a naan pizza with spiced yogurt sauce, mozzarella cheese and chicken? Probably not.

At Indian restaurants, it all comes down to the curries, meant to be ordered in abundance and shared. Are they or are they not so flavorful and complex that you’re driven to sop up every last drop of sauce with torn-off shreds of naan?

The answer at Commonwealth is, for

INTERIOR COURTESY PHOTO

the most part, yes. I particularly enjoy two of them. Saag gosht, from northern India’s Punjab region, is cubes of braised lamb (you can have it with chicken or shrimp, too) in a rich spinach sauce loaded with ginger, garlic and warm spices, such as coriander, cardamom and cloves. The other, Chettinad murgh, from the Chettinad region in the south, is cubes of chicken in a yogurt-based sauce accented with turmeric, chili paste, Kashmiri chilies, black pepper and curry leaves. Another winner is yellow crab curry, a nod to the mid-Atlantic’s finest ingredient—lumps of Maryland crabmeat float in a cumin, coconut milk

and chili pepper-laced curry yellow from turmeric. The only curry disappointment is Bastola’s butter chicken, made with a tomato cream sauce that’s unpleasantly sweet.

Lamb biryani—cubes of the meat baked to succulence in basmati rice flavored with bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom and saffron— is a satisfying non-curry alternative (or, better yet, spoon your curries over the rice). Don’t pass up side dishes, such as okra sautéed with tomatoes and cumin; creamy lentils with a kick of chili powder; and charred eggplant sautéed with tomatoes, onions and garlic.

Dessert is not Bastola’s strong suit. A chocolate ganache pudding spiced with cardamom and black pepper is so full of liquid it could almost be a drink. Custard apple ice cream and cold vermicelli noodles anointed with rosewater do not make a compelling duo. These are minor blips given the excellence of Bastola’s savory output. Commonwealth Indian, with its lovely atmosphere, attentive—even if a bit inconsistent—service and superlative fare, is a welcome addition to Pike & Rose. I see many regulars in its future. ■ David Hagedorn is the restaurant critic for Bethesda Magazine.

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BY DAVID HAGEDORN | PHOTOS BY LAURA CHASE DE FORMIGNY

Ed Scarpone (left) and Michael Schlow of Schlow Restaurant Group recently opened Prima in Bethesda. The fast-casual spot serves Italian bowls, including one with beef meatballs in tomato sauce, whipped ricotta cheese, brown rice, zucchini, roasted cauliflower and and spicy tomato-basil vinaigrette (opposite).

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&

COMINGS GOINGS ESPN host Tony Kornheiser closed his Upper Northwest D.C. restaurant Chatter in June.

China Canteen in Rockville closed in June after an 18-year run.

In Bethesda, Delina’s Eritrean Urban Kitchen closed in May. Fu Shing Cafe closed on July 1 after a 20-year run. Fuse Taco, in the former Bold Bite space, also closed in July, after being open for only three months.

BOWLED OVER IT’S A BREEZY SUMMER day in Bethesda, and the garage door windows of Prima, the 40-seat fast-casual Italian restaurant that chef Michael Schlow opened in May, are wide open. As two men in suits pass by, one says to the other, “This place is awesome!” And he’s right.

Prima’s tagline is “Fresh + Healthy + Italian.” You won’t find any pasta or pizza here; rather, there are bowls of healthful, ultra-flavorful goodies prepared in the Mediterranean style. When Schlow and his corporate executive chef Ed Scarpone started experimenting with the menu items, the dishes they made were coincidentally gluten-free, except for meatballs, which contained bread crumbs. So they switched to gluten-free crumbs and turned happenstance into a selling point.

The formula for ordering is simple and familiar. For $10, choose a base ingredient (arugula, kale, quinoa, brown rice); dressing (such as herb pesto or balsamic); three of many toppings offered (such as wild mushrooms, sweet peas with fresh mint,

black lentils, roasted brussels sprouts, baby artichokes); dips or spreads (such as white bean or smoky eggplant purée); and garnishes (go for the crispy Parmesan crunchies). Proteins, such as roast turkey or salmon, are available for an upcharge.

If you don’t feel like doing the work, order one of seven composed bowls from Prima’s menu for $12. Our favorite is made with beef meatballs in tomato sauce, whipped ricotta cheese, brown rice, zucchini, roasted cauliflower and spicy tomato-basil vinaigrette. (The menu also has a kids bowl.)

Schlow Restaurant Group comprises 11 restaurants, seven of them in the Washington area, including Latin American-themed Tico and two outposts of the Italian sitdown restaurant Alta Strada. Prima, which took over the former Taylor Gourmet space at Bethesda Row, is Schlow’s first fastcasual spot and first Maryland location.

Florida-based chain Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza will open in the former Community diner space in Bethesda in early 2020.

Three new Asian restaurants are scheduled to open in Rockville Town Square this fall: Gyuzo Japanese BBQ; dessert and tea shop Kyoto Matcha; and Cents Taro Family, featuring Taiwanese desserts.

Recently opened: Check out our Dining Guide on page 286 for details on Capital Crab and Seafood Co. (Upper NW D.C.), China Garden (North Bethesda), Cooper’s Hawk (Rockville), District Taco (Silver Spring), Flower Child (Bethesda), Fogo de Chão (North Bethesda), MOD Pizza (Gaithersburg) and Taco Daddy (Gaithersburg).

Prima, 7280 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda; 301-215-8300; craveprima.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019

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Latte Arrival WHEN JANET FORLINI started thinking about leaving behind an almost 20-year career as an attorney to pursue a coffee shop, she didn’t have to look far for inspiration. Her mother had also changed direction in her work life, giving up the computer field to buy a smalltown newspaper and become its editor.

The paper is very much about the local community, Forlini says, and so is Clove & Cedar Coffeebar, the Woodmont Triangle gathering spot she opened in June.

(The name refers to flavor notes on a coffee flavor wheel that the Specialty Coffee Association publishes.)

“I knew I was only going to open in Bethesda because I have really positive feelings about living here. People care in this community. They know what’s happening globally but are always really active locally,” Forlini says. She saw an opportunity because the specialty coffee scene was changing rapidly in

Janet Forlini, owner of Clove & Cedar Coffeebar

Washington, D.C., but not in Bethesda.

Specialty coffee emphasizes the use of high-quality beans from growers who usually have a relationship with the roaster. Forlini sources her coffee from Annapolis-based roaster Ceremony Coffee. Her shop regularly features two kinds of coffee: a medium to dark roast Colombian-Ethiopian blend and a rotating, lighter roast, single-origin coffee.

The 25-seat café is bright and airy, with black-and-white photographs of Bethesda street scenes from the past. The menu includes drip coffee, cold brew coffee, espresso-based drinks, tea drinks (matcha, chai), kombucha and hot chocolate. Among the savory and sweet food options are croissants (plain, almond, chocolate, ham and cheese), breakfast sandwiches and cream cheese-stuffed bagel holes. Forlini sources menu items from many Montgomery County businesses, including Red Bandana gluten-free bakery, Henry’s Sweet Retreat and Fresh Baguette.

Clove & Cedar Coffeebar, 4918 St. Elmo Ave., Bethesda; 301-718-9400; cloveandcedarcoffeebar.com n

12, 2019

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Vote At

frOM August 14 - September 13

dine

DINING GUIDE

CHECK OUT THE ONLINE VERSION OF THE DINING GUIDE AT BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

BETHESDA AJI-NIPPON 6937 Arlington Road, 301-654-0213. A calm oasis on a busy street, where chef Kazuo Honma serves patrons several kinds of sushi, sashimi, noodle soups, teriyaki and more. Try a dinner box, which includes an entrée, vegetables, California roll, tempura and rice. L D $$

ALATRI BROS. (EDITORS’ PICK) 4926 Cordell Ave., 301-718-6427, alatribros.com.

The folks behind Olazzo and Gringos & Mariachis bought Mia’s Pizzas and revamped it with a new name and décor. They kept the Naples-style pies that come from a wood-burning oven, but added small plates and healthy options. Sit in the cheery dining room with green, gray and white accents or under an umbrella on the patio. J L D $$

&PIZZA 7614 Old Georgetown Road, 240-800-4783, andpizza.com. Create your own designer pizza from a choice of three crusts, three cheeses and eight sauces or spreads. Toppings for the thin, crispy crusts range from the usual suspects to falafel crumbles, fig marsala and pineapple salsa. This location of the hip, fast-casual chain has limited seating. L D $

BACCHUS OF LEBANON (EDITORS’ PICK) 7945 Norfolk Ave., 301-657-1722, bacchusoflebanon.com. This friendly and elegant Lebanese staple has a large, sunny patio that beckons lunch and dinner patrons outside when the weather is good to try garlicky hummus, stuffed grape leaves, chicken kabobs, veal chops and dozens of small-plate dishes. L D $$

BANGKOK GARDEN 4906 St. Elmo Ave., 301-951-0670, bkkgarden. com. This real-deal, family-run Thai restaurant turns out authentic cuisine, including curries, soups and noodle dishes, in a dining room decorated with traditional statues of the gods. L D $

THE BARKING DOG 4723 Elm St., 301-654-0022, barkingdogbar.com. A fun place for young adults, with drink specials nearly every night and bar food such as quesadillas and burgers. Karaoke night is held weekly. L D $

BARREL + CROW 4867 Cordell Ave., 240-800-3253, barrelandcrow. com. Contemporary regional and southern cuisine served in a comfortable setting with charcoal gray banquettes and elements of wood and brick. Menu highlights include Maryland crab beignets, shrimp and grits and roasted trout. R L D $$

BEEFSTEAK 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-365-0608, beefsteakveggies.com. The fastcasual spot from chef José Andrés is heavily focused on seasonal vegetables for build-your-own bowls and

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salads (or pick one of their suggested combinations).

Toppings such as poached egg, chicken sausage and salt-cured salmon are also in the lineup. L D $

Key

BENIHANA 7935 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-5391, benihana. com. Experience dinner-as-theater as the chef chops and cooks beef, chicken, vegetables and seafood tableside on the hibachi. This popular national chain serves sushi, too. The kids’ menu includes a California roll and hibachi chicken, steak and shrimp entrées. J L D $$

Price designations are for a threecourse dinner for two including tip and tax, but excluding alcohol. $ $$ $$$ $$$$

BETHESDA CRAB HOUSE 4958 Bethesda Ave., 301-652-3382, bethesdacrab house.com. In the same location since 1961, this casual, family-owned dining spot features jumbo lump crabcakes, oysters on the half shell and jumbo spiced shrimp. Extra large and jumbo-sized crabs available year-round; call ahead to reserve.

J

L D $$

B R L D

BETHESDA CURRY KITCHEN 4860 Cordell Ave., 301-656-0062, bethesda currykitchen.com. The restaurant offers lunch buffet and Southern Indian vegan specialties, served in a spare and casual setting. There are plenty of choices from the tandoor oven, as well as vegetarian, seafood and meat curries. L D $

up to $50 $51-$100 $101-$150 $151+ Outdoor Dining Children’s Menu Breakfast Brunch Lunch Dinner

BGR: THE BURGER JOINT 4827 Fairmont Ave., 301-358-6137, bgrtheburger joint.com. The burgers are good and the vibe is great at this frequently packed eatery next to Veterans Park. Try the veggie burger, made with a blend of brown rice, black beans, molasses and oats. J L D $

THE BIG GREEK CAFÉ 4806 Rugby Ave., 301-907-4976, biggreekcafe. com. Owned by the Marmaras brothers, the café serves Greek specialties, including a top-notch chicken souvlaki pita. L D $

BISTRO PROVENCE (EDITORS’ PICK) 4933 Fairmont Ave., 301-656-7373, bistroprovence.org. Chef Yannick Cam brings his formidable experience to a casual French bistro with a lovely courtyard. The Dinner Bistro Fare, served daily from 5 to 6:30 p.m., offers a choice of appetizer, main course and dessert for $35.

R L D $$$

BLACK’S BAR & KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 7750 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-5525, blacksbar andkitchen.com. Customers count on the impeccable use of fresh and local ingredients and enjoy dining on the expansive patio. The bar draws crowds for happy hour. R L D $$$

BRICKSIDE FOOD & DRINK 4866 Cordell Ave., 301-312-6160, brickside bethesda.com. Prohibition-era drinks meet Italian bar bites and entrées. Dishes range from fried pork and waffles to short ribs. Try one of the colorfully named punches, which include Pink Murder Punch and Snow Cone Punch. R L D $$

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CADDIES ON CORDELL 4922 Cordell Ave., 301-215-7730, caddieson cordell.com. Twentysomethings gather at this golfthemed spot to enjoy beer and wings specials in a casual, rowdy atmosphere that frequently spills onto the large patio. Voted “Best Bar/Restaurant to Watch a Caps Game” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019. J R L D $

CAFÉ DELUXE 4910 Elm St., 301-656-3131, cafedeluxe.com. This local chain serves bistro-style American comfort food in a fun and noisy setting with wood fans and colorful, oversized European liquor posters. Menu options include burgers, entrées, four varieties of flatbread and mussels served three different ways.

J R L D $$

CASA OAXACA 4905 Fairmont Ave., 240-858-6181. The focus is on tacos at this family-owned Mexican restaurant, but you’ll also find fajitas, salads, quesadillas and more on the menu. There’s an indoor bar and an outdoor beer garden. J L D $$

CAVA 7101 Democracy Blvd., Suite 2360 (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-658-2233; 4832 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-1772; cava.com. The guys from CAVA Mezze restaurant have created a Greek version of Chipotle. Choose the meat, dip or spread for a pita, bowl or salad. House-made juices and teas provide a healthful beverage option. (Bethesda Avenue location) L D $

CESCO OSTERIA 7401 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-8333, cesco-osteria.com. Longtime chef Francesco Ricchi turns out Tuscan specialties, including pizza, pasta and focaccia in a big, jazzy space. Stop by the restaurant’s Co2 Lounge for an artisan cocktail before dinner. L D $$

CHEESY PIZZI 8021 Wisconsin Ave., 240-497-0000, cheesypizzibethesda.com. In addition to the standard offerings of a pizza joint, this spot (formerly Pizza Tempo under different owners) has sandwiches and boat-shaped Turkish pizza known as pide. L D $

CHEF TONY’S 4926 St. Elmo Ave., 301-654-3737, cheftonys bethesda.com. Chef-owner Tony Marciante focuses on Mediterranean seafood tapas, offering dishes ranging from fish and seafood to chicken, steak and pasta. Desserts include Drunken Strawberries and Classic Creme Brulée. J R L D $$

CHERCHER ETHIOPIAN 4921 Bethesda Ave., 301-652-6500, chercherrestaurant.com. The second branch of a D.C. Ethiopian spot, this restaurant and bar took over the space housing Suma. The décor is moderncontemporary and the menu features dishes—from beef to vegan—served on one large platter, meant for sharing, and Ethiopian wine. L D $

CITY LIGHTS OF CHINA 4953 Bethesda Ave., 301-913-9501, bethesda citylights.com. Longtime Chinese eatery serves familiar Sichuan and Beijing fare, including six types of dumplings and seven handmade noodle dishes. Red walls and chocolate-colored booths give the place a sharp look. L D $$

COOPER’S MILL 5151 Pooks Hill Road, 301-897-9400, coopersmillrestaurant.com/bethesda. The restaurant showcases a modern, stylish menu with stone-oven flatbreads, homemade tater tots and locally sourced produce. Local beers on draft and by the bottle, plus regional bourbon and gin.

Happy hour and private dining are offered.

B R L D $$

THE CORNER SLICE 7901 Norfolk Ave., 301-907-7542, thecornerslice. net. New York-style pizza, available by the slice or as a 20-inch pie. Specialty pizzas include the spinachartichoke white pie with ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan and the Buffalo Chicken Pie with blue cheese and hot sauce. L D $

DAILY GRILL One Bethesda Metro Center, 301-656-6100, dailygrill.com. Everyone from families to expenseaccount lunchers can find something to like about the big portions of fresh American fare, including chicken pot pie and jumbo lump crabcakes.

❂ J B R L D $$

DOG HAUS BIERGARTEN 7904 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-4287, bethesda. doghaus.com. This fast-casual California-based chain serves hot dogs, sausages, burgers and chicken sandwiches. The hot dogs are all beef and hormone- and antibiotic-free. The industrial-chic space includes picnic tables, TVs, a bar and more than two dozen beer choices. J L D $

DON POLLO

GRINGOS & MARIACHIS (EDITORS’ PICK)

10321 Westlake Drive, 301-347-6175; donpollogroup.com. Juicy, spiced birds and reasonable prices make this Peruvian chicken eatery a go-to place any night of the week. Family meals that serve four or six people are available.

LD$

DUCK DUCK GOOSE (EDITORS’ PICK) 7929 Norfolk Ave., 301-312-8837, ddgbethesda. com. Thirty-five-seat French brasserie owned by chef Ashish Alfred. Small plates include steak tartare, and squid ink spaghetti with Manila clams and Fresno chilies. Among the entrées, look for updates of French classics, such as dry-aged duck with Bing cherries, and halibut with scallop mousse and puff pastry. L D $$

EJJI RAMEN 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 240-534-2842, ejjiramen.com. At this outpost of a Baltimore ramen shop, you’ll find build-your-own ramen and various spins on the noodle soup (pork, vegetarian, seafood). There’s also the Ejji Mac & Cheese Ramen Dog, a hot dog wrapped in ramen and cheese, then fried. J L D $

FARYAB AFGHAN CUISINE 4917 Cordell Ave., 301-951-3484. After closing for more than a year, Faryab reopened in 2017 and serves well-prepared Afghani country food, including Afghanistan’s answer to Middle Eastern kabobs, vegetarian entrées and unique sautéed pumpkin dishes, in a whitewashed dining room with native art on the walls. D $$

FISH TACO 7251 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-0010; 10305 Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center), 301-564-6000, fishtacoonline.com. This counterservice taqueria features a full roster of seafood as well as non-aquatic tacos, plus margaritas and other Mexican specialties. J L D $

FLANAGAN'S HARP & FIDDLE 4844 Cordell Ave., 301-951-0115, flanagansharp andfiddle.com. This stylish pub features live music several days a week, Tuesday night poker and Monday quiz nights. In addition to traditional stews and fried fish, Flanagan's offers smoked ribs, salmon and traditional Irish breakfast on weekends. ❂ J B L D $$

FLOWER CHILD (NEW) 10205 Old Georgetown Road, 301-664-4971, iamaflowerchild.com. A fast-casual restaurant that’s part of a national chain, Flower Child has an emphasis on vegetarian eating (grain-based bowls, vegetable plates, salads) but also offers protein add-ons such as chicken, salmon and steak.

LD$

GARDEN GRILLE & BAR 7301 Waverly St. (Hilton Garden Inn), 301-6548111. Aside from a breakfast buffet featuring cooked-to-order omelets, waffles, fruit and more, the restaurant offers an extensive menu, from burgers to pasta dishes. J B D $$

GEORGE’S CHOPHOUSE 4935 Cordell Ave., 240-534-2675, georgesbethesda.com. This modern bistro with pop-culture décor features a seasonally changing menu of house-made pastas, plus a raw bar and a variety of steaks. The braised beef cheek fettucine combines two specialties: house-made pastas and slow-cooked meat. L D $$$

4928 Cordell Ave., 240-800-4266, gringosand mariachis.com. The owners of the popular Olazzo Italian restaurants in Bethesda and Silver Spring trade in the red sauce for salsa at this hip taqueria with edgy murals and plenty of tequila.

LD$

GUAPO’S RESTAURANT 8130 Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-0888, guapos restaurant.com. This outpost of a local chain has everything you’d expect: margaritas and chips galore, as well as a handful of daily specials served in festive Mexican surroundings. Perfect for families and dates. J R L D $

GUARDADO’S 4918 Del Ray Ave., 301-986-4920, guardados.com.

Chef-owner Nicolas Guardado, who trained at Jaleo, opened this hidden gem devoted to Latin-Spanish cooking in 2007 and has developed a following with tapas specialties like shrimp and sausage, stuffed red peppers and paella. J L D $

GUSTO FARM TO STREET 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-312-6509; 4733 Elm St., 240-3966398; eatgusto.com. The fast-casual eatery aims to serve healthy fare, with a focus on pizzas and salads. The menu includes suggested combos but you can also build your own. Pizza crust comes in cauliflower, whole grain or traditional. (Elm Street location only) L D $

HANARO RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 7820 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-7851, hanarobethesda. com. The restaurant’s modern dark woods combined with a light-filled dining room brighten its corner location, and the menu includes sushi and Asian fusion main courses such as pad Thai and galbi (Korean ribs). The bar offers a daily happy hour. ❂ L D $$

HIMALAYAN HERITAGE 4925 Bethesda Ave., 301-654-1858, himalayan heritagebethesda.com. The menu includes North Indian, Nepali, Indo-Chinese and Tibetan cuisines, featuring momos (Nepalese dumplings), Indian takes on Chinese chow mein and a large selection of curry dishes. L D $

HOUSE OF FOONG LIN 4613 Willow Lane, 301-656-3427, foonglin.com.

The Chinese restaurant features Cantonese, Hunan and Sichuan cuisine, including chef’s recommendations, low-fat choices and lots of traditional noodle dishes. L D $$

HOUSE OF MILAE 4932 St. Elmo Ave., 301-654-1997. The Kang family, who own Milae Cleaners in Bethesda, bring simple Korean dishes to their first food foray. Chef “M&M” Kang prepares home-style fare such as bulgogi, galbi and bibimbap. The kids’ menu has one item: spaghetti, made from the recipe of owner Thomas Kang’s former college roommate’s mother.

JLD$

THE IRISH INN AT GLEN ECHO 6119 Tulane Ave., 301-229-6600, irishinnglenecho. com. This historic tavern has been a family home and a biker bar, but its incarnation as the Irish Inn has been delivering smiles and hearty food since 2003. Traditional Irish music on Monday nights, The 19th Street Band or other live music on Wednesday nights and live jazz on Sunday nights.

J R L D $$

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dine JALEO (EDITORS’ PICK) 7271 Woodmont Ave., 301-913-0003, jaleo.com.

The restaurant that launched the American career of chef José Andrés and popularized Spanish tapas for a Washington, D.C., audience offers hot, cold, spicy and creative small plates served with outstanding Spanish wines. Voted “Best Small Plates” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019. R L D $$

JETTIES 4829 Fairmont Ave., 301-769-6844, jettiesdc. com. The only suburban location of the popular Nantucket-inspired sandwich shop, which has five restaurants in Northwest Washington, D.C. Aside from the signature Nobadeer sandwich (roasted turkey and stuffing with cranberry sauce and mayonnaise on sourdough), look for large salads and an innovative children’s menu. J L D $

KADHAI (EDITORS’ PICK) 7905 Norfolk Ave., 301-718-0121, kadhai.com.

This popular Indian restaurant formerly known as Haandi serves a variety of traditional chicken, lamb and seafood dishes, plus rice and vegetarian dishes and a selection of breads. An extensive lunch buffet is offered daily. Voted “Best Indian Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. L D $$

LA PANETTERIA 4921 Cordell Ave., 301-951-6433, lapanetteria. com. La Panetteria transports diners into a quaint Italian villa with its impeccable service and Old World atmosphere, serving such Southern and Northern Italian classic dishes as homemade spaghetti and veal scaloppine. L D $$

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN 7140 Bethesda Lane, 301-913-2902; 10217 Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center), 240-752-8737, lepainquotidien.com. New Yorkbased Belgian-born bakery/restaurant chain with farmhouse vibe, featuring organic breads, European breakfast and dessert pastries, savory egg dishes, soups, Belgian open-faced sandwiches, entrée salads, wine and Belgian beer by the bottle.

JBRLD$

LE VIEUX LOGIS 7925 Old Georgetown Road, 301-652-6816, levieuxlogisrestaurantmd.com. The colorful exterior will draw you into this family-run Bethesda institution, but classic French dishes such as Dover sole meunière and mussels in a white wine broth will keep you coming back. D $$$

LOTUS GRILL & BAR 4929 Elm St., 301-312-8191, lotusbethesda. com. You have your pick of traditional Indian fare (including pork chops, chicken and other items cooked in a tandoor oven), tacos (lunch only) and pizza (some with elements of Indian food) at this downtown Bethesda spot. L D $$

LUCY ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT 4865 Cordell Ave., 301-347-7999. The authentic Ethiopian menu here includes beef and lamb plates, such as kitfo (raw beef) sandwiches and boneless braised yebeg alicha (Ethiopian mild lamb stew).

The interior is decorated with Ethiopian-inspired art and features a full bar. Beef and vegan samplers are available at the Bethesda location. L D $

LUKE’S LOBSTER 7129 Bethesda Lane, 301-718-1005, lukeslobster. com. This upscale carryout features authentic lobster, shrimp and crab rolls; the seafood is shipped directly from Maine. Try the Taste of Maine, which offers all three kinds of rolls, plus two crab claws. L D $

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MAKI BAR 6831 Wisconsin Ave. (Shops of Wisconsin), 301907-9888, makibarbethesda.com. This tiny 30-seat Japanese restaurant and sushi bar offers 60-plus kinds of maki rolls, categorized as Classic (tuna roll), Crunch Lover (spicy crunch California roll) and Signature (eel, avocado, tobiko, crab), along with sushi, sashimi, noodle bowls and rice-based entrées. L D $$

MAMMA LUCIA 4916 Elm St., 301-907-3399, mammalucia restaurants.com. New York-style pizza dripping with cheese and crowd-pleasing red sauce, and favorites like chicken Parmesan and linguini with clams draw the crowds to this local chain. Gluten-free options available. L D $$

MEDIUM RARE 4904 Fairmont Ave., 301-215-8739, mediumrare restaurant.com. A prix fixe menu that comes with bread, salad, steak and fries is the sole option at this small chain outpost (there are two Medium Rares in D.C.). Desserts cost extra. Weekend brunch also features a prix fixe menu. D $$

MODERN MARKET 4930 Elm St., 240-800-4733, modernmarket. com. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, this Bethesda Row eatery is part of a Denver-based chain. The focus is on seasonal, from-scratch fare and ingredients such as nitrate- and hormonefree bacon. Sandwiches, soups, salads and pizza dominate the menu. J B R L D $

MOMO CHICKEN & GRILL 4862 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, 240-483-0801, momofc.com. Skip the breasts, and head for the wings or drumsticks at Bethesda’s first Korean fried chicken spot. Options such as seafood pancakes, bulgogi and bibimbap are part of the extensive offerings, all served in a hip space with framed record albums gracing the walls. J L D $$

MON AMI GABI (EDITORS’ PICK) 7239 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-1234, monamigabi. com. Waiters serve bistro classics such as escargot, steak frites and profiteroles in a dark and boisterous spot that doesn’t feel like a chain. Live jazz Thursday nights. Voted “Best Restaurant Wine List” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019.

J R L D $$

MORTON’S, THE STEAKHOUSE 7400 Wisconsin Ave., 301-657-2650, mortons. com. An ultra-sophisticated steak house serving pricey, large portions of prime-aged beef and drinks.

The restaurant is known for a top-notch dinner experience but also offers lunch and a bar menu.

L D $$$

MUSSEL BAR & GRILLE 7262 Woodmont Ave., 301-215-7817, musselbar. com. Kensington resident and big-name chef Robert Wiedmaier serves his signature mussels, plus wood-fired tarts, salads and sandwiches. Wash them all down with a choice of 40 Belgian beers.

R L D $$

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE’S 10400 Old Georgetown Road, 240-316-4555, notyouraveragejoes.com. This Massachusettsbased chain’s moderately priced menu offers burgers, big salads and stone-hearth pizzas, plus entrées including Anything But Average Meatloaf.

J L D $$

OLAZZO (EDITORS’ PICK) 7921 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-9496, olazzo.com.

This well-priced, romantic restaurant is the place for couples seeking red-sauce classics at reasonable

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prices. Founded by brothers Riccardo and Roberto Pietrobono, it was voted “Best Italian Restaurant”

by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. L D $$

THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE 7700 Wisconsin Ave., Store D, 301-986-0285, ophrestaurants.com. Along with the classic flapjacks on this chain’s menu, you’ll find flavorpacked items such as apple pancakes with a cinnamon sugar glaze. And it’s not just pancakes to pick from: The restaurant serves a variety of waffles, crepes, eggs and omelets. J B L $

PASSAGE TO INDIA (EDITORS’ PICK) 4931 Cordell Ave., 301-656-3373, passagetoindia. info. Top-notch, pan-Indian fare by chef-owner Sudhir Seth, with everything from garlic naan to fish curry made to order. R L D $$

PASSIONFISH BETHESDA 7187 Woodmont Ave., 301-358-6116, passionfish bethesda.com. The second location of Passion Food Hospitality’s splashy seafood restaurant features stunning coastal-themed décor and an extensive menu of shellfish, caviar, sushi, chef’s specialties and fresh catches of the day. Voted “Best Happy Hour” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018.

J L D $$$

PAUL 4760 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-3285, paul-usa. com. Fifth-generation, family-owned French bakery becomes an international chain, with locations in close to 35 countries. Aside from breads and pastries, look for soups, sandwiches and quiche.

BLD$

PENANG MALAYSIAN & THAI CUISINE & BAR 4933 Bethesda Ave., 301-657-2878, penang maryland.com. At this Malaysian spot decorated with exotic dark woods and a thatched roof, spices run the gamut of Near and Far Eastern influence, and flavors include coconut, lemongrass, sesame and chili sauce. L D $$

PINES OF ROME 4918 Cordell Ave., 301-657-8775. Longtime Italian restaurant, formerly on Hampden Lane, still serves traditional pasta, pizza, fish and seafood at prices that are easy on the wallet. The white pizza is a hit, and don’t forget the spaghetti and meatballs.

LD$

PIZZERIA DA MARCO (EDITORS’ PICK) 8008 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-6083, pizzeria damarco.net. Authentic Neapolitan pizzas fired in a 900-degree Italian brick oven range from the Siciliana with eggplant confit and black olives to the Solo Carne with sausage, pepperoni and salame.

Salads, antipasti and calzones available, too.

LD$

POSITANO RISTORANTE ITALIANO 4940-48 Fairmont Ave., 301-654-1717, epositano.com. An authentic Italian, family-run restaurant popular for private events, large and small. Colorful rooms are decorated with Italian landscapes, copper pots and hanging plants, and the outdoor patio is one of the most beautiful in the county. L D $$

PRALINE BAKERY & BISTRO 4611 Sangamore Road, 301-229-8180, praline-bakery.com. This sunny restaurant offers a tempting bakery takeout counter, full dining service and a patio. The food, which includes chicken pot pie and pralines, is French with an American accent.

J B R L D $$

PRIMA 7280 Woodmont Ave., 301-215-8300, craveprima. com. Renowned chef Michael Schlow aims to put

a healthful spin on Italian food at this fast-casual eatery featuring bowls (no pizza or pasta here). Pick a suggested bowl (the della nonna has meatballs, ricotta, brown rice, roasted cauliflower, roasted zucchini and spicy tomato-basil vinaigrette) or create your own. Menu items are gluten-free and include local vegetables, fresh herbs, legumes and sustainable meat and fish. See story on page 282.

LD$

Q BY PETER CHANG (EDITORS’ PICK) 4500 East West Highway, 240-800-3722, qbypeterchang.com. Notable chef Peter Chang’s high-end flagship restaurant offers traditional Chinese dishes in an attractive, modern space.

Peking duck, double-cooked pork belly and other authentic Sichuan cuisine are served, and some dishes are “ultimate spicy” for brave palates.

J L D $$

RAKU (EDITORS’ PICK) 7240 Woodmont Ave., 301-718-8680, rakuasian dining.com. Voted “Best Sushi” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018, this casual restaurant has bamboo walls that do little to dampen the noise, but the menu satisfies with everything from sushi to kung pao chicken.

L D $$

RICE PADDIES GRILL & PHO 4706 Bethesda Ave., 301-718-1862, ricepaddies grill.com. This cute copper-and-green eat-in/carryout makes quick work of Vietnamese favorites such as pork, beef and vegetable skewers infused with lemongrass and the classic beef noodle soup known as pho. L D $

ROCK BOTTOM RESTAURANT & BREWERY 7900 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-1311, rockbottom.com.

India Pale Ales and specialty dark brews are among the award-winning beers crafted in-house at this cavernous yet welcoming chain, which offers a vast menu. The burgers are the real deal. J L D $$

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE 7315 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-7877, ruthschris. com. A dark and clubby feel makes this elegant chain popular with families as well as the happyhour crowd. Don’t skip the fresh seafood choices, which include Caribbean lobster tail and barbecued shrimp. D $$$

SALA THAI 4828 Cordell Ave., 301-654-4676, salathaidc. com. This Thai mainstay cooks the classics and offers diners a nearly panoramic view of Woodmont Avenue through huge, curved windows. Live jazz Friday and Saturday evenings. L D $$

SAPHIRE CAFÉ 7940 Wisconsin Ave., 301-986-9708. A relaxing spot for tasting everything from Maryland-style crab soup to Argentine skirt steak, Saphire pumps it up a notch on Friday and Saturday nights with drink specials and DJs. Tiki bar open Wednesdays through Saturdays. L D $

SATSUMA 8003 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-1400, satsumajp. com. Bethesda’s first yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) restaurant has built-in grills at each table. Diners select a cut—short rib, chuck rib, skirt or tongue— and prepare it themselves. There’s also an extensive sushi and sashimi menu, as well as interesting cooked dishes. L D $$

SHANGRI-LA NEPALESE AND INDIAN CUISINE 7345-A Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-4444, shangrila bethesda.com. Northern Indian and Nepali specialties such as butter chicken and fresh flatbreads known as naan shine here. The extensive menu ranges from soups and salads to tandoori and kabobs.J L D $

SHARE WINE LOUNGE & SMALL PLATE BISTRO 8120 Wisconsin Ave. (DoubleTree Hotel), 301-652-2000, doubletreebethesda.com/dining. aspx. Share some buffalo chicken sliders or avocado bruschetta, or go for main courses ranging from Yankee pot roast to cedar plank-roasted salmon. B L D $$

SILVER (EDITORS’ PICK) 7150 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-9780, eatatsilver. com. Upscale, tonier version of the homegrown Silver Diner chain, with modern takes on American classics and an emphasis on healthy, local and organic ingredients. Sleek interior takes its cue from the 1920s. ❂ J B R L D $$

SMOKE BBQ BETHESDA 4858 Cordell Ave., 301-656-2011, smokebbq.com.

Pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, ribs and all the fixin’s, plus starters including smoked tomato soup and fried pickles served in a friendly, casual space. J L D $

ST. ARNOLD'S MUSSEL BAR 7525 Old Georgetown Road, 240-821-6830, starnoldsmussel.com. Czech, German and Belgian brews served in an authentic beer-hall setting, furnished with the same benches as those used in the Hofbrau brewhouse in Munich. Pub menu

Exquisite French food, charming atmosphere, and attentive service. In the heart of Chevy Chase, the charm of the country side at your door step.

“La Ferme is one of the area’s most pleasant places to catch up with friends, do business or toast a big day.”

Tom Sietsema, Food critique of the Washington Post (March 4, 2018)

7101 Brookville Road Chevy Chase, MD 301-986-5255

LaFermeRestaurant.com

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dine features mussels, hearty sandwiches, schnitzel and goulash. R L D $$

SWEETGREEN 4831 Bethesda Ave.301-654-7336, sweetgreen. com. The sweetgreen fast-casual chain—with its focus on local and organic ingredients— concentrates on salads (devise your own, or pick from a list) and soups. Look for eco-friendly décor and a healthy sensibility. L D $

TAKO GRILL 4914 Hampden Lane (The Shoppes of Bethesda), 301-652-7030, takogrill.com. Longtime, popular sushi destination relocated to the space formerly occupied by Hinode Japanese Restaurant. Look for the same traditional sushi menu, plus some new options, such as griddle-cooked teppanyaki at lunch, and more varieties of yakitori at dinner. L D $$

TANDOORI NIGHTS 7236 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-4002, tandoorinightsbethesda.com. Located in the heart of downtown Bethesda, the restaurant serves traditional Indian fare ranging from tandoori chicken, marinated in yogurt and spices, to a biryani flavored with saffron, nuts and raisins. L D $$

TARA THAI 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-657-0488, tarathai.com. Thai cuisine goes high style at Bethesda Magazine readers’ pick for “Best Thai Restaurant” in 2018. With colorful murals of ocean creatures looking on, diners can try dishes ranging from mild to adventurous. L D $$

TASTEE DINER 7731 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-3970, tasteediner. com. For 80 years, this crowd-pleasing if slightly sagging spot has served up everything from breakfast to burgers to blue-plate specials such as steak and crabcakes to crowds of loyal customers.

Open 24 hours. J B L D $

TERRAIN CAFÉ (EDITORS’ PICK) 7228 Woodmont Ave., 240-345-9492, shopterrain. com/restaurants. Located inside the Anthropologie & Co. at Bethesda Row, this quaint café changes its menu with the seasons. Look for cheese boards; salads; toast topped with eggplant, smoked salmon or fig; and entrées such as duck breast and a fried cauliflower sandwich. R L D $$

THELO GREEK GRILL 8009 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-7335. Greek classics such as gyros and meat skewers are the main offerings at this small full-service restaurant in the former Bistro LaZeez space.

L D $$

TIA QUETA 4839 Del Ray Ave., 301-654-4443, tiaqueta.com.

This longtime family and happy-hour favorite offers authentic Mexican food such as moles and fish dishes, as well as the usual Tex-Mex options. Drink menu includes American and Mexican beers.

J L D $$

TOMMY JOE’S 7940 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-3801, tommyjoes.com.

This Bethesda institution is now in the space formerly housing Urban Heights. The second-floor, window-filled corner location suits its sports bar persona, and the vast rooftop is ideal for outdoor drinking and snacking. Fare includes wings (Pohostyle, grilled and smoky, are a good option), burgers, crabcakes and ribs. Chunky brisket chili, on its own or on nachos, is a winner. ❂ L D $$

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TRATTORIA SORRENTO (EDITORS’ PICK) 4930 Cordell Ave., 301-718-0344, trattoriasorrento. com. This family-run Italian favorite offers homemade pastas, baked eggplant and fresh fish dishes. Half-price bottles of wine on Wednesdays.

D $$

TRUE FOOD KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 7100 Wisconsin Ave., 240-200-1257, truefoodkitchen.com. Health-focused chain prides itself on serving fresh ingredients and features an open kitchen. The eclectic, multicultural menu changes from season to season, and includes sandwiches, salads and pizza. Beer, wine and freshfruit and vegetable cocktails are also available.

Voted “Best New Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. R L D $

URBAN PLATES 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-690-9540, urbanplates.com. The fastcasual chain’s wide-ranging menu includes salads, soups, sandwiches, entrees such as grass-fed steak and striped sea bass, plus seasonal items.

Meals are offered at stations—customers grab a plate and get in their desired line where chefs serve the made-from-scratch dishes. J L D $

UNCLE JULIO’S 4870 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-2981, unclejulios. com. Loud and large, this Tex-Mex eatery packs in families and revelers fueling up on fajitas, tacos and more. Kids love to watch the tortilla machine.

J R L D $$

VILLAIN & SAINT 7141 Wisconsin Ave., 240-800-4700, villainand saint.com. Listen to live music while digging into salt-roasted beets or slow-smoked pork ribs at this hip bar, courtesy of chef Robert Wiedmaier’s RW Restaurant Group. Delightfully dated décor includes lava lamps and photos of late great rock stars.

The menu is divided into hearty dishes (villain) and vegetarian options (saint).

R L D $$

VÜK 4924 St. Elmo Ave., 301-652-8000, vukpinball. com. VÜK owner (and MOM’S Organic Market CEO) Scott Nash consulted restaurateur Mark Bucher for the only thing offered on the short menu of his Bethesda pinball arcade other than Trickling Springs Creamery’s soft-serve ice cream: thin-crust New York-style pizza and thick-crust Sicilian pizza sold by the slice or as whole pies: cheese, sausage, pepperoni and mushroom/onion. L D $

WANG DYNASTY 4929 Bethesda Ave., 301-654-1188. A mix of dishes from Shanghai and Taiwan—sweet and sour chicken, crispy shrimp with minced pork, Peking duck, pan-fried noodles with beef—fill the long menu at this Chinese restaurant in the space that housed Shanghai Village. Weekend dim sum is offered. R L D $$

WILDWOOD KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 10223 Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center), 301-571-1700, wildwoodkitchenrw.com.

Chef Robert Wiedmaier’s attractive neighborhood bistro serving fresh and light modern cuisine.

Entrées range from Amish chicken with a scallion potato cake to grilled Atlantic salmon with creamy polenta. L D $$

WOODMONT GRILL (EDITORS’ PICK) 7715 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-9755, hillstone. com. Part of the Houston’s chain, the eatery offers such classics as spinach-and-artichoke dip and its famous burgers, but also house-baked breads, more exotic dishes, live jazz and a granite

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bar. Voted “Best Restaurant Service” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018, and “Best Restaurant in Bethesda” by readers in 2019.

L D $$$

WORLD OF BEER 7200 Wisconsin Ave., 240-389-9317, worldofbeer. com. Craft beer-focused tavern chain offers 50 brews on tap rotating daily and hundreds of bottled options. Food is classic pub fare, including hamburgers, wings and bratwurst sandwiches, as well as flatbreads and salads. J R L D $

YUZU 7345-B Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-5234, yuzu bethesda.com. Diners will find authentic Japanese dishes, including sushi, sashimi and cooked tofu, vegetable, tempura, meat and fish dishes, prepared by sushi chef and owner Yoshihisa Ota. L D $$

CABIN JOHN FISH TACO 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 301-229-0900, fishtacoonline.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂JLD$

SAL’S ITALIAN KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 240-802-2370, salsitalian kitchen.net. Persimmon and Wild Tomato owners Damian and Stephanie Salvatore replaced their Asian concept Indigo House with a return to their roots. Find traditional Italian fare, such as bruschetta, risotto balls, Caprese salad, meatball subs, fettuccine Alfredo, chicken cacciatore and shrimp scampi. ❂ L D $$

WILD TOMATO (EDITORS’ PICK) 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 301-229-0680, wildtomatorestaurant.com. A family-friendly neighborhood restaurant from Persimmon owners Damian and Stephanie Salvatore, serving salads, sandwiches and pizza. Voted “Best Neighborhood Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019. J L D $

CHEVY CHASE ALFIO’S LA TRATTORIA 4515 Willard Ave., 301-657-9133, alfios.com.

This Northern Italian classic on the first floor of The Willoughby of Chevy Chase Condominium has been feeding families and casual diners for more than 30 years. Look for traditional pasta, veal and chicken dishes (plus pizza), served in an Old World environment. J L D $$

THE CAPITAL GRILLE 5310 Western Ave., 301-718-7812, capitalgrille. com. The upscale steak-house chain, known for its He-Man-sized portions and extensive wine list, is located in The Shops at Wisconsin Place. Entrées also include chicken, lamb chops, salmon and lobster. L D $$$$

CLYDE’S 5441 Wisconsin Ave., 301-951-9600, clydes. com. The popular restaurant features a frequently changing menu of American favorites and a collection of vintage airplanes and cars, as well as a model train running on a track around the ceiling.

J R L D $$

DON POLLO 7007 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-0001, donpolloonline.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

menu of this intriguing Portuguese restaurant, which manages to be charming and attractive despite its location in an office building basement. L D $$

LA FERME (EDITORS’ PICK) 7101 Brookville Road, 301-986-5255, laferme restaurant.com. This charming Provence-style restaurant serving classic French cuisine is a popular choice for an intimate dinner. Cognac Le Bar at La Ferme, a bar within the restaurant, opened in fall 2016. The bar serves small plates and cocktails. Voted “Best Romantic Restaurant”

by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018, and “Best Restaurant in Chevy Chase” and “Best SpecialOccasion Restaurant” by readers in 2019.

R L D $$$

LIA'S 4435 Willard Ave., 240-223-5427, chefgeoff.com.

Owner Geoff Tracy focuses on high-quality, low-fuss modern Italian-American fare at this modern space with a wine room. Pizzas, house-made pastas and fresh fish please business lunchers and dinner crowds. J R L D $

MANOLI CANOLI RESTAURANT 8540 Connecticut Ave., 301-951-1818, manolicanoli.com. Italian and Greek specialties abound at a fun family eatery that features a large prepared foods section, dishes made with olive oil from owner Stavros Manolakos’ family farm in Greece and homemade mozzarella on pizza and subs. J L D $

MEIWAH RESTAURANT 4457 Willard Ave., 301-652-9882, meiwah restaurant.com. This modern restaurant on the second floor of a Friendship Heights office building offers top-quality Chinese dishes that are hard to beat. There’s also a sushi bar with an extensive menu. A fountain sparkles on the outdoor patio.

L D $$

MOBY DICK HOUSE OF KABOB 7023 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-1838, mobyskabob. com. This kabob takeout/eat-in mainstay was one of the first kabob places in the area. It makes its own pita bread. The menu includes a variety of salads and vegetarian sandwiches and platters.

LD$

PERSIMMON (EDITORS’ PICK) 7003 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-9860, persimmon restaurant.com. Owners Damian and Stephanie Salvatore’s popular restaurant offers casual fare from salads to sandwiches to meat and seafood entrées in a bistro setting featuring a lively bar, cozy booths and bright paintings on the walls.

R L D $$

POTOMAC PIZZA 19 Wisconsin Circle, 301-951-1127, potomac pizza.com. This cheery, casual dining room provides a break from the ultra-posh shopping surrounding it. In addition to pizza, subs and pastas are popular.

Beer and wine available. J L D $

SUSHIKO (EDITORS’ PICK) 5455 Wisconsin Ave., 301-961-1644, sushiko restaurants.com. Known as one of the Washington, D.C., area’s most respected sushi restaurants, Sushiko offers a wide range of sushi and other dishes. Kōbō, a restaurant within the restaurant, allows eight people to dine on 12- to 15-course tasting menus. L D $$

TAVIRA 8401 Connecticut Ave., 301-652-8684, tavira restaurant.com. Fish stews and several versions of bacalhau (salted cod) figure prominently on the

GARRETT PARK BLACK MARKET BISTRO (EDITORS’ PICK) 4600 Waverly Ave., 301-933-3000, blackmarket restaurant.com. Sublime American bistro fare served in a restored Victorian building next to railroad tracks; the building once served as a general store and still houses a post office.

Entrées range from swordfish to a burger and pizza, including several vegetable options. Voted “Best Restaurant in Garrett Park/Kensington” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019.

J R L D $$

KENSINGTON THE DISH & DRAM 10301 Kensington Parkway, 301-962-4046, thedishanddram.com. The owners of The Daily Dish in Silver Spring serve comfort food made with local ingredients in a 2,800-square-foot space in Kensington. Steak frites, Maryland crab soup, burgers and house-made desserts are on the menu. J R L D $$

FRANKLY…PIZZA! (EDITORS’ PICK) 10417 Armory Ave., 301-832-1065, franklypizza. com. Owner Frank Linn turns out high-quality pizza in a rustic brick-and-mortar restaurant. The menu offers wood-fired pies topped with home-cured meats and tomato sauce made from an 80-yearold family recipe. Wines and homemade sodas served on tap, too. Voted "Best Pizza" by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. L D $

K TOWN BISTRO 3784 Howard Ave., 301-933-1211, ktownbistro. com. Try filet mignon, duck breast à l’orange, chicken marsala and other classic continental dishes from this family-run eatery owned by Gonzalo Barba, former longtime captain of the restaurant in the Watergate Hotel. L D $$

KNOWLES STATION WINE & CO. 10414 Detrick Ave., Suite 100; 301-272-9080; knowlesstation.com. Part retail wine shop, part restaurant, part bar, this spot near the intersection of Knowles and Summit avenues features a short menu with meat and cheese plates, appetizers, salads and sandwiches (including grilled chicken, roast pork and crabcake). Find more than a dozen beers on draft and more than two dozen wines by the glass, plus lots of beer and wine to go.

J L D $$

Great LUNCH SPECIAL $14.95 HAPPY HOUR at the bar every day 4pm–7pm 50% OFF ALL BOTTLES OF WINES on Wednesday 4pm–close 50% OFF ALL BUBBLES AND BEERS by the bottle ON THURSDAY (not valid for beers on tap) 4pm–close

NORTH POTOMAC/ GAITHERSBURG &PIZZA 258 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 240-4998447, andpizza.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $

ASIA NINE 254 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 301-3309997, asianinemd.com. Pan Asian restaurant with

8008 Woodmont Avenue Bethesda, Md 20814 301-654-6083

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dine a first location in Washington, D.C.’s Penn Quarter offers dishes from Vietnam, China, Thailand and Japan. Specialties include grilled lamb chops served with mango-soy coulis and miso honey duck breast drizzled with a sake butter sauce.

R L D $$

ATHENS GRILL 9124 Rothbury Drive, 301-975-0757, athensgrill. com. This casual, friendly, family-run restaurant specializes in authentic Greek cooking, using recipes handed down through generations.

Specialties such as rotisserie chicken, chargrilled salmon with a lemon dill sauce and lamb kabobs are cooked on a hardwood grill. L D $

BARKING MAD CAFE 239 Spectrum Ave., 240-297-6230, barkingmad cafe.com. Cooking from a wood hearth and selecting vegetables, herbs and edible flowers from its aeroponic (grown in air/mist but without soil) organic garden, Barking Mad Cafe has a corner spot in Watkins Mill Town Center. Look for madefrom-scratch brunch, lunch and dinner sweets and savories, such as breakfast pizza, watermelon salad and farro salad. ❂ R L D $$

BONEFISH GRILL 82 Market St., 240-631-2401, bonefishgrill. com. While fresh fish cooked over a wood fire is the centerpiece of this upscale Florida chain, the steaks, crab cakes and specialty martinis make it a fun option for happy hour and those with hearty appetites. R L D $$

BUCA DI BEPPO 122 Kentlands Blvd., 301-947-7346, bucadibeppo. com. The Kentlands outpost of this national chain serves huge, family-style portions of Italian specialties from fresh breads to antipasti and pasta dishes amid a sea of Italian kitsch. Desserts include Italian Creme Cake and tiramisu.

J L D $$

CAVA 213 Kentlands Blvd., 301-476-4209, cava.com.

LD$ See Bethesda listing.

COAL FIRE 116 Main St., 301-519-2625, coalfireonline.com.

Homemade crusts fired by coal and topped with your choice of toppings and three different sauces: classic, spicy and signature, which is slightly sweet with a hint of spice. Salads, sandwiches and pasta also available, plus a full bar. L D $

COASTAL FLATS 135 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 301869-8800, greatamericanrestaurants.com. First Maryland locale for Great American Restaurants, a Fairfax-based chain. Seaside-inspired décor extends to the menu, which offers lobster and shrimp rolls, fried grouper and Key lime pie. Steaks, pasta and burgers also served. Voted “Best Restaurant in Gaithersburg/North Potomac” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. J R L D $$

COPPER CANYON GRILL 100 Boardwalk Place, 240-631-0003, ccgrill.com.

Large portions of American classics such as salads, ribs and rotisserie chicken prepared with seasonal ingredients at family-friendly prices are the bill of fare at this spacious and casual chain restaurant.

J L D $$

DOGFISH HEAD ALEHOUSE 800 W. Diamond Ave., 301-963-4847, dogfishale house.com. The first Maryland outpost of the popular Rehoboth Beach brewpub, the restaurant is packed with revelers and families clamoring for the

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Dogfish Head brews, burgers, pizzas and ribs. Check out the burger of the week. J L D $$

DON POLLO 9083 Gaither Road, 301-990-0981, donpollogroup. com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

FIREBIRDS WOOD FIRED GRILL 390 Spectrum Ave., 301-284-1770, gaithersburg. firebirdsrestaurants.com. Part of a chain, this restaurant in the Watkins Mill Town Center cooks steaks and seafood over a wood-fired grill. Designed to look like a Colorado lodge, the eatery tends toward classic fare for entrées (surf-and-turf, salmon, burgers) and dessert (chocolate cake, Key lime pie, carrot cake). J L D $$

GUAPO’S RESTAURANT 9811 Washingtonian Blvd., L-17, 301-977-5655, guaposrestaurant.com. See Bethesda listing.

JRLD$

HERSHEY’S RESTAURANT & BAR 17030 Oakmont Ave., 301-948-9893, hersheysat thegrove.com. Fried chicken that tastes like it was made by an aproned elder is served up in a clapboard building constructed in 1889. Besides the fab fried chicken, Hershey’s serves up warm rolls, inexpensive prices and live music.

J B R L D $$

IL PORTO RESTAURANT 245 Muddy Branch Road, 301-590-0735, ilporto restaurant.com. A classic red-sauce menu, elegant murals of Venice and an authentic thincrust pizza are hallmarks of this friendly, unfussy Italian restaurant tucked in the Festival Shopping Center. Fried calamari and the white pizza are among customer favorites. Voted “Best Restaurant in Gaithersburg/North Potomac” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019. L D $

INFERNO PIZZERIA NAPOLETANA (EDITORS’ PICK) 12207 Darnestown Road, 301-963-0115, inferno-pizzeria.com. Tony Conte, former executive chef of Washington, D.C.’s Oval Room, goes casual with his first restaurant, an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria offering sophisticated toppings such as shaved truffles and garlic confit. Cozy dining room seats 39, with a tiled, wood-burning pizza oven as the centerpiece. D $$

IXTAPALAPA TAQUERIA 411 N. Frederick Ave., 240-702-0217, ixtataqueria.com. The owners of Taco Bar (in a Gaithersburg gas station) serve Mexican street food at this fast-casual spot. Pick a protein to go on corn tortillas, then head to the fixings bar. Or try a taco that comes already topped (the alambre with bacon, grilled onions and red peppers and Oaxaca cheese is good).

LD$

KENAKI SUSHI 706 Center Point Way, 240-224-7189, kenakisushi. com. This sushi counter at Kentlands Market Square offers what the owners call a “modern take on traditional sushi.” Experiment with the Black Magic roll, which comes with truffle oil and black sushi rice. Lunch is more informal, but at dinner there’s full service. L D $

THE MELTING POT 9021 Gaither Road, 301-519-3638, themeltingpot. com. There’s nothing like dipping bits of bread, vegetables and apples into a communal pot of hot cheese to get a date or a party started. The Melting Pot chain also offers wine, oil or broth to cook meat tableside and chocolate fondue for dessert.

J D $$

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MOD PIZZA (NEW) 145 Commerce Square Place, 240-552-9850, modpizza.com. The Bellevue, Washington-based chain offers design-your-own fast-casual pies (hence, Made on Demand, or MOD). Pizzas, cooked at 800 degrees for three minutes, can be topped with a choice of nearly 40 sauces, LD$ cheeses, meats, spices and veggies.

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE’S 245 Kentlands Blvd., 240-477-1040, notyouraveragejoes.com. See Bethesda listing.

J L D $$

OLD TOWN POUR HOUSE 212 Ellington Blvd. (Downtown Crown), 301-9636281, oldtownpourhouse.com. One of the eateries from Chicago’s Bottleneck Management restaurant company, this place features more than 90 local and international brews on tap. Classic American cuisine is served in a setting with copper-inlaid bars L D $$ and high ceilings.

PALADAR LATIN KITCHEN & RUM BAR 203 Crown Park Ave., 301-330-4400, paladarlatinkitchen.com. This Cleveland-based chain covers the spectrum of Latin cuisine, with dishes from Cuba, the Caribbean and Central and South America. From Brazil, there’s feijoada stew; from Cuba, ropa vieja; and from Jamaica, jerk chicken. Bar selections includes 50 varieties of rum, 15 tequilas and six types of mojitos.

J R L D $$

QUINCY’S BAR & GRILLE 616 Quince Orchard Road, 301-869-8200, quincysgroup.com. Energetic neighborhood pub with a sports bar atmosphere, Quincy’s also has an extensive menu with wings, pizza, build-yourown burgers and chicken sandwiches, plus entrées including Guinness-braised brisket. Live music is also a big draw. L D $

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE 106 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 301-9901926, ruthschris.com. See Bethesda listing.

D $$$

SIN & GRIN 353 Main St., 301-977-5595, singrintacos.com.

Located in the heart of Kentlands Market Square, Sin & Grin is a fast-casual restaurant owned and operated by the Hristopoulos family, which also runs Vasili’s Kitchen. Pick from eight tacos, rotisserie chicken and an assortment of Mexican cuisine. L D $

TACO DADDY (NEW) 555 Quince Orchard Road, 240-261-9777, tacodaddycantina.com. Tacos and tequila are the focus at this branch of a restaurant based in Frederick, Maryland. Other Mexican food (such as enchiladas and fajitas) round out the offerings in the brightly painted space with kitschy décor. A mariachi band plays on Thursdays. L D $$

TANDOORI NIGHTS 106 Market St., 301-947-4007, tandoorinightsmd. com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

TARA THAI 9811 Washingtonian Blvd., L-9, 301-947-8330, tarathai.com. See Bethesda listing.

L D $$

TED’S BULLETIN 220 Ellington Blvd. (Downtown Crown), 301990-0600, tedsbulletin.com. First Maryland location of the modern diner chainlet from the folks at Matchbox Food Group. Boozy milkshakes, homemade pop tarts and the Cinnamon Roll As Big

As Ya Head (served weekends only) are among the specialties. J B R L D $$

TED’S MONTANA GRILL 105 Ellington Blvd. (Downtown Crown), 301-3300777, tedsmontanagrill.com. First Maryland location of billionaire and bison rancher Ted Turner’s restaurant chain, which uses bison as the showpiece in a humongous selection of dishes, including burgers, meatloaf, nachos and chili.

Soups, salads, American classics and spiked milkshakes also available at this saloon-style eatery. J L D $$

THAI TANIUM 657 Center Point Way, 301-990-3699, thaitanium restaurant.com. Authentic Thai food laced with lots of chilies and garlic as hot as you like. Try one of the Thai street food dishes, such as roasted pork with Thai herbed sweet sauce and noodle soups.

JLD$

UNCLE JULIO’S 231 Rio Blvd. (RIO Washingtonian Center), 240-6322150, unclejulios.com. See Bethesda listing.

J R L D $$

VASILI'S KITCHEN 705 Center Point Way, 301-977-1011, vasilis kitchen.com. Tan and brown décor lends a cozy vibe to this 4,700-square-foot Kentlands restaurant.

The owners ran the popular Vasili’s Mediterranean Grill in another Kentlands location for more than a decade before closing it to focus on Vasili’s Kitchen.

The Mediterranean menu is heavy on seafood dishes. J D $$

YARD HOUSE 211 Rio Blvd., 240-683-8790, yardhouse.com. Part of a chain with locations in California, Illinois and Texas, this RIO Washingtonian Center spot is big: The 13,000-square-foot restaurant has more than 100 beers on draft, and more than 100 items on its menu, from poke nachos and Nashville hot chicken to Parmesan-crusted pork loin and ginger-crusted salmon. J L D $$

YOYOGI SUSHI 317 Main St., 301-963-0001. yoyogisushi.wixsite. com/yoyogisushi. A no-nonsense neighborhood sushi place offering the familiar sushi, teriyaki, tempura and green tea or red bean ice cream.

LD$

ZIKI JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE 10009 Fields Road, 301-330-3868, zikisteakhouse. com. This large steak house on a busy corner charms patrons with its fountains, stone Buddhas and geisha mannequins. Food offerings include sushi, as well as meats cooked on a tableside hibachi. J L D $$

POTOMAC ADDIE’S (EDITORS’ PICK) 12435 Park Potomac Ave., 301-340-0081, addies restaurant.com. Longtime North Bethesda restaurant from the Black Restaurant Group that closed in 2013 is reborn in the Park Potomac development. Date nights call for the signature entrées for two. R L D $$

ATTMAN’S DELICATESSEN 7913 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301765-3354, cabinjohn.attmansdeli.com. This landmark Baltimore deli has run a second location in Potomac since 2013. The menu offers the same legendary corned beef, pastrami and other deli

specialties. Third-generation owner Marc Attman is at the helm. J B L D $

BROOKLYN’S DELI & CATERING 1089 Seven Locks Road, 301-340-3354, brooklyns delimd.com. From chopped liver to chicken soup, Brooklyn’s serves all the deli specialties, plus more.

Think hot pastrami with coleslaw and Russian dressing on pumpernickel. J B L D $

CAVA 7991 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301200-5398, cava.com. See Bethesda listing.

LD$

NEW EXPANDED HAPPY HOUR Enjoy Even More Food & Beverage Specials!

Monday - Friday | 4pm - 7pm Served at the bar.

ELEVATION BURGER 12525-D Park Potomac Ave., 301-838-4010, elevationburger.com. Fast-food burgers go organic and grass-fed at this Northern Virginia-founded chain. Veggie burgers, chicken sandwiches, grilled cheese and a BLT available, too. Shake flavors range from banana to Key lime and cheesecake.

LD$

GRAND FUSION CUISINE 350 East Fortune Terrace, 301-838-2862, grand fusionrestaurant.com. Diners will find something for everyone seeking a taste of the Asian continent, a full sushi bar, and Chinese, Malaysian and Singaporean specialties. Chef’s specials include Crispy Eggplant in Spicy Orange Sauce and Double Flavored Shrimp. L D $

GREGORIO’S TRATTORIA 7745 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301296-6168, gregoriostrattoria.com. Proprietor Greg Kahn aims to make everyone feel at home at this family-owned restaurant serving a hit parade of traditional Italian favorites, with all the familiar pasta, pizza, chicken, veal and seafood dishes; the gluten-free menu offers pizza, cheese ravioli and quinoa pastas. J L D $$

11830 Grand Park Ave, North Bethesda | Pike & Rose |

THE GRILLED OYSTER CO. (EDITORS’ PICK) 7943 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301299-9888, thegrilledoystercompany.com. This Chesapeake-style seafood eatery features small plates, salads, sandwiches and entrées. The sampler of four grilled oysters—with ingredients such as coconut rum and cucumber relish— showcases the namesake item. J R L D $$

GRINGOS & MARIACHIS (EDITORS’ PICK) 12435 Park Potomac Ave., 301-339-8855, gringosandmariachis.com. See Bethesda listing.

This location voted “Best New Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019.

D$

FINE ITALIAN FOOD MADE FRESH DAILY

HUNTER’S BAR AND GRILL 10123 River Road, 301-299-9300, thehuntersinn. com. At this Potomac institution and popular English hunt-themed spot, try a big salad or hamburger for lunch and a traditional pasta dish or filet mignon for dinner with the family.

J R L D $$

Catering available anytime for any occasion Private Parties | Family Style Dinners | Opera Night

LAHINCH TAVERN AND GRILL 7747 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 240499-8922, lahinchtavernandgrill.com. The menu of this sister restaurant to The Irish Inn at Glen Echo commingles Irish standards (traditional sausage roll, shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, lamb stew) with fare such as Alaskan halibut. Lahinch is a coastal town in Ireland’s County Clare.

J R L D $$$

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN 7991 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 240205-7429, lepainquotidien.com. See Bethesda listing. J B R L D $

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dine LOCK 72 KITCHEN & BAR (EDITORS’ PICK) 10128 River Road, 301-299-0481, lock72.com.

Well-known chef Robert Wiedmaier’s RW Restaurant Group runs this upscale American pub (formerly called River Falls Tavern). Entrées include panroasted duck breast, crabcake, rockfish and New R L D $$ York strip steak.

MOCO’S FOUNDING FARMERS 12505 Park Potomac Ave., 301-340-8783, wearefoundingfarmers.com. Farm-inspired fare in a modern and casual setting; this is the sister restaurant to the phenomenally popular downtown D.C. Founding Farmers. Try the warm cookies for dessert. Voted “Best Restaurant in Potomac,” "Best Cocktails" and “Best Brunch” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018, and also “Best Brunch” in 2019.

B R L D $$

NORMANDIE FARM RESTAURANT 10710 Falls Road, 301-983-8838, popovers.com.

This fine-dining French restaurant, open since 1931, strives to preserve its classical heritage while embracing new traditions. Dinner entrées run from seafood to beef and lamb. The restaurant offers quick service, a casual café option and a violinist at afternoon tea. J R L D $$

O’DONNELL’S MARKET 1073 Seven Locks Road, 301-251-6355, odonnells market.com. This market, from the family that ran O’Donnell’s restaurants in Montgomery County for decades, features a 10-seat bar for lunch and happy hour. The menu includes a raw bar, salads and many O’Donnell’s classics, among them a lump-filled crabcake sandwich, salmon BLT, seafood bisque and crab gumbo. L $

OLD ANGLER’S INN 10801 MacArthur Blvd., 301-365-2425, oldanglers inn.com. Open since 1860 and known for its refined American food and beautiful fireplaces and grounds, it features live music on weekends.

Signature cocktails include hard cider sangria and a pumpkin pie martini. Voted “Best Outdoor Dining”

by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018.

R L D $$$

POTOMAC PIZZA 9812 Falls Road, 301-299-7700, potomacpizza. com. See Chevy Chase listing. J L D $

RENATO’S AT RIVER FALLS 10120 River Road, 301-365-1900, renatosatriver falls.net. The Italian restaurant offers fish dishes among its menu of pastas and classics such as penne with eggplant, and chicken parmigiana.

Traditional Italian desserts include tiramisu, profiteroles and cannolis. Voted “Best Restaurant in Potomac” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019.

J L D $$

SUGO OSTERIA 12505 Park Potomac Ave., 240-386-8080, eatsugo.com. This stylish spot starts you off with honey-thyme butter on rustic bread. The menu focuses on Italian small plates, meatballs, sliders, pizza and pasta. Chef specialties include blue crab gnocchi and charred octopus. R L D $$

TALLY-HO RESTAURANT 9923 Falls Road, 301-299-6825, tallyhorestaurant. com. A local fixture since 1968, the eatery serves an expansive diner-style menu with Greek and Italian specialties. Choose from options ranging from burgers and deli sandwiches to pizza, calzones and dinner entrées. J B L D $

THE WINE HARVEST 12525-B Park Potomac Ave., 240-314-0177, thewineharvest.com. Stop by this popular Cheers-

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like wine bar for a glass of wine or a Belgian beer.

The menu includes salads, sandwiches and cheese plates. L D $

ZOËS KITCHEN 12505 Park Potomac Ave., Suite 115, 240-3281022, zoeskitchen.com. A fast-casual restaurant, Zoës features Mediterranean dishes such as kabobs, hummus and pita sandwiches. It specializes in takeout dinner for four for under $30.

JLD$

ROCKVILLE/ NORTH BETHESDA A & J RESTAURANT (EDITORS’ PICK) 1319-C Rockville Pike, 301-251-7878, aj-restaurant. com. Northern dim sum is the specialty at this hard-to-find cash-only spot in the Woodmont Station shopping center. Warm-colored walls surround the crowd digging into thousand-layer pancakes and fresh tofu. R L D $

AKIRA RAMEN & IZAKAYA 1800 Rockville Pike, 240-242-3669, akiraramen. com. This minimalist Japanese eatery serves house-made noodles and vibrant food such as a poke salad. The sleek establishment, located on the first floor of the Galvan at Twinbrook building, features an open kitchen and several variations of ramen to choose from. L D $

AL CARBÓN 200 Park Road, 301-738-0003, alcarbonrestaurant. com. Serving authentic Latin American fare across the street from the Rockville Metro station, this unassuming roadhouse has a loyal following for its arepas, empanadas, tapas and more. Try one of the natural juices including mango and tamarindo.

BLD$

AL HA'ESH 4860 Boiling Brook Parkway (Randolph Hills Shopping Center), 301-231-0839, al-haesh.com.

Kosher Israeli grill serves vegetable and protein skewers (including chicken, lamb, beef, chicken livers and sweetbreads). All entrées come with small ramekins of salads (think curried chickpeas; marinated red cabbage; and balsamic marinated mushrooms). L D $$

AMALFI RISTORANTE ITALIANO 12307 Wilkins Ave., 301-770-7888, amalfirockville. com. A family-run, red-sauce Italian restaurant with specialties including white pizza and lasagna. Lots of antipasti choices, too. The gazebo is a charming spot to dine during the summer. J L D $$

AMICI MIEI RISTORANTE 6 N. Washington St., 301-545-0966, amicimieiristorante.com. Previously located at the Potomac Woods Plaza, this upscale Italian restaurant serves wood-fired pizzas, homemade pastas and creative salads. The new, smaller establishment is cozier than the last with a menu that changes twice a year. L D $

AMINA THAI RESTAURANT 5065 Nicholson Lane, 301-770-9509. Pleasant and bright, Amina Thai is run by a husband-andwife team and bills itself as the first Muslim Thai restaurant in the area, using only halal meats and serving familiar Thai dishes. Chef’s specials include pineapple fried rice and grilled salmon. L D $

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&PIZZA 11626 Old Georgetown Road (Pike & Rose), 240621-7016, andpizza.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂LD$

BARONESSA ITALIAN RESTAURANT 1302 E. Gude Drive, 301-838-9050, baronessarestaurant.com. Pizzas made in a woodburning oven and more than two dozen Italian entrées star on the menu at this 100-seat stripmall restaurant. Trivia nights and kids pizza-making classes are offered. J R L D $$

BB.Q CHICKEN 9712 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-309-0962, bbqchickenrockville.com. This Korean chain uses olive oil for frying its chicken, which you can order as whole, half, wings or boneless. Other Korean and fusion entrées and sides—including kimchi fried rice, calamari and fried dumplings—are on the menu too. There’s also a full bar. L D $

THE BIG GREEK CAFÉ 4007 Norbeck Road, 301-929-9760; 5268 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-4976, biggreekcafe.com.

See Bethesda listing. L D $

BOB'S SHANGHAI 66 305 N. Washington St., 301-251-6652. Dim sum and rice and noodle dishes are the specialties at this popular eatery offering Taiwanese, Shanghai and Sichuan cuisine. It’s also one of the area’s top destinations for soup dumplings, where you can even watch the chefs making them in a glassenclosed booth. R L D $

BOMBAY BISTRO 98 W. Montgomery Ave., 301-762-8798, bombaybistro.com. Bombay Bistro opened in 1991 as one of the first Indian restaurants in the area to combine high style, reasonable prices and a fresh take on traditional Indian, and it has been packed ever since. House specialties include tandoori lamb chops and shrimp and scallops masala. J L D $$

BONCHON CHICKEN 107 Gibbs St., Unit A (Rockville Town Square), 301637-9079, bonchon.com. International fried chicken franchise with Korean roots serves up wings, drumsticks and strips with soy-garlic or spicy hot garlic sauce, plus other traditional offerings such as bulgogi, bibimbap and scallion seafood pancakes.

LD$

BOTANERO 800 Pleasant Drive, Suite 160, 240-474-5461, botanerorockville.com. Located in the King Farm neighborhood, this small plates restaurant and wine bar features cuisine that changes seasonally.

Some recent offerings include a fig and prosciutto flatbread and quinoa grilled salmon. B L D $

CAVA 12037 Rockville Pike (Montrose Crossing), 240235-0627; 28 Upper Rock Circle, 301-200-5530; LD$ cava.com. See Bethesda listing.

CAVA MEZZE (EDITORS’ PICK) 9713 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-309-9090, cavamezze.com. The dark and elegant CAVA Mezze offers small plates of everything from fried Greek cheese, octopus and orzo in cinnamon tomato sauce to crispy pork belly and macaroni and cheese. There are martini specials, too.

R L D $$

CHINA BISTRO 755 Hungerford Drive, 301-294-0808. Extensive Chinese menu features many familiar favorites, but this is the place to go for dumplings. With tender dough wrappers and chock-full interiors, these beauties come 12 to an order and with 16 different

filling choices. Fresh, uncooked dumplings are also available for carryout. L D $

CHINA GARDEN (NEW) 11333 Woodglen Drive, 301-881-2800, chinagardenhg.com. The Cantonese restaurant moved from Rosslyn, Virginia, to the former Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar space. The lunch menu includes dim sum items (they are on a pushcart on weekends). L D $$

CHUY’S 12266 Rockville Pike (Federal Plaza), 301-6032941, chuys.com. Drawing inspiration from New Mexico, Mexican border towns, the Rio Grande Valley and Texas’s deep south, Chuy’s is part of a family-friendly chain that serves up a Tex-Mex experience. Colorful food meets colorful décor, where “If you’ve seen one Chuy’s, you’ve seen one Chuy’s” rings true—eclectic collectibles give each location its own flair. Free chips are served out of a car trunk display. ❂ J L D $

CITY PERCH KITCHEN + BAR 11830 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-2312310, cityperch.com. Located above the entrance to the iPic Theaters at Pike & Rose, City Perch offers creative, seasonal American cuisine in a rustic, inviting space. The menu includes raw-bar selections, small plates, shareable salads and entrée options such as grilled shrimp and Long Island duck. R L D $$$

CLYDE'S TOWER OAKS LODGE 2 Preserve Parkway, 301-294-0200, clydes.com/ tower. Here is Clyde’s version of a lodge in the mountains. Well-prepared food runs the gamut of American desires, from burgers to fish, plus a raw bar. Check out the twig sculpture spanning the ceiling of The Saranac Room. Voted “Best Restaurant Décor” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. J R L D $$

COMMONWEALTH INDIAN 11610 Old Georgetown Road (Pike & Rose), 240833-3055. The owner of two Bollywood Bistro restaurants in Virginia opened this fine-dining spot that serves traditional Indian favorites such as curry chicken and butter chicken, along with fresh-baked bread and Indian salad. The bar has Indian-inspired cocktails and Indian beers and wines. See our review on page 278. R L D $$$

COOPER'S HAWK (NEW) 1403 Research Blvd. (Research Row), 301-5179463, chwinery.com/locations/maryland/rockvillemd. Part of a national chain, this restaurant and winery lists which of its wines to pair with the contemporary American dishes on the sprawling menu (pasta, steak, seafood, burgers, 600-calorie or less dishes). There’s also a tasting room and a retail space. J L D $$$

THE CUBAN CORNER 825 Hungerford Drive, 301-279-0310, cubancornerrestaurant.com. Pork and empanadas shine at this small space brimming with ethnic pride (there’s a tribute wall to famous Cuban-Americans).

Don’t skip the Cuban coffee or the Cuban sandwich, a sub bursting with ham, pickles and tangy mustard.

LD$

CSNY PIZZA 1020 Rockville Pike, 301-298-3650, csnypizza. wixisite.com/sneaksite. Carry out a New York-style pizza from this spot by the owners of Pizza CS. Their second Rockville location also offers six seats for guests to dine in, and serves whole pies, hot subs and pizza by the slice. L D $

DEL FRISCO’S GRILLE

FONTINA GRILLE

11800 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-8810308, delfriscosgrille.com. This is the Texasbased chain’s second location in the area. Look for upscale takes on American comfort foods, such as filet mignon meatloaf and short rib stroganoff, plus trendy items such as kale and Brussels sprouts salad, deviled eggs, flatbreads and ahi tuna tacos.

Plenty of burgers, sandwiches and salads, too.

R L D $$

DON POLLO 2206 Veirs Mill Road, 301-309-1608, donpollogroup.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

EAST PEARL RESTAURANT 838-B Rockville Pike, 301-838-8663, eastpearl restaurant.com. Choose from many options of Hong Kong cuisine, including familiar dishes featuring chicken, beef, poultry, pork and even duck, as well as those for adventurous tastes. Try the soups ranging from egg drop to seafood with bean curd.

LD$

EL MARIACHI RESTAURANT 765-D Rockville Pike, 301-738-7177, elmariachi rockville.com. Serving Tex-Mex and South American food in a bright, pleasant space made lively with colorful art. In addition to the usual enchiladas, tacos and burritos, look for Peruvian seafood and Cuban beef specialties. L D $

EL PATIO 5240 Randolph Road, 301-231-9225. This bustling café with pretty green umbrellas on the patio serves up the traditional meat-heavy dishes of Argentina, as well as pizzas and freshly made baked goods.

Look for mouth-watering empanadas, beef tongue and sausage specialties. J B L D $

FAR EAST RESTAURANT 5055 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-5552, fareastrockvillemd.com. Owned and operated by the same family since 1974, this classic Chinese restaurant greets customers with two royal stone lions out front and sticks to the familiar ChineseAmerican basics. Check out the daily specials and dim sum menu. L D $$

FINNEGAN’S WAKE IRISH PUB 100 Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-3398267, finneganswakerockville.com. Irish pub with a nice selection of bourbons, whiskeys and Irish beers and a very limited bar menu offering such fare as bangers and mash, poutine (french fries, gravy and cheese curds), a chicken club sandwich, fish and chips, wings and a burger. L D $

FLOR DE LUNA 11417 Woodglen Drive, 240-242-4066, flordeluna md.com. Latin American fare includes tamales and lomo saltado (a stir-fry of beef and peppers) at this 75-seat restaurant near Whole Foods Market.

Tacos, nachos and quesadillas are also in the lineup. Finish off your meal with the tres leches (three milks) cake. J R L D $$

FLOWER CHILD 10072 Darnestown Road (Travilah Square Shopping Center), 301-545-6750, iamaflowerchild.com. See Bethesda listing.

LD$

FOGO DE CHÃO (NEW) 11600 Old Georgetown Road (Pike & Rose), 301841-9200, fogodechao.com. Part of an international chain, the Brazilian steakhouse offers cuts of meat—plus a salad and vegetable station—at allyou-can-eat prices.

R L D $$$

801 Pleasant Drive, 301-947-5400, fontinagrille. com. A trendy spot with its curvy maple bar and wood-burning pizza oven, Fontina Grille is a favorite gathering place for the King Farm neighborhood.

Pizza, pasta and salads are the main attractions.

Three-dollar pasta dishes available on Monday nights and half-price bottles of wine on Tuesdays.

J R L D $$

GOLDEN SAMOVAR 201 N. Washington St. (Rockville Town Square), 240-671-9721, goldensamovarrestaurant.com.

Chicken Kiev, plov (a lamb-and-rice dish) and borscht are among the long list of Russian and central Asian dishes here. Infused vodkas and Russian and Ukrainian beers are available. A framed wolf pelt adorns one wall. J R L D $$

GORDON BIERSCH 200-A E. Middle Lane (Rockville Town Square), 301340-7159, gordonbiersch.com/restaurants. The national brewpub chain prides itself on house beers and friendly service. The shiny bar is boisterous, and the menu includes bar favorites with some barbecue and Asian touches, small plates, salads, pizza and flatbreads. J L D $$

GYROLAND 1701-B3 Rockville Pike, 301-816-7829, gyrolandmd.com. Build-your-own salads, open-face and wrapped sandwiches, and other Greek choices star at this fast-casual spot near Congressional Plaza. For dessert, Gyroland serves loukoumades, a bite-size fluffy Greek doughnut soaked in hot honey syrup. L D $

HARD TIMES CAFÉ 1117 Nelson St., 301-294-9720, hardtimes.com.

Good American beer selections, hearty chili styles ranging from Cincinnati (cinnamon and tomato) to Texas (beef and hot peppers), and hefty salads and wings bring families to this Wild West-style saloon for lunch and dinner. L D $

HINODE JAPANESE RESTAURANT 134 Congressional Lane, 301-816-2190, hinode restaurant.com. Serving traditional Japanese cuisine since 1992. All-you-can-eat lunch and weekend dinner buffet offers 40 types of sushi, 14 hot foods and a salad bar. Check out the patio with full bar service. L D $$

IL PIZZICO (EDITORS’ PICK) 15209 Frederick Road, 301-309-0610, ilpizzico. com. Setting aside the strip mall location and lack of pizza (il pizzico means “the pinch” in Italian), chef-owner Enzo Livia’s house-made pasta dishes, gracious service and extensive wine list of mainly Italian wines make even a weeknight meal feel special. L D $$

IRON AGE 1054 Rockville Pike, 301-424-1474, ironagekoreansteakhouse.com. Part of a small chain of all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue restaurants, this branch opened in 2012. Garlic pork belly, spicy chicken and beef brisket are among the dozen-plus offerings. There are two menu options (the pricier one includes a few more items, such as steak and octopus). J L D $$

JINYA RAMEN BAR 910 Prose St. (Pike & Rose), 301-816-3029, jinyaramenbar.com. A 74-seat eatery that’s part of a chain, Jinya serves 12 different types of ramen, ranging from the classic wonton chicken to a creamy vegan option. Try the Jinya Mini Tacos, which come with a choice of salmon poke, pork chashu and kimchee, or spicy tuna. J L D $

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dine JOE’S NOODLE HOUSE 1488-C Rockville Pike, 301-881-5518, joesnoodlehouse.com. Chinese expats and many other customers consider the Sichuan specialties (soft bean curd with spicy sauce and hot beef jerky) among the area’s best examples of gourmet Chinese cooking. L D $

JULII (EDITORS’ PICK) 11915 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-5179090, julii.com. A French Mediterranean bistro from the owners of CAVA, Julii looks like a glass box from the outside and serves fare such as salmon crudo, roasted bone marrow, crispy trout, New York strip au poivre and tableside nitrogen ice cream. L D $$

KUYA JA’S LECHON BELLY 5268-H Nicholson Lane, 240-669-4383, kuyajas. com. This fast-casual restaurant that started as a pop-up in the Rockville area specializes in serving lechon, a Filipino pork belly dish. Chef and owner Javier J. Fernandez, a native of the Philippines, shares the flavors of his home country through ricebowls, spiced wings and homemade pastries.

LD$

LA BRASA LATIN CUISINE 12401 Parklawn Drive, 301-468-8850, labrasa rockville.com. A bold, yellow awning marks the unlikely industrial location of the popular La Brasa.

Customers rave about the rotisserie chicken, lomo saltado (Peruvian marinated steak), Salvadoran pupusas and Tres Leches. L D $

LA CANELA (EDITORS’ PICK) 141-D Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-2511550, lacanelaperu.com. Sophisticated, modern Peruvian cooking shines in a regally furnished dining room in a yellow stucco building graced with curvy black ironwork. The menu includes artfully prepared seafood, pork, chicken and beef dishes. L D $

LA LIMEÑA GRILL 1093 Rockville Pike, 301-417-4922. An offshoot of nearby La Limeña Restaurant, this Peruvian eatery with a spacious patio serves several traditional seafood dishes, including Ceviche Mixto, an appetizer of lime-marinated tilapia served with glazed potatoes and crispy dried corn kernels.

The Chicha Morada, a sweet corn-based drink, pairs nicely with authentic and tender braised-beef entrées.

J L D $$

LA LIMEÑA RESTAURANT 765 Rockville Pike, 301-424-8066, lalimena restaurant.com. Diners can choose dishes such as beef hearts, tripe and homemade pastries in this tiny but well-appointed eatery. Desserts include passion fruit mousse and vanilla flan. And of course, there’s rotisserie chicken to go. L D $

LA TASCA 141 Gibbs St., Suite 305 (Rockville Town Square), 301-279-7011, latascausa.com. The Rockville location of this regional chain strives to keep things interesting with 45 tapas dishes and six kinds of paella, including Paella Mixta with chicken, shrimp, chorizo, scallops, mussels, squid and clams.

R L D $$

LEBANESE TAVERNA CAFÉ 115 Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-3098681, lebanesetaverna.com. A casual and pleasant family spot for lunch or dinner, the café is a more casual offshoot of the local Lebanese Taverna chain, serving hummus, pita, falafel, lamb kabobs, salmon and chicken. J L D $

LEBTAV 1605 Rockville Pike, 301-468-9086, lebanesetaverna.com. LEBTAV has a shorter menu

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than its fast-casual sibling Lebanese Taverna Café.

You’ll find sandwiches, bowls, hummus, falafel, chicken and lamb kabobs. L D $

LIGHTHOUSE TOFU & BBQ 12710 Twinbrook Parkway, 301-881-1178. In addition to the numerous tofu dishes ranging from Mushroom Tofu Pot to Seafood Beef Tofu Pot, diners at this Korean stalwart can try barbecue, stirfried specialties and kimchee, the national dish of pickled cabbage. L D $

MAMMA LUCIA 12274-M Rockville Pike, 301-770-4894; 14921-J Shady Grove Road, 301-762-8805; mammalucia restaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $$

MATCHBOX (EDITORS’ PICK) 1699 Rockville Pike, 301-816-0369, matchbox restaurants.com. Look for mini-burgers, a “ginormous meatball” appetizer and thin-crusted pizza with toppings including herb-roasted chicken and portobella mushrooms or fire-roasted red peppers and Spanish onions served in a super-cool space in Congressional Plaza. J R L D $

MISSION BBQ 885 Rockville Pike, 301-444-5574, mission-bbq. com. This outpost of a national chain, known for its support of U.S. military troops and veterans, serves its barbecue—including brisket, ribs and pulled pork—alongside a slew of add-your-own sauces.

Come for lunch and stay to recite the national anthem at noon. J L D $

MODERN MARKET 1627 Rockville Pike (Congressional Plaza), 301603-2953, modernmarket.com. See Bethesda listing. J B R L D $

MOSAIC CUISINE & CAFÉ 186 Halpine Road, 301-468-0682, mosaiccuisine. com. A diner with a soft European accent. Try the fresh Belgian waffles for breakfast. For those with hefty appetites, the waffle sandwiches are worth the trip, but don’t overlook the homemade soups or light dinner entrées. J B R L D $$

MYKONOS GRILL 121 Congressional Lane, 301-770-5999, mykonosgrill.com. An authentic Greek taverna with whitewashed walls with Mediterranean blue accents on a busy street, Mykonos Grill turns out legs of lamb and fresh seafood expected at any good Greek restaurant.

L D $$

NADA 11886 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-7714040, eatdrinknada.com/n-bethesda. Part of a small national chain, Nada serves street tacos with fillings such as caramelized cauliflower, fried tofu and pork carnitas. The brief menu also includes soups, salads and a fajita plate. Margaritas and seasonal cocktails are available. R L D $$

NAGOYA SUSHI 402 King Farm Blvd., Suite 130, 301-990-6778, nagoyasushirockville.com. Cheery yellow walls decorated with shelves of Japanese knickknacks greet customers who come for the large selection of sushi at this unassuming sushi spot in King Farm.

L D $$

NANTUCKET’S REEF 9755 Traville Gateway Drive, Rockville, 301279-7333, nantucketsreef.com. This casual New England-style eatery offers a wide range of reasonably priced seafood dishes, including raw and baked oysters, stuffed cod, fried Ipswitch clams, seafood tacos, tuna and salmon salads, and lobster items. Signature cocktails are made with Nantucket Nectars juices. R L D $$

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

NICK’S CHOPHOUSE 700 King Farm Blvd., 301-926-8869, nickschop houserockville.com. Aged Angus beef cooked over an open fire is the specialty at this upscale spot, but seafood lovers can get their fill from big crabcakes.

Signature steaks include slow-roasted prime rib weighing 10 to 32 ounces. Separate bar menu.

L D $$

NIWANO HANA JAPANESE RESTAURANT 887 Rockville Pike, 301-294-0553, niwanohana. com. Clean Asian décor and elegant wooden screens greet diners at this friendly and busy sushi spot located in Wintergreen Plaza. There are the usual sushi rolls, plus creative options such as a Spicy Scallop Roll with mayonnaise and chili peppers, noodle dishes, teriyaki and yakitori.

L D $$

THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE 12224 Rockville Pike, 301-468-0886, ophrestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. This location stays open until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. J B L D $

OWEN’S ORDINARY (EDITORS’ PICK) 11820 Trade St. (Pike & Rose), 301-2451226, owensordinarymd.com. This Americanstyle restaurant, barroom and beer garden from Neighborhood Restaurant Group boasts 50 rotating drafts and more than 150 types of bottled beer. The 175-seat restaurant serves salads, burgers, pork, seafood and fondue entrées, and those looking to grab a drink can make the most of the space’s 60seat beer garden. Voted “Best Restaurant Beer Selection” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019.

R L D $$

PETER CHANG (EDITORS’ PICK) 20-A Maryland Ave. (Rockville Town Square), 301838-9188, peterchangarlington.com. Chef Peter Chang’s Sichuan specialties are showcased in an apricot-walled dining space. Garnering a cult-like following over the years, Chang is best known for dishes such as dry-fried eggplant, crispy pork belly and duck in a stone pot. L D $$

PHO 75 771 Hungerford Drive, 301-309-8873. The restaurant is one of the Washington area’s favorite spots for the Vietnamese beef noodle soup known as pho. Soup can be customized with bean sprouts, Thai basil, chilies, lime, and hot and hoisin sauces.

Beverages include interesting options such as Iced Salty Pickled Lemon Juice. L D $

PHO HOA BINH 11782 Parklawn Drive, 301-770-5576. This pleasant pho restaurant offers the full gamut of variations on the beef noodle soup, plus about a dozen grilled entrées. The Adventurer’s Choice features “unusual” meats, including tendon, tripe and fatty flank. The Vietnamese iced coffee is divine. L D $

PHO NOM NOM 842 Rockville Pike, 301-610-0232, phonomnom. net. As the name suggests, the specialty is pho, but there are also grilled dishes, noodles and the Vietnamese sandwich known as banh mi. House specials include Vietnamese beef stew and pork and shrimp wontons. L D $

PHOLUSCIOUS VIETNAMESE GRILL 10048 Darnestown Road, 301-762-2226, pholuscious.com. This casual restaurant and bar is home to traditional Vietnamese cooking, with fresh ingredients, minimal use of oil and many herbs and vegetables. The menu features pho, noodle dishes, rice plates and lots of protein dishes. Beverages

include bubble tea, smoothies, beer and wine.

L D $$

PIKE KITCHEN 1066 Rockville Pike, 301-603-2279, pikekitchen. com. The 6,200-square-foot, 100-seat Asian food hall at the Edmonston Crossing shopping center includes eateries dishing up Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, pho, poke, ramen, bibimbap and more.

LD$

PIZZA CS 1596-B Rockville Pike, 240-833-8090, pizzacs.com.

Authentic Neapolitan pies are offered in a sub-shop atmosphere. Choose from a list of red and white pizza options, or build your own pie with herbs, cheeses, meats and vegetables. J L D $

POTOMAC PIZZA 9709 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-279-2234, potomacpizza.com. See Chevy Chase listing.

JLD$

QUINCY’S SOUTH BAR & GRILLE 11401 Woodglen Drive, 240-669-3270, quincysgroup.com. See North Potomac/ Gaithersburg listing. L D $

SADAF HALAL RESTAURANT 1327-K Rockville Pike, 301-424-4040. An elegant alternative to the run-of-the-mill kabob places dotting Rockville Pike, Sadaf is pristine, with lace curtains and glass mosaic tiles in front. In addition to kabobs, it offers Persian curries and fish dishes.

JLD$

SAM CAFÉ & MARKET 844 Rockville Pike, 301-424-1600, samcafemarket. com. Fill up on the kitchen’s juicy skewered meats or interesting entrées, including pomegranate molasses stew and marinated grilled salmon, then have a gelato and check out the hookahs.

LD$

SEASONS 52 11414 Rockville Pike, 301-984-5252, seasons52. com. A fresh, seasonal menu featuring items under 475 calories. Choose from flatbreads including Blackened Steak & Blue Cheese and Grilled Garlic Pesto Chicken to entrée salads to meat and seafood dishes. Nightly piano music.

L D $$

SHANGHAI TASTE 1121 Nelson St., 301-279-0806. Co-owner and chef Wei Sun, a Shanghai native, specializes in preparing three different flavors of soup dumplings at this small restaurant in a strip mall. The menu also includes traditional Chinese-American dishes, such as General Tso’s chicken and fried rice.

LD$

SHEBA RESTAURANT 5071 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-8882, sheba rockville.com. The menu features authentic Ethiopian cuisine with lots of vegetarian and vegan options. House specialties include Dulet Assa, chopped tilapia mixed with onion, garlic and jalapeño and served with a side of homemade cheese. L D $

SICHUAN JIN RIVER 410 Hungerford Drive, 240-403-7351, sichuanjin river.com. Customers find terrific Sichuan cuisine served in a no-frills setting. Take the plunge and try something new with the authentic Chinese menu, including 23 small cold plates. L D $

SILVER DINER 12276 Rockville Pike, 301-770-2828, silverdiner. com. Customers flock to this trendy diner that still offers tableside jukeboxes. The latest food trends

(think quinoa coconut pancakes) share company on the enormous menu with diner staples such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Voted “Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019. J B R L D $

SPICE XING 100-B Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-6100303, spicexing.com. Chef and owner Sudhir Seth, who also owns Bethesda’s Passage to India, serves up small plates and dishes that reflect the history of culinary influences on India. Try the all-you-can-eat lunchtime buffet.

J R L D $$

THE SPOT 255 N. Washington St., thespotdmv.com. This 6,200-square-foot, 200-seat Asian food hall, not far from Rockville Town Square, includes a handful of vendors, including Mian Pull Noodle (dumplings and noodle dishes), Poki DC (the Hawaiian-inspired raw fish dish called poke) and Alpaca Dessert (shaved snow ice and ice cream-filled waffle cones).

LD$

STANFORD GRILL 2000 Tower Oaks Blvd., 240-582-1000, thestanford grill.com. From the Blueridge Restaurant Group, owner of Copper Canyon Grill restaurants, comes this 300-seat American eatery on the ground floor of an office building. Salads, burgers, steaks and seafood, plus sushi, with an eye toward high quality.

R L D $$

STELLA BARRA PIZZERIA 11825 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-7708609, stellabarra.com. Adjacent to its sister restaurant, Summer House Santa Monica, Stella Barra is an artisan pizzeria with a hip, urban vibe.

Look for crisp crusts with chewy centers topped with butternut squash and candied bacon or housemade pork sausage and fennel pollen. Italian wines available. R D $$

SUMMER HOUSE SANTA MONICA (EDITORS’ PICK)

11825 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301881-2381, summerhousesm.com. An airy, light and stunning space sets the scene for modern American cuisine with a West Coast sensibility.

Fare includes salads, sushi, tacos, sandwiches and steak frites. Do not miss the bakery counter. Voted “Best Restaurant in Rockville/North Bethesda” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018 and 2019.

J R L D $$

SUPER BOWL NOODLE HOUSE 785 Rockville Pike, 301-738-0086, superbowl noodlehouse.com. Look for a large variety of Asian noodle dishes in super-size portions, plus a wide selection of appetizers. Also, bubble tea and desserts, including Sweet Taro Root Roll and Black Sugar Shaved Ice. L D $

SUSHI DAMO 36-G Maryland Ave. (Rockville Town Square), 301340-8010, sushidamo.com. A slice of New York sophistication, this elegant restaurant offers sushi à la carte or omakase, chef’s choice, plus beef and seafood entrées and an impressive sake list.

L D $$

SUSHI HOUSE JAPANESE RESTAURANT 1331-D Rockville Pike, 301-309-0043, sushihouse1331.com. A tiny, plain restaurant serving a large selection of fresh sushi, including sushi and sashimi combinations. Lunch specials for under $7. It’s popular, so be prepared to wait.

L D $$

SUSHI OISHII 9706 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-251-1177, sushioishii.com. This charming sushi bar in the Traville Gateway Center offers friendly service and 24 specialty sushi rolls, bento boxes and a few grilled items, including beef, poultry and seafood teriyaki. L D $$

TAIPEI TOKYO 14921-D Shady Grove Road (Fallsgrove Village Center), 301-738-8813; 11510-A Rockville Pike, 301-881-8388; taipei-tokyo.net. These sister restaurants offer a sizable roster of Chinese, Japanese and Thai dishes. The Fallsgrove Village location is the younger and sleeker of the two, with full sit-down service. The older sister, opened in 1993, is more like a noodle shop/cafeteria.

L D $$

TARA THAI 12071 Rockville Pike, 301-231-9899, tarathai.com.

See Bethesda listing. L D $$

TEMARI CAFÉ 1043 Rockville Pike, 301-340-7720. Deep-fried oysters, classic rice balls, ramen noodle soup, sushi and sashimi and comic books to peruse while you await your order set this Japanese restaurant apart from the rest. L D $$

THAI FARM 800 King Farm Blvd., 301-258-8829, thaifarm restaurant.com. A tastefully modern dining room soaked in a soothing yellow light. The usual suspects are on the menu here, but chef’s suggestions include an intriguing broiled fish wrapped in banana leaf and stir-fried duck. L D $$

THAI PAVILION 29 Maryland Ave., Unit 308 (Rockville Town Square), 301-545-0244, thaipavilionrestaurant.com. The soaring ceilings decorated with red chandeliers shaped like giant, stationary spinning tops give the feel of a modern museum. When the menu says spicy, believe it. J L D $$

THAT’S AMORE 15201 Shady Grove Road, 240-268-0682, thatsamore.com. This local chain focuses on familystyle portions of classic Neapolitan dishes such as lasagna and chicken Parmesan in a more elegant setting than might be expected. Good for groups and large families. J L D $$

TRAPEZARIA 11 N. Washington St., 301-339-8962, thetrapezaria. com. This down-to-earth and hospitable Greek/ Mediterranean restaurant serves top-notch and unfussy small plates and entrées. Choose among a variety of dips, vegetarian mezze, souvlaki, sausages and more-involved fish and lamb dishes.

Save room for the baklava. L D $$

URBAN BAR-B-QUE COMPANY 2007 Chapman Ave., 240-290-4827; 5566 Norbeck Road, 301-460-0050, urbanbbqco.com. Urban BarB-Que Company, a tiny joint run by a couple of local friends, has a winning formula and features fingerlicking ribs, burgers and wings, plus salads, chili and smothered fries. Staff is friendly, too. J L D $

URBAN HOT POT 1800 Rockville Pike, 240-669-6710, urbanhotpot. com. On the first floor of the Galvan at Twinbrook building, this hot pot spot features a conveyor belt where food travels to diners. A prix fixe all-you-caneat menu allows you to create your meal at your table using one of the stationed iPads. Choose from a selection of noodles, vegetables and meat to add to a bowl of hot stock, then do it again if you’re still hungry. L D $$

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dine VILLA MAYA 5532 Norbeck Road (Rock Creek Village Center), 301-460-1247. Here you’ll find all the traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex favorites from quesadillas to fajitas that are sure to please the whole family.

R L D $$

THE WOODSIDE DELI 4 N. Washington St., 301-444-4478, thewoodside deli.com. A second location of the venerable Silver Spring eatery and caterer that has been dishing up matzo ball soup since 1947. Choose from a wide selection of sandwiches, burgers and entrées. This one has a pickle bar.

JBRLD$

WORLD OF BEER 196B East Montgomery Ave., 301-340-2915, worldofbeer.com. See Bethesda listing.

JRL D $

XI’AN GOURMET 316 N. Washington St., 301-875-5144, xian-gourmet.business.site. This casual diner prides itself on its comfort food. Named after an ancient city, Xi’an heavily features Sichuan and Shaanxi cuisines, after the chefs’ regional heritage. Go for the Shaanxi cold steamed noodles or the Shanghai soup dumplings. L D $

YAMACHAN RAMEN 201 E. Middle Lane, 301-666-6685, yamachanramen.com. This Rockville Town Center restaurant lets diners customize their bowls of ramen, from the soup base and noodles to protein and toppings. The eatery shares an address with Pearl Lady, a bubble tea shop. L D $

YEKTA 1488 Rockville Pike, 301-984-1190, yekta.com.

Persian cuisine, including a selection of beef, chicken and lamb kabobs, is served in a beautiful dining room. Try a dessert such as frozen noodle sorbet or saffron ice cream. Check out the adjacent market after polishing off your kabob. L D $$

YUAN FU VEGETARIAN 798 Rockville Pike, 301-762-5937, yuanfuvegetarian.com. From tea-smoked “duck” to kung pao “chicken,” the whole menu is meatless, made from Chinese vegetable products. There is a large selection of chef’s specials, including Pumpkin Chicken with Mushrooms in a hot pot. L D $

SILVER SPRING ADDIS ABABA 8233 Fenton St., 301-589-1400, addisababa cuisine.com. Authentic Ethiopian-style vegetables and fiery meats are served atop spongy bread in communal bowls. Traditional woven tables and a roof deck add to the ambience. There’s a weekday lunch buffet, too.

RLD$

ALL SET RESTAURANT & BAR 8630 Fenton St., 301-495-8800, allsetrestaurant. com. American cuisine with a focus on New England specialties. Look for clams, oysters and lobster, plus crab cakes, and beef and vegetarian options.

J R L D $$

AMINA THAI 8624 Colesville Road, 301-588-3588, aminathai silverspring.com. See Rockville/North Bethesda listing. L D $

ASTRO LAB BREWING 8216 Georgia Ave., 301-273-9684, astrolabbrewing.com. A menu of about a dozen items—including handheld savory pies, a sausage

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roll and a hummus platter—are served in the downtown Silver Spring brewery’s taproom. Grab one of the hop-forward beers brewed on-site to sip at the communal tables or on the patio.

JLD$

AZÚCAR RESTAURANT BAR & GRILL 14418 Layhill Road, 301-438-3293, azucarrestaurant.net. The name means sugar, and it fits: The colorful Salvadoran spot is decorated in bright purple and orange with Cubist-style paintings.

The pork-stuffed corn pupusas are stars. Also look for more elegant dinners, including fried whole trout.

L D $$

BETE ETHIOPIAN CUISINE 811 Roeder Road, 301-588-2225, beteethiopia. com. Family-run Ethiopian restaurant with a modest dining room but some exemplary cooking. Don’t miss the vegetarian sampler, and in nice weather, opt for eating outside in the lovely, shaded back patio. J B L D $$

THE BIG GREEK CAFÉ 8223 Georgia Ave., 301-587-4733, biggreekcafe. com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

BUENA VIDA (EDITORS’ PICK) 8407 Ramsey Ave., 301-755-6132, buenavidarestaurant.com. The second-floor fullservice restaurant (its sister restaurant Tacos, Tortas & Tequila fills the first floor) has a menu with à la carte items, or you can pay a set price for unlimited Mexican small plates. Offerings include ceviche, guacamole, salads, tacos and enchiladas.

The space is light-filled, with vibrant murals and a 720-bottle tequila and wine rack. R L D $$

CAVA 8515 Fenton St., 301-200-8666, cava.com. See LD$ Bethesda listing.

COPPER CANYON GRILL 928 Ellsworth Drive, 301-589-1330, ccgrill.com.

See Gaithersburg listing. J R L D $$

CRISFIELD SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 8012 Georgia Ave., 301-589-1306, crisfieldseafood.com. With its U-shaped counter and kitschy, oyster-plate-covered walls, this landmark seafood diner has customers lining up for the Eastern Shore specialties such as oysters and crabmeat-stuffed lobster that it has served since the 1940s. L D $$

CUBANO’S 1201 Fidler Lane, 301-563-4020, cubanos restaurant.com. The brightly colored tropical dining room and the authentic Cuban cooking evident in dishes such as ropa vieja (shredded beef in onions, peppers and garlic) and fried plantains keep L D $$ customers coming back.

THE DAILY DISH 8301 Grubb Road, 301-588-6300, thedailydish restaurant.com. A neighborhood favorite serving seasonally inspired, locally sourced comfort food, including bar bites and brunch dishes. Full-service J R L D $$ catering is available, too.

DENIZENS BREWING CO. (EDITORS’ PICK) 1115 East West Highway, 301-557-9818, denizens brewingco.com. The bright-orange building houses Montgomery County’s largest brewery, featuring core beers and seasonal offerings, along with drafts from other regional breweries. Menu of snacks, sandwiches and salads includes vegetarian options.

There is a large outdoor beer garden and indoor seating overlooking the brewery. D $

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DISTRICT TACO (NEW) 1310 East West Highway, 240-531-1880, districttaco.com. This branch of a local chain of eateries that grew out of a food truck serves fastcasual fare, from egg-filled tacos for breakfast to quesadillas, burritos and tacos for later in the day.

JBLD$

DON POLLO 12345 Georgia Ave., 301-933-9515; 13881 Outlet Drive, 240-560-7376, donpollogroup.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

EGGSPECTATION 923 Ellsworth Drive, 301-585-1700, eggspectation. com. This Canadian import features fresh and creative egg plates in an elegant yet casual dining room complete with a fireplace and colorful Harlequin-themed art. It also serves great salads, B L D $$ dinners and dessert.

EL AGUILA RESTAURANT 8649 16th St., 301-588-9063, elaguilarestaurant. com. A cheery bar and generous plates of TexMex favorites such as enchiladas and Salvadoran seafood soup make this eatery popular with families and others looking for a lively night out. L D $

EL GAVILAN 8805 Flower Ave., 301-587-4197, gavilan restaurant.com. The walls are bright, the music’s upbeat, the margaritas are fine and the service is friendly. The usual Tex-Mex fare is here, as well as Salvadoran specialties such as tasty cheese- or pork-filled pupusas. J L D $

EL GOLFO 8739 Flower Ave., 301-608-2121, elgolforestaurant. com. Friendly, home-style Latin service is the hallmark, as attested to by the many Salvadorans who stop in for lunch and dinner. Pupusas, soups and beef dishes such as carne asada as well as more adventurous choices can be found in the charming, raspberry-colored dining room.

JRLD$

EL SAPO CUBAN SOCIAL CLUB (EDITORS’ PICK) 8455 Fenton St., 301-326-1063, elsaporestaurant. com. Cuban specialties are the focus at this restaurant from owner and chef Raynold Mendizábal, who also owns Urban Butcher in Silver Spring. Small bites such as empanadas and cod croquettes are on the menu with dishes that Cuba is known for, including the beef entrée ropa vieja and puerco asado (roasted pork). L D $$$

ETHIO EXPRESS GRILL 952 Sligo Ave., 301-844-5149. Ethiopian food goes fast-casual in this counter service eatery that offers your choice of carbohydrate bases (i.e., injera, rice, pasta), plus grilled meats (or tofu), sauces and lots of vegetables (the spicy lentils and yellow split peas are especially good). L D $

FENTON CAFÉ 8311 Fenton St., 301-326-1841, fentoncafesilver spring.com. An out-of-the-way crêperie serving 31 kinds of sweet crêpes and 16 varieties of savory crêpes. Savory versions range from cheese and ham to roasted eggplant with zucchini, bell pepper, sundried tomato, garlic and onion. B L D $

FIRE STATION 1 RESTAURANT & BREWING CO. 8131 Georgia Ave., 301-585-1370, firestation1. com. A historic firehouse made over as an eatery serves 21st-century pizza, sandwiches, meat, seafood and vegetarian entrées. Try the Cuban sandwich with seasoned pork, chipotle mayo, Dijon

mustard, pickles and Swiss cheese on a ciabatta roll. L D $

GHAR-E-KABAB 944 Wayne Ave., 301-587-4427, gharekabab.com.

This spot offers a mix of authentic Indian and Nepali cuisine. From Indian staples such as chicken tikka masala and lamb curry to Nepalese appetizers such as furaula (vegetable fritters) and cho-e-la (marinated duck), there are a variety of South Asian flavors. J L D $$

THE GREEK PLACE 8417 Georgia Ave., 301-495-2912, thegreekplace. net. Here are big portions of better-than-average food at reasonable prices. The bifteki pita sandwich, a seasoned ground lamb and beef patty with tzatziki, tomatoes and red onions, is especially good. L D $

GUSTO FARM TO STREET 8512 Fenton St., 301-565-2800, eatgusto.com.

See Bethesda listing. ❂ J L D $

ITALIAN KITCHEN 8201 Fenton St., 301-588-7800, italiankitchenmd. com. Casual, attractive pizzeria with bar seating also turns out homemade sandwiches, calzones, salads and pasta dishes. L D $

JEWEL OF INDIA 10151 New Hampshire Ave., 301-408-2200, jewelofindiamd.com. Elegant décor and excellent northern Indian cuisine make this shopping center restaurant a real find. Diners will find a good selection of curries, and rice and biryani dishes.

L D $$

KAO THAI 8650 Colesville Road, 301-495-1234, kaothai restaurant.com. This restaurant turns out top-notch curries, noodle dishes and vegetarian options, plus house specialties, such as Siam Salmon with Spicy Thai Basil Sauce and Thai Chili Tilapia. Dishes are cooked medium spicy. L D $$

LA CASITA PUPUSERIA & MARKET 8214 Piney Branch Road, 301-588-6656, lacasita pupusas.com. Homemade pupusas, tamales and other Salvadoran specialties are available, plus a full breakfast menu and a small selection of grocery items. B L D $

LA MALINCHE 8622 Colesville Road, 301-562-8622, lamalinche tapas.com. Diners will find an interesting selection of Spanish and Mexican tapas, plus a full Saturday and Sunday brunch featuring huevos rancheros, variations of tortillas Espanola and more.

R L D $$

LANGANO ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT 8305 Georgia Ave., 301-563-6700, langano restaurant.com. Named for the popular Ethiopian vacation spot, Lake Langano, this longtime restaurant offers fine Ethiopian cuisine such as doro wat (spicy chicken stew) and tibs (stewed meat) in a cozy white- and red-accented dining room. Lunch specials on weekdays. L D $

LEBTAV (NEW) 8535 Fenton St., 301-588-1192, lebanesetaverna. com. See Rockville listing.

LD$

LUCY ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT 8301 Georgia Ave., 301-589-6700. See Bethesda listing. L D $

MAMMA LUCIA 1302 East West Highway, 301-562-0693, mammaluciarestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing.

L D $$

MANDALAY RESTAURANT & CAFÉ 930 Bonifant St., 301-585-0500, mandalay restaurantcafe.com. The modest dining room is packed most evenings with families and large groups who come for the Burmese food, a cross between Indian and Thai. L D $

MATCHBOX 919 Ellsworth Drive, 240-247-8969, matchboxrestaurants.com. See Rockville listing.

J R L D $$

MCGINTY’S PUBLIC HOUSE 911 Ellsworth Drive, 301-587-1270, mcgintys publichouse.com. Traditional Irish pub and restaurant features corned beef and cabbage, live music and dancing. Early-bird special, three-course menu for $15, from 5 to 7 p.m.

J R L D $$

MELEKET 1907 Seminary Road, 301-755-5768, meleketrestaurant.com. This family-owned, Ethiopian-Italian restaurant serves classic vegetarian, beef and chicken Ethiopian plates, alongside Italian entrées such as pesto pasta with chicken. For breakfast, try a traditional Ethiopian dish of kinche (a buttery grain porridge) or firfir (bread mixed with vegetables in a red pepper sauce). B L D $

MI RANCHO 8701 Ramsey Ave., 301-588-4872, miranchomd.com. You'll find a boisterous party atmosphere every night at a place where customers can count on standard Tex-Mex fare at good prices. The outdoor patio, strung with colorful lights, is the place to be in nice weather.

LD$

MIX BAR & GRILLE 8241 Georgia Ave., #200, 301-326-1333. Modern American bistro with charcuterie and cheese plates, brick-oven flatbreads, ceviche and other light fare.

Look for lots of wines by the glass and beers on tap.

J R L D $$

MOD PIZZA 909 Ellsworth Drive, 240-485-1570, modpizza.com.

LD$ See North Potomac/Gaithersburg listing.

MRS. K’S RESTAURANT 9201 Colesville Road, 301-589-3500, mrsks.com.

Here’s an elegant, antique-filled option for special occasions and brunch. This historic restaurant beckons a younger crowd with the Wine Press, a European-style wine bar downstairs, which has its own more casual menu.

R L D $$$

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE'S 8661 Colesville Road, 240-839-3400, notyouraveragejoes.com. See Bethesda listing.

J L D $$

OLAZZO (EDITORS’ PICK) 8235 Georgia Ave., 301-588-2540, olazzo.com. See Bethesda listing. J L D $

PACCI’S TRATTORIA & PASTICCERIA 6 Old Post Office Road, 301-588-0867, paccis trattoria.com. Diners will find a range of classic Italian dishes, including homemade meatballs and sausage. L D $$

PARKWAY DELI & RESTAURANT 8317 Grubb Road, 301-587-1427, theparkway deli.com. Parkway features a bustling back dining room that makes this popular spot so much more than a deli. Longtime waitresses greet regular customers and kids with hugs during busy weekend breakfasts. All-you-can-eat pickle bar. B L D $

PHO HIEP HOA 921-G Ellsworth Drive, 301-588-5808, phohiephoa. com. Seventeen kinds of Vietnamese soup called

pho can be customized to taste in this upbeat restaurant overlooking the action in the downtown area. L D $

PHO TAN VINH 8705-A Colesville Road, 301-588-8188, photanvinh. com. A family-owned Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Tan Vinh was opened in 2014 by Tiffany Chu, who sought the traditional food she ate in her youth.

She and her chef mother serve emergent classics such as pho and put their own spin on items such as the Tan Vinh special, a “deconstructed” banh mi sandwich. L D $

PORT-AU-PRINCE AUTHENTIC HAITIAN CUISINE 7912 Georgia Ave., 301-565-2006, paphaitiancuisine.com. The eatery serves a small menu of Haitian fare: five appetizers, five entrées (plus an entrée salad) and two desserts. Chicken wings, fritters, whole red snapper, fried turkey and legume casserole are among the highlights. A Sunday brunch buffet draws crowds. R D $$

QUARRY HOUSE TAVERN (EDITORS’ PICK) 8401 Georgia Ave., 301-844-5380, facebook. com/quarryhouse. Closed for nearly three years after a fire, this basement-level dive bar reopened in its original space. The inside holds the same 1930s-era feel as the original bar, and burgers and Tater Tots are still on the menu. D $

SAMANTHA’S 631 University Blvd. East, 301-445-7300, samanthasrestaurante.com. This white-tablecloth, Latin-Salvadoran spot in an industrial neighborhood is popular because of its welcoming attitude toward families with young children. The steak and fish specialties are good. L D $$

SERGIOS RISTORANTE ITALIANO 8727 Colesville Road, 301-585-1040. A classic red-sauce Italian restaurant that manages to feel special, with soothing wall murals and high-quality service, despite a basement location inside the DoubleTree Hotel. Ravioli with asparagus and cheese in a tarragon sauce is popular. L D $$

SLIGO PIT BBQ 9701 Sligo Creek Parkway (Sligo Creek Golf Course), 301-585-9511, sligopit.com. This opento-anyone spot at Sligo Creek Golf Course serves meats—turkey, pork, brisket and chicken—cooked in wood-fired smokers. Burgers, hot dogs, classic sides and beer are available.

J B L D $$

THE SOCIETY RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 8229 Georgia Ave., 301-565-8864, societyss. com. A sleek and modern atmosphere catering to a nightlife crowd, Society offers fare with a Caribbean accent. Check out the rooftop seating and daily drink specials, which include $25 beer buckets.

L D $$

SUSHI JIN NEXT DOOR 8555 Fenton St., 301-608-0990, sushijinnextdoor. com. The eatery is spare, clean and modern, and offers terrific udon noodle soup and impeccable raw fish. Choose from 11 appetizers and seven soups and salads. L D $$

SWEETGREEN 8517 Georgia Ave., 301-244-5402, sweetgreen. com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

TACOS, TORTAS & TEQUILA 8407 Ramsey Ave., 301-755-6132. Also called TTT, this first-floor fast-casual spot is below its fancier sister restaurant, Buena Vida. The focus is on quesadillas, tortas and tacos—carne asada, garlic shrimp and house-made chorizo among them.

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dine There’s a full-service bar and an outdoor patio.

BLD$

TASTEE DINER 8601 Cameron St., 301-589-8171, tasteediner. com. See Bethesda listing. J B L D $

THAI AT SILVER SPRING 921-E Ellsworth Drive, 301-650-0666, thaiatsilver spring.com. The Americanized Thai food is second to the location, which is superb for people-watching on the street below. A modern and stylish dining room with a hip bar in bold colors and good service add to the appeal. L D $$

URBAN BAR-B-QUE COMPANY 10163 New Hampshire Ave., 301-434-7427, urban bbqco.com. See Rockville listing. L D $

URBAN BUTCHER (EDITORS’ PICK) 8226 Georgia Ave., 301-585-5800, urbanbutcher. com. Hip, eclectic setting is the backdrop for this New Age steak house, with its home-cured salamis, sausages and other charcuterie, plus meat dishes made from local animals of yesteryear breeds.

There’s a lounge, bar, meat curing room, retail counter and dining area. Voted “Best Restaurant in Silver Spring” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018 and 2019. R D $$

URBAN WINERY 949 Bonifant St., 301-585-4100, theurbanwinery. com. This tasting facility offers craft wines made with local and international grapes, and customers can even create their own wines (by appointment).

Light menu includes artisan cheese, charcuterie and smoked seafood platters, plus Greek mezze. D $

VEGETABLE GARDEN 3830 International Drive (Leisure World Plaza), 301598-6868, vegetablegarden.com. The popular vegan, vegetarian and macrobiotic Asian restaurant features a wide variety of eggplant and asparagus dishes, plus vegetarian “beef,” and “chicken” dishes often made with soy and wheat gluten. L D $$

VICINO RISTORANTE ITALIANO 959 Sligo Ave., 301-588-3372, vicinoitaliano.com.

A favorite neighborhood red-sauce joint that hasn’t changed in decades, Vicino features some fine seafood choices in addition to classic pasta dishes.

Families are welcome. L D $ $

THE WOODSIDE DELI 9329 Georgia Ave., 301-589-7055, thewoodside deli.com. See Rockville listing. J B L D $

UPPER NW D.C. THE AVENUE 5540 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-244-4567, theavenuedc.com. A family-friendly neighborhood restaurant and bar with dishes such as crab pasta, poutine, burgers and baby back ribs. Fun décor includes classic posters and a giant magnetic scrabble board. J B L D $$

BLUE 44 5507 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-362-2583, blue44dc.com. The menu features classic American favorites infused with the flavors of Italy and France, including ratatouille, pork schnitzel and bouillabaisse. J R L D $$

BUCK’S FISHING AND CAMPING 5031 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-0777,

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bucksfishingandcamping.com. Diners can enjoy a seasonal menu that changes daily, and offers hip takes on comfort food such as roast chicken (locally raised) in an artsy-chic setting. D $$$

CAFÉ OF INDIA 4909 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-244-1395, cafeofindiadc.com. Here’s a cute corner café with two levels of dining and an extensive menu that includes vegetarian and tandoori entrées, dosas, L D $$ samosas, tikkas, curries and kabobs.

CAPITAL CRAB AND SEAFOOD CO. (NEW) 5534 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-966-2722, capitalcrab.com. The owners of a food truck and catering business opened this Chevy Chase, D.C., restaurant. There’s a large patio for cracking crabs and eating classic crab house fare, including hush puppies, corn and coleslaw. Carryout with curbside D $$$ pickup available.

COMET PING PONG (EDITORS’ PICK) 5037 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-0404, cometpingpong.com. Landmark fun spot where you can play Ping-Pong or admire local art while you wait for your wood-fired pizza. Choose from more than 30 toppings to design your own pie. R L D $

DECARLO’S RESTAURANT 4822 Yuma St. NW, 202-363-4220, decarlosrestaurant.com. This is a family-owned neighborhood staple, with a traditional Italian menu and upscale/casual atmosphere. Signature dishes include agnolotti, veal scallopini, broiled salmon and L D $$ hand-made pasta.

GUAPO’S RESTAURANT 4515 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-686-3588, guaposrestaurant.com. See Bethesda listing.

R L D $$

I’M EDDIE CANO (EDITORS’ PICK) 5014 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-890-4995, imeddiecano.com. A play on the way “Americano” is pronounced, I’m Eddie Cano is an Italian joint with nostalgic 1970s-themed décor. The standouts on executive chef James Gee’s menu include fried zucchini, spaghetti and meatballs, spaghetti with clams, escarole salad and eggplant parmigiana.

D $$

JETTIES 5632 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-2465, jettiesdc.com. See Bethesda listing. J L D $

LE CHAT NOIR 4907 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-244-2044, lechatnoirrestaurant.com. This cute, cozy neighborhood bistro is run by French restaurateurs, who cook traditional fare such as steak frites, bouillabaisse and braised lamb cheeks. R L D $$

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN 4874 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-459-9141, lepainquotidien.com. See Bethesda listing.

JBRLD$

LITTLE BEAST CAFÉ & BISTRO 5600 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-741-4599, littlebeastdc.com. At this dinner spot on the corner of McKinley Street NW, find pizza cooked in a woodburning oven, sharable dishes such as Brussels sprouts, and entrées such as lamb ragu. D $$

MACON BISTRO & LARDER (EDITORS’ PICK) 5520 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-248-7807, macon bistro.com. Southern and French cuisine converge at this airy, charming restaurant in the historic Chevy Chase Arcade. Appetizers include raclette and fried green tomatoes, and steak frites is offered alongside short ribs with grits for main courses.

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Voted “Best Restaurant in Upper Northwest D.C.” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. R L D $$

MAGGIANO’S LITTLE ITALY 5333 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-966-5500, maggianos.com. The restaurant features oldstyle Italian fare that’s a favorite for large groups and private celebrations. Check out the signature flatbreads and specialty pastas, including lobster carbonara. J R L D $$

MASALA ART 4441-B Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-362-4441, masalaartdc.com. Here is fine Indian dining featuring tandoor-oven specialties and masterful Indian spicing. Start off by choosing from a selection of nine breads and 17 appetizers. L D $$

MILLIE’S (EDITORS’ PICK) 4866 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-733-5789, milliesdc.com. This eatery in the Spring Valley neighborhood may be from up north—it’s the second location of a popular Nantucket restaurant—but its flavors are distinctly south-of-the-border. The menu offers coastal takes on tacos, quesadillas and salads that are as summery as the bright, nautical décor of the dining room. Voted “Best Restaurant in Upper Northwest D.C.” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019. J R L D $$

PARTHENON RESTAURANT 5510 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-966-7600, parthenon-restaurant.com. This is a neighborhood eatery taken up a couple notches, with an extensive menu full of authentic selections familiar and exotic, including avgolemono (egg/lemon soup), tzatziki, moussaka, dolmades and souvlaki.

L D $$

PETE’S NEW HAVEN STYLE APIZZA 4940 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-237-7383, petesapizza.com. The crunchy-crusted New Havenstyle pizzas can be topped with a choice of almost three dozen ingredients. There's also pasta, panini, salads and house-made desserts. J L D $

PIZZERIA PARADISO 4850 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-885-9101, eatyourpizza.com. An outpost of the small chain started by chef and owner Ruth Gresser, this Spring Valley spot has the same style of woodfired Neapolitan pizza as the original Paradiso that opened in D.C. in 1991. Try the Di Mare pizza, which has spicy garlic pesto, mussels, shrimp, spinach, red onions and Grana Padano cheese. L D $$

SATAY CLUB ASIAN RESTAURANT AND BAR 4654 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-363-8888, asiansatayclub.com. The restaurant prides itself on providing a comfortable/casual setting with a menu that spans Japanese sushi, Chinese moo-shi vegetables, Thai curries and Vietnamese spring rolls. L D $

TANAD THAI 4912 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-966-0616. The extensive menu ranges from noodles, rice and curries to vegetarian entrées, and even a Thai lemonade cocktail. House specialties include pad Thai and Drunken Noodles. L D $$

TARA THAI 4849 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-363-4141, tarathai.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $$

WAGSHAL’S RESTAURANT 4855 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-363-5698, wagshals.com. Longtime popular deli expands grocery and carryout section, and adds a casual sit-down restaurant in the Spring Valley Shopping Center. Same high-quality fare, including the overstuffed sandwiches. L D $

shopping. beauty. weddings. pets. travel. history.

PHOTO BY KEN WYNER

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Visitors The InntoatAppomattox Tusculum Farm, Court House whichNational is withinHistorical the Montgomery Park inCounty VirginiaAgricultural watch a reenactment Reserve, offeatures the surrender three historic of Gen. buildings Robert E.for Lee. overnight For more stays. on the Forpark more, and other turn lesser-known to page 312. Civil War sites, turn to page 328.

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BY ADRIENNE WICHARD-EDDS

SHOP TALK

FASHION MASH-UP

SIX YEARS AGO, Rebecca Melsky was shopping for clothes for her preschoolage daughter, hoping to find items that would reflect the little girl’s obsession with dresses and her love of things that were typically relegated to the boys department. But all she found were rainbows and unicorns, kittens and cupcakes.

“It struck me that it wasn’t fair that only the boys got dinosaurs and robots and space themes,” Melsky says. “I thought, why can’t I buy some of these cute, twirly dresses that my daughter likes to wear with themes on them that are interesting to her?”

Melsky approached Eva St. Clair, a friend she’d met in California while their husbands attended graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley. Both moms, who are now 38 years old, had since moved to the East Coast—Melsky to D.C. and St. Clair to Silver Spring. “Eva is a computer programmer, but she’s also an excellent seamstress and is super creative,” Melsky says. She asked St. Clair what she thought about making dresses with themes usually reserved for 302

boys. “I didn’t hesitate for a second,” St. Clair says. “It was an idea whose time had come. Even though I had no business experience, I knew we could make it happen. I had been sewing since I was 9 years old, and I knew I’d be able to do much of the technical work on our website myself.”

Using St. Clair’s Singer sewing machine, the pair produced a test batch of dresses that sold out quickly. To keep up with demand, they outsourced production (they still design all the items themselves) and funded their vision through a Kickstarter campaign. The duo’s Princess Awesome clothing line includes skirts emblazoned with dragons, feminine frocks hemmed with a car-filled racetrack, chemistry-themed leggings, and headbands with a mathematical motif. They’ve expanded their line of dresses, separates and accessories to include sizes that fit infants through adults. The products are sold online at princess-awesome.com.

Somewhat inevitably, Princess Awesome’s fans started asking its

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founders—who have a total of seven boys and girls ranging in age from 2 to 13 years old—to apply the same philosophy to boys clothes. The business partners launched a crowdfunding campaign on their website last winter to finance their second brand, Boy Wonder (boy-wonder.com), a line of clothing that features things boys love beyond gender stereotypes. “Our goal

PHOTOS BY KATIE JETT WALLS PHOTOGRAPHY

Dresses with trucks, boys shirts with unicorns and rainbows—the owners of a pair of local clothing brands break down gender assumptions to make clothes for kids that match their interests

Clothes created by Eva St. Clair (opposite, left) and Rebecca Melsky include these dresses that feature firetrucks.

was to hit $20,000 to fund four out of our seven proposed products,” Melsky says. They hit that goal within eight hours, funded all seven products within 48 hours and added two items to their initial lineup, ending up with funding of more than $83,000.

“Boy Wonder was an even more personal project for me than Princess Awesome,” St. Clair says. “When we began working on Princess Awesome, I had three sons but no daughters [her daughter was born in 2014]. But by the

time we were working on Boy Wonder, my third son was asking for the kinds of products we wanted to make. …

He wanted to wear sparkles, rainbows and science—all at the same time.

He likes volcanoes, dinosaurs, heavy construction equipment, sharks—but also top hats, butterflies, seashells and cats. He’s not an either/or kid.”

St. Clair’s son provided an insight into what was missing in the boys clothing market. “At one point we were really stuck for coming up with a

science design and had nearly given up when my son colored his chemistry valentines with rainbows and sparkles.

We used his design as the inspiration for our rainbow chemistry shirt.”

This fall, Boy Wonder officially launches a line of boys clothing in sizes 2T-16 that includes a raglan shirt printed with unicorns and rainbows, a pink henley that sports a truck scooping ice cream, and flamingothemed sweats that are as stylish as they are colorful.

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1. GUESS’s Roni jacket in python yellow combo, $148 at Macy’s, available starting in October (Westfield Montgomery mall, Bethesda; 301-469-6800; macys.com)

4. Ahdorned’s messenger bag, $128 at Scout & Molly’s North Bethesda (11882 Grand Park Ave., Pike & Rose, North Bethesda; 301-348-5047; northbethesda. scoutandmollys.com)

2. Vince’s Blair-5 snake-print leather slip-on sneakers in Senegal, $195 at Bloomingdales (5300 Western Ave., Chevy Chase; 240-744-3700; bloomingdales. com)

5. Paige Jeans’ Hoxton slim-fit raw-hem python jeans, $219 at Saks Fifth Avenue (5555 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase; 301657-9000; saksfifthavenue.com)

3. Anine Bing’s python-print long sleeve silk shirtdress, $299 at Nordstrom (Westfield Montgomery mall, Bethesda; 301-365-4111; nordstrom.com)

6. J. Crew’s Tippi sweater in caramel snake, $98 at J. Crew (5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.; 202-5373380; jcrew.com)

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COURTESY PHOTOS

This season, snake prints have charmed their way into the spotlight. Make room in your fall wardrobe for a statement python-print jacket or reptilianthemed messenger bag— because even when worn as an accessory, this animal is the main attraction.

OVER 200 artists

AREA’s largest FINE artS show free for all ages

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12 SUNDAY. OCToBER 13 bethesdarowarts.org f t i

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BY LEIGH MCDONALD

home is where the heart is Two high school friends fell in love after college and got married a mile from where they grew up

PHOTOS BY MCKENZIE ELIZABETH PHOTOGRAPHY

THE COUPLE: Ashley Long, 29, grew up in Bethesda. Kevin Pernick, 30, was raised in Chevy Chase. They graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School and live in Greenwich Village in New York City. Ashley works in strategic planning for the media agency Canvas Worldwide.

Kevin is a marketing project manager for The New York Times.

HOW THEY MET: Ashley and Kevin had the same group of friends at B-CC but never dated. “We were both interested in other people, actually,” Ashley says.

“I went to prom with [Kevin’s] friend and vice versa.” Ashley recalls enjoying Kevin’s sense of humor and chatting with him on AOL Instant Messenger.

“Kevin would make me mix CDs,” Ashley says. “But he made them for a couple other girls he was friends with, too.”

Even though they got along well, Kevin says it’s for the best they never got together as teenagers. “It never would have worked in high school. I was a different person.”

MORE THAN FRIENDS: After high school, Ashley went to James Madison University in Virginia, and Kevin to the University of Michigan. They went on “lunch dates” when they were home for breaks yet still considered their relationship to be platonic. “But I wasn’t going on lunch dates with many other

people,” Kevin says. In 2011, Ashley and Kevin had graduated college and were both living in the Washington, D.C., area. They were on a trip with high school friends to the Outer Banks in North Carolina, and Kevin got sick. “I had my wisdom teeth removed and was allergic to the surgery or the Amoxicillin.

Ashley took care of me,” he says. They watched Olsen-twin movies in Kevin’s room, which had two twin beds. When they got home, Ashley ended things with her boyfriend. “When I heard she and her boyfriend had broken up, I was pretty nervous because I got this feeling that we were going to start dating and I wasn’t sure if I was ready for that.”

Their relationship was casual at first, as they adjusted to their new dynamic.

MAKING IT WORK: A month or two into dating, Kevin accepted a yearlong intern-

ship with the Chicago White Sox. The couple kept up a long-distance relationship, even after the internship was extended six months. “When I knew I was really missing [Ashley], it was a pretty good signal that I wanted to be with her,” Kevin says. He came home often to visit, and Ashley visited Chicago a handful of times. “Looking back on it, I think it gave both of us a little bit more room to continue to grow and mature and figure out what we wanted to do independently while still being able to rely on each other,” Ashley says.

SETTLING DOWN: After Kevin’s internship, the couple dated while living in separate apartments in D.C. for two years. “I got the bug that I wanted to move to New York, so I paid him back and moved to New York without him,” Ashley says. After another year of longdistance dating, Kevin moved in with Ashley in New York in 2016.

THE PROPOSAL: Ashley and Kevin had talked about getting engaged but hadn’t set a timeline. One night in August 2017, they went out for a big Italian dinner, then stopped for gelato—Ashley’s favorite. She popped her leftover gelato in the freezer when she got home. “[Kevin] snuck into the freezer and put the ring on the gelato spoon so when I went back to get it I would see it,”

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Ashley says. But Kevin hadn’t planned on Ashley being stuffed. A half-hour later, Kevin brought the gelato—and the ring— to her in the living room. “It was very special and low-key,” Ashley says.

THE WEDDING: The couple married at Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase on Aug. 18, 2018. They had 205 guests.

THE CEREMONY: The evening ceremony in the main ballroom was officiated by a family friend. Ashley, who is a Beyoncé fan, walked down the aisle to a piano rendition of “All Night” by the pop star.

During the ceremony, the officiant asked guests to say “Go Blue” instead of “amen” in honor of Kevin’s family, all 308

University of Michigan alums. Although the ceremony wasn’t religious, Kevin, who is half Jewish, stomped on a glass at the end. “That was for my grandpa,” he says.

A MISHAP: During the cocktail hour, the couple had their pictures taken on the grounds by their photographer as the sun was setting. As they were walking back to the party, Kevin stepped on the train of Ashley’s dress and ripped it.

“Luckily the day-of planner who works at Columbia found a sewing kit and literally sewed the bustle back together,” Ashley says.

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THE RECEPTION: The couple and their guests had a blast dancing to the midAtlantic-based Bachelor Boys Band.

They danced the hora, and Kevin even started a conga line. There was an afterparty at Black Squirrel (now closed) in Adams Morgan. The club set up a to-go cheesesteak station for guests to grab a snack for the road. “Cheesesteaks are our guilty pleasure,” Ashley says. “We always get them at the beach.”

THE HONEYMOON: Ashley and Kevin spent two and a half weeks in Italy and Greece, visiting the Amalfi Coast, Santorini and Mykonos.

VENDORS: Bride’s dress, Watters for BHLDN; bridesmaids’ dresses, Shona Joy; catering, Columbia Country Club; flowers, Meg Owen Floral Designs; groom’s suit, Hugo Boss; hair, Sweet Hairafter; makeup, Allison Perlstein; photo booth, Party Favor Photo; photography, McKenzie Elizabeth Photography. ■

PHOTOS BY MCKENZIE ELIZABETH PHOTOGRAPHY

THE VENUE: The decision to have their wedding at Columbia Country Club was both a sentimental choice and a convenient one. Ashley’s grandmother, who is 98, has belonged to the club for 50 years. “When we landed on Columbia it kind of hit me that we were less than a mile from our childhood homes and our high school,” Ashley says. Her father talked about their family’s history with the club during his speech at the reception. “He basically said that my side of the family has celebrated a lot of different things over the years [at the club] and it was special to add another occasion to that.”

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FLASHBACK

BY MARK WALSTON

A FIGHT FOR FREEDOM

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALICE KRESSE

An armed group of escaped slaves heading north clashed with a local militia in Montgomery County ON JULY 8, 1845, Montgomery County residents living along the old Rockville Pike north of Bethesda were confronted by an alarming sight. Some 70 escaped slaves armed with pistols, swords, scythe blades and butcher knives brazenly marched six abreast along the pike in a bold attempt to reach Pennsylvania and freedom. They eschewed the hidden paths of the Underground Railroad that snaked northward past sympathetic farmhouses in the backwoods of Maryland. Instead, they walked in broad daylight through towns and villages, according to published reports.

The insurgent band was led by two men: Mark Caesar, a free black carpenter from Charles County, and William Wheeler, a slave on the Contee plantation near Maryland’s Port Tobacco.

They began their journey with a handful of escaped compatriots from southern Maryland. The group was joined along the way by dozens of other slaves breaking their chains for the promise of freedom in the North.

The group made its way unopposed through Prince George’s County, moving quickly before slave owners could gather in pursuit. The slaves crossed into Montgomery County and eventually reached Rockville Pike. They marched openly through the county seat of Rockville, headed for Gaithersburg.

“Great Excitement. Runaway Slaves” blared a headline in The Baltimore Sun. “The very boldness of the step led many citizens at first to believe that an extensive scheme of escape had been planned with the negroes along the route,” the paper reported.

The stunned Rockville community called out the local militia, the Montgomery Volunteers, which mounted horses and galloped to meet the armed insurrectionists. The militia caught up with the marchers and surrounded them on Frederick Road, today’s Route 355, somewhere between Rockville and Gaithersburg. Caesar and Wheeler exhorted the men to fight back. “They had to be fired upon before they would surrender,” the Port Tobacco Times said.

News of the fight was confused and chaotic. According to rumors, the number of escaped slaves ranged between 40 and 200. Some people claimed that several slaves were killed.

According to the Sun, more than 30 members of the group were seized, including those who had been shot and wounded. The captives were chained and dragged to the jail at the Rockville courthouse. Most were eventually sold back into bondage, to out-of-state plantation owners.

Wheeler, Caesar and a handful of others escaped the fight and continued

northward; four men were captured soon after in Westminster, just 20 miles from the Pennsylvania border. Caesar was captured days later, but one week after the battle in Montgomery County, Wheeler remained at large. “Keep a look out for him,” urged the Maryland Journal, “as lots of money will be forked over to anyone who may nab him.”

Wheeler eventually was caught and remanded to Port Tobacco, where he was tried and found guilty of inciting the slave rebellion by a jury of white men and sentenced to death by hanging. Four months after his conviction, Wheeler broke out of jail and disappeared into the Maryland countryside. He was never heard from again.

As for the captured Caesar, as a free black man he faced trial for “aiding and abetting slaves in making their escape from their masters,” according to the Port Tobacco Times. Caesar was found guilty and sentenced to 40 years in the Baltimore penitentiary, where he died of consumption in 1850.

Some of the escaped slaves were never captured, leaving unanswered the question of whether they completed their harrowing journey to freedom.

Author and historian Mark Walston (markwalston@comcast.net) was raised in Bethesda and lives in Olney.

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ADVERTISEMENT

MEET OUR 2019 INDUCTEES Tuesday, October 29, 2019 11:00 AM The Universities at Shady Grove Conference Center 9630 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD 20850

JANE FAIRWEATHER Jane Fairweather is a residential real estate veteran with more than 35 years of experience in the Maryland real estate community and over $1 billion in career sales. Along with her team, Jane sells an average of 100 homes per year. She has consistently been ranked in the top 10 agents in the DC-area, including being voted the Best Realtor from 2007 – 2017

by Bethesda Magazine readers.

Jane is an expert on the local real estate market and frequently appears in local media, including CNBC, Fox5, Washington Business Journal, Realtor Magazine and the Washington Post. She testified in Annapolis on the state of the real estate market and has given the “State of the Market” speech at the Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce’s Real Estate Update for the last 16 years.

Jane also plays an active role in the community through numerous organizations, including serving as past Chair of the Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce, the current Chair of the Bethesda Metro Improvement Task Force, Co-Chair of the Arts and Entertainment District Council, President Emeritus of Imagination Stage and Board Member of the Bethesda Urban Partnership.

BRYANT FOULGER Bryant Foulger serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Foulger-Pratt and is a member of the Investment Committee. Foulger-Pratt, with its headquarters in Montgomery County, has developed over 18 million square feet of office, retail, and multi-family projects. In his current role, Mr. Foulger draws on more than 40 years of real estate and management experience to provide direction and oversight of the CEO’s vision and strategy. Mr. Foulger’s development projects include the $350 million award-winning Downtown Silver Spring redevelopment project, the 1.2 million square foot headquarters of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Park Potomac, and numerous other office and residential buildings throughout the Washington Metropolitan area.

Mr. Foulger was appointed to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s transition team and has been involved with the Montgomery Business Development Corporation, the Greater District of Columbia Chapter of the Leadership Council for the Mayo Clinic, the Montgomery County Business Advisory Panel, and is a Trustee Emeritus of the Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland.

Mr. Foulger attended Brigham Young University and serves on numerous professional and charitable boards. Mr. Foulger has been a lifelong resident of Montgomery County.

Presented By

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LINDA GOODEN Linda Gooden retired as the Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin’s Information Systems & Global Solutions (IS&GS) business area and an officer of the company after nearly 40 years working in the aerospace and defense industry.

Linda serves on numerous boards, including Chairing AFCEA International; University Systems of Maryland Board of Regents; American Heart Association; GM, Home Depot, Washington Gas; and ADP, Inc. President Obama appointed Linda to the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee in 2010.

Linda has been recognized with multiple awards, including Fortune’s Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Business, Washington’s Most Powerful Women by Washingtonian, Black Enterprise magazine’s 100 Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America, Corporate Board Member magazine’s Top 50 Women in Technology, Executive of the Year by the Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards, Black Engineer of the Year by U.S Black Engineer and IT magazine, Federal Computer Week’s Federal 100 Eagle Award, and Women in Technology’s Corporate Leadership Award. She was also inducted into the Career Communications’ and the Maryland Business Hall of Fames.

She received her degree in computer technology from Youngstown State University and holds a bachelor’s and master’s in business administration from the University of Maryland. She has also been awarded multiple honorary degrees.

SOPHIA PARKER Sophia Parker has devoted her career to serving others. She was born in Taiwan, where she received a bachelor’s in English literature. She came to the U.S. to pursue her master’s degree in mass communications and instead earned a second bachelor's degree in accounting, becoming a Certified Public Accountant.

Sophia established DSFederal in 2007 as a boutique government contractor. Since its inception, DSFederal has expanded to over 160 employees in four states. Sophia has been honored by the U.S. Small Business Administration as its Maryland Small Business Person of the Year, a Washington Business Journal Woman Who Means Business, a Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council Top 100 MBE, and as the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Leader of the Year. DSFederal was also honored by the SBA as a Top WomanOwned Small Business.

In 2013, Sophia launched the IDEA Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women and children worldwide through health services improvement, skill-building, and financial independence. Like millions of immigrants who came to this country to seek a better life, Sophia is a true believer in the American dream and is dedicated to helping others to realize their dreams through the success of her business.

Sponsorships to honor these great contributors are available.

For more information, visit our website at www.MCBusHallofFame.com, or contact Lenore Dustin at 301.571.1900 or lmd@grossberg.com

etc.

BY CHRISTINE KOUBEK

GET AWAY

LOCATED IN UPPER MONTGOMERY COUNTY on a historic 500-plus-acre property, Tusculum Farm is a working farm and agricultural oasis where guests can hike, fish, go horseback riding, tour a worldclass outdoor sculpture collection, eat fresh from the farm—and sleep, too. Purchased in 1964 by the Freeman family, the farm boasts the only inn located within the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve.

Following a complete renovation of its farmhouse, The Inn at Tusculum Farm is now comprised of three historic buildings. Opened to guests last year, The Carriage House is a five-bedroom, three-bath home away from home with a full kitchen. The Coop, a two-bedroom, two-bath (with kitchen) hideaway in a red barn with sweeping views from its balcony, also opened last year. Both rent out in their entirety.

The main farmhouse was transformed into a fivebedroom inn that debuted this spring. Its features include serene outdoor seating areas, lovely gardens, a screened-in porch for dining and TV watching, an outdoor pool with kid-friendly floats, firepits and cornhole boards.

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receive a dozen farm-fresh eggs for their kitchen and continental breakfast goodies. Take a tour with Farmer Joel, the “chief farm officer,” to see horses, alpacas and chickens, pick a few items from the vegetable garden, and learn more about farm operations past and present.

Rates begin at $225 per night, including breakfast.

The Inn at Tusculum Farm, 4601 Damascus Road, Laytonsville; 833-733-2276; tusculumfarm.com.

PHOTOS BY KEN WYNER

KICK BACK ON THE FARM

A NEW TASTING ROUTE GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, IS BEST known for its historic Civil War battlefields, but it also has new offerings that are worth checking out. Established last year, the Adams County Pour Tour is a craft beverage trail through orchards, vineyards, farmland and a game-filled tasting room.

There are 21 stops on the self-guided trail, including 10 in Gettysburg’s walkable downtown.

Just outside of Gettysburg, Adams County Winery (adamscountywinery.com) offers a tour of its wine-making facilities (best to book in advance) and tastings. The winery’s Tears of Gettysburg, a sweet white, and Rebel Red have won numerous awards. Relax on the stone terrace, which features a wood-fired brick pizza oven and live music on Sundays.

Thirsty Farmer Brew Works (thirstyfarmer.com) serves craft ales, lagers, ciders and pub food.

In downtown Gettysburg, Reid’s Winery Cider House (reidsorchardwinery.com) offers cider and wine tastings.

Knob Hall Winery’s tasting room (knobhallwinery.com) features a few cheekily named wines (such as Gold Digger and Jealous Mistress), bookshelves stuffed with board games, and “paintings” so detailed it’s hard to believe they were

Appalachian Brewing Co. in Gettysburg is among the places to visit on the Adams County Pour Tour.

created from duct tape.

Stay the night at Gettysburg’s Federal Pointe Inn (federalpointeinn.com), a historic school turned luxury inn that’s located within walking distance of a few Pour Tour tasting rooms. Don’t miss the school-themed pub in the basement. Rates begin at $149.

Pick up a trail map and passport at any Adams County Pour Tour stop and collect stamps for prizes. 800-337-5015; destinationgettysburg.com/pourtour.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DESTINATION GETTYSBURG; GRADUATE ANNAPOLIS PHOTO BY NATE SMITH

GET IN THE SCHOOL SPIRIT REVIVE YOUR COLLEGE DAYS (minus the hall bathrooms) at Graduate Annapolis, part of Graduate Hotels’ growing chain in university-anchored cities.

The 215-room former Loews Annapolis Hotel (the transition is expected to be completed in September) is in the heart of Annapolis and just a short stroll to the U.S. Naval Academy, St. John’s College and the Chesapeake Bay, plus restaurants, shops and art galleries.

The naval-collegiate theme is playfully incorporated in the rooms’ décor, from custom goat-shaped lamps celebrating the Navy mascot

to replicas of the Herndon Monument, the 21-foot obelisk that is greased before plebes (aka freshmen) try to scale it each year. Guest rooms feature plaid madras headboards, gold and navy drapes, and armchairs upholstered in a battleship pattern. Caffeinate like a college kid at Poindexter Coffee in the lobby. Camp Severn Shore, the hotel’s restaurant, serves coastal fare and cocktails. Rates begin at $149 per night.

Graduate Annapolis, 126 West St., Annapolis; 410263-7777; graduatehotels. com/annapolis/hotel. ■

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DRIVING RANGE

On Virginia’s Eastern Shore, the centuries-old town of Onancock is a good launch point for exploring the dynamic shoreline

BY AMY BRECOUNT WHITE

A boat tour with Seaside Ecotours includes a stop at Cedar Island on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

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Jan, and our first stop is for doughnuts at the Corner Bakery on Market Street, where the light and luscious éclairs cost 83 cents apiece. Between bites we ask for visitor tips. “You want to see Danny’s gallery,” the woman behind the counter advises. “It’s open…sometimes.”

As luck would have it, Danny Doughty, a selfdescribed visionary artist, just happens to be in his gallery across the street, a welcoming, secondstory space lined with bright canvases and marked by cozy sofas and chairs and Oriental rugs. Raised on the Eastern Shore, Doughty says he grew up in

PHOTO COURTESY OF VIRGINIA TOURISM COMMISSION

IT’S BEEN 20 YEARS since my last visit to Onancock. As I drive into this picturesque Virginia town low on the Delmarva Peninsula, its historic homes and tidy steeples surprise me once again. How did it spring up here in the first place?

Water, of course. Running four miles from the Chesapeake Bay, the deep, brackish waters of Onancock Creek attracted Colonial settlers.

Incorporated by the British in 1682 as a port of entry for Accomack County, Onancock has provided a safe harbor for centuries.

This time around I’m traveling with my friend

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poverty and had a tough childhood. Now 59, he paints what he describes as the best part of his upbringing—the vibrant African American women in the community who sustained and nurtured him when no one else could.

After ducking into a few other shops, Jan and I mosey down streets of well-kept Queen Anne, Federal and Victorianstyle homes before meeting our kayak guide, Will Cumming, from SouthEast Expeditions, at the town dock.

We spend the next two hours paddling the creek’s many branches, past the piers and lawns of gorgeous homes, while Cumming shares local lore. The Battle of Kedges Straits—the last naval engagement of the Revolutionary War, which occurred after British Gen. Charles Cornwallis’ surrender and resulted in high casualties—took place nearby in the bay. Its leader, Commodore Zedechiah 316

Whaley, recruited volunteers from here and is buried in town.

ONANCOCK, WHICH IS A roughly 190mile drive from Bethesda, has known both boom and bust. Virginia’s Eastern Shore was remote, rural and mostly inaccessible, except by boat, until 1884, when the Pennsylvania Railroad extended its line down the peninsula, prompting an economic boom. White and sweet potatoes, strawberries, lumber and seafood zipped northward to consumers.

“In 1910 Accomack enjoyed the highest per capita income of any nonurban county in the United States, and in 1919 [nearby] Northampton and Accomack led all American counties in value of crop per acre,” says an article in Southern Spaces, a peer-reviewed academic journal out of Emory University.

Then came overfishing, water pollution

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from agricultural runoff, competition and the Great Depression.

These days, the peninsula has some of the lowest median household incomes in the Commonwealth, though Onancock thrives on tourism, well-off retirees and second-home owners.

Cumming leads us to a cove where a pair of kingfishers chatter and circle above our kayaks. We spy egrets, herons and an osprey before heading back to nest in our own lodgings overlooking a lovely expanse of the creek outside town.

THE NEXT MORNING WE drive 20 minutes east to the Atlantic side, where a 70-mile-long string of barrier islands, many of them owned by the Nature Conservancy, protects the mainland. The day starts cloudy as our guide, Meriwether Payne, with Seaside Ecotours, carries us away from the town of Wachapreague

PHOTO COURTESY OF VIRGINIA TOURISM COMMISSION

At the casual Mallards at the Wharf, diners might catch a sunset over Onancock Creek.

MAP ILLUSTRATION BY LAURA GOODE

Virginia’s Eastern Shore

on a Carolina skiff. The still waters of the “cut” (what locals call the marsh creeks), flanked on either side by tall, yellow spartina grass, beautifully reflect the clouds.

Payne slows to point out wild oysters protruding out of the pocked mud at low tide. “Oysters will grow on anything,” she says. They shut when the tide recedes and open to feed when the waters rise.

The same marshes provide nesting grounds for fish, crabs and birds.

Lately, Payne says, she’s been focused on identifying birds by their calls. Hearing the distinctive, warbling cry of the whimbrel, a shorebird with variegated plumage, we squint to spot it. The bird’s downturned beak is designed to reach into the muddy burrows of fiddler crabs, a dietary staple that fuels its migration to the Caribbean. We also observe terns, oystercatchers, gulls, sandpipers, egrets and a juvenile bald eagle.

Motoring on, we pass the site of an 1887 hunting club whose four buildings have since been reduced to mere pilings.

Hog and Cobb islands had a post office, schools and year-round inhabitants, Payne explains, before the devastating hurricane of 1933. That same storm obliterated the thin strip of land that once connected Assateague Island to

Ocean City, Maryland. This dynamic shoreline is constantly reshaped by wind, rain and storms, and likely will be even more so in the years to come.

We aim for Dawson Shoals, a tiny, outlying island of sand inhabited by post-nesting skimmers. Walking where the Atlantic laps against the shore, I feel like we’re on the edge of the known world. The island’s beauty is sparse and

pristine, and we have it to ourselves, save the protective, parenting birds that squawk and swoop overhead. Payne says their threats are nothing compared to what larger terns would do.

At our next stop, Cedar Island, she points out pilings from vacation homes erected as late as the 1990s, which “have all washed away, burned or were moved inland.”

Centuries ago, Cedar boasted many trees. Now storm tides occasionally inundate the land—a phenomenon known as “overwash”—depositing new sand, disrupting vegetation and reconfiguring the shoreline. (continued on page 319)

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etc.

DRIVING RANGE

Onancock

In Onancock, the Corner Bakery is the place for doughnuts and worth the calories. Janet’s General Store Café focuses on soups, salads and specialties such as scallion-cheddar muffins. Bizzotto’s Gallery Caffé (bizzottosgallerycafe.com) serves seafood with an Italian flair. Grab drinks or dinner at the casual Mallards at the Wharf (mallardsvamd.com) to catch a sunset over the creek; its menu includes local seafood, burgers and meatloaf. I enjoyed crabcakes and French green beans at the elegant Charlotte Hotel & Restaurant (thecharlotte hotel.com), which sources locally and has homemade ice cream.

On the Atlantic side, the Island House Restaurant & Marina (theislandhouseres taurant.com) in Wachapreague, a town known as the “Flounder Capital of the World,” dishes out local clams, oysters, crabs and shrimp, with preparations ranging from steamed to frittered. Its fried oysters were truly delectable, as was the made-to-order chopped salad with wasabicucumber dressing. The restaurant also sells local art and nautically themed gifts.

The Inn at Onancock

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WHERE TO STAY We enjoyed The Apt. at Holly Cove (airbnb. com/rooms/17103650), which overlooks Onancock Creek and is located a few miles from town (by road, not water). You can walk to the end of its long pier and sit a spell. In town, the 130-year-old Victorian Inn at Onancock (innatonancock.com) has feather-topped beds and a “wine down” hour each evening, with a relaxing patio and porch. Its boat, Inn-Courage (cruise onancock.com), offers a daily shuttle to a nearly private beach and sunset cruises.

The Wachapreague Inn (wachapreague inn.com) offers rooms, efficiencies and a house to rent, along with free bikes to explore the flat terrain, and will also book fishing trips.

Queen Gallery (facebook.com/redqueen gallery), a purveyor of cool and eclectic paintings, pottery and jewelry by local artisans. North Street Market (north streetmkt.com) is a worthy stop for wine, Barrier Island salt, flavored vinegars and artisanal chocolates. Ten Good Sheep (tengoodsheep.com), which specializes in artisanal hand-dyed luxury yarns (spun from its own flock of sheep), is part of the artists’ community housed in the refurbished Historic Onancock School (historiconancockschool.org). The site has a small Eastern Shore Watermen’s Museum and Research Center (esvawater men.org) that’s open on Saturdays. The store Dawn carries women’s clothing, accessories and home furnishings, including some stylin’ hats.

WHERE TO SHOP

WHERE TO EXPLORE

Many local shops are open only Thursday through Sunday, so plan accordingly. In Danny Doughty Gallery (dannydoughty. com) you’ll find colorful paintings by the self-taught artist. The shop abuts the Red

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Burnham Guides (burnhamguides.com) offers kayak, bike and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) rentals, along with personalized, guided tours around the barrier islands, which can include overnight stays,

MAP ILLUSTRATION BY LAURA GOODE; PHOTO COURTESY OF THE INN AT ONANCOCK

WHERE TO EAT

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VIRGINIA TOURISM COMMISSION; GALLERY PHOTO COURTESY OF DANNY DOUGHTY

Artisanal hand-dyed yarns at Ten Good Sheep

wine tasting and hang gliding. SouthEast Expeditions (southeastexpedi tions.com/onancock) provides rental kayaks and SUPs and guided tours of Onancock Creek, Chincoteague and Cape Charles, along with a “Paddle Your Glass Off” tour to the local Chatham Vineyards. If paddling isn’t your thing, from May through October you can take a two-hour sail up the creek on the catboat Gratitude with Onancock Sailing Adventures (onan cocksailingadventures.com). Captain Meriwether Payne of Seaside Ecotours (facebook.com/seasideecotours) will take you birding, shelling, clamming or just exploring in the barrier islands.

In Onancock, the stately, Federalstyle Ker Place (shorehistory.org/ ker-place) is home to the Eastern Shore of Virginia Historical Society and offers tours and special events, including lectures on history. Located in a historic almshouse near the town of Machipongo, the Barrier Islands Center (barrierislandscenter.org) chronicles the histories of those who once lived on the now uninhabited islands, and offers live music and special events. The center has a gift shop with wares by local artisans.

For more ways to explore the Eastern Shore of Virginia, visit visitesva.com.

Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards are available to rent from SouthEast Expeditions at the Onancock wharf.

Danny Doughty’s paintings are on display at his gallery in Onancock.

(continued from page 317) It’s not optimal topography for humans, but oystercatchers and piping plovers prefer these open, shelly habitats because they can see predators coming. Payne shows us a knobbed whelk shell from this beach, where she also once found a mastodon tooth.

Like the birds that frequent them, barrier islands can migrate. In the last decade, Cedar Island has moved westward 500 feet and lost about a third of a mile off its south end—a shift that concerns the locals. Wider gaps

between islands mean the marsh and mainland have less of a buffer from storms.

But on this afternoon, the skies are relatively clear and the winds are calm. Donning our shoes (shells can be sharp), Jan and I search for small treasures in this fascinating land of shifting sands and fortunes.

Arlington writer Amy Brecount White always enjoys the view from the water, particularly if she’s paddling.

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OUTTAKES

PHOTO BY LIZ LYNCH

It didn’t take much to get Mellie, a 15-pound Cavachon, to misbehave for the camera. Photographer Liz Lynch wanted to capture the dog’s mischievous side, which Mellie’s owner, Leah Ariniello, writes about in “Dog Days” on page 190. A dab of yogurt on the dining room table did the trick. “Mellie was suspicious, I think,” Lynch says. “Her eyes are looking back at her mother as if to say, This is OK? Usually I only get away with licking your food when you are not looking.”

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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