Bethesda Magazine - November/December 2024 Digital Edition

16 SPOTS FOR JAVA & MORE

Black Lion Café’s coffee and treats

WHY WE GIVE

“I give to honor my parents, all that I learned from my father, and our students.’’

KEN

BECKER

MONTGOMERY COLLEGE FOUNDATION DONOR

n the late 1930’s, my dad started college, but with scant resources and a looming war, he never graduated. Through design and drafting jobs before, during, and after World War II, along with a lot of independent study, he sat for his architectural license exam and passed it on his third attempt. After working for an architect for some time, he and his partners explored new business opportunities and started acquiring small residential plots of land in Northwest DC and Montgomery County, where they designed and built new homes.

Over the years, my dad enjoyed substantial success and would regularly talk about his business opportunities and challenges at our family dinners. When I was about nine years old, I recall him mentioning that he and his partners had purchased a large piece of land north of Rockville. They later

Board, where I have been honored to follow in his footsteps. My father was a private man who never sought attention or public recognition, but I know he would be delighted to know that students who share his appreciation for educational opportunities can attend Montgomery College as proud Arthur P. and Miriam G. Becker Scholarship recipients.

I give to honor my parents, all that I learned from my father, and our students.

I hope you will join me.

KEN BECKER

The Becker Family

Miriam and Arthur Becker

now 240.453.4579

Introducing Ravel & Royale

A duo of naturally inspired luxury apartment communities where a truly balanced lifestyle takes form. Start a new carefree lease on life nestled among lush landscaping with an incomparable front yard at Strathmore Square. Relax in your sophisticated residence with European finishes, private terraces, entertainment-focused living spaces, and floorto-ceiling windows overlooking the park. Close to Strathmore Music Center and Rock Creek Park , Rockville Pike and I-495/I-270, yet tucked away in a neighborhood to call your own, home to world-class arts and culture.

This is Ravel & Royale, where style, connectivity, and serenity meet at Strathmore Square

State-of-the-art hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland, specializing in:

• Heart care

• Maternal care and childbirth

• Stroke

• 24/7 Emergency care

• Cancer care

• Orthopedics

For more than 116 years, Adventist HealthCare has extended God’s care through the ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing.

CULTURE WATCH

Glen Echo Park

LIGHT UP THE HOLIDAYS

GLEN ECHO PARK PARTNERSHIP FOR ARTS AND CULTURE

NOVEMBER 23, 2024 – JANUARY 5, 2025

Celebrate the holidays at Glen Echo Park with holiday shopping, music, crafts, art demos & more! Join us under twinkling lights to enjoy a variety of events and activities across the park and throughout the holiday season. LIGHT UP THE HOLIDAYS includes the annual Holiday Art Show & Sale (Nov. 23-Jan. 5), Shop Arts Saturday (Nov. 30), Winter’s Eve (Dec. 7), and a special event for our Members & Donors, “A Toast to You” (Dec. 7).

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS

Admission is free http://www.glenechopark.org/holidays | 301-634-2222

Maryland Youth Ballet THE NUTCRACKER

ROBERT E. PARILLA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, ROCKVILLE DEC 20 AT 7PM, DEC 21-23 & 26 AT 1PM AND 5PM

Magical dolls, life-sized mice, dancing snowflakes, and an enchanting kingdom of sweets return to stage this holiday season for Maryland Youth Ballet’s full-length production of The Nutcracker. Set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless score, the incredible dancing and dazzling costumes bring to life the classic story of Clara and her Nutcracker Prince. Also presenting an abbreviated version, The Mini-Nut, on Dec 7-8 at the Cultural Arts Center, Silver Spring with a special sensory friendly performance Dec 8 at 3pm.

Tickets: marylandyouthballet.org tickets@marylandyouthballet.org | 301-608-2232

Akhmedova Ballet Academy

JOIN US FOR 2 ENCHANTING SHOWS!

AKHMEDOVA BALLET ACADEMY (ABA) DANCERS PRESENT

MINI NUTCRACKER – 12/14 AT 3PM

NUTCRACKER NIGHT – DEC. 14 AT 7PM

MONTGOMERY COLLEGE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER, SILVER SPRING.

ABA’s beautiful Mini Nutcracker for our younger audience and Nutcracker Night is a joy to watch for all ages. Get ready to be enchanted by the timeless tale of the Nutcracker. Immerse yourself in a magical world filled with dazzling costumes, breathtaking performances, and mesmerizing music. Presented by our dedicated dancers who receive the finest quality ballet training and would like to share their love and passion for dance with you. Training daily under Jacqueline Akhmedova’s artistic direction, and her professional faculty’s careful guidance and support, students develop the necessary skills to fully discover and realize their greatest individual potential. The second part of the evening show consists of contemporary and character works. Get your tickets online at our website or box office on the day of the show. Get your tickets here!

BE INSPIRED

Professional Training Program (8-19), Studio Company-Apprentice Program (18-23)

For admission and to audition: Contact@AkhmedovaBallet.org akhmedovaballet.org | (301) 593-6262

is a

CULTURE WATCH

Artstream

JOIN THE APPLAUSE!

ArtStream’s theater companies, cabarets, workshops, and classes welcome individuals in the IDD community to create their own stories through improv, song and dance. We proudly serve Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and the DMV area. In collaboration with teaching artists and volunteer-mentors, original performances are created by an ensemble of actors where both the cast and crew shine!

Participate, Volunteer, Donate. https://art-stream.org/ | 301-565-4567

Adventure Theatre MTC

‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS DECEMBER 6, 2024 – JANUARY 5, 2025

COMEDY FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

A physical comedy for the whole family by Tony award winner Ken Ludwig. Before you can say “Merry Christmas!”, we are off on the wild adventures of a mouse, an elf, and a spunky little girl who just will not take no for an answer.

Ticket Info: Tickets $25 each adventuretheatre-mtc.org | 301-634-2270

National Philharmonic

VERDI’S REQUIEM

NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC & CANTATE

SATURDAY, NOV. 23 AT 7:30 PM

MUSIC CENTER AT STRATHMORE

HANDEL’S MESSIAH

NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC

40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON

SATURDAY, DEC. 21 AT 7:30 PM AND SUNDAY, DEC. 22 AT 3 PM

MUSIC CENTER AT STRATHMORE

NatPhil and Cantate join forces to present a full-scale production of Verdi’s Requiem conducted by Victoria Gau on November 23 at Strathmore, featuring Amber Monroe, Magdalena Wór, Rafael Moras, and Zaikuan Song. Celebrate the holiday season as NatPhil presents Handel’s Messiah on December 21 and December 22 at Strathmore. Conductor Anthony Blake Clark leads the Baltimore Choral Arts Society and soloists Aundi Marie Moore, Lucia Bradford, Norman Shankle, and Jorell Williams through this holiday classic.

Tickets start at $29. All Kids. All Free. All the Time. nationalphilharmonic.org | 301-493-9283

Metropolitan Ballet Theatre

THE NUTCRACKER AND THE NUTCRACKER SUITE

ROBERT E. PARILLA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, ROCKVILLE

THE NUTCRACKER: DEC. 7, 14 AT 4PM, DECEMBER 8, 15 AT 1PM

THE NUTCRACKER SUITE:

DEC. 7, 14 AT 1PM, DEC. 8, 15 AT 10:30AM, DEC. 13: SENSORY

FRIENDLY AT 6:30PM

Don’t miss Metropolitan Ballet Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker. Our Full-Length production has enchanted audiences for 36 years! Have a younger audience member who wants to experience an afternoon at the ballet for the first time? The Nutcracker Suite, a short-length version of the classical ballet, captures the best moments of the holiday tradition!

Tickets: https://dancestudio-pro.com/tickets/mbt mbtdance.org | 301-762-1757

50 Our Cup Is Full Coffee shops in Montgomery County to klatch over a cup of joe, grab-and-go, or catch a concert BY

CAROLE SUGARMAN

66 Guide to Giving 40-plus area nonprofits to help you put your money, time and talents to good use all year 86 Philanthropist of the Year: Bob Buchanan The real estate development mogul opens up about his career and efforts to help nonprofits BY CARALEE ADAMS

PHOTO

Abigail Rivas, left, and her mom, Francess, participate in Girls on the Run. Read more

PHOTO BY LISA HELFERT

MARTELL

PHOTO BY SCOTT SUCHMAN

Clams for sale at The Market at River Falls

DEPARTMENTS

The

160 DINING REVIEW

Mushrooms with buttered leeks and duck egg on the new menu at the Comus Inn in Dickerson

159 Dining

160 REVIEW: THE COMUS INN

The Dickerson spot has a new menu and new owners 164

We’re going on a culture trip to Solaire Social food hall

169 Good Life

The latest trends in fashion 172

Must-visit destinations within driving

176 DRIVING RANGE

Experience Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpieces

183 HEALTH & WELLNESS

A mother-daughter counseling duo

192 MADE IN MOCO

A Potomac crafter turns stamps into artwork

PAGE 124

Candles for your tablescape

Advertising Sections

40 Profiles:

91 Profiles:

121 Long & Foster

126 TTR Sotheby’s

134 Showcase: Kitchen &

143 Profiles: Attorneys

185 Private Schools

CLOCKWISE

Holiday Food Drive

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Harness the Energy —and the Money— Under Your Home

Maryland is the first state to offer Geothermal Residential Energy Credits (GRECs) to homeowners. Combined with the 30% Federal tax credit, the State of Maryland rebate, and the rebate from your utility company, your upfront investment could become a nearlyfree energy system that is also incredibly good for the planet.

Join us for a virtual or in-person REC credit workshop, learn about the available tax credits and utility rebates, and leave with a certificate of your home’s GREC score. Use this QR code to register or call 571-933-3123. Install a GeoThermal heating and cooling system, and cash in on Maryland’s newest clean energy incentive.

Comfort at home. Cash back in your wallet. Clean energy for the planet.

Coffee Connections

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID WHEN I KNEW WE WERE MOVING INTO A NEW OFFICE IN DOWNTOWN BETHESDA IN AUGUST WAS SCOUT OUT COFFEE SHOPS. It’s actually the only thing I felt compelled to research ahead of time—it’s the one type of place I knew I’d be immediately going to. When I say—or hear—“let’s get coffee,” I’m usually meeting a writer or someone else from the community and need a go-to spot. Or two go-tos. Thankfully, Ceremony Coffee Roasters and Tatte Bakery & Café are within walking distance, and both are great spaces for connecting. You can read about what makes them special in “Our Cup Is Full,” page 50, our guide to local coffee shops. I hope it will help you discover a spot for whatever you want out of a coffee shop, whether it’s a place with a cool vibe and delicious food where you want to sip and stay, or a walk-up window for grab-and-go joe. Yes, the java matters, but coffee shops are about so much more than coffee.

Like the abundance of coffee shops in the county, there’s an overwhelming number of specialty markets. This issue includes a shopping tour with Bethesda Magazine restaurant critic David Hagedorn, who tagged along on grocery trips with locals who regularly buy ingredients and prepared foods from the stores. Get a taste of what the markets have to offer in “Market Share,” page 110.

Every year, I look forward to our “Guide to Giving,” page 66, because it’s a reminder that there are so many nonprofits in our community that are doing all kinds of important work. Our guide breaks down what a specific donation can provide for those served by the organization and gives options for volunteering (be an usher, run a backpack drive, cook a meal, lead a workshop and so many other ideas). I hope you use this resource as you find a way to help those around you.

As always, I love hearing from readers—please send any feedback to kathleen.neary@MoCo360.media.

KATHLEEN NEARY EDITOR

CONTRIBUTOR SPOTLIGHT

CAROLE SUGARMAN

CHEVY CHASE

BACKGROUND: Originally from Philadelphia, Sugarman is “digesting” after a 40-year career as a food writer. She has worked for The Washington Post, and for Bethesda Magazine as the previous restaurant critic. Sugarman has written freelance articles for national magazines and has judged cooking and writing contests. She is the recipient of more than 25 writing awards, including three James Beard Awards.

IN THIS ISSUE: Sugarman got the buzz on coffee shops for the cover story.

FAVORITE MOCO HANGOUT: “I walk a lot and enjoy the county’s many parks and trails; for a drive, I never miss a chance to explore the Agricultural Reserve.”

WHAT SHE DOES FOR FUN: Sugarman participates in food-related volunteer activities, spends time with family and friends, travels, and bakes treats to make people happy.

CONTRIBUTOR SPOTLIGHT

CHANELLE NIBBELINK

MAUI, HAWAII

BACKGROUND: Originally from Los Angeles, Nibbelink is a freelance illustrator whose clients have included The New York Times, Penguin Random House and Starbucks. Her work is playful, conceptual and packed with punchy color palettes.

IN THIS ISSUE: Nibbelink created the illustration for our story “Do the Best With Your Buck,” page 106.

FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITION: She loves everything about Christmas. “It’s a time for family gatherings and cozy chillaxing.”

WHAT SHE DOES FOR FUN: “My partner and I are big travelers and outdoor enthusiasts. The current fun mission is improving our surfing skills here on the island!”

FROM LEFT: PHOTO BY JIMELL GREENE; COURTESY PHOTOS

PUBLISHER

Jennifer Farkas

EDITORIAL

BETHESDA MAGAZINE EDITOR

Kathleen Neary

BETHESDA MAGAZINE MANAGING EDITOR

Amy Orndorff

BETHESDA MAGAZINE ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Jillian Lynch

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR

Olivia Sadka

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER

Diana Ramírez

MOCO360 EDITOR

Julie Rasicot

MOCO360 REPORTERS

Ginny Bixby, Ashlyn Campbell, Elia Griffin

RESTAURANT CRITIC

David Hagedorn

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Louis Peck, Carole Sugarman

COPY EDITORS

Elisabeth Herschbach, Steve Wilder

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Caralee Adams, Jennifer Barger, Rachel Pomerance Berl, Stephanie Siegel Burke, Christine Koubek Flynn, Dana Gerber, Amy Halpern, Dawn Klavon, Nevin Martell, Buzz McClain, Jacqueline Mendelsohn, Kristen Schott, Renee Sklarew, Mike Unger, Carolyn Weber

PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS

Jimell Greene, Lisa Helfert, Deb Lindsey, Lindsey Max, Brendan McCabe, Chanelle Nibbelink, Jason Schneider, Hilary Schwab, Scott Suchman, Louis Tinsley, Joseph Tran, Michael Ventura

PUBLISHING

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING OPERATIONS

Amélie Ward

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Arlis Dellapa, LuAnne Spurrell

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Jeni Hansen, Mel Korobkin, Peter Scott

DIGITAL PRODUCER

Josie Jack

CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER

Onecia Ribeiro

INTERN

Jane Maginnis

ADVERTORIAL EDITOR

Stephanie Siegel Burke

ADVERTORIAL WRITERS

Jennifer Beekman, Ann Cochran, Betty Siegel

ADVERTORIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS

Heather Fuentes, Lisa Helfert, Tony Lewis, Hilary Schwab, Michael Ventura

FOUNDERS & ADVISERS

Steve and Susan Hull

TODAY MEDIA

PRESIDENT/CEO

Robert F. Martinelli

SECRETARY-TREASURER

Richard Martinelli

DIGITAL

DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL STRATEGY

Greg Mathias

ASSOCIATE DIGITAL PUBLISHER

Sabrina Sucato

DIGITAL PRODUCER

James Maley

CIRCULATION

SENIOR AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Lisa Bennett

ADMINISTRATION

CONTROLLER AND DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Donna Kraidman

ACCOUNTING MANAGER

Nicole Jones

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE/LOGISTICS MANAGER

Jennifer Schuele

STAFF ACCOUNTANT

Nancy Nyce

JUNIOR STAFF ACCOUNTANT

Jennifer Floor

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SPECIALIST

Nancy Evans

HUMAN RESOURCES GENERALIST

Priscille Manlan

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Patricia Rothermel

LOGISTICS COORDINATOR

David Smith

IN MEMORIAM

CHAIRMAN Angelo R. Martinelli (1927–2018) VICE PRESIDENT Ralph A. Martinelli (1962–2019)

Bethesda Magazine is published six times a year by Today Media. © 2024

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The Tot Space is open for playtime in Rockville.

Check out local Veterans Day events.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT

Artist Jamie Kushner Blicher works with IVF needles, rubbing alcohol and ink to create free-flowing paintings in her Bethesda studio. PAGE 38

PHOTO BY LINDSEY MAX

THINGS WE LOVE RIGHT NOW 3

A HOLIDAY TRIBUTE

Every year, droves of volunteers gather at Arlington National Cemetery to lay holiday wreaths on all of the graves. Here in Montgomery County, two historic cemeteries have their own Wreaths Across America program. On Dec. 14, civic groups and individuals will be adding wreaths to veterans’ graves at Monocacy Cemetery in Beallsville (pictured above) and Darnestown Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Darnestown. Opening ceremonies start at noon, followed by wreath laying. As of mid-October, Monocacy Cemetery needed more sponsors to pay for more than 350 wreaths for the 500 veterans’ graves; the cemetery can accommodate lots of volunteers, according to event organizers. Darnestown, which has met its fundraising goal, typically sees an influx of volunteers to decorate its 100 graves, organizers say. Registration is required for wreath laying.

Monocacy Cemetery, 19801 W. Hunter Road, Beallsville; Darnestown Presbyterian Church, 15120 Turkey Foot Road, Darnestown; wreathsacrossamerica.org

FLOWER POWER

Calluna Flower Truck, a flower shop on wheels in a turquoise 1951 Chevy pickup truck, pops up at events around the county. The truck’s bed is filled with metal buckets of blossoms and greenery, including locally grown plants. Customers buy flowers for $3.50 a stem to build their own bouquet. The driver behind the verdant vehicle is Elissa Abod (pictured above), 59, who lives in Rockville and started the business in 2022. She has a background in consulting and teaches full time at The Universities at Shady Grove. Abod will be peddling petals at the Downtown Silver Spring Fall Makers Market on Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and at the Sugar and Spice Stroll in Gaithersburg’s Rio shopping center on Dec. 7 from 3 to 5 p.m. You also can book the truck for private events or sign up for floral arrangement workshops.

callunaflowertruck.com

NEW WAYS TO FIGHT HUNGER

With apps such as Instacart and Uber Eats, it has never been more convenient to pick out your favorite foods. And now, giving people a choice of what to eat is becoming an important part of how food insecurity is addressed in Montgomery County. Nourishing Bethesda, a food distribution nonprofit, launched its Choice Market in September (a photo from the ribbon cutting is above). The food bank is set up as a mini grocery store in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad in Bethesda two days a week and focuses on giving people in need a choice in the food they receive rather than getting groceries in prepacked bags. About a week earlier, the county government unveiled a program in partnership with Instacart called MC Groceries. It allows recipients of food vouchers to choose their own groceries and have them delivered through the app. Officials say it’s the first initiative of its kind in the nation.

Nourishing Bethesda, nourishingbethesda.org; MC Groceries, montgomerycountymd.gov/ofsr/grocery-program

Coming up at

Judy Collins and Madeleine Peyroux

Fri, Nov 1

Folk and jazz icons take the stage for an unforgettable double bill.

Legend Dorado Schmitt and sons Samson & Amati: Django’s Jazz Manouche

Sun, Nov 10

A tribute to Romani jazz guitar pioneer Django Reinhardt

The Wood Brothers With Lindsay Lou

Sat, Nov 16

American roots trio

HOLIDAY SHOWS

A Swingin’ Little Christmas! Starring Jane Lynch

Featuring Kate Flannery & Tim Davis with The Tony Guerrero Quintet

Wed, Dec 4

Hilarious star-studded holiday extravaganza

Dave Koz and Friends

Christmas Tour 2024

Featuring: Jonathan Butler

With Special Guests: Vincent Ingala, Adam Hawley, and Rebecca Jade

Thu, Dec 5

Jazzy takes on holiday classics

From Top: Madeleine Peyroux by Ebru Yildiz; Dorado Schmitt and Sons Samson & Amati by RR Jones; Judy Collins; The Wood Brothers by Shervin Lainez; Dave Koz by Colin Peck; Tim Davis, Jane Lynch, and Kate Flannery

6 QUESTIONS for Kevin Hsieh

BY CARALEE ADAMS

Buoyed by finishing second in the 17th season of Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race in August, chef Kevin Hsieh says he’s ready to take his food enterprise to the next level. The 28-year-old Gaithersburg resident and owner of Bao Bei, which serves Taiwanese food, is moving from a North Bethesda “ghost kitchen” to a brick-and-mortar casual restaurant in Rockville’s Montrose Crossing shopping center early in 2025 (he doesn’t operate a food truck—that was just for the TV competition).

A 2013 graduate of Gaithersburg High School with a degree in finance from University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Hsieh learned to cook by watching his dad, Peter, who is also a chef. Hsieh started Bao Bei in 2022, offering signature menu items such as the Bao Bei bao— braised pork belly, pickled greens and peanut sugar in a soft, steamed bun—and creative treats such as the pumpkin cinnabao, a seasonal take on a cinnamon roll. Despite having to shut down for January and February this year to film the Food Network show—just after The Washington Post included Bao Bei on its list of the 10 Best D.C.-area Casual Restaurants of 2023—Hsieh says the experience has paid off.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

1 What was it really like working on a food truck? There’s definitely some rawness to it, which is great. I would prefer a harder environment to do something, as opposed to somewhere where you’re sitting in a five-star hotel and everything’s all happy. I actually appreciated that a lot. I think it helps you grow.

2 What’s the impact of the exposure on your business? At first, [the producers] were telling us, ‘Hey, just being on the show is winning the lottery.’ But what I realized is that nobody even cared about us that much until the finale. Once it aired, it was like a completely different story. We got 2,000 [new] followers [on Instagram] right away. So many people were saying congratulations.

3 When you’re tired of cooking and want to eat someone else’s food, where do you go? I’m always tired and I always

want to eat somebody else’s food. I literally eat Chipotle every single day after work; five, six days a week. I’ll treat myself to Five Guys and eat a hamburger and fries on Sunday. I don’t eat that much during the workday, if any at all.

4 Do you do any cooking at home? I haven’t cooked at home in probably two years.

5 Do you listen to music while you cook? Not unless I’m completely alone. I’ll put in headphones and listen to hip-hop, Japanese music, electronic music. Music is good for setting the environment sometimes, but the amount of focus that’s required to work here when you’re dealing with fire and sharp items … it becomes dangerous.

6 What’s your long-term goal? I’ve always had a grandiose dream of franchising Bao Bei in every state. I don’t want to rush it. I want to make sure that the brick-and-mortar, the first one, goes very smoothly. I think after we open our second store, then it will happen very rapidly … but you need to be able to get all those foundations down.

THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE IS NEAR

Our new six-floor hospital tower is coming soon and will transform care to our community in Montgomery County.

• Modernized emergency department with more treatment space for mental health crises

• State-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit

•New medical-surgical unit

• Private patient rooms

• Calm, healing design inspired by nature

• Latest technology, supporting services that have earned national recognition for quality

People Watching

BY CARALEE ADAMS

As a mom of two young boys, Rockville’s Brooke Washington (pictured below) says she knows how hard it can be to find someone to watch the kids when you need time to yourself. In August, she opened The Tot Space at 1321A Rockville Pike in Rockville. Parents can drop off their 3- to 6-yearolds there to do yoga, art or just play. “It’s an interactive place that is like a social club for toddlers,” says Washington, 36, who graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, studied psychology in college and has experience with startups. When filling up the nearly 4,000-squarefoot space before opening, she says her sons, Zyere, 6, and Zaron, 4, picked out many of the cars and trains, and gave the thumbs up on the climbing dome and basketball hoop.

In June, Dawson’s Market lost its lease in Rockville Town Square and closed down. The grocery store’s owner, Bart Yablonsky , pivoted. The 54-year-old decided to go into the dog care business as an operating partner at Scenthound, which offers routine hygiene and wellness services (baths, ear cleanings, nail trimming and teeth brushing). “I’ve had horses, cats, dogs and fish, so I’ve always loved working with animals,” says Yablonsky, who grew up in Baltimore and lives in North Potomac. He now oversees five franchise locations (Kentlands and Clarksburg in Maryland; Fairfax, Reston and Lansdowne in Virginia) and says there’s been some overlap with some of his former grocery store customers. “We still have that connection, so that’s great,” Yablonsky says. “Close to half the population has a dog, so hopefully we’ll see more of those people coming in.”

An instructor at The Tot Space engages in sensory play with a youngster.

Peter Lovenheim says he was initially annoyed, but then inspired, when a tour at the home of impressionist painter Claude Monet in France required visitors to leave through the gift shop.

“We’re all going to exit this life at some point,” says the 71-yearold journalist and author who lives in Chevy Chase. “If you think of the items in the gift shop as symbols of the gifts we’ve received in life, then exiting with that in mind, with a notion of gratitude, that’s not a bad way to exit.” His book Gift Shop of Gratitude: A Journal to Explore the Journey of Your Life (G&D Media, November 2024) is full of writing prompts that weave snow globes and playing cards into invitations for readers to reflect on meaningful moments and people. Adds Lovenheim: “I hope readers will end with a really priceless record of the best parts of their lives that they can hand down to their children and grandchildren as a legacy of who they were.”

Charlotte Gaiser performing since she was a toddler—often alongside her dad, Sean Gaiser, owner of GIGS, a music studio in Kensington. The 12-year-old plays guitar and ukulele, sings and writes music. “An idea just comes in my head and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, I have to say this’ or ‘I have to write this down.’ And I record it right then,” says Charlotte, a seventh grader at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda. This past summer she recorded three original songs at Buzzlounge Recording Studio in Baltimore and released them on her debut EP, Songbird, available to stream on Spotify. Charlotte performed the songs—and many others—alongside her dad and three other professional musicians during a nearly three-hour show in July at GIGS Courtyard with an audience of more than 250.

Correa was born in Chile, grew up in Bethesda (Walt Whitman High School class of 1987) and spent the first part of his career working on Capitol Hill. Now a screenwriter and playwright in Los Angeles, the 55-year-old recently wrote N/A, a two-woman play inspired by the tense political relationship between U.S. Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria OcasioCortez. “I was interested in the intersection of two things I really care about, which is women in politics and the role of Latinos in American society,” Correa says of the off-Broadway show that had a summer run in New York City. Correa says he hopes to find other venues to host the play, including theaters in the Washington, D.C., area.

Mario

From left: Mario Correa with Ana Villafañe, Holland Taylor and Diane Paulus at opening night of N/A

After a long day of caring for her terminally ill mother, who was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease (also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS) in 2010, Cyndy Mamalian says she used to find herself drawn to her computer to write. “It was my way of processing everything going on in the house,” says the 54-year-old. Her mother, Barbara Nahabedian, lived the last two years of her life in Mamalian’s Potomac home—along with Mamalian’s father, husband and three children. Those late-night notes became a collection of essays and advice on managing end-of-life care in her book, Scratch My Itch: A Caregiver’s Honest, Humorous, and Healing Stories About the Horrors of ALS (Resource Publications, June 2024). “It’s OK to have all the emotions—the good, the bad, and the ugly—they’re all part of it,” she says. All proceeds from the sale of the book go to ALS research.

READING LIST

These were the best-selling books at Loyalty Bookstores at its Silver Spring and D.C. locations from June 1 to Sept. 19:

Fiction

1 Colored Television Danzy Senna

2 Looking for a Sign Susie Dumond

3 The Doors of Midnight R. R. Virdi

4 You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World Ada Limón

Watching the TV show Name That Tune with her family, listening to all types of music, and doing practice rounds of the game show on road trips paid off for Gavriella Kaufmann, who lives in Potomac. The 26-year-old graduate of Winston Churchill High School recently won $85,000 on the Fox show. “After filming, you forget you did it and think, ‘Was I really on a game show?’ ” says Kaufmann, an influencer and digital content creator with a focus on fashion, lifestyle and beauty. The show was shot in Dublin in December 2023, and when it aired in August, she says it was a “full-circle moment” to have friends and family rooting for her at watch parties. “It was something I always wanted to do,” she says.

Have an idea for People Watching? Email editorial@MoCo360.media.

5 Children of Anguish and Anarchy Tomi Adeyemi

6 Curvy Girl Summer Danielle Allen

7 This Great Hemisphere Mateo Askaripour

8 Escape Velocity Victor Manibo

9 The Pairing Casey McQuiston

10 The Ministry of Time Kaliane Bradley

Nonfiction

1 My Seven Black Fathers: A Young Activist’s Memoir of Race, Family, and the Mentors Who Made Him Whole Will Jawando

2 Everything And Nothing at Once: A Black Man’s Reimagined Soundtrack for the Future Joél Leon

3 All About Love: New Visions bell hooks

4 Reading the Room: A Bookseller’s Tale Paul Yamazaki

5 I’m Glad My Mom Died Jennette McCurdy

6 How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America Clint Smith

7 Disability Intimacy: Essays on Love, Care, and Desire Alice Wong

8 Hood Wellness: Tales of Communal Care from People Who Drowned on Dry Land Tamela J. Gordon

9 The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017 Rashid Khalidi

10 1000 Words: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round Jami Attenberg

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

Nov. 22-Jan. 5

Garden of Lights

See lights take the form of flowers, cacti, frogs, dragonflies and other flora and fauna at this half-mile walk-through lights display at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton. Warm drinks and light snacks are available to purchase, but no outside food is permitted. montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/ brookside-gardens/special-events/ garden-of-lights

Nov. 23-Dec. 29

Winter City Lights

Faux snow, an eight-lane snow tube slide and a 200-foot-diameter light canopy strung from a 52-foot-tall Christmas tree are highlights of this annual event off Maryland Route 108 in Olney. The event also features a 1.5-mile walk-through lights display and bonfires around which visitors can warm up. Food and beverages are available to purchase, and eventgoers can also try axe throwing for an extra fee. wintercitylights.com

Nov. 29-Dec. 31

Winter Lights Festival

The 3.5-mile drive-through lights display at Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg is an annual draw for its twinkling holiday and winter-themed scenes.

Before the festival opens for drivethrough viewing, a series of special events allows spectators to experience it in other ways. At S’more Lights on Nov. 22, visitors can ride a trolley through the lights display, roast marshmallows over campfires to make s’mores and visit with Santa. Runners and walkers can take in the twinkling lights on foot during a 5K sponsored by the Montgomery County Road Runners Club on Nov. 23. At the Sip & Sparkle event on Nov. 24, visitors age 21 and older can taste beer, wine and cider from local breweries and wineries, travel by trolley through the lights display and enjoy live music. On Nov. 25, pups and their parents can attend Walk & Wag, a 1-mile or 3-mile walk through the lights display, which also includes hot beverages (for humans) and pet selfies with Santa in a heated tent. gaithersburgmd.gov

Dec. 1

Silver Spring Christmas Market and Holiday Craft Fair

This event in Silver Spring’s Veterans Plaza promises a festive shopping experience, with vendors and artists selling handmade items and unique gifts, as well as food and holiday desserts. silverspringdowntown.com

Dec. 7

Winter Wonderland

Downtown Bethesda celebrates the season with an afternoon of ice-carving, a concert of holiday music by local school groups, face painting, arts and crafts, and a visit from Santa. The event, on Norfolk and Cordell avenues, is free, and food will be available to purchase. bethesda.org

Dec. 13

Takoma Park Gift Market

You can have your fortune told, your hair trimmed, and your holiday shopping list checked off at this Takoma Park event that features tarot card readings by Spacecraft Tarot, a pop-up “bang bar” by Scissor and Comb Salon, and handmade gifts for sale by local vendors. mainstreettakoma.org

Dec. 30

Chanukah Fire Truck Parade

A giant menorah mounted on a fire engine leads the way in this mobile Hanukkah party. With sirens blaring, a caravan of emergency vehicles stops in several Rockville and Gaithersburg neighborhoods, including Fallsgrove, Crown Farm and the Kentlands, before ending with a menorah lighting and party at Simcha Educational Center in Gaithersburg. ourshul.org/chanukahparade

MUSIC

Nov. 7

Ha*Ash

Sisters Hanna Nicole and Ashley Grace cite their Mexican heritage and southern U.S. roots as influences, as well as artists including Shania Twain, The Chicks and Loretta Lynn. The pop duo stops by The Fillmore Silver Spring fillmoresilverspring.com

Nov. 9

Dwele

The R&B singer might be best known for his appearance on Ye’s (Kanye West) track “Flashing Lights,” but the Detroit native is a multitalented musician in his own right, playing several instruments as well as rapping, singing and producing. He will bring his blend of neo-soul, jazz and hip-hop to Bethesda Theater bethesdatheater.com

Nov. 10

Pepe Romero

A legend in classical and traditional flamenco guitar, Romero has recorded dozens of albums and performed with symphony orchestras worldwide. His concert at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring is billed as a birthday celebration—the guitarist and composer turned 80 earlier this year. marlowguitar.org/mgs

Nov. 13

Senses Fail and Saves the Day

Sometimes labeled emo, sometimes poppunk, these New Jersey bands co-headline a show at The Fillmore Silver Spring. Marking 20 years since its release, Senses Fail will perform the group’s debut album, Let It Enfold You. Saves the Day will perform its 1999 sophomore album, Through Being Cool fillmoresilverspring.com

Nov. 21

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

Known for its quick lyrical flow and harmonic rapping style, the ’90s-era hip-hop group won a Grammy Award in 1997 for its hit song “Tha Crossroads” and has also collaborated with hiphop superstars and rivals Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. The group is slated to appear at The Fillmore Silver Spring fillmoresilverspring.com

Nov. 22

Lush Life: Ellington and Strayhorn

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra presents orchestral arrangements of jazz standards by Duke Ellington and frequent collaborator Billy Strayhorn. The two worked together on classics including “Take the A Train” and “Satin Doll.” Actor and conductor Damon Gupton, who had roles in the films Whiplash and La La Land, leads the program at The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, celebrating Ellington’s 125th birthday. bsomusic.org

Dec. 12

Indigo Girls

Emily Saliers and Amy Ray’s single “Closer to Fine,” which came from their eponymous second album, saw a resurgence in popularity after its inclusion in the 2023 blockbuster Barbie movie. Expect soulful songs, pretty harmonies and tunes from their latest album, Look Long, when the folk duo plays at The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda. strathmore.org

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Nov. 2-3

Old Line Market

Shop holiday, garden and home decor from vintage and artisan vendors at Aix La Chapelle Farm in Poolesville. Food trucks will be on-site, and beverages from local breweries also will be available. aixlachapellefarm.com/events

Nov. 3

Rockville 10K/5K

Run through the streets of King Farm in this annual race organized by the city of Rockville and the Montgomery County Road Runners Club. rockville10k5k.com

Nov. 11

Veterans Day Observances

Join city officials and members of veterans groups in honoring the service of military

FIVE FUN THANKSGIVING PARADE FACTS

The Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade in Silver Spring steps off at 10 a.m. on Nov. 16 at the intersection of Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street and proceeds down Georgia Avenue before ending at Silver Spring Avenue. Here are fun facts about the event from the organizer, the Silver Spring Arts and Entertainment District.

1. It’s older than Titanic

The parade started in 1997 (roughly a month before the blockbuster film was released) with the goal of bringing people into downtown Silver Spring.

2. There used to be giant balloons— until one popped

More than a decade ago, the parade featured large helium balloon characters, like those in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. But after streetlights on Georgia Avenue were replaced with poles that had long arms stretching over the road, a balloon was caught, punctured and deflated. Now, the parade features several 12- to 15-foot-tall inflatable characters.

3. Monty the penguin makes an appearance

Among the many costumed characters that march in the parade is Monty the penguin. Silver Spring’s unofficial mascot comes from Sally Callmer Thompson’s whimsical mural outside the Silver Spring Metro station, “Penguin Rush Hour,” depicting a mad dash of penguins going through a Metro turnstile. The official mascot is an acorn.

4. The cast numbers more than a thousand

Approximately 1,500 people participate in the parade’s 130 units, including folks in marching bands, dance groups, scout troops, recreation clubs and other community groups.

5 Georgia Avenue is the best viewing spot

Insiders know the best parade peeping is along Georgia Avenue near the end of the route. It is less crowded, and groups that throw candy often distribute the remainder of their load just before the parade ends.

—Stephanie Siegel

Burke

BANTER

personnel at the City Hall Concert Pavilion in Gaithersburg. The ceremony includes speeches, music and a wreath-laying. gaithersburgmd.gov

Rockville marks the holiday with a wreathlaying ceremony and 21-gun salute at Veterans Park rockvillemd.gov/668/veterans-day

Nov. 28

Turkey Chase Charity Race

Thousands gather for this Thanksgiving-morning run that raises money for the YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase and the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rotary to support children’s programs in the community. You can participate in a 10K run or 2-mile walk/run. Both start at the YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase and wind through

Bethesda neighborhoods. Or choose from several virtual options, including a swim or bike ride. turkeychase.com

THEATER

Nov. 29-Dec. 29

A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas

Almost entirely faithful to Charles Dickens’ original text, the one-person version of the holiday tale features actor Paul Morella playing every part. The show at Olney Theatre Center has been a tradition since 2009. olneytheatre.org

Nov. 29-Dec. 15

The Rules for Writing Christmas Cards

Confused about Christmas card etiquette? Through a series of sketches, this comedic show by Best Medicine Rep at the

Arts Barn in Gaithersburg enacts what not to do in your holiday correspondences while a narrator explains how to correct the faux pas. gaithersburgmd.gov

DANCE

Dec. 20-23 and 26

The Nutcracker

Visions of sugar plums dance across the stage in this production of the Tchaikovsky holiday classic staged by Maryland Youth Ballet at the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center in Rockville. Students from the Silver Spring dance school play all the parts, from the youngest cast as mice to the oldest in the leading roles of Sugar Plum Fairy, Flower Queen and Ice Queen. The Mini-Nut, an abbreviated version of the show that’s geared toward younger audiences, will be performed on Dec. 7 and 8 at Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring. marylandyouthballet.org/performances —Stephanie Siegel Burke

PHOTO

True Colors

How a local artist repurposes unused IVF needles to create one-of-a-kind paintings

BY ALYSSA LANGER

The mellow upbeat rhythm of Jason Mraz is streaming from the TV in Jamie Kushner Blicher’s home art studio in Bethesda. An untouched sheet of white paper lies flat on a paint-stained workbench in front of a large double window. Golden afternoon sun drenches the room, casting light upon dozens of small ink bottles lined up like nail polishes at a salon. The 39-year-old artist reaches not for a brush but for a needle.

Blicher works primarily with sterile, unused in vitro fertilization (IVF) needles to create her artwork. Needles just like these, which are painful and can cause bruising, are used throughout the IVF process to administer medications, including hormones. Most of the injections are done by patients themselves at home due to the frequency and specificity of timing. Blicher has piles of boxes and drawers full of unused needles that have been donated by individuals—carefully wrapped and shipped to her. The number of needles used per patient varies greatly, so patients often end up with more than necessary.

In 2015, Blicher and her husband, both of whom grew up in Potomac, were living in New York City and decided to move back to Maryland, hoping to immediately start a family. They ended up on a three-year infertility journey, which included two miscarriages, two egg retrievals and four embryo transfers.

Throughout the IVF process, Blicher found herself surround-

ed by needles, often injecting herself with medications per her doctors’ orders. “I’m afraid of blood, had no experience with needles, and had never looked closely at them,” Blicher says. One day in 2016, the artist within her wondered, What would happen if I put paint in there?

She experimented for a few weeks and learned which methods worked, including how to paint with the needles effectively. She now uses a needle to dispense rubbing alcohol and ink onto synthetic paper, then uses her breath, a blow-dryer or an airbrush to methodically move the ink before it dries. “Inks are hard to control. I always have a basic idea of what I want to do, but I’m problem-solving when I’m in it,” she says. Blicher’s art has a contemporary abstract look and is filled with bright colors and “joyous accents.”

In 2016, Blicher created a new Instagram account to get away from the “doom scrolling” of her other account, which was featuring too much pregnancy content. “I made an Instagram of things that brought me joy,” she says. She named the account Glitter Enthusiast.

“Glitter means ‘happy place’ to me,” says Blicher, who incorporates glitter ink in many of her pieces. “Glitter and sparkles and shine are things that take me out of whatever is going on.”

Blicher started sharing her story and artwork on her new ac-

Jamie Kushner Blicher with her twins in her Bethesda studio, where she creates artwork with IVF needles, rubbing alcohol and ink

count, connecting online with others and discussing infertility. “It’s powerful to use art to talk about hard things,” she says. As a self-taught artist who majored in merchandising at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, she had always been creative (her mother and grandmother were artists) and believed in the power of art therapy. It wasn’t long before she started receiving commission inquiries.

“She is brilliant in repurposing sterile IVF needles—that can bring so much pain both emotionally and physically— through an arduous process to create something beautiful,” says Rachael Silvey of Los Angeles via email. Silvey, who says she had 253 injections during her IVF journey, commissioned artwork by Blicher that now hangs in her son’s nursery.

Although the cause of Blicher’s infertility was inconclusive, she was determined to have a baby and continued to seek treatment from doctors. She gave birth to twin boys in 2018, after three years and four rounds of treatments.

Glitter Enthusiast took off in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, after her twins turned 2 and it became a little easier to find time to paint. She was also connecting online with more women whose IVF cycles had been canceled or paused due to the pandemic. By 2023, Blicher decided to leave her job as a buyer at Total Wine & More in Bethesda to work on her art. “I’m Glitter full time now,” she says.

Although most painting is done at her studio, Blicher “live paints” at events around the country and hosts virtual painting events, demonstrating how she uses the needles to make her inky artwork.

About 80% of Blicher’s work is commission-based, she says. When planning a commissioned project, she’ll ask clients about the music and colors they like, the art’s future display location, and about their IVF experiences. She listens to their favorite music while working to “channel into their vibe so the painting tells their story.”

To Nena Glass, a customer in Kannapolis, North Carolina, whose infertility journey lasted five years and who now has sons ages 2 and 6, “The [artwork] Jamie painted for us is a reminder that our pain turned into something so beautiful,” she says via email.

IVF isn’t always successful, and Bli-

cher often creates artwork for couples who are closing that chapter after years of treatments. “It’s symbolic and a way to commemorate what they’ve been through,” Blicher says.

One of Blicher’s favorite pieces is at Shady Grove Fertility in Rockville, where she was a patient. April Hatton, senior manager of planning design and construction at US Fertility (the parent company of Shady Grove Fertility), has designed Shady Grove Fertility projects for 20-plus years and is constantly “incorporating local artists and stories like Blicher’s [that make] our spaces that much more meaningful,” she says via email.

Hatton first learned about Blicher via a Shady Grove Fertility social media post. Hatton commissioned artwork on the theme of “creating beauty out of pain.” It is an abstract diptych (side-byside 26-inch-by-40-inch pieces) featuring shades of blues, pinks and gold. It reflects Blicher’s philosophy of “finding a hard, sad, touchy subject and talking about it through art in an approachable and meaningful way,” Blicher says.

Blicher hopes to eventually have her art displayed in most of the fertility clinics in the U.S. She has created artwork for numerous fertility doctors, and even for Elizabeth Jordan Carr, who in 1981 became the first IVF baby born in the U.S. After following Blicher on Instagram for a while, Carr says she sent her a message “[thanking] her for creating something so beautiful out of something that is so hard and often ugly for people to navigate.”

Carr, who’s in the process of moving, has “already picked out the perfect spot where her art will be visible as soon as you walk into our home,” she says via email.

Blicher, who has 9,000-plus followers on Instagram, donates a portion of her proceeds to infertility-related charities. She believes “IVF needs to be more accessible” and “infertility is a medical condition that should be fully covered by medical insurance.”

In addition to commissioned pieces, Blicher sells art prints, pillows and more. Her art can be found at glitterenthusiast. com, on Instagram @glitterenthusiast, at The Jam art gallery in Bethesda’s Westfield Montgomery mall, and at Urban Country in Bethesda.

Nov 14–16

Senior Services

Brightview

INDEPENDENT LIVING | ASSISTED LIVING | ENHANCED CARE | DEMENTIA CARE

About Howard A. Young, PhD: Howard is an NIH Scientist Emeritus with a distinguished career in microbiology. He has received numerous awards, including the ICIS Howard A. Young Distinguished Service Award in 2024, which was renamed in his honor. Reflecting on his career, Howard says, “I’m proud of my work, but the greatest joy has been sharing life with my wife, Helga, and our daughter, Lauren, along with our two grandchildren, Ava and Mia.”

BETHESDA

Grosvenor: 301-615-0119

Woodmont: 240-222-5151

ROCKVILLE

Fallsgrove: 240-569-5683

West End: 301-781-7985

Resident Spotlight: Howard A. Young, PhD

Howard A. Young moved to Brightview Fallsgrove in December 2023. Two key factors in Howard’s decision were Brightview’s ideal location and its reputation for personalized care. The proximity to his family home, where his wife, Helga, resides, enables Howard to enjoy the care and amenities at Brightview while still maintaining his connection to family life. He has been able to easily create the perfect balance between independence and the additional support he needs.

Since moving in, Howard has established a well-rounded routine. He frequents the gym six days a

week, participates in fitness classes and seminars, and leads scientific discussions, keeping him engaged both mentally and physically. As a Resident Ambassador, Howard finds purpose in helping new residents feel at home, sharing the same warm welcome he received. His advice for new residents is to get involved and build a new, fulfilling routine at Brightview.

Howard also enjoys the community’s dining options, particularly meatloaf and mashed potatoes, Chef Steve’s pizza, and raspberry mini muffins for breakfast. He appreciates that the care at Brightview is tailored to individual needs, which has made a significant difference for him and Helga.

Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group, PA

Recognized as “Top Doctors” by Washingtonian (2017-21, 2023) and Bethesda Magazine (2019, 2021, 2023), the board-certified orthopedic surgeons at Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group, PA, specialize in total joint replacements (hip, knee, shoulder), sports medicine, spine surgery, fracture care, hand/elbow surgery, arthroscopy, minimally invasive surgery, physical therapy and PRP injections.

Locations in Rockville, Silver Spring and Germantown

301-589-3324

GWOG.com

As we age, aches and pains may seem inevitable, but giving up your favorite activities doesn't have to be. Thanks to advances in orthopedic care—including a wide range of non-surgical and minimally invasive treatments—today's seniors can stay active, pain-free and independent longer than ever before. The boardcertified/eligible, fellowship-trained team of orthopedic surgeons at Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group (GWOG) is dedicated to helping you maintain your quality of life, so you can keep moving and doing what you love.

"Any time you can improve joint motion and function, the patient can improve mobility and exercise, which helps heart and lung function and longevity of life," says GWOG president and joint replacement specialist Dr. Irvin A. Guterman. "Improve mobility, improve quality of life."

For more than 40 years, GWOG has

proudly served Montgomery County from its offices in Rockville, Silver Spring and Germantown. Each location is staffed by experienced surgeons and physical therapists who provide extensive diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical services to help patients get back to their best selves. Through comprehensive assessments, they develop tailored treatment plans that address each patient's unique injuries and recovery goals. From sports injuries to overuse pain, age-related issues such as stiffness from arthritis or joint pain, workers' compensation claims and motor vehicle accidents, GWOG has specialists for every aspect of orthopedic care.

"The most important thing when you become older is that you're able to walk and be active," says GWOG spine specialist Dr. David Perim. "Newer techniques and treatments allow individuals to maintain their activity well into their later years."

Holy Cross Health Cancer Center

SHEELA MODIN, MD & JAMES BRIDGES, MD

“At the Holy Cross Health Cancer Center, treatment goes beyond addressing the disease. We treat the whole patient by offering navigation, counseling and dietary services.”

—Dr. Bridges, Radiation Oncologist

“With the rapidly changing cancer outlook for seniors, we are committed to thoughtful, compassionate and state of the art care.”

—Dr. Modin, Radiation Oncologist

11006 Veirs Mill Road, Suite L1  Wheaton, MD 20902 301-681-4422 HolyCrossHealth.org

At the forefront of compassionate cancer treatment, Sheela Modin, MD and James Bridges, MD are redefining care at the Holy Cross Health Cancer Center. With an unwavering commitment to their patients, these esteemed physicians bring a wealth of experience and exceptional expertise to every patient interaction. They collaborate to create a holistic approach for seniors, involving navigators, social workers, nutritionists, and nurses. Each treatment plan is personalized, fostering a supportive and valued environment for patients.

The Holy Cross Health Cancer Center is a lighthouse of hope for nearby communities, leveraging advanced technology that streamlines treatment while minimizing side effects. This advanced equipment offers the latest cancer therapies, resulting in quicker recovery times and a smoother journey through the complexities of cancer care.

Pat ients consistently sing the praises of these dedicated doctors, highlighting their profound impact not just on health outcomes but on overall quality of life. The duo’s personalized touch can transform treatment experiences into empowering journeys, allowing patients to reclaim their routine lives with renewed vigor.

Nestled in the heart of Wheaton, the Holy Cross Health Cancer Center offers easy access and ample free parking, making it a convenient choice for seniors. New patients are welcome to join this community that is dedicated to hope and healing.

MICHAEL VENTURA

Family & Nursing Care

Founded in 1968 by Sandy Kursban, Family & Nursing Care is a leading resource for home care services in the Washington Metropolitan region. Family & Nursing Care was awarded its ninth consecutive National Business Research Institute Circle of Excellence Award in 2024, and 98 percent of surveyed clients would recommend the company to friends and family.

1010 Wayne Ave., Suite 1100 Silver Spring, MD 20910

301-588-8200

FamilyNursingCare.com

When seeking care for a loved one, you deserve exceptional, reliable support—enter Family & Nursing Care. With nearly 60 years of service, it is one of the region's oldest, largest and most respected home care resources. At the heart of Family & Nursing Care's success is its Caregiver Recruiting team's finely tuned screening process, designed to attract only the most skilled, compassionate and trustworthy caregivers.

"Our rigorous screening process means only the top eight percent of applicants meet our unwavering standards of excellence, ensuring clients receive toptier care tailored to their evolving needs," says Director of Caregiver Recruiting Pamela Barrett.

The company's process begins with a phone screening that evaluates applicants' credentials and communication skills. Only those with proven hands-on caregiving experience and capacity for empathy advance. Candidates then

complete an online application, followed by a competency exam to evaluate their knowledge and skills in caregiving. Every step—background checks, reference verifications and in-depth, face-to-face interviews—considers both qualifications and reliability.

"We always ask ourselves, "Would I trust this person with my own loved one?" Barrett adds.

The company's dedicated Caregiver Services Department provides ongoing support to caregivers, such as making sure their credentials are kept current so they can focus on providing the best care to clients. More than 90 percent of caregivers report being proud to be affiliated with the company, and many refer their peers, continuing a legacy of trust and premium service.

"We're committed to providing access to best-in-class caregivers who treat your loved ones like family," says Barrett.

Advanced Nursing & Home Care

Awards & Honors

Winner of Best of Home Care’s “Leader in Experience” and “Provider/Employer of Choice” awards, Advanced Nursing & Home Care promises that your loved one will be treated like family.

15800 Crabbs Branch Way, Suite 350 Rockville, MD 20855

240-266-9597

AdvancedNursing.care

Advanced Nursing & Home Care has been advancing the wellbeing of older adults in Maryland and Washington, D.C. for 30 years with expert, in-home health care and exceptional customer service. Following a comprehensive in-home assessment with clients and families, Advanced Nursing & Home Care designs personalized care plans, allowing older adults to preserve their independence and dignity and safely age in place.

"We strive to not only meet immediate needs but to establish lasting relationships," says founder and CEO Samuel R. Lish, pictured here at their 30th Anniversary Open House in 2023.

CarePlus

7631 Calhoun Place Rockville, MD 20855

240-443-3447

Info@CarePlusInc.com

CarePlusInc.com

As your loved one ages in place, recognizing when they might need support at home is important. Certain signs may suggest the need for in-home care to maintain safety and well-being, such as increased forgetfulness, reduced mobility, changes in personal hygiene, or difficulty managing daily tasks like meal preparation and medication management.

At CarePlus, Heather Najjar, DNP, CRNP, FNP-C, applies her extensive clinical expertise to train caregivers with the skills, compassion and understanding needed to deliver exceptional care. Her approachable and responsive nature makes her a trusted resource for families. In addition to home care, Heather is expanding into functional medicine, focusing on aesthetics and wellness, further enriching her holistic approach to health and wellness.

Better care. Better health.

Dana Rice Group

DANA RICE

Awards & Honors

Faces of Washingtonian 2024

Washingtonian Top 100 Agent and Elite Producer Team

RealTrends No. 1 Small Team by Volume in Maryland and No. 3 Small Team by Volume in the DMV Region

5471 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 300 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 202-669-6908

dana.rice@compass.com DanaRiceGroup.com

Managing an estate can be overwhelming, especially when selling a home filled with a lifetime of memories. Having a knowledgeable Realtor by your side makes all the difference. Perennially recognized as one of Washingtonian's "Top 100" Realtors, Dana Rice and her award-winning team offer invaluable guidance, streamlining what can often be an arduous process with their expertise in the housing market, while lending a compassionate hand through the emotional and logistical challenges of an estate sale.

Dana Rice Group's personalized approach was key in the recent sale in Bethesda’s Bannockburn Estates of a one-ofa-kind home designed by its late owner, an artist who built the house to accentuate the natural light and showcase her artwork. After the owner's passing, Dana and her team guided the family through an estate sale and strategically marketed the home to highlight its unique design and rich history. Their thoughtful approach helped buyers envision how they could make the space their own, leading to a successful sale.

In nearby Kenwood Park, Dana Rice Group's expertise saved the family both time and money. By privately marketing the home before it hit the MLS, they attracted serious buyers who toured the home early and purchased it at the desired price, eliminating the need for additional costly preparations.

"If you're looking for an honest, smart, hard-working, kind, results-oriented broker who can handle every aspect of your sale on a turn-key basis, hire Dana Rice," says an estate representative. "I have bought and sold many houses, but I've never worked with a Realtor of Dana's caliber."

Riderwood

3140 Gracefield Road Silver Spring, MD 20904

1-800-610-1560

Riderwood.com

Riderwood is a Silver Spring-based continuing care retirement community offering independent living and multiple levels of onsite care including assisted living, long-term nursing care, respite care, memory care and home care. Riderwood is managed by Erickson Senior Living, a national leader in senior living and health care. As part of a network of communities under one management company, Riderwood benefits from the size, financial strength and resources to weather even the toughest challenges.

With a wealth of amenities, including a pool, wellness center, medical center, nine onsite dining venues and more, all connected through climate-controlled walkways, Riderwood operates like a small town under one roof, says Sales Counselor Leire Moulier-Clark.

“Riderwood allows seniors to stay active and independent while enjoying peace of mind,” says Moulier-Clark. “Call 1-800610-1560 to request a free brochure.”

The Grandview

6701 Democracy Blvd., Suite 150B

Bethesda, MD 20817

301-781-6201

TheGrandviewSeniorLiving.com

Discover a new standard of retirement living at The Grandview, Erickson Senior Living's newest independent living community in Bethesda, now accepting reservations. Designed for active seniors 60-plus, The Grandview offers resort-style amenities, including a fitness and aquatics center, game rooms, an outdoor bocce court and a lush urban park. Residents can enjoy a selection of dining options, including a top-floor restaurant with a wine bar and stunning views. Comprehensive on-site medical services promote health, wellbeing and peace of mind.

Just minutes from downtown Bethesda's dining, shopping and entertainment, The Grandview promises a vibrant, maintenance-free lifestyle. Choose from modern one- and two-bedroom apartments tailored to your style and budget, and join a thriving community where life isn't just good—it's grand. Schedule a visit today to explore floor plans and secure your reservation.

The Grandview is pending approval from the Maryland Department of Aging.

Kensington Senior Living

MARY MELL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, KENSINGTON PARK & THE KENSINGTON BETHESDA

Kensington Senior Living fulfills its promise to “love and care for your family as we do our own.” Its founders and owners, local to the Washington, D.C. metro area, are proud to open their eighth and newest community, The Kensington Bethesda, in the summer of 2025.

Kensington Park: 301-946-7700 KensingtonParkSeniorLiving.com

The Kensington Bethesda: 240-752-8600 KensingtonSeniorLiving.com

Kensington Senior Living is a wonderful place where togetherness is a feature of every day. They infuse their communities with shared smiles and hugs, memories and dreams, and challenges and triumphs. They are a united family of families—ready and willing to blend theirs and yours, with a promise of uncompromising commitment to excellence in care and service in independent living, assisted living and three unique levels of memory care.

A spirit of collaboration is a fundamental part of the Kensington experience, along with deep respect for the unique needs and preferences of residents and their families. Our best-inclass Montgomery County leaders, Mary Mell (center) along with Yenny Dawson (right, executive director at Kensington Park), and Adaeze ‘Dezy’ Ikeotuonye (left, executive director at The Kensington Bethesda) embody excellence, expertise

and compassion. They have decades of experience in the senior living industry and a lifelong devotion to improving the quality of life for aging adults.

The Kensington family is growing wi th gratitude this season as they prepare to open the doors to their eighth community, The Kensington Bethesda, in summer 2025 at the intersection of River Road and Westbard Avenue. This new 116-bed community will offer assisted living, three unique levels of memory care, specialized couples care, pet-friendly accommodation and four distinct dining options with complimentary meals for families. Learn more at their Welcome & Information Center this fall.

Kensington Senior Living is honored to continue fulfilling its promise “to love and care for your family as we do our own” in Montgomery County.

Ingleside at King Farm

701 King Farm Blvd. Rockville, MD 20850

240-455-4559

IKFMD.org

Ingleside at King Farm is a vibrant, not-for-profit Life Plan community in Rockville, where residents enjoy an engaged lifestyle supported by a continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, memory support assisted living, skilled nursing, home care and a social day program.

The walkable campus offers convenient access to parks, shopping, and the Metro, complemented by exceptional onsite amenities and a vast calendar of cultural arts programs.

Ingleside's world-class culinary team crafts diverse, chefprepared meals using fresh, seasonal ingredients across multiple dining venues, from casual bites to gourmet fare.

Catering options allow residents to host private events in their apartments or the private dining room.

"We embrace sustainability through farm-to-table initiatives and partner with local, minority-owned businesses to deliver unique dining experiences," says Ingleside at King Farm Chef Robinna Osei-Owusu

Potomac Audiology

GAIL LINN, AU.D. & TRICIA TERLEP, AU.D.

11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 105 Rockville, MD 20852

240-477-1010

PotomacAudiology.com

While their specialty is fitting hearing aids, the primary goal at Potomac Audiology is to provide patients with the best possible hearing care based on individual needs by exploring and evaluating all options and solutions. The focus is achieving the optimal outcome for each patient and his or her unique situation.

Dr. G ail Linn founded Potomac Audiology in 1998 with the mission to provide the highest quality hearing health care. In 2011, Dr. Linn’s daughter, Dr. Tricia Terlep, joined the practice, which expanded to a second office in Frederick, Md.

“We’re not just selling hearing aids; we’re improving quality of life,” says Dr. Linn. “We’re helping people hear again, and that’s amazing. If you are, or a loved one is, missing out on the sounds of life,

help is available. Every day we work with people who have hearing deficiencies, and we enable them to live the life they want with the best hearing they can have.”

Potomac Audiology recognizes RealEar Measurements as a gold-standard best practice in fitting hearing aids. This technique allows audiologists to measure what the hearing aid is actually delivering to the eardrum. Wi thout performing this measurement, there is no way to know whether a hearing aid is providing the correct amplification on the correct frequencies. There is no reason to risk spending thousands of dollars on hearing aids that may not be programmed correctly. At Potomac Audiology, audiologists make sure that even hearing aids purchased elsewhere are performing optimally.

A seasonal specialty latte with Persian cookies, baklava and a Nutella banana muffin at Empress Coffee & Cocktails

Our cup

is

16 spots for coffee, music, pastries and more

ful

full

BY CAROLE SUGARMAN

Coffeehouses are abuzz. And no wonder. Surrounded by a cozy community feel, there’s comfort in conversing over cappuccinos or sipping a latte with your laptop.

With the rising costs of real estate, labor and coffee, however, traditional coffeehouses that focused mainly on a cup of joe have expanded in recent years. Montgomery County owners have sought to attract wider audiences and offset expenses with revenue from food, alcoholic beverages, merchandise, catering, events and more.

As a result, many places that serve similar selections of coffee and espresso-based drinks could be characterized as coffee shops with food, or restaurants with coffee menus, or something in between. Their ambiance, decor and settings vary, too.

In this guide, we’ve prepared a blended brew, featuring new and lesser-known spots, plus some familiar favorites, organized by what makes them distinctive. Whatever your preference, there’s a place to catch up over coffee.

LOCAL A vibe

You don’t have to be a resident of Takoma Park to soak up the local energy at Takoma Bev Co. Artwork, pottery and plants for sale from town purveyors, beer brewed in the D.C. area, and dishes made with produce grown nearby highlight the locavore love. Co-owner Seth Cook, who’s also a sommelier and the principal tuba with the Washington National Opera and the Kennedy Center Opera House orchestras, teamed up with his cousin Chris Brown to open the multifaceted coffeehouse in 2017. (Brown also is co-owner of Silver Spring’s Zinnia and Takoma Park’s Motorkat.) Their aim was to provide a casual and welcoming gathering place where people could celebrate, reconnect, cry and laugh over drinks, Cook says. At Takoma Bev Co, they aim to do that with single-origin coffee and alcoholic beverages at breakfast (after 9 a.m.), lunch, happy hour and dinner in a choice of two rooms or a large outdoor patio. Aside from music and wine, one of Cook’s other passions is coffee, which he sources from Counter Culture, based in Durham, North Carolina. Counter Culture has a training center in D.C.’s Adams Morgan neighborhood, where the public can attend classes and tastings, and where Takoma Bev Co baristas learn about the chemistry of coffee—and everything it takes to make a delicious cup.

6917 Laurel Ave., Takoma Park, 240-641-5323, takomabevco.com

Takoma Bev Co is a gathering spot that serves singleorigin coffee.

La Gelatteria owner Elias Montilla says that whenever he travels, he checks out the local coffee scene, getting ideas for drinks. That inspiration has led to some of the dozen-plus flavored lattes at his Kensington shop, including the popular Cinnamon Toast Crunch Latte—a breakfast-in-a-cup combination of espresso, brown sugar syrup, cinnamon and whole milk topped with whipped cream and a shower of cereal. The creativity extends to frozen blended coffee drinks, espresso milkshakes and coffee-based cocktails. La Gelatteria, which serves all-day breakfast as well as sandwiches, toasts, salads, soups and, of course, gelato, uses Counter Culture beans for its drinks. So purists can always opt for a simple drip coffee.

10414 Detrick Ave., Suite 500, Kensington, 301-272-2255, lagelatteria.com

An vibe URBAN

Spare, clean and modern, Ceremony Coffee Roasters’ central location inside a Bethesda Crescent office building and above the Metro tunnel is a magnet for those on the go—subway riders, Vamoose Bus travelers, downtown Bethesda workers. An adjacent enclosed patio with its enticing entranceway flanked by fake ferns is also a stay-put spot for more leisurely patrons— dogs, their owners, and laptop loungers. In both areas, enjoy a flat white or white shakerato (a vigorously shaken iced latte with a foamy cap) along with pastries and sandwiches made with bread from Fresh Baguette, the bakery that opened in Bethesda in 2013 and now has six locations in the D.C. area along with a thriving business that sells baked goods to coffeehouses. Ceremony hails from Annapolis, where it has its roastery and two cafes; it also has three cafes in Baltimore. Not only urban but urbane, the mini-chain is focused on training its baristas and wholesale customers who can take classes on topics ranging from the mechanics of proper milk steaming to an exploration of different pour-over methods. Members of the public can also become more coffee savvy through periodic interactive workshops at the cafes (including Bethesda). Check out the event schedule online; Ceremony’s website also has guides on how to brew great coffee at home.

7475 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, 240-396-6369, ceremonycoffee.com

A latte at Ceremony Coffee Roasters

Good food & MERCH

These spots are out-of-town chains with out-the-door brunch lines, better-than-expected food and stylish shopping opportunities.

(French for “mother”) was opened as a cafe and bakery in New York’s Soho neighborhood in 2014 by French-born Benjamin Sormonte and his Canadian wife Elisa Marshall. The chain has 41 locations, including those in New York City, Florida, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Canada and the Washington, D.C., area. Maman’s decor and sensibility is rustic country French, and the cafe sells a corresponding host of pretty goods, such as its vintage blue-and-white toile tableware, baby clothes, bunny vases and Maman: The Cookbook: All-Day Recipes to Warm Your Heart, plus house beans from Methodical Coffee in Greenville, South Carolina. Lattes are pretty, too, as are tartines served on wooden boards. Even croissants arrive attractively nestled in a basket.

7140 Bethesda Lane, Bethesda, 301-656-1526, mamannyc.com

The pretty presentation of food and coffee at Maman

ROASTED RIGHT HERE

On Saturday mornings, in a quiet industrial strip of low-slung buildings in Silver Spring, Nagadi Coffee’s roasting facility transforms into a bustling coffee klatch for those in the know. One regular jokingly refers to it as a “coffee speakeasy.”

Founded in 2008 in Boston by Tzurit Or, a pastry chef and former film producer who grew up in a kibbutz in Israel, Tatte Bakery & Café (Tatte rhymes with latte and is the Hebrew nickname for “grandmother” and the Yiddish word for “daddy”) now has 40 locations in the Boston and D.C. areas. And there’s more to come with new cafes scheduled to open near the end of 2024 at Westbard Square in Bethesda and early 2025 at Towne Plaza in Rockville. With its high ceilings and tile walls, the black-and-white bedecked downtown Bethesda locale can get noisy. Still, it’s the go-to spot for a subtle Tatte House Latte (spiked with honey-halva syrup and cardamom), an appealing array of pastries, and a long menu of tempting selections, including the signature shakshuka, the North African tomato sauce-and-egg entree that’s swoon-worthy here. In fact, you can keep the gustatory memory alive with a shakshuka-emblazoned sweatshirt, or browse through other merch, such as artfully packaged cookies, honey granola and custom-blended house beans from George Howell Coffee and Gracenote Coffee, two Massachusetts-based roasters.

7276 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, 240-534-2115, tattebakery.com

Indonesian-born owner Felix Tansil and his wife, Patricia de Carvalho, from Brazil, both practicing architects who hail from coffee-producing countries, started Nagadi in 2011. From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays only, the Kensington couple open their small plant at 9339 Fraser Ave. to the community for coffee drinks, conversation and bean purchases. Benches and wooden tables accommodate the crowd, while two roasting machines and large burlap bags filled with green coffee beans sit on the sidelines. During the week, Nagadi resumes its operation as a plant, roasting an average of 1,000 pounds of beans over the course of three days, according to Tansil, who regularly sources beans from Ethiopia and Indonesia, in addition to a variety of other countries in Africa and Latin America. Most are single origin—the purists’ preference—rather than a blend from different sources, and are roasted to light or medium.

Aside from online orders and retail sales, Nagadi Coffee supplies Kefe Café’s three locations (the longtime Silver Spring establishment’s original shop on Bonifant Street, plus cafes in the Wheaton Public Library and the Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center).

Another local roaster that opens its doors on a limited basis is Bump ‘n Grind, which welcomes coffee fans to its Kensington facility at 4120 Howard Ave. on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Other local roasteries have a variety of locations and sales arrangements. Among them are the well-known Quartermaine Coffee Roasters, founded in 1991, with its familiar cafe on Bethesda Avenue, and Mayorga Coffee, started by Martin Mayorga in 1995. Both have roasting facilities in Rockville and sell to a wide swath of retailers, wholesalers and food establishments.

Black Lion Café roasts on-site at its cafes in Rockville and Silver Spring. Java Nation’s roastery is in Ijamsville (Frederick County). And Coffee Republic, which runs 10 coffee shops, including a cafe in Rockville and one slated to open in midNovember in the former Peet’s Coffee at 7629 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda, owns its own coffee roastery, Disco Coffee, with plants in New Jersey and North Carolina. Santa Lucia Estate Coffee has been a wholesaler in Montgomery County for more than 30 years. The family-owned business imports Nicaraguan beans to a New York roaster. Beans are then shipped to Santa Lucia’s Silver Spring warehouse, where they are ground or sold whole online and to many restaurants and hotels in the D.C. area.

Nagadi Coffee roasts beans (above) at its Silver Spring facility (right).

A cinnamon maple latte (left) at Gardenia’s Cafe, which is run by (below from left): Fernando Ortega, Maritza Martinez, Joshua Ortega and Genesis Gardenia Ortega

ROBUST coffee & latin american fare

With high-quality coffee, vibrant food, comfortable digs, reasonable prices and friendly service, these two familyowned spots are true gems.

“We’re a family of four with one dream; to spread love and happiness through food,” says the website for Gardenia’s Cafe, where Fernando Ortega, Maritza Martinez and their adult children Genesis Gardenia and Joshua, do just that. The sunny outlook in this strip shopping center locale starts with mango-colored walls, inviting service, and coffee drinks made with beans from Mayorga, the venerable Montgomery County roaster. The from-scratch kitchen turns out a multicultural menu, but you can’t go wrong with anything that hails from the owners’ Salvadoran roots, such as the Salvadoreño Tipico brunch plate (black beans, crema, fried plantains, queso fresco, mini chorizo, eggs and homemade sourdough toast) in which every component hits a high note. Or simply order a latte and housemade tres leches cake, and you’ll leave happier than when you arrived.

8377 Snouffer School Road, Gaithersburg, 301-355-7144, gardeniascafe.com

Located in a nondescript Montgomery Village shopping center, La Poteria Local owned by Monica Pulecio and Andres Londono—is a funky, endearing spot with serious coffee and fun Colombian street food. Don’t miss an empanada with your brew (made with puff pastry, the dough is light and flaky) and certainly try a pandebono, the disc-shaped cheese bread

that can be ordered with an ooze of guava paste inside. To finish, those with a sweet tooth should opt for the Farmers Coffee, a black cup of Colombia’s Pergamino coffee brewed with sugarcane, cloves and cinnamon that’s simply divine.

19116 Montgomery Village Ave., Montgomery Village, 240-477-6636, lapoterialocal.com

The Salvadoreño Tipico brunch plate at Gardenia’s Cafe is filled with black beans, crema, fried plantains, queso fresco, chorizo, eggs and homemade sourdough toast.

Great BAKED goods

At Sunday Morning Bakehouse, the brioche doughnuts and croissants steal the limelight, yet we often veer toward the cake slices, such as a super moist and citrusy orange loaf, or a rectangle of cinnamon coffeecake that’s an A-plus rendition. Fine partners are the coffee drinks made with beans from renowned Philadelphia roaster La Colombe, which also operates five cafes in D.C. The busy Pike & Rose shop, owned by Montgomery County resident Caroline Yi, started serving cocktails earlier this year (available only on Saturdays and Sundays). So go ahead, have an Irish coffee with that chocolate croissant.

11869 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), North Bethesda, 240-669-8202, sundaymorningbakehouse.com

Baked goods to pair with coffee at Sunday Morning Bakehouse

The chic Tout de Sweet patisserie in Bethesda, opened by Jerome and Sofia Colin in 2011, serves coffee made with locally roasted Mayorga beans. An Americano with a pain aux raisin is pure pleasure. In fact, with Tout de Sweet’s stunning display of confections (including its signature rainbow array of macarons), you can’t go wrong with any of the possible coffee-andpastry pairings. As for Jerome Colin, he likes his morning latte with a lemon blueberry or seasonal scone.

7831 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, 301-951-0474, toutdesweetshop.com

Personable SERVICE

“So great and friendly.” “Quick and kind.” “Very polite and welcoming.” Those are among the comments from Yelp reviewers about the service at French Press, the contemporary coffee shop that replaced Clove & Cedar Coffeebar on the ground floor of Bainbridge Bethesda apartments this past March. Indeed, we encountered much of the same during our visit (leading to a recommendation of a delightful chai latte with turmeric and ginger). Mike David, who manages the place with his wife, Tazrtavreen, says they have made it their goal to provide a warm, comfortable space for the neighborhood. Aside from the hospitality and calm, French Press serves up coffee from Swing’s Coffee Roasters, the 1916-founded Washington, D.C., company now based in Alexandria, Virginia, and pastries from Fresh Baguette and other purveyors.

4918 St. Elmo Ave., Bethesda, 301-806-4949, frenchpressmd.com

Grab & GO

Suburbanites looking for a taste of Georgetown’s Grace Street Coffee can find it at this cute walk-up window on Bethesda’s Wilson Lane that opened in 2022. Aside from coffee beverages, you can buy bags of beans, roasted at the Georgetown facility. Pastries come from Fresh Baguette, and the Kyoto cold brew—prepared by slowly dripping cold water onto ground coffee—is a satisfying drink no matter what the weather. Grace Street Coffee is owned by Georgetown commercial real estate developers Ezra and Jessica Glass, whose tiny Bethesda outpost attracts commuters, nearby salon and fitness studio customers, and neighborhood folks walking their dogs.

5021 Wilson Lane, Bethesda, gracestcoffee.com

Confections and coffee at Tout de Sweet

EVERYTHING in one place

A smattering of Java Nation’s robust offerings

Looking for a restaurant that roasts its own coffee beans, makes its own baked goods, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus offers happy hour and live music? Need a carryout cappuccino and a bottle of wine? A spot for a birthday gathering or business conference breakfast with indoor and outdoor spaces? In 2014, the first Java Nation opened in Kensington, and now owners Simona and Henry Cabana have four locations of various sizes in Montgomery County with different combinations of offerings that go beyond the original coffeehouse concept. The couple’s newest Java Nation in Silver Spring—arguably the area’s caffeine capital with its concentration of coffee shops—is the snazziest and most comprehensive to date, with a full-service restaurant and bar, and a separate market with a takeout window. In September, the mini-chain was offering coffee made with the prized Peruvian Red Gesha beans, making for a super smooth (albeit pricey) pour over. The espresso martinis are also a hit.

121 Market St., Gaithersburg, 240-800-1004; 10516 Connecticut Ave., Kensington, 301-327-6580; 11120 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, 301-8366022; 1010 Wayne Ave., Silver Spring, 240-705-7080; java-nation.com

THE COFFEE CONNOISSEUR

In her book God in a Cup: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Coffee, Chevy Chase author and journalist Michaele Weissman traveled to Nicaragua, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Panama and Kenya to detail the stories of three passionate specialty coffee entrepreneurs. In the early 2000s, the men—from Counter Culture, Stumptown and Intelligentsia Coffee—were redesigning the way coffee was purchased, dealing directly with farmers and co-ops, rather than through commodity trading. Weissman got to tag along.

What emerged from her adventures extended beyond her book, published in 2008 by John Wiley & Sons. She developed a newfound appreciation for the complexities of coffee flavor, the effect of terroir, and the fact that with coffee—like all agricultural crops—anything can go wrong along the way. “This book made me realize that it’s amazing that anybody gets a decent cup of coffee,” says Weissman, who’s in her mid-70s. “It’s so complicated.”

Here are some tips and excerpts from a conversation over (very good) coffee at her Chevy Chase home:

How to scope out a coffee shop: Weissman suggests talking to the barista to get a feel for

how seriously she/he takes the job; also ask where they buy their roasted beans.

Best drink to order at a coffee shop to judge quality: A pour over How to best taste the flavors in coffee: First try it black, then (if desired) add milk.

Her favorite local coffee shops: Takoma Bev Co in Takoma Park and Bread Furst in D.C.’s Van Ness neighborhood

Her favorite espresso drink: Cappuccino

Number of cups of coffee she drinks per day: 2½

Coffee maker she uses: Technivorm Moccamaster

Coffee grinder she uses: Burr

Beans she often buys: Paper Plane Ethiopian from Bread Furst

Her take on Starbucks: The company “has trained the American palate that dark roasted coffee is good coffee, but the dark roasting is going to kill off some of the flavors.”

Her take on tea: “You can only be obsessive about so many things.”

—C.S.

Coffee & COOKIES

Coffee—made with the Ethiopian beans roasted on-site—is the draw at the two Black Lion Café locations, as is the quintessential coffeehouse vibe that attracts laptop luggers and table talkers. And while the newer Silver Spring spot, which opened in 2023, serves sandwiches, salads and pastries, we love Black Lion’s unassuming housemade butter cookies with a bold cup of java. The small confections (available only at the Silver Spring shop) are baked into a variety of shapes and sizes, some with a swirl of cinnamon, others embedded with sliced almonds or walnuts. The cookies come in plastic containers, so you can take them to go if you don’t polish them off there. The Rockville

locale, opened in 2016 by four Ethiopian families, is more compact and less bustling, but the striking espresso-brown, black and gold interiors at both shops are the same, as is signage that educates customers about Ethiopian coffee regions (we gravitate toward the full-bodied, mocha-flavored beans from the Harrar region). One final decor note: Take a careful look at the artwork for sale in the Silver Spring shop; it was made by Ethiopianborn artist Gelila Reda with coffee paint (a mixture of water and ground beans).

8240 Fenton St., Silver Spring, 301-866-7300; 705 Traville Gateway Drive, Rockville, 240-907-2994; blacklioncafe.com

PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

A toasty cup of joe and cookies at the Black Lion Café in Silver Spring

SLEEK & historic

In another life, District Cafe, a light, airy and lovely cafe, was a gas station, built in 1924. Fast forward nearly a century, and Solera Senior Living, the company that owns the 3-year-old Modena Reserve at Kensington senior living facility next door, renovated and restored the structure, retaining the original exterior, including the garage door and sign. (Solera bought the land from the Mizell family, who also owned a longtime lumber and hardware company; their former store now houses the facility’s spa, salon and gym.) District Cafe’s salads and sandwiches are made in-house at Modena, the beans come from Ceremony Coffee Roasters, and the drink menu includes a terrific version of hard-tofind iced Vietnamese coffee. Every couple of months, a different local artist’s works are featured for sale on the walls, and every day, residents from Modena mingle with those from the Kensington area, who make up the bulk of patrons. District Cafe spans generations in more ways than one.

10540 Metropolitan Ave., Kensington, 240-880-1024, districtcafemodena.com

Kensington’s

QUAINT & historic

Espresso at a train station may be the ticket for morning travelers, but Java Junction, located in the charming 1884 B&O Rail complex in Olde Towne Gaithersburg, is a destination unto itself. Operated for the past 21 years by Lauren Woo, the counter service shop—which sells coffee drinks, sandwiches and smoothies—is in the same National Register of Historic Places building that houses the original wainscoted waiting room. There, you can sip a Java Mocha amid the old ticket window, informational plaques and local artwork. There are non-caffeinated beverages for choo choo-loving kids who will want to come along and visit the Gaithersburg Community Museum’s B&O freight house next door, see a 1918 steam engine, and play in a red caboose stocked with rail-related games and costumes. If you’re a commuter catching a MARC train, however, you’ll need to grab a coffee and go.

5 S. Summit Ave., Gaithersburg, 301-330-0333

District Cafe is in a former gas station.

COMMUNITY events hub

Empress Coffee & Cocktails, which opened in June, is the brainchild of Sam Koushan and Tara Javidan, professional photographers and Montgomery County residents who have transformed the old Brew House Kentlands into a fetching space decorated in lovely pastels. Javidan devises the sandwiches and bakes the pastries, and you’ll want to sample her delicate Persian cookies or giant Nutella brownie with a cappuccino made with beans from Peaks Coffee Co. in Syracuse, New York. Empress has become a magnet for remote workers, but in the evenings transforms into a gathering place, hosting beer, wine and mead tastings; book club meetings and book signings; school performances; and private events such as goodbye parties and corporate meetups. On Fridays, there’s always live music; Saturday is vinyl night (or live music). And don’t miss the Persian pizza on both evenings, made here with red onions, mushrooms, green peppers, beef sausage, cheese, oregano and Persian ketchup.

325 Main St., Gaithersburg, 240-477-4714, empresscc.com

Chevy Chase resident Carole Sugarman is a longtime food writer whose favorite espresso drink is a cortado.

THE CUP ARTIST

While latte artists practice their craft in a cup, Stefanie Stark , 54, won a competition designing art on a cup. In 2022, the Bethesda fine artist took the top honor in a contest sponsored by the New York-based chain Maman before it opened its new cafe on Bethesda Lane. Her design was printed on 5,000 limited edition to-go cups (they’ve all been handed out).

“When I saw their aesthetic, it paired very well with my work,” says Stark, whose acrylic paintings showcase abstract flora. Maman chose a detail shot from one of her paintings for the cup and included Stark’s name, website and Instagram handle on it.

After the cafe opened, several of her paintings were hung there, and they fit in so well with the style and decor that some people didn’t realize they were for sale, Stark says. A couple were eventually sold; two were removed for Stark’s art show at Addison/Ripley Fine Art gallery in Georgetown in early 2024; and two are still on display.

“It was a great experience,” Stark says about the whole opportunity, and “I do love coffee.”

—C.S.

PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY; PHOTO COURTESY STEFANIE STARK

Tara Javidan, left, and Sam Koushan opened Empress Coffee & Cocktails in Gaithersburg in June.

INSPIRE

INSPIRE WOMEN WHO LUNCHEON

More than 130 people enjoyed lunch during a panel discussion with Bethesda Magazine’s 2024 Women Who Inspire honorees. This year’s luncheon was held at the Downtown Bethesda Marriott.

The event was designed to support Bethesda Magazine’s mission to inform, connect and inspire our community.

Members of the Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce gather for a photo.

From left: Deanna Jenkins, Analisa Encinas and Bridget Gatling of Holy Cross Health, the Title Sponsor of the event

The 2024 Women Who Inspire honorees and panel moderator Amy Halpern, center, engaging in a lively discussion

Following

Attendees

visiting the photo booth sponsored by Modern Revival

the luncheon, guests enjoyed coffee, dessert and networking sponsored by Potomac Audiology

2024 Women Who Inspire honoree and deacon at St. John’s Norwood Episcopal Church Anne Derse, center, and guests

From left: 2024 Women Who Inspire honorees Cynthia Bryant, Simona Cabana, Anne Derse, Marissa Mitchell, Karyn Onyeneho and Rosario “Paola” Velasquez

Amy Halpern, left, and 2024 Women Who Inspire honoree Marissa Mitchell, a Fox 5 DC anchor, react to one of the panelist’s comments.

From left: TJ Monahan of Designed Happy, Tony Calkins of The Calkins Group of Compass, Bethesda Magazine’s LuAnne Spurrell, Matthew Duncan of Capitol Benefits, and Harry Moore of Plus Moore Business Mentoring

FEED THE HUNGRY

Crossroads Community Food Network (crossroadscommunityfoodnetwork.org) opened its seasonal farmers market in 2007, offering residents of Takoma-Langley Crossroads food that was fresh, local, healthy and affordable. The farmers market was the first in Maryland to accept federal nutrition (SNAP) benefits and first in the country to match them with tokens of equal value. Crossroads’ Healthy Eating Program shares strategies for incorporating local produce into a daily diet. Its Microenterprise Development Program helps entrepreneurs overcome barriers as they develop food businesses, and its shared-use community kitchen provides an affordable means of production.

HEADQUARTERED: Takoma Park SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $100 provides 240 shoppers with four healthy eating food demos.

• $250 provides a small-scale food business access to eight hours of technical assistance.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Ongoing: Assist with nutrition education sessions, food demos, and gardening activities at farmers markets on Wednesdays.

Manna Food Center (mannafood.org) works to end hunger through food distribution, nutrition education and advocacy in Montgomery County. Last year, Manna distributed 4.6 million pounds of food to individuals including children and seniors. Manna values partnerships with community groups, businesses and farms to address immediate needs and create sustainable, healthy communities.

ABOUT THIS

GUIDE

All the organizations on this list have been recommended by the Greater Washington Community Foundation, Spur Local, or the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County. The nonprofits provided a description of their work and ideas for ways to help. If an organization offers Student Service Learning hours or internships , we noted that under volunteer opportunities. For more local nonprofits vetted by these organizations, visit MoCo360.media.

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HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg and Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $250 can help rescue 5,000 pounds of surplus food from local grocery stores and restaurants and redistribute it to participants.

• $500 creates 100 weekend bags of shelf-stable foods to supplement a family’s meals, distributed weekly at

more than 50 Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) elementary schools.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Prepare food boxes and sort canned goods; host a food and funds drive.

Montgomery County Food Council (mocofoodcouncil.org) convenes more than 2,000 partners in collective impact education and advocacy to cultivate a more resilient, sustainable and equitable local food system. It improves food access for more than 100,000 people at risk for hunger, supports more than 100 MoCo Made farms and food and beverage entrepreneurs, and addresses policy, systems and environmental impacts on the food system.

HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $50 helps enroll a family of four in SNAP benefits, providing up to $937 monthly to buy groceries with dignity.

• $500 supports capacity-building sessions with local providers to ensure residents have access to food across Montgomery County.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Participate in a hunger awareness media campaign.

• Ongoing: Serve as a community food resource navigator.

Rainbow Community Development Center (rainbowcdc.org) seeks to build better lives for those in need through its safety net services: an emergency food pantry, prevention programs for eviction and utlity cutoffs, and a temporary emergency shelter. The food pantry is its largest program, recovering more than 2.6 million pounds of food in 2023.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring

GUIDE TO GIVING 2024

SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $50 provides a two-week supply of groceries for a family.

• $300 provides shelter for a homeless family for one week.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Ongoing: Sort, pack and distribute groceries; assist with grant writing, photography, videography or website updates; and plan fundraising events. Assist with the Giving Hope for the Holidays project.

Shepherd’s Table (shepherdstable.org) has never missed a day of meal service in its 40-year history, serving more than 2 million meals to people experiencing food insecurity, homelessness and poverty. Hot, nutritious meals are created by in-house chefs using fresh ingredients from an urban garden. A team of staff and volunteers distributes hygiene supplies and clothing from its resource center. Vision exams and haircuts are available on-site, while those in need of additional services (medical treatment/legal assistance) receive support to connect to resources. Clients build community in art groups and yoga classes, develop their leadership skills as policy advocates, and participate in culinary training to gain employment in the food service industry.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $100 provides 10 women or 20 men with new undergarments.

• $250 provides one person with 19 meals for one week.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Ongoing: Help with meal service, sorting clothing and food pickup at the resource center and eye clinic.

• $125 pays for four Thanksgiving meals for families.

• $1,250 will support 10 families with nonperishable foods and fresh produce for a week.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Ongoing: Pack food Mondays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., deliver food Thursdays at 11 a.m.

The Upcounty Hub (theupcountyhub.org) is a lifeline for more than 1,300 families every week, providing food and essential items with dignity and without barriers. Its programs help neighbors in upper Montgomery County access the vital resources they need to thrive.

HEADQUARTERED: Germantown

SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

BUILD HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES

Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland (habitatmm.org) is driven by the vision that everyone deserves a decent place to live. It partners with lower-income families to build new affordable homes and to provide critical repairs and accessibility modifications on existing homes. Its mission is to build strength, stability and self-reliance through affordable housing.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery and Prince George’s counties

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $300 helps buy kitchen countertops that create a place to prepare family meals.

• $1,000 helps a family repair or replace a leaky roof or puts a new roof on a Habitat home.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Work at ReStores, on build sites, as a skilled crew leader or help in the office.

Housing Unlimited (housingunlimited.org) provides affordable independent housing for more than 250 adults in mental health recovery. Four in 10 people it houses were previously homeless. It offers well-maintained, communityintegrated housing options at more than 90 homes throughout Montgomery County. The properties are designed to foster independence while providing access to necessary resources and support networks. This support enables individuals to achieve long-term independence and an improved quality of life.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $50 to $500: Helps cover one home’s monthly maintenance and utility costs.

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

Boulanger Initiative

Inspiring young women to pursue music

When a guest speaker at Bethesda’s Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart asked students the first names of classical composers listed on her T-shirt, Amelia Taylor was eager to answer.

“I had just done a summer program where I had taken music history, so I was ready to flex, and my hand shot right up,” Taylor recalls. “I started naming all the male names and [the speaker] goes, ‘OK, what about the women?’ ”

The presenter shared that Felix Mendelssohn had a talented composer sister named Fanny. Mozart’s wife, Constanze, was an accomplished musician, and Mozart’s sister was a child prodigy who wrote music.

“You automatically think of the men, but the women were just as important—or could have been—if they had been given voices,” Taylor says. “That really inspired me to learn more.”

This was all part of a series hosted by the Boulanger Initiative, when different women musicians came to the private girls school over a few weeks to give talks during Taylor’s junior year.

It was an eye-opening and motivational experience, says Taylor, 18, who lives in Potomac. She started a double degree program in creative writing and vocal performance this fall at Johns Hopkins University and the Peabody Conservatory. Her college decision was influenced by hearing female performers share their professional experiences in the Boulanger talks, she says.

“I was really struck by how all of them had communities around them of other women that they were working with. … There were unspoken bonds, and

everybody is helping each other,” Taylor says. “It showed me that even though a career in the arts is really difficult, it is very possible.”

The Boulanger Initiative is all about advocating for women in music through education and research. The nonprofit organization based in Takoma Park hosts school programs to build awareness of gender representation, sponsors concerts showcasing female musicians, and maintains a database of works by women composers. It was established in 2018.

Laura Colgate, 41, and Joy-Leilani Garbutt, 42, both professional musicians, are the organization’s founders. They named it after sisters Nadia and Lili Boulanger, two 20th century classical musicians who broke gender barriers. The co-founders each had done research separately for their doctoral dissertations, unearthing a wealth of amazing music by women composers that wasn’t known or being performed, Colgate says.

Only about 8% of music played by the biggest orchestras in the U.S. is by female composers, Colgate says. While small strides were being made to expand inclusivity, the pair saw a need for a hub organization to coordinate efforts.

“We have so far to go, but we’re really seeing from all corners of the industry that people want to do this work,” Colgate says about highlighting the contributions of women composers. “To be able to find a resource where we can get you moving is invaluable, and we’re seeing a huge hunger for it.”

—Caralee Adams

Amelia Taylor

PHOTO BY LISA HELFERT

GUIDE TO GIVING 2024

• $500 to $1,000: Fully furnishes a new home.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Assist with a yard cleanup or home improvement project.

• Ongoing: Pack Welcome Home baskets for new tenants.

Stepping Stones Shelter (steppingstonesshelter.org) provides emergency shelter, food and case management services for families with children experiencing homelessness in Montgomery County. Located in a large historic home built in 1912, Stepping Stones provides hope for the future, strengthens families and promotes self-sufficiency.

Stepping Stones plans to expand services in Silver Spring that exclusively serve pregnant women without children who are experiencing homelessness, a population often underserved in our region.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville

SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $120 covers one apartment rental application fee for a family.

• $1,000 supports one-on-one job counseling for one adult throughout their stay.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Sort donations, provide tutoring and child care, donate a dinner, help in the kitchen, lead workshops for adults or participate in group volunteer days.

HELP SOMEONE HEAL

SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $100 provides teaching artist fees for one virtual workshop.

• $500 provides a virtual exhibition to celebrate participants’ creativity.

Arts for the Aging (AFTA) (artsfortheaging.org) aims to ensure that more than 1,000 older adults in our region can age with creativity through multidisciplinary arts programming. AFTA delivers regular workshops year-round in which participants paint, tango, play the drums, write poetry, perform improv and more. Intergenerational programs, handson artmaking, and a senior dance company promote deeper connection through the arts, while therapeutic workshops for professional and family caregivers ensure that those who care for older adults have a space to connect.

HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg

ArtStream (art-stream.org) provides challenging arts opportunities for adults with disabilities and encourages them to be artists as well as audience members. ArtStream’s six inclusive theater companies and four cabaret companies invite actors with intellectual and developmental disabilities—including autism—to collaborate with theater professionals and trained volunteer mentors to build skills while developing and presenting original musical theater productions. Participants can also take theater-based classes to boost self-confidence and strengthen communications. Super Social Saturday workshops help participants learn how to socialize, let loose and have fun.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville

SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $100 provides two students access to a Super Social Saturday

• $250 provides a skills-building and friendship-building class for 15 students.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Ongoing: Serve in a variety of drama and social skills classes, help at events.

CaringMatters (caringmatters.org) helps children express their feelings and acquire vitally important coping strategies through its children’s bereavement programs. Specially trained volunteers guide the Good Grief Club, a bereavement group for children at county public schools. Camp Erin, an annual weekend camp for children ages 8 to 17, supports children through grief work intertwined with camp activities. Adults dealing with loss or life-threatening illness get help from Volunteer Helping Hands, which offers companionship, respite for caregivers, and help with errands and household tasks. Adult Bereavement Groups enable people experienc -

Girls on the Run A Making wellness a priority for kids

bigail Rivas says she was nervous about joining an after-school running team. “I didn’t like running until I got to Girls on the Run,” says Abigail, a fifth grader at Watkins Mill Elementary School in Montgomery Village. “I learned that running is really good for you, and it’s fun at the same time.”

Abigail mentions the practices, being with friends and the satisfaction of completing a 5K each season as reasons she’s enjoyed being part of Girls on the Run, a nonprofit organization with a local chapter based in Rockville. She likes to sprint to the finish line of a race even though she knows she’ll be tired and her legs might shake afterward.

“I do it for fun and I smile—even if I’m dying, I smile,” says Abigail, 10. She often runs with her mom, Francess Rivas, a wellness trainer at Watkins Mill and volunteer coach with Girls on the Run, which begins in third grade. Rivas, 37, is a marathoner who set track records in her home country of Bolivia before moving to the U.S. as a teenager. She says she has a passion for running that she tries to pass on to the girls—along with other life lessons.

“We try to empower our girls and tell them how important they are,” Rivas says. She encourages girls who’ve never run to start by walking and slowly push themselves. Before the girls lace up their shoes for practice, they follow activities provided by Girls on the Run that cover friendship and other topics to develop their socialemotional skills. Once on the track, the volunteer

coaches, who are parents and teachers, get creative to make it fun. For instance, they might have half the girls do laps in one direction and half in the other so they can high-five each other as they pass.

“I tell the parents it’s not just exercise. We are trying to teach the girls to be more independent and feel strong,” Rivas says.

In Montgomery County, Girls on the Run offers 10-week programs in the fall and spring for girls through eighth grade at public and private schools. Typically, there are about 100 teams each season and about a third of the girls receive financial aid (with money raised from contributions from individuals, sponsors and grants) to participate, according to Bethesda’s Elizabeth McGlynn, executive director. While the goal is to complete a 5K at the end of the season, the program focuses on the positive development of the whole child, she says.

“It’s running with a purpose,” McGlynn says. “It’s about building these girls’ confidence and giving them the tools to navigate through adulthood.”

Rivas says she’s seen her daughter improve as a runner and become a leader, recruiting and welcoming new girls to the team.

For Abigail, her Girls on the Run experience has motivated her go out for track and cross-country in middle school—and aspire to become an Olympian. “I don’t like that most kids are like, ‘Girls are slow. They can’t do anything,’” Abigail says. “I want to show them I can go fast.”

—Caralee Adams

From left, Francess and Abigail Rivas

PHOTO BY LISA HELFERT

GUIDE TO GIVING 2024

ing loss to share their stories, learn from one another and heal.

HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg

SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $100 provides a seriously ill client with a two-hour, inperson visit.

• $500 provides one child access to seven sessions of the Good Grief Club.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Ongoing: Facilitate support groups and provide social and emotional support and companionship.

Community Reach of Montgomery County (cmrocks.org) provides medically underserved adults with health education and quality care (including the treatment of COVID-19), in person and via telehealth through its health clinic. Senior Reach provides assistance for low-income seniors to age in place, with volunteer callers providing human connection. During a financial crisis, any client can call the emergency financial assistance program to get help with prescription costs, prevent utility shutoffs or eviction, and receive referrals to other social services. Language and citizenship classes for adult learners and tutoring for children are much in demand, while a housing program provides permanent supportive housing with case management and life skills development to men and women who were previously homeless.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville

SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $100 provides two learners access to a semester of language class and two semesters’ worth of books.

• $250 provides one patient with two weeks of insulin and supplies.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Ongoing: Serve as tutors and friendly callers, assist at the health clinic and housing program, and at events.

• One day: Assist with the Holiday Giving program.

volunteers with lived experience lead classes and support groups grounded in established, evidence-based resources, helping individuals, families and caregivers access critical information and feel less alone. In addition to free programs, NAMI-MC’s communities of peers conduct advocacy and outreach to break the silence around mental health.

National

Alliance on Mental

Illness—Montgomery

County (NAMI-MC) (namimc.org) envisions a future where all people affected by mental illness live healthy and fulfilling lives supported by a community that cares. Trained

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville

SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $50 covers a support group for 20 individuals.

• $500 provides training for four volunteers living with mental illness.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Ongoing: Serve as a facilitator (for individuals with relevant lived experience).

INSPIRE LOCAL YOUTHS

The Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence (bandbcoalition.org) strives to ensure that all MCPS students, particularly Black and brown, have equitable access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive. The coalition elevates the lived experiences of Black and brown students to inform decision-makers and influence policy and practice at the system level.

HEADQUARTERED: Montgomery County

SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $500 supports coaching for parents to speak out for academic supports their children need.

• $1,000 or more supports a community forum for collective action by the Black and brown communities.

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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Ongoing: Support community forums, both virtual and in person, with translation, interpretation or transportation.

Community Bridges (CB) (communitybridges-md.org) empowers girls from diverse backgrounds in elementary, middle and high schools to become exceptional students, positive leaders and healthy young women. Each year the organization supports more than 500 girls at 20 public schools in discovering their unique identity, voice and potential through leadership development, college and career

GUIDE TO GIVING 2024

readiness, family support and mentoring.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $250 covers annual activity fees for 10 girls in the program.

• $1,600 sponsors one girl for the year.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Deliver food or supplies, or support CB events.

• Monthly: Mentor a middle school or high school student.

Crittenton Services of Greater Washington (crittentonservices.org) helps more than 1,000 teenage girls annually achieve academic success, make healthy choices and chart their own bright futures. Through proven curricula, Crittenton helps teenage girls believe in their ability to succeed—even in the face of significant challenges. The organization’s programs teach teenage girls to value their education and relationships, and to speak up for their needs.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $250 pays for a parent to attend workshops on supporting their teen daughter academically and emotionally.

• $2,500 underwrites the costs for a Crittenton teen for an entire year.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Help with supply drives for students.

• Ongoing: Serve as an executive adviser or board member.

Girls on the Run of Montgomery County (GOTR) (girlsontherunofmoco.org) combines running with socialemotional learning for girls in grades three through eight. Meeting twice a week for 10 weeks, they explore their emotions and build self-confidence in small groups with volunteer coaches. To ensure that every girl who wants to participate can, GOTR supplies free running shoes, commu -

GUIDE TO GIVING 2024

nicates in English and Spanish, offers accessibility support for girls with disabilities, and provides about 35% of its participants with financial assistance. Since its first season in 2007, almost 50,000 girls have crossed the 5K finish line (the program’s celebratory milestone), showing themselves how much they can accomplish.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $100 provides one team with social-emotional learning materials and activities.

• $500 provides new running shoes for one team at a highneed school.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Support the 5K race event.

• Ongoing: Become a team coach.

Horizons Greater Washington (horizonsgreaterwashington.org) connects underserved K-8 students to academic and holistic experiences, including swimming and social-emotional support, over the summers and during the school year. Students enter as kindergarteners and leave for high school with essential skills, networks and motivation. Horizons serves more than 420 students— inclusive of mental health support—at no cost and removing barriers such as transportation and meals. Most students gain more than seven months in reading and math skills during the summer and attend school 2½ times more regularly than their peers.

HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. SERVES: Metro region

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $100 covers books and high-quality curricular supplies for one student.

• $1,000 provides swim instruction for five students.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Weekly: Serve as a guest speaker, classroom volunteer or tutor.

management, nonclinical emotional support and counseling. HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $100 provides a semester’s transportation for two workforce clients, enabling them to participate in internships or attend career training.

Identity (identity-youth.org) works with more than 10,000 Latino and other historically underserved youths and their families, benefiting more than 50,000 residents annually at school, in the community and on playing fields. Identity helps youths develop social-emotional skills, improve at school and get ready for work, and provides family case

• $500 trains a cohort of community members to cofacilitate nonclinical emotional support groups, helping neighbors and family cope with anxiety, stress and other difficult emotions.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Help with a backpack drive, sports tournaments and other events during school holidays. Also, volunteer photographers are needed.

PAVE THE PATH TO COLLEGE

Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES)— Montgomery College Foundation (acesmontgomery.org) empowers students who are historically underrepresented in higher education to attain a bachelor’s degree and achieve professional success. As a dynamic collaboration involving MCPS, Montgomery College and The Universities at Shady Grove, ACES offers a structured and nurturing pathway toward college completion. Staff provide academic coaching and career experiences to more than 2,500 students each year.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $250 helps a student purchase textbooks for one semester.

• $1,000 provides a scholarship that keeps a student working toward their degree.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Share a career story as a guest speaker or offer career shadow experiences.

• Ongoing: Offer an opportunity to an intern.

CollegeTracks (collegetracksusa.org) believes every student deserves a pathway to prosperity. Its volunteers and staff empower hundreds of students who are the first in their families to go to college, primarily from immigrant and low-income households, to get through postsecondary education and on a career path. This includes one-on-one

GUIDE TO GIVING 2024

coaching to navigate the college application process, apply for scholarships and access financial aid. CollegeTracks serves 2,000 students each year.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $250 helps one high school senior submit the FAFSA (two hours of support).

• $1,500 provides one year of postsecondary admissions and financial advising for a high school senior (99% are accepted into college or postsecondary education).

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Weekly: Help students navigate the postsecondary admissions and financial aid processes and build networks.

SPARK SOMEONE’S IMAGINATION

Boulanger Initiative (boulangerinitiative.org) promotes

music by women and gender-marginalized composers. Its programs aim to enrich the collective understanding of what composers look like and what music can be. It promotes music composed by women through performance, education, research, consulting and commissions.

HEADQUARTERED: Takoma Park SERVES: Metro region

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $100 sponsors a Wikipedia edit-a-thon, where volunteers improve topics about gender-marginalized composers. The initiative has added more than 20,000 words to Wikipedia on these topics.

• $500 supports a local K-12 school visit, providing education about women composers in history and empowering students to become composers and creators.

Carpe Diem Arts (carpediemarts.org) brings the arts to the community through early childhood programs, ukulele

GUIDE TO GIVING 2024

and songwriting classes, after-school activities, classes for seniors, summer camps, community sings and dances. Mostly free to participants, these programs are funded by host sites, grants and donations. Programs take place at schools, libraries, residential housing, senior centers and more. These programs empower individuals, strengthen communities and help build better futures.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $50 gives the gift of instrument ownership to a third or fourth grader in a ukulele program at a Title I school.

• $375 provides preschoolers with memorable, developmentally appropriate and culturally diverse arts experiences that build kindergarten readiness.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Weekly: Assist staff with social media.

Community Building Art Works (CBAW) (cbaw.org) builds bridges between veterans and residents using the language of creative expression to promote empathy, foster understanding and build authentic community. CBAW provides consistent, accessible and free creative writing and art workshops. The in-person and virtual events serve more than 7,500 veterans and military-connected people each year.

HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Metro region

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $25 provides a one-hour art or writing workshop for one veteran.

• $500 covers a one-hour art or writing workshop for up to 20 veterans or military-connected people.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Help with CBAW’s A Day of Belonging event at Strathmore Mansion.

• Monthly: Assist with tabling at promotional events.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $50 provides one scholarship for a two-hour workshop (e.g., The Smartphone Documentarian).

• $500 provides one scholarship for a teen summer workshop.

Docs In Progress (docsinprogress.org) believes everyone has a story. Docs fosters a supportive and diverse community for documentary filmmakers of all ages and expertise by offering workshops and classes, as well as public screenings for the communities they serve. These films and filmmakers share personal stories that reflect social and cultural issues found on the local and global stage.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: In-house and off-site event support.

• Weekly: In-house marketing support.

Friends of the Library, Montgomery County (FOLMC) (folmc.org) works to strengthen, promote and champion Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) in order to better serve the learning interests and needs of the diverse communities of the county. FOLMC operates two bookstores for used books and runs book sales at local libraries to fund library enhancements.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville

SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $100 supports the Mosaic Creative Writing Program for middle schoolers to express their culture through writing and become published authors.

• $500 supports MCPL’s World Language Collection, including Spanish, Chinese and French books and materials.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Support pop-up book sales and other special events.

• Weekly: Support FOLMC branch book sales at local libraries.

Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture (glenechopark.org) manages and maintains one of the most vibrant arts and cultural centers in the Washington, D.C., area. More than 300,000 people of all ages visit the park annually to renew their creative spirit through classes, camps, festivals, exhibitions, social dances, children’s theater and musical performances. The park is home to a historic Dentzel carousel and the Spanish Ballroom.

HEADQUARTERED: Glen Echo SERVES: Metro region

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $50 pays for 25 carousel tickets for students from a Title I school.

• $500 covers artist fees for a free park festival.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

GUIDE TO GIVING 2024

• One day: Help with festivals at Glen Echo Park.

• Weekly: Assist staff with administrative tasks.

Hope Garden Children’s Ballet Theatre (HGCBT) (hopegardencbt.org) provides opportunities for artists in Poolesville to perform in high-quality dance and performing arts productions. It provides accessible, artistically excellent dance for the community by bringing in established choreographers and guest artists from locations such as Washington, D.C., New York City and Baltimore.

HEADQUARTERED: Poolesville SERVES: Metro region

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $1 to $499 reduces artist performance fees that help pay for the venue, videography, photography and costumes.

• $500 supports a guest choreographer stipend, underwriting a third of the cost.

• One day: Setup/cleanup, or concessions help for two major productions (December and May/June)

• Weekly: Assist in the planning and preparation of productions, or grant writing.

Imagination Stage (imaginationstage.org) empowers all young people to discover their voice and identity through performing arts education and professional theater. With 35% of students participating in programs for free, Imagination Stage has reached 1.55 million young people and families since 1979 with its professional theater, education programs, and Theatre for Change initiative.

HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

SSL I

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• $250 provides tickets for one third grade class to experience a live professional theater performance at Imagination Stage.

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

Stepping Stones Shelter

Giving families a

path

to stable housing

Khrystal Wallace says she’s had some ups and downs in her life, but never had a problem getting a job. However, when she moved from Kentucky to Maryland to take care of her sick mother in 2021, she couldn’t find work.

Wallace and her two children eventually were experiencing homelessness. After moving in and out of various hotels and shelters in Montgomery County, the 32-year-old says she was able to turn things around thanks to Stepping Stones Shelter. The shelter is a historic 5,500-square-foot farmhouse in Rockville. It typically houses six families that share common areas, including a kitchen and large backyard. About 95% of families move on to stable housing within 90 days, according to the shelter’s website.

“They don’t make you feel like you’re in a shelter. They make you feel like you’re home,” Wallace says of the nonprofit, which provides emergency shelter, food and case management.

At Stepping Stones, Wallace says she found support and a sense of community. The staff listened to her needs as they helped her navigate the job market and get on solid financial footing. She says she formed lasting friendships with some of the other residents. “I reminded myself that I am not my situation. And this too shall pass,” Wallace says. “I have to do better for not only my children, but for me first, because I have to do better for me in order to do better for them.”

Wallace eventually landed a full-time job as a

security guard and moved her family into an apartment in Rockville. She has stayed in touch with Stepping Stones, which offers post-shelter support services. Wallace also volunteers at the shelter—speaking at workshops and cooking for residents.

“I’ve been in the situation of these young women and men,” Wallace says. “I want to show them that, ‘Hey. I was here two years ago. My first year transitioning out wasn’t easy.’ … I like that I’m able to give back, and I bring my children with me.”

Stepping Stones, which was established in 1982, works closely with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services to connect with people in need of assistance. “We provide more than a bed to sleep in,” says Stacey Gold, Stepping Stones’ executive director. “Every family is assessed for what their barriers are [and] a treatment or case plan is formulated that targets each person’s individual barriers to achieving housing.”

The shelter connects families with resources such as job coaching, mental health care, legal services, and classes on employment skills and the English language. The organization offers tutoring for children, and workshops on parenting, budgeting and wellness. “We really focus on the strengths of the families and we use a traumainformed approach,” Gold says. “We’re not interested in making the situation a punitive one. We want to lift, inspire and help where we can.”

—Caralee Adams

BY

Khrystal Wallace

PHOTO

LISA HELFERT

GUIDE TO GIVING 2024

• $1,000 funds a Theatre for Change performance on tour at a Montgomery County or D.C. public middle school or high school.

InterAct Story Theatre (interactstory.com) creates original interactive plays designed expressly for kids and the grownups who love them. InterAct’s professional touring theater and extensive arts education programs weave together drama, music and dance with content curricula for all ages. The popular monthly Wheaton Family Theatre Series (free and open to the public) gives families the opportunity to engage in live theater and includes the annual KidStory Theatre Festival, which features original creative writing by kids, for kids.

HEADQUARTERED: Wheaton SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $150 sponsors a creative drama workshop for one classroom.

• $500 sponsors a theatrical performance for an elementary school.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Serve as ushers or youth craft table supervisors at performances.

Kalanidhi Dance (kalanidhi.org) inspires appreciation for Kuchipudi dance through artistic excellence, creative performances, high-quality educational programs and collaborations. More than 20,000 people have attended Kalanidhi’s live and virtual performances, and its Salon Series and Dancing Stories programs. Kalanidhi has a worldwide reach of more than 10 million viewers through social media performances.

HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $150 provides necessary supplies for an annual children’s camp.

50,000 pounds of food 5,000 people fed a month One neighbor at a time

Food insecurity is worse today than at the height of the pandemic—and Nourishing Bethesda is committed to helping our neighbors-in-need with abundant, free, and nutritious food. Located at BCC Rescue Squad in the heart of Bethesda, we run on volunteers and generous donors, along with support from several dozen local civic, faith, and business organizations. Come join us and see how you can make a real difference right here in your own community!

ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE LOCAL HOUSEHOLDS SUFFERS FROM FOOD INSECURITY!

GUIDE TO GIVING 2024

• $500 pays a trimester of tuition for one student who needs a scholarship.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Help with special events.

• Weekly: Assist staff with administrative and pre-event tasks or remotely assist with social media content creation and grant writing.

Round House Theatre (roundhousetheatre.org) offers theatrical and educational experiences that inspire empathy and demand conversation. Each year it produces a full season of contemporary plays, musicals and modern classics for 40,000 patrons and offers year-round educational programming for 5,000 students of all ages.

HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Metro region

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $1,000 underwrites 20 tickets for high school students to attend a student matinee.

• $500 sponsors dinner for 50 teens at a Teen Night.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Usher performances.

Strathmore (strathmore.org) is a nonprofit multidisciplinary arts center, producing and presenting accessible and affordable events each year in its music center, mansion and 16-acre campus. Strathmore’s Bloom initiatives are designed to facilitate access to the arts beyond its campus through creative partnerships with local organizations, schools and artists.

HEADQUARTERED: North Bethesda SERVES: Metro region

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $500 brings 30 Montgomery County Public Schools second graders to The Music Center for a free curriculumenriched classical concert.

• $1,000 provides one MCPS middle schooler six weeks of free after-school music coaching at their school.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

urban dance-focused studio in the Washington, D.C., area, Urban Artistry serves as a cultural ambassador for often unsung communities. It develops collaborations that support artists past, present and future. The focus is on dance forms born in Black and brown urban communities: breaking, house dance, hip-hop, popping, locking, punking and more.

• One day: Help with special events.

• Monthly: Usher performances.

Urban Artistry (urbanartistry.org) is an internationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to the performance and preservation of art forms inspired by the urban experience. Founded in 2005 by Junious Lee Brickhouse as the first

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $50 supports weekly classes for two youths.

• $500 brings artists respected as elders in urban dance styles to the area.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Weekly: Assist staff with administrative and pre-event tasks.

Vikara Village (vikaravillage.org) uses the communal spirit of mind-body practices, such as movement and the arts, to empower individuals to reach their full potential. It has served more than 2,600 individuals since its founding in 2016. It exists to provide an accessible alternative and complement to traditional mental health services.

HEADQUARTERED: Takoma Park SERVES: Montgomery County

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $250 pays for one trauma-informed mind-body session.

• $500 supports the design of a mind-body healing curriculum.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Weekly: Assist with administrative duties.

Young Artists of America (YAA) (yaa.org) offers transformative musical theater education and performance opportunities to a diverse group of students in third through 12th grades, throughout the Washington, D.C., area. Students perform with a full symphonic youth orchestra in state-ofthe-art venues such as The Music Center at Strathmore. YAA’s award-winning Summer Performing Arts Intensives camps help students find their voice.

HEADQUARTERED: North Bethesda

SERVES: Metro region

WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $150 provides one student with costume and dance shoes for the season.

• $500 pays for one orchestra student’s annual tuition.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Help with a YAA special event.

• Weekly: Provide administrative or production support.

GUIDE TO GIVING 2024

STRENGTHEN THE SAFETY NET

Adventist Community Services of Greater Washington (ACSGW) (acsgw.org) reaches out to vulnerable residents and works with them to build independence and self-sufficiency. Donations of food, clothing, diapers, holiday baskets and more support clients who need help making ends meet during tough times. During COVID, ACSGW provided meals for 20,000 families, and 50,000 diapers, per month. Now, eight-week courses in English and computers at its Learning Center boost job prospects, while training in computer repair and technical certifications increases earning power. Fitness programs and learning camps empower youths to make healthy choices and shape their own futures. ACSGW serves nearly 3,000 families.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $100 provides one immigrant with three weeks of language training.

• $250 helps provide diapers for 250 infants for a month.

Housing Initiative Partnership (HIP) (hiphomes.org) develops innovative affordable housing, revitalizes neighborhoods and equips people to achieve their housing and financial goals. HIP builds affordable rental apartments and for-sale homes, and provides a full range of housing and financial counseling services to at-risk renters, first-time homebuyers and struggling homeowners.

HEADQUARTERED: Hyattsville SERVES: Maryland WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $100 covers a one-night hotel stay and meal for a homeless family awaiting placement.

• $500 covers food and supplies for a holiday meal for 50

AfriThrive

Helping people flourish through food

lizabeth Kilwake was born in Kenya and raised by a single mother who taught her five children how to farm. When she moved to the United States in 1983, Kilwake brought seeds with her so she could continue to grow her favorite vegetables.

Kilwake, 62, lives in Silver Spring and has three children, three grandchildren and a garden in her backyard with a variety of plants that are important in Kenya, such as managu (a leafy green) and cowpeas (a kind of legume). She says the produce reminds her of home as well as being flavorful and nutritious.

A few years ago, Kilwake discovered AfriThrive, a Silver Spring-based nonprofit that grows and distributes food, including vegetables commonly found in Africa. The organization works to provide culturally appropriate food, encourage healthy lifestyles, and engage clients in education programs to promote independence.

Kilwake received some food assistance and then began to volunteer at AfriThrive’s weekly mobile food pantry and help at its community farm in Poolesville.

“Giving food to other families has really lifted me emotionally and physically, knowing that I’m reaching out and making a difference,” Kilwake says. “I see women who started getting vegetables two years ago … and I see the change in their health.”

It can be difficult for new arrivals in the U.S. to adapt to the American diet, says Truphena Choti, the founder of AfriThrive. Access to familiar food can help them ease the transi -

tion, she says.

“I came as a young mother and remember struggling to find the right food for my children,” says Choti, 54, who lives in Aspen Hill and is originally from Kenya. “They didn’t want pasta or pizza.”

Her experience led her to start community gardening and sharing her produce with others. After working in international nonprofits for years, Choti says she launched AfriThrive to serve immigrants in need in the Washington, D.C., area.

Every Friday, AfriThrive staff and volunteers fill nearly 250 grocery bags with its fresh vegetables and donations from food banks, including Manna Food Center’s warehouse in Gaithersburg and DC Central Kitchen in the District. People pick up the bags at Renewed Seventh-day Adventist Church in Aspen Hill.

In addition to its food pantry and beginner farming programs, the organization connects clients with social services. AfriThrive partners with professionals to offer workshops on financial literacy, credit building and entrepreneurship. Its small business development program teaches skills in business planning, management, marketing and sustainability.

Kilwake’s involvement in AfriThrive has given her a sense of community. “I belong to a group that does what I love doing,” she says. “I grew up on a farm … we plow, we plant, we harvest, we eat. So it has connected me to people that also love farming in America.”

—Caralee Adams

BY

Elizabeth Kilwake

PHOTO

LISA HELFERT

GUIDE TO GIVING 2024

low-income seniors at HIP’s properties.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Help at an outreach event, groundbreaking or ribbon-cutting ceremony.

• Ongoing: Participate in monthly food distributions at HIP’s senior properties.

GROW A GREENER TOMORROW

AfriThrive (afrithrive.org) seeks to advance food justice and equity for underserved African immigrants through programming focused on alleviating hunger and improving well-being. It provides access to culturally appropriate healthy food, youth skills development, and economic opportunities. The organization operates a mobile food

pantry, a 2-acre cultural farm, and school and community gardens alongside training programs designed to stabilize families. The food pantry serves more than 21,000 people every year.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $100 sponsors a one-year community garden permit and provides seeds for one family.

• $500 provides culturally appropriate healthy produce bags for 60 families.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

SSL I

• One day: Volunteer on Fridays for food repacking and distribution in Aspen Hill.

• Ongoing: Plant, weed, water and harvest at the Poolesville farm.

Other Ways to Give GUIDE TO GIVING 2024

ARTS AND HUMANITIES COUNCIL OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY (AHCMC)

creativemoco.com

AHCMC is a nonprofit organization that cultivates and supports excellence and equity in the arts and humanities, expands access to cultural expression, and contributes to the economic vitality of Montgomery County’s multifaceted creative sector. As Maryland’s largest and most active government-designated local arts agency, AHCMC provides leadership, capacity-building support, and professional

development resources to the county’s vibrant arts and humanities community. Donations to AHCMC support programs that provide grants, promotional services, and emergency assistance to the diverse array of artists, practitioners and cultural nonprofits that call Montgomery County home; bring arts education to Montgomery County Public Schools classrooms; maintain and manage public art for all residents; and uplift individuals and organizations across the local arts and cultural industries.

GREATER WASHINGTON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (GWCF)

thecommunityfoundation.org

The Community Foundation was created to lead, mobilize and ignite the power of philanthropy. For more than 50 years, it has served as a trusted adviser and navigator, helping thousands of individuals, families, businesses and government partners make a meaningful difference throughout the community. In addition to helping donors support their favorite causes, The Community Foundation makes it easy to give locally through Sharing Montgomery, a fund it runs that supports programs

SPUR LOCAL

spurlocal.org

Spur Local (formerly the Catalogue for Philanthropy) believes in the power of small nonprofits to spark big change together. Every day, Spur Local works to create a more resilient and equitable region by cultivating critical connections between residents and the nonprofits in their neighborhoods. Over the last 20 years, Spur Local has raised more than $65 million for a network of nearly 500 nonprofits making a difference in

in Montgomery County that aim to build stronger communities and help people succeed. With expert facilitation by The Community Foundation’s staff, donors to Sharing Montgomery learn about the needs in the community, and a rigorous annual vetting process evaluates the charities that receive money for strong leadership, fiscal management and program excellence. Donations to Sharing Montgomery can help touch the lives of thousands of neighbors, while also working to build more equitable, just and enriching communities where all residents can live, work and thrive.

the metro region. Knowing that sustainable organizations are key to facilitating change, Spur Local has grown to become the largest nonprofit capacity builder in the region. All programming—including professional development—is tailored specifically to community-based organizations operating with small teams and budgets. Donors to Spur Local can lift up local nonprofits making a positive impact close to home today and strengthen civic infrastructure in this region to make a collective impact tomorrow.

PHILANTHROPIST OF THE YEAR

Bob Buchanan

Bridge Builder

How a longtime regional advocate from Potomac brings

bold vision to local nonprofits

BY CARALEE ADAMS

On an early September evening at the Kid Museum in Bethesda, Bob Buchanan mingles at a reception with members of the county council and school board, along with fellow business leaders, including a potential museum donor he invited. It’s just the kind of mix of public and private interests that the real estate developer likes to see come together for a good cause. Buchanan, 81, talks up the nonprofit, noting how it’s an asset to the region, providing hands-on learning opportunities that can spark children’s curiosity and enhance their education. For nearly a decade, he has been an enthusiastic supporter of the museum, offering advice and financial contributions that enabled it to grow, tripling in size with a move to a space near the Bethesda Metro station. Buchanan, who lives in Potomac, is

known as a connector, helping nonprofit leaders who work in education, the arts and the environment expand their networks and impact. He has applied the strategic thinking and planning skills he honed as a successful developer to a variety of organizations and initiatives to promote the Washington, D.C., area. He was the first chair of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) and started the 2030 Group, an association of business leaders that coalesces around regional economic issues.

“He really has such a strong vision for what this community needs in terms of economic development from a holistic perspective,” says Cara Lesser, Kid Museum’s founder and executive director. “He has been a mentor in not only making introductions but in how to develop relationships to move things forward—

PHOTO

Opposite: Bob Buchanan at the Kid Museum in Bethesda

to build on how we can come together in this trusted, collaborative space … to make a difference.”

For giving his time, inspiring others to serve, and donating generously to many charitable causes, the Community Foundation of Montgomery County has named Buchanan the 2024 Philanthropist of the Year.

Buchanan grew up watching his parents— his dad a home builder and his mom a homemaker—doing what they could to make the community better.

In the 1950s, his father was active in supporting the integration of Montgomery County boys baseball. For Buchanan, who lived in Kensington’s Rock Creek Hills, playing with kids in the nearby historically Black neighborhood of KenGar made an impression. “People really learned to respect and appreciate the community getting together,” Buchanan says. “That was the beginning of my awareness of the entire community.”

A 1960 graduate of the Landon School in Bethesda, he was president of the student council during his senior year. He

Buchanan, left, with Bernard Scott, a member of Potomac’s Scotland African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Zion Church

studied history and political science at Yale University, graduating in 1964, and then enlisting in the U.S. Navy. He served for six years, including an assignment in Japan during the Vietnam War as the communications officer in charge of teams conducting special operation teams throughout Southeast Asia.

“The military was good at training you to do the unexpected,” Buchanan says. He and his wife, Sharon, who married in 1965, first settled in Rockville.

Buchanan initially didn’t want to join his father’s home-building business, but says his mother told him he was needed. He came back from Japan to Montgomery County and worked with the family businesses, eventually carving out a niche in commercial real estate and mixed-use development, spinning off his own company, Buchanan Partners.

In 1984, the Buchanans moved to Potomac and Bob regularly drove to Northern Virginia, where many of his public-private partnership construction projects were located. Working with people from various jurisdictions positioned him well to build relationships that bridged sectors and geography.

A high point of Buchanan’s work was helping market the D.C. region to Amazon when it was deciding where to locate its new headquarters in 2018. His 2030 Group prepared reports and made presentations detailing why the region was desirable, highlighting the educational institutions and transportation infrastructure.

“[Amazon leadership] recognized the region had all the ingredients,” Buchanan says of the company’s selection of Arlington, Virginia, for its second headquarters,

HQ2. “We can’t miss opportunities because we think our part of the region is better than the rest. It’s all got to be one,” Buchanan says, noting that new business anywhere in the area is beneficial to all.

About 40 business leaders volunteered with Buchanan’s 2030 Group. One of them, Craig Ruppert, is the founder and executive chairman of the Ruppert Companies in Laytonsville.

He says the group fostered communication with elected officials and a new level of cooperation that had a significant impact on laws, zoning, taxes and better planning. “Bob had the vision and the talent to articulate the vision,” Ruppert says.

Friends say a hallmark of Buchanan’s leadership is his ability to listen. He can get diverse parties around a table, draw out different perspectives, and motivate people to act.

“Bob has a unique ability to bring people together with different perspectives and agree on a common agenda,”

BOB BUCHANAN

Age: 81

Lives in: Potomac

Education: B.A., Yale University Family: Wife, Sharon; daughters Shannon Stephens, 57 (Lexington, Kentucky); Kirsten Quigley, 55 (Potomac); and son, Ryan Buchanan, 49 (Portland, Oregon); nine grandchildren; three greatgrandchildren

Occupation: Founder of Buchanan Partners, a real estate development and investment firm based in Bethesda

Philanthropy highlights: Founder, 2030 Group (2009); chair, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (2015-2019); member, Montgomery Moving Forward Leadership Group (2012-present); board chair, VisArts (2008-2013); adviser, Kid Museum (2014-present)

says Sharon Friedman, co-founder and consultant with Montgomery Moving Forward (MMF), a cross-sector collective impact initiative that Buchanan has been involved with for more than a decade, championing efforts to address workforce development, early care and education.

If Buchanan’s not familiar with an issue, he does his research—as was the case when MMF was considering action on child care policy and he solicited input from parents, educators and politicians. With his own children grown, Buchanan admits he was far removed and needed help understanding the problem.

“It took him a nanosecond, once introduced to the data … to realize how important [supporting child care] was to the business community to get engaged,” says Kevin Beverly of Bethesda, who worked alongside Buchanan at MMF and later became chair of the MCEDC. Not only did Buchanan take steps to elevate

the issue in Montgomery County, he advocated for it in the region, Beverly adds.

Terry Forde, former president and chief executive officer of Adventist HealthCare, worked with Buchanan at MCEDC and the Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, where Buchanan’s a member of the board and has been a major donor—most recently to help fund the hospital’s new tower. “He knows a lot about what makes an area thrive to meet the needs of a growing community,” Forde says. “He’s got a curious personality. … He’s willing to ask direct, hard questions. He’s knowledgeable and he cares.”

Now retired, Buchanan says he makes an excuse to pop into his company’s downtown Bethesda office a couple of times a week to weigh in on projects. His community involvement continues, too. He

says he financially supports several organizations (37 entities in 2023, including about a dozen donations between $5,000 and $50,000) and offers his business advice to nonprofit executives.

Buchanan and his wife share a love of the arts: Sharon had an art consulting business for years. In Rockville, Buchanan was board chair of VisArts from 2008 to 2013 and was instrumental in helping the nonprofit organization raise $3 million to build out its 3-story, 25,000-squarefoot facility in Rockville Town Square about 20 years ago, says Alice Nappy, who leaned on him as a mentor when she became executive director in 2010.

“He was my person I could go to on strategic vision things. He was the person I could ask for money. He opened doors to us to other people who might support VisArts,” Nappy says. “As a person, as a leader in the region … as a businessperson, a philanthropist, and just as

a human being, he is above and beyond.”

Nappy says she learned from Buchanan’s methodical style how to tackle short-, medium- and long-term goals. “He helped me in my approach to running an organization. I did not have a background in running an organization, and he saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself,” she says.

At Identity, a nonprofit serving Latino and other historically underserved youths in Montgomery County, Buchanan connected the organization with employers and provided advice in a direct, but respectful, way that enabled staff to expand its workforce development program from serving about 225 clients two years ago to more than 500 today, says Hope Gleicher, Identity’s chief strategy officer. “He encouraged us to think less incrementally and more boldly about what is needed to grow and sink roots in the workforce development space,” Gleicher says.

For several years, the Buchanans have been engaged supporters of Nature Forward and its GreenKids program, which brings environmental lessons and programming into public schools. The couple has gone into second grade classrooms to serve produce grown by students at “salad science” parties—never identifying themselves as donors, just showing up to volunteer, says Alison Pearce, Nature Forward’s deputy director for programs.

“Bob, above all else, is very kind and caring,” Gallo says. “He takes the time to get to know people. He speaks from his heart, so when he’s seeking your help, the relationship is already so authentic.”

When Buchanan learned that in 2019 the Scotland African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Zion Church in Potomac suffered flooding connected to stormwater management issues from improvements along Seven Locks Road, he wanted to do what he could to help. The 100-year-old church was hand built by members of a community established by formerly enslaved African Americans, and hopes to reopen its doors by New Year’s Eve.

“I went to the business leaders in the region and said, ‘Hey, this isn’t something

of people like Bob and the efforts that they are making. … It means a lot.”

In 2000, the Buchanans set up a family foundation, leaving it to their children and grandchildren to decide how to distribute about $250,000 each year to organizations big and small.

“We felt that our life has been blessed,” Sharon Buchanan says. “And we would love to think that other people could have that happen in their lives.”

Bob has a unique ability to bring people together with different perspectives and agree on a common agenda.

—Sharon Friedman, co-founder and consultant with Montgomery Moving Forward

we normally do, but this is something that is part of our community. We need to be a part of fixing it,’ ” Buchanan says. “We shouldn’t look the other way.”

On Thanksgiving weekend, the family huddles for a meeting to discuss the handful of places they plan to give money. Beyond writing a check, family members often volunteer with the organizations and share their experiences. For instance, Buchanan’s grandkids have chosen to fund Bikes for the World and have organized bike collections, and they donated to the Coral Restoration Foundation and worked on coral reef projects in the Florida Keys.

“It has been empowering at a young age for [the grandkids] to have a voice and a choice,” says his daughter Kirsten Quigley, 55. “It was a great way to feel agency about a place that was important to them.”

At his alma mater, the Landon School, Buchanan is always willing to give his time and resources, says Peter Gallo, director of development. He set up the Buchanan Family Scholarship to cover tuition for students with financial needs, served on the board of trustees twice, has been involved in capital campaigns, and led a financial sustainability project at the school. In recognition of his service and impact, Landon honored him with two alumni awards.

Buchanan donated personally and helped raise about $1 million of the $11 million needed to restore and expand the historic church, according to Gaithersburg’s Bernard Scott, 74, who has been a member of the church for 56 years.

Scott says Buchanan’s contribution is significant.

“To have someone like Bob take the initiative, and not only be a giver himself, but [bring in] his friends … certainly contributes to us saving the legacy of the community,” Scott says. “The history of the people will not be forgotten because

Moving forward, Kirsten’s 25-year-old son, Jack Quigley, says he wants the foundation to continue its mission of funding worthy causes while maintaining personal connections with the work. “The main message [from my grandfather] that’s been instilled to my cousins and [me] is, ‘Yes, we’re giving money, but we can always give our time,’ ” Jack says. “And that, at the end of the day, will impact more change down the road.”

Caralee Adams is a freelance writer based in Bethesda. Highlighting the generosity of community members for this award is among her favorite assignments. This is her sixth Philanthropist of the Year profile.

Ameriprise

HURWITZ WEALTH ADVISORS

A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 620 Bethesda, MD 20814 | 301-263-8509 hurwitzwealthadvisors@ampf.com

PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT: CAROLINE DANGEL, CRPC, ASSOCIATE FINANCIAL ADVISOR; JACKSON WILES, CFP, ASSOCIATE FINANCIAL ADVISOR; DAVID B. HURWITZ, CFP, AIF, RICP, BFA, APMA, CRPC, CRPS, PRIVATE WEALTH ADVISOR; DAVID POWELL, FINANCIAL ADVISOR; ANDREA “NOEL” RODRIGUEZ, CRPC, CLIENT SERVICE MANAGER

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. owns the certification marks CFP, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and CFP certification mark (with plaque design) in the U.S. Ameriprise Financial cannot guarantee future financial results. Client experiences may vary. Ameriprise Financial, Inc. and its affiliates do not offer tax or legal advice. Consumers should consult with their tax advisor or attorney regarding their specific situation. Investment products are not insured by the FDIC, NCUA or any federal agency, are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by any financial institution, and involve investment risks including possible loss of principal and fluctuation in value. Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Securities offered by Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC.

Q What type of client do you spec ialize in?

A Our typical clients are retirees with on e to twenty million in assets. They are intelligent people who want to work with an experienced professional with expertise in financial planning, tax, estate and investment management strategies. They want a trusted confidant who can help them achieve their goals and reduce the time and stress associated with managing their finances. Our clients prefer to engage with us on an ongoing basis to discuss their finances, then return to their lives to enjoy retirement.

Q What makes your client ex perience unique?

A First and foremost, we listen. We learn abou t each of our clients—their goals, personal situation, personality and communication style. This allows us to personalize our advice and address both their financial and emotional needs. Our structured, proactive service model helps clients cut through “the noise” and stay informed about the markets, tax planning and estate-tax law strategies. Services are delivered by a team of professionals, each with a defined role and area of specialization. Our goal is to unburden our clients—to make things as easy as possible for them—and to help them make confident financial decisions so they can get back to living and enjoying their lives.

Burt Wealth Advisors

MARIA CORNELIUS, CFP, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

“We are dedicated financial partners helping our clients and their families preserve and grow their investments for a lifetime so they can live their best lives. We’re proud to have been named one of the Washington, D.C. area’s Top Financial Experts in Washingtonian magazine eleven times through 2023.”

6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 500 North Bethesda, MD 20852

301-770-9880

mcornelius@burtwealth.com BurtWealth.com

For information on awards criteria please see https://burtwealth.com/awardsanddisclosures and click on awards criteria.

Q Why choose Burt Wealth Advisors?

A Our firm has served the metro area for mo re than 30 years. We partner with our clientele, offering an all-in-house financial service that encompasses retirement, tax, estate, and investment management, including Social Security maximization, Medicare filing, and long-term-care planning. Unlike larger institutions, we spend as much time with clients as they need. Being a boutique firm allows us to respond quickly to client needs, get to know our clients and their families, and serve multiple generations. All our advisors are Certified Financial Planners (CFPs), a certification that requires indepth expertise and education in many areas including investments, insurance, taxes, retirement and estate planning. All our CFPs work together as a team, so each client gets the support of a robust group of knowledgeable professionals.

Q How do you measure success?

A Every client is unique. Through our fid uciary-led, objective advice we can help all types of clients who are seeking financial freedom. Our financial advice is customized to each client we serve— never one-size-fits-all. The underlying goal in everything we do is help clients to achieve their desired lifestyle, giving them peace of mind and the tools they need to succeed. We are rooted in the fundamentals of effective financial planning. We love seeing the “lightbulb” go off when a client begins to understand an investment concept for the first time or finally sees a pathway to financial freedom and retirement that they didn’t know existed. With that, they’re more confident and more empowered to live their best lives.

Councilor, Buchanan & Mitchell P.C.

RICHARD

E.

MORRIS, CPA, MST, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT/ DIRECTOR, TAX SERVICES

Councilor, Buchanan & Mitchell (CBM) has provided tax, accounting and advisory services to clients in the Washington, D.C. area and mid-Atlantic region since 1921. CBM is committed to providing exceptional financial solutions to ensure clients’ success, cultivating a diverse and collaborative team and leaving a lasting positive impact in our communities.

7910 Woodmont Ave., Suite 500

Bethesda, MD 20814

301-986-0600

CBMCPA.com

Q What type of clients do you work with?

A We provide tax, accounting and advisory services to closely he ld businesses and individuals facing complex tax situations. We offer holistic, comprehensive tax and financial planning including investment management services through our subsidiary, May Barnhard Investments.

Q What makes your client service approach unique?

A Tax policy is an ever-shifting landscape due to continual ch anges in local and federal laws. CBM is always planning for our clients’ goals, and we advise clients whenever there are changes that impact them. Our goal is to win a client’s faith in us as their trusted advisor.

Q What do you find most satisfying about your job?

A I got into this business to help clients maximize their after-tax we alth. Our clients work hard at their jobs and businesses to take care of their families and communities; CBM’s satisfaction is seeing them succeed and knowing we played a small part in that success. Our team’s expertise provides peace of mind and confidence about the financial road our clients are on.

Q What licenses, credentials or other certifications do you hold—and why do they matter to your clients?

A I’ve accumulated a CPA license, a master’s degree in taxation an d a Series 65 license, but the ultimate credential and the highest priority is my client’s trust. We want CBM’s clients to know they’re working with highly qualified professionals and many of our team members hold several qualifications. We encourage our team members to pursue the most fitting designations as soon as they begin serving clients.

Founders Bank

5225 Wisconsin Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20015 202-792-1600 Founders.bank

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP: MARTIN MCCARTHY, CO-FOUNDER AND CEO; JONATHAN HIGGINS, CO-FOUNDER, PRESIDENT, CHIEF BANKING OFFICER; GERARD MCLOUGHLIN, CO-FOUNDER, EVP, CHIEF CREDIT OFFICER; KAREN GRAU, EVP, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: VINCE BURKE, III, CHAIR; PATRICK DORTON, PINKIE DENT MAYFIELD, MARTIN MCCARTHY, OBIORA (BO) MENKITI, DAVID POLLIN, KELLY SHOOSHAN O'SHEA, CHARLIE TATE

Q What is Founders Bank?

A Founders Bank is a modern version of wh at a community bank should be: onepart technology and one-part local bank. The bank is FDIC insured and officially opened for business in April of 2020 with a full-service branch and corporate offices in the Friendship Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C. They recently opened a loan production office in the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington, VA. Founders Bank seeks to build stronger communities by serving businesses, organizations and the professionals that run them throughout the greater Washington area. Experienced bankers offer business loans, real estate loans—owner occupied, investment, construction and development— deposit and treasury management services and consumer loans.

Q Why do businesses and individuals choose Founders Bank over other banking options?

A Customers choose Founders Bank to e njoy the latest technology, a userfriendly approach to banking and superior customer service provided by local bankers that care about the communities they serve. The pandemic and other recent events reminded many businesses and individuals of the importance of having the right banking partner. Founders Bank wants to be a true banking partner.

Capital Squared Financial

ALEX SELEZNEV, MBA, CFP, CFA

1451 Rockville Pike, Suite 250 | Rockville, MD 20852 240-600-1678 | alex.seleznev@csqfinancial.com CSQFinancial.com

Q What services does your firm provide?

A Our team specializes in helping people who are thinking ab out, transitioning into, or are already in retirement. We help clients avoid costly mistakes and minimize taxes throughout their retirement journey.

Q Why did you decide to focus on retirement planning?

A My father passed away at 70 after spending most of his life wo rrying about money and saving every penny, even when it wasn’t necessary. This personal experience, combined with my extensive professional background, drives my passion for helping my clients enjoy their achievements as wisely and as soon as possible.

Q What is your investment approach?

A We build “fortress” retirement plans that have layers of protection, and present all plans in a clear, straightforward manner. Our clients sleep well at night knowing their future is secure.

Sandbox Financial Partners

BRIAN

SALCETTI, AIF, CIMA, CEO, MANAGING PARTNER

6903 Rockledge Drive, Suite 300 Bethesda, MD 20817

301-214-4190 brian@sandboxfp.com SandboxFP.com

Q Why choose Sandbox Financial Partners?

A At Sandbox Financial Partners, we put you first, helping you buil d a solid financial foundation while planning for the future. Sandbox meshes a boutique feel with large-firm capabilities, offering guidance through important decisions like saving for retirement, managing investments, and protecting your family’s future. Our approach is personalized and handson—we get to know your goals and create a plan that fits your life. And our independent, unbiased advice is always aligned with what’s best for you. Whether you're just starting out or preparing for life's next chapter, we can simplify the process and help you feel more confident about your financial future. At Sandbox, your financial success is our priority, so you can live more and worry less.

Vintage Financial Partners

“We are more than financial planners; we are partners in your financial journey, dedicated to helping you pursue your dreams and secure your legacy.”

5870 Hubbard Drive Rockville, MD 20852 240-283-7879 VintageFP.com

Q Tell us a bit about Vintage Fi nancial Partners.

A We are an ensemble practice of Certified Fi nancial Planners with decades of experience serving Montgomery County. We are a team of caring and knowledgeable professionals on a mission to make the complex simple. That means approaching everything we do with transparency, trust and value. We lead with relationships, building trust and demonstrating true care for the individual and the family as we work together on their goals.

Q What services do you provide?

A We serve our clients with extensive financial planning services, specializing in wealth management for business owners, retirees, parents of college students and more. We also offer retirement income planning, trust services, legacy planning and more. We stand side-by-side with our clients as they navigate their whole financial picture.

Q What makes your client ex perience unique?

A We understand that our clients’ goals an d objectives are completely unique, and we’re passionate about helping them discover and pursue their desired outcomes. Our goal is to be their most trusted advisor by sharing our professional knowledge, transparent insights and personalized investment management services with them and their families.

Q What is your “second opinion service”?

A We extend an offer to review your cu rrent financial plan as it aligns with your goals. If your current financial plan is on track, we will let you know. If some minor adjustments should be made, we will offer that suggestion. If significant improvements are needed, we will offer our services.

Wealthspire  Advisors

POTOMAC, MD

Services that Wealthspire provides:

Investment Advice & Implementation

Estate & Legacy Planning

Next Generation Education

Ph ilanthropic Giving

Ta x Planning, Optimization & Coordination

Wea lth Administration

In surance Planning & Risk Management

Ca sh Flow Planning

Li quidity & Financing Solutions

Co ordination with Other Advisors

Tr ustee Services

12435 Park Potomac Ave., Suite 500

Potomac, MD 20 854

301-564-9500 | Wealthspire.com

Q What defines Wealthspire Advisors?

A Wealthspire boasts a team of ex perienced and talented individuals who work together toward the common goal of delivering thoughtful, collaborative solutions and an elevated and personalized service experience to our clients. Ou r advisors act as wealth managers, investment advisors, consultants and constant partners in helping our clients gain confidence in their financial futures.

Wit h deep expertise in holistic wealth management, we create and implement customized financial solutions for high net worth and ultra high net worth individuals and families. Our advisor team is supported by a dedicated investment team, a wealth strategy team that includes in-house seasoned attorneys and tax advisors, and an operations team that helps to seamlessly deliver solutions and report on results.

Q What qualities do you think a successful financial advisor should have?

A Although technical skills and expertise ar e fundamental to the role, the single most essential quality to being a successful advisor is the ability and willingness to listen and empathize, to create a genuine and trusting relationship with both our clients and staff, and to always act in the best interest of a client.

Bethesda Magazine asked hundreds of local, money-minded professionals for recommendations of their most qualified peers who work as financial advisers, tax accountants, estate and trust preparers, and insurance advisers. The survey results, along with editorial research, form our go-to list of 60 top financial pros—the gold standard for wealth management in Montgomery County and Upper Northwest D.C.

FINANCIAL ADVISORY

Gregory Baker

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management 7501 Wisconsin Ave.

Bethesda

301-215-4424

advisor.ml.com/sites/md/bethesda-md/the_be_ group

Ryan Bowman

Three Oaks Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley 702 King Farm Blvd., Suite 500 Rockville

301-556-2322

advisor.morganstanley.com/three-oaks-wealthmanagement

Ben Brown Entelechy

4800 Hampden Lane, Suite 200 Bethesda 202-770-2007 entelechy.co/about

Alvin Carlos

District Capital Management

4301 50th St. NW, Suite 300 #2030 Washington, D.C. 571-210-2121

districtcapitalmanagement.com/about-us/alvincarlos

Ross Charkatz

Graystone Consulting at Morgan Stanley 12505 Park Potomac Ave., Suite 420 Potomac

301-279-6416

graystone.morganstanley.com/ross.charkatz

Peter Dunne

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management 7501 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 600W Bethesda 301-215-4447

fa.ml.com/dunndunnewallhegenbart

Eric Dunner

Glassman Wealth Services 11810 Grand Park Ave., #500 North Bethesda 301-371-2900

glassmanwealth.com/wisdom/insights/person/ eric-dunner

Ann Marie Etergino

The Etergino Group—RBC Wealth Management 5425 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 301 Chevy Chase 301-907-2772

us.rbcwealthmanagement.com/theeterginogroup

Melanie Folstad

RBC Wealth Management 5425 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 301 Chevy Chase 301-907-2729

us.rbcwealthmanagement.com/melanie.folstad

Deborah Gandy

Chevy Chase Trust 7501 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1500W Bethesda 240-497-5074 chevychasetrust.com/people/deborah-g-gandy

David Giulieri

The Chesapeake Capitol Group at Morgan Stanley 7500 Old Georgetown Road, 10th Floor

Bethesda 301-664-6566

advisor.morganstanley.com/the-chesapeakecapitol-group

Peter Glassman

Wealth Insight Partners 4800 Hampden Lane, Suite 200 Bethesda 703-394-2414

wealthinsightpartners.com/meet-the-team

David Hurwitz

Ameriprise Financial 4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 620 Bethesda 301-263-8509 davidbhurwitz.com

Ashley Iddings

Wealthspire Advisors 12435 Park Potomac Ave., Suite 500 Potomac 301-339-6111

wealthspire.com/our-team/ashley-e-iddingscima-cpwa

Joseph Jacques

Jacques Financial, LLC 1700 E. Gude Drive Rockville 301-738-1303 jacquesfinancial.com

Colin Kimpel

Wealth Insight Partners 4800 Hampden Lane, Suite 200 Bethesda 703-424-2407

wealthinsightpartners.com/meet-the-team

Paula A. Landau

Chevy Chase Trust 7501 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1500W Bethesda 240-497-5062

chevychasetrust.com/people/paula-a-landau-cfp

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB?

Candace Lee FINANCIAL ADVISER | GLASSMAN WEALTH SERVICES

“I like to think our job has some art and some science to what we do: seeing the pieces of the puzzle, crunching numbers.”

Candace Lee

Glassman Wealth Services 11810 Grand Park Ave., #500 North Bethesda 301-371-2900 glassmanwealth.com/wisdom/insights/person/ candace-lee-cfp

Thomas Lee

Lee, Sipe, and Associates—Raymond James 15245 Shady Grove Road, Suite 240 Rockville 301-216-1111

raymondjames.com/lsa/about-us/bio?_=tom.lee

Jeff Leventhal

Hightower Bethesda 7200 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 910 Bethesda 301-202-3584 hightowerbethesda.com/jeff-leventhal.html

Jon Lindenberg

Lindenberg Wealth Management Group of Wells Fargo Advisors

7600 Wisconsin Ave., Ninth Floor Bethesda 301-961-0141 home.wellsfargoadvisors.com/jon.b.lindenberg

Wendy Moyers

Chevy Chase Trust

7501 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1500W Bethesda 240-497-5068 chevychasetrust.com/people/wendy-moyers

Patrick Ortman

Ortman Financial Planning 909 Rose Ave., Fourth Floor North Bethesda

301-799-3140 ortmanfinancial.com

Michael Riley

The Linn Group—RBC Wealth Management 111 Rockville Pike, Suite 825 Rockville

301-309-2622

us.rbcwealthmanagement.com/thelinngroup/ about-us

Adam T. Rorrer

The Potomac Group at Morgan Stanley 7500 Old Georgetown Road, 10th Floor Bethesda 301-961-3329 advisor.morganstanley.com/the-potomac-group

Steve Ross

The Ross Group—RBC Wealth Management 5425 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 301 Chevy Chase 301-907-2760 us.rbcwealthmanagement.com/therossgroup

Brian Salcetti

Sandbox Financial Partners 6903 Rockledge Drive, Suite 300 Bethesda 301-214-4190 sandboxfp.com/brian-salcetti

Bob Scherer

Graystone Consulting from Morgan Stanley 12505 Park Potomac Ave., Suite 420 Potomac 301-279-6403 graystone.morganstanley.com/robert.s.scherer

Alex Seleznev

Capital Squared Financial 1451 Rockville Pike, Suite 250 Rockville 240-600-1678 csqfinancial.com

Edward Geoffrey Sella

SPC Financial 3202 Tower Oaks Blvd., Suite 400 Rockville 301-770-6800 spcfinancial.com/team/edward-sella

Brian W. Sharp

The McGraw, Sharp, Band, Dell & Kirk Group—Merrill Lynch Wealth Management 11810 Grand Park Ave., Suite 800 North Bethesda 301-230-5767 advisor.ml.com/sites/md/rockville-md/adam. band#aboutus

Lindsay Shetterly

Glassman Wealth Services 11810 Grand Park Ave., #500 North Bethesda 301-371-2900 glassmanwealth.com/wisdom/insights/person/ lindsay-shetterly

Dana Sippel

Glassman Wealth Services 11810 Grand Park Ave., #500 North Bethesda 301-371-2900 glassmanwealth.com/wisdom/insights/person/ dana-sippel-cfp-cpapfs

Melissa Sotudeh

Halpern Financial 11 N. Washington St., Suite #720 Rockville 240-268-1000 halpernfinancial.com/our-team/meet-our-team

Daniel Trumbower

Halpern Financial 11 N. Washington St., Suite #720 Rockville 240-268-1000 halpernfinancial.com/our-team/meet-our-team

INSURANCE

Andrea Dykes

Howard Insurance

6900 Wisconsin Ave., Fifth Floor Chevy Chase 301-652-2500 howard-insurance.com/teams/andrea-dykes

Mitch Freedman

Freedman Risk Management 7315 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 250E Bethesda 301-652-0660

freedmanrisk.com/#team

WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKE WITH THEIR ESTATE PLANNING?

Micah Bonaviri

TRUSTS AND ESTATES | STEIN SPERLING

“Thinking that you don’t need a will unless you are very wealthy. … Wills are advantageous for many people regardless of their financial circumstances.”

Scott Greenberg

Greenberg, Wexler & Eig

7315 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 250 E

Bethesda 240-644-6734

gwellc.com/our-team/scott-greenberg

TAX ACCOUNTING

Daniel Cohen

Marcum LLP

1 Research Court, Suite 400

Rockville

301-691-3650 marcumllp.com/people/daniel-cohen

David S. De Jong

Stein Sperling 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 700 Rockville 301-838-3204

steinsperling.com/attorneys/david-de-jong

Richard Morris

Councilor, Buchanan and Mitchell, PC 7910 Woodmont Ave., Suite 500

Bethesda

301-986-0600

cbmcpa.com/people/richard-e-morris

Walter Pennington

Dembo Jones

6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 500

North Bethesda

240-368-6918

dembojones.com/team_member/walter-cpennington-2

Richard Philipson

PKF O’Connor Davies

2 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 420

Bethesda

301-608-3900

pkfod.com/people/richard-philipson

TRUSTS AND ESTATES

Charles Abell

Furey, Doolan & Abell LLP

7600 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 600

Bethesda

301-652-6880

fdalaw.com/personnel/charles-abell

Adam Abramowitz

Stein Sperling 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 700

Rockville

301-838-3212

steinsperling.com/attorneys/adam-abramowitz

Frank S. Baldino

Lerch, Early & Brewer

7600 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 700

Bethesda

301-657-0175

lerchearly.com/attorneys/frank-s-baldino

Micah Bonaviri

Stein Sperling 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 700

Rockville

301-838-3235

steinsperling.com/attorneys/micah-bonaviri

Todd J. Bornstein

Selzer Gurvitch 4416 East West Highway, Fourth Floor

Bethesda

301-634-3104

selzergurvitch.com/attorney/todd-bornstein

Paula A. Calimafde

Lerch, Early & Brewer

7600 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 700 Bethesda 301-775-4332 lerchearly.com/attorneys/paula-a-calimafde

Anne W. Coventry

Pasternak & Fidis 7101 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1025 Bethesda 301-656-8850 pasternakfidis.com/attorneys/anne-w-coventry

Jay M. Eisenberg

Shulman Rogers 12505 Park Potomac Ave. Potomac 301-230-5223

shulmanrogers.com/attorneys/jay-m-eisenberg

Michelle Evans

Offit Kurman 7501 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1000W Bethesda 240-507-1728 offitkurman.com/attorney/michelle-l-evans

Steven W. Jacobson

West & Feinberg, P.C. 4550 Montgomery Ave., Suite 775N Bethesda 301-951-1583 westfeinberg.com/steven-jacobson

Lauren A. Jenkins

Offit Kurman

7501 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1000W

Bethesda 240-507-1775

offitkurman.com/attorney/lauren-a-jenkinsprincipal

Jeffrey Kolender

Stein Sperling

1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 700

Rockville

301-838-3206

steinsperling.com/attorneys/jeffrey-kolender

Marc S. Levine

Handler & Levine

4520 East West Highway, Suite 700

Bethesda

301-961-6464

handlerlevine.com/attorneys/marc-s-levine

Amanda Sauer McGrath

Lerch, Early & Brewer

7600 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 700

Bethesda

301-657-0737

lerchearly.com/attorneys/amanda-sauermcgrath

Adam Moskowitz

Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday

7315 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 800W

Bethesda

301-656-2707

bregmanlaw.com/attorneys/adam-e-moskowitz

Stephanie Perry

Pasternak & Fidis

7101 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1025

Bethesda

301-656-8850

pasternakfidis.com/attorneys/stephanie-perry

Jennifer S. Pope

Lerch, Early & Brewer

7600 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 700

Bethesda

301-986-5243

lerchearly.com/attorneys/jennifer-s-pope

Trust & Estate Planning Done With Care

DOTHE BEST BUCK WITH YOUR

DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS AND FAMILY FOUNDATIONS

OFFER A CHARITABLE WIN-WIN BY NEVIN MARTELL

NOT ALL GIVING IS CREATED EQUAL. Many charitably minded individuals, couples and families who want to make a bigger impact with their donations— while availing themselves of tax breaks and other benefits—create vehicles for their contributions called donor-advised funds and family foundations.

Donor-advised funds are ideal for individuals and allow for private contributions of smaller sums, while family foundations are good for managing a lot of money and creating scholarships or grants. Here’s what you need to know before starting either to ensure your goodwill goes the greatest distance.

When Bill Pugh of Bethesda wanted to donate some of the money his assets had earned, he started a donoradvised fund.

DONORADVISED FUNDS

BILL PUGH, 64, A RETIRED COMPUTER

SCIENCE PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND WHO LIVES IN BETHESDA, faced a conundrum more than a decade ago. He owned some securities that had increased in value over the years and wanted to donate some of the money the assets had earned.

He could have simply sold the securities, paid the taxes, and then contributed the remaining funds to charity. After learning about a donor-advised fund (DAF), a type of private account created to manage and distribute charitable donations, he realized he could give the whole value of his extra assets to charity while also lowering his taxes: a smarter way to donate money, he says.

The account is called a donor-advised fund because the donor picks where the money is donated and sends the money from the fund to those charities. A DAF can be started quickly with minimal paperwork through most investment and wealth management firms. Some institutions do not require a minimum initial contribution, but most require a preliminary investment of $5,000-$25,000.

“DAFs typically have portfolios that you can invest in, like within a 401(k),” says Keith Barberis, partner and managing director of Barberis Wealth Management of Steward Partners in Bethesda. “They typically have conservative and aggressive options.”

One big benefit: Any investments in the DAF grow tax-free, so there’s no additional financial burden to the account holder. And a stock contributed to a DAF can lose value, but the account holder isn’t losing money, they simply would have less money to give away. The charity is receiving a monetary contribution from the account, so they wouldn’t lose money either.

Pugh, who already had an account with Fidelity Investments, chose to use its sister operation, Fidelity Charitable, keeping the startup and management simple. When Pugh wants to contribute to a charity, he searches an online portal to ensure it’s an IRSqualified 501(c)(3) public charity in the U.S. and then determines how much to send. “It’s easier than sending a check, and there’s no credit card fee, so the charity isn’t losing any of your donation,” he says.

Another advantage Pugh appreciates is the ability to make contributions anonymously, ensuring that his name isn’t publicly available and isn’t added to any outreach lists for other charitable organizations hoping to tap new donors.

Pugh mostly contributes to his DAF annually, but there are years when he won’t. “Generally, I’m only donating appreciated securities, so if the stock market is down that year, and I don’t think there’s a particularly good time to sell stock, then maybe I won’t give that year,” he says.

Barberis says, “Currently, you can deduct up to 60% of your adjusted gross income [for] cash contributions and up to 30% of your adjusted gross income for appreciated asset contributions.” Barberis, who only shares tax information—not advice— with his clients, recommends that anyone with a DAF or foundation should always talk to a professional tax adviser before making decisions related to charitable giving.

“We recommend bunching the charitable contributions, so someone might make the equivalent of five years’ worth of charitable contributions to the DAF in one year so they can itemize and get a great deduction,” Barberis says, “because itemizing only reduces a tax bill if the potential amount of taxes you owe is more than the set amount of the standard deduction.”

Barberis believes that one of the most overlooked potential benefits of a DAF is using it to dissolve the cost of any taxes on a portfolio with a lot of stocks that started out cheap and then appreciated.

There are some disadvantages to a DAF according to Barberis. If you make a series of charitable contributions throughout the year that don’t eclipse the standard deduction, you won’t reap the tax benefits. You cannot accept anything in return for the charitable contributions, such as free tickets to a local theater you support. And once funds are placed in a DAF, they cannot be withdrawn.

FAMILY FOUNDATIONS

KAREN LEDER, 59, AND HER HUSBAND, ETHAN, 61, WHO LIVE IN BETHESDA’S EDGEMOOR NEIGHBORHOOD, formed a family foundation several years ago after Ethan’s company, Precision Medicine Group based in Bethesda, completed a major investment and recapitalization, leaving the family with some new assets they wanted to give to charity. The Leder Family Foundation focuses on contributing to education, health care, economic justice and Jewish-related causes in the D.C. area. One scholarship initiative helps cover tuition costs for local studentathletes, others go to students at Johns Hopkins University, Ethan Leder’s alma mater. “The hardest part is deciding where you want to put your resources,” Karen Leder says. “In my opinion, almost every organization is worthy.”

Unlike a DAF, a family foundation is not a plug-and-play solution, instead requiring much more money and oversight, while offering more flexibility and independence in return. Barberis sees them as a way for couples and families to work together on identifying meaningful charitable organizations and initiatives. “That way, everyone is involved and understands what’s important to everyone else,” he says.

Barberis estimates the opening investment should be at least $1 million. A foundation can be funded with a variety of contributions, including cash, stocks, real estate, and interests in family-owned companies. There are significant tax deductions for these contributions, though not as generous as a DAF. Donors can deduct up to 30% of their adjusted gross income (AGI) for cash contributions, up to 20% of their AGI for the fair market value of publicly traded securities, and up to 20% of their AGI for the cost basis of real estate and interests in family-owned companies, according to Barberis. There is an annual 1%-2% excise tax on the foundation’s resulting investment income, Barberis says.

One consideration: There are operational requirements for a family foundation. The foundation must form a board that meets annually, it has to file a tax return, and at least 5% of a foundation’s funds need to be distributed every year. Whether the family oversees the foundation itself or hires a third party to manage it, they will need to pay the requisite administration, accounting and attorney fees, according to Barberis.

On the other hand, there’s much more latitude on who or what a foundation can support. “Foundations do have more flexibility in the grants they give out,” Barberis says. “They can even make grants to individuals if the proper documentation is used and it meets the standards required.”

If someone is facing an emergency or expensive medical crisis, a foundation may be able to help that person directly. Foundations can also create a specific scholarship and then determine who wins it, says Barberis.

One drawback: Nothing is anonymous. The tax filings of foundations are public, so anyone can look up its size and where its donated money has gone.

To make the maintenance of the Leder Family Foundation easier, the Leders use the Foundation Source in Fairfield, Connecticut, which provides support services. It issues grants, handles tax filings, and otherwise ensures the foundation is compliant with the law. “That way we don’t have to deal with compliance, do tax prep, and that sort of thing,” Karen Leder says.

An advantage of a foundation is the ability to hire staff—which can include family members—to oversee grants, administration and investment strategy. The foundation can give reimbursements for reasonable expenses, such as travel to assess a charitable organization that may be the recipient of a future contribution. Finally, if the foundation becomes too cumbersome to manage, or its assets are depleted, Barberis says any remaining funds can be transferred into a DAF, ensuring its charitable mission continues even after it’s dissolved.

Nevin Martell is a Silver Spring-based freelance writer and photographer who regularly contributes to The Washington Post, Washingtonian, USA Today and National Geographic. Find him online at nevinmartell.com and on Instagram @nevinmartell.

Bethesda resident Karen Leder and her husband, Ethan, started a family foundation to support causes they care about in the D.C. area.

Anahita Tavakoli at Gourmet Bazaar

MARKET SHARE

Montgomery County is filled with food markets that cater to the diverse backgrounds of its residents. Our restaurant critic accompanied five locals on shopping trips to their favorite establishments to find out what they buy.

BY DAVID HAGEDORN | PHOTOS BY SCOTT SUCHMAN

THOSE OF US RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HOUSEHOLD’S FOOD SHOPPING KNOW THAT THERE’S A LOT MORE TO IT THAN just hitting up a conglomerate supermarket chain and being done—we go hither and yon to multiple places that carry particular items we like. Maybe it’s The Organic Butcher in Bethesda for Kerós Greek olive oil and housemade kielbasa, then off to Rockville to Maruichi Japanese Grocery for mirin and soba noodles, and to Patel Brothers in Montgomery Village for Indian spices and fresh okra. Here are the markets that five accomplished Montgomery County cooks prefer.

JANET CAM at

Great Wall Supermarket

POTOMAC

RESIDENT JANET CAM IS A FOOD DOYENNE WHO CO-OWNED LE PAVILLON, a Valhalla of Washington, D.C., fine dining in the 1980s, and then became a restaurant and hospitality consultant and lecturer with a focus on fine wine. Cam (who declines to give her age) is also a great cook whose specialties include Chinese dishes her mother and grandmother taught her how to prepare when she was growing up in Monterey Park, California.

The Rockville location of Great Wall Supermarket—a chain store that sells fresh produce, seafood, meat, dry goods and household goods—is Cam’s market of choice for Asian ingredients. During a visit there with her, she raves about the Buddhist-style chicken, sold with the head and feet, in the meat department. “They’re so good they remind me of poulets de Bresse,” she says, referring to the highly regarded chickens raised in eastern France. “I use them to make ‘popo chicken,’ which my mother taught me how to do.” ( Popo, Cam explains, is Cantonese for maternal grandmother.) Cam dunks the whole chicken into boiling water that has been flavored with pickled mustard greens and crushed fresh ginger slices sauteed in hot peanut oil and kosher salt, returns the broth to a boil, turns the heat off and lets the chicken sit, covered, for 30 minutes. She rinses the bird in cold water, rubs it with sesame oil, slices it and serves it at room temperature with two sauces—one oyster sauce-based, the other made by pouring hot peanut oil over julienned and salted scallions. Passing through the aisles, Cam points out favorite items and preferred brands: fresh quail eggs, Lee Kum Kee brand oyster sauce, Best Taste brand white pepper powder, Knife brand pure peanut oil and Touched brand mille crepe cakes, which are vacuum-sealed frozen cakes in various flavors, such as mango tango, Shizuoka matcha and taro. “They’re delicious and great for a dinner party,” Cam says. She marvels at the teeming produce section. “They have four kinds of bok choy,” she notes. “Look at these gorgeous daikon radishes!” She also gushes about the fresh morel mushrooms she found on a previous visit.

We hit the market’s dim sum stalls at the end of our visit. “They make ha gao [shrimp dumplings] to order because if they sit in a steam table, they fall apart,” she says. “The shumai are great, and so are the wu gok, fried taro filled with pork, which are hard to find anymore.”

Other places Cam shops include The Market at River Falls in Potomac; Bethesda Central Farm Market and Trader Joe’s in Bethesda; and Yekta Persian Market & Kabob Counter, Maruichi Japanese Grocery and Whole Foods Market in Rockville.

Great Wall Supermarket, 700 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, 240-314-0558, gw-supermarket.com

Shelves lined with a leafy herb called culantro—it’s similar to cilantro—peppers and more

Janet Cam in the produce section of Great Wall Supermarket

Packages of seasoned pork hock and feet

ANAHITA TAVAKOLI at Gourmet

Bazaar

BETHESDA RESIDENT ANAHITA

TAVAKOLI, A SENIOR DRUG RISK ANALYST FOR THE U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, was born and raised in Tehran, Iran. She has lived in the D.C. area since she was 12, when her family emigrated. “Food is such an integral part of Persian life,” she says. “I learned cooking from my mother growing up—she is the best cook—and both of my sisters cook.”

To gather ingredients for her Persian fare, Tavakoli, 50, heads to Gourmet Bazaar on Rockville Pike. While giving me a tour one afternoon, her eyes light up in the produce section, where fresh green almonds are displayed with fava beans, beets, pomegranates and bags of fresh grape leaves. “Look at the bins of fresh herbs!” she says before picking up slender Chinese eggplants she always buys here for a stew called khoresh bademjan. She nabs fresh green beans for a rice dish called lubia polo.

Every meal starts with an hors d’oeuvres platter called a sabzi board, Tavakoli explains. (Sabzi are fresh herbs.) Hers may include Bulgarian and French feta cheese; tons of fresh dill and mint; sliced red onions and cucumbers; tomatoes; walnuts and almonds soaked overnight in salted water; pomegranate seeds; fresh figs; and any of her mother’s homemade strawberry, fig or orange peel jams. “A sabzi board is a great way to introduce guests to our culture,” she says as we ogle a dazzling Gourmet Bazaar case filled with various nuts in giant copper bowls. “We get this for Nowruz [Persian New Year], and Yalda, the winter solstice celebration,” she says, pointing to a sweet mix made with dried white mulberries, almonds, walnuts, dried figs, raisins and pistachios.

Other products she remarks on are the various kinds of torshi (pickled vegetables, especially cucumbers or garlic cloves); lavashak (confectionary sheets similar to American Fruit Roll-Ups); pomegranate molasses (great for vinaigrettes and used in a Persian chicken-and-walnut stew called fesenjoon); rose water; bright green slivered pistachios; and barberries, tart and dried small red berries used in rice dishes and stews.

Other markets Tavakoli frequents include Trader Joe’s in Bethesda, Yekta Persian Market & Kabob Counter and Whole Foods Market in Rockville, H Mart in Gaithersburg and Korean Korner in Silver Spring. “The Asian markets in MoCo carry a bunch of Middle Eastern products and have great produce, like fresh okra, which we use in stews,” she says.

Gourmet Bazaar, 736-A Rockville Pike, Rockville, 301-838-3031, gourmetbazaardmv.com

Seeds sold in bulk at Gourmet Bazaar

Anahita Tavakoli shopping at Gourmet Bazaar

From left: Aba Kwawu with her mother, Efua Bonney, and her daughter, Sela

ABA KWAWU AND EFUA BONNEY

at Savanna International Market

THE KITCHEN IS BUSTLING IN THE ROCKVILLE HOME OF ABA KWAWU, owner of the Washington, D.C.-based public relations firm TAA PR, as she, her mother, Efua Bonney, 77, and her 16-year-old daughter, Sela, are putting together a Ghanaian feast. While oil heats on the stove for frying plantains, Kwawu (who declines to give her age) puts the finishing touches on groundnut (peanut) soup with chicken and baked whole tilapia stuffed with peppers. Next to the kitchen island, Bonney and Sela make fufu—a pliable dough eaten as a side dish—from cassava root and plantains. Bonney sits on a stool turning the dough over and over in a large wooden mortar as Sela pounds the starches, which had just been boiled until soft, with a long wooden pestle almost as tall as she is. The idea is to work the dough and moisten it to ensure that it’s lump-free, Bonney says. “If we’re having a lot of people over, we use fufu flour, which you mix with water and cook on the stove,” Kwawu says, “but Mom was a home ec teacher in Ghana, so she usually insists on making everything from scratch.”

Many of the meal’s ingredients came from Savanna International Market in Gaithersburg, an African food store and butcher that Bonney calls “the Ghana market”—groundnut paste (unsweetened peanut butter); shito, a spicy deep reddish-brown condiment that Kwawu refers to as Ghanaian chili crunch; cassava root; plantains; and two kinds of kenkey, polenta-like orbs made from fermented white corn and served with stews and fish. Bonney lugs many ingredients back from trips to Ghana, such as palm oil and garri (cassava flour), but heads to Savanna for other staples, including egusi (melon) seeds used for a stew made with spinach; sorghum leaves for waakye (rice and beans); jasmine rice for jollof, a zesty tomato-based West African rice dish; ugu (pumpkin leaves); fresh goat; dried fish; and small flavorful chickens that she says “aren’t pumped up with stuff like [American chickens] are.”

Savanna also carries housewares similar to those the Kwawu family brought from Ghana, such as conical earthenware asanka bowls used for grinding food, wooden mortars and tapoli, a wooden hourglass-shaped pestle.

Kwawu and Bonney also shop at Lotte Plaza Market in Rockville and H Mart in Wheaton.

Savanna International Market, 117 N. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, 301-921-1866

Dishes from a Ghanaian feast prepared by the family

NYCCI NELLIS

at The Market at River Falls

NYCCI NELLIS’ PROFESSIONAL LIFE REVOLVES AROUND FOOD. HER WEBSITE, THELISTAREYOUONIT.COM, has been a go-to for food and beverage coverage in the D.C. area since 2004. She has a podcast called Industry Night with Foodie & the Beast and, with her husband, David, hosts Foodie and the Beast on Federal News Radio.

Nellis, 55, entertains often at her Kensington home. “My philosophy is keep it simple, stupid,” she says. “There was a time when I insisted on doing everything all by myself from scratch, but there are so many good products available now in markets that allow for easy, graceful entertaining.”

She loves The Market at River Falls in Potomac, owned by Potomac residents James McWhorter and his wife, Yasmin Abadian, as a one-stop shop. “You can get dinner, extras for entertaining, your meat and fish, grab a bottle of wine—everything for a night at home or entertaining,” she says.

On a visit there, she picks up a bag of Wicked Mix, a spicy snack mix with Chex cereal and nuts. “Oh, these look good. I’ll try them!” She grabs a bottle of Kozlik’s Canadian Mustard brand horseradish mustard. “I’m obsessed with this mustard. I put it on charcuterie boards or brush a pork tenderloin with it, wrap it in bacon and bake it for a quick, easy dinner.”

Passing by the poke bar, where customers can customize bowls with various toppings and dressings, and cases

filled with pristine fish and butchered meats, we arrive at the prepared foods section. “They have a tremendous selection here,” Nellis says. “I like to buy a few days’ worth of meals for people who have had surgery or maybe just had a baby, and River Falls makes it so easy. Their little meatloaves are ridiculous. They serve about two people, and I can’t make it better than they do. They have an assortment of prepared salmon [such as hickory-smoked, horseradishcrusted, grilled with mango chutney, and poached] that is medium rare in the center so you can reheat it without ruining it, which is so smart. Usually when you buy cooked salmon elsewhere, it’s overcooked and cakey. Their grilled beef or chicken kebabs are also excellent.” Nellis raves about side dishes such as orzo salad, grilled asparagus, green beans amandine, garlic and thyme-roasted mushrooms, and Israeli couscous salad. She’s a sucker for blondies that come from a Pennsylvania Dutch bakery, and Nightingale ice cream sandwiches.

Nellis also shops at Bethesda Central Farm Market on Sundays for produce and cheese, Whole Foods Market in Rockville, Pescadeli and Butchers Alley in Bethesda, and Potomac Sweets bakery in Kensington when she needs fresh bread.

The Market at River Falls, 10124 River Road, Potomac, 301-765-8001, marketriverfalls.com

James McWhorter, co-owner of The Market at River Falls

TATIANA MORA at

Megamart Supermarket

SILVER SPRING RESIDENT TATIANA MORA, 48, IS A CHEF AND CO-OWNER OF MITA, A LATIN AMERICAN, fine-dining vegetarian restaurant in D.C. that opened in December 2023 to rave reviews. In his Spring Dining Guide published in May, Washington Post restaurant critic Tom Sietsema named it as one of the D.C area’s 26 best new restaurants.

Mora, who hails from Venezuela (as does Mita’s other owner, chef Miguel Guerra), often shops at the Gaithersburg location of Megamart Supermarket, a regional chain of stores in Virginia and Maryland that specializes in Hispanic products. “We find a lot of ingredients for our menus here that suppliers don’t carry, especially South American ones,” Mora says as we stroll through Megamart’s large produce section, above which multicolored pinatas hang. “We get banana leaves here, malanga [a tuber similar to taro root], sapote [a fruit], fresh yucca, sugarcane, huacatay [an Andean herb also known as black mint].” Other ingredients listed on her current menu are available at the market, too: plantains, herbs such as hoja santa, a type of green called mizuna, mangoes and young coconuts.

Walking past the market’s large meat and produce

A colorful array in Megamart Supermarket’s produce section

sections, stacks of multiple brands of fresh tortillas, bags of corn husks and refrigerator cases filled with crema (the Central American version of sour cream) and sundry quesos blancos (white cheeses), Mora points to bags of maracuya (passion fruit) and guanabana (soursop) pulp.

“We get fresh or frozen fruit pulps here, like cherimoya, which is on the menu now, for ice cream,” she says. “They have less additives than others that are available to us.”

Perusing the aisles, Mora notes various items of interest: cinnamon sticks (“different than the variety Americans use,” she says); chunos (“black, white or gray potatoes that are frozen, then dried in the sun,” she explains); and a stunning array of dried chiles, spices and herbs that include ruda leaves, hibiscus leaves and eucalyptus. “My grandmother would make teas to cure us from these,” she recalls.

Mora also likes to shop at La Plaza Latina Market in Falls Church, Virginia.

Megamart Supermarket, 33 Dalamar St., Gaithersburg, 301-330-9223, megamartsupermarket.com

David Hagedorn is the restaurant critic for Bethesda Magazine.

BANNER TEAM

Info@BannerTeam.com • BannerTeam.com

AWARDS AND HONORS

Over $157 Million Sold & Settled, 2023 • Top Producers, Long & Foster One Bethesda, 2023 • Washingtonian Top Producer Awards 2023 • Real Trends America’s Best Real Estate Professionals 2023 • Top Vote Getter, Best of Bethesda Real Estate Team, 2023 • Best Real Estate Teams in Maryland Realtrends.com 2023 • Donated More Than $158,500 to Local Charities, Pay it Forward Program, 2017-2023

Ilene Gordon, Mireille Pioppo, Pat Karta, Wendy Banner, Julia Fortin, Gail Gordon, Ashley Vonada Back row: Emily Moritt, Makenzie Powell, Michelle Teichberg, Steve Schuck, Mary Bunch, Greg Schuck, Jody Aucamp

SUSAN & KATE SANFORD

The Sanford Group

Susan: 301.943.3493 | Kate: 301.928.8589 | o 240.497.1700 SusanSanford@LNF.com | Kate.Sanford@LNF.com | sanfordrealestategroup.com

TERESA BURTON

m 240.285.7493 | o 301.469.4700

Teresa.Burton@LNF.com | TeresaBurtonRealEstate.com Relocation Specialist Top Agent Network

A full-service Realtor® in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia — nothing is too small or too big. Teresa attributes her success not only to her passion for homes, but also to her intuition regarding the psychology of buying and selling. Her business has grown successfully and consistently thanks to the repeat business of happy clients and their introductions to friends, family and neighbors. This track record is only possible because Teresa delivers both results and an enjoyable experience.

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124

Decorative holiday tablescapes

139 Montgomery County home sales

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO CREATE A BEAUTIFUL SPACE

Potomac

PHOTO BY JOSEPH TRAN

Be Our Guest

This season, be the host with the most by setting a festive and eye-catching holiday table

BY CAROLYN WEBER

1 Sweet Style

You can’t have too much color or sparkle during the holidays. These cheerful hand-beaded placemats from Payton James are backed with soft velvet and come in two styles—a colorful gingerbread house or a round peppermint candy. $42 at Anthropologie, 4801 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, 240-345-9413; anthropologie.com

2 Lovely Linens

Appetizer plates, each adorned with cute woodland gnomes add a dash of whimsy to a party. The 12 Gnomes of Christmas stoneware plates measure 8 inches in diameter and are dishwasher and microwave safe. $129 for 12 at Pottery Barn, 4750 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, 301-654-1598; potterybarn.com 1 2

Warm autumn colors make an inviting backdrop for a holiday meal or just cookies and cocoa. The Zinnia 100% cotton, block-print tablecloth from Danica Heirloom measures 60 inches by 90 inches, and the matching napkins are 18 inches by 18 inches. $32 (four napkins) and $64 (tablecloth) at Tabletop, 6927 Laurel Ave., Takoma Park, 240-467-3982; tabletopdc.com

3 Table Label

Place cards help guests find their seats easily and get the party started. The Forest Shine metal pinecone name holders are shimmery seasonal accessories that can also hold holiday cards and food labels on a buffet. They come in gold and pewter colors. $45 for four at West Elm, 951 Rose Ave. #104 (Pike & Rose), North Bethesda, 301-2307630; westelm.com

4 Gnome for the Holidays

5 Branch Out

Drinks adorned with these charming reindeer cocktail branches will be a hit with kids and adults. The fun holders, for garnishes such as marshmallows or olives, are 3½ inches by 6 inches and require handwashing. $16.95 for two at Sur La Table, 11874 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), North Bethesda, 301230-1503; surlatable.com

Light Bright

Celebrate the Festival of Lights with a modern Hanukkah tablescape set that includes three deep-blue glass Venezia candleholders, two porcelain dreidel sculptures with a matte white finish, and four 12-inch white dipped taper candles. $112.65 at Crate & Barrel, 4820 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 202-364-6100; crateandbarrel.com

Broad Branch Partners is proud to deliver three new luxury 4 bedroom 4 and a half bathroom ELEVATOR Smart Home Townhouse Condos to Downtown Bethesda/ Chevy Chase. Turn key luxury units with privacy and neighborhood views/feel, low condo fees, an exciting alternative to high-rise living. The development is located one block east of Wisconsin Avenue, a half block from Traders Joe’s and walking distance to everything downtown Bethesda has to offer. Each of these three high end elevator townhouse units total more than 3650 square feet, with huge 500 square foot terraces, two-car garages, high end Thermador kitchen Appliances, custom Italian kitchen cabinetry, quartzite countertops with a waterfall, wide plank white oak flooring and high end porcelain in all bathrooms. Model unit (6980) is ready for move-in and has many upgrades including a kitchenette on the first floor with ice maker, fridge and dishwasher, electric awning for the terrace, outdoor weatherproof television for the terrace, automatic electric blackout shades for the master bedroom, built-out custom closet for master bedroom and a 65 inch 4k television on the first floor. Pricing from the Low to Mid $3 Millions

Shane Crowley Sales Associate +1 301 919 2237

scrowley@ttrsir.com

Chevy Chase Brokerage +1 301 967 3344

From Chevy Chase to the Choptank

With nearly 50 years of combined industry experience, native Washingtonians Tom & Monica are here to help you with all your real estate needs. Tom is an avid Eastern Shore enthusiast and property owner, bringing his extensive knowledge of the area to you. Whether you’re looking in Chevy Chase, along the Choptank or anywhere in between, we’re here to assist you in finding your perfect home.

Tom Williams 202 255 3650 tomwilliams@ttrsir.com

Monica Molloy 202 607 4843 mmolloy@ttrsir.com

Chevy Chase Brokerage 301 967 3344 Easton Brokerage 410 673 3344

A FARMHOUSE GOES GLAM

This Potomac home merges family-friendly ease and high-style lighting and art

BY JENNIFER BARGER

What appears to be a starry sky greets guests as they enter Asma Uddin and Shabbir Ahmed’s custom-built modern farmhouse in the Fawcett Farms neighborhood of Potomac. That’s because Uddin, a religious liberty lawyer and author, and Ahmed, a medical technology executive, installed a trio of Moravian star pendant lights in the two-story foyer. “They really define the space, and I made up a story about them for my three kids,” Uddin says. “I told them each star represents one of them. Of course, they argue about who gets to be the largest light!”

This blend of family-friendly touches and high-style glamour defines the 5,200-square-foot, six-bedroom, 6½-bathroom house that the couple had built and decorated from 2022 to 2023. In 2020, Uddin and Ahmed (who then lived in Rockville), tapped North Bethesda’s Classic Homes of Maryland for the project. “They were obviously seeking a farmhouse style,” says Howard Saslow, Classic Homes’ vice president of operations. “But they introduced modern touches—black window frames, a linear fireplace in the great room. They were extremely specific about the look.”

Interior designer Lisa Stanley of Savage, Maryland, worked with Classic Homes to help Uddin synthesize her ideas. “Asma had maybe 1,000 photos collected on Pinterest, and her style was a bit more shabby chic,” Stanley says. “Together we drilled down to a classic cosmopolitan feel, a kind of new traditional. We wanted something they could live with for a long time.”

On the exterior, crisp white paneled walls combine with matte black pitched and gabled roofs and two small covered porches, a riff on Classic Homes’ “Avenel” model. But the couple, both in their 40s, made the design their own, bumping out the great room and adding

Above: Shabbir Ahmed (far right), wife Asma Uddin (second from right) and their children chat in the great room and kitchen. Left: Three stars—one for each child—hang in the twostory foyer.

ABOVE:

PHOTO BY JOSEPH TRAN; LEFT: PHOTO BY PEAK VISUALS

windows to the open kitchen. “I was keen on lots of windows,” Uddin says. “And we’re putting trees and a fountain in the yard just outside the kitchen, so it’ll be an oasis.”

The celestial foyer branches off into a cozy formal living room to the left and a midsize dining room to the right. Stanley unified the three spaces by affixing wooden paneling to the walls, varying its placement and style slightly from room to room. “I wanted a constant flow since it’s an open floor plan,” Stanley says. Throughout the main level, 5-inch-wide white oak floor-

ing also adds continuity. “I advocated for light-colored floors,” Ahmed says. “I felt they would contribute to the overall luminous feel of the house.”

Stanley outfitted the foyer with widely spaced paneling arranged in square patterns and Sherwin-Williams’ misty gray “Gossamer Veil” paint to reflect the natural light streaming in from a clerestory window and the glass-paneled front doors. Narrower paneling and moody gray paint, Sherwin-Williams’ “Iron Ore,” covers the living room and dining room walls.

Clockwise from left: A curvy, mirrored chandelier by Maryland design house Niermann Weeks gives a swanky vibe to the dining room. The kitchen island offers abundant storage as well as a space to serve food during the family’s frequent parties. A linear fireplace in the great room puts the “modern” in modern farmhouse.

In the dining room, Stanley repurposed an Arhaus table and four oval-back side chairs from the couple’s previous home, pairing them with two new Parsons chairs upholstered in white canvas, a sleek buffet, and a curvy, mirrored chandelier by Maryland design house Niermann Weeks. Other touches that add to the swanky vibe: a tray ceiling covered in a swirly metallic Fabricut wallpaper and a jumbo-size abstract giclée canvas in muted pastels from Wendover Art Group, one of multiple similar artworks installed on the first floor.

“Asma was open to things with a ‘wow’ factor, and she likes a little glitz,” Stanley says. So outsize art and blingy light fixtures continue throughout the first floor. Since all the rooms except the foyer have 10-foot ceilings, the substantial canvases seem impactful, not overwhelming. “I never would’ve chosen such large paintings, but now that they’re up, they really work,” Uddin says.

The house was going up during the COVID-19 pandemic, which “meant I really had multifunctionality on my mind,” Uddin says. For instance, Stanley outfitted the living room with a desk and a snow-hued sofa—a favorite perch of Hairy Pawter, the family’s ragdoll cat.

The expansive great room and open kitchen at the rear of the main level provide a family gathering spot and a stylish backdrop for entertaining. A Craftmaster sectional sofa in smoky gray—large enough to seat the family and several friends—faces a long vertical fireplace and focal wall covered in a metallic-silver cork wallpaper.

At the center of the wall, a bank of textured and wavelike “Oxo Line” 3D tiles from Porcelanosa surround a sleek gas fireplace. “That tile has great movement, and it feels like bone

PHOTOS BY PEAK VISUALS

china,” Stanley says. A wooden floating bench wraps around the firebox. “The fireplace is such an opportunity to make a statement,” says Classic Homes’ Saslow. “And because this one is linear, there was a chance to introduce multiple materials.”

Behind the great room sofa, a custom console table-meetsdesk outfitted with stools serves as a perch for the couple’s two sons (7 and 12) and 17-year-old daughter. “That’s a homework station or a spot for them to eat,” Uddin says. “I like that I can see them when I’m in the kitchen. This is a space where we can do a lot of things together.”

In the kitchen, Stanley paired custom cabinets in two finishes—grayish black and a natural matte oak—with countertops and backsplashes in Calacatta Laza quartz. “We really put a lot of attention into that area,” Uddin says. One wall has upper cabinets, but much of the storage is concealed in a tucked-away, walk-in pantry and within a kitchen island. “It’s amazing how much hidden storage there is in the island—it has really big, deep drawers,” Uddin says.

The island, which is covered in the same quartz as the countertops, functions like a giant buffet during the family’s frequent parties. “We entertain a lot, and often have Pakistani food since that’s our ancestry,” Uddin says. “Sometimes I cook, or we cater in. I like serving biryanis or haleem, a barley and lentil stew.” And in November 2023, the couple hosted 50 people for Thanksgiving. “The open floor plan on the main level comfortably accommodated a large group,” Ahmed says. “Everyone could move freely between the kitchen, dining room and living room. It created a wonderful flow.”

The long wall adjacent to the island holds a simple farmhousestyle sink and two dishwashers under a big window. “A pair of

dishwashers really facilitates hosting people,” Uddin says. Two identical glass and brass shelves are mounted on either side of the bank of windows. “I’d sketched these kinds of shelves out, but I wondered if Lisa would think I was nuts,” Uddin says. “It wasn’t like you could buy what I had in mind online.”

Stanley found Gunnar Design, a Baltimore metal shop that designs fittings for haute fashion boutiques such as Balenciaga, to fabricate the shelves. The gleaming fixtures now display serving pieces. “And I don’t let the kids near them,” Uddin jokes.

Lighting in the great room and kitchen ties in with the glittery feel of other fixtures in the home. Two 24-inch-wide

The great room and kitchen have played host to parties of 50. Below: The custom-built modern farmhouse is in the Fawcett Farms neighborhood of Potomac.

Thomas O’Brien “Piatto” pendants with matte black tops and gleaming polished brass undersides hover over the island like fashionable flying saucers. A Crystorama “Bolton” chandelier in aged brass and crystal chunks illuminates

the long breakfast table where the family eats most of its meals. “The lights are probably the most important thing in the whole house,” Stanley says. “They cast such beautiful shadows and make the whole place glow.”

A glass-paneled door just off the great room leads to Uddin’s bright office, another zone conceived to meet many needs. White built-in shelves along one wall hold Uddin’s extensive collection of books, arranged by color. (They include the most recent title she wrote, The Politics of Vulnerability.) The bookcases flank a daybed with a trundle where houseguests sometimes sleep. The facing wall holds a built-in desk with two computers. “We kept the design simple in the office since it’s primarily Asma’s workspace,” Stanley says.

Throughout the first floor, bits of orange and blue show up as accents in abstract canvases, throws and pillows. But in the powder room adjacent to the kitchen, a full wall of teal tile dazzles behind a brass-framed mirror. Stanley paired Soho Studio tiles in skinny hexagon shapes with a whitewashed wooden vanity and “Clive” pendant

The family plays games in the basement, which features a mural inspired by a photo that Uddin took while traveling in Malaga, Spain.

PHOTO BY JOSEPH TRAN

lights from Regina Andrew. “The powder room is a jewel box,” she says.

Shades of blue also show up in a mural covering the door that leads to the basement. The stained glass-like design was created by Frederick, Maryland, artist Deborah Weir. “Asma initially wanted a kind of secret door, but the contractor said it was too difficult,” Stanley says. “Instead, we created something special.”

Uddin worked with Stanley and Innovative Building Services of Sykesville, Maryland, to finish the basement, where there is something for everyone in the family. It has a nook with bunk beds that Uddin’s sons love for sleepovers, and an area devoted to kid crafting that boasts a round table, shelves for supplies and the space-age-y “Big Bang” chandelier by Uttermost. Hairy Pawter even got a niche for his litter box decorated with a nameplate and a frame resembling a house. “I love adding unexpected and whimsy to my designs,” Stanley says. “Who better than a fur baby family member to do this for?”

The largest room in the basement, an open den, features sofas and a largescreen TV for movie night as well as another dash of glamour. Along the wall across from the TV, Stanley installed a long built-in bench lined with a variety of pillows. Three small round dining tables and stools pull up to the bench, a boon during parties or when the children have friends over.

On the wall above the bench, Uddin commissioned Weir to create a grand mural—a dreamy, slightly abstracted mountain scene rendered in blues, grays and other foggy shades. “Lisa suggested a landscape wallpaper for that space, but Deb encouraged me to make the room my own,” Uddin says. “I took a picture of the receding mountain ridges on a drive outside of Malaga, [Spain]. Deb captured that feel and moment, and now we have a memory and a moment captured in time back at home.”

Jennifer Barger is a writer in Upper Northwest D.C. Find her on Instagram @dcjnell and via the Souvenirist, her Substack about the intersection of design and travel.

Four Stein Sperling Attorneys Recognized by

Bethesda Magazine as Top Financial Professionals

Estate planning goes beyond distributing property after death—it’s an ongoing process that addresses your personal, financial, health, and family goals throughout life. At Stein Sperling, we craft estate plans tailored to preserve your wealth and meet your individual objectives. Whether you’re considering how your assets will be distributed, who will act on your behalf, or how to protect your beneficiaries, estate planning helps you take control of your future. Regularly reviewing your plan ensures that it aligns with changing laws, your current financial situation, family dynamics, and your ongoing goals.

Ask yourself:

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Kitchen & Bath

Gilday Renovations

9162 Brookville Road | Silver Spring, MD 20910

301-565-4600 | Gilday.com

BIO

Kevin Gilday leads a team of seasoned architectural designers, interior designers and master craftsmen dedicated to delivering a transformational home renovation experience to every client. One of the most valuable services the company offers is helping clients prioritize their wish lists to arrive at a cohesive, buildable design concept.

OUR WORK

This Chevy Chase kitchen design expresses the contrasting preferences of the homeowners. She likes contemporary. He likes traditional. This balanced design splits the difference between the two styles.

A palette of cool contemporary tones, off-white and pale gray, is offset by saturated colors typically associated with a traditional style. The light tones of the perimeter cabinets are hi-gloss, while the island and accent wall have a low-sheen finish.

Mixed metals are used in the design: gold-toned faucets, charcoal gray drawer pulls on the island, polished chrome tab pulls on the perimeter cabinets and stainless surfaces on the appliances.

Armstrong Construction Services LLC

11902 Devilwood Drive | Potomac, MD 20854 | 410-714-3230 armstrongcsllc@gmail.com | ArmstrongCSLLC.com

BIO

At Armstrong Construction Services LLC, we craft bespoke residential spaces with a commitment to elegance and enduring quality. Our expertise spans custom homes and high-end renovations, marrying innovative design with precise execution. Every project reflects our dedication to superior craftsmanship and creating environments where function meets timeless beauty.

OUR WORK

This luxury kitchen remodel, done in conjunction with J.D. Ireland Interior Architecture and Design, embodies modern sophistication and functional elegance. Featuring gleaming marble countertops and a matching backsplash, the space exudes timeless luxury. Highend, minimalistic appliances seamlessly integrate into the design, allowing for sleek, uninterrupted lines. Heated floor tiles add warmth and comfort underfoot. Recessed wooden cabinets by Fonteneau and Company, crafted with clean lines and minimal hardware, complement the kitchen’s aesthetic while maximizing storage. LED lighting, strategically placed beneath cabinets and in the ceiling, illuminates the kitchen, ensuring it remains bright and welcoming.

Cheltenham Interiors

4520 Harling Lane | Bethesda, MD, 20814 | 202-999-9910 info@cheltenham-interiors.com | Cheltenham-Interiors.com

BIO

Isy Jackson, founder of Cheltenham Interiors, is an allied member of the American Society of Interior Design. Based in Bethesda, Md., her upscale studio serves the Washington, D.C. metro area and beyond. With degrees from University College London and George Washington University, Isy combines her British and Italian design influences to craft personalized, luxurious spaces. Her extensive experience and multicultural background ensure each project reflects a unique story and evokes joy.

OUR WORK

Isy Jackson, founder of Cheltenham Interiors, brings a sophisticated blend of British and Italian design to her upscale interior architecture studio in Bethesda, Md. Her extensive experience includes work with top Washington, D.C. commercial and residential design firms. Her expertise extends beyond design to thought leadership, including judging student work at local universities and contributing for Livingetc magazine. Isy’s commitment to crafting curated, harmonious interiors ensures that every project is a unique narrative, evoking joy and reflecting the client’s personal story. Cheltenham Interiors is devoted to crafting extraordinary environments with unparalleled sophistication.

Cornerstone Remodeling

3273 Pine Orchard Ln Suite A | Ellicott City, MD 21042 410-336-7011 | info@cornerstone.house | Cornerstone.house

BIO

Cornerstone Remodeling is a premier design-build firm renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship in kitchen, addition, bathroom, and basement renovations. Established in Ellicott City in 2011, Cornerstone has steadily expanded its reach, proudly serving five counties across central Maryland with a dedication to quality and innovative design.

OUR WORK

At Cornerstone Remodeling, our mission is to transform your dreams into stunning realities. With a commitment to craftsmanship, personalized service and meticulous attention to detail, our team of in-house project managers, architects, and designers work to elevate homes into functional, stylish environments that reflect our clients' unique preferences.

Our process begins with an in-depth conversation about your desires and needs, allowing us to identify a starting point for what is achievable within your space. We prioritize creating exceptional value without exceeding your budget. Through consistent communication over the course of your remodeling journey, we strive to provide a seamless experience and outstanding results.

Pinehurst Design Build

11716 Parklawn Drive | North Bethesda, MD 20852 301-383-1600 | PinehurstDB.com

BIO

Tom Gilday brings his widely known excellence and experience to his new company, Pinehurst Design Build. Tom and his skilled team of architects, designers, project managers, and craftsmen flawlessly execute beautifully designed renovations that reflect each client’s aesthetic and lifestyle. At Pinehurst, we think the remodeling experience should be awesomely simple and unexpectedly fun.

OUR WORK

Pinehurst Design Build is a full-service home renovation company that delivers a comprehensive process, including planning, design and construction. Our clients have access to our team members throughout all phases of the renovation. We begin by listening to clients’ goals and visions and reviewing their space with our architects and designers. Next, our design team creates several floor plans and curates material selections. Once these are approved, a contract is signed, and a project manager and lead carpenter are assigned to see the project to completion. This client-centered collaboration fosters time and costsaving efficiencies and, most importantly, a stress-free experience for our clients.

AUGUST’S MOST EXPENSIVE

HOME SALES

A peek at one of the area’s most expensive recently sold houses

SALE PRICE:

$4.12 million

LIST PRICE: $4 MILLION

Address: 4220 Van Ness St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 100

Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate

Bedrooms: 7

Full/Half Baths: 8/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.51 million

LIST PRICE: $4 MILLION

Address: 10817 Stanmore Drive, Potomac 20854

Days on Market: 128

Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties

Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 8/2

SALE PRICE:

$3.2 million

LIST PRICE: $3.2 MILLION

Address: 7604 Massena Road, Bethesda 20817

Days on Market: 0

Listing Agency: EXP Realty

Bedrooms: 7

Full/Half Baths: 6/2

SALE PRICE:

$4 million

LIST PRICE: $4.48 MILLION

Address: 3045 Chain Bridge Road NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 74

Listing Agency: Compass

Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 4/2

SALE PRICE: $3.19 million

LIST PRICE: $3.9 MILLION

Address: 9214 Inglewood Drive, Potomac 20854

Days on Market: 95

Listing Agency: Metropolitan Fine Properties Bedrooms: 7

Full/Half Baths: 9/2

SALE PRICE: $3.06 million

LIST PRICE: $3.1 MILLION

Address: 4708 Warren St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 71

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 5/2

SALE PRICE: $2.85 million

LIST PRICE: $3 MILLION

Address: 5416 Nevada Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20015

Days on Market: 45

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 6/2

SALE PRICE: $2.8 million

LIST PRICE: $2.65 MILLION

Address: 6360 31st Place NW, Washington, D.C. 20015

Days on Market: 0

Listing Agency: None listed

Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 3/1

SALE PRICE: $2.7 million

LIST PRICE: $2.75 MILLION

Address: 10700 Normandie Farm Drive, Potomac 20854

Days on Market: 0

Listing Agency: None listed

Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE: $2.7 million

LIST PRICE: $2.8 MILLION

Address: 6118 30th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20015

Days on Market: 15

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 5/2

SALE PRICE: $2.64 million

LIST PRICE: $2.5 MILLION

Address: 6410 Maiden Lane, Bethesda 20817

Days on Market: 5

Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 4/0

SALE PRICE: $2.56 million

LIST PRICE: $2.7 MILLION

Address: 5303 McKinley St., Bethesda 20814

Days on Market: 103

Listing Agency: Stuart & Maury

Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

HOME

SALE PRICE:

$2.53 million

LIST PRICE: $2.8 MILLION

Address: 3307 Woodbine St., Chevy Chase 20815

Days on Market: 41

Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE: $2.5 million

LIST PRICE: $2.5 MILLION

Address: 4822 Rodman St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 4

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE: $2.5 million

LIST PRICE: $2.5 MILLION

Address: 4625 Van Ness St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 2

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE: $2.44 million

LIST PRICE: $2.47 MILLION

Address: 11516 Swains Lock Terrace, Potomac 20854

Days on Market: 39

Listing Agency: RE/MAX Platinum Realty Bedrooms: 8

Full/Half Baths: 7/1

SALE PRICE: $2.44 million

LIST PRICE: $1.97 MILLION

Address: 12357 Potomac Hunt Road, North Potomac 20878

Days on Market: 35

Listing Agency: Toll MD Realty

Bedrooms: 4

Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE: $2.4 million

LIST PRICE: $2.4 MILLION

Address: 3914 Blackthorn St., Chevy Chase 20815

Days on Market: 23

Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties

Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

REAL ESTATE TRENDS

20015 (Upper

20832 (Olney)

20855

20016

20850 (Rockville)

20877

20814

20851 (Rockville)

20878 (Gaithersburg/North

20815 (Chevy Chase)

20852 (North Bethesda/Rockville)

20879 (Gaithersburg)

20816

20817 (Bethesda)

20853 (Rockville)

20882 (Gaithersburg)

20854 (Potomac)

20886 (Gaithersburg)

20895 (Kensington)

20902 (Silver Spring)

20910 (Silver Spring)

20901 (Silver Spring)

20903 (Silver Spring)

20912

(Takoma Park)

Information courtesy of Bright MLS, as of Sept. 16, 2024. 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 Aug. 1, 2024, to Aug. 30, 2024, as of Sept. 16, 2024, 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.

Policastri Law Firm, LLC

EUGENE W. POLICASTRI

I am a student of theology, particularly writers from the New Thought movement. Their writings have a practical application to business. Business leaders who use similar principles experience growth in thought and action. When I apply these principles to my practice, my clients experience remarkable results.

600 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 308 Rockville, MD 20852

240- 660-2219

gene@policastrilawfirm.com PolicastriLawFirm.com

Q What defines your law practice?

A We focus our energy on representing bu sinesses and individuals in dispute resolution through trial work and arbitrations. The cases center around disputes over contract terms and performance. That is, one of the parties has not lived up to its bargain. These cases range from disputes over construction to protecting businesses’ customer and price lists.

Q Why would a business or a person hi re you?

A Business owners and c-suite executives co me to us because we treat the whole problem. We do not obsess about practice groups or specialty areas, nor do we deal with only the issue at hand. Usually, if there is a dispute that requires court intervention, that to us is a symptom of a larger problem, and we look to address that also.

Q How do you communicate and control litigation costs?

A During COVID I enrolled in a Master of La w program in litigation management at Baylor University. The faculty included lawyers who managed major class action cases for some of the largest corporations on the planet. I had two critical takeaways from that program. First, the need for a litigation budget and a monthly budget variance report that accompanies each invoice. Second, full consideration for the interests of all the stakeholders involved in the dispute resolution.

Q What do you look for in a client?

A A bond. I want to enjoy taking that pe rson’s call. If I enjoy speaking with them, chances are they will enjoy speaking with me. At the end of the day, it is personal relationships that count.

Bramnick Creed LLC

MICHAEL J. BRAMNICK, ESQ.

JOSEPH M. CREED, ESQ.

EILEEN O’BRIEN, ESQ.

Bramnick Creed focuses on the following practice areas:

Civil litigation

Contract disputes

Construction law

Real estate litigation

Employment litigation: representation of both private sector and government employees

Commercial judgment enforcement

Personal injury

4550 Montgomery Ave., Suite 760N

Bethesda, Maryland 20814

301-945-7800

Mike@BramnickCreed.com

JCreed@BramnickCreed.com

EObrien@Bramnickcreed.com

BramnickCreed.com

Q What are the unique strengths of your law firm that set it apart from others?

A Our attorneys have extensive civil li tigation experience. We have litigated a wide range of cases in state and federal courts in Maryland and the District of Columbia. We focus on securing the best possible economic outcome for our clients and carefully prepare to take each case to trial. Our thorough preparation puts us in a strong position to negotiate a favorable settlement if that is in the best interest of our client, and for those cases that do not settle, we have the experience, skills and know-how to advocate for a successful outcome in the courtroom.

Q What are some unique challenges th at federal employees face in employment disputes compared to private sector employees?

A Federal employment law is quite diff erent from private sector employment law. One key difference is the legal process that federal employees must navigate, including deadlines and other requirements that are specific to federal employment. Additionally, federal employees are subject to a different set of rules and regulations, some of which require specialized legal knowledge to be handled effectively. These layers of bureaucracy often make government disputes more complicated and time consuming than private sector cases. Joe Creed has extensive experience in this area of the law and authored “Employment Rights of Federal Employees,” a chapter in the Maryland Employment Law Deskbook.

David Bulitt

JOSEPH, GREENWALD & LAAKE, P.A.

Awarded as a Leader in Law for Alternative Dispute Resolution by the Maryland State Bar Association in 2023, David Bulitt is a nationally recognized family law specialist. A skilled mediator and litigator, he effectively advocates for clients, often appointed by local courts to mediate highconflict custody and financial disputes involving special needs children.

111 Rockville Pike, Suite 975  Rockville, MD 20850 dbulitt@jgllaw.com 240-399-7888 JGLLaw.com

Q What sets you apart from other family lawyers in the area?

A My commitment to continually learning and evolving th roughout my career. Bei ng adaptable and embracing new approaches—both in legal practice and in understanding each client's needs—allows me to provide more thoughtful and effective representation. Early in my career, it was all about getting into the courtroom and trying cases. But, as the family law landscape has shifted over my nearly 40-year career to more emphasis on resolving cases outside the courtroom, I've re ally co me to value alternative dispute resolution and embrace the "counselor" part of "Attorney and Counselor at Law."

Two aspects of my personal life have also significantly influenced my practice. Being married for 38 years to a mental health professional has undoubtedly helped me develop gr eater pa tience and empathy for clients who are often going through the most difficult period in their lives. Raising a child with mental health, behavioral and addiction issues gives me unique insight into and compassion for what families are going through when dealing with these challenges.

Q How do you balance the legal aspects of a case with the emotional well-being of your clients?

A It's a fine line to tread. Family law is w rought wi th unexpected hurdles, di fficult re alities and unintended consequences. While clients may hope to hear only positive news, my responsibility is to provide clear, honest guidance. I prioritize explaining, advising, and answering questions while helping my clients stay focused and maintaining a positive mindset through what can be a very emotional process.

Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd.

LYNETTE KLEIZA, GLENN COOPER, MAKIA WEAVER, FORREST LINDELOF, ERIN KOPELMAN, MARY LIKOS, MEG MCKINNEY, ERIK ARENA, NEEMI PATEL

Lerch Early’s highly respected team of family lawyers represents clients in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. From the most complex and contentious conflicts to the most straightforward and amicable matters, we regularly handle issues including alimony, asset distribution, child support, custody, post-divorce modifications, and prenuptial/ post-nuptial agreements.

7600 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 700   Bethesda, MD 20814

301-986-1300

LerchEarly.com

Q What should I expect from my divorce attorney?

A If you are going through or are cont emplating separation or divorce, you need information. Our attorneys are responsive—they’re excellent listeners, they answer their phones, and they include you in the process every step of the way, so you understand your rights and responsibilities. When working with us, you always know exactly where things stand in your case.

Lerch Early clients benefit from the experience of a boutique family law shop within a large, full-service law firm that provides support when needed. Some divorces involve complex real estate, business, tax, employment, estate or criminal defense issues. When they do, our clients benefit from close collaboration between our divorce attorneys and their colleagues in the

firm’s other practice areas. We are handson, capable and fully involved in every step of the process.

Q When should I go to court for a divorce?

A Ideally, disputes are resolved amicably wi thout the need for litigation. Lerch Early attorneys are highly skilled at negotiation, mediation and collaborative law. When people are unable to come to an amicable resolution, they need attorneys who excel in the courtroom. Lerch Early’s divorce attorneys are always prepared and are known to be strong advocates before the courts in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia.

MICHAEL VENTURA

McMillan Metro Faerber, P.C.

PICTURED: SHAREHOLDERS

TOP ROW: A. HOWARD METRO, LAWRENCE S. JACOBS; BOTTOM ROW: MICHAEL A. FAERBER, PETER E. CIFERRI, ELYSE L. STRICKLAND Awards & Honors

2025 Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch 2024 Maryland Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Honorees

2024 Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch 2023 Maryland Super Lawyers Honorees & Best Lawyers

2023 Best Real Estate Attorney Winner – Potomac Lifestyle Readers’ Choice Awards

2023 Top Leader in Law – The Daily Record

7811 Montrose Road, Suite 400 Potomac, MD 20854

301-251-1180 McMillanMetro.com

Q What distinguishes McMillan Metro Faerber from other law firms in Montgomery County?

A At McMillan Metro Faerber, we un derstand that each client's needs are unique, and we tailor individualized strategies to achieve optimal results. Some matters require creative solutions, and our attorneys are proficient in resolving complicated issues, often by taking a collaborative and congenial approach.

Q If there's one thing you want cl ients to know about your firm, what would it be?

A We offer a broad range of legal services, en abling clients to rely on us for both business and personal legal needs. Our core practice areas include commercial real estate law, corporate and business law, corporate and civil litigation, employment law, and estate planning and administration. We take pride in having many clients return to us repeatedly as their businesses and

personal lives grow and prosper; we are honored to build long-lasting relationships, helping clients at every stage of their lives.

Q What advice would you offer someone seeking legal representation for the first time?

A You should feel like your attorney li stens and understands the legal matter you are presenting. Be prepared with as much information as possible to help facilitate a more efficient and effective assessment and have an open mind about the various approaches the attorney may present. Legal representation should be a collaborative process where you and your attorney work together toward achieving your goals. Understanding the legal process, including timelines and costs, is vital to ensuring a successful attorneyclient relationship—don't hesitate to ask questions when you need further clarification.

Strickler, Platnick & Hatfield, PC

GEOFFREY S. PLATNICK

Strickler, Platnick & Hatfield, “The Modern Family Law Firm,” brings decades of family law experience and stays on the cutting edge of legal developments. They serve all family configurations, utilizing the latest technology to enhance clients' experiences and achieve their goals with compassionate, personalized guidance.

1201 Seven Locks Road, Suite 360-7A Potomac, MD 20854

240-617-0404

ModernFamilyLawFirm.com

Q What advice would you of fer someone seeking legal representation for the first time?

A Don’t focus solely on hourly rates. While lower fees may seem attractive, they can be deceptive. Experienced attorneys may charge more, but their expertise often leads to faster, more favorable outcomes, ultimately saving you time and money. When choosing a family law attorney, prioritize responsiveness, experience and a focus on family law. Ask how long they’ve practiced and if they’ve handled cases like yours. Trial experience is crucial—your attorney should be able to negotiate from a position of strength. Above all, trust and comfort are essential in your decision.

Q Why should I choose Strickler, Pl atnick & Hatfield for my family law matter?

A Family dynamics are constantly evolving, an d so should your legal representation. At Strickler, Platnick & Hatfield, we understand

the profound impact our actions have on your life. With decades of experience in family law—handling even the most complex and contentious cases—we provide expertise, compassionate guidance and reliability. We prioritize open communication and offer honest, candid assessments to foster trust and mutual respect. Our attorneys collaborate to ensure every client benefits from our te am’s collective knowledge, enabling us to develop creative, tailored strategies that achieve the best possible outcomes, whether through negotiation or in court.

Q Can you explain the types of child cu stody in Maryland?

A In Maryland, child custody includes leg al custody (decision-making rights) and physical custody (time-sharing arrangements). Child custody resolutions can be sole, joint, or a hyb rid of bo th, always focusing on the ch ild's be st interests.

Price Benowitz

4845 Rugby Ave., Suite 312 Bethesda, MD 20814

240-414-8469

PriceBenowitz.com

Q What contributes to your success in complex family law cases?

A Tammy Begun is a well-known family la w warrior who takes pride in her relentless commitment to achieving positive results for her clients. Understanding the heart-wrenching nature of many of these cases, Tammy and her team meticulously prepare for each hearing. A formidable force in the courtroom, Tammy advocates tirelessly for the optimal outcome for every client.

Q What makes Price Benowitz a leader in the legal space?

A With almost 50 attorneys and 100 staff mem bers, Price Benowitz has the capacity to give every client the focus and care they deserve. We fiercely represent each client with tailored legal representation as though they were our own family members, leaving no stone unturned.

Every Price Benowitz attorney has excellent legal credentials and experience. Thanks to our highly trained support staff, our attorneys give full attention to their client work. Our client-centric business model ensures that clients are always our top priority. With more than 20 years of experience, passion and detailed representation runs deep in our DNA.

Q How do you ensure clients feel supported and informed throughout the criminal legal process?

A From the first contact, our clients are se rved by a compassionate and competent intake team. Each client speaks with an attorney who has a depth of experience with the case type and the particular court. Criminal Defense Partner Kush Arora and his team communicate with and guide each client through the legal process, advocating for them every step of the way.

KUSH ARORA, PARTNER, CRIMINAL DEFENSE

TAMMY BEGUN, PARTNER, FAMILY LAW

Altman & Associates

GARY ALTMAN

11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 708

Rockville, MD 20852

301-468-3220

AltmanAssociates.net

Q How does Altman & Associates approach estate pl anning?

A For more than 30 years, our principal Gary Altman has de voted his legal, tax and financial expertise to developing a collaborative approach in estate planning. He listens carefully to the goals and wishes of clients and prospects. Our whole legal team has decades of experience creating customized estate plans.

We are committed to a highly personalized approach designed specifically for each client and family, along with any associated businesses. Life can throw curve balls, and the absence of an estate plan results in critical decisions being left to chance. Aside from inheritance, and regardless of age or net worth, everyone should have legal documents that address the “what if” scenarios, such as who will make medical and financial decisions if they cannot.

Florance Van Scoy LLC

DONNA E. VAN SCOY, CASEY W. FLORANCE & ELIZABETH R. ESTEPHAN

7315 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 250W | Bethesda, MD 20814

301-276-4371 hello@cfvlaw.com

CFVLaw.com

Q Why did you start your ow n law firm?

A We are experienced li tigators and negotiators who share a deep commitment to our clients. We sought the flexibility to be able to provide the personalized service and attention to families that we know they need during challenging times. We offer support and guidance to our clients, helping them every step of the way.

Q What makes Florance Van Scoy unique?

A We focus exclusively on family law, and each client be nefits from our team's collective skills, experience and strengths. Beyond offering exceptional representation, we are active in legal and community organizations, including the Women's Bar Association and the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Ou r attorneys are consistently recognized am ong the region's best divorce lawyers by Wa shingtonian an d Bethesda Magazine.

RLG Law

At RLG Law, we practice in the areas of divorce, custody, third party custody rights, adoption, employment law, business planning and formation, trusts and estates law, and civil litigation. We combine experience and compassion to provide effective legal representation with integrity, professionalism, and an unrivaled commitment to our clients’ best interests.

51 Monroe Place, Suite 1401 Rockville, MD 20850

301-340-1616

RLG-Lawyers.com

Q How do clients benefit from working with your firm?

A Our clients benefit from the reputation we h ave built and from our goal-centric approach. Our reputation is guided by the fundamental principles of integrity, professionalism and results. We employ these principles in all aspects of our representation. With each client, we develop a plan that is custom tailored to achieve the client’s desired goals in the most cost-effective way.

While some firms market themselves as being aggressive litigators or collaborative peacemakers, we handle all resolution methods. We effectively handle matters involving mediation, alternative dispute models, collaborative methods, litigation and everything in between. At RLG Law, we consider ourselves in partnership with clients. We don’t just tell them what to do, we explain all options

and the most likely outcomes. Working in partnership, we map out a plan and create a strategy to achieve our clients’ goals, keeping them informed throughout the entire process. We are vigilant about staying in communication with clients.

Q How has the changing economy impacted family separation and divorce?

A More than ever, individuals need un ique and creative solutions. Any cookie-cutter solution is simply unrealistic. We’ve always utilized technology and innovative strategies to resolve cases either in trial or through settlement discussions, which puts us in an advantageous position to help our clients during these uncertain times. We have the capability to explore and implement creative solutions tailored to helping our clients achieve their goals.

Hostetter Strent, LLC

AMY B. STRENT, HEATHER Q. HOSTETTER & SHEILA J. KADAGATHUR

7201 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 675 Bethesda, MD 20814

301-657-0010

HostetterStrent.com

Q When should you get a pre-nuptial agreement?

A Famous couples like Amal and George, Bill and Hillary and Ba rack and Michelle have set the stage for modern power couples, but Taylor an d Travis might be breaking the mold. Taylor, the ultimate girl boss, has reached billionaire status. Though not a billionaire, Travis also has significant assets. Before we see them walk down the aisle, they will likely sign a prenup. Even without celebrity-level wealth, many couples are signing pre-nuptial agreements. Several factors should be considered, including family plans, assets, liabilities and income potential. At Hostetter Strent, we can preview what would happen in the event of divorce or other life changes, draft tailored agreements and help determine if a prenup suits your individual needs. We l ook forward to w orking with you.

Joehl Law

VIRGINIA B. JOEHL

51 Monroe St., Suite 408 Rockville, MD 20850

301-916-1700

info@vbjlaw.com

Q How do you approach cases with a significant emotional or psychological component?

A Such cases are at the heart of family law, and with a degree in b ehavioral psychology and experience in therapeutic settings before becoming a lawyer, I am uniquely equipped to handle them. Over my 25-plus years of legal practice, I've managed many emotionally charged cases, often complicated by various psychological factors. My approach is to thoroughly understand the family dynamics from the outset, using this insight to craft a strategic plan for both settlement and trial. I know successful negotiations come from thorough preparation and strength, so I always prepare for success at trial while striving to negotiate a peaceful resolution, ensuring the best possible outcome for my clients.

Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott, P.C.

JESSE D. STEIN, ESQ. & ELIZABETH J. MCINTURFF, ESQ.

Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott, P.C. is a leading real estate, trusts and estates, business transactions, tax, land use and zoning and litigation law firm in Bethesda. Since 1982, the firm has delivered innovative solutions to meet the needs of investors, owners, developers and businesses throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

4416 East West Highway, Suite 400 Bethesda, MD 20814

301-986-9600

SelzerGurvitch.com

Q What distinguishes Selzer Gurvitch from other law fir ms?

A At Selzer Gurvitch, our attorneys bring exceptional pr ofessionalism and a wide breadth of experience to our clients, helping them to achieve their legal, business, estate planning and personal objectives. Wh en disputes arise, our highly skilled litigation attorneys are passionate advocates, both in side and outside the courtroom. Whe ther through trial or alternative dispute resolution, Selzer Gur vitch’s at torneys are committed to attaining the best possible outcomes for our clients. On top of that, our attorneys have deep roots in the community, and they are committed to its growth and success. This strong local presence means our clients benefit from a personalized approach by attorneys who are not just familiar faces in the courtroom but respected voices within the legal community.

Q What is your key to building st rong, la sting relationships with your clients?

A The key is our commitment to client success. Our attorneys ca re deeply about our clients, providing them with honest, hands-on guidance that makes us trusted advisors at every step of the legal process. We build st rong, fo undational connections by supporting clients through complex legal challenges and difficult times. Our engagement with them fosters trust, illustrated by the multi-generational clients we proudly serve. At Selzer Gurvitch, we do n't ju st offer legal services; we forge lasting alliances centered on our diligent and forthright representation of clients, distinguishing us as a firm where resolve, relationships, integrity an d re sults come together seamlessly.

The McKeon Law Firm

SHELLY D. MCKEON, ESQ. & JESSICA S. KERN, ESQ.

3 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 700 Bethesda, MD 20814

17 B Firstfield Road, Suite 101

Gaithersburg, MD 20878

301-417-9222

MckeonLawFirm.com

Q Why should I hire a family law attorney?

A Working with a family law attorney is a smart investment in y our future. At our firm, clients benefit from a dedicated team that combines the personalized attention of a boutique practice—customized strategies, prompt communication and attention to detail—with the experience and resources of a la rger fi rm. We help avoid costly mistakes often made with DIY divorces. We handle all family law matters, from prenuptial agreements to complex divorce cases involving businesses, properties and financial matters. Our extensive experience in custody, visitation, support, and domestic violence cases ensures clients are well-prepared, whether for mediation or litigation. Whichever path you choose, our knowledgeable team is committed to guiding you with compassion every step of t he way.

Malech Law

LLOYD A. MALECH

For more than 25 years, Lloyd A. Malech has successfully represented individuals in family courts throughout Washington, D.C. and Maryland. His practice emphasizes meeting the clients where they are and offering solutions that fit their unique circumstances. Lloyd often answers complex questions from his clients; here are two:

7910 Woodmont Ave., Suite 1430 Bethesda, MD 20814 202-441-2107 MalechLaw.com

Q How do I protect my business and family estate during the divorce process?

A When one spouse has significant separate assets, they will wa nt to prevent outcomes like losing a family home or a forced sale of a business. Divorce is not something to do on impulse, and careful planning can significantly affect the complexity and risk involved in shielding separate property from the marital estate. Spouses who have comingled their separate property will have a heavier burden to prove that these assets shouldn’t be divided. Precise accounting and other evidence can support the separate property claim.

Q Is a positive outcome in a high conflict divorce po ssible if you're married to a narcissist?

A Dealing with a narcissist in a divorce can be challenging du e to their manipulative tendencies and need to "win." Key strategies include documenting all interactions in writing, setting firm boundaries and avoiding emotional reactions. Giving them small wins that don’t impact your well-being can help prevent escalation of the narcissist’s inclination to “go to war.” Prioritize self-care and seek support to navigate the emotionally draining process while safeguarding your mental and physical health. A careful and strategic approach that takes the narcissism of your ex into account can produce desired results.

Showcase your business at the MoCo Eats Food & Beverage Showcase and connect directly with both industry professionals and consumers. Whether you’re a restaurant, caterer, brewery, or supplier, this is your opportunity to grow your brand, build relationships with local venues, and engage face-toface with consumers. Vendors can also participate in educational sessions, panel discussions, and connect with the next generation of industry professionals. Be part of a vibrant event that celebrates Montgomery County’s thriving food and beverage scene.

Ready to experience the best of Montgomery County’s food and beverage scene? The MoCo Eats Food & Beverage Showcase is your frontrow seat to a culinary journey filled with local flavors, live demonstrations, and tastings from your favorite restaurants, breweries, and local makers. Discover new products, meet the creative minds behind them, and take home delicious finds.

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Succulent beef beckons at Fire Pit Brazilian Barbecue.

YOUR GUIDE TO EATING AND DRINKING WELL

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An African take on ice cream in Silver Spring

Smoked fish rillettes, a pâté made with Noridc fish, horseradish and trout roe, is served with housemade Old Bay chips at the Comus Inn in Dickerson. PAGE 160

PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

The Comus Inn’s fried quail is served with cheddar cornmeal waffles, chili honey garlic sauce and broccolini.

Opposite: The Inn’s beer garden offers scenic views.

Dinner and a

VIEW

Chef Joseph Richard Tiernan’s

solid cooking complements the Comus Inn’s spectacular Sugarloaf Mountain backdrop BY

DAVID HAGEDORN • PHOTOS BY DEB LINDSEY

I’msipping on an aptly named Mountain View Martini of gin, grapefruit juice and sparkling wine as streaks of pink, lavender and orange fill the summer sunset sky over Sugarloaf Mountain. The scenery is on full view through the large picture windows of the Comus Inn’s dining room. Below, on the restaurant’s lower level, people are hanging out at the Vanish Farmwoods Brewery craft beer garden listening to a band that’s finishing its last set. Kids are running around on a vast expanse of lawn while my husband and I savor a pot of plump Prince Edward Island mussels steamed with vermouth, cream, shallots and tarragon. This entree, from the Inn’s American-meets-French-meetsgastropub menu, served with French fries and Dijon mustard-laced mayo, is perfect for sharing as an appetizer.

The Inn, a farmhouse that dates to 1862 and is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, sits on 5.26 acres in Dickerson, in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve. Its previous owner, Doug Yurechko, bought the place in 2019, remodeled the event space that had been operating there and reopened it as a restaurant and beer garden in October 2020. He sold the property in December 2023 to restaurateur brothers Eric and Ian Hilton, whose H2 Collective portfolio includes Chez Billy Sud in Washington, D.C., and Cafe Colline in Arlington, Virginia; Steve Ryan, who co-owns Solace Outpost brewery with Ian Hilton; and Jonathan Staples, owner of Leesburg, Virginia-based Vanish Farmwoods Brewery. The group reopened the Comus Inn in April. The beer garden includes a taco bar named El Segundo.

THE COMUS INN

23900 Old Hundred Road, Dickerson; 301-349-2015; thecomusinn.com

FAVORITE DISHES: Smoked salmon rillettes with trout roe; country fried quail with cheddar cornmeal waffle; sauteed local mushrooms with fried egg on grilled sourdough; smashburger and fries; honey cornmeal cake with berries

PRICES: Starters: $11 to $19; Entrees: $18 to $45, most in the $20s; Desserts: $6 to $12

LIBATIONS: The Comus Inn’s beverage list includes six craft cocktails ($14 to $16), four draft beers ($6 to $8) and five bottled beers ($7 to $9). The 31-bottle wine list features Old World and California wines and Maryland vintages, among them a Windridge sparkling rosé from Germantown ($110) and a Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyards chardonnay ($48). The offerings are eight sparkling ($48 to $340), three rosés ($48 to $68), eight whites ($48 to $64) and 11 reds ($48 to $170). There are 18 wines by the glass ($12 to $17). Fortified wines by the glass are a Fonseca Bin 27 port ($14) and a port-style blend ($17) from Black Ankle Vineyards in Mt. Airy, Maryland.

SERVICE: The young staff is attentive and makes up for what they lack in experience with affability and a desire to please.

The Inn’s chef, Joseph Richard Tiernan, 32, who lives in Rockville, met Ryan while working for him as a line cook at Blackfinn Ameripub first in Bethesda, then in Merrifield, Virginia (both are now closed). Tiernan was the chef at Dominion Wine and Beer in Falls Church, Virginia, when Ryan tapped him for the Comus gig. The bistro menu’s terse wording, a listing of dish ingredients, undersells what shows up. “Smoked fish rillette” (the menu leaves off the “s” of the plural noun rillettes, a fancy French term for a kind of pâté) is billed as “horseradish, dill, trout roe, Old Bay crisps” but in fact is a delightful spread made with salmon and Arctic char from the Faroe Islands, a Nordic island group known for its superlative seafood. Tiernan smokes and flakes the fish, blends it with labneh, housemade horseradish and orange pearls of trout roe, and puts the rillettes in a mold to form a neat disk that he garnishes with crispy fried shallots and black-and-white sesame seeds. A hint of hickory kisses each delightful bite that I pile onto the Old Bay-dusted housemade potato chips that accompany it.

Tiernan presents a nice rendition of arancini, fried risotto balls stuffed with smok ed mozzarella and resting on marinara sauce with drizzles of basil oil. His Scotch egg, a nod to the British pub fare of his Blackfinn Ameripub days, is a standout: A breaded, deep-fried medium-boiled duck egg is enrobed with housemade pork sausage enhanced with caraway seeds and Vanish lager. (Tiernan gets the pork from the market at Dickerson’s Deere Valley Farm.) The halved egg, its luscious yolk exposed, rests on a flavor-packed gribiche sauce, a rich vinaigrette made with chopped cornichons, capers, tarragon and hardboiled eggs.

Tiernan took inspiration from a Camden Yards concession stand for a large, soft, Bavarian pretzel halved horizontally, sandwiched with tasty Maryland lump crabmeat dip, topped with cheddar cheese and baked. It’s a good idea with a faulty execution—there’s too much pretzel, and the dip isn’t sufficiently warmed through. Better to bake the dip and cheese in a crock until bubbly and present the pretzel on the side for dipping.

An entree I overlooked on my first visit to Comus because of its lackluster description turns out to be a stunner called, simply, “Local Mushrooms.” Tiernan buys shiitake and blue and yellow oyster mushrooms from Happy Farm in Dickerson and sautes them with leeks,

The restaurant’s smashburger is made with Roseda Farm Black Angus beef and topped with cheddar, red onion, pickles and Marie Rose sauce.

butter, garlic, mushroom stock and sherry. They’re served in a gratin dish over a slice of grilled sourdough spread with goat cheese. Break the sunny-side-up egg perched on top and let the yolk turn the juices into a luxuriant sauce the bread sops up. This carnivore finds the vegetarian dish’s meaty, earthy, umami-rich fungi flavors thoroughly satisfying. My pescatarian side appreciates the Faroe Islands salmon, roasted perfectly to medium (the server asked for my r equire d doneness, and the kitchen obliged), offered with tomato and corn risotto and lobster sauce. There’s ratatouille on the plate, too, but it gilds the lily and could be omitted in the name of restraint.

Another winning dish is the butterflied, crispy, batter-fried Vermont quail served on a cheddar cheese waffle. Chili honey garlic sauce lends sweetness and spice to this clever version of chicken and waffles; charred, al dente broccolini helps alleviate carb guilt.

Hamburger cravers will be thrilled by Tiernan’s smashburger, two 4-ounce Roseda Farm Black Angus beef patties, sharp cheddar cheese, tomatoes, red onions, pickles and mayo- and ketchup-based Marie Rose sauce on a potato roll. It’s a four-napkin exercise in pure pleasure, and the fries, though frozen rather than freshly cut, are good quality and crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside.

Speaking of napkins, an interesting phenomenon takes place at the Inn. The early evening seating is full of families with kids and toddlers, and therefore has a casual vibe. But when the tables turn, well-dressed adults, including many couples clearly on dates, fill the room and the restaurant feels more genteel, with men at several tables even pulling chairs out for female companions. That makes a peeve of mine—nice restaurants using paper napkins— stand out even more. Having servers resilver tables from a clothlined tray is a nice touch of service that seems kind of ridiculous when we diners have paper napkins teetering on our laps.

The decor of the restaurant, which seats 110, is simple and rustic, wisely relying on the surfeit of windows to let the stunning views be the artwork. Gray paisley fabric-covered padded walls help soak up noise. Wooden floors, as one expects in a 19thcentury farmhouse, are charming.

The Inn’s desserts are simple but well executed. Silken creme brulee spiked with orange liqueur comes with a delicate, ultra-buttery shortbread cookie that almost upstages it. Honey cornmeal cake with strawberry sauce and lavender syrup is dense but creamy, as if it’s the offspring of polenta and cheesecake. Don’t overlook the housemade sorbet. The one I sampled, made with peaches from Dickerson’s Lewis Orchards and blood oranges, is a refreshing coda to a pleasant supper in the country.

From top: A sunset view of Sugarloaf Mountain from the dining room; honey cornmeal cake with strawberries and lemon cream

Social Studies

Silver Spring’s Solaire Social, the 250-seat, 13,000-square-foot food hall that opened in June, features 10 food vendors, a 40-seat bar and an entertainment stage. Here are two entrepreneurs— both Silver Spring residents—with particularly intriguing offerings in the food hall.

BY DAVID HAGEDORN | PHOTOS BY BRENDAN MCCABE

Fire Pit Brazilian Barbecue

“IT’S OUR CULTURE. WE GROW UP MAKING GAUCHO-STYLE BEEF BARBECUE, SEASONING ONLY WITH SEA SALT AND COOKING OVER A CHARCOALFUELED GRILL.”

—GUI GONZALEZ, CO-OWNER OF FIRE PIT BRAZILIAN BARBECUE

Gui Gonzalez, 36, who owns this Solaire Social spot with his wife, Fabiana Redondo Gonzalez, has Brazilian barbecue in his bones. The Silver Spring resident hails from Porto Alegre in Southern Brazil. “It’s considered the barbecue town in Brazil,” Gonzalez says. “It’s our culture. We grow up making gaucho-style beef barbecue, seasoning only with sea salt and cooking over a charcoal-fueled grill.” The star of the show, he explains, is the cut known as picanha. “It’s also called the rump cap. It’s in the rear of the cow on top of the sirloin, with a thick cap of fat and very marbled. That makes it tender and gives it a special texture and a unique flavor. When you talk Brazilian barbecue, it means picanha.”

Gonzalez slices picanha into 1½-inchthick steaks, seasons the meat all over with salt, sears it on the grill to give it a good crust, slices it into bite-size strips and grills those again until rosy inside. He serves it with a sauce made with mayo, cilantro, scallions and garlic. Meat platters ($14.90 to $16.90) include two sides, among them black beans, potato salad and farofa (toasted cassava flour sauteed with onions and bacon).

Gonzalez and his mother moved to

Rockville in 2003. After graduating from Wheaton High School in 2008, he went into landscaping, eventually opening his own company. He left it in 2022 to pursue his passion, opening Fire Pit Brazilian Barbecue food truck and parking it in Rockville’s Golden Arcade shopping center. When he had the chance to open a brick-and-mortar spot at Solaire Social, Gonzalez seized the opportunity. “The food truck was always going to be the first step of growing my fast-casual concept,” says Gonzalez, who continues to operate his food truck.

In addition to picanha, the menu at Solaire includes pork ribs, boneless beef ribs and grilled boneless, skinless chicken thighs. (The pork and beef ribs are smoked at an off-site kitchen and then grilled to order at Solaire, using a gas-powered grill with a tray of oak and eucalyptus wood embers underneath the meat.) It’s really all about the picanha, though.

firepitbrazilianbbq.com

Co-owner Gui Gonzalez in the kitchen at Fire Pit Brazilian Barbecue, where picanha beef, top left, is the star of the menu and sides include black beans and farofa.

Shuga x Ice

Ice cream aficionados on the lookout for new ways to have their taste buds tantalized should make a beeline to Shuga x Ice, where Ndidiamaka Agu, 31, is using her Nigerian heritage as inspiration for her frozen creations. The New York City native was fascinated by science from an early age. Watching Alton Brown explain the chemistry of cooking on the TV show Good Eats was a catalyst for her to pursue her passion. “There was a vegan ice cream craze in New York in 2018,” Agu says, “and I thought, I can do this. I could open an ice cream cart. And so the seed was planted.”

Intending to start an ice cream business one day, Agu moved in 2019 to the D.C. area, a calmer environment than New York, she says. She bought an ice cream machine and started experimenting and refin-

ing recipes. After being laid off from a job as a project manager in 2023, she took a leap of faith. Having noticed the “coming soon” signs in the windows of Solaire Social, she tracked down chef and restaurateur Akhtar Nawab and pitched him her concept. He’s the founder and CEO of Brooklyn-based Hospitality HQ, the consulting and management group that curated Solaire. Agu says her goal is to have an ice cream flavor at Shuga x Ice for every country in Africa because the continent is woefully underrepresented in the American culinary scene. For now, she’s starting with Nigerian inspirations. The menu features one dairy-free option, made with coconut cream and pieces of flaky, fried cookies known as chin chin, and four creambased ones, including Madagascar vanilla. Tea + Bread,

From left: Spicy chocolate ice cream with Ovaltine crunch topping at Shuga x Ice; owner Ndidiamaka Agu

a tea-infused variety, is loaded with crunchy croutons fashioned from fluffy Nigerian Agege bread. Gbas Gbos (Nigerian slang for “a war of words”) is a silken chocolate ice cream with a slight kick of heat from ground Nigerian chiles. Love Nwantinti is made with a nonalcoholic African malt-based drink originally from Cameroon called Malta Guinness. Don’t look for sprinkles at Shuga x Ice. Agu’s intriguing toppings include fried plantain chips, cacao nibs, chin chin, Ovaltine cookie crumbles, kuli kuli (a spicy peanut snack mix) and Milo-brand

malted chocolate powder. “You can get sprinkles anywhere,” Agu says. One scoop: $6.50; two: $8; three: $9.50. Waffle cone: $1.25. Toppings: $1 each.

shugaxice.com

The light-filled Solaire Social food hall

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We’re flaunting highfashion feathers.

SHOPPING, TRAVEL, WELLNESS AND MORE

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A Potomac artist’s love letter to postage stamps

High Ohiopyle Bridge is in Pennsylvania’s scenic Laurel Highlands region, where you can visit houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. PAGE 176

Fringe Benefits

Cinq à Sept Dreama

Marnie cardigan, $395 at Sassanova, 7134 Bethesda Lane, Bethesda, 301-654-7402, sassanova.com

Perfect Perch

St. Armands Designs of Sarasota striped feather tassel earrings, $44 at Scout & Molly’s, 11882 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), North Bethesda, 301-348-5047, northbethesda.scoutandmollys.com

FLIGHT OF FANCY

Be a rare bird this season with statement-making feathery details on everything from your chic new cardigan to your fave black booties

BY KRISTEN SCHOTT

Ruffling Feathers

Johnny Was “Lewella” feather-trim kimono, $365 at Johnny Was, 4867 Bethesda Ave., Unit S, Bethesda, 301-263-3505, johnnywas.com

Full Plume

Sohi embellished feather statement ring, $39 at Macy’s, 7125 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), Bethesda, 301-469-6800, macys.com

High Top

English Factory feather plush knit sweater vest, $70 (special order) at Anthropologie, 4801 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, 240-345-9413, anthropologie.com

Wispy Business

Wishlist Apparel eyelash sweater, $60 at Jurisdiction, 7937A Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), Potomac, 301-250-6987, jurisdictionclothing.com

Flock Star

Sam Edelman “Ency” dress booties with feather pompom, $200 at Macy’s, 7125 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), Bethesda, 301-469-6800, macys.com

Ride the Rails With Santa Traveler’s Notebook

Virginia Scenic Railway offers year-round sightseeing excursions with a full Santa takeover during the holidays. Riders can visit with St. Nick (and snap their own photos), sip hot cocoa, and nosh on sweet treats while listening to holiday tunes during the roughly 50-minute, round-trip ride. The train is decked out with colorful lights, a faux fireplace near Santa’s chair and Christmas trees. Each year, Santa gives kids a collectible Santa gold-colored coin stamped with the year and Virginia Scenic Railway imagery.

Note: Book sooner rather than later; the excursions sold out in 2022 and 2023 around late November. Rides begin Dec. 1 and continue through Dec. 22, with Santa outings every day except Mondays; day and night times are available. The train departs from the Amtrak station in downtown Staunton, about 150 miles from Bethesda. Factor in time to find parking. $65 per person; children younger than age 2 ride for free on a parent’s lap.

Virginia Scenic Railway, departs from 1 Middlebrook Ave., Staunton, Virginia, 434-391-9772, virginia scenicrailway.com/rides/santas-scenic-railway

—Christine Koubek Flynn

PHOTOS BY KATE SIMON

Train rides with Santa on Virginia Scenic Railway depart from Staunton, Virginia, and include photo ops and treats.

Enjoy a Bookish Weekend

Sink into a leather sofa with a good book at the Graduate by Hilton Princeton hotel’s tome-lined, two-story lobby/library in New Jersey. Opened in August just steps from Princeton University, the hotel joined 32 others in the upscale collegiate-themed Graduate collection, which became part of Hilton in March. Nods to the historic town and its Ivy League institution are incorporated throughout, from a hand-carved wooden reception desk flanked by four wooden statues of tigers—the school’s beloved mascot—to a collection of colorfully embroidered vintage “reunion jackets” (given to alumni at their 25th reunion) displayed on the walls. The lobby’s 30-foot wooden study table is a great place to work or gather with friends.

Seersucker drapes in orange and white (drawing from the school’s black and orange color palette), lamps modeled after Revolutionary War-era cannons, and framed artwork that details some of Princeton’s storied traditions are just a few university-inspired elements in the hotel’s 180 guest rooms. The green tile bathrooms with custom botanical wallpaper were inspired by the campus arboretum.

At the hotel’s Ye Tavern restaurant, named after a bar that occupied the site in the 1930s, try a cleverly titled cocktail, such as “In Honore of Jack,” a Manhat -

tan that pays tribute to the owner of Jack Honore’s Barber Shop that once stood across the street. Nearby, the Gothicstyle Princeton University Chapel and the Princeton University Art Museum are worth a campus stroll. Visit the Princeton Public Library, the most visited municipal public library in New Jersey, for its beautiful architecture, cozy seating areas and an event schedule packed with talks by authors, story times for kids and more. Hotel room rates begin at $299.

Graduate by Hilton Princeton, 10 Chambers St., Princeton, New Jersey, 609-436-9400, hilton.com/ en/hotels/pctgpgu-graduate-princeton

—C.K.F.

The lobby at Graduate by Hilton Princeton is library themed. Below: one of the hotel’s suites

Treat Yourself to an Elegant Holiday

Begin and end a festive day in Annapolis, Maryland, with laid-back luxury at 1313 West, a seven-suite boutique hotel that opened in July as a sister property to nearby 134 Prince. Each elegantly designed suite at 1313 West includes percale linens on a cooling charcoal-infused, memory-foam mattress, a Nespresso machine, a record player (with a selection of albums) and a spa-like bathroom with herbal products from Farmaesthetics. Some also have a stand-alone tub for a relaxing soak. Suites are named after former Triple Crown-winning horses, such as the Secretariat Suite, the American Pharaoh Suite and the Seattle Slew Suite. There’s also an elegant parlor room, and a wraparound porch where visitors can enjoy their morning coffee on teak rocking chairs that overlook the lawn and garden terrace.

Tucked away on the lower level, the Jockey Club Lounge, a guest-only speakeasy, took its design inspiration from New York City’s famous Polo Bar. The hotel will be decked out in holiday finery as Annapolis enjoys a season full of festive traditions and events, including the Grand Illumination of the Annapolis Tree, a lighted boat parade, the Chocolate Binge Festival and an annual holiday market with live entertainment. See visitannapolis.org/events/ holiday for details.

Rates at 1313 West begin at $399 a night and include a full fresh-made breakfast, justbaked cookies in the afternoon, plus coffee, espresso and tea throughout the day. Tesla chargers are available.

1313 West, 1313 West St., Annapolis, Maryland, 410-417-7888, 1313west.com —C.K.F

PHOTOS BY PEAK VISUALS

The American Pharaoh Suite at Annapolis’ 1313 West features a rooftop deck.

Guests at the boutique hotel can relax on the wraparound porch.

ANIMAL LIBERATION

Every day, monkeys are cut open, starved, restrained, and traumatized in taxpayer-funded experiments—including many at the National Institutes of Health. The monkeys are injected with toxic chemicals and sickened with deadly diseases. Their clinging infants are pried away from them. And at the end of it all, almost all of them are killed.

This is a perversion of science, a betrayal of both animals and human patients. And you can help end it.

Scan the QR code or visit PETA.org/Primate to learn more.

WRIGHT THIS WAY

PHOTO BY LAUREL HIGHLANDS VISITORS

Fallingwater is nestled on a waterfall in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands region. The house was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

EXPLORE ARCHITECTURAL MASTERPIECES BY

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT AMID THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF PENNSYLVANIA’S LAUREL HIGHLANDS REGION

BY AMY BRECOUNT WHITE

In 2019, UNESCO confirmed what many already knew—that Frank Lloyd Wright was a master of his craft—when it added eight of the architect’s iconic structures to its World Heritage List. Among them was Fallingwater, the waterfallstraddling home that in 1936 jump-started Wright’s career.

Fallingwater may be the most famous architectural marvel in the Laurel Highlands, a forested stretch of southwestern Pennsylvania, but it’s not the only one. Three additional Wright-designed homes have made the area a mecca for 20th century design enthusiasts.

Wright, who lived from 1867 to 1959, is considered one of the most influential figures on the midcentury modern style, designing more than 1,000 structures over the course of his career. More than 530 of his designs were built and the homes incorporated open floor plans and locally sourced natural materials. His penchant for low-pitched roofs and strong horizontal lines makes his designs instantly recognizable.

FALLINGWATER

Wright’s connection to the Laurel Highlands can be traced to the son of Fallingwater’s original owners, Edgar and Liliane Kaufmann. After completing an architectural fellowship at Taliesin, Wright’s self-designed home and studio in Wisconsin, Edgar Kaufmann Jr. introduced the architect to his parents. The elder Edgar Kaufmann was a wealthy

Pittsburgh department store owner who, like Wright, enjoyed pushing boundaries. His department stores were known for their speedy and efficient home deliveries.

“We call him the first Amazon,” quips Sandy Spagnola, our tour guide during my most recent visit to Fallingwater on a crisp fall day. Back then, Pittsburgh had earned dubious nicknames such as “the smoky city” and “hell with the lid off,” she says, referencing the fiery and sooty iron and steel town the Kaufmanns sought refuge from.

Wright took a liking to the Kaufmanns, and in 1934 visited the roughly 1,900-acre property they had purchased about 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. He noted the stone ledges over Bear Run—the stream that spills into a waterfall—and the abundance of local Pottsville sandstone, a resource that would become one of the home’s primary building materials.

Wright’s philosophy, Spagnola explains, was that “a house should look like it grew there. [He] tied the house to the waterfall itself and created cantilevered terraces that mimic the rock edges of the waterfall.”

The Kaufmanns had pictured a home with pretty views of the waterfall, but Wright wanted them to live on top of it. His clients were initially shocked by that radical notion, but eventually came to

From left: Kaufmann with his son, Edgar Jr., and his wife, Liliane, at Fallingwater

A view of Fallingwater from the side

Frank Lloyd Wright helped define 20th century American architecture.

A portrait of original owner Edgar Kaufmann is at one end of Fallingwater’s dining room.

embrace his vision. The construction of Fallingwater broke ground in 1936 and was completed in 1938.

Wright was notoriously stubborn. He refused to budge on his designs, and at times demanded that workers dismantle and redo elements that hadn’t been crafted to his exact specifications. He often built furniture into a house so it couldn’t be changed. (For a deep dive into Wright, read Loving Frank by Nancy Horan.)

But some clever clients, such as Kaufmann, found ways to circumnavigate his obstinance. According to Spagnola, when Kaufmann saw how little space Wright had allocated for a home office desk at Fallingwater, he sent a letter:

“I can’t write a check to an architect on this small of a desk,” he wrote. Wright promptly enlarged it.

Kaufmann, in turn, ended up writing much larger checks than anticipated. The house that had been initially quoted at $35,000 came in with a final price tag of $148,000, with $11,300 in added architectural fees.

Taking up residence in their new home, the Kaufmanns enjoyed bracing morning dips in the spring water that fed their outdoor plunge pool. (They could walk down the stairs and into the pool from inside the house.) Albert Einstein and Frida Kahlo counted among the luminaries who came for dinner or overnight stays. The furniture and artwork that remain on display are originals, including a Tiffany lamp and several Picassos.

Fallingwater spans 9,300 square feet in total, but nearly half of that (4,400 square feet) is comprised of outdoor terraces, as befits Wright’s philosophy that houses should rest in harmony with nature.

After his parents died, Edgar Kaufmann Jr.—by then an adjunct professor at Columbia University—entrusted the home to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in 1963. His partner, Paul Mayén, designed the visitors center. Occasionally, Spagnola says, Edgar would give tours without wearing a name tag and ask visitors, “How do you like my house?”

KENTUCK KNOB

Though Fallingwater usually gets top billing, nearby Kentuck Knob is another Wright masterpiece worth a visit.

“The house is going to come right out of the hillside, like the prow of a ship,” explains our guide, Jennifer Nicklow, as our shuttle bus approaches the low structure. There are audible gasps inside the bus as the home’s angular copper patina roof and rich stonework seemingly emerge from the land itself.

Commissioned in the mid-1950s by ice cream magnates I.N. and Bernardine Hagan to occupy the apex of an 80-acre site, the home is an expression of Wright’s principles.

“Usonia,” Nicklow explains, was a term Wright coined to express his “vision for a more modern, yet distinctly American style of architecture.” The word is thought to be an abbreviation of “United States of North America.” Impacted by his memories of the Great Depression, Wright wanted to design dwellings that a middle-class family could afford, and revolutionize the way Americans felt in their homes by emphasizing their connections to nature.

Most Usonian homes are one story with a small (around 1,500 square feet), open footprint, often in an L shape that wraps around an outdoor terrace. Favoring natural and local building materials and large expanses of glass, Wright often employed cantilevered overhangs to promote passive heating and cooling, along with radiant heat in the concrete slab floors. And he hated clutter. His homes often featured open carports, built-in furniture and minimal closets.

The front face of Kentuck Knob

Exterior architectural detail at Kentuck Knob

Mäntylä house is located in Polymath Park.

Designed without any 90-degree corners, Kentuck Knob unfolds as a series of parallelograms and hexagons. Most of the angles in the house are 60 or 120 degrees— although Nicklow shares that the contractors did have to make two exceptions to accommodate the plumbing in two bathrooms. They never told Wright.

Occupying 2,300 square feet, Kentuck Knob embodies Wright’s “compression and release” philosophy, in which low entries, small doorways and narrow hallways open into more spacious communal areas. Wright was 5 feet, 5 inches tall and usually designed to that height. Many customers, including 6-foot-tall I.N. Hagan, had to request accommodations.

Like Fallingwater, Kentuck Knob embraces a mostly natural palette, save a few of the architect’s signature “Cherokee red” touches. I smile at the six-sided kitchen, with its red tile floor, red countertops and large skylight. Bernardine Hagan reportedly asked Wright to enlarge the kitchen, only for him to respond by shrinking the adjacent hallway.

“I don’t often use the word comfortable with Frank Lloyd Wright furniture,” Nicklow says, pointing to a set of angular chairs designed by the architect, but the aesthetic is captivating. Hexagonal cutouts in the home’s dramatic overhangs cast playful patterns on the stone terrace.

Since 1986, Kentuck Knob has been owned by Lord Peter Palumbo, an art collector, philanthropist and former member of the British House of Lords, and his wife, Hayat. The Palumbos converted the house into a museum more than two decades ago and live elsewhere. Take a short stroll from the residence to the nearby overlook for a gorgeous view of the Youghiogheny River Valley below.

POLYMATH PARK

For another peek inside Wright’s world, head to Polymath Park in Acme, Pennsylvania. This privately owned, 125-acre preservation site is home to two Wrightdesigned houses—Duncan House and Mäntylä—as well as two homes designed by Wright apprentice Peter Berndtson that follow the Usonian playbook, with large windows framing woodland views, and stunning stonework inside and out.

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The Wright structures weren’t always located here, explains our tour guide, Robert Hoffer. In 2000, after moving to the Laurel Highlands to enjoy its wooded seclusion, entrepreneur Tom Papinchak and his wife, Heather, learned that the owner of the Berndtson-designed homes (Balter House and Blum House) was aiming to sell and possibly harvest the forest. Papinchak bought the property and the homes, “and then told his wife the next day,” Hoffer jokes.

The Papinchaks subsequently transplanted two threatened Wright homes to Polymath Park with the approval of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy. Both homes were dismantled, their parts cataloged and numbered, before they were transported cross-country and then painstakingly reassembled on-site.

Stepping inside Wright’s circa-1952 Mäntylä, I’m smitten by the retro vibe of the living room with its wall of windows and small cushioned stools. I picture myself enjoying cocktails with stylish friends in this groovy conversation pit. (And for a mere $875 per night, I could: All of the homes at Polymath Park can be booked for overnight stays.)

Duncan House, a prefabricated Wright prototype originally built in Lisle, Illinois (outside Chicago) in 1957, is a Usonian structure marked by narrow, wood-paneled hallways that open into charming living spaces with bright red floors and countertops. There’s more Wright-inspired architecture on the horizon at Polymath Park. Soon to be constructed on the site is Birdwing, a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Jr. As the name implies, its roof resembles the open wings of a flying bird.

Visitors who overnight here appreciate “the peace and the ability to detach and reconnect in nature,” Hoffer says. I’m certain that’s true, just as Wright intended.

IF YOU GO

THE WRIGHT HOMES

Fallingwater (fallingwater.org) offers guided architectural tours ($36) from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily (closed Wednesdays and Thanksgiving), March through Dec. 1. See its website for holiday hours in December. Special events include forest-to-table dinners and fireside talks. The 5,000-acre site includes scenic walking trails and an extensive gift shop.

At Kentuck Knob (kentuck knob.com) , guided home tours ($30) are offered daily, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (noon to 3 p.m. Wednesdays), March through the end of November. See website for holiday hours in December. If the weather’s fine, take the woodland trail that showcases owners Peter and Hayat Palumbo’s sculpture collection, including works by Andy Goldsworthy and Wendy Taylor, and enjoy a scoop of local Hagan ice cream from the on-site vendor.

Polymath Park (franklloyd wrightovernight.net) offers architectural tours with lunch ($75) through Nov. 24, as well as overnight stays in homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and his protégé Peter Berndtson ($475 to $825 per night).

WHERE TO EXPLORE

In nearby Shanksville, the Flight 93 Memorial (nps.gov/flni/index. htm) pays tribute to the passengers who perished while diverting a hijacked plane on Sept. 11, 2001. This sobering memorial includes walking trails and audio clips of victims’ cellphone calls to loved ones. Admission is free.

The Westmoreland Museum of American Art (thewestmoreland. org) in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, is a large, contemporary museum

in a charming small town. Currently on display are works by Pakistani American multimedia artist Anila Quayyum Agha.

The town of Ohiopyle (population 37, although fewer than 20 live there year-round), recently named the Best Small Town in the Northeast by USA Today, is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. The adjacent Ohiopyle State Park offers rafting, biking and waterfall hikes along the Youghiogheny River, and is bisected by the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail (gaptrail.org), a scenic bike route that later connects to the C&O Canal towpath.

WHERE TO EAT

For a leafy dining experience at Polymath Park, book a table at the lauded TreeTops Restaurant (tree topsrestaurant.net) or one of its treehouse-style dining pods and enjoy locally sourced dishes by chef/owner Heather Papinchak. The outdoor bar will stay open into November, weather permitting. In December, an annual holiday progressive dinner that serves a different course in each of the site’s historic homes invariably sells out.

Silver Horse Coffee (silver horsecoffee.com) in Donegal, Pennsylvania, serves up espresso drinks, kombucha, breakfast burritos and locally made pastries, as well as portable snacks (think energy bars and beef jerky) made by Pennsylvania small food businesses. Another spot for a caffeine fix is Bittersweet Café (bittersweetfresh.com) in Farmington, known for its barista specialties and sandwiches made with locally sourced ingredients. Falls City Pub (fallscitypub.com) in Ohiopyle features casual dining and live music.

The interior of Duncan House has a living room with large windows and stonework.

Duncan House, in Polymath Park, features an exterior patio and stonework.

WHERE TO STAY

Seven Springs Mountain Resort (7springs.com) has Slopeside Hotel, with multiple dining options, as well as rental cabins. The Slopeside Restaurant offers buffet dining in a casual setting.

The 1907 Historic Summit Inn Resort (summitinn resort.com), an original “grand porch hotel,” is on the historic National Road and has dining options.

Nemacolin resort (nemacolin.com) is an upscale place to eat, play and stay, with many on-site activities, including golf and a ropes course.

Amy Brecount White (amybrecountwhite. com) lives in Arlington, Virginia, and agrees with Frank Lloyd Wright’s belief that we all need more nature in our lives.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s marvels and other destinations are within driving distance of each other.

POURING BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY

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The Reproductive Therapists

How a Bethesda practice helps families through fertility challenges

BY REBECCA GALE

She knew she needed more support.

The woman and her husband, a Bethesda couple now in their early 40s, were several years into their decade-long journey to become pregnant, and things weren’t working out the way they had hoped.

Ten is too many miscarriages , she remembers thinking. Each was devastating. She wasn’t sure she could become a mother, and she felt her friends and family didn’t know what to say. Her doctor told her that many families stop trying to get pregnant because the stress of each attempt becomes too much to manage.

So she decided to seek a different kind of support. She wanted someone who could help her talk through her grief and her options.

This led the couple to Sharon Covington, a licensed clinical social worker who runs the Center for Reproductive Mental Health in Bethesda. (Due to the sensitive nature of

their story, the couple has asked that their names be withheld.) They began seeing Covington in 2016, at first weekly to work through the trauma of repeated miscarriages and infertility treatment; then the woman saw Covington for therapy once a month on her own, and once a month with her husband. They continued to see Covington for about seven years.

Covington helped them explore other options for building their family, including adoption, and actively work through the grieving process of pregnancy loss and letting go of their original plan of how to expand their family

“People need a chance to support and understand their feelings about this,” Covington says. “They need to be able to grieve their loss and talk about alternative ways to have a family, either through donor eggs, donor sperm, donor embryo or adoption, or remain a family of two.”

What she says she offers as a reproductive therapist is the chance to “process the experience they are going through in a safe environment.”

Forty years ago, Covington was working as a social worker when she experienced two late-term pregnancy losses and an early miscarriage. She says nothing in her career or personal life had prepared her for the unique feelings and grief from the losses. At that time, there was little support for families going through reproductive loss, what Covington calls “a very silent grief and loss.” In 1981 she started the Miscarriage, Infant Death and Stillbirth support group, which is now called MIS Share (Miscarriage, Infant loss and Stillbirth) and is still active (misshare.org).

“What I learned in these infertility and pregnancy loss groups is the unique nature of grief from the loss of the wishedfor child and what an incredibly isolating

Sharon Covington, left, and her daughter, Laura, offer fertility counseling.

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experience it is, which creates a profound sense of personal shame that is hard to process and resolve,” Covington says. She began speaking to physicians about this, including Dr. Paul Feldman, who worked at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville at the time. He asked if she would move her therapy practice into his OB-GYN office, which she did in 1983. In 1991, she teamed up with Drs. Michael Levy and Arthur Sagoskin to start Shady Grove Fertility, to provide support for the medical and emotional needs of patients going through treatment.

Reproductive mental health and fertility counseling is “counseling and supporting people who are struggling to have a family,” Covington says. In vitro fertilization has been around for almost 50 years, but as reproductive technology has expanded and people wait longer to have children, it has rapidly gained in popularity. Medical technology now allows eggs to be harvested from women; sperm, eggs and embryos to be frozen and used later; and embryos to be created in a lab using donor sperm and eggs and then transferred to a gestational surrogate.

Each person involved in third party reproductive technology is recommended by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine to have a “recipient consultation,” a single counseling session with a trained therapist. Sharon’s daughter, Laura Covington, also works at the center, where she is regularly involved in recipient and donor consultations. Laura, who has a Ph.D. in social work, describes these consultations as “more of an educational session, not an evaluation.”

“I’m there to provide information and for them to go through how the donation works and talk to them about future implications,” she says. Much of the discussion can focus on the emotional well-being of the adults involved and of their future child, including what and when to tell the child about their conception, which Laura recommends they do at an early age.

Laura estimates she does 15 to 20 recipient or donor consultations a month, and only a few are with donors the family knows personally. Many people who go through consultations return to her therapy practice, either for individual sessions or one of the support groups she runs for

donor conception or queer family building. Many conversations involve what to do with remaining embryos, if they should try for a second child or when to stop fertility treatments.

“People go through trauma and hardship in order to get one child. The thought of going back and doing it again can be really hard,” Laura says. And for people who go through month after month of negative pregnancy tests, or multiple losses, “it can be isolating. They don’t always have others to understand or sit with them and just listen,” Laura says.

There are times when Laura has counseled clients to put things on hold and rethink the process. “Sometimes the couples aren’t on the same page at all—one is all ‘let’s do it,’ and the other is like ‘no.’ My role as a therapist here is to take a pause and step back to get support, or even to sit with sadness.” And sometimes the donors aren’t ready to proceed either. She recalls an egg donor discussing her own childhood trauma that she hadn’t yet fully processed. “I recommended for her not to move forward as a donor, and she actually agreed.”

In the 15 years that Laura has been practici ng, she has seen more of a willingness for parents to share information with their children and be open about the process. Working in the Bethesda area, she encounters a range of people undergoing fertility treatments. Many are in their early 40s and may have delayed having children for multiple reasons. “Compared to rural areas, it’s more common to use donor conception [here], and there is more knowledge about it,” she says.

One of those couples with a new baby includes the Bethesda couple who’d struggled for so long.

In the spring of 2024, after waiting three years, an adoption match came together in less than a week. They sent Sharon a request for a session, staying mum about the true reason. When they met over Zoom, the woman lifted the baby girl off her lap—sharing this moment of joy that she had been waiting for.

“[Sharon] helped us move forward,” she says. “This isn’t what we pictured when we started this, but just because it was ‘second choice’ doesn’t mean it was ‘second best.’ It just means it didn’t happen first.”

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Stamp of Approval

Modern Postmarks is first class

BY DAWN KLAVON

When North Carolina resident Robin Antzoulatos commissioned Potomac’s Jennifer Cash, 48, to create vintage postage stamp art with a hippo theme, she was impressed with the results. Next came Disney-centric stamp art, then birdthemed art—and she hasn’t stopped ordering from Modern Postmarks since.

“I might be Jennifer’s best customer—more than 20 times I have bought her things,” Antzoulatos says. “It’s not just the colors; a lot of detail goes into it.”

Cash caught the stamp collecting bug in elementary school and took it to a new level in 2014, when her father-in-law gave her a collection of several hundred stamps from around the world, a memento from a friend who had passed away.

“Some of the stamps were so beautiful,” Cash says. “I thought, How can I work with them as a medium and display them and get them out of the dusty stamp books?”

Cash started playing around with the vintage stamps, creating themed art for fun and posting photos on her Instagram page. With the help of an X-Acto knife and a craft glue stick, she carved a shape out of cardstock paper, then strategically affixed stamps to another sheet of paper to fill in the cutout form. The result was noteworthy: Friends asked her to make original stamp art for them. She started Modern Postmarks in 2020, creating notecards and one-of-a-kind 5-by-7-inch or 8-by10-inch wall art.

“Modern Postmarks offers something that is very unique, but it’s also very classic,” says longtime friend and customer Marisa Howard of Washington, D.C. “The real artistry is that she takes something that is so recognizable and makes it into something that no one is likely to find anyplace else.”

Married with two elementary school-age children, Cash works full time in Northern Virginia as a technology adviser and runs Modern Postmarks on the side. She says she crafts each piece around a theme or color, using acid-free, hand-cut cardstock paper inlaid with vintage postage stamps. Cash says she comes up with subjects—butterflies, teapots, states, animals—and also takes custom orders. A typical 8-by-10, one-of-a-kind piece could contain a dozen or so stamps, Cash says, none of any great value monetarily but some that are more than 125 years old.

“Most of my stamp art features stamps from the 1950s to 1990s,” she says. “I don’t use the newer ‘sticker’ backed stamps we use today, but the older ‘gum’ backed stamps.”

Cash collects stamps and has thousands of them, but now people are seeking her out and donating their collections, postmarked and unused stamps included. On the back of each piece of art, she includes any information she has about the names of the stamps and the years in which they were issued.

Howard says she has commissioned numerous pieces from Modern Postmarks, including a retirement gift for a friend. “We chose stamps from all the countries that this person had lived in during their career,” Howard says. “When you see the final product, it’s thrilling.”

Customer and co-worker Jennifer Meyers, who lives in Fairfax, Virginia, also commissioned Cash to make a retirement piece. “When my good friend’s husband retired from the Navy, [Cash] did an anchor and incorporated some naval stamps in it,” Meyers says. “I really appreciate the colors that are employed. It’s not just a design with stamps thrown in the back— there’s a lot of thought into the placement.”

Many of Cash’s customers are from Montgomery County, and she says Maryland-inspired products with flags or crabs are popular. Her 8-by-10-inch odes to the Old Line State—in several versions of crabs—cost $45, feature vintage Maryland stamps and are her most purchased pieces.

Prices for Modern Postmarks products range from $4 for a notecard to $45 for some 8-by-10-inch pieces. Cash sells her wares on Etsy and through local makers markets. She works in a small space in the basement of her home and says she spends about 30 minutes on each piece of art.

It’s a busy side gig: Modern Postmarks has sold around 1,800 items, Cash says. She’s slated to attend Christmas Market/Sip & Shop at St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Rockville on Nov. 14 and the Family Room outdoor Holiday Market in Laytonsville on Nov. 18.

“I try to provide an affordable, unique piece of artwork that people can display in their home,” Cash says. “Some people have a very personal connection with stamps and they resonate with them.”

Potomac’s Jennifer Cash uses stamps for art and confetti.