Bethesda Magazine: November-December 2021 Digital Edition by MoCo360

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contents

November/December 2021 | Volume 18 Issue 6

The isolation, grief and uncertainty of the pandemic have led to a mental health crisis in children and teens

A talented soccer player, Justin Bobb suffered a nightmarish descent into anxiety, depression and OCD as a teenager. Now he’s learning to cope and crusading to end the stigma.

Are the Kids All Right? BY JULIE RASICOT

COVER: Illustration by Hannah Agosta 10

Changing Goals

BY AMY HALPERN

Mental health advocate Justin Bobb

PHOTO BY LINDSEY MAX

ON THE COVER

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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contents Kevin Beverly, The Community Foundation in Montgomery County’s 2021 Philanthropist of the Year

164 A Purposeful Life Philanthropist of the Year Kevin Beverly learned as a young boy that we all need help to succeed. He’s made it his mission to invest in others the way others invested in him. BY CARALEE ADAMS

170 Guide to Giving 70 ways to make a difference in our community

FEATURES 92 Bethesda Interview

From a nonprofit that gives staff nearly 50 paid days off a year to a real estate development firm with a kegerator and rooftop cornhole, here are 16 workplaces that employees rave about

How Bethesda resident Fiona Hill rose from poverty in England, went to work for President Trump as an expert on Russia—and ended up testifying against him in the first impeachment inquiry

BY AMY HALPERN

BY STEVE ROBERTS

103 Top Attorneys

146 Green Oasis

We asked more than 1,700 attorneys who practice regularly in Montgomery County who they would hire if they needed a lawyer. Nearly 500 responded. Here are their picks for 179 attorneys in 24 practice areas.

For nature lovers, Rock Creek Park offers a peaceful refuge BY MELANIE D.G. KAPLAN

156 Being Who They Are LGBTQ students are establishing their identities and asserting their rights—as MCPS works to keep up BY JULIE RASICOT

PHOTO BY LISA HELFERT

76 top Places to Work

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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BEST OF BETHESDA! During the past twelve months, these international corporations have entrusted their Executive Relocations to Paul E. Biciocchi, Principal Broker of Forum Properties, Inc. Find out why!

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contents

DEPARTMENTS 18 | TO OUR READERS

dine

228 | REVIEW Bargains at happy hour draw crowds to King Street Oyster Bar in Park Potomac

life

232 | TABLE TALK

28 | BEST BETS

What’s happening on the local food scene

Can’t-miss arts events

236 | DINING GUIDE

banter

261

New books by local authors, and more

262 | WEDDINGS

199

P. 268

etc.

38 | BOOK REPORT

Train ride on the Potomac

After meeting as counselors at Calleva, a Cabin John couple got married at the camp’s farm

home

200 | HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS

266 | GET AWAY

Master the art of outdoor entertaining with cozy creature comforts to make the most of the winter season

268 | DRIVING RANGE

202 | LOVE, MARRIAGE AND A NEW HOME How a Chevy Chase couple managed big life events during the pandemic

Your cheat sheet for a weekend away Catch a glimpse of bald eagles (or Santa) on a scenic train ride through West Virginia

272 | OUTTAKES

P. 25

212 | HOME SALES BY THE NUMBERS

Clear Skies Meadery

AD SECTIONS PROFILES: SENIOR SERVICES 41

PROFILES: ATTORNEYS 119

COMPASS AD SECTION 194

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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LONG & FOSTER AD SECTION 207

SHOWCASES: KITCHEN & BATH 219

PRIVATE SCHOOL AD SECTION 252

TOP AND BOTTOM PHOTOS BY DEB LINDSEY; MIDDLE COURTESY PHOTO

King Street Oyster Bar

227

20 | CONTRIBUTORS

25 good

P. 228

10/13/21 7:22 PM

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What’s online @

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

WHAT MAT TERS TO YOU MAT TERS TO US You can count on us every step of the way.

❱❱ ONLINE ARCHIVES

Explore past issues and stories using our searchable archives.

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❱❱ DAILY NEWSLETTER

NFP | The Meltzer Group is a leading insurance broker and consultant with a team of devoted professionals who understand the insurance process can be complex and daunting. That’s why we take an extraordinary amount of time and care to ensure our clients receive the personalized services and products they deserve in today’s rapidly changing marketplace. We approach our work with a solemn sense of responsibility and a great deal of care, knowing that you’ve entrusted us to be there for you every step of your journey.

Get local news delivered right to your inbox by signing up for the free Bethesda Beat newsletter. The newsletter contains headlines from the most recent Bethesda Beat stories. Sign up for the newsletter at BethesdaMagazine.com.

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PROPERTY & CASUALTY | CORPORATE BENEFITS | INDIVIDUAL SOLUTIONS

nfp.com Insurance services provided through The Meltzer Group, Inc. (TMG), a subsidiary of NFP Corp. (NFP). Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/ SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. Kestra IS and Kestra AS are not affiliated with TMG or NFP.

❱❱ STAY CONNECTED Follow Bethesda Beat at @BethesdaBeat Find Bethesda Beat at facebook.com/BethesdaBeat

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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to our readers With my husband, Pat, and our 4-year-old, Thomas, at Sligo Creek

MY NAME IS ANNE TALLENT, and I’ve been passed a luminous torch: I’m assuming from co-founder Steve Hull the honor of editing Bethesda Magazine, starting with this 105th issue. I’m also embracing the magazine’s role in shining a light on the diverse communities it covers. It’s a privilege to be entrusted with a publication that embodies the spirit, curiosities and concerns of the people who live here. I’m joining a talented staff devoted to journalism that documents, analyzes and questions life in the area—while also providing tools to inspire you and help you make the most of this exceptional place. About me: For the past 16 years, I was an editor at The Baltimore Sun, with responsibilities that spanned breaking news, justice, arts, sports and a portfolio of local magazines. I grew up in Carroll County and have lived in Silver Spring since 2015. My husband and I are raising a 4-year-old son who’s keen on The Nutcracker and our (many) local playgrounds. Nearly two years into the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve been contending with the same concerns as many families: Are we comfortable enough to send him to pre-K? To a Saturday language school? To a movement class? (Yes, no, yes.) Montgomery County is my home, and I am delighted to lead Bethesda Magazine and its sister publication, Bethesda Beat. With more than 1 million residents, changing demographics, a looming election and pressing questions about the future, the county is exciting to cover and deserving of incisive journalism. To better understand our communities, I’ve been reading from many sources and listening to leaders and residents. (I’ve also made a point of exploring, whether that’s enjoying lunch alfresco at Spanish Diner in Bethesda or tromping through Rock Creek Regional Park.) I feel it’s our responsibility to approach coverage with an open heart and a watchful eye. We want to provide information and spark discussions in a way that puts a premium on accountability, explanation and inclusion, that’s sensitive but fearless, skeptical but hopeful. What can you expect going forward? You’ll still see everything you love about Bethesda Magazine—thoughtful explorations of issues you or your neighbors are wrestling with, interviews with newsmakers, tantalizing dining coverage and curated lists of the top professionals and services in the area— presented in a way that’s useful and sophisticated. 18

But we’re also looking to expand over the coming months. That will mean more voices, stories and visuals that reflect residents’ diversity of race, ethnicity, class, LGBTQ identification, ability and religion. We want to dig deeper into the experiences and interests of millennials and members of Generation Z. And we’ll be looking to emphasize engagement on digital, mobile and social media platforms, and through events—in addition to the glossy print edition. I’m proud to be joining Bethesda Magazine with an issue centered on a timely and serious topic: youth mental health. Julie Rasicot explains how the pandemic has stressed the mental health of children and teens, and she touches on problems some families have had in accessing and affording treatment during the pandemic. Writer Amy Halpern profiles Justin Bobb, a talented young man coping with multiple diagnoses but driven to advocate for mental health awareness. I hope these stories help chip away at the shame and stigma youths and adults may carry about mental health issues—and empower families to understand how prevalent these problems are, reach out to the resources we’ve listed, and take heart. In previous editions, Bethesda Magazine shared the news that Steve and Susan Hull had sold the publication and Bethesda Beat to Scott and Jillian Copeland. Though the ownership and leadership may have transitioned this year, our mission remains the same: to help you, our readers, lead better lives. I would love to hear from you. Please contact me with questions, concerns, story ideas or even invitations to talk with your community group. Email me at anne. tallent@bethesdamagazine.com or send a message to Bethesda Magazine’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter accounts.

ANNE TALLENT Editor

HEADSHOT BY MICHAEL VENTURA; FAMILY COURTESY PHOTO

AN INTRODUCTION

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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McEnearney Associates, the Trusted Real Estate Resource for Bethesda and the DC Metro Area

PENDING | $2,250,000

6400 Ridge Road, Bethesda The Stokes Group 202.270.1081 TheStokesGroup.com

PENDING | $1,595,000 2010 48th Street, NW, Berkley Nora Burke 202.494.1906 NoraBurke.com

FOR SALE | $1,200,000

3708 Farragut Avenue, Kensington Mark Hudson 301.641.6266 MarkHudsonGroup.com

PENDING | $949,000

9900 Old Spring Road, Kensington Kathy Byars 240.372.9708 KathyByars.com

SOLD | $1,685,000

3416 Thornapple Street, Chevy Chase Robert Shaffer 202.365.6674 RJShaffer.com

SOLD | $1,350,000

4404 Delmont Lane, Kensington Mary Beth Taylor 301.526.4949 PropertiesbyMaryBeth.com

PENDING | $999,000

10312 Kensington Parkway, Kensington Mark Hudson 301.641.6266 MarkHudsonGroup.com

FOR SALE | $869,000

2100 11th Street, NW #408, U Street Corridor Brett West 202.744.0576 UrbanCastle.biz

FOR SALE | $1,675,000

3705 Village Park Drive, Chevy Chase Robert Shaffer 202.365.6674 RJShaffer.com

PENDING | $1,330,000

3269 Beech Street, NW, Hawthorne Mary Beth Taylor 301.526.4949 PropertiesbyMaryBeth.com

PENDING | $950,000

3645 13th Street, NW, Columbia Heights Joan Caton Cromwell 202.441.8912 JoanCromwell.com

PENDING | $825,000

5306 New Hampshire Ave, NW, Petworth James T. Kim 202.798.1781 JamesyDC.com

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contributors

Support our work by becoming a member today.

SKIP BROWN

LIVES IN: Bethesda

LIVES IN: Cabin John

IN THIS ISSUE: Wrote about hot mead cocktails at Clear Skies Meadery and cut-your-own Christmas trees at Wolfe’s Pine Valley Farms, and compiled the “Best Bets” roundup of things to see and do around the county. “It was a lot of fun to taste the different meads. They were surprisingly crisp, and tasted both familiar and unexpected at the same time.”

IN THIS ISSUE: Photographed scenery and people for the feature on Rock Creek Park.

WHAT SHE DOES: She’s a freelance writer and editor with an interest in arts, culture and local news. She recently updated Bethesda Magazine’s Newcomers Guide (2021-2022 edition). HOW SHE GOT HER START: She was a reporter and editor for The Current, the school newspaper at Watkins Mill High School in Gaithersburg. IN HER FREE TIME: She likes exploring local parks and playgrounds with her family, listening to audiobooks and trying to train her pandemic pup, Gracie, adopted in December 2020.

bethesdamagazine.com/

membership

FAVORITE LOCAL CULTURAL SPOT: “Glenstone museum. I love spending time there. The art, architecture and landscape are so spectacular. It really feels like a special place.”

WHAT HE DOES: He’s a D.C.-area freelance photographer focusing on outdoor adventure, corporate assignments and portrait work. A longtime adventure athlete, he’s been involved in expeditions all over the world, including the first kayak descent of the lower Congo River for National Geographic, hang gliding off Mount Kilimanjaro, and mountain biking the deepest canyon in Mexico. IN HIS FREE TIME: A Class 5 kayaker and a pioneer of stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) in whitewater, he often can be found not far from his Cabin John home surfing the whitewater waves below Great Falls or bike riding with one of his three kids. NOT-SO-FAR-FLUNG ADVENTURES: “Photographing hikers in Rock Creek Park was a bit on the tame side for me, but mellow is good. For a major metropolitan area, it’s pretty incredible how much nature we have to play in around here. I’ve done adventure sports all over the world, but there’s still nothing better than kayaking over Great Falls or SUP surfing the worldclass waves of the Potomac River.”

COURTESY PHOTOS

OUR NEWSROOM SERVES YOU.

STEPHANIE SIEGEL BURKE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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Voted Best Financial Advisor

by the Readers of Bethesda Magazine 6 Consecutive Times

EDITORIAL

EDITOR

Anne Tallent SENIOR EDITOR

Cindy Rich ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Kathleen Seiler Neary ART DIRECTOR

Jenny Fischer DESIGNER

Olivia Sadka BETHESDA BEAT MANAGING EDITOR

Andrew Schotz BETHESDA BEAT REPORTERS

Steve Bohnel, Caitlynn Peetz, Dan Schere WEB PRODUCER

Erin Roby RESTAURANT CRITIC

David Hagedorn CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

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

Elisabeth Herschbach, Steve Wilder CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Caralee Adams, Jennifer Barger, Stephanie Siegel Burke, Amanda Cherrin, Dina ElBoghdady, Margaret Engel, Christine Koubek Flynn, Dana Gerber, Michael S. Gerber, Amy Halpern, Melanie D.G. Kaplan, Amy Reinink, Steve Roberts, Mike Unger, Mark Walston, Carolyn Weber PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS

Hannah Agosta, Edgar Artiga, Skip Brown, Goodloe Byron, Laura Chase de Formigny, Erick Gibson, Stacy Zarin Goldberg, Lisa Helfert, Alice Kresse, Deb Lindsey, Liz Lynch, Lindsey Max, Regina Mogilevskaya, Mary Ann Smith, Louis Tinsley, Joseph Tran, Michael Ventura

David B. Hurwitz

CFP®, CRPC®, CRPS®, RICP®, APMA®, BFA®

Private Wealth Advisor

Letters to the editor: Please send letters (with your name, the town you live in and your daytime phone number) to letters@bethesdamagazine.com. Story ideas: Please send ideas for stories to editorial@bethesdamagazine.com. Bethesda Magazine 6116 Executive Blvd., #740, North Bethesda, MD 20852 Phone: 301-718-7787 / Fax: 301-718-1875 BethesdaMagazine.com

Direct: (301) 263-8509 Email: david.b.hurwitz@ampf.com davidbhurwitz.com

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

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Well by Kaiser Permanente at Friendship Heights

C a m

nsin isco

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A O b

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e W

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A W a a a

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W Y e h

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Readers’ Pick, A Top Vote Getter Best Dentist 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 | 2021

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John Ferris, Heather Fuentes, Lisa Helfert, Tony Lewis, Hilary Schwab, Michael Ventura, Stephanie Williams Subscription price: $19.95 To subscribe: Go to BethesdaMagazine.com. For customer service: Call 301-718-7787, ext. 205, or send an email to customerservice@bethesdamagazine.com. For advertising information: Call 301-718-7787, ext. 220; send an email to advertising@bethesdamagazine.com; or go to BethesdaMagazine.com.

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

good life

WARM DRINKS FOR COLD DAYS IF COZY CAME IN a cup, it might taste like a warm mead

PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

cocktail at Clear Skies Meadery. The Gaithersburg brewery and taproom mixes varieties of its flavored mead—an alcoholic drink made from fermented honey—with seasonal ingredients to create steamy beverages that taste, smell and feel like a holiday. Think apple, pumpkin and maple flavors in the fall, and cinnamon, ginger and black currant in the winter. Clear Skies opened in March 2020 in the Kentlands neighborhood. Mead maker Yancy Bodenstein brews dry, flavored mead that isn’t cloying despite its sweet origin. It’s similar in taste and alcohol content to wine. Four varieties of mead are available year-round, while six change seasonally. This fall, customers can enjoy a Pumpkin Mead Latte (pumpkin mead with cream and steamed oat milk) or “Eve’s Gift” (a warm apple mead with caramel). When winter varieties come on tap after Thanksgiving, try the “You Can’t Catch Me,” made from gingerbread mead and chocolate, or “Spiced Up,” which mixes cinnamon and steamed oat milk with Yuletide mead. Cocktails range from $9 to $12. Try a flight of four or five meads of your choice. Appetizers, hot sandwiches and charcuterie boards are also on the menu. Indoor and outside seating is available. Clear Skies Meadery, 325 Main St., Gaithersburg, 240-261-4328, clearskiesmeadery.co —Stephanie Siegel Burke BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

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good life

TREE TIME the fields at Wolfe’s Pine Valley Farms is someone’s perfect Christmas tree. “Everyone has a different idea of what a Christmas tree should look like,” says farm owner Holden Wolfe, but when they see the right one, they just know it. The 110-acre tree farm in Sykesville, Maryland—about an hour’s drive from Bethesda— opens for the season on Nov. 20. Last year, the farm sold out of trees in two weeks and had to close. This year, there will be six or seven fields open for cut-your-own trees, offering varieties including Fraser, Douglas, concolor and Nordmann firs, and a Korean/corkbark fir hybrid. The trees range from 6 feet to 11 feet in height. Bow saws are available

for customers to use, or they can bring their own saw (no chain saws allowed). After cutting down their tree, patrons can wheel it on a tree cart to a station where it gets shaken and baled for transport home. Trees cost from $75 to $200. For those who don’t want to do the sawing, precut trees are also for sale, as are fresh wreaths, ornaments, gifts, hot chocolate and hot cider. Wolfe’s Pine Valley Farms, 1150 Fannie Dorsey Road, Sykesville, 410-795-8314, wolfespinevalleyfarms.com. Visit the website for the current hours and admission information. —Stephanie Siegel Burke

PHOTO BY MICHAEL WARRICK

AMONG THE ROWS OF fir trees that line

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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good life

BEST BETS

Our picks for things to see and do in November and December BY STEPHANIE SIEGEL BURKE

Nov. 5 through Jan. 2

BELLE OF THE BALL

Nov. 10 through Dec. 5

GLOBE-TROTTERS Basketball and history collide in the regional premiere of The Great Leap by Lauren Yee. Set in 1989, the play follows the University of San Francisco basketball team as it heads to China for a friendship game just before the Tiananmen Square uprising. The drama revolves around Manford, a teen who finds his way onto the college team; Saul, the team’s aging coach; and Wen Chang, a former translator and current coach of the Beijing team. Through their different approaches to the game, their personal pasts are revealed. Theatergoers must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and wear masks.

It’s a tale as old as time: a beast who’s really a prince, a girl seeking adventure. Throw in some adorable anthropomorphic household accessories and a bunch of showstopping musical numbers and you’ve got Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Olney Theatre’s new production of the beloved cartoon-feature-turnedBroadway-musical infuses the story with inclusivity and originality, casting Jade Jones, a curvy, plus-size African American actress as the beautiful and brainy Belle, and Evan Ruggiero, who continued his career as a professional dancer after losing a leg to cancer, as the Beast. The fresh look comes thanks to director Marcia Milgrom Dodge, one of the featured professional directors in the Disney+ series Encore! Masks and proof of COVID-19 vaccination are required for audience members. $45-$99, Mainstage at Olney Theatre Center, olneytheatre.org

Nov. 19 through Jan. 2 Nov. 20

MIRACLE ON FENTON STREET It’s been a tough couple of years and we’re not out of the woods yet, but some things are returning to normal, like the Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade, and that’s something to be thankful for. Kicking off the holiday season, the event features marching bands, dance troupes, floats, giant character balloons and an appearance from Santa. The parade begins at Ellsworth Drive and Fenton Street and proceeds south on Georgia Avenue, ending at Silver Spring Avenue. The route stretches a mile through downtown Silver Spring, and visitors are encouraged to socially distance and wear masks. 10 a.m. to noon, free, Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, silverspringdowntown.com/montgomery-county-thanksgiving-parade

THE LIGHT STUFF After a year off due to COVID, the Garden of Lights walk-through winter lights display returns to Brookside Gardens this season. More than a million lights are handwoven into displays set among the paths and flowerbeds throughout the park’s 50 acres. The event goes high-tech with computerized displays that match lights with music. Warm up inside the conservatory, where model trains run through seasonal greenery and miniature reproductions of local landmarks, including Glen Echo Park, complete with a tiny carousel. Timed entry at 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m., closed Nov. 2225 and Dec. 24-25; $10 per person, tickets at eventbrite.com, Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, montgomeryparks.org/parks-andtrails/brookside-gardens/garden-of-lights

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROUND HOUSE THEATRE; COURTESY OF OLNEY THEATRE

$34-$71, Round House Theatre, Bethesda, roundhousetheatre.org

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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good life

BEST BETS Dec. 2

ASK ME ANOTHER A few years ago, YouTube personality Jack Douglass started “YIAY” (Yesterday I Asked You), a daily web series in which he asked a quirky question and invited viewers to submit an answer. He then read his favorite answers in a subsequent video. After the series became a hit, he created “YIAY LIVE,” a livestreamed version in which fans submitted answers in real time and he picked his favorites live. Now, the game is going even more live with the in-person stage show YIAY LIVE! LIVE! Douglass will pose questions, and audience members can text answers in real time. The crowd will vote on the funniest responses, and winners will compete against each other to be crowned champion. 6 p.m., $30, The Fillmore Silver Spring, fillmoresilverspring.com

Dec. 6 -7

ANGEL OF MUSIC

8 p.m., $68-$238, The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda, strathmore.org

Dec. 12

SOUNDTRACK FOR THE SEASON Starting as a backing group for burlesque acts, the Denver band DeVotchKa has some pretty eclectic influences. On its albums, the indie rock group mixes poetry, Eastern European Gypsy music, American punk rock and unusual instruments, including a theremin, bouzouki and accordion. It also earned a Grammy nomination for the score of the 2006 movie Little Miss Sunshine. Singer Nick Urata has gone on to score and write songs for several other movies and TV shows. A Winter’s Night With DeVotchKa should provide an intimate performance from the group, with another Denver indie band, Milquetoast and Co., opening. Attendees are required to wear masks and show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results within 72 hours of the event. 8 p.m., $33-$42, AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda, strathmore.org n

PHOTOS COURTESY OF STRATHMORE

The closing of theaters last year due to the pandemic forced many performers to pivot, and Sarah Brightman was no exception. The famous soprano postponed her “Hymn in Concert” tour last fall, but she’s back on the road now with the rebilled “A Christmas Symphony.” Audiences can expect a lush holiday show that features Brightman, who is best known for her role as Christine in Phantom of the Opera, in dazzling costumes and accompanied by a choir and orchestra. She’ll perform Christmas classics and her own greatest hits. Attendees are required to wear masks and show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or negative test results within 72 hours of the event.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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people. politics. current events. books.

banter

Myles Frost in front of the Michael Jackson mural in New York City’s East Village in June

PHOTO BY REGINA MOGILEVSKAYA

PLAYING THE KING OF POP Wootton grad Myles Frost is making his Broadway debut as Michael Jackson in ‘MJ The Musical’ BY MARGARET ENGEL

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AT 5 YEARS OLD, Myles Frost danced around the house to videos of Michael Jackson. Captivated by YouTube clips of the spangled and gloved pop star performing “Billie Jean” at Motown’s 25th anniversary show, he committed the music and moves to memory. When he was 7, Myles told his mother, Charmayne Strayhorn, that he wanted to be a performer. This December, the Silver Spring native will make his Broadway debut—playing the title role in MJ The Musical. “I’ve always been an MJ fan,” says Frost, now 22. “I’ve been preparing for this all my life.” It’s a pinch-me-is-this-real development for Frost, whose first steps on a Broadway stage aren’t about learning the ropes in the chorus, but as the lead of a

show with singing and dancing that must dazzle. He’s self-taught in singing and dancing, and learned to play the piano at his grandmother’s house in Southeast D.C. “Music chose me,” he says. Seven years ago, when he was a freshman, Frost played dancer Seaweed J. Stubbs in Wootton High School’s production of Hairspray. He stayed involved with school theater for four years, and as a senior sang and danced as Michael Jackson in the school talent show. Three years ago, when Frost was in college, one of his mother’s friends alerted D.C. music producers Daoud Baptiste and EZ Tommy about his talents. They watched Frost’s high school videos and were helping him produce two singles based on

the D.C. go-go sound when they learned from the music director of MJ that there was an opening for the show’s starring role. When the pandemic delayed the musical for more than a year, Ephraim Sykes, the Hamilton actor originally cast as the lead, had to leave to fulfill a commitment for a feature film. Baptiste, who had become Frost’s manager, asked if Frost could submit a video audition. Frost was told to sing and dance to two Jackson songs, “Stranger in Moscow” and “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough,” says Tommy, who also manages Frost. That led to a June casting session in New York, where Frost impressed director Christopher Wheeldon, a Tony Awardwinning choreographer. “He saw what we

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knew,” Tommy says. “That he’s incredibly talented. A natural.” Frost also met with the show’s writer, two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. She attended the audition, along with representatives of the Jackson estate, and all approved of Frost playing MJ. The show is a jukebox musical set in 1992 and featuring more than 25 of Jackson’s songs, rather than a full telling of his life. After Frost won the part, he was flown to Los Angeles this summer to work with brothers Rich and Tone Talauega, who’d been dancers and choreographers for Jackson. He’s also been training with a voice coach who helps singers prepare for the challenge of eight shows a week.

“The work is about protecting your vocal cords,” Frost says. Frost’s earlier professional roles—a small part in the 2019 film All in and appearances in five episodes of Netflix’s Family Reunion from 2019-2020—did not require the rigor of a stage musical. “I’ll be restricting myself to this show, totally,” he says. When Frost is in Maryland, he lives in Rockville with Strayhorn and his younger sister, Morgan, a junior at Walter Johnson High School. For now, he’s staying in a Times Square hotel not far from the theater where he saw his first Broadway show in 2014. It was a performance of Cinderella after actress Keke Palmer had become the first Black performer to play

the title role on Broadway. “I’ve only seen one Broadway play live,” he says, “but I hope that will change.” Frost’s new stage stint is changing his college plans. He began his college career studying music production at Belmont University, a Christian college in Nashville. He transferred to Bowie State University in Maryland for his junior year, but isn’t returning this year because of his new job. “I hope I’ll surprise some people,” Frost says of his professional musical theater debut. With 1,455 seats, the Neil Simon Theatre looks a bit different than his earlier stages, but he won’t let that throw him. “I’m going to be so in the MJ zone.” n

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

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FOUNTAIN OF MEMORIES To honor a friend, a Bethesda woman decided to restore a piece of Glen Echo Park BY MARGARET ENGEL

FOR YEARS, BARBARA MARTIN passed a crumbling stone fountain overgrown with poison ivy and brambles while walking her dog through Glen Echo Park near her Bannockburn home in Bethesda. Once part of a miniature golf course at the former amusement park, it was an eyesore in need of repairs. Then in April 2020, after Martin’s former University of Maryland roommate, Stephanie Beeler, shared the news that she’d been diagnosed with inoperable stage 4 cancer, Martin came up with an idea. Pandemic restrictions meant that she wouldn’t get to visit Beeler, who lived in Michigan with her husband and then 10-year-old son. “I couldn’t spend time with her or do anything to

help,” Martin says. She’d been friends with Beeler, a career water expert for the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey, for three decades. “I decided I’d hijack the fountain and restore it for her. …Act first and apologize later.” Martin, who is co-CEO and cofounder of The Brand Guild, a public relations and events firm with offices in Georgetown and New York City, hauled a shovel, trowel and pails of water to the fountain. A home gardener, she started weeding and planting flowers that friends donated. Her husband, John, and children—Jack, 17, and James, 13— helped a bit and provided moral support. Four months later, Martin made her DIY

PHOTO BY LOUIS TINSLEY

Barbara Martin still helps maintain the Glen Echo Park fountain she started fixing up in the spring of 2020.

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efforts official—she emailed the Glen Echo Partnership for Arts and Culture, which works with county and federal officials on park issues. “I told them I did this, and [board member] Ana Rasmussen was terrific about it,” says Martin, 50. “[She said], let us help you restore this beyond just flowers.” After meeting with officers of the Partnership and the National Park Service in September 2020 (the fountain is on NPS property), Martin kicked off a “Secret Magic Garden” fundraiser for her birthday. “We had a masquerade brunch on Oct. 18, the earlier birthday I invented for myself in fall weather,” recalls Martin, whose actual birthday is Dec. 1. Her friends, wearing protective facemasks for COVID-19, assembled at the fountain to donate money and flowers for the effort. One friend, Annie Groer, gave six iris bulbs initially planted in 1954 in Silver Spring by Groer’s mother. “They’ve been in constant bloom since President Eisenhower,” Groer says. “It’s so fitting they would revive this 1950s fountain for Barbara’s beloved friend.” The brunch and online appeals raised $25,000, which allowed for more extensive improvements. Bevan Shimizu, an arborist who grew up in Glen Echo, donated his time to devise a landscaping plan for the area around the fountain, using all native trees, grasses and bushes. A mason repointed the stone base. Trees were pruned, and invasive bushes, poison ivy and more weeds were removed. The fountain’s aged water feature was too badly damaged to replace and not necessary with all the new plantings, Martin says. Martin sent Beeler photos of the

renovation and the fountain, flowering with black-eyed Susans and irises, to cheer her up while she was undergoing treatment. “She was really pleased,” Martin says. “She loved all the pictures and sent me texts about it.” National Park Service rules do not allow individuals or companies to name anything in national parks, but Martin started calling the structure “The Beeler Fountain” anyway—and it stuck. Beeler died at age 49 on July 30, 2020, three months after the initial cleanup. Her death prompted Martin to expand her efforts, establishing a GoFundMe campaign and an Instagram page to make a more permanent memorial for Beeler. “She was an amazing human,” Martin says. “A perfect mix of New Jersey tough and a hippie chick. We went on the road and saw the Grateful Dead all over the country. We’d sell ice pops to keep our trips going.” She remembers one spring break when they didn’t have the money to vacation like many students. With all the extra time on their hands, Beeler had the pair tie-dye nearly everything in their apartment. “We were always pranksters together,” Martin says. Recently, Martin witnessed a small wedding in front of the fountain—a couple walked up with a minister, a few friends and some flowers. “I was weeding and they asked if I could move so they could have their ceremony there,” she says. Martin is planning an annual event in the hopes of raising $25,000 a year to maintain the fountain and the surrounding grounds. “The first time I saw a little girl playing on the fountain I burst into tears,” Martin says. “Stephanie would have loved it.” n

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BOOK REPORT

Craig Whitlock says the public is hungry for an explanation of what went wrong in Afghanistan. “People were shocked by how quickly the Taliban was able to take over the whole country. After all, they had been told by the government for 20 years that we were winning the war,” says The Washington Post reporter who turned his 2019 series about the deception involved in America’s longest war into The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War (Simon & Schuster, August 2021). Documents obtained by the Post from lawsuits filed under the Freedom of Information Act revealed how U.S. officials hid the truth. “There were interviews where diplomats and generals literally said, ‘We didn’t know what we were doing,’ ” says Whitlock, who lives in Silver Spring. “It was almost a confession from all these people just how screwed up things were.” 38

Bethesda novelist Alice McDermott doesn’t think she’ll ever write a memoir, but says What About the Baby? Some Thoughts on the Art of Fiction (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, August 2021) is about as close as it gets to telling the story of her life as a reader and writer. “It’s a little bit of a how-to. A little bit of why not try it. But it’s also a lot of read this. …When you are getting to the here’s why, it’s personal,” she says of the book, the title of which refers to a piece of advice about storytelling that she shared during her 20 years of teaching. “Literature is such a joy in my life. What a wonderful way to spend your life trying to, in some way, share that joy with other people through your own work.”

For the Love of Friends (Lake Union Publishing, August 2021) is about a woman who’s a bridesmaid in five weddings in the same summer and starts an anonymous blog to deal with the craziness of it and try to make a little money, too. “It all blows up in her face when she gets discovered and she has to figure out what she’s willing to do to salvage those relationships,” says Rockville’s Sara Goodman Confino of her debut novel. A journalism and English teacher at Watkins Mill High School in Gaithersburg, Confino devotes her summers to writing and has a spinoff novel in the works that will be released in 2022. Her best advice for aspiring writers and her students: “You just have to sit down and do it. Set a deadline for yourself and make it happen.”

Despite having the outward trappings of success, Chris Palmer says he was unhappy as a young man, drifting day to day and job to job. “I realized that if I wanted to have a sense of fulfillment with my life, I needed to articulate what that life was going to be about,” says the Bethesda resident, a filmmaker and retired professor in the School of Communication at American University. In his book Finding Meaning and Success: Living a Fulfilled and Productive Life (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, July 2021), Palmer combines years of research, notes from workshops he’s conducted, and personal experience into a guide he says is designed for all ages. He emphasizes the value of crafting a mission statement, having a vision, setting goals and taking action.

ALL BOOK COVERS FILE PHOTOS

BY CARALEE ADAMS

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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READING LIST

DATA PROVIDED BY

The top-selling books in our area. Data is based on books sold at Politics and Prose’s Connecticut Avenue location in Upper Northwest D.C. and online from Sept. 1 to 15, 2021.

2. Magician, Colm Tóibín

1. Forget Prayers, Bring Cake: A Single Woman’s Guide to Grieving, Merissa Nathan Gerson

3. Matrix, Lauren Groff

2. Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell

4. The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois, Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

3. The Night Watchman, Louise Erdrich

5. The Madness of Crowds (Chief Inspector Gamache Series, No. 17), Louise Penny

4. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Taylor Jenkins Reid

6. Harlem Shuffle, Colson Whitehead

6. People We Meet on Vacation, Emily Henry

7. Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro

7. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong

1. Beautiful World, Where Are You, Sally Rooney

5. Transcendent Kingdom, Yaa Gyasi

8. The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett

8. The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller

9. Afterparties, Anthony Veasna So

9. The Dutch House, Ann Patchett

10. Never Saw Me Coming, Vera Kurian

10. Anxious People, Fredrik Backman

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

CHILDREN & YOUNG ADULT

1. The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War, Craig Whitlock

1. Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown, Steve Sheinkin

2. Wildland: The Making of America’s Fury, Evan Osnos

2. The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country, Amanda Gorman

3. The Gambler Wife: A True Story of Love, Risk, and the Woman Who Saved Dostoyevsky, Andrew D. Kaufman

3. Grand Isle, Kate Samworth

4. Seeing Ghosts, Kat Chow

4. Spy School at Sea (Spy School Series, No. 9), Stuart Gibbs

5. Peril, Bob Woodward, Robert Costa

5. The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas

6. Crying In H Mart, Michelle Zauner

6. Jungle Night, Sandra Boynton, Yo-Yo Ma

7. Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty, Patrick Radden Keefe

7. Have You Ever Tickled a Tiger?, Betsy E. Snyder

8. People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Present, Dara Horn

9. Wave, Suzy Lee

9. Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest, Suzanne Simard 10. Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, Isabel Wilkerson

PAPERBACK

8. Obie Is Man Enough, Schuyler Bailar

10. InvestiGators: Off the Hook (InvestiGators Series, No. 3), John Patrick Green

ALL BOOK COVERS FILE PHOTOS

HARDCOVER FICTION

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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www.medstarhealth.org

The global population is living longer and healthier than ever, but with increased longevity comes age-related chronic illness, says MedStar Montgomery Medical Center physician Dr. Rezanne Khalil. These geriatric syndromes can significantly impact one's quality of life. On Aug. 18, MedStar Montgomery opened its new Center for Successful Aging, dedicated to addressing the specialized needs of seniors ages 65 and older — complex geriatric patients in particular — through patient-centered, comprehensive and coordinated care. The clinic, which also houses a groundbreaking high-intensity outpatient program that can help seniors avoid costly non-emergency hospital visits, applies an Interdisciplinary Model of Care, allowing for collaboration among a diverse team of esteemed in-house specialists, medical assistants, nurses, physical therapists, social workers, pharmacists and more, based on patient needs. Center for Successful Aging services

include diagnosis and assessment, as well as education and treatment recommendations that extend beyond medications. The MedStar Montgomery team provides broad expertise in the care of dementia, severe chronic illnesses, such as hypertension, diabetes and heart failure, arthritis and hip-fracture services and end-of-life care, collaborating to develop individualized treatment plans for each patient. Initial visits are 90 minutes long, ensuring patients —and caregivers or aides — have ample opportunity to express their every concern. Aging is inevitable, but the Center for Successful Aging offers a comprehensive approach to the accompanying chronic ailments, helping the aging population maintain quality of life. "What inspires me most is that patients leave our clinic with a clear plan toward healthier living and know they have our continued support," says Dr. Khalil.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 43

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senior services

Ingleside at King Farm MAUREEN CHARLTON, DIRECTOR OF MEMORY SUPPORT SERVICES AND PROGRAMMING KELSEY TUCKER, MUSIC THERAPIST

We understand that the process of finding memory care for your loved one comes with many questions. We’re here to help— with answers that treat every resident like family and our new neighborhood of memory support assisted living residences, now open for reservations. 701 King Farm Blvd. Rockville, MD 20850 240-455-4559

www.ikfmd.org

A dynamic life plan community, Ingleside at King Farm offers a full continuum of care, from independent living and assisted living to memory support and skilled nursing services. The community has recently expanded their continuum of services with new, dedicated memory support assisted living residences for those living with early stages of dementia or other cognitive impairments. “We understand that the process of finding memory care for your loved one comes with many questions,” says Maureen Charlton, Ingleside at King Farm’s Director of Memory Support Services and Programming. “We’re here to help— with answers and a philosophy that treats every resident like family.” Ingleside at King Farm’s individualized approach to well-being results in an environment where individuals living with intellectual change can feel empowered and be fully engaged. The memory

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

support assisted living residences provide customized therapeutic programs with on-site board-certified music therapists; art, movement and pet therapies; holistic fitness, recreational and well-being programs; technology-based engagement opportunities and social integration within the greater Ingleside community. Residents can rely on a well-educated and caring team trained in neurocognitive disorders, as well as access to on-site physician offices, therapy services and 24-hour licensed nursing under the direction of a full-time RN. Families of residents also receive ongoing support and education. Ingleside Engaged, a social day program for people with dementia-related cognitive impairment, is expected to reopen by the end of 2021. Ingleside at King Farm’s second neighborhood for memory support assisted living residences is now taking reservations.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PROFILES

senior services

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Advanced Nursing & Home Support SAMUEL R. LISH, PRESIDENT & CEO

MICHAEL VENTURA

“No one plans for the circumstances requiring home care,” says Samuel Lish, President and CEO. “It’s chaotic and emotional. Advanced Nursing + Home Support is there to fully support our clients and their families by providing expert care, exceptional service and an extraordinary experience.” 15800 Crabbs Branch Way, Suite 105 Rockville, MD 20855 240-430-1500

www.advancedhomesupport.com

Advanced Nursing + Home Support was founded almost 30 years ago by Samuel Lish when his elderly father came to need home care services. Years later, when his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Advanced Nursing + Home Support had an “A” team of well-trained caregivers ready to jump in and provide her with competent, compassionate care. Using a team approach, Advanced Nursing + Home Support designs a unique plan of care for each client. A full continuum of home care services is provided – from companion care, to personal care, to skilled nursing services – giving clients the security of knowing that as their needs change, they will continue to receive the care they require. All care providers are certified, licensed and undergo a comprehensive onboarding and orientation. “Education of our care providers is a keystone to the quality of care we provide,” says

Lish. Specialty training is offered in MS, ALS, Parkinson’s and dementia, as well as “soft skills” including interpersonal relationships, cooking and how to communicate with the families. And for the safety of both care providers and clients, all care providers are required to be fully vaccinated for Covid-19 before they can take a case. Recognized as a leader in the industry, Advanced Nursing + Home Support continues to be a dedicated partner in home care. Advanced was the sole home care agency in Montgomery County to win the Best of Home Care’s Leader in Excellence award in both 2020 and 2021.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 45

PROFILES

senior services

Family & Nursing Care Since 1968, Family & Nursing Care has been the premier resource for in-home care service for older adults, dedicated to and recognized for its passion and commitment to serve, help and enhance the quality of life and wellbeing of others. Today, founder Sandy Kursban’s son Neal and daughter Mindy help run the family owned company. 1010 Wayne Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-588-8200

www.familynursingcare.com

Family & Nursing Care's longevity as the premier resource for in-home care services rests on providing access to competent and reliable caregivers who not only assist with daily life activities including bathing, dressing and mobility, but offer vital social support and companionship that older adults need to flourish. The company's dynamic team of Care Coordinating Managers is an essential part of matching clients with the right caregivers. "We learn about each client's unique needs and, based on availability, skill set, location and other factors, hand-select the caregiver best equipped to meet those needs," says Allison Bates, Director of Care Coordinating, Family & Nursing Care Select. Care Coordinators also ensure caregivers have all pertinent details related to the client’s care, including arrival time, location and the tasks they

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will be asked to perform. For as long as the caregiver works with the client, the Care Coordinator is their primary point of contact to support a successful caregiver/ client relationship. Interacting with caregivers daily, Care Coordinators also have the most insight into the needs and perspectives of caregivers, enabling them to be the caregivers’ voice when the company is considering new programs and business decisions that impact caregivers. Care Coordinators also share positive client feedback with caregivers and duly recognize them for a job well done. “To best serve their clients, caregivers need to be consistent, capable, prepared and appreciated,” says Amanda Williams, Director of Care Coordinating, Family & Nursing Care Classic. “The Care Coordinating team at Family & Nursing Care helps caregivers be at their best.”

STEPHANIE WILLAMS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PROFILES

senior services

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Montcordia Montcordia’s services include personal care, memory support and geriatric care management. Our high standards for care and training are modeled after the practices of The Ritz-Carlton to ensure our clients receive a premier support experience. We deliver a concierge level of care from the most highly qualified care professionals. 2 Wisconsin Circle, Suite 700 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 240-220-9627 COURTESY PHOTO

www.montcordia.com

Montcordia is a full-service, boutique home care agency offering services ranging from companion care to care management, all customized to meet the individual needs of every client. Their experienced and knowledgeable care management teams include direct caregivers as well as geriatric care managers who can create both shortand long-term care plans, coordinate medical services and assist in evaluating alternative living arrangements, should that become necessary. With no minimum, as little as one hour of service can be provided, if that’s what’s needed. Only the best – less than 1% of all applicants – are hired as Montcordia direct care partners. Applicants are carefully screened for experience, aptitude, skill sets and emotional intelligence. Once hired, education is ongoing, with employees receiving as much as 1,500% more training in their

first year alone than aides from other health care agencies. Montcordia caregivers all drive, are tech-savvy, will do light housekeeping and even care for pets. As Montcordia employees, they are guaranteed sufficient hours, full benefits and higher pay, so they do not work for other agencies. Montcordia’s care team is well-versed in the latest technology. Clients are provided with electronic assistive devices for engagement, entertainment, exercise and communication with family. Hightech assistive technologies may also include telehealth devices that support virtual care and long-term monitoring, educational software and similar technologies. Clients are trained in the use of all devices and receive ongoing support. Through remote monitoring, Montcordia ensures that assistive technologies are working properly and contributing to the client’s quality of life.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 47

PROFILES

senior services SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SOLERA SENIOR LIVING

Modena Reserve artfully combines the service and hospitality of an upscale hotel with health care administered by an experienced and compassionate staff. This, along with elegant surroundings, creates an exceptional living experience for seniors. 10540 Metropolitan Ave. Kensington, MD 20895 240-998-9990

www.modenakensington.com

With the rapidly growing demand for long-term care, retirement communities are luring baby boomers, now in their 60s and 70s, with a bevy of services and amenities. At the newly opened Modena Reserve Kensington, they are best-inclass, setting a new standard for senior living. The Modena Reserve experience begins with the physical beauty of the community: an open floor plan, contemporary artwork and multiple glass walls with spectacular courtyard views. With 135 apartments, the modern, five-story building is attached to two refurbished, historic buildings that now house a café, salon and fitness center. A first-floor wine bar and an upstairs lounge with terrace serve cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Food is fresh and cooked to order – by an executive chef. Modena Reserve offers independent living, assisted living and memory care, all

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enhanced by cuttingedge technology. Residents can immerse themselves in virtual safaris, sky diving or the Northern Lights. “Tempo” bracelets provide keyless entries to apartments, along with GPS tracking so that staff can quickly locate a resident. Arm movements are recorded remotely, alerting staff when a resident has fallen. The highly trained staff is overseen by a seasoned team of managers, most with 15 to 20 years of experience. Modena Reserve has artfully combined the hospitality and service of an upscale hotel with health care delivered by a caring, experienced staff, providing for virtually all their residents’ needs. “We’re driven by compassion, inclusivity and creativity,” says Janet Bradley, executive director. “Most residents wish they had made the move sooner.” LISA HELFERT

Moderna Reserve at Kensington

PROFILES

senior services

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BayWoods of Annapolis PARKER AND PATTY WILLIAMSON, SHAREHOLDER RESIDENTS

A diverse group of people with various backgrounds, BayWoods of Annapolis residents have a commitment to wellness that brings many together for activities, lectures and other events. With less than 200 residents, this is a warm, neighborly community.

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7101 Bay Front Drive Annapolis, MD 21403 443-837-1208

www.baywoodsofannapolis.com

North Carolinians, Patty and Parker Williamson, first became acquainted with BayWoods of Annapolis while sailing in the area. Impressed by what they found— an attractive and welcoming pet-friendly waterfront retirement community on the Chesapeake Bay, with close proximity to their boat and the historic charm of Annapolis — the couple soon relocated. "We both envisioned BayWoods as the perfect launch for our retirement adventure," says Parker. "Luxurious yet affordable accommodations and amenities, access to excellent medical care, proximity to local Annapolis entertainment, all with easy access to Baltimore and Washington." The BayWoods lifestyle is an active one, filled with daily adventures, says Patty. Residents can take advantage of diverse programming and a robust social calendar. Patty enjoys walking the Williamson's dog, Briny, in Quiet Waters Park, just across the street, and serves as a volunteer with Hospice of the Chesapeake.

One of only two Maryland continuing care retirement co-op communities, BayWoods of Annapolis is a unique retirement living option. Its for-profit housing co-op model appeals to baby boomers who value ownership and want to be involved in the management of their community. Resident-owned and run, their interests are truly at the heart of every decision. And with tax advantages and equity ownership, BayWoods of Annapolis property owners can include their shares as part of their estate.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 49

PROFILES

senior services SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CLIENT ELISABETH WITH HER CAREGIVER LUZ

“As a family-owned-and-operated business, we can serve clients quicker and offer care at more affordable prices.” 17860 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 302 Silver Spring, MD 20961 301-717-2212

www.bestseniorcare.us

For many seniors, the move to a longterm care facility can be disruptive and traumatizing. Today, seniors unable to care for themselves or simply needing help around the house are seeking alternative sources of care that will allow them to remain in their homes as they age. Best Senior Care makes this possible. Founded in 2002, Best Senior Care offers customized, in-home care plans that include assistance with eating, bathing, toileting, dressing, grooming and household tasks. Family owned and operated, they pride themselves on their one-on-one relationships with clients and ability to respond quickly to clients’ needs. With no corporate bureaucracy, they can also offer services that a franchise agency might deny, such as allowing a caregiver to accompany a client on vacation. The process begins with an in-home assessment of the client. A plan of

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care is then developed by a registered nurse and a caregiver introduced to the family. Caregivers are carefully matched with clients to ensure that they are compatible, and that the caregiver has the experience and skills to meet the client’s needs. Most caregivers with Best Senior Care are Certified Nursing Assistants, well trained and fluent in English. Many come from nursing homes or long-term-care backgrounds. To maintain their high standards of care, Best Senior Care is in regular contact with both clients and staff to determine any areas of concern. “Our communication is direct and productive,” says Partner, Alex Petukhov. “They appreciate the direct contact with our agency, with no bureaucracy standing in the way of solutions.” LISA HELFERT

Best Senior Care

PROFILES

senior services

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Brandywine Living at Potomac ALPHONSO WESTLEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Brandywine Living is a premier provider of quality care and services to seniors. Dedicated to promoting independence, dignity and individuality, the Brandywine team has a long history of providing a network of health care services in the midAtlantic region.

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10800 Potomac Tennis Ln. Potomac, MD 20854 301-417-3000

www.brandycare.com

Brandywine Living at Potomac is an upscale senior living community striving to provide a safe, welcoming environment for residents throughout the Washington Metropolitan area looking for a comfortable place to spend their life's golden era. Interested? Visit www. brandycare.com to take a virtual tour of the 120-suite residence from the comfort of your own home. One of Brandywine's signature standards across its portfolio is an unwavering commitment to ensuring guests get all the comforts of home — and then some — through a variety of high-end apartments, amenities and accommodations. "It's luxury living for those who want to stay active and be as independent as possible while still receiving quality, attentive care," says Alphonso Westley, Executive Director of Brandywine Living at Potomac. This is especially important, adds Westley, as a recent article from

the Journal of Aging Research revealed that many seniors equate their quality of life with the ability to live somewhat independently. Brandywine's personal-care offerings include chefs, chauffeurs and concierges who will assist residents by taking them to appointments or delivering necessities and other comforts right to their rooms. Along with warm and inviting interiors, Brandywine at Potomac features interior and exterior courtyards, outdoor patios, an aquatic therapy pool and gym, a beauty salon, movie theater, multiple dining venues and private dining rooms. In addition to the concierges and a registered nurse on site 24 hours a day, residents have access to Brandywine's nationally recognized Reflections program, which aims to offer a stimulating, supportive and safe approach to caring for residents with memoryrelated needs.

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PROFILES

senior services SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Brightview Woodmont 4907 Rugby Ave. Bethesda, MD 20814 240-800-7566

Brightview Woodmont redefines traditional senior living, offering best-in-class service to residents living in its assisted living and memory care neighborhoods. The community provides elevated dining and beverage services, a robust cultural calendar and a Personal Curator program, all in the heart of downtown Bethesda. Brightview’s experienced and award-winning caregivers provide the dignified, compassionate care residents need to flourish and maintain their independence. Under the direction of Executive Director Aquiles Pinzon, the entire Brightview Woodmont team raises the bar on service to deliver unforgettable experiences for their residents. Pinzon spent almost two decades working in the height of luxury and lifestyle at hotel resorts, most recently at the RitzCarlton. He places a strong emphasis on the small details and fulfilling both spoken and unspoken requests.

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

www.BrightviewWoodmont.com

At Home Care, Inc. IRENE CADY-HARRINGTON, PRESIDENT 15304 Spencerville Ct. Burtonsville, MD 20866 301-421-0200

Since 1977, At Home Care, Inc. has exceeded clients’ expectations with superior care and service at a lower cost than institutional care. One of the five oldest licensed agencies in the Washington metropolitanarea, the owner-operated company is dedicated to coordinating services for the elderly, convalescent, chronically and terminally ill. “One-on-one attention is the best medicine, and home care provides that,” says Founder Irene CadyHarrington. At Home Care, Inc. offers a wide range of services — personal care and hygiene, meal preparation, shopping, light housekeeping, activity and appointment assistance, medicine reminders, companionship and more — designed to make life safer and more enjoyable for individuals needing help with daily living. “Change can be stressful,” says Cady-Harrington. “Familiarity, whether it’s pictures, the memories of happy home events or good neighbors, is very comforting.” 52

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STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

www.athomecareinc.com

PROFILES

senior services

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Kensington Park Senior Living MARY MELL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (SEATED, CENTER RIGHT)

HILARY SCHWAB

Since July 1, Team Kensington Park has been 100% vaccinated against COVID-19. “Ultimately, it came down to trust. Our team knows we have their backs. We fought tirelessly on the frontlines of COVID together, so when those vaccines came through our doors, we cheered and cried – together,” shares Mary Mell. 3620 Littledale Road Kensington, MD 20895 301-946-7700

At Kensington Park Senior Living, experience equals excellence. “The strength of this community lies in our team’s exceptional tenure within the industry,” says Executive Director Mary Mell, whose 30-year career has been dedicated to caring for aging adults and their families. “Not only do they have years of expertise, but they each have their why: their own personal commitment to serve. That makes the difference.” Their backgrounds span the senior care spectrum, from skilled nursing, group homes and therapy to advocacy, volunteering and family caregiving, providing a diversity of approach, but one common goal, embodied in the Kensington Park Promise “to love and care for our residents as we do our own families.” Some have longstanding professional and personal relationships; Mell and Olive Grey-Coker, RN, first

worked together in 2003. Many recognized an inner calling early on, growing their passion and skillset through after-school jobs at local homes or degrees in gerontology. A few followed in their parents’ footsteps, having had meaningful exposure growing up, while others were inspired by their aging parents’ care journeys. And several began as concierges, housekeepers or care managers and proudly worked to become supervisors, executive directors and founders of their own businesses. With close to 40 decades of combined experience, a deep camaraderie and a collective wisdom, the Kensington Park team is best in class. “Our shared history, our shared love for seniors – and for each other – compels us to give the best of ourselves to our residents and families every day,” says Mell.

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PROFILES

senior services SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Brightview Grosvenor 5510 Grosvenor Ln. Bethesda, MD 20814 301-615-0119

Thanks to Dining Services Director Thomas Rider, residents at Brightview Grosvenor are savoring a worldly menu. Rider came to the assisted living and memory care community in North Bethesda from a career most recently working on private yachts. With a strong interest in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Latin American cooking, he plans menus that reflect the fresh ingredients of those cuisines. The rest of the Brightview Grosvenor team completes the full spectrum of life in the community. Brightview’s award-winning care team partners with residents and their families to create care plans to maintain resident health and independence. The community also services residents’ mental and emotional health with a calendar full of vibrant events, such as cultural presentations and daily happy hour.

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www.BrightviewGrosvenor.com

Riderwood LEIRE MOULIER-CLARK, SALES COUNSELOR 3140 Gracefield Road Silver Spring, MD 20904 1-800-610-1560

Riderwood is a Silver Spring-based continuing care retirement community offering independent living and multiple levels of on-site 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, 10 restaurants and more, all connected through climate-controlled walkways, Riderwood operates like a small town under one roof, says Sales Counselor Leire MoulierClark. “Riderwood allows seniors to stay active and independent while enjoying peace of mind,” says Moulier-Clark. “Call 1-800-610-1560 to request a free brochure.” 54

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www.ericksonseniorliving.com/riderwood

PROFILES

senior services

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Specialty Care Services AL SIMONS, FOUNDER & MANAGING MEMBER

JOHN FERRIS

Specialty Care Services is committed to meeting the care needs of Washington metropolitan-area seniors in their location of choice — private residence, assisted living facility, nursing home or rehabilitation center — at the best value. All long-term care insurance plans are accepted, and clients are offered case management at no additional cost. 8555 16th St., Suite 101 Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-585-6300

www.specialtycareservices.com

Aging at home is the preference for most seniors, but finding the ideal care solution for a loved one can be an overwhelming process. Driven by personal experience visiting his grandmother in a nursing home, Al Simons founded Specialty Care Services in 2002 to help area seniors age comfortably and safely at home. From personal care and companionship to care management, dementia and chronic disease care, home health care and family caregiver support, Specialty Care Services offers aide services around the clock. Prioritizing clients' safety, all staff members are Covid vaccinated. "We genuinely care about the quality of service our clients receive and will never cut corners in the care we provide," says Simons. "We hire only the best caregivers, dedicated to providing outstanding service and making life the very best it can be for our seniors. Our clients are treated like family and made to feel as though they're the only person we serve." Regardless of a client's lifestyle, age or

living arrangement, whether they're looking to maintain their independence, accelerate post-operative recovery or attain respite support or hospice care, all care plans are individualized to meet each client's unique needs. Caregivers are matched with clients based on case-specific experience and skillsets, ensuring prosperous clientcaregiver relationships — French and Spanish-speaking caregivers are available. "We pride ourselves on providing customer support that is second to none," says Simons. "Eighty percent of our referrals come from friends and family who have used our services and feel 100 percent comfortable leaving their friends and loved ones in our care." From Left (Sitting): VENISE DAVIS, CLIENT SERVICES COORDINATOR PEARL XU, CLINICAL MANAGER From Left (Standing): JOHANA SORTO, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT IDA ALFELOR, NURSE SUPERVISOR

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PROFILES

senior services SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The Seneca 240-614-2800 55 W. Gude Drive Rockville, MD 20850

The Seneca, a brand-new assisted living and memory care community, welcomed first residents in August. In the months leading up to opening, Executive Director Jonathan Garber worked tirelessly to assemble an all-star team of senior living and hospitality veterans. The Seneca’s staff comprises experts in operations, dining services, wellness, nursing, technology, maintenance, housekeeping, transportation, programming and more who work collaboratively to ensure every resident feels truly at home and all visitors experience warm hospitality. Each memory care associate, known as a Naya, is a Certified Dementia Practitioner, trained extensively on caring for and engaging with residents suffering from memory loss.

LISA HELFERT

www.senecarockville.com

Hassle Free Home Services ANDREW BALFOUR AND JIM VAGONIS, OWNERS 601 Dover Road, Unit 11 Rockville, MD 20850 301-294-9444 info@myhasslefreehome.com

More than ever seniors are opting to stay in their homes, but how do they handle all the tasks needed to maintain the home? Jim Vagonis and Andrew Balfour built Hassle Free Home Services with that exact challenge in mind. Their monthly and quarterly maintenance programs offer the precise solutions needed by seniors looking to age in place. “Nobody likes maintenance chores,” says Vagonis, “but for older homeowners it becomes more difficult and even unsafe to take care of these important tasks.” Hassle Free takes on that responsibility for the customer. With a dedicated Home Manager and service tech, the customer has a team they can trust to take care of all their home needs. Says Balfour, “We deliver peace of mind for our customers.” 56

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LISA HELFERT

www.myhasslefreehome.com

PROFILES

senior services

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Chevy Chase House Chevy Chase House has furnished studio apartments for seniors needing to transition from a hospital stay or rehab facility back to home. The rate is valuepriced, the food is delicious and the care is outstanding. Because of those factors, many respite residents decide to make the Chevy Chase House their new home. 5420 Connecticut Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20015 202-798-7325

MICHAEL VENTURA

www.meridiansenior.com/senior-living/dc/ washington/chevy-chase-house/

From Left: CHARLIE COYLE, FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR JULIA WISHAW, DINING ROOM MANAGER MARIA PORTILLO, SOUS CHEF

Chevy Chase House residents enjoy luxury senior living nestled in one of Washington, D.C.'s most vibrant neighborhoods, with close proximity to shopping, dining and arts venues the bustling area has to offer. Meridian Senior Living recently completed a $12 million renovation, preserving the historic building's charming architectural details and adding upscale amenities, including a spacious state-of-the-art fitness center. Upgraded apartments feature full-size kitchens and extra cabinets and closets — furnished shortterm suites are also available. Senior living does not mean life has to slow down. The Chevy Chase House community was specially designed to allow residents to live as independently as they please, with extra support for everyday tasks available when needed. A robust programming calendar includes weekly trips to D.C. cultural sites, exclusive dining events — happy hours, monthly international food nights and more — continuing education and exercise classes.

Chevy Chase House knows that gathering friends together over delicious cuisine is one of life's simplest pleasures. The dining room serves three restaurantstyle meals a day, though all-day dining provides flexibility around residents' activities. Food Service Director Charlie Coyle creates balanced monthly meal plans, taking into account resident preferences and nutrition, including an entirely vegan menu at a new resident's request. Recently added menu items include New York Deli favorites: Reuben, Rachel and Pastrami sandwiches and bagels with lox. An Always Available menu featuring more than 25 classic choices ensures there will always be something that hits the spot. Prospective residents are encouraged to stop by for a tour and chef-inspired meal to experience the renowned Chevy Chase House hospitality.

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10/12/21 8:48 AM

Are the Kids All Right? The isolation, grief and uncertainty of the pandemic have led to a mental health crisis in children and teens BY JULIE RASICOT ILLUSTRATION BY HANNAH AGOSTA

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10/15/21 12:25 PM

HE VOLLEYBALL NEVER TALKED back. But amid the loneliness of the pandemic, 13-year-old Malia could confide in it—how she wanted to emulate the “glow up” videos on TikTok that encouraged girls to use the lockdown to reinvent themselves and improve their looks. How she was angry at the friends she saw on social media, gathering despite COVID-19 restrictions. How she was unhappy with who she was, something she discovered only after the many activities of her busy life were stripped away. Before the pandemic, she played multiple sports. She took the hardest classes available, including honors geometry as an eighth-grader, and participated in clubs at her public middle school in Montgomery County. “I just tried to keep myself busy, just go to the next thing, go to the next thing,” says Malia, now a high school volleyball player. But none of that was happening as Malia hunkered down with her younger brother and her parents, who were tracking the latest news about the virus. (She and her parents requested that their actual names not be used to protect their privacy.) Malia was so scared of contracting COVID and giving it to her parents that she locked herself away, she says, and rarely reached out to friends. Playing volleyball had been a huge part of her identity, and “for it to just be gone, it was heartbreaking,” Malia recalls. “When COVID started, I was like, oh my gosh, I don’t have all these things to keep me busy,” she says. “I didn’t have the distractions I needed to distract myself from the fact that I wasn’t happy with who I was.” As the weeks passed, she became “really anxious,” unable to sit and watch a movie, unable to tolerate going on a drive with her parents just to get out of the house. Checking social media didn’t help—she’d only get angry when she saw photos of people hanging out when everyone was supposed to be social distancing and feel awful when she saw people posting on Instagram “how perfect their life was.” And then there were all those posts about how girls and women should use the lockdown to change their style, transforming themselves mentally, physically and emotionally.

Practicing outside with her volleyball, she’d tell herself that she needed to restructure her life, to get better at things she didn’t do well enough, to create a more perfect version of herself. An athlete her whole life, she decided to use the summer after eighth grade to get really fit. So she started running, clocking mile after mile, day after day.

BY SEPTEMBER 2020, Malia’s parents were noticing that her weight had dropped significantly. At first, it seemed that Malia’s running was just a way to stay active. She “enjoyed being busy” and was “never the kind of kid to just sit around,” her mom says. They’d noticed that she was eating less food, but she was also choosing healthier options. “It took us awhile to realize there was a problem.” Malia says she knew she’d lost a lot of weight and needed help, but she couldn’t stop running. “If I didn’t run, I would feel, oh my gosh, I’m a mess. This is not productive. This is not good,” she says. “I would beat myself up if I didn’t do it.” Malia says she wanted someone to tell her that she had to stop because she knew her physical and mental health were suffering, even though a halt to running would keep her from finishing what she now understands was an irrational “journey” to achieve her perfect self. “I looked completely different. My dad said I lost my spark,” she says. “And I was so unhappy with myself.” Her parents took her to the family’s pediatrician, who diagnosed Malia with an eating disorder and recommended an outpatient treatment program through Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., that focused on mental health and medical and nutrition issues. “We were glad we did, because we were told that we got her in at a good time,” her mom says, explaining that Malia was in the early stages of her disorder, diagnosed as anorexia. “It really did help, but it took months and months—and it was very hard.” Both parents worried whether they were providing the kind of support their daughter needed throughout the continuing isolation caused by the pandemic. “We didn’t know if we were doing the right thing through any of it,” her mom says. In December 2020, Malia was also diagnosed with anxiety and depression. She began taking an antidepressant, which, along with therapy,

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marked “a turning point” in her recovery as the new year began, her parents say. “I noticed her starting to feel better about herself after that point,” Malia’s mom says. Talking to a therapist during her treatment helped Malia realize that “there’s no such thing” as a perfect version of herself and that she should embrace who she is. “I needed someone to tell me that ‘what you were doing is not right and you know that, and I know that, and so now we’re going to fix that.’ It was, like, someone who actually listened to me,” she says. “Not that my parents didn’t listen to me, but they didn’t understand what I was going through.”

EVEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, experts had long warned of a mental health crisis among the nation’s children. Studies have found that one in five suffers from a diagnosable mental health disorder. Loneliness, depression and self-harm “increased sharply” over the past decade among U.S. adolescents, especially girls, according to The Journal of Adolescence. As the pandemic continued, experts predicted that the crisis would worsen because of the depression, anxiety and uncertainty that kids were experiencing due to school closures, isolation and family trauma caused by COVID. “Before the pandemic, it’s not like our kids were doing great,” says psychologist Lisa Sanchez, whose Chevy Chase practice serves children, adolescents and adults. “Whatever was present before the pandemic—for example, if your kid had a tendency to be kind of anxious, if your kid had a tendency to be irritable, even if your kid had [obsessive compulsive disorder] or something more significant than that—once the pandemic hit, the severity and intensity of all of that got worse. Whatever was there before just

kind of took a nosedive.” Children’s mental health-related visits to hospital emergency rooms started increasing in April 2020 and remained elevated through that October, according to a November 2020 CDC report. “Compared with 2019, the proportion of mental health-related visits for children aged 5 to 11 and 12 to 17 years increased approximately 24% and 31%, respectively,” the report says. This past June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention disclosed that between Feb. 21 and March 20 of 2021, visits related to suicide attempts were nearly 51% higher among girls than during the same period in 2019, while the number of visits among boys increased by less than 4%, according to the report. Adolescent girls and young women are more likely to attempt suicide, while adolescent boys and young men are more likely to die by suicide, according to a 2019 report in the International Journal of Public Health. A September article in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry also showed a sharply rising suicide rate among Black girls between 2003 and 2017. Psychologist Mary Alvord is the director of Alvord, Baker & Associates, which has offices in Chevy Chase and Rockville. She says “girls probably do more self-harm,” but boys choose more lethal means. “When we first had to shut down, there was so much anxiety and so much sadness because kids went into virtual school, parents had to work at home, everyone was sort of frantic with trying to negotiate this new way. It happened so quickly,” says Alvord, who also is an adjunct associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “I saw a lot

“NOT THAT MY PARENTS DIDN’T LISTEN TO ME,” MALIA SAYS, “BUT THEY DIDN’T UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS GOING THROUGH.”

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are the kids all right? of sadness, you know, loss of friendships, loss of activity, loss of the rites of passages, graduations, moving on to the next level.” In June 2020, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) confirmed that three students killed themselves in a two-week period. Though the deaths of a high schooler and two middle schoolers weren’t publicly linked to the pandemic, the suicides led officials to call for more mental health resources and services for children. Therapists say the overuse of technology proved to be a big trigger for depression and self-harm ideation for children, who may have been spending hours alone on their devices, especially if their parents were essential workers. Viviana Azar, a therapist and manager of Montgomery County’s Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Services, says of those seeking help, girls were more likely to be spending a lot of time on social media, leading to eating disorders and self-harming behavior, while boys tended to spend time alone playing video games, leading to interrupted sleep cycles, lack of interest in everyday activities and self-neglect. The department serves children ages 5 to 18 and their families who receive Medicaid, don’t have health insurance, or are undocumented. Families contact the county’s treatment centers in Rockville and Silver Spring for help, but the agency also receives referrals from pediatricians, MCPS and Child Welfare Services, Azar says. The disruption of routines, lack of structure and far greater exposure to news—including the coverage of the pandemic and the violence leading to the racial justice movement—all created more stress for kids and contributed to their feelings of anxiety, anger and fear, says therapist Jonah Green, whose Kensington practice works with children and families in the Bethesda area. Being stuck at home meant children were more exposed to conflicts in their families—such as sibling discord around favoritism and extramarital liaisons—because everyone was spending so much time together. Family conflict also erupted over differences with parents, or even between parents, about how to stay safe from the coronavirus, Green says. Some of the anxiety and sadness lifted during the summer of 2020, therapists say. But those

feelings intensified again in the fall with the continuing isolation connected to virtual learning, grief over the loss of relatives, family financial stress, and other issues caused by the virus in the time before vaccines became available and hopes began to lift. Now, after a summer of feeling like life was returning to normal, families are again seeking help as anxiety has resurfaced amid the surge of the delta variant. A survey of Montgomery Blair High School students in late October 2020, which garnered more than 700 responses, showed a decline in student motivation. Just under 25% of students responded that their academic motivation was fairly strong during remote learning, compared with 72% who had previously felt that way about in-person classes. “There were definitely feelings of helplessness and it’s not worth it. They didn’t connect as well, not being able to see friends,” says Xander Toti, a 2021 Blair graduate who for two years led the Student Government Association’s Student Wellness Committee, which conducted the survey. “Personally myself, I dealt with that, too.”

AT SUBURBAN HOSPITAL IN Bethesda, the number of kids, particularly teens, with mental health crises who were coming to the Shaw Family Pediatric Emergency Center remained consistent with pre-pandemic numbers, while the number of those with more common pediatric health issues “just precipitously fell off,” says Dr. Dominique Foulkes, the center’s medical director. While the number of kids experiencing mental health crises did not increase, more of those who came were suicidal or a danger to themselves, “so we had more kids needing to be admitted,” she says. More families with tweens and teens also came to the center seeking therapy on an outpatient basis, including “a lot of kids who were stable, they’re on their medications, they had their outpatient providers in place” before the pandemic, but their conditions worsened because of the stress and because they couldn’t meet in person with their therapists, Foulkes says. Jenny, a Silver Spring mother of three boys who didn’t want to use her full name, says the closure of the local elementary school in the spring

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are the kids all right? of 2020 proved disastrous for her youngest son, who had been “highly anxious” even before the pandemic. Unlike his two brothers, who could use their cellphones to stay in touch with friends, the boy was cut off from his social circle and “sort of left to his own devices a lot of the time” as Jenny worked full time at home. Jenny says her son, now 10, became “very aggressive and angry,” and his schoolwork started to suffer. “He would swear at me and he would just yell and he was extremely unpleasant,” she says. Looking for help, Jenny contacted the office of a therapist in Friendship Heights who had successfully counseled her 13-year-old middle son years earlier on his own anxiety. But the office was offering only virtual visits, and Jenny and her ex-husband decided their son wouldn’t benefit enough to justify the $300 per-session cost before they met their deductible. “So we just sort of had to muddle through it, and it was unpleasant for the whole family because he was just very disruptive,” she says. “It was also very hard on me and my ex-husband because we knew in normal times we could help him, and we really felt powerless to help him.” During the pandemic, families seeking help for their children often have confronted the cost of treatment as well as the sharp disparity between the number of mental health professionals and the demand for help. Under the Affordable Care Act, most insurance plans are required to cover mental health care. But co-pays and qualifying criteria may vary, according to GoodTherapy, a website dedicated to making it easier for people to access mental health services. A therapy session can cost from $65 to $250 per hour, the website says. “We’ve always had a wait list, and now we have a very long wait list,” says Alvord, a strong proponent of telehealth. Now that children are back in school, families are competing for the limited number of therapy sessions that can be scheduled after school, she says. Green says his practice has accepted “very few” new patients since last winter. “People come back; people use mental health services longer,” he says. “It’s just overwhelming.” As of mid-September, 35 children were waiting for services provided by the county, Azar says. If families have been waiting more than a

month, she says, the program’s therapists will check in and possibly refer them to other services, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which holds support groups locally in English and Spanish. Malia’s parents consider themselves fortunate that they were able to secure outpatient treatment at Children’s National. “We were very happy with the doctors,” her dad says. “That really made a difference. Getting help and getting help early and getting the right people was critical.”

IN LATE AUGUST, Amy Dawson Taggart watched her visibly agitated son Vincent pace around their Silver Spring home, concentrating on making sure he had everything he needed before they left for his first day of fourth grade. Though he’d done well with virtual learning and had attended inperson classes at Sligo Creek Elementary School last spring, Vincent was feeling anxious because he didn’t know what to expect now that everyone was returning to school full time. Once they were in the car, Taggart says, she was surprised to notice that Vincent was sitting up straight with his eyes closed, breathing deeply. His palms were turned upward in a traditional meditation pose, with the thumb and middle finger of each hand touching, as he recited a mantra: “I’m good. I only have to focus on today. The only thing I need to focus on is this moment, this day. I don’t need to worry about future days. Only today. Everything will be OK today.” Taggart says she realized that Vincent was using the mindfulness meditation skills that he’d been taught in class as far back as first grade to calm his anxieties about returning to school. “There’s no question that was the single most powerful demonstration of it,” Taggart says. “And it worked.” While being back in school is a positive step for many students, the readjustment isn’t necessarily easy, therapists and doctors say. “It’s almost like everybody has been deconditioned,” says Dr. Sarah Edwards, director of the new Children & Adolescent Psychiatric Unit at the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital in Baltimore and an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “We have muscles that are a little bit weak. So for

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are the kids all right?

Resources Here are a few of the resources available in the Washington, D.C., region for families seeking children’s mental health services:

For Montgomery County’s Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Services, contact 240-777-1450. The Rockville treatment center can be reached at 240-7771432, and the Silver Spring center at 240-777-1450.

To contact the Rockville offices of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, call 301-949-5852 or visit namimc.org.

The American Psychiatric Association in Washington, D.C., provides information and a directory of doctors at psychiatry.org.

our youth, they have been deconditioned from tolerating periods without social media and electronic devices. Focusing and concentrating for a longer period of time is another thing [where] they need to kind of build up the brain muscle, and just having to be out of the house for that eight-hour day at school.” For some kids like Jenny’s son, being back in school is the perfect antidote. “Getting him out of the house and getting him back with his peers, it was almost as good as therapy,” says Jenny, whose son also attended class in-person in the spring and summer. “He’s like a different kid again, and he’s back to himself.” The school also offers a support system beyond academics that “I just can’t do at home by myself,” she says. “I mean, we’ve learned that over the last 18 months.” Teaching mindfulness and other types of social-emotional learning skills is a big part of the MCPS playbook this year, officials say, as schools focus on helping students return to classrooms. Students also will be learning life skills through “Leader in Me,” a newly purchased socialemotional learning curriculum by FranklinCovey Education that’s based on Stephen Covey’s 1989 book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. School counselors, who are expected to play a key role, spent the summer preparing to help students as they unpack their “emotional backpacks” throughout the school year, says Lindsay Cao, MCPS’ coordinator of school counseling. “Counselors have a variety of things they do—it’s not just the mental health component—so we’ve made it very clear that that needs to be their main focus,” Cao says. Counselors and school psychologists received training—including

sessions provided by the Center for Anxiety and Behavioral Change in Rockville—on helping students deal with their anxieties about returning to school and their grief over losing loved ones, according to Cao. MCPS has partnered with Caring Matters in Gaithersburg to hold sessions for students impacted by grief. Counselors also received training on making sure social-emotional lessons were culturally responsive, Cao says. Counselors are continuing to meet virtually with students and families, who also can attend Mental Health Mondays, a weekly virtual workshop that began last spring and provides tips and advice. Student well-being teams, created during the pandemic to develop resources for students and families, will continue reaching out to students identified as needing help, Cao says. This school year also marks the first time that students can cite their mental health or “wellbeing” as a valid reason, with a parent’s note, for missing school. The county school board approved the idea last spring. Student activists who pushed for the change also have focused on raising awareness about mental health issues and how they can help their classmates readjust to school. They’re calling for more counselors and school psychologists, and access to services outside of schools, says Hana O’Looney, the student member of the county school board. Addressing mental health in health classes is another way to reduce the stigma so students aren’t afraid to ask for help, she says. “If we want to make sure that kids are actually using and taking advantage of the mental health days, we need to make sure they feel comfortable talking about it with their parents and teachers,” she says. At Blair High School, student government leaders have worked on helping students return by advocating for better teacher-student communication, including clear direction regarding when assignments are due and consequences for late work, and for teachers to provide more breaks for students during the day. Other initiatives call for the scheduling of a monthly homework-free weekend, the designation of relaxation spaces during lunch where students can catch up on sleep, and the creation of study groups so “students can help one another really catch up on content,” SGA President Salma Chicas says.

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BY LAST SPRING, MALIA was feeling “so much happier” than she’d been earlier in the pandemic. She was soon back in school and playing volleyball again. Through therapy, she’d learned to find ways to connect with those she loved, and she had grown closer to her younger brother. Over the summer, she and her family traveled to see relatives, and she went to sleepaway camp. “Being able to spend time with people has been just amazing. It also has been a really big part of how I got better, realizing there are people there for me,” says Malia, who still takes medication and checks in with her pediatrician and psychiatrist. If a silver lining has emerged from the pandemic, therapists say, it’s more families, educators and society at large grasping the importance of caring for children’s mental health. “The good part is: It did normalize mental health for a lot of families. It becomes more routine to have a conversation—whereas they were doing that with physical health before, maybe they weren’t doing that as much for mental health,” says Niki Picogna

of the Bethesda Play Therapy & Healing Center. “I think it could be a positive thing. We’re taking care of our feelings, too. We’re learning how to manage it together and being honest and having these conversations.” Once Malia began reconnecting with friends, she realized that she wasn’t the only one with mental health issues during the pandemic. Two of her friends also had been diagnosed with eating disorders; one spent several months in a residential treatment center. “I wish I had reached out to them when I was struggling because we could have helped each other,” Malia says. “I saw everyone on social media and I thought, wow, no one else is struggling. But that was wrong. Everyone else had their own thing about COVID, whether they struggled how I did or they struggled completely different than I did.” n Contributing editor Julie Rasicot lives in Silver Spring.

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Changing Goals A talented soccer player, Justin Bobb suffered a nightmarish descent into anxiety, depression and OCD as a teenager. Now he’s learning to cope and crusading to end the stigma. BY AMY HALPERN

PHOTO BY LINDSEY MAX

T WAS APRIL 2019, and senior Justin Bobb was standing alone at the front of a classroom at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda. His school was hosting a health and wellness day instead of regular classes, and Justin had volunteered to speak about mental health—his own. “I am going to reveal a side of me that almost nobody knows about,” he told the group of about 25 students, plus his mom and one of his sisters. In middle school, he’d been an outgoing guy with friends, a passion for soccer and a 3.0 GPA. Yet, he told the group, from eighth grade until he was a junior, he’d barely slept at night—his mind raced with thoughts that he was a bad person, that he couldn’t do anything right, that life wasn’t worth living. “It constantly felt as though I was trapped in the dark with absolutely no way of getting out,” he recounted. He abandoned his friends and the game he loved. His freshman GPA plummeted to 1.0. Justin opened up about his depression, social anxiety, learning differences, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—and the support he received to manage them. A few times, he choked up. Months earlier, when he decided to share his story, he hoped it might encourage peers who were experiencing depression to seek help—and not feel shame. He also hoped it would inspire empathy toward anyone with mental health challenges. When he finished, many students were wiping away tears. Friends from years past hugged him. Some told Justin they’d often wondered why he’d drifted away—and apologized for not trying BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

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harder to find out. And kids started asking questions. What are the signs that you have depression? What’s the difference between anxiety and a bad case of nerves? Who do you talk to?

TODAY, JUSTIN IS A 20-year-old junior studying special education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an outspoken advocate for mental health in teens and young adults. He has shared his story on public platforms, and those around him say it has reached thousands, giving many the courage to come forward with their stories, too. “Something that he really feels is his passion,” says his mother, Beth Bobb, is “to destigmatize mental health and make people more aware.” For more than a decade, mental health issues, particularly depression, have been increasing among young people. According to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the average annual percentage of Marylanders ages 12 to 17 who experienced a major depressive episode spiked from just over 7% for the period of 2004-2008 to more than 13% during the period of 2013-2017. Suicide rates for people ages 10 to 24 climbed 56% from 2007 to 2017, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Suicide is consistently among the top causes of death in people ages 15 to 24, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Dominique Foulkes, medical director of the Shaw Family Pediatric Emergency Center at Suburban Hospital, saw the wave in real time: She describes a nearly 300% jump in the number of children and adolescents brought into the emergency room with mental health emergencies over the course of one month, from October to November 2014. Those numbers have since plateaued at 200% over pre-October 2014 levels. “It was like a faucet opened,” she says. Foulkes says the reason remains unclear, but academic pressure, cellphone use and social media have likely 70

played an outsize role. “There’s a lot of pressure on kids, especially in this area, to have a certain level of success,” Foulkes says, “…and they’re not developmentally equipped to deal with it.”

MATT NEY, JUSTIN’S Bethesda Soccer Club coach, will never forget the practice in the fall of 2015 when Justin came over to him, nearly in tears, and said he had to leave. “I thought: What did I say? What did I do?” Ney says. He had coached Justin on and off from the time he was 10, and knew him as an energetic, “ultracompetitive” player who cared about his teammates. Hours later, Ney called the family to check on him. No one had any answers, but over the ensuing weeks, Ney saw an “incremental pullback.” Justin started missing practices. When he was on the field, he “started questioning himself more, which never happens, especially with a player of his caliber,” Ney says. Justin’s team “won 99% of their games,” the coach says, and many of Justin’s teammates were on track to play Division I soccer in college. Justin dropped the sport altogether. Over the next 18 months, Ney visited Justin and his parents at their Rockville home several times. “It looked like he was comatose—there was no life in his face… it was tough to see.” The year before, as Justin started eighth grade, his parents had seen him becoming withdrawn and depressed. He’d lost his motivation and his passion for everything important to him. They had begun taking Justin, the second of their four children, to therapists, hoping to find one he liked. Twice over the next year, they took him to the ER because he was talking about suicide. Two psychiatrists diagnosed him with anxiety and depression and prescribed medications. But Justin’s decline continued. “He was this really vibrant, popular athlete…and all of a sudden he kind of disappeared,” says his mom. “We were trying to help and find the right people to help.”

At the start of ninth grade, his parents could barely get him to go to school. Beth recalls the morning her husband, Daryle, brought a leaf blower up to Justin’s room to try to roust him out of bed. "I was part laughing at the moment… which is why I got up,” Justin recalls. Neither of his parents had mental illness in their families. “They were pretty much learning at the same time I was,” he says. “They were doing everything they possibly could.” Late one night in ninth grade, Justin ran into his parents’ bedroom crying and soaked in sweat. “I can’t do it! I can’t do it!” he screamed. He was convinced that the only option was suicide, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it, he told his parents. They took him in their arms and held him all night. Later he wrote that the only thing that had stopped him from attempting suicide was that “I could not leave my family. It would hurt them too much.”

THE FIRST TIME JUSTIN visited Dr. Lance Clawson, in February 2016, he plopped himself “like a lump” on the couch, the Bethesda psychiatrist recalls. When Clawson asked, “What’s going on?” he barely got a shrug. But soon Justin started talking. Looking back, Justin says Clawson saved his life. Previously, Justin “hadn’t been diagnosed with his ADHD, he hadn’t been diagnosed with his learning disability, no one realized that he had social anxiety…and obsessive-compulsive disorder,” Clawson says. “[Justin] had done everything he could to compensate, but everyone thought he was this sweet, hardworking kid who’s then melting down, and they couldn’t figure out why.” Clawson prescribed new medications and referred Justin to a therapist specializing in OCD, which often manifests as a need for everything to be perfect. “On the field, if he made what was perceived to be the tiniest error, the OCD would be crippling,” Clawson says. “It’s this inner voice telling you: You blew it. … That becomes, like, super painful to the point where people just can’t function.”

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COURTESY PHOTOS

For a portrait with his Uncut Madison essay, Justin wanted to appear in regular clothes, not his soccer uniform. Below: Interviewing former UW rower Eden Rane for an Uncut Madison video series.

Justin’s therapist gave him assignments to help him “resist the OCD little bit by little bit,” Clawson says. “The more [that he was] able to tolerate the accompanying anxiety…the more the intrusive thoughts and ideas [started] to lessen.” That meant practicing kicking the soccer ball with whichever foot felt wrong at the time, or turning in homework without erasing words over and over to make every letter just right. Justin says he was feeling “a resurgence of hope” by the middle of his junior year. He’d gotten academic accommodations, reunited with his two best friends and rejoined his club soccer

team, mostly participating in practices. He also began thinking about sharing his story. For him, it was a way to show the world that it was OK to be imperfect. It would lift the burden of secrecy. And he knew that going public might help others realize they weren’t alone.

BY FALL 2019, JUSTIN had settled in as a freshman at the University of Wisconsin. He had missed the recruiting season but was offered a walk-on spot on the Division I varsity soccer team and played starting defender in five games that season. And when the Washington Nationals played the Houston Astros in

the World Series, Justin had a friendly rivalry going with his roommate, Nick Fetzer, a Houston native. Right after the Nats beat the Astros in Game 7, Justin “immediately came over, gave me a big ol’ hug and said, ‘No hard feelings, man. I love you, and I’m so glad we get to spend these whole four years together,’ ” recalls Nick, who also played on the UW soccer team their freshman year. “That was something super cool for me.” But by mid-semester, the pressures of “the full-time job” of sports at that level, combined with the adjustment to college, became too much for Justin. Heading to soccer practice one day, he says, “my body was very tense, my body was shaking a bit, and everything was just spiraling.” When the drills started, his anxiety only got worse. “I went sprinting with my head in my hands” into the bathroom, he says. He was crying uncontrollably and banging his fists on the wall. Twenty minutes later, athletic trainer Jordan McDermott asked to come in. McDermott had suffered from anxiety when she was in college a decade before and showed Justin what had worked for her. She took his hands in hers and sat with him, both of them practicing deep breathing until he calmed down. “That moment is what kind of broke the ice,” Justin wrote later. It felt good to know that his coaches, his teammates, even the whole athletic department finally knew “that this is part of who I am.” After that, McDermott says, other players going through mental health crises would “always talk to Justin because they knew he was going through something similar.” Nick calls Justin “one of the happiest dudes you’ll ever meet.” But he’s seen his friend troubled, too. One day, Justin asked for the dorm room to himself and locked the door. Standing on the other side, Nick heard whimpering, then sobbing, then screaming and banging on the wall. He walked down the hall to call McDermott, who told him to stay close by and keep reminding Justin he was there. Every few minutes Nick spoke

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through the door: “J-Bobb—we’re here if you need anything.” When Nick walked back to the room after his third call to McDermott, the door was unlocked. He walked in and found Justin “in the fetal position right next to his bed just crying,” Nick says. It took about an hour for Justin to recover. Then the friends went out for pizza. “Whether it’s coaches or teammates or friends or family members…not everybody understands” how to deal with those struggling with mental health challenges, Justin’s mom says. “You kind

affected his breathing and stamina, and he was “not quite 100%” by the second semester, when the pandemic-delayed soccer season started up. Still, he played in four games, three as a starter, until he was sidelined with a hamstring injury. At season’s end he was awarded UW’s Eli Stickley “bELIeve” Award, named in memory of a varsity wrestler respected for his courage. The summer before that sophomore year, Justin had seen a flyer for a new website called Uncut Madison, a safe space for athletes to share their stories— After playing and thinking about soccer “24/7” his first two years at the University of Wisconsin, Justin decided this year to quit the team.

of have to be lucky to be around people who understand.”

WHEN THE PANDEMIC STRUCK, Justin finished his freshman year from home. After returning to Wisconsin in the fall of 2020 he was diagnosed with COVID-19. He took the infection in stride, he says, because of years of practice in overcoming his concern about germs—what’s known as “contamination anxiety.” “You can control what you can control, but you can’t try and control anything further than that,” he says. But physically the virus was rough—it 72

with an emphasis on life off the field. The initiative had started at the University of North Carolina before catching on at the University of Maryland and other campuses. Justin contacted Uncut Madison cofounder Olivia Hancock. He wanted to post his story as soon as the website launched. “I immediately knew that would be the right fit,” he says. Over several months, he expanded on his high school speech to include his most painful college moments, like his breakdown during practice. “I feel like these experiences in my

life have shaped me into who I am,” he wrote. “I am not ashamed of it, but rather very proud of how I have developed from it.” Hancock, a marketing major, says she knew Justin’s words were so powerful and poignant that “the second he makes this public, his life is going to change.” She and Justin spent two months on weekly Zoom calls working out the presentation of his essay. Some days, Justin would say he was anxious—What if my words get misconstrued? What if people don’t care?—but in the next conversation he’d be excited. He never considered turning back. In March 2021, “My Story. My Purpose.” went live. The editors included a content warning: Anxiety, Depression, Suicide. On launch day, Uncut Madison’s Instagram post about his story got nearly 9,000 views and 90 shares. The engagement outranks that of the site’s interviews with an NFL player and with UW’s starting quarterback, Hancock says. “Justin’s piece is a reminder that… it’s not so much about the fame or the status of the athlete…but it’s really what people care about.” Months later, when Hancock says she found herself “struggling with some stuff,” Justin was the person she called. “A lot of athletes around campus took that story in stride and were like, look, this is an issue that maybe we need to look out for in our lives,” Nick says. “[Justin has] helped so many people by being out there about it.” Shortly after his story was published, the founders of The Hidden Opponent, a nonprofit working to destigmatize mental health issues among studentathletes, reached out. The group has representatives at more than 400 U.S. colleges, according to its advocacy director, Andy Saul, and wanted to post Justin’s story on its website. This fall, Justin became The Hidden Opponent’s UW campus captain. He’s working on getting neon The Hidden Opponent wristbands to pass out on campus to

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changing goals

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he’s about to start a “microinternship” with the Badger Athletics Clinical & Sport Psychology Department under the supervision of two sports psychologists. Justin isn’t sure what his eventual career will be, but he knows it will involve mental health advocacy.

ON A CLOUDY AFTERNOON this fall, Justin was sitting at Mickies Dairy Bar in Madison, chatting with a former UW varsity rower. They’d reserved the popular lunch spot to record an episode of an upcoming Uncut Madison video series. In his khakis and T-shirt, Justin looked relaxed despite the presence of a video crew. He was asking rower Eden Rane about her transition from college to the real world after graduation. Rane asked Justin about his plans and how he felt after going public with his struggles. He shared with her something that

had been bothering him: When someone goes to the dentist, they have no problem saying so, but if they go to their therapist, they usually say they have “an appointment” or make something up. With cameras rolling, he told Rane that he’s trying to use the word “therapist” in conversation, so it starts to feel normal for him and those he’s with. He’s even taking his medications in front of his friends, instead of alone in the bathroom. “There are hundreds of thousands of deaths a year across the world due to mental health,” Justin said. And if we are going to break the stigma, “something small,” like being open about the help he’s seeking, is “doable.” n Amy Halpern is a journalist who has worked in print and television news. She lives in Potomac.

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raise awareness of mental health isues. This past summer, after months of deliberating, he quit the soccer team. “When you are playing at that high a level, you are kind of thinking about it 24/7,” Justin says. Now he has time to hang out with friends and go hiking. In July, he joined a 100-mile bike ride to support Autism Speaks. “When I’m busy and active and running around, I’m in a good spot; when I’m just sitting around, that’s when I can get into some trouble,” he says. Mental health challenges “will be with him for the rest of his life,” his mom says. Though there’s no cure, there are “more tools and coping skills to…help on a daily basis.” Justin is now working with the university’s athletic department to help coaches and staff better understand the psychological issues student-athletes face. And

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Maryland Youth Ballet Fri 12/17 at 7pm; Sat 12/18 at 1pm & 5pm Sun 12/19 at 1pm & 5pm; Thur 12/23 at 7pm Fri 12/24 at 11am; Sun 12/26 at 1pm & 5pm; Mon 12/27 at 1pm Dates subject to change Magical dolls, life-sized mice, dancing snowflakes, and an enchanting kingdom of sweets return to stage this holiday season for Maryland Youth Ballet’s LIVE production of The Nutcracker. Set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless score, the incredible dancing and dazzling costumes bring to life the story of Marie and her MC.com Nutcracker Prince. Join us back at the theater for the full-length classic. Also presenting The Mini-Nut, MYB’s abbreviated version of The Nutcracker geared towards younger audiences - Dec 11 & 12 at the Cultural Arts Center, Silver Spring. MARYLANDYOUTHBALLET.ORG | (301) 608-2232

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Top PLACES TO WORK

From a nonprofit that gives staff nearly 50 paid days off a year to a real estate development firm with a kegerator and rooftop cornhole, here are 16 workplaces that employees rave about BY AMY HALPERN | PHOTOS BY MICHAEL VENTURA

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Employees at Round House Theatre getting ready for a show

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Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday BETHESDA EARLY ONE THURSDAY afternoon, there was a friendly knock on legal assistant Tara Fahimi’s office door. Someone was stopping by to take her order for lunch the next day. Every Friday, the law firm of Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday brings in food from area restaurants and picks up the tab. Before the pandemic, most of the 32 people who work at BBS&G—attorneys, administrators and support staff—would sit around the large conference room table in the book-lined library and enjoy their lunches together. Now the food is delivered to everyone’s desk. There are no cubicles at BBS&G—even before COVID-19, everyone had their own office. Fahimi will never forget the firm’s lawyers “schlepping boxes from down the road” when she and attorney Adam Moskowitz transitioned to BBS&G in the summer of 2020 from a boutique firm nearby. “They were literally taking a hammer and nail and [helping] us hang up stuff in our office—they wanted us to feel welcome,” she says. Paralegal Victoria Dewey recalls the weeks’ worth of meals the firm sent over after her ex-husband died. “You don’t find too many firms like this firm, where your personal life is first,” she says. “And because they are like that, it makes you want to be even a better employee.”

Wealthspire Advisors POTOMAC WHEN BILL SCHWARTZ JOINED fledgling Highline Wealth Management in 2008, he didn’t expect the six-person Bethesda advisory firm would grow into one with 14 locations nationwide and more than 150 employees. All he knew was that the folks at Highline were more supportive than those at the huge wealth management firm where he had worked. Today, Schwartz is a managing director in the Potomac office of Highline’s successor company, Wealthspire, which is now headquartered in Manhattan. Most of the people he worked with in the organization’s early days—first in Bethesda, then in Rockville and now in Park Potomac—are still with the firm. Robin Dobbs, a senior vice president who joined in 2008 as the ninth employee, says that unlike at many wealth management firms, employees at Wealthspire work as a team—not in silos. If someone wants to focus on business development, the firm will back them, she says, and “if you just want to be a kick-ass client service person, you’re not necessarily told you’ve got to go out and bring X amount of business into the firm.” Schwartz adds: “Anybody can have a bunch of great snack food in the cafeteria...or have great office space or can have X or Y or Z benefit that can be super cool…but having people that are actually looking out for you… and want to help you succeed…that to me makes it a great place to work.”

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The office at Octopus Interactive features arcade games (below) and a lounge that has a Ping-Pong table.

octopus Interactive BETHESDA  MOST OF THE WALLS at Octopus Interactive have octopus arms painted across them and sayings like “Let’s Play” and “Let’s Chill.” Arcade games flank a door. A nearby lounge area has a Ping-Pong table with its own set of bleachers. “You are invited to the Ping-Pong tournament tonight,” Operations Manager Michael Marchetti tells a visitor one day this summer. Other Octopus traditions: a waterdrinking challenge, Cheetos cakes to celebrate birthdays, and Taco Stand Tuesdays. Marchetti likes working there so much that he has a multicolored octopus tattoo that runs from his left shoulder nearly to his wrist. Like most of Octopus’ 40 or so employees, Marchetti worked for Spotluck, a restaurant discount app created by Octopus co-founders

Cherian Thomas and Bradford Sayler in 2014. Three years ago, when Thomas and Sayler sat the staff down to tell them of their plan to “pivot” to developing and installing interactive video tablets for Uber and Lyft vehicles, the entire staff stayed on and helped launch the new venture. “It’s very different than, like, two guys in the basement who came in and said, ‘OK, here’s where we’re at—now we’re bringing in other people,’ ” Thomas says.   Today, the creative team at Octopus designs video games that allow ride-sharers to win prizes and get scannable discount codes; other employees handle advertising sales or tablet distribution.   Says Thomas: “We put something you might find in Silicon Valley right here in Bethesda.”

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The Meridian Group in Bethesda is bringing back its pre-COVID traditions, including cornhole on the rooftop terrace on Friday afternoons.

Potomac Law Group  VIRTUAL ONE AFTERNOON IN AUGUST, Matt Bergman was finishing client calls from the deck of his 39-foot boat, docked on the South River in Edgewater, Maryland. He wasn’t on vacation; for him, it was a regular day at the office. Bergman is a partner at Potomac Law Group, which has functioned remotely since its founding 10 years ago—long before the pandemic sent practically everyone else scrambling to work virtually. Though PLG maintains a receptionist and some “as-needed” office space in D.C., “the firm is roughly 98% virtual,” says Marketing Manager Melissa Meierhoefer. Today, the firm has 125 attorneys and a support staff of about 30. Nearly 20% of its people live—and work—in Montgomery County, she says. Bergman, who lives in Potomac and keeps a small office in Rockville, joined in 2019, after two decades of traditional law firm life. He says he’d had enough of office politics and “bureaucratic red tape,” and loves that PLG’s virtual structure means less money spent on expensive office space and fancy conference rooms. “I can pocket 80 cents of every dollar instead of 30 cents of every dollar,” he says.    Founded in 2011 by attorney Ben Lieber, Potomac Law Group initially set out to attract working moms looking for more flexible schedules. But Lieber, a former associate at D.C.’s Covington & Burling, says men are just as drawn to the work-from-anywhere paradigm. Today, 65% of the firm’s lawyers are male. “Back when my son was in high school playing soccer, I could go watch his game for 45 minutes in the afternoon and come back,” Lieber says. “I think a lot of people value that, and that’s part of what draws them here.”  80

The Meridian Group BETHESDA

ON FRIDAY AFTERNOONS IN pre-COVID days, much of the staff at The Meridian Group gathered on the company’s sprawling terrace high above downtown Bethesda, grabbed beers from the nearby kegerator, and decompressed on comfy outdoor sofas. Sometimes they’d play cornhole. “Everyone from the most junior person to the most senior founding partner” would be out there, says Vice President Adam Farbman, who’s been with the 40-person real estate development firm since 2015. The tradition is slowly returning, as are the catered lunches The Meridian Group has hosted three days a week for the past six or so years. “It’s been intereresting that during this weird transition back to work that people tend to come in on those days more than the others,” says Senior Vice President Cassi Poole Eaton. Early in the pandemic the

firm started sending employees themed gift boxes each month, including one with tools to better organize their at-home workspaces—and another with everything needed to make homemade ice cream. The deliveries stopped early this fall as more people returned to the office. But it’s not the free meals and other perks that make The Meridian Group a great place to work, Farbman says. Rather, it’s that everyone at the company can have an impact, even in areas that don’t align with their job description. “Whether you are on the deal team or the marketing team or the development team…every day we’re collaborating,” he says, recalling a marketing person early in the pandemic who came up with a way for commercial tenants in buildings owned and managed by The Meridian Group to track the occupancy levels of their gyms and other public spaces to help with social distancing.

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Lerch, Early & Brewer BETHESDA

THE LOBBY OF BETHESDA law firm Lerch, Early & Brewer is a serene expanse of tans and grays, with glass-walled conference rooms and panoramic views. It’s hard to imagine the space hosting an after-hours karaoke lounge, Hawaiian-themed aloha night or a giant Jenga game. But a custom system allows the glass dividers to slide back against the outer wall. Several evenings a year—in non-pandemic times—the conference tables are stashed and the space becomes a place for everyone from partners to support staff to cut loose. Often, there’s live music and door prizes. Accounts Payable Manager Ana Lopez says it’s fun to see unexpected people let their guard down, but it’s the day-to-day friendliness of Lerch Early and its 114 employees that she appreciates most. “Even

though they’re attorneys, I’ve always called them by their first names… it’s never been Mr. So-and-So or Mr. Whatever,” says Lopez, who just celebrated her 20th anniversary at the firm. Lopez’s immediate supervisor started at Lerch Early right out of high school, and the firm covered the tuition for her college degree. “The way it works for staff is they help you out with half of whatever course you are taking [so long as it’s related to your job at the firm] and if you get an A or a B, they reimburse you for the other half.” Lopez says she receives occasional calls from recruiters trying to lure her to other firms, but she always turns them down. “I’m not looking to work anyplace else,” she says.

Employees at The Meridian Group enjoy catered lunches three days a week.

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Anthony Wilder Design/Build CABIN JOHN WHEN YOU OPEN THE glass door of the former fire station that’s home to Anthony Wilder Design/Build in Cabin John, Director of First Impressions Rachel Cave is sitting behind the desk. She looks up and smiles. But the best greeting is from Beau, a 1-year-old Bernese mountain dog. “There are at least three or four dogs here every day,” says architectural designer Maria Fanjul, who’s been with the company for nearly two decades. Some of the dogs come to the office so often they are listed along with the employees on the AWDB website. When the firm takes on a new project, Fanjul says, one person is assigned as project manager, but many of the firm’s interior designers and architects are encouraged to come up with ideas for it. “It really opens your mind to different options and things that you never thought about,”

she says, “and we all feel connected…we feel like we are a team.” The company, which was founded by Anthony Wilder in 1990, also listens to employees, Fanjul says. Several years ago, she told her bosses she had a dream of living a month at a time in different Asian countries. “If that is your dream, do it,” they told her. She took four months off and her job was waiting for her when she returned. “I know it was not easy for them to accommodate it, but they did,” she says. AWDB President Elizabeth Wilder, the wife of Anthony Wilder, joined the company in 1994 and became its president the following year. “When you are building a culture where you care about each other, some of the black and white rules have to go by the wayside…we expect a lot and we give a lot,” she says.

8 Danisha Crosby, director of education at Round House, at the off-site location where the staff stores costumes

Round House Theatre   BETHESDA  “WHAT WE DO MATTERS,” and that’s one of the things that makes Round House Theatre a great place to work, says Danisha Crosby, the organization’s director of education.  Crosby, who has been with Round House for 29 years, says she will never forget the “young man of color” who was so taken with the theater’s spring 2018 production of  “Master Harold”…and the Boys —set in South Africa during the apartheid era—that he didn’t want to leave after the show. Or the teennage girl who was so fascinated by Round House’s 2019 production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time—about a teen with Asperger’s syndrome—that she stayed behind to ask the lead actor how he managed to portray so accurately

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Sandy Spring Builders    BETHESDA

MIKE MCNEEL, WHO HAS been a project manager at Sandy Spring Builders for 13 years, says it’s “unheard of” for people to work for a decade or more for one employer in the home construction business. But he says he has no intention of leaving Sandy Spring Builders. It’s not just the fully funded profit-sharing plan Sandy Spring provides—something McNeel says he’d never been offered at any of the previous six or seven builders for whom he worked. Instead, McNeel says it’s the independence he’s given, combined with the assistance he knows is always available, that he appreciates the most. “They let us manage our jobs the way we see fit, and they ask the question: Is there anything I can do for you today?”  In the late 1980s, friends Mimi Brodsky Kress and

Phil Leibovitz were operating their own home building company when they joined up with a small home builder and reincorporated as Sandy Spring Builders, LLC, with Leibovitz as the CEO and Kress as the COO. “Phil’s the big-picture guy and I’m the detail person—I make sure things are humming,” Kress says.   Today, Sandy Spring Builders has 25 employees and operates out of an Arts-and-Crafts style house in Bethesda. Meetings are held in the living room in front of the gas fireplace or around the island in the kitchen of their office. “Mimi and I have the same philosophy,” Leibovitz says. “It’s very important for both of us to be liked by people, and I think that reflects on our place of work.”

Master electrician and audio supervisor Chris Hall backstage at Round House before a performance

what math class felt like for her.   “We’re a ‘people first’ organization…whether it’s our patrons or our artists or our staff,” says Ryan Rilette, the theater’s artistic director. He has canceled shows when actors have had family crises, and he turned Labor Day weekend 2020 into “Labor Day week” when he saw that the theater’s

34 staff members were under stress. “By that point, everybody was deeply, deeply overloaded… so we said, ‘let’s take a week off,’ ” Rilette explains. “In our industry there’s the idea that the show must go on; we really try to practice that the show really should go on, but not at the expense of people’s [mental and physical] health.”

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The Market at River Falls  POTOMAC

WHEN KIDS HEAD toward the lobster tank at The Market at River Falls in Potomac, employee Ronald Logan asks if they want to see a lobster up close. One day this past summer, he says with a laugh, “I took it out and [the kids] started petting it.” For Logan, the market’s lead customer service representative, it’s all part of what makes his job so great. “It’s a friendly market—a lot of customers, they keep coming back.”   Logan has worked at the high-end market since 2013— more than a year before Potomac residents Jim McWhorter and his wife, Yasmin Abadian, bought the place out of bankruptcy and reopened it “10 weeks to the day after it closed,” McWhorter says. It had originally opened in 1999 under the name River Falls Seafood Market. Logan is one of the store’s longest-serving employees, but nearly half of the 23 have been there at least five years, McWhorter says. “Among our staff we represent four major religions, six nations of birth and three different skin colors,” and

the staff treats each other like family, McWhorter says.  General Manager David Fletcher recalls co-workers coming to his house with meals, balloons and a get-well-soon card signed by everyone when he was sick with Lyme disease. And Arline Selvas, who’s worked behind the counter since 2017, says one of the store’s chefs taught her how to drive and helped her study for her driver’s exam. But what she really appreciates is how McWhorter and her co-workers look out for one another. Fletcher remembers the day this past spring when a customer began yelling at Selvas, who had politely asked the man to put on a mask, per the store’s COVID-19 policy. “He just went off on her,” Fletcher says of the customer. McWhorter walked over, had a short conversation with the man and ended up asking him to leave the store. “This was a gentleman who was here nearly every day,” Fletcher says. “At the cost of making a sale, Jim would choose to protect the staff.”

Lead customer service representative Ronald Logan shows a lobster up close.

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top places to work

Capital City Nurses  CHEVY CHASE  AT CAPITAL CITY NURSES, the company culture can be summarized in two words: “Go Blue.”  During meetings of the 45-year-old home care company, staffers share “Go Blue” shoutouts that recognize the accomplishments of colleagues. Blue is the color of the company’s logo and a theme color in its branding. At a meeting in September, Jamie Vela, a home care specialist, praised a staffer who had worked late into the night to cover for others on vacation, as well as a CCN coordinator who had worked extra hard to find the right caregiver for a challenging client living in an assisted living community.  “Go Blue” is an acknowledgement of each other’s efforts to go “above and beyond for your teammates, your community…whether that’s a great caregiver, whether that’s a coordinator…it goes with every layer of the company,” Vela says.  Since joining CCN four years ago, Senior Client Services Manager Carly Campbell says she’s helped hundreds of families find caregivers for their loved ones. “Every day you feel like you have a purpose,” she says. “You talk to families, caregivers…you make these relationships.”  CCN offers its staff employer-paid life insurance and disability coverage, and a choice of three medical plans. “Not every organization [has] the benefits we do,” Vela says. But that’s not why she loves her job. Instead, she says, it’s the “constant feeling of doing for others...that makes you feel proud to work there.”

The Hatcher Group BETHESDA

“ABOVE ALL, WE’RE LOOKING for someone who is kind.” Those words in a job posting four years ago intrigued Reece Quiñones so much that she decided to leave a company where she’d been happily employed for 15 years and join The Hatcher Group, a Bethesda-based communications firm focused on public policy and social change. Now a senior vice president and The Hatcher Group’s creative director, she says kindness “seeps into not just our work with clients but how we deal with each other.” Quiñones says The Hatcher Group encourages employees to confront important and sensitive social and political issues. The firm’s “Lunch and Learn” series to promote inclusion and diversity is an example, she says. The pandemic has forced the monthly educational lunches to be held online, but they remain raw and eye opening, Quiñones says. At a recent session about environmental racism, they discussed “how minorities can feel at odds even on a bike trail with their kids and how people might stop and question them.” About 30% of The Hatcher Group’s 43 employees are people of color, according to Maia Alexander, the company’s vice president of talent and culture. Staff say founder Ed Hatcher and coowner Angie Cannon had long fostered an environment of compassion and collaboration. When Hatcher and Cannon retired in January 2019 after running the company for nearly 20 years, new owners Amy Buckley and Amy Fahnestock included everyone from the interns to the executives in the process of creating a new strategic vision. “Honestly, I think people were blown away by the transparency,” Fahnestock says.

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Aldon BETHESDA

IN 2018, THE BROWN family—which has owned Aldon since its founding in 1947—brought in new management. Now, “there’s a lot more support, there’s a lot more training…people get listened to,” says Leslie Gutierrez, who joined Aldon as a leasing agent nearly a decade ago. Aldon, which has 58 employees, owns and manages residential and office buildings in Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Washington, D.C., the Carolinas and Texas. These days, the entire organization— from site-maintenance staff to leasing managers to the corporate team—gathers to “kick off” the first quarter and meets again for an end-of-year “rally.” Since the start of the pandemic, most of

the events have been virtual, but everyone is still able to chat with CEO Todd Bowen and learn about the operations.  There’s “more structure, better technology and a lot of transparency,” says Gina Junio, vice president of human resources. She describes staff gatherings as “parties with a purpose” because so much information is shared by management. Benefits have also improved, Gutierrez says, including the addition of “floating holidays,” an employer-funded health reimbursement account and a flexible spending account. “My plan is to continue to grow and learn,” says Gutierrez, now a community marketing manager.

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top places to work

EveryMind ROCKVILLE

MARCELA COMPAGNET-ORELLANA, the human resources director at the Rockville nonprofit EveryMind, says there’s a running joke that “nobody would say anything” if an employee wanted to take off on National Margarita Day (Feb. 22). Employees at EveryMind, which provides mental health counseling and support, get nearly 50 paid days off a year—18 holidays, 12 sick days, 10 vacation days, three personal days, two mental health days, and one day each for volunteer work and to celebrate their birthdays. And taking time off is encouraged, CompagnetOrellana says. “If someone isn’t using their PTO,

stein sperling ROCKVILLE

THIRTY YEARS AGO, Jeff Schwaber, an associate at a large Baltimore law firm, was assigned to a case in Montgomery County. For the duration of the trial, his supervisors arranged for him to “bum an office” at a small law firm across the street from the Rockville courthouse. “They didn’t know me from a hole in the wall,” Schwaber says of the attorneys at Stein Sperling, where he set up shop for six weeks, but they were friendly and eager to make suggestions and help him with the case. Soon he thought, “These guys really enjoy each other, they really have a good time,” he says. “And professional happiness helps breed professional excellence—I could see that, and I wanted to be part of it.”   A few months later, Schwaber left the Baltimore

their supervisors will tell them to do so,” she says. Indrani Dial-Maraj, a manager of crisis prevention and intervention services at EveryMind, often answers the phone for four different hotlines. She says she encourages each caller to engage in their favorite self-care activity right after they hang up. The self-care “action plan” DialMaraj discusses with her callers is part of the training she received when she joined EveryMind 17 years ago. She says her employer follows the guidance in supporting its 90-plus employees, making their mental well-being—their self-care— priority one. “If they don’t do it for us,” she says, “what example are we setting for anybody else?”

firm and came to Stein Sperling as a fourth-year associate. Today he’s managing partner. Nearly a third of the firm’s 124 employees have been there for at least 10 years, Schwaber says. “In an increasingly transient profession, this lack of turnover is something we are quite proud of,” he says.  Darla McClure started as the firm’s receptionist when she was 21. “Every step of the way they were just very encouraging,” says the 50-year-old, who became a paralegal, went to law school at night, became an associate, and now is a principal of the firm and head of the employment law group. During all that time, she never considered leaving the firm. “There was never any reason to,” she says. “They’re good to their staff…they want to see them succeed.”

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westat ROCKVILLE

WHEN ROCKVILLE-BASED RESEARCH company Westat decided it was time to add a fitness center to its eight-building campus 12 years ago, its employees led the charge, “coming up with the specs, the requirements, interviewing the companies that came in, being a part of the decision-making process,” says Donna Atkinson, one of Westat’s associate directors for behavioral health and health policy. Making decisions is nothing new for staffers at the company: Since 1978, Westat has been 100% employee owned. “It makes you a little bit more committed to what you’re doing...because if you are successful you can reap the benefits directly,” says Atkinson, who has been with the company since 2003. Women account for more than 700 of the 1,100 people who work at the company’s Rockville headquarters, and they make

up 55% of the executive team. (Westat has offices in six other states.) Since the pandemic, nearly everyone has been working remotely, but they are all still making decisions together, including figuring out when to return to the office. “As [owners] of the company…it requires us to think about the business decisions that the company makes and being a part of that,” Atkinson says. Ultimately, Atkinson is most proud of the work she gets to do at Westat. Over the past several years, her data research has involved COVID testing, the opioid crisis, and the effects of certain health interventions in reducing hypertension and diabetes in underserved communities. Jeanne Rosenthal, a vice president for public health and epidemiology, has been at Westat for 42 years, and says her longevity “is a testimonial in itself” to the company’s collaborative culture and the sense of fulfillment everyone gets from the work they do. Findings from one of Rosenthal’s recent projects were published in The New England Journal of Medicine. It’s exciting, she says, to know that your work “can have an impact.” n

ABOUT TOP PLACES TO WORK The list of winners was generated by Best Companies Group (BCG), based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which conducts employee engagement research on over 500,000 professionals from 6,000 companies every year. BCG’s proprietary survey methodology determines whether a company makes the “Best” list. In addition to its partnership with Bethesda Magazine, BCG runs over 70 programs worldwide and provides a host of custom research services. For more info, visit bestcompaniesgroup.com. If your company would like to be considered for Bethesda Magazine’s 2022 Top Places to Work list, please visit topplacestoworkbethesda.com.

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interview

A CONVERSATION WITH

FIONA HILL

How the Bethesda resident rose from poverty in England, went to work for President Trump as an expert on Russia—and ended up testifying against him in the first impeachment inquiry BY STEVE ROBERTS | PHOTO BY LISA HELFERT

FIONA HILL’S JOURNEY TO America began with a cranky coffeepot. Born in the coal-mining town of Bishop Aukland in northern England, she made her way to the University of St Andrews in Scotland and then to Moscow, where she had a fellowship to study Russian. During the summit between President Ronald Reagan and Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev in Moscow in the spring of 1988, she hooked on with NBC to perform menial tasks like spraying the hair of anchor Tom Brokaw. But when she was assigned to make coffee, she was buffaloed. “I didn’t know how to work the drip coffee machine because I was from the U.K.,” she recalls in her resonant British accent. “I was making a mess and spilling things all over the place. And this guy comes in and starts talking to me. I explain I’m British, I’m an idiot. What am I doing? And he shows me.” The man was Robert Legvold, a senior professor at Columbia University who was consulting for the network. He switched into “typical professor mode,” Hill recalls, asking about her plans and interests: “And he says, ‘You know, there are scholarships to the United States.’ And I say, ‘How do I find out about this?’ And he tells me, and then he disappears.” Hill’s father had transmitted an abiding love for the United States. “My dad’s whole idea was that people could do the most amazing things in America and get themselves 92

ahead,” she says, and Alfred Hill’s daughter certainly fulfilled his dream. She became a graduate student at Harvard, earned a doctorate in history, married a fellow student, Kenneth Keen, became a U.S. citizen, worked at the Brookings Institution, and served as an intelligence officer under presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. After a stint back at Brookings, she joined the National Security Council under President Donald Trump, specializing in Russian issues. At a House hearing during Trump’s first impeachment proceedings, Hill galvanized the country with her blunt criticism of the president and congressional Republicans, accusing them of embracing a “fictional narrative” promoted by Russian intelligence services that Moscow had not meddled in the 2016 election. That appearance converted her into a public figure, recognized in the restaurants and grocery stores of Bethesda, where she’s lived in the same house in the Greenwich Forest neighborhood for about 20 years. In October, she published a new book, There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the 21st Century. When I talked to her over Zoom in September, she had just dispatched her only child to face her first day of high school. “I think to myself, my goodness, what an incredible set of events,” Hill told me. “This is just amazing, and all because I don’t know how to make a cup of coffee.”

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Fiona Hill at home in Bethesda

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interview

You write a lot about your family and the hardships you faced during your childhood. At first, I wasn’t even aware that I was working class and that I fit into some sort of social category or box because I was born into a certain environment. My dad had been born into very harsh circumstances in 1932 at the peak of the Depression. His father, my grandfather, was out of work at that point; he was often blacklisted for being an agitator because he fought for reasonable safety conditions down in the mines. My dad was basically homeless, and they lived in a condemned building where a farmer allowed them to live for no rent in exchange for doing a few odd jobs. My dad was pretty scarred by this, and his focus was on trying to buy a house for us. My mother was a nurse, and she had actually managed to save some money and was able to put a down payment on a very small house, because my dad was determined that the family would not be homeless again. We had a house, but we didn’t have the money to pay the bills. Often we didn’t have the electricity on, so that experience really gave me a great perspective on how to get by on a shoestring, how to be very resilient, how to be resourceful. You’ve talked often about your dad’s dream of moving to America, which he was never able to fulfill because he had to stay home and care for his sick mother. What was it about America that fired his imagination? Do you 94

Hill provided testimony in the first impeachment inquiry against President Trump in November 2019.

remember him talking about it? Yes, all the time. My dad was a kid during World War II, and there was this whole idea of the United States coming in to save Europe. During the war, there were a lot of American GIs stationed at army bases or air force bases near where my dad grew up. There were Saturday matinees at the local cinema, showing life in America and all the Hollywood movies everybody was steeped in at the time. And then when the mines started to close down in England, mines were still operating in Pennsylvania and West Virginia and elsewhere, and a lot of miners [from the Aukland area] moved to the U.S., and my dad got some of these recruitment notices and really wanted to do this. He read everything that he could about America, he got really interested in the history of the Civil War and the history of Native American culture, the civil rights movement. He loved jazz and the blues. He was always talking about the USA, the land of opportunity, the beacon of hope, the country that had come in to save the day. How far did he go in school? He left school at 14 to work in the mines, so his emphasis to me was to study. The world was changing, working-class kids were given more opportunities and the university system was expanding. My parents knew that they’d missed out, so everyone in the family was saying ‘You’ve got this chance that we didn’t have, you should take it and see how far you can go.’ Now, did they expect that I’d end up getting a Ph.D. at Harvard? Certainly not, but they kept introducing me to people who had gone to a university, and their basic

point was: They did it. You could do it. But when you went for an interview at Oxford, it did not go well. My clothes came from an older cousin or a thrift store, or my mom attempted to make them. When I went for my interview, I had no idea what to wear. My mum said she’d make me something, and she found this bolt of fabric at the local department store that had a heraldic pattern [based on ancient family crests and symbols] on it. She thought this would be perfect for an interview at Oxford. My dad joked that I could blend in with the wallpaper. When I showed up, I was pretty much out of my league with homemade clothes, right? The other girls were all from the south and couldn’t understand anything I said, and one offered to translate for me, which was a real put-down. And then when I got called to the interview, one of the girls [put out her] leg and I fell over it and into the doorframe and busted my nose. It was a catalog of disasters, looking silly, feeling really out of place, one thing cascading into another. But in the end, the professor I met with was incredibly kind and actually gave me the advice not to go to Oxford, which I wasn’t getting into anyway. He suggested I should go to St Andrews and the things I should study. And I’m really grateful to him, because he actually took pity on me and gave me some useful life advice. How did you develop your interest in Russia? It was really the timing. When I was in high school in the early ’80s, we all

PHOTO BY BONNIE JO MOUNT/THE WASHINGTON POST VIA GETTY IMAGES

Tell me about your hometown and the origin of your book title. The town really grew on the back of coal and all the associated industries, and then just went into a really rapid decline. When I was born there in 1965, it was at the beginning of the end of the town, it was just living on the fumes of the past. Growing up in that sense of decay and of being forgotten, it really shaped my whole perspective. Very early on, my father said to me, ‘There's nothing here for you, pet. You need to look for opportunity somewhere else.’

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thought we were going to be blown up in an exchange between the Soviet Union and the United States. Against this backdrop, my uncle Charlie had been in the convoys to the Arctic during World War II, alongside the Soviet navy, and he couldn’t understand how we’d gone from being allies to these archenemies. And he kept saying to my dad that Fiona should study Russian and figure it all out. After your meeting with Professor Legvold in Moscow, you came to Harvard as a grad student. What did it feel like to be in America for the first time? Most Americans thought my accent was really cute. People would say, ‘Oh, you sound like the queen.’ It was this embrace of all things British and immediately I felt I’d been ratcheted up, into a very rarefied environment.

PHOTO BY BONNIE JO MOUNT/THE WASHINGTON POST VIA GETTY IMAGES

How did you meet your husband? I was living in a Harvard dorm; he was actually my next-door neighbor. After you earned your doctorate and worked at Harvard doing research, you came to Washington in 2002 and moved into the house where you still live. What appealed to you about Bethesda? I just liked the neighborhood. Talking to the people around here, houses were kind of small, but well-kept, and it just reminded me of my neighborhood back home. I moved into a street where people had lived going back to the 1930s and 1940s. They had come to work in the National Institutes of Health or Walter Reed or in some of the local businesses. And of course, you can see how this place has changed. It went from being a working-class, middleclass suburb to really changing its whole profile. But it’s on an upward trajectory rather than on a downward trajectory.

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interview and to find some way of doing that. And I felt that public policy was a logical step from what I’d been doing. When I was approached about joining the National Intelligence Council, I really jumped at the idea. After leaving the government in 2009, you returned to Brookings and wrote a book about Vladimir Putin. What motivated you to join the National Security Council staff after Trump was elected? All of the people I worked with in the intelligence community and the defense department and elsewhere were kind of drafted to help out because Trump didn’t really have a team of his own and they all knew me as a Russian expert who wasn’t political. And personally, I was deeply disturbed and worried. I felt there wasn’t enough scrutiny about what the Russians had been trying to do to interfere in the election. I felt like this

was one of those times we have to stand up and do something. Even though the president himself denied that Russia had meddled in the election? I thought at the time that maybe he just didn’t understand it and maybe I could help explain. I realized pretty quickly that he didn’t care, he wasn’t going to listen to me, but I still saw that there were things that I could do to make it less likely that they could do this again. Of course, over time, as I said in my testimony, and as I’ve laid out in the book, I realized that the problem was much deeper. It wasn’t just Trump, he’s just a symptom of a larger set of problems that Putin tapped into, the divisions, the polarization, and Putin knows how to push our buttons. A lot of people warned you not to go into the administration, so why did you?

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People with much stronger political antennae than I said this could really ruin you. And you might never work in this town again. There were others, though, who were worried about what was happening and knew I was a person of integrity, I wasn’t going to get my head turned around by the politics, and I felt like our house was on fire. It goes back to my community and where I grew up. Everyone pitched in. My granddad had been on the mine rescue team. My mom’s dad started being an air raid warden during World War II. He went running around with a bucket of sand, trying to put out the incendiary devices dropped by the Germans. I felt like, OK, my whole family has been telling me that if there’s a real problem, you have to contribute something to help, even if something bad comes out of it, so I felt like I couldn’t stand by. I also said to myself, I’ve come all this way. I did

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all of these studies, I was being told that knowledge is a gift and you have to apply it, you have to do something. What am I going to do? Just sit around on the sidelines and comment and critique and not try to do something? I also thought, OK, I’m older. Right? I’m in my 50s. If I don’t get another job in this town, fair enough. I’ll find something else I could do. Did your decision strain any relationships? There are still some people who don’t talk to me, who have told me they can’t forgive me. I don’t appreciate being castigated, having my motives maligned, but that’s what happens, right, when you make a difference. What was your impression of President Trump when you worked closely with him? Somebody had said, you know, you’ll be

burned by this, you’ll be aiding and abetting a criminal enterprise. I gave him some benefit of the doubt at the beginning, but after a week or so I thought, wow, you know, they’re right. This guy is so flawed. Within a week you felt that? The narcissism is just apparent right away. The fact that this guy is all about himself and it isn’t about the United States. Look, he asked a lot of questions that had to be asked. He shook a lot of things up. I think he should get some credit that he didn’t get. Can you give me a specific example? North Korea. As he was coming into the office, there was a good deal of fear that Kim Jong Un might actually fire off some rockets somewhere. You’d have an incoming missile attack. Trump recognized the danger of the situation, and

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while he did not succeed in reaching meaningful nuclear agreements with the North Koreans, he did shift the whole way that we were thinking about it. On domestic policy, he really is a wrecking ball…and his personality is so flawed and his motivation is so flawed. Why and how did you realize that? It was just the whole flippant way in which he dealt with things, and it became obvious that nobody could talk to him and impart knowledge because he thinks he knows everything. Everyone was walking on eggshells around him. I’ve met people like that before, but they’re not usually the president. Tell the story about wearing sneakers on your first day at the Trump White House in April of 2017. My daughter had gotten food poisoning and I’d been up all night with her.

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I’d run out of the house that morning to go to what I thought was an orientation and I left my shoes at the door. I thought it was no big deal because I’ll be in this orientation. Next thing I know, I’m getting pulled out of orientation to go into the Oval Office to brief the president on something. I didn’t even know the topic because I’ve been in an orientation [there had been an explosion in the St. Petersburg subway]. I told [National Security Advisor H.R.] McMaster about my sneakers and he told me not to worry about it and stuff my feet next to the desk. But I get busted because Ivanka Trump comes in, looking glamorous, and immediately looks at my sneakers. She just gave me this ‘what the heck’ kind of look. And I was just like, ‘oh my God.’ And I was thinking, why is she just flouncing in here? And I just thought, OK, this is not going to be normal. This is not going to be a professional, proper presidency. Oftentimes you’d be surprised by the fact that he’d ask a very penetrating question that actually made a lot of sense. But a lot of times he just messed it all up. I think his whole presidency was a tragedy. Why did you leave the administration in 2019? As Martin Indyk [twice appointed ambassador to Israel by President Bill Clinton] said to me, ‘If you’re part of a problem and not a solution you need to get out of there.’ And it was obvious by 2019 that I was in the midst of a problem and was not part of a solution. I realized people were playing all kinds of bizarre games. Around this time, the whole campaign against Masha Yovanovitch [the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine who was pushed out of her job by Trump allies like Rudy Giuliani] became apparent. And although I didn’t know all the details, I knew that something really bad was happening and that we were having the privatization of American foreign policy and national security affairs. And I was getting caught up in it. There

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wasn’t really much I could do to stop it. Now the wheels were off the bus. Everything was focused on Trump trying to stay in power. How did you come to testify? Congress announced that they would be seeking to interview this long list of people. I wasn’t named, but my function was: senior director for Europe and Russia. So it was obviously clear that I would be called. Did the administration try to stop you? They were trying to intimidate me, to keep me from testifying, claiming executive privilege. But I had already left the administration, and when my lawyer pushed back at them, they didn’t go any further. I was subpoenaed in any case, and I’m a believer in the separation of powers and congressional oversight, so there was no question that I’d appear. You started getting threats after your congressional testimony. How did that affect you? I got some advice from a colleague who had been working on right-wing militias for the FBI, and he told me to make some changes, from getting some security cameras to sealing my mailbox so nobody could stick a pipe bomb through it. I didn’t answer the phone. I switched off my answering machine after a period of time and I just didn’t go on the internet. I did try to engage sensible people. I got loads of letters, and actually I would say that most of them are very positive, but I got some hate mail as well. Did you fear for your safety? Hire personal security? No, I thought it was safe, and I had people looking out for me, my neighbors. I was more cautious, but I grew up in a rough neighborhood and I’ve always been able to take care of myself since I was a kid. But I was worried about my daughter. She was 12, and it was scary for her because she picked up the phone

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interview congratulates our

BETHESDA MAGAZINE TOP ATTORNEYS

one day and somebody called me the ‘c-word’ and she was very upset about that. She did worry. She said, ‘Are they going to come here and shoot us?’

FRED BALKIN

MICAH BONAVIRI

DAVID DE JONG

BETH IRVING

TAX

REAL ESTATE (COMMERCIAL)

IVONNE CORSINO LINDLEY

ERIC ROLLINGER

JEFF SCHWABER

ANDREW SCHWARTZ

PERSONAL INJURY

TRUSTS & ESTATES

PERSONAL INJURY

TAX

MARK SCHWEIGHOFER TAX

CIVIL LITIGATION

STEVEN VINICK PERSONAL INJURY

BUSINESS/CORPORATE

STEVEN WIDDES TRUSTS & ESTATES

What Sets Us Apart?

For over 40 years, Stein Sperling has provided a broad range of services to meet the business and personal needs of our clients throughout the metropolitan Washington D.C. area. Our passion – for the law, for our clients, for providing quality and valuable services, creative thinking and practical solutions – permeates Stein Sperling’s culture and differentiates our work. This passion which is shared among our 51 attorneys in 10 practice areas creates a unique, collaborative approach achieving the best possible results for our clients. The collective strength of our attorneys’ partnership and communication with each other gives the firm a competi-

tive advantage, allowing our clients to benefit from the network of resources made up of our practices and from our attorneys working together. This ability provides not only a strong foundation but also strengthens our services. Our attorneys’ extensive experience and willingness to step out of traditional boxes is the driving force behind their confidence in successfully resolving a client’s matters, and it has fueled Stein Sperling’s connection to the people, businesses and communities we serve. As a result, our attorneys are leaders in each of our practice areas and have earned a reputation as the premier “goto” law firm in this region.

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How has your life changed since you testified? It’s given me a platform that I never thought I would have, the opportunity to kind of change direction again. I went into the administration really worried about Russia and what they were doing, and came out realizing that the problem was actually with us. The Russian security services would never have had such success if we were not so polarized. Now I want to figure out what I can do to address this. And I’m in a different place than I was before. I’m a lot older, I’m more financially secure, partly because I still live in the same house, and I never tried to live beyond my means. And I feel like I can try to use all these networks and these contacts to try to mobilize people to think, OK, how do we fix ourselves here? You became a national figure almost overnight. How do you react to being recognized? The recognition is a bit weird. Just a little vignette: I was in Cabin John, I was outside, I have my dog with me and then this lady says to me, ‘Thank you so much for everything you’ve done.’ But I just told the truth. I hope that’s what everybody would do, right? You’re bearing witness to something that happened and it’s very important to have congressional oversight and to do your duty. I’m always a little bit surprised by how much people have been affected by the decision to just go there and tell the truth. n Steve Roberts teaches politics and journalism at George Washington University and accompanied President Ronald Reagan to Moscow in 1988 as the White House correspondent of The New York Times. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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2021

TOP

ATTORNEYS We asked more than 1,700 attorneys who practice regularly in Montgomery County who they would hire if they needed a lawyer. Nearly 500 responded. Here are their picks for 179 attorneys in 24 practice areas. The attorneys are listed alphabetically within each practice area.

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TOP ATTORNEYS 2021 ADOPTION Jennifer Fairfax Jennifer Fairfax Silver Spring 240-863-2441 jenniferfairfax.com Emily Gelmann Offit Kurman Bethesda 240-507-1700 offitkurman.com Erin Kopelman Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-347-1261 lerchearly.com Bianca Pinnock Markham Law Firm Bethesda 240-396-4373 markhamlegal.com Harvey Schweitzer Schweitzer & Scherr Bethesda 301-469-3382 schweitzerlaw.net Catelyn Slattery Jennifer Fairfax Silver Spring 240-863-2441 jenniferfairfax.com Sogand Zamani Zamani & Associates Washington, D.C. 202-510-9112 zamaniassociates.com Michele Zavos Zavos Law Washington, D.C. 202-369-2516 zavoslaw.com ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION Doug Bregman Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday Bethesda 301-656-2707 bregmanlaw.com

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Heather Hostetter Hostetter Strent Bethesda 301-657-0010 hostetterstrent.com Brad McCullough Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0734 lerchearly.com Deborah Reiser Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-961-6094 lerchearly.com Robin Taub Paradiso, Taub, Sinay, Owel & Kostecka Bethesda 301-986-7900 familylawattys.com Deborah L. Webb Webb Soypher McGrath Bethesda 301-298-8401 wsmfamily.com APPELLATE Joseph M. Creed Bramnick Creed Bethesda 301-945-7800 bramnickcreed.com Brad McCullough Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0734 lerchearly.com Rachel T. McGuckian Miles & Stockbridge Rockville 301-762-1600 mslaw.com John S. Weaver Weaver Law Rockville 301-424-7207 maryland-familylaw.com Trish M. Weaver Paley Rothman Bethesda 301-656-7603 paleyrothman.com

BANKRUPTCY – CREDITORS’ RIGHTS Alan Eisler Eisler Hamilton Rockville 240-283-1164 e-hlegal.com John T. Farnum Miles & Stockbridge Rockville 301-762-1600 mslaw.com James Hoffman Offit Kurman Bethesda 240-507-1700 offitkurman.com Patrick J. Kearney Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott Bethesda 301-634-3114 selzergurvitch.com Michael J. Lichtenstein Shulman Rogers Potomac 301-230-5200 shulmanrogers.com Stephen Metz Offit Kurman Bethesda 240-507-1700 offitkurman.com Jeffrey M. Orenstein Wolff & Orenstein Rockville 301-250-7232 wolawgroup.com BANKRUPTCY – INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS Alan Eisler Eisler Hamilton Rockville 240-283-1164 e-hlegal.com Patrick J. Kearney Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott Bethesda 301-634-3114 selzergurvitch.com

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Congratulations TO OUR 2021 TOP ATTORNEYS

Kush Arora Tammy Begun Kerri Castellini John Yannone

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TOP ATTORNEYS 2021 Daniel Kennedy Barkley & Kennedy Rockville 301-251-6600 barkenlaw.com

Andrew L. Schwartz Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville 301-838-3327 steinsperling.com

Rachel T. McGuckian Miles & Stockbridge Rockville 301-762-1600 mslaw.com

Jeffrey M. Orenstein Wolff & Orenstein Rockville 301-250-7232 wolawgroup.com

David Shapiro Paley Rothman Bethesda 301-656-7603 paleyrothman.com

Elizabeth J. McInturff JDKatz Bethesda 240-650-2522 jdkatz.com

Ryan Wilson Law Office of T. Ryan Wilson Silver Spring 240-638-2721 ryanwilsonlaw.com

Jeff Schwaber Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville 301-838-3210 steinsperling.com

CIVIL LITIGATION

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS

Eric L. Ciazza Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott Bethesda 301-634-3149 selzergurvitch.com

Michael J. Bramnick Bramnick Creed Bethesda 301-945-7800 bramnickcreed.com

Brian D. Bichy Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott Bethesda 301-634-3151 selzergurvitch.com

David Kay Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0724 lerchearly.com

Michael Goecke Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0185 lerchearly.com

Ruth Katz Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0188 lerchearly.com

A. Howard Metro McMillan Metro Potomac 301-251-1180 mcmillanmetro.com

William A. Goldberg Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-907-2813 lerchearly.com

Judyann M. Lee McMillan Metro Potomac 301-251-1180 mcmillanmetro.com

Jerry D. Miller Joseph Greenwald & Laake Greenbelt 240-553-1220 jgllaw.com

James T. Hittinger Bramnick Creed Bethesda 301-945-7800 bramnickcreed.com

Thomas C. Schild Thomas Schild Law Group Rockville 301-251-1414 schildlaw.com

James M. Peppe West & Feinberg Bethesda 301-951-1500 westfeinberg.com

Mary C. Lombardo RLG Law Rockville 301-340-1616 rlg-lawyers.com

Jeremy Tucker Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0157 lerchearly.com

Roger C. Samek Samek | Werther | Mills Rockville 240-912-3000 samek-law.com

Thomas R. Lynch Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott Bethesda 301-634-3178 selzergurvitch.com

Jordan Savitz Offit Kurman Bethesda 240-507-1700 offitkurman.com

Timothy F. Maloney Joseph Greenwald & Laake Greenbelt 240-553-1206 jgllaw.com

BUSINESS/CORPORATE Paul Alpuche Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0183 lerchearly.com

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CRIMINAL DEFENSE Kush Arora Price Benowitz Rockville 202-599-1786 pricebenowitz.com

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BRAMNICK CREED

LITIGATION & DISPUTE RESOLUTION

CONGRATULATIONS TO BRAMNICK CREED LAWYERS MICHAEL BRAMNICK, JOSEPH CREED AND JAMES HITTINGER FOR BEING VOTED 2021 “TOP LAWYERS”

JAMES T. HITTINGER

“Top Lawyer” in Civil Litigation

MICHAEL J. BRAMNICK

“Top Lawyer” in Civil Litigation

JOSEPH M. CREED

“Top Lawyer” in Employment Law, Appellate Law

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ELDER Jenica Cassidy Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-347-1269 lerchearly.com

Paul Kemp Ethridge, Quinn, Kemp, Rowan & Hartinger Rockville 301-762-1696 eqlawyers.com

Barry R. Fierst Fierst & Fink Rockville 301-762-8872 fierstfink-law.com

David Martella Barry H. Helfand & David Martella Rockville 301-251-9001 maryland-defense-attorneys.com

Morris Klein Morris Klein, Attorney at Law Bethesda 301-652-4462 morrisklein.com

Stanley Reed Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0177 lerchearly.com

Camilla O. McRory Camilla O. McRory, Attorney at Law Rockville 301-762-7473 wp.mcroryelderlaw.com

Rene Sandler Sandler Law Rockville 301-610-9797 sandlerlawllc.com

Brian E. Barkley, Esq. & Daniel M. Kennedy, III, Esq.

ESTATE PLANNING, ELDER LAW, TAX LAW, GENERAL LITIGATION & BUSINESS LAW JDKatz’s experienced attorneys and business professionals provide a variety of legal services to businesses and individuals throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. Do not settle. Call JDKatz!

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Mary Jo Speier The Speier Law Firm Rockville 301-830-4091 speierlaw.com

Jay P. Holland Joseph Greenwald & Laake Greenbelt 240-553-1198 jgllaw.com

Lauri Cleary Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0176 lerchearly.com

Ryan Wilson Law Office of T. Ryan Wilson Silver Spring 240-638-2721 ryanwilsonlaw.com

Joyce Smithey Smithey Law Group Annapolis 410-881-8980 smitheylaw.com

Marc Engel Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0184 lerchearly.com

Diane Seltzer Torre The Seltzer Law Firm Bethesda 301-500-1550 seltzerlawfirm.com

Gregg Greenberg Zipin, Amster & Greenberg Silver Spring 301-587-9373 zagfirm.com

EMPLOYMENT – EMPLOYEE Joseph M. Creed Bramnick Creed Bethesda 301-945-7800 bramnickcreed.com Gregg Greenberg Zipin, Amster & Greenberg Silver Spring 301-587-9373 zagfirm.com

EMPLOYMENT – EMPLOYER Meredith Campbell Shulman Rogers Potomac 301-230-5200 shulmanrogers.com

Jim Hammerschmidt Paley Rothman Bethesda 301-656-7603 paleyrothman.com Julie A. Reddig Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

COMPREHENSIVE PERSONAL AND BUSINESS LEGAL SERVICES

Real Estate Commercial and Residential Transactions Title Insurance Dispute Resolution Broker and Title Agent Complaints and Compliance

ShulmanRogers.com

Matthew Alegi, Esq. 301.230.6574 malegi@shulmanrogers.com Bethesda Magazine Top Attorney

301.230.5200

12505 Park Potomac Ave. Potomac, MD 20854

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TOP ATTORNEYS 2021 301-961-6099 lerchearly.com David Shapiro Paley Rothman Bethesda 301-656-7603 paleyrothman.com Diane Seltzer Torre The Seltzer Law Firm Bethesda 301-500-1550 seltzerlawfirm.com

Sandra Brooks Offit Kurman Bethesda 240-507-1700 offitkurman.com

240-507-1700 offitkurman.com Anne Grover Joseph Greenwald & Laake Rockville 240-399-7896 jgllaw.com

Tracey Coates Paley Rothman Bethesda 301-656-7603 paleyrothman.com

FAMILY/DIVORCE

Glenn Cooper Paley Rothman Bethesda 301-656-7603 paleyrothman.com

Tammy Begun Price Benowitz Rockville 202-599-1786 pricebenowitz.com

Casey Florance Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0162 lerchearly.com

Heather Hostetter Hostetter Strent Bethesda 301-657-0010 hostetterstrent.com Erin Kopelman Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-347-1261 lerchearly.com Jessica Markham Markham Law Firm Bethesda 240-396-4373 markhamlegal.com

Emily Gelmann Offit Kurman Bethesda

CONFIDENCE. EXPERIENCE. RESULTS.

SOGAND ZAMANI, ESQ.

Adoption | Assisted Reproductive Technology | Family

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2121 K Street, NW, Suite 900 Washington, DC 20037 202.510.9112

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YEARS

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TOP ATTORNEYS 2021 Kathryn McDonough McDonough Law Silver Spring 301-592-1295 mcdonough-law.com Rhian McGrath Webb Soypher McGrath Bethesda 301-298-8401 wsmfamily.com

301-298-8401 wsmfamily.com

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Donna E. Van Scoy Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-610-0110 lerchearly.com

David Shapiro Paley Rothman Bethesda 301-656-7603 paleyrothman.com

Deborah L. Webb Webb Soypher McGrath Bethesda 301-298-8401 wsmfamily.com

Heather L. Mehigan Shulman Rogers Potomac 301-230-5200 shulmanrogers.com

IMMIGRATION Himedes Chicas Jezic & Moyse Wheaton 240-292-7200 jezicfirm.com

Sogand Zamani Zamani & Associates Washington, D.C. 202-510-9112 zamaniassociates.com

Donna K. Rismiller RLG Law Rockville 301-340-1616 rlg-lawyers.com

Parva Fattahi Fattahi Immigration Law Rockville 240-614-7638 fattahi-law.com

HEALTH CARE

Howard B. Soypher Webb Soypher McGrath Bethesda

Sigrid C. Haines Whiteford, Taylor & Preston Rockville

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2021 TOP ATTORNEYS

deborah l. webb

howard b. soypher

rhian mcgrath

Trusted leaders in the practice of family law

Jennifer and Catelyn are honored to be 2021 Bethesda Magazine Top Attorneys.

Jennifer Fairfax & Catelyn Slattery Jfairfax@jenniferfairfax.com • Catelyn@jenniferfairfax.com

jenniferfairfax.com

4340 East-west highway, suite 401 Bethesda, Maryland 20814 301•298•8401 wsmfamily.com

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Jennifer Fairfax, LLC offers family building options to clients through adoption and assisted reproduction technology. Licensed in MD, DC and VA with a global practice they provide legal advice to expectant parents who are making an adoption plan as well as prospective parents pursuing adoption, the use of donors or through surrogacy to build or complete their families.

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Sandra Grossman Grossman Young & Hammond Bethesda 240-403-0913 grossmanyoung.com Becki Young Grossman Young & Hammond Bethesda 240-403-0913 grossmanyoung.com

Todd D. Brown Shulman Rogers Potomac 301-230-5200 shulmanrogers.com

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Peter E. Ciferri McMillan Metro Potomac 301-251-1180 mcmillanmetro.com

Ira C. Edell Edell, Shapiro & Finnan Gaithersburg 301-424-3640 usiplaw.com

Casey L. Cirner Miles & Stockbridge Rockville 301-762-1600 mslaw.com

LAND USE/ZONING Robert Brewer Jr. Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Erin E. Girard Miles & Stockbridge Rockville 301-762-1600 mslaw.com

301-657-0165 lerchearly.com

Matthew M. Gordon Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott Bethesda 301-634-3150 selzergurvitch.com Patricia Harris Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-841-3832 lerchearly.com

C. Robert Dalrymple Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott Bethesda 301-634-3148 selzergurvitch.com

Jody Kline Miller, Miller & Canby Rockville 301-762-5212 millermillercanby.com Nancy P. Regelin Shulman Rogers Potomac

W E AV E R L AW L LC John Weaver’s unique family law experience combines over 35 years representing clients in Maryland trial and appellate courts and six years (2001-2007) as a full-time Family Magistrate in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County. Because Mr. Weaver is familiar with divorce and custody litigation and the dispute resolution process from both sides of the bench he understands what makes for efficient, effective, and persuasive trial and appellate advocacy, as well as successful negotiations and mediation. He has written dozens of appellate briefs and argued cases before Maryland ‘s appellate courts resulting in six reported appellate opinions about significant family law issues.

John Weaver welcomes the opportunity to meet with you to discuss how he may be of service to you in your family law matter.

Mr. Weaver seeks to provide clients with knowledgeable counsel, realistic expectations, and effective assistance in resolving their family law matters whether inside the court room or the conference room. John Weaver authored The Seven Principles of a Just Divorce: Biblical Wisdom and Legal Insight, which is available for purchase through Amazon.com.

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TOP ATTORNEYS 2021 Rockville 301-251-0440 adclawfirm.com

301-230-5200 shulmanrogers.com Steven Robins Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0747 lerchearly.com

Aaron M. Blank Shulman Rogers Potomac 301-230-5200 shulmanrogers.com

Stacy Silber Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-841-3833 lerchearly.com

Andrew E. Greenwald Joseph Greenwald & Laake Greenbelt 240-553-1196 jgllaw.com

Scott C. Wallace Miles & Stockbridge Rockville 301-762-1600 mslaw.com

Robert R. Michael Shadoan, Michael & Wells Rockville 301-762-5150 smwlawfirm.com

MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE

Michael V. Nakamura Shulman Rogers Potomac 301-230-5200 shulmanrogers.com

H. Kenneth Armstrong Armstrong, Donohue, Ceppos, Vaughan & Rhoades

PERSONAL INJURY/ WORKERS COMP Fred A. Balkin Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville 301-838-3225 steinsperling.com Joshua S. Berman Dross Berman Rockville 240-403-7200 drossberman.com Debora Fajer-Smith Joseph Greenwald & Laake Greenbelt 240-553-1173 jgllaw.com Manny Fishelman Antezana & Antezana Gaithersburg 917-701-5867 antezanalaw.com

Estates and Trusts Family Law

Bethesda Magazine Top Attorneys Anne W. Coventry

Stephanie Perry

PASTERNAKFIDIS.COM 7101 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 1025 Bethesda, MD 20814 301.656.8850 114

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Ivonne Corsino Lindley Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville 301-838-3217 steinsperling.com

202-599-1786 pricebenowitz.com

Michael V. Nakamura Shulman Rogers Potomac 301-230-5200 shulmanrogers.com

Marc B. Bergoffen Shulman Rogers Potomac 301-230-5200 shulmanrogers.com

Dan S. Shaivitz Bulman, Dunie, Burke & Feld Bethesda 301-656-1177 bulmandunie.com

Sharon Craig Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-841-3836 lerchearly.com

Steven B. Vinick Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville 301-838-3298 steinsperling.com

Brad M. Dashoff Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott Bethesda 301-634-3113 selzergurvitch.com

John Yannone Price Benowitz Rockville

Daniel Hodin Paley Rothman Bethesda

301-656-7603 paleyrothman.com

REAL ESTATE – COMMERCIAL

Beth McIntosh Irving Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville 301-838-3224 steinsperling.com Ann Marie Mehlert Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-907-2803 lerchearly.com REAL ESTATE – RESIDENTIAL Matthew D. Alegi Shulman Rogers Potomac 301-230-5200 shulmanrogers.com

CO N G R AT U L AT I O N S TO A. Howard Metro, Natasha Nazareth, Judyann Lee, and Peter Ciferri

FOR BEING VOTED BETHESDA MAGAZINE’S 2021 TOP ATTORNE YS Businesses and Individuals Rely on Us • Arbitration & Mediation • Business Startups • Commercial Leasing • Corporate & Business Law • Corporate & Civil Litigation • Creator’s & Artist’s Rights • Education Law • Employment Law & Litigation • Estate Planning & Administration • Family Law • Intellectual Property • Land Use, Zoning & Municipal Law • Legal Issues for Restaurant Owners • Military Law • Nonprofit Organizations • Partnership Planning • Personal Injury • Real Estate Law

7811 Montrose Road Suite 400 • Potomac, MD 20854 301-251-1180 • mcmillanmetro.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

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TOP ATTORNEYS 2021 Mitchell Alkon Alkon Law Rockville 240-290-0913 alkonlawfirm.com

Michael J. Eig Michael J. Eig & Associates Chevy Chase 301-657-1740 lawforchildren.com

Patrick O’Neil Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0738 lerchearly.com

Daniel Hodin Paley Rothman Bethesda 301-656-7603 paleyrothman.com

Brian K. Gruber Law Office of Brian K. Gruber Rockville 301-657-3777 bkgpc.com

Diana Savit Savit & Szymkowicz Bethesda 301-951-9191 savitlaw.com

Gwendolyn Roy-Harrison Offit Kurman Bethesda 240-507-1700 offitkurman.com

Patrick Hoover Hoover Law Rockville 301-424-5777 hooverlaw.com

Jaime Seaton BGS Law Rockville 301-579-3123 bgslawllc.com

SCHOOLS/EDUCATION

Natasha M. Nazareth McMillan Metro Potomac 301-251-1180 mcmillanmetro.com

TAX

Lisa Seltzer Becker Offit Kurman Bethesda 240-507-1700 offitkurman.com

CONGRATULATIONS FELSEN & SARGENT and DAVID FELSEN for the second consecutive selection to Bethesda Magazine’s Top Attorneys for CRIMINAL LAW

When having the right lawyer counts, FELSEN & SARGENT. Felsen & Sargent offers clients individualized attention in Criminal and Family Law matters. With over 65 years of experience in Maryland and D.C. local and Federal courts, Felsen & Sargent has the experience to address any need that arises

Paul Alpuche Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0183 lerchearly.com

Y k an

The Law Office of T. Ryan Wilson would like to thank our peers for voting for Ryan Wilson for Bethesda Magazine Top Attorneys.

You need an attorney who will listen to you, understand your needs, and explain your options. We are focused on helping our clients and developing effective legal strategies that meet each client’s individual needs. Whether you are starting or running a business or nonprofit, planning your estate, administering the estate of a loved one, or caring for an elderly loved one—or some combination of these, we are here for you. Elder Law Estate Planning Probate & Estate Administration Business Non-Profit

www.mdlawyers.com Felsen & Sargent, LLC • 600 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 201 Rockville, MD 20852 • (301) 251-4010 116

8403 Colesville Road | Suite 1100 | Silver Spring, MD 20910 240-638-2721 | Direct: 301-509-4496 | trw@ryanwilsonlaw.com

ryanwilsonlaw.com

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Eric L. Ciazza Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott Bethesda 301-634-3149 selzergurvitch.com David S. De Jong Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville 301-838-3204 steinsperling.com Marc R. Feinberg West & Feinberg Bethesda 301-951-1500 westfeinberg.com Robb Longman Longman & Van Grack Bethesda 301-291-5027 lvglawfirm.com John Pontius Pontius Tax Law Rockville

240-559-5185 pontiustaxlaw.com

301-468-3220 altmanassociates.net

Eric J. Rollinger Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville 301-838-3324 steinsperling.com

Frank Baldino Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 301-657-0175 lerchearly.com

Daniel Rosefelt Daniel Rosefelt & Associates Bethesda 301-603-3233 rosefeltlaw.com

Micah A. Bonaviri Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville 301-838-3235 steinsperling.com

Mark W. Schweighofer Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville 301-838-3233 steinsperling.com

Todd J. Bornstein Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott Bethesda 301-634-3104 selzergurvitch.com

TRUSTS AND ESTATES Gary Altman Altman & Associates, A Division of Frost Law Rockville

Kerri Castellini Price Benowitz Rockville 202-599-1786 pricebenowitz.com

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TOP ATTORNEYS 2021 Michelle Chapin Paley Rothman Bethesda 301-656-7603 paleyrothman.com

Stephanie Perry Pasternak & Fidis Bethesda 301-656-8850 pasternakfidis.com

Christine M. Sorge Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott Bethesda 301-634-3129 selzergurvitch.com

Anne W. Coventry Pasternak & Fidis Bethesda 301-656-8850 pasternakfidis.com

Jeremy D. Rachlin Bulman, Dunie, Burke & Feld Bethesda 301-656-1177 bulmandunie.com

Steve A. Widdes Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville 301-838-3227 steinsperling.com n

Jeffrey Kolender Paley Rothman Bethesda 301-656-7603 paleyrothman.com

Paul F. Riekhof Joseph Greenwald & Laake Rockville 240-399-7899 jgllaw.com

Marc S. Levine Handler & Levine Bethesda 301-961-6464 handlerlevine.com

Lindsey B. Sarowitz Handler & Levine Bethesda 301-961-6464 handlerlevine.com

Daniel Rosefelt has over 20 years of experience in solving complex civil and criminal tax problems for his clients. He regularly appears before the Internal Revenue Service, the Comptroller of Maryland, District of Columbia Office of Tax & Revenue, and other state tax agencies for a variety of serious tax matters.

WWW.SANDLERLAWLLC.COM RENE SANDLER, ESQ. is proud to be the only female recognized in the best criminal defense attorney category by her peers in Bethesda Magazine. Rene Sandler is an experienced trial attorney available to assist clients in criminal, traffic and Child Protective Services (“CPS”) matters throughout Maryland. Rene is a zealous advocate who fights passionately on behalf of her clients in every case. For 25 years, Rene has practiced law with one motto: Results Matter. Call Rene Sandler for a virtual or in-person consultation on your legal matter. 11 N. Washington Street | Suite 210 | Rockville, MD 20850 301-610-9797 | sandler@sandlerlawllc.com

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Areas of Tax Practice Include: • Unfiled Tax Returns • Tax Audit Representation • Offshore Bank Account and Asset Disclosures • Offers-In-Compromise & Payment Plans • Tax Lien & Levy Defense • Tax Fraud & Evasion Defense • IRS Voluntary Disclosure • Employment Tax Problems • Tax Litigation

Daniel S. Rosefelt Attorney at Law, CPA

w w w. Ro s e f e l t L a w. c o m

4800 Hampden Lane - Suite 200 - Bethesda, Maryland 20814 301-656-4424 - drosefelt@RosefeltLaw.com

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Attorneys PROFILES

Shelly D. McKeon, Esq. & Jessica S. Kern, Esq. TONY J. LEWIS

McKeon Law Firm See Profile Page 137

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Elizabeth J. McInturff, Esq. ELIZABETH J. MCINTURFF, PARTNER JEFFREY D. KATZ, MANAGING PARTNER Elizabeth’s practice includes plaintiff’s side litigation, contract disputes, employment and construction litigation, consumer protection acts and state wage laws. She also takes on clients in private domestic law matters, including guardianship. Named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers, she has a deep commitment to clients as individuals, focusing on their distinct concerns and goals.

event of litigation? A: The best offense is a good defense, such as a solid written agreement that protects your rights and interests. Once it appears that a lawsuit may be imminent or already has been filed, you will want to collect and document evidence that will prove or disprove the events in question. If you are served with court papers, do not ignore them! These documents have strict timelines and failure to respond may place you in legal trouble. It is incredibly important to know your rights in a lawsuit and consulting with a skilled attorney will help you determine whether your best option is to walk away, negotiate or litigate. Litigation may be inevitable, but outcomes are often better when lawyers get involved earlier in the process.

Q: Why should I use JDKatz PC? A: At JDKatz, we are experienced and professional litigators in the areas of civil litigation, business law, trusts and estates, elder law and general litigation matters. Our clients are our priority. We stay connected to their interests and devise creative strategies to best protect those interests. We take a hands-on approach and are completely dedicated to our clients and the outcome of their cases.

HILLARY SCHWAB

3 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 500 Bethesda, MD 20814 240-743-5410 elizabeth@jdkatz.com www.jdkatz.com

Q: How do I protect myself in the

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HILLARY SCHWAB

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Elizabeth J. McInturff, Esq.

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Lerch Early & Brewer From left (Standing): FRANK BALDINO, CHRISTOPHER ROBERTS, DEBORAH REISER, ERIN KOPELMAN, WILL HELLAMS, HEATHER COLLIER, DONNA E. VAN SCOY, ERIK ARENA (Seated): JENICA CASSIDY, CASEY FLORANCE, ELIZABETH ESTEPHAN NOT PICTURED: ERIC CORE Honors & Achievements: Best Lawyers in America, U.S. News; Top Lawyers, Washingtonian; Top Attorneys, Frank Baldino, Jenica Cassidy, Casey Florance, Erin Kopelman, Deborah Reiser and Donna Van Scoy, Bethesda Magazine, 2021; Super Lawyers Lerch Early’s family law and estates and trusts attorneys stand beside individuals and families throughout all life's transitions. Our experienced family law attorneys help people navigate separation and divorce issues with the least possible impact on their lives and wallets. We serve as skilled negotiators and forceful advocates for our clients and their children’s best interests. We also have attorney mediators who act as neutrals in helping clients achieve negotiated resolutions to divorce-related issues. Our estate and trust attorneys protect assets while minimizing tax liability through sophisticated planning and administration, and resolve inheritance disputes. We are hands-on, technologically capable and fully involved in every step of the process.

Q: What should I expect from my divorce attorney? A: If you are going through or are contemplating a separation or divorce, you need information and a plan. When working with us, you always know exactly where things stand in your case. Lerch Early clients also benefit from the experience of a boutique family law shop backed by the knowledge and support of a full-service law firm. When a matter involves complex real estate, business, tax, employment, estate or criminal defense issues, our clients benefit from close collaboration between our divorce attorneys and their colleagues in the firm’s other practice areas. Q: Do I need to consult an estate attorney during a divorce? If so, when? A: Yes. There are two main times when an estates attorney can really help. The first is at the beginning of the process – to revise or revoke estate planning documents empowering your soon-to-be-ex to make important decisions on your behalf. After the divorce, it’s a good idea to have your current estate planning documents reviewed to see what implications your divorce has on those documents and to bring them current with your new life plan.

HILARY SCHWAB

7600 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 700 Bethesda, MD 20814 301‑986‑1300 www.lerchearly.com

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JOSEPH GREENWALD & LAAKE PA Honors & Achievements: AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell. Recognized by his peers yearly in Best Lawyers of America and selected to appear in Super Lawyers for more than 15 years. Profiled as A Top Divorce Attorney by Bethesda Magazine. Past Chair of the Family Law Section of the Montgomery County Bar Association. 111 Rockville Pike, Suite 975 Rockville, MD 20850 240-399-7900 6404 Ivy Ln., Suite 400 Greenbelt, MD 20770 301-220-2200 jgreenblatt@jgllaw.com Direct: 240-399-7894 www.jnglaw.net 124

Did my family law attorney overpromise and is the attorney likely to underdeliver? A: A word of caution—if the family law attorney you are interviewing has promised the moon and the stars, keep looking. Before offering an opinion, the attorney should be armed with all the facts. Missing facts may negate the advice given. Initial interviews should be comprehensive and organized. The interview is likely to last a couple of hours depending on the number of issues and their complexity. Unless there is something terribly wrong with the other parent’s ability to parent, promises of sole physical and legal custody are unrealistic. Even parents who are criminals are, within reason, entitled to visitation (perhaps supervised). In Maryland, marital property is defined as all property acquired by either spouse during the marriage. There are five exceptions: 1) property owned before Q:

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the marriage; 2) property inherited by one spouse during the marriage; 3) gifts received by one spouse during the marriage; 4) property excluded by valid agreement and 5) property directly traceable to any of the first four sources. Businesses started/acquired during the marriage, owned by one or both spouses (which don’t fit in one of the exceptions), are valued as marital property. An attorney who promises that he/ she will get you all the marital property is probably over promising. There are excellent attorneys who have years of experience and specialize in family law. They will offer the most realistic guidance.

TONY J. LEWIS

Jeffrey N. Greenblatt, Attorney at Law

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attorneys

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Reza Golesorkhi PRINCIPAL, JOSEPH, GREENWALD & LAAKE, P.A. Recognized as one of the elite divorce lawyers in Washington, D.C. and Maryland, Reza Golesorkhi is the go-to lawyer for highnet-worth individuals because of his deep understanding of both family law and business. He represents clients in the fields of finance, real estate, business, entertainment and public service. 111 Rockville Pike, Suite 975 Rockville, MD 20850

Aside from courtroom advocacy, I am a very effective negotiator, with many of my cases resulting in favorable settlements without full-blown litigation. In addition to negotiating divorce settlements, I've also represented countless individuals in negotiating prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Outside the courtroom, I'm a proud dad of four, a runner and triathlete. I'm also a strong supporter of youth sports and serve as commissioner for youth tackle football and basketball leagues.

TONY J. LEWIS

6404 Ivy Ln., Suite 400 Greenbelt, MD 20770 240-399-7892 www.jgllaw.com

Q: What makes you “the divorce lawyer you want in the court?” A: While skilled in all facets of advocacy, I believe my command of the courtroom sets me apart as a trial lawyer. If you are getting divorced or thinking about it, you need me as your divorce lawyer in the courtroom. Divorce cases present significant, complicated and important issues for clients with both business and tax implications. My understanding of corporate law makes me an effective advocate in family law matters involving business interests. My unique business background makes me an effective advocate in family law matters involving business valuations, closely-held family business holdings, tax considerations and other complex financial issues that will have a substantial impact on my clients’ lives long after the divorce is final.

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PROFILES

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Anne Grover JOSEPH GREENWALD & LAAKE PA A principal in JGL’s Family Law practice, Anne Grover is a skilled negotiator and litigator, with deep knowledge of financial and tax issues. Clients rely on her for compassionate and aggressive representation in separation and divorce, child custody disputes, contempt and enforcement proceedings, drafting and negotiating prenuptial agreements and obtaining protective orders. 111 Rockville Pike, Suite 975 Rockville, MD 20850 240-399-7900 agrover@jgllaw.com www.jgllaw.com

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Q: What issues does a divorce

involve? A: Divorce cases can involve a panoply of issues, including the grounds for divorce (what gets you in the courthouse doors), custody of your children, decision making for children, identification and valuation of marital property, alimony, child support and attorney fees and costs. Numerous sub-issues can crop up involving tax matters, dissipation (waste) of marital assets, valuation of a business, earning capacity and retirement benefits. It's essential that you engage an attorney who will talk you through these complex topics, convey a range of results the court could order and guide you through the process.

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Q: How much is this divorce going to cost? A: Cost of a divorce case is a very common question. The unfortunate reality is that family law attorneys are unable to predict this with any real precision. Cost is directly tied to the amount of time put into a case, whether drafting pleadings, conducting discovery or going to trial. Family law attorneys cannot take cases on a contingent fee basis (where the attorney gets paid a set percentage of what the party obtains). Thus, a lot depends on how complex and how contested the case. If the other party is uncooperative in providing information, files a bevy of motions or engages in scorched earth tactics, costs can climb quickly and substantially. As a client, you should be aware of the range of results you are likely to get from a court so that you can do a costbenefit analysis and really gauge any risk/ exposure you have.

TONY J. LEWIS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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Andrew E. Greenwald JOSEPH, GREENWALD & LAAKE, PA 111 Rockville Pike, Suite 975 Rockville, MD 20850 240-553-1196 www.andrewgreenwaldlaw.com www.jgllaw.com

A zealous and compassionate advocate for the injured, Andrew Greenwald has a national reputation among lawyers for his skill and discrete understanding of the most complex medical injury cases. Along with representing his own clients, he is called upon by other attorneys to assist in representing their clients. Q: What types of malpractice cases do

you specialize in? A: I have recovered one million dollars or more in over 50 cases dealing with issues relating to obstetrics, newborn care, pediatrics, anesthesia, surgery, emergency medicine and radiology. I want my clients to know that I understand that dealing with an injury can be isolating, overwhelming, even lonely. You probably feel voiceless. Please remember that you have rights. Investigating your options should not be another burden.

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Q: What do you want potential clients to

know? A: I truly care about people. When I can help secure a client’s needs, such as the costly care of a brain-injured child, it can help them to reach their greatest potential (given the circumstances). I can’t erase the devastating medical trauma they experienced, but I can help hopefully create for them a safer, more stable future. For me, this is incredibly important. I am a co-founder and a former chair of the Birth Trauma Litigation Group, which educates lawyers on how to handle birth injury cases. I have also been named in Best Lawyers in America as well as Super Lawyers. I'm an author and frequent guest lecturer on litigation techniques. BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 127

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Jay Holland JOSEPH GREENWALD & LAAKE PA Jay Holland represents individuals and businesses in workplace disputes. Over 33 years, he has litigated and negotiated settlements for thousands of clients facing employment issues. Jay also represents senior-level executives in contract and severance negotiations. He is nationally known for representation of whistleblowers under the federal False Claims Act in cases involving government contract fraud. 6404 Ivy Ln., Suite 400 Greenbelt, MD 20770 240-553-1198 www.jgllaw.com

Q: What does it take to be a whistleblower? A: It takes specific knowledge of the fraud and persistence. I recently settled several cases under the False Claims Act regarding fraud in healthcare. In one, two surgeons blew the whistle on another who owned a medical device company, sold devices to himself and charged the hospital for them. The hospital then charged Medicare for the devices. Consequences were not just monetary; driven by profit, the doctor performed numerous unnecessary surgeries. Medical device and pharmaceutical companies may also violate the False Claims Act by providing trips, expensive outings and meals and paying for advertising for health care providers with the expectation of influencing use of their products. sexual harassment, and what can I do about it? A: Under federal and state law, it's unlawful to harass a workplace applicant or employee because of that person's sex. Harassment can include "sexual harassment" or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. Unfortunately, sexual harassment is a recurring issue. Start by reporting the harassment internally, pursuant to your company's policies. The company is required to conduct a thorough investigation. If that doesn’t happen, you can file a complaint with the EEOC or state agency, which can conduct an investigation. You can also file a lawsuit. The law forbids retaliation for reporting discrimination or harassment. You should try and do everything you can with the help of the law to ensure harassment doesn’t happen again. 128

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HILLARY SCHWAB

Q: Is what is happening to me in my workplace

PROFILES

attorneys

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott, P.C.

MICHAEL VENTURA

Since 1982, this leading full-service, real estate, litigation and business law firm based in Bethesda offers deep expertise in income and estate tax planning, real estate transactions, lender representation, land-use and zoning, commercial and construction litigation and general business matters. Selzer Gurvitch provides investors, owners, developers and businesses innovative solutions to meet evolving real estate, litigation and business needs. Representing the firm, the attorneys pictured above were named “Top Attorneys” by Bethesda Magazine in 2021. 4416 East West Highway, Fourth Floor Bethesda, MD 20814 301-986-9600 administrator@sgrwlaw.com www.selzergurvitch.com

From Left: THOMAS LYNCH, BRAD DASHOFF, BRIAN BICHY, PATRICK KEARNEY, CHRISTINE SORGE, TODD BORNSTEIN, MATTHEW GORDON, ERIC CIAZZA, C. ROBERT “BOB” DALRYMPLE

Q: How has the pandemic galvanized Selzer Gurvitch? A: The pandemic was a catalyst for adapting our 39-year-old firm for the future. Since 1982, we’ve been a respected boutique law firm focused on commercial real estate, financing and business transactions, estates, trusts and tax planning. In 2019, we committed to a four-year plan to grow our firm, broaden our practice areas and establish leadership succession to ensure that we continue serving our existing clients and future generations of clients, while preserving our culture and maintaining our longstanding roots in the community. During the past two years, we’ve added many attorneys with well-established specialized practices in land use, HOA/ condo associations, construction and real estate tax appeals—all new practice areas for the firm—as well as adding additional attorneys to our existing practices in estates and trusts, real estate and business transactions and litigation.

Q: What does your recent growth

mean for clients? A: The additional practice areas provide a wider range of capabilities. We gained incredible expertise from our new colleagues, who provide a deep knowledge and robust practices in land-use, HOA/condo associations, construction and real estate tax appeals. The attorneys joining our long-existing practices have provided new insights and strengthened our expertise in these practices. The addition of talented attorneys enhances our acumen with respect to the business issues our clients face and our ability to provide holistic business and legal counsel. This is empowered by our firm’s collaborative, open-door culture, which has always been a part of Selzer Gurvitch.

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With 15 attorneys spanning more than three decades worth of expertise across a wide variety of practice areas, we are wellsuited to provide solutions for businesses and individuals. Whether your interests are commercial or personal, we remain committed to ensuring that your needs are met. 7811 Montrose Road, Suite 400 Potomac, MD 20854 301-251-1180 www.mcmillanmetro.com

Q: What sets McMillan Metro apart

from other law firms? A: We pride ourselves on a respectful and collegiate culture for our employees, and that we believe becomes a core aspect of our relationships with and how we treat our clients. The level of cooperation and collegiality between our team members is often noted by newer employees as a big differentiator from prior places they have worked. We make certain the most appropriate person to handle a client matter is assigned, to not only ensure that we can provide the best service possible, but to effectively manage costs and expectations for our clients.

From Left (Back): ANDREW FRIEDMAN, RON LYONS, JOSE ESPEJO, HOWARD METRO, LARRY BURCH, PETER CIFERRI (Front): ANTHONY CLARK, JUDYANN LEE, ELYSE STRICKLAND, NATASHA NAZARETH, JENNIFER MANLEY-KAPOOR, GINNY CASCIO BONIFACINO 130

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Q: What does your firm motto –

"Knowledge, Strategy, Results" — mean for clients? A: At McMillan Metro, we discuss and focus on what our clients’ needs and goals are, and then work with them closely based on our experience and knowledge within our specialized practice areas toward a result with which they are satisfied. Rather than impose ourselves upon our clients, we feel a team approach with our clients will keep them informed throughout the process, avoid surprises and with our experience and knowledge, and strategize with them to work toward the results they desire.

HILARY SCHWAB

McMillan Metro, P.C., Attorneys at Law

PROFILES

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Lloyd A. Malech, Esq., Malech Law Malech Law. Representing clients with respect, empathy and excellence every day. Lloyd A. Malech graduated from Rutgers’ General Honors Program cum laude. He received his Juris Doctorate from GW University Law School. For over 25 years he has successfully represented individuals in family courts throughout D.C. and Maryland. He has received numerous honors and awards for excellence and distinction in family law.

LISA HELFERT

7910 Woodmont Ave., Suite 1430 Bethesda, MD 20814 202-441-2107 www.Malechlaw.com

Q: What can clients expect when

working with Malech Law? A: At Malech Law, we support equity, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our practice. Our clients will be heard, respected and understood. We work with diverse families to develop a strategy to meet their needs and recognize that the modern family is evolving. We welcome and support LGBTQIA, aging adults and multi-cultural communities. Our depth of experience allows us to understand family dynamics, including narcissistic behaviors and confrontational tactics. We understand the legal complexities of domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health challenges. It is important for us to answer and respond to our clients' questions, which inspired us to create a video series on family law issues called Ask Lloyd. Clients can expect excellence in legal advice, empathetic representation and a commitment to reaching their goals—it is Family Law, Reenvisioned.

Q: What does "Family Law,

Reenvisioned" mean? A: There is more to family law than going to court and dividing up the assets. In our experience, it is important to look at divorce from a holistic approach. This means taking care of the whole person getting divorced, including their social-emotional well-being. It is also important to pay attention to the family members and how divorce affects their family dynamics. We find that offering support and resources during difficult times can provide better outcomes during transitions.

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From Left: LEAH RAMIREZ HAUSER, LILI LOWELL, JILLIAN S. MORRIS (Seated), SAMANTHA H. KRAVITZ, JESSICA MARKHAM (Seated), SUSANNA ISRAELSSON, BIANCA M. PINNOCK, JANELLE WALWYN-WHITE (Seated) AND LESLIE MILLER

Honors & Achievements Best of Washington, DC: Family Law Firm, DC Modern Luxury Magazine, 2021; "The Best Lawyers in America"©, Best Family Law Firm (2019 & 2020); Top Winner for Best Family Law Firm and Best Mediation Firm, The Daily Record, 2020 7960 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 3B Bethesda, MD 20814 240-396-4373 www.markhamlegal.com

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Q: One of us is a federal employee,

how do we divide the federal benefits in our divorce? A: This is a common question we get from clients, and we are experts in representing current and former federal employees in dividing retirement, health insurance and life insurance benefits in divorce. There are several government pension systems as well as lesser-known protections and benefits offered to federal employees, retirees and their spouses. We are thorough and knowledgeable in exploring all options in divorce cases. Firm founder Jessica Markham authored, Representing Federal Employees and Their Spouses in Divorce: A Practical Guide, published by the American Bar Association, which many family lawyers keep on their bookshelf for quick access when needed.

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Q: What do your clients say about

the firm? A: "In a very desperate and hopeless situation I called Ms. Jillian Morris... I just wanted to be heard not ignored. From the very first minute I felt that I could trust her and from that moment on my life changed for better… In every court we had to appear she presented me with such grace and wisdom and I could not be happier about my choice or the result." “[Ms. Markham] has proven to be highly competent, flexible and accommodating. I continually get the impression that my case is important to her, despite her busy schedule.” "Samantha came very highly recommended, and she still managed to exceed expectations. She is an empathetic listener who offers thoughtful and realistic advice based on a ton of experience… I found her to be hugely supportive and insightful." Check out www.markhamlegal.com/ reviews for more excellent reviews.

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Markham Law Firm

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attorneys

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Shulman Rogers

HILARY SCHWAB

From Left: NANCY REGELIN, LAND USE - ZONING MARC BERGOFFEN, REAL ESTATE – COMMERCIAL MATTHEW ALEGI, REAL ESTATE – RESIDENTIAL TODD BROWN, LAND USE – ZONING MICHAEL NAKAMURA, PERSONAL INJURY & MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE MEREDITH CAMPBELL, EMPLOYMENT – EMPLOYER HEATHER MEHIGAN, FAMILY LAW – DIVORCE AARON BLANK, MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE (NOT PICTURED) MICHAEL LICHTENSTEIN, BANKRUPTCY – CREDITORS’ RIGHTS 12505 Park Potomac Ave., Sixth Floor Potomac, MD 20854 301-230-5200 info@shulmanrogers.com www.ShulmanRogers.com

Q: What makes Shulman Rogers

unique? A: Founded on a commitment to client service nearly 50 years ago, we have grown from a Montgomery County firm into a regional powerhouse delivering a full range of business and personal legal services. Throughout the years, we have welcomed laterals from acclaimed national and international firms, infusing fresh talent and ideas into an already well-established organization. Our highly responsive attorneys work collaboratively and across practice areas in support of our national, regional and local clients.

Q: Why should we hire Shulman

Rogers to represent us? A: When you hire Shulman Rogers, you can expect quality representation, keen business insight and tremendous client value. Through sound strategic planning, we maximize opportunities, mitigate risk and deliver successful results. Recognizing that each client comes to us with a different set of circumstances, we create customized solutions to ensure that we achieve their goals and exceed their expectations. Clients appreciate that, as a result of the trusted relationships we have built with our vast network, the firm makes invaluable business referrals and meaningful connections. Drawing from our experience and breadth of knowledge, and maintaining a commitment to excellence, we deliver high quality counsel effectively and efficiently and strive to provide value that extends well beyond legal services. As a result, we serve as an attractive alternative to larger, higher-priced law firms and smaller firms with less depth.

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attorneys SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

At RLG Law, we practice in the areas of family law, mediation, adoption, employment law, business planning and formation, trusts and estates law, and civil and criminal litigation. We combine experience and compassion to provide effective legal representation with integrity, professionalism and unrivaled commitment to our clients’ best interest. 51 Monroe Place, Suite 1401 Rockville, MD 20850 301-340-1616 www.RLG-Lawyers.com

From Left: ZHIA L. SHEPARDSON, MARY CRANE LOMBARDO, ELIZABETH DANQUAHBROBBY, MAURA L. LYNCH, DONNA K. RISMILLER, ANDREW R. ITALIA AND GLORIA L. LEE

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Q: How do clients benefit from working with your firm? A: Our clients benefit from the reputation we have 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 help the client achieve his or her 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 a 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

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them informed throughout the entire process. We are vigilant about staying in communication with clients. Q: How has COVID impacted

family separation and divorce? A: Our practice looks a lot different but our core strategies and approach to cases are fundamentally the same. Because of health concerns, distance learning, employment demands and changes to financial resources, COVID has forced families into considering separation or reevaluating prior custody and child support arrangements. More than ever, individuals need unique 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.

TONY J. LEWIS

RLG Law

PROFILES

attorneys

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Webb Soypher McGrath, LLC DEBORAH L. WEBB, HOWARD B. SOYPHER, RHIAN MCGRATH & LISA FISHBERG, ATTORNEYS AT LAW

HEATHER FUENTES

Honors & Recognition Howard Soypher, Deborah Webb, and Rhian McGrath recognized in Best Lawyers of America, 2021. Howard Soypher recognized by Best Lawyers as 2021 Lawyer of the Year, Family Law, D.C. and Deborah Webb, 2021 Mediator of the Year in Family Law, D.C. All partners recognized as top family law lawyers by Super Lawyers. 4340 East West Highway, Suite 401 Bethesda MD 20814 301-298-8401 www.WSMFamily.com

Q: Why should I choose Webb

Soypher McGrath as our family law attorneys? A: Choosing the right family law attorney is an important decision. The lawyers of Webb Soypher McGrath are respected leaders in the practice of family law in Montgomery County. Our dynamic group of attorneys provide sound and experienced judgment, combined with creative solutions, designed to help our clients preserve assets and achieve the best outcomes for themselves and their children. Our lawyers are often appointed by judges and requested by colleagues to serve as mediators, to represent children, to instruct at continuing legal education programs, and to provide expert witness opinions. While our primary goal is to help our clients reach a fair and equitable settlement, our experience as trial attorneys serves our clients well for those matters where settlement is not likely, and a trial becomes necessary.

We routinely handle cases involving complex marital estates and valuation issues, as well high conflict and challenging family dynamics. Careful analysis, a thorough understanding of the law, skilled negotiations, knowing our way around the courtroom and being available and responsive to our clients are hallmarks of how we practice law. Trust us to help you protect what matters most.

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PROFILES

attorneys SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

LAW OFFICE OF SANDRA GUZMAN SALVADO Founded by attorney Sandra Guzman Salvado, a Super Lawyer for 2022, the family law firm is located in downtown Rockville. This is a diverse, bilingual (abogada habla español), and affordable firm offering sensitivity, focused attention, and honest counsel in what can be the most difficult and stressful time in your life. 11 North Washington St., Suite 500 Rockville, MD 20850 301-340-1911 sandra@guzmansalvadolaw.com www.GuzmanSalvadoLaw.com

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Q: Should I ever respond to

demeaning texts and emails from the opposing party? A: This is a common issue, and clients often ask how and when to respond to negative and demeaning texts and emails before, during and after their case is over. My advice is that less is more. There is no need to try to convince the other party of anything when they are set in their ways. They generally don’t budge. I tell my clients that there are many negative and bitter people out there and the less that is said to those people, the better you will feel. Look at the court order and your attorney for guidance. Don’t let others steal your joy.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Q: Should I give my marriage

another chance? A: I regularly see clients who are not sure if they want to give their spouse a second chance or move forward with divorce. I always tell them to hope for the best but plan for the worst. There are various options that allow a party to take a wait-and-see approach. For example, if the case is just starting, it will be a while before a final divorce hearing is set. Therefore, hearing dates can be set and removed later by agreement of both parties once it’s realized that reconciliation was successful. A Marital Separation Agreement can also be drafted and signed and voided later if reconciliation does not work. In either case, the process can keep moving. From Left: ANJALI MARFATIA, MAGDALENA D’AIUTO, COURTNEY CAPERS, SANDRA GUZMAN SALVADO, ANDONI GUZMAN, MARGARITA ORITZ, MONICA REVELO

HILARY SCHWAB

Sandra Guzman Salvado, Esq.

PROFILES

attorneys

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Shelly D. McKeon, Esq. & Jessica S. Kern, Esq. The McKeon Law Firm offers a personal approach and customized solutions for family law matters. Shelly McKeon has been recognized by Washingtonian magazine and included in Maryland Super Lawyers, and the firm holds the highest Martindale-Hubbell rating. Many clients are referrals, which the firm considers one of its greatest achievements.

TONY J. LEWIS

17 B Firstfield Road, Suite 101 Gaithersburg, MD 20878 301-417-9222 3 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 700-71 Bethesda, MD 20814 www.mckeonlawfirm.com

Q: I just want to get this divorce

over with. Can't I just sign something and that's it? A: Wait and consider these questions first: Are you being pressured into a settlement that you don't understand? Have you adequately weighed all your options? Did both parties fully disclose finances? Did you consider tax implications? Do you understand the rules around all your retirement assets? We can help you answer these questions and prevent future headaches. We want to help our clients rebuild their lives on their own terms. A lot of people are tempted to sign an agreement just to end the process. But don't accept an unfair settlement only to face future financial challenges. Reaching a full, final and equitable settlement is our goal, but going to court does not intimidate us either.

Q: Why do I need to work with a

family law attorney? A: Our firm works on everything from prenuptial agreements to simple uncontested divorces to complex divorce cases involving businesses, partnerships, pensions, financial tracing and multiple properties. We bring extensive experience with settlement negotiations and litigation involving custody and visitation; enforcement, contempt and modification of prior orders; domestic violence; child, spousal and retroactive support. We offer perspective and experience and will educate you about your options. We will help you make informed decisions in negotiation, settlement or litigation. Many issues can be settled through mediation, which can be more costeffective than going to court. Working with a family law attorney is a good investment in your future.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 137

PROFILES

attorneys SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

GWENDOLYN ROY-HARRISON, REAL ESTATE STEPHEN METZ, CREDITORS RIGHTS EMILY GELMANN, FAMILY LAW SANDRA BROOKS, FAMILY LAW JORDAN SAVITZ, COMMERCIAL LITIGATION LISA SELTZER BECKER, EDUCATION LAW JAMES HOFFMAN, CREDITORS RIGHTS (NOT PICTURED)

Above are the Offit Kurman lawyers named to Bethesda Magazine’s Top Attorneys list for 2021. As one of the fastest-growing fullservice law firms in the United States, Offit Kurman provides clients with a comprehensive array of legal services that cover virtually every area of the law. 7501 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1000W Bethesda, MD 20814 240-507-1700 www.offitkurman.com 138

Q: Why should I hire Offit Kurman

as a law firm? A: Offit Kurman offers clients a comprehensive range of legal services that cover virtually every area of the law. We offer largefirm capabilities yet remain laser focused on effectively serving each and every one of our clients. As a firm, we are dedicated to resolving clients’ most challenging legal matters by offering high-quality representation at competitive rates. With 15 offices from New York to South Carolina and more than 30 areas of practice, Offit Kurman delivers comprehensive legal counsel across multiple states and jurisdictions. Our firm, founded in 1987, is listed in AmLaw 200, listed on US News World & Report Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” list and was a finalist in the BBB Torch Awards for excellence in business ethics. Our attorneys are consistently named to Martindale-Hubbell’s Top-Rated Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and Bethesda and Washingtonian magazine's Top Attorneys lists.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Q: Do all seven of you ever work

together on cases, or team up for a client? A: The Offit Kurman team represented here has not worked together as a group, but many of us have handled separate matters for the same client. Our unique operational structure encourages a culture of collaboration and entrepreneurialism and gives our clients access to experienced counsel in every area of the law. Many clients who initially hire an Offit Kurman attorney for a business issue later retain another firm lawyer for a personal issue, and vice-versa.

HILARY SCHWAB

Offit Kurman, Attorneys at Law

PROFILES

attorneys

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Jon D. Pels, Esq. THE PELS LAW FIRM Jon Pels and the Pels Law Firm produce results in complex civil litigation, business advising, divorce, construction, personal injury, criminal and contract disputes. Mr. Pels was selected by the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association as Maryland Trial Lawyer of the Year and has been named to the National Trial Lawyers’ Top 100 and Top 10 Business Tort Trial Lawyers. 4548 Rugby Ave., Third Floor Bethesda, MD 20817 301-986-5570 JPels@pelslaw.com www.PelsLaw.com Q: Impressive credentials, but why else should

we hire your firm? A: Honors and awards are fantastic, but almost all of the Pels Law Firm’s clients are referred from fellow attorneys who need help in complex civil litigation, or from former clients. They are the ones who know how hard we worked for them and that we got them great results. In fact, one of our highly successful case strategies was featured in Rules of the Road – A Plaintiff Lawyer’s Guide to Proving Liability, the leading trial lawyer guide book. After almost 30 years and countless trials, we are adept at anticipating land mines coming down the road. Our attorneys are graduates of the top law schools and have spent years in local and federal courtrooms. We have gone toe-to-toe with the biggest firms in the area – and won.

JOHN FERRIS

Q: What do your clients say about you? A: “If someone asked me to describe Jon Pels I would probably say ‘Smart, tenacious bulldog!’ That’s the ultimate compliment from me.” — Mark Simon, former owner, SodiBar Systems. “The Pels Law Firm represented me in a contentious divorce matter [against] hyper-aggressive and uncooperative opposing counsel… Mr. Pels brought me a victory over 20 times larger than the amount my previous counsel had advised me to settle for…. Most importantly, Mr. Pels provided to me a level of comfort and protection in the face of an unrelentingly hostile opposition that cannot be overstated.” — V.F. See also: pelslaw.com/client-testimonials (Our results depend on the facts and circumstances of each case, as well as on our client's priorities.)

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 139

PROFILES

attorneys SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Mitchell I. Alkon, Esquire, Alkon Law LLC A member of the Maryland and District of Columbia bars and a licensed title agent in those jurisdictions and Virginia, I have almost 40 years of experience. My firm handles residential and commercial property and business matters, including pertaining to contracts, leases and loan documents, structures intrafamily transactions, and resolves related disputes. 6110 Executive Blvd., Suite 300 Rockville, MD 20852 240-290-0913 makon@alkonlawfirm.com www.alkonlawfirm.com

A: If a parent wants to assist a child in purchasing a home, we can draft the documents and provide the counsel needed. We also assist family members, significant others or friends who want to join together and purchase property, including as a limited liability company. We frequently work with estate planning and domestic relations attorneys in property matters.

JOHN FERRIS

Q: What is an “intrafamily transaction”?

Jennifer Fairfax & Catelyn Slattery FAMILY FORMATION LAW OFFICE 827 Woodside Parkway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 Jfairfax@jenniferfairfax.com Catelyn@jenniferfairfax.com www.jenniferfairfax.com

adoption needs? A: We focus exclusively on adoption and assisted reproductive law. We are both licensed in Maryland, Virginia and DC, and have been working with adoptive parents, agencies, birth parents and adoptees for over 30 combined years. We bring a wealth of knowledge, compassion and calm to every adoption we touch. Both of us are Fellows of the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproductive Attorneys. Jennifer is a Martindale Hubbell AV-rated attorney and has been recognized as a Best Lawyer in Maryland since 2015 and Super Lawyer in Maryland and DC since 2012. She has been in the top 50 female Super Lawyers in Maryland since 2018. She is also the author of the 2018 ABA Adoption Law Handbook. 140

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STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

Q: Why are you the best choice for our

PROFILES

attorneys

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

T. Ryan Wilson LAW OFFICE OF T. RYAN WILSON Bringing over 20 years of expertise, Ryan is an active member of the Maryland and Montgomery County bars, and a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. 8403 Colesville Road, Suite 1100 Silver Spring, MD 20910 240-638-2721 Direct: 301-509-4496 trw@ryanwilsonlaw.com ryanwilsonlaw.com

HEATHER FUENTES

Q: My spouse is ill and now needs more

care than I can manage. I’m worried about losing our house and our savings. I’d also like to leave something for our children. Can you help us? A:Yes, I can help you choose the right strategy, tailored to your unique needs and situation. You need an attorney who will listen, understand your needs and goals and explain your options. We enjoy helping clients protect what matters most to them.

John Pontius, Esq. PONTIUS TAX LAW, PLLC Honors & Achievements Top Attorney, Bethesda Magazine 2021; Rising Stars, MD-DC Super Lawyers; Member of Tax Section Council, Maryland State Bar Association

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

Rockville: 240-599-5185 DC: 202-875-7988 Vienna: 703-903-1669 www.PontiusTaxLaw.com

Q: What areas have you represented clients with complex tax issues? A: I represent individual and business clients with sensitive and serious tax matters before the Internal Revenue Service and state authorities. Areas include FBAR exams, offshore and domestic disclosures, FATCA, FIRPTA, tax planning, unfiled tax returns, release of tax liens and levies, employment taxes, trust fund recovery penalty, IRS and state audit exams as well as appeals, penalty abatement, U.S. Tax Court litigation along with defense of tax fraud and tax evasion. From Left: JOHN PONTIUS AND WILLIAM MCGUGAN BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 141

PROFILES

attorneys SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Barkley & Kennedy, Chartered BRIAN E. BARKLEY, ESQ. & DANIEL M. KENNEDY, III, ESQ. 51 Monroe St., Suite 1407 Rockville, MD 20850 301-251-6600 | www.barkenlaw.com 8 West Third St. Frederick, MD 21701 | 301-607-1231 Q: What distinguishes Barkley & Kennedy

from other firms?

established highly regarded reputations as leaders in the legal community as well as with county and national civic organizations. We ensure our clients are an integral part of the process. Their issues are the most important matters in their lives, and we treat them as such. We are dedicated litigators in civil and family law matters and manage our clients’ assets through the probate and estate planning processes. As well, we are highly regarded practitioners of bankruptcy law. We protect and assert our clients’ rights in solving complex financial legal issues, whether in court or through carefully crafted legal documents. Everyone seeking legal advice deserves the personal attention of their attorneys, and we ensure our clients receive it.

HILLARY SCHWAB

A: With over 40 years as a local firm, our partners have

Gary Altman, Esq. Altman & Associates, A Division of Frost Law 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 708 Rockville, MD 20852 301-468-3220 gary@altmanassociates.net www.altmanassociates.net

A: People often procrastinate with estate planning because 1) they don’t think they’re old, sick or wealthy enough to need it, 2) they're uncomfortable thinking about illness or death, or 3) they think they can do it themselves using documents from the Internet. Everyone, regardless of net worth, health status, or age, needs an estate plan prepared by a qualified estate attorney. Your plan will articulate who you trust to make health, financial, business and/or parental decisions on your behalf (so a court doesn't decide for you), offer protections in case of divorce or remarriage, prevent heirs from squandering inheritances, plan for the care of a special needs child, reduce estate or income taxes, facilitate gifts to loved ones and charities, and much more. 142

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LISA HELFERT

Q: Why do people avoid estate planning?

PROFILES

attorneys

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Grossman Young & Hammond, LLC BECKI YOUNG, SANDRA GROSSMAN & MEG HOBBINS, PARTNERS Washingtonian magazine's Best Lawyers List 2020 Becki Young recognized by Best Lawyers® as 2022 "Lawyer of the Year" for Immigration Law in the D.C. area.

COURTESY PHOTO

4922 Fairmont Ave, Suite 200 Bethesda, MD, 20814 240-403-0913 www.grossmanyoung.com Q: What sets you apart from other immigration law firms? A: We provide comprehensive immigration and international law services to a gamut of clients in the U.S. and abroad. Women-owned and diverse, we take pride in restoring humanity in today’s unpredictable immigration climate. Our lawyers are committed to the ethical practice of law and passionate about immigration and human rights. Whether you need guidance on employment-based, family-based, humanitarian or INTERPOL matters, we have the experience you deserve.

Bulman, Dunie, Burke & Feld, Chtd. JEREMY D. RACHLIN JRACHLIN@BULMANDUNIE.COM, (X305) MEGAN N. ROSAN MROSAN@BULMANDUNIE.COM, (X317) DANIEL S. SHAIVITZ DSHAIVITZ@BULMANDUNIE.COM, (X304)

DARREN HIGGINS

4610 Elm Street, Bethesda, MD 20815 301-656-1177 | www.bulmandunie.com Q: Why have Montgomery County residents referred their friends and family members to Bulman Dunie for more than 85 years? A: The bulk of our referrals come from prior clients and other attorneys who know and trust the quality of our work. We recognize each of our clients has different needs and goals. When our clients trust us with their divorce, their accident case or their family’s estate planning needs, they receive individualized attention in a small firm atmosphere. We focus on practical, cost-effective solutions, without all the jargon, and provide our clients with genuine warmth, empathy and care. Our lawyers are regularly selected by our peers for inclusion in Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America and Martindale-Hubbell Judicial Edition. Let us be your guide! BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 143

PROFILES

attorneys SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Hostetter Strent LLC From Left (Standing): JESSICA B. SAUNDERS, HEATHER Q. HOSTETTER, AMY B. STRENT, SHEILA J. KADAGATHUR, REBECCA L. COHN, RACHEL E. GROSSBERG From Left (Sitting): EMILY H. FOLIO, ALEXANDRA M. FLETCHER

Q: How has COVID-19 impacted the practice of family law? A: Despite the challenges of the past 18 months, the practice of family law has evolved in a positive way. Hostetter Strent quickly made technology upgrades, allowing clients video conferencing at their convenience and easy access to documents and to their attorneys. Remote capabilities enabled us to hire employees without regard to their residence and to access experts and witnesses from varying locations. Virtual hearings reduced travel time for both clients and attorneys and while the courthouses remained on a reduced schedule, Hostetter Strent clients took advantage of mediation and other alternative dispute resolution processes to resolve many of their cases without resorting to judicial decisions. Many of these improvements will remain as the health crises resolves.

COURTESY PHOTO

7201 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 675 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-657-0010 | www.hostetterstrent.com

Joyce E. Smithey, Esq. MANAGING PARTNER, SMITHEY LAW GROUP Honors & Awards: Super Lawyer, Maryland’s Top 50 Women Attorneys and Top 100 Attorneys, and The Daily Record's Leadership in Law and Top 100 Women awards, and Chambers Band #1 706 Giddings Ave., Suite 200 Annapolis, MD 21401 410-919-2990 joyce.smithey@smitheylaw.com www.SmitheyLaw.com

A: Maryland is an at-will employment jurisdiction, meaning that the parties can terminate the relationship for any reason so long as it’s not an illegal reason. Illegal reasons include discrimination against employees or retaliating against an employee for reporting illegal activity. Also, if the employment relationship is governed by a contract, the parties can only terminate the relationship according to the terms of the agreement. 144

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STEPHPANIE WILLIAMS

Q: If I’m fired unfairly, can I file a lawsuit?

PROFILES

attorneys

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Longman & Van Grack, LLC SAT NAM KHALSA, CHRISTOPHER BATTISTA, ROBB LONGMAN, ADAM VAN GRACK, & THEODORE KIVIAT Honors & Achievements Maryland Super Lawyers, Civil Litigation; Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent Rating; AVVO, Top Attorney; Top Tax Attorney, Bethesda Magazine; Montgomery County Bar Association, Ethics Committee; American Bar Association, Tax Committee

HEATHER FUENTES

10411 Motor City Drive, Suite 750 Bethesda, MD 20817 301-291-5027 avangrack@lvglawfirm.com | www.lvglawfirm.com Q: What makes Longman & Van Grack different from other law firms? A: Our client-centered mission is to become our clients’ indispensable advisers, helping them make smart legal decisions through experience, integrity and personalized service. Our commitment to the best possible outcome for our clients is cemented in our unique client-centered approach. Each attorney is a personal legal representative asserting their clients’ legal position whether standing up in a courtroom, negotiating contracts, addressing a tax problem, or drafting a will, and we take that responsibility seriously.

Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday, LLC DOUGLAS M. BREGMAN, LAURENCE H. BERBERT, TIMOTHY P. SCHWARTZ, MARK A. GILDAY, GEOFFREY T. HERVEY, CATHERINE B. HARRINGTON & CHRISTOPHER B. BOWMAN

Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday, LLC has been providing experienced legal counsel to clients in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C. for over 40 years. We are a general practice law firm with special emphasis on commercial real estate, civil litigation, business transactions, alternative dispute resolutions, wills and estates, and state and local governments. 7315 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 800 West, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-656-2707 | www.bregmanlaw.com Q: What differentiates BBS&G from other

law firms?

JOSEPH TRAN

A: At BBS&G, our focus is on the best way to advance

our clients' interests. By prioritizing client service, we have produced successful results for thousands of clients, many of whom have been with our firm for decades. We retain clients by respecting them, responding quickly, communicating effectively, advocating zealously and solving problems efficiently. We build strong relationships with our clients and serve an ever-growing client base of diverse businesses, industries and individuals. We push hard for our clients and give straight answers so clients can make smart, meaningful decisions about their legal matters.

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Boulder Bridge in Rock Creek Park in D.C.

green OASIS

For nature lovers, Rock Creek Park offers a peaceful refuge

BY MELANIE D.G. KAPLAN | PHOTOS BY SKIP BROWN

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Boundary Bridge, which spans the creek between Maryland and D.C.

WHEN JEANNE BRAHA lived

in Chevy Chase’s Rock Creek Forest neighborhood, she ran a 3-mile loop in adjacent Rock Creek Park nearly every day. One morning an owl chased her down the trail—perhaps, she says, mistaking her ponytail for a squirrel. “It was terrifying in the moment,” says Braha, who is executive director of the Rock Creek Conservancy. “But looking back now, it was one of the most amazing things that ever happened to me.” Braha has since moved a little farther from the park, but she still spends as much time there as possible. During the past year, she held inperson, socially distanced walking meetings along the section of Beach Drive that is expected to remain closed to cars through December. Her frequent ventures into the park kept her sane during the coronavirus pandemic, she says. Like Braha, other people stuck at home due to the pandemic flocked to the park to walk, hike and cycle—and to seek out the soothing balm of nature. While official National Park Service (NPS) numbers don’t reflect an increase in visitors to the park in 2020 and into 2021, park staff anecdotally report that visitation increased dramatically. They say some days it was difficult—even amid 1,754 acres—to socially distance. But on other days, visitors were able to keep a safe amount of space between them as they enjoyed a park whose many pleasures comfort, inspire and heal.

KNOW YOUR PARK

Rock Creek Park is a unit of the National Park Service, and it’s located only in Washington, D.C. The park is frequently confused with Rock Creek Regional Park in Maryland, which is managed by Montgomery County, says Dana Dierkes, Rock Creek Park’s chief of interpretation, edu148

cation and outreach. To add to the confusion, Rock Creek Park covers an area that’s almost twice the size as its main and best-known section, and the entirety of the park contains traffic circles and pocket parks throughout the District, as well as Montrose Park, Meridian Hill Park and Dumbarton Oaks Park. So how do visitors know whether they are in the national park or the regional park, which meet at the Maryland-D.C. border? “Look at park signs,” Dierkes says. “NPS signs have the famous NPS arrowhead.” The act that established Rock Creek Park was authorized by Congress in 1890 and describes a tract of land on both sides of the creek that shall be “dedicated and set apart as a public park or pleasure ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of the United States.” Within the national park system, only Sequoia in California and Yellowstone are older, according to the NPS. Before the land became a national park, indigenous people had long lived in the area, and their original footpaths became trails and hauling roads used by European colonists who accessed the mills along the creek. The land also was considered for the site of a new executive mansion before it became a park. Although the White House stayed in downtown D.C., many

of its residents ventured into the park. President Theodore Roosevelt used to enjoy swims in the creek and long hikes through Rock Creek Valley, and famously lost a gold ring near Boulder Bridge along Beach Drive, a couple of miles north of Peirce Mill. In 1915, while courting Edith Bolling Galt (who would become his second wife), President Woodrow Wilson would have his driver take them to a spot on Ross Drive and wait while the couple walked in the woods. Rock Creek originates near Lake Needwood in Derwood, Maryland, and empties into the Potomac River at Thompson Boat Center near the Watergate complex in the District. The creek has a main stem of 33 miles and more than 30 tributaries. Increasingly, heavy rains draining into the creek have caused floods in the park. On July 8, 2019, for example, one of the heaviest downpours on record deluged the District with 3.3 inches of rain in an hour; at Sherrill Drive, the creek rose about 4 feet in an hour, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Capital Weather Gang’s Jason Samenow says rising temperatures linked to climate change are leading to heavier precipitation and an increased threat of flooding. He says 2018 was the wettest year on record in D.C., and last year was the seventh wettest. The

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flooding and stormwater lead to erosion, which damages trails, roads and bridges in the park, officials say. According to Anacostia Riverkeeper’s volunteer-led water quality monitoring report from 2020, the creek is more polluted than the Anacostia and Potomac rivers when it comes to bacteria, including E. coli and fecal coliform. Rock Creek Conservancy, the park’s nonprofit partner, is working with DC Water as part of the Clean Rivers Project to reduce the level of pollution caused by combined sewer overflow, which happens when the system is overwhelmed during a storm. They’re building green infrastructure such as permeable pavement and water-friendly landscaping that will allow the water to infiltrate the soil, evaporate or be absorbed by plants before entering the creek. In the years before bridges spanned the creek, people drove their cars right through it, crossing a series of fords such as Milkhouse Ford and Klingle Ford. In 1908, Roosevelt was thrown from a horse that was skittish about crossing Broad Branch Ford. That same year, high water swept a car into the creek. A century ago, swimming was allowed in Rock Creek, but today it’s prohibited for people and pooches alike—as is bathing and wading. For the best views of the water, walk along Valley Trail or Beach Drive, and across Rapids Bridge and Boulder Bridge.

THE WILD SIDE

The park’s trees, perhaps more than any other feature, make Rock Creek Park the exquisite haven to

which urban dwellers have retreated for 131 years. The park is flush with sugar maples, mayapples and pawpaws (they were once planted by George Washington at Mount Vernon and produce the largest edible fruit native to North America). Visitors with knowledge of tree varieties might recognize chestnut oak and American beech trees on the hilltops, and a mixture of oaks on the flatter eastern side of the park. Tulip, sycamore, river birch, green ash and American elm trees, all of which are tolerant of flooding, are found closer to the creek. The park is also home to about 200 species of mushrooms. The Mycological Association of Washington, D.C., offers fungi “forays” in the park, during which you might see the oyster mushroom and

turkey tail, but keep your distance from the deadly mushroom called destroying angel. Check online to see when the strolls reopen to the public. Also keep an eye on the calendar of naturalist Melanie Choukas-Bradley, author of A Year in Rock Creek Park. She sometimes leads walks in the park. Those who spend enough time in the park might be lucky enough to hear the yips that are most often encountered in the Western U.S. “We believe there are several families of coyotes in the park,” Dierkes says. The existence of coyotes was first confirmed in 2004, and Dierkes says she has heard them; a colleague saw a litter of pups in 2017. Other resident animals include red and gray foxes, beavers, southern flying squirrels, short-tailed shrews, raccoons and six species of bats. The park is also home The Valley Trail to s a l a m a n d e r s , includes sections snakes, lizards and that are among the turtles, and more more challenging to hike in the park. than 150 species of birds—some of which are en route to South America or Canada. Some pass through the park, such as the goldenwinged and cerulean warblers; others, including the wood thrush—the District’s official bird— nest in the park. White-tailed deer moved into the park in the 1980s as a result of suburban development fragmenting forests and creating “edge habitats” that provided plenty of food and shelter. By the early 1990s , sighting s

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Rapids Bridge offers great views of the water.

were so frequent that the park service stopped counting the animals. Predatorfree except for vehicles, the population has been growing and damaging vegetation ever since. The park service has to balance the needs of plants, wildlife and humans, so it created what it calls an “adaptive management approach” that involves shooting a certain number of deer each season to keep populations below 15 to 150

20 deer per square mile—higher numbers are too damaging to vegetation. Without this management, deer populations would quickly rebound and eat nearly all tree seedlings and other plants, the park service says. Since deer management began in 2012, the number of seedlings has tripled—so the park service deems the plan a success. Officials say the number of deer killed each year depends on the status of

vegetation and weather conditions during the management period; 24 deer were killed last winter, and 34 during the winter of 2019-2020, according to Dierkes. More than a century ago, a dam and decorative waterfall at Peirce Mill blocked the upstream route for fish who live in the ocean and make their way through the Chesapeake Bay, up the Potomac River and into Rock Creek to lay eggs in fresh

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Things to Do in Rock Creek Park BE AN ID EXPERT Identify hundreds of plants, critters and fungi with a quick picture and the use of cool phone apps, such as iNaturalist and Seek—the park boasts about 500 native plant species alone—or wonder at its array of winged creatures and download the Merlin app to identify birds by your sight or their songs. More than 150 bird species, from warblers to woodpeckers, live in or migrate through the park yearly. Many apps enable you to upload information and contribute data as a citizen scientist. The areas around the dog run, the nature center, the maintenance yard and the ridge are considered top birding spots.

PLAN A PICNIC Host a pandemic-friendly outdoor get-together or spread your blanket in one of the park’s 29 woodsy picnic areas that offer open green spaces, tables and benches, and easily accessed trails. Those near restrooms or shelters may require reservations. Bring your own firewood or charcoal to use the grills or stone chimneys in some areas. (It’s illegal to collect fallen branches and cut down trees.) Also bring trash bags to “pack out” your garbage. Popular spots include #1, #6, #13 and #24. Reserve a spot for half a day by searching for the park at recreation.gov.

SWING YOUR RACKET Hit the courts at Rock Creek Tennis Center, which features 25 outdoor courts (15 hard, 10 clay) and five indoor courts. The site’s stadium also hosts the annual Citi Open, an Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) event. Local pros lead early-bird clinics, junior camps and adult lessons year-round. The shop offers rackets, restringing, tennis gear and a snack bar. rockcreektennis.com; citiopentennis.com

TEE UP Swing a driver or practice putting at the affordable Rock Creek Golf Park. Rental clubs and carts are available, and the putting green is free. The par 65 course also has a pro shop and a snack bar that offers sandwiches, sodas and beer. Only the front nine holes were open at press time. Lessons for juniors and adults, both group and private, are available. playdcgolf.com/rock-creek

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RIDE A HORSE Saddle up and mosey through the woods on horseback— like many presidents did—on the 13 miles of dirt and gravel bridle paths, starting at the Rock Creek Park Horse Center. The center usually offers 20-minute beginner pony rides for ages 2½ to 7, one-hour guided trail rides for ages 12 and older, and lessons and camps. Group lessons for previous students resumed this fall, and center officials hope to accept new students and restart the pony and guided rides in 2022. Sign up online to be added to their interest list. rockcreekhorsecenter.com

LET THE KIDS PLAY Little ones can shake off those indoor blues and climb, slide or skip through the park’s five playgrounds—most of which have swings, slides and bridges. Pack binoculars and magnifying glasses to help your kids connect more deeply with the park’s abundant flora and fauna. The National Park Service app listing for Rock Creek Park shows the playground locations, and you can download brochures for adventures—animal-themed exercises, bird-watching, wayside exhibits and nature checklists—that kids can do along the almost 1-mile TRACK trail (and many other locations), along with a map of that trail at kidsinparks.com/rock-creek-park.

GO ON A SNOWY ADVENTURE Slip and slide down a snowy hill as the D.C. winter weather gods allow. Check out the hill near Taft Bridge that slides parallel to Shoreham Drive. Another favorite spot is west of the creek and off Williamsburg Lane, just north of the National Zoo. Some stretches of the asphalt trails that are close to the roads lend themselves to cross-country skiing, as does Beach Drive when it’s closed. Or just enjoy the trails and woods in their snow-kissed beauty.

water. Between 2003 and 2006, the park opened 21 miles of migratory fish spawning habitat in the creek and its tributaries with a ladder-like ramp structure over the 8-foot historic dam; fish can climb the ladder to continue upstream. Reports show that shad and blueback herring successfully climb to the place where their ancestors were born and lay their eggs. Also living in the park is the District’s only endangered species: the Hay’s spring amphipod, which Mayor Muriel Bowser named the “state” amphipod in 2016. The centimeter-long, shrimplike crustacean, which has only been documented in D.C., was discovered in 1940 and has been on the endangered list since 1982. It lives underground in the springs of the creek and doesn’t have eyes or pigmentation, using its legs to feel around dark crevices.

TRAILS TO TAKE BUFF UP ON HISTORY Check out the historic features that dot the park. The Milkhouse Ford Loop trail, a 1.75-mile jaunt, winds past some significant sites, including Milkhouse Ford, where wagons and horses used to cross the creek (cars used it until the 1990s), the Joaquin Miller Cabin, and Fort DeRussy, a Civil War battle site with earthen mounds (where the guns sat) and a dry moat. You can follow the trail and learn more about each site and the Battle of Fort Stevens on the National Park Service app.

—Amy Brecount White 152

Braha struggles to pick a favorite trail in the park, but she particularly likes walking on Beach Drive, where she enjoys the bridges and little waterfalls along the way. “Just close your eyes and listen,” she says. The most challenging trails in the park, according to Dierkes, are the 3½-mile Boulder Bridge Hike and the southern half of Valley Trail (from Military Road to Boulder Bridge), a narrow path with lots of hills and tree roots. Less strenuous are the 6½-mile Northern Circuit Hike and the Southern Circuit Hike (5.2 miles). If you have kids in your crew, try starting at the Rock Creek Park Nature Center, near the intersection of

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A 4½-mile stretch of Beach Drive has been closed to vehicles since April 2020.

Military and Glover roads, and exploring the Edge of the Woods Trail, a paved trail that’s a quarter-mile long, or the Woodland Trail, a half-mile trail that starts just beyond the center. For one of the park’s best elevated views, check out Pulpit Rock at the intersection of the Theodore Roosevelt and Valley trails—it’s even more stunning once the trees are bare. Visitors will find the park’s highest spots, nearly 340 feet above sea level, at the horse center, slightly south of the nature center; Fort DeRussy, just north of Military Road; and the U.S. Park Police horse stables off Oregon Avenue. Keep an eye out for the forthcoming trailhead signs, which will make navigation easier than ever, and consider downloading the new National Park Service app, which includes inter-

active trail maps and other helpful information. Also, work is underway to reconstruct almost 4 miles of paved trails and add a pedestrian bridge near the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, which will improve connectivity between the park and the zoo, and provide more space for cyclists, walkers and runners. Alex Sanders, a district manager of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC), says in addition to official trails, the park also has so-called social trails. Social trails often are created by people as convenient shortcuts or paths of opportunity (say, between a neighborhood and a park) rather than as a planned trail. These trails damage vegetation, fragment the forest and significantly reduce habitat for all sorts of plants and animals, including ground-nesting birds, Sanders says. The

main section of the park has 20 miles of designated trails, including the two primary trails, the Western Ridge Trail and the Valley Trail, and many connector trails. But Dierkes says there are as many as 30 miles of social trails. “In some parts of the park, social trails are a very big problem, and it’s almost impossible to tell the official trail from the unofficial trail,” says Sanders, whose favorite official trail is the Melvin Hazen Trail between Rock Creek and Connecticut Avenue. “This is an urban park, so it’s challenging.” Although Sanders has seen evidence of people using a chain saw to illegally maintain social trails, he acknowledges that most people have no idea when they’re not on a designated trail. Eliminating social trails can be complicated, involving public educa-

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green oasis

tion, outreach and signage, according to Sanders. PATC, a 94-year-old nonprofit organization that built and maintains part of the Appalachian Trail, is made up almost entirely of volunteers. The organization maintains the hiking trails in Rock Creek Park, including the clipping of vegetation and controlling of erosion from stormwater runoff—work the park service isn’t funded to do, according to Sanders. “Portions of the park are literally washing away, and that includes trails that will be difficult to reroute,” Sanders says. He says PATC welcomes volunteers for its trail maintenance projects that are held on Saturdays; upcoming dates are Oct. 30 and Nov. 13.

THE GREEN SCENE

The park’s lush green appearance in certain areas comes from unwelcome invaders—non-native invasive plants threatening the upper canopy. They’re competing for water, nutrients and light, strangling native plants and sometimes ousting the natives altogether. They reduce natural biodiversity, draw pollinators away from native plants and replace food sources for wildlife. Once they move in, these pesky, aggressive invasives are difficult and costly to evict, park botanist Ana Chuquin says. “The non-native invasive species come in different ways to the park,” Chuquin says. “We have so many roads and neighborhoods nearby, and the seeds hitchhike on boots and clothing or get carried by birds or water.” Sometimes neighbors unknowingly plant these non-natives, like the ubiquitous English ivy, often used as ground cover but known to creep rapidly into the park. Other times, residents or landscaping companies illegally dump backyard clippings in the park. “They might think, ‘What’s the big deal? Everything’s green,’ ” Chuquin says. Other park invaders include porcelain berry, bush honeysuckle, Asiatic bittersweet and purple loosestrife. She sug154

gests that nearby residents talk to plant societies and local nurseries about planting species in their yards that are native to the region. Rock Creek Conservancy, whose volunteer corps is instrumental in removing invasive species and trash from the park, asks locals to take a pledge to remove invasives from their properties. The group also has worked to create five “mini-oases” within the park, microcosms of what the land could look like without the invaders. According to Braha, these restored oasis sites have about 5% non-native invasive plant coverage, compared with more than 20% in the rest of the park. Thousands of volunteers have worked on these oases—such as those at Normanstone Run (at the intersection of Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway and the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge) and in the western section of Melvin Hazen Park (near Cleveland Park Metro)—to show what could be done on a larger scale by removing invasive plants, introducing native replacements and working with neighbors to develop environmental stewardship. On Sept. 25, which was National Public Lands Day, Rock Creek Conservancy held a “Weed Wrangle,” an event that’s part of a national movement to remove non-native invasive species. Invasive plants aren’t the only unwelcome visitors. Some people release their unwanted fish, turtles and bunnies in the park, which then compete with native animals for resources, Dierkes says.

ON STAGE

Entertainment at the park isn’t limited to communing with nature. Long enjoyed by area residents, the Carter Barron Amphitheater has offered a variety of entertainment over the years, including free live performances of Shakespeare plays from 1991 to 2009. According to Rock Creek Park A to Z by David and Lorraine Swerdloff, the amphitheater spotlight was on musical icons Benny

Goodman and Louis Armstrong in the 1950s, and Bruce Springsteen rocked out there in 1975. The book also recounts how the theater hosted a production of the Ice Capades in August 1955, which, in addition to an ice rink, featured free sledding on 25 tons of machine-made snow. After the amphitheater closed in 2017 for stage repairs, the park expanded that repair project to all backstage infrastructure, front-of-house spaces and other public areas. Officials say they aren’t sure when the work will be completed. Though the amphitheater remains closed, its parking lot is still used for Washington Area Bicyclist Association’s (WABA) popular learn-to-ride classes.

CAR-FREE FUN

In April 2020, the District closed Beach Drive to vehicles from Broad Branch Road to the Maryland state line. The 4½-mile stretch quickly filled with runners, skaters, strollers and cyclists. This stretch, which follows the creek, had previously been closed only on weekends and holidays for about 40 years, and there’s now a strong push—led by WABA—to permanently ban vehicle traffic. The park service, however, says it plans to reopen the road to vehicles once the pandemic subsides to accommodate the thousands of drivers who commute daily through the park. The nature center, which is home to the only planetarium in the national park system, is also expected to reopen, along with other indoor areas such as Peirce Mill. Braha says she’s looking forward to these reopenings, although her favorite spots in the park are outside—the trails, bridges and creek views. “It’s my happy place to go,” she says. “You can leave Connecticut Avenue or 16th Street and within five or 10 minutes feel like you’re somewhere else. Getting away is so important—especially these days.” n Melanie D.G. Kaplan is a Washington, D.C.-based writer.

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Being Who They Are

LGBTQ students are establishing their identities and asserting their rights— as MCPS works to keep up BY JULIE RASICOT | PHOTOS BY LIZ LYNCH

SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Sydney Spottiswood remembers having one of

those “little kid school crushes” and worrying whether classmates at their D.C.-area Catholic school would find out. It was clear, even at age 7, that it wasn’t OK to have feelings for another girl. “You get sent to hell for that,” is how Sydney recalls the fear at the time. So Sydney, who uses gender-neutral they/them pronouns, kept those feelings hidden and didn’t tell anyone that they preferred girls to boys. “It was something that I had repressed for a long time after that because I thought that it wasn’t something that should be known,” Sydney says. Now a senior at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Sydney recalls that time as the beginning of an awareness of not being straight. With no information to explain those feelings, Sydney turned to social media around age 9 and soon discovered the LGBTQ community. Checking sites like Tumblr, Instagram and Pinterest, they came across explicit material before finding actual resources. “Being super young, you don’t understand how wild the internet is and how dangerous it can be,” Sydney says of that time. “That was my source of information.” Knowing they probably shouldn’t have looked at such material, Sydney didn’t tell anyone about it. 156

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LIZ LYNCH

Sydney Spottiswood has taken on leadership roles at the Whitman Pride Alliance and MoCo Pride, a studentled countywide advocacy organization, to support LGBTQ students.

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By sixth grade, Sydney says, they were beginning to understand that being gay wasn’t viewed as a sin by everyone. That year, Sydney came out to their mom as bisexual—being attracted to multiple genders—and said they wanted to transfer to a public school. Sydney says their mother “took it well.” At Thomas W. P yle Middle School in Bethesda, Sydney found their “tribe” of gender-diverse students and became involved in the school’s Gay Straight Alliance club—now called the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) club. Though Sydney felt more comfortable at Pyle, they weren’t immune to the intolerant attitudes of some middle schoolers. “There’s this whole assumption that especially if you’re a girl that’s not straight, that you’re automatically attracted to every girl you meet,” Sydney says. “They’ll look at you weird, and if you’re, like, changing in a locker room for a gym class, they’ll all try to avoid you because they think that you’re going to try to get at them.” Instead of withdrawing emotionally, Sydney found a calling as an LGBTQ activist. At Whitman, they have served as co-president for two years of Whitman Pride Alliance, the school’s chapter of the GSA club. Among club activities, Sydney has written and presented content at meetings and helped organize activities for National Coming Out Day, the Day of Silence and other visibility events, according to Sheryl Freedman, the club’s staff adviser.  Sydney also is the secretary for MoCo Pride, a student-led countywide LGBTQ advocacy organization, and along with other student activists helped Montgomery County Public Schools write the curriculum for its new LGBTQ studies course—one of the first in the country—that was offered to high school students for the first 158

time this fall. The group also has held workshops on how to lobby MCPS and the state legislature. The activism has helped Sydney become more open-minded, they say, and willing to learn about issues that affect minorities. “I am just more compassionate in trying to understand the nuances and trying to understand hate from a widescale perspective,” Sydney says.

ON AN EVENING IN late May,

Greg Edmundson, MCPS’ director of student welfare and compliance, welcomed students, parents and staff as he opened the district’s third annual Pride Town Hall, a three-hour virtual event offering breakout sessions on such topics as best practices for normalizing diverse gender identities in schools and how teachers can make their classrooms more LGBTQfriendly. Roughly 700 participants had registered. “One of our foundational beliefs in MCPS is [that] all students … feel valued, acknowledged and respected,” Edmundson said that night. The town hall occurred at a time when acknowledgment of the gender diversity spectrum is rising, especially among younger generations. It is estimated that nearly 10% of U.S. youths ages 13 to 17 identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, according to a September 2020 report by the Williams Institute at UCLA. A 2020 Gallup poll released in February found that about one in six U.S. adults born between 1997 and 2002, the group known as Generation Z, identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. “Queer,” long considered a pejorative label, is now broadly claimed by the community as an umbrella term, according to activists. Gallup says its poll numbers show that younger generations are more likely than older people to identify as something other than their sex assigned at birth and to reject the

binary concept of gender and sexuality. Though some regard the poll figures as evidence of a fad, teen and adult LGBTQ activists say it’s wrong to assume the rising numbers mean that more people are suddenly deciding they are not heterosexual or cisgender, which means their assigned gender at birth matches the gender they identify with. Rather, they say a shift in societal perceptions along with growing support for the rights of LGBTQ people is creating a safer and more comfortable environment for those who previously may have kept their identities hidden. R ichard Montgomer y Hig h School senior Julia Angel, president and one of the founding members of MoCo Pride, says societal changes combined with access to social media and other online resources have broadened the ability of younger people to explore what being LGBTQ means. “You’re able to see all these other people who are just sharing their life stories that you relate to, and that allows you to do more thinking about your own identity and realize: Hey, maybe I don’t fit into this heteronormative, cisgender system that I’ve been taught my whole life,” says Julia, 17, who lives in Bethesda and identifies as queer. Despite growing acceptance, coming out remains a challenging process, especially for young people. A 2018 report by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which surveyed more than 12,000 LGBTQ teens, found that 24% can “definitely” be themselves as an LGBTQ person at home. Nearly 50% who were out to their parents say their families make them feel bad for being LGBTQ. And at school, 70% said they have been bullied because of their sexual orientation. Only 26% report that they always feel safe in the classroom.

HEADING BACK TO SCHOOL

this fall, Leo, a senior who says he

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Richard Montgomery senior Julia Angel is the president of MoCo Pride. She’s calling for more LGBTQ representation in MCPS’ English and history courses, and for more information on gender identity in a required health class.

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identifies as a transgender man, didn’t plan on using a restroom during the school day. Before the pandemic, using the boys bathroom was “risky,” he says, because security or staff might question him. MCPS’ gender identity guidelines require all schools to have a designated gender-neutral bathroom, usually located in the nurse’s office, and Leo’s high school, which he doesn’t want to name, allows students to use the nurse’s bathroom and a staff bathroom as well. But he says the staff bathroom is in a dark hallway far from classrooms. “There have been many times that I have been going in and staff have been coming out, and

legally changed his name to Leo, substitute teachers would use his former name—what the LGBTQ community calls a “deadname”—because it was listed on class rosters. It’s an occurrence that experts say is invalidating and often emotionally harmful. MCPS no longer requires students to obtain a court-ordered name change or to change their student records as a prerequisite to being addressed by their preferred names and pronouns. Leo occasionally encounters a teacher who doesn’t use his correct pronouns, so he immediately schedules a meeting with the teacher to solve the problem. “I am

“Bullying and harassment can actually get swept under the rug and there isn’t necessarily great attention paid to it, and that shouldn’t be happening,” Izzy Majarowitz told MCPS administrators. they have been giving me a very quizzical look, more often like a scowl: This is a staff bathroom. Why are you coming in here?” he says. So Leo found it was easier to wait until after school, when he can use the boys bathroom with less fear of harassment. Feeling uncomfortable about using the restroom is just one of the issues that Leo has to navigate at school. Before he 160

very no nonsense when it comes to that,” he says. “Students shouldn’t have to forcibly advocate for themselves like that, but I’ve done what I’ve had to do.” Getting teachers and staff to use and respect an LGBTQ student’s pronouns is a necessary step in creating a climate of acceptance, activists say. But it can be a fraught issue for students and staff. “How do you get teachers to respect your pro-

nouns if you’re not out with your parents?” one student wrote in a chat room during the Pride Town Hall. School officials say that students who aren’t out to their parents can ask guidance counselors for help in informing teachers about which name and pronouns to use during class and which to use for other activities, such as parent-teacher conferences. Students posted dozens of questions in chat rooms during the town hall about bullying and other issues, which presenters tried to address. “Do nonbinary people count as trans people because me and my friends were talking about it and we don’t know?” one asked. Another questioned: “Does anyone find it weird that society accepts women wearing suits, but not men wearing dresses?” MCPS officials say the district’s gender identity guidelines, first adopted in 2017 and updated annually, provide a road map for fostering a welcoming environment and ensuring that staff and students respect those who identify as transgender or gender nonconforming. The guidelines, based on federal law and state recommendations, define common LGBTQ terms such as “transgender,” which refers to someone whose gender identity or expression is different from that traditionally associated with the person’s sex assigned at birth, and “gender nonconforming,” a reference to someone whose gender expression differs from conventional or stereotypical expectations. Under the guidelines, transgender and nonconforming students have the right to dress “in a manner consistent” with their gender identity or expression. And schools must allow students to participate in a way that’s consistent with their gender identity whenever students are separated by gender for school activities. Other guideline topics include bullying, sports participation, and requirements to provide gender-neutral facilities such as bathrooms and locker rooms, and to designate “safe spaces” for students, such as a counselor’s office or a specific teacher’s classroom. The guidelines also say students

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should be allowed to fill out a form stating their name, gender and pronoun preferences, and that staff members do not have the authority to disclose a student’s gender identity, even to parents and guardians, “unless legally required to do so or unless students have authorized such disclosure.” That provision is now the subject of a federal lawsuit filed by two county families who claim that it violates federal law, according to court documents initially filed in October 2020. Edmundson, who says the MCPS guidelines were legally vetted before adoption, says he can’t comment on the lawsuit because it is ongoing. According to Edmundson, all staff must complete an annual 30-minute compliance training on the guidelines and how to implement them. School officials are reexamining restroom designs when constructing new schools to make sure bathrooms comply with the guidelines. “That’s a perfect example of [why] we go back to our guidelines and revise…to ensure that all of our students feel welcome,” he says. MCPS held its first Pride Town Hall in 2019 at Wootton High School in Rockville; about 300 people attended. “That was like a watershed moment,” says Mark Eckstein, who spearheaded the event along with the Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations, where he’s chair of the LGBTQ committee. Before that, MCPS hadn’t publicly focused on LGBTQ issues, so there was concern about the public’s response, he says. “A lot of schools just don’t do that because there’s that opposition. So they’ve really come a long way,” he says. Eckstein, a gay father of two MCPS students, says the district’s approach continues to evolve. “They’re just starting to understand what it is to walk in the life of a trans kid or an out gay kid on the football team,” he says. “When you add intersections of race and immigration status and all these other things like nonaccepting parents, it’s a very complicated thing. There are no easy answers.” In August 2019, MCPS gave students the choice of using a gender-neutral “X”

classification when registering for school. This fall, the district unveiled a onesemester elective LGBTQ studies course that includes researched material written by MoCo Pride members on identity, culture, LGBTQ history and the fight to protect and expand LGBTQ rights. Every middle school and high school now has a staff-sponsored GSA club; three years ago, only seven schools did. Robin Lombard, the MCPS outreach coordinator for the MoCo Pride Center, a nonprofit advocacy organization that provides resources and advocates for the county’s LGBTQ community, meets regularly with MCPS high school GSAs. “The fact that every single high school openly has an LGBTQ student group that the students can hold positions in just like any other club…is a big step in terms of visibility and support,” Lombard says.

EVEN WITH THE STEPS that MCPS

has taken, Leo and other LGBTQ students say school remains an uncomfortable place where some students sling homophobic slurs and bully them and staff members aren’t always accommodating. This fall, a transgender eighth grader, who did not want to be identified, and his family filed several complaints with Julius West Middle School in Rockville after he was repeatedly bullied about his gender orientation during the first weeks of the school year. Administrators at Julius West, which is working to prevent bullying and bias as a designated “No Place for Hate” school, say they’ve taken steps to support the student and discipline those involved. A letter Principal Craig Staton sent to the school community asked parents to remind their children to respect other students and their identities: “LGBTQ slurs like ‘that’s so gay,’ ‘he’s so gay’ are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.” Leo says he is working with administrators at his school to ensure it’s safe and comfortable for LGBTQ students. “Middle school was mostly hellish. High school is slightly less hellish,” says Leo, who has suffered mental health issues

related to dealing with his gender identity. Some transgender students don’t express their identities publicly until they’ve left high school, but Leo didn’t want to wait that long. “I prioritized my own health and safety over the comfort of those around me, as I should have,” says Leo, who has a supportive family. It was more important that “I was a functioning person who could get up in the morning rather than making my high school career slightly more comfortable for those around me. I don’t really give a crap if they’re comfortable if I’m happy and alive.” The pandemic only worsened the mental health crisis faced by LGBTQ youths, advocates say. A 2021 national survey of nearly 35,000 LGBTQ youths ages 13-24 by The Trevor Project, a nonprofit focused on suicide prevention among LGBTQ youths, found that 70% experienced “poor” mental health “most of the time or always” during the pandemic. In addition, 42% of LGBTQ youths seriously considered suicide in the past year, according to the survey. During the MCPS town hall, Izzy Majarowitz, the advocacy director for MoCo Pride and now a 17-year-old senior at Northwood High School in Silver Spring, said the school district can help LGBTQ students by doing a better job of uniformly implementing its own guidelines. “I definitely know that a lot of times, bullying and harassment can actually get swept under the rug and there isn’t necessarily great attention paid to it, and that shouldn’t be happening,” Izzy said during a breakout session with MCPS administrators on best practices for normalizing gender identity. Student activists say teachers must stop dividing students by gender for activities, including saying such things as “ladies first,” and all schools need to reconsider gender-oriented traditions; some schools have already moved to gender-neutral homecoming and prom courts. Also, the curriculum should be updated to include references to LGBTQ people, they say. “There’s basically no

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being who they are LGBTQ representation in our English and history courses,” says Julia Angel, the Richard Montgomery High School senior, who also advocates for updating the required high school health course to include more information on gender diversity. Sheryl Freedman, the Whitman Pride Alliance adviser, says there was “a shift in awareness” among staff at the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year that students may use different pronouns and different names than what appear on their legal school documents. During staff training, teachers were encouraged to state their own pronouns when introducing themselves to students and to allow students to fill out a form on which they could state their preferred name and pronouns and whether they were comfortable having those identifiers used in front of peers and family members. Staff development sessions of OneWhitman, a program designed to promote diversity and inclusion, focused on such issues as what to do if a staff member misgenders a student or witnesses another student acting in a homophobic manner. “I do think the majority of staff with whom I’ve spoken really do want to respect a student’s identity and really seek out ways to support that,” Freedman says. At Springbrook High School in Silver Spring, physical education teacher Stacy Farrar says administrators asked teachers at the start of the school year to fill out a get-to-know-you template, including listing their pronoun preferences, and use it to make a welcome sign for students. She says she made a sign, though not all teachers did. She asked her students to fill out a similar form and realized belatedly that it did not ask about preferred pronouns after three students stated their preferences while answering another question about what else she should know about them. “I felt badly because I hadn’t specifically asked the pronoun question,” she says. Farrar, who has been an MCPS educator for 28 years, says she is trying to be 162

more cognizant of using students’ preferred pronouns and not using genderbased language when teaching. “Sometimes I go into the locker room and I say, ‘Ladies, are you ready?’ and now I have to check myself on that,” she says.

NORAH, A QUEER 16-year-old high school student from Silver Spring, was just beginning to figure out her gender and sexuality when the pandemic closed schools. At home with her family, she discovered that months of lockdown gave her time to think about herself and explore queer activism, free from the “gender boxes” and expectations that she faced in school. “I was realizing I don’t connect as much with womanhood as I thought I did, and that’s all right and that was fine with my family,” says Norah, who wanted to be identified only by her first name. “When someone looks at me, they’re like, ah yes, that’s a girl, I’m going to use she/her pronouns, I’m going to use feminine terms for this girl in front of me,” says Norah, now a junior and active in the GSA club at her school. “But when no one is perceiving you, and when no one is putting their understanding of gender and sexuality on you, there’s a lot more room for you to process it yourself. And that was very revealing for me and a lot of my friends.” Robin Lombard, who works with GSA clubs in MCPS high schools, says attendance increased when GSA meetings were forced online because of the closure of schools. For some students, fitting a virtual meeting into their schedules was easier than trying to attend after school. Others found a new freedom with the virtual sessions, she says. “Some students said, ‘When it’s in person, when I go in that classroom, I [feel] like anyone who’s paying attention knows that I’m part of the club, which means anyone who might have a problem with me, sees me go into that room,’ ” she says. “Online, no one saw them go into the Zoom.” For some LGBTQ students, especially

those who weren’t out at home or didn’t feel comfortable expressing their identities in front of their families, lockdown meant they didn’t get the support provided by friends during in-person meetings. “For a lot of the students, the GSA is the only time they are at all relaxed. They’re spending—some of them—every moment tense and on guard ... except for the brief period of those meetings, so the loss of that, I believe, had a substantial mental health impact,” Lombard says. Norah hopes school administrators will ensure that their staffs understand they must follow all of the “amazing” MCPS gender identity guidelines, which exceeded her expectations. During the 2020-2021 school year, her GSA club hosted virtual presentations for students and teachers on the importance of using students’ preferred pronouns. “Can we get some help on the actual ground level?” she says. “Because I know that all the teachers who read that document aren’t going to actually implement it.”

SINCE GOING BACK TO school this fall, Sydney Spottiswood has seen change taking root. They have noticed that Whitman staff members are including their own preferred pronouns when communicating with students. And “get to know you” forms distributed by teachers ask students to state their preferred pronouns and when it’s OK to use them, such as in front of family and classmates, Sydney says. Sydney recently received a letter from a distant uncle who is gay. He’d heard about their activism, including the work on the LGBTQ studies course, and said he was “really happy” to see LGBTQ youths advocating for themselves. Now in his 60s, he recalled that being gay when he was younger “was just not something to be talked about and [was] something to be ashamed of,” Sydney says. “It was very touching.” n Julie Rasicot lives in Silver Spring and is a contributing editor at Bethesda Magazine.

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A Purposeful Life Philanthropist of the Year Kevin Beverly learned as a young boy that we all need help to succeed. He’s made it his mission to invest in others the way others invested in him. BY CARALEE ADAMS

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Beverly packs bags for Manna Food Center with (from left): Catherine Dickstein, Grayson Foa and Henry Kruuse.

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Beverly with Simegne Mamo, a first-generation college student, at a networking event at The Universities at Shady Grove in 2016

Beverly, 64. “With all these people who invested time in you, it seems only fair— if you’ve got an opportunity to give back, you should.”

FOR 39 YEARS, BEVERLY has lived in the same house in Greenwich Forest, the Bethesda neighborhood where he and his wife, Diane, raised their two sons. He’s the kind of neighbor who shows up with firewood when the power goes out in a snowstorm or organizes a group bike ride to support a friend battling colon cancer. In the community, he has a heart for causes that help young people thrive. “My mother was a consummate giver. She said, ‘Nobody does it alone. Everybody needs help,’ ” he recalls, adding that her priority was always: “Children first. People next.” No volunteer job is too big or too small for Beverly. The recently retired executive provides strategic guidance through leadership roles with nonprofits such as CollegeTracks, which helps students navigate the college process.

He also picks up groceries at Manna Food Center in Gaithersburg to assemble weekend food bags for elementary school students. “That man wears so many hats,” says neighbor Wendy Feldman Block. “He’s this quiet operator. He’s never looking for limelight and attention. Yet on the other hand, he is the embodiment of somebody who lives this purposeful life.” It’s Beverly’s commitment to service that led him to be named the 2021 Philanthropist of the Year by The Community Foundation in Montgomery County. “Whenever you look around the community, you constantly find his name. He’s co-sponsoring, chairing, and on the board of so many different organizations,” says former Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett. “He gets other corporate leaders to participate through his example, so not only are they providing resources, but they are engaged as active participants in the community.” Solving big problems takes cooperation among all sectors, Beverly says. He embraces the model of collective action and is a leader with Montgomery Moving Forward, an initiative that brings together stakeholders from business, government and nonprofits to address issues such as workforce development.

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FIVE YEARS AGO, Kevin Beverly was assigned to mentor Simegne Mamo through a scholarship program at The Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville, where he serves on the advisory board and she was studying public health. Mamo, a first-generation college student from Ethiopia, was busy taking classes and working full time, so she didn’t return his initial emails. She didn’t know how a mentor could help her. But Beverly did, so he tracked her down on campus to explain. Then president and CEO of Social & Scientific Systems (SSS) Inc., an international public health research company based in Silver Spring, Beverly started by asking Mamo what she needed. He told her that as a mentor, he could offer a bridge to the professional world and give her an idea of what life would be like after college. Later, he invited Mamo to his office to meet some of his colleagues. He brought her to networking events, challenging her to strike up a conversation with at least four people each time. “He said: Don’t be shy. Everyone in that room was where you are right now. They all had to break out of their comfort zone,” Mamo recalls. Beverly says he saw potential in Mamo that she didn’t yet recognize. She started to find her voice, and when she got her degree from the University of Maryland, he hired her as a research assistant. “Kevin really changed my life,” says Mamo, 33, who has kept in touch with Beverly. He visited her at the hospital last year after her daughter was born and supported her recently when her mother died of COVID-19. “He’s like my American dad.” Beverly learned the value of a helping hand early on. He was 10 when his father left, he says, but he found support in his tight-knit Eastern Shore community and knows the trajectory of his life changed because of the people who encouraged him along the way. “I had help. Boy, did I have help,” says

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As chair of the CollegeTracks board since 2012, Beverly was instrumental in convincing county leaders and Montgomery County Public Schools administrators to increase the reach of its college counseling services from two high schools to five, says Nancy Leopold, the organization’s co-founder and former executive director. Rather than focusing on the constraints of a nonprofit, he’s known for conveying a strong sense of possibility and building powerful relationships. Last year, when the organization needed to raise money to transition to virtual services, Beverly secured $135,000 in a matter of days. “It’s because people love him and they believe in him,” Leopold says. “He is committed to using every resource he possibly can

to the service of Montgomery County.” Beverly’s community involvement spans several organizations. He is vice chair of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corp., chair emeritus of the Montgomery County Advisory Board for the Greater Washington Community Foundation, and chair of the steering committee of the Children’s Opportunity Fund, a publicprivate impact initiative. He also serves on the boards of CareFirst of Maryland and Wrestling to Beat the Streets DC, and was a past board chair of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase YMCA and vice chair of Passion for Learning, a nonprofit that provides after-school programs for low-income children in Silver Spring. Hugh Panero, who has served on

Recently retired, Beverly has continued to volunteer with Manna Food Center, packing food bags called “smart sacks” for children who may not have enough to eat over the weekend. With help from middle and high school students, Beverly picks up the groceries at Manna, assembles the bags at his home in Bethesda, and delivers them to an elementary school in Silver Spring.

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a purposeful life

boards with Beverly, says Beverly comes into meetings with a list, probes deeply to understand problems and tries to bring people together. “He’s bridged all sorts of conflicts between various bureaucracies—be it in a school system or a municipality—and he knows how to do it with facts, a smile and congeniality,” says Panero, a co-founder and former CEO of XM Satellite Radio. “He brings his experience from the business world to the philanthropic world and does it with a lot of grace.” When The Universities at Shady Grove crafted an equity vision statement last year, Beverly led the conversation, says Shirley Brandman, chair of the USG advisory board. He shared some of his own story to make the point that disparities hurting minority students aren’t “ancient history,” she says. “He helped us come to a commitment that is not just words on paper, but something we refer to often, truly trying to use our equity lens as we offer guidance to the institution,” she says of Beverly, who serves as a vice chair. Beverly continued his work with Manna during the pandemic, packing “smart sacks” from home with his wife. His company had been filling the food bags for children in need every week for several years. When Manna CEO Jackie DeCarlo lowered the number of bags 168

Beverly packs his car with boxes from the Manna Food Center warehouse in Gaithersburg.

assigned to SSS a few years ago, Beverly hopped on the phone with her to reiterate his company’s commitment and tell her they wanted to do more. “That’s just his can-do attitude,” says DeCarlo, whose organization honored SSS with one of its 2018 Heroes Against Hunger awards, “and feeling like he’s a partner.” In his 19 years at Social & Scientific Systems, Beverly strengthened ties with the communities where the company operated, providing financial resources and volunteers. He joined employees and their families at East Silver Spring Elementary School to clean up the grounds, plant flowers and read to students. When SSS had an office in Uganda, where they managed a research network for HIV therapeutics, the company supported an orphanage for babies with AIDS. It donated food, money and time to the orphanage—and twice a year for nearly 15 years, Beverly traveled there to work as a volunteer. He’s never forgotten the time the company bought a trampoline for the orphanage, thinking it would be something for the kids to play on. He was surprised to see the staff laying babies on the trampoline instead,

AS A YOUNG BOY, Beverly attended a one-room school where students brought in logs to stoke the potbelly stove. His older brother, Larry Ellis, a retired four-star general in the U.S. Army, was the first in the family to go to college and set the expectation for Kevin to follow. “I was being guided by somebody who had a North Star. He was focused and trying to keep his younger brother in order,” Beverly says of Ellis, who started giving him extra homework packets when he was 8. To get a better education, Beverly says, his family pushed him to attend a predominantly white junior high school and high school in nearby Cambridge, Maryland, and he later became senior class president. When Beverly was a teenager, he got a job at Sears as the assistant to the janitor, cleaning toilets (something he didn’t have at home) and scrubbing floors. Motivated by his mother to do the best job he could no matter what the position, he was promoted to the sporting goods department by the assistant manager. “You never know who is watching or paying attention,” he says. “It had nothing to do with what I was doing. It had everything to do with whatever tenacity he saw in me doing it.” Beverly went to the University of Maryland to study criminal justice and struggled at first to get his footing academically. After his first semester, he returned home to work on an oyster boat. On a cold January day, he fell overboard (a rope was tied to his body because he couldn’t swim) and had to be hauled back. It was a wake-up call of sorts, he says. He realized he didn’t want to do that kind of work and returned to school with a new mindset.

PHOTO BY LISA HELFERT

using it as a place for them to sleep. It was a reminder to listen more intently to the needs of others, he says: “We think we know what people want, and we do [things] without asking.”

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During his second year of college, he got a student job in the mail room at the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda, where he continued to work until his graduation in 1979. Beverly’s work ethic caught the eye of his supervisors, and he was hired to stay on-site at the library in a new role with the World Health Organization. Beverly went on to get his master’s degree in library science and information services from UMD and worked at various companies before joining SSS in 2003. The 500-person, employee-owned company was sold in 2019, and Beverly stayed on through July 2021 to help with the transition. An avid cyclist who logs about 100 miles a week, Beverly has organized group bike rides near his childhood

home on Taylors Island in Dorchester County. “It has such a rich history. Some of it wonderful, some of it tragic. But it is a part of the history,” he says. “And the African American history is really quite extraordinary. “People see me at my peak, as a successful businessperson in the community, but most have no sense of what it took to get there. Sharing where I grew up and some of the history—the churches and schools—gives them a different perspective,” Beverly says. To honor his mother and pay it forward, Beverly established the Mildred Beverly Memorial Family Fund in 2005 to provide about five $1,000 to $1,500 scholarships for students from Cambridge-South Dorchester

High School. This past July, while attending the opening of that area’s first Boys and Girls Club, the mother of one of his scholarship students told him that her daughter had graduated from college and was the only African American vet technician in the area. On his way home, Beverly stopped by the veterinary hospital where the woman worked and waited to talk to her. He was overwhelmed by her gratitude and transformation: He’d met her when she was a quiet high school senior; now she was a working professional talking about going to veterinary school. “She was so proud,” he says. n Caralee Adams is a freelance writer in Bethesda.

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PHOTO BY LISA HELFERT

Buying a home or refinancing can seem overwhelming. So much has changed since I started in the industry. Technology has made the process simpler and streamlined. However, remaining the same is the customer experience; the personal understanding, listening and advising our clients for their important home financing decisions. Our lending specialties include the professionally employed, selfemployed borrowers, low-to-moderate income program, vacation home financing, condominium and co-op lending and first-time homebuyer programs, too. —Deb Levy, Senior Home Lending Advisor, Chase

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GUIDE

Giving

70 WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY

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ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS below have been recommended by either The Community Foundation in Montgomery County 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 SSL hours or internships I , we noted that under volunteer opportunities. For more local nonprofits vetted by these organizations, visit BethesdaMagazine.com.

Feed the Hungry BLACKROCK CENTER FOR THE ARTS/UPCOUNTY HUB

(blackrockcenter.org/upcountyconsolidation-hub) extended its mission of access to the arts for all and created the Upcounty Hub, providing food and essentials to more than 1,000 families every week. The Hub is a no-barrier collaborative program that works with community partners to address matters of food security and wellness for families struggling with poverty. HEADQUARTERED: Germantown SERVES: Montgomery County’s Upcounty region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 pays for a box of food and fresh produce for a family for one week. • $500 pays for five Family Stay-atHome COVID Kits. • $1,000 provides up to eight scholarships for children to attend arts classes. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Support the holiday giving program by running a donation drive for holiday meals and presents. • Ongoing: Package food for distribution or drive for food deliveries.

COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EMPOWERMENT THROUGH EDUCATION AND RESEARCH (CHEER) (communitycheer.org)

works in the Silver Spring and Takoma Park neighborhoods most impacted by COVID-19 to organize healthy food distribution for the community and food deliveries for people with diabetes. CHEER trains community health workers to provide direct support and access to resources and

services to individuals seeking to improve their health; encourages neighbors to form mutual support networks; and facilitates community actions that make the community thrive. HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides boxes of fresh food delivery to 15 residents. • $500 provides 10 families with supplies to protect themselves against COVID-19. • $10,000 enables 100 families to access programs and resources. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Assemble food bags and provide transportation.

CROSSROADS COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK (crossroadscommunity

foodnetwork.org) increases access to fresh, healthy food through programs that empower people to improve health, build wealth and participate in local food systems. Programs include Fresh Checks, a SNAP matching program at Crossroads Farmers Market utilized by 2,000 people annually, as well as healthy eating education, microenterprise training for food entrepreneurs, and a community kitchen geared toward helping them succeed. HEADQUARTERED: Takoma Park SERVES: Takoma Park and Langley Park WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $500 covers the cost of ingredients for Healthy Eating sessions for students at schools with high free and reduced-price meals participation. • $1,000 offsets the cost of food licenses for six low-income food entrepreneurs.

• $5,000 provides Fresh Checks incentives to seven families for the entire market season. SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Help market shoppers, vendors and staff. • Weekly: Support the Piney Branch PTA garden by watering, weeding, planting and harvesting.

EAST COUNTY CONSOLIDATION HUB AT KINGDOM FELLOWSHIP AME CHURCH (kingdom.global/king

dom.care) distributes food, diapers and essential health items to children, adults, families and seniors. The Hub also collaborates with community stakeholders to host COVID-19 awareness, testing and vaccine events, and offers case management and youth and workforce development programs and services. HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: East Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $40 provides one fresh produce box and an assortment of protein for a family of four. • $750 provides 50 families with a range of proteins (chicken, fish, beef and turkey). • $6,000 funds one food distribution, feeding 150 households with a fresh produce box and a protein assortment. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Volunteer at a diaper distribution or vaccine clinic. • Ongoing: Volunteer at a food sorting or packing event.

MANNA FOOD CENTER (mannafood.

org) works to end hunger through healthy food distribution, nutrition education and advocacy to reduce poverty across Montgomery County. In

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2020, Manna assisted more than 50,510 individuals and families, including children, seniors, veterans and the working poor. Manna partners with community groups and businesses to address immediate needs and create sustainable healthy communities. HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 supports one Manna truck’s daily food rescue run, enabling the distribution of quality proteins and fresh vegetables to participants. • $500 purchases 417 pounds of fresh produce from local farmers through Manna’s Farm to Food Bank program. • $15,000 supports weekend bags at one elementary school for one year. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Prepare food boxes and sort canned goods. • One day: Host a food and funds drive.

MID COUNTY CONSOLIDATION HUB AT HUGHES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (hughesumc.org/mid-

county-hub) is a consolidation center that helps local families affected by the pandemic. The Hub serves low-income families, single mothers, families with disabled children, homeless people and older adults. The Hub distributes diapers, formula, nonperishable foods, produce, prepared meals, and rent and bill assistance. Partnering with the Department of Health and Human Services and Catholic Charities, additional social services help connect clients with other resources. HEADQUARTERED: Wheaton SERVES: Mid-Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $500 pays for culturally appropriate summer lunches for 100 kids. • $1,000 helps one family per month with rent and utilities. • $10,000 buys prepared meals for 180 people for four months. SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help pack or distribute 172

S food on-site, or deliver bags of food to seniors.

SHEPHERD’S TABLE (shepherdstable.

org) serves more than 2,500 individuals experiencing homelessness, food insecurity or poverty in the county every year by providing nutritious meals, clothing, a mailing address, prescription assistance, information and referrals, case management and other social services. The Eye Clinic provides vision screenings, prescription eyeglasses and treatment for glaucoma and cataracts for the uninsured. HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery and Prince George’s counties WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 covers the cost of prescription medication for eight clients. • $1,000 covers the cost of food for 280 meals. • $10,000 provides 80 eye exams and eyeglasses for low-income, uninsured adults. SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Make sandwiches, baked goods or casseroles at home, or serve meals on-site.

Improve Someone’s Health EVERYMIND (every-mind.org)

strengthens communities and empowers individuals to reach optimal mental wellness. Since 1957, EveryMind has been a mental health resource, providing direct services, community education and advocacy. The groups strives to bring healing, hope and wholeness to children, youths, adults, veterans and families. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $50 provides one hour of supportive listening, information, resources and crisis intervention for the community via phone, text and chat services.

• $100 provides basic house-

hold cleaning and essentials to establish a home for a formerly homeless neighbor. • $1,000 supports 20 therapy sessions for a child who has experienced trauma. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Serve as an emotional support specialist for the hotline, text and chat services. • Short term: Support children and families with tutoring.

MOBILE MEDICAL CARE (MOBILEMED) (mobilemedicalcare.

org) provides high-quality primary health care for thousands of low-income, uninsured and underinsured Montgomery County residents every year. Staff and volunteer clinicians deliver linguistically and culturally sensitive care, integrated behavioral health and wraparound support. In response to COVID-19, MobileMed expanded its outreach, case management and remote patient monitoring, and implemented telehealth, including teletherapy, and vaccinations, working with community partners to address COVID vaccine equity. HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $75 subsidizes one patient’s medical visit. • $500 supports one week of the MobileMed Women’s Clinic. • $1,000 provides colorectal cancer screening and follow-up for 50 individuals. I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Ongoing: Serve as a volunteer at a clinic; host a donation drive or fundraiser; or provide pro bono administrative and marketing support.

NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS MONTGOMERY COUNTY (NAMI MC) (namimc.org) provides

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VOLUNTEER

Spotlight

Patti Proano-Arnaiz (center) volunteering in Germantown with the Upcounty Hub at an event to provide free COVID vaccines, eye exams, backpacks, books and food

PATTI PROANO-ARNAIZ

PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

THE UPCOUNTY HUB

SOON AFTER BLACKROCK CENTER for the Arts closed because of COVID-19 in March 2020, the Germantown facility transformed its space to divide and distribute a large donation of fresh produce to local people in need. Contributions of food kept flowing in, and the operation evolved into the Upcounty Hub, a program now serving more than 1,000 families a week. This summer it moved to the nearby Upcounty Regional Services Center on Middlebrook Road in Germantown, where it operates with staff and dedicated volunteers such as Patti Proano-Arnaiz. The 52-year-old Spanish teacher at Lakelands Park Middle School in Gaithersburg was an early volunteer with the Hub, alongside her youngest daughters, Sofia, 17, and Carina, 24. She spent the past two summers helping four days a week, filling grocery bags, making deliveries and using her language skills to connect with families in the community. “I’ve really enjoyed meeting the families—seeing how much those small

outreach efforts can make the kids happy and the parents really appreciate it,” says Proano-Arnaiz, who has seen up close the organization’s work with community partners to build trust and provide immunizations (including COVID-19 vaccines), eye exams and health kits. “Now it’s this huge enterprise. It’s amazing to see what the Hub has done.” Proano-Arnaiz was born in Peru, lived in Chile and Brazil, and has been in Montgomery County since 1981, currently living in Clarksburg. She has been a teacher with Montgomery County Public Schools for 28 years. “She has a keen understanding of the people served and how to treat people with respect,” says BlackRock CEO Lynn Andreas Arndt. “Patti is someone who sees the need and she feels the need. She quietly comes in and works with the team. It’s never about her. It’s never for anything other than the service.” The volunteers have bonded like a family while preparing bags of fresh produce and boxes of canned goods,

Proano-Arnaiz says. They try to establish a rapport with clients and respond to their needs as they go into neighborhoods to make deliveries. On one occasion while dropping off food, Proano-Arnaiz checked on a woman struggling with depression to make sure she was all right and knew of mental health help that was available. At another home, Proano-Arnaiz learned about the needs of a child with autism and brought him a soccer ball, puzzles and coloring books. “It’s very heartbreaking to see some families who have lost pretty much everything [during the pandemic]. We try to help as much as possible and get them access to services,” says ProanoArnaiz, who notes that the experience has made her more understanding of the challenges faced by many of her economically disadvantaged students. “I was one of the lucky ones, and I want to give back to the community—and my students.” —Caralee Adams

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comprehensive support, education, advocacy and public awareness to promote recovery so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County and surrounding areas WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 brings mental health education to your community through free presentations. • $500 enables the recruitment and training of NAMI in the Lobby volunteers, who provide support and resources to family members with loved ones hospitalized for mental health crises. • $1,000 helps provide free classes to English- and Spanish-speaking participants so they can learn about mental health conditions and gain support from peers. I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Monthly: Facilitate a mental health awareness presentation. • One time: Form a NAMIWalks Montgomery County Team.

THE TREE HOUSE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MARYLAND (treehousemd. org) provides an array of free services to child and adolescent victims of abuse and neglect and their family members. Services include mental health assessments and therapy, medical evaluations, forensic interviews and family advocacy, all provided in a safe and child-focused central location. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides five hours of trauma therapy for a child. • $1,000 provides a full medical exam and psychological evaluation for a child. • $5,000 provides one family with a full course of medical, therapeutic and victim assistance services. SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

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S • Ongoing: Help with the Tree House •

Tour de Cookie event. Ongoing: Organize snack or supply drives.

Put a Roof Over Someone’s Head BETHESDA CARES (bethesdacares. org) helps people suffering chronic homelessness find paths to safe, permanent housing, while also easing their lives through its drop-in center, daily hot meal program, clothing closet and mental health services. Bethesda Cares also works directly with landlords and utility companies to prevent low-income residents from spiraling into homelessness. HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 supports the efforts of caseworkers to provide COVID vaccines to five individuals experiencing homelessness. • $500 covers move-in expenses for a homeless veteran household to obtain housewares, cleaning supplies and personal care items. • $1,000 serves as a security deposit for a newly housed client. SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Volunteer programs are temporarily suspended due to COVID-19. HOUSING UNLIMITED (housing

unlimited.org) currently provides 228 individuals with affordable homes at 83 fully furnished properties. Housing Unlimited empowers people in mental health recovery to live on their own and learn the skills they need to be successful and confident members of the community. HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides pots, pans, plates and tools for a new home. • $1,000 covers living room furnishings for a new townhome.

• $10,000 supports an AmeriCorps

intern to help serve 228 residents. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help landscape or mulch a yard. • Weekly: Provide administrative help, such as data entry assistance, at the Housing Unlimited office.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS (mcch.net)

supports 1,600 veterans, families and individuals annually who have experienced homelessness, providing emergency shelter and permanent housing, and creating a community where everyone has a safe, stable and affordable place to call home. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides two formerly homeless children with coaching and mentor support. • $1,000 provides move-in kits for four veterans who are ending their homelessness and moving into a new home. • $10,000 provides a month of rental assistance for 10 formerly homeless families now living in permanent supportive housing. SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Collect move-in kits and cleaning supply kits for clients. • Ongoing: Provide prepared meals for the men’s shelter or supportive housing sites.

MONTGOMERY HOUSING PARTNERSHIP (mhpartners.org)

is a private nonprofit developer of affordable rental housing, managing over 2,275 homes. MHP houses people, empowers families and strengthens neighborhoods. For more than 30 years, MHP has acquired, rehabilitated, built and managed quality affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families and provided Community Life programs for its residents. HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County

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Spotlight

Amy and Daniel Marcin at their home in Silver Spring

AMY AND DANIEL MARCIN NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS, MONTGOMERY COUNTY

PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

AMY MARCIN SAYS SHE knows it’s a bit of a cliché, but being part of a support group for people with mental illness has truly made her feel like she’s not alone. “It’s very inspiring to be in the company of people who have survived trauma that you wouldn’t wish on anyone and yet are still persisting,” says Marcin, 38, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2009. “It’s a wonderful way to get ideas of coping mechanisms. People share their experience and also share what has helped them.” Marcin says attending peer support groups at the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Montgomery County (NAMI, MC) since 2016 was essential in helping her, including dealing with the stress of college classes a few years ago. She says she’s now in a good place, using calming meditation apps, journaling and making sure she gets enough exercise and time outdoors. Last year, Marcin decided to become a volunteer peer facilitator for NAMI to help others. “It’s just really nice to give back to an organization that has given me so much,” she says. “It feels full circle.” Every month, NAMI, MC has about

two dozen free support group sessions for individuals and family members. The organization also advocates for people with mental illness by giving presentations to community groups, operating a resource help line, and offering educational classes, according to Nicole Lucas, director of programs. Lucas says her organization, with just five staff members, relies heavily on volunteers to serve about 2,800 individuals each year. All volunteer group facilitators attend three days of training conducted by the state NAMI office. Marcin regularly leads evening peer support groups on Zoom from her home in Silver Spring. She says the best sessions are those in which she gets everyone to open up and offer advice to one another. Recently, a woman who was considering having a baby asked Marcin about her experience with medication and pregnancy, and Marcin was able to reassure her about her own experience continuing with her medications in order to protect her mental health and having a healthy pregnancy. Amy’s husband, Daniel, 35, tends to their newborn daughter when she’s hosting the online peer sessions; Daniel, in turn,

hands over baby duty to Amy on the nights he facilitates family support group meetings for NAMI. An economist, Daniel had attended a few family support groups and was looking for a NAMI meeting closer to his home when he offered to become a volunteer facilitator last year. He shares his wife’s sentiments about the value of connecting with others going through similar challenges. “It can be very rewarding to see people come to group feeling alone and helpless, and then find they can connect with people who are in a similar situation looking to extend a hand,” Daniel says. “It’s a community that understands and supports each other.” The Marcins say the stigma of mental illness is fading, but they want people to be more accepting and open. “Emotion and mental health are health issues,” Amy says. “It would be the same if someone had diabetes. You have to take medication and manage it. It’s treatable. There is hope. There is recovery, and resources are out there to help you.” —Caralee Adams

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WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides supplies for an afterschool homework club. • $1,000 helps cover two field trips for 72 children to the National Zoo. • $10,000 covers the stipend for one AmeriCorps member to support Community Life programs. I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: SSL • One day: Participate in food delivery for residents in need due to COVIDrelated loss of income. • Ongoing: Join the outreach team working remotely with residents to connect them with community resources.

REBUILDING TOGETHER MONTGOMERY COUNTY

(rebuildingtogethermc.org) provides free home repairs, accessibility modifications and energy efficiency improvements for vulnerable seniors, individuals with disabilities, veterans and low-income families with children to enable them to remain in their homes. HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides handrails and grab bars so an older adult can age in place. • $1,000 secures a working stove and new hot water heater for a single veteran. • $10,000 replaces a leaking roof, remediates damage caused by mold and prevents structural hazards that threaten to make a home unlivable. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • None at this time.

Offer a Safety Net to Those in Need INTERFAITH WORKS (iworksmc. org) helps more than 17,000 residents each year, equipping homeless and low-income neighbors to lift themselves from poverty through 176

S integrated prevention, stabilization and empowerment programs. Interfaith Works’ programs change lives with the help of 7,000 volunteers and 165 congregations. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 provides job-specific clothing that recently employed clients have to buy. • $250 can help pay six rental application fees for clients moving into permanent housing. • $2,000 helps five families avoid being evicted from their homes. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Ongoing: Sort and organize donated clothes and household goods that will be provided to clients free of charge. • Ongoing: Help distribute food on a weekly basis.

LATINO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER (ledcmetro.org) equips

Latinos and other underserved Greater D.C. residents with the skills and tools to achieve financial independence and become leaders in their communities. The organization’s small-business services include technical assistance and microloans for aspiring and existing low- to moderate-income entrepreneurs. Its housing services prepare families for responsible homeownership. HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. SERVES: Maryland, Virginia, D.C. and Puerto Rico WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 helps establish tenant associations to preserve affordable housing. • $1,000 helps a low-income family or senior in crisis remain in their home. • $10,000 helps an aspiring low- to moderate-income entrepreneur. I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Offer expertise related to personal and business financial management. • Weekly: Help with survey administration.

SHEPPARD PRATT (sheppardpratt.

org) provides support programs to more than 70,000 people annually throughout Maryland. Regionally, its programs aim to improve the quality of life for families through special education services, child development programs, prevention and early-intervention services, emergency assistance, mental health and substance abuse services, domestic violence services and more. HEADQUARTERED: Towson, Maryland SERVES: Maryland, including Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $500 provides aid and shelter to a woman and her children fleeing domestic violence and human trafficking. • $1,000 provides safe environments for youths to prevent gang involvement and to support recovery from substance abuse. • $10,000 furnishes a playroom at the Betty Ann Krahnke Center, a domestic violence shelter. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One time: Volunteer at a special event.

VOICES FOR CHILDREN MONTGOMERY (voicesforchildren

montgomery.org) supports abused and neglected children by providing them with trained court-appointed special advocates (CASAs) to ensure their best interests are represented in the legal and social service systems. CASAs work with nearly 300 children each year. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 covers recruiting/training for four new child-advocate volunteers. • $1,000 provides ongoing support and supervision for volunteer advocates to serve three children for one year. • $10,000 covers the full cost of providing volunteer advocates for seven children for one year. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

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Spotlight

As a volunteer member of Asian American LEAD’s board, Siu Cheung Rossmark (above) has worked to support the education of low-income Asian American and Pacific Islander youth. She’s pictured at a Washington Spirit game (back row, center) with some of the organization’s staff, board members and program participants.

SIU CHEUNG ROSSMARK ASIAN AMERICAN LEAD

COURTESY PHOTOS PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, Siu Cheung Rossmark began dropping off bags of toys around the holidays for the nonprofit Asian American LEAD (AALEAD). Then she started to show up for the annual holiday party where those gifts were distributed to refugee families from Asian countries. “To see the kids being able to choose toys and get something they really would not have gotten if it wasn’t for AALEAD—just the way their faces lit up… it just touched my heart,” says Cheung Rossmark, who sometimes got a new dress or shoes as a child when her family celebrated Chinese New Year—but never toys. The more Cheung Rossmark learned about the organization’s work to support the education of low-income Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth through after-school and mentoring programs, the more she wanted to get involved. The 51-year-old owner of Siu’s Asian Bistro in Silver Spring has been a volunteer member of the AALEAD board since 2010 and became board chair in November 2020. For six months last year, Cheung Rossmark stepped in as pro bono executive director, working full time with program staff and funders, writing

grants to funders requesting support for AALEAD programs, and stabilizing the organization’s finances. Back on the board now, she helps organize fundraising activities and create greater awareness of AALEAD’s services. Cheung Rossmark restructured board responsibilities and serves on its governance and strategic planning committees. AALEAD, with offices in Washington, D.C., Annandale, Virginia, and Rockville, serves students in the D.C. metro area from kindergarten through college, primarily from 23 ethnic groups, including Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Japanese. Many have parents who don’t speak English, which Cheung Rossmark says was her experience. The organization’s work includes outreach to families and connecting them with community resources. “When I was a kid growing up in D.C., we were poor. We came to this country with nothing,” she says of moving from China when she was 6. “I wish there had been a program like this for me.” Cheung Rossmark says it’s been rewarding to watch students advance through the program, complete college, obtain jobs—and in some cases give

back to AALEAD. “We need to continue to create a space for young people to speak out. The more we encourage them to be leaders, it allows them to have more confidence,” says Cheung Rossmark, whose three grown children have been involved with the organization over the years. “We always try to ask our youth what they think and incorporate that into our work.” In the wake of recent incidents of AAPI discrimination, engagement in AALEAD programs and donations have increased, and the organization received a $2 million grant this year from MacKenzie Scott, a philanthropist and ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Hanh Le of Washington, D.C., says she joined the AALEAD board four years ago because she was impressed with Cheung Rossmark’s energy and commitment. At the end of 2019, the organization was going through some financial hardships, but Le says Cheung Rossmark never lost hope. “She had a lot of pep talks with me and other board members to say, ‘We can do this. There’s light at the end of the tunnel,’ ” Le says. —Caralee Adams

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• One day: Donate household items to •

support older youths transitioning out of foster care. Weekly: Train to become an advocate (must be 21 or older).

Support Seniors HOME CARE PARTNERS

(homecarepartners.org) provides in-home services to more than 1,000 low-income seniors and adults with disabilities, supports family caregivers and offers caregiver education. The organization also provides continuing education to home care aides and partners with the D.C. Department of Aging and Community Living to provide seniors with home modifications to reduce fall risks and barriers to mobility. HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C.

SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $50 covers a shower chair to help a senior age in place with dignity. • $250 supplies weekend respite aide service to give a family caregiver a much-needed break. • $1,500 provides a week of aide service to help 25 older adults remain safely in their homes. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Long term: Serve as a marketing or development coordinator.

JEWISH COUNCIL FOR THE AGING (accessjca.org) builds caring

connections, empowers independence and offers solutions to help older adults, their families and the wider community thrive. Programs of the JCA’s Heyman Interages Center have brought children and older adults together for 30 years, building bridges

and shattering stereotypes. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery, Frederick and Prince George’s counties, and Fairfax and Arlington counties in Virginia WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $60 funds reading materials for mentoring and tutoring programs. • $150 supplies an intergenerational reading/literacy corner. • $750 provides tutoring or mentoring help for an at-risk child for a whole school year. SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Ongoing: Tutor, lead a book discussion or participate in intergenerational dialogue.

Help Build Communities IMPACT SILVER SPRING

(impactsilverspring.org) aims to

MAKE THIS SCHOOL YEAR A SUCCESS IN-HOME EXECUTIVE FUNCTION COACHING FOR YOUR CHILD

hello@illuminos.co www.illuminos.co 178

(571) 313-5163

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achieve a racially and economically equitable Montgomery County through building and sustaining communitybased, equity-focused spaces where people and organizations can take collaborative action. IMPACT believes that achieving true equity requires transformation at the personal/ interpersonal, neighborhood and systems levels. HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides equipment for one team of low-income youths participating in IMPACT’s soccer program, enabling this program to remain free of charge. • $1,000 provides interpretation support for multiracial community events on racial justice. • $10,000 provides supplies and equipment to support four resident-led

community gardens in low-income neighborhoods. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • As needed: Teach English as a second language classes. • As needed: Volunteer as a youth soccer coach (minimum age 18).

MONTGOMERY COUNTY FOOD COUNCIL (mocofoodcouncil.org)

leads more than 2,000 partners in communitywide education, advocacy and capacity building initiatives to cultivate a more resilient, sustainable and equitable local food system. The organization enhances food access for more than 100,000 people at risk of hunger, expands food education opportunities, supports county farms and food and beverage businesses, and addresses food system impacts on natural resources. HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda

SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $50 supports a convening of the county’s consolidation hubs to share resources, coordinate services and address food access challenges. • $250 provides a three-month stipend for one board member with lived food insecurity experience to serve as a community advocate and resource navigator. • $500 supports the coordination of the Farm to Food Bank Program, which distributes diverse foods from county farms to residents through local food assistance providers. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Join an advocacy workshop and participate in a hunger awareness social media campaign. • Ongoing: Train to serve as a food resource navigator in your community.

WE FIGHT FOR THE VULNERABLE AND UNDERSERVED... YOU CAN HELP AT WWW.NCCF-CARES.ORG BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

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Give a Child a Chance ARTIVATE (goartivate.org) celebrates

the arts as an essential part of everyday life, creating dynamic interactive experiences in schools, libraries, theaters and other community sites, including the Montgomery County Correctional Facility and youth detention centers, through Project Youth ArtReach. Working with dozens of professional artists, Artivate engages children, teens and families through performances and workshops representing a range of artistic disciplines and cultural traditions. HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 pays for a West African drumming workshop for court-involved teens. • $500 funds a cultural arts performance for 350 students at a Title I school. • $1,000 provides key support for a six-week painting residency at the county correctional facility. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with a special event. • Ongoing: Provide office support (post COVID-19).

ARTS ON THE BLOCK (artsonthe block.com) empowers youths to shape fulfilling futures, join the creative workforce, and contribute to community through real-world arts and entrepreneurship. Given tech and art materials, Youth Arts Movement (YAM) children and families explore STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) learning in English and Spanish. In The Apprentice Program, creative teens earn a stipend or SSL hours while learning art, design practice and career options. Apprentices graduate to Studio Crew positions, highprofile art commissions and customized career planning. HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region 180

S WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $500 provides portfolio materials and training for one apprentice. • $1,000 supplies a tablet and Wi-Fi for a YAMer. • $2,500 covers a “Block Talk” conversation with industry leaders. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Host an online fundraiser. • Monthly: Mentor a preprofessional creative.

ASIAN AMERICAN LEAD (aalead.org)

supports low-income and underserved Asian Pacific American youths (kindergarten through college age) with academic development, decisionmaking for their academic futures, leadership skills and improved healthy concepts of self through after-school, summer and mentoring programs. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 covers the cost of an educational workshop for 50 youths. • $1,000 supports one youth with one year of Asian American LEAD programming. • $10,000 supports 10 youths with one year of Asian American LEAD programming. I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Lead an educational or career workshop. • Weekly/monthly: Volunteer at an after-school program or mentor a young person.

COMMUNITY BRIDGES

(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 425 girls at 17 public schools in discovering their unique identity, voice and potential through leadership development, college and career readiness, family support and mentoring.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 covers the annual activity fees for 10 girls in the program. • $1,600 sponsors one girl for the year. • $10,000 supports one-on-one college planning for 30 high school seniors. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Become a volunteer for food and supply delivery. • Monthly: Mentor a high school or middle school girl.

GB YOUTH MEDIA (youthmediamd.

org) is a media arts organization focused on social justice and the voices of youths. In GBYM’s program The Promoters, a group of students ages 12 through 25 learn media arts skills to tell their personal stories and to advance humanitarian causes. The students use GBYM’s website, newsletter and social media accounts to promote their art and videos and to support their peers. HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: 5-mile radius of Langley Park WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $75 buys video/graphic design software for two months. • $250 buys internet access for six months. • $500 pays 10 submission fees to national film festivals. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Coach a Promoter on a job or college application. • Weekly: Deliver art supplies, books, food and personal supplies to teens in Hyattsville and Silver Spring.

IDENTITY (identity-youth.org) works

with Latino and other historically underserved youths and their families, benefiting more than 50,000 residents annually, after school, in the community and on playing fields. Identity helps youths develop social and emotional skills, do better in school, and get ready for work, providing emergency and intensive case management, nonclinical

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Spotlight

Francisco Cosio-Marron at a Young Artists of America rehearsal at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac

FRANCISCO COSIO-MARRON YOUNG ARTISTS OF AMERICA AT STRATHMORE

PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

BEFORE HIS SON ANTHONY’S first concert with the Young Artists of America (YAA) Orchestra, Francisco “Paco” CosioMarron offered to set up chairs in the basement lobby of The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda. That was 10 years ago, the orchestra’s inaugural season, and he’s been volunteering with YAA ever since—even after Anthony left for college. Cosio-Marron serves as the orchestra manager for the select group, which has grown from 15 high school musicians in the beginning to nearly 60 today. Together with YAA voice, dance and acting students from the area, the orchestra typically performs about three musical theater productions a year. The 72-year-old Potomac resident is YAA’s longest-serving volunteer, spending about 10 hours a week assisting the music director, Kristofer Sanz. CosioMarron typically arrives early twice a week to set up for rehearsals, greets the students and then stays for three-plus hours—distributing music, reminding

orchestra members to turn off their cellphones, and offering encouragement. When COVID-19 hit, he provided support for the group’s virtual activities. “He’s been an amazing mentor to me,” 17-year-old trombone player Hyun June Cho of Potomac says of Cosio-Marron, whose bubbly personality was especially welcome on Zoom practices. “Every time the energy of the group got low, he’d pop a joke and it would brighten us up and boost morale.” On average, YAA members miss just one of the nearly 40 practice sessions held each season, according to attendance spreadsheets kept by Cosio-Marron, who often calls students who don’t show up. And engagement remained high even when activities were moved online, he says. Cosio-Marron, who plays piano and was a technology instructor in the aerospace industry before retiring, also handles communications with YAA families. He writes about the historical backgrounds of the orchestra’s musical scores and includes video clips in weekly emails, known as “Paco’s notes.”

“He’s telling us stories about the music and giving it so much depth that it really brings the music alive when we start playing it,” says Abigail Pak, 17, of Clarksburg, who shaped the way she played percussion in Beauty and the Beast on what she’d learned about the characters from the email notes. “Once they are invested in understanding [the music], they are also invested in playing it better,” Cosio-Marron says. When there is downtime, Abigail says, Cosio-Marron often sings, shares rhymes or plays games, forming connections with the students. “We've sort of created a little community. It’s satisfying to watch these kids blossom in ways you could not imagine,” says Cosio-Marron, who stays in touch with many after they graduate. “It raises everything—my spirits, my desire to study more and be smarter so I that can help them. It’s just fun.” —Caralee Adams

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emotional support, counseling and other wraparound services. HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 helps 25 students practice reading at home, getting them on the road to reading at grade level and beyond. • $500 helps five promotoras (community members trained to provide basic health education) co-facilitate support groups for parents coping with anxiety, stress and grief exacerbated by the pandemic. • $1,000 helps three disconnected youths with GED tutoring and job training. SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Occasional: Help with sports tournaments and other events during school holidays.

IMAGINATION LIBRARY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD

(imaginationlibrarymcmd.org) provides free, new, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age 5 by mailing one book each month to the child’s home in his/her name. Currently serving 825 children in the county, it is an affiliate of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The program promotes family reading, a love of learning and kindergarten readiness. HEADQUARTERED: Glen Echo SERVES: Children in five ZIP code areas in Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $125 buys books for one child for five full years. • $1,000 buys one book for 465 children. • $2,500 buys books for 100 children for one full year. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Ongoing: Provide support to staff and work on special projects.

LATIN AMERICAN YOUTH CENTER (LAYC)/MARYLAND MULTICULTURAL YOUTH CENTERS

(layc-dc.org) reaches about 5,000 at-risk 182

youths in the region annually through job readiness training, paid internships, work experience, GED instruction, college preparation, case management, mentoring and leadership development. In fiscal year 2020, LAYC helped more than 200 Montgomery County teens obtain employment certification, paid job placement or a GED. HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 buys 25 bags of food for LAYC youths and their families. • $250 buys internet access for one youth to participate in virtual programming for three months. • $500 covers a four-week internship for a youth. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Become a motivational guest speaker to the youth program. • Weekly: Make deliveries for food distribution to LAYC youths and families.

LATINO STUDENT FUND

(latinostudentfund.org) provides opportunities to build a strong academic foundation for underserved pre-K through 12th grade students in the region. By providing yearround, out-of-school-time programs to low-income, at-risk students and their families, the Latino Student Fund increases levels of educational attainment in the community. HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. SERVES: D.C., Prince George’s County and Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $125 provides adult education through ESOL and computer classes. • $250 funds virtual mentoring for high school recent arrivals. • $500 funds one week of summer college prep. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Prep for the annual gala or serve as a career panel speaker. • Ongoing: Conduct one-on-one

tutoring with a kindergarten to 12th grade student or serve as a virtual mentor or college prep tutor for high school students.

LIBERTY’S PROMISE

(libertyspromise.org) engages firstgeneration and immigrant youths through programming that includes civic/community engagement, career and college readiness, and internships with government agencies, small businesses or nonprofit organizations. Liberty’s Promise serves at least 400 county youths annually. HEADQUARTERED: Alexandria, Virginia SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 covers meals for 30 youths at six program sessions. • $500 pays the Metro fares for 70 youths to tour Washington, D.C., sites. • $5,000 supports six teens in summer internships. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Work with a student to create a resume and cover letter, or address the after-school program on topics such as college and careers or financial literacy. • Ongoing: Host a Liberty’s Promise youth at your place of business during the summer.

PASSION FOR LEARNING (P4L)

(passionforlearning.org) addresses educational opportunity gaps faced by middle school students from low-income families. P4L provides enriching STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and college awareness/readiness programs for youths who are underestimated and under-encouraged. Coached by dedicated teachers and older student mentors, P4L’s youths develop their pathways to success in high school, college and careers. HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County

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WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides five electronicsrobotics project kits. • $1,000 enables four students to attend a one-week college readiness summer camp. • $10,000 pays for a year of an afterschool STEM or college readiness program at one school. I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Speak to students as a STEM professional.

Help Someone Go to College ACHIEVING COLLEGIATE EXCELLENCE AND SUCCESS (ACES) – MONTGOMERY COLLEGE FOUNDATION (acesmontgomery.org)

is a collaboration among Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery College and The Universities at Shady Grove to increase college enrollment and completion among students who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education. The program provides academic coaching, interventions and career experiences to 2,700 students enrolled in the three institutions. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 helps a student purchase textbooks for one semester. • $1,000 provides emergency assistance for a student facing a financial crisis. • $10,000 pays for scholarships for up to 10 students. SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Share your own career story as a guest speaker, or offer career shadow experiences. • Ongoing: Host an internship at your company.

COLLEGETRACKS (collegetracksusa. org) empowers first-generationto-college students and students

from immigrant and low-income households in Montgomery County, helping them bridge systemic opportunity gaps with support to get to and through higher education. The organization serves 2,000 students annually. HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Students and alums at Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Paint Branch, Quince Orchard, Watkins Mill and Wheaton high schools WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 supports three recent graduates in attending Summer College Success Skills Workshops. • $1,000 provides one year of college admissions and financial advising for a high school senior. • $5,000 provides one year of College Success Coaching for five college students, supporting them in persisting and graduating. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Help students navigate the college admissions and financial aid process. • Weekly: Tutor community college students in math or English.

FUTURE LINK (futurelinkmd.org)

seeks to close the social justice gap by empowering first-generation-tocollege, low-income young adults through career exploration programs, academic advising, scholarships, internships and mentoring. Future Link’s individualized, intensive program emphasizes persistence in postsecondary education; teaches workplace, self-advocacy and personal decision-making skills; and helps young adults develop a concrete plan for a meaningful career pathway to enable self-sufficiency. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides textbooks to a Future Link student. • $1,000 provides career planners for three Future Link seminar classes.

• $10,000 funds a 15-week career I

• •

development seminar for 25 students. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Three months: Work one-on-one with a student to help with career planning and exploration. Ongoing: Mentor a young adult.

Help Someone Build Skills and Find a Job CAREER EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITIES (CEO) – THE UNIVERSITIES AT SHADY GROVE (shadygrove.umd.edu/

student-services/career-andinternship-center/career-experienceopportunities) provides low-income and underrepresented students with experiential learning and career exploration opportunities to build competencies and skills necessary for career success. Through CEO, employers can help shape student experiences and equip students to meet their specific industry requirements. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 covers a job shadowing/career exploration day for five students. • $1,000 covers a career skills training session for 20 students. • $10,000 covers scholarships for 10 students. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Host CEO students for a tour of your company. • Ongoing: Sponsor an internship and/or mentor a student.

LITERACY COUNCIL OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY (lcmcmd.

org) is an adult education and human services organization that provides basic literacy and English as a Second Language (ESL) tutoring, ESL classes, pre-GED preparation, conversation classes, workforce

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development and job-skills training, and more. Annually, it serves more than 2,000 learners and relies on a robust volunteer corps to provide individualized mentorship for adults struggling to improve their employment prospects, educational opportunities and everyday lives. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 covers the cost of four tablets for digital literacy. • $1,000 provides books and materials for 15 adult learners. • $10,000 pays the classroom rental fees for 12 10-week ESL class sessions. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Tutor an adult learner for two hours weekly. • Seasonal: Be a fundraiser for literacy with events such as Giving Tuesday.

PER SCHOLAS (perscholas.org/ nationalcapitalregion) advances economic equity through tech career training and connecting skilled talent to leading businesses. Per Scholas in the National Capital Region equips 260 individuals annually with industry recognized certifications and connects them to in-demand tech jobs, providing support along the way. Per Scholas also aims to supply technology tool kits to Per Scholas applicants who don’t have the technology they need to participate virtually. HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 pays for headphones and Wi-Fi access. • $1,000 covers the cost of one technology tool kit, including laptop, webcam, headphones and Wi-Fi. • $10,000 provides technology assistance and career access to 10 Per Scholas learners. I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: 184

• Ongoing: Speak to the class on •

industry-specific and/or career development topics virtually. One day: Edit resumes or participate in mock interviews virtually.

URBAN ALLIANCE (theurbanalliance. org) advances economic opportunity for high school seniors from lowincome communities of color by providing internships, job skills training, mentoring and lifelong post-program support. Since 2017, Urban Alliance has placed nearly 100 county youths in paid internships and reached hundreds of additional students through foundational workforce development training, offered in partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools. HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $45 covers an intern’s wages for one day of work. • $100 provides the incentive for one intern to complete Urban Alliance’s capstone event. • $360 covers up to two weeks of an intern’s wages during the school year. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help students edit resumes and essays for college applications and scholarships; or facilitate or provide feedback on virtual mock interviews. • Ongoing: Mentor a high school intern.

Support Job Opportunities for People With Special Needs RED WIGGLER COMMUNITY FARM (redwiggler.org) is a certified organic farm where people with and without developmental disabilities come together to work, learn and grow healthy food. The farm distributes half of its harvests to a variety

of partner organizations serving neighbors in need, while the other half is sold through the Community Supported Agriculture program. In this way, growers with developmental disabilities have a chance to help others while earning a paycheck. HEADQUARTERED: Germantown SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides five deliveries of fresh vegetables to area group homes for adults with disabilities. • $1,000 provides ergonomic hand tools for growers and volunteers. • $10,000 replaces the farm’s 15-yearold golf cart. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day or weekly: Participate in on-farm education and volunteer opportunities.

SUNFLOWER BAKERY (sunflower bakery.org) prepares young adults with learning differences for employment through its pastry arts and hospitality employment training programs. The Pastry Arts Training Program includes 26 weeks of professional instruction, skills training and job search assistance, and now serves 20 to 24 students annually. The Hospitality Employment Training Program offers expanded front- and back-of-house training as well as customer service at Sunflower Bakeshop and serves 10 to 12 students annually. Sunflower Bakery also offers one-week job exposure sessions for teens. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Washington, D.C. WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $350 provides a tool kit for one student to practice skills. • $1,000 buys instructional ingredients/supplies for one pastry arts student. • $10,000 underwrites a scholarship for one low-income pastry arts student. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • None at this time.

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How Can Freeman’s Help You? EXPLORE OUR SERVICES: Debrah Dunner, 301.738.0347 dc@freemansauction.com

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GUI DE TO G I V IN G Support the Arts and Humanities ADVENTURE THEATRE MTC

(adventuretheatre-mtc.org) is a musical theater academy for youths in the D.C. region with an integrated and nationally renowned professional theater for family audiences. ATMTC works to educate and inspire new generations of theater artists and audiences with exceptional theatrical experiences.  HEADQUARTERED: Rockville and Glen Echo    SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 gives the gift of a merit-based scholarship for a student preparing for a career in the performing arts. • $250 provides a need-based scholarship for an elementary student in an after-school class. • $500 underwrites a Sunday Storytime webcast, ensuring that ATMTC will be able to continue to serve the community digitally through the pandemic and beyond.  SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Remote: Assist with copy for blog content creation and grant writing.

ARTSTREAM (art-stream.org) provides

performing arts classes and social skills practice for people of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism. HEADQUARTERED: Chevy Chase SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $75 funds a full costume for one actor in an Inclusive Theatre Company show. • $300 underwrites a public speaking workshop for self-advocacy and preemployment skills. • $1,000 sponsors an eight-week class in Broadway song and dance, Shakespeare or scriptwriting. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One time: Help with special events or the costume shop. • Ongoing: Serve as a mentor in drama and social skills classes. 186

ARTS FOR THE AGING (artsfortheag

ing.org) engages older adults and their caregivers in health improvement and life enhancement through regular participation in the multidisciplinary arts. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $50 creates one heART Kit—a visual, tactile and literary art-making kit. • $250 supports the facilitation of two online workshops. • $500 covers video production of a monthlong program series. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Spanish translation support for heART Kit instructions and other workshop materials. Volunteer must be fluent in written Spanish and English with demonstrated success on previous translation projects. • Weekly: Behind-the-scenes tech support for a virtual workshop series. BEL CANTANTI OPERA (belcantanti. com) is a 16-year-old nonprofit opera company providing performances and opportunities to young professional opera singers in fully staged and costumed productions with chamber orchestras. Bel Cantanti Opera brings these performances to Montgomery County stages with affordable ticket prices. Bel Cantanti Opera will resume live staged productions when conditions permit, and in the fall of 2020 the group filmed an outdoor production of Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck. HEADQUARTERED: Montgomery County SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $130 pays for one Washington Post ad. • $750 pays for an orchestra musician for one performance. • $2,500 provides an honorarium for a lead singer. SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Be an usher or provide box office assistance on performance days.

CITYDANCE (citydance.net) is a nonprofit dance institution dedicated to developing the next generation of dance artists and innovators. With studio locations across the region, CityDance trains young dancers for professional careers, nurturing talent and achievement through dance. Anchored in a belief that diversity advances excellence, CityDance strives to dismantle barriers and create opportunities that promote equitable access. HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $50 sponsors a dancer to take a professional guest artist master class. • $250 supports the production costs for virtual showings and performances. • $750 underwrites one dancer’s participation in a week of summer intensives taught by world-renowned artists and companies. I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Volunteer to usher at a dance performance. • Monthlong: Support the marketing team with grassroots efforts. CLANCYWORKS DANCE COMPANY

(clancyworks.org) highlights dance as a means to advance positive social action. ClancyWorks’ programs shift perceptions through dance, making personal connections among diverse participants of every age and income level through K-12 in-school and out-of-school programs; higher education residencies; professional development for artists, educators and administrators; senior citizen programs; performances; and the newest program, Building Racial Equity in the Arts through Dance (BREAD). HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $150 supports one virtual workshop for up to 20 senior citizens. • $500 provides scholarships to five teachers for the Virtual Dance Educators Training Institute.

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Connie McGuire, retired MC business professor and Foundation director, with Christopher Saca, Macklin Business Institute student and Foundation student director.

While You Were Out… A Surprise Welcome Back to Campus for Montgomery College Students magine the surprise when students see a stock ticker spanning the entire façade of the Macklin Tower on the Rockville Campus—capturing the energy of Times Square right here in Montgomery County! The advanced learning finance lab—one of only a few available at community colleges—functions as a classroom as well as a vibrant, hightech learning environment, exposing students to technology and tools similar to those found on Wall Street.

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The lab features financial workstations, access to the Morningstar Direct platform, and stock tickers.

Students emerge from the hands-on lab experience with the skills that set them apart from their peers— preparing them to transfer to leading business schools around the country. We are grateful to The Gordon and Marilyn Macklin Foundation for the initial funding for the lab, as well as their generous match supporting the Morningstar software endowment.

The ongoing fundraising effort seeks to expand access of the finance lab to Montgomery College students interested in business in order to enhance their overall education and help them determine their future career plans. To invest in our students’ future and support the Macklin Business Institute Finance Lab, contact Craig Eozzo at craig.eozzo@montgomerycollege.edu or 240-479-1300.

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• $1,000 pays for one artist to attend

BREAD. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with special events. • Weekly: Provide administrative or fundraising support.

CREATE ARTS CENTER (createarts

center.org) engages diverse communities with meaningful, accessible and equitable art education programs, and arts-based mental health services with licensed art therapists. For 35 years, CREATE has worked to level the playing field by ensuring that everyone has access to innovative art therapies and approaches to learning through the arts. HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $75 provides materials for the Teen Mentorship & Portfolio Program. • $150 supports the Art for Autism program. • $250 covers the cost for a student in a semester of smARTkids, a free afterschool program for children from low-income households. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Assist staff with administrative and studio tasks. • Weekly: Assist teaching artists with weekly art classes.

DANCE EXCHANGE (danceexchange.

org) reaches people of all ages through dance-making and performance projects; programming for youths, families and older adults; and studio space for artists, educators and entrepreneurs in the Community and Creative Hub. HEADQUARTERED: Takoma Park SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $50 covers a week of sanitation supplies to keep the building clean and community healthy. • $100 covers one artist stipend to plan and lead weekly Dance On Creative Aging classes. • $500 covers audio/visual equipment

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for Dance Exchange’s new technology-enabled DX Lab for recording and/or streaming online and hybrid classes. I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Provide event support (virtual and in person). • Weekly: Help with studio and building upkeep.

IMAGINATION STAGE (imagination

stage.org) empowers all young people to discover their voice and identity through performing arts education and professional theater. HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides a scholarship to one student for a weeklong summer camp. • $1,000 provides free tickets and pre- and post-performance learning opportunities and resources for 40 MCPS third graders. • $2,500 provides a 10-session in-school residency for an underresourced school. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • None at this time.

INSTITUTE OF MUSICAL TRADITIONS (imtfolk.org) was

founded in 1981 and provides the regional community with a venue where traditional music from the United States and around the world can be showcased and explained. Through in-person concerts, professional videos of live performances, and hands-on instrumental workshops, traditional music is preserved, and new music styles evolving from these cultural roots are nurtured. HEADQUARTERED: Montgomery County SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 supports booking musicians for concerts. • $200 pays for an opening act to perform at a concert. • $600 pays for a three-piece band to perform at a concert.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Per event: Videotape a concert. • Per event: Help with concert setup.

INTERACT STORY THEATRE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

(interactstory.com) is a touring educational theater company that brings interactive, arts-based learning opportunities to nearly 30,000 kids and adults each year in schools and communities throughout the area. HEADQUARTERED: Wheaton SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $150 supports a virtual or in-person early childhood drama-based literacy workshop for about 25 children. • $350 supports virtual or in-person play-building workshops for a grade level (65 to 90 children). • $500 supports an educational theater performance for a school community (100 to 300 children), either online or in person depending on COVID regulations. SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Provide support for events (ushering, translation, etc.). • Weekly: Help with administrative, fundraising or event support.

LEVINE MUSIC (levinemusic.org) provides music instruction and programs to more than 3,500 students of all ages, interests and skill levels. The faculty offers voice lessons and instruction on more than 20 instruments. The 20212022 Levine Presents series showcases faculty in free virtual concerts. More than 600 children receive free or subsidized instruction. HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $200 supports one child in a fourweek Jumpstart introduction to private lessons. • $500 allows one child a summer of private music lessons. • $1,000 supports three children in Levine’s nationally recognized

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Other Ways to

Give SHARING MONTGOMERY FUND thecommunityfoundation.org

Established over 25 years ago, the Montgomery County office of the Greater Washington Community Foundation was created to make it easier for county residents and businesses to give to the causes most dear to their hearts, anywhere in the world. The Community Foundation also pools contributions from hundreds of people through Sharing Montgomery, a fund that supports programs serving our low-income neighbors. The Community Foundation’s staff and donor-led committees conduct a rigorous annual vetting process that evaluates each applicant for strong leadership, fiscal management and program excellence. With a gift to Sharing Montgomery, a donor can touch the lives of thousands of neighbors today while also working to build more equitable, just and enriching communities where all residents can live, work and thrive.

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 local arts agency, AHCMC provides leadership, capacity-building support and professional development resources to Montgomery County’s vibrant arts and humanities community. Donations to AHCMC support programs that provide emergency assistance, grants and promotional services to the diverse array of artists, practitioners and cultural nonprofits that call Montgomery County home; bring arts education to Montgomery County Public Schools classrooms; and uplift individuals and organizations during times of crisis.

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First Music (early childhood music) classes for one year. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Support staff at performances and functions when back in person. • Weekly: Support staff on special projects when back in person.

NEW ORCHESTRA OF WASHINGTON

(neworchestraofwashington.org) is a one-of-a-kind ensemble with flexible instrumentation and virtuosic musicians who are devoted to making classical music attractive, inspirational and memorable. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 provides support for outreach material for educational use at a community concert. • $250 provides support for a professional ensemble to play a free concert for a community event. • $500 supports a locally based musician to play in a professional ensemble at a community concert. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Day of event: Volunteer as an usher for a community concert. • Prior to event: Help print and collate the program for a community concert.

OLNEY THEATRE CENTER (olney

theatre.org) produces and curates theatrical performances for the community’s diverse audiences, and educates, learns from, supports and inspires a more inclusive generation of theatermakers. Olney Theatre cultivates the creativity of the community by producing family-friendly musicals, reimagined classics and provocative new works. Curated presentations amplify the region’s dancers, musicians and poets. The organization also enriches learning for thousands of students through performances and workshops at Olney Theatre Center and in schools. HEADQUARTERED: Olney SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

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• $50 allows five students to attend a

matinee at no cost. • $250 underwrites transportation to the theater for a classroom. • $500 supports artist fees for free community performances. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with events, including SummerFest.

SANDY SPRING MUSEUM

(sandyspringmuseum.org) is a catalyst for community building by allowing opportunities for community-driven creative engagement in educational programs and a range of cultural arts. HEADQUARTERED: Sandy Spring SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 underwrites one History Happy Hour. • $1,000 underwrites the use of the museum for community events like open mics, bluegrass jams and summer beer gardens. • $10,000 helps keep the annual Strawberry Festival affordable to the entire community. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with special events. • Weekly: Serve as a front desk receptionist.

STORY TAPESTRIES (storytapestries. org) works to infuse Greater Washington with creative energy, emphasizing that everyone has a story worth sharing. Professional artists and educators interweave performances with educational programs that promote equity. Collaboratively designed workshops, residencies and performances reach more than 350,000 people annually (primarily in areas of high poverty) at low to no cost for participants. HEADQUARTERED: Poolesville SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $75 supports professional development for educators in arts, arts-integration and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) methods. 192

• $400 supports an online community

connection event promoting dialogue and conversation. • $600 supports a family night featuring performances and interactive workshops. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Support special events. • Weekly: Remotely support social media communications or data entry tasks.

STRATHMORE (strathmore.org) is

the most prolific multidisciplinary arts presenter in Maryland, serving more than 200,000 people each year by producing performances, exhibitions and educational programs at the Music Center, Mansion, and AMP, throughout the community, and also online. HEADQUARTERED: North Bethesda SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $60 covers the cost of supplies for two students at summer art camp. • $300 covers artistic fees to hire one Strathmore Artist in Residence for a performance. • $1,000 provides instruments for middle and high school students in the Latin Strings & Percussion program. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Per event: Usher guests for a music performance. • Weekly: Greet guests and offer tours of the venue.

SUTRADHAR INSTITUTE OF DANCE & RELATED ARTS (dancesidra.org)

offers classes in Indian classical dance, storytelling myths and visual art, Thang Ta and Kalaripayattu martial arts, mindfulness and yoga. HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $75 helps cover classes for deserving children. • $250 assists with administrative outreach (serves 160 attendees). • $500 aids the four anthropologists currently developing a post-colonial

Indian dance archive (serves 4,000 attendees nationally). VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with planting flowers in the meditation garden. • Weekly: Assist with storytelling prep and recording.

TAKOMA PARK FOLK FESTIVAL

(tpff.org) is a free annual event featuring music—from old-time fiddle and bluegrass to acoustic folk-rock and Afro Latin fusion—on six stages. Volunteer performers range from seasoned stage veterans to youngsters on stage for the first time. The festival also includes children’s activities, a crafts show, community tables and food from around the world. HEADQUARTERED: Takoma Park SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $50 feeds five volunteer performers on festival day. • $250 provides chairs for one stage’s audience. • $1,500 provides all equipment for one stage. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Per event: Help set up, implement and/or break down the festival. • Monthly: Assist with administrative and pre-event planning tasks.

VICTORIAN LYRIC OPERA COMPANY (vloc.org) delivers high

quality productions of light operatic works, providing performance and educational opportunities to members of the community. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $50 provides props for productions. • $100 covers audio/visual equipment rentals for use in creating digital content. • $250 provides one-day space rental for upcoming live events. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Provide ushering assistance at performances. • Weekly: Assist with set construction.

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VISARTS (visartscenter.org) offers

art classes and camps for students of all ages and abilities, and provides discounts and scholarships to ensure accessibility for all. VisArts’ contemporary art galleries feature artists from around the world and support artists through paid fellowships and residencies, stipends and studio space. The VisAbility Art Lab provides studio and career support and guidance for neurodiverse artists. Free public art programs include installations, workshops, online classes and the annual Rockville Arts Festival. HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $75 supports artist programs and exhibitions. • $250 covers supplies for free public art programs. • $500 provides camp scholarships for two children. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Help in the galleries or with camps.

WASHINGTON REVELS (revelsdc.

org) is a multigenerational performing arts community of professionals and nonprofessionals that presents traditional music, dance, storytelling and drama. It includes four performing ensembles—Gallery Voices, Heritage Voices, Jubilee Voices and Maritime Voices—and produces after-school workshops, community engagement/ service events, and performances year-round, including May Revels each spring and The Christmas Revels each December. HEADQUARTERED: Glen Echo Park SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $50 offsets construction costs for stage props. • $250 underwrites a guest artist stipend at one of Washington Revels’ free events. • $1,000 supports the bus rental for transporting audience groups to an outreach show.

SSL

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Help with phone and email outreach to local organizations.

• One week: Volunteer backstage

at The Christmas Revels theatrical production.

THE WRITER’S CENTER (writer. org) supports writers and anyone who wants to write. The organization offers 300 writing workshops every year in all genres and for all experience levels, as well as dozens of free literary events. HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $50 provides a scholarship for a deserving writer to attend a onesession workshop. • $150 covers the honorarium to bring a nationally renowned author to an event. • $395 provides a scholarship to a twomonth workshop. I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Assist with event registration and logistics. • Weekly: Take a shift at the front desk. YOUNG ARTISTS OF AMERICA AT STRATHMORE (YAA) (yaa.org) offers

music theater education and performance opportunities to gifted and committed youths throughout Greater Washington, D.C. Students perform with a full symphonic youth orchestra in state-of-the-art venues such as The Music Center at Strathmore. HEADQUARTERED: North Bethesda SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $50 provides one student with a musical score. • $250 supports one orchestra student’s tuition. • $500 supports one student singer’s tuition. SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with a YAA special event. • Weekly: Provide administrative support. n

Chase Builders Inc Established 2003

Our goal with every project is to create an inviting, spectacular new home where friends and family can gather for many years to come!

301-588-4747 www.chasebuilders.com Instagram: @chasebuildersinc

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Serving Bethesda Serving and Beyond Bethesda and Beyond

A consistent top producer, Margie Halem and her team are extraordinary REALTORS® who have the real estate A consistent top producer, Margie experience, marketing prowess, and Halem and her team are extraordinary in-depth local knowledge to help you REALTORS® who have the real estate buy or sell your dream home. Discover experience, marketing prowess, and what sets us apart — and why our clients in-depth local knowledge to help you return to us again and again! buy or sell your dream home. Discover what sets us apart — and why our clients return to us again and again! MARGIE HALEM Senior Vice President

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Guiding you home in 20816

AADedicated DedicatedTeam Team That ThatDelivers Delivers Exceptional ExceptionalResults Results $1.7M 5655 Bent Branch Road, Bethesda, MD UNDER CONTRACT | MULTIPLE OFFERS

Team Team Koki Koki ofof Compass Compass prides prides itself itself onon providing providing clients clients with with aa first-class first-class real real estate estate experience. experience. Whether Whether breaking breaking down down comparable comparable sales sales and and absorption absorption rates rates forfor aa seller seller in in order order toto get get their their initial initial listlist price price just just right, right, oror leading leading aa first-time first-time buyer buyer through through their their home home purchase, purchase, Team Team Koki Koki always always puts puts the the unique unique needs needs ofof each each individual individual client client first. first.

5809 Namakagan Road, Bethesda, MD UNDER CONTRACT | MULTIPLE OFFERS

“We “We have have had had the the pleasure pleasure ofof working working with with Koki Koki and and hishis team team toto buy buy aa house, house, secure secure tenants tenants 5201 Nahant Street, Bethesda, MD | COMING SOON forfor aa rental rental property property and and most most recently recently toto sell sell aa house. house. Within Within three three days days ofof listing listing our our house house wewe had had multiple multiple offers offers toto choose choose from. from. Koki’s Koki’s expertise expertise in in real real estate estate helped helped usus negotiate negotiate aa “Tammy was always available, great great deal deal and and secure secure aa contract contract in in aa matter matter responsive to my queries, and provided ofof days. days. Koki Koki and and hishis team team provide provide allall clients clients excellent advice and guidance.and Iand also with with clear clear and and efficient efficient communications communications top top notch notch customer customer service. service. We We look look forward forward very much appreciated her calmness, toto the the opportunity opportunity toto work work with Koki Koki again again in inget professionalism, andwith dedication to the the future.” future.” Happy Happy Client Client the job done.”

- Donneth Koki Koki Adasi Adasi Senior Senior Vice Vice President President 240.994.3941 Tammy Gruner Durbin 240.994.3941

Team Team Koki Koki at at Compass Compass koki.adasi@compass.com koki.adasi@compass.com kokiisthekey.com kokiisthekey.com

O. O. 301.298.1001 301.298.1001 Realtor® DC | MD m. 301.996.8334 | o. 301.304.8444 tammy.grunerdurbin@compass.com Compass is a licensed real estate brokerage that abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Compass is licensed as Compass Real Estate in DC and as Compass in Virginia and Maryland. 7200 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814 | 301.304.8444

Compass Compass is a licensed is a licensed real estate real estate brokerage brokerage that abides that abides by Equal by Equal Housing Housing Opportunity Opportunity laws.laws. Information Information is compiled is compiled from from sources sources deemed deemed reliable reliable but isbut notisguaranteed. not guaranteed. Compass Compass is licensed is licensed as Compass as Compass Real Real Estate Estate in DCinand DC as and Compass as Compass in Virginia in Virginia and and Maryland. Maryland. 5471 5471 Wisconsin Wisconsin Ave Suite Ave Suite 300 Chevy 300 Chevy Chase, Chase, MD 20815 MD 20815 | 301.298.1001 | 301.298.1001

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1 Eagle Ridge Ct, Bethesda MD 20817 6 BD | 9 BA | 8,544 S Q F T | $2,575,000 S O L D I N 9 D AY S

From List To Sale....

10800 Mazwood Pl, North Bethesda MD 20817 4 BD | 4.5 BA | 4,084 S QFT | $1,300,000 S O L D I N 8 D AY S

....In Less Than 10 Days Kelly Bohi Realtor DC | MD | VA kelly.bohi@compass.com M. 301.580.4991 O. 301.304.8444

Are you thinking of listing your home in the near future? If so, you will want to work with a Realtor that can not only help you get top dollar for it, but help sell it fast. If you want similar results to these high end listings, contact me today to learn how we can get started.

Your Trusted Maryland Real Estate Advisors We find purpose and joy when helping our clients navigate through their home buying or selling process. With us by your side, we will ensure your entire transaction is thorough and smooth. Allow us to do the heavy lifting so you can minimize stress and maximize your impact in the process.

Cool. Calm. Connected. Nancy Mannino & Stephen Hicks Realtor® Licensed in DC, MD, & VA m: 301.461.1018 | o: 301.298.1001 nancy.mannino@compass.com stephen.hicks@compass.com Compass is a licensed real estate brokerage that abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Compass is licensed as Compass Real Estate in DC and as Compass in Virginia and Maryland. 5471 Wisconsin Ave Suite 300 Chevy Chase, MD 20815

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Guiding you home in 20816

$1.7M 5655 Bent Branch Road, Bethesda, MD UNDER CONTRACT | MULTIPLE OFFERS

5809 Namakagan Road, Bethesda, MD UNDER CONTRACT | MULTIPLE OFFERS

5201 Nahant Street, Bethesda, MD | COMING SOON

“Tammy was always available, responsive to my queries, and provided excellent advice and guidance. I also very much appreciated her calmness, professionalism, and dedication to get the job done.” - Donneth

Tammy Gruner Durbin Realtor® DC | MD m. 301.996.8334 | o. 301.304.8444 tammy.grunerdurbin@compass.com Compass is a licensed real estate brokerage that abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Compass is licensed as Compass Real Estate in DC and as Compass in Virginia and Maryland. 7200 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814 | 301.304.8444

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Home On The Shore Is Just 90 Minutes Away Tom has been helping friends and family find homes from Chevy Chase to the Eastern Shore for more than 30 years.

The Strand, Oxford, MD

Tom Williams Realtor® DC, MD, & VA M: 202.255.3650 Trappe, MD

O: 301.298.1001 tom.williams@compass.com

St Michaels, MD

Compass is a licensed real estate brokerage that abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Compass is licensed as Compass Real Estate in DC and as Compass in Virginia and Maryland. 5471 Wisconsin Ave Suite 300 Chevy Chase, MD 20815.

Your Smart Living Experts

Smart Clients Deserve Smart Agents! Matt Murton Founder Licensed in DC, MD, & VA m: 301.461.4201 o: 301.298.1001 matt@smartlivingexperts.com Compass is a licensed real estate brokerage that abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. Compass is licensed as Compass Real Estate in DC and as Compass in Virginia and Maryland. 7200 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 100 & 920, Bethesda, MD 20814 | 301.304.8444

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Matt Murton Team Leader, Realtor®

Jonica Gibson Realtor®

Since 2005, Matt has dedicated himself to exceeding the expectations of the sellers and buyers he serves. Matt is highly regarded by his peers as one of the market’s best agents and one of our market’s earliest adopters of using Social Media as a marketing tool. Matt takes pride in his extensive knowledge of using cuttingedge technology in selling homes. Matt has built a business based almost exclusively on repeat clients and the referrals of his satisfied sellers and buyers. Matt’s approach goes beyond the buying and selling of a home, he immerses himself in the process and treats each transaction as if it were his own.

Jonica has lived in the Washington, DC area for over 20 years and brings this real life experience and her years as an engineer and project manager to working with people hunting for the perfect home or attracting buyers to a your home. She is excited to work with clients to help them navigate through this difficult experience.

Kristy Deal, Realtor® Highly energetic and creative, Kristy is always on the go. Born and raised in New Jersey, she studied Fine Arts Drexel University and then pursued Nursing Rutgers University. For Kristy, real estate was a perfect choice for her new career. She has lived in 15 cities and knows first-hand the trials and stresses experienced during a move. She has boundless energy for clients, and her artistic eye will be put to great use in staging properties for the market.

Kristine Desmarais Realtor® Real estate is a third career for Kristine. She was drawn to the profession because it allows her to use her marketing and entrepreneurial skills while working with people in a very direct way. Kristine studied psychology at Boston College to learn how the mind works and then earned an MBA at Johns Hopkins University to become an astute decision maker. She cares deeply about her clients’ needs and works tireless to earn their respect and trust.

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interior design. architecture. home sales.

PHOTO BY ERIN REHMAN/COURTESY OF DOUGLAS CONSTRUCTION GROUP

home

A local couple got engaged, tied the knot and built a new home in Chevy Chase—all in the past year and a half. Their master bathroom features marble-look porcelain tiles and a walk-in shower (there’s also a jetted tub). For more, turn to page 202.

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WINTER WONDERLAND Master the art of outdoor entertaining with cozy creature comforts to make the most of the winter BY CAROLYN WEBER

1.WARMING TREND

2. YOU’VE BEEN SERVED

3. LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE

A firepit is a natural gathering place, so make this contemporary model the centerpiece of your party. The concrete bowl has clean lines, is filled with black lava rocks and equipped with an eight-jet brass burner system, and will burn for more than seven hours on the high setting and 22 hours on the low setting. The price includes a cover that conceals a 20-pound propane tank and can be used as a stool or side table. The Retreat outdoor fire bowl is available in two sizes—38 inches ($3,299) and 44 inches ($4,098)—at Crate and Barrel in the Spring Valley neighborhood of D.C. (202-364-6100, crateandbarrel.com).

It’s best to avoid using glass around the patio or hot tub. Instead, opt for charming, vintageinspired enamelware to serve hot chocolate or warm holiday toddies. This 12-ounce mug, shown in pink, comes in more than 20 colors and patterns, including splatterware, for $10 each. The 20-ounce sauce server is $28, and the versatile small rectangular tray is $24. Find these pieces, and other Crow Canyon Home enamelware goods, at SW7 in Kensington (240-274-6448, sw7.design).

These little s’mores cookers are perfect to have on hand for an impromptu gettogether, or as a unique holiday gift. They are handmade in Rockville by City Bonfires, the brainchild business of two local dads. The compact, personal-size, 4-inch-by-2-inch round metal tins are filled with non-toxic soy wax. The company sells individual tins, as well as kits with sticks, a lighter and all the fixins, including this S’mores Night Pack, which is available for $43.95 at J.B. Creighton Equestrian Boutique in Chevy Chase (202-553-3466, jbcreighton.com).

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4 3

COURTESY PHOTOS

6 4. SAY CHEESE

5. FAUX REAL

6. TINY BUBBLES

Food for an al fresco soiree should be simple and fun, and what’s more fun than fondue? Gather around a bubbling pot of cheese or chocolate sauce, and dip away. The Swissmar Lugano nine-piece fondue set is made of cast iron, for even heat distribution and retention, and the enameled interior makes it easy to clean. It’s available in blue, matte black or matte white, and retails for $99.95 at Sur La Table at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda (301-230-1503, surlatable.com).

Curl up in style in front of the firepit on a chilly evening with a snuggly faux fur throw blanket. The collection features a variety of designs and textures—including chevron, ombre, shearling and stripes—in an array of colors, constructed from lush synthetic materials made to look like actual animal fur. They come in two sizes: standard, which is 47 inches wide by 60 inches long, or oversize, at 60 inches wide by 80 inches long. Choose your favorite style, ranging from $100 to $200, at West Elm at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda (301-230-7630, westelm.com).

Upgrade your outdoor oasis and create a staycation destination with a luxurious hot tub. The Cantabria, from Caldera Spas, seats eight adults comfortably and is loaded with features, such as 74 customizable hydrotherapy massage jets for the back, neck, calves and feet, a different jet configuration in each seat, and a sanitation system that uses salt or ozone. It measures 9 feet by 7½ feet and is priced between $17,000 and $18,000 at Offenbachers Home Escapes in Rockville (301-881-8565, offenbachers.com).

Carolyn Weber lives in Silver Spring and frequently writes about architecture and home design. BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

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Love, Marriage and a New Home How a Chevy Chase couple managed big life events during the pandemic BY JENNIFER BARGER

HEN YOU’RE PLANNING a wedding, you’ll usually visit vendors to sample cake or scope out ceremony sites. It’s a similar deal, in normal times, when you’re choosing appliances, paint and tile for a new home. But Andy Karellas and Lauren Nalu Karellas, who were married this past June, weren’t dealing with normal times when they took on both tasks in the midst of last year’s COVID19 restrictions. “There were so many things we couldn’t physically see, from furniture and fixtures to wedding decorations,” Andy says. “We had to rely on our wedding planner in Michigan as well as internet shopping for so many things.” The couple met on the dating app Hinge in the spring of 2019. “He’s Greek, and I’m Middle Eastern, so we bonded over that,” Lauren says. “Both cultures are really grounded in family and food.” On one of their first dates, they went hiking and discovered a mutual passion for exercise and the outdoors. By March 2020, Lauren had moved out of the townhouse she owns in D.C.’s Shaw neighborhood and into Andy’s Capitol Hill rowhouse. “We’d only started living together, and then it was like, surprise, you’re going to be quarantining,” says Lauren, 36, a cybersecurity expert.

All of that forced togetherness went well. The pair got engaged on a chilly May 2020 day over an indoor picnic by their fireplace, a salute to one of their earliest dates, an alfresco meal at the National Arboretum. “I was in tears of joy as I said yes,” Lauren says. “Andy had also prescheduled a Zoom call with our families and closest friends for shortly after to share the great news.” The couple knew they eventually wanted to have children, and also more space to host their large extended families. So they began looking for a larger home in a good school district. “We love walking places and being close to downtown, so we started searching for houses in Cleveland Park and Upper Northwest D.C.,” says Andy, 41, who runs a nonprofit focused on international development. In the pandemic-fueled real estate boom, the couple kept seeing older homes that cost the same as new ones. “Plus, there was no inventory, but builders were putting up new houses like wildfire,” Lauren says. “That’s when we started to look for companies who had land for sale near Metro stations.” House hunting during a worldwide health crisis came with challenges. “Everything was masked up, appointment only, and you couldn’t touch anything,” Andy says.

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PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

Andy Karellas and Lauren Nalu Karellas with their dog, Mia, at their new home in Chevy Chase

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LAUREN AND ANDY FINALLY zeroed in on a five-bedroom, 5½-bath modern farmhouse from Douglas Construction Group and Studio Z Design Concepts architecture that was about to be built in Chevy Chase. They loved the proposed home’s cozy and welcoming-but-modern vibe, with its Craftsman-inspired dormers, outsize first-story windows and stone front porch—the last made from Stoneyhurst boulders salvaged from the midcentury Cape Cod that once stood on the site. Plus, the house was going up on a prime lot just a few blocks from the Bethesda Row shopping and dining area. They had first seen the house’s

location online. “We emailed and called incessantly, because it was exactly where we wanted to be,’’ Andy says. They scheduled a meeting with Douglas Construction Group founder Doug Monsein, who gave them the specs for the house, and then they signed the paperwork to prepurchase it. “We build about 12 homes a year. Typically, four or five of them start as speculative concepts like this,” Monsein says. “We presell them before the building starts, and depending on when the client comes in, they can do quite a bit of customization.” The couple bought a four-level, 4,525-square-foot shingle, wood and

stone structure in October 2020, and construction began two months later. By purchasing the property before a single shingle or length of drywall went up, Andy and Lauren were able to put their own touches on the floor plan and the interior. The biggest changes to the architect and builder’s original vision were opening up the kitchen to the great room and dining room, and adding a coffered white-oak plank ceiling to the great room. The dramatic ceiling is cozied up with a stone fireplace built from more rocks salvaged from the razed house. Lauren and Andy also requested

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quartz that was comparable in beauty,” she says. In the end, concerns about the marble chipping or staining didn’t fit the couple’s family-friendly vision, so Berger helped them find a gray-veined white quartz that mimics marble but is far more durable. Green building choices abound in the project, from Energy Star kitchen and laundry room appliances to multiple ceiling fans that make it easier to run the thermostats a few degrees warmer in the summer. “A big part of making a house ecofriendly is the insulation and how well we seal it,” Monsein says. “Forty percent of energy loss typically happens with heating and air conditioning, and what we call a tight thermal envelope in this house means this house doesn’t leak air and has a lower carbon footprint.” Opposite: The great room features a coffered white-oak plank ceiling. Below: The home’s stone front porch was made using boulders salvaged from the previous house on the site.

Berger, of JLA Designs in Potomac, took the couple to local showrooms to assist them with flooring and other finishes. “They wanted a kid-friendly home for their future family, so that meant a lot of tubs in the bathrooms, neutral finishes and durable materials,” Berger says. In the kitchen, the trio chose sleek white cabinets and a French blue island topped with quartzite in a snowy white with graining that resembled marble. A custom stove hood with white oak trim (to match the pale, 4-inch-wide plank floors throughout the first level) and a mix of brass and black hardware complete the farmhouse-gone-modern feel. Berger steered Lauren and Andy toward painting all the window frames (inside and out) black for a crisp, citified look. Chef-worthy appliances—including dual ovens, a six-burner Wolf stove, and a Sub-Zero fridge concealed by panels that match the cabinets—help make the kitchen “somewhere you want to hang out and cook,” Lauren says. “We’re big

PHOTOS BY ERIN REHMAN/COURTESY OF DOUGLAS CONSTRUCTION GROUP

other tweaks to the plan, including a doggie door in the mudroom for their Lab-husky mix, Mia, and turning a firstfloor bedroom into Lauren’s home office. “As the pandemic continues, it was important to us to have ample spaces to work in that are separate from other living spaces,” Lauren says. Andy has an office on the home’s third floor. “As corny as it sounds, it was a real collaboration,” Monsein says. To help with that, he gave the couple “homework” in the form of a binder full of choices for everything from door hinges to kitchen cabinet styles to carpeting. “We put in photos, commentaries and more, kind of spoon-feeding them information,” he says. “It helped that Lauren and Andy both knew what they wanted and that they engaged an interior designer, Jodi Berger, to reassure them about their choices.” The couple wasn’t in agreement about every choice. Lauren originally wanted marble countertops in the kitchen. “I love the look of natural stone, and I wasn’t sure we’d find a

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foodies, so we needed a big island and lots of space. I’m excited to make Greek food or homemade ice cream here.” Berger also helped her clients outfit the home’s five full baths and single powder room. For the baths on the second floor, the designer suggested a mix of grays to go with white tiles in both hexagon and rectangular shapes, varying the combinations from room to room. “It’s like tradition with a twist,” Berger says. The master bathroom got a navy blue vanity and marble-look porcelain tiles. It includes a walk-in shower and jetted tub. A sliding barn door at the entrance provides privacy and style. The first-floor powder room’s walls are covered in Phillip Jeffries’ “Vinyl Square Dance,” a durable wallpaper in a blue and brass checkerboard pattern. “It’s got shades of blue that bring in the kitchen island,” Berger says. “I used a vinyl because it’s washable and great if you have kids around.”

“We watched a lot of HGTV to get inspired on colors and finishes,” Andy says. “We’d end up doing a lot of pausing and rewinding.” Besides the his-and-hers home offices, the couple installed other details with the pandemic in mind. A home gym in the spacious basement boasts cushioned vinyl plank flooring that looks like wood; the couple keeps a Peloton and hand weights in the space. And on the covered back porch, space heaters and fans—all mounted on the ceiling—allow threeseason entertaining. “I’m getting asked to do a lot of covered or screened-in porches since COVID happened,” Monsein says. The slender yard, with enough grass for the dog to run around, features a stone patio.

ANDY AND LAUREN GOT married this June in the lake country of the bride’s native Michigan. “I’m from the Detroit area, and we used to vacation up north as kids,” Lauren says. “The wedding

weekend had a family vacation vibe.” True to the couple’s modern farmhouse style, the reception was held in a restored wooden barn with vaulted ceilings. Floral garlands were strung from chandeliers, and light filtered through the barn’s open slats. Back in Chevy Chase, Monsein and his crew finished the house in August. Pandemic supply chain issues mean a few final items—doors, doorknobs and furniture—are still on order. Andy and Lauren are combining furnishings they already own with new buys like a Crate and Barrel mango wood dining table. “We’ve already hosted our families for a weekend lunch, and there was such a great flow between the kitchen and the other rooms,” Lauren says. “My mom made bazalia, a traditional IraqiAssyrian sweet pea stew with beef and rice.” n Jennifer Barger is a local design and travel writer. Follow her on Instagram @dcjnell.

PHOTO BY ERIN REHMAN/COURTESY OF DOUGLAS CONSTRUCTION GROUP

The couple tweaked the architect and builder’s original plan, making the main floor living spaces more open.

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Source: Information included in this report is based on data supplied by BRIGHTMLS and its member Association(s) of REALTORS, who are not responsible for its accuracy. Does not reflecall activity in the marketplace. YTD 9.28.21. Information contained in this report is deemed reliable but not guaranteed, should be independently verified, and does not constitute an opinion of BRIGHTMLS or Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. ©2021 All rights reserved. Christie’s International Real Estate in select areas. 2 Over the past 12 months in Montgomery County, MD 1

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ROBY & CALVIN THOMPSON 202.255.2986 | Roby@LNF.com 202.486.2315 | Calvin@LNF.com Woodley Park Office 202.483.6300

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BONNIE MACK BARKER 301.785.3474 | bonnie@bonniebarker.com bonniebarker.com Bethesda Office 240.497.1700 Bonnie Barker has been an award-winning, top producing real estate agent for over 35 years. She recently joined the Long & Foster Billion Dollar Office in Bethesda. A native Washingtonian, Bonnie knows the area’s neighborhoods and prides herself in helping her clients find the community that fits their lifestyle. Her talent and knowledge also helps sellers position their home for optimum sales opportunities and outcome, by preparing the home to show at its best to potential buyers online and in person. And, she knows how to reach potential buyers through a variety of marketing and networking techniques. Always striving to exceed her client’s real estate expectations, she values the trust her clients place in her and is focused on her clients’ needs. Bonnie’s clients and peers rave about her ability to exceed expectations with the highest level of honesty, integrity and knowledge of the real estate market. Bonnie has been recognized with numerous awards including the Long & Foster Gold Team, 2021 Washingtonian Top Agent, and 2020 Top Individual Agent in her previous Long & Foster office.

‘‘

Noel is a true expert realtor with a heart. His direct, thoughtful and thorough guidance was exactly what our family needed. Having background in home construction, Noel focused on fundamentals in our home selection, on the house bones and saved us from making a mistake. We learned to trust his advice, and his criteria, over our likes and dislikes. He is our friend and a hero now, making an overwhelming process straightforward and less stressful. We are glad we found him, you will be too.” Chris & Lena Bethesda

NOEL FISHER 301.919.1379 | Noel.Fisher@LNF.com Murtagh Properties LFC at Bethesda Office 240.800.5155

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Direct: 410.680.3313 | Office: 410.531.0321 | NorthropRealty.com

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$700,000 2106 Fittleworth Terrace

$700,000 14325 Howard Road

$635,000 7255 Kindler Road

COLUMBIA FREDERICK

FULTON GAMBRILLS

BALTIMORE KENSINGTON

MILLSBORO SEVERNA PARK

$600,000 139 W 3rd Street

$595,900 2531 Hyacinth Lane

$595,000 3324 Mills Crossing Place

$585,000 209 Lower Magothy Beach Road

LAUREL WOODSBORO

COLUMBIA SILVER SPRING

OCEAN VIEW LAUREL

ELLICOTT CITY COLUMBIA

$575,000 10132 Woodsboro Road

$575,000 13300 Collingwood Terrace

$575,000 10757 W Crestview Lane

$445,000 5233 Columbia Road #567

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home | BY THE NUMBERS

Data provided by

AUGUST’S MOST EXPENSIVE

at A peek rea’s f the a some o pensive x most e sold n rece tly s house

HOME SALES SALE PRICE: SALE PRICE:

$4.7 million LIST PRICE: $5 MILLION

Address: 9811 Avenel Farm Drive, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 152 Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 6/3

$3.4 million LIST PRICE: $3.4 MILLION

Address: 10608 Stapleford Hall Drive, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 6 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 6/2

SALE PRICE:

$3.4 million LIST PRICE: $3.5 MILLION

SALE PRICE:

Address: 8909 Harvest Square Court, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 60 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 9 Full/Half Baths: 11/3

LIST PRICE: $4 MILLION

SALE PRICE:

$3.7 million Address: 5200 Chamberlin Ave., Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 45 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/2

$3.3 million LIST PRICE: $4 MILLION

Address: 7129 Natelli Woods Lane, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 20 Listing Agency: Engel & Völkers Tysons Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 7/3

SALE PRICE:

$3 million $3.5 million LIST PRICE: $3.2 MILLION

Address: 6916 Marbury Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 45 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/2

LIST PRICE: $3 MILLION

Address: 10530 South Glen Road, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 20 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 4/2

SALE PRICE:

$2.8 million LIST PRICE: $2.8 MILLION

Address: 4719 Brandywine St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

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Drapery

Reupholstery

Pillows

Fabrics

5414 Randolph Rd. Rockville 20852 Visit Showroom Mon-Sat 9:30am-6pm • 301-424-1900

www.RockvilleInteriors.com

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home | BY THE NUMBERS Days on Market: 6 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.7 million LIST PRICE: $2.8 MILLION

Address: 5009 Scarsdale Road, Bethesda 20816 Days on Market: 37 Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 6/2

SALE PRICE:

$2.6 million LIST PRICE: $2.8 MILLION

Address: 9418 Thrush Lane, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 33 Listing Agency: The Agency DC Bedrooms: 9 Full/Half Baths: 7/4

SALE PRICE:

$2.4 million LIST PRICE: $2.5 MILLION

Address: 3217 Farmington Drive, Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 35 Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 5/2

SALE PRICE:

$2.3 million LIST PRICE: $2.3 MILLION

Address: 4614 Morgan Drive, Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 48 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.3 million LIST PRICE: $2.3 MILLION

Address: 7211 Fairfax Road, Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 6 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

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SALE PRICE:

$2.3 million LIST PRICE: $2.5 MILLION

Address: 5702 Aberdeen Place, Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 35 Listing Agency: Realty Advantage Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.3 million LIST PRICE: $2.5 MILLION

Address: 11315 River Road, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 211 Listing Agency: Rory S. Coakley Realty Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/3

SALE PRICE:

$2.3 million LIST PRICE: $2.2 MILLION

Address: 3511 Turner Lane, Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 11 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.3 million LIST PRICE: $2.4 MILLION

Address: 8539 W. Howell Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 12 Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/3

SALE PRICE:

$2.2 million LIST PRICE: $2.3 MILLION

Address: 7909 Paloma Court, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 16 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.2 million LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

Address: 6216 Verne St., Bethesda 20817

Days on Market: 2 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/2

SALE PRICE:

$2.2 million LIST PRICE: $2.2 MILLION

Address: 5414 Harwood Road, Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 0 Listing Agency: Homeline Realty Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.2 million LIST PRICE: $2.2 MILLION

Address: 5102 Fairglen Lane, Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 2 Listing Agency: RE/MAX Realty Services Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.1 million LIST PRICE: $2.2 MILLION

Address: 5218 Nahant St., Bethesda 20816 Days on Market: 5 Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.1 million LIST PRICE: $2.1 MILLION

Address: 4512 Highland Ave., Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 29 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.1 million LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

Address: 13312 Drews Lane, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 10 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 3/1 Note: Some sale and list prices have been rounded.

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AWARD-WINNING KITCHEN DESIGN FIRM FOR OVER 39 YEARS

ADD DEPTH & DESIGN TO YOUR SPACE

Chevy Chase, Maryland

Family owned since 1982, Jack Rosen Custom Kitchen, Inc., offers an opulent array of cabinetry and kitchen accessories to create the perfect space for every occasion!

www.BeautifulRosenKitchens.com Showroom: 12223 Nebel Street, Rockville | 240.595.6732 Voted best Kitchen Design Firm by readers of Bethesda Magazine, 2011, 2016, 2018 & 2020.

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home | BY THE NUMBERS

REAL ESTATE TRENDS BY ZIP CODE

AUGUST 2020

AUGUST 2021

AUGUST 2020

AUGUST 2021

AUGUST 2020

AUGUST 2021

20015 (Upper NW D.C.)

20832 (Olney)

20855 (Rockville)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Average Days on Market Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold 13 13 Average Sold Price $611,492 $704,884 Average Days on Market 10 14 Above Asking Price 8 7 Below Asking Price 3 5 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold 7 19 Average Sold Price $528,128 $735,178 Average Days on Market 15 17 Above Asking Price 1 8 Below Asking Price 3 7 Sold Over $1 Million 0 2

20016 (Upper NW D.C.)

20850 (Rockville)

20877 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Average Days on Market Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold 27 31 Average Sold Price $739,675 $770,654 Average Days on Market 19 17 Above Asking Price 9 11 Below Asking Price 16 12 Sold Over $1 Million 4 8

Number of Homes Sold 13 14 Average Sold Price $497,261 $517,357 Average Days on Market 26 21 Above Asking Price 6 10 Below Asking Price 4 3 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

20851 (Rockville)

20878 (Gaithersburg/North Potomac)

Number of Homes Sold 11 7 Average Sold Price $428,890 $476,388 Average Days on Market 60 8 9 5 Above Asking Price Below Asking Price 2 1 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold 45 39 Average Sold Price $793,348 $880,812 Average Days on Market 26 16 21 24 Above Asking Price Below Asking Price 19 9 Sold Over $1 Million 9 6

20815 (Chevy Chase)

20852 (North Bethesda/Rockville)

20879 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Average Days on Market Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold 19 23 Average Sold Price $725,289 $865,826 Average Days on Market 6 10 Above Asking Price 10 11 Below Asking Price 4 7 Sold Over $1 Million 2 6

Number of Homes Sold 15 8 Average Sold Price $539,433 $523,687 Average Days on Market 12 8 Above Asking Price 11 5 Below Asking Price 4 2 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

20853 (Rockville)

20882 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold 23 30 Average Sold Price $542,334 $607,388 Average Days on Market 16 10 Above Asking Price 13 21 Below Asking Price 8 7 Sold Over $1 Million 0 1

Number of Homes Sold 29 21 Average Sold Price $605,437 $683,185 Average Days on Market 14 10 Above Asking Price 15 11 Below Asking Price 9 4 Sold Over $1 Million 1 1

20854 (Potomac)

20886 (Gaithersburg)

15 16 $1.3 Mil. $1.4 Mil. 14 15 8 13 6 3 12 14

13 19 $2 Mil. $2.2 Mil. 24 9 7 13 4 4 11 18

20814 (Bethesda) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Average Days on Market Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

22 $1.2 Mil. 18 10 8 10

28 $1.4 Mil. 15 16 7 18

24 24 $1.6 Mil. $1.7 Mil. 40 22 8 10 13 13 18 20

20816 (Bethesda) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Average Days on Market Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

16 $1.7 Mil. 31 8 5 13

17 $1.5 Mil. 15 9 6 15

20817 (Bethesda) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Average Days on Market Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

216

45 54 $1.4 Mil. $1.3 Mil. 23 16 13 26 23 23 27 35

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Average Days on Market Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

67 64 $1.2 Mil. $1.4 Mil. 31 21 24 30 32 21 29 50

Number of Homes Sold 11 9 Average Sold Price $482,809 $602,722 Average Days on Market 9 6 Above Asking Price 5 9 Below Asking Price 3 0 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

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AUGUST 2020

AUGUST 2021

AUGUST 2020

AUGUST 2021

AUGUST 2020

AUGUST 2021

20895 (Kensington)

20901 (Silver Spring)

20903 (Silver Spring)

Number of Homes Sold 24 29 Average Sold Price $789,949 $874,394 Average Days on Market 7 13 Above Asking Price 16 12 Below Asking Price 5 10 Sold Over $1 Million 5 8

Number of Homes Sold 27 45 Average Sold Price $581,176 $653,848 Average Days on Market 13 9 Above Asking Price 18 26 Below Asking Price 4 8 Sold Over $1 Million 1 4

Number of Homes Sold 6 6 Average Sold Price $493,166 $544,666 Average Days on Market 5 34 Above Asking Price 5 3 Below Asking Price 1 2 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

20896 (Garrett Park)

20902 (Silver Spring)

20904 (Silver Spring)

Number of Homes Sold 31 38 Average Sold Price $464,641 $565,274 Average Days on Market 16 34 Above Asking Price 21 18 Below Asking Price 7 13 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold 35 29 Average Sold Price $543,868 $617,482 Average Days on Market 16 9 Above Asking Price 21 18 Below Asking Price 9 5 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Average Days on Market Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

2 $1.5 Mil. 42 1 1 2

2 $1 Mil. 7 2 0 2

Information courtesy of Bright MLS, as of Sept. 15, 2021. 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, 2021, to Aug. 31, 2021, as of Sept. 15, 2021, 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.

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RE/MAX Realty Services Bethesda Row • 301.652.0400 4825 Bethesda Avenue #200 Bethesda, MD 20814

4515 WILLARD AVE #1802S, CHEVY CHASE $307,000

REALTOR®

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Kitchen & BAth

Showcase

kitchen & bath

MERIDIAN HOMES, INC. 4938 Hampden Lane, #330, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-652-4440 | info@meridianhomesinc.com www.meridianhomesinc.com

BIO

At Meridian Homes, we specialize in luxury renovations and custom home building. Our mission is to create exceptional residences that exceed expectations. Our highly personalized design process and careful management of every project have earned us a reputation over many years for outstanding client service and solid, beautiful craftsmanship.

COURTESY PHOTO

PROJECT

If you are obsessed with quality done right, you have found your design/build soulmates at Meridian Homes. In our vocabulary, “quality” is more than shorthand for expensive finishes. It’s in the solid and uncompromising integrity of construction. Quality shows in the subtle finesse of fine craftsmanship. Quality expresses itself in a nook, a room or an entire home that feels totally satisfying because every detail is simply the way it should be. From our first conversation, you will have no doubt that exceptional client service comes naturally to the Meridian Homes team. Everything we do is aimed to graciously accommodate your needs and personalize the process of design and construction. Beginning with the conceptual sketches of your project through our comprehensive post-occupancy inspections, everyone who touches your home will provide you with attentiveness, professionalism and an intuitive understanding of your wishes. That’s the hallmark of our concierge level client service. BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 219

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Kitchen & BAth

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

KONST UNION 7550 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 110, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-654-7810 | www.konstunion.com

BIO

KONST Union is the DC metro area’s trusted source of exclusive bathroom furniture and fixtures. Our showroom brings to North America a curated selection of luxury European bath brands, including Fantini, Effegibi, Noorth and Crosswater London. Come experience first-hand the innovative style, comfort and precision manufacturing that distinguish the fine art of bathroom design. KONST Union owner Jonas Carnemark captures the luxury of wellness in his primary bathroom design at the 2020 Aspire Show House in McLean. More than a home spa, the soothing space elevates everyday rituals by tapping European sources for bath fittings and furniture. A state-of-the-art steam shower from Effegibi promises to renew and relax. The company’s easy-to-install steam generators and slim control panels put steam quality, density and hygiene, as well as chromatherapy and aromatherapy, all at the touch of an intuitive screen. Fantini fixtures coordinate effortlessly with minimalist Noorth bath furniture, featured together here and in the other bathrooms throughout the house. Also from Noorth, the freestanding Azuma tub, flanked by two exotic sculptures, itself resembles a piece of art beneath the expansive window. Materials throughout—coupled with a dramatic groin-vaulted ceiling—amplify the sense of serenity as the chandelier, artwork and accessories complete this welcome respite for water and wellness. 220

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COURTESY PHOTOS

PROJECT

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Kitchen & BAth

KONST SIEMATIC 7550 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 130, Bethesda MD 20814 301-657-3800 | www.konstsiematic.com

BIO

KONST SieMatic is the exclusive source for the leading German cabinet manufacturer in the Washington, D.C., area. Our flagship showroom features three distinct style collections—Pure, Classic, and Urban—each with its own array of design elements and materials. You’ll also find appliances from such coveted brands as Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Gaggenau.

COURTESY PHOTOS

PROJECT

For his kitchen at 2020 Aspire Show House in McLean, KONST SieMatic owner Jonas Carnemark focused on connectivity—a state of being that has grown all the more important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Creating connections to family, friends and the flow of information has never been more critical to individual well-being. Matte black SieMatic cabinets conceal appliances and pop against the white stone backsplash with striking black veins. The counters—in black stone with white veins—intensify the contrast, while large drawer bases maximize storage and accessibility. Designated work zones, double islands and wider aisles facilitate seamless (and socially distanced) interaction. An unobtrusive 75-inch LED panel makes it possible to virtually bond with loved ones, pull up a favorite recipe, or watch a how-to video on sous vide—all from the prep island. No matter what the new normal looks like, the connected kitchen will no doubt serve homeowners well for years to come. BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 221

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ABW APPLIANCES Arlington Showroom 4748 Lee Hwy, Arlington, VA 22207 703-879-7966 questions@abwappliances.com

BIO

Award-winning and trusted by designers, builders and remodelers for decades, ABW Appliances experts ease you through the appliance selection, delivery and installation process. Our consultants work together with top designers, such as Aidan Design, to ensure the best fit and ownership experience possible. Aidan Design, a boutique firm specializing in kitchen design, trusts ABW Appliances to supply classic Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove products for their projects. Extraordinary kitchens deserve extraordinary appliances. This Aidan Design - Sally Steponkus Interiors project features a full suite of Sub-Zero cooling, Wolf cooking and Cove cleaning products. To eliminate the typical traffic jam by the refrigerator, Aidan Design separated the fridge from the freezer using modular refrigeration in both stainless and custom panel finishes. The slim fridge profile fits snugly by the sink, always in reach, while the lessfrequently used freezer is tucked away in the lower traffic area by the pantry. Iconic Wolf knobs add a playful pop of red within the neutral color palette. 222

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PROJECT

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Kitchen & BAth

JACK ROSEN CUSTOM KITCHENS 12223 Nebel St., Rockville, MD 20852 240-595-6732 | www.BeautifulRosenKitchens.com

BIO

Voted “Best Kitchen Design Firm, 2020” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine, Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens, Inc. continues to be one of the most celebrated kitchen design firms in the Washington, DC area. We offer award-winning designs and fine cabinetry for culinary, closets, home offices and entertainment with outstanding service. PROJECT

COURTESY PHOTOS

Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens is widely recognized for creating captivating home environments. The kitchen pictured at the top is an ideal example of a transitional “tuxedo” kitchen. The beautiful two-toned custom cabinetry offers organizational systems to keep everything in its place and the oversized island features a prep sink for convenience. The photo at the right shows a bold design with a full-slab panda white marble backsplash and a coordinating custom waterfall island with an eat-in countertop. Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens, Inc., believes every award-winning space should be laid out to fit one’s lifestyle and serve as the central hub for gathering, entertaining or working from home.

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KITCHEN & BATH STUDIOS INC. 7001 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-657-1636 | designnow@kitchen-bathstudios.com kitchenbathstudios.com

BIO

Kitchen and Bath Studios has built a reputation for being the premier design center in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Our showroom features five cabinet lines that provide a vast selection of styles finishes and price points. Contact us today and receive a free design layout with expert consultation from one of our six designers on staff. Celebrating 28 years! PROJECT

COURTESY PHOTOS

Top photo is a beautiful contemporary in custom stain slab door cabinets and lower photo is traditional inset white paint by Christiana Cabinetry. Our spacious showroom displays cabinets from Christiana Cabinetry, Signature, Crystal, Executive and Designers Choice. We have counter tops in stone, wood, stainless steel, Quartz and Corian. Our experienced designers include Nancy Kotarski, NCIDQ; Karen Hourigan, CKD; Jerry Weed, CKD; Fred Grenfel; Peggy Jaeger, CKD, ABD; and Jordan Weed. Call for a free consultation, Monday-Friday 9-5, Saturday 10-3.

224

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Kitchen & BAth

CHESAPEAKE KITCHEN DESIGN 8001 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 102, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-652-7880 | www.chesakitdes.com

BIO

Chesapeake Kitchen Design has been helping Washington-area homeowners transform their kitchens and bathrooms into luxurious new spaces for over 40 years. From stylish and expansive kitchens that are perfect for entertaining to ornate and spa-like bathrooms, our team has completed a wide range of luxury remodeling projects throughout the greater Washington, D.C. community.

COURTESY PHOTOS

PROJECT

With Chesapeake Kitchen Design, it has never been easier to get your luxury remodeling project off the ground. We offer free in-home estimates to discuss your project with you, measure your space and help you make informed decisions for a perfect remodeling experience. All our projects are assigned a construction crew, a site foreman who is in daily contact with the project coordinator at our office. Together they coordinate the flow of materials and job specialists to ensure a smooth project installation. We are proud to employ the most experienced remodelers and custom cabinet installers in the area. As a fully licensed and insured remodeling contractor, we deliver a completely seamless installation for all your project’s furnishings, including custom cabinetry from our trusted manufacturers, natural stone countertops, lighting, fixtures, flooring, backsplashes and much more. BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 225

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(703) 891-0131

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restaurants. cooking. food. drinks.

PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

dine

The OG oyster shooter—an oyster on the half shell atop a shot of bloody mary—is on the menu at King Street Oyster Bar in Park Potomac. For our review, turn the page.

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King Street Oyster Bar offers a dozen varieties of oysters daily.

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BY DAVID HAGEDORN | PHOTOS BY DEB LINDSEY

SLURP TIME

Overall Rating:

C+

Bargains at happy hour draw crowds to King Street Oyster Bar in Park Potomac ON THE LAST SUNDAY of August, I thought I had a good strategy to beat the crowds at King Street Oyster Bar, a local chainlet that opened its fourth (and first Maryland) location in Park Potomac in March: Show up at 4 p.m. to beat the brunch and early dinner crowds and enjoy a leisurely late afternoon sipping New Zealand sauvignon blanc and slurping oysters. Instead, the place, which seats 180 inside and 120 on a roofed patio outside, was packed. A surprise birthday party for 20 was underway in one room. Every indoor and outdoor stool of the 24-seat, two-sided bar was The roofed patio seats 120 in warmer months, and 80 in winter, when it is outfitted with heaters and tented sides.

taken. (Opened windows allow bartenders to access the outdoor side in good weather.) The patio was rocking, with families and highchairs at every other table. (In the winter, the patio, outfitted with heaters and tented sides, seats 80.) My plan hadn’t taken into account the restaurant’s generously priced happy hour, offered seven days a week from 3 to 6:30 p.m. It features $1 Chincoteague oysters (regularly $2) and a $7 price tag for several alcoholic beverages, around 10 appetizers, and a burger topped with ham, barbecue sauce and cheddar that usually sells for $13. (They

KING STREET OYSTER BAR 12435 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac, 301-296-6260, kingstreetoysterbar.com FAVORITE DISHES: Oysters (on the half shell, charbroiled or as a shooter); mermaid tower; tuna tacos; lobster roll; white chocolate bread pudding. PRICES: Appetizers: $7 to $13; Oysters on the half shell: $12 per half dozen for East Coast, $18 per half dozen for West Coast; Sandwiches: $12 to $19; Entrees: $16 to $36; Desserts: $7. LIBATIONS: A fun but on-thesweet-side cocktail list of 19 offerings (all $12) is divided into categories: Bright & Fizzy (such as a Corpse Revived, with gin, absinthe, Lillet blanc, orange liqueur and lemon juice), Stirred & Serious (Vesper, Old-fashioned), Sweet & Sour (Moscow Mule, a riff on a piña colada) and Other Fun Stuff, which includes a sangria made with Malibu mango, peach schnapps, brandy and white wine. An abbreviated wine list has four sparklers; nine whites; two rosés and six reds. Almost all are offered by the glass ($12) or bottle ($46), with house wine in each category going for $8 per glass and $30 per bottle. There is a rotating list of draft beer from among 10 Maryland brews, and eight canned or bottled beers. Happy hour (3 to 6:30 p.m. seven days a week) is a great bargain, with several cocktails, all house wine and house brews at $7, plus $2 off all drafts. SERVICE: Inconsistent but eager.

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White chocolate bread pudding is served over a bourbon custard sauce and topped with vanilla ice cream.

raised the price from $5 to $7 in September due to skyrocketing costs.) Happy hour is a deliberate marketing ploy, explains the restaurant’s co-founder, Rick Allison. “I want you to come back more than once every two or three weeks. And to do that, you have to give good value.” Allison, who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, in 1989, worked as a chef for two blockbuster restaurant groups, Fairfaxbased Great American Restaurants and D.C.-based Clyde’s Restaurant Group, including a stint at the Old Ebbitt Grill, renowned for its oyster bar. Loudoun Restaurant Group, which Allison owns with co-founder Jorge Esguerra, opened its first King Street Oyster Bar in Leesburg in 2016, followed by outposts in Middleburg in 2017 and Washington, D.C., in 2019. King Street Park Potomac replaced Addie’s, which closed at the beginning of the pandemic and never reopened. Allison says Loudoun Restaurant Group signed a lease in December 2020. Construction and design on the 4,500-square-foot space, overseen by the D.C. firm //3877 Design, took only 230

eight weeks. The main room, which was cut into two smaller rooms at Addie’s, has been turned into one open space. All other changes were cosmetic. Steel blue is the predominant color on the walls and on the new bar stools and dining chairs. Black and white honeycombtiled flooring and lolling ceiling fans contribute to an oyster shack vibe. Oysters are, as the restaurant’s name suggests, the main draw at King Street, which offers a dozen varieties daily, originating from Virginia to Prince Edward’s Island on the East Coast, and California to British Columbia on the West Coast. In 2020, Allison says, his then-three restaurants sold 7 million of the bivalve mollusks. A great way to get things going at King Street is to kick back a couple of oyster shooters. A Virginia oyster on the half shell arrives perched atop a small glass of bloody mary or sake laced with soy sauce and yuzu (a citrus). The restaurant offers a variety of grilled oysters: chipotle pepper, andouille sausage and bacon; Rockefeller (spinach and Parmesan); and garlic butter and Parmesan. From time to time, I enjoy a decadent

lunch at a bar by myself, lingering over a martini and working my way through a seafood tower meant for two or more to share. King Street’s mermaid tower comes with four oysters and four clams on the half shell; four large shrimp tossed in an Old Bay-like seasoning (so rubbery and salty I ate only one); half a chilled, poached lobster; a quarter pound of jumbo lump crabmeat; and, per the menu, a half pound of King crab legs. (On all of my visits, crab legs were 86’d from the menu, due, says Allison, to supply chain and price issues. For my tower, they allowed me to double up on any of the remaining components.) Sauces are cocktail sauce, hot sauce and two kinds of mignonette (a shallot and vinegar sauce), one made with ginger. King Street isn’t the place to go if you’re looking for food that’s really going to blow you away. Allison refers to the person running the food operation at Park Potomac as a kitchen manager rather than a chef. The chicken, andouille and shrimp gumbo I have there one day in August has a nice dark color and deep roux flavor, but the proteins have been chopped so small and cooked so long I

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Above: A bloody mary with shrimp, bacon and a fried oyster Left: Tuna tacos with guacamole, slaw and cilantro served in slices of watermelon radish

can’t much tell them apart. Blue crab dip is bubbly hot and tastes vaguely of red bell pepper and Old Bay seasoning, but the crab lacks sweetness or oomph. For tuna tacos, colorful slices of raw watermelon radish—rather than corn tortilla shells—are piled with chopped raw tuna, guacamole and red pepper slaw. It’s a good idea on paper, and they’re very bountiful, pretty and tasty, but a mess to

eat with your hands, the stuffing oozing out everywhere. (Use a knife and fork.) Fried calamari is as it should be: lightly coated with crunchy batter and not rubbery. Shrimp and scallop ceviche is overmarinated in puckery lime juice. For entrees, go for the lobster roll offered in two styles, one served cold with a generous amount of lobster meat tossed in lemon aioli, the other served warm and

dressed with melted butter. Other dishes I sample—macadamia-crusted mahi mahi in lemon butter with cauliflower puree and grilled asparagus; lobster, grilled sea scallops and mushrooms over spaghetti with lobster ginger sauce; a lobster club salad—are just OK. Each has faults, be it an overcooked component or a lack of seasoning. There was nary a lump to be found in panko-crusted jumbo lump crabcakes, too mushy and salty to eat. Dessert ends a meal at King Street on a pleasant note. White chocolate bread pudding sitting atop bourbon custard sauce is chunky, buttery, soaked with white chocolate and topped with vanilla ice cream. If some of the warm chocolate sauce served with your order of pillowy doughnut holes happens to make its way to that ice cream, who’s to know? n David Hagedorn is the restaurant critic for Bethesda Magazine.

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dine | TABLE TALK

MEXICAN-BORN CHEF, television personality, cookbook author and Chevy Chase resident Pati Jinich started as a policy wonk, parlaying her 2005 master’s degree in Latin American studies from Georgetown University into a position at Washington think tank Inter-American Dialogue, a job she realized wasn’t for her. “I loved my home country so much and wanted to help in any way I could, but I didn’t think I was helping in a way that touched people’s lives,” Jinich says. She enrolled at L’Academie de Cuisine 232

cooking school in Gaithersburg (now closed) to become a food writer and help undo misconceptions about Mexicans one recipe at a time. She started teaching cooking at D.C.’s Mexican Cultural Institute and in 2007 became its resident chef. (She still is.) Her James Beard Foundation award-winning PBS cooking show, Pati’s Mexican Table, is in its 10th season. She’s also written cookbooks—Pati’s Mexican Table (2013) and Mexican Today (2016)—and her third book, Treasures of the Mexican Table: Classic Recipes, Local

Secrets, comes out on Nov. 2. We asked her all about it.

What is the inspiration behind Treasures of the Mexican Table? Mexican cooking is part of mainstream lingo now—salsa, guacamole, chicken tinga, taco Tuesday—so I thought, Now, let’s get to the next level. This is my way of saying, ‘Wait, there’s more!’ There are hundreds more Mexican classics that haven’t crossed the border but have passed the test of time in Mexico. They

COURTESY PHOTOS

Mexican Food Ambassador

Pati Jinich, who lives in Chevy Chase, has a new cookbook out with recipes for Mexican dishes.

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BY DAVID HAGEDORN

define our country’s cooking. There are tons of vegan and vegetarian dishes, sophisticated dishes like green beans cooked in fresh corn puree until just tender and dressed with chunky tomato sauce and pumpkin seeds. This isn’t cheffy Mexican food. They are nurturing, family-friendly, super-accommodating dishes.

The subtitle is “Classic Recipes, Local Secrets.” What are some examples of the local secrets? Oh my gosh, there are so many. A veal chop that I absolutely love comes with a very perfumed and delicate white mole called a bride’s mole because it’s used mainly for weddings or celebrations in central Mexico. They want [the mole] to be soft and exquisite, so they use pine nuts and yellow banana peppers instead of red or green chiles. It matches the dish to the gown

because it’s traditional to marry in white dresses. The green bean recipe I told you about seems very modern—you could find it on a trendy vegan menu today—but has existed in the Yucatan since pre-Hispanic times. They’d throw a hot rock into it so [the beans] would cook quickly. Of course, I adapted the recipe from the ancient technique. No hot rock—I cook the beans in a fresh corn sauce that makes them sweet and creamy.

What dishes would you serve at a book signing to reflect what Treasures of the Mexican Table is all about? Different chunky guacamoles; chunky chile mangoes in a guajillo marinade with chips or on baguette; different tamales; chorizo chicken and potato tinga on tostadas; [braised goat or lamb] birria in quesadillas; unexpected things, like a date and pecan cake that is absolutely delicious. Lots of vegetarian dishes, like the green beans in corn. Also tok seel, white beans from the Yucatan. We think of Mexican beans as soupy, but these are seared.

Jinich’s latest book includes recipes for fiesta turkey with chorizo and cashew stuffing (above) and a potato crown (right).

What are some of the recipes that resonate for the holidays? We eat turkey for Christmas, usually with adobo, but people here don’t know about that. For the roasted fiesta turkey with chorizo and cashew stuffing in the book, I cobbled together all the things I love about Mexico. It’s made with candied pineapple cooked down with brown sugar and pureed dried chiles. It’s sticky, sweet, tart, barely spicy and the stuffing is unexpected and deeply Mexican. If you want new flavors, try this turkey. You won’t go back to another one. A potato crown—rosca de papa—baked in a Bundt pan is insane. It’s cheesy, chunky and very retro. Mashed sweet potatoes with caramelized pineapple is kind of like our sweet potatoes with marshmallows. In Mexico, they sometimes eat it as dessert.

What are some American misconceptions about Mexican cooking? The same one from when I moved to the U.S. remains, that it’s always having chile peppers in it and is spicy. And that is not the case, as you see in many, many, many recipes in my new book. Or they equate it with overly greasy, heavy food and there are so many delicate, soft, sophisticated simple dishes. Another is that Mexican cooking is laborious. Yes, we have our share, but we have others too. And laborious ones, like tamales and moles, are for celebrations, meant to be made communally, with the family.

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Left: Jason Miskiri, chef and owner of The Angry Jerk, on one of the delivery scooters at the restaurant Above: Jerk chicken (left) and curry chicken

DESPITE ITS NAME—The Angry Jerk—this Silver Spring Caribbean fastcasual restaurant is likely to turn you into a happy camper once you’ve tried its food. Among its splendid dishes are jerk chicken; braised beef and oxtail served over rice with zesty pineapple salsa; and a chicken curry that packs a scotch bonnet pepper wallop. Opened by chef and owner Jason Miskiri in July, the restaurant is 1,600 square feet and seats 20. The Angry Jerk’s logo, designed by Green Owl Design in Hyattsville, features a Grinch-like scotch bonnet pepper, the trademark ingredient that brings the fire to Caribbean cooking. The peppers make an appearance in almost every dish at The Angry Jerk, Miskiri says. Miskiri was born in Guyana, raised in Takoma Park and lives in Chevy Chase. Three doors away from The Angry Jerk is The Society Restaurant & Lounge, which 234

he opened 10 years ago and co-owns with his sister Samantha Khamis-el-Miskiri. When the pandemic started, Miskiri saw an opportunity. “People still wanted to eat out, but had to follow guidelines. I noticed that carryout and delivery were kicking butt, thriving. So when The Big Greek Cafe moved [down the street] and the landlord and the broker wanted me to take it, I took the deal instantly,” he says. “[Society Lounge] was one of the first late night spots here that started to drive business to this area. There’s so much traffic here now. [Angry Jerk stays] open when other places close, sometimes until 3 a.m.” The Angry Jerk’s menu offers entrees and side dishes as well as build-yourown bowls ($11 to $14.50) and tacos (three for $9 to $11.75) with various fillings (jerk shrimp, jerk chicken, veggies or braised oxtail and beef) and choose-your-own toppings. Miskiri’s jerk

chicken ($15.50 for half a chicken) is admirable, with a nice grilled char and a kick of heat. Miskiri marinates the chicken for 24 to 48 hours in what he calls J’s 11 spices (11 was the number of his jersey when he played basketball professionally for the Charlotte Hornets), which includes pimento, ginger, paprika, garlic and Cajun seasoning. Then the chicken gets a curry paste wet rub for another 24 to 48 hours before being charcoal grilled, beer basted, sliced and topped with a barbecue sauce of your choice. Curry chicken ($19) loaded with pimento, ginger, garlic and onions is fall-off-the-bone succulent. Other menu items include jerk salmon ($17), fried fish ($22) and a very gooey macaroni and cheese ($7.50). The Angry Jerk, 8223 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, 301-328-0788, theangryjerk.com

PHOTOS BY LINDSEY MAX

Fiery Fare

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COMINGS GOINGS Seafood restaurant The Salt Line, which has a location in D.C., will open in Bethesda in the former Kapnos Kouzina spot in fall 2022. The space had previously been slated for The Riggsby.

Indian restaurant Spice Xing closed at Rockville Town Square in September. Kumbia, a restaurant serving South American cuisine, is taking over the space and plans to open this winter.

Two sushi restaurants are planned for locations in Potomac next year. The owners of Kenaki Sushi Counter in the Kentlands in Gaithersburg will open Kema by Kenaki in Cabin John Village in spring 2022. Bethesda’s Yirasai Sushi will relocate to Park Potomac by the end of 2021 or early 2022.

Washington-based hummus restaurant Little Sesame will open in Bethesda Row by the end of the year.

Pizza and pasta restaurant Sugo Osteria closed in July in Park Potomac. Gregorio’s Trattoria has taken over the space and will open its third Montgomery County outpost there (and fourth overall) in 2022.

Rockville-based coffeeshop Black Lion Café will open a second location in spring 2022 in the Fenton Silver Spring apartments.

In Rockville Town Square in late 2021 or early 2022, Èkó House Nigerian restaurant will open in the former Bar Louie space, and El Mercat Bar de Tapas, a Spanish tapas restaurant, will take over the former Gumbo Ya Ya space.

Sweet Block, a carryout and delivery only restaurant featuring Latin American fare, will open in Silver Spring this fall.

In Bethesda, Clove & Cedar Coffeebar closed at the end of August, and Urban Plates in Westfield Montgomery mall closed in September. Ichiban Restaurant in Gaithersburg shuttered in September. And Urban-Bar-B-Que closed its Rockville location on Norbeck Road in October. n

PHOTOS BY LINDSEY MAX

Our heartfelt gratitude to all the friends who helped Ridgewells survive the pandemic, especially Lerch Early & Brewer. We’re pleased to be in business and ready to serve you again.

301.652.1515 | ridgewells.com | #gratitude BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

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dine

DINING GUIDE

CHECK OUT THE ONLINE VERSION OF THE DINING GUIDE AT BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM Editor’s Note: Due to the coronavirus pandemic, restaurants may be requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

BETHESDA AJI-NIPPON 6937 Arlington Road, 301-654-0213. A calm oasis on a busy street, where chef Kazuo Honma serves patrons several kinds of sushi, sashimi, noodle soups, teriyaki and more. Try a dinner box, which includes an entree, vegetables, California roll, tempura and rice. L D $$

ALATRI BROS. (EDITORS’ PICK) 4926 Cordell Ave., 301-718-6427, alatribros.com. The folks behind Olazzo and Gringos & Mariachis bought Mia’s Pizzas and revamped it with a new name and decor. They kept the Naples-style pies that come from a wood-burning oven, but added small plates and healthy options. Sit in the cheery dining room with green, gray and white accents or under an umbrella on the patio.  L D $$

&PIZZA 7614 Old Georgetown Road, 240-800-4783, andpizza.com. Create your own designer pizza from a choice of two crusts (both are vegan and one is also gluten-, soy- and dairy-free), three cheeses (including a vegan option) and five sauces or spreads. Toppings for the thin, crispy crusts range from the usual suspects to Beyond Meat sausage and tater tots. This location of the hip, fast-casual chain has limited seating. L D $

ANTHONY’S COAL FIRED PIZZA 7776 Norfolk Ave., 240-781-6943, acfp.com. A fullservice restaurant in Woodmont Triangle serving coal-fired pizzas and other Italian fare, Anthony’s is part of a Florida-based chain. The corner restaurant includes a large bar area with TVs. Voted “Best New Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2021.

❂LD$

BACCHUS OF LEBANON (EDITORS’ PICK) 7945 Norfolk Ave., 301-657-1722, bacchusoflebanon.com. This friendly and elegant Lebanese staple has a large, sunny patio that beckons lunch and dinner patrons outside when the weather is good to try garlicky hummus, stuffed grape leaves, chicken kabobs, veal chops and dozens of small-plate dishes. ❂ L D $$

THE BARKING DOG 4723 Elm St., 301-654-0022, barkingdogbar.com. A fun place for young adults, with drink specials nearly every night and bar food such as quesadillas and burgers. Karaoke night is held weekly. ❂ L D $

BARREL AND CROW 4867 Cordell Ave., 240-800-3253, barrelandcrow. com. Contemporary regional and southern cuisine served in a comfortable setting with charcoal gray banquettes and elements of wood and brick. Menu

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highlights include Maryland crab beignets, shrimp and grits and roasted trout. ❂ R L D $$

Key

BENIHANA 7935 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-5391, benihana. com. Experience dinner-as-theater as the chef chops and cooks beef, chicken, vegetables and seafood tableside on the hibachi. This popular national chain serves sushi, too. The kids’ menu includes a California roll and hibachi chicken, steak and shrimp entrees. J L D $$

Price designations are for a threecourse dinner for two including tip and tax, but excluding alcohol. $ up to $50 $$ $51-$100 $$$ $101-$150 $$$$ $151+ Outdoor Dining b  Children’s Menu B Breakfast R Brunch L Lunch D Dinner

BETHESDA CRAB HOUSE 4958 Bethesda Ave., 301-652-3382. In the same location since 1961, this casual, family-owned dining spot features jumbo lump crabcakes, oysters on the half shell and jumbo spiced shrimp. Extra large and jumbo-sized crabs available year-round; call ahead to reserve. ❂ L D $$

BETHESDA CURRY KITCHEN 4860 Cordell Ave., 301-656-0062, bethesda currykitchen.com. The restaurant offers lunch buffet and Southern Indian vegan specialties, served in a spare and casual setting. There are plenty of choices from the tandoor oven, as well as vegetarian, seafood and meat curries. L D $$

BGR: THE BURGER JOINT 4827 Fairmont Ave., 301-358-6137, bgrtheburgerjoint.com. The burgers are good and the vibe is great. Protein choices include beef, chicken and Beyond Meat. Pick your own toppings or choose from a handful of selected combos, such as the Wagyu Wellington, with caramelized onions, roasted mushrooms, black truffles, blue cheese and BGR’s mayonnaise-horseradish “mojo” sauce.

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THE BIG GREEK CAFE 4806 Rugby Ave., 301-907-4976, biggreekcafe. com. Owned by the Marmaras brothers, the cafe serves Greek specialties, including a top-notch chicken souvlaki pita. L D $

BISTRO PROVENCE (EDITORS’ PICK) 4933 Fairmont Ave., 301-656-7373, bistroprovence.org. Chef Yannick Cam brings his formidable experience to a casual French bistro with a lovely courtyard. The Dinner Bistro Fare, served daily from 5 to 6:30 p.m., offers a choice of appetizer, main course and dessert for $35.

❂ R L D $$$

BLACK’S BAR & KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 7750 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-5525, blacksbarandkitchen.com. Customers count on the impeccable use of fresh and local ingredients and enjoy dining on the expansive patio. The bar draws crowds for happy hour.

❂ R L D $$$

BRICKSIDE FOOD & DRINK 4866 Cordell Ave., 301-312-6160, brickside bethesda.com. Prohibition-era drinks meet Italian bar bites and entrees. Dishes range from fried pork and waffles to short ribs. Try one of the colorfully named punches, which include Pink Murder Punch and Snow Cone Punch. ❂ R L D $$

CADDIES ON CORDELL 4922 Cordell Ave., 301-215-7730, caddieson cordell.com. Twentysomethings gather at this golfthemed spot to enjoy beer and wings specials in a casual, rowdy atmosphere that frequently spills onto the large patio. ❂ J R L D $

CASA OAXACA 4905 Fairmont Ave., 240-858-6181, casaoaxacamd.com. The focus is on tacos at this family-owned Mexican restaurant, but you’ll also find fajitas, salads, quesadillas and more on the menu. There’s an indoor bar and an outdoor beer garden.

❂ J L D $$ CAVA

7101 Democracy Blvd., Suite 2360 (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-658-2233; 4832 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-1772; cava.com. The guys from CAVA Mezze restaurant have created a Greek version of Chipotle. Choose the meat, dip or spread for a pita, bowl or salad. House-made juices and teas provide a healthful beverage option. ❂ (Bethesda Avenue location) L D $

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dine CESCO OSTERIA 7401 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-8333, cesco-osteria.com. Longtime chef Francesco Ricchi turns out Tuscan specialties, including pizza, pasta and focaccia in a big, jazzy space. Stop by the restaurant’s Co2 Lounge for an artisan cocktail before dinner. ❂ L D $$

CHAIA (NEW) 7237 Woodmont Ave., chaiatacos.com. Plantbased foods star at this fast-casual local chain. The menu includes kale and potato tacos, mushroom enchiladas, a quesadilla with squash blossoms, and sweet potato nachos. J L D $

CHEESY PIZZI 8021 Wisconsin Ave., 240-497-0000, cheesypizzibethesda.com. In addition to the standard offerings of a pizza joint, this spot (formerly Pizza Tempo under different owners) has sandwiches and boat-shaped Turkish pizza known as pide. L D $

CHEF TONY’S 4926 St. Elmo Ave., 301-654-3737, cheftonysbethesda.com. Chef-owner Tony Marciante focuses on Mediterranean fare, offering dishes ranging from fish and seafood to chicken, steak and pasta. Desserts include cannoli, cheesecake and tiramisu. J R L D $$

CHERCHER ETHIOPIAN 4921 Bethesda Ave., 301-652-6500, chercherrestaurant.com. The second branch of a D.C. Ethiopian spot, this restaurant and bar took over the space housing Suma. The decor is moderncontemporary and the menu features dishes—from beef to vegan—served on one large platter, meant for sharing, and Ethiopian wine. L D $

DON POLLO 10321 Westlake Drive, 301-347-6175; donpollogroup.com. Juicy, spiced birds and reasonable prices make this Peruvian chicken eatery a go-to place any night of the week. Family meals that serve four or six people are available.

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DUCK DUCK GOOSE (EDITORS’ PICK) 7929 Norfolk Ave., 301-312-8837, ddgbethesda. com. Thirty-five-seat French brasserie owned by chef Ashish Alfred. Small plates include steak tartare, and squid ink spaghetti with Manila clams and Fresno chilies. Among the entrees, look for updates of French classics, such as dry-aged duck with Bing cherries, and halibut with scallop mousse and puff pastry. ❂ L D $$

FISH TACO 7251 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-0010; 10305 Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center), 301-564-6000, fishtacoonline.com. This counterservice taqueria features a full roster of seafood as well as non-aquatic tacos, plus margaritas and other Mexican specialties. Voted “Best Tacos” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020. J L D $

FLOWER CHILD 10205 Old Georgetown Road, 301-664-4971, iamaflowerchild.com. A fast-casual restaurant that’s part of a national chain, Flower Child has an emphasis on vegetarian eating (grain-based bowls, vegetable plates, salads) but also offers protein add-ons such as chicken, salmon and steak. Voted “Best New Fast-Casual Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020. ❂ L D $

GARDEN GRILLE & BAR

CHIKO 7280 Woodmont Ave., 301-968-0053, chikodc. com. The name of this fast-casual outpost of a D.C.-based chain is a combination of Chinese and Korean, and so is its menu. Entrees are priced at $15-$20 and include Orange-ish Chicken and Cumin Lamb Stir Fry. Appetizers include Crispy Chicken Spring Rolls and Wok-Blistered Green Beans.

❂ J D $$

CITY LIGHTS OF CHINA 4953 Bethesda Ave., 301-913-9501, bethesdacitylights.com. Longtime Chinese eatery serves familiar Sichuan and Beijing fare, including six types of dumplings and seven handmade noodle dishes. Red walls and chocolate-colored booths give the place a sharp look. L D $$

THE CORNER SLICE 7901 Norfolk Ave., 301-907-7542, thecornerslice. net. New York-style pizza, available by the slice or as a 20-inch pie. Specialty pizzas include the spinachartichoke white pie with ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan and the Buffalo Chicken Pie with blue cheese and hot sauce. ❂ L D $

CUBANO’S 4907 Cordell Ave., 301-347-7952, cubanosrestaurant.com. Find authentic Cuban cooking with dishes such as ropa vieja (shredded beef in onions, peppers and garlic) and fried plantains. L D $$

DOG HAUS BIERGARTEN 7904 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-4287, bethesda. doghaus.com. This fast-casual California-based chain serves hot dogs, sausages, burgers and chicken sandwiches. The hot dogs are all beef and hormone- and antibiotic-free. The industrial-chic

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space includes picnic tables, TVs, a bar and more than two dozen beer choices. J L D $

7301 Waverly St. (Hilton Garden Inn), 301-6548111. Aside from a breakfast buffet featuring cooked-to-order omelets, waffles, fruit and more, the restaurant offers an extensive menu, from burgers to pasta dishes. J B D $$

GREGORIO’S TRATTORIA 4611-A Sangamore Road, 301-347-6830, gregoriostrattoria.com. Proprietor Greg Kahn aims to make everyone feel at home at this family-owned restaurant serving a hit parade of traditional Italian favorites, with all the familiar pasta, pizza, chicken, veal and seafood dishes; the gluten-free menu offers pizza, cheese ravioli and quinoa pastas.

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GRINGOS & MARIACHIS (EDITORS’ PICK) 4928 Cordell Ave., 240-800-4266, gringosandmariachis.com. The owners of the popular Olazzo Italian restaurants in Bethesda and Silver Spring trade in the red sauce for salsa at this hip taqueria with edgy murals and plenty of tequila. Voted “Best Happy Hour” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2021. L D $

GUAPO’S RESTAURANT 8130 Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-0888, guapos restaurant.com. This outpost of a local chain has everything you’d expect: margaritas and chips galore, as well as a handful of daily specials served in festive Mexican surroundings. Perfect for families and dates. J R L D $

GUARDADO’S 4918 Del Ray Ave., 301-986-4920, guardados.com. Chef-owner Nicolas Guardado, who trained at Jaleo, opened this hidden gem devoted to Latin-Spanish cooking in 2007 and has developed a following with

tapas specialties like shrimp and sausage, stuffed red peppers and paella. J L D $

HANARO SUSHI 7820 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-7851, hanarosushi. com. The restaurant’s modern dark woods combined with a light-filled dining room brighten its corner location, and the menu includes sushi and Asian fusion main courses such as pad Thai and galbi (Korean ribs). The bar offers a daily happy hour. ❂ L D $$

HAWKERS ASIAN STREET FOOD 7117 Bethesda Lane, 240-203-8135, eathawkers. com. This Bethesda Row branch of a Florida-based chain features bright decor with neon signs for a fun vibe reminiscent of an Asian street. The menu stars small plates such as baos (buns filled with chicken or pork belly), chicken dumplings, wontons, beef and chicken skewers, wings and coconut shrimp. There are also rice and noodle dishes, and lighter vegetable-based eats, such as green papaya and shrimp salad, edamame and five-spice green beans.

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HOUSE OF FOONG LIN 4613 Willow Lane, 301-656-3427, foonglin.com. The Chinese restaurant features Cantonese, Hunan and Sichuan cuisine, including chef’s recommendations, low-fat choices and lots of traditional noodle dishes. L D $$

HOUSE OF MILAE 4932 St. Elmo Ave., 301-654-1997. The Kang family, who own Milae Cleaners in Bethesda, bring simple Korean dishes to their first food foray. Chef “M&M” Kang prepares home-style fare such as bulgogi, galbi and bibimbap. The kids’ menu has one item: spaghetti, made from the recipe of owner Thomas Kang’s former college roommate’s mother.

JLD$

THE IRISH INN AT GLEN ECHO 6119 Tulane Ave., 301-229-6600, irishinnglenecho. com. This historic tavern has been a family home and a biker bar, but its incarnation as the Irish Inn has been delivering smiles and hearty food since 2003. Traditional Irish music on Monday nights, The 19th Street Band or other live music on Wednesday nights and live jazz on Sunday nights. ❂ J R L D $$

JETTIES 4829 Fairmont Ave., 301-769-6844, jettiesdc. com. The only suburban location of the popular Nantucket-inspired sandwich shop, which has five restaurants in Northwest Washington, D.C. Aside from the signature Nobadeer sandwich (roasted turkey and stuffing with cranberry sauce and mayonnaise on sourdough), look for large salads and an innovative children’s menu. ❂ J L D $

KADHAI (EDITORS’ PICK) 7905 Norfolk Ave., 301-718-0121, kadhai.com. This popular Indian restaurant formerly known as Haandi serves a variety of traditional chicken, lamb and seafood dishes, plus rice and vegetarian dishes and a selection of breads. An extensive lunch buffet is offered daily. ❂ L D $$

LA PANETTERIA 4921 Cordell Ave., 301-951-6433, lapanetteria. com. La Panetteria transports diners to a quaint Italian villa with its impeccable service and Old World atmosphere, serving Italian and Argentinian dishes, such as homemade pasta, pizzas and Argentinian meats. There are vegan options on the menu. L D $$

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LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN

MATCHBOX

7140 Bethesda Lane, 301-913-2902; 10217 Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center), 240-752-8737, lepainquotidien.com. New Yorkbased Belgian-born bakery/restaurant chain with farmhouse vibe, featuring organic breads, European breakfast and dessert pastries, savory egg dishes, soups, Belgian open-faced sandwiches, entree salads, wine and Belgian beer by the bottle.

❂ JBRLD$ LUKE’S LOBSTER

7129 Bethesda Lane, 301-718-1005, lukeslobster. com. This upscale carryout features authentic lobster, shrimp and crab rolls; the seafood is shipped directly from Maine. Try the Taste of Maine, which offers all three kinds of rolls, plus two crab claws. ❂ L D $

MAKI BAR 6831 Wisconsin Ave. (Shops of Wisconsin), 301907-9888, makibarbethesda.com. This tiny 30-seat Japanese restaurant and sushi bar offers 60-plus kinds of maki rolls, categorized as Classic (tuna roll), Crunch Lover (spicy crunch California roll) and Signature (eel, avocado, tobiko, crab), along with sushi, sashimi, noodle bowls and rice-based entrees. L D $$

MAMMA LUCIA 4916 Elm St., 301-907-3399, mammalucia restaurants.com. New York-style pizza dripping with cheese and crowd-pleasing red sauce, and favorites like chicken Parmesan and linguini with clams draw the crowds to this local chain. Gluten-free options available. ❂ L D $$

MORTON’S, THE STEAKHOUSE

7278 Woodmont Ave., 240-465-0500, matchboxrestaurants.com. At this local chain, look for mini-burgers, a “ginormous meatball” appetizer and thin-crust pizza with toppings, including herbroasted chicken, roasted mushrooms, fire-roasted red peppers and Spanish onions. ❂ J R L D $$

L D $$$

MUSSEL BAR & GRILLE

MEDIUM RARE 4904 Fairmont Ave., 301-215-8739, mediumrarerestaurant.com. A prix fixe menu that comes with bread, salad, steak and fries is the sole option at this small chain outpost (there are two Medium Rares in D.C.). Desserts cost extra. Weekend brunch also features a prix fixe menu.

D $$

MOMO CHICKEN & GRILL 4862 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, 240-483-0801, usmomo.com. Skip the breasts, and head for the wings or drumsticks at Bethesda’s first Korean fried chicken spot. Options such as seafood pancakes, bulgogi and bibimbap are part of the extensive offerings, all served in a hip space with framed record albums gracing the walls. ❂ J L D $$

MON AMI GABI (EDITORS’ PICK) 7239 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-1234, monamigabi. com. Waiters serve bistro classics such as escargot, steak frites and profiteroles in a dark and boisterous spot that doesn’t feel like a chain. Live jazz Thursday nights. Voted “Best Restaurant Wine List” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019.

❂ J R L D $$

7400 Wisconsin Ave., 301-657-2650, mortons. com. An ultra-sophisticated steak house serving pricey, large portions of prime-aged beef and drinks. The restaurant is known for a top-notch dinner experience but also offers lunch and a bar menu.

7262 Woodmont Ave., 301-215-7817, musselbar. com. Kensington resident and big-name chef Robert Wiedmaier serves his signature mussels, plus wood-fired tarts, salads and sandwiches. Wash them all down with a choice of 40 Belgian beers.

❂ R L D $$

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE’S 10400 Old Georgetown Road, 240-316-4555, notyouraveragejoes.com. This Massachusettsbased chain’s moderately priced menu offers burgers, big salads and stone-hearth pizzas, plus entrees including Anything But Average Meatloaf.

❂ J L D $$

OLAZZO (EDITORS’ PICK) 7921 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-9496, olazzo.com. This well-priced, romantic restaurant is the place for couples seeking red-sauce classics at reasonable prices. Founded by brothers Riccardo and Roberto Pietrobono, it was voted “Best Italian Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020.

❂ L D $$

THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE 7700 Wisconsin Ave., Store D, 301-986-0285, ophrestaurants.com. Along with the classic

www.JOSEPHINOSHOMES.com

240-400-1549

@JosephinosHomes

#JosephinosHomes

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dine flapjacks on this chain’s menu, you’ll find flavorpacked items such as apple pancakes with a cinnamon sugar glaze. And it’s not just pancakes to pick from: The restaurant serves a variety of waffles, crepes, eggs and omelets. J B L $

PASSAGE TO INDIA (EDITORS’ PICK) 4931 Cordell Ave., 301-656-3373, passagetoindia. info. Top-notch, pan-Indian fare by chef-owner Sudhir Seth, with everything from garlic naan to fish curry made to order. ❂ R L D $$

PAUL 4760 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-3285, paul-usa.com. Fifth-generation, family-owned French bakery becomes an international chain, with locations in close to 35 countries. Aside from breads and pastries, look for soups, sandwiches and quiche. ❂ B L D $

PHO VIET USA 4917 Cordell Ave., 301-652-0834, phovietus.com. Part of a chainlet of Vietnamese restaurants, this Woodmont Triangle spot serves 10 types of pho, along with rice entrees, cold noodle dishes and banh mi sandwiches. L D $$

PICCOLI PIATTI PIZZERIA 10257 Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center), 240-858-6099, piccolipiattipizzeria.com. The owner of local chains Fish Taco and Don Pollo opened this full-service Italian concept in the former Oakville Grille spot. Specializing in 12-inch Neapolitan-style pizzas, the restaurant also sells sandwiches, salads, small plates and pasta dishes.

❂ L D $$

PINES OF ROME 4918 Cordell Ave., 301-657-8775. Longtime Italian restaurant, formerly on Hampden Lane, still serves traditional pasta, pizza, fish and seafood at prices that are easy on the wallet. The white pizza is a hit, and don’t forget the spaghetti and meatballs.

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PIZZERIA DA MARCO (EDITORS’ PICK) 8008 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-6083, pizzeriadamarco.net. Authentic Neapolitan pizzas fired in a 900-degree Italian brick oven range from the Siciliana with eggplant confit and black olives to the Solo Carne with sausage, pepperoni and salame. Salads, antipasti and calzones available, too. ❂ L D $

POKE DOJO 7110 Bethesda Lane, 240-696-0990, pokedojo. com. The owners of Bethesda’s Hanaro Sushi opened this poke place at Bethesda Row. The menu includes a handful of signature bowls, or you can build your own from the raw fish, rice and toppings offered. L D $

PRALINE BAKERY & BISTRO 4611 Sangamore Road, 301-229-8180, praline-bakery.com. This sunny restaurant offers a tempting bakery takeout counter, full dining service and a patio. The food, which includes chicken pot pie and pralines, is French with an American accent.

❂ J B R L D $$

Q BY PETER CHANG (EDITORS’ PICK) 4500 East West Highway, 240-800-3722, qbypeterchang.com. Notable chef Peter Chang’s high-end flagship restaurant offers traditional Chinese dishes in an attractive, modern space. Peking duck, double-cooked pork belly and other authentic Sichuan cuisine are served, and some dishes are “ultimate spicy” for brave palates. Dim sum is available. ❂ J L D $$

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RAKU (EDITORS’ PICK) 7240 Woodmont Ave., 301-718-8680, rakuasiandining.com. Voted “Best Sushi” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020 and “Best Restaurant in Bethesda” in 2021, this casual restaurant has bamboo walls that do little to dampen the noise, but the menu satisfies with everything from sushi to kung pao chicken.

❂ L D $$

RICE PADDIES GRILL & PHO 4706 Bethesda Ave., 301-718-1862, ricepaddiesgrill.com. This cute copper-and-green eat-in/carryout makes quick work of Vietnamese favorites such as pork, beef and vegetable skewers infused with lemongrass and the classic beef noodle soup known as pho. L D $

ROCK BOTTOM RESTAURANT & BREWERY 7900 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-1311, rockbottom.com. India Pale Ales and specialty dark brews are among the award-winning beers crafted in-house at this cavernous yet welcoming chain, which offers a vast menu. The burgers are the real deal. ❂ J L D $$

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE 7315 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-7877, ruthschris. com. A dark and clubby feel makes this elegant chain popular with families as well as the happyhour crowd. Don’t skip the fresh seafood choices, which include Caribbean lobster tail and barbecued shrimp. D $$$

SALA THAI 4828 Cordell Ave., 301-654-4676, salathaidc. com. This Thai mainstay cooks the classics and offers diners a nearly panoramic view of Woodmont Avenue through huge, curved windows. Live jazz Friday and Saturday evenings. L D $$

SAPHIRE CAFÉ 7940 Wisconsin Ave., 301-986-9708. A relaxing spot for tasting everything from Maryland-style crab soup to Argentine skirt steak, Saphire pumps it up a notch on Friday and Saturday nights with drink specials and DJs. Tiki bar open Wednesdays through Saturdays. ❂ L D $

SATSUMA 8003 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-1400, satsumajp. com. Bethesda’s first yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) restaurant has built-in grills at each table. Diners select a cut—short rib, chuck rib, skirt or tongue— and prepare it themselves. There’s also an extensive sushi and sashimi menu, as well as interesting cooked dishes. L D $$

SILVER (EDITORS’ PICK) 7150 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-9780, eatatsilver. com. Upscale, tonier version of the homegrown Silver Diner chain, with modern takes on American classics and an emphasis on healthy, local and organic ingredients. Sleek interior takes its cue from the 1920s. ❂ J B R L D $$

SMOKE BBQ BETHESDA 4858 Cordell Ave., 301-656-2011, smokebbq.com. Pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, ribs and all the fixin’s, plus starters including smoked tomato soup and fried pickles served in a friendly, casual space. J L D $

SPANISH DINER 7271 Woodmont Ave., 301-284-3700, spanishdiner.com. José Andrés replaced the Jaleo in downtown Bethesda with this breakfast-all-day (Spanish style) concept. Menu standouts include huevos rotos (over-easy eggs with potatoes);

chicken, pork and duck foie gras-stuffed canelones with cheese sauce; and a breakfast ham, egg, cheese and avocado sandwich. For dessert, don’t miss the compressed pineapple with rum, lime and mint. ❂ L D $$

SWEETGREEN 4831 Bethesda Ave.301-654-7336, sweetgreen. com. The sweetgreen fast-casual chain—with its focus on local and organic ingredients— concentrates on salads (devise your own, or pick from a list) and soups. Look for eco-friendly decor and a healthy sensibility. Voted “Best Salads” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2021. ❂ L D $

TAKO GRILL 4914 Hampden Lane (The Shoppes of Bethesda), 301-652-7030, takogrill.com. Longtime, popular sushi destination relocated to the space formerly occupied by Hinode Japanese Restaurant. Look for the same traditional sushi menu, plus some new options, such as griddle-cooked teppanyaki at lunch, and more varieties of yakitori at dinner.

L D $$

TARA THAI 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-657-0488, tarathai.com. Thai cuisine goes high style at Bethesda Magazine readers’ pick for “Best Thai Restaurant” in 2020. With colorful murals of ocean creatures looking on, diners can try dishes ranging from mild to adventurous. L D $$

TASTEE DINER 7731 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-3970, tasteediner. com. For 80 years, this crowd-pleasing if slightly sagging spot has served up everything from breakfast to burgers to blue-plate specials such as steak and crabcakes to crowds of loyal customers. Open 24 hours. J B L D $

TERRAIN CAFÉ (EDITORS’ PICK) 7228 Woodmont Ave., 240-345-9492, shopterrain. com/restaurants. Located inside the Anthropologie & Co. at Bethesda Row, this quaint cafe changes its menu with the seasons. Look for cheese boards; salads; toast topped with eggplant, smoked salmon or fig; and entrees such as duck breast and a fried cauliflower sandwich. ❂ R L D $$

TIA QUETA 4839 Del Ray Ave., 301-654-4443, tiaqueta.com. This longtime family and happy-hour favorite offers authentic Mexican food such as moles and fish dishes, as well as the usual Tex-Mex options. Drink menu includes American and Mexican beers.

❂ J L D $$

TIKKA MASALA 4929 Elm St., 301-312-8191. Named after the classic curry recipe, Tikka Masala serves its namesake dish with a choice of four proteins— chicken, shrimp, lamb and paneer (cheese). Other classic Indian meat dishes and vegetarian entrees (including chickpea curry and cauliflower vindaloo) are also on the menu. L D $$

TOMMY JOE’S 7940 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-3801, tommy-joes. com.This Bethesda institution is now in the space formerly housing Urban Heights. The second-floor, window-filled corner location suits its sports bar persona, and the vast rooftop is ideal for outdoor drinking and snacking. Fare includes wings (Pohostyle, grilled and smoky, are a good option), burgers, crabcakes and ribs. Chunky brisket chili, on its own or on nachos, is a winner. ❂ L D $$

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YOU WILL REMEMBER HOW WE MAKE YOU FEEL

While we have won numerous awards in the past, none makes us prouder than being named a Top Place to Work. We are extremely grateful to our hardworking, committed and fun loving staff for nominating us and making this award possible.

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We also want to thank our loyal customers, as you are a part of this award as well. If you are not yet a customer, or haven’t shopped with us recently please stop in and give us a try. Our energy and good vibrations are contagious!

10/6/21 10:57 AM

dine TRATTORIA SORRENTO (EDITORS’ PICK) 4930 Cordell Ave., 301-718-0344, trattoriasorrento. com. This family-run Italian favorite offers homemade pastas, baked eggplant and fresh fish dishes. Half-price bottles of wine on Wednesdays.

D $$

TRUE FOOD KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 7100 Wisconsin Ave., 240-200-1257, truefoodkitchen.com. Health-focused chain prides itself on serving fresh ingredients and features an open kitchen. The eclectic, multicultural menu changes from season to season, and includes sandwiches, salads and pizza. Beer, wine and freshfruit and vegetable cocktails are also available. Voted “Best Restaurant for Vegetarian Dishes” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020.

❂ R L D $$

UNCLE JULIO’S 4870 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-2981, unclejulios. com. Loud and large, this Tex-Mex eatery packs in families and revelers fueling up on fajitas, tacos and more. Kids love to watch the tortilla machine. Voted “Best Mexican Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020 and “Most Kid-Friendly Restaurant” in 2021. ❂ J R L D $$

VIRRAAJ FINE INDIAN CUISINE 4914 Cordell Ave., 301-906-8425, virraaj.com. The Indian fusion-style dishes at this Woodmont Triangle restaurant range from vegetarian entrees such as Paneer Makhan Masala (cottage cheese cubes in a tomato cream sauce) and Maa Ki Dal (creamy black lentils) to meat-based dishes like Lamb Vindaloo (with a spicy curry sauce) and Murgh Tikka Masala (boneless grilled chicken sauteed in a creamy tomato sauce). ❂ L D $$

WANG DYNASTY 4929 Bethesda Ave., 301-654-1188, wangdynastybethesda.com. A mix of dishes from Shanghai and Taiwan—sweet and sour chicken, crispy shrimp with minced pork, Peking duck, panfried noodles with beef—fill the long menu at this Chinese restaurant in the space that housed Shanghai Village. Weekend dim sum is offered.

R L D $$

WOODMONT GRILL (EDITORS’ PICK) 7715 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-9755, hillstone. com. Part of the Houston’s chain, the eatery offers such classics as spinach-and-artichoke dip and its famous burgers, but also house-baked breads, more exotic dishes, live jazz and a granite bar. Voted “Best Overall Restaurant,” “Restaurant With Best Service” and “Best Burger” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020, and “Restaurant You Missed Most During the Pandemic” in 2021.

❂ L D $$$

WORLD OF BEER 7200 Wisconsin Ave., 240-389-9317, worldofbeer. com. Craft beer-focused tavern chain offers 50 brews on tap rotating daily and hundreds of bottled options. Food is classic pub fare, including hamburgers, wings and bratwurst sandwiches, as well as flatbreads and salads. Voted “Restaurant With Best Beer Selection” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2021. ❂ J R L D $

ZAO STAMINA RAMEN 7345 Wisconsin Ave., Unit B, 301-312-8399, zaostaminaramen.com. The menu is concise here—ramen is the star (three of the ramen soups are vegan). You’ll also find a few appetizers, such

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as gyoza (pork or vegan dumplings) and pork buns.

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Restaurant in Chevy Chase” and “Best Special Occasion Restaurant” by readers in 2021.

❂ R L D $$$

CABIN JOHN FISH TACO 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 301-229-0900, fishtacoonline.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂JLD$

SAL’S ITALIAN KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 240-802-2370, salsitaliankitchen.net. Persimmon and Wild Tomato owners Damian and Stephanie Salvatore replaced their Asian concept Indigo House with a return to their roots. Find traditional Italian fare, such as bruschetta, risotto balls, Caprese salad, meatball subs, fettuccine Alfredo, chicken cacciatore and shrimp scampi. ❂ L D $$

WILD TOMATO (EDITORS’ PICK) 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 301-229-0680, wildtomatorestaurant.com. A family-friendly neighborhood restaurant from Persimmon owners Damian and Stephanie Salvatore, serving salads, sandwiches and pizza. Voted “Best Neighborhood Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2021. ❂ J L D $

CHEVY CHASE ALFIO’S LA TRATTORIA 4515 Willard Ave., 301-657-9133, alfios.com. This Northern Italian classic on the first floor of The Willoughby of Chevy Chase Condominium has been feeding families and casual diners for more than 30 years. Look for traditional pasta, veal and chicken dishes (plus pizza), served in an Old World environment. J L D $$

THE CAPITAL GRILLE 5310 Western Ave., 301-718-7812, thecapitalgrille.com. The upscale steak-house chain, known for its He-Man-sized portions and extensive wine list, is located in The Shops at Wisconsin Place. Entrees also include chicken, lamb chops, salmon and lobster. Voted “Best Private Dining Room” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020. L D $$$$

CLYDE’S 5441 Wisconsin Ave., 301-951-9600, clydes. com. The popular restaurant features a frequently changing menu of American favorites and a collection of vintage airplanes and cars, as well as a model train running on a track around the ceiling.

❂ J R L D $$ DON POLLO

7007 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-0001, donpolloonline.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

LA FERME (EDITORS’ PICK) 7101 Brookville Road, 301-986-5255, lafermerestaurant.com. This charming Provencestyle restaurant serving classic French cuisine is a popular choice for an intimate dinner. Cognac Le Bar at La Ferme, a bar within the restaurant, opened in fall 2016. The bar serves small plates and cocktails. Voted “Best Romantic Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020 and “Best

LIA'S 4435 Willard Ave., 240-223-5427, chefgeoff.com. Owner Geoff Tracy focuses on high-quality, low-fuss modern Italian-American fare at this modern space with a wine room. Pizzas, house-made pastas and fresh fish please business lunchers and dinner crowds. ❂ J R L D $

LITTLE BEET TABLE 5471 Wisconsin Ave., 240-283-0603, thelittlebeettable.com/chevychase. Part of a small chain that started in New York City, Little Beet Table serves an entirely gluten-free lineup of dishes, including chicken, salmon, Korean rice cakes, a mushroom-and-black-bean burger and a whole branzino fish. The 100-seat full-service restaurant is in The Collection shopping area in Chevy Chase’s Friendship Heights neighborhood. ❂ L D $$

MANOLI CANOLI RESTAURANT 8540 Connecticut Ave., 301-951-1818, manolicanoli.com. Italian and Greek specialties abound at a fun family eatery that features a large prepared foods section, dishes made with olive oil from owner Stavros Manolakos’ family farm in Greece and homemade mozzarella on pizza and subs. ❂ J L D $

MEIWAH RESTAURANT 4457 Willard Ave., 301-652-9882, meiwah restaurant.com. This modern restaurant on the second floor of a Friendship Heights office building offers top-quality Chinese dishes that are hard to beat. There’s also a sushi bar with an extensive menu. A fountain sparkles on the outdoor patio.

❂ L D $$

MOBY DICK HOUSE OF KABOB 7023 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-1838, mobyskabob. com. This kabob takeout/eat-in mainstay was one of the first kabob places in the area. It makes its own pita bread. The menu includes a variety of salads and vegetarian sandwiches and platters. L D $

PERSIMMON (EDITORS’ PICK) 7003 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-9860, persimmonrestaurant.com. Owners Damian and Stephanie Salvatore’s popular restaurant offers casual fare from salads to sandwiches to meat and seafood entrees in a bistro setting featuring a lively bar, cozy booths and bright paintings on the walls.

❂ R L D $$

POTOMAC PIZZA 19 Wisconsin Circle, 301-951-1127, potomac pizza.com. This cheery, casual dining room provides a break from the ultra-posh shopping surrounding it. In addition to pizza, subs and pastas are popular. Beer and wine available. ❂ J L D $

SUSHIKO (EDITORS’ PICK) 5455 Wisconsin Ave., 301-961-1644, sushiko restaurants.com. Known as one of the Washington, D.C., area’s most respected sushi restaurants, Sushiko offers a wide range of sushi and other dishes. Kōbō, a restaurant within the restaurant, allows eight people to dine on 12- to 15-course tasting menus. ❂ L D $$

TAVIRA 8401 Connecticut Ave., 301-652-8684, tavira restaurant.com. Fish stews and several versions of bacalhau (salted cod) figure prominently on the

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menu of this intriguing Portuguese restaurant, which manages to be charming and attractive despite its location in an office building basement. L D $$

GAITHERSBURG/ NORTH POTOMAC &PIZZA 258 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 240-4998447, andpizza.com. See Bethesda listing.

BUCA DI BEPPO

BARKING MAD CAFE 239 Spectrum Ave., 240-297-6230, barkingmadcafe.com. Cooking from a wood hearth and selecting vegetables, herbs and edible flowers from its aeroponic (grown in air/mist but without soil) organic garden, Barking Mad Cafe has a corner spot in Watkins Mill Town Center. Look for madefrom-scratch brunch, lunch and dinner sweets and savories, such as breakfast pizza, watermelon salad and farro salad. ❂ R L D $$ 229 Boardwalk Place (Rio), 301-569-7086, bgrtheburgerjoint.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂JLD$

ASIA NINE 254 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 301-3309997, asianinemd.com. Pan Asian restaurant with a first location in Washington, D.C.’s Penn Quarter offers dishes from Vietnam, China, Thailand and Japan. Specialties include grilled lamb chops served with mango-soy coulis and miso honey duck breast drizzled with a sake butter sauce. R L D $$

ATHENS GRILL 9124 Rothbury Drive, 301-975-0757, athensgrill. com. This casual, friendly, family-run restaurant specializes in authentic Greek cooking, using recipes handed down through generations. Specialties such as rotisserie chicken, chargrilled salmon with a lemon dill sauce and lamb kabobs are cooked on a hardwood grill. L D $

CAVA 213 Kentlands Blvd., 301-476-4209, cava.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $

CHENNAI HOPPERS

BGR: THE BURGER JOINT

❂ LD$

122 Kentlands Blvd., 301-947-7346, bucadibeppo. com. The Kentlands outpost of this national chain serves huge, family-style portions of Italian specialties from fresh breads to antipasti and pasta dishes amid a sea of Italian kitsch. Desserts include Italian Creme Cake and tiramisu. J L D $$

BONEFISH GRILL 82 Market St., 240-631-2401, bonefishgrill. com. While fresh fish cooked over a wood fire is the centerpiece of this upscale Florida chain, the steaks, crabcakes and specialty martinis make it a fun option for happy hour and those with hearty appetites. R L D $$

BREWS & BARRELS BOURBON BAR AND GRILL 625 Center Point Way, 240-912-7736, brewsbarrels. com. With rustic chic decor, this Kentlands spot serves burgers, sandwiches, fish and chips, baby back ribs and pan-seared scallops alongside craft beer, whiskies and cocktails. J D $$

136 Paramount Park Drive (Spectrum Town Center), 240-813-0061, chennaihoppers.com. The South Indian dishes here are made with creative twists, including the Kozhi Lollipop (chicken wings that are battered and fried, then tossed with a sauce, onions and peppers) and Madras Ilai Meen Varuthathu (fish in a red sauce and coconut oil, wrapped in banana leaf and pan seared). ❂ L D $$

CINCO DE MAYO 640 Center Point Way, 240-261-4349, cincodemayorest.com. Part of a small chain, this Kentlands restaurant serves Mexican fare, including quesadillas, tacos, grilled chicken, steak, burritos and fajitas. ❂ L D $$

COAL FIRE 116 Main St., 301-519-2625, coalfireonline.com.

Homemade And we have thatcrusts too!fired by coal and topped with

your choice of toppings and three different sauces: classic, spicy and signature, which is slightly sweet

From Our Family, To Yours. gregoriostrattoria.com

Cabin John Village 7745 Tuckerman Lane Potomac, MD 301.296.6168

Sumner Place 4611 A Sangamore rd Bethesda, MD 301.347.6830 North Point 1428 No. Point Village Ctr. Reston, VA 703.689.4894 BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

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dine with a hint of spice. Salads, sandwiches and pasta also available, plus a full bar. ❂ L D $

COASTAL FLATS 135 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 301869-8800, greatamericanrestaurants.com. First Maryland locale for Great American Restaurants, a Fairfax-based chain. Seaside-inspired decor extends to the menu, which offers lobster and shrimp rolls, fried grouper and Key lime pie. Steaks, pasta and burgers also served. Voted “Best Restaurant in Gaithersburg/North Potomac” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2021. ❂ J R L D $$

COPPER CANYON GRILL 100 Boardwalk Place (Rio), 240-631-0003, ccgrill. com. Large portions of American classics such as salads, ribs and rotisserie chicken prepared with seasonal ingredients at family-friendly prices are the bill of fare at this spacious and casual chain restaurant. J L D $$

DOGFISH HEAD ALEHOUSE 800 W. Diamond Ave., 301-963-4847, dogfishalehouse.com. The first Maryland outpost of the popular Rehoboth Beach brewpub, the restaurant is packed with revelers and families clamoring for the Dogfish Head brews, burgers, pizzas and ribs. Check out the burger of the week.

❂ J L D $$

DOG HAUS BIERGARTEN 644 Center Point Way, 240-690-6090, kentlands. doghaus.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

DON POLLO 9083 Gaither Road, 301-990-0981, donpollogroup. com. See Bethesda listing.

❂LD$

FIREBIRDS WOOD FIRED GRILL 390 Spectrum Ave., 301-284-1770, gaithersburg. firebirdsrestaurants.com. Part of a chain, this restaurant in the Watkins Mill Town Center cooks steaks and seafood over a wood-fired grill. Designed to look like a Colorado lodge, the eatery tends toward classic fare for entrees (surf-and-turf, salmon, burgers) and dessert (chocolate cake, Key lime pie, carrot cake). ❂ J L D $$

THE GRILLED OYSTER CO. (NEW) 200 Main St., 301-299-9888, thegrilledoystercompany.com. This Chesapeakestyle seafood eatery relocated from Potomac’s Cabin John Village to the Kentlands in Gaithersburg. You’ll find salads, lobster pasta, a poke bowl, a burger and mussels. The sampler of grilled oysters—with ingredients such as spinach and bourbon—showcases the namesake item.

❂ J D $$

GUAPO’S RESTAURANT 9811 Washingtonian Blvd., L-17 (Rio), 301-9775655, guaposrestaurant.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂JRLD$

HERSHEY’S RESTAURANT & BAR 17030 Oakmont Ave., 301-948-9893, hersheysatthegrove.com. Fried chicken that tastes like it was made by an aproned elder is served up in a clapboard building constructed in 1889. Besides the fab fried chicken, Hershey’s serves up warm rolls, inexpensive prices and live music.

❂ J B R L D $$ IL PORTO

245 Muddy Branch Road, 301-590-0735, ilportorestaurant.com. A classic red-sauce menu, elegant murals of Venice and an authentic thin-crust

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pizza are hallmarks of this friendly, unfussy Italian restaurant tucked in the Festival Shopping Center. Fried calamari and the white pizza are among customer favorites. ❂ L D $

INFERNO PIZZERIA NAPOLETANA (EDITORS’ PICK) 12207 Darnestown Road, 301-963-0115, inferno-pizzeria.com. Tony Conte, former executive chef of Washington, D.C.’s Oval Room, goes casual with his first restaurant, an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria offering sophisticated toppings such as shaved truffles and garlic confit. Cozy dining room seats 39, with a tiled, wood-burning pizza oven as the centerpiece. D $$

IXTAPALAPA TAQUERIA 411 N. Frederick Ave., 240-702-0217, ixtataqueria. com. The owners of Taco Bar (in a Gaithersburg gas station) serve Mexican street food at this fastcasual spot. Pick a protein to go on corn tortillas, then head to the fixings bar. Or try a taco that comes already topped (the alambre with bacon, grilled onions and red peppers and Oaxaca cheese is good). ❂ L D $

KENAKI SUSHI 706 Center Point Way, 240-224-7189, kenakisushi. com. This sushi counter at Kentlands Market Square offers what the owners call a “modern take on traditional sushi.” Experiment with the Black Magic roll, which comes with truffle oil and black sushi rice. Lunch is more informal, but at dinner there’s full service. L D $

LANZHOU HAND PULL NOODLE 3 Grand Corner Ave. (Rio), 240-403-7486, handpullnoodle.com. The made-to-order noodles (choose hand-pulled or knife-sliced) at this fastcasual spot are served in soups and stir-fries with beef, chicken, duck and other proteins. Rice dishes, dumplings and pork buns are also available.

LD$

THE MELTING POT 9021 Gaither Road, 301-519-3638, themeltingpot. com. There’s nothing like dipping bits of bread, vegetables and apples into a communal pot of hot cheese to get a date or a party started. The Melting Pot chain also offers wine, oil or broth to cook meat tableside and chocolate fondue for dessert.

J D $$

MOBY DICK HOUSE OF KABOB 105 Market St., 301-978-7770, mobyskabob.com. See Chevy Chase listing. L D $

MOD PIZZA 145 Commerce Square Place, 240-552-9850, modpizza.com. The Bellevue, Washington-based chain offers design-your-own fast-casual pies (hence, Made on Demand, or MOD). Pizzas, cooked at 800 degrees for three minutes, can be topped with a choice of nearly 40 sauces, cheeses, meats, spices and veggies. ❂ L D $

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE’S 245 Kentlands Blvd., 240-477-1040, notyouraveragejoes.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂ J L D $$

OLD TOWN POUR HOUSE 212 Ellington Blvd. (Downtown Crown), 301-9636281, oldtownpourhouse.com. One of the eateries from Chicago’s Bottleneck Management restaurant company, this place features more than 90 local and international brews on tap. Classic American cuisine is served in a setting with copper-inlaid bars and high ceilings. ❂ L D $$

PALADAR LATIN KITCHEN & RUM BAR 203 Crown Park Ave., 301-330-4400, paladarlatinkitchen.com. This Cleveland-based chain covers the spectrum of Latin cuisine, with dishes from Cuba, the Caribbean and Central and South America. From Brazil, there’s feijoada stew; from Cuba, ropa vieja; and from Jamaica, jerk chicken. Bar selections include 50 varieties of rum, 15 tequilas and six types of mojitos.

❂ J R L D $$

QUINCY’S BAR & GRILLE 616 Quince Orchard Road, 301-869-8200. Energetic neighborhood pub with a sports bar atmosphere, Quincy’s also has an extensive menu with wings, pizza, build-your-own burgers and chicken sandwiches, plus entrees including Guinness-braised brisket. Live music is also a big draw. L D $

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE 106 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 301-9901926, ruthschris.com. See Bethesda listing.

D $$$

SILVER DINER 9811 Washingtonian Blvd. (Rio), 301-321-3530, silverdiner.com. This branch of the trendy diner includes a full bar and brasserie-style interior. The latest food trends (think quinoa coconut pancakes) share company on the enormous menu with diner staples such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Voted “Best Late-Night Eats” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2021. ❂ J B R L D $$

SIN & GRIN 353 Main St., 301-977-5595, singrintacos.com. Located in the heart of Kentlands Market Square, Sin & Grin is a fast-casual restaurant owned and operated by the Hristopoulos family, which also runs Vasili’s Kitchen. Pick from eight tacos, rotisserie chicken and an assortment of Mexican cuisine. L D $

SOUTH HOUSE GARDEN (NEW) 317 E. Diamond Ave., 240-912-6395, thesouthhousegarden.com. The garden theme plays out in plants and vines around this stylish restaurant and bar, which has lots of room for grabbing a beer, wine or a cocktail. Appetizers have a Southern slant (fried green tomatoes and jalapeno cornbread skillet). Main courses include tacos, pizzas, sandwiches, crabcakes and several vegan options. You’ll also find billiards and a few arcade games. ❂ J L D $$

TANDOORI NIGHTS 106 Market St., 301-947-4007, tandoorinightsmd. com. The restaurant serves traditional Indian fare ranging from tandoori chicken, marinated in yogurt and spices, to a biryani flavored with saffron, nuts and raisins. ❂ L D $

TARA THAI 9811 Washingtonian Blvd., L-9 (Rio), 301-9478330, tarathai.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂ L D $$

TED’S BULLETIN 220 Ellington Blvd. (Downtown Crown), 301990-0600, tedsbulletin.com. First Maryland location of the modern diner chainlet from the folks at Matchbox Food Group. Boozy milkshakes, homemade pop tarts and the Cinnamon Roll As Big As Ya Head (served weekends only) are among the specialties. ❂ J B R L D $$

TED’S MONTANA GRILL 105 Ellington Blvd. (Downtown Crown), 301-330-

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0777, tedsmontanagrill.com. First Maryland location of billionaire and bison rancher Ted Turner’s restaurant chain, which uses bison as the showpiece in a humongous selection of dishes, including burgers, meatloaf, nachos and chili. Soups, salads, American classics and spiked milkshakes also available at this saloon-style eatery. ❂ J L D $$

THAI TANIUM 657 Center Point Way, 301-990-3699, thaitaniumrestaurant.com. Authentic Thai food laced with lots of chilies and garlic as hot as you like. Try one of the Thai street food dishes, such as roasted pork with Thai herbed sweet sauce and noodle soups. ❂ J L D $

UNCLE JULIO’S 231 Rio Blvd. (Rio), 240-632-2150, unclejulios.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ J R L D $$

VASILI'S KITCHEN 705 Center Point Way, 301-977-1011, vasilis kitchen.com. Tan and brown decor lends a cozy vibe to this 4,700-square-foot Kentlands restaurant. The owners ran the popular Vasili’s Mediterranean Grill in another Kentlands location for more than a decade before closing it to focus on Vasili’s Kitchen. The Mediterranean menu is heavy on seafood dishes. ❂ J D $$

YARD HOUSE 211 Rio Blvd. (Rio), 240-683-8790, yardhouse.com. Part of a chain with locations in California, Illinois and Texas, this RIO Washingtonian Center spot is big: The 13,000-square-foot restaurant has more than 100 beers on draft, and more than 100 items on its menu, from poke nachos and Nashville hot chicken to Parmesan-crusted pork loin and gingercrusted salmon. ❂ J L D $$

YOYOGI SUSHI 317 Main St., 301-963-0001. yoyogisushi.wixsite. com/yoyogisushi. A no-nonsense neighborhood sushi place offering the familiar sushi, teriyaki, tempura and green tea or red bean ice cream.

❂LD$

GARRETT PARK BLACK MARKET BISTRO (EDITORS’ PICK) 4600 Waverly Ave., 301-933-3000, blackmarketrestaurant.com. Sublime American bistro fare served in a restored Victorian building next to railroad tracks; the building once served as a general store and still houses a post office. Entrees range from swordfish to a burger and pizza, including several vegetable options. Voted “Best Restaurant in Garrett Park/Kensington” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2021. ❂ J R L D $$

burgers and house-made desserts are on the menu. J R L D $$

FRANKLY…PIZZA! (EDITORS’ PICK) 10417 Armory Ave., 301-832-1065, franklypizza. com. Owner Frank Linn turns out high-quality pizza in a rustic brick-and-mortar restaurant. The menu offers wood-fired pies topped with home-cured meats and tomato sauce made from an 80-yearold family recipe. Wines and homemade sodas served on tap, too. Voted “Best Pizza” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020. ❂ L D $

JAVA NATION 10516 Connecticut Ave., 301-327-6580, javanation.com. There’s a brunch menu at this coffee shop tucked into a strip mall. Beer, wine and liquor are served, along with coffee that’s roasted on-site.

R L $$

K TOWN BISTRO 3784 Howard Ave., 301-933-1211, ktownbistro. com. Try filet mignon, duck breast à l’orange, chicken marsala and other classic continental dishes from this family-run eatery owned by Gonzalo Barba, former longtime captain of the restaurant in the Watergate Hotel. L D $$

KNOWLES STATION WINE & CO. 10414 Detrick Ave., Suite 100; 301-272-9080; knowlesstation.com. Part retail wine shop, part restaurant, part bar, this spot near the intersection of Knowles and Summit avenues features a short menu with meat and cheese plates, appetizers, salads and sandwiches (including grilled chicken, roast pork and crabcake). Find more than a dozen beers on draft and more than two dozen wines by the glass, plus lots of beer and wine to go.

❂ J L D $$

NORTH BETHESDA/ ROCKVILLE A & J RESTAURANT (EDITORS’ PICK) 1319-C Rockville Pike, 301-251-7878, aj-restaurant. com. Northern dim sum is the specialty at this hard-to-find cash-only spot in the Woodmont Station shopping center. Warm-colored walls surround the crowd digging into thousand-layer pancakes and fresh tofu. R L D $

AKIRA RAMEN & IZAKAYA 1800 Rockville Pike, 240-242-3669, akiraramenizakaya.com. This minimalist Japanese eatery serves house-made noodles and vibrant food such as a poke salad. The sleek establishment, located on the first floor of the Galvan at Twinbrook building, features an open kitchen and several variations of ramen to choose from. L D $

AL CARBÓN

KENSINGTON THE BIG GREEK CAFE 5268 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-4976, biggreekcafe.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

THE DISH & DRAM 10301 Kensington Parkway, 301-962-4046, thedishanddram.com. The owners of The Daily Dish in Silver Spring serve comfort food made with local ingredients in a 2,800-square-foot space in Kensington. Steak frites, Maryland crab soup,

200 Park Road, 301-738-0003, alcarbonrestaurant. com. Serving authentic Latin American fare across the street from the Rockville Metro station, this unassuming roadhouse has a loyal following for its arepas, empanadas, tapas and more. Try one of the natural juices including mango and tamarindo.

❂BLD$ AL HA'ESH

4860 Boiling Brook Parkway (Randolph Hills Shopping Center), 301-231-0839, al-haesh.com. Kosher Israeli grill serves vegetable and protein skewers (including chicken, lamb, beef, chicken livers and sweetbreads). All entrees come with

small ramekins of salads (think curried chickpeas; marinated red cabbage; and balsamic marinated mushrooms). ❂ L D $$

AMALFI RISTORANTE ITALIANO 12307 Wilkins Ave., 301-770-7888, amalfirockville. com. A family-run, red-sauce Italian restaurant with specialties including white pizza and lasagna. Lots of antipasti choices, too. The gazebo is a charming spot to dine during the summer. J L D $$

AMICI MIEI RISTORANTE 6 N. Washington St., 301-545-0966, amicimieiristorante.com. Previously located at the Potomac Woods Plaza, this upscale Italian restaurant serves wood-fired pizzas, homemade pastas and creative salads. The new, smaller establishment is cozier than the last with a menu that changes twice a year. L D $

AMINA THAI 5065 Nicholson Lane, 301-770-9509. Pleasant and bright, Amina Thai is run by a husband-andwife team and bills itself as the first Muslim Thai restaurant in the area, using only halal meats and serving familiar Thai dishes. Chef’s specials include pineapple fried rice and grilled salmon. L D $

&PIZZA 11626 Old Georgetown Road (Pike & Rose), 240621-7016, andpizza.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂LD$

BANGKOK GARDEN THAI STREET EATS 891-D Rockville Pike (Wintergreen Plaza), 301545-2848, bkgrockville.com. This fast-casual spot offers Thai classics (drunken noodles, pad Thai, fried rice, and curries served with chicken or pork belly) alongside Thai street fare, such as a mussel omelet. L D $

BARONESSA ITALIAN RESTAURANT 1302 E. Gude Drive, 301-838-9050, baronessarestaurant.com. Pizzas made in a woodburning oven and more than two dozen Italian entrees star on the menu at this 100-seat stripmall restaurant. Trivia nights and kids pizza-making classes are offered. J R L D $$

BB.Q CHICKEN 9712 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-309-0962, bbqchickenrockville.com. This Korean chain uses olive oil for frying its chicken, which you can order as whole, half, wings or boneless. Other Korean and fusion entrees and sides—including kimchi fried rice, calamari and fried dumplings—are on the menu too. There’s also a full bar. L D $

THE BIG GREEK CAFE 4007 Norbeck Road, 301-929-9760; 5268 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-4976, biggreekcafe.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

THE BLOCK FOODHALL & BAR 967 Rose Ave. (Pike & Rose), theblockfoodhall.com. This Asian food hall is a sibling of an Annandale spot that helped launch the food hall trend. Find tacos, Korean barbecue, shaved ice cream and more from a half dozen stalls. The center of the space houses a bar with TVs. ❂ L D $

BOB'S SHANGHAI 66 305 N. Washington St., 301-251-6652. Dim sum and rice and noodle dishes are the specialties at this popular eatery offering Taiwanese, Shanghai and Sichuan cuisine. It’s also one of the area’s top destinations for soup dumplings, where you can even watch the chefs making them in a glassenclosed booth. R L D $

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dine BOMBAY BISTRO 98 W. Montgomery Ave., 301-762-8798, bombaybistro.com. Bombay Bistro opened in 1991 as one of the first Indian restaurants in the area to combine high style, reasonable prices and a fresh take on traditional Indian, and it has been packed ever since. House specialties include tandoori lamb chops and shrimp and scallops masala.

J L D $$

BONCHON CHICKEN 107 Gibbs St., Unit A (Rockville Town Square), 301637-9079, bonchon.com. International fried chicken franchise with Korean roots serves up wings, drumsticks and strips with soy-garlic or spicy hot garlic sauce, plus other traditional offerings such as bulgogi, bibimbap and scallion seafood pancakes.

LD$

BOTANERO 800 Pleasant Drive, Suite 160, 240-474-5461, botanerorockville.com. Located in the King Farm neighborhood, this small plates restaurant and wine bar features cuisine that changes seasonally. Some recent offerings include a fig and prosciutto flatbread and quinoa grilled salmon. B L D $

CAVA 12037 Rockville Pike (Montrose Crossing), 240235-0627; 28 Upper Rock Circle, 301-200-5530; cava.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $

CAVA MEZZE (EDITORS’ PICK) 9713 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-309-9090, cavamezze.com. The dark and elegant CAVA Mezze offers small plates of everything from fried Greek cheese, octopus and orzo in cinnamon tomato sauce to crispy pork belly and macaroni and cheese. There are martini specials, too. Voted “Best Middle Eastern Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020, and “Best Small Plates” by readers in 2021. ❂ R L D $$

CHINA BISTRO 755 Hungerford Drive, 301-294-0808. Extensive Chinese menu features many familiar favorites, but this is the place to go for dumplings. With tender dough wrappers and chock-full interiors, these beauties come 12 to an order and with 16 different filling choices. Fresh, uncooked dumplings are also available for carryout. L D $

CHINA GARDEN 11333 Woodglen Drive, 301-881-2800, chinagardenhg.com. The Cantonese restaurant moved from Rosslyn, Virginia, to the former Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar space. The lunch menu includes dim sum items (they are on a pushcart on weekends). L D $$

CITY PERCH KITCHEN + BAR 11830 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-2312310, cityperch.com. Located above the entrance to the iPic Theaters at Pike & Rose, City Perch offers creative, seasonal American cuisine in a rustic, inviting space. The menu includes raw-bar selections, small plates, shareable salads and entree options such as grilled shrimp and Long Island duck. ❂ R L D $$$

CLYDE'S TOWER OAKS LODGE 2 Preserve Parkway, 301-294-0200, clydes.com/ tower. Here is Clyde’s version of a lodge in the mountains. Well-prepared food runs the gamut of American desires, from burgers to fish, plus a raw bar. Check out the twig sculpture spanning the ceiling of The Saranac Room. J R L D $$

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COMMONWEALTH INDIAN 11610 Old Georgetown Road (Pike & Rose), 240833-3055. The owner of two Bollywood Bistro restaurants in Virginia opened this fine-dining spot that serves traditional Indian favorites such as curry chicken and butter chicken, along with fresh-baked bread and Indian salad. The bar has Indian-inspired cocktails and Indian beers and wines.

❂ R L D $$$

COOPER’S HAWK WINERY & RESTAURANT 1403 Research Blvd. (Research Row), 301-5179463, chwinery.com/locations/maryland/rockvillemd. Part of a national chain, this restaurant and winery lists which of its wines to pair with the contemporary American dishes on the sprawling menu (pasta, steak, seafood, burgers, 600-calorie or less dishes). There’s also a tasting room and a retail space. Voted "Restaurant With Best Wine List" by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2021.

❂ J L D $$$ CSNY PIZZA

1020 Rockville Pike, 301-298-3650, csnypizza. wixsite.com/sneaksite. Carry out a New York-style pizza from this spot by the owners of Pizza CS. Their second Rockville location also offers six seats for guests to dine in, and serves whole pies, hot subs and pizza by the slice. L D $

DOMOISHI 201 E. Middle Lane, 301-666-6685, domoishi. com. This Rockville Town Center restaurant lets diners customize their bowls of ramen, and also sells poke and wings. The eatery shares an address with Pearl Lady, a bubble tea shop.

LD$

DON POLLO 2206 Veirs Mill Road, 301-309-1608, donpollogroup.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

EAST PEARL RESTAURANT 838-B Rockville Pike, 301-838-8663, eastpearlrestaurant.com. Choose from many options of Hong Kong cuisine, including familiar dishes featuring chicken, beef, poultry, pork and even duck, as well as those for adventurous tastes. Try the soups ranging from egg drop to seafood with bean curd. L D $

EL MARIACHI RESTAURANT 765-D Rockville Pike, 301-738-7177, elmariachirockville.com. Serving Tex-Mex and South American food in a bright, pleasant space made lively with colorful art. In addition to the usual enchiladas, tacos and burritos, look for Peruvian seafood and Cuban beef specialties. L D $

EL PATIO 5240 Randolph Road, 301-231-9225. This bustling cafe with pretty green umbrellas on the patio serves up the traditional meat-heavy dishes of Argentina, as well as pizzas and freshly made baked goods. Look for mouth-watering empanadas, beef tongue and sausage specialties. ❂ J B L D $

EMA ROSSI PIZZERIA NAPOLETANA 5556 Norbeck Road, 240-669-9900, emarossipizzeria.com. Neapolitan-style pizza, cooked in a wood-burning oven, is the focus of this spot in Rockville’s Rock Creek Village Center. Also look for rigatoni with Bolognese sauce; Wagyu beef and veal meatballs in marinara sauce; deviled eggs with a sauce flavored with anchovies, capers, chives and pickles; and house-made gelato. ❂ L D $

FAR EAST RESTAURANT 5055 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-5552, fareastrockvillemd.com. Owned and operated by the same family since 1974, this classic Chinese restaurant greets customers with two royal stone lions out front and sticks to the familiar ChineseAmerican basics. Check out the daily specials and dim sum menu. L D $$

FARMSOOK 800 King Farm Blvd., 301-258-8829, farmsookthaikitchen.com. A tastefully modern dining room soaked in a soothing yellow light. The usual suspects are on the menu here, but chef’s suggestions include an intriguing broiled fish wrapped in banana leaf and stir-fried duck.

L D $$

FINNEGAN’S WAKE IRISH PUB 100 Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-3398267, finneganswakerockville.com. Irish pub with a nice selection of bourbons, whiskeys and Irish beers and a very limited bar menu offering such fare as bangers and mash, poutine (french fries, gravy and cheese curds), a chicken club sandwich, fish and chips, wings and a burger. L D $

FOGO DE CHÃO 11600 Old Georgetown Road (Pike & Rose), 301841-9200, fogodechao.com. Part of an international chain, the Brazilian steakhouse offers cuts of meat—plus a salad and vegetable station—at allyou-can-eat prices. ❂ R L D $$$

FONTINA GRILLE 801 Pleasant Drive, 301-947-5400, fontinagrille. com. A trendy spot with its curvy maple bar and wood-burning pizza oven, Fontina Grille is a favorite gathering place for the King Farm neighborhood. Pizza, pasta and salads are the main attractions. Three-dollar pasta dishes available on Monday nights and half-price bottles of wine on Tuesdays.

❂ J R L D $$ GYROLAND

1701-B3 Rockville Pike, 301-816-7829, gyrolandmd.com. Build-your-own salads, open-face and wrapped sandwiches, and other Greek choices star at this fast-casual spot near Congressional Plaza. For dessert, Gyroland serves loukoumades, a bite-size fluffy Greek doughnut soaked in hot honey syrup. L D $

GYUZO JAPANESE BBQ 33 Maryland Ave., Suite B (Rockville Town Square), 240-403-7670, gyuzobbq.com. Diners cook up their own meat using a small grill at their table here. The menu includes a variety of rice and noodle dishes, along with beef dishes such as Kalbi boneless short rib, sirloin, ribeye and filet mignon. Pork and poultry dishes include spicy pork belly and duck breast.

L D $$

HARD TIMES CAFÉ 1117 Nelson St., 301-294-9720, hardtimes.com. Good American beer selections, hearty chili styles ranging from Cincinnati (cinnamon and tomato) to Texas (beef and hot peppers), and hefty salads and wings bring families to this Wild West-style saloon for lunch and dinner. L D $

HINODE JAPANESE RESTAURANT 134 Congressional Lane, 301-816-2190, hinoderestaurant.com. Serving traditional Japanese cuisine since 1992. All-you-can-eat lunch and weekend dinner buffet offers 40 types of sushi, 14 hot foods and a salad bar. Check out the patio with full bar service. L D $$

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IL PIZZICO (EDITORS’ PICK) 15209 Frederick Road, 301-309-0610, ilpizzico. com. Setting aside the strip mall location and lack of pizza (il pizzico means “the pinch” in Italian), chef-owner Enzo Livia’s house-made pasta dishes, gracious service and extensive wine list of mainly Italian wines make even a weeknight meal feel special. L D $$

IRON AGE 1054 Rockville Pike, 301-424-1474, ironagekoreansteakhouse.com. Part of a small chain of all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue restaurants, this branch opened in 2012. Garlic pork belly, spicy chicken and beef brisket are among the dozen-plus offerings. There are two menu options (the pricier one includes a few more items, such as steak and octopus). J L D $$

JAVA NATION (EDITORS’ PICK) 11120 Rockville Pike, 301-836-6022, java-nation.com. An offshoot of a coffeeshop in Kensington, this Rockville Pike restaurant in the space that once housed Addie’s serves a fullservice menu of fish, oysters and other seafood. There’s a 10-seat bar for beer, wine, liquor—and coffee. ❂ J R L D $$

JINYA RAMEN BAR 910 Prose St. (Pike & Rose), 301-816-3029, jinyaramenbar.com. A 74-seat eatery that’s part of a chain, Jinya serves 12 different types of ramen, ranging from the classic wonton chicken to a creamy vegan option. Try the Jinya Mini Tacos, which come with a choice of salmon poke, pork chashu and kimchee, or spicy tuna. Voted “Best Ramen” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020. J L D $

JOE’S NOODLE HOUSE 1488-C Rockville Pike, 301-881-5518, joesnoodlehouse.com. Chinese expats and many other customers consider the Sichuan specialties (soft bean curd with spicy sauce and hot beef jerky) among the area’s best examples of gourmet Chinese cooking. L D $

JULII (EDITORS’ PICK) 11915 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-5179090, julii.com. A French Mediterranean bistro from the owners of CAVA, Julii looks like a glass box from the outside and serves fare such as salmon crudo, roasted bone marrow, crispy trout, New York strip au poivre and tableside nitrogen ice cream. Voted “Best New Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020. L D $$

KUSSHI 11826 Trade St. (Pike & Rose), 240-770-0355, kusshisushi.com. The owners of Hanaro Sushi, a Japanese restaurant in Bethesda, serve up similar sushi offerings here. A boat-shaped platter with 64 to 128 pieces of sushi or sashimi is a fun shareable option. L D $$

KUYA JA’S LECHON BELLY 5268-H Nicholson Lane, 240-669-4383, kuyajas. com. This fast-casual restaurant that started as a pop-up in the Rockville area specializes in serving lechon, a Filipino pork belly dish. Chef and owner Javier J. Fernandez, a native of the Philippines, shares the flavors of his home country through ricebowls, spiced wings and homemade pastries.

LD$

LA BRASA LATIN CUISINE 12401 Parklawn Drive, 301-468-8850, labrasarockville.com. A bold, yellow awning marks the unlikely industrial location of the popular La Brasa. Customers rave about the rotisserie

chicken, lomo saltado (Peruvian marinated steak), Salvadoran pupusas and Tres Leches. ❂ L D $

LA CANELA (EDITORS’ PICK) 141-D Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-2511550, lacanelaperu.com. Sophisticated, modern Peruvian cooking shines in a regally furnished dining room in a yellow stucco building graced with curvy black ironwork. The menu includes artfully prepared seafood, pork, chicken and beef dishes. ❂ L D $

the trip, but don’t overlook the homemade soups or light dinner entrees. J B R L D $$

MYKONOS GRILL 121 Congressional Lane, 301-770-5999, mykonosgrill.com. An authentic Greek taverna with whitewashed walls with Mediterranean blue accents on a busy street, Mykonos Grill turns out legs of lamb and fresh seafood expected at any good Greek restaurant. ❂ L D $$

NADA

LA LIMEÑA GRILL 1093 Rockville Pike, 301-417-4922. An offshoot of nearby La Limeña Restaurant, this Peruvian eatery with a spacious patio serves several traditional seafood dishes, including Ceviche Mixto, an appetizer of lime-marinated tilapia served with glazed potatoes and crispy dried corn kernels. The Chicha Morada, a sweet corn-based drink, pairs nicely with authentic and tender braised-beef entrees. ❂ J L D $$

LA LIMEÑA RESTAURANT 765 Rockville Pike, 301-424-8066, lalimena restaurant.com. Diners can choose dishes such as beef hearts, tripe and homemade pastries in this tiny but well-appointed eatery. Desserts include passion fruit mousse and vanilla flan. And of course, there’s rotisserie chicken to go. L D $

LEBANESE TAVERNA CAFÉ 115 Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-3098681, lebanesetaverna.com. A casual and pleasant family spot for lunch or dinner, the cafe is a more casual offshoot of the local Lebanese Taverna chain, serving hummus, pita, falafel, lamb kabobs, salmon and chicken. ❂ J L D $

11886 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-7714040, eatdrinknada.com/n-bethesda. Part of a small national chain, Nada serves street tacos with fillings such as caramelized cauliflower, fried tofu and pork carnitas. The brief menu also includes soups, salads and a fajita plate. Margaritas and seasonal cocktails are available. R L D $$

NAGOYA SUSHI 402 King Farm Blvd., Suite 130, 301-990-6778, nagoyasushirockville.com. Cheery yellow walls decorated with shelves of Japanese knickknacks greet customers who come for the large selection of sushi at this unassuming sushi spot in King Farm.

L D $$

NIWANO HANA JAPANESE RESTAURANT 887 Rockville Pike, 301-294-0553, niwanohana. com. Clean Asian decor and elegant wooden screens greet diners at this friendly and busy sushi spot located in Wintergreen Plaza. There are the usual sushi rolls, plus creative options such as a Spicy Scallop Roll with mayonnaise and chili peppers, noodle dishes, teriyaki and yakitori.

L D $$

THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE

LEBTAV 1605 Rockville Pike, 301-468-9086, lebtav. com. LEBTAV has a shorter menu than its fastcasual sibling Lebanese Taverna Café. You’ll find sandwiches, bowls, hummus, falafel, chicken and lamb kabobs. L D $

MAMMA LUCIA 12274-M Rockville Pike, 301-770-4894; 14921-J Shady Grove Road, 301-762-8805; mammaluciarestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂ L D $$

MATCHBOX 1699 Rockville Pike, 301-816-0369, matchboxrestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂ J R L D $$

12224 Rockville Pike, 301-468-0886, ophrestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. This location stays open until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. J B L D $

OWEN’S ORDINARY (EDITORS’ PICK) 11820 Trade St. (Pike & Rose), 301-2451226, owensordinarymd.com. This Americanstyle restaurant, barroom and beer garden from Neighborhood Restaurant Group boasts 50 rotating drafts and more than 150 types of bottled beer. The 175-seat restaurant serves salads, burgers, pork, seafood and fondue entrees, and those looking to grab a drink can make the most of the space’s 60seat beer garden. R L D $$

PETER CHANG (EDITORS’ PICK)

MISSION BBQ 885 Rockville Pike, 301-444-5574, mission-bbq. com. This outpost of a national chain, known for its support of U.S. military troops and veterans, serves its barbecue—including brisket, ribs and pulled pork—alongside a slew of add-your-own sauces. Come for lunch and stay to recite the national anthem at noon. J L D $

MOBY DICK HOUSE OF KABOB 14929-A Shady Grove Road, 301-738-0005, mobyskabob.com. See Chevy Chase listing. L D $

MOD PIZZA 12027 Rockville Pike, 301-287-4284. modpizza. com. See Gaithersburg/North Potomac listing.

❂LD$

MOSAIC CUISINE & CAFÉ 186 Halpine Road, 301-468-0682, mosaiccuisine. com. A diner with a soft European accent. Try the fresh Belgian waffles for breakfast. For those with hefty appetites, the waffle sandwiches are worth

20-A Maryland Ave. (Rockville Town Square), 301838-9188, peterchangarlington.com. Chef Peter Chang’s Sichuan specialties are showcased in an apricot-walled dining space. Garnering a cult-like following over the years, Chang is best known for dishes such as dry-fried eggplant, crispy pork belly and duck in a stone pot. L D $$

PHO 75 771 Hungerford Drive, 301-309-8873. The restaurant is one of the Washington area’s favorite spots for the Vietnamese beef noodle soup known as pho. Soup can be customized with bean sprouts, Thai basil, chilies, lime, and hot and hoisin sauces. Beverages include interesting options such as Iced Salty Pickled Lemon Juice. L D $

PHO HOA BINH 11782 Parklawn Drive, 301-770-5576. This pleasant pho restaurant offers the full gamut of variations on the beef noodle soup, plus about a dozen grilled entrees. The Adventurer’s Choice features “unusual” meats, including tendon, tripe

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dine and fatty flank. The Vietnamese iced coffee is divine. L D $

PHO NOM NOM 842 Rockville Pike, 301-610-0232, phonomnom. net. As the name suggests, the specialty is pho, but there are also grilled dishes, noodles and the Vietnamese sandwich known as banh mi. House specials include Vietnamese beef stew and pork and shrimp wontons. L D $

PHOLUSCIOUS VIETNAMESE GRILL 10048 Darnestown Road, 301-762-2226, pholuscious.com. This casual restaurant and bar is home to traditional Vietnamese cooking, with fresh ingredients, minimal use of oil and many herbs and vegetables. The menu features pho, noodle dishes, rice plates and lots of protein dishes. Beverages include bubble tea, smoothies, beer and wine.

L D $$

PIKE KITCHEN 1066 Rockville Pike, 301-603-2279, pikekitchen. com. The 6,200-square-foot, 100-seat Asian food hall at the Edmonston Crossing shopping center includes eateries dishing up Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, pho, poke, ramen, bibimbap and more.

❂LD$

PLAZA OAXACA 141 Gibbs St., #305 (Rockville Town Square), 301-968-2136, plaza-oaxaca.com. A full slate of Mexican fare—from enchiladas and fajitas to tamales and carne asada—is served up in a festive atmosphere. Mariachi bands, salsa lessons, and late nights with a DJ are all in the mix.

❂ J L D $$

PLNT BURGER 11355 Woodglen Drive (Whole Foods Market), 301984-4880, plntburger.com. This vegan fast-casual eatery within Whole Foods Market serves cooked-toorder plant-based Beyond Meat burgers, fries, and soft-serve dairy-free ice cream. J L D $

POTOMAC PIZZA 9709 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-279-2234, potomacpizza.com. See Chevy Chase listing.

❂JLD$ POYOTECA

14921 Fallsgrove Blvd., 240-386-8234, poyoteca. com. Peruvian rotisserie chicken is the signature item here, in quarter, half or whole portions. You’ll also find burritos, a handful of salads, and bowls of rice with chicken and other toppings. J L D $

QUINCY’S SOUTH BAR & GRILLE 11401 Woodglen Drive, 240-669-3270, quincyssouth.com. See Gaithersburg/North Potomac listing. ❂ L D $

SADAF HALAL RESTAURANT 1327-K Rockville Pike, 301-424-4040. An elegant alternative to the run-of-the-mill kabob places dotting Rockville Pike, Sadaf is pristine, with lace curtains and glass mosaic tiles in front. In addition to kabobs, it offers Persian curries and fish dishes.

❂JLD$

SAM CAFÉ & MARKET 844 Rockville Pike, 301-424-1600, samcafemarket. com. Fill up on the kitchen’s juicy skewered meats or interesting entrees, including pomegranate molasses stew and marinated grilled salmon, then have a gelato and check out the hookahs.

❂LD$ 248

SEASONS 52 11414 Rockville Pike, 301-984-5252, seasons52. com. A fresh, seasonal menu featuring items under 475 calories. Choose from flatbreads including Blackened Steak & Blue Cheese and Grilled Garlic Pesto Chicken to entree salads to meat and seafood dishes. Nightly piano music. ❂ L D $$

SHANGHAI TASTE 1121 Nelson St., 301-279-0806. Co-owner and chef Wei Sun, a Shanghai native, specializes in preparing three different flavors of soup dumplings at this small restaurant in a strip mall. The menu also includes traditional Chinese-American dishes, such as General Tso’s chicken and fried rice.

LD$

SHEBA RESTAURANT 5071 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-8882, sheba rockville.com. The menu features authentic Ethiopian cuisine with lots of vegetarian and vegan options. House specialties include Dulet Assa, chopped tilapia mixed with onion, garlic and jalapeno and served with a side of homemade cheese. L D $

SICHUAN JIN RIVER 410 Hungerford Drive, 240-403-7351, sichuanjinrivermd.com. Customers find terrific Sichuan cuisine served in a no-frills setting. Take the plunge and try something new with the authentic Chinese menu, including 23 small cold plates.

LD$

SILVER DINER 12276 Rockville Pike, 301-770-2828, silverdiner. com. Customers flock to this trendy diner that still offers tableside jukeboxes. The latest food trends (think quinoa coconut pancakes) share company on the enormous menu with diner staples such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Voted “Best Late-Night Eats” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2021. J B R L D $

SPORTS & SOCIAL (NEW) 11800 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 240-7473006, sportsandsocialbethesda.com. Skee-Ball, foosball, basketball, shuffle puck and more than 20 TVs compete with a full food and drink menu at this branch of a national chain. This location’s cocktails include an Orange Crush, a drink well known throughout Maryland made with freshly squeezed orange juice, triple sec, orange vodka and Sprite.

❂ J L D $$

THE SPOT 255 N. Washington St., thespotdmv.com. This 6,200-square-foot, 200-seat Asian food hall, not far from Rockville Town Square, includes a handful of vendors, including Mian Pull Noodle (dumplings and noodle dishes), Poki DC (the Hawaiian-inspired raw fish dish called poke) and Alpaca Dessert (shaved snow ice and ice cream-filled waffle cones). L D $

STANFORD GRILL 2000 Tower Oaks Blvd., 240-582-1000, thestanfordgrill.com. From the Blueridge Restaurant Group, owner of Copper Canyon Grill restaurants, comes this 300-seat American eatery on the ground floor of an office building. Salads, burgers, steaks and seafood, plus sushi, with an eye toward high quality. ❂ R L D $$

STELLA BARRA PIZZERIA 11825 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-7708609, stellabarra.com. Adjacent to its sister restaurant, Summer House Santa Monica, Stella Barra is an artisan pizzeria with a hip, urban vibe.

Look for crisp crusts with chewy centers topped with butternut squash and candied bacon or housemade pork sausage and fennel pollen. Italian wines available. ❂ R D $$

ST. VEG 14929 Shady Grove Road, Unit M (Fallsgrove Village Center), 301-605-7511, stveg.com. With its focus on plant-based foods, this vegan fast-casual spot offers gluten-free, nut-free and soy-free options. Fresh local and organic ingredients mean the menu can change, but look for cauliflower bites, tater tots, veggie burgers, and sandwiches packed with vegetables, along with bowls of rice, greens or whole wheat noodles with toppings that range from potatochickpea croquettes and braised tofu to pickled mustard greens and jicama. ❂ L D $

SUMMER HOUSE SANTA MONICA (EDITORS’ PICK) 11825 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301881-2381, summerhousesm.com. An airy, light and stunning space sets the scene for modern American cuisine with a West Coast sensibility. Fare includes salads, sushi, tacos, sandwiches and steak frites. Do not miss the bakery counter. Voted “Best Restaurant in Rockville/North Bethesda” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2021, and “Restaurant With Best Decor” by readers in 2020.

❂ J R L D $$

SUPER BOWL NOODLE HOUSE 785 Rockville Pike, 301-738-0086. Look for a large variety of Asian noodle dishes in super-size portions, plus a wide selection of appetizers. Also, bubble tea and desserts, including Sweet Taro Root Roll and Black Sugar Shaved Ice. ❂ L D $

SUSHI DAMO 36-G Maryland Ave. (Rockville Town Square), 301340-8010, sushidamo.com. A slice of New York sophistication, this elegant restaurant offers sushi à la carte or omakase, chef’s choice, plus beef and seafood entrees and an impressive sake list.

L D $$

SUSHI HOUSE JAPANESE RESTAURANT 1331-D Rockville Pike, 301-309-0043, sushihouse1331.com. A tiny, plain restaurant serving a large selection of fresh sushi, including sushi and sashimi combinations. Lunch specials for under $7. It’s popular, so be prepared to wait.

L D $$

SUSHI OISHII 9706 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-251-1177, sushioishii.com. This charming sushi bar in the Traville Gateway Center offers friendly service and 24 specialty sushi rolls, bento boxes and a few grilled items, including beef, poultry and seafood teriyaki. L D $$

TACO BAMBA 1627 Rockville Pike (Congressional Plaza), 301822-2334, tacobamba.com. The fast-casual chainlet features around two dozen traditional tacos and craft tacos, including the MoCo Crab (a crab melt with spicy mayo, vinegar slaw and potato sticks) and the Mrs. Hogan (pork, gochujang, kimchi bacon fried rice, cucumbers and radishes). There’s also a cocktail bar with 18 seats. ❂ L D $

TAIPEI TOKYO 14921-D Shady Grove Road (Fallsgrove Village Center), 301-738-8813; 11510-A Rockville Pike, 301-881-8388; taipei-tokyo.net. These sister restaurants offer a sizable roster of Chinese, Japanese and Thai dishes. The Fallsgrove Village

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location is the younger and sleeker of the two, with full sit-down service. The older sister, opened in 1993, is more like a noodle shop/cafeteria.

L D $$

TARA THAI 12071 Rockville Pike, 301-231-9899, tarathai.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂ L D $$

TEMARI CAFÉ 1043 Rockville Pike, 301-340-7720. Deep-fried oysters, classic rice balls, ramen noodle soup, sushi and sashimi and comic books to peruse while you await your order set this Japanese restaurant apart from the rest. L D $$

THAT’S AMORE 15201 Shady Grove Road, 240-268-0682, thatsamore.com. This local chain focuses on familystyle portions of classic Neapolitan dishes such as lasagna and chicken Parmesan in a more elegant setting than might be expected. Good for groups and large families. J L D $$

TRAPEZARIA 11 N. Washington St., 301-339-8962, thetrapezaria. com. This down-to-earth and hospitable Greek/ Mediterranean restaurant serves top-notch and unfussy small plates and entrees. Choose among a variety of dips, vegetarian mezze, souvlaki, sausages and more-involved fish and lamb dishes. Save room for the baklava. L D $$

URBAN HOT POT 1800 Rockville Pike, 240-669-6710, urbanhotpot. com. On the first floor of the Galvan at Twinbrook building, this hot pot spot features a conveyor belt where food travels to diners. A prix fixe all-you-caneat menu allows you to create your meal at your table using one of the stationed iPads. Choose from a selection of noodles, vegetables and meat to add to a bowl of hot stock, then do it again if you’re still hungry. L D $$

VILLA MAYA 5532 Norbeck Road (Rock Creek Village Center), 301-460-1247. Here you’ll find all the traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex favorites from quesadillas to fajitas that are sure to please the whole family.

❂ R L D $$

THE WOODSIDE DELI 4 N. Washington St., 301-444-4478, thewoodsidedeli.com. Though the original location of the venerable Silver Spring eatery and caterer that dished up matzo ball soup from 1947 to 2019 closed, this location is still open. Choose from a wide selection of sandwiches, burgers and entrees. There’s also a pickle bar. ❂ J B R L D $

WORLD OF BEER 196B East Montgomery Ave., 301-340-2915, worldofbeer.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ JR L D $

XI’AN GOURMET 316 N. Washington St., 301-875-5144, xian-gourmet.business.site. This casual diner prides itself on its comfort food. Named after an ancient city, Xi’an heavily features Sichuan and Shaanxi cuisines, after the chefs’ regional heritage. Go for the Shaanxi cold steamed noodles or the Shanghai soup dumplings. L D $

YEKTA 1488 Rockville Pike, 301-984-1190, yekta.com. Persian cuisine, including a selection of beef, chicken and lamb kabobs, is served in a beautiful

dining room. Try a dessert such as frozen noodle sorbet or saffron ice cream. Check out the adjacent market after polishing off your kabob. L D $$

YUAN FU VEGETARIAN 798 Rockville Pike, 301-762-5937, yuanfuvegetarian.com. From tea-smoked “duck” to kung pao “chicken,” the whole menu is meatless, made from Chinese vegetable products. There is a large selection of chef’s specials, including Pumpkin Chicken with Mushrooms in a hot pot. L D $

this Park Potomac restaurant replaced Addie’s. There’s a raw bar menu, plus cedar plank salmon, parmesan-crusted trout and crabcakes. ❂ L D $$

LAHINCH TAVERN AND GRILL 7747 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 240499-8922, lahinchtavernandgrill.com. The menu of this sister restaurant to The Irish Inn at Glen Echo commingles Irish standards (traditional sausage roll, shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, lamb stew) with fare such as Alaskan halibut. Lahinch is a coastal town in Ireland’s County Clare.

J R L D $$$

POTOMAC

LOCK 72 KITCHEN & BAR (EDITORS’ PICK)

ATTMAN’S DELICATESSEN 12505 Park Potomac Ave., 301-765-3354, attmansdeli.com. The menu at this branch of a landmark Baltimore deli offers the same legendary corned beef, pastrami and other deli specialties. Third-generation owner Marc Attman is at the helm.

❂BLD$

BROOKLYN’S DELI & CATERING 1089 Seven Locks Road, 301-340-3354, brooklynsdelimd.com. From chopped liver to chicken soup, Brooklyn’s serves all the deli specialties, plus more. Think hot pastrami with coleslaw and Russian dressing on pumpernickel. ❂ J B L D $

CAVA 7991 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301200-5398, cava.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂LD$

COLADA SHOP 7993 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 240-332-8870, coladashop.com. Pastelitos, empanadas and tostones are among the Latin food offerings at this D.C.-based, fast-casual, Cuban-style cafe. The menu offers breakfast items, salads, sandwiches, pastries, snacks, coffee drinks, cocktails and desserts (including key lime pie in a screw-top jar). The colorfully decorated space seats 100 inside, and there’s room for another 65 outside. ❂ B L D $

GRAND FUSION CUISINE 350 East Fortune Terrace, 301-838-2862, grandfusionpotomac.com. Diners will find something for everyone seeking a taste of the Asian continent, a full sushi bar, and Chinese, Malaysian and Singaporean specialties. Chef’s specials include Crispy Eggplant in Spicy Orange Sauce and Double Flavored Shrimp. ❂ L D $

GREGORIO’S TRATTORIA 7745 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301296-6168, gregoriostrattoria.com. See Bethesda listing. J L D $$

GRINGOS & MARIACHIS (EDITORS’ PICK) 12435 Park Potomac Ave., 301-339-8855, gringosandmariachis.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂D$

HUNTER’S BAR AND GRILL 10123 River Road, 301-299-9300, huntersbarandgrill.com. At this Potomac institution and popular English hunt-themed spot, try a big salad or hamburger for lunch and a traditional pasta dish or filet mignon for dinner with the family.

❂ J R L D $$

KING STREET OYSTER BAR 12435 Park Potomac Ave., 301-296-6260, kingstreetoysterbar.com. Part of a small local chain,

10128 River Road, 301-299-0481, lock72.com. Well-known chef Robert Wiedmaier’s RW Restaurant Group runs this upscale American pub (formerly called River Falls Tavern). Entrees include panroasted duck breast, crabcake, rockfish and New York strip steak. ❂ R L D $$

MOBY DICK HOUSE OF KABOB 9812 Falls Road, 240-660-2626, mobyskabob.com. See Chevy Chase listing. L D $

MOCO’S FOUNDING FARMERS 12505 Park Potomac Ave., 301-340-8783, wearefoundingfarmers.com. Farm-inspired fare in a modern and casual setting; this is the sister restaurant to the phenomenally popular downtown D.C. Founding Farmers. Try the warm cookies for dessert. Voted “Best Craft Cocktails” and “Best Brunch” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020, and “Best Restaurant in Potomac” and “Best Brunch” by readers in 2021. ❂ B R L D $$

NORMANDIE FARM 10710 Falls Road, 301-983-8838, popovers.com. This fine-dining French restaurant, open since 1931, strives to preserve its classical heritage while embracing new traditions. Dinner entrees run from seafood to beef and lamb. The restaurant offers quick service, a casual cafe option and a violinist at afternoon tea. ❂ J R L D $$

O’DONNELL’S MARKET 1073 Seven Locks Road, 301-251-6355, odonnellsmarket.com. This market, from the family that ran O’Donnell’s restaurants in Montgomery County for decades, features a 10-seat bar for lunch and happy hour. The menu includes a raw bar, salads and many O’Donnell’s classics, among them a lump-filled crabcake sandwich, salmon BLT, seafood bisque and crab gumbo. Voted “Best Takeout During the Stay-at-Home Order,” “Best Crabcake” and “Best Place to Buy Fish” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2021. ❂ L $

OLD ANGLER’S INN 10801 MacArthur Blvd., 301-365-2425, oldanglersinn.com. Open since 1860 and known for its refined American food and beautiful fireplaces and grounds, it features live music on weekends. Signature cocktails include hard cider sangria and a pumpkin pie martini. Voted “Best Outdoor Dining” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2020.

❂ R L D $$$

POTOMAC PIZZA 9812 Falls Road, 301-299-7700, potomacpizza. com. See Chevy Chase listing. J L D $

QUINCY’S 1093 Seven Locks Road, 240-500-3010, quincyspotomac.com. See Gaithersburg/North Potomac listing. L D $

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dine RENATO’S AT RIVER FALLS 10120 River Road, 301-365-1900, renatosatriverfalls.com. The Italian restaurant offers fish dishes among its menu of pastas and classics such as penne with eggplant, and chicken parmigiana. Traditional Italian desserts include tiramisu, profiteroles, and cannolis. ❂ J L D $$

SISTERS THAI 7995 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301299-4157, sisterscabinjohn.com. The owners of a Thai restaurant and bakery in Virginia serve classic Thai dishes in a setting that mixes several decor styles (one room has a fireplace and looks like a living room filled with books). A dessert counter offers coffee and tea drinks along with ice cream, snow ice and other treats. ❂ L D $$

TALLY-HO RESTAURANT 9923 Falls Road, 301-299-6825, tallyhorestaurant. com. A local fixture since 1968, the eatery serves an expansive diner-style menu with Greek and Italian specialties. Choose from options ranging from burgers and deli sandwiches to pizza, calzones and dinner entrees. ❂ J B L D $

SILVER SPRING ALL SET RESTAURANT & BAR 8630 Fenton St., 301-495-8800, allsetrestaurant. com. American cuisine with a focus on New England specialties. Look for clams, oysters and lobster, plus crabcakes, and beef and vegetarian options. Voted “Best Restaurant in Silver Spring” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2021. ❂ J R L

D $$

AMINA THAI 8624 Colesville Road, 301-588-3588. See North Bethesda/Rockville listing. L D $

&PIZZA 8455 Fenton St., andpizza.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

THE ANGRY JERK 8223 Georgia Ave., 301-328-0788, theangryjerk. com. The fast-casual restaurant dishes out jerk chicken, fried fish, curry chicken, jerk salmon and other spicy Caribbean eats. You can build your own bowl or tacos, or order entrees and side dishes.

LD$

ASTRO LAB BREWING 8216 Georgia Ave., 301-273-9684, astrolabbrewing.com. A menu of about a dozen items—including handheld savory pies, a sausage roll and a hummus platter—are served in the downtown Silver Spring brewery’s taproom. Grab one of the hop-forward beers brewed on-site to sip at the communal tables or on the patio.

❂ JLD $

AZÚCAR RESTAURANT BAR & GRILL 14418 Layhill Road, 301-438-3293, azucarrestaurant.net. The name means sugar, and it fits: The colorful Salvadoran spot is decorated in bright purple and orange with Cubist-style paintings. The pork-stuffed corn pupusas are stars. Also look for more elegant dinners, including fried whole trout.

L D $$

250

BETE ETHIOPIAN CUISINE 811 Roeder Road, 301-588-2225, beteethiopia. com. Family-run Ethiopian restaurant with a modest dining room but some exemplary cooking. Don’t miss the vegetarian sampler, and in nice weather, opt for eating outside in the lovely, shaded back patio. ❂ J B L D $$

THE BIG GREEK CAFE 8213 Georgia Ave., 301-587-4733, biggreekcafe. com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

CAVA 8515 Fenton St., 301-200-8666, cava.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $

COPPER CANYON GRILL 928 Ellsworth Drive, 301-589-1330, ccgrill.com. See Gaithersburg listing.

❂ J R L D $$

CRISFIELD SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 8012 Georgia Ave., 301-589-1306, crisfieldseafood.com. With its U-shaped counter and kitschy, oyster-plate-covered walls, this landmark seafood diner has customers lining up for the Eastern Shore specialties such as oysters and crabmeat-stuffed lobster that it has served since the 1940s. L D $$

CUBANO’S 1201 Fidler Lane, 301-563-4020, cubanos restaurant.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂ L D $$

THE DAILY DISH 8301 Grubb Road, 301-588-6300, thedailydishrestaurant.com. A neighborhood favorite serving seasonally inspired, locally sourced comfort food, including bar bites and brunch dishes. Fullservice catering is available, too. ❂ J R L D $$

DENIZENS BREWING CO. (EDITORS’ PICK) 1115 East West Highway, 301-557-9818, denizensbrewingco.com. The bright-orange building houses Montgomery County’s largest brewery, featuring core beers and seasonal offerings, along with drafts from other regional breweries. Menu of snacks, sandwiches and salads includes vegetarian options. There is a large outdoor beer garden and indoor seating overlooking the brewery. ❂ D $

DISTRICT TACO 1310 East West Highway, 240-531-1880, districttaco.com. This branch of a local chain of eateries that grew out of a food truck serves fastcasual fare, from egg-filled tacos for breakfast to quesadillas, burritos and tacos for later in the day.

❂JBLD$ DON POLLO

12345 Georgia Ave., 301-933-9515; 13881 Outlet Drive, 240-560-7376, donpollogroup.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

EL AGUILA RESTAURANT 8649 16th St., 301-588-9063, elaguilarestaurant. com. A cheery bar and generous plates of TexMex favorites such as enchiladas and Salvadoran seafood soup make this eatery popular with families and others looking for a lively night out. ❂ L D $

EL GAVILAN 8805 Flower Ave., 301-587-4197. The walls are bright, the music’s upbeat, the margaritas are fine and the service is friendly. The usual Tex-Mex fare is here, as well as Salvadoran specialties such as tasty cheese- or pork-filled pupusas. J L D $

EL GOLFO 8739 Flower Ave., 301-608-2121, elgolforestaurant. com. Friendly, home-style Latin service is the hallmark, as attested to by the many Salvadorans who stop in for lunch and dinner. Pupusas, soups and beef dishes such as carne asada as well as more adventurous choices can be found in the charming, raspberry-colored dining room.

❂JRLD$

EL SAPO CUBAN SOCIAL CLUB (EDITORS’ PICK) 8455 Fenton St., 301-326-1063, elsaporestaurant. com. Cuban specialties are the focus at this restaurant from owner and chef Raynold Mendizábal, who also owns Urban Butcher in Silver Spring. Small bites such as empanadas and cod croquettes are on the menu with dishes that Cuba is known for, including the beef entree ropa vieja and puerco asado (roasted pork). L D $$$

FENTON CAFÉ 8311 Fenton St., 301-326-1841, fentoncafesilverspring.com. An out-of-the-way crêperie serving 31 kinds of sweet crêpes and 16 varieties of savory crêpes. Savory versions range from cheese and ham to roasted eggplant with zucchini, bell pepper, sundried tomato, garlic and onion. B L D $

FIRE STATION 1 RESTAURANT & BREWING CO. 8131 Georgia Ave., 301-585-1370, firestation1md. com. A historic firehouse made over as an eatery serves 21st-century pizza, sandwiches, meat, seafood and vegetarian entrees. Try the Cuban sandwich with seasoned pork, chipotle mayo, Dijon mustard, pickles and Swiss cheese on a ciabatta roll. L D $

GHAR-E-KABAB 944 Wayne Ave., 301-587-4427, gharekabab.com. This spot offers a mix of authentic Indian and Nepali cuisine. From Indian staples such as chicken tikka masala and lamb curry to Nepalese appetizers such as furaula (vegetable fritters) and cho-e-la (marinated duck), there are a variety of South Asian flavors. J L D $$

THE GREEK PLACE 8417 Georgia Ave., 301-495-2912. Here are big portions of better-than-average food at reasonable prices. The bifteki pita sandwich, a seasoned ground lamb and beef patty with tzatziki, tomatoes and red onions, is especially good. L D $

ITALIAN KITCHEN 8201 Fenton St., 301-588-7800, italiankitchenmd. com. Casual, attractive pizzeria with bar seating also turns out homemade sandwiches, calzones, salads and pasta dishes. L D $

JEWEL OF INDIA 10151 New Hampshire Ave., 301-408-2200, jewelofindiamd.com. Elegant decor and excellent northern Indian cuisine make this shopping center restaurant a real find. Diners will find a good selection of curries, and rice and biryani dishes.

L D $$

KAO THAI 8650 Colesville Road, 301-495-1234, kaothairestaurant.com. This restaurant turns out topnotch curries, noodle dishes and vegetarian options, plus house specialties, such as Siam Salmon with Spicy Thai Basil Sauce and Thai Chili Tilapia. Dishes are cooked medium spicy. ❂ L D $$

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KOITÉ GRILL 8626 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, 240-8477016, ordering.app/koitegrill/koitegrill. A sisterand-brother chef team helm the kitchen at this Senegalese restaurant. Look for charcoal-grilled lamb dibi, chicken yassa and Senegal’s national dish, thieboudienne, which means “rice with fish.”

L D $$

LA CASITA PUPUSERIA & MARKET 8214 Piney Branch Road, 301-588-6656, lacasitapupusas.com. Homemade pupusas, tamales and other Salvadoran specialties are available, plus a full breakfast menu and a small selection of grocery items. B L D $

LA MALINCHE 8622 Colesville Road, 301-562-8622, lamalinchetapas.com. Diners will find an interesting selection of Spanish and Mexican tapas, plus a full Saturday and Sunday brunch featuring huevos rancheros, variations of tortillas Espanola and more. R L D $$

LANGANO ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT 8305 Georgia Ave., 301-563-6700, langano restaurant.com. Named for the popular Ethiopian vacation spot, Lake Langano, this longtime restaurant offers fine Ethiopian cuisine such as doro wat (spicy chicken stew) and tibs (stewed meat) in a cozy white- and red-accented dining room. Lunch specials on weekdays. L D $

LEBTAV 8535 Fenton St., 301-588-1192, lebtav.com. See Rockville listing. ❂ L D $

LOCAVINO 8519 Fenton St., 301-448-1819, locavino.com. In the space that overlooks Veterans Plaza and that once housed Adega Wine Cellars & Cafe, this wine bar focuses on local wines and beer but includes offerings from other regions. Salads, burgers, sandwiches, pasta and flatbreads fill the menu.

LD$

LUCY ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT 8301 Georgia Ave., 301-589-6700. The authentic Ethiopian menu here includes beef and lamb plates, such as kitfo (raw beef) sandwiches and boneless braised yebeg alicha (Ethiopian mild lamb stew). The interior is decorated with Ethiopian-inspired art and features a full bar. L D $

MAMMA LUCIA 1302 East West Highway, 301-562-0693, mammaluciarestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂ L D $$

MATCHBOX 919 Ellsworth Drive, 240-247-8969, matchboxrestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂ J R L D $$

MCGINTY’S PUBLIC HOUSE 911 Ellsworth Drive, 301-587-1270, mcgintys publichouse.com. Traditional Irish pub and restaurant features corned beef and cabbage, live music and dancing. Early-bird special, three-course menu for $15, from 5 to 7 p.m. ❂ J R L D $$

MELEKET 1907 Seminary Road, 301-755-5768, meleketrestaurant.com. This family-owned, Ethiopian-Italian restaurant serves classic vegetarian, beef and chicken Ethiopian plates, alongside Italian entrees such as pesto pasta with

chicken. For breakfast, try a traditional Ethiopian dish of kinche (a buttery grain porridge) or firfir (bread mixed with vegetables in a red pepper sauce). B L D $

MI RANCHO 8701 Ramsey Ave., 301-588-4872, miranchomd. com. You'll find a boisterous party atmosphere every night at a place where customers can count on standard Tex-Mex fare at good prices. The outdoor patio, strung with colorful lights, is the place to be in nice weather. ❂ L D $

MIX BAR & GRILLE 8241 Georgia Ave., #200, 301-326-1333, mixbargrille.com. Modern American bistro with charcuterie and cheese plates, brick-oven flatbreads, ceviche and other light fare. Look for lots of wines by the glass and beers on tap.

❂ J R L D $$ MOD PIZZA

909 Ellsworth Drive, 240-485-1570, modpizza. com. See Gaithersburg/North Potomac listing.

❂LD$

PACCI’S TRATTORIA & PASTICCERIA 6 Old Post Office Road, 301-588-0867, paccistrattoria.com. Diners will find a range of classic Italian dishes, including homemade meatballs and sausage. L D $$

PARKWAY DELI & RESTAURANT 8317 Grubb Road, 301-587-1427, theparkwaydeli. com. Parkway features a bustling back dining room that makes this popular spot so much more than a deli. Longtime waitresses greet regular customers and kids with hugs during busy weekend breakfasts. All-you-can-eat pickle bar. ❂ B L D $

PHO TAN VINH 8705-A Colesville Road, 301-588-8188, photanvinh. com. A family-owned Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Tan Vinh was opened in 2014 by Tiffany Chu, who sought the traditional food she ate in her youth. She and her chef mother serve emergent classics such as pho and put their own spin on items such as the Tan Vinh special, a “deconstructed” banh mi sandwich. L D $

is popular because of its welcoming attitude toward families with young children. The steak and fish specialties are good. L D $$

SILVER STRINGS 8630 Colesville Road, 301-587-0596, silverstringsonline.com. Serving classic American food in downtown Silver Spring, this spot features live music in the evenings by mostly jazz, blues and classic rock musicians. ❂ L D $$

THE SOCIETY RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 8229 Georgia Ave., 301-565-8864, societyss. com. A sleek and modern atmosphere catering to a nightlife crowd, Society offers fare with a Caribbean accent. Check out the rooftop seating and daily drink specials, which include $25 beer buckets.

❂ L D $$

SPICE STREET 8242 Georgia Ave., 301-755-6144, spicestreetmd. com. In the bottom of the Solaire apartments, this spot serves Indian street food and other dishes. Expect tandoori chicken and shrimp, minced lamb kabobs, scallops in coconut sauce, and a crab and cauliflower entree with mild spices. L D $$

SUSHI JIN NEXT DOOR 8555 Fenton St., 301-608-0990, sushijinnextdoor. com. The eatery is spare, clean and modern, and offers terrific udon noodle soup and impeccable raw fish. Choose from 11 appetizers and seven soups and salads. L D $$

SWEETGREEN 8517 Georgia Ave., 301-244-5402, sweetgreen. com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

SWEET SWEET KITCHEN 904 Bonifant St., 301-244-5906. With its roots as a food truck, this spot that focuses on fare from Jamaica and Sierra Leone serves egusi stew, oxtails and other dishes. L D $

TACOS, TORTAS & TEQUILA 8407 Ramsey Ave., 301-755-6132, tttrestaurant. com. Also called TTT, this fast-casual spot focuses on quesadillas, tortas and tacos—carne asada, garlic shrimp and house-made chorizo among them. There’s a full-service bar and an outdoor patio.

❂BLD$

PLNT BURGER 833 Wayne Ave. (Whole Foods Market), 301-6089373, plntburger.com. See Bethesda listing.

❂JLD$

PORT-AU-PRINCE AUTHENTIC HAITIAN CUISINE 7912 Georgia Ave., 301-565-2006, paphaitiancuisine.com. The eatery serves a small menu of Haitian fare: five appetizers, five entrees (plus an entree salad) and two desserts. Chicken wings, fritters, whole red snapper, fried turkey and legume casserole are among the highlights. A Sunday brunch buffet draws crowds. R D $$

QUARRY HOUSE TAVERN (EDITORS’ PICK) 8401 Georgia Ave., 301-844-5380, facebook. com/quarryhouse. Closed for nearly three years after a fire, this basement-level dive bar reopened in its original space. The inside holds the same 1930s-era feel as the original bar, and burgers and Tater Tots are still on the menu. D $

SAMANTHA’S 631 University Blvd. East, 301-445-7300, samanthasrestaurante.com. This white-tablecloth, Latin-Salvadoran spot in an industrial neighborhood

TASTEE DINER 8601 Cameron St., 301-589-8171, tasteediner. com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ J B L D $

THAI AT SILVER SPRING 921-E Ellsworth Drive, 301-650-0666, thaiatsilverspring.com. The Americanized Thai food is second to the location, which is superb for people-watching on the street below. A modern and stylish dining room with a hip bar in bold colors and good service add to the appeal. ❂ L D $$

VEGETABLE GARDEN 3830 International Drive (Leisure World Plaza), 301598-6868, vegetablegarden.com. The popular vegan, vegetarian and macrobiotic Asian restaurant features a wide variety of eggplant and asparagus dishes, plus vegetarian “beef,” and “chicken” dishes often made with soy and wheat gluten. L D $$

VICINO RISTORANTE ITALIANO 959 Sligo Ave., 301-588-3372, vicinoitaliano.com. A favorite neighborhood red-sauce joint that hasn’t changed in decades, Vicino features some fine seafood choices in addition to classic pasta dishes. Families are welcome. ❂ L D $$ n

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PRIVATE SCHOOLS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Private Schools L

•S

DES

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The Auburn School, Silver Spring Campus K-8

END

•G

•L

ION

OTA

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TIO ULA

P PO

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SIZ

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Co-ed

Silver Spring

10:2

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Barrie School

12 mo - Grade 12

Co-ed

Silver Spring

350

13:1 (lower) 10:1 (mid, upper)

Bullis School

K-12

Co-ed

Potomac

900

8:1

Geneva Day School

2 yrs - K

Co-ed

Potomac

165

6:1

Georgetown Hill Early School

Infant/Toddler, 2 yrs - K

Co-ed

Bethesda/Chevy Chase

120

Varies by age

Georgetown Prep

9-12

Boys

North Bethesda

498

8:1

Lowell School

PK-8

Co-ed

Washington, DC

340

6:1

The Maddux School

PK-2

Co-ed

Rockville

PK 8-10

4:1

McLean School

K-12

Co-ed

Potomac

480

10+

5:1

Norwood School

PK-8

Co-ed

Bethesda

440

6:1

Oneness-Family Montessori School

Age 2 - Grade 12

Co-ed

Chevy Chase/ Kensington

145

12:1

The Primary Day School

PK-2

Co-ed

Bethesda

140

8:1

The Siena School

4-12

Co-ed

Silver Spring

150

10:1

The Siena School

3-8

Co-ed

Oakton, Va.

10:1

St. Bartholomew School

PK-8

Co-ed

Bethesda

185

10:1

St. Jane de Chantal

PK-8

Co-ed

Bethesda

330

PK 14

17:1

St. Timothy's School

9-12

Girls

Stevenson, Md.

175

8:1

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart

PS-12

Co-ed PS-K All girls 1-12

Bethesda

733

11:1

Washington Episcopal School

Age 3 - Grade 8

Co-ed

Bethesda

320

6:1

252

Varies by age

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Essential Information on N

TIO ILIA

ELI

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FF SA IOU

NIF

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) N TIO NTS TUI TUDE ST S E OW -DAY •L (5

19 Independent Schools

ION UIT LT A 12 U NN DE • A GRA

GES

A GU AN NL D G I E OR FFERE •F O

None

Please inquire

N/A

Spanish

None

$19,480

$34,210 (includes books)

Spanish, French, Independent Study

None

$38,065

None

Jesuit (Catholic)

ITE

EBS

•W

•P

theauburnschool.org

301-588-8048

barrie.org

301-576-2800

$50,310

Spanish, French, Latin, bullis.org Mandarin

301-299-8500

$8,107

N/A

Spanish (soon to return), Chinese and genevadayschool.org Farsi possibly returning

301-340-7704

Varies by age

N/A

Spanish

301-284-8144

$39,385

N/A

Spanish, French, Latin, gprep.org Mandarin, German

301-493-5000

None

$20,425

N/A

Spanish

lowellschool.org

202-577-2000

None

$32,000

N/A

madduxschool.org

301-469-0223

None

$38,490

$50,990

Spanish, Latin, American Sign Language

mcleanschool.org

301-299-8277

None

$26,000

N/A

Spanish, French, Latin, norwoodschool.org Mandarin

301-365-2595

None

$23,600

$35,500

Spanish, French, Italian

onenessfamily.org

301-652-7751

None

$26,500

N/A

Spanish, French, Chinese

theprimarydayschool.org

301-365-4355

None

$43,510

$44,917

Spanish

thesienaschool.org

301-244-3600

None

$43,510

N/A

thesienaschool.org

703-745-5900

Catholic

$13,600

N/A

Spanish

school.stbartholomew.org 301-229-5586

Catholic

$8,835

N/A

Spanish

dechantal.org

301-530-1221

Episcopal

Day: $35,800 Boarding: $62,900

Spanish, French, Mandarin

stt.org

410-486-7401

Catholic

$21,950

$39,900

Spanish, French, Latin

stoneridgeschool.org

301-657-4322

Episcopal

$13,260

$38,660

Spanish, French, Latin

w-e-s.org

301-652-7878

georgetownhill.com

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PRIVATE SCHOOLS

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Celebrate

HAPPINESS

Encourage

CURIOSITY

CHALLENGE

Unique Minds

NOW IS THE TIME FOR GIRLS.

En ro

llin

To lift each other up, speak their minds, stand up for their beliefs, and lead change.

Be Empowered. OPEN HOUSE Sunday, November 7 8

All-Girls, Grades 9-12 4920 Strathmore Ave. Kensington, MD

www.AcademyOfTheHolyCross.org • 301.942.2100

Admission Information Session & Campus Tour Thurs., Nov. 11 | 9:15 - 10:30 am

Campuses in Fairfax & Silver Spring

www.TheAuburnSchool.org A school for academic and social success! 11931 Seven Locks Road Potomac, MD 20854 301 340 7704 genevadayschool.org

Join us to learn more about our Montessori and Project-Based Learning programs, meet our teachers, and tour our beautiful 45-acre campus.

RSVP: barrie.org/admission Readers' Pick Best Preschool 2020, 2018, 2016, 2014 & 2012

Enriching curriculum. . . Geneva Method

Small classes

New protocols for a safe environment

Masks & social distancing required at all times.

Maryland Green School

admission@barrie.org 301.576.2800

12 months to Grade 12 254

barrie.org

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WASHINGTON EPISCOPAL SCHOOL Kind. Confident. Prepared. Preparing students for future success involves more than teaching algebra and parts of speech. WES students learn how to innovate, create, explore, solve problems, and self-advocate. They have the mindset to ask, “How can I make a positive impact?” and the capacity to find and enact an answer.

See for yourself WES has two Open Houses where you can learn more: Saturday, December 11, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday, January 22, 9:30-11:30 a.m. RSVP at w-e-s.org/rsvp

Nursery-Grade 8/Co-Ed | www.w-e-s.org | 301-652-7878 | 5600 Little Falls Parkway, Bethesda, MD WES_v3.indd 1 Full page ad template.indd 1

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PRIVATE SCHOOLS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PK–GRADE 2

We now have a second campus in Northen Virginia!

Pre-kindergarten - Grade 2 The Primary Day School educates boys and girls during the four most important learning years of their lives, helping children flourish academically, socially and emotionally. We look forward to meeting you! For information on tours and open house events, contact the Admission Office at 301-365-4355 or consult our website.

DISCOVER PRIMARY DAY www.ThePrimaryDaySchool.org

Bethesda, MD

photo credit: catholic standard

A small school with a big heart.

Discover the difference, discover St. Bart’s! St. Bartholomew School is a Catholic, co-educational, Pre-K 3 to 8 school, located in Bethesda, MD. We prepare our students to be active global citizens who live the Word of God and who are ready to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Come see the big impact our small class sizes, inclusive values, and innovative teaching methods have each day.

For bright students with languagebased learning differences like dyslexia Silver Spring 1300 Forest Glen Road Silver Spring, MD 20901 301.244.3600

Northern Virginia 2705 Hunter Mill Road Oakton, VA 22124 703.745.5900

Learn more at www.thesienaschool.org

St. Jane de Chantal School Catholic Education for Children Pre-K through Grade 8

St. Jane de Chantal Catholic School is a Christcentered educational community committed to meeting the individual needs of students through a flexible and innovative curriculum. For more information, visit us at Dechantal.org Virtual Tour available.

www.school.stbartholomew.org admissions@stbartholomew.org

6900 River Road • Bethesda, MD 20817 • 301-229-5586 256

9525 OLD GEORGETOWN RD

•

BETHESDA, MD 20814

•

301.530.1221

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PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Discover VIRTUAL ADMISSION OPEN HOUSE

BULLIS SERIES

www.discoverbullis.org

10601 Falls Road Potomac, MD www.bullis.org

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

We Give Them Wings to Soar!

Building Strong Foundations for Learning and Friendship

The Maddux School Pre-K through Second Grade

• Small Classes in Nurturing Environment

• Flexible, Differentiated Instruction

• Innovative Curriculum and Teaching Methods - Targets academic success, social skills, and self-esteem

• Integrated Support for Different Learning Styles

11614 Seven Locks Road Rockville, MD

301-469-0223 www.madduxschool.org

BE CONFIDENT

Coed I Grades PK-8 Open House: Saturday, November 6

Ready to Take on the World We prepare preschool through 8th-grade children to become the compassionate leaders, lifelong learners, and creative problem-solvers our world needs.

"Over and over, I hear people say that Norwood students are kind; Norwood students have noticeably strong interpersonal skills; Norwood students can stand up and talk in front of a group and can advocate for themselves; Norwood students are confident; Norwood students are leaders. This is the “Norwood difference” that will serve our students incredibly well, not only in high school, but in college, the work force, and throughout their lives." ~Matthew Gould, Head of School

We’d love to meet your family. 1640 Kalmia Road NW Washington, DC 20012 T 202–577–2000 admissions@lowellschool.org

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8821 River Road Bethesda, MD 20817 301-841-2130

www.norwoodschool.org

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Open House 9:00 am Saturday, January 12

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Open House 7:00 pm

Thursday, November 11

9:00 am

Saturday, December 11

9:00 am

Thursday, January 13

McLean Sees Gifts. Help Your Child Discover Their Strengths. McLean School transforms lives. Our small classes and Abilities Model® prepare bright students K-12 including those with dyslexia, anxiety, attention, and organizational issues for college success. Potomac, Maryland 240.395.0698 admission@mcleanschool.org

DISCOVER YOURSELF • FIND COMMUNITY • TR ANSCEND YOUR LIMITS

Montessori Programs

For Students Age 2 — Grade 12 in Chevy Chase-Bethesda

Admissions: 301.652.7751 admission@onenessfamily.org | onenessfamily.org Lower School (Age 2–Grade 8): 6701 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, MD Upper School (Grades 9–12): 9411 Connecticut Ave., Kensington, MD

Enrollment: 130 Student/Faculty: 12:1 Special Programs: French, Spanish, Italian, Model United Nations, Yoga, Outdoor Education, Theater, Leadership Program

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Truth Without Fear Where goals become reality. OPEN HOUSES

MIDDLE SCHOOL (Grades 5-8) Tuesday, November 16, 2021

LOWER AND MIDDLE SCHOOL (Preschool-Grade 8)

stt.org International Baccalaureate All-girls boarding and day Grades 9-12 145 rural acres One hour from D.C.

260

Friday, January 7, 2022

WWW.STONERIDGESCHOOL.ORG/VISIT

Empowering leaders to serve with faith, intellect, and confidence.

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart is an all-girls grades 1-12, Catholic, independent school, with a co-educational Little Hearts program for children age three months through Kindergarten, located in Bethesda, Maryland.

WWW.STONERIDGESCHOOL.ORG

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weddings. history. pets. travel.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GLASS LIGHT HOTEL & GALLERY

etc.

Guests staying at the Glass Light Hotel & Gallery in Norfolk during the holidays can plan to stroll through Norfolk Botanical Garden’s Dominion Energy Garden of Lights. For more, turn to page 266.

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PHOTO BY CHRIS KNOWLES

WEDDINGS

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BY ELIA GRIFFIN

Match

Made Ma de at Camp After meeting as counselors at Calleva, a Cabin John couple got married at the camp’s farm

THE COUPLE: Athina Olsen (maiden

PHOTO BY CHRIS KNOWLES

name Nungovitch), 31, moved to Darnestown with her family when she was 10 years old. She graduated from Northwest High School in Germantown and is a Bethesda-based therapist. Duncan Olsen, 32, grew up in Silver Spring and moved to McLean, Virginia, before starting high school. He is the director of camps at Calleva Virginia, which is part of Calleva, an outdoor adventure organization in Poolesville. They live in Cabin John.

HOW THEY MET: During the summer of 2008, Athina and Duncan worked together at Calleva in Poolesville. Athina was in charge of arts and crafts, and Duncan led campers on rock climbing treks. “We were

both dating people at the time,” Duncan says. “But we met each other and…I felt like there was something there.” By the end of the summer, they had become good friends. Three years later, they were both Calleva mountain biking instructors for the summer. Athina had a realization: “Man, he’s really cute.” At a friend’s party later that summer, they decided they would try dating.

THE FIRST DATE: The two went canoeing, starting at Riley’s Lock and paddling down the Potomac River. “I was trying to guide and I was very bad at it,” Athina says. “I took us into a wall and a couple trees.” Still, they had fun. Two weeks later, their boss at Calleva paired them to lead a group of middle school

aged boys on a weeklong backpacking trip through the West Virginia wilderness. “[I was] like, ‘Bro, we started dating like two weeks ago. You had to put us out in the woods with 12 eighth graders for a week?’ And he’s like, ‘Yep,’ ” Duncan says. They kept their relationship secret from the boys—and made it through the week as a couple.

THE PROPOSAL: Athina lost her mother in 2019. A month later, on Athina’s birthday, Duncan sent her out for the day to “do something nice” for herself and get a pedicure. After he got home from work, he rushed around their apartment, setting up candles and flowers. When Athina got home, she noticed the decorations and assumed they were for her birthday. She

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hugged Duncan, thanking him for the surprise. “His pulse was beating out of his neck,” Athina says, “and I was like, ‘Are you OK? ...Is something about to happen?’ ” Duncan got down on one knee. Athina says that what meant the most was that Duncan had asked her mother and father for their blessing before her mother died.

THE WEDDING: The couple wed on Sept. 5, 2020, at the Calleva farm in Poolesville. They had 45 guests.

THE COVID-19 IMPACT: In 2019, Athina and Duncan began planning for a May 2020 wedding. They wanted two weddings—one at Calleva’s farm and another in Volos, Greece, where Athina’s family has a home. The pandemic forced the couple to postpone the wedding to

THE CEREMONY: Their garden ceremony didn’t need much decorating because the flowers had bloomed and the raspberry bushes were full and ready for harvest. Before he started to walk down the aisle, Duncan says, he could feel tears coming. He struggled to even say

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September and reduce their guest list significantly. “It was definitely tough because there were so many people we wanted to be there,” Duncan says.

his vows, which was unexpected for him. Athina gave him a reassuring hug at the altar. “Athina was like a robot during the ceremony,” Duncan says. “I’m like crying, trying to get myself together, I can’t read my vows, and Athina is staring at me.” The ceremony was officiated by Matt Markoff, director of Calleva. The couple included the Greek wedding tradition of a crowning ceremony, with white crowns placed on the bride’s and groom’s heads. The crowns are tied together with a white ribbon, symbolizing unity. Athina’s father recited the prayer in Greek and switched the crowns back and forth on the couple’s heads.

PHOTOS BY CHRIS KNOWLES

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SHINING LIGHT: The two planned a candle-lighting ceremony in memory of Athina’s mother. They had taken inspiration from Athina’s father, who lights a candle every day for her. Athina’s two brothers carried a candle and a photo of their mother down the aisle. At dinner, Athina and her brothers used that flame to light the rest of the candles in the venue. THE RECEPTION: In the field next to the garden, the celebration continued with dinner and dancing. Instead of traditional wedding speeches, Athina and Duncan had asked for marriage and relationship advice, and guests shared their wisdom.

TEAM EFFORT: The couple’s friends played a role in many aspects of the wedding. “I think that in some ways, weddings have become this big somewhat impersonal thing and … it was important to both of us that it just be really personal,” Athina says. Their Calleva friend Eric Hill was the main chef, and Athina and Duncan collaborated with him on the menu: crab soup, feta and watermelon salad, lamb chops and risotto with scallops. Another friend, Andrew Pratt, set up the lighting. Athina’s sorority sister Arielle Ergas designed the art for the RSVP card, menu and wedding program.

THE HONEYMOON: The newlyweds drove to Maine for their honeymoon. They stayed on the coast in Stonington and hiked in Acadia National Park. They hoped that by their one-year wedding anniversary they could travel to Greece for a honeymoon 2.0, but Athina is pregnant and due in January, so they decided to hold off until it’s safe for her to travel. VENDORS: Almond cake, Vie de France Potomac; flowers, Gypsy Flower Farm; hair and make-up, Becky Watson of Oxygen Salon; lighting, Pratt’s Holiday Lighting; photographer, Chris Knowles. n

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BY CHRISTINE KOUBEK FLYNN

GET AWAY

GLASS MENAGERIE

with a Michelin-starred French chef, serves seasonal cuisine and small plates, including a winning dish of crispy octopus and beef carpaccio. If you’re visiting during holiday season, plan to walk through Norfolk Botanical Garden’s Dominion Energy Garden of Lights (nbglights.org). This year’s 1-mile route, featuring more than a million lights, includes symbols from the four seasons, dancing winter bears, Santa and his reindeer, and more. The season runs from Nov. 12 to Jan. 2. Hotel rates in November begin at $219 per night. Self-parking is $19. A “Will you accept this rose?” package includes a glass rose and a bottle of champagne. Glass Light Hotel & Gallery, a member of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, 201 Granby St., Norfolk, Virginia, 757-222-3033, glasslighthotel.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF GLASS LIGHT HOTEL & GALLERY

THE HISTORIC 1912 ROYSTER building in Norfolk, Virginia, is now home to Glass Light Hotel & Gallery, which features elegant ironwork, intricate crown molding, and more than 100 works of glass art by prominent artists such as Dale Chihuly and Nancy Callan throughout the hotel and its adjacent gallery. Acclaimed Dutch sculptor Peter Bremers is the creator of the larger-than-life glass rabbits that reside on the hotel’s first floor, including a dapper pearl-colored bunny by the front desk, and a resplendent-in-pink bunny overlooking the restaurant and

bar. Additional works on other floors include a chair made of bricks titled “Impossible Is Only an Opinion.” The art is courtesy of arts patrons Doug and Pat Perry, whose son Chris Perry is the hotel’s developer and CEO. With the opening of Glass Light, Norfolk now boasts one of the world’s largest concentrations of free, public glass art when you also factor in works in the city’s Chrysler Museum of Art, Barry Art Museum and other galleries. The hotel takes its inspiration from Pat Perry’s nickname, “Bunny”—a nod to the children’s book Pat the Bunny, which she loved to read to her kids, and to the name her grandchildren now call her. Each guest room includes a small glass carrot and a coffee-table-style book that details the Perrys’ art collection. The 113 guest rooms and suites also feature spun glass basin sinks, rocking chairs and vintage Frigidaire mini refrigerators. The hotel’s restaurant, created

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LOVELY LEONARDTOWN

THE NEW INN AT LEONARDTOWN, in historic St. Mary’s County, Maryland, opened in June, giving visitors a perfect home base from which to walk and explore sites such as the Leonardtown Wharf (a waterfront park with an impressive rose compass in brick), the Old Jail Museum and Leonardtown Square’s galleries, shops and restaurants. Check visitleonardtownmd. com/events for up-to-date information on First Friday art events, the holiday tree lighting and visits with Santa. Shepherd’s Old Field Market, a short walk away, is home to several unique shops, as well as the Brudergarten Beer Garden and delicious coffee drinks,

sandwiches and salads at Botanic Cafe. When it’s time to relax, enjoy one of the inn’s 41 contemporary-styled guest rooms, each with a mini-fridge, microwave, Keurig coffee maker and 55-inch TV. The large Executive Suite also includes a sofa bed and kitchenette. Breakfast—yogurt, waffles, bagels, muffins and breakfast sandwiches—is included. Rates begin at $119.

available nightly and during Saturday and Sunday brunch. Odette’s Restaurant has a beautiful stone fireplace, indoor and outdoor seating, and an eclectic menu of seasonally inspired cuisine, such as the popular blackberry glazed duck breast. Don’t miss the signature cocktail, “The Double Kiss,” made with sparkling Brut crémant, Aviation dry gin and a lemon twist.

Rates begin at $349, plus $20 valet parking. Registered hotel guests have complimentary access to Roof, the exclusive, members-only rooftop bar and lounge (reservations recommended as it tends to book up).

The Inn at Leonardtown, Ascend Hotel Collection, 41655 Park Ave., Leonardtown, Maryland, 301-4750187, choicehotels.com/maryland/ leonardtown/ascend-hotels/md248

INN AT LEONARDTOWN BY CS3 PHOTOGRAPHY; RIVER HOUSE AT ODETTE’S BY DON PEARSE

FRENCH TWIST ESCAPE FOR A ROMANTIC retreat to River House at Odette’s, located along the Delaware River in artsy New Hope, Pennsylvania. Opened in September 2020, the boutique hotel takes its design cues from the building’s previous life as Chez Odette, a boisterous cabaret that was a hub of New Hope’s nightlife for decades and was owned by French-American actress and Ziegfield Follies dancer Odette Myrtil. Public spaces feature a mix of bold murals, plush fabrics, leather sofas and vintage lighting. The 36 guest rooms and suites include Frette sheets and robes, and a Keurig machine with coffee from Philadelphia’s Ellis Coffee roasters. Many rooms and suites have floorto-ceiling glass doors that open to a private veranda. Live music (ranging from electric violin to piano and acoustic guitar) is

River House at Odette’s, 274 River Road, New Hope, Pennsylvania, 215-6822022, riverhousenewhope.com n

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Rail Tales on the Potomac Catch a glimpse of bald eagles (or Santa) on a scenic train ride through West Virginia

“TWO EAGLES SITTING IN a tree!” exclaims Jean Shoemaker, our 80-yearold spotter. “Look for the dead tree in the river, then go straight up the mountain and you’ll see them.” Everyone aboard the train swings to the windows to peer at a pair of bald eagles casually yet majestically looking out over the South Branch of the Potomac River. My wife, Rebecca, and I have driven out to Romney, West Virginia, in July to board the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad, which offers a variety of rides on a former B&O railroad line every weekend starting in May and continuing through December. (During the holiday season, a family-friendly “North Pole Express” ride includes storytelling, Christmas carols and a visit from Santa.) Our journey, the three-hour “Trough Trip,” is Potomac Eagle’s bread-and-butter ride, featuring West Virginia history and panoramic views. The “trough” refers to the most captivating part of the trip through a deep mountain river valley, where bald 268

eagles are known to build nests and fish in the Potomac. Though the bird sightings aren’t guaranteed, we’ve lucked out with multiple eagle appearances. What Potomac Eagle does guarantee (and deliver) is great service and a pleasant excursion. Engineer Patton Swartzfager, who is appropriately focused on running the train, notes that he takes great care to manage the “slack”—the few inches of play between cars—in order to give customers a smooth ride. In his past work for the Union Pacific Railroad, Swartzfager ran five locomotives pulling 18,000 tons of freight in as many as 130 rail cars, and he clearly knows how to maneuver the Potomac Eagle. This was the smoothest ride I’ve experienced on a train, with not a single jerk or lurch during the three-hour tour. There’s not much slack in the schedule, either. After boarding by preassigned train car at 12:45 (there are 270 passengers on this day, though the train can carry more than 500), we are

TOP PHOTO COURTESY OF POTOMAC EAGLE SCENIC RAILROAD; BOTTOM PHOTO BY RON COGSWELL

BY JEFF YEATES

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The Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad offers panoramic views, and possible sightings of bald eagles and other birds.

rolling south along the river at 1 p.m. Shoemaker, who has been narrating train tours since Potomac Eagle’s inception in the early ’90s, does double duty as eagle spotter and historian, imparting fun facts about the scenery and buildings we pass. Chock-full of early American history, this stretch of the Potomac River Valley was familiar territory for George Washington. He first came through as a teenager, surveying land on behalf of his mentor, Lord Fairfax, a major landowner of the British Colonial era. Washington returned to the area in 1754 as a 22-year-old lieutenant colonel of the Virginia Regiment, Shoemaker announces as the train wends its way past small towns and unspoiled terrain. A year later, the man who would become our first president passed through nearby Cumberland, Maryland, serving as a volunteer aide-de-camp to British General Edward Braddock en route to a drubbing by the French near Fort Duquesne in Pennsylvania. Many decades later, Confederate and Union armies marched up and down the same riverbanks, angling for control of key railroads and commercial centers. Local lore has it that the town of Romney changed hands 56 times during the Civil War, Shoemaker says, including—in what must have been a particularly eventful 24 hours for the weary townspeople— three times in one day. (Other historic accounts, which equate military control with at least one overnight stay by the occupying force, estimate the number of turnovers at “no fewer than 10.”) The Potomac Eagle offers four classes of service, from basic coach ($60 per adult) up to a four-course “Superior Dining” experience in a restored Art Deco dining car ($125). We went with the “Premium Dining” package ($100), which included a three-course meal attended to by friendly servers. But you could reserve the less expensive padded

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The Paw Paw Tunnel

Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad 149 Eagle Drive, Romney, West Virginia, 304-424-0736, potomaceagle.com Romney is about 120 miles from Bethesda. Train rides are available most weekends, starting in late May, and run daily during peak fall season in October and early November. Prices vary, depending on the length of the trip and class of service. Before or after the train ride, visit Cumberland, Maryland, and the terminus of the 184½-mile-long C&O Canal Trail, for more George Washington history. The nearby 3,118-foot-long Paw Paw Tunnel, blasted through a mountain in the 1840s by the C&O Canal Co. to bypass five Potomac River horseshoe bends, is also well worth a visit, including a spooky walk through the tunnel itself.

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During the holidays, the railroad offers a “North Pole Express” ride.

PHOTO CREDITS

Romney’s downtown is less than 2 miles from the train station.

coach seats, bring your own bites or buy from the snack bar, and have an equally fine time. Our meal featured choices of mahi-mahi, chicken, roast beef, pasta or a vegetarian dish for the main course. Bread, salad, dessert and constant drink refills are included, but alcohol is not (it’s not permitted on the train). As we enter the trough, Shoemaker’s commentary shifts to flora and fauna. Poking her head out the window, walkie-talkie in hand, with radio equipment positioned in front of her like a mini-command center, she begins calling out eagles with help from other staff stationed along the length of the train. In addition to the pair of raptors perched in a tree, we spy a single eagle in flight, gliding over the river in tandem with the train and likely using its extraordinarily keen vision to scan for fish. People are still talking about the eagles when our section takes its turn in the “gondola,” an open-air car where passengers can sit or stand, enjoying the views and fresh air. We find ourselves standing next to Keith from Hagerstown, Maryland, who is jokingly suggesting to his wife that all those eagles must have been decoys.

PAW PAW TUNNEL BY NICOLAS RAYMOND; ROMNEY BY RON COGSWELL; NORTH POLE COURTESY PHOTO

DRIVING RANGE

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TROUGH PHOTO BY RON COGSWELL; GONDOLA PHOTO BY JEFF YEATES

As the train ride goes through the trough, where bald eagles are known to build nests and fish in the Potomac, passengers often spot the birds.

“What about the flying one?” my wife says. “Hidden cables,” he says, not missing a beat. The birds keep coming. On the way back to Romney, we are treated to a pair of eagles soaring high over the river that not even Keith can deny. We also spot two great white egrets standing on a sandbank in their snowy white splendor. Exiting the trough, we return to our dining car, where there is carrot cake waiting. We are just finishing off the last crumbs as the train pulls back into the Romney station and then, ever so slowly, comes to a gentle stop. n

The train’s gondola car gives passengers an open-air experience during their ride.

Writer Jeff Yeates was born in Alexandria, Virginia, and has lived in the D.C. area most of his life. Besides hopping on trains, he enjoys bicycling, paddling Antietam Creek, and stopping at roadside produce stands. BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021

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To capture the peaceful appeal of Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. (“Green Oasis,” page 146), photographer Skip Brown spent quiet hours hiking trails and wandering the creek. “But waiting in the woods for lone hikers or runners to wander by can take forever,” he says. On a Saturday morning, he grabbed a Onewheel electric skateboard so he could keep pace with bicyclists on Beach Drive, which is closed to cars, and came upon an inline skater with two large dogs. “I zoomed on past her, jumped off my board and waited for them to come around a corner,” Brown says. “Not sure who was pulling who here, but it looked like fun.” n

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PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

OUTTAKES

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The all-new 2023 Acura Integra

Arriving in 2022

For more info and to receive updates as we receive them, email us at Integra@chevychasecars.com and put “Stay Updated” in the subject line.

Maryland’s #1 Acura Dealer Chevy Chase Acura Located conveniently on-line at www.ChevyChaseAcura.com or visit us in person at 7725 Wisconsin Avenue in Downtown Bethesda Number one Acura dealer in Maryland based on AHM new Acura volume sales for 2018, 2019 and 2020.

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