Bethesda Magazine: January-February 2019

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Voted Best Best Real Real Estate Estate Agent Agent 2018 2018 Voted by the readers of Arlington Magazine by the readers of Arlington Magazine

SteveWydler Wydler Steve Associate Broker | Licensed in VA, DC & MD Associate Broker | Licensed in VA, DC & MD steve@wydlerbrothers.com | 703.348.6326 steve@wydlerbrothers.com | 703.348.6326 Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdraw without notice. real No statement is made to accuracy any description.

All measurements andpresented square footages approximate.

Exact dimensions can beInformation obtained byisretaining services of deemed an architect or engineer.

This istonot intended to solicit property already listed. Compass Compass is a licensed estate broker and as abides

by EqualofHousing Opportunity laws. All material herein isare intended for informational purposes only. compiledthe from sources reliable but is subject errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or is licensedwithout as Compass in DC and asas Compass in Virginia Maryland.

Wisconsin Ave, 300, Chevy are Chase, MD 20815 |Exact 301.298.1001 withdraw notice.Real No Estate statement is made to accuracy of anyand description.

All5471 measurements and Suite square footages approximate. dimensions can be obtained by retaining the services of an architect or engineer. 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 | 301.298.1001

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Voted Best Best Real Real Estate Estate Agent Agent 2019 2019 Voted by the readers of Bethesda Magazine by the readers of Bethesda Magazine

HansWydler Wydler Hans Associate Broker | Licensed in DC, MD & VA Associate Broker | Licensed in DC, MD & VA hans@wydlerbrothers.com | 301.523.6313 hans@wydlerbrothers.com | 301.523.6313

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January/February 2019 | Volume 16 Issue 1

contents ON THE COVER 75 Best of Bethesda From cookie dough cupcakes and a cozy new coffee shop to great nights out and cool party places for kids, here are some of our editors’ favorite things about the Bethesda area. Plus—readers’ picks for dining, shopping, schools and more.

COVER IMAGE: Lavender Margarita

Car Wash Coffee in Kensington

14 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO BY LAURA CHASE DE FORMIGNY

at Urban Butcher by Deb Lindsey

contents P. 136

136 Rescue me About 6,000 animals spend time at the county’s animal services and adoption center in Derwood each year. Many of them need the same thing—a home.

BY CARALEE ADAMS

151 Weddings of the Year A look inside four celebrations, from a ceremony on the Chesapeake Bay to a weekend mountain getaway

BY LEIGH MCDONALD

176 Glove Up

184 Bethesda Interview

Using my fists to fight Parkinson’s

The New York Times’ Washington Bureau Chief, Elisabeth Bumiller, talks about competing with the Post, her role in Showtime’s The Fourth Estate, and how the job has changed under President Trump

BY STEVE GOLDSTEIN

BY STEVE ROBERTS

16 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO BY LISA HELFERT

FEATURES

Angie Seckinger Photography

Come home to extraordinary.

At ANTHONY WILDER, we design and build spaces you can’t wait to come home to. Our in-house architects, designers, project managers and craftsmen work together to create custom design solutions just for you. We mind every detail,

© 2019 Anthony Wilder Design Build. All rights reserved.

so you can simply live—and love—the life you’ve built.

A N T H O N YW I L D E R .CO M

3 0 1 . 9 0 7. 0 1 0 0

Readers’ Pick Top Vote Getter: Best Architect Best Builder

contents

DEPARTMENTS P. 218

24 | TO OUR READERS 26 | CONTRIBUTORS

33

good life

199

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

home

243

dine

200 | HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS

244 | REVIEW

Can’t-miss arts events

A roundup of home items in a trendy shade of blue

Our critic checks out I’m Eddie Cano, a new Italian restaurant in Upper Northwest D.C.

40 | ARTS CALENDAR

202 | EXPANSION PLANS

248 | TABLE TALK

Three families transformed the style and function of their homes with the help of thoughtful additions

What’s happening on the local food scene

36 | BEST BETS

Where to go, what to see

51

banter

252 | DINING GUIDE

210 | HOME SALES BY THE NUMBERS

285

people. politics. current events. books.

54 | QUICK TAKES News you may have missed

217

health

286 | SHOP TALK

218 | BE WELL

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

A Rockville personal trainer talks about injuries, discipline and why walking is underrated

64 | HOMETOWN

220 | SECOND SHIFT

When a gunman opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue in October, everything changed for Mark Hetfield, the head of a Silver Spring-based refugee resettlement agency

BY STEVE ROBERTS

etc.

From a firefighter with twins at home to an EMT who volunteers to honor her father, some of Montgomery County’s rescue workers are moms with a passion for helping others

230 | WELLNESS CALENDAR

Tie-neck blouses for work or play. Plus, a new Potomac boutique offers edgy athleisure clothes.

290 | GET AWAY Your cheat sheet for a weekend away

292 | DRIVING RANGE A Pennsylvania town embraces the chilly weather with its Fire and Ice Festival

303 | FLASHBACK How an old structure in Bethesda got its start as a spot for the beaver pelt business

AD SECTIONS PROFILES: FINANCIAL PROFESSIONALS 68

WEDDING RESOURCE GUIDE 168

LONG & FOSTER AD SECTION 193

18 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PROFILES: LOOK GOOD, FEEL GOOD 233

SUMMER CAMPS AD SECTION 270

PRIVATE SCHOOL AD SECTION 297

PHOTO BY EDGAR ARTIGA

304 | OUTTAKES

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BUYING OR SELLING IN MARYLAND, D.C. OR VIRGINIA?

What’s online @ BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

❱❱ DIGITAL EDITION Subscribers get free access to the digital edition of Bethesda Magazine at BethesdaMagazine.com/digital.

Use your email address as your log-in. To purchase digital issues or a subscription, download the free Bethesda Magazine app on iTunes or Amazon.

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

Dottie Crago Faust CRB, GRI, SRES

Whether you’re buying or selling, no one can offer you greater real estate savvy than Dottie. A longtime Associate Broker with sales and management experience in all three areas, she has an intimate knowledge of DC-area real estate and exceptional negotiating skills to ensure your success in any market. She can be reached at:

Cell: 301-367-5236 Bethesda Gateway Office 301-907-7600

❱❱ JOB BOARD Coming soon, Job Board by Bethesda Magazine is a new online resource that connects area employers with Montgomery County job seekers.

Learn more at BethesdaMagazine.com/ JobBoard.

❱❱ STAY CONNECTED Follow us on Twitter: @Bethesda_Mag Find us at facebook.com/ BethesdaMag Follow us on Instagram: @bethesdamag

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

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

❱❱ MEMBERSHIP Support local journalism by becoming a Bethesda Beat Member. Members receives a variety of benefits and help Bethesda Beat to provide even more local coverage. For more information, go to BethesdaMagazine.com/supportour-work.

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

Find us on YouTube

IN THE MARCH/APRIL ISSUE OF THE MAGAZINE: ❱❱ Real estate trends ❱❱ Home sales data from 400-plus neighborhoods ❱❱ Top-producing real estate agents ❱❱ Over-the-top amenities in luxury condos and apartment buildings ❱❱ 10th Annual Extraordinary Teen Awards ❱❱ Best Mexican fare in the Bethesda area 20 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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to our readers

THE MAKING OF THE ‘BEST OF’ THE PROCESS OF PUBLISHING the Best of Bethesda issue takes a lot of time and work on the part of many of my colleagues. (I, candidly, get to do the easy parts: I help come up with the categories and I notify the winners.)

For the Readers’ Picks, our marketing manager, Amélie Ward, and web producer, Elly Stauffer, create the survey on BethesdaMagazine.com, and then Amélie promotes it in print, online and via social media. This year, nearly 13,000 people voted.

When the voting is over, the hard work begins. First, our finance manager, Jill Trone, and our vice president of publishing, my wife, Susan Hull, start scrubbing the data.

They are looking for voters who don’t follow the survey rules or who flat-out cheat. (Yes, there are some of the latter.) Each year, there are a fair number of made-up names and instances of people who don’t live at the address they provide. This year, 49 voters who picked the same person in one category all listed the same single-family home as their address. We used Google Street View to see if it was a really big house. It wasn’t, and we disqualified those voters. This year, as in previous years, we ended up not counting about 25 percent of the Readers’ Picks votes.

Once the list of voters is finalized, Susan and Jill start the process of “normalizing” the votes, which means they make sure that the spelling is consistent for each person or business that receives a Best of Bethesda vote. For example, Hans Wydler, who was voted Best Real Estate Agent this year, received votes as “H. Wydler,” “Hans Wilder” and “Hands Wydler.” All of those entries had to be changed to “Hans Wydler.” Take 13,000 voters and 100-plus categories and you get the scope of the undertaking.

For the Editors’ Picks, I work with our editorial team to come up with the categories and to choose the winners. We have spirited debates about both.

Finally, our editors check the names of the winners and edit the write-ups on the Editors’ Picks, and designers Sylvia Gashi-Silver and Jenny Fischer assign the photos and create the layouts.

There’s a collective sigh of relief when the Best of Bethesda issue is finally sent to the printer in mid-December.

OUR PATH TO THE interview in this issue with New York Times Washington Bureau Chief Elisabeth Bumiller started with a recycling bin.

Last summer, Susan and I were watching The Fourth Estate, Showtime’s riveting documentary about the Times in the first year of the Trump administration. In a scene of Bumiller at home, I noticed that the recycling bin she was moving bore the Montgomery County symbol. A quick online search revealed that she lived in Bethesda. As soon as I saw that bin, I wanted us to interview her.

The Bethesda area is home to many well-known journalists, such as MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and The Washington Post’s Dan Balz, Ruth Marcus and Karen Tumulty. But there are few who are more influential than Bumiller.

As the Washington bureau chief, Bumiller directs most of the paper’s coverage of President Trump and his administration. And the Times’ reporting has been aggressive and consequential, earning widespread praise and the president’s wrath.

Our interview was conducted by Steve Roberts, who spent nearly 15 years working in the Times’ D.C. bureau (although he didn’t overlap with Bumiller) and writes the “Hometown” column in Bethesda Magazine. Roberts told me that Bumiller is the right person for the job because of the “vast experience” she had as a reporter, including stints covering Mayor Rudy Giuliani in New York and then covering the White House. “She understands what her reporters are going through every day, she can identify with their stresses and problems because she’s lived them herself,” Roberts says.

He also says Bumiller has struck the “right balance” in the Times’ coverage of the president. “She’s determined to make the bureau a place that holds him accountable for his statements and policies, but she rejects the idea that the media is ‘fighting back’ against the White House,” Roberts says.

Our interview with Bumiller begins on page 184.

STEVE HULL Editor & Publisher 24 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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contributors

EXCELLENCE IN

Estate Planning AND

Family Law STEVE GOLDSTEIN

STEVE ROBERTS

LIVES IN: Chevy Chase

LIVES IN: Bethesda, in the same house his wife, Cokie, grew up in.

They were married in the yard 52 years ago.

(301) 468-3220 altmanassociates.net

(301) 453-6740 wisefamilylawdivision.com One Central Plaza 11300 Rockville Pike Suite 708 Rockville, MD 20852

WHAT HE DOES: A freelance writer, he contributes to Bethesda Magazine and several publications of the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “The adage about riding a bicycle doesn’t apply to writing. You cannot easily pick it up again after a prolonged absence. Writing is like a muscle; it must be exercised regularly to remain strong.”

ROAD WARRIOR: He loves to travel.

Favorite trips have included New Zealand, Madagascar, Patagonia and South Africa. This spring he will visit Morocco, his 72nd country.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME: “Every winter and summer for nearly 40 years, our expanding—and far-flung— brood has gathered at a family farm in New York’s Adirondack Mountains for hiking, cross-country skiing and restoring the soul.”

26 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

IN THIS ISSUE: Interviewed Elisabeth Bumiller, Washington bureau chief of The New York Times. He also wrote the “Hometown” column, which he’s contributed to the magazine for the last 10 years.

WHAT HE DOES: Professor of journalism and politics at George Washington University, where he’s taught for 28 years. He also writes a syndicated newspaper column with his wife and analyzes politics for ABC Radio. His seven books include a history of Bethesda and Chevy Chase (Arcadia Publishing).

FAVORITE PLACE: Pawleys Island, South Carolina, where he and Cokie have a vacation home. “As I wrote in a history of the island, the local specialty is doing ‘nothing at all.’ ” FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Watching his six grandchildren play sports. “Three live in town and play football, baseball, basketball and golf for the Maret School. Three live in North Carolina and compete in soccer, field hockey and rock climbing.”

COURTESY PHOTOS

IN THIS ISSUE: Pens a personal narrative about using boxing to fight Parkinson’s disease, a progressive nervous system disorder.

Christina O’Dea

Lynda O’Dea

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

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EDITORIAL EDITOR

Steve Hull SENIOR EDITOR

Cindy Rich ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Kathleen Seiler Neary CONSULTING ART DIRECTOR

Sylvia Gashi-Silver DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR

Laura F. Goode ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR

Jenny Fischer BETHESDA BEAT MANAGING EDITOR

Julie Rasicot BETHESDA BEAT REPORTERS

Caitlynn Peetz, Dan Schere, Charlie Wright WEB PRODUCER

Ellyse Stauffer RESTAURANT CRITIC

David Hagedorn CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

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

Sandra Fleishman, Steve Wilder EDITORIAL INTERN

Shourjya Mookerjee DESIGN INTERN

Laiz Dias CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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

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

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

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

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

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Standing: Avi Galanti Kris Feldman Seated: Karen Galanti Bobak Ghadery Illia Schwarz Diego Sito

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Wishing You All the Best for the New Year!

It has been our pleasure to help hundreds of sellers and buyers in our community with their real estate needs. In 2019, put our extensive experience, unparalleled expertise, and outstanding customer service to work for you!

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

good life

PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

STIR THINGS UP THE SOUNDS OF CHOPPING, sizzling and even laughter often drift—along with a hint of aromatic ingredients—from a back corner of kitchenware store Sur La Table in North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose development. The space is reserved for cooking classes, giving up to 16 participants—from kitchen novices to seasoned chefs—a chance to whip up multiple dishes per lesson.

Winter class offerings include a range of dishes, such as lasagna, paella and hearty soup. On Jan. 4, a class focusing

on the French Quarter ($69) will feature three courses, including a chicken and andouille sausage gumbo. On Jan. 17 and 22, a winter soups and stews class ($75) will teach attendees how to make clam chowder, Irish beef stew, and kale and roasted vegetable soup.

At a recent session of the French Quarter class, apron-clad students worked in teams of four under the instruction of Silver Spring resident and chef Lindsay Leopold, who covered the basics (how to hold a knife, how to pinch

salt properly) and then walked teams through each recipe. But the best part of every class comes last, when participants get to taste test their creations.

Sur La Table offers several cooking classes each week. Registration is required. Most classes are two to 2½ hours and cost $50-$100. 11874 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), North Bethesda; 301-230-1503; surlatable.com.

—Rachael Keeney

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

33

good life

ON THE FLY ASPIRING AVIATORS CAN CLIMB

The College Park Aviation Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission is $5; $4 for seniors ages 60 and older; $2 for ages 2-17; free for children younger than 2. 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Drive, College Park; 301-864-6029; collegeparkaviation museum.com.

—Stephanie Siegel Burke 34

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

inside the cockpit of a baby-blue 1939 Taylorcraft BL-65 airplane, operate a flight simulator, hand crank a propeller and dress up as a pilot or flight crew member at the College Park Aviation Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

Through the building’s floor-to-ceiling windows, you might see a plane taking off or landing on the runway of College Park Airport, the world’s oldest continuously operating airport (the hangar is next to the museum). The airport was established in 1909 as a training facility for the first military pilots.

The 27,000-square-foot museum (much smaller than D.C.’s National Air and Space Museum at 160,000 square feet) features 10 historic aircraft—from a reproduction of the skeletal Wright Model B aeroplane, used in 1911 as one of the first military planes, to the sleek metal mid-20th-century Ercoupe 415D, dubbed “the plane of tomorrow.”

There are lots of interactive activities, including an outdoor play area with a halfdozen wooden ride-on pedal planes for kids to drive on the patio. In the museum’s “Flight School” area, visitors can learn about flight principles by assembling small airplanes out of wooden parts, or by testing the lift of different objects in a wind tunnel.

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good life

BEST BETS

Our picks for things to see and do in January and February

BY STEPHANIE SIEGEL BURKE

Jan. 21

ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE Video and performances that convert negative thoughts into positive affirmations; a gallery in the form of a backpack carried by wandering docents; videos and photos that question the idea of home; and sound recordings, video and photos showing the evolution of Rock Creek Park are all part of the 2018 Bresler Resident Artists in Sound, Video, New Media and Photography exhibition at VisArts.

The residency program selects three artists and gives them free studio space for four months to develop projects focused on social practice, community art and performance. The exhibition showcases the work of the 2018 residents, Heloisa Escudero, Kanat Akar and Liz Donadio. An opening reception and artist talk is scheduled for Jan. 25 from 7-9 p.m.

Free, gallery hours noon-4 p.m.

Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, noon-8 p.m. Friday, VisArts, Rockville, visartscenter.org Heloisa Escudero, one of the resident artists at VisArts

REMEMBERING THE DREAM This year’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Tribute & Celebration will focus on the role that women played in the civil rights movement. The Montgomery County event will feature a presentation by Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, a civil rights activist who was the first white student at Tougaloo College in Jackson, Mississippi, and the first white member of the traditionally African-American Delta Sigma Theta sorority.

During the 1960s, Mulholland participated in sit-ins and freedom rides, which challenged segregation on buses in the South. She was arrested for her activism and served time in jail. The two-hour event, which is presented annually by Montgomery County, will also include spoken word poetry and dance performances. Admission is free, but tickets, which are required, will be distributed on-site starting at 2:30 p.m.

3:30-5 p.m. (seating begins at 3 p.m.), free, The Music Center at Strathmore, strathmore.org

Jan. 12

Jan. 19

JANE OF THE JUNGLE

WE CAN BE HEROES

Before Jane Goodall was a household name as the world’s premier primatologist, she was a girl with a dream of studying chimpanzees in Africa. But in the 1940s, girls were not encouraged to become traveling international scientists. Through songs and dance, the musical Me … Jane: The Dreams & Adventures of Young Jane Goodall tells the story of how Goodall pursued her ambitions. Recommended for ages 6 and older.

The MoComCon is returning to the Silver Spring Library for the third year of celebrating comics, superheroes, sci-fi, fantasy, video games and other topics. The convention will feature music by a quintet from the Washington Metropolitan Gamer Orchestra; escape rooms; video games; scavenger hunts; workshops on writing and publishing comics, sci-fi and fantasy-genre stories; and a cosplay contest in which participants come dressed as favorite characters—so get your cape ready.

11 a.m., $7, $6 seniors 65 and older, $4 for children through high school and college students, Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center, Rockville, mcblogs.montgomerycollege.edu/reppac

36 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

11 a.m.-4 p.m., free, Silver Spring Library, montgomerycountymd.gov/ library/programs/mocomcon

COURTESY OF VISARTS; MLK GETTY IMAGES

Jan. 18-March 10

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good life

BEST BETS Feb. 9

CELTIC CROONERS Haggis is a traditional Scottish food that blends together sheep organs, oatmeal, onions and spices. Enter the Haggis is a Toronto band that blends together bagpipes, a fiddle, rock music and soaring vocal harmonies. But unlike the questionably appetizing dish its name references, the quintet’s recipe yields a delectable mix of high-energy pop- and rock-tinged Celtic music.

Formed more than 20 years ago, the group is a festival favorite. Get a taste at their North Bethesda show.

8 p.m., $27-$37, AMP by Strathmore, ampbystrathmore.com

HOPE AND HARMONY South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo has been spreading a message of hope, peace and love for nearly 60 years. The all-male group, which formed in the early 1960s, is known for its rich a cappella harmonies based on isicathamiya, the traditional Zulu singing style. Already successful in their home country, the group gained international acclaim after collaborating on Paul Simon’s 1986 album, Graceland, which has been credited with bringing world music into the mainstream. It’s a good bet the group’s upcoming Strathmore performance will include the song “Homeless,” written by Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo founder Joseph Shabalala for that landmark album, along with other tunes from the five-time Grammy award winners’ 70-plus albums.

8 p.m., $29-$69, The Music Center at Strathmore, strathmore.org

Feb. 23

DRAMARAMA Writing and staging a play can often take years, but six local theater companies will do it in 24 hours at Play in a Day, the Bethesda Urban Partnership’s annual theater competition. This year’s participants are Adventure Theatre MTC of Glen Echo, Flying V of Bethesda, Imagination Stage of Bethesda, The Keegan Theatre of D.C., Rorschach Theatre of D.C., and Happenstance Theater of Rockville. Each troupe will be given a theme and a prop to incorporate into a 10-minute play. Then it’s a race against the clock to write, rehearse and perform their piece in front of a live audience. A panel of judges determines winners for Best Use of Prop, Best Writing, Best Direction and Best Acting Ensemble.

Winners receive $250. While some of the participants are children’s theater companies, some material may not be suitable for kids.

8 p.m., $15, Imagination Stage, bethesda.org

38 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTOS COURTESY OF STRATHMORE

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good life arts & entertainment

CALENDAR COMPILED BY SANDRA FLEISHMAN

Music. 8 p.m. $35-$95. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, bsomusic.org.

Jan. 26

BADI ASSAD. The guitarist and singer— sister of classical guitarists Sérgio Assad and Odair Assad of Duo Assad—blends traditional styles of her native Brazil with pop, jazz and world music. Her performance is part of the John E. Marlow Guitar Series.

8 p.m. $17.50-$45. Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center, Silver Spring. 301-7994028, marlowguitar.org.

Jan. 26

MUSIC Jan. 5 BSO: LEON FLEISHER’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION. To mark the noted pianist’s recent 90th birthday, he is touring the country and the world. He will perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 12, one of his specialties. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra program also includes Brahms’ Second Symphony. 8 p.m. $35-$90.

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

Jan. 20 VIVIAN GREEN. Green’s journey started with church singing at age 5, playing

piano at 8 and writing music at 11. Now the critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, actress and activist can count successes in genres from soul to jazz to hip-hop.

Lately, she’s been recording with rapper Kwamé. 8 p.m. $59.50-$79.50. Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, Bethesda. 240330-4500, bethesdabluesjazz.com.

Jan. 24 BSO SUPERPOPS: RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN. Jack Everly conducts Broadway singers Ben Crawford (a star in The Phantom of the Opera, Shrek the Musical, Big Fish) and Ted Keegan (who also starred in Phantom) and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in songs from The King and I, South Pacific and The Sound of

40 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Jan. 26-27

NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC: INFAMOUS BRAHMS. Haochen Zhang, who won the Van Cliburn piano competition gold medal, plays Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor. The orchestra also performs Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 in E minor.

8 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday. Arrive at 6:45 p.m. Saturday and 1:45 p.m. Sunday to celebrate conductor Piotr Gajewski’s 60th birthday. $34-$88; children ages 7-17 can attend for free with a paying adult. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Feb. 2

MARCUS JOHNSON: A JOURNEY IN JAZZ FROM STRAIGHT TO SMOOTH. Contemporary jazz pianist Marcus Johnson and his Urban Jam Band perform songs from his latest album, Live & Direct, and from his 15 other releases. Johnson is

COURTESY OF THE FILLMORE SILVER SPRING

Soul singer Nao (pictured) will perform with Xavier Omar at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Feb. 5. See page 42 for details.

VIRTUOSIC VIOLIN WITH ALESSANDRA CUFFARO AND SIMEONE TARTAGLIONE. Cuffaro is recognized worldwide as the first Italian woman to perform all 24 of Paganini’s Capricci, a collection of very difficult violin pieces, in one concert. The pianist and conductor is Tartaglione, her husband. 8 p.m. $25; $15 for ages 18 and younger. The Arts Barn, Gaithersburg.

301-258-6394, gaithersburgmd.gov.

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Come Together

good life a Howard University graduate. 8 p.m.

(Doors open at 6:30.) $25-$40. AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, ampbystrathmore.com.

Feb. 5

NAO WITH XAVIER OMAR. Soul singer Neo Jessica Joshua, better known as Nao (pronounced “nay-oh”), is a popular British singer-songwriter and producer who calls her sound “wonky funk.” Her first album, For All We Know, caught NPR’s attention.

The follow-up album, Saturn, came out in October. Omar is an American soul singer.

7:30 p.m. $30. The Fillmore Silver Spring.

301-960-9999, fillmoresilverspring.com.

Feb. 15

Upcoming Shows AMP & COMEDY ZONE PRESENT

JOE ZIMMERMAN

{The Tonight Show, Conan}

THU, JAN 17

JAMES “BLOOD” ULMER FRI, JAN 18

RESPECT THE QUEEN {Aretha Franklin tribute}

FRI, JAN 25

Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer & SAM Gleaves Thu, jan 31

MARCUS JOHNSON SAT, FEB 2

Enter the Haggis Sat, Feb 9

Gina Chavez Sat, Feb 16

11810 Grand Park Ave, N. Bethesda, MD Red Line–White Flint Metro

AMPbySTRATHMORE.COM

GREGORY PORTER. The R&B and jazz singer-songwriter performs tunes by his greatest influence, Nat King Cole, for Valentine’s Day. 8 p.m. $58-$108.

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

Feb. 15-17

MID-ATLANTIC JAZZ FESTIVAL. More than 50 artists are scheduled on six stages, including jazz violinist Regina Carter, the Branford Marsalis Quartet and the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Jazz Orchestra with guest conductor and jazz trumpeter Brian Lynch. Check the website for times. $20-$225. Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel & Executive Meeting Center, Rockville. 301-563-9330, midatlanticjazzfestival.org.

Feb. 16

BSO: RAVEL BOLERO. Conductor Mario Venzago leads the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in Ravel’s hypnotic Bolero and his Rapsodie espagnole, which ranges from sultry evocations of Spanish nights to daylight fiestas. Pianist Conrad Tao performs Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1, and the program ends with Berlioz’s Le corsaire and Roman Carnival Overture.

8 p.m. $35-$90. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, bsomusic.org.

Feb. 22-March 3

THE GONDOLIERS. The Victorian Lyric Opera Company offers Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic comic opera, with full staging and a live orchestra. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. $28; $24 seniors, $20 students. F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville. 240-314-8690, vloc.org.

Feb. 23

NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC: THE DEBUT. This program catapulted conductor/

42 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

composer Leonard Bernstein into the spotlight. Featured are three-time Grammy winner and cellist Zuill Bailey and violist Roberto Diaz. Included are Schumann’s Manfred Overture, Miklós Rózsa’s Theme, Variations and Finale, op. 13, Strauss’ Don Quixote and Wagner’s Prelude to Die Meistersinger. 8 p.m. $34-$88; children ages 7-17 can attend for free with a paying adult. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

DANCE Jan. 20 STEP AFRIKA! 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. The dance company combines with regional step teams in a performance of their best-loved works, including Wade, Passing 25 and Nxt/Stp: Hip Hop. They also pay homage to South African dance, music and culture, marking the 25th anniversary of the election of President Nelson Mandela. 5 p.m. $35$75. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Feb. 21 FARRUQUITO. Dubbed the greatest flamenco dancer of this century by The New York Times, the performer likely inherited his talent from his grandfather, “El Farruco,” a Gypsy flamenco pioneer.

8 p.m. $38-$68. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org.

Feb. 23 SNOWED IN: TO BENEFIT THE CHILDREN’S INN AT NIH. Young professionals are invited to wear their most stylish sweater or finest flannel to socialize, dance and enjoy specialty cocktails to benefit the nonprofit hospitality house on NIH’s Bethesda campus. The inn provides free lodging and support to children with rare and critical illnesses to allow them to participate in clinical trials. See website for prices. 8 p.m.-midnight. The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington, D.C. childrensinn.org.

THEATER Through Jan. 6 ELF THE MUSICAL. Based on the Will Ferrell movie, Elf the Musical tells the tale of Buddy, a human who thinks he’s one of Santa’s elves. When he ventures to New

York to find his real dad, he brings the true spirit of the holiday to the jaded city. 8 p.m. Jan. 3-5 and 2 p.m. Jan. 5 and 6; see website for days and times in December. $31.50-$84. Olney Theatre Center, Olney.

301-924-3400, olneytheatre.org.

Jan. 4-20

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. A comedy whodunit

by Montgomery Playhouse in conjunction with the Arts Barn. Recommended for ages 15 and older. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. $20; $18 for students ages 15-21. The Arts Barn, Gaithersburg. 301-258-6394, gaithersburgmd.gov.

Jan. 11-Feb. 2

EQUIVOCATION. This 2009 play considers how to tell the truth in difficult times. The question here is whether Shakespeare and other actors employed by the crown should produce a play about the foiled Gunpowder Plot (when conspirators attempted to blow up the king and parliament) from the point of view of the king, which might be a coverup. Or if they should tell the truth and

possibly lose their heads. Or if they should equivocate. Check website for times. $22$25. Silver Spring Stage, Silver Spring.

301-593-6036, ssstage.org.

Feb. 6-March 10

ONCE. Based on the 2006 film that won an Oscar for best original song (“Falling Slowly”) and is set in contemporary Dublin, Once ponders the mysteries of music and love. See website for times and prices.

Olney Theatre Center, Olney. 301-9243400, olneytheatre.org.

Feb. 8-24

NEIL SIMON’S PLAZA SUITE. Sandy Spring Theatre Group revisits Neil Simon’s 1968 trio of comic one-acts set in New York’s Plaza Hotel. Recommended for ages 15 and older. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. $20; $18 for students ages 15-21. The Arts Barn, Gaithersburg.

301-258-6394, gaithersburgmd.gov.

Feb. 8-24 SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL ADVENTURE. Kensington Arts Theatre

offers a recent adaptation of an 1899 script, in which the world’s greatest detective has seemingly reached the end of his remarkable career when a case presents itself that is too tempting to ignore. The play won the 2007 Edgar Allan Poe Award for best mystery play.

8:15 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m.

Sundays. $17-$22. Kensington Town Hall, Kensington. 240-621-0528, katonline.org.

Feb. 20-24 COMPLEAT FEMALE STAGE BEAUTY. Montgomery College actors tackle a complex 2002 play (made into the ’04 movie Stage Beauty with Claire Danes and Billy Crudup). In 1661, only men were permitted to act in female roles on the London stage. But King Charles II decides to let women be women, turning the world upside down. The play contains mature themes and/or language. See website for times and prices. The Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center, Montgomery College, Rockville. 240-567-5301, mcblogs.montgomerycollege.edu/reppac/ compleat-female-stage-beauty.

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good life Feb. 22-March 17 SEPARATE ROOMS. 4615 Theatre Company presents the world premiere of a funny and haunting meditation on time, friendship and the marks we leave behind after we die. Playwright Joe Calarco, who is working with the young theater company, is nationally recognized for works including in the absence of spring, Shakespeare’s R&J and Walter Cronkite Is Dead. See website for times and prices. The Highwood Theatre, Silver Spring. 301-928-2738, 4615theatre.com.

Feb. 22-March 16 IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY. This comedy about marriage, intimacy and electricity—a finalist for the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for drama—is set in the 1880s at the dawn of the electrical age. Based on the bizarre historical fact that doctors used vibrators to treat “hysterical” women (and some men), the play centers on a doctor and his wife, and how his new therapy affects their household. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. March 3 and 10. $22-$25. Silver Spring Stage, Silver Spring. 301-5936036, ssstage.org.

Flameno dancer Farruquito performs at Strathmore on Feb. 21 (see page 42 for details).

ART Through Jan. 5

Through Jan. 6 FINE ART IN MINIATURE. More than 700 minimasterpieces from around the world fill the 85th annual exhibition curated

by The Miniature Painters, Sculptors & Gravers Society of Washington, D.C. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Wednesdays; noon-4 p.m. Sundays. The Mansion at Strathmore, North Bethesda.

301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Through Jan. 13 STILL HAPPENINGS: GROUP SHOW. Works by James Fitzsimmons, Carlton Fletcher, Matt Klos, Rosaline Moore, Lee Newman, Erin Raedeke, Marie Riccio, Daniel Riesmeyer, Nicole McCormick Santiago and Maggie Siner. Noon-4 p.m.

Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays; noon-8 p.m. Fridays. Free.

VisArts at Rockville, Rockville. 301-3158200, visartscenter.org.

Through January 2020 LOUISE BOURGEOIS: TO UNRAVEL A TORMENT. Body parts, spiders and fractured families are repeated themes in the 30 pieces in this exhibit, which spans five decades of the noted French-American feminist’s work. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. ThursdaySunday. Free. Glenstone, Potomac. Call or see website to schedule visit. 301-9835001, glenstone.org.

Jan. 9-Feb. 2 GROUP SHOW: “DESTROY THE PICTURE.” A group exhibit featuring paintings by several Virginia-based artists who have studied at The Art League School in Alexandria. Noon-6 p.m. WednesdaySaturday. Opening reception 6-8 p.m. Jan. 11. Free. Gallery B, Bethesda. 301-2156660, bethesda.org.

44 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Jan. 12-Feb. 17 NIGHT: THE 28TH ANNUAL STRATHMORE JURIED EXHIBITION, AND THE RAILROAD: TERRON COOPER SORRELLS. The shows feature the annual competition, and prints

by Sorrells, a native of Virginia. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 10 a.m.9 p.m. Wednesdays; noon-4 p.m. Sundays.

Closed Mondays. Opening reception 7 p.m. Jan. 17. Free. The Mansion at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org.

Feb. 6-March 2 GROUP SHOW. Works by Nancy Arons, Sara Becker, Jennifer Howard, Christie King and David Terrar. Noon-6 p.m. WednesdaySaturday. Opening reception 6-8 p.m. Feb. 8. Free. Gallery B, Bethesda. 301-2156660, bethesda.org.

COURTESY OF STRATHMORE

ANNUAL HOLIDAY GIFT SHOW. Waverly Street Gallery’s artists present new works, including ceramics, jewelry, paintings, photography, prints and sculptures. Noon6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Free.

Waverly Street Gallery, Bethesda. 301-9519441, waverlystreetgallery.com.

CHILDREN/FAMILIES Through Jan. 6 FANCY NANCY’S SPLENDIFEROUS CHRISTMAS. The one-hour musical is based on an off-Broadway production of the book by Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser. The action—as in the entire book series about the heroine— celebrates the fancy that Nancy delights in, but there’s a special holiday problem to resolve. Recommended for all ages.

See website for times. $25. Adventure Theatre MTC, Glen Echo. 301-634-2270, adventuretheatre-mtc.org.

Through Jan. 6 CINDERELLA. In this musical retelling of the favorite fairy tale, Cinderella is a sword-wielding adventurer, but she still faces an evil stepmother and stepsisters, is helped by a fairy godmother, attends the ball and encounters the charming prince. Recommended for ages 4 and older. 1:30 and 4 p.m. Jan. 5; 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Jan. 6; see website for days and times in December. $15-$35.

Imagination Stage, Bethesda. 301-2801660, imaginationstage.org.

Jan. 11-Feb. 17 WAKE UP, BROTHER BEAR. This program for the very young is being reimagined for its 10th anniversary performance.

Sister Bear and Brother Bear are back from hibernation to take little ones on an interactive journey through the seasons. Meet a curious butterfly, play in a rushing waterfall, and catch lightning bugs as the bears frolic through the forest. Recommended for ages 1 to 5.

See website for times. $12. Imagination Stage, Bethesda. 301-280-1660, imaginationstage.org.

SUPERPOPS: CHRISTINA BIANCO: WOMAN OF A THOUSAND VOICES THU, FEB 28, 8 PM

SCHEHERAZADE SAT, MAR 9, 8 PM

APPALACHIAN SPRING THU, MAR 14, 8 PM

HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX IN CONCERT SAT, MAR 23, 3 PM

BRAHMS PIANO CONCERTO NO. 1 THU, MAR 28, 8 PM

CIRQUE GOES HOLLYWOOD THU, APR 4, 8 PM

PORGY AND BESS THU, APR 11, 8 PM

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Jan. 18-Feb. 10 THE VELVETEEN RABBIT. Hand puppets, storytelling and song are used for Margery Williams’ 1922 tale of how toys become real. 45 minutes. Recommended for pre-K to grade 4. See website for times. $12.

The Puppet Co., Glen Echo. 301-6345380, thepuppetco.org.

Jan. 19 THE BROTHERS GRIMM EXCELLENT ADVENTURE. The Baughman brothers from Landless Theatre Company bring their wacky touch to favorite stories— including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Frog Prince and Little Red Riding Hood—by another set of brothers. Recommended for

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good life ages 4 and older. 10:30-11:30 a.m. $12.

The Arts Barn, Gaithersburg. 301-2586394, gaithersburgmd.gov.

Jan. 21 NOW FAMILY CONCERT. New Orchestra of Washington’s family-friendly concert features NOW Artistic Director Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez’s Laberinto. An instrument petting zoo is included. 11 a.m. $10; free for ages 12 and younger. Temple Emanuel, Kensington. 240-745-6587, neworchestraofwashington.org.

Jan. 25-26 ANGELINA BALLERINA. This family-friendly show brings to life the beloved storybook about a fictional mouse who is training to become a ballerina. 10 a.m. Friday; 1 and 4 p.m. Saturday. $12-$25. BlackRock Center for the Arts, Germantown. 301-5282260, blackrockcenter.org.

Feb. 2 KIDS TALK & TOUR. Kids ages 7 and older get a close-up view of “Night: The 28th Annual Strathmore Juried Exhibition” and

“The Railroad: Terron Cooper Sorrells” in a guided tour of The Mansion at Strathmore, followed by a hands-on art activity. 10:15 a.m. Reservations required. $5; free for accompanying adults. The Mansion at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org.

Feb. 2 FOLKLORE SOCIETY OF GREATER WASHINGTON MID-WINTER FESTIVAL. The annual indoor festival features about 300 performers singing, dancing, telling stories and leading workshops. Noon-7:30 p.m.

See website for schedule and pricing; there is a family cap. Takoma Park Middle School, Takoma Park. fsgw.org.

Feb. 8-March 10 HUCKLEBERRY FINN’S BIG RIVER. Adventure Theatre’s world premiere coproduction with The Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, is based on the classic story by Mark Twain and on the Tony Award-winning Big River musical. Huck Finn’s attempt to help his friend Jim, a slave, escape to freedom is a tale of friendship against

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all odds. Recommended for all ages.

See website for times. $20. Adventure Theatre MTC, Glen Echo. 301-634-2270, adventuretheatre-mtc.org.

Feb. 9-March 31 MOUSE MAGNIFIQUE AND DICKENS’S DAVY COPPERFIELD. Imagination Stage has two plays in rotation: the musical adventure Mouse Magnifique runs Feb. 9-March 24 and is based on the books Anatole and Anatole the Cat by Eve Titus.

Recommended for ages 4 and older. Davy Copperfield, which also has music, runs Feb. 16-March 31 and is described as “freely adapted from Charles Dickens’s semiautobiographical novel David Copperfield.” Recommended for ages 6 and older. See website for times and prices. Imagination Stage, Bethesda. 301280-1660, imaginationstage.org.

Feb. 9 NOAA OPEN HOUSE. Meet scientists and weather forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and engage with interactive exhibits

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good life and other activities. Recommended for ages 5 and older. Adults need to bring a photo ID to enter the facility. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (Registration opens at 8:30 a.m.)

Free. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring. 301-7583605, preserveamerica.noaa.gov.

Feb. 14-March 24 RAPUNZEL. A 40-minute version of the classic Brothers Grimm tale, told with hand puppets and music. Recommended for ages 3½ to 9. See website for times. $12. The Puppet Co., Glen Echo. 301-6345380, thepuppetco.org.

seniors and military; $5 skate rental.

Rockville Town Square, Rockville. 301-5451999; rockvilleiceskating.com.

Through April 1 ICE SKATING AT VETERANS PLAZA. Take a spin around the outdoor skating rink. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays; noon10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; noon-midnight Fridays; 10 a.m.-midnight Saturdays. See website for holiday hours. $9 for a two-hour session; $8 children and seniors; $5 skate rental. Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring. 301-588-1221, silverspringiceskating.com.

Jan. 21

SEASONAL Through mid-March SKATING AT THE SQUARE. Lace up and glide across the outdoor rink in Rockville Town Square. Noon-11 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays; 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sundays; noon-10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. See website for holiday hours. $9 for two hours of skating; $8 children,

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY CELEBRATION. A highlight of the event, which will include multicultural performances and a recognition of Rockville community members, will be a keynote address by a community leader.

Sponsored by the city of Rockville. 11 a.m.12:30 p.m. program; reception follows.

Free. Richard Montgomery High School, Rockville. 240-314-8316, rockvillemd.gov.

FIRST DAY FREE! Open up your dog’s world and together we can show them how much fun it is to make friends!

Jan. 21

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY OF SERVICE. Use your day off from work— and the kids’ day off from school—to volunteer at various locations throughout Montgomery County. For more information on locations, service opportunities and specific hours, call the Montgomery County Volunteer Center at 240-7772600, montgomerycountymd.gov/ volunteercenter/volunteers/mlk.html.

Feb. 16

LUNAR NEW YEAR CELEBRATION. The celebration—presented by the city of Rockville with Rockville’s Asian Pacific American Task Force—features performance groups representing China, Cambodia, Korea, Vietnam and Nepal; food; and an opportunity to learn about Asian culture. Included is a traditional lion dance. 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free. Richard Montgomery High School. 240-314-8316, rockvillemd.gov. ■

To submit calendar items, or to see a complete listing, go to BethesdaMagazine.com.

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banter

TINY DANCER An 11-year-old from Rockville is a rising star in the ballet world

PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

BY REBECCA GALE

CORBIN HOLLOWAY HAS ALWAYS been a dancer. His mother, Michelle Holloway, says that as a very young boy Corbin would watch an episode of the reality show Dance Moms and then replicate the moves in the basement of their Rockville home.

Corbin performed tricks during halftime of his older brothers’ BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

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basketball games; he even taught himself a back handspring and aerial flip.

After one of Corbin’s youth football games at Georgetown Prep, Michelle, who teaches algebra 2 and calculus at Walt Whitman High School, took him up the street to see CityDance, part of the Strathmore Music Center in North Bethesda. Leaving the studio, Corbin said it was the best day of his life. He enrolled in CityDance at age 7, and by 9 he was training seriously. At 11, he is considered one of the best young ballet dancers in America.

“The first year, it was super hard,” Corbin says. “I was always goofing around. I didn’t really care.” Asked to choose which dance style he wanted to continue with at age 9, Corbin opted for ballet because “it was the hardest. Then, apparently, I got more serious,” he says.

Corbin is now the youngest dancer at CityDance Petite Conservatory, a select group of students, many of whom spend four to six hours a day in practice.

During breaks, Corbin sits in the Strathmore café area and works on his online home-school program. The program gives him and a dozen other students the opportunity to practice with the conservatory’s ballet master, Stanislav Issaev, a two-time international gold medalist at the Varna and National Soviet Ballet competitions and a former principal dancer with the Moscow Classical Ballet.

Corbin is able to turn six or seven arabesque turns, or pirouettes with one leg extended (many dancers—including adults—can only do four). “It is very rare for a dancer to be able to turn seven,” Issaev says.

For Corbin, the chance to dance with Issaev made it worth leaving Burning Tree Elementary School in Bethesda. His hazel eyes light up when he describes his dance practice routine. When he speaks, he leans his thin, 4-foot-11-inch frame back in his chair, athletic sandals dangling off his socked feet. He’s wearing a T-shirt and athletic pants, which he will change out of before dancing in tights, ballet technique shoes and a cropped tee.

“Talent like Corbin comes along every

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

20 to 30 years,” says CityDance Artistic Director Lorraine Spiegler.

Corbin, who won the boys’ competition in his age group at the 2018 Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), an international ballet competition, most recently landed the role of Fritz in the Kennedy Center’s December production of The Nutcracker. The role of Clara went to Makenzie Hymes, another conservatory dancer. She and Corbin are paired together for Nutcracker performances.

Spiegler had been hesitant for Corbin and Makenzie to audition for The Nutcracker, since they were working on other shows and competitions. “I said off the cuff, ‘If you get Fritz and Clara, then we’ll talk about it.’ The night of the audition I get a call, ‘Well, they got Fritz and Clara.’ ” One of Corbin’s favorite things about the role was meeting the other young boy who played Fritz (two children were assigned to each role). At the studio, Corbin is one of the few boys, and most of the other students are three to five years older.

Corbin’s older brothers, who attend Whitman and St. Jane de Chantal Catholic School, come to all of his performances, and Michelle says they’ve encouraged his dancing. His father, Cornell, a former defensive back for the Indianapolis Colts, knows firsthand the pressure of being a star athlete, and he also finds Corbin’s talents astonishing.

Because of Corbin’s age, Michelle kept him at CityDance last summer rather than allowing him to study ballet in a different city. But plans are being discussed about where he might go this coming summer when he is 12. New York and Philadelphia are options. Corbin is currently preparing for CityDance conservatory’s winter showcase, “Creating the Magic” and YAGP in Philadelphia.

His busy schedule meant he had to turn down the starring role in Billy Elliot at Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia.

For Corbin, the chance to perform at the Opera House at the Kennedy Center made all of his efforts worth it. “I’ve never really performed on a stage as big as that,” he says, his face alight. n

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QUICK TAKES

News you may have missed

BY THE BETHESDA BEAT STAFF

NO TIME FOR REST Local residents wondering if they’ve become workaholics can check this out: A life insurance company has ranked Bethesda as the fourth hardest working city in the country. (Walnut Creek, California, was ranked first.) The company’s rankings were based on “total time” working—an aggregate of work hours and commute times. The average “total time” working for Bethesda residents was 46.4 hours per week, which included an average of 4.9 hours commuting.

There’s even less rest for workers who live across the Potomac River: Arlington came in second at 46.7 hours.

THIS IS JEOPARDY!

WINNING TICKET

Gaithersburg resident Erik Agard took home a total of $66,802 after winning three consecutive games on Jeopardy!. Local fans may have been shaking their heads, though, when Agard, a 2011 graduate of Silver Spring’s Montgomery Blair High School, couldn’t come up with the question for an answer in the “I Went to Famous Person High School” category about another MCPS school, just a few miles from Blair. The answer: “Kensington, MD. Kids! No pressure living up to this scientist who has an animus mirabulus (‘Year of Marvels’) in 1905.” The question: Who is Albert Einstein?

Paying bills was the top priority of a Silver Spring florist who won a $2 million prize from a scratch-off lottery ticket in November. The 54-year-old woman, whose name was not released by Maryland Lottery, purchased two $30 Mega Bucks scratch-off tickets from a Silver Spring liquor store. The first was not a winner, but the second revealed the $2 million prize. “I was shocked and relieved at the same time,” the stunned woman told lottery officials. “I’m so happy that I can pay off my bills.”

Just before 8 each morning, the call of a bugle cuts through the sounds of traffic flowing past Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Rockville Pike in Bethesda. The bugle call, which can be heard in neighborhoods surrounding the medical center, reminds base personnel that it’s time to get ready to observe the raising of the flag and to listen to the national anthem, according to published reports.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARY ANN SMITH

CALL OF THE BUGLE

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banter

EXTRA POINT Thirty-year-old Andre Smith has already realized two lifelong dreams. First he played in the NFL. Now he’s a Montgomery County police officer.

BY MICHAEL S. GERBER

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Andre Smith, a Seneca Valley High School alum, was an NFL tight end before joining the county police.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

AT 6 FEET 5 INCHES, 265 pounds, wearing a bulletproof vest, radio, body camera and other equipment, Officer Andre Smith doesn’t need to announce his presence when he enters a room. But it is the former NFL tight end’s speed, not his size, that has often surprised both criminals and linebackers.

Although he traded in his football uniform for the one issued by the Montgomery County Police Department, Smith still needs to sprint every now and then. On a recent patrol, he spotted a teenager who matched the description of a robbery suspect. The boy, about 15, at first seemed to be cooperating with Smith, who recognized the odor of marijuana as he approached. But then the kid took off running.

“He was a pretty athletic kid,” says Smith, who still was able to catch him.

He cracks a smile. “I think he was a little bit surprised he didn’t outrun me.”

Smith, 30, joined the department in January 2017, the realization of one lifelong dream after another had ended. The streets he now patrols are the same ones he grew up on after moving to Germantown from Silver Spring as a young child.

In 2006, he graduated from Seneca Valley High School as a star player for one of the area’s most successful football programs.

He went on to play at Virginia Tech, and then signed with the Chicago Bears.

Smith spent much of his time in the

FAMILY LAW

NFL on practice squads or as a backup, doing stints with the Bears, Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys before landing in Cleveland in 2013. He injured his back that season, and though he fully intended to return to the NFL, he eventually decided he was tired of living out of suitcases and risking further injury.

Making the decision to leave professional football wasn’t easy, but choosing a career as a police officer was. As a child, Smith looked up to the police and was always concerned for his family’s safety.

When his mom got annoyed and asked him why he kept turning on the outside lights, he replied, “Because having the lights on keeps the bad guys away.”

Smith’s mother, whom he calls his “superhero,” died of leukemia when he was 16, days before the start of his senior year at Seneca Valley. He spent the next year focusing on school and football, and relying on a network of friends and coaches he still considers his family.

One of those coaches was Bob Plante, now the head coach at Clarksburg High School. Plante says Smith was “one of the best I’ve ever coached” in three decades.

“What set him apart was not only his athleticism, but his power and size, and his ability to block,” says Plante, a former assistant coach at Seneca Valley. “That is a selfless act, but also a protective act.”

Despite his imposing physical presence, Smith possesses a gentle and soft-spoken manner. As a teenager, he was so shy that Plante refused to coach him until Smith would look him in the eye.

Smith no longer struggles to make eye contact, but he does appreciate spending time in nature’s peace and quiet. He finds solitude fishing at a local pond or bowhunting in the woods near his home in Frederick County, though his love of his job stops him from taking many days off. “Every time you put on the uniform, you get to interact with people,” he says.

“You can relay a message, you can spread light, you can spread joy in ways you never would’ve imagined just because of that platform that gives you.” ■

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A PLACE FOR EVERYONE

In the tight-knit community of Brookmont in Bethesda, the church is the neighborhood gathering spot

LATE ON A CRISP Sunday afternoon in early November, the social hall at Brookmont Church slowly fills with neighbors for the annual St. Martin’s Lantern Walk.

While the adults chat with one another, children use markers to decorate white paper bags that will soon be glowing with electric tea candles.

In the large room on the ground floor, everyone gathers to hear Roxanne Schueller, the church’s celebrant, read a poem about the legend of the compassionate St. Martin. At the point when he gives half of his cloak to a beggar in need, Schueller dramatically rips her long red cape (held together by Velcro) in two.

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“Compassion is that feeling of a flutter in your heart or a tear in your eye when you see something happen to somebody and you want to help,” she explains before the residents begin their procession through the neighborhood, which darkened early with the recent ending of daylight saving time. “The reason we take the lights all around Brookmont is we are thinking about bringing love, compassion and acts of kindness—all those good things—to our neighbors, our families and the world,” Schueller says.

This kind of message is woven throughout events held at the community church in Brookmont, a tight-knit

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

neighborhood of about 200 homes off MacArthur Boulevard, just above the C&O Canal and the Potomac River in Bethesda. The Brookmont Baptist Church was built in 1941 on Virginia Place at the corner of Broad Street.

In the early 1980s, what remained of the congregation decided to close its doors due to dwindling participation.

A Brookmont resident had the enterprising idea to revitalize the church as a congregation open to all faiths, including nonbelievers. So immediately after Brookmont Baptist Church closed, a new board was named, and the church began a new life structured as a

PHOTO BY LAURA CHASE DE FORMIGNY

BY CARALEE ADAMS

Neighbors gather for Brookmont Church’s annual St. Martin’s Lantern Walk in November.

neighborhood village church where families take turns organizing activities. The church building, with an attached parsonage (which is rented out), is owned by a corporation controlled by members of the church.

There are other nondenominational churches in the county, but Brookmont is unusual in that it encompasses so many religious traditions under one roof.

“The neighborhood and small-town feel is very special here. People know each other and care about each other,” says Adrienne Hand, co-chair of the church’s board of trustees and a longtime Brookmont resident. “The church has grown

organically. People are looking for fresh ways to be in community and to be spiritual.”

Today, the church hosts community activities, weekly interfaith services on Sunday evenings and a monthly Sunday morning family service. “It’s a sacred space where people are comfortable,” says Schueller, of Rockville, who is Jewish and has led the congregation since 2011.

The services often have themes and involve storytelling, prayer, scripture readings, music, mindfulness and sometimes dance. There is a Christmas Eve pageant, complete with angels and the Holy Family, and special services around Thanksgiving, Passover and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The church also is used for weddings, memorial services and bar and bat mitzvahs.

The inclusive nature of the church is appealing to couples like Amy Shah and Sriram Rajan, who moved to Brookmont in 2017 and attend the family service with their 4-year-old son, Aarav. “The focus is on things that are common to all religions—kindness and community,” says Shah, who is Jain; her husband is Hindu. “It’s a place to come together around common values.”

Like an old-fashioned hub in the center of a small town, Brookmont Church has been a refuge for people at times of crisis. After the protests and shooting in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, an impromptu service of prayer and singing was held in the chapel, featuring a song written by a Brookmont resident.

Beyond worship, neighbors come to socialize, learn and do good works. On Friday nights in the summer, there are food trucks and picnics on the lawn.

About once a month, the “Brookmont Café” brings people together for a potluck, and residents share their expertise

on topics such as ornithology, meditation and art. The church sponsors walks to benefit charities, drives for shoes, food and clothing, and a “giving tree” for the donation of Christmas gifts to children in need.

The church is also home to the Brookmont Children’s Program, a small preschool, and space is rented out for tai chi classes, massage therapy and special parties to help generate income.

However, the church stays afloat mainly because of the response of residents to an annual fundraising letter. “The neighbors love this church … they like the simplicity of it,” says Jenn Pellegrini, the other co-chair of the board of trustees.

“They all want to keep it maintained, so we have no problem getting money from our neighbors.”

Louisa Jagger has lived in the adjacent parsonage for seven years, helping keep an eye on the property and tending to its garden of native plants. “Before I came here, I hated churches because institutional churches so often can go off the wrong way and people can be very judgmental,” she says. “Here, I’ve never seen that. It’s a completely different way of celebrating. Everyone is welcome …

The only thing they don’t let in the door is hatred.”

As those gathered for the November celebration leave the church, adults form an aisle with strings of white lights to corral the children as they walk with the lanterns. Thirteen-year-old Douglas Holmberg plays Irish folk tunes on his violin as the group walks down Broad Street along the grassy median known as “the village green.” The walkers stop under a streetlamp to sing “This Little Light of Mine,” with a verse adapted for the occasion: “Gonna bring that good, to my neighborhood. I’m gonna let it shine. …Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.” n

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BOOK REPORT

Man Out: Men on the Sidelines of American Life (Brookings Institution Press, September 2018) examines the roughly 20 million American men that are—in author Andrew Yarrow’s estimate— disconnected from work, families or civic life. The Chevy Chase resident and former reporter for The New York Times writes about the changing labor market, high incarceration rates and other factors that have led many workingage men to become angry and disillusioned. Yarrow acknowledges cultural change is hard, but suggests policy solutions to help men reengage.

“On average, women in the U.S. and throughout the world have it worse economically, legally and in terms of being victims of violence and harassment,” he says.

“But that does not mean we ignore men who are struggling as well.”

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Paris and New York are beacons of style, culture, brashness and charm, according to Frank Van Riper. “They are gorgeous to look at…crowded and exciting,” says the photographer, journalist and author who lives in Upper Northwest D.C. In his book Recovered Memory: New York & Paris 1960-1980 (Daylight Books, October 2018), Van Riper shares 60 black-and-white images of everyday life and ordinary people in the two iconic cities. “It’s the human moment that I think creates a book that’s successful,” Van Riper says.

The collection was culled from his archives of nearly 1,000 vintage photos that he says represent a simpler time when life was about more than striving and when people would relax over coffee in a café.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Cathy Barrow wants people to know that all pies don’t have to be round and filled with fruit. Her cookbook Pie Squared: Irresistibly Easy Sweet & Savory Slab Pies (Grand Central Publishing, October 2018) contains more than 60 recipes for rectangular pies made on 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheets. “You can make slab pies without a lot of fuss,” says Barrow, who develops and tests recipes in her Silver Spring kitchen. “They aren’t as deep, so they serve more easily. Great for a potluck or a barbecue with a large group because they can be made ahead and served slightly warm or at room temperature.” Some of her favorite slab pies: Just-Like-Artichoke-Dip with a cream cheese crust, Sumac-Scented Eggplant with a phyllo crust, and No-Campfire-Necessary S’mores with a graham cracker crust.

After writing several “beach-read” novels, Sarah Pekkanen is out with her second psychological thriller co-written with Greer Hendricks, her former book editor. An Anonymous Girl (St. Martin’s Press, January 2019), about a woman caught in a web of deceit after volunteering for a psychology study about ethics, comes on the heels of The Wife Between Us (St. Martin’s Press, January 2018). Pekkanen, based in Chevy Chase, spends hours on the phone daily collaborating with Hendricks in New York.

They craft every line of their books together. “If you hit a block, creatively, it can be frustrating,” Pekkanen says. “But the beauty of our relationship is that we work through it together and the solution is so much better than either of us could have come up with alone.”

ALL BOOK COVERS FILE PHOTOS

BY CARALEE ADAMS

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banter

READING LIST

LITERARY

DATA PROVIDED BY

The top-selling books in our area. Data is based on books sold at Politics and Prose’s Connecticut Avenue location in Upper Northwest D.C., from Oct. 30 to Nov. 13, 2018.

EVENTS CALENDAR

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

Jan. 11

HARDCOVER FICTION

PAPERBACK

1.

Ball Lightning, Cixin Liu

1.

Jan. 23 and Feb. 27

2.

The Feral Detective, Jonathan Lethem

2.

Homegoing, Yaa Gyasi

ARTISTS IN FICTION BOOK CLUB. Join fellow art enthusiasts at Strathmore’s monthly art-themed book club. Participants will discuss the books (authors not attending), and each evening includes a look at the facts behind the fiction. Jan. 23: Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers, by Deborah Heiligman; Feb. 27: Loving Frank, a novel by Nancy Horan based on scholarly research about a clandestine affair involving Frank Lloyd Wright. 7 p.m.

Free. RSVP online. Strathmore Mansion, North Bethesda. strathmore.org.

3.

The Kinship of Secrets, Eugenia Kim

3.

4.

The Witch Elm, Tana French

111 Places in Washington That You Must Not Miss, Andrea Seiger

5.

Unsheltered, Barbara Kingsolver

4.

Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan

6.

Warlight, Michael Ondaatje

5.

Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies, Ann Hornaday

7.

Transcription, Kate Atkinson

8.

A Christmas Story: The Book That Inspired the Hilarious Classic Film, Jean Shepherd

9.

There There, Tommy Orange

10. Nine Perfect Strangers, Liane Moriarty

HARDCOVER NONFICTION 1.

Becoming, Michelle Obama

2.

Leaders: Myth and Reality, Stanley McChrystal, Jeff Eggers, Jay Mangone

3.

Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents, Pete Souza

4.

The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created, Jane Leavy

5.

Heavy: An American Memoir, Kiese Laymon

6.

Jan. 27 and Feb. 21 THE LESSANS FAMILY LITERARY SERIES: REBECCA ERBELDING AND ARIEL BURGER. Erbelding discusses and signs her book, Rescue Board: The Untold Story of America’s Efforts to Save the Jews of Europe, on Jan. 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On Feb. 21, Burger discusses and signs his book, Witness: Lessons From Elie Wiesel’s Classroom. 7 p.m. $15 for tickets to each event; $42 for a ticket and a book on Jan. 27, $40 on Feb. 21. Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, Rockville. 301-8810100, benderjccgw.org.

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Improvement, Joan Silber

6.

Asymmetry, Lisa Halliday

7.

We Can’t Breathe: On Black Lives, White Lies, and the Art of Survival, Jabari Asim

8.

Suffragists in Washington D.C.: The 1913 Parade and the Fight for the Vote, Rebecca Boggs Roberts

9.

When Your Child Is Sick: A Guide to Navigating the Practical and Emotional Challenges of Caring for a Child Who Is Very Ill, Joanna Breyer

10. Less, Andrew Sean Greer

CHILDREN’S 1.

The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series, #13), Jeff Kinney

2.

Countdown: 2979 Days to the Moon, Suzanne Slade

The End of the End of the Earth, Jonathan Franzen

3.

Juno Valentine and the Magical Shoes, Eva Chen

7.

Recovered Memory: New York and Paris 19601980, Frank Van Riper

4.

Inkling, Kenneth Oppel

8.

If You Ask Me: Essential Advice From Eleanor Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt

5.

Judy Moody and the Right Royal Tea Party (Judy Moody Series, #14), Megan McDonald

9.

Educated, Tara Westover

6.

I’m OK, Patti Kim

7.

Lafayette! A Revolutionary War Tale (Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales Series, #8), Nathan Hale

8.

Girls of Paper and Fire, Natasha Ngan

9.

Hey, Kiddo, Jarrett J. Krosoczka

10. Leadership: In Turbulent Times, Doris Kearns Goodwin

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

10. Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid (Stink Series, #1), Megan McDonald

ALL BOOK COVERS FILE PHOTOS

ELIZABETH WHITE. The Washington, D.C., resident, author and nonprofit executive offers insights from her own effort to re-enter the workforce in her mid50s and finding little demand and many others in the same boat.

White will discuss and sign copies of 55, Underemployed, and Faking Normal: Your Guide to a Better Life.

7 p.m. Free. Politics and Prose, Washington, D.C. 202-364-1919, politics-prose.com.

Readers’ Pick, Best Landscaping Company

banter | HOMETOWN

BY STEVE ROBERTS

‘A TOTALLY NEW WORLD’ When a gunman opened fire at a Pittsburgh synagogue in October, everything changed for the head of a Silver Spring-based refugee resettlement agency 64

ON A SATURDAY MORNING in late October, Mark Hetfield’s life changed forever. He was attending a bar mitzvah in downtown Washington when the silenced cellphone in his chest pocket “kept buzzing and buzzing and buzzing.”

He finally left the service but didn’t want to seem disrespectful. “I tried to hide so people wouldn’t see me using a cellphone outside the synagogue,” he says.

Hetfield is president of HIAS, the oldest refugee resettlement agency in the world, which is headquartered in Silver Spring. One of the calls was from CNN. An assault on a synagogue in Pittsburgh had killed 11 people, he was told, and the gunman had posted this message on social media: “HIAS likes to bring invaders in that kill our people. I can’t sit by

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

and watch my people get slaughtered.

Screw your optics, I’m going in.”

When he heard the news, he recalls, “It was just total disbelief, it was such a shock. I was thinking it couldn’t possibly be true. It doesn’t even make sense.” But it was true. And at that moment, Hetfield entered “a totally new world,” he told me one evening in November.

He pulled his wife out of the bar mitzvah and they went to a nearby coffee shop, where he continued to make calls and learn more details. The next few days were a blur. Hetfield and his colleagues did more than a hundred media interviews. He canceled a trip to Nairobi and flew instead to Pittsburgh to console survivors, then on to New York to meet with U.N. SecretaryGeneral António Guterres.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

Mark Hetfield is president of HIAS, the refugee resettlement agency that a gunman referenced on social media before a mass shooting.

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banter | HOMETOWN When I ask how the attack has altered his day-to-day life, the tension and trepidation threads through his voice: “It’s changed every waking minute and every sleeping minute. I have nightmares almost every night now and my wife often has to wake me up.” What kind of nightmares? “Pipe bombs. Gunmen. Just attacks. They seem very real.”

Has his health been affected, I ask.

“No, but I credit adrenaline for that,” he replies. “I’m moving so fast and working so much and doing so many things in so many places that my body hasn’t had a chance to get sick.”

Hetfield and HIAS have both instituted drastic new security precautions, and while he cannot discuss details, he does tell me: “I’m constantly being targeted. You go to these hate sites and my picture’s there, my salary’s there, they say nasty things about me. I have to be much more aware of my surroundings,

especially in this country. That’s the sad thing, I feel safer almost anywhere than in the U.S. right now.”

Donations to HIAS have poured in, including one anonymous check for a million dollars, but the new security expenses are straining the organization’s budget. “We have more support than ever before, people know who we are and what we’re doing now, but we have to do it differently,” he notes. “There are additional costs and precautions that now have to be taken into account.”

Originally called the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, HIAS was founded in New York in 1881 to serve the flood of Jewish refugees fleeing religious and political persecution in Eastern Europe—including my grandparents.

Hetfield, 51, comes from a similar background. He grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey, where his immigrant forebears had settled, and majored in Soviet

studies at Georgetown University.

In 1989, a year after graduation, he saw an ad in The New York Times and found a “dream job” with HIAS in Rome, helping Soviet Jews relocate around the world. He’s worked on and off for the society ever since, and after becoming president in 2013 he moved the headquarters from New York to this area. “Refugee policy is made here,” he explains. “If you want to have influence, you really need to be here.”

Rents downtown were too steep, however, and a friend suggested Silver Spring. “Silver Spring has Jews, it has refugees, it has immigrants, and it’s sort of up the street,” the friend said.

Hetfield and his wife, Miriam, who works on immigration issues for the federal government, raised their two children in Cabin John. And while his tranquil life has shattered, his sense of mission has not.

B E S T. DECISION.

Obsidian Columns by JennAir

W A S H I N G TO N , D . C .

ROCKVILLE ANNAPOLIS ALEX ANDRIA C H A N T I L LY F E RG U S O N S H OW R O O M S .CO M

66

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©2018 Ferguson Enterprises, Inc. 1018 1001722

EVER.

“In the Torah [the first five books of the Old Testament], God says no less than 36 times to love the stranger as yourself,” he says. “He does it, I believe, not because it’s the most important commandment, but because it’s the one that needs the most explanation. We need to be constantly reminded, because it’s too easy to mistreat or shut out somebody who’s an outsider, and that’s why it’s repeated so many times.”

By 2006, most Jews had left the Soviet Union and for the first time, non-Jews represented a majority of the organization’s clientele. They now comprise about 95 percent, and more than half are Muslims. As Hetfield is fond of saying, “We help them not because they are Jewish but because we are Jewish.”

Jews helping refugees have always been a natural target for nativists and anti-Semites, and as Hetfield notes, “We have been ignoring for too long that there are lots of hate sites out there that fixate on HIAS. But we just figured it was noise, and we tuned it out and went on with our work.”

They cannot ignore the haters any longer, and the Trump administration has made matters much worse, he says, inflaming fears and slamming doors.

Only 22,491 refugees were admitted in the fiscal year that ended in September, the lowest total in 40 years and a fraction of President Obama’s annual goal of 110,000. “It’s a total abdication of American leadership,” Hetfield contends. “We can’t pressure other countries to protect refugees because we’re not doing it ourselves.”

“My gray hairs have definitely doubled” since Pittsburgh, Hetfield admits.

But he is determined not to let down or give up. If you are a believer, and God tells you 36 times to “love the stranger,” you keep doing it. ■ Steve Roberts teaches journalism and politics at George Washington University. His memoir, My Fathers’ Houses, tells the story of his own family’s migration to America. Send ideas for future columns to sroberts@gwu.edu.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Financial Professionals PROFILES

SENIOR HOME LENDING ADVISOR, CHASE What made you want to become a mortgage professional?

I began my career with what was then Chase Bank of Maryland and Chase Personal Financial Services in 1985 while attending The University of Maryland at night. I basically grew up at Chase, learned how to value my clients, approach a loan, analyze income and every facet of the mortgage industry. I still utilize these skills daily and remember my time at Chase fondly.

It’s exciting to see Chase expanding our banking services to the Washington, D.C. area.

What makes your client experience unique?

I’m a native Washingtonian, I grew up in Montgomery County and live in Bethesda. My family and I are personally invested in this community and see it as a wonderful place to live. As a Senior Home Lending Advisor, I can use my local knowledge and advice along with Chase products and services to consult homebuyers and make the dream of homeownership a reality.

Buying a home or refinancing can seem overwhelming. So much has changed since we started in the mortgage 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.

What type of client do you specialize in?

Our lending specialties include the professionally employed, self-employed borrowers, lowto-moderate income program, vacation home financing, condominium and co-op lending and first-time homebuyer programs, too.

If you’re looking for a mortgage or financing solutions, let me show you the next step. I’ll guide you every step of the way, from application through closing.

68

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

“If you’re looking for a mortgage or financing solutions, let me show you the next step. I'll guide you every step of the way, from application through closing.”

HONORS Best Mortgage Broker, Bethesda Magazine, Best of Bethesda Readers’ Pick, 2012 – 2016; 32 years as a Senior Home Lending Advisor All home lending products are subject to credit and property approval. Rates, program terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Not all products are available in all states or for all amounts.

Other restrictions and limitations apply. Home lending products offered by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. ©2019 JPMorgan Chase & Co.

1401 New York Ave. NW Washington, DC 20005 301-332-7758 | Deb.Levy@chase.com homeloan.chase.com/deb.levy NMLS ID: 481255

COURTESY PHOTO

Deb Levy

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PROFILES

Financial Professionals

(L to R): Michael Gildenhorn, Christine Wallace, Blake Doyle and Larry Fisher

Chevy Chase Trust

TONY J LEWIS

What separates Chevy Chase Trust from other firms in the industry?

We are an independent and privately owned investment management firm with roots in the Washington, D.C. community that date back more than 100 years. We specialize in thematic investing—building longterm portfolios of companies positioned to exploit powerful, secular trends, disruptive ideas, innovation and economic forces. Our client portfolios are managed internally, using individual stocks and bonds. We avoid mutual funds, ETFs and outside managers so there are no layers of additional fees. And clients understand what they own.

Personalized financial planning is done in-house and informs each client’s investment strategy and asset allocation. All plans are updated regularly as client circumstances, market conditions and tax laws change.

With more than 90 employees—with an average of 20 years’ experience—we are big enough to offer world-class expertise and service, but small enough to offer a personal approach to comprehensive wealth management. Client retention rate exceeds 98 percent.

What is your investment approach?

Chevy Chase Trust’s investment process is organized around global themes rather than standard industry classifications such as market capitalization, geography, style or specific benchmarks. To develop a theme, our research analysts begin by taking a broad view of the global economic landscape and identifying secular trends that are most likely to influence corporate performance across multiple industries. Themes can be driven by disruptive technologies, demographics, cultural shifts, changing consumer behaviors or new business models.

Once an investment theme is established, we conduct in-depth research on companies positioned to benefit from the theme, and just as importantly, companies that will be negatively disrupted by the theme.

We assess each company’s strategic direction, competitive position, valuation, financial condition and management. Every portfolio company is the product of fundamental analysis. Ultimately, a client portfolio is comprised of 40-50 individual stocks.

All investing involves risk of loss, including principal. The investment strategies of Chevy Chase Trust Company ("CCTC") are not guaranteed or insured by CCTC and/or any governmental body. Please see CCTC's ADV Part 2 for more information.

7501 Wisconsin Ave, 14th Floor Bethesda, MD 20814 240-497-5008 www.chevychasetrust.com

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Financial Professionals

PROFILES

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

(L to R): Jeff Dillman, Deb Gandy, Blake Doyle, Craig Pernick

The Bronfman Rothschild Wealth Advisor Team BILL SCHWARTZ, CFP®, CPA, MANAGING DIRECTOR & PRINCIPAL

What is your investment approach?

In a word: discipline. We work with clients so that they commit to a goals-based investment strategy that avoids overreaction to market turns. We also have an internal research team that takes a deep look at the investment universe, allowing us to create tailored portfolios for each client.

What makes your client experience unique?

You might notice a lot of people in our photo, and that speaks to our approach. Beyond those shown, we have 22 more in our Rockville headquarters, half of which are dedicated to our wealth management practice. Each relationship is a collaborative team effort, and we give clients multiple points of contact.

This way we deploy the best strategies and solutions for each client, delivering a superior level of service while bringing the expertise of our advisors (including numerous CFP®s, CFAs, and CPAs) consistently to every relationship.

What made you want to become a professional adviser?

Many of us come from backgrounds in consulting and accounting, and this is reflected in our style. We all saw a better way to deliver financial advice at some point, and we all bring that consultative spirit to our work every day.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

“We want to simplify the financial lives of clients as much as possible.”

Bronfman E.L. Rothschild, LP is a registered investment advisor (dba Bronfman Rothschild).

Securities, when offered, are offered through an affiliate, Bronfman E.L. Rothschild Capital, LLC (dba BELR Capital, LLC), member FINRA/SIPC Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, Certified Financial Planner™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

1 Preserve Parkway, Suite 610 Rockville, MD 20852 888-303-2357 | info@belr.com www.bronfmanrothschild.com

TONY J LEWIS

What services do you or your firm provide?

We see ourselves as the “CFO” of affluent families. This means we provide financial planning and investment management services, but we go beyond. We coordinate with outside professionals like CPAs and estate attorneys, incorporate complex planning aspects like liability and charitable planning, and spend time educating the next generation on their financial lives to come. We want to simplify the financial lives of clients as much as possible.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PROFILES

Financial Professionals

(L to R): John Bettini, Lindsey Rheaume, Ken Van Valkenburgh, Linda Dawkins, John Richardson, Ken Scales

Lindsey Rheaume EXECUTIVE VP, CHIEF COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL LENDING, EAGLEBANK What type of client do you specialize in?

We offer complete business and personal banking services. Clients include businesses, associations and non-profits, professionals, medical services providers and government contractors. We also serve builders and real estate developers, as well as homebuyers and other individuals seeking relationships with a local community bank.

HILARY SCHWAB

What makes your client experience unique?

We were founded 20 years ago by local business owners and experienced bankers who intuitively recognized the need for a bank that focused on local businesses seeking a bank that provides: • Local, quick response on loan requests; flexible financial solutions designed for business needs; and no waiting for answers from an out-of-area, out-of-state headquarters.

• Immediate access to CEO and senior management with local connections and a solid stake in the community.

• Lasting relationships with our clients vs. just opening accounts.

• A strong, local bank poised to keep up with its clients’ expansion and success, and able to increase lending capabilities for funding larger loans.

• A bank that listens to and learns about a client’s business before recommending solutions that may not be on a current product/service list.

• Flexibility that comes from knowledge of local market conditions.

• Familiarity with the business community and a strong desire to provide products and services that match specific, and sometimes, custom needs.

What do you find most satisfying about your job?

What’s best about serving as a local community bank is the community itself—the people we work with, the loyal relationships that mutually enhance the business, the bank and our people. As a community bank, volunteering and serving together to improve our community is heartfelt and a core component of our bank culture.

“What’s best about serving as a local community bank is the community itself— the people we work with, the loyal relationships that mutually enhance the business, the bank and our people.”

AWARDS AND HONORS “Corporate Philanthropy Award,” Washington Business Journal, 2018; “Best Community Bank,” Bethesda Magazine’s Best of Bethesda Readers Poll, 2015, 2017, 2019; “Outstanding Corporate Citizen of the Year,” Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, 2018

7830 Old Georgetown Road Bethesda, MD 20814 301-986-1800 lrheaume@eaglebankcorp.com www.EagleBankCorp.com

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

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Financial Professionals

PROFILES

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Vintage Financial Partners What do you find most satisfying about your job?

We believe in challenging the status quo and thinking differently during every client interaction. We base our advice on the principles of financial planning, crafting a responsible timeline and outlook aligned with each client’s unique circumstances. We’re most satisfied when, knowing that we have helped them cultivate a financially confident lifestyle, our clients are able to live the life they have dreamed of.

What makes your client experience unique?

At our core, Vintage Financial is about relationships, honoring the days when they were strong and based on trust. Before we sit down with someone, we look them in the eye and shake their hand. Our work is not about the next text, tweet, pic or post—it’s about really getting to know our clients and understanding what they need.

Beau Mercer, Jordan Kraus, Jason Cohen & Brian Oettinger

600 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 316 North Bethesda, MD 20852 240-558-9001 www.vintagefinancialpartners.com

TONY J. LEWIS

Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd., a registered investment advisor. Stratos Wealth Partners, Ltd. and Vintage Financial Partners are separate entities from LPL Financial.

Brad Sherman PRESIDENT, SHERMAN WEALTH MANAGEMENT, LLC What made you want to become a professional advisor?

There are real barriers and hidden costs to conflict-free wealth management confronting all but the ultra-wealthy. I wanted to make a difference for people who may be intimidated by the complexity and seeming exclusivity of personal finance and wealth management.

For that reason, we are a fee-only Registered Investment Advisory firm, which means we do not take commissions from investment vehicles, mutual funds or any other financial product. We do not work for anyone but you—our client.

What makes your client experience unique?

We want to make complicated situations as simple as possible by using technology and easy-to-understand language. We take a holistic approach to our clients' financial future, incorporating both short- and long-term goals.

Each portfolio and plan is custom designed.

As fiduciaries, we put you first by delivering cost-efficient, tax-efficient solutions to help you accomplish your goals.

Sherman Wealth Management LLC is a registered investment advisor.

Please visit our website www.shermanwealth.com for important disclosures.

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9841 Washingtonian Blvd., Suite 247 | Gaithersburg, MD 20878 240-428-1622 | www.shermanwealth.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

HILARY SCHWAB

AWARDS AND HONORS Investopedia, “Top 100 Financial Advisors,”; featured in CNBC, MarketWatch and The Wall Street Journal; co-host, “Launch Financial,” a weekly podcast

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Financial Professionals David B. Hurwitz, CFP®, CRPC®, CRPS®, RICP®, APMA® PROFILES

PRIVATE WEALTH ADVISOR, AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL

What type of client do you specialize in?

I specialize in clients who are preparing themselves for retirement or currently in retirement with a typical account size between $500,000—$5 million.

These are often Baby Boomers looking for a straightforward framework to create a sound retirement plan. My professional designations are specific to the planning needs surrounding retirement: strategies for creating retirement income, wealth management and estate planning.

What makes your client experience unique?

I invite you to visit my website where you can view my videos on how I differentiate myself and my practice and our turn-key concierge service, including my practice’s wholistic approach and other relevant topics like multigenerational planning. Please visit www.davidbhurwitz.com to learn more.

HILARY SCHWAB

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP (with flame design) in the U.S. Ameriprise Financial cannot guarantee future financial results. Investment advisory services and products are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., a registered investment adviser. Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2018 Ameriprise Financial, Inc., All rights reserved.

6400 Goldsboro Road, Suite 550 | Bethesda, MD 20817 301-263-8509 | www.davidbhurwitz.com

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2019

Coming up at

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STRATHMORE.ORG | 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, MD 20852 | 301.581.5100

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The following writers contributed to this section: Stephanie Siegel Burke, Aviva Goldfarb, David Hagedorn, Cheryl Kane Heimlich, Rachael Keeney, Leigh McDonald, Louis Peck, Kelly Sankowski and Carole Sugarman.

Bethesda BEST OF

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GREAT PLACES TO GO & THINGS TO DO AS CHOSEN BY OUR EDITORS AND READERS

A new take on an old-fashioned at Owen’s Ordinary (see page 92)

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Editors’ Picks:

FOOD & D R I N K

BEST TWISTS ON TRADITION NAAN PIZZA

A REUBEN EGG ROLL

A cross-cultural combination of Jewish deli sandwich and Chinese appetizer, the reuben egg roll at Corned Beef King really works. Served alongside horseradishspiked Russian dressing, the deep-fried roll encases a distinctive mix of textures and flavors—soft ground corned beef, shredded cabbage and carrots marinated in vinegar and sugar, melted Swiss and a touch of sauerkraut. Owner Jon Rossler says he devised the snack after spying egg roll wrappers at a restaurant supply shop.

Wow, I could do something with these, he recalls thinking. And indeed he has.

1900 Rockville Pike (inside the Liberty gas station), Rockville; 301-881-4422; cornedbeefking.com

CHOWDER FRIES

French fries may be the gateway food to Slapfish’s chowder fries, an addictive side dish smothered in rich New England clam chowder and topped with chopped chives, bacon and smoked chili aioli. These souped-up fries won’t win any nutrition awards, but the crispy-creamy combo is comfort food to the max.

12033 Rockville Pike (Montrose Crossing Shopping Center), Rockville; 240-880-2037; slapfishrestaurant.com

PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

Thin, chewy and periodically puffy, the tandoor-oven-baked naan at Spice 6 makes for a perfect pizza crust. The topping choices at this Indian fast-casual eatery inside Westfield Montgomery mall are intriguing and numerous (lamb, tofu and three other proteins; four curry sauces, including kadai and korma masalas; and five chutneys, including sweet tamarind and Vik’s Red, a super spicy sauce named after Spice 6 founder Vik Singh). We’ve had the best luck with the vegetarian options. One idea: Line the naan with spinach masala, then finish it with chunks of paneer, sautéed vegetables and a light rain of red tomato chutney and grated cheese.

7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), Bethesda; 240-534-2721; spice-6.com

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Most Authentic Acai Bowl

PHOTO BY LAURA CHASE DE FORMIGNY

Purple acai berries from South American palm trees may be the latest superfood in the U.S., touted for their fiber, antioxidants and other health benefits, but Brazilians have been eating them for centuries.

That’s why we headed for the acai bowl at By Brazil, a small grocery, cafe and boutique in Silver Spring owned by Mara Roche and her two daughters, Fabiana and Roberta, all of whom originally hail from Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil. Made by pureeing frozen acai pulp, strawberries, bananas and a touch of guarana syrup (a sweetener made from the guarana plant), the generous bowl is topped with granola and sliced fruit, and drizzled with honey. Thick and rich, it’s enough to feed two—especially if you sample some of the other Brazilian specialties, such as the savory pastries called pastels and risoles.

11333 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring; 301-962-8275; bybrazilmd.com

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PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

Dog Haus Biergarten’s menu includes hot dogs with several toppings to choose from.

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A WEEK OF FAST-CASUAL Not a week goes by when we don’t eat at a fast-casual restaurant. These counter-service places with customizable options and higher-quality ingredients than traditional fast food have become everyone’s grab and go. Here are some of our favorites.

MONDAY

There are a lot more mischievous things you could do than eat at Sin & Grin, but a meal here will probably put a smile on your face.

The attractive rotisserie, salad and taco spot opened in October 2017 in the Kentlands and is owned by Julie and Vasili Hristopoulos, who ran Vasilis Mediterranean Grill in the same location for about 15 years. (When it closed, they opened Vasili’s Kitchen, a bigger full-service restaurant nearby, with additional partners.) Fresh ingredients, bold flavors and reasonable prices add up to an appealing selection of items, such as the “Kickin’ Shrimp” tacos, the blackened fish salad and the Mediterranean-marinated charbroiled chicken.

We’ve also enjoyed the “Inspiration Tacos”; with their roasted cauliflower and chickpeas, cabbage, charred corn pico, avocado and yogurt-garlic sauce, they’re certainly more wholesome than sinful.

353 Main St., Gaithersburg; 301-9775595; singrintacos.com

TUESDAY

Situated between a Floormax and a UPS store in a Rockville strip shopping center, Kuya Ja’s Lechon Belly is one special find, as the glowing reviews will attest. The Filipino outpost’s signature dish—slow-roasted pork belly with a miraculously crisp skin that shatters like caramelized sugar on crème brulee—is a must-order, as is the lumpia, skinny and crunchy cylinders stuffed with pork and shrimp or vegetables. Those who don’t fancy fat will find other dishes to explore, and by all means try an ube dessert from Gwenie’s Pastries, a company in Rockville owned by Stella Fernandez, sister of Kuya Ja’s chef and co-owner Javier Fernandez. The vibrantly colored purple yam that’s popular in Filipino desserts is a stunner.

5268-H Nicholson Lane, Rockville; 240-6694383; kuyajas.com

WEDNESDAY

What restaurateur Danny Meyer started in 2001 as a hot dog cart in Manhattan’s Madison Square Park has attracted a near-cult following, so it’s no wonder that local enthusiasts were thrilled when Montgomery County’s first Shake Shack opened in September. With a large outdoor seating area and a congenial, attentive staff, the Potomac restaurant focuses on elevated burgers (with the legendary ShackSauce), fries and shakes. The juicy Angus beef is hormone- and antibiotics-free, the soft Martin’s potato rolls are non-GMO, the crinkle-cut fries are hot and crispy, and the thick shakes are nirvana in a paper cup.

There’s even hard-tofind frozen custard, and “concretes” made with custard and mix-ins such as a slice of seasonal pie from Sweetly Anchored Patisserie, also located in Cabin John Village.

Disciples will never have to drive downtown again.

7997 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), Potomac; 301-679-6470; shakeshack.com

THURSDAY

Whatever combination of rice, protein, veggies and sauces we concoct at Bibibop Asian Grill, it ends up full-flavored, healthy-tasting and satisfying. Serving a variation of bibimbap, the Korean mixed-rice dish, the chain was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 2013

by Charley Shin, a Korean immigrant who started Charleys Philly Steaks in 1986 when he was a student at Ohio State University. Now it’s a cheesesteak empire with hundreds of locations worldwide. Bibibop landed in our neck of the woods in 2017, when Shin’s company bought the locations of ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, Chipotle’s shuttered concept. We’re glad it did.

4820 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, 301-452-3077; 11584 Old Georgetown Road (Pike & Rose), Unit 1126, North Bethesda, 301-337-9465; 935 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring, 301-337-9422, bibibop.com

FRIDAY

It’s best to leave Dog Haus Biergarten for an evening at the end of the week (TGIF), or a game day, when you can feel freer to explore the 24 craft drafts, most of them local. Or throw caution to the wind and hit the 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday happy hour (which also runs from 10 p.m. to closing on Friday), when drafts, wine and cocktails are $2 off, and 16-ounce cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon go for $3.

Between the brews, edgy music, wide-screen TVs and jazzed-up hot dogs, sausages and burgers, this first Maryland locale of a California-based chain is one hip hangout.

Decisive diners can BYO (build your own), while others can go with the popular flow, meaning the “Sooo Cali” and “Downtown” hot dogs, the “Thai Fighter” and “Das Brat” sausages, and the “Little Mule” and “The Hangover” burgers. Don’t forget a side of tots.

7904 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda; 301-652-4287; bethesda.doghaus.com

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Brothers Jason and Kevin Kirsch have reinvented their neighborhood grocery concept in the aftermath of the distressing closure last March of the Chevy Chase Supermarket. The store, which opened in 1958 and offered personalized service and first-class meats and deli items, lost its lease to make way for a new development.

Along with pharmacist Ellie Darj, the Kirsches now operate two Corner Market & Pharmacy stores—one in Silver Spring, another in Rockville—that carry popular everyday items. They’re scouting other locations and hope to break ground on a 7,000-square-foot store in Poolesville early in 2019. “We’re neighborhood grocers. It’s who we are, what we know and what we want to be,” Jason Kirsch says.

8309 Grubb Road, Silver Spring, 301-2008472; 1119 Nelson St., Rockville, 301690-8340; cornermarketpharmacy.com

Kevin (left) and Jason Kirsch

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MOST ANTICIPATED SUPERMARKET OPENING Good things come to those who wait, which certainly applies to last April’s announcement that Wegmans is finally opening a store in lower Montgomery County. The new market will be situated at the corner of Halpine Road and Rockville Pike in Twinbrook Quarter, a yet-to-be-built 18-acre mixed-use development with a promenade and park. Wegmans is seeking up to 90,000 square feet for the Rockville store, which will open sometime after 2019 (there’s no date yet). Compared with other Wegmans in less densely developed areas, the store will have “a bit of a smaller footprint,” says company spokeswoman Valerie Fox, “but with all the same bells and whistles.” Since 2013, when a Wegmans opened in Germantown, residents have gotten a taste of what makes the place such a destination, including its standout produce, bakery, cheese and prepared-foods departments, a high-quality house brand, reasonable prices and great customer service.

After the holidays, some people swear to never, ever overeat again, but the unlimited small plates at Buena Vida are an irresistible and delicious deal ($35 at dinner and brunch, $20 at lunch). Many diners let the kitchen and waitstaff make the selections, so if you do, make sure they include the tuna ceviche, sweet corn empanadas, fingerling sweet potato tostones, chicharron de pescado and steak alambre taco. The lively, colorful setting and the margaritas will tamper winter doldrums, and the gym will always be there tomorrow.

8407 Ramsey Ave., Silver Spring; 301755-6132; buenavidarestaurant.com

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PHOTO (TOP) BY DEB LINDSEY; PHOTO COURTESY OF WEGMANS

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Best Place to See the World Through Rosé-Colored Glasses

PHOTO BY LAURA CHASE DE FORMIGNY

Wine lists and social media sites have been awash in rosés the last couple of years, thanks to their price, drinkability and Instagram appeal. Black’s Bar & Kitchen aced the drink-pink trend with its rosé bar, a thoughtful selection of 10 rosés from Spain, France, California, Oregon and even Maryland (from The Vineyards at Dodon in Davidsonville).

As an added photogenic bonus, the restaurant introduced subdued-tasting but super fun to eat/lick/slurp ice pops made from a pinot noir rosé from Bryn Mawr Vineyards. The rosé bar opened last summer and ran until mid-October, and it will return this spring. In the meantime, Black’s is still serving two rosés, Christian Lauverjat and the Bryn Mawr, just no popsicles.

7750 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda; 301-652-5525; blacksbarandkitchen.com

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FOOD & D R I N K Best Bread…

In a double tribute to his grandmother Addie, the namesake of his Park Potomac restaurant, Addie’s, owner Jeff Black starts a meal with complimentary biscuits and rolls, served in a bag imprinted with a picture of a school bus. Addie was a teacher in Texas, and these swoon-worthy starters are made from her recipes. No need to ask for butter, as the rolls are brushed with clarified butter before baking, and the square biscuits pull apart into layers of flaky richness. These are so good you’ll wish Addie had been your grandmother, too.

12435 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac; 301-340-0081; addiesrestaurant.com

…and Butter

The honey-thyme butter at Sugo Osteria is served alongside rustic bread.

With thoughtful attention to detail, Sugo Osteria welcomes diners with pretty spheres of honey-thyme butter and slices of rustic bread heated in the restaurant’s wood-fired pizza oven. Fashioned by an ice cream scooper into 2-ounce balls, the softened butter spreads and melts its way into the crevices of the bread from Lyon Bakery in Hyattsville. The taste of sweet and herby honey-thyme butter atop slightly charred artisan bread is divine.

12505 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac; 240-386-8080; eatsugo.com caption

BEST NEW GATHERING SPOT Friends schmoozing on the couches, telecommuters working on their laptops at the high counter, businesspeople meeting at the communal table, families squeezing into a booth. There are plenty of comfortable seating arrangements at Car Wash Coffee in Kensington, which opened in August in the former Savannah’s American Grill. Even dogs can linger (and drink from water bowls the coffee shop provides) on the outdoor patio. Proprietors Steve and Maddie Harris also own the adjacent Mr. Wash car wash, and a tuxedoed man squeezed into a little red speedster serves as the logo for both places. (The drawing is a caricature of Robert Harris, Steve’s late father, who was in the car wash business for 60 years.) The coffee shop offers sandwiches, baked goods and other light fare, and at press time it was still a work in progress (so far, the best bet is the tuna salad sandwich spiked with spicy relish). But the terrific coffee from Vigilante Coffee Company in Hyattsville is there to stay, and the wide range of caffeinated selections includes nitro cold brews (nitrogen-infused coffee with a creamy head), blended espresso drinks and regular cold brew, which is also available in growlers. The relaxing vibe and the sense of community seems permanent, too.

10700 Connecticut Ave., Kensington; 240-669-8531

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PHOTOS BY LAURA CHASE DE FORMIGNY

Best Riff on Cookie Dough Following in the footsteps of the cupcake craze, cookie dough shops and kiosks are becoming the latest sweet spots. JennyCakes Bakery in Kensington tackles the two trends at once with its cookie dough cupcakes: chocolate or vanilla cake with a mountain of chocolate chip cookie dough as the icing. Heavy cream instead of eggs holds it together and gives it a creamy, not too doughy flavor, while still tasting like the real thing. Is owner Jenny Smith a fan?

“Oh yeah,” she says. “I’ve eaten a lot of raw cookie dough.” So have her customers, apparently. Sales of the cupcakes “immediately took off” when they were introduced five years ago, Smith says, and they’ve been a permanent fixture ever since.

10419 Armory Ave., Kensington; 240-388-9989; jennycakesbakery.net

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Best Towering Menu Items We may just be piling on here, but these three shareables are sure to satisfy food enthusiasts

When it comes to the french fries versus onion rings debate, many people fall squarely ringside.

Indulge that habit at Stanford Grill, which offers a tower of eight to 10 thick onion rings. The onions are soaked in buttermilk, coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried to a heavenly crunch.

Alternate dipping them in their two accompaniments—ketchup and chipotle mayo.

2000 Tower Oaks Blvd., Rockville; 240-582-1000; thestanfordgrill.com

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PHOTO BY STACY ZARIN GOLDBERG

Sure you can have standard raw bar offerings at Addie’s—such as raw oysters and clams on the half shell, shrimp cocktail and chilled lobster tail—but be adventurous and choose from among 20 other hot and cold items to build your own five-, seven- or nine-item seafood tower. Among the goodies displayed on beds of ice on a threetier stand: smoked mussels with sherry vinegar; Maryland blue crab salad; grilled oysters with garlic chili butter; hackleback caviar on a crispy potato cake; and tuna poke with smoked uni aioli.

12435 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac; 301-340-0081; addiesrestaurant.com

PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

We scaled the Meat Mountain for two at Urban Butcher, where chef Raynold Mendizabal offers a surfeit of grilled meats served atop a campfire grill with wood burning beneath it. The mountain includes a 60-plus-day dry-aged rib-eye steak; ground lamb patties; house-made chicken sausages; a heritage breed pork chop; and just to make sure you get some vegetables in your diet, buttery potato purĂŠe and charred broccolini.

8226 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring; 301-585-5800; urbanbutcher.com

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The garage doors at Urban Butcher are opened in nice weather, creating a two-sided bar.

BEST INDOOR-OUTDOOR BARS

We found three places where the inside and outside are seamless

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Urban Butcher’s “Lavender Margarita”

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At Urban Butcher, two enormous glass garage doors open in good weather, allowing 10 guests to sit outside on stools and access the restaurant’s inside bar.

Pro tip: Go at happy hour (5 to 7 p.m.), when you can get cocktails such as the “Lavender Margarita” and “Boulevardier” for $6 instead of $10, and a butcher board of cured meats, salamis, cheese and pâté for $12 instead of $18.

8226 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring; 301-585-5800; urbanbutcher.com

PHOTOS BY DEB LINDSEY

At Owen’s Ordinary, designer Catherine Hailey had a two-sided soapstone bar built into the eatery’s facade, separated by four large windows that open up in warmer months. Along the outdoor area of the bar, there are 15 to 20 barstools. The outdoor bar and Oktoberfest-inspired beer garden are open from April 15 through the end of October—perfect for pairing fresh air with Beer Director Greg Engert’s offering of “50 rotating draft brews and over 200 bottles on the menu— including upwards of 75 Maryland beers.”

11820 Trade St. (Pike & Rose), North Bethesda; 301-245-1226; owensordinarymd.com

Co-owner Roberto Pietrobono says his Park Potomac buildout of Gringos & Mariachis took so long that it gave him time to add a NanaWall sliding glass wall system on one side of the restaurant to create a sleek two-sided granite bar that seats 12 outdoors. The weather dictates when the restaurant opens the panels, but whether you’re an insider or an outsider, pull up a stool and indulge in some green chile queso fundido and a smoky margarita.

12435 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac; 301-339-8855; gringosandmariachis.com

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Best New Take on an Old-Fashioned

PHOTO BY LAURA CHASE DE FORMIGNY

2013 | 2016 | 2017 | 2019

The Oaxaca old-fashioned at Owen’s Ordinary was so popular last winter that Spirits Manager Brian McGahey brought it back. Check out his riff on this classic cocktail, which is usually made with whiskey, sugar and bitters.

McGahey starts with Espolon Anejo, a 100 percent blue agave spirit aged first in American oak barrels, then in charred Wild Turkey bourbon barrels. Then he adds El Silencio mescal (which adds a hint of smoke), agave syrup for sweetness and two liberal dashes of D.C.made Embitterment orange bitters for a citrus zing. The crowning touch is a flamed orange peel.

11820 Trade St. (Pike & Rose), North Bethesda; 301-245-1226; owensordinarymd.com

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BEST TREND Asian food halls are a popular new take on the classic food court, and Montgomery County is hopping on the bandwagon. The Spot is a case in point. When the 6,200-square-foot, 200-seat food hall— featuring poke bowls, fresh pulled noodles, Hong Kong waffle cones and more—opened in downtown Rockville in July, it drew crowds.

At the Edmonston Crossing shopping center on Rockville Pike in Rockville, Pike Kitchen, a 6,200-square-foot, 100-seat hall, opened in October. Eateries there—offering Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, pho, poke, ramen, bibimbap and more—include Pike Chicken & Beer, K Street Food, Viet, Bowl Play, Monster Snowcream & Tea, Kogyro, Japomen and Pike Bakery. Coming up later this year is another Asian food hall, also on Rockville Pike. The Block, at Pike & Rose, will be an 8,500-square-foot, 250- to 300-seat outpost of the wildly popular food hall of the same name in Annandale, Virginia, and will feature Taiwanese shaved ice and poke among its eight stalls, plus a bar.

The Spot, 255 N. Washington St., Rockville, thespotdmv.com; Pike Kitchen, 1066 Rockville Pike, Rockville, 301-603-2279, pikekitchen.com

Best DIY Experience

PHOTOS BY DEB LINDSEY

For a do-it-yourself, all-you-can-eat experience that is also loads of fun, head to Urban Hot Pot in the Galvan at Twinbrook apartments on Rockville Pike for Chinese hot pot. While at your table, you choose a variety of vegetables and proteins from a conveyor belt passing by or order them from an iPad, then cook them in your individual pot of simmering broth (there are three choices of flavors). There’s also a make-your-own-dipping-sauce bar.

Pro tip: This place is busy, so use the Yelp Nowait app to put your name on a waitlist before you arrive. Prices: $18.99 for lunch Monday through Friday; $25.99 all other times. Half price for kids younger than 10.

1800 Rockville Pike, H2, Rockville; 240-669-6710; urbanhotpot.com

Rockville’s The Spot, an Asian food hall that opened in July

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SHOPPI NG

When Barnes & Noble announced in 2017 that it was closing its doors after more than 20 years as a downtown Bethesda landmark, there was a round of communal mourning followed by nervous speculation about the fate of its prominent corner spot. News of the replacement tenant, Anthropologie & Co., was cheered by some and derided by others who hated the idea of trading a bookstore for a three-story temple to hipster fashion and décor. While the naysayers did get some consolation from the subsequent arrival of Amazon Books down the street, it’s the Anthropologie fans who really ended up with the store of their dreams. Where else can you pick up a patchwork kimono cardigan, jeweled velvet hair ties, gilded agate coasters, Turkish carpet floor pillows and a Swedish forester’s ax all in one trip? The 37,500-square-foot store brings all of Anthropologie’s brands together, including the Terrain gardening shop and farm-to-table Terrain Café as well as the BHLDN bridal boutique bursting with sleek and surprisingly affordable gowns. From the boho-chic outfits and sparkling serveware to the velvet couches and hand-carved coffee tables that prompt more than a few visitors to take selfies, this is a place where personal style and lifestyle are seamlessly intertwined. The new Anthropologie store may not sell many books, but it sure weaves a compelling narrative.

4801 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda; 240-345-9413; anthropologie.com

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PHOTOS BY CAITLYNN PEETZ

Best Replacement for an Ailing Anchor Store

Editors’ Picks:

SHOPPI NG

Best Reason to Bring Your Wallet to Clarksburg

There’s no need to drive to Leesburg or National Harbor now that Montgomery County has its own outlets. Just a couple of exits past Costco on I-270, Clarksburg Premium Outlets provides lots of reasons to visit: no-hassle parking, plenty of elbow room, a playground for the kids and bargains galore. The open-air center has a two-tier design divided by a grand escalator, giving it a spacious feel that’s never overwhelming to navigate.

The lower level features everyday brands such as Levi’s, Converse, Old Navy and Banana Republic, while the upper level showcases designers such as Armani, Michael Kors and Salvatore Ferragamo, as well as lesser-known names, including Paul Stuart and Thomas Pink. Shoppers will find crazy-good deals—Fossil leather wallets for less than $50, Steve Madden shoes at half price, Tadashi Shoji gowns up to 90 percent off. There’s also a massive Saks Off 5th store and one of the largest Tory Burch outlets in

the country. And the lineup keeps getting better. Recent additions include Lacoste, Cole Haan, Ten Thousand Villages and a newly expanded Kate Spade store. There are plenty of options for a quick lunch or

dinner, from burgers at Johnny Rockets to pizza at Rise Pies.

22705 Clarksburg Road, Clarksburg; 240-702-1200; premiumoutlets.com/ outlet/clarksburg

As Pike & Rose continues to assemble its eclectic retail lineup, Maryland’s first Uniqlo store is a recent addition that resonates with millennial shoppers. The Japanese retailer is known for its clean-lined aesthetic, offering wardrobe basics such as Tshirts, workout wear, tailored dresses and men’s chinos in an eye-popping rainbow of colors at a price point that makes it easy to stock up. But unlike the fast fashion that’s sold by some other retailers, Uniqlo’s goods are made to last—and to perform. The company is dedicated to constantly improving the softness of its fabrics, the sweat-wicking abilities of its sportswear and the heat-retaining properties of its winterwear. Color us impressed.

11853 Grand Park Ave., North Bethesda; 877-486-4756; uniqlo.com

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PHOTO COURTESY OF CLARKSBURG PREMIUM OUTLETS; PHOTO BY LIZ LYNCH

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Editors’ Picks:

SHOPPI NG

Coolest Way to Sell Cars

PHOTO BY LIZ LYNCH

From the moment it appeared off Shady Grove Road in Gaithersburg, the eight-story clear-glass tower provoked curiosity. Was it a new kind of office high-rise or a high-tech medical building? Turns out it was something much less pedestrian: a vertical used-car lot that works like a giant vending machine. Choose from thousands of used vehicles on the Carvana website, pay the tab, then either opt for delivery or head to Carvana, where they’ll hand you an oversize coin to drop into an oversize slot. Out comes a new-to-you ride accompanied by a seven-day return policy. Whether it’s the novelty of the approach or the ability to buy a used car without actually dealing with a used-car salesman, the model seems to be catching on: Carvana, which is headquartered in Arizona, was projecting triple-digit revenue growth for 2018.

15710 Shady Grove Road, Gaithersburg; 800-333-4554; carvana.com

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Editors’ Picks:

KIDS

BEST PLACES FOR KIDS TO DEFY GRAVITY These three family-friendly activities will have your kids reaching new heights

CLIMB THE WALLS

Kids climbing the walls at home? Take them to Earth Treks, the indoor rock-climbing gym in Rockville, where they can scale more than 38,000 feet of climbing terrain up to 43 feet high. Climbers strap into a harness—gear rental is included for all classes and open climbs—and learn about knot-tying, belaying and climbing techniques. Instructors also offer coaching and encouragement to help climbers reach the top. There are lower walls for beginners, higher and more challenging routes for experienced climbers, and an area for bouldering (climbing minus the ropes and harness). The facility offers several options for kids as young as 5, including open climbing sessions for $30, weekly after-school clubs ($89 for a four-week session) and even Friday night drop-off events for $29, when kids can climb with instructors while parents get a night out. Memberships and day passes are also available.

725 Rockville Pike, Rockville; 240-283-9942; earthtreksclimbing.com

Climbers have a choice of 13 obstacle courses at The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring Friends School.

FLOAT ON AIR

There’s no jumping out of a plane and no parachute involved in the “skydiving” experience at iFLY Montgomery, the indoor skydiving facility that opened in Gaithersburg last May. Instead, participants are lifted into the air by strong currents inside a giant wind tunnel. Flyers feel the exhilaration of being airborne without the stomach-churning drop. First-timers get a brief safety lesson, gear up in a flight suit, helmet and goggles, and then, guided by an instructor, fly from about 3 to 5 feet high. Packages start at $79.95 for two flights. For an additional charge, fly to the top of the tunnel during a “high flight.” Children as young as 3 can participate. In Flight School, kids ages 4 to 16 can take a series of lessons on how to perform different moves, stunts, twists and formations.

9400 Gaither Road, Gaithersburg; 202-883-4359; iflyworld.com

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ADVENTURE PARK AT SANDY SPRING

SWING THROUGH THE TREES

Climb ladders, cross swinging rope bridges, and zip-line through the trees at The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring Friends School. After buckling into a harness and getting a safety briefing from staff, participants choose from 13 different obstacle courses that take them through the treetops.

Groups of various ages and abilities can participate, making this an activity that parents and kids can enjoy together.

Climbers advance along a series of elevated platforms ranging from 12 to 65 feet high by crossing various types of suspended bridges and zip-lining across cables. It’s a bit like American Ninja Warrior meets Swiss Family Robinson. There are courses for children ages 5 and up. General admission includes three hours of climbing plus a 40-minute orientation and costs $12 for ages 5 and 6, $47 for ages 7 to 11 and $56 for ages 12 and up. (There’s no charge for observers who aren’t climbing.)

Special events include nighttime climbs illuminated by string lights, and glow-in-the-dark climbs with music and campfires.

16701 Norwood Road, Sandy Spring; 240-389-4386; sandyspringadventurepark.org

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KIDS

Best Places for Kids Birthday Parties Kids only get one birthday a year.

Parents want to make it special, but deciding on themes and décor, preparing food for a crowd and keeping a bunch of children entertained can make do-it-yourself parties overwhelming. Here are some of our favorite party spots that handle all the details, from decorations to activities and cleanup, for a unique and hassle-free celebration.

Henry’s Sweet Retreat is a dessert-lover’s dream. The 90-minute birthday parties, led by staff members at the retro-modern candy shop, include cookie decorating, photo booth props and a choice of crafts, games and sweets-related activities, such as guess the jelly bean flavor, or soda tasting flights with flavors like PB&J, bacon and “Dog Drool Orange.” Parties take place in the upstairs mezzanine, which seats up to 24, and start at $300. Add-ons such as a personalized birthday cake or cupcakes (baked in-house) and pizza are available.

4823 St. Elmo Ave., Bethesda; 240-483-0485; henryssweetretreat.com

HAVE A BALL

Birthdays are game days at Michael & Son Sportsplex. Parties at the sports center, which start at $150, include an hour of game time on an indoor court or field. Choose from soccer, basketball, floor hockey, flag football, dodgeball, kickball and whiffle ball. Referees or instructors lead the games, and party hosts can add other activities, such as relay races or a moon bounce. After the game, the party moves to a private decorated room for refreshments. There’s food available from the on-site Pizza Boli’s.

60 Southlawn Court, Rockville; 301-838-4455; rockvillesports.com

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FANCY FETE

Great things come in light blue packages. That’s true at Cutesy Celebrations and Boutique, the Tiffany-blue painted party venue that specializes in spa parties and tea parties for toddlers to tweens. Spa parties include manis, pedis, white robes and flipflops for each guest. Add-ons such as hair extensions and makeup are also available. At tea parties, guests decorate hats and dress up in pearls and feather boas. Everything is scaled for kids, with mini-pedicure stations and petite table settings. Other packages and themes are available, including painting, fashion and a 1950s diner with jukebox and milkshake decorations, and everything is customizable. Choose a party package ($395 and up) that includes sandwiches and lemonade, or bring your own food and cake.

400 Main St., #200 (Kentlands Market Square), Gaithersburg; 240-690-4150; cutesycelebrations.com

GET CREATIVE

Budding artists can choose to paint pottery or canvas, create a tile mosaic or fuse glass at the Amazing Art Studio in Downtown Crown. There are dozens of options to choose from, and projects can be customized for specific themes—think unicorn figurines, coin banks shaped like footballs, and canvases painted with superhero comic book cityscapes. Smocks, brushes, paints and other supplies are provided; just bring your own food, drinks and cake. Ninety-minute parties take place in a private room that seats up to 24 kids and are led by trained staff.

Parties start at $245.

115 Crown Park Ave., Gaithersburg; 301-355-6830; amazingartstudio.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

JUMP FOR JOY

Kids can get their adrenaline pumping at Rockin’ Jump Trampoline Park, where twohour parties include jump time, a private party room and pizza. Aside from the main trampoline area, there’s a dodgeball arena, a slam dunk zone, a rock-climbing wall and a place for stunts. Some party packages ($200 and up) include tokens for the arcade games and the candy vending machine, which looks like something straight out of Willy Wonka’s factory. The spacious venue also has comfy couches and even massage chairs for grownups who’d rather just observe the fun or tune it all out.

18620 Woodfield Road, Gaithersburg; 301703-3707; gaithersburg.rockinjump.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF CUTESY CELEBRATIONS AND BOUTIQUE

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Editors’ Picks:

FITNESS

Sean Buchholz teaches a metal yoga class at UP in Silver Spring.

caption

Best Unexpected Combo

BEST KIDS TRIATHLON

When racers ages 6 to 14 sign up for the JUST TRYAN IT triathlon, they get a kidfriendly introduction to the physical challenges of racing while also contributing to a good cause. The benefit event was created by Carrie Norry, who was living in Bethesda and training for a triathlon when Ryan Darby, the 6-year-old son of one of the 12 women she was training with, was diagnosed with leukemia in 2009. Ryan was undergoing treatment when his mom, Mollie Darby of Bethesda, told Norry she noticed parents having to leave their sick child’s side to make ends meet. This inspired Norry to create JUST TRYAN IT in 2010. The Bethesda-based nonprofit raises money to cover nonmedical expenses for families of children with cancer. Ryan—who’s been cancer-free for five years and is now a freshman at Walt Whitman High School—has participated in seven races. To compete, racers pay $60 to register and must raise at least $50. Depending on their age, children swim one, two or four lengths of the pool, bike for just under 1 mile, and run a half-mile, a mile or 2 miles. The event also includes face painters, moon bounces, cornhole, a DJ and food. The kids-only triathlon has been held annually since June 2010 at Landon School in Bethesda, and the 2018 event drew 454 racers who raised more than $125,000. The 2019 triathlon will take place on June 16. JUST TRYAN IT has also held races in Alexandria, Virginia, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. justtryanit.com 104

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PHOTO (TOP) BY SKIP BROWN; COURTESY OF JUST TRYAN IT TRIATHLON

There is nothing quite like practicing your downward dog to a soundtrack of death metal music (a type of heavy metal music). Once a month, people come to UP in Silver Spring to do just that during the metal yoga course, which features songs like “Burning With Regret” by Funeral. Inspired by a metal yoga class in the back room of a bar in Brooklyn, New York, instructor Sean Buchholz began teaching this class because he believes death metal music allows practitioners to “tap into something a little bit more primal, a little more primitive inside of us.” Buchholz draws on his experience in a hard rock band as he leads the class through a “performance,” encouraging each participant to treat their body as a performer and engage their mind as the audience throughout the 75-minute class. Everyone is welcome, even those who’ve never done yoga or listened to heavy metal before.

8083 Georgia Ave., Second Floor, Silver Spring; 301-920-0392; upindc.com

Robert Sherman leads a cycling class at Truebody

PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

Best Variety of Classes The new Truebody fitness club, housed in a former U.S. post office in downtown Bethesda, offers more than 100 classes per week in nine studios. There’s something for everyone: 10 types of yoga and mindfulness classes, four different cycling classes, six types of circuit and cardio classes, and nine different strength and agility classes. Options include tai chi, rooftop yoga, meditation, barre and a circuit class with boxing, rowing and incline stations. Outside, the club has a meditation labyrinth and a patio and fire pit where members can attend weekly happy hours after Friday evening classes.

Other amenities include phone lockers with charging cords, eucalyptus-infused cool towels for a post-workout refresher, and fruit and juice to enjoy between classes on weekend mornings. The social atmosphere and the large selection of classes reflects the club’s “whole body” approach to fitness. A membership, which costs $149 per month, includes unlimited classes, use of the spaces and equipment on your own, and discounts on private sessions and massages. It’s $24 for a drop-in class.

7400 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda; 301-493-8783; truebody.fit

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Editors’ Picks:

FITNESS

Fit4Mom held a Stroller Barre class in the Kentlands.

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Best Fitness Program for New Moms

PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

Finding time to exercise can be tough when you have a new baby. Finding new mom friends can be even tougher. But Fit4Mom Montgomery County offers fitness classes designed for parents with kids in tow, so you can bring the little ones, meet other moms and work out.

There are classes for every stage of motherhood. Stroller Strides combines strength training and cardio while keeping kids in strollers and entertained by songs and activities. Stroller Barre blends ballet, Pilates, barre and yoga moves. Fit4Baby prenatal classes focus on cardio, strength training, flexibility and balance. There’s also Body Back, a kid-free, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) class and running club that includes group runs (you can run while pushing a stroller) and race training.

All instructors are trained to work with pre- and postnatal women. Classes are generally one hour and cost $25 for a single session. Eight-class passes are available for $150 to $175; monthly unlimited memberships start at $65.

(There’s also a $99 registration fee.)

While it’s built around a fitness program, Fit4Mom is more than just a workout. Free post-workout playgroups for children include crafts and story times; there’s also the occasional field trip to a library, farm or splash pad.

Moms-night-out events are held monthly at places like nail salons, restaurants and movie theaters.

Events held at various locations; montgomerycounty.fit4mom.com

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Editors’ Picks:

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The expanded Glenstone Museum features landscaped grounds, art installations, outdoor sculptures and more.

With its 2018 expansion, Glenstone Museum went from a little-known Potomac gallery to one of the country’s largest private contemporary art museums and put Montgomery County on the map as a world-class modern art destination. The October opening unveiled pastoral grounds, a stunning concrete and glass museum building and a remarkable collection of art. The concept of the expansion, which cost $200 million and took five years to complete, is a holistic

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experience of art, landscape and architecture. When Emily and Mitchell Rales first opened the museum in 2006, a single 30,000-square-foot building sat on 100 acres. Now, Glenstone boasts a 204,000-square-foot building called the Pavilions and an additional 130 acres of landscaped grounds. There’s also a new arrival hall and two cafés.

The inaugural exhibition features 65 pieces by worldfamous artists such as Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock and Mark

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Rothko. Nine gallery rooms in the Pavilions feature work by single artists, including striking pieces such as Robert Gober’s prisonlike installation, Michael Heizer’s giant sculpture of rusting steel beams seemingly collapsing into a deep pit, and Pipilotti Rist’s video installation, which was referenced in a 2016 Beyoncé music video.

The expansion also added two outdoor sculptures (Heizer’s Compression Line and Gober’s Two Partially Buried Sinks) to the eight already installed throughout

Glenstone’s 230 acres. Some, like Jeff Koons’ monumental floral sculpture Split Rocker, are hard to miss; others, such as Andy Goldsworthy’s Clay Houses, require a walk through the wooded landscape to locate.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ThursdaySunday; admission is free, online reservations required; 12100 Glen Road, Potomac; 301-9835001; glenstone.org

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GLENSTONE MUSEUM; PHOTO COURTESY OF YOUTH ART FOR HEALING

MOST EXCITING DEVELOPMENT

BEST COMMUNITY SERVICE ART PROGRAM From their beds at the MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington, D.C., patients can see puffy white cloud animals floating through crystal blue skies.

In the radiation wing, patients pass calming seascapes on their way to treatment. The images are acrylic paintings created by local students who are part of the Youth Art For Healing program. The Bethesda-based nonprofit aims to inspire a sense of calm and comfort by collaborating with students from county schools to create artwork for area health care environments.

Started in 2012, Youth Art For Healing has worked with 44 schools in Maryland and Washington to install 1,200 paintings in 16 health care centers, including Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring and Suburban Hospital in Bethesda.

Students from all over Montgomery County—including Montgomery Blair, Winston Churchill, Clarksburg and Bethesda-Chevy Chase high schools, Neelsville and Lakelands Park middle schools, and Garrett Park and Carderock Springs elementary schools—have participated. Some are in advanced art classes or are members of after-school art clubs; others do it as part of their regular art curriculum. The artists get their assignments in September and have until March to complete their paintings, which are displayed at an April show at the Silver Spring Civic Building before they’re installed. Youth Art For Healing Executive Director Jan Papirmeister says students learn about empathy and community service while also following artistic guidelines and accepting critiques. And patients benefit, too. Studies show that art can reduce a person’s perception of pain and anxiety, as well as decrease complications and the length of hospital stays. youthartforhealing.org

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Editors’ Picks:

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

GO CRAZY What to do for a special occasion—or just a fun night out

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

After an early dinner of Spanish tapas at Guardado’s, a hidden gem in Bethesda, relive the romance of your wedding and two-step over to Glen Echo Park for an evening of dancing in the historic Spanish Ballroom. Thursday to Sunday night dance options—most featuring live music—include swing, tango, ballroom, blues, contra and square dancing. If your dancing skills are rusty, or 110

nonexistent, arrive early for the 45- to 60-minute lesson included in the entry price.

Tickets are $5 to $20, and beer and wine are available at Praline at Glen Echo Park.

(Tip: Wear layers because the ballroom isn’t climatecontrolled.)

Guardado’s, 4918 Del Ray Ave., Bethesda, 301-9864920, guardados.com; Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, 301-6342222, glenechopark.org

BIG BIRTHDAY

Macon Bistro & Larder, whose name and menu are inspired by towns of the same name—Macon, Georgia, and Mâcon, France— blends the seasonal menu of a French restaurant with the warmth (along with the grits, greens and biscuits) of a Southern eatery. For an extra special birthday celebration, book a private party in the Magnolia Room, where Georgian grace meets industrial chic. The room, tucked behind the restaurant in the historic Chevy Chase Arcade, features a wired sound system—perfect if you want to show a video or slideshow— and a full-service bar. Chef Jamie Pridemore can craft a custom five-course tasting menu for 10 to 50 guests, or a cocktail party for up to 75.

Macon Bistro & Larder, 5520 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 202-248-7807, maconbistro.com

FAMILY NIGHT

Bring the kids, and invite grandma and grandpa, too, for a nostalgic night at White

Oak Duckpin Lanes, which has remained virtually unchanged in the 60 years since it opened. For the uninitiated, duckpin bowling is particularly family-friendly because the balls are significantly lighter (about 3½ pounds vs. 6 to 16 pounds) and smaller than the balls thrown in 10-pin bowling.

Enjoy cheap pitchers of beer and hard cider at the alley, but skip the snack bar fare and head across the parking lot to Jewel of India for dinner. Enjoy the samosa chat, tandoori chicken, vegetarian thali and garlic naan.

In addition to the naan, kids might like the chicken makhani (butter chicken) and spinach palak paneer.

White Oak Duckpin Lanes, 11207 New Hampshire Ave. (White Oak Shopping Center), Silver Spring, 301-5933000, whiteoakduckpins. com; Jewel of India, 10151 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, 301-408-2200, jewelofindiamd.com

GAME NIGHT

Fuel up for game night with some of the freshest Mexican food around at trendy Gringos & Mariachis in Bethesda, where you’ll want to try the duck or cauliflower tacos and the ginger-hibiscus margaritas. Arrive early because the cozy restaurant doesn’t take reservations.

Then stroll 2½ blocks to Tapp’d for an evening of pool, board games, air hockey, foosball and other old-school entertainment like Skee-Ball, along with craft beer (they have 40 brews on draft) and cocktails. You can even take

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

The taproom at The Brookeville Beer Farm features acoustic acts on Fridays and Saturdays.

pictures in a boardwalkstyle photo booth.

Gringos & Mariachis, 4928 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, 240-800-4266, gringosandmariachis.com; Tapp’d Bethesda, 4915 St. Elmo Ave., Bethesda, 240-630-8120, tappd bethesda.com

PHOTO BY ERICK GIBSON

FIRST DATE

If a good sense of humor is important to you in a potential partner, a low-key dinner and comedy night could be a great icebreaker for a first date. Keep it casual with burgers, tots and pints at the Quarry House Tavern in downtown Silver Spring. Then take a short walk to the intimate second-floor Highwood Theatre for Improv Comedy Night. Local comedy troupes get the audience of about 25 engaged in several sets during the 90-minute show.

Save room for dessert: The theater serves four flavors of ice cream from Moorenko’s in Silver Spring, along with root beer floats. Improv tickets are $11 ($8 for students) and shows start at 8 p.m. Buy tickets in advance to be sure you’ll get a seat.

Quarry House Tavern, 8401 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, 301-587-8350, facebook. com/quarryhouse; The Highwood Theatre, 914 Silver Spring Ave., Silver Spring, 301-587-0697, thehighwood theatre.org

OUT WITH FRIENDS Just 30 minutes from downtown Bethesda in a historic Quaker town, The Brookeville Beer Farm grows hops, herbs and fruit to flavor its dozen or so beers on tap, including experimental varieties such as the raspberry-lemon-infused “Farm Girl.” Sip a flight of beer with friends while enjoying local acoustic acts in the airy taproom on Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 8 p.m. through April, when warmer weather brings larger bands—and crowds—to the outdoor stage.

(The taproom closes at 9 on Fridays and Saturdays.) Dine on housemade wood-fired pizza or opt for seafood, grilled cheese, barbecue

or Argentine steak from food trucks. Call ahead for a brewery tour with tastings during your visit. Weeknight alternative: “Geeks Who Drink” trivia nights on Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. at 7 Locks Brewing. Form a team with friends to test your knowledge of pop culture and booze, and win beer-themed prizes.

The Brookeville Beer Farm, 20315 Georgia Ave., Brookeville, 301260-1000, brookevillebeerfarm.com; 7 Locks Brewing, 12227 Wilkins Ave., Rockville, 301-841-7123, 7locksbrewing.com

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Editors’ Picks:

PIKE & ROSE

The Best of

PIKE & ROSE

Longest Line: The Baked Bear Long lines are the norm in North Bethesda for The Baked Bear’s custom ice cream sandwiches, made with cookies, brownies and doughnuts, or a combination of two. They’ve got all your standard cookie flavors (chocolate chip, M&M, oatmeal) and some that aren’t classics (red velvet, funfetti). Try the signature “Bear Batter” ice cream—cyan-colored cake-batter with brownie bits mixed in—hot-pressed between a doughnut and a chocolate chip cookie. If you want to take it over the top, add a topping of Fruity Pebbles, hot fudge or Nutella. The sandwiches are large enough to be shared; most people eat them with a knife and fork.

Named after the dynasty that bore Roman dictator Julius Caesar, Julii opened in early December. The North Bethesda restaurant is the latest venture of the three CAVA founders who grew up together and still live in Montgomery County. Julii’s menu includes popular dishes from France and the Mediterranean region such as salmon crudo and Moroccan lamb tagine. “We’re doing our favorite things in a style that’s new and approachable,” says Executive Chef Sasha Felikson. The restaurant’s interior features an open concept with three walls of glass and draped LED rope lighting.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BAKED BEAR COURTESY OF JULII

MOST ANTICIPATED NEW RESTAURANT: JULII

SMASH HIT: PINSTRIPES Not your average bowling alley, the 37,000-square-foot Pinstripes in North Bethesda boasts a full-service restaurant, 10 indoor and outdoor bocce courts, a ballroom that can seat up to 240 guests, and 14 bowling lanes. The upscale venue is a popular spot for weddings, bat and bar mitzvah parties, and meetings.

High-end menu offerings such as jumbo lump crabcake, filet mignon and gnocchi with ahi tuna attract guests just for dinner. This isn’t a place for sweatshirts and beat-up jeans. The bowling alley is packed on Friday and Saturday nights with well-dressed patrons of all ages. You’ll need to book a reservation in advance.

Best Marketing Ploy: The Beach Federal Realty created a whole lot of buzz last summer when it brought “The Beach” to North Bethesda. Pike & Rose’s Instagram “reveal” got the most likes out of all its photos in 2018. The Pike & Rose developer shipped in picnic tables, umbrellas and 252 tons of sand to transform a parking lot behind Rose Park. Brightly colored green and purple cabanas and a beach-scene mural completed the space. To further enhance the draw of a beach just off the Pike, Federal Realty organized pop-ups throughout the summer, including group fitness classes and “The Beach Bar,” complete with orange crush cocktails.

About 10,000 people visited The Beach over the summer, according to Mickey Papillon, vice president and general manager of Pike & Rose. The community space was such a hit that it will return next summer.

THE BEACH BY STEPHEN PIERCE; CANOPY BY LIZ LYNCH

HIPPEST SPACE: CANOPY BY HILTON Likely the only hotel in the county to sell pickled okra at the reception desk, the North Bethesda Canopy hotel opened in early 2018. The Canopy style, developed by Rockville-based integrated creative agency HZ, is equal parts industrial and eclectic. Exposed ductwork and accordion lights are balanced by pops of electric blue and floral patterned furniture. The lobby features a two-story moss wall and a chandelier made with pages of National Geographic. Guests can take a lap around Pike & Rose on complimentary Creamsicle-colored Canopy bikes. Made to feel like a neighborhood spot, the hotel bar and café serve bread and pastries from Fresh Baguette in Bethesda, and charcuterie from MeatCrafters in Rockville. 7 Locks Brewing in Rockville and Waredaca Brewing in Laytonsville are included on the beer list.

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Editors’ Picks:

POLITICAL YEAR IN REVIEW

HEY, BIG SPENDER

PHOTO FINISH

It’s a timeworn truism of politics: Every vote counts. And if its utterance sometimes generates cynical smirks, it was borne out this past year across the country and close to home. When the votes were counted—and recounted—after the June Democratic primary, newly installed County Executive Marc Elrich had beaten businessman David Blair by a mere 77 votes out of about 75,000 cast for the two. The slim margin was even tighter than the first race for county executive, when Republican James Gleason bested Democrat William Greenhalgh by a relative landslide of 420 votes in 1970. Elrich versus Blair wasn’t even the closest county executive race in Maryland last year: In Baltimore County, the winner of the Democratic primary, now-County Executive John Olszewski Jr., finished ahead by nine votes. That’s the same margin by which attorney Sara Love initially bested teacher Samir Paul in the Democratic primary in Bethesda-based District 16 for an open seat in the House of Delegates. It was close enough to trigger a state-financed recount, and Love extended her margin to 12 votes out of almost 22,600 cast for the two. She will be among 10 freshman members of the county’s 32-person Annapolis delegation sworn in on Jan. 9.

WORST NEWS FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR MOCO

BEST NEWS FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR MOCO

As it faces the perennial task of convincing legislators from elsewhere in Maryland that Montgomery County’s streets are not paved with gold, the MoCo delegation in Annapolis is dealing with the latest in a continuing erosion of its seniority in recent years. The most widely bemoaned departure of late is Sen. Richard Madaleno of Kensington, whose budgetary expertise was a potent weapon in the delegation’s arsenal.

He gave up his seat in an unsuccessful gubernatorial bid. Among other notable exits due to retirement or the pursuit of another office: Del. Bill Frick of Bethesda, the House of Delegates’ majority leader in 20172018; Del. Charles Barkley of Germantown, who chaired the subcommittee with liquor law jurisdiction; and Del. Sheila Hixson of Silver Spring, the second-most senior member of the House and a longtime committee chair. Two remaining veterans, Sen. Nancy King of Montgomery Village and Del. Kathleen Dumais of Rockville, will help fill the void; Dumais becomes majority leader, and King takes over the Budget and Taxation Committee. King joins two other senior legislators, Dels. Kumar Barve of Rockville and Anne Kaiser of Silver Spring, in chairing powerful panels. But almost one-third of the incoming Montgomery delegation will consist of freshman lawmakers, and the county’s legislative fortunes will turn in large part on how quickly they can acquire clout.

After years of enduring breakdowns and delays, Montgomery County commuters reliant on the Metro rail system received good news when the 2018 session of the Maryland General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a funding measure sponsored by Del. Marc Korman of Bethesda and Sen. Brian Feldman of Potomac. The legislation initially proposed a $125 million a year increase in the state’s contribution to Metro, but it later was raised to $167 million. Coupled with commitments from Virginia and the District of Columbia, the move by Maryland provides an extra $500 million annually that Metro officials said was necessary to ensure safety and reliability. It also creates the first permanent dedicated funding stream for Metro—which, since it began operations more than four decades ago, had been the only major mass transit system in the nation without such a dedicated financial source. One political factor driving the support for more Metro money by the legislature and Gov. Larry Hogan was the need for dependable mass transit to reach the Montgomery County site along the Red Line that was a finalist for Amazon’s second headquarters.

While that site was ultimately passed over, the system’s reliability will nonetheless be key to those Montgomery residents commuting to Amazon HQ2’s future location near the Crystal City, Virginia, Metro stop.

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ILLUSTRATIONS GETTY IMAGES

Incoming U.S. Rep. David Trone set a new national record for self-funding a congressional campaign, digging into his own pocket for $17.5 million in winning Maryland’s 6th District last fall. The co-owner of nationwide retailer Total Wine & More broke the old self-funding record of $13.4 million, established by, yes, David Trone in a losing bid for the Democratic congressional nomination in neighboring District 8 two years earlier. The $30-plus million total that Trone invested over two campaigns to reach Capitol Hill could end up yielding a rather limited return: Less than 24 hours after his Nov. 6 victory, a federal court issued a decision that the 6th District had been unconstitutionally redrawn in 2011 to favor the Democrats. The ruling leaves Trone with the prospect of having to spend another chunk of his personal fortune in two years to win re-election in a new 6th District with significant political alterations.

Trone wasn’t the only Potomac multimillionaire named David to set a campaign spending record in 2018: Former health care executive David Blair spent $5.7 million (including $5.1 million in personal funds) in narrowly losing the Democratic primary for county executive, more than double the old spending record of $2.7 million set by another unsuccessful candidate, then-County Councilmember Steve Silverman in 2006.

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Editors’ Picks:

POLITICAL YEAR IN REVIEW

BEST CAMPAIGN AD up to the Orange One!” the announcer intoned. A recitation of Leventhal’s résumé and policy platform was accompanied by a kickboxing move—before the candidate concluded by acknowledging, “I’m not a superhero.” The meremortal Leventhal ended up an also-ran in last June’s Democratic primary, but not before scoring some points.

Long regarded in political circles as a dour personality prone to flashes of temper, Leventhal’s ad showed a lighter side. And in an

era when attack ads have become a campaign staple, his efforts at lighthearted persuasion won widespread praise. One post on his Facebook page read, “This is how all political advertisements should be.”

THE NASTIEST—AND MOST MACHIAVELLIAN—CAMPAIGN Political hardball is not usually a sport associated with the tony precincts of Chevy Chase (even if the author of a book on the topic, TV talking head Chris Matthews, happens to reside there). But the Democratic state Senate primary in District 18, which was overshadowed locally by several higher profile races, was unmatched for nastiness and intrigue. The top contenders, Del. Jeff Waldstreicher of Kensington and activist Dana Beyer of Chevy Chase, poured a total of $380,000 into direct mail—with Beyer’s flyers targeting Waldstreicher’s attendance record in Annapolis, and Waldstreicher questioning her Democratic bona fides by highlighting past criticism of President Barack Obama. Though considered the front-runner, Waldstreicher apparently was taking no chances. A delegate candidate, Helga Luest of Rockville, charged that Waldstreicher tried to convince her to switch to the Senate race to dilute Beyer’s support.

He called the story “defamatory,” and Luest accused him of lying. Waldstreicher ultimately sought to defuse the controversy by skipping several candidate forums late in the campaign, providing more fodder for Beyer. On primary day, Waldstreicher emerged victorious with 49 percent of the votes to Beyer’s 37 percent, but campaign consultants may have been the big winners as he and Beyer spent a total of $780,000—$350,000 of it from Beyer’s own pocket—to pursue a part-time job that pays $50,330 annually.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER At the annual Committee for Montgomery breakfast in late 2014, newly elected Republican Gov. Larry Hogan gibed that Montgomery was “one of the three lonely counties that unfortunately voted the wrong way”—an allusion to only 37 percent of the vote here going his way. Many in the audience of insiders saw Hogan’s remarks as more threat than joke, and the new chief executive kept his distance for the first half of his term. His schedule showed just one formal appearance in Montgomery County during his first 15 months in office, amid frequent visits to other areas of Maryland. Fast-forward to this past August, when Hogan made a half-dozen stops in the county in the span of just two weeks—after an accelerating pace of visits over the previous two years. Clearly, Montgomery County’s bloc of about 656,000 voters became more alluring as the 2018 election neared—and, notwithstanding the county’s reputation as the state’s most liberal jurisdiction, Hogan’s nice-guy demeanor and pragmatic policies garnered local support. In the end, his early arms-length stance didn’t seem to matter. Hogan won nearly 45 percent of the 2018 vote in Montgomery County—the best showing by a GOP gubernatorial candidate in 50 years—on his way to a landslide re-election statewide.

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BIGGEST CAMPAIGN OOPS Donald Trump is politically toxic in most of Montgomery County, which he lost in 2016 by almost a 4-1 margin. So, in the 2018 Democratic primary for county executive, Councilmember Roger Berliner hoped to deliver a knockout blow with a bareknuckle TV ad linking Trump to another wealthy businessman making his first run for elected office: Berliner rival David Blair.

But the ad—which featured Blair’s face morphing into Trump’s as an announcer called Blair “another rich guy with zero government experience spending his millions to buy this election”—backfired. Even many of those who weren’t supporting Blair considered it unfair, and one longtime Berliner supporter asked for her $3,000 contribution back, telling The Washington Post the ad was an attack on all businesspeople. The blowback prompted Berliner to revise the ad to remove the morphing, even as he defended the comparison as “completely valid.”

But he also acknowledged, “We made this change because the reaction to the Trump image was so intense that it began to distract from our main charge that David Blair is unqualified to be county executive.” For Berliner, once perceived as the leading alternative to the perceived front-runner, fellow Councilmember Marc Elrich, the flap capped a series of setbacks.

Berliner ended up fourth in the six-candidate field.

ILLUSTRATIONS GETTY IMAGES

Look, up in the sky: It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…

George Leventhal? At the outset of an online ad promoting his bid for county executive, the veteran member of the Montgomery County Council was depicted soaring like Superman and alighting a la Iron Man, as a deep-voiced narrator declared him “Avenger MoCo.” Emulating Clark Kent, Leventhal ripped off his dress shirt to reveal a T-shirt with a warning circle superimposed on Donald Trump’s likeness. “George will stand

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BEST OF BETHESDA

Readers’ Picks

Nearly 13,000 people voted in our online readers’ poll.

Here are the winners and runners-up for everything from the best new restaurant to the best fitness studio.

FOOD & DRINK NEW RESTAURANT Gringos & Mariachis (Park Potomac)

Slapfish The Big Greek Cafe (Bethesda) Fish Taco (Bethesda) Dog Haus Biergarten

RESTAURANT IN BETHESDA Mon Ami Gabi Raku True Food Kitchen Jaleo PassionFish

RESTAURANT IN CHEVY CHASE

Best Brunch winner MoCo’s Founding Farmers (above), and La Ferme, voted Best Restaurant in Chevy Chase

La Ferme

Lia’s Clyde’s of Chevy Chase The Capital Grille Sushiko

RESTAURANT IN NORTH BETHESDA/ROCKVILLE Summer House Santa Monica

RESTAURANT IN GAITHERSBURG/ NORTH POTOMAC

Seasons 52 Il Pizzico Matchbox Vintage Pizza Bistro Clyde’s Tower Oaks Lodge

Coastal Flats Vasili’s Kitchen

RESTAURANT IN POTOMAC

Il Porto

RESTAURANT IN GARRETT PARK/ KENSINGTON

Black Market Bistro Frankly...Pizza!

The Dish & Dram 118

Renato’s at River Falls MoCo’s Founding Farmers Hunter’s Bar and Grill Addie’s Normandie Farm Restaurant The Grilled Oyster Co. Lock 72 Kitchen & Bar

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

FOUNDING FARMERS (TOP) BY DARREN HIGGINS; LA FERME COURTESY PHOTO

Woodmont Grill

BALLET | TAP | JAZZ | MODERN LYRICAL & CONTEMPORARY DANCE CREATIVE MOVEMENT

Thanks for helping us earn Top Vote Getter, Readers’ Pick, Best Dance Studio.

Offering great technique in a fun, light-hearted atmosphere for children (2 and up). Professionalgrade sprung floor for safety and comfort Easy street and garage parking Competitive pricing | Open 7 days a week www.BethesdaConservatoryofDance.com 301-654-2200 8004-A Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda

Readers’ Pick A Top Vote Getter

Best Real Estate Agent

11/13/2018

301.466.5898 Bethesda All Points Office 301.229.4000

ANDY ALDERDICE https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgxvzLXFHTcTZhwGSbwGQSKCllgjs?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1.0

1/1

Wow! Thank you to Bethesda Magazine readers and many of my past and present clients for voting me as a “2019 Best of Bethesda” winner.

After over 24 years of serving the MD, DC & VA area it is gratifying to know that my years of successfully assisting buyers and sellers with their real estate needs has been recognized.

I look forward to many years ahead of providing the same hands-on customer service you deserve. Please let me and my team know how we can assist you and your friends and family in the future.

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2019 Top Vote Getter Icon.jpg

andy4homes@gmail.com | www.andy4homes.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

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BEST OF BETHESDA

SALADS Chopt

All Set Restaurant & Bar Olazzo

Sweetgreen CAVA Jetties True Food Kitchen

RESTAURANT IN UPPER NORTHWEST D.C.

SMALL PLATES

Urban Butcher

Millie’s

Matisse Blue 44 Le Chat Noir

ACAI BOWLS

Henry’s Sweet Retreat Puree Artisan Juice Bar Car Wash Coffee Joe & The Juice

BAR/RESTAURANT TO WATCH A CAPS GAME Caddies on Cordell Tommy Joe’s Brickside Quincy’s Bar & Grille Old Town Pour House

BRUNCH

MoCo’s Founding Farmers Silver Summer House Santa Monica Sugo Osteria

KID-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT Silver Diner Uncle Julio’s Silver Cafe Deluxe

NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT Wild Tomato

Olazzo Gregorio’s Trattoria Black Market Bistro Sal’s Italian Kitchen Millie’s

RESTAURANT BEER SELECTION Owen’s Ordinary

World of Beer Mussel Bar & Grille Old Town Pour House

RESTAURANT WINE LIST Mon Ami Gabi

Seasons 52 Black’s Bar & Kitchen The Capital Grille 120

Jaleo

CAVA Mezze Kapnos Kouzina Guardado’s La Tasca Botanero

SPECIAL-OCCASION RESTAURANT La Ferme

Mon Ami Gabi Ruth’s Chris Steak House Old Angler’s Inn

Eye doctor Rachel Cohn

NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET Grosvenor Market

Balducci’s The Market at River Falls O’Donnell’s Market

Balducci’s

Whole Foods Market The Market at River Falls Potomac Grocer O’Donnell’s Market

Steven Maggid, MD Brendan F. Burke, MD Tobie Beckerman, MD Israel Alter, MD Lori M. Kaler, MD

Shailja Dhir Ensor, DDS Lauren Lewis, DDS Ricardo A. Perez, DDS Dana S. Greenwald, DDS

MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPY PRACTICE

Daniel J. Pereles, MD Richard M. Grossman, MD Edward J. Bieber, MD

Julia Kirvan, LCSW-C Emily Cook Therapy

PODIATRIST

COSMETIC SURGEON

Paul Ross, DPM

Roger J. Oldham, MD, FACS

Franklin R. Polun, DPM Michael L. Gittleson, DPM Amir D. Assili, DPM

A. Dean Jabs, MD, FACS Joseph Michaels, MD Ronald S. Perlman, MD Franklin D. Richards, MD, FACS

URGENT CARE PRACTICE MedOne Urgent Care

EYE DOCTOR

PM Pediatrics Patient First (Rockville) Righttime Medical Care Bethesda Immediate Care

Rachel Cohn, OD Harry H. Huang, MD Michael A. Berenhaus, OD Melanie J. Buttross, MD Charles F. Bahn, MD George C. Agritellis, MD

VEIN CARE PRACTICE

Center for Vein Restoration Capitol Vein & Laser

HOSPITAL FOR MATERNITY

GENERAL DENTIST

Sibley Memorial Hospital

Steven Janowitz, DDS

Derek Blank, DDS

ORTHOPEDIST

Christopher J. Cannova, MD

HEALTH

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PEDIATRIC DENTIST

Joan Loveland, MD

PLACE TO BUY GOURMET PREPARED FOODS

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center Holy Cross Hospital (Silver Spring)

OB-GYN

Jason A. Cohen, DDS Jay H. Samuels, DDS Brad Levine, DDS Hilari Dunn, DDS

The Counseling Center of Maryland

WEIGHT LOSS CENTER

BodyTech Weight Loss & Health WW (Weight Watchers) Dr. Zumbado’s Lifestyle

Community EMP 180° Weight Loss National Center for Weight and Wellness

IN-HOME CARE

Family & Nursing Care myPotential at Home Capital City Nurses Comfort Home Care Corewood Care

TAMZIN B. SMITH PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

RESTAURANT IN SILVER SPRING

Readers’ Picks

A special thanks to our many clients for your vote and continued support.

163 homes in Bethesda...and counting!

Doug Monsein DCG Offices 301.983.6947 www.dcghomes.com

Reader’s Pick A Top Vote Getter Best Builder

myPotential

SM

A National Lutheran Service

2O19 BEST OF BETHESDA A TOP VOTE GETTER my

Potential

SM

BEST IN - HOME C ARE

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of being at home: the independence, comfort, security and A National Lutheran Service confidence that you are where you belong.

myPotential at Home–A National Lutheran Service

focuses on maintaining those feelings so seniors can live life to its fullest potential at any age and any stage with the assistance of in-homeSMcare services.

myPotential

Learn more at www.mypotentialathome.com or call 301-265-5871 A National Lutheran Service

9701 Veirs Drive, Rockville, MD 20850

myPotential at Home is licensed as a residential service agency by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Health Care Quality, license number R4007P. myPotential at Home is sponsored by National Lutheran Communities & Services, a faith-based, not-for-profit ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, serving people of all beliefs.

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SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY

Maplewood Park Place Ingleside at King Farm The Village at Rockville Five Star Premier Residences of Chevy Chase Fox Hill

Zengo Cycle Truebody SoulCycle

ProAction Physical Therapy Cohen Health & Performance

HOME LUXURY APARTMENTS

PERSONAL TRAINER

YOGA STUDIO extendYoga

Unity Woods Yoga Center CorePower Yoga Sweetbay Yoga Down Dog Yoga

The Palisades of Bethesda Pallas at Pike & Rose Flats 8300 North Bethesda Market Gallery Bethesda

Lisa Platnik

Eric Toussaint Donté Brown Lee Sommers Kim Teri Okinyi Ayungo Maddie Watkins

FITNESS & BEAUTY

DAY SPA

The Woodhouse Day Spa

PHYSICAL THERAPIST FOR ATHLETIC INJURY

FITNESS STUDIO

Haim S. Hechtman (Point Performance)

Pulse Fitness

Equinox Orangetheory Fitness (Park Potomac)

Readers’ Picks

Precision Physical Therapy Stacy King (Aspire PT & Wellness)

Yoga studio extendYoga

The Red Door Salon & Spa Blu Water Day Spa Karma by Erwin Gomez Aveda Bethesda Salon & Spa

HAIR SALON

Kindle & Boom Bella Bethesda Salon Progressions Salon Spa Store Plane Jane Salon Zohra & Zohra [Men] Salon Central

NAIL SALON Sandy Nails

The Woodhouse Day Spa Nails by Tammy L’Vee Nails Spa Cindy’s Nails & Waxing Nail Design

PLACE FOR MEN’S HAIRCUTS Seven Locks Barber

Zohra & Zohra [Men] Kindle & Boom Karma by Erwin Gomez Roosters Men’s Grooming Center

Personal trainer Lisa Platnik

Real estate agent Hans Wydler

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Flats at Bethesda Avenue

LUXURY CONDOMINIUMS The Lauren

The Darcy 930 Rose Hampden Row Stonehall Bethesda

LUXURY TOWNHOMES Grosvenor Heights

Montgomery Row Symphony Park at Strathmore Park Potomac The Brownstones at Chevy Chase Lake

MORTGAGE BROKER

Marion Cantor, SunTrust Craig Strent, Apex Home Loans Jonathan D. Okun, Prosperity Home Mortgage Masoud Hosseini, SunTrust Matthew O’Connor, Caliber Home Loans

REAL ESTATE AGENT Hans Wydler

Jane Fairweather Andy Alderdice Lynda O’Dea Margie Halem Nurit Coombe Lauren Davis WYDLER PHOTO BY TONY J. LEWIS; OTHERS COURTESY PHOTOS

BEST OF BETHESDA

BEST OF BETHESDA 2019 A TOP VOTE GETTER BEST SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY

The Village at Rockville–A National Lutheran Community

also boasts the lowest rehospitalization rate in Montgomery County and has been named one of the top six area nursing homes by U.S. News & World Report.

Contact us to learn more about our independent living, including the new Glenmere expansion, assisted living, memory care, long-term care and myPotential Rehabilitation.

www.thevillageatrockville.org I 301- 812 - 4624 9701 Veirs Drive, Rockville, MD 20850 The Village at Rockville is sponsored by National Lutheran Communities & Services, a faith-based, not for profit ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, serving people of all beliefs.

Making the list just four years after starting is a reflection of how awesome our clients are.

We are truly honored and committed to bringing our creative energy and unique approach to every one of our projects for years to come!

If you’re wondering why we were named among the best, visit us online at:

Thank You for Making Us the Youngest Firm Ever Included with the List of Best Architects

Readers’ Pick | Best Architect

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BEST OF BETHESDA

Readers’ Picks KIDS & SCHOOLS

The Academy of the Holy Cross Connelly School of the Holy Child

PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR ACADEMICS (LOWER)

Bullis School

PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR MUSIC & ARTS McLean School Christ Episcopal School

Bullis School

McLean School St. Jane de Chantal School Christ Episcopal School Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart Green Acres School

PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR ACADEMICS (UPPER) American Plant

REAL ESTATE TEAM Heller Coley Reed Carolyn Homes The Banner Team Dana Rice Group

ARCHITECT

GTM Architects Carib Daniel Martin Architecture + Design Claude C. Lapp Architects Studio Z Design Concepts Anthony Wilder Design/Build Mark Kramer

BUILDER

Sandy Spring Builders

LANDSCAPING COMPANY Fine Earth Landscape Backyard Bounty Good Earth Hughes Landscaping My Bloom GreenSweep

NURSERY/GARDEN CENTER

Bullis School

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart McLean School Georgetown Preparatory School Holton-Arms School

PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR BOYS SPORTS Landon School

Bullis School Georgetown Preparatory School

American Plant

PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS SPORTS

Good Earth Johnson’s Florist & Garden Centers The Behnke Nurseries Co. Potomac Garden Center

Bullis School Holton-Arms School

Douglas Construction Group Jendell Construction Meridian Homes structure.

Anthony Wilder Design/Build

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart

PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR NONTRADITIONAL LEARNERS McLean School

The Katherine Thomas School The Siena School Ivymount School

PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOR ACADEMICS

Walt Whitman High School Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Winston Churchill High School Walter Johnson High School Thomas S. Wootton High School

PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOR BOYS SPORTS

Walt Whitman High School Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Winston Churchill High School Walter Johnson High School

Bullis School

FURNITURE REUPHOLSTERER YI’s Interiors

Rockville Interiors Cannon Upholstery Upholstery Restoration & Select Fabrics

INTERIOR DESIGNER Laura Fox Interior Design Interior Design Transformations Jodi Macklin Erica Burns Interiors Lauren Sachs Designs 124

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

COURTESY PHOTOS

Danziger Design

a new vision for the old homestead

structure. home reinvented

- custom built homes & renovations for a new generation -

StructureCustomHomes.com bethesda magazine 2019 readers’ poll, runner up, best home builder

BEST OF BETHESDA

Readers’ Picks Bone Jour

DOG PARK

SHOPPING

Ellsworth Urban Dog Park King Farm Dog Park Olney Manor Dog Park

BIKE STORE

Cabin John Dog Park

DOG SPA Bone Jour

Bark In Style Olde Towne Pet Resort Groomingville Life of Riley Pet Hotel & Spa

DOG WALKING SERVICE DogOn Fitness

Royal Pedigree Pet Care DogCentric

PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS SPORTS

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Walt Whitman High School Winston Churchill High School Walter Johnson High School

PET BOUTIQUE

Bella Ballet Creative Summer at Holton-Arms School

Bark!

Pet Parents

SUMMER DAY CAMP

Potomac Animal Hospital

Bone Jour

VisArts

Creative Summer at Holton-Arms School

PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL FOR MUSIC & ARTS

Walt Whitman High School Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Winston Churchill High School Walter Johnson High School

SUMMER ARTS CAMP

CHILDREN’S THEATER Imagination Stage

Bender JCC of Greater Washington Green Acres Camp SummerEdge at McLean School

SUMMER OVERNIGHT CAMP

BOUTIQUE

Belina Boutique South Moon Under Barbie B Luna Hadlee

FURNITURE STORE Urban Country

Random Harvest Hardwood Artisans

GIFT STORE

The Blue House Occasions Red Orchard Artisans Paper Source

VET FOR DOGS

NEW STORE

Falls Road Veterinary Hospital Friendship Hospital for Animals Kenwood Animal Hospital

Oak Uniqlo

Amazon Books

Camps Airy & Louise Capital Camps Camp Tall Timbers

KIDS DANCE STUDIO

SUMMER SPORTS CAMP

Dawn Crafton Dance Connection Bethesda Conservatory of Dance Joy of Motion Dance Center

Bullis Summer Programs Koa Sports ESF Summer Camps Landon Summer

KIDS GYM

Performance Bicycle City Bikes Big Wheel Bikes Silver Cycles

Friendship Hospital for Animals Canal Clinic Alpine Veterinary Hospital

Potomac Animal Hospital

Adventure Theatre MTC

Bella Ballet

VET FOR CATS

Griffin Cycle

Tru2Form Hoops

My Gym Potomac

PETS

SAT/ACT PREP

DOG BOARDING

PrepMatters

Prep U Tutoring Prep 1on1 Capital Educators

SUMMER ADVENTURE CAMP

Blue Dog Boarding & Daycare Potomac Animal Hospital Olde Towne Pet Resort Dr. Boyd’s Veterinary Resort Best Friends Pet Care

Calleva

Valley Mill Camp 126

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The Blue House

COURTESY PHOTOS

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BEST OF BETHESDA

Readers’ Picks

Chevy Chase Cars

PLACE TO BUY GLASSES (CHAIN) Warby Parker Apex Optical Costco Optical MyEyeDr.

PLACE TO BUY GLASSES (LOCAL) Wink Eyecare Boutique Voorthuis Opticians Colonial Opticians Bethesda Vision Care

PLACE TO BUY TEEN CLOTHES

My Best Friend’s Closet On Cloud 9 South Moon Under

SHOPPING CENTER

Westfield Montgomery Wildwood Shopping Center Pike & Rose Bethesda Row Cabin John Village Congressional Plaza

CATERER

Ridgewells Catering Occasions Caterers Provisions Catering Spilled Milk Catering

EVENT PLANNER Save The Date

Michele Hodges Events Plan-It Parties

PLACE FOR A BAR/BAT MITZVAH Lakewood Country Club Woodmont Country Club Bethesda Marriott Hyatt Regency Bethesda

PLACE TO BUY A WEDDING DRESS

David’s Bridal I Do I Do Wedding Gowns

PLACE TO BUY AN ENGAGEMENT RING

Boone & Sons Jewelers Kaufmann Jewelers Mervis Diamond Importers Tiffany & Co. Pampillonia Diamond Exchange

Michael Bennett Kress Photography Freed Photography

Congressional Bank United Bank

ACCOUNTING FIRM

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Ranger is a German shepherd mix.

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RESCUE ME

About 6,000 animals spend time at the county’s animal services and adoption center in Derwood each year.

Many of them need the same thing—a home.

BY CARALEE ADAMS | PHOTOS BY LISA HELFERT

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R Volunteer Zsuzsi Zetlin (left) and visitor Chris Hinkel spend time with Parker, a 1-year-old cat who was found on Parklawn Drive in Rockville. “Shelter animals come with a life experience,” Zetlin says. “I normally work with the underdogs—the more difficult cats—to make them feel more comfortable.”

RANGER, AN 8-MONTH-OLD German shepherd mix, was dropped off at the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center in September because his owners had a new baby and the dog was too exuberant. He’s become a staff favorite—he needs extra attention, so they spend lots of time with him—but he’s struggling in the kennels.

“At this point, he’s best with only adults,” says Tom Koenig, the center’s director. “He can jump over 6 feet high and tends to muzzle-punch or nip the handler.” A few people have put in applications to adopt Ranger, but he doesn’t do well with other animals. The staff is looking to transfer him to a rescue organization with experience handling high-energy dogs. The hope is that he’ll get trained there and become more adoptable. “He’s a puppy, so this behavior can be worked with, but not as well in a shelter setting,” Koenig says.

Each year, about 6,000 animals come into the center, which opened in Derwood in 2014. In addition to cats and dogs, the center cares for rabbits, guinea pigs, reptiles, birds and the occasional stray farm animal, usually a goat, pig or sheep. On the adoption wing of the facility, which staff refer to as the “happy side,” retirees, young couples, and parents with children start showing up at noon most days with hopes of finding the perfect—or near-perfect—pet. They walk through the facility in search of an animal they think might be the right fit, sometimes having already spotted one on the center’s website, and then meet with an adoption counselor. Some go home with a new pet the same day.

The intake area—known as the “sad side” of the house—is where animals come in after they’ve been picked up by animal control officers or surrendered by their owners. About 1,000 of the lost animals, generally dogs, that end up at the facility are reunited with their owners; another 1,000 are transferred to rescue organizations, shelters or sanctuaries.

Less than 10 percent are euthanized. The decision to euthanize isn’t an easy one, Koenig says, and it involves input from on-site veterinarians and staff. The focus isn’t on breed, age or time spent in the shelter—some animals stay more than a year—but on the animal’s medical condition and behavior.

Nearly 2,000 animals at the facility find new homes each year. Visits and adoptions are up since the center moved from Rockville to the $17 million facility four years ago, Koenig says. “Many people want to go to a shelter to give an animal a home that no longer has a home. It makes more sense to them,” he says.

On the day of an adoption, it’s all smiles at the center. As each animal leaves with its new owner, staff members initiate a round of applause. Those waiting their turn in the lobby join the celebration, wishing the family well as they depart, often accompanied by wagging tails.

Bethesda Magazine spent a day at the county’s animal services and adoption center in October.

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ABOVE: For Bethesda’s Zsuzsi Zetlin, a personal trainer who volunteers at the Derwood shelter about six afternoons a week, socializing with cats is part of her daily routine. “We are here for the cats, their emotional wellbeing is as important as their physical well-being,” says Zetlin, one of more than 200 volunteers at the center. She has three cats and a dog at home, all rescues.

“It’s the most rewarding feeling when a scared cat eventually opens up and gains our trust.”

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ABOVE AND OPPOSITE BOTTOM: Chris Hinkel and his girlfriend, Emma Kaufman, who live in Germantown, adopted Parker and renamed her Misty. Hinkel had visited the shelter the previous day and was drawn to the cat as she reached her paw toward him from her cage. “I had a strange, instant bond,” says Hinkel, a project manager for a construction company, who sent Kaufman a video of the cat touching his hand. “I fell in love via video, I guess,” Kaufman says. Hinkel grew up with cats, but this is the first for Kaufman, a law school student. They’re enjoying Misty, they say, but she’s very active, so they’re considering adopting a friend to keep her company.

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TOP AND ABOVE: Adoption counselor Courtney Stackhouse meets with Pedro Perrella of Gaithersburg to talk about Curly Fry, a 5-month-old Labrador-pit bull mix.

Members of the intake staff name the animals as they arrive—there’s a suggestion box, and employees try to get creative. Curly Fry is one of the “Fry Guys.” His brothers are Small Fry, Cajun Fry and French Fry; their mother’s name is Pepper. Pit bulls, German shepherds, Rottweilers and mixes of those breeds are more common at the shelter, and also harder to place. When Stackhouse talks with visitors, she asks them about their living situation and whether there are other animals in the home. “It’s all about expectations and what you want to be doing [as a pet owner],” she says.

“I like to see the animals going home with somebody who will take care of them. They’ve had a rough life by the time they get to us. We just want to make sure it gets better.”

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ABOVE: As visitors enter the lobby of the adoption center, a volunteer greeter (Alan Berger, center) often asks what kind of animal they want to see and if they want to adopt that day or sometime soon. Then they’re directed to the front desk to sign in and complete a questionnaire while they’re looking at animals. The center does not conduct home visits, but all adults in the family are required to meet the animal before an adoption can be finalized, and staff members encourage potential owners to introduce the animal to any other pets they have.

LEFT: A 7-year-old girl peers in on Bonnie and Clyde, two Yorkshire terriers she was looking at with her grandmother. Within the hour, the dogs were adopted by a woman from Rockville, and the young girl was in tears in the lobby. When an application is submitted, staff members try to mark the cage card with an “adoption in progress” sticker as quickly as possible to avoid disappointments, but that doesn’t always happen when it’s busy, center director Tom Koenig says.

Visitors are encouraged to look at more than one animal, as the status of an adoption can be fluid.

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OPPOSITE TOP LEFT: Gregorio Heredia of Rockville looks at cats with his family. At the Derwood center, about twice as many cats are adopted than dogs. The center’s director, Tom Koenig, says that’s partly because the county is densely populated and many people live in apartments or townhouses with limited space and restrictions on owning dogs. At

times, Koenig says, the shelter takes in a large number of animals from hoarding situations, most often cats with behavioral or medical issues that make it more challenging to manage their care.

OPPOSITE BOTTOM: Nathalie Heredia snaps a photo of a cat up for adoption.

ABOVE: Visitors can interact with animals outside of their cages in small “meet-and-greet” areas to get a sense of their personalities. It can be overwhelming for the animals, so staff members coach potential adopters to be neutral, keep their hands low and let the animals come to them. Left to right: Nathalie Heredia, Emily Heredia and their mother, Carolina Ramirez.

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ABOVE: Amber Anderson of Silver Spring says she’s drawn to rabbits because they are smart. “I think rabbits are misjudged as pets,” she says. “They have their own personalities.” Although she didn’t end up adopting this rabbit, Amelia, she later got a pair of rabbits through someone suggested by a family member. Anderson says she enjoys how the rabbits know her, and how they hop to her whenever she lets them out of their cage or if she has food. The center gets rabbits regularly, and the exotic pets require special care. “We send a shopping list and general care sheet [home] with any first-time rabbit adopter,” adoption counselor Courtney Stackhouse says.

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BELOW: Sheila Smith, an animal care attendant, plays with Chico, a 5-year-old German shepherd, in one of the center’s 20 outdoor areas. The outside of the shelter also has space for group play and a large walking area for staff and volunteers to exercise and socialize adoptable dogs.

Chico was brought to the shelter in February 2017 because his owners were moving and couldn’t bring him along, a common reason animals are surrendered. He came with no vet records, but staff discovered that he suffers some discomfort from hip dysplasia and can be tense around other animals.

Chico needs to be adopted by someone who has a big yard or lives in a rural area and doesn’t have other pets in the home.

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RIGHT: Gene Buehler and his daughters, Bronwyn (left) and Margot, walk the hallways looking at dogs while they await their appointment to discuss adopting guinea pigs. Larger dogs are housed in the big kennels, while dogs that can’t jump over the walls are in the small-dog area. Large dogs, pairs or those who are anxious are put in rooms with windows at the front of the adoptable-dog area.

Some dogs that are available but can’t tolerate being looked at by lots of people every day are housed in another area. Each dog is given a kennel card with the dog’s name, ID number, age, sex, breed and picture. A supplemental “Check Me Out Card” contains a summary of the dog’s behavior and personality, provided primarily by behavioral staff and volunteers, center director Tom Koenig says.

In the guinea pig area, Margot (left), 12, holds Pumpkin, and her sister, Bronwyn, 11, holds Cinnamon. The girls adopted the pair with their parents, Juliane Caviston and Gene Buehler of Rockville. (They changed Cinnamon’s name to Pokey.) The family had two guinea pigs previously, but one of them died recently. The remaining guinea pig, Pippa, was no longer active and hiding in her house in a cage, so they came to the shelter to find two more who would give her some company. Guinea pigs were their “entry pets,” Caviston says. Last year, the girls successfully lobbied for a small dog, Wally, which they rescued from another shelter.

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ABOVE: Maggie and Marco Calderon of Montgomery Village, pictured with their granddaughter, Natalie Blanco of Laytonsville, adopted a 2-year-old beagle mix, Limo, and renamed him Toby. The dog was brought to the shelter because the previous owners were moving and couldn’t have a dog in their new apartment, Maggie was told. “It seems like the people had taken good care of him. He had [an identification] chip and everything,” she says. She was eager to get a new dog after the couple’s terrier died two weeks earlier, making the house feel too quiet. “He’s a handful, but a sweetheart.” n

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Weddings of the year

A peek inside the celebrations of four couples

BY LEIGH MCDONALD

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PHOTOS BY THE OBERPORTS

Take Me Home A Chevy Chase couple got married in the bride’s home state of West Virginia, where guests sang ‘Country Roads’ and ate ‘hot dogs’ for dessert

THE COUPLE: Emily Simon (maiden name Dill), 28, grew up in Scott Depot, West Virginia. She is an implementation specialist for Bethesda-based Teaching Strategies, an early childhood curriculum and assessment company. Adam Simon, 34, was raised in North Bethesda and graduated from Walter Johnson High School. He’s a partner at Encore Tickets, a ticket resale marketplace, also based in Bethesda. The couple lives in Chevy Chase.

HOW THEY MET: When Emily moved to Fairfax, Virginia, for a teaching job in 2013, her friend encouraged her to create an account on OkCupid, an online dating site, to meet people. Adam, who was living in Bethesda, reached out to Emily, writing, “Hey, there,” but Emily wasn’t impressed with the message and didn’t respond. A few days later Adam sent another message: “Has anyone ever told you that you look like Tara Reid?” Emily thought the question comparing her to the actress was so outrageous that she had to answer him. She responded, “No, no one has. But that’s nice. And I think you’re a little crazy

for thinking that, actually.” After more back and forth, the pair arranged a date.

THE FIRST DATE: Emily and Adam met at Bethesda’s Nest Café (now closed) for dinner. The conversation flowed easily, and they went to Max Brenner in Bethesda (also closed) for dessert. Adam, who says his generation tends to text rather than talk on the phone, called her the next day.

“I think it caught her off guard a little bit, but she liked that I gave her a call.”

THE PROPOSAL: After about three years of dating, Adam decided to propose. He thought that if he took Emily on a trip, she’d be suspicious, so he planned to pop the question during their normal routine.

It was the night before Christmas Eve and the couple was in their Bethesda Row apartment getting ready to go to dinner.

Adam took their mixed-breed dog, Eddie, on a walk, and when they returned, the dog was wearing a red bow. At first, Emily thought Adam was making a joke, re-gifting the dog she’d rescued when she was a student at West Virginia University. But

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when Eddie got closer, she saw “Will you marry my dad?” on the gift tag he was wearing. “I wanted to incorporate the dog because he’s so special to both of us,” says Adam, who got down on one knee in the living room. “Emily immediately grabbed her face, and that’s how I could tell her emotions were catching up to her.”

NEW TRADITIONS: Emily, who was

THE FINAL SONG: It’s a West Virginia

raised Baptist, and Adam, who is Jewish, decided to weave Emily’s family traditions into a Jewish ceremony. “It was important to us to represent both of our families’ traditions and backgrounds, but also create our own,” Emily says. Her parents built the Jewish canopy called a chuppah that the couple was married under by a rabbi. Their ceremony included a Bible passage that was read at Emily’s parents’ wedding.

tradition to gather in a circle and sing whenever “Take Me Home, Country Roads”

by John Denver is played. Emily thought it would be a poignant way to end the reception, and asked the band to play it as the final song of the night. “It was a really nice, intimate moment with all of the guests,” she says. But then the band surprised the couple with an encore—“Turn Down for What” by DJ Snake and Lil Jon.

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“It was just so funny to watch everyone go from this very intimate country song, this kumbaya feeling, to breaking it down for ‘Turn Down for What,’ ” she says.

THE HONEYMOON: Emily and Adam took a 16-day trip to South Africa. They spent a few nights in Cape Town, drove along the coast on the Garden Route and went on safari in Kruger National Park.

VENDORS: Catering, Embassy Suites; engagement ring setting and wedding bands, Boone & Sons Jewelers; florist, Winter Floral & Antiques; gown, Love Couture Bridal; hair and makeup, Spa Bliss; “hot dogs,” Spring Hill Pastry Shop; music, Affirmative Groove (Sam Hill Entertainment); photographer, The Oberports; videographer, Studio 213; wedding planning, Ren + Ott Events.

COURTESY BY THE OBERPORTS

THE DESSERT: The couple had a dessert bar that included a simple white cake. “We didn’t even announce the cake cutting,” Emily says. All the attention was on the “hot dogs”—oblong pastries with cream in the middle. “Everyone local to West Virginia knows them,” she says. “You just call it a hot dog and they know what you’re talking about.”

PHOTOS BY THE OBERPORTS

THE WEDDING: On March 10, 2018, Emily and Adam were married in Charleston, West Virginia. Even though most of their 165 guests were from the D.C. area, it was important to Emily that she marry in her home state. The ceremony, cocktail hour and reception were at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences, a 240,000-squarefoot facility that houses two museums and several performing arts spaces. The couple chose the venue for its grand two-story lobby with floor-to-ceiling windows, where their reception was held.

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Beach Bums THE COUPLE: Jane Merkel, 32, grew up in Silver Spring and graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, which was then in Wheaton. She is the director of fine art for Maggie O’Neill, an artist and Silver Spring native. Brian Conley, 32, was raised in Gaithersburg and graduated from Quince Orchard High School. He played Minor League Baseball for Baltimore Orioles affiliates before becoming an executive recruiter at Randstad in Washington, D.C. The couple lives in Bethesda.

HOW THEY MET: Jane and Brian met through mutual friends at a softball game in 2013. But it wasn’t until a friend’s house party nearly a year later that they had their first real conversation. “We talked the whole night,” Jane says. “We were 156

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interested in each other.” A week after the party, Brian called and asked her out.

FIRST DATE: The couple met for dinner and drinks at Bethesda’s Rí Rá Irish Pub (now closed). Although the date went well, Jane recalls being disappointed that they didn’t kiss. “I remember we awkwardly walked separate ways,” she says. They went on another date the following week.

“We like a lot of the same things,” Brian says. “We both grew up in the area and we both like the same sports.” A few months into dating, he asked her to be his girlfriend while they were drinking Bud Light and watching a Redskins game on TV.

THE PROPOSAL: In the summer of 2017, the couple spent a week at the Outer Banks in North Carolina with Jane’s

PHOTOS BY NIKKI SCHELL

Lifelong Montgomery County residents have their dream wedding on the sand

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family. Brian took her father to dinner at Barrel + Crow in Bethesda right before the beach trip to ask for permission to propose. On the second day of the trip, the couple was spending time at the beach. “[Jane] had just found this cool shell and was all excited about it,” Brian says. “I was like ‘Oh, I just found another.’ ” He took out a ring and got down on one knee. “While we’re standing in the water, we’re, like, fumbling with the ring,” Jane says. “And Brian hadn’t insured it at all. So you could tell he was really freaked out that I was waving this diamond ring around in the ocean.” After she said yes, her family came down to the beach with Champagne.

THE WEDDING: Jane and Brian were married on Aug. 4, 2018, in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Growing up, Jane’s family spent summers in Bethany Beach, Delaware, and Brian’s family went to Ocean City, Maryland. “We’re pretty big beach bums,” Jane says. “Give us the ocean, the sand and the beach and we’re pretty happy.” The couple had trouble finding a venue that was directly on the beach and could fit their 250 guests. But Indian River Life-Saving Station in Rehoboth—a late19th-century Coast Guard station turned museum—had what they were looking for.

All the wedding activities took place on the beach in front of the station.

THE GOWN: Jane purchased her Rue de Seine dress from Lovely Bride in Georgetown. The bohemian gown had offwhite lace over nude fabric. She and her bridal party went barefoot.

Johnny Wilson playing “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles on acoustic guitar.

Her cousin, who she was very close with growing up, officiated. Guests threw beach balls at the newlyweds as they walked out of the ceremony.

THE COCKTAIL HOUR: The couple served orange crushes—cocktails made with vodka, triple sec, orange juice, lemon-lime soda and an orange slice—at a “Crushstation.” They incorporated some of their favorite food into the appetizers: grilled cheese, tomato soup, crab balls and pineapple shrimp skewers.

THE RECEPTION: Jane’s favorite moments of the night were when her father and groom stole the show at the reception.

Getting into the music from their band, Keynote, Brian got ahold of the microphone and rapped and danced to “Mo Money Mo Problems” by The Notorious B.I.G. “Brian loves to dance,” Jane says. “He’s very high energy on the dance floor.” Later in the evening, Jane’s father sang along with the band as they played “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond. “He has this amazing voice,” Jane says. “Everyone was like, ‘Where did that come from?’”

PITCHING IN: Jane’s mother’s friends helped with flowers, planning and dayof coordination. After the wedding, Jane gave the women gifts and threw them a bingo party at Bradley Food & Beverage in Bethesda, which is owned by her father.

“We drank wine and played bingo, and that was our thank-you to them,” Jane says.

THE HONEYMOON: The couple spent

a typical first look with her groom, Jane also shared a first look with her father.

They had their moment at the top of a sand dune, overlooking the ceremony and reception spaces. “He hadn’t wanted to hear about the dress beforehand or anything,” she says. “It was very sweet.”

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a week in Dewey Beach and Ocean City following the wedding, but plans to travel to Europe when they can find the time.

VENDORS: Catering, Bethany Blues; ceremony and cocktail hour music, Johnny Wilson; hair, Hair by Amy J.; invitations, Vogel Design; makeup, Glam With Katie; photographer, Nikki Schell; reception band, Keynote (Entertainment Exchange); tent, lighting and furniture setup, Coastal Events.

PHOTOS BY NIKKI SCHELL

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Their Greatest Adventure A couple’s wedding weekend in the mountains was inspired by the desert festival Burning Man THE COUPLE: Micah Baskir, 38, grew up in Chevy Chase and graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. He is a documentary filmmaker. Ashley Stracke, 32, grew up in Lewisville, Texas, and works for the mayor of Los Angeles in neighborhood services. They live in Los Angeles.

PHOTOS BY CHRISTINA CHILDRESS

HOW THEY MET: Ashley and Micah were introduced by mutual friends at a pub in Pasadena, California, in 2010. Micah was leaving in a couple of days for Burning Man, a weeklong event in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert, where tens of thousands of people gather to perform music, create art installations and burn a wooden structure of a man. Ashley had never been, and was skeptical of both the event and Micah. “I wasn’t particularly interested but he tried to convince me that I was mistaken,” she says. “And [he] did a pretty good job.”

THE FIRST DATE: After Micah returned from Burning Man, he invited Ashley over to his cousin’s house in L.A., where he was house-sitting. They ate Thai food from

Ashley’s favorite place and watched The West Wing. The couple went to Burning Man together one year later. “I’m definitely a convert,” says Ashley, who has been a total of six times now.

THE PROPOSAL: About five years into dating, the couple made plans for a New Year’s vacation to Russia and France.

Micah decided the trip would be the perfect opportunity to propose. While in St. Petersburg, Russia, on New Year’s Eve, they saw The Nutcracker at the Mariinsky Theatre and cooked a Russian dinner complete with blinis at their Airbnb. Micah had planned to propose in Palace Square at midnight, but they were watching President Putin’s speech on the JumboTron, and he talked right through New Year’s. “I don’t speak Russian that well so I don’t know what he was saying,” Micah says. “But he just kept talking and talking.” The couple wandered to the banks of the Neva River, where teenagers were lighting off fireworks in the snow. He got down on one knee and proposed.

THE WEDDING PHILOSOPHY: “We wanted to use [the wedding] as an opportunity to really encapsulate our values as a couple and as individuals,” Ashley says. “And one of the ways that we kind of formed [those values] was around Burning Man.” The event has 10 central principles meant to guide attendee behavior and culture. Ashley says they wanted to plan their wedding around two principles— community and participation. They decided to host a Memorial Day weekend camping trip in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwest Virginia in 2018.

A SPECIAL MOMENT: Micah is the son of divorce attorney Marna Tucker and former Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims Lawrence Baskir. His father can’t travel because he was paralyzed from a stroke. A week before Micah and Ashley’s wedding in the mountains, they were legally married at his parents’ Chevy Chase home

by Merrick Garland, the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals’ D.C. Circuit, who is a Bethesda resident and family friend.

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Garland’s 2016 nomination by President Obama for the U.S. Supreme Court was blocked by the Senate. “[Ashley] and I both felt it was a beautiful statement, not only to have [Judge] Merrick Garland perform the ceremony, but it just felt like we had an American hero there for us as well,” Micah says.

theirs. With the broken pieces, the couple and their guests then made a mosaic frame for a wedding portrait.

THE RECEPTION: After the 1½-hour ceremony, everyone headed to the onsite pavilion for the reception. New York jazz band The Recessionals played old standards until about midnight, when the couple’s friends took over, acting as DJs with their smartphones. The party continued until dawn. “We basically partied until the sun rose,” Micah says. “We walked back to our cabin around 5 in the morning.”

day wedding celebration was held at Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing in New Castle, Virginia. The couple and their 100 guests spent the weekend hiking, tubing, canoeing and zip-lining. Guests slept in cabins or tents.

CLOSE CALL: The morning of the wedding ceremony at Wilderness Adventure, Ashley asked Micah to take her parents tubing while she got ready. The group accidentally got on the bus for canoeing instead of tubing, but they’d been told it would be a “lazy river” experience. The river was tumultuous, with downed trees and patches of rapids. “It was like a harrowing nightmare of danger that we were not at all prepared for,” Micah says. Their canoe capsized several times. Ashley’s father lost his shoes. They finally finished the course an hour or two before the wedding.

THE CEREMONY: Early in their plans, the couple asked their friends to reimagine the traditional parts of a ceremony, such 162

as the readings and the exchange of rings, with the Burning Man principles in mind.

For the exchange of rings, Micah and Ashley threaded their rings onto two balls of yarn, which were then passed around the room to create a giant web that connected them to their guests. When the bride and groom got the yarn and rings back, they read their vows. Although it wasn’t a religious ceremony, they did incorporate a tradition from Micah’s family’s Jewish faith-—the breaking of a glass. Each guest was given a figurine to break as the couple stomped on

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

THE “CAKE”: “Neither Ashley nor I are particularly big cake fans,” Micah says.

They opted for stacked and decorated cheese wheels. After the “cake” cutting, the Wilderness Adventure staff brought the cheese wheels to the kitchen and made a late-night snack of grilled cheese. They also served cupcakes and other sweets.

THE HONEYMOON: The couple spent a few days in Ecuador after their wedding and plan to take a longer trip in the future.

VENDORS: Catering and wedding coordinator, Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing; desserts, Cupcake Cottage; dress, David’s Bridal; flowers, Boswell Gardens; music, The Recessionals; photographer, Christina Childress; tableware, Aztec Rental.

PHOTOS BY CHRISTINA CHILDRESS

THE VENUE: Ashley and Micah’s three-

The Perfect Location for a

“Positively Yours” Wedding Experience!

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www.CanopyBethesdaNorth.com

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940 Rose Avenue, North Bethesda (301) 882-9400

Our Pike & Rose neighborhood doors are always open to bring people together. Canopy Washington DC Bethesda North features indoor and outdoor spaces comprising 8,100 sq. ft. and accommodating up to 600 guests.

Our stunning 4,100 sq. ft. rooftop terrace is an especially memorable venue, with views over the Pike & Rose neighborhood giving your event a positively local feel, just 20 minutes from Reagan (DCA) Airport and 40 minutes from Dulles (IAD) and Baltimore (BWI) Airports. Overnight guests get around easily using the White Flint Metro Station, just 3 blocks away. Canopy Washington DC Bethesda North provides an authentically local experience and energetic spirt reflected through our connection to art, culture and the fabric of the neighborhood offering complimentary daily French Inspired Artisanal Breakfast and surprising extras for all overnight guests.

Bethesda Magazine Readers’ Pick – Top Vote Getter, Best Hotel for Out-of-Town Guests / Bethesda Magazine Editor’s Pick, Hippest Space

WEDDINGS of the year

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Language of Love A French-American Winston Churchill grad married a Pennsylvania native on the Chesapeake Bay

PHOTOS BY GEORGE STREET PHOTO & VIDEO

THE COUPLE: Florent Abaziou, 31, was born in Lannion, France. His family moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, and lived there for seven years before moving to Potomac when Florent was in elementary school.

He graduated from Winston Churchill High School and works in search engine optimization for Marriott International in Bethesda. Lindsay Abaziou (maiden name Lithgow), 29, grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and moved to the D.C. area after college. She worked for Bethesda Magazine for two years in marketing and web production, and is now a digital analytics specialist for TD Ameritrade in Columbia. They live in Silver Spring.

HOW THEY MET: Florent and Lindsay first spied each other in the summer of 2013 at Blackfinn in Bethesda (now closed) where they were each at happy hour with friends. Connected by a mutual friend, the groups merged tables. Although Lindsay and Florent were immediately interested in each other, she ended up talking to Florent’s friend about football the whole

time. Both were disappointed by the missed connection. “In my defense, football really wasn’t my thing. Still isn’t,” Florent says.

THE FIRST DATE: After running into each other at more happy hours and networking events, Lindsay was determined to spend some time alone with Florent. She was transitioning to a new role at Bethesda Magazine and asked him out to dinner under the pretext that she wanted professional advice. “I tried to pass it off like it was an informational business dinner,” she says. “But he knew it was a date.” They had dinner at Circa in Clarendon. Each wished the date would never end. “It always sounds cheesy because I’ve never been the girl that would say that, but it didn’t feel like any other date that I’ve been on,” she says. “I called my mom and was like, ‘Oh my gosh. I’m in trouble!’ ” A DEFINING MOMENT: Just two months after the couple started dating, Lindsay’s brother, Jackie Lithgow, was

assaulted at a college party, resulting in a severe brain injury. Lindsay and Florent had a serious conversation about their relationship and whether they were ready to face such a grave matter together. “It was a very awkward, a very weird conversation to have that early,” Lindsay says. “But I think it really defined how much we were connected right away.” Florent was a great source of strength for Lindsay during her brother’s recovery, which is ongoing. Since the incident in 2014, Jackie has re-enrolled at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and lives on his own. He attended the couple’s wedding.

THE PROPOSAL: In the summer of 2016, about three years after they first met, the couple visited Florent’s family in Concarneau, France. It was Lindsay’s first time abroad and her first time meeting his extended family. Florent suggested they have a picnic on the beach despite the breezy weather.

He had packed a basket of charcuterie and Champagne and slipped the engagement ring into his pocket. Since their vacation was

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sort of be there in the moment,” Florent says. “They really enjoyed that.”

BILINGUAL BASH: The couple wanted their French and American guests to feel included on their special day. They sent out invitations in both languages, and at the reception they had bilingual table signs and menus and asked their DJ to play a mix of French and English songs. “I’m just glad my parents like to dance because the French love to dance as well,” Lindsay says.

Even though they don’t speak the same language, Lindsay’s grandfather and Florent’s grandfather bonded over World War II. “It was amazing to be there and help translate,” Florent says.

almost over, Lindsay, who had been hoping for a proposal, no longer expected one. The couple found a quiet spot between large rocks on the sand. “When he took out the bottle of Champagne, I was like, ‘What’s that for?’ ” she says. “And then [he] turned around and asked me, and I’m pretty sure I blacked out.”

THE GOWN: Lindsay bought her twopiece gown from the Georgetown location of BHLDN, Anthropologie’s wedding brand.

She chose matching separates—a lace corset top and a full tulle skirt—hoping to repurpose them after the wedding.

collar. He also wore cat-patterned socks, in honor of their cat, Rosie.

ROCKIN’ OUT: Lindsay and her father walked down the aisle to an instrumental version of “Back in Black” by AC/DC. “I grew up listening to AC/DC with my dad all the time,” she says. She also picked the song in hopes it would calm her wedding jitters. “I knew I would be a nervous wreck walking down,” she says. “I wanted to relax with something familiar.”

WATCHING FROM AFAR: Although 20

THE SUIT: Florent wore a navy blue suit from Enzo Custom in D.C. During the couple’s first look, Florent showed Lindsay that he’d had their wedding date and her initials sewn into his waistband and shirt 166

members of Florent’s family flew in from France, some of his friends and family were unable to make the trip. The couple Facebook Live-streamed the ceremony for them. “They were able to watch live and

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

with celiac disease, the couple served a gluten-free wedding cake with three tiers: vanilla with buttercream frosting; chocolate raspberry with vanilla frosting; and almond chocolate with buttercream frosting. “It was delicious,” Florent says. “No one could tell it was gluten-free.” There was also a savory option—Old Bay-seasoned fries—since Lindsay doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth.

HONEYMOON: Lindsay and Florent spent time with his out-of-town family the week after their wedding. Then the couple took a two-week trip to Morocco, where Lindsay got to practice her French.

VENDORS: Cake, Sweet Sue’s; catering and wedding coordination, Herrington on the Bay; DJ, Crow Entertainment; flowers, Beth Kemp Designs; flowers for centerpieces, Potomac Floral Wholesale; photography, George Street Photo & Video. n

PHOTOS BY GEORGE STREET PHOTO & VIDEO

THE WEDDING: Lindsay and Florent were married at Herrington on the Bay in North Beach, Maryland, on Sept. 30, 2017.

The evening ceremony in the waterfront garden was followed by a cocktail hour and reception at the yacht club. There were 140 guests.

THE DESSERT: To accommodate relatives

Exquisite French food, charming atmosphere, and attentive service.

In the heart of Chevy Chase, the charm of the country side at your door step.

32 years of experience — Best value in the Bethesda area — Covered and heated patio — Ample and free parking — Dance floor available

GETTING MARRIED?

Bravo and Congratulations!

What about adding a certain “je ne sais quoi” to your special day!

Voted Most Romantic restaurant by the readers of Bethesda Magazine, 2014, 2016, 2018

7101 Brookville Road Chevy Chase, MD 301-986-5255 lafermerestaurant.com

Photos by Jessica Nazarova Flowers by Blooming Arts

La Ferme - FULL - v01.indd 1

12/10/18 11:09 AM

WEDDING RESOURCE guide AMP BY STRATHMORE AMP is a bright, contemporary space with floor to ceiling windows and Juliet balconies. With a flexible floor plan, world-class catering by Ridgewells and a comfortable pre-function space, AMP is a unique and beautiful setting for an unforgettable event. Located at Pike & Rose. Maximum seated capacity is 220 without a dance floor.

BOONE & SONS JEWELERS Boone & Sons is a family owned and operated jewelry store serving the Washington area for nearly 50 years.

Three convenient locations feature only the finest in diamond, gold and fashion jewelry. Exceptional pricing and vast selection make Boone & Sons a favorite of Washington’s most sophisticated brides.

301-581-5255 rentals@strathmore.org www.AMPbyStrathmore.org/rentals

5550 The Hills Plaza, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-657-2144 www.booneandsons.com

AYSE MEZE LOUNGE

CANOPY BY HILTON

Making Your Moment a Memory, boasting Downtown Frederick’s largest outdoor patio area and boutique wedding venue.

The beautiful outdoor setting seats up to 150 guests and is available year-round.

The brick pavers, outdoor lighting, sound system and bar, along with our lush greenery, create the perfect atmosphere for your memorable night.

”Just Right Rooms” for your out-of-town guests and flexible event space in the heart of Pike & Rose. Enjoy a “Positively Yours” experience with your ceremony in Pike Perspective Terrace, then host the reception in our 3,000 sq. ft. Outlook Ballroom with beautiful chandlers and floor to ceiling windows.

6 N. East St., Frederick, MD 21701 240-651-5155 | www.aysemeze.com

THE BALLROOM Built in 1990, The Ballroom is one of the areas best kept secrets. This beautiful event site, located within a renovated facility, boasts classical architectural design features and subtle, understated traditional furnishings. It can comfortably accommodate 250 persons for a seated function including room for dancing, with an unobstructed view of the whole ballroom.

5521 Landy Lane, Bethesda, MD 20816 301-913-9810 www.TheBethesdaBallroom.com

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940 Rose Ave., North Bethesda, MD 20852 301-882-9400 | DCABN_DS@hilton.com www.CanopyBethesdaNorth.com

COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT We Love All Weddings! Outdoor Garden Terrace can accommodate 200 guests and overlooks Chevy Chase. Full-Service Catering team onsite will make your day special. Modern Ballroom can host events of up to 120 guests comfortably.

5520 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-656-1500 | information@cychevychase.com www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/wasvycourtyard-bethesda-chevy-chase/

E N T E R TA I N M E N T T H AT W O W S

J U S T I N T R AW I C K A N D T H E C O M M O N G O O D

B O O K E C E .C O M

ECE exclusive artist Justin Trawick and the Common Good is the perfect mix of modern and Americana. From Mumford and Sons and Tom Petty to award-winning original material and uniquely styled foot-stomping covers of everything from Bruce Springsteen to Snoop Dogg, this unique act is perfect for every event!

EC E WA S H I N G TO N , D C DC (202) 537-0227 | NOVA (571) 858-5047 | info@bookece.com 6 3 2 N . Wa s h i n g t o n S t re e t A l ex a n d r i a , VA 2 2 3 1 4

WEDDING RESOURCE guide SARAH BRADSHAW PHOTOGRAPHY

CREATIVE PARTIES

Creative Parties Ltd. has been helping brides since 1968. In our boutique, our Designers and Event Consultants provide seasoned advice and create save-thedates, custom invitations, programs, menus and other accessories with your assistance. Our goal is to realize a couple’s vision for their special day.

Please visit our Retail Store at: 4822 St. Elmo Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814 301-654-9292 | cp@creativeparties.com For a Personal Appointment go to: www.creativeparties.com

HOWARD LANSAT & ASSOCIATES PHOTOGRAPHY Howard Lansat Photography has been around for over 25 years!! We offer our services in the DMV area. Our services include photography for Weddings, Bar/ Bat Mitzvahs, Conferences, Family and Pet Portraits. We also provide extra services that include photo-booths, novelty green screen stations and custom framing.

301-838-9560 | howard@lansatphoto.com www.lansatphoto.com

EASTCOAST ENTERTAINMENT

HYATT REGENCY BETHESDA

ECE exclusive artist Justin Trawick and the Common Good is the perfect mix of country and Americana. From Mumford and Sons and Tom Petty to award-winning original material and uniquely styled footstomping covers of everything from Bruce Springsteen to Snoop Dogg, this unique act is perfect for every event!

Hyatt Regency Bethesda is located in the heart of downtown Bethesda situated directly above the Metro affording easy access to the Nation’s Capital. With a full renovation including event space, sleeping rooms and the addition of The Rooftop @ 7400, it is the ideal venue for weddings and social gatherings.

632 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314 202-537-0227 or 571-858-5047 info@bookece.com | bookece.com

One Bethesda Metro Center Bethesda, MD 20814 301-657-6420 | www.bethesda.hyatt.com

GILDA’S BRIDA COLLECTION

LA FERME

Gilda’s brides are the most beautiful brides to walk down the aisle. Located on Saint Elmo Street in Bethesda, the store offers a wide range of dresses, veils and accessories to make every brides dreams come true.

4931 Saint Elmo St., Bethesda, MD 20814 www.GildasBridalCollection.com

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Start your life together in the French Country charm of this Chevy Chase landmark. An intimate affair for just a few friends or something more ambitious, we’ll handle all the details – from decorations to a personalized menu.

7101 Brookville Road Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-986-5255 www.LaFermeRestaurant.com

WEDDING RESOURCE guide

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

We do.

Introducing the Rooftop at 7400

www.regency.bethesda.hyatt.com | 301.657.6470

The Prenuptial Agreement Think of it as “a little something for you” Planning your wedding brings all the excitement of building a life together, which means working as a team to shape your future. Financial planning plays an important role in your partnership, and with couples bringing assets and debts into the marriage, a prenuptial agreement has become essential.

Selecting Paley Rothman to put into a place a prenuptial agreement is a smart decision that can give you control over your financial rights as well as peace of mind.

CALL US TODAY! 301-656-7603

4800 HAMPDEN LANE | 6TH FLOOR | BETHESDA, MD 20814 | info@paleyrothman.com

www.paleyrothman.com

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WEDDING RESOURCE guide

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION RIDGEWELLS

MICHAEL BENNETT KRESS Michael Bennett Kress Photography has made a commitment to deliver extraordinary photographic coverage and outstanding customer service. Michael is known for intuitively capturing life-cycle events by anticipating precious moments lost to others. Creating images that endure forever is the gift he gives his clients as a keepsake for generations to come.

In-the-know couples choose Ridgewells to make their wedding dreams come true. Whether you envision an intimate gathering or an epic gala, we’ll make sure your wedding is a beautiful reflection of your love. From custom-designed menus to coordinating additional services, Ridgewells makes sure your wedding will be an incredible day to remember.

7801 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814 301-980-3775 | www.mbkphoto.com

5525 Dorsey Lane, Bethesda, MD 20816 301-652-1515 | catering@ridgewells.com www.ridgewells.com

PALEY ROTHMAN FAMILY PRACTICE

STRATHMORE Two incredible spaces, each with a unique aesthetic to suit your personal style.

Envision your event in the intimate, historic Georgian Mansion set high on a hill, or in the contemporary, light-filled Music Center. Custom catering by Ridgewells will make your event unforgettable.

As brides and grooms are joining marriages with their own careers and assets in place, the prenuptial agreement is becoming a must-have. When you’re making your wedding check list don’t forget to add your marital prenuptial agreement.

301-581-5255 rentals@strathmore.org www.strathmore.org/rentals

4800 Hampden Lane, 6th floor Bethesda, MD 20814 301-656-7603 www.paleyrothman.com

PRINT BUDII

SYLENE OF WASHINGTON

Print Budii is the world’s first self-serve print kiosk for events and venues. Follow the simple 3-step process. Run the app, select a photo and print directly to the Print Budii kiosk. Give your guests more freedom to capture and print their favorite memories right from their mobile device!

DC’s premier lingerie and swimwear shop!

An enchanting collection of bridal lingerie, bra and panty sets, shapewear and fashionable swimwear await you. Our dedicated fit experts with over 43 years of experience will help you find the right lingerie to fit the day of your dreams. Bridal Registry and Private Bridal Showers our specialty!

240-386-8042 www.printbudiidmv.com info@printbudiidmv.com

4407 South Park Ave., Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-654-4200 | www.sylenedc.com

outdoor garden terrace contemporary ballroom full service catering ideal location marriott rewards

WHEN YOU CELEBRATE LIFE, CELEBRATE HERE weddings bar/bat mitzvahs special occasions

Gilda’s brides

are the most beautiful brides to walk down the aisle!

301-654-2000 4931 Saint Elmo St • Bethesda, MD 20814

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5520 Wisconsin Avenue Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Bethesda Chevy Chase Marriott.com/wasvy 301 656 1500 information@cychevychase.com

WEDDING RESOURCE guide

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

VISARTS Go beyond the traditional at VisArts. Our Buchanan Event Room is a modern and versatile canvas. With stunning floor-toceiling windows overlooking Rockville Town Square, our event space features spectacular views, excellent acoustics and lighting, and a permanent dance floor.

Artist studios and gallery exhibitions set the stage for your one-of-a-kind celebration.

MARY KATE MCKENNA PHOTOGRAPHY

155 Gibbs St., Rockville, MD 20850 301-315-8200 | www.VisArtsCenter.org

WOODEND SANCTUARY A secluded 40-acre nature sanctuary just 9 miles from D.C., Woodend is perfect for weddings, mitzvahs, corporate retreats and events, and special occasions. Why Woodend: Mansion, grounds and tent included, ceremony back-up plan at no extra fee, BYO alcohol, no corkage, tax-deductible donation may apply.

8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-652-9188, ext. 38 | woodendrentals@ anshome.org | woodendsanctuary.org

AMP is Bethesda’s premier venue for weddings and private events. With an open layout, floor to ceiling windows, Juliet balconies, and a hip, comfortable bar area, AMP is the perfect place for your show-stopping event.

SEE THE EXTENDED VERSION OF THE WEDDING RESOURCE GUIDE AT BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

AMPbySTRATHMORE.COM/RENTALS RENTALS@STRATHMORE.ORG | 301.581.5255 | 11810 GRAND PARK AVE. | NORTH BETHESDA, MD

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WEDDING RESOURCE guide RODNEY BAILEY

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

WOODEND Sanctuary & Mansion

Weddings Corporate Events Bar/Bat Mitzvahs Birthday Parties Reunions

Your venue for beautiful memories, naturally Wedding Ceremony | Wedding Reception Corporate Events | Special Occasions

WOODENDSANCTUARY.ORG/WEDDINGS woodendsanctuary

AYSE MEZE LOUNGE

Making Your Moment a Memory Ayse has Downtown Frederick’s largest outdoor patio area, which makes for a unique wedding venue. The beautiful outdoor setting seats up to 150 guests and is available year-round.

Guests can rent the whole patio, half of the patio, or use Ayse’s outdoor tent for smaller, more intimate gatherings. The brick pavers, outdoor lighting, sound system and bar, along with our lush greenery, creates the perfect atmosphere for your memorable night.

The Ayse Room and Lounge is available to accommodate both small and large gatherings.

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6 N. East Street Frederick, MD 21701 240-651-5155 aysemeze.com

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The writer (opposite page, in blue) at Title Boxing Club

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glove up Using my fists to fight Parkinson’s

BY STEVE GOLDSTEIN | PHOTOS BY SKIP BROWN

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W

WE ALL ANSWER THE bell at Rockville’s

Title Boxing Club in our own time.

I arrive early, 20 minutes before our 1 p.m. class. I nod at some of the folks leaving from the noon session; most are fit, togged out in trendy gymwear and way younger. Taking a seat on one of the four curved benches near the window, my first challenge awaits. Some of us have mastered the origami of swaddling one’s hands with a yardslong wrap of woven cotton. It took me a while, but I was spurred by the mini-shame of asking a trainer to assist; too much like someone tying my shoes. I roll the wrap three times around my wrist, then in between fingers, back around the wrist and several turns over my knuckles. Diane asks if she can watch me, to learn. I laugh.

“I seriously doubt I ever do it the same way twice.” My classmates straggle in and fill the benches, some with spouses or caregivers.

Sometimes our class draws double takes from the others at the club. A gaggle of folks with Parkinson’s disease (PD) will do that. My fellow PD pugilists—the class size fluctuates between six and 15 men and women ranging in age from 50 to nearly 80—present different stages of impairment. I gently chide 76-yearold Carole Richardson of Kensington, a Texan who came to D.C. to attend dental school and practiced here for decades.

Her mobility is compromised, so she’s using the class to regain muscle strength and agility. “When I miss a week, I feel 178

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

The writer (far right), who has Parkinson’s disease, started taking boxing classes two years ago. From left: fellow boxers Carole Richardson, Otto Carrasco and Stanley Way.

like I’m losing momentum,” she says.

Likewise, retired federal government employee Howard Press, 73, of Olney says his goal is to strengthen his abs “so I can stand more erect.”

After some warm-up exercises— jumping jacks, toe taps, squats—we shadowbox for a bit. Today, there are eight of us scattered among a thicket of 100-pound heavy bags that hang like hogs in a slaughterhouse. “Glove up!” club owner John Sahakian barks, and my pulse quickens. I pull on blue 12-ounce boxing gloves with the Title logo. Like a DJ running through a playlist, Sahakian leads us through drills that mix punches.

“Jab, cross, lead uppercut, rear hook,” he urges. We all respond the best we can. We are game, for sure, and eager to please, but our bodies defy direction and our brightly colored gloves sometimes flail or greet the bag with a cousin’s kiss.

My heavy bag appears as an affront, and a trial. It embodies four years of fear, night terrors, frustration—and yes, anger—that never takes a break, never hears the bell. I hit the bag as hard as I can, my knuckles stinging despite the protective wrap as Sahakian switches commands from rhythm to speed to power. The thud-thwap issuing from the bag soothes me. All the worry, the “why me?” flies from my fists. My Parkinson’s disease has no purchase on my reptile brain, it seems. I’m outside myself, observing what normal looks like. I am 69 years old and have spent five years living with PD. Before I started going to Title, what little boxing I’d done was years ago in summer camp, when the counselor refereeing my fight moved to stop it because my gums were bloody from a blow to my braces. I resisted, unleashing a 12-yearold’s blubbering outrage. We resumed, and fueled by shame and pique I windmilled my opponent into submission.

It was rage, yes, but mainly hope that brought me back to boxing decades later.

Why am I pounding a sack and grunting like Iron Mike Tyson? Because the “sweet science,” as a British journalist christened it, offers a fighting chance of slowing the disorder that has scrambled my brain— and my life.

PD IS THE UNWANTED gift that keeps on

taking, a progressive disorder of the nervous system. It affects several regions of the brain, especially an area called the substantia nigra that controls balance and movement. An early symptom is trembling or shaking of a limb, especially when the body is at rest. Typically the tremor begins on one side of the body, usually in one hand. Insidiously, shaking may spread to the arms, legs, feet and face. If that’s not sufficiently alarming, one may soon experience rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and torso, slow movement (bradykinesia) or an inability to move (akinesia), and impaired balance and coordination. Over time, these symptoms worsen: slowly, irrevocably.

As a bonus, PD may also affect emotions and thinking ability, triggering depression and visual hallucinations. Some people pay to hallucinate; I get it for free.

An avid cyclist, I first noticed something amiss when my bike began to wobble, leading to a couple of near tumbles.

My balance was off. My walking gait downshifted to slo-mo, as if impeded by a force field. After a consultation with my internist in the fall of 2013, I went to see Dr. Codrin Lungu, a Parkinson’s expert at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at NIH. Lungu, whose scholarly, intense demeanor is tempered by a wry sense of humor, said I was exhibiting “idiopathic Parkinsonian symptoms.” Translation: You have PD. PD as such is not a mortal disease.

It steadily sucks away your quality of life until, for some, it becomes unmanageable, unbearable—despite medications and brain stimulations that ease symptoms. I reasoned that many people receive more dire diagnoses, but reason crumbles under the weight of despair, and all too soon I started sliding into the sinkhole of frustration, anxiety and bitterness. I hid my dread and tears from my wife. My four kids were out of the house, so they mostly saw or heard Good Old Funny Sarcastic Dad. I yearned for normalcy, not sympathy.

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My heavy bag appears as an affront, and a trial.

It embodies four years of fear, night terrors, frustration—and yes, anger—that never takes a break, never hears the bell.

I’d always been active, so after meds helped stabilize me, I started investigating palliative forms of exercise. A study by the Parkinson’s Foundation found that people with the disease who exercised at least 2½ hours a week experienced slower declines in quality of life than those who didn’t exercise at all. Outdoor cycling on a two-wheeler was perilous, so I took indoor cycling classes. Some magazine articles and medical studies I read suggested that boxing was a coming thing in the Parkinson’s prescription, benefiting hand-eye coordination, balance and footwork. The irony wasn’t lost on me. Wasn’t boxing legend Muhammad Ali’s PD ascribed to a few too many punches to the head? PD boxing, however, is strictly solo; the “opposition” is a heavy bag with a sand core and filled with shredded fabric, or it’s a trainer holding padded mitts for you to pound. Unless the speed bag bounces back into your kisser, you’re not in harm’s way.

“Boxing improves balance and reflexes and builds muscle strength, and stimulates high-amplitude movements,” Lungu says.

“We spend a lot of funds and brainpower on drugs, and sometimes they don’t work and can be dangerous. [Boxing] is intuitively safer, costs a lot less and may have long-term effects for the patients.”

A study published in 2011 led by Stephanie Combs, a physical therapy assistant professor at the University of Indianapolis, observed six patients with idiopathic PD who regularly attended boxing training sessions. The research concluded that all six “showed improvements on at least five of the 12 outcome measures over the baseline at the 12-week 180

test, and showed continued improvements at the 24- and 36-week tests.”

Boxing is “probably the most challenging” of exercises that can slow the progression of PD, Lungu says. “And it is more fun.” Now that’s a word I’d never heard associated with PD. IN 1967, THE YEAR I began college at

Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, Sahakian was born in Potomac to an Armenian father and a German mother.

He attended Bethesda’s Walt Whitman High School and Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he earned an economics degree.

He signed up as a management trainee at Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Rockville, beginning a 20-year career with the company that took him to Germany, St. Louis and back to Montgomery County.

Feeling the need for a change in vocation, Sahakian started exploring entrepreneurial ventures and enlisted the services of a franchise “coach” who suggested some companies that matched his interests. One, ironically, was a firm called Knockouts—actually a chain of hair salons with a Hooters-type ambience. The other was Title Boxing.

Not seeing himself cutting hair or running a cash register, Sahakian flew to Title Boxing’s headquarters in Kansas City, Kansas, in 2012. The company, then 4 years old, was looking to expand rapidly (it now has nearly 200 locations around the U.S.). Sahakian interviewed with the owners, did Title’s basic workout—“I’m fit, but it kicked my butt,” he admits—and was impressed enough to purchase a “three-pack,” or the rights to

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

open three franchises.

Title Boxing opened its doors in the Travilah Square Shopping Center in August 2014. Classic boxing and kickboxing are both attracting new adherents, and business has been good. Sahakian will open a second franchise in North Bethesda in 2019. Back in Montgomery County, he reconnected with family and friends, including the family of Washington, D.C., journalist and pundit Morton Kondracke.

“I grew up with his daughters,” Sahakian says. Kondracke’s first wife, Milly, had a brutal battle with PD and died in 2004. “I went to visit her with my mom

and was struck by how devastating the disease can be. It’s ingrained in my mind.”

Sahakian recalls a moving eulogy delivered by actor and PD spokesman Michael J. Fox at the funeral service at St. Columba’s Episcopal Church in Northwest D.C. When Sahakian prepared to open Title Boxing, he read articles describing how boxing seemed to quiet PD tremors and decided “we should try to do something.” That “something” was a weekly boxing/exercise class, free to anyone who pays the $30 annual administrative fee to the Parkinson Foundation of the National Capital Area (PFNCA), a local charity that sponsors dozens of exer-

cise and dance programs in the region, including the one at Title. Since Jan. 1, 2018, more than 130 people have participated in at least one boxing program session at different sponsored venues, says PFNCA CEO Jared Cohen. As of the end of October, 1,026 people were registered to participate in one of the dozens of PFNCA wellness programs, including 356 from Montgomery County (60 from Bethesda). Cohen estimates that at least 3,600 county residents are living with PD.

Between six and 15 people— ranging in age from 50 to nearly 80—participate in the boxing class each week. The class has become a support group, the writer says, where members can share ups and downs and discuss challenges without feeling stigmatized.

NOT LONG AFTER THE PD class started

at Title in November 2015, I was alerted to it by my youngest brother, Lloyd, who BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

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Before he opened Title Boxing Club, owner John Sahakian (right) read articles about how boxing seemed to quiet tremors from Parkinson’s disease.

Soon after that, he started a weekly class for people with PD.

took a regular class at the club. On Jan. 7, 2016, I took my first boxing class, led by group fitness instructor Heidi Price, a soccer mom who had the patience and good-natured demeanor to deal with skill sets that varied from slim to none.

For over 30 minutes, she led us through warm-up exercises, four rounds of hitting the heavy bag or sparring with someone wearing cushiony target mitts, followed by nearly eight minutes of core strength movements. Price had me at “hit it hard!”

She didn’t coddle or patronize us; we were boxers. “I loved seeing the motivation and determination on your faces,” she told me. “It also broke my heart to see someone struggle and fall.” One over182

eager student—not me—missed Price’s outstretched mitt and popped her in the face. Price was stunned but laughed it off.

Months later, neck and shoulder injuries forced her to the sidelines. Now Sahakian or another trainer usually runs the class.

BETHESDA RESIDENT RAMON DAUBON

tends to arrive early to exercise his schmooze muscle. I enjoy his positive and gentle nature, and we share a love of quirky T-shirts. A former professor at the University of the Sacred Heart in his native Puerto Rico, Daubon, 73, says he likes “the punching and the psychological release it gives me. Also, the support group aspect is important.” Diane is

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

another regular, but she is not “out” publicly with her PD. “It’s an excellent workout and targets areas that can become difficult for those of us battling this disease,” she says. “After class, I’m both tired and energized.” Despite her aversion to boxing as sport, the weekly class is also therapeutic. “I’ve gained so much,” she says, “getting to know others going through this often difficult journey.”

Title Boxing has created a support group that shares ups and downs, worries when someone is absent, lingers after class and, perhaps most significantly, can freely and frankly discuss challenges without feeling stigmatized. “I feel a kinship,” says Richardson, the for-

Boxing is “probably the most challenging” of exercises that can slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease, Dr. Codrin Lungu says.

“And it is more fun.” mer dentist. Her disability is approaching a profound stage, but she will continue coming to class until her body betrays her. People fall—that’s a constant worry—but we have had few dropouts.

Still, a careful observer can see the march of the disease from week to week: growing rigidity in posture, random movements, tremors, slurred speech. PD moves in one direction only.

AS THE LAST BELL rings, I am perspir-

ing freely. My knuckles feel a bit bruised.

And a gang of endorphins have chased

the PD bullies in my head. For now.

Recently, Sahakian complimented my hooks. He said they were really good— not just PD good, but good for normal boxing folks. I felt a sharp frisson of pride. Later, telling my wife, I got a little weepy. Who knew that hitting an inanimate object could animate me in ways that no drug can duplicate?

There are a number of things I can no longer do. I cannot ride a two-wheel bike, so I pedal a three-wheel recumbent model. Hiking in the Adirondack Mountains in New York—a 35-year pas-

time with family and friends—is no longer possible. Fatigue at day’s end defeats my meds and slows my movements. PD seems to accelerate alcohol’s effects on body and brain.

Yet there are things I love that are still available. Travel is a passion, and I do as much as my wife—and our budget—will countenance. I can paddle a canoe, handle a stick shift and make magic on a stove or grill. I preside over a book group.

My progression is slow, doctors say. Do I worry about a time when the bottom drops out? Of course. Until then, I will find my way to the gym. I will box. I will throw punches as hard and fast as possible. I will live. ■ Steve Goldstein is a freelance writer and editor and the former bureau chief in Moscow and in Washington, D.C., for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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interview

NAME Elisabeth Bumiller AGE 62 WHAT SHE DOES The New York Times’ Washington Bureau Chief LIVES IN Bethesda

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A CONVERSATION WITH

ELISABETH BUMILLER The New York Times’ Washington bureau chief talks about competing with the Post, her role in Showtime’s The Fourth Estate, and how the job has changed under President Trump

BY STEVE ROBERTS | PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

I FIRST NOTICED Elisabeth Bumiller’s byline in the early 1980s, when she was a young reporter covering parties for the Style section of The Washington Post.

Now 62, she is the Washington bureau chief of The New York Times, and over a recent lunch she told me the story of how she started with the Post. She was about to graduate from Columbia Journalism School in New York City when she got a note to call Sally Quinn, then the reigning monarch of Washington feature writers and the wife of Post editor Ben Bradlee.

“I called Sally and she said, ‘Let me explain to you why this job covering parties for The Washington Post isn’t so terrible.’ And I said, ‘What?’ ” Bumiller laughs. “They were looking for a reporter to cover Washington parties, and I had been recommended to them because my first or second week at school I had gone to the assistant dean and said, ‘We should have a party. All the students are very nervous and uptight.’ So I had gotten $300 from the dean to throw a party, so that was why they recommended me.”

Her classmates at Columbia derided her for accepting such a frivolous job. “Are you kidding me?” Bumiller says. “It was 1979, it was five years after Watergate. I mean, The Washington Post was the most exciting paper in the world. Parties were an extension of the working day in Washington. I would go up to White House people and members of Congress and ask them about the news of the day.

So the idea was to have newsy elements in the story, plus a sense of irreverence. And that’s what I did.”

Bumiller’s colorful family background includes a touch of journalistic royalty. Her parents met on a ferry in Denmark. Her father was an American architect who had decided to make a film about traveling around the world in a Jeep. Bumiller’s

mother “was a very attractive Danish woman, and they ended up spending the next three days together and she got pregnant with me,” their daughter says.

Her parents eventually married, a year after Elisabeth’s birth, and settled in Cincinnati, her father’s hometown. Meanwhile, Bumiller’s uncle, Frank Cormier, married to her father’s sister, was the chief White House correspondent for the Associated Press. “Uncle Frank was a big deal. He traveled with the president, and he’d ask the first question at White House press conferences. He was in Dallas when Kennedy was shot, so we knew Frank had a very exciting job,” she recalls.

Bumiller joined the staff of The Chatterbox, the school paper at Walnut Hills High School. “I just loved it,” she says. “I learned about what was going on at the school, I liked seeing my byline, it was just totally fun. And that’s why I applied to Medill [the journalism school at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois], where my uncle had gone.”

Between Northwestern and graduate school at Columbia she spent a year working for the Miami Herald in Naples, Florida, and when Sally Quinn called, Bumiller already knew a lot about the Post. “I had been reading The Washington Post Style section while I was in Naples because, inexplicably, the little coffee shop next to the Miami Herald office got the paper,” she says. “So I would go there and read the Style section over my tuna sandwich every day, and I was already a big fan.”

We were enjoying a fancy lunch of octopus and salmon, not tuna sandwiches, but we were sitting only a few blocks from the old Post headquarters on L Street in Northwest D.C., where Bumiller’s journey started 39 years ago. Over several hours she told me the tale of that journey—covering the parties of the

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interview Carter and Reagan years; marrying a New York Times reporter in 1983 and following him on assignments to India and Japan; returning to New York in 1992 and getting hired by the Times; moving back to Washington in 2001, settling in Bethesda and covering the White House. Today, Bumiller runs a bureau of 60 reporters and editors for a paper that President Donald Trump regularly denounces as “the failing New York Times,” and she recently starred in The Fourth Estate, a Showtime documentary series about the Times’ coverage of the president.

How did you meet your husband, Steve Weisman?

Steve was then a White House correspondent for The New York Times. I met him at a party that we were both covering. A year before, Steve had talked to my class at Columbia. I remembered him being very self-deprecating and funny, so I introduced myself [at the party] and said, ‘Oh, I remember you.’ And he said, ‘Oh, thank you very much,’ and so nothing happened. And then that spring of 1980 I ran into him again in Georgetown and we had a short conversation and he said, ‘I’ll give you a call. Let’s have dinner.’

Anyway, he never called. So in April of 1980—he hates this story, but I’ll tell it—I called him and just said, ‘Would you like to have dinner?’ And that’s how we got together.

Tell me about your career at the Times.

I became City Hall bureau chief in ’99 and covered Rudy Giuliani and his midlife crisis: his aborted [Senate] race against Hillary Clinton, his leaving his wife, his prostate cancer. It was a soap opera. And then in 2001 the Times offered me the White House job. At that point I had moved to Japan and India for Steve, so we moved back to Washington for me.

What was it like covering Giuliani?

He was an extremely combative, very tough mayor to cover. One time I wrote a story about real estate in New York, and it said Rudy had not promoted building as much as he said he did. He went crazy.

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I was covering a speech he was giving the day the story appeared, and he went after me. He denounced the story—it sounds like nothing now, it was pre-Trumpian— and he denounced me by name in front of this huge crowd. That was pretty stunning for me, but in retrospect it was a forerunner of what happens now.

Why did you settle in Montgomery County?

Our kids had been in private school in New York and it was really expensive. I knew about the great schools in Montgomery County, and a friend had told me, ‘You should live where my sister lives, and that’s Westmoreland Hills.’ So Teddy went to Westbrook, a great elementary school, and Madeleine, who was in middle school, went to Westland. And they both went on to B-CC [BethesdaChevy Chase High School].

Are either of your children interested in journalism?

Neither of them. Teddy is working on a Ph.D. in math and Madeleine is the first mate on a tall ship in Mystic Seaport, Connecticut.

What were the perils of being married to a fellow journalist?

Steve started covering the State Department, and that was a little close because I was covering the White House. There was only one time we wrote a story together, and it resulted in one of the biggest fights of our marriage. It was the run-up to the Iraq War in the early part of ’03. I had a story about a development at the U.N., and Steve had a story out of the State Department, and they combined them at the end of the day. My contribution was the lead because it was the White House, and Steve was really angry. I remember he said to me, ‘This story is not wrong, it’s just stupid.’ And his name was on it, too. That was really bad. We never did that again.

Why did you move into management?

By the time I became an editor, I had been at the Times [for] 18 years and there was nothing left that I really wanted to cover.

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Dean Baquet [now executive editor of the Times] had been bureau chief for four years, and I saw how much difference one person can make. One person.

In what way?

In terms of morale and in terms of shaping stories, helping reporters. And I also saw how much pleasure he got out of it. I just thought, that looks like a really rewarding important job. So that was when I put my hand up, and a year later I became a deputy on the desk in charge of the White House reporters and domestic policy. I liked feeling a part of putting out The New York Times every day. You have more of a sense of that when you are an editor.

When did you become bureau chief?

2015. When I first became bureau chief, I used to joke that my best training for the job was raising two irascible teenagers, which is very insulting for everybody involved—the kids and the bureau.

But accurate in both cases!

This is going to sound really stupid, but I had been the parent organizer for a very large Boy Scout troop in Chevy Chase that was 75 Scouts and 150 parents, and that was actually very good training in tact and diplomacy and moving people along and organization.

How did raising two ‘irascible teenagers’ help prepare you for the job?

I didn’t always do this as a mother, of course, but you need to remain calm when they are upset and try to talk them through it and not get super engaged in the emotion of the moment, right? Stay above it.

Work them out of it. Reporters are very passionate, and it’s a highly stressful job, and it’s more stressful than ever now.

Tell me how life has changed under Trump.

Well, it has drastically changed. The hours are much, much longer, and it’s totally unpredictable. And the pressures on us are just really intense. Also, in the middle of all this, the Times has changed dramatically into a digital-first operation.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

So we are filing now all day long. We are sort of AP and The New York Times all rolled into one. Now we have an editor and a reporter coming in at 6 a.m., and we have the night team there usually until midnight, 1 a.m., 2 a.m. So the bureau is basically operating close to 24 hours. We have six White House correspondents now—when I was covering the White House, it was just two of us. What’s also changed is that we are much tougher about calling out falsehoods from the president. In the old days you would say, ‘the president said this, but Democrats said this.’ We don’t do that anymore. And we have a full-time fact-checker, as well, who writes fact checks almost every day.

She is kept very busy by Trump.

Why are you ‘much tougher’?

If the president is saying something over and over again, when he is going against the statistics of his own government, you’ve got to point that out right away. You can’t just say, ‘he said.’ You have to say, ‘he falsely said.’ I think it’s a good formulation, especially when the numbers are coming from his own government.

Is there any hesitancy? Any concern that you are crossing a line?

I don’t feel like we are crossing the line, no. I think it’s worse to say, ‘the president said,’ like it’s true. Trump has uttered so many obvious falsehoods, so often, that to just report what he said, like we have covered other presidents, seems like a falsehood in itself.

Chuck Todd [moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press] talks about the press ‘fighting back’ against Trump. Do you think that you are fighting back?

No. We are not the resistance. We are not the opposition. We are not in a fight with the administration. We are doing our jobs. We are aggressively, thoroughly, fairly reporting on the White House and the Trump administration.

That is how we see it.

Why do you reject the idea of ‘fighting back’?

Because it undermines our credibility

and our impartiality and our fairness. I just think it is a terrible idea to do that.

That’s not why I went into journalism.

Why do you have to have someone come in at 6 a.m.?

Well, the tweets. A lot of early developments. When Trump first became president, he was tweeting at the crack of dawn. We weren’t ready for it. It had never happened before. And so we scrambled, and New York pushed hard, and I easily agreed that we needed someone in there earlier. There are two schools of thought about Trump’s tweets. One is that, ‘Why are you just covering the noise?’ On the other hand, he is the president of the United States, so his tweets are often policy or they are so over the top for an American president that they need to be covered—attacking his attorney general, for example. So often when I get in, at about 8:30, we’ve already got a couple of stories up online.

What are the lessons you’ve learned about covering Trump?

One of the things we’ve done is make sure there is a really, really high price for mistakes. There has always been a high price for mistakes at the Times. Now there is a higher price because we are so much on the radar. We’ve got a president who is coming after us regularly and we don’t want to give him any ammunition.

What have been your high points and low points as bureau chief ?

A low point was getting beaten by The Washington Post on all the Flynn coverage [Michael Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI]. The Post was really good in the beginning on Michael Flynn, and we were scrambling. I guess low points will always be when we get beaten by our competitors, and that would be one of them. The high point was the Russia team’s coverage, and the Pulitzer.

The president talks constantly about ‘the failing New York Times.’ How does that affect you?

I’ve met Donald Trump once, that was

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interview when he came to the Times for an interview right after he was elected, and since then I’ve had occasional calls from the press secretary, Sarah Sanders, complaining about various aspects of coverage.

But I used to get those kinds of calls from the Obama people, too. It’s really Trump with his megaphone that is the difference, saying ‘the failing New York Times.’

We know it is good politics for him, we know that it makes him feel good, and we also know that he really pays attention to the paper and wants approval from the Times. He is the most combative president against the press that I have ever seen, and we worry when he calls us the enemy of the people. The concern is that somebody is going to get hurt. I do worry about that. That feels very different.

Different in what way?

Well, without going into details, we’ve increased security in the bureau. And reporters have felt uneasy at some of these rallies. Trump has just been so aggressive rhetorically, there is a concern that someone is going to act on it.

Have you ever gotten a hate communication or feared for your safety?

I’ve gotten a lot of hate mail over the years, especially when I was covering the White House, less so now because my byline is not out there. Some of it was unnerving, but I’ve never gotten a really ugly threat and I’ve never feared for my safety.

That hasn’t changed during the Trump era?

It’s certainly changed for some of the high-profile reporters in the office, but it hasn’t changed for me.

How has the makeup of the bureau changed?

The bureau is almost 50 percent women, which is a big change from when I was first starting. We still need to be more diverse, but we are getting there. And it’s a lot younger, many more people in their 30s and 40s now, and we have some people in their 20s. And they are more digitally focused. But everybody 190

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has come around to digital—all you have to do is look at the readership numbers on digital compared to print, although print has hung around a lot longer than anybody thought.

I get four newspapers in the driveway, and there are days I never take them out of the plastic because I’ve read everything online the night before.

Yeah, I know. I mean Steve still reads from print. We drive in together, I’m reading on my phone, of course I’m not driving, and he still has The New York Times squashed up on the dashboard, which he pulls out at red lights. And I’m like, ‘What?’ Print smudges everywhere. He still likes print.

Steve retired from the Times 10 years ago, but you still drive in together?

Yeah. He drops me off at the bureau and then he goes to the Peterson Institute [an economics think tank where he is a vice president]. I always say he is the most expensive driver in town.

Showtime made a four-part series called The Fourth Estate about the Times, and you appear in it quite prominently. How did that come about, and how does it feel being a TV star?

Well, I don’t feel like I am the star. Sam Dolnick and Dean Baquet [editors in New York] came to us with this. They really wanted to do it. But we were very apprehensive in Washington, we were concerned that sources would be exposed and that we would look stupid or arrogant or The Washington Post would just clobber us for a year and there would be a television record of it. So the deal was if you didn’t want to participate, you could just sit it out. We didn’t have any idea what was going to happen with it. And we didn’t know who they were going to focus on, and I don’t think they knew. But they kept asking to go to our houses, and the whole thing made me nervous.

Did they go to your house?

Yes, they went to my house. My dog, Otto, is in it.

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Modifications to divorce or separation agreements executed prior to 2019 will preserve the old tax treatment unless the parties mutually agree to apply the new law.

If your alimony agreement was executed on or before December 31, 2018, alimony can remain tax-deductible for the paying spouse and taxable income to the receiving spouse. While many provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expire, the change in alimony taxation is permanent.

If your alimony agreement is executed after January 2019, the new law applies. For example, if Spouse A makes $200,000 a year and is paying Spouse B $30,000 a year in alimony. Under the new law Spouse A is taxed on the full $200,000 no matter how much alimony is paid to Spouse B. And Spouse B is not taxed at all for any alimony received.

If you are considering divorce, consult with a family law attorney for careful financial planning to achieve the best possible results.

25 West Middle Lane • Rockville, Maryland 20850 301-340-2020 • www.steinsperling.com Monica Garcia Harms co-chairs the Family Law department at Stein Sperling. Her thorough knowledge and understanding of her clients’ circumstances and needs distinguish her approach to the practice of family law. Monica represents clients in complex matters including divorce, contested custody, support and property allocation.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

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rise to every custody challenge

Nothing is more important than your children. During and after divorce, you need to know: • • • • • • •

Where will your kids live?

Who’s with them for summers/holidays?

How much child support will there be?

Who makes medical decisions?

Who will pay for private school?

What if you or your ex wants to move?

How do you change a prior court order or agreement?

Lerch Early’s family law attorneys listen to understand what’s most important to you and best for your kids. We then negotiate and advocate for you to help your family resolve these parenting challenges.

For more info, visit the Divorce and Family Law page at lerchearly.com.

interview Did you feel that the cameras inhibited your ability to be candid?

Of course, of course. They would wire me when I would go into the 9:30 meeting [when the day’s news is discussed with editors in New York], but then I would take it off right away because I was literally wearing a wire and I was talking to my colleagues. They would come down about once a week, and a little more often if there was big news breaking, and they would just park themselves in the bureau and they would be there for 12 hours.

I was basically always aware they were there, and yeah, we were better behaved when they were there. But sometimes I would just get too busy with the news to care too much about behaving myself.

So it’s a pretty accurate portrayal of us.

Do people now recognize you from TV? All of five people have recognized me.

I have been recognized a couple times outside the bureau, and once on a street in Brooklyn.

This is a human institution, and you are in charge. It must be a very difficult managerial job.

Yes, people are exhausted. But people also know this is a story of a lifetime. So there is a lot of adrenaline and energy going on. The first year, I think we thought, ‘Well, this can’t possibly last.

This is not sustainable, this kind of presidency.’ And it turns out it is, right? So we now know we are in it for the long haul.

Readers’ Pick, A Top Vote Getter Best Dentist 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | 2019 Readers’ Pick, Best Dentist 2011

You seem to be saying that you’re prepared for at least another two years of this high-intensity, mercurial presidency. Things haven’t calmed down, things haven’t gotten more normal.

This is the new normal. We are fully expecting to go through 2020. After that, who knows? n Steve Roberts spent 25 years at The New York Times, half of them in the Washington bureau. He now teaches journalism and politics at George Washington University. The Bethesda Interview is edited for clarity and length.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Long & Foster. For the love of home.™

to Long & Foster | Christie’s exclusive Showcase of Homes Since 1968, we’ve been guiding clients through the process of buying and selling homes. We know home buying isn’t just about bricks and sticks, it’s about where you’ll be for some of life’s most important moments. Our agents are known for the training they receive so they can help you decide when to jump on an opportunity and when to keep looking. We can help you find the perfect place to buy or expertly market your property when it’s

1

#

In Bethesda In the Washington Metro Area In the Mid-Atlantic Region Independent Real Estate Brand in the Nation* Seller of Luxury Homes in the Mid-Atlantic Region

time to sell.

Enjoy browsing the following pages, and when you’re ready to take the next step, visit LongandFoster.com.

Source: * No. 1 independent brand as part of HomeServices of America according to the REAL Trends 500. All other information is based on data supplied MRIS and its member Association(s) of REALTORS, who are not responsible for its accuracy. Does not reflect all activity in the marketplace. 10.1.17 – 9.30.18 as of 10.9.18. Information contained in this report is deemed reliable but not guaranteed, should be independently verified, and does not constitute an opinion of MRIS or Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. All rights reserved.

Bethesda WELCOME Jan-Feb19.indd 1

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Long & Foster. For the love of home.™

Greta Nicoletti

B E T H E S D A

E X C L U S I V E

Light-filled and private, this New England Cape home sits on an unusually large 1.4 acre lot in close-in Bethesda. This home was masterfully renovated, incorporating modern functionality, unique features and spacious additions for family gatherings and entertaining, while preserving its original charm of an inviting and loving home. Voluntary memberships in neighborhood swimming pool and citizen association provide entry into a vibrant and social community life. Offered at $2,549,000.

The Luxury Authority in Montgomery County

301.910.2696 | 240.800.5155 (O) www.6620ElginLane.com www.GretaHomes.com GretaHomes@gmail.com

Thank you to our Buyers & Sellers for Another Successful Year!

Making the Difference

Sondra Mulheron 301.785.9536 smulheron@LNF.com

Pam Schiattareggia 301.802.7796 pam.scat@LNF.com

www.HomesbySondraandPam.com

2019

Top 1% of Long & Foster Agents in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area Top-Producing Team Bethesda Gateway Office 301.907.7600

Successfully Helping Buyers & Sellers since 2003

Wishing You Health, Happiness & Prosperity in the New Year!

LongandFoster.com

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Wendy

Long & Foster. For the love of home.™

BANNER TEAM Thank you for your continued support and helping to make 2018 another award winning year for the Banner Team!

Whatever your real estate needs, the Banner Team does it all.

No matter how high or low, near or far, we will never stop going above and beyond for you.

P R I VAT E E XC LU S I V E

Potomac/Bradley Blvd Estates

Back Row, Left to Right— Michelle Teichberg, Brooke Bassin, Julia Fortin Front Row, Left to Right—Pat Karta, Ilene West Gordon, Wendy Banner, Jody Aucamp, Gail Gordon Not Pictured—Paula Nesbitt and Emily Moritt

P R I VAT E E XC LU S I V E

$1,249,000

Potomac/Avenel

CO M I N G S O O N

$1,425,000

Potomac

$1,735,000

Mid-Century Modern “Tree House” with California flair on a 1+ acre lot in close-in Potomac with 5 bedrooms and 3 full baths. Enjoy relaxing in the delightful screened porch, stone patio or deck all while overlooking a tranquil setting with stream.

Light-filled home with 3 bedrooms, 4 full and 2 half baths in one of the best lots in Prescott of Avenel. Featuring soaring ceilings, main level study, renovated owner’s suite and beautiful private yard with spacious deck and inviting Georgetown style brick patio!

Inviting home on flat 1-acre lot complete with mature plantings, gardens, and large patio with 40 foot pool!

Thoughtful spaces and details such as reclaimed wood, 5 stone fireplaces, striking 250 sq. ft. home office, and floor to ceiling leaded windows stream natural light. Six bedrooms, 5.5 baths and finished lower level offer plenty of room for family and guests.

Potomac/Falconhurst

Potomac/Avenel

Potomac/Avenel

CO M I N G S O O N

$1,800,000

Stately home in Falconhurst filled with natural light in close-in Potomac on 2 acres with a fantastic yard complete with freshly painted deck, pool, and custom fountains!

Expanded interior features a main level owner’s suite, high ceilings throughout and 7,000+ sq. ft. of finished space on 3 levels.

$2,295,000

Impeccable custom home with 6 bedrooms, 6 full and 3 half baths on flat half acre lot in the gated community of Rapley Preserve at Avenel. Superior craftsmanship with stunning two story living room, pristine gourmet kitchen, main level owner’s suite, wine cellar, elevator and more!

$2,875,000

Magnificently renovated custom home that elevates the concept of luxury living to an entirely new level. Elegant spaces including a state of the art kitchen, 6 bedrooms, 7 full and 2 half baths plus a must-see lower level complete with seated bar and home theater. The exquisite exterior features 2 acres with a heated pool and spa to ensure the finest of Avenel living.

301.365.9090 • Info@BannerTeam.com • www.BannerTeam.com 4650 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland | 301.907.7600

Wendy Banner Bethesda Jan-Feb19.indd 3

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Long & Foster. For the love of home.™

Bethesda All Points Office A Top Long & Foster Office for 2018 A destination office for top producing luxury market agents and their clients!

VICKI PORTER

HAMID SAMIY

301.325.2965 • Vicki.Porter@LNF.com Licensed in DC, MD & VA

202.714.1300 • Hamid.Samiy@LNF.com REALTOR®

Innovative Marketing Expert Your Montgomery County Expert raised in Bethesda l Helping buyers and sellers make their real estate dreams come true! l SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) experienced in down-sizing l Call Vicki for the real estate results you desire! l

As a seasoned professional, Hamid possesses a positive outlook, a calm demeanor, top notch negotiation skills, and extensive experience in real estate finance. He can assist you in making informed decisions about your next move and see you through all the details of your home purchase or sale.

l

Coming Spring 2019, Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Call Vicki for details.

www.VickiPorter.net

KAT CONLEY

PAGE EISINGER

301.461.3934 • Page.Eisinger@LongandFoster.com Licensed in DC, MD & VA

301.943.3865 (C) • 301.229.4000 (O)

Award Winning Top Producer for 26 Years!

• Recognized by Washingtonian Magazine as top agent in 2017

Licensed in DC, MD and VA Licensed since 1991 2011 Realty Alliance Award Recipient Top 5% of REALTORS®, North America #9 Overall in Bethesda “All Points” Office Call Kat for any of your real estate needs!

• Native Washingtonian.

• Offering caring, committed, personal and professional service to buyers and sellers for over 30 years.

ANNE & LAURA EMMETT

l

Long & Foster Luxury Alliance members Anne & Laura call Bethesda home! Edgemoor & Sumner Neighborhood Residents & Experts!

Let us guide you through complex transactions to maximize profit and minimize stress

LYNN A. STEWART

301.580.4552 • Lynn.Stewart@LongandFoster.com Licensed in MD & DC Your Bethesda Neighborhood Specialist OFFERING YOU: • EXPERT advice and specialists for renovations and staging helping you achieve the highest possible sales price • EXPERT advice & assistance on Downsizing and Right Sizing • EXPERT advice and service on updates to your house long before you decide to Sell • EXPERT listing & negotiation advice for the most Stress Free sale The Only Real Estate EXPERT You Need!

WALSH RICHARDS

301.706.3151 l l

l

l

Walsh.Richards@LongandFoster.com Licensed in DC, MD & VA l

Results driven Native Washingtonian committed to finding you the perfect home.

Professional and personal level of service Over 50 years of diverse commercial and residential real estate experience to help you throughout the selling and buying process.

$484,990

Darling, fixer-upper bungalow in historic West End Park with a deep backyard and off-street parking. Five bedrooms, 2 full baths. Put your own special touches on this little gem!

This lovely Edgemoor townhome features a floorplan with 2,172 square feet, including a grand dining and living room, eat-in kitchen, family room, courtyard patio, 2 large bedrooms with en suite baths, spacious master suite and 2 car garage. Two blocks to Metro.

Licensed in DC & MD

l

705 W. Montgomery Ave, Rockville

Bethesda $1,295,000

Anne: 301.466.2515 • Anne.Emmett@LNF.com Laura: 202.422.6374 • Laura.Emmett@LNF.com

l

Moving You Forward

TAMMY GRUNER DURBIN 301.996.8334 • TGDHomes@LNF.com Associate Broker • Licensed in MD/DC Consistent Top Honors and Producer in the Industry 29 years of Proven Results and a Commitment to Excellence There is a Formula for Success in every Real Estate Transaction

KELLY BOHI

301.580.4991 • Kelly.Bohi@LongandFoster.com Licensed in DC, MD & VA Overall Individual # 5 for 2017 Overall Ranking #9 for 2017 • Your relocation expert for over 15 years • Top producer in the Bethesda All Points Office • Your Massachusetts Avenue Corridor Neighbor • I can simplify your home buying and selling process to take the pressure off of you!

LongandFoster.com 4701 Sangamore Rd, Suite L1, Bethesda, Maryland | 301.229.4000

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Bethesd

Long & Foster. For the love of home.™

Bethesda All Points Office A Top Long & Foster Office for 2018 A destination office for top producing luxury market agents and their clients!

W E T H A N K YO U F O R A N OT H E R R E CO R D B R E A K I N G Y E A R !

We look forward to working with you in 2019!

Call to find out why 42 agents chose to join our office in 2018!

• Offering our Luxury Clients specialized Christie’s International Real Estate Marketing • An Executive Approach to Real Estate Susan Sanford

VP, Managing Broker ssanford@LNF.com Office Direct: 301.320.8300

• A Top Producing Long & Foster Office with Award Winning Agents • Serving the DC MD VA area • Relocation Services

Happy New Year

Congratulations to Susan Sanford on her Christie’s International Real Estate Luxury Specialist Designation!

Interested in joining our team? Call Susan today for a confidential interview to find out why top producing and new agents join her office and choose to stay!

HILL SLOWINSKI 301.452.1409 • HILL@LNF.com www.HillSlowinski.com

Board Member and VP The Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce l #9 Agent Washington Metro Region (2011) l Chairman’s Club l Serving clients in DC•MD•VA

11/13/2018

2019 Top Vote Getter Icon.jpg

ANDY ALDERDICE

l

Reader’s Pick, A Top Vote Getter, Best Real Estate Agent A 5th generation Washingtonian assisting many MD, DC and VA residents in the sale and/or purchase of their first and subsequent homes since 1994.

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgxvzLXFHTcTZhwGSbwGQSKCllgjs?projector=1&messagePartId=0.1.0

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301.466.5898 | andy4homes@gmail.com | www.andy4homes.com

• Realty Alliance Award Recipient, Top 5 Percent North America • Specializing in NW DC & Montgomery County

LD

301.351.4517 • SCochran@LNF.com www.SCochran.com

SO

SHARRON COCHRAN

Thanks for making 2018 an award-winning year!

Wishing you a prosperous 2019 Chevy Chase

• Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)

$1,295,000

A must see! Gorgeous, expanded and completely renovated Rollingwood Colonial with 6 bedrooms and 4.5 baths. Spacious bedrooms and expansive living spaces perfect for entertaining all located just 2 blocks to the DC line and steps to Rock Creek Park.

• Seniors Residential Specialist (SRES)

Licensed in MD, DC & VA

CATHY KELLEHER

301.233.3645 • Cathy.A.Kelleher@gmail.com

Private Placement in Purcellville

Top producing agent of Long & Foster | Christie’s Bethesda All Points Office

$950,000

Rarely do we see such a lovely restoration/renovation as this! The home, built in 1875 sits upon a foundation dating to 1824. Lovingly restored and renovated in the 1990’s, this home is in move in condition with 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths, a 3 level addition added a fabulous great room with a beautiful stone raised hearth fireplace and wall to wall windows. The master suite was also part of the addition and includes a large full bath with double sink vanity.

Outdoors, there is a spring house, a recreational pond that is fed by a natural spring. There is also a big red barn that has been the venue for 2 wedding receptions and many large gatherings. See for yourself by viewing the virtual tour at http://spws.homevisit.com/hvid/245143.

Showings are by appointment only with the listing agent.

3 Neighborhood Specialist – MD, DC & VA 3 Client First Approach 3 Expert Contract Negotiator 3 Strategic Sales Consultant

Call for a complimentary price evaluation of your home. c 202.365.3222 LydiaBenson@StanfordAlumni.org

LongandFoster.com 4701 Sangamore Rd, Suite L1, Bethesda, Maryland | 301.229.4000

11:45 AM

Bethesda All Points 2019 Jan-Feb.indd 12

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Long & Foster. For the love of home.™

&

410.266.6880

You should be working with the Waterfront Experts!

Annapolis Area Waterfront

$625,000

Annapolis Area

Joe Bray, Reid Buckley & Steven Arcé Licensed REALTORS®

$999,900

Chesapeake Bay Waterfront

$1,095,000

Waterfront cottage, with fantastic Severn River views and deep water, is ready for your special touch. It’s perfect for a weekend-getaway or year-round home.

Conveniently located to commute routes.

Watch the LIVE video at www.WaterfrontHomes.org

Water-privileged community on the Severn River!

Gorgeous custom-built home on a private 1.5+ acre setting. Spectacular chef’s kitchen and soaring 2-story family room. Deep-water slip at community marina!

Watch the LIVE video at www.WaterfrontHomes.org

Waterfront oasis with sweeping Chesapeake Bay views and a private pier. Updated 4-bedroom home with main level master suite, hardwood floors, and gourmet kitchen! Easy drive to DC. Watch the LIVE Video at www.WaterfrontHomes.org

Annapolis Waterfront

Annapolis Area Waterfront

Annapolis Area Waterfront

$1,265,000

Waterfront home on the South River has a private, deep water pier, in-ground pool, huge deck, and hot tub. Open floor plan with expansive water views!

Minutes to Route 50 and 97.

Watch the LIVE Video at www.WaterfrontHomes.org

Galesville Waterfront

$2,650,000

Custom waterfront home with breathtaking views out the West River to the Chesapeake Bay! Private, point-of-land setting with waterside pool and private pier. Easy DC commute. Watch the LIVE Video at www.WaterfrontHomes.org

Annapolis Waterfront

$4,200,000

Custom Severn River waterfront home with panoramic views of the Chesapeake Bay. Exceptional Eastport location with private pier and waterside pool. Walk to downtown!

Watch the LIVE video at www.WaterfrontHomes.org

$1,449,000

$1,475,000

Awe-inspiring views from this updated 4-bedroom home. Bright, open floor plan with walls of windows, lovely master suite, and a picturesque waterfront setting with private pier!

Watch the LIVE Video at www.WaterfrontHomes.org

Exceptional waterfront home with private pier on 2+ acres. Perfect for entertaining with an open floor plan and indoor swim spa! Main level master suite has spalike bathroom. Separate 2-bedroom apartment.

Watch the LIVE video at www.WaterfrontHomes.org

Annapolis Waterfront

Annapolis Area Waterfront

$2,795,000

$3,900,000

Stunning 5-bedroom waterfront home with tranquil waterside pool and spa! Severn River views and a private pier; lush landscaping in a private setting.

Sought-after community offers lots of activities.

Watch the LIVE video at www.WaterfrontHomes.org

WOW setting: waterside pool, private deep-water pier, and the ultimate water views — all the way down the South River to the Chesapeake Bay! Gorgeous remodeled home on 2 private acres.

Watch the LIVE Video at www.WaterfrontHomes.org

Annapolis Area Waterfront

Annapolis Waterfront

$5,000,000

Exquisite waterfront manor home in gated community on 2+ acres! Immaculate throughout with no detail overlooked. Heated waterside pool and incredible Chesapeake Bay views.

Watch the LIVE video at www.WaterfrontHomes.org

$5,500,000

Annapolis Waterfront estate on 40 acres. Stately 5-bedroom home and separate 2,000 SF guest house.

Waterside pool with pool house, private deep-water dock — an unparalleled setting!

Watch the LIVE video at www.WaterfrontHomes.org

410.266.6880 (Direct) | 410.260.2800 (BOM) www.WaterfrontHomes.org | Charlie@WaterfrontHomes.org 320 6th Street, Annapolis, Maryland 21403

Charlie Buckley-Jan-Feb.indd 1

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interior design. architecture. home sales.

PHOTO BY ANGIE SECKINGER

home

The owners of a 1940s Bethesda house gained a cozy reading spot when they expanded their family room. For more on this renovation and details on projects in two other homes, turn to page 202.

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home | HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS

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1

MOODY BLUES

3

Design tastemakers are excited about a new hue this year—a serene blue with subtle green and gray undertones. It’s popping up in paints and home furnishings.

1. SIDE PIECE

2. SWEET DREAMS

3. NEW NEUTRAL

Inject some personality into a room with a pretty painted element. This curvy, antiqueinspired two-drawer chest can be a handy bedside table or provide extra storage in a foyer. The Bombay small chest is 26 inches wide, 14 inches deep and 33 inches high and is $549 at Arhaus in Rockville (301-230-2973; arhaus.com).

Super-soft stonewashed linens create a tranquil bedroom with a contemporary lived-in look. The Originel bed collection (in Ocean) includes a flat sheet ($295 to $335), fitted sheet ($265 to $310), duvet ($480 to $600) and single sham ($50 to $90), all at Yves Delorme in Bethesda (301-897-5009; usa.yvesdelorme.com).

Behr’s 2019 paint color of the year is Blueprint (S470-5), a midtone blue that is warmer than denim and softer than navy.

Use it to create a calming bedroom or a stunning front door. Pick up a gallon of Premium Plus paint and primer for $24.98 at Home Depot in Bethesda (301-634-3726; homedepot.com).

200 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

ALL COURTESY PHOTOS

BY CAROLYN WEBER

5

4 6

4. BEAUTIFUL BLOOMS

5. FRENCH TWIST

6. MOD SQUAD

Red and blue make a great design pair, as demonstrated by this fabric. Corneila, part of Thibaut’s Chestnut Hill collection, is a large-scale floral pattern that’s perfect for drapes, Roman shades or throw pillows.

It is 100 percent linen, 54 inches wide and retails for $110 per yard through Yi’s Interiors in Rockville (301-770-3687; yisinterior.com).

Farrow & Ball has launched several fresh paint colors for 2019, including De Nimes (No. 299), which was inspired by a fabric used to make work clothes in Nimes, France. It is elegant, yet down to earth, and adds sophistication to anything from a dining space to kitchen cabinets. A gallon of interior paint sells for $110 at the Farrow & Ball showroom in Friendship Heights (202-479-6780; us.farrow-ball.com).

Don’t be afraid of colorful pieces of furniture. This standout sofa makes a design statement with a sleek midcentury-modern style and tone-on-tone basket-weave upholstery. The Gia button-tufted sofa is 88½ inches long and priced at $1,999 at Crate & Barrel in Spring Valley in D.C. (202-364-6100; crateandbarrel.com). n

Carolyn Weber lives in Silver Spring and frequently writes about architecture and home design.

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home

By adding onto their Rockville home, Christina and Dan Bucsa gained a spacious kitchen where they spend time with their kids (from left) Catherine, Peter and Christopher.

202 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Expansion Plans Three families transformed the style and function of their homes with the help of thoughtful additions

PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

BY CAROLYN WEBER

WHETHER IT’S A MODEST bump-out or an entire second story, a new home addition adds value and transforms the way an older house looks, feels and functions. At the top of local homeowners’ wish lists are new kitchens, family rooms, screen porches, and master suites with ample walk-in closets.

Remodeling is an investment, and people are paying careful attention to the details, emphasizing quality as much as quantity.

“My impression is that clients are scaling down additions and trying to use their money more efficiently,” says George Papaheraklis, the founder of FineCraft Contractors in Gaithersburg. He’s seeing a shift toward reducing the square footage of additions and allocating part of the budget to upgrading the existing house in order to minimize the contrast between old and new. “Bringing the details and finishes up to the same level as the addition is especially important in open floor plans,” he says. “It helps to create a seamless transition.”

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In the Bucsas’ home, the mudroom is a crucial connection point in the floor plan, with doors to the garage and yard, and a hallway to the new powder room. The room features a porcelain tile floor, laundry sink, quartz countertops, bench seating and washer/dryer.

204 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTOS BY ANICE HOACHLANDER

home home

Relocating the back doors took foot traffic out of the family room, making it more usable and easier to furnish.

It’s All Relative

PHOTOS BY ANICE HOACHLANDER

FAMILY TIES ARE VERY important to Christina Bucsa. When she, her husband, Dan, and their three small children moved back to her native Rockville from Hoboken, New Jersey, to be near her close-knit Greek family, her cousin Chris Georgatsos was their real estate agent. A few years later, when it was time to renovate the house, she enlisted Lou Balodemas, also a first cousin and the owner of Balodemas Architects in Washington, D.C. The Bucsas chose Rockville’s Fallsmead community for its proximity to public schools, a pool and a park. The two-story colonial was a good value and had potential, but it had been a rental since it was built in 1973, so there was a lot of wear and tear, and no improvements had been made. The first-floor

circulation was poor, and the small kitchen was congested. “The door from the garage collided with the refrigerator door,” Dan says.

“And there was no space for a fifth chair at the breakfast table.”

Balodemas and FineCraft Contractors teamed up to transform the first floor by moving the powder room to create a center hall passageway, and added a 10½-foot-deep by 42-foot-wide single-story addition across the back of the house. That allowed for an expanded kitchen and informal dining space, a new walk-in pantry, a powder room, and a mudroom that’s just around the corner from the kitchen, so coats, shoes and laundry are close at hand but out of sight.

The Bucsas were careful to only add square footage that they really needed. “It was partly

the dollars, but we also didn’t want to impact the backyard,” says Dan, who has worked hard on the landscaping and patio. They also plan to live there for many years, and wanted a house of a manageable size that will be easy to care for after the kids leave the nest.

Now there is plenty of space for the Bucsas to celebrate Greek Easter, feasting on lamb with Chris, Lou and more than 30 other cousins, siblings, aunts, uncles and grandparents. The adults gather in the formal dining room, and the kids hang out in the informal areas or in the backyard, hunting for eggs or playing basketball.

“Working with family was good,” Dan says.

“It was very comfortable, we could be candid and we knew they were looking out for our best interests.”

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Removing the back wall of the Ventimiglias’ house made way for the family room addition and provided clearance to extend the kitchen island, which can now accommodate four barstools.

206 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTOS BY ANGIE SECKINGER

home home

In this new open plan, the sight lines from the kitchen are key, pulling the eye to the ceiling lantern and then straight through to the bay window.

Room to Grow SAMANTHA AND PETE VENTIMIGLIA like older homes and are not afraid of remodeling, having completed renovations on two homes in Chevy Chase. More recently, they completed a yearlong overhaul of a classic 1940s Georgian Revival in Bethesda’s Kenwood neighborhood in 2012, before they moved in. “We enjoy taking houses with good bones, updating them, and making them our own,” Samantha says.

In the first phase of the Kenwood renovation, they updated four of the six bathrooms, overhauled the kitchen and removed a wall that separated it from the dining room. “It made the house much more livable, but we were still missing that large family room,” Samantha says. Five years later, their three children, now 15, 13 and 10, were getting bigger, having more friends over to the house and outgrowing the small den

they all used for TV viewing.

In 2017, the Ventimiglias embarked on the second phase, working with Jones & Boer Architects and Mauck Zantzinger & Associates, both based in Washington, D.C. Opening up the back wall of the kitchen created room for an 18½-by-21-foot family room addition.

Three pairs of arched French doors added architectural character and lead to a new terrace, where they keep the grill.

Interior designer Marika Meyer of Bethesda responded to the clients’ sophisticated sense of style with a soft palette of grays and whites, and touches of blue. Pulling the furniture grouping away from the walls created a gracious space and highlighted the windows, doors and artwork.

“We used large-scale furniture that would ground the room and be comfortable for a family of five,” Meyer says of the ample sofas,

deep armchairs and 5-foot-square cocktail table. She likes to include something with a little patina in an otherwise polished room, so the gray wash finish on the table was subtly distressed. “You are not stressed if the table is distressed,” she says.

Meyer works with many families, so she’s always thinking about how the upholstery will wear. She used durable indoor/outdoor fabrics on the sofas, and the chairs were stain-treated. “Even in a neutral palette like this one, you don’t have to worry about spaghetti sauce,” she says.

The Ventimiglias often use the large kitchen table to host dinner parties for friends and family, and the entertaining always spills into the family room and onto the patio. “The house is so much brighter, open and more livable now,” Samantha says. “It feels like a completely different home.”

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Sun from the skylights streams down on the Bulmans’ master bathroom, which is equipped with hisand-hers vanities, an airjetted tub, a 5-by-6-foot glass shower enclosure, and walls covered in smooth 12-by-14inch marble tiles.

208 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTOS BY MARLON CRUTCHFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY

home

White walls and pale oak plank floors let nature take center stage in this new 16-by-22-foot family room.

Automated floor-to-ceiling recessed roller shades control the light and provide privacy at night. French doors lead to an ipe wood deck with stainless steel cable railings.

PHOTOS BY MARLON CRUTCHFIELD PHOTOGRAPHY

Staying Put JANE AND JEFF BULMAN didn’t really want to move. They loved the Woodhaven neighborhood in Bethesda where they had lived for 30 years, raised two children and put down roots. But the two-story colonial house plan wasn’t working for them anymore.

The couple, now in their 70s, wanted the ease of a first-floor master suite and wideopen entertaining spaces to accommodate their growing family, which now includes in-laws and grandchildren. “The dining room was so small that we had to put an extra table in the living room,” Jeff says. “Passing food was a logistical nightmare.” The Bulmans started looking for a new place, but couldn’t find anything that was move-in ready.

“We figured we’d be better off renovating our house,” Jeff says.

They wanted an open plan, high ceilings, natural light, a connection to the outdoors and a clean, uncluttered style to reflect their modern aesthetic. “We were always more

eclectic than our house,” Jeff says. It was up to architect Robert Black, the owner of Robert Black 5 Design in Silver Spring, to give the 1961 brick house a new lease on life. “It was great that they were so willing to experiment with a modern addition on a traditional home,” Black says.

Black expanded the dining room by 6 feet and opened it up to the living room, and designed a 1,400-square-foot rear addition that maximized the lot’s buildable footprint.

The ceiling of the new family room rises to a dramatic 14-foot vault, and walls of windows flood the space with light and views of the backyard. “We wanted it to feel like nature was coming in,” Jane says. The solid portion of the side wall was reserved for the entertainment center. Rather than mount the flat-screen television on a plain white surface, interior designer Craig Embrey, the owner of Chevy Chase-based Joseph Craig Embrey Designs, recessed it into a custom walnut

veneer panel that adds warmth and character to the contemporary room.

The master suite, which includes a walk-in closet and an 8-by-26-foot spalike bathroom, occupies the rest of the addition. Since the couple plans to stay in this home for many years, Black designed the bathroom with a curbless walk-in shower, 34-inch-high vanities, slip-resistant porcelain floor tiles, and blocking in the walls for grab bars in the future, if necessary.

Life in the Bulmans’ reconfigured home is convenient and comfortable, and there’s no need to negotiate stairs daily. They spend all of their time on the first floor now, and say it feels like a big, airy apartment. “When our grandchildren visit for sleepovers they use the second-floor bedrooms,” Jane says. The enlarged dining room is the site of some lively Friday night dinners.

“We have a tradition of tossing the challah,” Jeff says, “and now our grandchildren can ‘go long.’

It’s a sight to see.” ■

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home | BY THE NUMBERS

Data provided by

OCTOBER’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:

$2.9 million LIST PRICE: $3 MILLION

Address: 9305 Kendale Road, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 29 Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 9/1

$2.4 million LIST PRICE: $2.4 MILLION

Address: 6405 Kennedy Drive, Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 21 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.3 million LIST PRICE: $2.5 MILLION

SALE PRICE:

$2.8 million

Address: 11400 Glen Road, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 69 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 5/2

LIST PRICE: $2.6 MILLION

Address: 7536 Hampden Lane, Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 4 Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 4/0

SALE PRICE:

$2 million LIST PRICE: $2.1 MILLION

Address: 8713 Burdette Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 201 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 6/2

SALE PRICE:

$2.7 million LIST PRICE: $2.7 MILLION

Address: 7510 Oldchester Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 20 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 6/1

$1.9 million LIST PRICE: $1.9 MILLION

Address: 6005 Maiden Lane, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 0 Listing Agency: Rory S. Coakley Realty Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.9 million LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

210

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

COURTESY PHOTOS

SALE PRICE:

THE FLEISHER GROUP PRESENTS

SOLD IN 2018 ï‚ LUXURY SALES HIGHLIGHTS 30 30 RD E G ID 00 BR ,0 N 00 AI 6,5 CH $1 W N RD TE ET 00 RD 0,0 BU ,10 21 $5 16 70 DS O O W 00 LI 0,0 EL 25 AT 4, $

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5454 Wisconsin Ave, Chevy Chase MD 20815

JAN FEB highlights .indd 1

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home | BY THE NUMBERS Address: 5 Irving St., Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 0 Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

$1.8 million LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

Address: 5114 52nd St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016 Days on Market: 177 Listing Agency: Wydler Brothers Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.8 million LIST PRICE: $1.8 MILLION

Address: 5323 Yorktown Road, Bethesda 20816 Days on Market: 33 Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.7 million LIST PRICE: $1.8 MILLION

Address: 5120 45th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016 Days on Market: 35 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 3/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.6 million LIST PRICE: $1.6 MILLION

Address: 8925 Burning Tree Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 37 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 8 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.6 million LIST PRICE: $1.6 MILLION

Address: 5127 Yuma St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016 Days on Market: 81

212

$1.5 million LIST PRICE: $1.5 MILLION

SALE PRICE:

$1.6 million LIST PRICE: $1.7 MILLION

SALE PRICE:

SALE PRICE:

Address: 8607 Village Park Place, Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 152 Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.5 million LIST PRICE: $1.5 MILLION

Address: 5911 Ipswich Road, Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 54 Listing Agency: RE/MAX Realty Services Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.5 million LIST PRICE: $1.5 MILLION

Address: 4731 Butterworth Place NW, Washington, D.C. 20016 Days on Market: 9 Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 3/1

Address: 9409 Locust Hill Road, Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 54 Listing Agency: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.5 million LIST PRICE: $1.5 MILLION

Address: 5910 Johnson Ave., Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 69 Listing Agency: RE/MAX Realty Services Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.4 million LIST PRICE: $1.4 MILLION

Address: 6616 Kenhill Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 22 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 3/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.4 million LIST PRICE: $1.4 MILLION

SALE PRICE:

$1.5 million LIST PRICE: $1.6 MILLION

Address: 5603 Albia Road, Bethesda 20816 Days on Market: 89 Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.5 million LIST PRICE: $1.6 MILLION

Address: 18 Beman Woods Court, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 223 Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Address: 508 Stonington Road, Silver Spring 20902 Days on Market: 86 Listing Agency: Northrop Realty, a Long & Foster Company Bedrooms: 8 Full/Half Baths: 8/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.4 million LIST PRICE: $1.2 MILLION

Address: 16650 Bridle Ridge Lane, Olney 20832 Days on Market: 226 Listing Agency: Toll MD Realty Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 4/1 Note: Some sale and list prices have been rounded.

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home | BY THE NUMBERS

REAL ESTATE TRENDS

BY ZIP CODE

OCTOBER 2017

OCTOBER 2018

OCTOBER 2017

OCTOBER 2018

OCTOBER 2017

OCTOBER 2018

20015 (Upper NW D.C.)

20850 (Rockville)

20878 (North Potomac/ Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold 20 13 Average Sold Price $699,258 $719,500 Above Asking Price 5 3 Below Asking Price 10 8 Sold Over $1 Million 3 2

Number of Homes Sold 23 26 Average Sold Price $646,470 $740,897 Above Asking Price 4 5 Below Asking Price 17 16 Sold Over $1 Million 0 3

20851 (Rockville)

20879 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold 11 6 Average Sold Price $369,193 $372,250 4 2 Above Asking Price Below Asking Price 5 3 0 0 Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold 8 13 Average Sold Price $486,621 $419,667 2 2 Above Asking Price Below Asking Price 5 9 0 0 Sold Over $1 Million

20852 (North Bethesda/Rockville)

20882 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold 9 6 Average Sold Price $570,267 $757,417 Above Asking Price 2 0 Below Asking Price 5 5 0 1 Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold 20 7 Average Sold Price $575,873 $606,357 Above Asking Price 5 2 Below Asking Price 15 5 0 0 Sold Over $1 Million

20853 (Rockville)

20886 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold 17 30 Average Sold Price $587,224 $494,703 Above Asking Price 7 6 Below Asking Price 10 18 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold 8 10 Average Sold Price $388,750 $451,590 Above Asking Price 4 3 Below Asking Price 3 6 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

20854 (Potomac)

20895 (Kensington)

11 8 $1 Mil. $891,800 2 4 5 3 4 1

20016 (Upper NW D.C.) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

21 $1.4 Mil. 8 9 17

26 $1.4 Mil. 10 11 17

20814 (Bethesda) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

16 $1.3 Mil. 3 9 7

9 $1.2 Mil. 4 4 3

20815 (Chevy Chase) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

15 $1.3 Mil. 5 7 9

18 $1.3 Mil. 5 9 14

20816 (Bethesda) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

14 $1 Mil. 4 9 6

15 $1 Mil. 6 6 6

35 $1.2 Mil. 3 29 15

24 $1.1 Mil. 5 11 9

20817 (Bethesda)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

32 32 $1.1 Mil. $984,122 5 5 20 24 10 11

Number of Homes Sold 15 19 Average Sold Price $595,237 $676,099 Above Asking Price 5 4 Below Asking Price 9 11 Sold Over $1 Million 1 0

20855 (Rockville)

20901 (Silver Spring)

Number of Homes Sold 9 8 Average Sold Price $487,111 $514,894 Above Asking Price 3 3 Below Asking Price 3 3 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold 28 27 Average Sold Price $471,654 $501,841 Above Asking Price 10 6 Below Asking Price 11 17 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

20832 (Olney)

20877 (Gaithersburg)

20902 (Silver Spring)

Number of Homes Sold 11 15 Average Sold Price $621,878 $729,263 Above Asking Price 4 2 Below Asking Price 5 10 Sold Over $1 Million 1 4

Number of Homes Sold 9 6 Average Sold Price $382,133 $449,233 Above Asking Price 1 2 Below Asking Price 6 4 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold 24 25 Average Sold Price $418,085 $460,424 Above Asking Price 10 6 Below Asking Price 11 11 Sold Over $1 Million 0 1

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

214

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

OCTOBER 2017

OCTOBER 2018

OCTOBER 2017

OCTOBER 2018

OCTOBER 2017

OCTOBER 2018

20903 (Silver Spring)

20905 (Silver Spring)

20910 (Silver Spring)

Number of Homes Sold 9 7 Average Sold Price $370,556 $421,843 Above Asking Price 3 3 Below Asking Price 5 4 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold 17 13 Average Sold Price $561,428 $538,308 Above Asking Price 6 4 Below Asking Price 9 9 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold 12 23 Average Sold Price $554,375 $668,159 Above Asking Price 2 6 Below Asking Price 8 13 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

20904 (Silver Spring)

20906 (Silver Spring)

20912 (Silver Spring/Takoma Park)

Number of Homes Sold 17 17 Average Sold Price $481,523 $510,096 Above Asking Price 2 4 11 10 Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold 29 23 Average Sold Price $381,198 $417,122 Above Asking Price 10 6 15 16 Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold 11 16 Average Sold Price $495,545 $531,563 Above Asking Price 4 7 Below Asking Price 7 6 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Information courtesy of Bright MLS, as of Nov. 13, 2018. 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 the most expensive detached single-family homes sold from Oct. 1, 2018, to Oct. 31, 2018, as of Nov. 13, 2018, 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.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

| JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

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8x105-Bethsda-Ad_8x105 12/6/18 4:43 PM Page 1

Diamond Ball SUBURBAN HOSPITAL

A Toast to 75 Years

Celebrating 75 Years of Care with Record-breaking Support

SPECIAL GUEST EMCEE LEON HARRIS, NBC NEWS4

In December 1943, Suburban Hospital opened its doors to serve the community.

Seventy-five years later, in December 2018, the hospital celebrated its milestone anniversary with a spectacular Diamond Ball. More than 400 guests enjoyed a glamorous 1940s-style evening complete with a live auction and big band orchestra. Fundraising of $1M+ will support the hospital’s exciting campus transformation.

Special thanks to all those whose generosity – through corporate and individual sponsorships, direct and in-kind donations – will allow Suburban to usher in a sophisticated new era of care in the region.

LEAD SPOnSORS DIAMOnD A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation EMERALD Clark Construction Group, LLC King Automotive Group | Conrad V. and Lois Aschenbach Miller & Long Co., Inc. Total Wine & More SAPPHIRE Bender Foundation, Inc. JHCP Heart Care | Cardiac Surgery Oak Manor Healthcare Center | Stanley and Nina Snow US Anesthesia Partners | Maryland AMETHYST

Learn more or add your support at suburbanfuture.org.

See photos and an event recap at suburban75.org.

Tom and Hillary Baltimore Bethesda Emergency Associates, LLC Neil and Emily Kishter Paul and Lisa Mandell The Tower Companies TransLogistix Washington Area Toyota Dealers TOPAZ Marla and Barry Beck Foundation Jim Coleman Automotive | Jim and Marte Coleman DMI Ernst & Young LLP The Forge Company | Colonial Parking Howard Gleckman and Deborah Ann Kline Leonard A. and Linda K. Greenberg Charitable Foundation Norman and Cammye Jenkins Johns Hopkins Medicine Tom and Karen Natelli Morgan and Belle Brooks O’Brien Wilmot Sanz

B E N E F I T I N G S U B U R B A N H O S P I TA L’ S E X C I T I N G C A M P U S T R A N S F O R M AT I O N !

Foundation Office ” 8600 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 ” 301-896-GIVE

fitness. wellness. medicine.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

health

Amber Simco (right) is a volunteer EMT at the Hillandale Volunteer Fire Department in Silver Spring. Her daughter, Hannah, recently completed her EMT training. For more on the growing number of female firefighters and EMTs in the county, turn to page 220.

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health | BE WELL

ON THE MOVE A Rockville personal trainer talks about injuries, discipline and why walking is underrated

BY KATHLEEN SEILER NEARY | PHOTO BY EDGAR ARTIGA

PETER KWON WAS 15 when he first joined a gym, but no one showed him what to do with the equipment. So he watched other people and tried to copy them. “I would say, wow, that guy’s figure looks great. I want to look like that guy,” says Kwon, now a personal trainer at Sport&Health in North Bethesda. “I’d practice on my friends. Hey guys, let’s look like that guy. Let’s all do this. I got my first taste in training.”

Kwon, 31, spent most of his childhood in Prince George’s and Howard counties, and wasn’t sure what he wanted to do after graduating from the University of Maryland. He worked as a real estate agent before deciding “to do something that got me out of bed in the morning and gave me a sense of purpose.” After getting certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, he became a personal trainer at Sport&Health in 2014.

A Rockville resident, Kwon—whose wife, Kristina, is also a trainer at the gym—sees 10 to 12 clients a day, seven days a week. His work is mainly in the gym, but he’s also run alongside clients in 5K’s, and even a 50K. His message, he says, is “I’m with you 100 percent.”

A little over a year ago, Kwon was in a serious car accident and suffered, he says, from “long thoracic nerve damage,” which impaired his ability to use the left side of his upper body. “It was excruciatingly painful, so sometimes I couldn’t even lay on my side,” he says. “Because of that, I dove into [learning about] head, 218

neck, shoulder issues. I wanted to be the expert of that category.” He’s fully recovered now and has been using what he learned to help clients.

Kwon works out every day, sometimes at other gyms for a change of scenery. For a few years, he’s been doing Olympic weightlifting—a competitive sport that’s not only about how much you lift, but also how you perform the exercise, he says. In 2017, he set a Maryland state record for lifting 271 pounds in a snatch, which means lifting a barbell from the ground and raising it over your head in one movement (the record has since been broken). He’s 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighed 178 pounds at the time of the record.

He also stays active with his sons, ages 3 and 4. “We always play games using our bodies. We’ll learn math using our fingers,” he says. “We’ll always do something outside—the beach, hiking, fishing, something where they have to use their bodies physically to get an outcome.”

Kwon’s workouts have changed since his days in the gym as a teen. He now knows he doesn’t have to do as many repetitions, and that strengthening your core and doing cardio are important.

Lately, he’s been doing a lot of sprinting and long-distance walking. “Your heart is the engine of your body,” he says. “If your engine is not functioning properly, if your heart is not healthy, your car’s not going to run well.” ■

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Peter Kwon with his wife, Kristina, who also works as a personal trainer at Sport&Health in North Bethesda

IN HIS OWN WORDS...

THE FIXER “I’ve herniated my disc twice. I tried a chiropractor; didn’t work for me. I ended up doing an exercise routine I saw on YouTube, and that’s how I fixed my back twice. I’ve had a rotator cuff tear. I’ve had foot fractures from running. I’ve had every minor, annoying little injury you can think of, like neck cramps. Now it’s to the point where I’ve experienced the pattern so many times I have this internal algorithm saying, if I feel this, boom, I have a solution. I’m going to do this to help it. My client comes [in] with, ‘This hurts there,’ or ‘This feels funny here’—I’ve seen the same pattern so many times, I know what to try first.”

THE BIG PICTURE

ON DISCIPLINE

FACE TIME

FAVORITE MOVES

“[At a first consultation] it’s not just like, ‘Hey, do you want to lose weight? OK, great, what do you like to do to lose weight?’

It’s, ‘What do you do in your life?’ Because everything will affect and dictate how your body’s going to transform. So you could have the best diet in the world, but if you don’t sleep, you’re not going to get any results. And vice versa.”

“Don’t give yourself options.

The second you give yourself options, you’re opening up an opportunity to not do something. If you tell yourself, I’m going to the gym, that’s different from, I’m going to go to the gym if it doesn’t rain.

Don’t give yourself a choice.”

“[Personal training is] not just going to somebody who’s just telling you how to exercise or showing you some exercises.

The power that we have as trainers is far greater than most people would think. We get in front of people a lot more than doctors [do], so we have that much more opportunity and power of influence [with] our clients and people in front of us.

Hey, let’s try this way to see if we can help benefit your health.”

“If you want to be a wellfunctioning human being, and you want to do two exercises, get yourself to be able to hold a two-minute plank. You’re teaching your body how to brace your muscles—because in a plank, every muscle has to be contracting—and, two, how to breathe a certain way. So then you’re training yourself to be very resilient and learning how to maneuver yourself. And the next thing is walking. Walking is the most underrated, taken for granted exercise of all time.”

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

219

health

Emily Rogell is a volunteer with the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad.

220

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

From a firefighter with twins at home to an EMT who volunteers to honor her father, some of Montgomery County’s rescue workers are moms with a passion for helping others

BY REBECCA GALE | PHOTOS BY MICHAEL VENTURA

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

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health

T

THE DETAILS CAME BLARING through her radio headset: two-alarm house fire in Potomac. Backup needed.

Search and rescue required. Not immediately known if anyone is trapped inside.

With her ponytail tucked inside her canvas overcoat, Emily Rogell, the mother of toddler twins, sat in the back of the speeding fire truck and noticed the firefighter next to her make the sign of the cross, something she’d never seen a colleague do before. We might not return from this fire alive, she thought.

The petite Rogell was the only female on the truck for that midday call to the Avenel neighborhood in the spring of 2012. She’d just returned to her volunteer position with the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad, and her firefighter gear fit differently than it had before she left to have her babies. The twins were home with her husband, Don Greene, a fellow firefighter. The two met at the rescue squad in 1999 and stayed together when Rogell moved away for veterinary school. After having Abby and Isaac, they decided not to ride together anymore because they couldn’t risk orphaning their children. In the front of the fire truck that day sat a man who attended their wedding.

In the burning house, Rogell moved from room to room on her belly and knees, sweat dripping into her eyes, thick black smoke in the air. Firefighters have to go through every foot of the house in teams of two to ensure that no one is trapped or unconscious. They cringe at the open floor plans that are common in newer houses—it’s harder to check the perimeter and center of each room.

Rogell passed through a doorway and 222

spotted the teddy bears and patterned bedspread of a little girl’s room. The toys and stuffed animals were eerily similar to some of the baby gifts she’d received for Abby. But she didn’t see a little girl. She and her partner crawled to each corner of the room to make sure it was empty.

They’d learn later that nobody was home when the fire broke out.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

As the water began to flow from hoses, Rogell tore down hunks of ceiling and drywall in search of hot spots, hidden areas where the fire could still smolder.

She later climbed onto the ladder truck to pull shingles off the roof to ventilate the house and prevent a rekindling. In the truck on the way back to Bethesda, the smell of smoke lingered. It’s an odor

a mom. That night, it went through her head again: Why do I do this?

Left and above: Volunteer firefighter Emily Rogell, a veterinarian who is the medical director of the Metropolitan Emergency Animal Clinic in Rockville, typically spends a few nights a month with the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad. Below: Rogell at home with her 8-year-old twins, Isaac and Abby.

that firefighters learn to like, or at least get used to having on their skin and hair.

At the station, a second call came in: The fire wasn’t completely out and backup was needed. Rogell, soaked in sweat, returned to the scene and pulled down more ceiling. Her shift was supposed to have ended long ago, but being a volunteer firefighter means staying until the

call is done, no matter how long it takes.

At home that night, Rogell picked up each of her sleeping babies for a long hug, not caring if she woke them, taking in their smokeless scent with the teddy bears still fresh in her mind. In the 13 years she’d volunteered as a firefighter, she’d asked the question only a handful of times, and only since becoming

THE NUMBER OF WOMEN serving as volunteer EMTs and firefighters for the Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service is growing rapidly. Of the 2,700 combined career and volunteer personnel with MCFRS, Public Information Officer Pete Piringer estimates that 20 percent are female, and women make up a slightly higher percentage of volunteers. At the B-CC station, Chief Ned Shurburne estimates that nearly 30 percent of the 150 professionally trained volunteers are female, and in the last two years, close to half of the new members who joined the squad were women.

Like Rogell, a veterinarian, many women volunteer while earning paychecks elsewhere and taking care of kids at home. It’s a demanding, high-intensity commitment that comes with a set schedule and often involves overnight shifts. “The kids are kind of part of the reason [moms] feel such an anchor to the community,” says Brenda Mannix, 50, the mother of three and a six-year volunteer at the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department. “You have kids in the schools, you use the local parks, you are part of the moms’ groups. So you want to give back.”

Mannix and others at Rockville’s Station 3 put out a call for volunteers four times a year. They typically get 45 to 60 applications per quarter and accept between 15 and 20 volunteers, roughly a third of whom are women. There’s a wide range of ages: Applicants can be as young as 16, and many women volunteer well into their 50s. “We look for people who are going to be here [at least] two to three years,” says Mannix, who lives in Rockville and chairs the department’s membership committee.

The county covers the cost of volunteer training, which can be several

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thousand dollars, depending on the level. Most volunteers take a 200-hour EMT course, during which they spend 14 hours a week riding on ambulances to receive their certification; others are trained as paramedics, ambulance drivers or firefighters. Once certified, volunteers are expected to be on duty 60 to 80 hours a month, which usually includes at least one 12-hour overnight shift a week.

For Rogell, who grew up in Bethesda and graduated from Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in Rockville, becoming a volunteer firefighter was something she’d always wanted to do. Over the last 20 years, she’s been on calls involving her neighbor’s daughter, who’d been in a car accident, and her high school chemistry teacher. Most of the calls her rescue squad team answers are minor, such as investigating an odor in a building or responding to accidental fire alarms, stuck elevators or “patient assists,” when someone might need help getting back into bed.

Still, she says, even if it’s minor to her, it’s a big deal to whomever is involved.

“We might run the call a hundred times, but it’s never happened to the [person affected] before,” says Rogell, 41, the medical director of the Metropolitan Emergency Animal Clinic in Rockville.

“For me, it’s really about being able to make a difference in the community.”

The big calls—the ones everyone sees on TV—are pretty rare, Rogell says, but they can come at any time. She was one of the first responders on the scene of the Amtrak derailment in Kensington in 2002. She’d recently become an EMT and was home for the summer from veterinary school at Virginia Tech. The temperature was in the upper 90s. “The first thing that we did was triage,” says Rogell, who lives in Rockville. “[The] train was off the tracks, upside down.

You walk down the tracks asking, ‘Can you get up? Can you walk?’ ” About 100 people on board were injured; six of 224

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

them seriously. “Then we went back to the people who couldn’t walk and we’d bring a stretcher or stair chair. We just kept walking up and down the tracks, treating and stabilizing.”

Three years later, Rogell responded to a stabbing incident at Nordstrom in Westfield Montgomery mall, where two shoppers had been injured by a woman armed with butcher knives. “I’ve been on some intense calls,” Rogell says, “but I’ve been able to help people when they need it, and help calm them down.”

BY 6 P.M. ON A Wednesday last winter, Amber Simco had already worked a full day. She had arrived at the National Institutes of Health early in the morning for her job in the office of the chief financial officer. She was home by 4 o’clock to pick up her boys—Jonah, now 8, and

Micah, 6—at school and get dinner on the table before leaving for the station.

“Not all my colleagues at work know that I do this. The ones that do are a little bit stunned,” says Simco, 39, a volunteer EMT at the Hillandale Volunteer Fire Department in Silver Spring. “I don’t talk about when my shifts are. I don’t want people assuming I’m not 100 percent there to do my job because I was on the ambulance last night.”

Simco’s father died of pneumonia in 2015, an illness he contracted after treatment for lymphoma. In the midst of her grief, she wanted to find a way to honor his memory. She remembered her own appreciation of the men and women who ran EMT calls as her father’s health was failing. Her father didn’t want his grown children to have to care for him, so when he was ill he’d call an ambulance. “It was

Amber Simco (left), who works full time at NIH, is an EMT at the Hillandale Volunteer Fire Department in Silver Spring. Her 19-year-old daughter, Hannah, recently completed her EMT training.

so frustrating,” Simco says. She answers calls like that now from people who aren’t feeling well but don’t want to burden their families for a ride to the hospital, and from individuals who are afraid their symptoms could be a sign of a heart attack or stroke. “A light bulb went off in my head,” she says. “I cannot take care of my dad, but I can help other people if they don’t want to go to their kids.”

Simco, who lives in Silver Spring, enrolled in the EMT course in January 2016. Classes were held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and all day on Sundays, a schedule that was hard on her

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Veronica Gallagher has worked at the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad for nearly 20 years.The mother of three, who lives in Kensington, is trained as an EMT, ambulance driver and firefighter, and says her Sunday crew has more women volunteers than men.

family. (The county also offers the option of taking classes on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, or an all-day 10-week course during the summer.) Simco’s husband, Avi Mandell, an astronomer with NASA, handled bedtime duty, packed school lunches and drove the kids to school, since she often had to arrive at NIH by 6 a.m.

Simco describes the classes as a “healing process” in the grieving for her father’s death. As instructors talked about a series of symptoms, she was able to vividly picture her father experiencing them. “It made the lessons sink in a lot more,” she says.

Simco’s family pitched in to help with her hectic schedule. Jonah and Micah tried their best to be cooperative at bedtime. When there was a school event for the boys that both parents had to miss, their sister, Hannah, now 19, went instead.

Inspired by her mother, Hannah recently completed her own EMT training, something Simco is proud of. “It’s given her a lot of confidence, and it really shows a sign of development when you can reach out from yourself and start contributing to 226

your community,” she says.

It was after midnight when Simco got home from the station that night last winter. After a shift, she’ll usually recount the night’s runs with her husband, or talk to Hannah if she’s still awake. If she had to take someone to the hospital for something serious, such as an opioid overdose, stroke or seizure, she’ll sometimes have trouble falling asleep.

VERONICA GALLAGHER GREW UP watching reruns of the TV drama Emergency!, a show about two paramedics. “I thought it was so cool what they did,” she says. “I wanted to be just like them.” After she had her second child in 1999, Gallagher suffered from postpartum depression and didn’t want to leave the house.

“My husband said, ‘Why don’t you find something that you’ve always wanted to do and try and do it?’ ” says Gallagher, who worked as a preschool teacher and nanny before having children. After interviewing for an EMT job, the Kensington resident started taking night and weekend classes, while her husband, a uniformed officer for the Secret Service,

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Even with an infant, Gallagher pulled overnight shifts at the station, pumping milk and storing it in the refrigerator and sleeping on one of the bunks. could watch the children. After two years as an EMT with the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad, she trained as an ambulance driver, and later as a firefighter. The county covers the cost of firefighter training, which includes battling real fires at the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute in College Park.

Even with an infant, Gallagher pulled overnight shifts at the station, pumping milk and storing it in the refrigerator and sleeping on one of the bunks. She’d bring her own bedding and store it in a locker.

“One night we didn’t have any calls after midnight,” she says. “It was the best night’s sleep I’d gotten in seven months.”

In her nearly 20 years at the Wheaton station, Gallagher, 53, has seen hundreds of volunteers come through. She describes what she calls the “doubleedged sword” of being a mother and an EMT/firefighter, trying to balance the demands of parenting with a challenging volunteer position that can sometimes be emotional. “On the one hand, it is a good experience because there is nothing that can make you feel more grateful for your own situation in your own life and your

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Gallagher’s crew at the Wheaton station ranges from 12 to 20 people per shift, which includes staffing for two ambulances, a medic chase car and the heavy rescue truck. Her Sunday crew has more women volunteers than men. Between calls, she and her teammates train and conduct drills, watch modules (online classes), check and restock equipment, and go over any news or events in the county and in their immediate response area, such as road closures. They’ll sit down for meals, sometimes cooking together in the kitchen, and clean up the station. When her kids were younger, they’d visit during this time and stay to eat whatever was being served. Everything stops when a call comes in—crews have 90 seconds to collect their gear and leave the building.

“We’ve left food on the grill and food on the stove,” Gallagher says. “We say, ‘If you’re the last person out, turn everything off. ’ ” When the station hosts an open house and people bring their kids, Gallagher tells moms she meets about the volunteer possibilities. “They say, ‘I could never do this,’ ” she says, “and I say, ‘Yes you can.’ ”

here here here here here here here here

Amy Orndorff, a volunteer firefighter and ambulance driver, stopped going on calls when she was six months pregnant with her first child, Simon, now 2, and couldn't fit in the front cab to drive the ambulance.

own family than coming in on the scene of someone’s worst moment,” she says.

Gallagher recalls the first fatality on one of her calls—an infant. “The child had a congenital heart defect and was scheduled for surgery that week,” says Gallagher, the mother of three. “When we got there, the caregiver was doing CPR. I did assist with the CPR and the 228

oxygen.” Gallagher had the option of going to grief counseling through the state-sponsored Critical Incident Stress Management program, but decided not to. She felt she had enough support from her husband and from a team of co-workers she still relies on today for the camaraderie that has kept her part of the same unit for two decades.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER AND ambulance driver Amy Orndorff considered quitting her job at the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department after she had her first child in August 2016, but then her team threw her a baby shower. They decorated the station with balloons and served her favorite foods. “I felt so loved, and was reminded that the fire department is truly my second family,” she says.

Orndorff, a multiplatform editor at The Washington Post, stopped going on calls when she was six months pregnant and could no longer fit into the front cab to drive the ambulance. She took off six more months after the birth of her son, Simon, and then went back to the station. She had a second child this past September and plans to return to volunteering in March.

Several months after Simon was born,

the Rockville resident went on a call for an 8-year-old boy who had autism and was nonverbal. The child was having a seizure. “He was able to communicate that he was really scared. His mom was doing such a great job of comforting. And yet I remember going back to the station and crying, that this little boy was in any sort of pain,” Orndorff says. “My fellow firefighters were like, ‘What is going on?’

I rarely ever cry, but this little kid having problems really upset me.”

Orndorff, 33, recalls being at the wheel of the medic unit—a car that travels with the ambulance in the event further backup is needed—and helping the young boy, who’d been stabilized, at Children’s National Medical Center in the District. “There were crying children everywhere,” she says. “I had just found out I was pregnant with my second child and I had this overwhelming urge, this

mothering instinct, to make every kid feel better. These crying babies ripped at my mom heart, though it was probably hormones, too.”

Orndorff says she feels lucky that most of her calls are for adults. But that same vulnerability still sneaks up on her with older patients. “When I treat a drug addict or a homeless person, I think about how they started out small and innocent—just like my son,” she writes in an email. “I’d like to think I’ve always been caring, but becoming a mom has brought it to another level I didn’t realize was possible.”

ON A RAINY WEDNESDAY evening in March, Emily Rogell sits at the BethesdaChevy Chase station, bantering with her crew about the week’s schedule.

Her gear—a firefighter’s coat, pants and heavy boots—is positioned neatly

next to the truck. And she’s wearing her station boots—shoes with zippers that allow her to make a quick change as soon as a siren sounds. Her husband is home with the twins, and she calls to FaceTime them and say good night before bedtime.

“We all have our outside lives—I’m fortunate that my husband understands it because he’s part of it,” Rogell says. Her twins are now 8. “Abby came downstairs today and asked where I’m going. She asked, ‘Are you going to save people?’ and I told her, ‘If they need it.’ It was kind of cool.” Her twins have been coming to the station since they were 3 months old.

“They get it,” she says. “They know mommy is a firefighter.” ■ Rebecca Gale is a former reporter for Roll Call whose work has appeared in The Washington Post, Slate and Marie Claire. She lives in Chevy Chase.

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CALENDAR COMPILED BY SANDRA FLEISHMAN all, regardless of ability. Bring kids, dogs, strollers. Runners socialize at Java Nation afterward. 9 a.m. Saturdays. Free. Puller Park, Kensington. parkrun.us/kensington.

SCREENINGS/CLASSES/ WORKSHOPS Jan. 3 DROP-IN DISCUSSION ABOUT GRIEF AND HEALING. For anyone grieving the death of a loved one. 1-2:30 p.m. Free to anyone living or working in Montgomery County. Montgomery Hospice, Rockville.

Registration required. 301-921-4400, montgomeryhospice.org.

RUNNING/WALKING Jan. 1 NEW YEAR’S DAY 5K. Start the year with a new commitment to running. 10 a.m. $10; $5 for younger than 18; free for members of Montgomery County Road Runners Club.

Manna Food Center, Gaithersburg. mcrrc.org.

Jan. 1 COMMITMENT DAY 5K. A family-friendly run to begin 2019. 10 a.m. Life Time Athletic, Gaithersburg. $30 for 13 and older; free for younger than 13 with an adult. commitmentday.com/maryland/gaithersburg.

Jan. 5 AL LEWIS 10-MILER. The out-and-back course runs along Rock Creek Trail. 9 a.m. Free in advance for members of DC Road Runners Club (DCRRC); $10 for nonmembers. Raceday registration is $10 for DCRRC members; $15 for nonmembers. Ken-Gar Palisades Park, Kensington. dcroadrunners.org.

Jan. 19 DCRRC JFK 20K AND MLK 5K. The out-andback races take place on the dirt and stone

C&O Canal towpath. 9 a.m. for the 5K, 10 a.m. for the 20K. $10 for either race; free for members of DC Road Runners Club.

The race start is at the far southeast end of the Carderock Recreation Area, Carderock. dcroadrunners.org.

Feb. 9 CUPID’S CHASE 5K. Community Options Inc. invites runners, walkers and rollers (baby strollers and wheelchairs) to help raise funds to support people with disabilities. 8 a.m. registration. 10 a.m. race. See website for fees. Wheaton Regional Park, Wheaton. 301656-3997, comop.org/cupidschase.

Feb. 17 KEMP MILL C(HILLS) 5K/10K. Both races start and finish at Kemp Mill Elementary School, looping through the neighborhood on open roads. 9-10:30 a.m. $10; $5 for younger than 18; free for members of Montgomery County Road Runners Club.

Kemp Mill Elementary School, Silver Spring. mcrrc.org.

Ongoing KENSINGTON PARKRUN. Timed 5K run/ walk weekly on Rock Creek Trail. Open to

230 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Jan. 15 KEEPING YOUR EYES HEALTHY: HOW TO PREVENT & REVERSE EYE CONDITIONS. It’s no secret that vision declines with age. In this Suburban Hospital program, ophthalmologist Neal Adams will explain the essentials for eye health as well as prevention and treatment options for macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and other common eye conditions. 1-2 p.m.

Free. Holiday Park Senior Center, Wheaton.

301-896-3939, events.suburbanhospital.org.

Jan. 27 SIBLING CLASS. A program for soon-to-be big brothers and big sisters includes a short class and a tour of the maternity suites.

Age-appropriate activities help children 3 to 10 years old share and prepare for baby’s arrival. 1:30-2:30 p.m. for ages 3 to 5 years; 2:45-3:45 p.m. for ages 6-10. $20 per child.

Holy Cross Health Conference Center, Silver Spring. 301-754-8800, holycrosshealth.org.

Jan. 31 and Feb. 21 GRANDPARENTS-TO-BE. Learn how to support new parents and about trends in infant care in this two-hour class. Attend either session.

6:30-8:30 p.m. $15. Holy Cross Hospital Health Conference Center, Silver Spring. 301754-8800, holycrosshealth.org.

Feb. 15-March 22 MINDFULNESS MEDITATION. During this six-week session from Suburban Hospital, a Mindfulness Center instructor

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCRRC, BY BRIAN BUTTERS

Runners will lace up their shoes for the New Year’s Day 5K in Gaithersburg on Jan. 1.

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will guide participants on the basics of mindfulness meditation by focusing on posture, breathing and energy work. 1111:45 a.m. Fridays. $50. Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, Bethesda.

Registration required. 301-896-3939, events.suburbanhospital.org.

Feb. 19 and March 21 HEALTHY COOKING SERIES: RAGIN’ CAJUN AND GOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN. This Suburban Hospital series has two sessions. Ragin’ Cajun—which offers light and healthy recipes that pack in the classic, bold favors of the Big Easy—is Feb. 19; Good for Your Brain is March 21. Attend one session or both. 6-8 p.m. $25 per class; $45 for series. Total Wine & More Corporate Office, Bethesda.

301-896-3939, events.suburbanhospital.org.

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5626 Shields Drive Bethesda, MD 20817 301-493-6200 www.bethesdadentalimplantcenter.com

Dental School: University of Maryland School of Dentistry Expertise: We provide state of the art periodontal therapy in a comfortable and caring environment. 30 years experience in dental implant surgery, periodontics, oral medicine, dental sleep apnea. Paramount is building a quality relationship with each and every patient.

Feb. 26 BECOMING A FATHER. A three-hour class for expectant or new dads. Topics include basic baby care and keeping your baby safe, what it means to be a father, your role in the life of your child, and adjustments to life with a child. Babies welcome. 6:30-9:30 p.m. $30.

Holy Cross Resource Center, Silver Spring.

301-754-8800, holycrosshealth.org.

Feb. 28 17TH ANNUAL WOMEN’S SYMPOSIUM. Suburban Hospital’s program this year focuses on health care recommendations that may sound small but can have a big impact: Manage stress, eat more vegetables, be more active, lose a few pounds. Johns Hopkins physiatrist Marlís GonzálezFernández emphasizes the importance of including movement in a daily routine, while urogynecologist Danielle Patterson examines how bladder function can interfere with the ways women enjoy daily life, such as exercise, travel, social outings and romance. 6-6:30 p.m. registration and refreshments; 6:30-8 p.m. program. Free. Chevy Chase Club, Chevy Chase. Registration required. 301-896-3939, events.suburbanhospital.org.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Support groups are free unless otherwise noted.

GENERAL DENTISTRY, COSMETIC DENTISTRY

DR. H. BRANDT FOSTER Comprehensive Contemporary Dentistry 4702 Chevy Chase Drive Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-986-8804 www.fosterdds.net

Dental School: University of Maryland, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery Expertise: At our office we love what we do. We believe dentistry should be painless, functional and esthetic. We are committed to exceptional personalized care and use the latest technology to help you achieve a healthy beautiful smile.

GENERAL DENTISTRY, COSMETIC DENTISTRY

DR. JOHN J. HIGGINS John J. Higgins, DDS PA 5648 Shields Drive Bethesda, MD 20817 301-530-8008 www.johnjhigginsdds.com

Jan. 4-April 5 MEMORY CAFÉ. A fun and relaxed way for people living with early-stage memory loss and their care partners to get connected with one another through social events that promote interaction and companionship.

2-3 p.m. on the first Friday of the month.

OASIS at Macy’s Home Store, on the second floor, Westfield Montgomery mall, Bethesda.

Dental School: Georgetown University Expertise: Provide patients with excellent care and health education in a contemporary and comfortable atmosphere

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health Registration required. 301-469-6800, ext.

211; oasisnet.org/washington-dc-area.

Rockville. Registration required. 301-9214400, montgomeryhospice.org.

Jan. 10, 24 and Feb. 14, 28

Jan. 16-Feb. 20

YOUNG ADULTS WITH CANCER SUPPORT GROUP. For patients currently undergoing treatment. 6:30-8 p.m. Hope Connections for Cancer Support, Bethesda. 301-634-7500, hopeconnectionsforcancer.org.

LOSS OF A CHILD SUPPORT GROUP. A sixweek group for parents grieving the death of a child of any age. Please wait three months after the death. Open to those who live or work in Montgomery County. 6:30-8 p.m.

Wednesdays. $25. Montgomery Hospice, Rockville. Registration required. 301-9214400, montgomeryhospice.org.

Jan. 15-Feb. 19 AFTERNOON GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP. The six-week group by Montgomery Hospice is open to anyone grieving the death of a loved one. Please wait three months after the death. Open to those who live or work in Montgomery County. 1:30-3 p.m. Tuesdays. $25. Faith United Methodist Church, Rockville. Registration required. 301-9214400, montgomeryhospice.org.

Jan. 16-March 6 WINTER CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP. The eight-week series includes sessions with speakers and time for questions and discussion. 10:30 a.m.- noon. Wednesdays.

OASIS at Macy’s Home Store, on the second floor, Westfield Montgomery mall, Bethesda.

Registration required. 301-469-6800, ext.

211; oasisnet.org/washington-dc-area.

Jan. 16-Feb. 20 EVENING GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP. A sixweek group for those grieving the death of a loved one. Please wait three months after the death. Open to those who live or work in Montgomery County. 6:30-8 p.m.

Wednesdays. $25. Montgomery Hospice,

8 p.m. Thursdays. Montgomery Hills Baptist Church, Silver Spring. Registration required.

301-921-4400, montgomeryhospice.org.

Jan. 23 DIABETES SUPPORT & CONTINUING EDUCATION. Learn new self-management strategies and share information with others. Healthy refreshments are served.

12:30-1:30 p.m. Free. Holiday Park Senior Center, Wheaton. 301-896-3939, events. suburbanhospital.org.

Feb. 5 BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP. 6:30-8 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month. Hope Connections for Cancer Support, Bethesda.

301-634-7500, hopeconnectionsforcancer.org.

Ongoing CANCER CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUP. 6:30-8 p.m. first and third Tuesdays of the month (upcoming dates are Jan. 15; Feb. 5 and 19). Hope Connections for Cancer Support, Bethesda. 301-634-7500, hopeconnectionsforcancer.org. ■

Jan. 17-Feb. 21 PARENT LOSS SUPPORT GROUP. A six-week group for adults who have experienced the death of one or both parents. Open to those who live or work in Montgomery County. 6:30-

To submit calendar items, go to BethesdaMagazine.com.

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Alexa Gittleson HOME SWEET YOGA How has your interest in yoga evolved?

I discovered yoga in college, right when I needed it most. It was a personal moment in my life and it provided me a positive focus and outlet.

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I always ask each of my students what they want out of yoga. Individual needs vary. My coaching plan is tailored to meet their personal goals. One person may be in search of a more meditative approach while another may be aiming to get more flexible. Everyone is a unique individual and yoga offers the opportunity for anyone to feel healthier, happier and stronger. Home Sweet Yoga gives clients the opportunity to receive one-on-one instruction in the comfort of their own home. Private yoga allows for the exploration of various poses, modifications, challenges and styles. Whether someone wants to learn the ropes, advance to the next level or tailor yoga to specific needs, home-based yoga is the answer.

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Tina West, MD THE WEST INSTITUTE You’re the first and only provider of Emsculpt in Montgomery County. How does Emsculpt work, and what is the difference between EmSculpt and CoolScultping?

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The West Institute was among the first practices in the country to introduce CoolSculpting, the gold standard treatment worldwide for permanent destruction of fat cells by selectively freezing them.

CoolSculpting eliminates unwanted fat anywhere on the body with no downtime.

While CoolSculpting permanently destroys fat cells; Emsculpt builds muscle. At the West Institute, we recommend debulking areas of unwanted fat first with Coolsculpting, followed by muscle building and definition with Emsculpt. Emsculpt also reduces fat by approximately 20 percent when used to treat the abdomen.

HILARY SCHWAB

With over 20 years of aesthetic expertise in Maryland, what cosmetic procedures are trending in your practice?

Prejuvenation! Our practice is seeing younger patients (21-30) interested in preventative treatments like Baby Botox, which uses micro-doses of Botox to soften wrinkles and preserve a refreshed yet natural appearance.

5530 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 925 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-960-2230 www.westskinlaser.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

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Charu Sabharwal, MD, DABSM COMPREHENSIVE SLEEP CARE CENTER

6000 Executive Blvd. #604 Bethesda, MD 20852 703-729-3420 www.comprehensivesleepcare.com 8 convenient locations

COURTSEY PHOTO

Why is getting enough sleep important?

Sleep plays a vital role in overall health. When we’re sleep deprived, our bodies work against us. Sleep deprivation and sleep disorders like sleep apnea, increase one’s risk for obesity, heart failure, stroke, hypertension, dementia, sexual dysfunction, mood disorders and diabetes. An estimated 70 million Americans have sleep apnea, yet nearly 80 percent remain undiagnosed and unknowingly at risk for a host of potentially lifethreatening ailments.

Less than five hours of sleep per night doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease—the leading cause of death in America. Just three consecutive days on that schedule can damage brain cells. The good news is sleep apnea and other sleep disorders are treatable, and the Comprehensive Sleep Care Center is here to offer solutions that will help you rest easier, feel better and reduce your risk for potentially dangerous health complications. We can help you sleep well and live better!

Aaron Behrens GYMGUYZ

Bethesda, MD 240-630-3955 www.gymguyz.com 236 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

STEPHANIE BRAGG

What are the benefits of home personal training?

After a long, demanding day at work, dragging ourselves to the gym can seem like a chore. In addition to the physical health benefits, research continues to reveal a direct correlation between exercise and better mental health. The GYMGUYZ system allows us to help our clients work toward their fitness and health goals by delivering convenient, customized and creative workouts.

Equipped with a van full of state-of-the-art exercise tools—over 360 pieces of equipment that range from dumbbells and kettlebells, to body bars, boxing gear, resistance bands, stability balls and much more—our certified personal trainers meet clients at their preferred location and deliver workouts. Our personalized workout plans cater to individuals’ specific needs, abilities and desired results. And through creativity and variety, we ensure that each day is as fun as it is productive. Finding the time, energy and motivation to exercise can be overwhelming; we’re here to guide clients to living a happier and healthier life.

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Taff & Levine DDS, PA

MICHAEL VENTURA

What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?

In a word, modernization. In our new Potomac office, we have created a 21st century modern workspace complete with HD TV's in every operatory. We are better able to show patients oral issues that need attention, right on the television screen. Our in-house CAT scan equipment allows for a more accurate diagnosis of a multitude of oral conditions. Our “one-visit Cerec crown” allows us to streamline treatment. We are now able to place crowns on the same day, making additional appointments a thing of the past.

It is also very satisfying to have built a multi-generational practice spanning over 40 years that is consistently recognized in the community. Voted the “Best Dentistry Group/Practice” in 2017 in the Bethesda Magazine Best of Bethesda Readers’ Poll is one honor that lets us know we are serving our patients in a most exemplary fashion.

What else makes your client experience different?

Our VIP Membership Plan provides discounted dental treatment to the uninsured. For one low monthly fee, all preventive, restorative and emergency treatment is well within everyone's reach. It’s an incredible feeling to work with a patient who thought this kind of dentistry was beyond their means, and then, after treatment, see the transformation of that person into a man or woman enjoying a vibrant, youthful smile.

We are constantly striving to make dental visits something to look forward to, and we love giving our patients something to smile about! We have created an environment where one can attain state-of-the-art, full-service dental care in a relaxing atmosphere, surrounded by caring doctors and staff. We want our patients to be as proud to be members of our practice as we are proud to serve them.

7811 Montrose Road. #300 Potomac, MD 20854 301-530-3717 www.taffandlevine.com

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Jill J. Bruno, DMD, MSEd BRUNO ORTHODONTICS

5454 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1260 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-656-3310 www.brunosmiles.com

HILARY SCHWAB

What can a patient expect when visiting your office?

My goal is to provide an exceptional experience from the moment a patient walks through the door. Our office is a serene and light-filled space where children, teenagers and adults feel comfortable whether their treatment includes braces, Invisalign or something in between.

We have special events and our Bruno Bucks program for children and teens, but we also want to treat adults like adults. Our office is one of the few in the area to offer a dedicated Adult Treatment Suite.

Our emphasis is on individualized treatment plans using the latest technology for accelerated orthodontics resulting in decreased treatment time.

Rachel Cohn How can people use glasses to their advantage?

Glasses should reflect the way you want to be viewed by the world, flattering your face but also matching your personality. The right eyewear is important. After all, when people converse, they look at each others' faces, not their designer bags or pricey shoes. And just as we change up our bags and shoes, we can do the same by having more than one pair of glasses at a time.

My staff has both a sense of style and optical knowledge that will ensure that you find the perfect frame or frames for your face and your prescription. Experts suggest a variety of guidelines to consider when buying glasses, but we encourage people to have fun trying on lots of pairs, even things that don't have immediate appeal. Try tortoise or sophisticated black. Don’t be afraid of color as it can add life to your face. Something different might be a good surprise.

1095 Seven Locks Road Potomac, MD 20854 301-545-1111 www.wink.net 238 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

TAMZIN B. SMITH PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

OPTOMETRIST, WINK EYEWEAR BOUTIQUE

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Sherry L. H. Maragh, MD, FAAD, FACS, FACMS MARAGH DERMATOLOGY, SURGERY & VEIN INSTITUTE As respected physicians with decades of experience, what is most satisfying about dermatology today?

One thing that has changed over the years and is particularly satisfying is that patients can avoid major procedures because we can offer so many non-invasive options. Two of the most effective are SculpSure and Ultherapy. SculpSure is light-based body contouring that eliminates stubborn areas of fat. Ultherapy is the only non-invasive procedure cleared by the FDA to lift skin on the neck, jowls and brow area.

We specialize in the most advanced techniques of medical, cosmetic, laser and surgical dermatology.

We have expertise in Mohs Micrographic surgery with cosmetic facial reconstruction for the treatment of skin cancer. There are continual new developments in minimally-invasive face and body rejuvenation such as liposuction. We use lasers to repair scars and stretch marks, tighten facial skin, remove unwanted hair, and for body contouring and leg vein issues, among other conditions such as acne, rosacea and unwanted pigmentation caused by the sun.

With expertise in both cosmetic and medical dermatology, it is fulfilling to care for patients with a variety of needs. All procedures are done under the direction of board certified physicians who offer compassionate care with attention to detail.

ADAM FREEDMAN

What advice do you have to help me achieve overall skin health?

Our skin is the largest organ of our bodies and it has “memory.� The sun damage we sustain over the years has a cumulative effect. As we age, the sunburns and tans of our youth can start to show up as brown spots, wrinkles, sagging skin or even skin cancers. Annual screenings are key to catching and resolving problems early. We recommend wearing a daily SPF of at least 30, avoiding tanning beds, keeping your skin hydrated and maintaining a healthy body, which ultimately keeps your skin healthy.

14995 Shady Grove Road., Suite 150 Rockville, MD 20850 301-358-5919 www.maraghdermatology.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

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Arlet Koseian-Beckham FOUNDER & OWNER, EXTEND YOGA

12106 Wilkins Ave. North Bethesda, MD 20852 301-881-3330 www.extendYoga.com

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

Running a business is stressful. Does yoga help?

Yes! Yoga teaches us to slow down, breathe and take care of ourselves, inside and out. For me, the practice of yoga is a way of life that fosters compassion, integrity and clarity. It empowers me to be more productive in all facets of my life: as an entrepreneur, employer, friend, wife and mother.

I hope my son grows up understanding that tending to his heart is just as important to his health as eating right and exercising.

Too often, the daily grind takes its toll, and, unfortunately, our health is the first thing we “don’t have time for.” But when we commit to taking care of ourselves and being more mindful in our daily lives, stress levels often decrease, making life more manageable.

Yoga can be something different for everyone. And the beauty of yoga is it’s accessible to all ages, shapes and sizes. The first step can be hard, but well worth it and ultimately, transformative.

Dr. Ross Shoter MYEYEDR.

4917 Elm St. Bethesda, MD 20814 301-718-2424 www.myeyedr.com 240 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

DARREN HIGGINS

You’ve helped people in our community see better for more than 25 years. What sets you apart from other eye doctors?

My patients trust me to provide outstanding care and they appreciate my attention to detail. They know I’m going to spend as much time with them as necessary and that I will do what it takes to make it perfect, whether that means adjusting the fit of their bifocal contact lenses or double-checking to make sure their prescription is accurate. I’m honored to have several patients from different generations in the same family and many patients who keep coming to see me after they’ve moved out of the area.

At MyEyeDr., we strive to be the leader in patient care by offering excellent service and convenient locations—we have 11 optometry offices in Montgomery County alone. I’ve always made it a priority to connect with my patients so I can help them now and in the future as their vision needs change.

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Wendy Muhammad FRANCHISEE PARTNER, MASSAGE ENVY, DOWNTOWN SILVER SPRING

LISA HELFERT

Why choose Massage Envy Downtown Silver Spring?

We provide uniquely customized and affordable body and skin care treatments through a range of services, including: Massage Therapy, Total Body Stretch™, facial waxing, chemical exfoliation, back facials and advanced skin care facials. We are dedicated to building a genuine connection with each guest. By carefully listening to and assessing our guests wants and needs, we are able to match them with the best Esthetician and/or Massage Therapist. This customized approach allows us to facilitate the highest level of individual care. Our knowledgeable and attentive staff, including our experienced and licensed Massage Therapists and Estheticians, are here to promote healing and help each guest gain access to total body wellness. We are dedicated to helping our guests incorporate wellness into their self-care routines. Everyone at Massage Envy Downtown Silver Spring is committed to helping our guests enjoy a standard of excellence and memorable, relaxing experience with each visit.

How does regular massage/skin care treatment impact overall health?

Too often we look at routine massage and skin care treatments as a luxury, which can leave us feeling guilty for indulging ourselves. But research has proven time and again that these treatments are tremendously beneficial to our overall physical and mental well-being. Massage Therapy and Total Body Stretch™ loosens muscle tensions, thus promoting increased blood flow that helps to rid our bodies of harmful toxins. Regular massage can promote pain relief and reduced stress levels. This also helps to combat anxiety and depression and increase energy levels. A massage can calm the mind and leave you emotionally refreshed, fostering a positive outlook that can carry over into all aspects of your life. Professional skin care treatments provide your skin with stimulation and the nutrients it needs to aid cellular regeneration and promote youthful, glowing skin.

955 Wayne Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-264-5154 www.massageenvy.com

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TRUEBODY

How does TRUEBODY meet the health and fitness needs of a broad clientele?

All of the programming is created and overseen by renowned fitness trainer Robert Sherman.

The classes are designed to be effective for all levels. From building a foundation to improving movement quality, as well as increasing overall strength and conditioning, our classes address all aspects of fitness.

At TRUEBODY, we also believe in the importance of community, which is why we host complimentary happy hours on Friday nights and brunches every Sunday, so that our members can enjoy meeting each other and socializing after working out. We offer discounts on memberships for companies who support health and fitness, as well as special family rates so people can train with the ones they care about most.

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7400 Wisconsin Ave. Bethesda, MD 20814 301-493-8783 www.truebody.fit

STEPHANIE BRAGG

What sets TRUEBODY apart from other gyms?

Exercise requires a comprehensive, planned approach to get great results. Navigating fitness on your own can be difficult. One option is to join a large club which has machines and some classes, but usually lacks personalized programming. Other people choose to attend many different small studios in order to get the necessary variety for a well-rounded routine.

However, this tends to be inefficient and expensive. TRUEBODY is designed specifically to solve these problems.

TRUEBODY is a new boutique health club that is large enough to offer a full spectrum of classes and small enough to provide personal attention. We focus on classes and complete programs that work for each individual. Variety and progressive intensity are key. With 25 different formats of yoga, strength, cycling, circuit training and regeneration offered in over 100 classes per week, our members find a balanced and effective approach to reaching their personal goals.

restaurants. cooking. food. drinks.

PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

dine

Panna cotta is a dessert standout on the menu at I’m Eddie Cano, a new Italian restaurant in Upper Northwest D.C. For our review, turn the page.

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Spaghetti is made in house at I’m Eddie Cano, and this dish includes clams and cherry tomatoes. The restaurant is owned by (opposite, from left) Massimo and Carolyn Papetti and James Gee, who is also the chef.

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Overall Rating:

A-

I’m Eddie Cano 5014 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C; 202-8904995; imeddiecano.com FAVORITE DISHES: Fried zucchini, spaghetti and meatballs, spaghetti with clams, escarole salad, eggplant parmigiana, panna cotta

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

PRICES: Appetizers: $9 to $16; Pastas: $13 to $16; Entrées: $15 to $19; Desserts: $5 to $8

A small Upper Northwest D.C. restaurant with a quirky moniker serves top-notch Italian food

BY DAVID HAGEDORN | PHOTOS BY DEB LINDSEY

ONE LOOK AT THE eggplant parmigiana at I’m Eddie Cano, a 60-seat eatery in Upper Northwest D.C. that replaced Banana Leaf restaurant in October, and you know this is not a typical Italian restaurant.

Ultra-thin layers of roasted eggplant are layered with sprinklings of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, fresh basil and a sauce resplendent with San Marzano Italian tomatoes, widely known for their superior flavor. The serving comes in a neat rectangle shaped like a napoleon dessert, with eggplant and tomato standing in for striations of pastry and custard and a disk of gently melting buffalo

mozzarella cheese serving as icing. Chef and co-owner James Gee eschews the breading and stodginess we’ve come to expect in eggplant parmigiana and turns the dish into something refined, elegant and irresistible. This dish is no one-off; I’m Eddie Cano’s menu is a trove of gustatory treasures.

Gee, 39, who lives in Rockville, has an accomplished cooking pedigree. He worked most recently as the chef at The Georgetown Club and before that at two of chef José Andrés’ restaurants—China Chilcano in Washington and Jaleo in Bethesda. Gee co-owns I’m Eddie Cano with husband-and-wife Massimo and

LIBATIONS: There is a selection of six house cocktails, all nicely balanced and straightforward, such as the Siciliano, made with sweet vermouth, Averna (a bitter liqueur) and lemon; and the Little Italy, a riff on a Manhattan made with rye, Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth and Cynar, an artichoke-based bitter liqueur. But the wine list, created by co-owner and certified sommelier Carolyn Papetti, deserves your full attention. Papetti has created a lovely selection of well-priced Italian wines (10 whites, 10 reds, two sparkling and one rosé by the bottle ranging from $30 to $72; three reds and three whites by the glass). We recommend a bottle of the Chianti Classico Isole e Olena 2015 ($60).

SERVICE: Efficient and helpful, but can be overbearing depending on who serves you. The bartender, Doug Fisher, is superlative and makes eating at the bar a good bet.

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Clockwise from left: a fried zucchini appetizer; spaghetti and meatballs; Gee in the kitchen.

Carolyn Papetti, who live in Chevy Chase, D.C. The three became close friends while working together in the mid-2000s at the notable East Hampton, New York, eatery Cittanuova. Years ago, they hatched a plan to one day open a restaurant together and embarked on many annual eating and drinking research trips to Italy to that end. Gee moved to Washington in 2011 to work for Andrés.

The Papettis settled here three years ago and Massimo worked as the manager at Café Milano. He now runs the floor at their place; Carolyn handles marketing duties. She is also a certified sommelier and curated the restaurant’s reasonably priced and intriguing Italian wine list.

She also came up with the name I’m Eddie Cano—it’s the phonetic pronunciation of “Americano,” the Italian word for American. It’s corny but may grow on you. The name and the menu, which lists “Americano” dishes on one side and 246

“Italiano” ones on the other, underscore the owners’ notion that Italian-American food and authentic Italian food are two different things.

I’m not sure whether diners care about that distinction, but one thing I am sure about: Gee is one talented chef. All of his pastas, except for penne, are made in house. (The dried penne is a high-quality brand, Rustichella d’Abruzzo, from Italy.) The pastas’ freshness is evident from their al dente elasticity, detected on the first bite of any of them, such as spaghetti that comes with meatballs or clams, or bucatini served in a lush tomato sauce spiked with chili flakes and cubes of guanciale (cured pork jowl). Also evident is superlative technique. Nonna’s Meatballs—based on a recipe from Gee’s mother (his three children’s nonna, the Italian word for grandmother)—are made with veal, beef and pork; they are delicate, not leaden,

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thanks to a panade, a paste made with breadcrumbs soaked in milk. The clams in the vongole spaghetti taste like they’ve just been plucked from the sea and are cooked perfectly to a custardlike texture.

The sauce, whispering of garlic and chili pepper, is thickened by an emulsification of starchy pasta water and olive oil so the consistency teeters between broth and sauce. It is complex simplicity at its best.

Technique reveals itself in starters as well. Gee soaks julienned zucchini and a few Peppadew peppers in buttermilk, then dredges them in flour. They’re deepfried in peanut oil and finished with a spritz of lemon juice and a smattering of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

The greaseless pile puts any bloomin’ onion to shame. Octopus, as ubiquitous on menus now as charcuterie plates (I’m Eddie Cano’s plate is not mind-blowing), is another exercise in blissful restraint. A tentacle is braised to tenderness, lightly

I’m Eddie Cano, which doesn’t take reservations, offers counter seating and a communal table among its 60 seats. The restaurant’s eggplant parmigiana (bottom) is “refined, elegant and irresistible,” our critic says.

grilled and served with chickpeas and cherry tomatoes in a humble balsamic vinaigrette. Even an escarole salad with hard-boiled eggs, croutons, ParmigianoReggiano shavings and anchovy and garlic dressing sings brightly.

Sipping a pre-dinner cocktail, such as a refreshing I’m Eddie Cano highball (gin, lime, cucumber, basil) or a Manhattan-esque Little Italy, gives you an opportunity to peruse a black-and-white mural of actors (Audrey Hepburn from Roman Holiday, Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, et al.) with the names of Italian provinces emblazoned over them in red letters. There are other charming design elements—partitions made with clear wine bottles stacked with copper rods through them; modern, lipstick red or gray dining chairs—but there are issues, too. The place is a box made of concrete, cinder blocks, brick and subway tiles and is therefore resoundingly noisy. (The owners say they plan to install some soundproofing panels.)

A no-reservations policy means waiting sometimes as long as 40 minutes outside, somewhere else (Buck’s Fishing and Camping restaurant and the Politics and

Prose bookstore are across the street), or at the tiny, and usually crowded, eightseat bar in the back of the room. Once space becomes available, you might find yourself at one of two four-seat counters in the windows on either side of the front door or at a communal table too wide to have a conversation with a person across from you without yelling.

Some of these issues can be resolved, and once you take a taste of penne baked with a ragù of beef and housemade sausage, or branzino that has been

exquisitely grilled, filleted tableside and dotted with green herb, lemon and garlic salsa, your objections will likely melt away. Dessert is not a focus here, but panna cotta—sweetened cream flavored with orange zest, bay leaf and vanilla and transformed into pudding with gelatin— provides a smooth finish to an already delightful meal. Whoever this Eddie Cano guy is, he’s all right by me. n David Hagedorn is the restaurant critic for Bethesda Magazine.

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Claudia Kousoulas (left) and Ellen Letourneau teamed up on a new cookbook celebrating the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve.

FARM TO COOKBOOK ABOUT 25 MILES NORTHWEST of the Washington Monument lie more than 93,000 acres of farmland known as the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve.

Created by the county in 1980 to limit urban sprawl, control development and protect natural resources, the reserve comprises the upper northwest third of the county’s land and includes more than 500 farms. To bring attention and pay homage to its bounty, authors Claudia Kousoulas and Ellen Letourneau wrote a stunning, coffee table-worthy cookbook called Bread & Beauty: A Year in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve, which debuted in October.

Kousoulas, a D.C. resident who lived in Montgomery County for 30 years and worked for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission for 20 of them, and Letourneau, who lives in Boyds, met in 2015 when Letourneau worked for the Montgomery Countryside Alliance, a Poolesville-based nonprofit organization 248

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that promotes the reserve. “ ‘It’s a beautiful place and needs a beautiful book,’ Ellen told me,” explains Kousoulas, an accomplished cook who has written many freelance articles that include her own recipes. “Ellen knows everyone out there, so she would call and get interviews. I focused on research and history and would come up with recipes.

We had testing dinner parties and people would come to potluck suppers and critique and make suggestions.”

Working on the book broadened the scope of Letourneau’s own cooking methods. “I was astonished at the bounty of the reserve. I joined a CSA [communitysupported agriculture group] and received fruits and vegetables from them. I started eating seasonally. Now I know how to use kohlrabi and beets and I don’t eat strawberries in February. And I learned how to preserve food.” In 2017, she prepared Thanksgiving dinner with ingredients almost entirely from the reserve.

The 320-page tome, which is selfpublished, includes 120 recipes divided into four seasonal sections, starting with winter. The book is filled with color photographs taken by Kousoulas’ husband, George, and Martin Radigan. In addition to the recipes—including kohlrabi and apple slaw, chamomile streusel muffins, lamb-stuffed eggplant, summer squash spoonbread and parsnip cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting—Kousoulas and Letourneau expound on the reserve’s history, entrepreneurs and places of interest. The book covers Button Farm, a living history center that portrays 19th-century slave plantation life; Soleado Lavender Farm, which produces and sells on-site sundry products from its fields of purple flowers; and Kingsbury Orchard, which produces peaches, apples, Asian pears and other crops.

Bread & Beauty: A Year in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve costs $45 and is available at breadandbeauty.org and at Waredaca Brewing Company in Laytonsville, Soleado Lavender Farm in Dickerson, Rocklands Farm in Poolesville, the Darby Store in Beallsville, Maryland, and at Politics and Prose bookstores in D.C. Proceeds from the book will be donated to Montgomery Countryside Alliance and Manna Food Center.

PHOTOS BY DEB LINDSEY

BY DAVID HAGEDORN

BUTTON FARM SWEET POTATO SOUP Adapted from Bread & Beauty: A Year in Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve Serves 6 to 8

PHOTO BY GEORGE KOUSOULAS

Ingredients 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 1-inch piece ginger, grated 1 quart chicken or vegetable stock 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 1/3 cup 100-percent peanut butter (no added oils, salt or sugar) 1 hot pepper, such as serrano, diced (to taste) 3 tablespoons tomato paste ½ cup milk Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Directions Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan and sauté the onion until softened, about five minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for one minute. Add the stock and sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Using an immersion blender or a blender, purée the soup. Return it to the pan over low heat. Add the peanut butter, hot pepper, tomato paste and milk and whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Heat and serve.

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BRAZILIAN BONBONS ing private events and fundraisers. The brigadeiros, along with other products—small honey cakes called pão de mel, jars of brigadeiro spread, and chocolate-covered brigadeiros—are made in a commercial kitchen in Silver Spring.

In April 2018, Drummond decided to take her business to another level, having bought Write for You stationery store in Chevy Chase, D.C., and marrying it with June B Sweet. With a storefront, she is able to bring her delicacies to a much wider audience.

Brigadeiros scream Valentine’s Day. Gift boxes (nine pieces for $24; 16 for $32; 25 for $49) have clear tops, so you can easily see the made-to-impress sweets.

For her Valentine’s Day boxes, Drummond is replacing a row of brigadeiros with fresh

red rosebuds and she has created a special new flavor, hot chili pepper, to spice things up. You can put together your own selection. We recommend: milk chocolate brigadeiro covered with rose-flavored sugar; coconut; crunchy strawberry; and vanilla with crunchy gold sprinkles.

A new creation for Valentine’s Day is a chocolate cake, about 4½ inches in diameter, filled with Nutella and painted with edible gold ($28). It comes in a red box trimmed with gold foil and tied with a lavish red ribbon.

You can order June B Sweet online; they deliver locally and ship. (Order by 11 a.m. for same-day delivery.)

Write for You, 3807 McKinley St. NW, Washington, D.C.; 202-686-7060; junebsweet.com

For Valentine’s Day, June B Sweet fills special boxes with Brazilian treats and fresh red rosebuds.

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PHOTOS BY ERICA WILCOX

WHEN WE FIRST WROTE about June Drummond in 2010, the lawyer-turnedconfectioner was just starting a business called June B Sweet featuring brigadeiros, beautifully decorated bite-size treats from her native country, Brazil. Made from sweetened condensed milk, butter and flavorings, the bonbons resemble truffles but are much softer and delicate, seemingly held together by sheer force of will.

Drummond’s are individual works of art, with embellishments such as crunchy miniball sprinkles, fanciful chocolate curls and brightly colored crystallized sugars. Many are topped with small, handmade gum paste flowers.

Until last year, Drummond, who lives in Chevy Chase Village, sold brigadeiros mostly to individuals and businesses host-

&

COMINGS GOINGS Hen Quarter in Silver Spring closed in October. Its restaurant group, Northern Virginia-based Thompson Hospitality Corp., bought out D.C.-based chain Matchbox Food Group and, in early 2019, will install Matchbox Vintage Pizza Bistro in the former Hen Quarter spot.

Pandora Seafood House and Bar in Rockville Town Square closed

in October. Mellow Mushroom, a pizza chain, closed its Rockville Town Square location in September.

Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza in Silver Spring closed in late-September.

Mexican restaurant Mi Rancho closed on Rockville Pike in September after a 10-year run when lease negotiations fell through.

A fast-casual taco restaurant (its name is not yet announced) will replace Bold Bite, which closed in August on the corner of Cordell and Norfolk avenues in Bethesda.

Rockville-based chain Silver Diner projects an early summer 2019 opening in Gaithersburg’s RIO Washingtonian Center. ■

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DINING GUIDE

CHECK OUT THE ONLINE VERSION OF THE DINING GUIDE AT BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

BETHESDA AJI-NIPPON 6937 Arlington Road, 301-654-0213. A calm oasis on a busy street, where chef Kazuo Honma serves patrons several kinds of sushi, sashimi, noodle soups, teriyaki and more. Try a dinner box, which includes an entrée, vegetables, California roll, tempura and rice. L D $$

ALATRI BROS. (EDITORS’ PICK) 4926 Cordell Ave., 301-718-6427, alatribros.com.

The folks behind Olazzo and Gringos & Mariachis bought Mia’s Pizzas and revamped it with a new name and décor. They kept the Naples-style pies that come from a wood-burning oven, but added small plates and healthy options. Sit in the cheery dining room with green, gray and white accents or under an umbrella on the patio.  L D $$

AMERICAN TAP ROOM 7278 Woodmont Ave., 301- 656-1366, americantap room.com. Here’s a classic grill menu featuring sliders, wings and craft beer. Entrées range from BBQ Glazed Meatloaf Dinner with whipped potatoes and green beans to the lighter Crabmeat Omelet.

❂  R L D $$ &PIZZA

7614 Old Georgetown Road, 240-800-4783, andpizza.com. Create your own designer pizza from a choice of three crusts, three cheeses and eight sauces or spreads. Toppings for the thin, crispy crusts range from the usual suspects to falafel crumbles, fig marsala and pineapple salsa. This location of the hip, fast-casual chain has limited seating. L D $

BACCHUS OF LEBANON (EDITORS’ PICK) 7945 Norfolk Ave., 301-657-1722, bacchusoflebanon.com. This friendly and elegant Lebanese staple has a large, sunny patio that beckons lunch and dinner patrons outside when the weather is good to try garlicky hummus, stuffed grape leaves, chicken kabobs, veal chops and dozens of small-plate dishes. ❂ L D $$

BANGKOK GARDEN 4906 St. Elmo Ave., 301-951-0670, bkkgarden. com. This real-deal, family-run Thai restaurant turns out authentic cuisine, including curries, soups and noodle dishes, in a dining room decorated with traditional statues of the gods. L D $

THE BARKING DOG 4723 Elm St., 301-654-0022, barkingdogbar.com.

A fun place for young adults, with drink specials nearly every night and bar food such as quesadillas and burgers. Salsa dancing on Tuesdays, trivia on Wednesdays, karaoke on Thursdays and a DJ and dancing Fridays and Saturdays. ❂ L D $

BARREL + CROW 4867 Cordell Ave., 240-800-3253, barrelandcrow. com. Contemporary regional and southern cuisine

served in a comfortable setting with charcoal gray banquettes and elements of wood and brick. Menu highlights include Maryland crab beignets, shrimp and grits and roasted trout. ❂ R L D $$

Key

BEEFSTEAK 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-365-0608, beefsteakveggies.com. The fastcasual spot from chef José Andrés is heavily focused on seasonal vegetables for build-your-own bowls and salads (or pick one of their suggested combinations).

Toppings such as poached egg, chicken sausage and salt-cured salmon are also in the lineup. L D $

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

BENIHANA 7935 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-5391, benihana. com. Experience dinner-as-theater as the chef chops and cooks beef, chicken, vegetables and seafood tableside on the hibachi. This popular national chain serves sushi, too. The kids’ menu includes a California roll and hibachi chicken, steak and shrimp entrées. J L D $$

BETHESDA CRAB HOUSE 4958 Bethesda Ave., 301-652-3382, bethesdacrab house.com. In the same location since 1961, this casual, family-owned dining spot features jumbo lump crabcakes, oysters on the half shell and jumbo spiced shrimp. Extra large and jumbo-sized crabs available year-round; call ahead to reserve.

❂ 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, bgrtheburger joint.com. The burgers are good and the vibe is great at this frequently packed eatery next to Veterans Park. Try the veggie burger, made with a blend of brown rice, black beans, molasses and oats. ❂ J L D $

THE BIG GREEK CAFÉ 4806 Rugby Ave., 301-907-4976, biggreekcafe. com. Owned by the Marmaras brothers, the café serves Greek specialties, including a top-notch chicken souvlaki pita. L D $

BISTRO PROVENCE (EDITORS’ PICK) 4933 Fairmont Ave., 301-656-7373, bistroprovence.org. Chef Yannick Cam brings his formidable experience to a casual French bistro with a lovely courtyard. The Dinner Bistro Fare, served daily from 5 to 6:30 p.m., offers a choice of appetizer, main course and dessert for $35.

❂ R L D $$$

BLACK’S BAR & KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 7750 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-5525, blacksbar andkitchen.com. Customers count on the impeccable use of fresh and local ingredients and

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enjoy dining on the expansive patio. The bar draws crowds for happy hour. ❂ R L D $$$

BRICKSIDE FOOD & DRINK 4866 Cordell Ave., 301-312-6160, brickside bethesda.com. Prohibition-era drinks meet Italian bar bites and entrées. Dishes range from fried pork and waffles to short ribs. Try one of the colorfully named punches, which include Pink Murder Punch and Snow Cone Punch. ❂ R L D $$

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 $

CAFÉ DELUXE 4910 Elm St., 301-656-3131, cafedeluxe.com. This local chain serves bistro-style American comfort food in a fun and noisy setting with wood fans and colorful, oversized European liquor posters. Menu options include burgers, entrées, four varieties of flatbread and mussels served three different ways.

❂ J R L D $$ 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 $

dine CESCO OSTERIA 7401 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-8333, cesco-osteria.com. Longtime chef Francesco Ricchi turns out Tuscan specialties, including pizza, pasta and foccacia in a big, jazzy space. Stop by the restaurant’s Co2 Lounge for an artisan cocktail before dinner. ❂ L D $$

CHEESY PIZZI 8021 Wisconsin Ave., 240-497-0000, cheesypizzibethesda.com. In addition to the standard offerings of a pizza joint, this spot (formerly Pizza Tempo under different owners) has sandwiches and boat-shaped Turkish pizza known as pide. Delivery is available. L D $

CHEF TONY’S 4926 St. Elmo Ave., 301-654-3737, cheftonys bethesda.com. Chef-owner Tony Marciante focuses on Mediterranean seafood tapas, offering dishes ranging from fish and seafood to chicken, steak and pasta. Desserts include Drunken Strawberries and Classic Creme Brulée. J R L D $$

CHERCHER ETHIOPIAN 4921 Bethesda Ave., 301-652-6500, chercherrestaurant.com. The second branch of a D.C. Ethiopian spot, this restaurant and bar took over the space housing Suma. The décor is moderncontemporary and the menu features dishes—from beef to vegan—served on one large platter, meant for sharing, and Ethiopian wine. L D $

CITY LIGHTS OF CHINA 4953 Bethesda Ave., 301-913-9501, bethesda citylights.com. Longtime Chinese eatery serves familiar Sichuan and Beijing fare, including six types of dumplings and seven handmade noodle dishes. Red walls and chocolate-colored booths give the place a sharp look. L D $$

COOPER’S MILL 5151 Pooks Hill Road, 301-897-9400, coopersmillrestaurant.com/bethesda. The restaurant showcases a modern, stylish menu with stone-oven flatbreads, homemade tater tots and locally sourced produce. Local beers on draft and by the bottle, plus regional bourbon and gin.

Happy hour and private dining are offered.

B R L D $$

THE CORNER SLICE 7901 Norfolk Ave., 301-907-7542, thecornerslice. net. New York-style pizza, available by the slice or as a 20-inch pie. Specialty pizzas include the spinachartichoke white pie with ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan and the Buffalo Chicken Pie with blue cheese and hot sauce. ❂ L D $

CRAVE 7101 Democracy Blvd., Suite 1530 (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-469-9600, cravebethesda. com. Minnesota-based chainlet offers an eclectic melting pot of American dishes, including bison burgers, lobster-and-shrimp flatbread and kogi beef tacos. The restaurant is also known for its extensive selection of wine and sushi. J L D $$

DAILY GRILL One Bethesda Metro Center, 301-656-6100, dailygrill.com. Everyone from families to expenseaccount lunchers can find something to like about the big portions of fresh American fare, including chicken pot pie and jumbo lump crabcakes.

❂ J B R L D $$

DELINA ERITREAN URBAN KITCHEN 4914 Cordell Ave., 240-630-8579, delinakitchen. com. This Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurant features small plates. Pick from an assortment of

vegetables, two types of tsebhi (a traditional stew), ground fish, kitfo (a steak tartare preparation) and more. L D $

DOG HAUS BIERGARTEN 7904 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-4287, bethesda. doghaus.com. This fast-casual California-based chain serves hot dogs, sausages, burgers and chicken sandwiches. The hot dogs are all beef and hormone- and antibiotic-free. The industrial-chic space includes picnic tables, TVs, a bar and more than two dozen beer choices. J L D $

DON POLLO 10321 Westlake Drive, 301-347-6175; donpollogroup.com. Juicy, spiced birds and reasonable prices make this Peruvian chicken eatery a go-to place any night of the week. Family meals that serve four or six people are available.

❂LD$

DUCK DUCK GOOSE (EDITORS’ PICK) 7929 Norfolk Ave., 301-312-8837, ddgbethesda. com. Thirty-five-seat French brasserie owned by chef Ashish Alfred. Small plates include steak tartare, and squid ink spaghetti with Manila clams and Fresno chilies. Among the entrées, look for updates of French classics, such as dry-aged duck with Bing cherries, and halibut with scallop mousse and puff pastry. ❂ L D $$

EJJI RAMEN (NEW) 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 240-534-2842, ejjiramen.com. At this outpost of a Baltimore ramen shop, you’ll find build-your-own ramen and various spins on the noodle soup (pork, vegetarian, seafood). There’s also the Ejji Mac & Cheese Ramen Dog, a hot dog wrapped in ramen and cheese, then fried. J L D $

FARYAB AFGHAN CUISINE 4917 Cordell Ave., 301-951-3484. After closing for more than a year, Faryab reopened in 2017 and serves well-prepared Afghani country food, including Afghanistan’s answer to Middle Eastern kabobs, vegetarian entrées and unique sautéed pumpkin dishes, in a whitewashed dining room with native art on the walls. D $$

FISH TACO 7251 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-0010; 10305 Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center), 301-564-6000, fishtacoonline.com. This counterservice taqueria features a full roster of seafood as well as non-aquatic tacos, plus margaritas and other Mexican specialties.

JLD$

FLANAGAN'S HARP & FIDDLE 4844 Cordell Ave., 301-951-0115, flanagansharp andfiddle.com. This stylish pub features live music several days a week, Tuesday night poker and Monday quiz nights. In addition to traditional stews and fried fish, Flanagan's offers smoked ribs, salmon and traditional Irish breakfast on weekends. ❂ J B L D $$

GARDEN GRILLE & BAR 7301 Waverly St. (Hilton Garden Inn), 301-6548111. Aside from a breakfast buffet featuring cooked-to-order omelets, waffles, fruit and more, the restaurant offers an extensive menu, from burgers to crabcakes, short ribs and pasta dishes.

J B D $$

GEORGE’S CHOPHOUSE 4935 Cordell Ave., 240-534-2675, georgesbethesda.com. This modern bistro with pop-culture décor features a seasonally changing menu of house-made pastas, plus a raw bar and a

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variety of steaks. The braised beef cheek fettucine combines two specialties: house-made pastas and slow-cooked meat. L D $$$

GRINGOS & MARIACHIS (EDITORS’ PICK) 4928 Cordell Ave., 240-800-4266, gringosand mariachis.com. The owners of the popular Olazzo Italian restaurants in Bethesda and Silver Spring trade in the red sauce for salsa at this hip taqueria with edgy murals and plenty of tequila.

LD$

GUAPO’S RESTAURANT 8130 Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-0888, guapos restaurant.com. This outpost of a local chain has everything you’d expect: margaritas and chips galore, as well as a handful of daily specials served in festive Mexican surroundings. Perfect for families and dates. J R L D $

GUARDADO’S 4918 Del Ray Ave., 301-986-4920, guardados.com.

Chef-owner Nicolas Guardado, who trained at Jaleo, opened this hidden gem devoted to Latin-Spanish cooking in 2007 and has developed a following with tapas specialties like shrimp and sausage, stuffed red peppers and paella. J L D $

GUSTO FARM TO STREET 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-312-6509; 4733 Elm St., 240-3966398; eatgusto.com. The fast-casual eatery aims to serve healthy fare, with a focus on pizzas and salads. The menu includes suggested combos but you can also build your own. Pizza crust comes in cauliflower, whole grain or traditional, and housemade dressings top heirloom tomatoes, butternut squash and other salad items. ❂ (Elm Street location only) L D $

HANARO RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 7820 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-7851, hanarobethesda. com. The restaurant’s modern dark woods combined with a light-filled dining room brighten its corner location, and the menu includes sushi and Asian fusion main courses such as pad Thai and galbi (Korean ribs). The bar offers a daily happy hour. ❂ L D $$

HIMALAYAN HERITAGE 4925 Bethesda Ave., 301-654-1858, himalayan heritagebethesda.com. The menu includes North Indian, Nepali, Indo-Chinese and Tibetan cuisines, featuring momos (Nepalese dumplings), Indian takes on Chinese chow mein and a large selection of curry dishes. L D $

HOUSE OF FOONG LIN 4613 Willow Lane, 301-656-3427, foonglin.com.

The Chinese restaurant features Cantonese, Hunan and Sichuan cuisine, including chef’s recommendations, low-fat choices and lots of traditional noodle dishes. L D $$

HOUSE OF MILAE 4932 St. Elmo Ave., 301-654-1997. The Kang family, who own Milae Cleaners in Bethesda, bring simple Korean dishes to their first food foray. Chef “M&M” Kang prepares home-style fare such as bulgogi, galbi and bibimbap. The kids’ menu has one item: spaghetti, made from the recipe of owner Thomas Kang’s former college roommate’s mother.

JLD$

THE IRISH INN AT GLEN ECHO 6119 Tulane Ave., 301-229-6600, irishinnglenecho. com. This historic tavern has been a family home and a biker bar, but its incarnation as the Irish Inn has been delivering smiles and hearty food since 2003. Traditional Irish music on Monday nights, The

Celebrating 12 Years

dine 19th Street Band or other live music on Wednesday nights and live jazz on Sunday nights. ❂ J R L D $$

JALEO (EDITORS’ PICK) 7271 Woodmont Ave., 301-913-0003, jaleo.com.

The restaurant that launched the American career of chef José Andrés and popularized Spanish tapas for a Washington, D.C., audience offers hot, cold, spicy and creative small plates served with outstanding Spanish wines. Voted “Best Small Plates” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2017. ❂ R L D $$

JETTIES 4829 Fairmont Ave., 301-769-6844, jettiesdc. com. The only suburban location of the popular Nantucket-inspired sandwich shop, which has five restaurants in Northwest Washington, D.C. Aside from the signature Nobadeer sandwich (roasted turkey and stuffing with cranberry sauce and mayonnaise on sourdough), look for large salads and an innovative children’s menu. ❂ J L D $

KADHAI (EDITORS’ PICK) 7905 Norfolk Ave., 301-718-0121, kadhai.com.

This popular Indian restaurant formerly known as Haandi serves a variety of traditional chicken, lamb and seafood dishes, plus rice and vegetarian dishes and a selection of breads. An extensive lunch buffet is offered daily. Voted “Best Indian Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. ❂ L D $$

KAPNOS KOUZINA (EDITORS’ PICK) 4900 Hampden Lane, 301-986-8500, kapnos kouzina.com. Chef Mike Isabella’s first foray into Maryland, this restaurant spotlights Greek spreads, salads, small plates and roasted meats. Not to be missed are the pyde, puffed pillows of bread.

They are best as spread-dipping vehicles; crusts for topped, pizza-like flatbreads; or sandwich casings for souvlakis. ❂ R L D $$

LA PANETTERIA 4921 Cordell Ave., 301-951-6433, lapanetteria. com. La Panetteria transports diners into a quaint Italian villa with its impeccable service and Old World atmosphere, serving such Southern and Northern Italian classic dishes as homemade spaghetti and veal scaloppine. L D $$

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN 7140 Bethesda Lane, 301-913-2902; 10217 Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center), 240-752-8737, lepainquotidien.com. New Yorkbased Belgian-born bakery/restaurant chain with farmhouse vibe, featuring organic breads, European breakfast and dessert pastries, savory egg dishes, soups, Belgian open-faced sandwiches, entrée salads, wine and Belgian beer by the bottle. ❂ JBRLD$

LE VIEUX LOGIS 7925 Old Georgetown Road, 301-652-6816, levieuxlogisrestaurantmd.com. The colorful exterior will draw you into this family-run Bethesda institution, but classic French dishes such as Dover sole meunière and mussels in a white wine broth will keep you coming back. ❂ D $$$

LOUISIANA KITCHEN & BAYOU BAR 4907 Cordell Ave., 301-652-6945, louisiana bethesda.com. The popular Bethesda institution offers a Cajun- and Creole-style menu, complete with divine fried items. The pain perdou and beignets remain a great way to start a Sunday morning. B R L D $

LUCY ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT 4865 Cordell Ave., 301-347-7999. The authentic Ethiopian menu here includes beef and lamb plates,

such as kitfo (raw beef) sandwiches and boneless braised yebeg alicha (Ethiopian mild lamb stew).

The interior is decorated with Ethiopian-inspired art and features a full bar. Beef and vegan samplers are available at the Bethesda location. L D $

LUKE’S LOBSTER 7129 Bethesda Lane, 301-718-1005, lukeslobster. com. This upscale carryout features authentic lobster, shrimp and crab rolls; the seafood is shipped directly from Maine. Try the Taste of Maine, which offers all three kinds of rolls, plus two crab claws.❂ L D $

MAKI BAR 6831 Wisconsin Ave. (Shops of Wisconsin), 301907-9888, makibarbethesda.com. This tiny 30-seat Japanese restaurant and sushi bar offers 60-plus kinds of maki rolls, categorized as Classic (tuna roll), Crunch Lover (spicy crunch California roll) and Signature (eel, avocado, tobiko, crab), along with sushi, sashimi, noodle bowls and rice-based entrées. L D $$

MAMMA LUCIA 4916 Elm St., 301-907-3399, mammalucia restaurants.com. New York-style pizza dripping with cheese and crowd-pleasing red sauce, and favorites like chicken Parmesan and linguini with clams draw the crowds to this local chain. Gluten-free options available. ❂ L D $$

MEDIUM RARE 4904 Fairmont Ave., 301-215-8739, mediumrare restaurant.com. A prix fixe menu that comes with bread, salad, steak and fries is the sole option at this small chain outpost (there are two Medium Rares in D.C.). Desserts cost extra. Weekend brunch also features a prix fixe menu. D $$

MODERN MARKET 4930 Elm St., 240-800-4733, modernmarket. com. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, this Bethesda Row eatery is part of a Denver-based chain. The focus is on seasonal, from-scratch fare and ingredients such as nitrate- and hormonefree bacon. Sandwiches, soups, salads and pizza dominate the menu. ❂ J B R L D $

MOMO CHICKEN & GRILL 4862 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, 240-483-0801, momofc.com. Skip the breasts, and head for the wings or drumsticks at Bethesda’s first Korean fried chicken spot. Options such as seafood pancakes, bulgogi and bibimbap are part of the extensive offerings, all served in a hip space with framed record albums gracing the walls. ❂ J L D $$

MON AMI GABI 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 Tuesday and Thursday nights. ❂ J R L D $$

MORTON’S, THE STEAKHOUSE 7400 Wisconsin Ave., 301-657-2650, mortons. com. An ultra-sophisticated steak house serving pricey, large portions of prime-aged beef and drinks.

The restaurant is known for a top-notch dinner experience but also offers lunch and a bar menu.

L D $$$

MUSSEL BAR & GRILLE 7262 Woodmont Ave., 301-215-7817, musselbar. com. Kensington resident and big-name chef Robert Wiedmaier serves his signature mussels, plus wood-fired tarts, salads and sandwiches. Wash them all down with a choice of 40 Belgian beers,

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a list that was voted “Best Beer Selection” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2017. ❂ R L D $$

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE’S 10400 Old Georgetown Road, 240-316-4555, notyouraveragejoes.com. This Massachusettsbased chain’s moderately priced menu offers burgers, big salads and stone-hearth pizzas, plus entrées including Anything But Average Meatloaf. ❂ J L D $$

OAKVILLE GRILLE & WINE BAR (EDITORS’ PICK) 10257 Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center), 301-897-9100, oakvillewinebar.com. Fresh California food paired with a thoughtful wine list in an elegant, spare setting may not sound unique, but Oakville was one of the first in the area to do so, and continues to do it well. 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 2018. ❂ L D $$

THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE 7700 Wisconsin Ave., Store D, 301-986-0285, ophrestaurants.com. Along with the classic flapjacks on this chain’s menu, you’ll find flavorpacked items such as apple pancakes with a cinnamon sugar glaze. And it’s not just pancakes to pick from: The restaurant serves a variety of waffles, crepes, eggs and omelets. J B L $

PASSAGE TO INDIA (EDITORS’ PICK) 4931 Cordell Ave., 301-656-3373, passagetoindia. info. Top-notch, pan-Indian fare by chef-owner Sudhir Seth, with everything from garlic naan to fish curry made to order. ❂ R L D $$

PASSIONFISH BETHESDA 7187 Woodmont Ave., 301-358-6116, passionfish bethesda.com. The second location of Passion Food Hospitality’s splashy seafood restaurant features stunning coastal-themed décor and an extensive menu of shellfish, caviar, sushi, chef’s specialties and fresh catches of the day. Voted “Best Happy Hour” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018.

J L D $$$

PAUL 4760 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-3285, paul-usa. com. Fifth-generation, family-owned French bakery becomes an international chain, with locations in close to 35 countries. Aside from breads and pastries, look for soups, sandwiches and quiche. ❂BLD$

PENANG MALAYSIAN & THAI CUISINE & BAR 4933 Bethesda Ave., 301-657-2878, penang maryland.com. At this Malaysian spot decorated with exotic dark woods and a thatched roof, spices run the gamut of Near and Far Eastern influence, and flavors include coconut, lemongrass, sesame and chili sauce. L D $$

PINES OF ROME 4918 Cordell Ave., 301-657-8775. Longtime Italian restaurant, formerly on Hampden Lane, still serves traditional pasta, pizza, fish and seafood at prices that are easy on the wallet. The white pizza is a hit, and don’t forget the spaghetti and meatballs.

LD$

PIZZERIA DA MARCO (EDITORS’ PICK) 8008 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-6083, pizzeria damarco.net. Authentic Neapolitan pizzas fired in a 900-degree Italian brick oven range from the

Siciliana with eggplant confit and black olives to the Solo Carne with sausage, pepperoni and salame.

Salads, antipasti and calzones available, too. ❂LD$

POSITANO RISTORANTE ITALIANO 4940-48 Fairmont Ave., 301-654-1717, epositano.com. An authentic Italian, family-run restaurant popular for private events, large and small. Colorful rooms are decorated with Italian landscapes, copper pots and hanging plants, and the outdoor patio is one of the most beautiful in the county. ❂ L D $$

PRALINE BAKERY & BISTRO 4611 Sangamore Road, 301-229-8180, praline-bakery.com. This sunny restaurant offers a tempting bakery takeout counter, full dining service and a patio. The food, which includes chicken pot pie and pralines, is French with an American accent. ❂ J B R L D $$

Q BY PETER CHANG (EDITORS’ PICK) 4500 East West Highway, 240-800-3722, qbypeterchang.com. Notable chef Peter Chang’s high-end flagship restaurant offers traditional Chinese dishes in an attractive, modern space.

Peking duck, double-cooked pork belly and other authentic Sichuan cuisine are served, and some dishes are “ultimate spicy” for brave palates. ❂ J L D $$

RAKU (EDITORS’ PICK) 7240 Woodmont Ave., 301-718-8680, rakuasian dining.com. Voted “Best Sushi” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018, this casual restaurant has bamboo walls that do little to dampen the noise, but the menu satisfies with everything from sushi to kung pao chicken. ❂ L D $$

RICE PADDIES GRILL & PHO 4706 Bethesda Ave., 301-718-1862, ricepaddies grill.com. This cute copper-and-green eat-in/carryout makes quick work of Vietnamese favorites such as pork, beef and vegetable skewers infused with lemongrass and the classic beef noodle soup known as pho. L D $

ROCK BOTTOM RESTAURANT & BREWERY 7900 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-1311, rockbottom.com.

India Pale Ales and specialty dark brews are among the award-winning beers crafted in-house at this cavernous yet welcoming chain, which offers a vast menu. The burgers are the real deal. ❂ J L D $$

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE 7315 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-7877, ruthschris. com. A dark and clubby feel makes this elegant chain popular with families as well as the happyhour crowd. Don’t skip the fresh seafood choices, which include Caribbean lobster tail and barbecued shrimp. D $$$

SALA THAI 4828 Cordell Ave., 301-654-4676, salathaidc. com. This Thai mainstay cooks the classics and offers diners a nearly panoramic view of Woodmont Avenue through huge, curved windows. Live jazz Friday and Saturday evenings. L D $$

SAPHIRE CAFÉ 7940 Wisconsin Ave., 301-986-9708. A relaxing spot for tasting everything from Maryland-style crab soup to Argentine skirt steak, Saphire pumps it up a notch on Friday and Saturday nights with drink specials and DJs. Tiki bar open Wednesdays through Saturdays. ❂ L D $

SATSUMA 8003 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-1400, satsumajp. com. Bethesda’s first yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) restaurant has built-in grills at each table. Diners select a cut—short rib, chuck rib, skirt or tongue— and prepare it themselves. There’s also an extensive sushi and sashimi menu, as well as interesting cooked dishes. L D $$

SHANGHAI VILLAGE

DON’T LET

OUR NAME FOOL YOU!

4929 Bethesda Ave., 301-654-7788. Owner Kwok Chueng prides himself on personal attention and recognizing regulars who have been stopping in for his classic Chinese cooking for more than 25 years.

Order the secret recipe Mai Tai. L D $

SHANGRI-LA NEPALESE AND INDIAN CUISINE 7345-A Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-4444, shangrila bethesda.com. Northern Indian and Nepali specialties such as butter chicken and fresh flatbreads known as naan shine here. The extensive menu ranges from soups and salads to tandoori and kabobs.J L D $

SHARE WINE LOUNGE & SMALL PLATE BISTRO 8120 Wisconsin Ave. (DoubleTree Hotel), 301-652-2000, doubletreebethesda.com/dining. aspx. Share some buffalo chicken sliders or avocado bruschetta, or go for main courses ranging from Yankee pot roast to cedar plank-roasted salmon. B L D $$

SILVER (EDITORS’ PICK) 7150 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-9780, eatatsilver. com. Upscale, tonier version of the homegrown Silver Diner chain, with modern takes on American classics and an emphasis on healthy, local and organic ingredients. Sleek interior takes its cue from the 1920s. ❂ J B R L D $$

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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. Delivery available for orders over $15. J L D $

SWEETGREEN 4831 Bethesda Ave.301-654-7336, sweetgreen. com. The sweetgreen fast-casual chain—with its focus on local and organic ingredients— concentrates on salads (devise your own, or pick from a list) and soups. Look for eco-friendly décor and a healthy sensibility. ❂ L D $

TAKO GRILL 4914 Hampden Lane (The Shoppes of Bethesda), 301-652-7030, takogrill.com. Longtime, popular sushi destination relocated to the space formerly occupied by Hinode Japanese Restaurant. Look for the same traditional sushi menu, plus some new options, such as griddle-cooked teppanyaki at lunch, and more varieties of yakitori at dinner. L D $$

TANDOORI NIGHTS 7236 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-4002, tandoorinightsbethesda.com. Located in the heart of downtown Bethesda, the restaurant serves traditional Indian fare ranging from tandoori chicken, marinated in yogurt and spices, to a biryani flavored with saffron, nuts and raisins. ❂ L D $$

TAPP’D BETHESDA 4915 St. Elmo Ave., 240-630-8120, tappdbethesda.com. Beer-centric gastropub offering 40-plus beers on tap, 100-plus bottles and beer flights. Food menu includes standard American fare: soups and salads, char-grilled wings, beer-battered

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BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

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dine onion rings, burgers, brats and mains such as crabcakes, barbecue ribs and beer-can chicken pot pie. Top it off with a root beer float. ❂ J L D $$

TARA THAI 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-657-0488, tarathai.com. Thai cuisine goes high style at Bethesda Magazine readers’ pick for “Best Thai Restaurant” in 2018. With colorful murals of ocean creatures looking on, diners can try dishes ranging from mild to adventurous. L D $$

TASTEE DINER 7731 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-3970, tasteediner. com. For 80 years, this crowd-pleasing if slightly sagging spot has served up everything from breakfast to burgers to blue-plate specials such as steak and crabcakes to crowds of loyal customers.

Open 24 hours. J B L D $

TERRAIN CAFÉ (NEW) 7228 Woodmont Ave., 240-345-9492, shopterrain. com/restaurants. Located inside the Anthropologie & Co. at Bethesda Row, this quaint café changes its menu with the seasons. Look for cheese boards; salads; toast topped with eggplant, smoked salmon or fig; and entrées such as duck breast and a fried cauliflower sandwich. ❂ R L D $$

THELO GREEK GRILL 8009 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-7335. Greek classics such as gyros and meat skewers are the main offerings at this small full-service restaurant in the former Bistro LaZeez space.

❂ L D $$ TIA QUETA

4839 Del Ray Ave., 301-654-4443, tiaqueta.com.

This longtime family and happy-hour favorite offers authentic Mexican food such as moles and fish dishes, as well as the usual Tex-Mex options. Drink menu includes American and Mexican beers. ❂ J L D $$

TOMMY JOE’S 7940 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-3801, tommyjoes. com. This Bethesda institution is now in the space formerly housing Urban Heights. The second-floor, window-filled corner location suits its sports bar persona, and the vast rooftop is ideal for outdoor drinking and snacking. Fare includes wings (Pohostyle, grilled and smoky, are a good option), burgers, crabcakes and ribs. Chunky brisket chili, on its own or on nachos, is a winner. ❂ L D $$

TRATTORIA SORRENTO (EDITORS’ PICK) 4930 Cordell Ave., 301-718-0344, trattoriasorrento. com. This family-run Italian favorite offers homemade pastas, baked eggplant and fresh fish dishes. Half-price bottles of wine on Wednesdays.

D $$

TRUE FOOD KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 7100 Wisconsin Ave., 240-200-1257, truefoodkitchen.com. Health-focused chain prides itself on serving fresh ingredients and features an open kitchen. The eclectic, multicultural menu changes from season to season, and includes sandwiches, salads and pizza. Beer, wine and freshfruit and vegetable cocktails are also available.

Voted “Best New Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. ❂ R L D $

TYBER BIERHAUS 7525 Old Georgetown Road, 240-821-6830, tyberbierhausmd.com. Czech, German and Belgian brews served in an authentic beer-hall setting, furnished with the same benches as those used in the Hofbrau brewhouse in Munich. Pub menu features mussels, hearty sandwiches, schnitzel and goulash. 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 Kid-Friendly Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2017. ❂ J R L D $$

VILLAIN & SAINT 7141 Wisconsin Ave., 240-800-4700, villainand saint.com. Listen to live music while digging into salt-roasted beets or slow-smoked pork ribs at this hip bar, courtesy of chef Robert Wiedmaier’s RW Restaurant Group. Delightfully dated décor includes lava lamps and photos of late great rock stars.

The menu is divided into hearty dishes (villain) and vegetarian options (saint). ❂ R L D $$

VÜK 4924 St. Elmo Ave., 301-652-8000, vukpinball. com. VÜK owner (and MOM’S Organic Market CEO) Scott Nash consulted restaurateur Mark Bucher for the only thing offered on the short menu of his Bethesda pinball arcade other than Trickling Springs Creamery’s soft-serve ice cream: thin-crust New York-style pizza and thick-crust Sicilian pizza sold by the slice or as whole pies: cheese, sausage, pepperoni and mushroom/onion. L D $

WILDWOOD ITALIAN CUISINE 10257 Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center), 301-493-9230, wildwooditaliancuisine. com. The eatery, owned by the adjacent Oakville Grille & Wine Bar, serves up thick-crusted Sicilianstyle pizza, pasta and entrées in a casual atmosphere. ❂ L D $$

WILDWOOD KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 10223 Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center), 301-571-1700, wildwoodkitchenrw.com.

Chef Robert Wiedmaier’s attractive neighborhood bistro serving fresh and light modern cuisine.

Entrées range from Amish chicken with a scallion potato cake to grilled Atlantic salmon with creamy polenta. L D $$

WOODMONT GRILL (EDITORS’ PICK) 7715 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-9755, hillstone. com. Part of the Houston’s chain, the eatery offers such classics as spinach-and-artichoke dip and its famous burgers, but also house-baked breads, more exotic dishes, live jazz and a granite bar. Voted “Best Restaurant Service” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. ❂ L D $$$

WORLD OF BEER 7200 Wisconsin Ave., 240-389-9317, worldofbeer. com. Craft beer-focused tavern chain offers 50 brews on tap rotating daily and hundreds of bottled options. Food is classic pub fare, including hamburgers, wings and bratwurst sandwiches, as well as flatbreads and salads. ❂ J R L D $

YUZU 7345-B Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-5234, yuzu bethesda.com. Diners will find authentic Japanese dishes, including sushi, sashimi and cooked tofu, vegetable, tempura, meat and fish dishes, prepared by sushi chef and owner Yoshihisa Ota. L D $$

CABIN JOHN FISH TACO 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 301-229-0900, fishtacoonline.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂JLD$

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SAL’S ITALIAN KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 240-802-2370, salsitalian kitchen.net. Persimmon and Wild Tomato owners Damian and Stephanie Salvatore replaced their Asian concept Indigo House with a return to their roots. Find traditional Italian fare, such as bruschetta, risotto balls, Caprese salad, meatball subs, fettuccine Alfredo, chicken cacciatore and shrimp scampi. ❂ L D $$

WILD TOMATO (EDITORS’ PICK) 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 301-229-0680, wildtomatorestaurant.com. A family-friendly neighborhood restaurant from Persimmon owners Damian and Stephanie Salvatore, serving salads, sandwiches and pizza. Voted “Best Neighborhood Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2017. ❂ J L D $

CHEVY CHASE ALFIO’S LA TRATTORIA 4515 Willard Ave., 301-657-9133, alfios.com.

This Northern Italian classic on the first floor of The Willoughby of Chevy Chase Condominium has been feeding families and casual diners for more than 30 years. Look for traditional pasta, veal and chicken dishes (plus pizza), served in an Old World environment. J L D $$

THE CAPITAL GRILLE 5310 Western Ave., 301-718-7812, capitalgrille. com. The upscale steak-house chain, known for its He-Man-sized portions and extensive wine list, is located in The Shops at Wisconsin Place.Entrées also include chicken, lamb chops, salmon and lobster. L D $$$$

CLYDE’S 5441 Wisconsin Ave., 301-951-9600, clydes. com. The popular restaurant features a frequently changing menu of American favorites and a collection of vintage airplanes and cars, as well as a model train running on a track around the ceiling. ❂ J R L D $$

DON POLLO 7007 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-0001, donpolloonline.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

LA FERME (EDITORS’ PICK) 7101 Brookville Road, 301-986-5255, laferme restaurant.com. This charming Provence-style restaurant serving classic French cuisine is a popular choice for an intimate dinner. Cognac Le Bar at La Ferme, a bar within the restaurant, opened in fall 2016. The bar serves small plates, and cocktails include the French 75, with cognac, simple syrup, lemon juice and champagne. Voted “Best Romantic Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. ❂ R L D $$$

LIA'S (EDITORS’ PICK) 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. Voted “Best Restaurant in Chevy Chase”

by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2017. ❂JRLD$

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

4457 Willard Ave., 301-652-9882, meiwah restaurant.com. This modern restaurant on the second floor of a Friendship Heights office building offers top-quality Chinese dishes that are hard to beat. There’s also a sushi bar with an extensive menu. A fountain sparkles on the outdoor patio. ❂ L D $$

MOBY DICK HOUSE OF KABOB 7023 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-1838, mobyskabob. com. This kabob takeout/eat-in mainstay was one of the first kabob places in the area. It makes its own pita bread. The menu includes a variety of salads and vegetarian sandwiches and platters.

LD$

PERSIMMON (EDITORS’ PICK) 7003 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-9860, persimmon restaurant.com. Owners Damian and Stephanie Salvatore’s popular restaurant offers casual fare from salads to sandwiches to meat and seafood entrées in a bistro setting featuring a lively bar, cozy booths and bright paintings on the walls. ❂ R L D $$

POTOMAC PIZZA 19 Wisconsin Circle, 301-951-1127, potomac pizza.com. This cheery, casual dining room provides a break from the ultra-posh shopping surrounding it. In addition to pizza, subs and pastas are popular.

Beer and wine available. ❂ J L D $

SUSHIKO (EDITORS’ PICK) 5455 Wisconsin Ave., 301-961-1644, sushiko restaurants.com. Known as one of the Washington, D.C., area’s most respected sushi restaurants, Sushiko offers a wide range of sushi and other dishes. Kōbō, a restaurant within the restaurant, allows eight people to dine on 12- to 15-course tasting menus. ❂ L D $$

TAVIRA 8401 Connecticut Ave., 301-652-8684, tavira restaurant.com. Fish stews and several versions of bacalhau (salted cod) figure prominently on the menu of this intriguing Portuguese restaurant, which manages to be charming and attractive despite its location in an office building basement. L D $$

GARRETT PARK BLACK MARKET BISTRO (EDITORS’ PICK) 4600 Waverly Ave., 301-933-3000, blackmarket restaurant.com. Sublime American bistro fare served in a restored Victorian building next to railroad tracks; the building once served as a general store and still houses a post office.

Entrées range from swordfish to a burger and pizza, including several vegetable options. ❂ J R L D $$

KENSINGTON THE DISH & DRAM 10301 Kensington Parkway, 301-962-4046, thedishanddram.com. The owners of The Daily Dish in Silver Spring serve comfort food made with local ingredients in a 2,800-square-foot space

FRANKLY…PIZZA! (EDITORS’ PICK) 10417 Armory Ave., 301-832-1065, franklypizza. com. Owner Frank Linn turns out high-quality pizza in a rustic brick-and-mortar restaurant. The menu offers wood-fired pies topped with home-cured meats and tomato sauce made from an 80-yearold family recipe. Wines and homemade sodas served on tap, too. Voted "Best Pizza" by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. ❂ L D $

K TOWN BISTRO 3784 Howard Ave., 301-933-1211, ktownbistro. com. Try filet mignon, duck breast à l’orange, chicken marsala and other classic continental dishes from this family-run eatery owned by Gonzalo Barba, former longtime captain of the restaurant in the Watergate Hotel. L D $$

NORTH POTOMAC/ GAITHERSBURG &PIZZA 258 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 240-4998447, andpizza.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ LD$

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 $

BARKING MAD CAFE 239 Spectrum Ave., 240-297-6230, barkingmad cafe.com. Cooking from a wood hearth and selecting vegetables, herbs and edible flowers from its aeroponic (grown in air/mist but without soil) organic garden, Barking Mad Cafe has a corner spot in Watkins Mill Town Center. Look for madefrom-scratch brunch, lunch and dinner sweets and savories, such as breakfast pizza, watermelon salad and farro salad. ❂ R L D $$

BONEFISH GRILL 82 Market St., 240-631-2401, bonefishgrill. com. While fresh fish cooked over a wood fire is the centerpiece of this upscale Florida chain, the steaks, crab cakes and specialty martinis make it a fun option for happy hour and those with hearty appetites. R L D $$

BUCA DI BEPPO 122 Kentlands Blvd., 301-947-7346, bucadibeppo. com. The Kentlands outpost of this national chain serves huge, family-style portions of Italian specialties from fresh breads to antipasti and pasta dishes amid a sea of Italian kitsch. Desserts include Italian Creme Cake and tiramisu.

J L D $$

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

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MEIWAH RESTAURANT

in Kensington. Steak frites, Maryland crab soup, burgers and house-made desserts are on the menu. J R L D $$

Salon Central

oil from owner Stavros Manolakos’ family farm in Greece and homemade mozzarella on pizza and subs. ❂ J L D $

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dine CAVA 213 Kentlands Blvd., 301-476-4209, cava.com.

See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $

COAL FIRE 116 Main St., 301-519-2625, coalfireonline.com.

Homemade crusts fired by coal and topped with your choice of toppings and three different sauces: classic, spicy and signature, which is slightly sweet with a hint of spice. Salads, sandwiches and pasta also available, plus a full bar. ❂ L D $

COASTAL FLATS 135 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 301869-8800, greatamericanrestaurants.com. First Maryland locale for Great American Restaurants, a Fairfax-based chain. Seaside-inspired décor extends to the menu, which offers lobster and shrimp rolls, fried grouper and Key lime pie. Steaks, pasta and burgers also served. Voted “Best Restaurant in Gaithersburg/North Potomac” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. ❂ J R L D $$

COPPER CANYON GRILL 100 Boardwalk Place, 240-631-0003, ccgrill.com.

Large portions of American classics such as salads, ribs and rotisserie chicken prepared with seasonal ingredients at family-friendly prices are the bill of fare at this spacious and casual chain restaurant.

J L D $$

DOGFISH HEAD ALEHOUSE 800 W. Diamond Ave., 301-963-4847, dogfishale house.com. The first Maryland outpost of the popular Rehoboth Beach brewpub, the restaurant is packed with revelers and families clamoring for the Dogfish Head brews, burgers, pizzas and ribs. Check out the burger of the week. ❂ J L D $$

DON POLLO 9083 Gaither Road, 301-990-0981, donpollogroup. com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $

EAST DIAMOND BREWING CO. 227 E. Diamond Ave., 240-261-6196. This American restaurant in a turn-of-the-century building in downtown Gaithersburg serves its own beers and other local beers on tap and a full menu with sandwiches, pasta and house-made crabcakes.

The upstairs bar area, which has occasional live music, has kept the previous name of the business: Greene Growlers. J L D $

FIREBIRDS WOOD FIRED GRILL 390 Spectrum Ave., 301-284-1770, gaithersburg. firebirdsrestaurants.com. Part of a chain, this restaurant in the Watkins Mill Town Center cooks steaks and seafood over a wood-fired grill. Designed to look like a Colorado lodge, the eatery tends toward classic fare for entrées (surf-and-turf, salmon, burgers) and dessert (chocolate cake, Key lime pie, carrot cake). ❂ J L D $$

GUAPO’S RESTAURANT 9811 Washingtonian Blvd., L-17, 301-977-5655, guaposrestaurant.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂JRLD$

HERSHEY’S RESTAURANT & BAR 17030 Oakmont Ave., 301-948-9893, hersheysat thegrove.com. Fried chicken that tastes like it was made by an aproned elder is served up in a clapboard building constructed in 1889. Besides the fab fried chicken, Hershey’s serves up warm rolls, inexpensive prices and live music. ❂ J B R L D $$

IL PORTO RESTAURANT 245 Muddy Branch Road, 301-590-0735, ilporto restaurant.com. A classic red-sauce menu, elegant

murals of Venice and an authentic thin-crust 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 $

KENAKI SUSHI (NEW) 706 Center Point Way, 240-224-7189, kenakisushi. com. This sushi counter at Kentlands Market Square offers what the owners call a “modern take on traditional sushi.” Experiment with the Black Magic roll, which comes with truffle oil and black sushi rice. Lunch is more informal, but at dinner there’s full service. L D $

THE MELTING POT 9021 Gaither Road, 301-519-3638, themeltingpot. com. There’s nothing like dipping bits of bread, vegetables and apples into a communal pot of hot cheese to get a date or a party started. The Melting Pot chain also offers wine, oil or broth to cook meat tableside and chocolate fondue for dessert.

J D $$

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 includes 50 varieties of rum, 15 tequilas and six types of mojitos. ❂ J R L D $$

POTOMAC VILLAGE DELI 625 Center Point Way, 301-299-5770, potomacvillagedeli.com. Traditional Jewish deli in the Kentlands, offering all-day breakfast and all the classics, from bagels, smoked fish, knishes, matzo ball soup, corned beef, pastrami and chopped liver to overstuffed combo sandwiches, Reubens, subs, wraps, burgers, salads, pizza and New York cheesecake. J B L D $$

QUINCY’S BAR & GRILLE 616 Quince Orchard Road, 301-869-8200, quincysgroup.com. Energetic neighborhood pub with a sports bar atmosphere, Quincy’s also has an extensive menu with wings, pizza, build-yourown burgers and chicken sandwiches, plus entrées including Guinness-braised brisket. Live music is also a big draw. L D $

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RED HOT & BLUE 16811 Crabbs Branch Way, 301-948-7333, redhotandblue.com. You’ll find generous portions of hickory-smoked barbecue, plus burgers, salads and wraps, and a Southern attitude at this chain popular for its office party takeout and its family-friendly, kitschy roadhouse décor. J L D $

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE 106 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 301-9901926, ruthschris.com. See Bethesda listing.

D $$$

SIN & GRIN 353 Main St., 301-977-5595, singrintacos.com.

Located in the heart of Kentlands Market Square, Sin & Grin is a fast-casual restaurant owned and operated by the Hristopoulos family, which also runs Vasili’s Kitchen. Pick from eight tacos, rotisserie chicken and an assortment of Mexican cuisine. L D $

TANDOORI NIGHTS 106 Market St., 301-947-4007, tandoorinightsmd. com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $

TARA THAI 9811 Washingtonian Blvd., L-9, 301-947-8330, tarathai.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $$

TED’S BULLETIN 220 Ellington Blvd. (Downtown Crown), 301990-0600, tedsbulletin.com. First Maryland location of the modern diner chainlet from the folks at Matchbox Food Group. Boozy milkshakes, homemade pop tarts and the Cinnamon Roll As Big As Ya Head (served weekends only) are among the specialties. ❂ J B R L D $$

TED’S MONTANA GRILL 105 Ellington Blvd. (Downtown Crown), 301-3300777, tedsmontanagrill.com. First Maryland location of billionaire and bison rancher Ted Turner’s restaurant chain, which uses bison as the showpiece in a humongous selection of dishes, including burgers, meatloaf, nachos and chili.

Soups, salads, American classics and spiked milkshakes also available at this saloon-style eatery. ❂ J L D $$

THAI TANIUM 657 Center Point Way, 301-990-3699, thaitanium restaurant.com. Authentic Thai food laced with lots of chilies and garlic as hot as you like. Try one of the Thai street food dishes, such as roasted pork with Thai herbed sweet sauce and noodle soups. ❂JLD$

UNCLE JULIO’S 231 Rio Blvd. (RIO Washingtonian Center), 240-6322150, unclejulios.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ J R L D $$

VASILI'S KITCHEN 705 Center Point Way, 301-977-1011, vasilis kitchen.com. Tan and brown décor lends a cozy vibe to this 4,700-square-foot Kentlands restaurant.

The owners ran the popular Vasili’s Mediterranean Grill in another Kentlands location for more than a decade before closing it to focus on Vasili’s Kitchen.

The Mediterranean menu is heavy on seafood dishes. ❂ J D $$

THE WINE HARVEST, THE KENTLANDS 114 Market St., 301-869-4008, thewineharvest. com. Stop by this popular Cheers-like wine bar locally owned by the Meyrowitz family for a glass of wine or a Belgian beer. The menu includes salads, sandwiches and cheese plates. ❂ L D $

YOYOGI SUSHI 317 Main St., 301-963-0001. yoyogisushi.wixsite. com/yoyogisushi. A no-nonsense neighborhood sushi place offering the familiar sushi, teriyaki, tempura and green tea or red bean ice cream. ❂ LD$

ZIKI JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE 10009 Fields Road, 301-330-3868, zikisteakhouse. com. This large steak house on a busy corner charms patrons with its fountains, stone Buddhas and geisha mannequins. Food offerings include sushi, as well as meats cooked on a tableside hibachi. J L D $$

POTOMAC ADDIE’S (EDITORS’ PICK) 12435 Park Potomac Ave., 301-340-0081, addies restaurant.com. Longtime North Bethesda restaurant from the Black Restaurant Group that closed in 2013 is reborn in the Park Potomac development. Date nights call for the signature entrées for two. Larger groups might opt for the supreme Seafood Tower, a mega assortment of daily seafood specials. ❂ R L D $$

ATTMAN’S DELICATESSEN 7913 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301765-3354, cabinjohn.attmansdeli.com. This landmark Baltimore deli has run a second location in Potomac since 2013. The menu offers the same legendary corned beef, pastrami and other deli specialties. Third-generation owner Marc Attman is at the helm. J B L D $

BROOKLYN’S DELI & CATERING 1089 Seven Locks Road, 301-340-3354, brooklyns delimd.com. From chopped liver to chicken soup, Brooklyn’s serves all the deli specialties, plus more.

Think hot pastrami with coleslaw and Russian dressing on pumpernickel. ❂ J B L D $

CAVA 7991 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301200-5398, cava.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂LD$

ELEVATION BURGER 12525-D Park Potomac Ave., 301-838-4010, elevationburger.com. Fast-food burgers go organic and grass-fed at this Northern Virginia-founded chain. Veggie burgers, chicken sandwiches, grilled cheese and a BLT available, too. Shake flavors range from banana to Key lime and cheesecake. ❂LD$

GREGORIO’S TRATTORIA 7745 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301296-6168, gregoriostrattoria.com. Proprietor Greg Kahn aims to make everyone feel at home at this family-owned restaurant serving a hit parade of traditional Italian favorites, with all the familiar pasta, pizza, chicken, veal and seafood dishes; the gluten-free menu offers pizza, cheese ravioli and quinoa pastas. J L D $$

THE GRILLED OYSTER CO. (EDITORS’ PICK) 7943 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301299-9888, thegrilledoystercompany.com. This Chesapeake-style seafood eatery features small plates, salads, sandwiches and entrées. The sampler of four grilled oysters—with ingredients such as coconut rum and cucumber relish— showcases the namesake item. ❂ J R L D $$

GRINGOS & MARIACHIS (EDITORS’ PICK) 12435 Park Potomac Ave., 301-339-8855, gringosandmariachis.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂D$

HUNTER’S BAR AND GRILL 10123 River Road, 301-299-9300, thehuntersinn. com. At this Potomac institution and popular English hunt-themed spot, try a big salad or hamburger for lunch and a traditional pasta dish or filet mignon for dinner with the family. ❂ J R L D $$

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 $$$

TWINS. TWO MORE REASONS WHY WE SHOULD SUPPORT JOEY, A HERO WOUNDED IN SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY. Will you help thank those who have answered the call?

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN 7991 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 240205-7429, lepainquotidien.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ J B R L D $

LOCK 72 KITCHEN & BAR (EDITORS’ PICK) 10128 River Road, 301-299-0481, lock72.com.

Well-known chef Robert Wiedmaier’s RW Restaurant Group runs this upscale American pub (formerly called River Falls Tavern). Entrées include panroasted duck breast, crabcake, rockfish and New York strip steak. ❂ R 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. Bethesda Magazine readers chose it as “Best Restaurant in Potomac,” "Best Cocktails" and "Best Brunch" in 2018. Try the warm cookies for dessert. ❂ B R L D $$

NORMANDIE FARM RESTAURANT 10710 Falls Road, 301-983-8838, popovers.com.

This fine-dining French restaurant, open since 1931, strives to preserve its classical heritage while embracing new traditions. Dinner entrées run from seafood to beef and lamb. The restaurant offers quick service, a casual café option and a violinist at afternoon tea. ❂ J R L D $$

O’DONNELL’S MARKET 1073 Seven Locks Road, 301-251-6355, odonnells market.com. This market, from the family that ran O’Donnell’s restaurants in Montgomery County for decades, features a 10-seat bar for lunch and happy hour (11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.). The menu includes a raw bar, salads and many O’Donnell’s classics, among them a lump-filled crabcake sandwich, salmon BLT, seafood bisque and crab gumbo. ❂L$

THEY GAVE 100% so WE GIVE 100%

OLD ANGLER’S INN 10801 MacArthur Blvd., 301-365-2425, oldanglers inn.com. Open since 1860 and known for its refined American food and beautiful fireplaces and grounds, it features live music on weekends.

Signature cocktails include hard cider sangria and a pumpkin pie martini. Voted “Best Outdoor Dining”

by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. ❂ R L D $$$

POTOMAC PIZZA

combatsoldiersrecoveryfund.org

9812 Falls Road, 301-299-7700, potomacpizza. com. See Chevy Chase listing. J L D $

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dine RENATO’S AT RIVER FALLS 10120 River Road, 301-365-1900, renatosatriver falls.net. The Italian restaurant offers fish dishes among its menu of pastas and classics such as penne with eggplant, and chicken parmigiana.

Traditional Italian desserts include tiramisu, profiteroles and cannolis. ❂ J L D $$

SUGO OSTERIA 12505 Park Potomac Ave., 240-386-8080, eatsugo. com. The Greek guys who own CAVA Mezze and CAVA partner with Mamma Lucia restaurants to serve Italian small plates, meatballs, sliders, pizza and pasta. Chef specialities include blue crab gnocchi and charred octopus. ❂ R L D $$

TALLY-HO RESTAURANT 9923 Falls Road, 301-299-6825, tallyhorestaurant. com. A local fixture since 1968, the eatery serves an expansive diner-style menu with Greek and Italian specialties. Choose from options ranging from burgers and deli sandwiches to pizza, calzones and dinner entrées. ❂ J B L D $

THE WINE HARVEST 12525-B Park Potomac Ave., 240-314-0177, thewineharvest.com. See Gaithersburg listing. ❂LD$

ZOËS KITCHEN 12505 Park Potomac Ave., Suite 115, 240-3281022, zoeskitchen.com. A fast-casual restaurant, Zoës features Mediterranean dishes such as kabobs, hummus and pita sandwiches. It specializes in takeout dinner for four for under $30. ❂ JLD$

ROCKVILLE/ NORTH BETHESDA A & J RESTAURANT (EDITORS’ PICK) 1319-C Rockville Pike, 301-251-7878, aj-restaurant. com. Northern dim sum is the specialty at this hard-to-find cash-only spot in the Woodmont Station shopping center. Warm-colored walls surround the crowd digging into thousand-layer pancakes and fresh tofu. R L D $

AKIRA RAMEN & IZAKAYA 1800 Rockville Pike, 240-242-3669, akiraramen. com. This minimalist Japanese eatery serves house-made noodles and vibrant food such as a poke salad. The sleek establishment, located on the first floor of the Galvan at Twinbrook building, features an open kitchen and several variations of ramen to choose from. L D $

AL CARBÓN 200 Park Road, 301-738-0003, alcarbonrestaurant. com. Serving authentic Latin American fare across the street from the Rockville Metro station, this unassuming roadhouse has a loyal following for its arepas, empanadas, tapas and more. Try one of the natural juices including mango and tamarindo. ❂BLD$

AL HA'ESH 4860 Boiling Brook Parkway (Randolph Hills Shopping Center), 301-231-0839, al-haesh.com.

Kosher Israeli grill serves vegetable and protein skewers (including chicken, lamb, beef, chicken livers and sweetbreads). All entrées come with small ramekins of salads (think curried chickpeas;

marinated red cabbage; and balsamic marinated mushrooms). ❂ L D $$

AMALFI RISTORANTE ITALIANO 12307 Wilkins Ave., 301-770-7888, amalfirockville. com. A family-run, red-sauce Italian restaurant with specialties including white pizza and lasagna. Lots of antipasti choices, too. The gazebo is a charming spot to dine during the summer.

J L D $$

AMICI MIEI RISTORANTE 6 N. Washington St., 301-545-0966, amicimieiristorante.com.Previously located at the Potomac Woods Plaza, this upscale Italian restaurant serves wood-fired pizzas, homemade pastas and creative salads. The new, smaller establishment is cozier than the last with a menu that changes twice a year. L D $

AMINA THAI RESTAURANT 5065 Nicholson Lane, 301-770-9509. Pleasant and bright, Amina Thai is run by a husband-andwife team and bills itself as the first Muslim Thai restaurant in the area, using only halal meats and serving familiar Thai dishes. Chef’s specials include pineapple fried rice and grilled salmon. L D $

&PIZZA 11626 Old Georgetown Road (Pike & Rose), 240621-7016, andpizza.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂LD$

BARONESSA ITALIAN RESTAURANT 1302 E. Gude Drive, 301-838-9050, baronessarestaurant.com. Pizzas made in a woodburning oven and more than two dozen Italian entrées star on the menu at this 100-seat stripmall restaurant. Trivia nights and kids pizza-making classes are offered. J R L D $$

THE BIG GREEK CAFÉ 4007 Norbeck Road, 301-929-9760; 5268 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-4976, biggreekcafe.com.

See Bethesda listing. L D $

BOB'S SHANGHAI 66 305 N. Washington St., 301-251-6652. Dim sum and rice and noodle dishes are the specialties at this popular eatery offering Taiwanese, Shanghai and Sichuan cuisine. It’s also one of the area’s top destinations for soup dumplings, where you can even watch the chefs making them in a glassenclosed booth. R L D $

BOMBAY BISTRO 98 W. Montgomery Ave., 301-762-8798, bombaybistro.com. Bombay Bistro opened in 1991 as one of the first Indian restaurants in the area to combine high style, reasonable prices and a fresh take on traditional Indian, and it has been packed ever since. House specialties include tandoori lamb chops and shrimp and scallops masala. J L D $$

BONCHON CHICKEN 107 Gibbs St., Unit A (Rockville Town Square), 301637-9079, bonchon.com. International fried chicken franchise with Korean roots serves up wings, drumsticks and strips with soy-garlic or spicy hot garlic sauce, plus other traditional offerings such as bulgogi, bibimbap and scallion seafood pancakes.

LD$

BOTANERO 800 Pleasant Drive, Suite 160, 240-474-5461, botanerorockville.com. Located in the King Farm neighborhood, this small plates restaurant and wine bar features cuisine that changes seasonally.

Some recent offerings include a fig and prosciutto flatbread and quinoa grilled salmon. B L D $

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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. ❂ 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 $

CHUY’S 12266 Rockville Pike (Federal Plaza), 301-6032941, chuys.com. Drawing inspiration from New Mexico, Mexican border towns, the Rio Grande Valley and Texas’s deep south, Chuy’s is part of a family-friendly chain that serves up a Tex-Mex experience. Colorful food meets colorful décor, where “If you’ve seen one Chuy’s, you’ve seen one Chuy’s” rings true—eclectic collectibles give each location its own flair. Free chips are served out of a car trunk display. ❂ J L D $

CITY PERCH KITCHEN + BAR 11830 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-2312310, cityperch.com. Located above the entrance to the iPic Theaters at Pike & Rose, City Perch offers creative, seasonal American cuisine in a rustic, inviting space. The menu includes raw-bar selections, small plates, shareable salads and entrée options such as grilled shrimp and Long Island duck. ❂ R L D $$$

CLYDE'S TOWER OAKS LODGE 2 Preserve Parkway, 301-294-0200, clydes.com/ tower. Here is Clyde’s version of a lodge in the mountains. Well-prepared food runs the gamut of American desires, from burgers to fish, plus a raw bar. Check out the twig sculpture spanning the ceiling of The Saranac Room. Voted “Best Restaurant Décor” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. J R L D $$

THE CUBAN CORNER 825 Hungerford Drive, 301-279-0310, cubancornerrestaurant.com. Pork and empanadas shine at this small space brimming with ethnic pride (there’s a tribute wall to famous Cuban-Americans).

Don’t skip the Cuban coffee or the Cuban sandwich, a sub bursting with ham, pickles and tangy mustard.

LD$

CSNY PIZZA 1020 Rockville Pike, 301-298-3650, csnypizza. wixisite.com/sneaksite. Carry out a New York-style pizza from this spot by the owners of Pizza CS. Their second Rockville location also offers six seats for guests to dine in, and serves whole pies, hot subs and pizza by the slice. L D $

DEL FRISCO’S GRILLE 11800 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-8810308, delfriscosgrille.com. This is the Texasbased chain’s second location in the area. Look for upscale takes on American comfort foods, such as filet mignon meatloaf and short rib stroganoff, plus trendy items such as kale and Brussels sprouts

salad, deviled eggs, flatbreads and ahi tuna tacos.

Plenty of burgers, sandwiches and salads, too. ❂ R L D $$

DON POLLO 2206 Veirs Mill Road, 301-309-1608, donpollogroup.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

EAST PEARL RESTAURANT 838-B Rockville Pike, 301-838-8663, eastpearl restaurant.com. Choose from many options of Hong Kong cuisine, including familiar dishes featuring chicken, beef, poultry, pork and even duck, as well as those for adventurous tastes. Try the soups ranging from egg drop to seafood with bean curd.

LD$

EL MARIACHI RESTAURANT 765-D Rockville Pike, 301-738-7177, elmariachi rockville.com. Serving Tex-Mex and South American food in a bright, pleasant space made lively with colorful art. In addition to the usual enchiladas, tacos and burritos, look for Peruvian seafood and Cuban beef specialties. L D $

EL PATIO 5240 Randolph Road, 301-231-9225. This bustling café with pretty green umbrellas on the patio serves up the traditional meat-heavy dishes of Argentina, as well as pizzas and freshly made baked goods.

Look for mouth-watering empanadas, beef tongue and sausage specialties. ❂ J B L D $

FAR EAST RESTAURANT 5055 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-5552, fareastrockvillemd.com. Owned and operated by the same family since 1974, this classic Chinese restaurant greets customers with two royal stone lions out front and sticks to the familiar ChineseAmerican basics. Check out the daily specials and dim sum menu. L D $$

FINNEGAN’S WAKE IRISH PUB 100 Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-3398267, finneganswakerockville.com. Irish pub with a nice selection of bourbons, whiskeys and Irish beers and a very limited bar menu offering such fare as bangers and mash, poutine (french fries, gravy and cheese curds), a chicken club sandwich, fish and chips, wings and a burger. L D $

FLOR DE LUNA 11417 Woodglen Drive, 240-242-4066, flordeluna md.com. Latin American fare includes tamales and lomo saltado (a stir-fry of beef and peppers) at this 75-seat restaurant near Whole Foods Market.

Tacos, nachos and quesadillas are also in the lineup. Finish off your meal with the tres leches (three milks) cake. ❂ J R L D $$

FLOWER CHILD (NEW) 10072 Darnestown Road (Travilah Square Shopping Center), 301-545-6750, 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. ❂ 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 $$

GORDON BIERSCH

KUYA JA’S LECHON BELLY

200-A E. Middle Lane (Rockville Town Square), 301340-7159, gordonbiersch.com/restaurants. The national brewpub chain prides itself on house beers and friendly service. The shiny bar is boisterous, and the menu includes bar favorites with some barbecue and Asian touches, small plates, salads, pizza and flatbreads. J L D $$

GRAND FUSION CUISINE 350 East Fortune Terrace, 301-838-2862, grand fusionrestaurant.com. Diners will find something for everyone seeking a taste of the Asian continent, a full sushi bar, and Chinese, Malaysian and Singaporean specialties. Chef’s specials include Crispy Eggplant in Spicy Orange Sauce and Double Flavored Shrimp. ❂ L D $

5268-H Nicholson Lane, 240-669-4383, kuyajas. com. This fast-casual restaurant that started as a pop-up in the Rockville area specializes in serving lechon, a Filipino pork belly dish. Chef and owner Javier J. Fernandez, a native of the Philippines, shares the flavors of his home country through ricebowls, spiced wings and homemade pastries.

LD$

LA BRASA LATIN CUISINE 12401 Parklawn Drive, 301-468-8850, labrasa rockville.com. A bold, yellow awning marks the unlikely industrial location of the popular La Brasa.

Customers rave about the rotisserie chicken, lomo saltado (Peruvian marinated steak), Salvadoran pupusas and Tres Leches. ❂ L D $

LA CANELA (EDITORS’ PICK)

GYROLAND 1701-B3 Rockville Pike, 301-816-7829, gyrolandmd.com. Build-your-own salads, open-face and wrapped sandwiches, and other Greek choices star at this fast-casual spot near Congressional Plaza. For dessert, Gyroland serves loukoumades, a bite-size fluffy Greek doughnut soaked in hot honey syrup. L D $

HARD TIMES CAFÉ 1117 Nelson St., 301-294-9720, hardtimes.com.

Good American beer selections, hearty chili styles ranging from Cincinnati (cinnamon and tomato) to Texas (beef and hot peppers), and hefty salads and wings bring families to this Wild West-style saloon for lunch and dinner. L D $

HINODE JAPANESE RESTAURANT 134 Congressional Lane, 301-816-2190, hinode restaurant.com. Serving traditional Japanese cuisine since 1992. All-you-can-eat lunch and weekend dinner buffet offers 40 types of sushi, 14 hot foods and a salad bar. Check out the patio with full bar service. L D $$

IL PIZZICO 15209 Frederick Road, 301-309-0610, ilpizzico. com. Setting aside the strip mall location and lack of pizza (il pizzico means “the pinch” in Italian), chef-owner Enzo Livia’s house-made pasta dishes, gracious service and extensive wine list of mainly Italian wines make even a weeknight meal feel special. L D $$

IRON AGE 1054 Rockville Pike, 301-424-1474, ironagekoreansteakhouse.com. Part of a small chain of all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue restaurants, this branch opened in 2012. Garlic pork belly, spicy chicken and beef brisket are among the dozen-plus offerings. There are two menu options (the pricier one includes a few more items, such as steak and octopus). J L D $$

JINYA RAMEN BAR 910 Prose St. (Pike & Rose), 301-816-3029, jinyaramenbar.com. A 74-seat eatery that’s part of a chain, Jinya serves 12 different types of ramen, ranging from the classic wonton chicken to a creamy vegan option. Try the Jinya Mini Tacos, which come with a choice of salmon poke, pork chashu and kimchee, or spicy tuna. J L D $

JOE’S NOODLE HOUSE 1488-C Rockville Pike, 301-881-5518, joesnoodlehouse.com. Chinese ex-pats 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 $

141-D Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-2511550, lacanelaperu.com. Sophisticated, modern Peruvian cooking shines in a regally furnished dining room in a yellow stucco building graced with curvy black ironwork. The menu includes artfully prepared seafood, pork, chicken and beef dishes. ❂ L D $

LA LIMEÑA GRILL 1093 Rockville Pike, 301-417-4922. An offshoot of nearby La Limeña Restaurant, this Peruvian eatery with a spacious patio serves several traditional seafood dishes, including Ceviche Mixto, an appetizer of lime-marinated tilapia served with glazed potatoes and crispy dried corn kernels.

The Chicha Morada, a sweet corn-based drink, pairs nicely with authentic and tender braised-beef entrées. ❂ J L D $$

LA LIMEÑA RESTAURANT 765 Rockville Pike, 301-424-8066, lalimena restaurant.com. Diners can choose dishes such as beef hearts, tripe and homemade pastries in this tiny but well-appointed eatery. Desserts include passion fruit mousse and vanilla flan. And of course, there’s rotisserie chicken to go. L D $

LA TASCA 141 Gibbs St., Suite 305 (Rockville Town Square), 301-279-7011, latascausa.com. The Rockville location of this regional chain strives to keep things interesting with 45 tapas dishes and six kinds of paella, including Paella Mixta with chicken, shrimp, chorizo, scallops, mussels, squid and clams. ❂ R L D $$

LEBANESE TAVERNA CAFÉ 1605 Rockville Pike, 301-468-9086; 115 Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-309-8681; lebanesetaverna.com. A casual and pleasant family spot for lunch or dinner after shopping on Rockville Pike, the café is a more casual offshoot of the local Lebanese Taverna chain, serving hummus, pita, falafel, chicken and lamb kabobs. J L D $

LIGHTHOUSE TOFU & BBQ 12710 Twinbrook Parkway, 301-881-1178. In addition to the numerous tofu dishes ranging from Mushroom Tofu Pot to Seafood Beef Tofu Pot, diners at this Korean stalwart can try barbecue, stirfried specialties and kimchee, the national dish of pickled cabbage. L D $

LITTLE DIPPER HOT POT HOUSE 101 Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-6057321. An offshoot of an Asian restaurant in Virginia, this 90-seat restaurant serves individual fonduestyle meals. Pick a pot base (including miso and curry), the level of spiciness, the protein and the starch (either rice or noodles), and cook your food right at your table in a bowl of hot stock. J L D $$

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dine MAMMA LUCIA 12274-M Rockville Pike, 301-770-4894; 14921-J Shady Grove Road, 301-762-8805; mammalucia restaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $$

MATCHBOX VINTAGE PIZZA BISTRO (EDITORS’ PICK)

1699 Rockville Pike, 301-816-0369, matchbox restaurants.com. Look for mini-burgers, a “ginormous meatball” appetizer and thin-crusted pizza with toppings including herb-roasted chicken and portobella mushrooms or fire-roasted red peppers and Spanish onions served in a super-cool space in Congressional Plaza. ❂ J R L D $

MISSION BBQ 885 Rockville Pike, 301-444-5574, mission-bbq. com. This outpost of a national chain, known for its support of U.S. military troops and veterans, serves its barbecue—including brisket, ribs and pulled pork—alongside a slew of add-your-own sauces.

Come for lunch and stay to recite the national anthem at noon. J L D $

MOA 12300 Wilkins Ave., 301-881-8880, moakorean restaurant.weebly.com. A welcoming Korean restaurant in the midst of an industrial stretch.

Try the seafood pancake appetizer—a satisfying, crispy frittata bursting with squid, clams, shrimp and scallions. Dol Sot Bibimbap, a mix of rice, vegetables and protein in a hot pot, is a customer favorite. L D $

MODERN MARKET 1627 Rockville Pike (Congressional Plaza), 301603-2953, modernmarket.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ J B R L D $

MOSAIC CUISINE & CAFÉ 186 Halpine Road, 301-468-0682, mosaiccuisine. com. A diner with a soft European accent. Try the fresh Belgian waffles for breakfast. For those with hefty appetites, the waffle sandwiches are worth the trip, but don’t overlook the homemade soups or light dinner entrées. J B R L D $$

MYKONOS GRILL 121 Congressional Lane, 301-770-5999, mykonosgrill.com. An authentic Greek taverna with whitewashed walls with Mediterranean blue accents on a busy street, Mykonos Grill turns out legs of lamb and fresh seafood expected at any good Greek restaurant. ❂ L D $$

NADA (NEW) 11886 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-7714040. eatdrinknada.com/n-bethesda. Part of a small national chain, Nada serves street tacos with fillings such as caramelized cauliflower, fried tofu and pork carnitas. The brief menu also includes soups, salads and a fajita plate. Margaritas and seasonal cocktails are available. R L D $$

NAGOYA SUSHI 402 King Farm Blvd., Suite 130, 301-990-6778, nagoyasushirockville.com. Cheery yellow walls decorated with shelves of Japanese knickknacks greet customers who come for the large selection of sushi at this unassuming sushi spot in King Farm.

L D $$

NANTUCKET’S REEF 9755 Traville Gateway Drive, Rockville, 301279-7333, nantucketsreef.com. This casual New England-style eatery offers a wide range of reasonably priced seafood dishes, including raw and baked oysters, stuffed cod, fried Ipswitch clams,

seafood tacos, tuna and salmon salads, and lobster items. Signature cocktails are made with Nantucket Nectars juices. ❂ R L D $$

NICK’S CHOPHOUSE 700 King Farm Blvd., 301-926-8869, nickschop houserockville.com. Aged Angus beef cooked over an open fire is the specialty at this upscale spot, but seafood lovers can get their fill from big crabcakes.

Signature steaks include slow-roasted prime rib weighing 10 to 32 ounces. Separate bar menu. ❂ L D $$

NIWANO HANA JAPANESE RESTAURANT 887 Rockville Pike, 301-294-0553, niwanohana. com. Clean Asian décor and elegant wooden screens greet diners at this friendly and busy sushi spot located in Wintergreen Plaza. There are the usual sushi rolls, plus creative options such as a Spicy Scallop Roll with mayonnaise and chili peppers, noodle dishes, teriyaki and yakitori.

L D $$

THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE 12224 Rockville Pike, 301-468-0886, ophrestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. This location stays open until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. J B L D $

OWEN’S ORDINARY (EDITORS’ PICK) 11820 Trade St. (Pike & Rose), 301-2451226, owensordinarymd.com. This Americanstyle restaurant, barroom and beer garden from Neighborhood Restaurant Group boasts 50 rotating drafts and more than 150 types of bottled beer. The 175-seat restaurant serves salads, burgers, beef, pork and fondue entrées, and those looking to grab a drink can make the most of the space’s 60-seat beer garden. ❂ R L D $$

PETER CHANG (EDITORS’ PICK) 20-A Maryland Ave. (Rockville Town Square), 301838-9188, peterchangarlington.com. Chef Peter Chang’s Sichuan specialties are showcased in an apricot-walled dining space. Garnering a cult-like following over the years, Chang is best known for dishes such as dry-fried eggplant, crispy pork belly and duck in a stone pot. L D $$

PHO 75 771 Hungerford Drive, 301-309-8873. The restaurant is one of the Washington area’s favorite spots for the Vietnamese beef noodle soup known as pho. Soup can be customized with bean sprouts, Thai basil, chilies, lime, and hot and hoisin sauces.

Beverages include interesting options such as Iced Salty Pickled Lemon Juice. L D $

PHO 95 785-H Rockville Pike, 301-294-9391. Pho, the Vietnamese beef noodle soup, is king here. Other offerings include fat rice-paper rolls of shrimp, noodles and herbs with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce, Grilled Lemon Grass Chicken and Grilled Pork Chop and Shredded Pork Skin. L D $

PHO HOA BINH 11782 Parklawn Drive, 301-770-5576. This pleasant pho restaurant offers the full gamut of variations on the beef noodle soup, plus about a dozen grilled entrées. The Adventurer’s Choice features “unusual” meats, including tendon, tripe and fatty flank. The Vietnamese iced coffee is divine. L D $

PHO NOM NOM 842 Rockville Pike, 301-610-0232, phonomnom. net. As the name suggests, the specialty is pho, but there are also grilled dishes, noodles and the

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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 (NEW) 1066 Rockville Pike, 301-603-2279, pikekitchen. com. The 6,200-square-foot, 100-seat Asian food hall at the Edmonston Crossing shopping center includes eateries dishing up Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, pho, poke, ramen, bibimbap and more. ❂ LD$

PIZZA CS 1596-B Rockville Pike, 240-833-8090, pizzacs.com.

Authentic Neapolitan pies are offered in a sub-shop atmosphere. Choose from a list of red and white pizza options, or build your own pie with herbs, cheeses, meats and vegetables. ❂ J L D $

POTOMAC PIZZA 9709 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-279-2234, potomacpizza.com. See Chevy Chase listing. ❂ JLD$

QUINCY’S SOUTH BAR & GRILLE 11401 Woodglen Drive, 240-669-3270, quincysgroup.com. See North Potomac/ Gaithersburg listing. ❂ L D $

ROLLS ‘N RICE 1701 Rockville Pike (Shops at Congressional Village), 301-770-4030, rollsnrice.com. This Asian café serves more than 25 varieties of rolls, from a volcano roll (spicy tuna, white fish, salmon, tomato, jalapeño, fish eggs and vegetables) to a Philadelphia Roll (smoked salmon, cream cheese and avocado). J L D $

SADAF HALAL RESTAURANT 1327-K Rockville Pike, 301-424-4040. An elegant alternative to the run-of-the-mill kabob places dotting Rockville Pike, Sadaf is pristine, with lace curtains and glass mosaic tiles in front. In addition to kabobs, it offers Persian curries and fish dishes. ❂ JLD$

SAM CAFÉ & MARKET 844 Rockville Pike, 301-424-1600, samcafemarket. com. Fill up on the kitchen’s juicy skewered meats or interesting entrées, including pomegranate molasses stew and marinated grilled salmon, then have a gelato and check out the hookahs. ❂ LD$

SEASONS 52 11414 Rockville Pike, 301-984-5252, seasons52. com. A fresh, seasonal menu featuring items under 475 calories. Choose from flatbreads including Blackened Steak & Blue Cheese and Grilled Garlic Pesto Chicken to entrée salads to meat and seafood dishes. Nightly piano music. ❂ L D $$

SHANGHAI TASTE 1121 Nelson St., 301-279-0806. Co-owner and chef Wei Sun, a Shanghai native, specializes in preparing three different flavors of soup dumplings at this small restaurant in a strip mall. The menu also includes traditional Chinese-American dishes,

FINE ITALIAN FOOD MADE FRESH DAILY

such as General Tso’s chicken and fried rice.

LD$

SHEBA RESTAURANT 5071 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-8882, sheba rockville.com. The menu features authentic Ethiopian cuisine with lots of vegetarian and vegan options. House specialties include Dulet Assa, chopped tilapia mixed with onion, garlic and jalapeño and served with a side of homemade cheese. L D $

SICHUAN JIN RIVER 410 Hungerford Drive, 240-403-7351, sichuanjin river.com. Customers find terrific Sichuan cuisine served in a no-frills setting. Take the plunge and try something new with the authentic Chinese menu, including 23 small cold plates. L D $

SILVER DINER 12276 Rockville Pike, 301-770-2828, silverdiner. com. Customers flock to this trendy diner that still offers tableside jukeboxes. The latest food trends (think quinoa coconut pancakes) share company on the enormous menu with diner staples such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

JBRLD$

SPICE XING 100-B Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-6100303, spicexing.com. Chef and owner Sudhir Seth, who also owns Bethesda’s Passage to India, serves up small plates and dishes that reflect the history of culinary influences on India. Try the all-you-can-eat lunchtime buffet. ❂ J R L D $$

THE SPOT 255 N. Washington St., thespotdmv.com. This 6,200-square-foot, 200-seat Asian food hall, not far from Rockville Town Square, includes a handful of vendors, including Mian Pull Noodle (dumplings and noodle dishes), Poki DC (the Hawaiian-inspired raw fish dish called poke) and Alpaca Dessert (shaved snow ice and ice cream-filled waffle cones).

LD$

STANFORD GRILL 2000 Tower Oaks Blvd., 240-582-1000, thestanford grill.com. From the Blueridge Restaurant Group, owner of Copper Canyon Grill restaurants, comes this 300-seat American eatery on the ground floor of an office building. Salads, burgers, steaks and seafood, plus sushi, with an eye toward high quality. ❂ R L D $$

STELLA BARRA PIZZERIA 11825 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-7708609, stellabarra.com. Adjacent to its sister restaurant, Summer House Santa Monica, Stella Barra is an artisan pizzeria with a hip, urban vibe.

Look for crisp crusts with chewy centers topped with butternut squash and candied bacon or housemade pork sausage and fennel pollen. Italian wines available. ❂ R D $$

SUMMER HOUSE SANTA MONICA (EDITORS’ PICK)

11825 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301881-2381, summerhousesm.com. An airy, light and stunning space sets the scene for modern American cuisine with a West Coast sensibility.

Fare includes salads, sushi, tacos, sandwiches and steak frites. Do not miss the bakery counter. Voted “Best Restaurant in Rockville/North Bethesda” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. ❂ J R L D $$

SUPER BOWL NOODLE HOUSE 785 Rockville Pike, 301-738-0086, superbowl noodlehouse.com. Look for a large variety of Asian noodle dishes in super-size portions, plus a wide selection of appetizers. Also, bubble tea and desserts, including Sweet Taro Root Roll and Black Sugar Shaved Ice. ❂ L D $

Catering available anytime for any occasion Private parties | Family style dinners | Opera Night

SUSHI DAMO 36-G Maryland Ave. (Rockville Town Square), 301340-8010, sushidamo.com. A slice of New York sophistication, this elegant restaurant offers sushi à la carte or omakase, chef’s choice, plus beef and seafood entrées and an impressive sake list.

L D $$

SUSHI HOUSE JAPANESE RESTAURANT 1331-D Rockville Pike, 301-309-0043, sushihouse1331.com. A tiny, plain restaurant serving a large selection of fresh sushi, including sushi and sashimi combinations. Lunch specials for under $7. It’s popular, so be prepared to wait.

L D $$

SUSHI OISHII 9706 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-251-1177, sushioishii.com. This charming sushi bar in the Traville Gateway Center offers friendly service and 24 specialty sushi rolls, bento boxes and a few grilled items, including beef, poultry and seafood teriyaki. L D $$

TAIPEI TOKYO 14921-D Shady Grove Road (Fallsgrove Village Center), 301-738-8813; 11510-A Rockville Pike, 301-881-8388; taipei-tokyo.net. These sister restaurants offer a sizable roster of Chinese, Japanese and Thai dishes. The Fallsgrove Village location is the younger and sleeker of the two, with full sit-down service. The older sister, opened in 1993, is more like a noodle shop/cafeteria.

L D $$

TARA THAI 12071 Rockville Pike, 301-231-9899, tarathai.com.

See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $$

TEMARI CAFÉ 1043 Rockville Pike, 301-340-7720. Deep-fried oysters, classic rice balls, ramen noodle soup, sushi and sashimi and comic books to peruse while you await your order set this Japanese restaurant apart from the rest. L D $$

THAI FARM 800 King Farm Blvd., 301-258-8829, thaifarm restaurant.com. A tastefully modern dining room soaked in a soothing yellow light. The usual suspects are on the menu here, but chef’s suggestions include an intriguing broiled fish wrapped in banana leaf and stir-fried duck. L D $$

THAI PAVILION 29 Maryland Ave., Unit 308 (Rockville Town Square), 301-545-0244, thaipavilionrestaurant.com. The soaring ceilings decorated with red chandeliers shaped like giant, stationary spinning tops give the feel of a modern museum. When the menu says spicy, believe it. ❂ J L D $$

THAT’S AMORE 15201 Shady Grove Road, 240-268-0682, thatsamore.com. This local chain focuses on familystyle portions of classic Neapolitan dishes such as lasagna and chicken Parmesan in a more elegant setting than might be expected. Good for groups and large families. J L D $$

TRAPEZARIA 11 N. Washington St., 301-339-8962, thetrapezaria. com. This down-to-earth and hospitable Greek/ Mediterranean restaurant serves top-notch and unfussy small plates and entrées. Choose among a variety of dips, vegetarian mezze, souvlaki, sausages and more-involved fish and lamb dishes.

Save room for the baklava. L D $$

URBAN BAR-B-QUE COMPANY 2007 Chapman Ave., 240-290-4827; 5566 Norbeck Road, 301-460-0050, urbanbbqco.com. Urban BarB-Que Company, a tiny joint run by a couple of local friends, has a winning formula and features fingerlicking ribs, burgers and wings, plus salads, chili and smothered fries. Staff is friendly, too. J L D $

URBAN HOT POT 1800 Rockville Pike, 240-669-6710, urbanhotpot. com. On the first floor of the Galvan at Twinbrook building, this hot pot spot features a conveyor belt where food travels to diners. A prix fixe all-you-caneat menu allows you to create your meal at your table using one of the stationed iPads. Choose from a selection of noodles, vegetables and meat to add to a bowl of hot stock, then do it again if you’re still hungry. L D $$

VILLA MAYA 5532 Norbeck Road (Rock Creek Village Center), 301-460-1247. Here you’ll find all the traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex favorites from quesadillas to fajitas that are sure to please the whole family.

R L D $$

THE WOODSIDE DELI 4 N. Washington St., 301-444-4478, thewoodside deli.com. A second location of the venerable Silver Spring eatery and caterer that has been dishing up matzo ball soup since 1947. Choose from a wide selection of sandwiches, burgers and entrées. This one has a pickle bar. ❂ J B R L D $

WORLD OF BEER 196B East Montgomery Ave., 301-340-2915, worldofbeer.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ JRL D $

XI’AN GOURMET 316 N. Washington St., 301-875-5144, xian-gourmet.business.site. This casual diner prides itself on its comfort food. Named after an ancient city, Xi’an heavily features Sichuan and Shaanxi cuisines, after the chefs’ regional heritage. Go for the Shaanxi cold steamed noodles or the Shanghai soup dumplings. L D $

YAMACHAN RAMEN 201 E. Middle Lane, 301-666-6685, yamachanramen.com. This Rockville Town Center restaurant lets diners customize their bowls of ramen, from the soup base and noodles to protein and toppings. The eatery shares an address with Pearl Lady, a bubble tea shop. L D $

YEKTA 1488 Rockville Pike, 301-984-1190, yekta.com.

Persian cuisine, including a selection of beef,

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dine 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 and Baby Abalone in Tomato Sauce. L D $

SILVER SPRING ADDIS ABABA 8233 Fenton St., 301-589-1400, addisababa cuisine.com. Authentic Ethiopian-style vegetables and fiery meats are served atop spongy bread in communal bowls. Traditional woven tables and a roof deck add to the ambience. There’s a weekday lunch buffet, too. ❂ RLD$

ALL SET RESTAURANT & BAR 8630 Fenton St., 301-495-8800, allsetrestaurant. com. American cuisine with a focus on New England specialties. Look for clams, oysters and lobster, plus crab cakes and rockfish, and beef and vegetarian options. The snazzy space is also the setting for clam bakes and fried chicken on Sunday nights. ❂ J R L D $$

AMINA THAI 8624 Colesville Road, 301-588-3588, aminathai silverspring.com. See Rockville/North Bethesda listing. L D $

AZÚCAR RESTAURANT BAR & GRILL 14418 Layhill Road, 301-438-3293, azucarrestaurant.net. The name means sugar, and it fits: The colorful Salvadoran spot is decorated in bright purple and orange with Cubist-style paintings.

The pork-stuffed corn pupusas are stars. Also look for more elegant dinners, including fried whole trout.

L D $$

BETE ETHIOPIAN CUISINE 811 Roeder Road, 301-588-2225, beteethiopia. com. Family-run Ethiopian restaurant with a modest dining room but some exemplary cooking. Don’t miss the vegetarian sampler, and in nice weather, opt for eating outside in the lovely, shaded back patio. ❂ J B L D $$

THE BIG GREEK CAFÉ 8223 Georgia Ave., 301-587-4733, biggreekcafe. com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

BUENA VIDA 8407 Ramsey Ave., 301-755-6132, buenavidarestaurant.com. The second-floor fullservice restaurant (its sister restaurant Tacos, Tortas & Tequila fills the first floor) has a menu with à la carte items, or you can pay a set price for unlimited Mexican small plates. Offerings include ceviche, guacamole, salads, tacos and enchiladas.

The space is light-filled, with vibrant murals and a 720-bottle tequila and wine rack. R L D $$

CAVA 8515 Fenton St., 301-200-8666, cava.com. See 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. The brightly colored tropical dining room and the authentic Cuban cooking evident in dishes such as ropa vieja (shredded beef in onions, peppers and garlic) and fried plantains keep customers coming back. ❂ L D $$

THE DAILY DISH 8301 Grubb Road, 301-588-6300, thedailydish restaurant.com. A neighborhood favorite serving seasonally inspired, locally sourced comfort food, including bar bites and brunch dishes. Full-service catering is available, too. ❂ J R L D $$

DENIZENS BREWING CO. (EDITORS’ PICK) 1115 East West Highway, 301-557-9818, denizens brewingco.com. The bright-orange building houses Montgomery County’s largest brewery, featuring core beers and seasonal offerings, along with drafts from other regional breweries. Menu of snacks, sandwiches and salads includes vegetarian options.

There is a large outdoor beer garden and indoor seating overlooking the brewery. ❂ D $

DON POLLO 12345 Georgia Ave., 301-933-9515; 13881 Outlet Drive, 240-560-7376, donpollogroup.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

EGGSPECTATION 923 Ellsworth Drive, 301-585-1700, eggspectation. com. This Canadian import features fresh and creative egg plates in an elegant yet casual dining room complete with a fireplace and colorful Harlequin-themed art. It also serves great salads, dinners and dessert. ❂ B 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, gavilan restaurant.com. The walls are bright, the music’s upbeat, the margaritas are fine and the service is friendly. The usual Tex-Mex fare is here, as well as Salvadoran specialties such as tasty cheese- or pork-filled pupusas. J L D $

EL GOLFO 8739 Flower Ave., 301-608-2121, elgolforestaurant. com. Friendly, home-style Latin service is the hallmark, as attested to by the many Salvadorans who stop in for lunch and dinner. Pupusas, soups and beef dishes such as carne asada as well as more adventurous choices can be found in the charming, raspberry-colored dining room. ❂ JRLD$

EL SAPO CUBAN SOCIAL CLUB (NEW) 8455 Fenton St., 301-326-1063, elsaporestaurant. com. Cuban specialties are the focus at this restaurant from owner and chef Raynold

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Mendizábal, who also owns Urban Butcher in Silver Spring. Small bites such as empanadas and cod croquettes are on the menu with dishes that Cuba is known for, including the beef entrée ropa vieja and puerco asado (roasted pork). L D $$$

ETHIO EXPRESS GRILL 952 Sligo Ave., 301-844-5149. Ethiopian food goes fast-casual in this counter service eatery that offers your choice of carbohydrate bases (i.e., injera, rice, pasta), plus grilled meats (or tofu), sauces and lots of vegetables (the spicy lentils and yellow split peas are especially good). L D $

FENTON CAFÉ 8311 Fenton St., 301-326-1841, fentoncafesilver spring.com. An out-of-the-way crêperie serving 31 kinds of sweet crêpes and 16 varieties of savory crêpes. Savory versions range from cheese and ham to roasted eggplant with zucchini, bell pepper, sundried tomato, garlic and onion. B L D $

FIRE STATION 1 RESTAURANT & BREWING CO. 8131 Georgia Ave., 301-585-1370, firestation1. com. A historic firehouse made over as an eatery serves 21st-century pizza, sandwiches, meat, seafood and vegetarian entrées. Try the Cuban sandwich with seasoned pork, chipotle mayo, Dijon mustard, pickles and Swiss cheese on a ciabatta roll. L D $

GHAR-E-KABAB 944 Wayne Ave., 301-587-4427, gharekabab.com.

In the heart of downtown Silver Spring, Ghar-EKabab 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), this intimate joint presents a variety of South Asian flavors. J L D $$

THE GREEK PLACE 8417 Georgia Ave., 301-495-2912, thegreekplace. net. Here are big portions of better-than-average food at reasonable prices. The bifteki pita sandwich, a seasoned ground lamb and beef patty with tzatziki, tomatoes and red onions, is especially good. L D $

GUSTO FARM TO STREET 8512 Fenton St., 301-565-2800, eatgusto.com.

See Bethesda listing. ❂ J L D $

ITALIAN KITCHEN 8201 Fenton St., 301-588-7800, italiankitchenmd. com. Casual, attractive pizzeria with bar seating also turns out homemade sandwiches, calzones, salads and pasta dishes. Pizza and paninis are top notch. L D $

JEWEL OF INDIA 10151 New Hampshire Ave., 301-408-2200, jewelofindiamd.com. Elegant décor and excellent northern Indian cuisine make this shopping center restaurant a real find. Diners will find a good selection of curries, and rice and biryani dishes.

L D $$

KAO THAI 8650 Colesville Road, 301-495-1234, kaothai restaurant.com. This restaurant turns out top-notch curries, noodle dishes and vegetarian options, plus house specialties, such as Siam Salmon with Spicy Thai Basil Sauce and Thai Chili Tilapia. Dishes are cooked medium spicy. ❂ L D $$

LA CASITA PUPUSERIA & MARKET 8214 Piney Branch Road, 301-588-6656, lacasita pupusas.com. Homemade pupusas, tamales and

other Salvadoran specialties are available, plus a full breakfast menu and a small selection of grocery items. B L D $

LA MALINCHE 8622 Colesville Road, 301-562-8622, lamalinche tapas.com. Diners will find an interesting selection of Spanish and Mexican tapas, plus a full Saturday and Sunday brunch featuring huevos rancheros, variations of tortillas Espanola and more.

R L D $$

LANGANO ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT 8305 Georgia Ave., 301-563-6700, langano restaurant.com. Named for the popular Ethiopian vacation spot, Lake Langano, this longtime restaurant offers fine Ethiopian cuisine such as doro wat (spicy chicken stew) and tibs (stewed meat) in a cozy white- and red-accented dining room. Lunch specials on weekdays. L D $

LEBANESE TAVERNA CAFÉ 933 Ellsworth Drive, 301-588-1192, lebanese taverna.com. See Rockville listing. J L D $

LUCY ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT 8301 Georgia Ave., 301-589-6700. See Bethesda listing. L D $

MAMMA LUCIA 1302 East West Highway, 301-562-0693, mammaluciarestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $$

MANDALAY RESTAURANT & CAFÉ 930 Bonifant St., 301-585-0500, mandalay restaurantcafe.com. The modest dining room is packed most evenings with families and large groups who come for the Burmese food, a cross between Indian and Thai. L D $

MCGINTY’S PUBLIC HOUSE 911 Ellsworth Drive, 301-587-1270, mcgintys publichouse.com. Traditional Irish pub and restaurant features corned beef and cabbage, live music and dancing. Early-bird special, three-course menu for $15, from 5 to 7 p.m. ❂ J R L D $$

MELEKET 1907 Seminary Road, 301-755-5768, meleketrestaurant.com. This family-owned, Ethiopian-Italian restaurant serves classic vegetarian, beef and chicken Ethiopian plates, alongside Italian entrées such as pesto pasta with chicken. For breakfast, try a traditional Ethiopian dish of kinche (a buttery grain porridge) or firfir (bread mixed with vegetables in a red pepper sauce). B L D $

MI RANCHO 8701 Ramsey Ave., 301-588-4872, miranchomd.com. You'll find a boisterous party atmosphere every night at a place where customers can count on standard Tex-Mex fare at good prices. The outdoor patio, strung with colorful lights, is the place to be in nice weather. ❂ L D $

MIX BAR & GRILLE 8241 Georgia Ave., #200, 301-326-1333. Modern American bistro with charcuterie and cheese plates, brick-oven flatbreads, ceviche and other light fare.

Look for lots of wines by the glass and beers on tap. ❂  R L D $$

MOD PIZZA 909 Ellsworth Drive, 240-485-1570, modpizza.com.

First Maryland location of this Bellevue, Washingtonbased 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 $

MRS. K’S RESTAURANT 9201 Colesville Road, 301-589-3500, mrsks.com.

Here’s an elegant, antique-filled option for special occasions and brunch. This historic restaurant beckons a younger crowd with the Wine Press, a European-style wine bar downstairs, which has its own more casual menu. ❂ R L D $$$

NAINAI’S NOODLE & DUMPLING BAR 1200 East West Highway, 301-585-6678, nainaisnoodles.com. Sisters Joanne and Julie Liu serve homemade noodles and dumplings in this lovable fast-casual eatery that shares a kitchen with their Scion restaurant next door. Focus on the noodles, and bring a photo of your “Nainai” (grandmother in Chinese) to tack on the bulletin board. L D $

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE'S 8661 Colesville Road, 240-839-3400, notyouraveragejoes.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ J L D $$

OLAZZO (EDITORS’ PICK) 8235 Georgia Ave., 301-588-2540, olazzo.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ J L D $

PACCI’S NEAPOLITAN PIZZERIA (EDITORS’ PICK) 8113 Georgia Ave., 301-588-1011, paccispizzeria. com. This stylish eatery turns out top-notch pizzas from a wood-burning oven. Choose from red or white pizza selections, plus four kinds of calzones. ❂ JLD$

PACCI’S TRATTORIA & PASTICCERIA 6 Old Post Office Road, 301-588-0867, paccis trattoria.com. Diners will find a range of classic Italian dishes, including homemade meatballs and sausage, from the owner of Pacci’s Neapolitan Pizzeria, also in Silver Spring. L D $$

PARKWAY DELI & RESTAURANT 8317 Grubb Road, 301-587-1427, theparkway deli.com. Parkway features a bustling back dining room that makes this popular spot so much more than a deli. Longtime waitresses greet regular customers and kids with hugs during busy weekend breakfasts. All-you-can-eat pickle bar. ❂ B L D $

PHO HIEP HOA 921-G Ellsworth Drive, 301-588-5808, phohiephoa. com. Seventeen kinds of Vietnamese soup called pho can be customized to taste in this upbeat restaurant overlooking the action in the downtown area. ❂ L D $

PHO TAN VINH 8705-A Colesville Road, 301-588-8188, photanvinh. com. A family-owned Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Tan Vinh was opened in 2014 by Tiffany Chu, who sought the traditional food she ate in her youth.

She and her chef mother serve emergent classics such as pho and put their own spin on items such as the Tan Vinh special, a “deconstructed” banh mi sandwich. L D $

PORT-AU-PRINCE AUTHENTIC HAITIAN CUISINE 7912 Georgia Ave., 301-565-2006, paphaitiancuisine.com. The eatery serves a small menu of Haitian fare: five appetizers, five entrées (plus an entrée salad) and two desserts. Chicken wings, fritters, whole red snapper, fried turkey and legume casserole are among the highlights. A Sunday brunch buffet draws crowds. R D $$

QUARRY HOUSE TAVERN 8401 Georgia Ave., 301-844-5380, facebook. com/quarryhouse. Closed for nearly three years after a fire, this basement-level dive bar reopened in its original space. The inside holds the same 1930s-era feel as the original bar, and burgers and Tater Tots are still on the menu. D $

SAMANTHA’S 631 University Blvd. East, 301-445-7300, samanthasrestaurante.com. This white-tablecloth, Latin-Salvadoran spot in an industrial neighborhood is popular because of its welcoming attitude toward families with young children. The steak and fish specialties are good. L D $$

SCION 1200 East West Highway, 301-585-8878, scionrestaurant.com. A contemporary American eatery from sisters Joanne and Julie Liu, who also own a popular Dupont Circle restaurant with the same name and Nainai’s Noodle & Dumpling Bar in Silver Spring. Look for everything from wasabi Caesar salad to crab Reuben to spicy yogurt chicken. J R L D $$

SERGIOS RISTORANTE ITALIANO 8727 Colesville Road, 301-585-1040. A classic red-sauce Italian restaurant that manages to feel special, with soothing wall murals and high-quality service, despite a basement location inside the DoubleTree Hotel. Ravioli with asparagus and cheese in a tarragon sauce is popular. L D $$

THE SOCIETY RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 8229 Georgia Ave., 301-565-8864, societyss. com. A sleek and modern atmosphere catering to a nightlife crowd, Society offers fare with a Caribbean accent. Check out the rooftop seating and daily drink specials, which include $25 beer buckets. ❂ L D $$

SUSHI JIN NEXT DOOR 8555 Fenton St., 301-608-0990, sushijinnextdoor. com. The eatery is spare, clean and modern, and offers terrific udon noodle soup and impeccable raw fish. Choose from 11 appetizers and seven soups and salads. L D $$

SWEETGREEN 8517 Georgia Ave., 301-244-5402, sweetgreen. com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

TACOS, TORTAS & TEQUILA 8407 Ramsey Ave., 301-755-6132. Also called TTT, this first-floor fast-casual spot is below its fancier sister restaurant, Buena Vida. The focus is on quesadillas, tortas and tacos—beef tongue, duck carnitas and house-made chorizo among them.

There’s a full-service bar and an outdoor patio. ❂ BLD$

TASTEE DINER 8601 Cameron St., 301-589-8171, tasteediner. com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ J B L D $

THAI AT SILVER SPRING 921-E Ellsworth Drive, 301-650-0666, thaiatsilver spring.com. The Americanized Thai food is second to the location, which is superb for people-watching on the street below. A modern and stylish dining room with a hip bar in bold colors and good service add to the appeal. ❂ L D $$

URBAN BAR-B-QUE COMPANY 10163 New Hampshire Ave., 301-434-7427, urban bbqco.com. See Rockville listing. L D $

URBAN BUTCHER (EDITORS’ PICK) 8226 Georgia Ave., 301-585-5800, urbanbutcher.

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dine

com. Hip, eclectic setting is the backdrop for this New Age steak house, with its home-cured salamis, sausages and other charcuterie, plus meat dishes made from local animals of yesteryear breeds.

There’s a lounge, bar, meat curing room, retail counter and dining area. Voted “Best Restaurant in Silver Spring” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. R D $$

URBAN WINERY 949 Bonifant St., 301-585-4100, theurbanwinery. com. Silver Spring residents Damon and Georgia Callis open the first and only urban winery in the midAtlantic area. Tasting facility offers craft wines made with local and international grapes, and customers can even create their own wines (by appointment).

Light menu includes artisan cheese, charcuterie and smoked seafood platters, plus Greek mezze. D $

VEGETABLE GARDEN 3830 International Drive (Leisure World Plaza), 301598-6868, vegetablegarden.com. The popular vegan, vegetarian and macrobiotic Asian restaurant features a wide variety of eggplant and asparagus dishes, plus vegetarian “beef,” and “chicken” dishes often made with soy and wheat gluten. L D $$

VICINO RISTORANTE ITALIANO 959 Sligo Ave., 301-588-3372, vicinoitaliano.com.

A favorite neighborhood red-sauce joint that hasn’t changed in decades, Vicino features some fine seafood choices in addition to classic pasta dishes.

Families are welcome. ❂ L D $ $

THE WOODSIDE DELI 9329 Georgia Ave., 301-589-7055, thewoodside deli.com. See Rockville listing. J B L D $

UPPER NW D.C. ARUCOLA 5534 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-244-1555, arucola. com. The restaurant serves authentic Italian cuisine in a casual setting, with a changing menu that includes creative treatment of traditional dishes, homemade pasta and pizza from the wood-burning oven. ❂ L D $ $

THE AVENUE 5540 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-244-4567, theavenuedc.com. A family-friendly neighborhood restaurant and bar with dishes such as crab pasta, poutine, burgers and baby back ribs. Fun décor includes classic posters and a giant magnetic scrabble board. ❂ J B L D $$

BLUE 44 5507 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-362-2583, blue44dc.com. The menu features classic American favorites infused with the flavors of Italy and France, including ratatouille, pork schnitzel and bouillabaisse. ❂ J R L D $$

BUCK’S FISHING AND CAMPING 5031 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-0777, bucksfishingandcamping.com. Diners can enjoy a seasonal menu that changes daily, and offers hip takes on comfort food such as roast chicken (locally raised) in an artsy-chic setting. D $$$

CAFÉ OF INDIA 4909 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-244-1395, cafeofindiadc.com. Here’s a cute corner café with

two levels of dining and an extensive menu that includes vegetarian and tandoori entrées, dosas, samosas, tikkas, curries and kabobs. ❂ L D $$

CHATTER 5247 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-362-8040, chatterdc. com. A group that includes Gary Williams, Maury Povich, Tony Kornheiser and Alan Bubes bought this neighborhood hangout in 2017 and renovated it while maintaining its Cheers-like atmostphere. It offers a full menu beyond bar food, including salads, steaks, seafood and sandwiches. ❂ R L D $$

COMET PING PONG (EDITORS’ PICK) 5037 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-0404, cometpingpong.com. Landmark fun spot where you can play ping-pong or admire local art while you wait for your wood-fired pizza. Choose from over 30 toppings to design your own pie. ❂ R L D $

DECARLO’S RESTAURANT 4822 Yuma St. NW, 202-363-4220, decarlosrestaurant.com. This is a family-owned neighborhood staple, with a traditional Italian menu and upscale/casual atmosphere. Signature dishes include agnolotti, veal scallopini, broiled salmon and hand-made pasta. ❂ L D $$

GUAPO’S RESTAURANT 4515 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-686-3588, guaposrestaurant.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ R L D $$

I’M EDDIE CANO (NEW) (EDITORS’ PICK) 5014 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-890-4995, imeddiecano.com. A play on the way “Americano” is pronounced, I’m Eddie Cano is an Italian joint with nostalgic 1970s-themed décor. The standouts on executive chef James Gee’s menu include fried zucchini, spaghetti and meatballs, spaghetti with clams, escarole salad and eggplant parmigiana.

See our review on page 244. D $$

JAKE’S AMERICAN GRILLE 5018 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-966-5253, jakesdc. com. Burgers, steaks and sandwiches are served in a restaurant named after the owner’s grandfather, an accomplished Navy test engineer. Check out the Boiler Room, a sports bar in the basement.

J R L D $$

JETTIES 5632 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-2465, jettiesdc.com. See Bethesda listing. J L D $

LE CHAT NOIR 4907 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-244-2044, lechatnoirrestaurant.com. This cute, cozy neighborhood bistro is run by French restaurateurs, who cook traditional fare such as steak frites, bouillabaisse and braised lamb cheeks. R L D $$

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN 4874 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-459-9141, lepainquotidien.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ JBRLD$

LITTLE BEAST CAFÉ & BISTRO 5600 Connecticut Ave. NW, littlebeastdc.com. In the earlier part of the day, Little Beast’s offerings include house-made pastries, Red Velvet Cupcakery cupcakes, quiche and coffee from Hyattsville-based Vigilante. Later on, find pizza cooked in a woodburning oven, sharable dishes such as Brussels sprouts and entrées including spicy lamb ragu. ❂ J B L D $$

268 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

MACON BISTRO & LARDER (EDITORS’ PICK) 5520 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-248-7807, macon bistro.com. Southern and French cuisine converge at this airy, charming restaurant in the historic Chevy Chase Arcade. Appetizers include raclette and fried green tomatoes, and steak frites is offered alongside short ribs with grits for main courses.

Voted “Best Restaurant in Upper Northwest D.C.” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. ❂ R L D $$

MAGGIANO’S LITTLE ITALY 5333 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-966-5500, maggianos.com. The restaurant features oldstyle Italian fare that’s a favorite for large groups and private celebrations. Check out the signature flatbreads and specialty pastas, including lobster carbonara. J R L D $$

MASALA ART (EDITORS’ PICK) 4441-B Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-362-4441, masalaartdc.com. Here is fine Indian dining featuring tandoor-oven specialties and masterful Indian spicing. Start off by choosing from a selection of nine breads and 17 appetizers. L D $$

MILLIE’S (EDITORS’ PICK) 4866 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-733-5789, milliesdc.com. This eatery in the Spring Valley neighborhood may be from up north—it’s the second location of a popular Nantucket restaurant—but its flavors are distinctly south-of-the-border. The menu offers coastal takes on tacos, quesadillas and salads that are as summery as the bright, nautical décor of the dining room. ❂ J R L D $$

PARTHENON RESTAURANT 5510 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-966-7600, parthenon-restaurant.com. This is a neighborhood eatery taken up a couple notches, with an extensive menu full of authentic selections familiar and exotic, including avgolemono (egg/lemon soup), tzatziki, moussaka, dolmades and souvlaki. ❂ L D $$

PETE’S NEW HAVEN STYLE APIZZA 4940 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-237-7383, petesapizza.com. The crunchy-crusted New Havenstyle pizzas can be topped with a choice of almost three dozen ingredients. There's also pasta, panini, salads and house-made desserts. ❂ J L D $

SATAY CLUB ASIAN RESTAURANT AND BAR 4654 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-363-8888, asiansatayclub.com. The restaurant prides itself on providing a comfortable/casual setting with a menu that spans Japanese sushi, Chinese moo-shi vegetables, Thai curries and Vietnamese spring rolls. L D $

TANAD THAI 4912 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-966-0616. The extensive menu ranges from noodles, rice and curries to vegetarian entrées, and even a Thai lemonade cocktail. House specialties include pad Thai and Drunken Noodles. ❂ L D $$

TARA THAI 4849 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-363-4141, tarathai.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $$

WAGSHAL’S RESTAURANT 4855 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-363-5698, wagshals.com. Longtime popular deli expands grocery and carryout section, and adds a casual sit-down restaurant in the Spring Valley Shopping Center. Same high-quality fare, including the overstuffed sandwiches. L D $ n

COMING SOON

by Bethesda Magazine

Local Jobs for Local People

Job Board by Bethesda Magazine is a new online resource that connects Washington-area employers with Montgomery County job seekers.

LEARN MORE AT:

BethesdaMagazine.com/JobBoard

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

summer camps CAMP

GENDER

AGES

LOCATION

American Volleyball Camp

Day & Overnight

TYPE

Coed

9 - 18

Washington, DC

www.americanvolleyballcamps.com

WEBSITE

202-885-3031

PHONE

Adventure Theatre's Summer Musical Theater Camp

Day

Coed

6 - 12

Glen Echo

301-251-5766

Adventure Theatre's Summer Musical Theater Training Program

Day

Coed

12 - 17

Rockville

www.adventuretheatre-mtc.org/ camps.html www.adventuretheatre-mtc.org/ camps.html

Barrie Camp

Day

Coed

4 - 14

Silver Spring

www.barrie.org/camp

301-576-2815

Beauvoir Summer

Day

Coed

3 - 17

Washington, DC

www.beauvoirschool.org/summer

202-537-6485

Calleva

Day

Coed

4 - 17

DC Metro area

www.calleva.org

301-216-1248

Camp Arena Stage

Day

Coed

8 - 15

Washington, DC

www.arenastage.org/camp

202-600-4064

Camp Hidden Meadows

Overnight

Coed

6 - 16

Bartow, WV

www.camphiddenmeadows.com

304-456-5191

Camp Horizons

Overnight

Coed

6 - 16

Harrisonburg

www.camphorizonsva.com

540-896-7600

Camp JCC

Day

Coed

4 - 21

Rockville

www.benderjccgw.org/camp

301-348-3883

Camp Olympia

Day

Coed

3.5 - 15

Rockville

www.camp-olympia.com

301-926-9281

Camp Tall Timbers

Overnight

Coed

7 - 16

High View, WV

www.camptalltimbers.com

301-874-0111

Capital Camps

Overnight

Coed

7 - 18

Waynesboro, PA

www.capitalcamps.org

301-468-2267

Creative Summer at Holton-Arms

Day

Coed

4 - 13

Bethesda

www.holtoncreativesummer.org

301-365-6003

ESF Summer Camps

Day

Coed

4 - 16

N. Bethesda

www.esfcamps.com/georgetownprep

301-493-2525

FUMA Summer Sports Camps

Day & Overnight

7 - 17

Fork Union, VA

www.forkunion.com/summercamps

434-842-4281

Glen Echo Park Summer Camps

Day

Boys (Day is Coed) Coed

4 - 19

Glen Echo

www.glenechopark.org/camps

301-634-2255

Good Counsel Summer Camps

Day

Coed

4 - 17

Olney

www.olgchs.org/camps

240-283-3218

Green Acres School Summer Camp

Day

Coed

3 - 12

N. Bethesda

www.greenacres.org

301-468-8110

Headfirst Summer Camps

Day

Coed

3 - 13

www.headfirstcamps.com

202-625-1921

Headfirst Overnight Camps

Overnight

Coed

7 - 12

Bethesda, Washington, DC Alexandria

www.headfirstcamps.com/overnight

202-625-1921

Imagination Stage Summer Camp

Day

Coed

3.5 - 18

Bethesda

www.imaginationstage.org

301-280-1636

Lowell School Summer Programs

Day

Coed

3 - 14

Washington, DC

www.lowellschool.org

202-577-2006

301-251-5766

Maryland Force Allstars Cheer and Tumbling Camp

Day

Coed

5 - 17

Gaithersburg

MarylandForceAllstars.com

240-702-0864

Oneness-Family School Summer Programs

Day

Coed

3.5 - 11+

Chevy Chase

www.onenessfamilyschool.org

301-652-7751

Round House Theatre Summer Camps

Day

Coed

5 - 18

Bethesda, Silver Spring

www.roundhousetheatre.org

301-585-1225

Silver Stars Gymnastics

Day

Coed

3.5 - 16

Silver Spring, Bowie

www.GoSilverStars.com

301-589-0938

St. John's College High School Summer Sports Camps

Day

Coed

7 - 17

Chevy Chase, DC

www.stjohnschs.org/summercamps

202-363-2316

Stone Ridge Summer Campus

Day

Coed

4 - 17

Bethesda

www.stoneridgesummercampus.org

301-657-4322

Summer at Norwood

Day

Coed

3.5 - 14

Bethesda

www.summeratnorwood.org

301-841-2254

Summer at Sandy Spring

Day

Coed

3 - 16

Sandy Spring

www.summeratsandyspring.org

301-774-7455

Summer at WES

All Girls

3.5 - 14

Bethesda

www.w-e-s.org/summer

301-652-7878

Summer Dance at Maryland Youth Ballet

Day & Overnight Day

All Girls

2 - 19

Silver Spring

www.marylandyouthballet.org

301-608-2232

SummerEdge at McLean School

Day

Coed

3 - 18

Potomac

www.summeredge.org

240-395-0690

Travelin' Teens & Adventure Camp

Day

9 - 13

various MoCo locations

www.kidsafterhours.com

301-351-9966

Valley Mill Camp

Day

Boys camp Girls camp Coed

4 - 14

Darnestown

www.valleymill.com

301-948-0220

Washington International School Summer Camp

Day

Coed

3 - 17

Washington, DC

www.wis,edu/summer-camp

202-243-1792

Washington Sailing Marina

Day

Coed

8 - 15

Alexandria

www.washingtonsailingmarina.com

703-505-9353

Westmoreland Children's Center

Day

Coed

2-5

Bethesda

www.wccbethesda.com

301-229-7161

YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase/Ayrlawn Center

Day

Coed

4 - 15

Bethesda

www.ymcadc.org

301-530-8500

270

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

FIELD TRIPS

HORSES

WATER SPORTS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Essential information on

40

summer camps

SPECIALTIES American Volleyball Camps are the most fun and challenging camps in the DMV. From beginner to elite, all levels (youth, middle school, high school) are welcome.

Celebrating 40 years, it will be an unforgettable summer as they take their final bow in a musical theater show! Two weeks of singing, dancing, costumes, props and acting.

With a trip to NYC or a role in Les Miserables to choose from based upon your choice of session, this inclusive three week training program develops students’ performance training by providing focused instruction in an immersive musical theatre environment. Ask about our scholarships. ●

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Swim instruction/pool time, before and after care, outdoor adventure excursions, arts and crafts, dance, music, cooking, STEAM, robotics, chess, sports and games for PK-5th graders.

Counselor-in-Training leadership experiences for 6th-12th graders.

Calleva offers exciting outdoor adventures in nearby wilderness areas -”Rivers, Trails, Rocks & Farm.” Transportation included. Some programs include overnight.

Celebrating 15 years of Art and Community, Camp Arena Stage is a summer experience with over 75 activities including acting, filmmaking, dance, theater, sculpture, and more!

1, 2, 3 and 4-week sessions. Horses, rafting, arts, mountain boarding,mountain biking, organic farming, rock climbing, fishing, sports, 1000 foot zip line and more!

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On-site swimming, horseback riding, sports, overnights, special event days, arts and crafts, nature, outdoor living skills, martial arts, dramatics, music, and CIT program.

We encourage campers to be creative and independent, have fun and make friendships that last a lifetime. Activities include aquatics, sports, outdoors adventures, horseback riding, performing/visual arts and more.

Camp JCC is the place to be this summer. Explore everything we have to offer from arts, sports, theater, STEM, daily swimming and so much more.

Horseback riding, swimming, soccer, tennis, gymnastics, basketball, track and field, and more. Transportation and extended care available!

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Voted Best of Bethesda 2015 & 2017 and ACA accredited. Variety of sessions offered and activities. Specialities: Aquatics, Equestrian, sports programs, archery, riflery, arts and more.

Capital Camps is a Jewish overnight camp where campers develop lifelong friendships while exploring our sports, adventure, visual/performing arts, and aquatics programs.

Create your own summer: We offer classes in the arts, cooking, crafts, dance, music, outdoor exploration, sports, swimming, tennis, theater, academics, and more.

Transportation, extended day are available.

ESF’s award-winning traditional, sports and specialty camps for boys and girls, ages 4-15, combine Education, Sports & Fun and offer 60+ activities for every interest.

Multiple sports learning opportunities including football, basketball, and a few others. This is a Father-Son weekend camp, overnight with all ages welcome to participate.

Sign your kids up for a summer of fun! Camps & workshops for kids and teens in visual & performing arts, plus nature and aquatic life programs, and more!

Art, baseball, basketball, circus, creative writing, culinary, environmental adventures, field hockey, film/photography, football, forensics, lacrosse, robotics/drones, soccer, theatre, and volleyball. Before/after care and concessions available.

Daily, on-site swimming instruction; Create your own path in science & Technology, Sports, Music and Art.

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Our goal is to provide an environment of growth for kids through fun and play. We run Sports, Day and STEM camps.

Our five-day program is the only one in the DC area that allows kids to mix and match their electives to create their ideal experience.

More than 100 1, 2, 3, & 4-week camps in drama, dance, musical theatre, and filmmaking.

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Horsemanship, outdoor program, onsite swimming pool, newly expanded teen, STEM, and theater arts programs, and extended programs into August including an Aquatics camp.

Cheer and tumbling camp perfect for beginner through experienced athletes. Seasoned cheer and tumbling coaches will focus on technique and teaching fun routines.

Daily nature exploration (1st-5th grade), pool trips & water-play, yoga, thrilling creative arts & sciences, low camper to counselor ratio, and extended care!

1-Week and Multi-Week camps for youth and teens. Focus on acting, playwriting, storytelling, design and more. Inspire creativity and explore your imagination!

With 18,000 square feet of space Silver Stars Gymnastics offers kids the opportunity to learn cartwheels, climb the ropes, flip on the trampolines and make memories with new and old friends.

Baseball, basketball, field hockey, football, lacrosse, performance training, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, volleyball, wrestling

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Choose your own adventure from over 45 classes including: makerspace tech lab, moviemaking, drama, jewelry making, fine art, dance, cardboard boat regatta, musical theater, guitar lessons, swimming, diving, Sports Academy, Community Service, Adventure Camps and more!

Early childhood, specialty day camps in STEM, art, dance, cooking, sports, academic enrichment, kayaking, rock climbing, hiking, CIT.

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Campers can choose from a wide variety of workshops and specialty camps that include sports, adventure, arts, technology, academics, music, robotics, and much more!

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Nine sessions that include archery, robotics, cooking, sculpture, animation and video game development, basketball, hiking, entrepreneurship, dance, and more!

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Summer classes, workshops, and camps for beginner, intermediate, and advanced dancers. Classical and contemporary ballet, modern and jazz, dance crafts, performance opportunities, and more. Come dance with us!

From producing a blockbuster movie to conducting eye-opening science experiments, SummerEdge at McLean School offers some fun and learning for everyone.

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Daily field trips to Area Beaches & Amusement Parks, High Ropes Course, Water Parks, White Water Rafting, Scuba, Tubing, Climbing, Sporting Events. 100% supervised by our counselors at all times.

Kayaking, canoeing, swimming, horseback riding, rock climbing, archery, air rifle, gymnastics and more. Transportation provided.

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STEAM camps in English, Language instruction in Spanish, ESOL, Mandarin Chinese & French.

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Great summer days spent learning the wonderful sport of sailing on the Potomac River. It is empowering, fun and healthy! Camps available for beginners through advanced.

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Each theme oriented session includes water play, special events, special projects and music. Outdoor playground and well-equipped pre-school classrooms. Low teacher to child ratio. ●

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25+ different camps a week - travel camps, aquatics, sports, arts, science, teen, specialty

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

271

summer Camps

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

2019 SUMMER CAMP eek camps for ages 3.5 -18 w 4 d n a , 1, 2, 3

ACTING | MUSICAL THEATRE | DANCE | FILMMAKING imaginationstage.org | 301-280-1636

272

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Day, STEM, Sports & Overnight Camps

FOR BOYS & GIRLS AGES 3-13 Our goal is simple – to provide an environment of growth for kids through sports, fun and play. We believe summer camp is a place for kids to try new things, stretch themselves and test their limits.

BETHESDA, MD (Mater Dei School)

NW WASHINGTON, DC (St. Albans/NCS)

Save up to 15% using discount code “HBETH19” BETHESDA MAGAZINE EXCLUSIVE

headfirstcamps.com

•

(202) 625-1921

summer Camps

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Star in a full-scale musical!

ready for the

Summer Musical Theatre Camp

best summer

summermusicaltheatrecamp.org

REgister now for a summer of discovery, friendship & outdoor Fun!

Rising Grades 1–6 Monday–Friday

ever?

2 Week Sessions Glen Echo Park

Camp Horizons is a sleep-away camp for kids, ages 6-16 Less than 3 hours away in Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley

& ATMTC ACADEMY

540.896.7600 • www.camphorizonsva.com

GEORGETOWN PREP

July 27-29

Prospects, Serving, Setter Hitter, Digging Defense

July 29-Aug 1

All Skills

Aug 3-4

Hitter, Setter, Libero

Aug 5-6

Advanced Setter Strategies, Advanced Hitter Blocker Setter Hitter, Digging Defense

Head Coach, Barry Goldberg

www.AmericanVolleyballCamps.com On The Campus of American University Washington, DC 274

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Best Summer Sports Camp

SF

E

2019 Inducted into AU Athletics Hall of Fame 2013 NCAA Regional Coach of the Year, Sweet 16 7x Patriot League Coach of the Year 17 NCAA tournament appearances 30 seasons at American University

THANKS FOR VOTING ESF

CA

DAY !

VolleyTots, Youth , Middle School, Serving

ONLINE TO

Aug 7-8

LL

M

Hitter, Setter, Libero

ENR

July 20-21

O

Choose Your Camps.

M P S .C

O

summer Camps

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Readers’ Pick, Best Summer Day Camp

Into the

woods

CAMP DATES Session 1: June 24 to July 12, 2019 for boys and girls ages 4-13 Session 2: July 15 to August 2, 2019

For detailed information about Creative Summer programs, visit our website www.holtoncreativesummer.org

! d e t i v n I YouJo’inreus for Calleva’s nnetxut re big adve

SUMMER C A M P 2 0 1 9

When? Summer 2019 Where? River, Trail, Farm & Forest Transportation included: Pickup points throughout the DC metro area RSVP Registration begins in January!!

Ages 4-5:

Cubs

Ages 6-9: Explorers Ages 9-12: Adventure Camp Ages 12+: High Adventure Trips & Leadership School

www.calleva.org

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

275

summer Camps

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Maryland Youth Ballet Summer 2019 With NEW Artistic Director Olivier Munoz

Programs for Ages 2-19 Technique Summer Festival Advanced Intensives Men & Boys Classes Contemporary Workshop Auditions for ages 10+ at MYB on Feb. 16 Boys Ballet Summer Intensive In Residence at MYB June 17-21 BoysBalletSummerIntensive.com

capitalcamps.org 301.468.2267

MarylandYouthBallet.org • 301-608-2232

Are you ready to tumble?

CHEER AND TUMBLING CAMP...

• PERFECT FOR BEGINNER TO EXPERIENCED CHEERLEADERS OR TUMBLERS • FUN CHEER ROUTINES INCLUDING STUNTS, JUMPS, TUMBLING & DANCE • SEASONED CHEER & TUMBLING COACHES • 15,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY COMPLETE WITH TWO FULL-SIZE CHEER FLOORS

MarylandForceAllstars.com 8345-J Beechcraft Avenue • Gaithersburg 240.702.0864 276

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Away from the everyday

3, 2 & 1 Week Sessions Coed | Ages 7 to 16 Readers’ Pick Best Overnight Summer Camp 201 8

WINNER

ENROLL NOW SUMMER 2019

Visit www.camptalltimbers.com to learn more about upcoming events, camp fairs and family weekends Camp Tall Timbers High View, WV | 301-874-0111

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

summer Camps

This summer, St. John’s College High School has something for every athlete! SJC offers a wide variety of summer sports camps for both boys and girls, including: Baseball Basketball Field Hockey Football

Lacrosse Performance Training Soccer

Tennis Track and Field Volleyball Wrestling

For more information, please visit us online at www.stjohnschs.org/summercamps

ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL 2607 Military Road, NW, Chevy Chase, DC 20015 202-363-2316 / stjohnschs.org

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

277

summer Camps

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

A MULTI-ARTS SUMMER DAY CAMP FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AGES 8–15

Washington International School

SUMMER CAMP Weekly Sessions June 24 to August 9, 2019

ARENASTAGE.ORG/CAMP

MUSICAL THEATER TRAINING COMPANY One-on-one training from the nation’s

This summer, let your child’s imagination run wild!

best musical theater professionals ARENASTAGE.ORG/ACADEMY

REGISTER TODAY!

SESSIONS BEGIN JUNE 24, 2019 CALL 202-600-4064

Gallop to the beat of Summer fun!

LEARN MORE

www.wis.edu/summer-camp

Classes • Birthday Parties • Open Gym • Competitive Team • Camps

Camp Olympia

Co-Ed Instructional Sports Program Camp June 17 - August 30

Spring Break Camp: April 17, 18, 19 & 22

Open House Dates:

Jan 26, Feb 2, Feb 23 week minimum Ages 3-1/2 - 15yrs Door to Door Transporation Extended Care Available

Activities Include: nclude:

• Horseback Riding • Football ball • Basketball • Gymnastics • Swimming • Soccer

• Tennis T nnis Te • Mountain Biking • Games and more!

5511 Muncaster Mill Road, Rockville, MD 20855

www.camp-olympia.com • 301-926-9281 278

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

It’s Not Just Gymnastics, It’s Gymtastic!

REGISTER NOW FOR CAMP!

NO SCHOOL! DAY CAMP • SPRING BREAK CAMP SUMMER CAMP Register online at www.gosilverstars.com

Two Great Locations!

2701 Pittman Drive, Silver Spring, MD 301-589-0938 301-589-1717 fax 14201 Woodcliff Ct, Bowie, MD 301-352-5777 301-352-8414 fax

summer Camps

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Spring and Summer Programs

Ages 4-14 Transportation Provided

Valley Mill Day Camp www.valleymill.com

summer camp for boys and girls Pre-K - Grade 8

NINE WEEKLY SESSIONS June 10 - August 9, 2019

Awesome adventures include archery, robotics, cooking, sports, and more. There’s something for everyone. Day camp located in the heart of Bethesda on the Washington Episcopal School campus – open rain, shine, or heat wave! Before Care and After Care available. Check out the Sleepaway Camp for children entering Grades 3-8. Starting March 1, private tours of campus facilities available. Please call 301-652-7878 to schedule a tour.

Register online at www.w-e-s.org/summer today!

WASHINGTON EPISCOPAL SCHOOL 5600 Little Falls Parkway, Bethesda, MD 20816 | www.w-e-s.org | 301-652-7878 BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

279

summer Camps

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Washington Sailing Marina

Summer Sailing Camp Programs GD 10608

Summer fun along the Potomac River Full day Sailing and Windsurfing camps Transportation available from Bethesda/ Chevy Chase Area Week long sessions June 3 - Aug 16 (Ages 8-15)

Beauvoir Summer offers an array of exciting activities for pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade campers, all led by experienced adult counselors!

Field trips • Swimming lessons • Outdoor camps • Delicious daily lunches • Leadership programs • Specialty camps in technology, art, dance, fencing, sports, and more.

Beauvoir Summer runs June 10 to August 2, 2019. www.beauvoirschool.org/summer

Washington Sailing Marina • Alexandria, VA For on-line registration visit www.washingtonsailingmarina.com Questions? Email amy@sharethewind.com

Our programs are located at Beauvoir, The National Cathedral Elementary School 3500 Woodley Road NW, Washington, DC 20016

Full-day, weekly summer programs for boys and girls ages 4-18 June 17-July 26, 2019 9101 Rockville Pike · Bethesda, MD 301.657.4322 ext. 5001

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summer Camps

Fun-Paced Learning at McLean School STEM ACADEMICS

PreK - Grade 12

SPORTS

June 17 - August 9 240.395.0690 Readers’ Pick Best Summer Day Camp

ARTS SERVICE LEARNING TRAVEL BEFORE & AFTER CARE

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summer Camps

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Campers 1st - 6th grades: June 24 – July 12 and/or

July 15 – August 2

Campers nursery (4 by 9/1/2019)

Overnight Summer Camps Boys & Girls Ages 6 - 16 1 - 4 week sessions

ttle Shu C D for a! are

to kindergarten: June 24 – August 2

Horseback Riding Rock Climbing Performing Arts Sailing, Kayaking Fitness, Yoga, Sports Ceramics, Arts, Crafts Whitewater Rafting 1000-ft Zip Line Swimming Pool Organic Farming Backpacking

Join us for Summer in the Snow Camp Reunion and Open House!

Saturday, January 5, 2 – 4 pm The first 50 people thru the door will be able to register on the spot and be guaranteed admission!

Over 50 Activities!

www.greenacres.org

800-600-4752 CampHiddenMeadows.com Extraordinary Environment for Learning

Ages 4-14

Camp

Open Houses Jan 13 & Feb 10 1-3 pm

Early bird registration ends March 12

Barrie School 13500 Layhill Road Silver Spring, MD

barrie.org/camp 282

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summer Camps

Registration Open Now! Ages 3 ½ to 14 One and Two Week Sessions: June 17-August 16, 2019 Junior Day • Specialty Day Camp Classes Summeratnorwood.org Adventure Camps • Sports Camps

SUMMER PROGRAMS CAMP 2019 DATES: JUNE 24-AUGUST 2

LEARN MORE & REGISTER! www.OnenessFamily MontessoriSchool.org

REGISTRATION

DAY-CAMPS

Begins January 25 Early-Bird Ends March 1

PEACE WEAVERS (Ages 3½-6½ years old) • Unique weekly themes with related arts, play and projects • Water-play and trips • Fun-fitness games, creative movement and yoga • In-house entertainment and off-campus field trips EARTH KEEPERS (Rising 1st-Rising 5th+ graders) • Daily outdoor excursions to wilderness areas of MD, VA and D.C. • Interactive exhibits at nature centers and museums • Exploring with fossils, animal tracks, fishing nets and bird-calls • Swimming and climbing time

Pool & Water Play

Moon Bo Field Trips Yo g a unce A r t works Mindfulness Environmental Education

Hikes

Chesapeake Bay

CONTACT US! SUMMER@ONENESSFAMILY.ORG – (301) 652-7751 BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

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summer Camps

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Lowell Summer Arts and Technology Programs

OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL HIGH SCHOOL

2019 Summer Programs

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THE ARTS

Visual Art I Culinary I Creative Writing Circus I Film & Photography I Theatre

Day camp programs for preschool through teens on our expansive 8-acre campus • Staged Musical Production • Mini-Musical Review • Backstage Tech, Crew, and Creative

• Science, Engineering, Math, and Woodworking • Dance, Sports, and Fitness • Onsite Pool 1640 Kalmia Road NW Washington, DC 20012 202-577-2006

Learn more at

olgchs.org/camps

www.lowellschool.org Sign-Up Today!

Register for Summer Day Camp at YMCA Bethesda Chevy-Chase Enroll online at www.ymcadc.org Camps available for kids and teens ages 4-15 Call 301.530.8500 or 301.530.3725

WE ARE HAPPY CAMPERS! 284

The YMCA of Metropolitan Washington is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity that fosters the spiritual, mental and physical development of individuals, families and communities according to the ideals of inclusiveness, equality and mutual respect for all.

Best.

Summer.

Ever.

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shopping. beauty. weddings. pets. travel. history.

PHOTO BY AMY SPANGLER

etc.

More than 50 ice sculptures are on display at the Fire and Ice Festival in Lititz, Pennsylvania.

For more, turn to page 292.

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BY ADRIENNE WICHARD-EDDS

SHOP TALK

PUT A BOW ON IT

2

Far from prissy, a ladylike bow can take a blouse from polished and professional to downright dazzling.

A workhorse in any wardrobe, tie-neck blouses can be dressed down with jeans and boots, worn to the office under a sharp blazer, or taken out on the town with leather pants and heels.

1 3

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COURTESY PHOTOS

6

1.

Dolce & Gabbana’s rose print tieneck stretch silk blouse, $1,195 at Nordstrom (Westfield Montgomery mall, Bethesda; 301-365-4111; nordstrom.com)

2.

FRAME’s black velvet tie blouse, $275 at Sassanova (7134 Bethesda Lane, Bethesda; 301-654-7403; sassanova.com)

3.

J.Crew’s tie-neck button-up shirt in subtle pink, $79.50 at J.Crew (5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.; 202-537-3380; jcrew.com)

4.

Gucci’s long sleeve rose print tie-neck blouse, $1,600 at Saks Fifth Avenue (5555 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase; 301-657-9000; saksfifthavenue.com)

5.

Alice and Olivia’s Willis striped tie-neck blouse, $295 at Bloomingdale’s (5300 Western Ave., Chevy Chase; 240-744-3700; bloomingdales.com)

6.

Equipment’s Luis nostalgia polka dot silk blouse, $298 at Saks Fifth Avenue (5555 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase; 301-657-9000; saksfifthavenue.com)

7.

7 For All Mankind’s silk tie-neck blousonsleeve top, $189 at Neiman Marcus (5300 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.; 202-966-9700; neimanmarcus.com)

5

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SHOP TALK

SPORTY AND SPICY

Amy Block (left) and Wendy Abelman recently opened Gym & Tonic at Park Potomac.

NEIGHBORS AMY BLOCK AND Wendy Abelman, who live in Symphony Park in North Bethesda, spotted a hole in their local retail landscape, so they decided to do something about it. “When I moved here in 2017, I noticed everything just seemed so conservative. We needed a shopping experience that offered a little spice,” says Block, who previously lived in Miami, where she owned a fitness club with a retail space to help outfit gym-goers. Block joined forces with Abelman, who had 20-plus years of retail experience with Lucky Brand Jeans, to launch Gym & Tonic, an athleisure-focused women’s clothing boutique. The store sells “clothes you can wear all day, then throw on a blazer to go out for drinks and feel 288

fantastic,” Abelman says.

Gym & Tonic opened its doors this past September in a Park Potomac storefront strategically positioned near Life Time Athletic and Orangetheory Fitness. Clothing at Gym & Tonic is both on-trend and versatile enough to work for women of any age “depending on how you style it,” Abelman says. This means the store carries fun, glitzy leggings from brands like Terez and Ultracor; curve-hugging separates from Pam & Gela; soft pullovers and cozy joggers from brands like Monrow and n:Philanthropy; yoga (and après yoga) gear from Alo and Beyond Yoga; and casually luxe couture from Zadig & Voltaire. This winter, Block and Abelman are stockpiling items with textural details—Sherpa coats,

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

leather leggings and velvet anything.

Accessories run the gamut from gym bags and fanny packs to sneakers and hats. Gym & Tonic also offers on-site customization services—so you can personalize anything from leggings to T-shirts to backpacks with letters, glittery graphic designs and punchy motifs such as skulls, hearts, lightning bolts and stars.

As for the duo’s preferred form of exercise: Sure, cardio and weight training are important, they say, but shopping is their favorite workout.

Gym & Tonic, 12435 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac; 301-340-8800, shopgymandtonic. com ■

PHOTO BY LIZ LYNCH

A new Potomac boutique offers edgy athleisure clothes

Bethesda Urban Partnership and Bethesda Magazine will honor writers at the Local Writer's Showcase, April 25-26, 2019.

ESSAY AND SHORT STORY CONTEST DEADLINE: JANUARY 18, 2019 For eligibility and rules, please visit www.bethesda.org or www.bethesdamagazine.com.

AWARDS

First place: $500 and published in Bethesda Magazine Second place: $250 / Third place: $150 / Honorable Mention: $75

The first place winners will also receive a free class and membership to The Writer’s Center.

All winners will be published on the Bethesda Magazine and Bethesda Urban Partnership websites and will be honored at a special event during the Local Writer's Showcase.

High School winners receive: $250, first place; $100, second place; $50, third place.

Bethesda Magazine will print the first place Essay & Short Story.

For more information, please call 301-215-6660 or 301-718-7787.

EssayContest_BethMagAd2019.indd 1

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BY CHRISTINE KOUBEK

GET AWAY

AFTER A COUPLE OF ski seasons that were short on plentiful powder, West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain Resort improved its trails and snowboarding terrain for the current season with nearly $4 million worth of environmentally friendly snowmaking machines.

Situated at the southern end of Cheat Mountain—the state’s second-highest peak at 4,848 feet—Snowshoe is close enough to the Great Lakes for upslope lake effect snow and far enough east to cash in on big nor’easters. (The resort is so confident about good conditions that it has a snow guarantee through March 17: “We guarantee we’ll have more skiable terrain open here at Snowshoe than any other ski mountain in the Southeast, or your next day of skiing is free.”)

Two of the resort’s mountains offer a combined 60 trails on three ridges for skiers from novice to advanced; 12 trails are open for night skiing. An area known as “The Western Territory” is home to a pair of 1½-mile black diamond trails (one is a doubleblack), each with a 1,500-foot vertical drop. Off the 290

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slopes, a “Monsters in the Woods”-themed escape room debuted last season; you must solve clues to earn your “escape.” Backcountry snowmobile tours, snow tubing, a full-service spa, indoor/outdoor heated swimming pools and a small village worth of dining options round out Snowshoe’s offerings.

The resort’s Brigham Collection opened last season and consists of the highest-rated (by previous guests) studio to six-bedroom units around the mountain.

High-thread-count linens and spacious kitchens with granite countertops help set them apart. Brigham Collection lodging includes pre-arrival concierge support and delivery of rental equipment to your door. Rates vary widely and typically range from $300 to $500 per night (depending on accommodation size and time of year).

Snowshoe Mountain Resort, 10 Snowshoe Drive, Snowshoe, West Virginia; 877-441-4386; snowshoemtn.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF SNOWSHOE MOUNTAIN RESORT

SNOW FUN

FLOWER POWER COME IN FROM THE cold and explore Longwood Gardens’ lush 4-acre conservatory, which is filled with thousands of vibrant, artfully presented orchids. Grand orbs of the delicate flowers dangle overhead, others spill from basins, and the orchid rarity Phalaenopsis Sogo Yukidian “V3” is stunning with its majestic white, pink and purple blooms. Grown by experts in Taiwan, the V3 orchids are beloved for the sheer number of flowers blooming at once. Outdoors, stroll Longwood’s 3 miles of walking trails and the topiary garden, featuring 20 whimsically-shaped yews—trees trimmed into the forms of cones, spirals and more.

Stay the night nearby at The Inn at Grace Winery (rates begin at $149; 610-459-4711, gracewinery.com). Three of the inn’s cottages have a wood-burning fireplace; two have a gas fireplace.

Meander the grounds to visit alpacas, goats and donkeys.

Orchid Extravaganza runs from Jan. 19 to March 24.

Admission is $23; $20 for seniors ages 62 and older and college students; $12 for ages 5-18; free for ages 4 and younger.

ORCHID PHOTO COURTESY OF LONGWOOD GARDENS; DRAFTSMAN PHOTO COURTESY OF STARBOARD & PORT

Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania; 610-388-1000; longwoodgardens.org

CHARLOTTESVILLE CHARMER

OPENED LAST SEPTEMBER IN Charlottesville, Virginia, The Draftsman hotel got the inspiration for its name from three Virginians—Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe—who contributed to drafting our country’s cornerstone documents. The hotel’s 150 guest rooms and suites each feature a drafting desk, sliding barn-style bathroom door, picture of the University of Virginia’s rotunda, and orange-and-blue seersucker robes (another nod to the university). Mini bars include Virginia wines, beer and cider. Suite pluses: Japanese soaking tubs and a wraparound window’s worth of Charlottesville and Blue Ridge Mountain views, which guests in standard rooms can also enjoy from the fitness center on the penthouse floor.

Renewal, the hotel’s farm-to-table restaurant, serves up an eclectic menu of locally sourced food and 36 brews on tap from a glass-enclosed pour-your-own beer vault. Bulleit, the hotel’s lovable wheaten terrier, often can be found hanging out in the lobby. The Draftsman welcomes your pup or other pet, too (call the hotel for details and prices).

Rates at The Draftsman, which is part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, start at $179 per night. 1106 W. Main St., Charlottesville, Virginia; 434-984-8000; thedraftsmanhotel.com ■ BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019

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DRIVING RANGE

Cold Play A Pennsylvania town embraces the chilly weather with its Fire and Ice Festival

BY AMY BRECOUNT WHITE

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PHOTO BY AMY SPANGLER

An artist from DiMartino Ice Co. works on a Pegasus sculpture at the Fire and Ice Festival in Lititz, Pennsylvania.

Some sculptures are carved ahead of time and brought to the festival, but a few larger pieces are created on-site.

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of Bethesda, near Lancaster), to meet my friend Carol and check out the town’s 13th annual Fire and Ice Festival. (The 2019 festival will take place Feb. 15-18; lititzfireand ice.com.) Founded in 1742 by Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf, who was seeking religious freedom for his Moravian community, Lititz—population just over 9,000—was named “America’s Coolest Small Town” by Budget Travel in 2013.

It’s a picturesque place, tucked into rolling countryside with an attractive mix of historic Federal-style and gray

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

limestone buildings, along with a few towering steeples defining its skyline.

Walking down Main Street, we come across a thigh-high ice pretzel outside the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery (julius sturgis.com). Local businesses hoping to capitalize on the estimated 40,000 festival visitors, we’re told, sponsor their own ice sculptures, usually with a theme related to their specialty. continued on page 296

PHOTOS BY AMY SPANGLER

I

IF YOU’RE SUFFERING FROM a nagging bout of cabin fever, you might want to bundle up and venture out into the land of fire and ice. I’m not talking about Iceland (which goes by that moniker) or Westeros, the mythical realm in Game of Thrones. I’m referring to the many small towns, mostly north of Washington, D.C., that welcome winter visitors to their annual “fire and ice” festivals.

You’ll find beautifully carved ice sculptures and various opportunities to eat, drink and play with fire—including chili contests, fire dancers, bonfires and marshmallow roasts.

This past February, I headed to Lititz, Pennsylvania (about 120 miles north

Lititz’s Fire and Ice Festival includes pyrotechnic displays (above) and photo ops, such as a throne made of ice.

LITITZ, PENNSYLVANIA

if you go...

MAP ILLUSTRATION BY LAURA GOODE

PHOTOS BY AMY SPANGLER

where to eat

You will not go hungry in Lititz. Treats abound, from Sugar Whipped Bakery’s large cupcakes, including gluten-free and vegan options (sugarwhippedbakery. com), to Dosie Dough bakery’s buns and breads (dosiedough.com). At Café Chocolate (chocolatelititz.com), you can debate between dark-chocolate fondue served with fruit, pretzels and marshmallows, or a Sweet Heart Cake with crushed walnuts and coconut.

The homey, friendly café also serves soups, sandwiches and salads. The General Sutter Inn (atthesutter.com) offers pub fare at the Bulls Head Public House and finer dining in the General Sutter dining room. JoBoy’s Brew Pub (joboysbrewpub.com) hits the spot with Southern-style barbecue and an impressive selection of house-brewed craft beers. Our favorite restaurant (we went twice) was the Tomato Pie Café (tomatopiecafe.net), where musts include the fogged tea (it’s like an Earl Grey tea latte), sriracha turkey burger and spinach-artichoke pie.

Wilbur Chocolate (wilburbuds.com)

is famous for its chocolate buds (think nibs). Lititz even has its own locally brewed kombucha shop, Renewal Kombucha (drinkrenewal.com), with flavors such as blueberry-oolong and white-tea-lemongrass.

where to shop The Moravian House Antiques (moravianhouseantiques.com) has a fun collection of shabby-chic furnishings and clocks. Morton Fine Furniture is known for its beautifully handcrafted wood furniture and Mission-style mirrors (mortonfurniture.com). Zest! (zestchef.com) is a cool kitchen store with gadgets and cookbooks galore.

Ewebiquitous (ewebiquitous.com), a colorful fiber and yarn store (get it?), also sells local artisan-made goods.

At The Main Street Peddler gift shop (mainstreetpeddler.blogspot.com), you’ll find five rooms of folk-art items and holiday decorations.

where to stay Because the Fire and Ice Festival does attract crowds, we opted to stay at the Carter Run Inn (carterruninn.com), which is located within walking distance of the action, meaning we could park and leave our cars. The inn has private rooms with access to a full kitchen, fruit and some breakfast items. The Alden House Bed & Breakfast (aldenhouse. com) offers private rooms in a historic Federal home, three porches from which to watch the world, a full breakfast and the aforementioned Wilbur chocolate buds. You can stay in a stately Colonial Revival home at the Lititz House Bed & Breakfast (lititzhouse.com), which serves a sweet and savory full breakfast. The General Sutter Inn (atthesutter.com) offers elegant rooms in a historic setting, plus six luxury rockand-roll-themed suites in its RockBlock Penthouse. (Fun fact: Greater Lititz is home to a number of music producers and vendors handling specialties like concert production and stage design.)

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more winter festivals

Jan. 18-19 FIRE + ICE FEST, Reading, Pennsylvania.

Includes a chili cook-off, fire performers and a “Snowflake Ball” ($10). readingfireandicefest.com Jan. 18-20 FIRE & ICE FESTIVAL, Somerset, Pennsylvania. Celebrating its 24th year, this festival has a board-game theme and includes fireworks, bonfires, a children’s play area and a 5K. somersetinc.org/fireandice Jan. 25-27 FIRE & ICE FESTIVAL, Bethany Beach, Delaware. An oceanfront celebration with an ice-skating rink and a beach bonfire. fireandicede.com Jan. 31-Feb. 3 ICEFEST, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

Promises 80 ice sculptures, a double-wide ice slide, a 5K, glass-blowing demos, a “Snowfall Ball” with dance instruction, and a chili cookoff in a heated outdoor tent. icefestpa.com Feb. 1-2 HEART OF LEWISBURG ICE FESTIVAL, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Features a polar bear plunge in the Susquehanna River, a chocolate tour and evening festival, and a capella groups from Bucknell University. lewisburgpa.com Feb. 2 FEBRUARY FIRST SATURDAY (FIRE IN ICE), Frederick, Maryland. Includes an ice luge, fire dancers, fire pits, s’mores and an ice bar on the creek. downtownfrederick.org/event-pro/ february-first-saturday-fire-in-ice Feb. 8-10 ICE ART FEST, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Enjoy 70-plus ice sculptures, a chili cook-off, beer tasting and an ice bar. iceartfest.com Feb. 9 FRANKLIN ON ICE, Franklin, Pennsylvania.

Includes a chili cook-off and bingo. franklinpa. gov/festivals_events/franklin_on_ice Feb. 23 BUTLER CARVED IN ICE, Butler, Pennsylvania.

Includes an outdoor chili cook-off and wine and beer sampling. butleramrotary.com/ get-ready-for-butler-carved-in-ice-2019 296

In our case it works. We pop inside the bakery and, for a small fee, take a tour and learn how to twist pretzels correctly at what was reportedly the first commercial pretzel bakery in the U.S., where workers once made 10 cents an hour, working 10 hours a day, six days a week. Our salty carb indulgence is to be the first of many.

To kick off the official festivities, Lititz shuts down its central streets and has a block party on Friday night.

The biggest spectacles are more than 50 ice sculptures, ranging from a massive throne (yes, you can sit on it) to delightful smaller pieces depicting food, animals (both real and fantastical) and symbols. Many are backlit with colored lights.

As darkness falls, I am reminded of the German tradition of the volksmarch (“people’s march”), which compels townspeople of all ages to get outside for a brisk walk. Everyone seems to be out and about, admiring the glimmering sculptures while filling their bellies with a smorgasbord of street food. Some 20 food trucks are lined up, hawking everything from strudel and burgers to batter-fried cheese curds. Families roast marshmallows over fire pits in the middle of the street, and the local restaurants and watering holes are hopping, the sounds of live music emanating from several corners into the night air.

Outside of the Lititz Mutual Insurance building, with its lovely limestone clock tower, we stop to watch one of the artists from DiMartino Ice Co. at work on a Pegasus sculpture. Many of the sculptures are pre-carved at the company’s office near Pittsburgh and hauled to the site, owner Ernie DiMartino explains, but the team always saves a few larger pieces to carve on location with a variety of power tools—chainsaws, chisels, sanders, and finally, a blowtorch to add that finishing shine.

DiMartino credits social media with

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

the growing popularity of ice festivals.

“Everybody’s got a camera now,” he says, “and something about ice makes it popular in pictures.” Indeed.

Continuing our stroll, we stop at Olio (oliooliveoil.com) and sample a dozen or so of the 104 olive oils and vinegars in shiny vats. (Pro tip: The bittersweet-chocolate-orange balsamic vinegar is irresistible, as is the apricot in white balsamic.) The store feels like Willy Wonka’s factory for those whose taste buds lean sweet-sour and savory.

It offers handy 2-ounce bottles for sale, along with an attractive array of Italian pottery.

The next morning we walk back into town, making note of ice sculptures we missed in the dark the night before.

Every other storefront, it seems, offers some sort of culinary treat, while those in between showcase stylish and warm home furnishings or clothing.

After some window (and real) shopping, we walk the few blocks to the official “fire” part of the festival. Inside the high school, a chili cook-off is raising funds for area nonprofits. For $10, we can taste more than 20 types of chili—everything from a white chicken stew to a Philly-cheesesteak-style chili, complete with a dollop of Cheez Whiz on top. We surrender after about six samples and go in search of water bottles, passing an eclectic mix of local vendors and a children’s carnival.

Back outside, the midday temperature has peaked at a sunny 40 degrees, causing the ice sculptures to glisten and drip a bit. It’s short-lived. Soon, the mercury drops once again, and to our delight, fluffy snowflakes begin to fall, gracefully frosting the town.

Grateful for our hats and gloves, we revisit our favorite ice sculptures one last time, basking, like kids, in the joy of fresh snow. n Arlington travel writer Amy Brecount White (amybrecountwhite.com) enjoys any excuse to connect with old friends and explore new towns.

Education Re-Imagined The Whittle School & Studios is on a journey to become the first truly global school for children in Preschool through Grade 12. We are creating an innovative and empowering approach to education with a focus on personalization, experiential learning, and immersive language programs.

COME LEARN WITH US Accepting Fall 2019 applications now for Preschool through Grade 10 at our Washington, D.C. Campus

PLEASE JOIN US AT ONE OF OUR UPCOMING EVENTS 202 417-3615 WHITTLESCHOOL.ORG/EVENTS

ILLUSTRATION: VIOLETA LÓPIZ

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Take the first step by visiting an openschools house near you.loveLearn more Catholic instill a life-long of learning inat a safe and faith-filled environment. Take the adwcatholicschools.org first step by visiting an open house near you.

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When you're a college prep student, dealing with with a “system” can make school feel meaningless. We help students make connections - we teach to the “why.” Work is meaningful, and connected to life. Students who have lost motivation, or have found school frustrating, find at Nora a real school that makes sense.

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We invite you to visit campus.

Schedule a tour to explore our K-12 program 10601 Falls Road Potomac, MD www.bullis.org

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Where Others See Disabilities, McLean Sees Gifts.

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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.

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PK–GRADE 2

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#theoriginals #since1934 #progressiveeducation #livingourmission #engagedcitizens #stewardsoftheearth #agentsofchange Financial Aid Info Evening, 1/3, 6:30-7:30 PM | Open House, 1/10, 9-11:30 AM Parent-to-Parent Evening Open House, 1/16, 6:30-8 PM (Dinner & Childcare Provided)

Green Acres School | Age 3 to Grade 8 | North Bethesda 301.881.4100 | admission@greenacres.org | www.greenacres.org

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Building Strong Foundations for Learning and Friendship

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Offering an innovative curriculum targeting social skills, self-esteem, and academic success.

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llin g!

Upcoming Parent Information Sessions & Tours: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 9:30 – 11:30 am* Wednesday, February 6, 2019, 9:30 – 11:30 am* Wednesday, March 6, 2019, 9:30 – 11:30 am *Inclement weather makeup dates January 16 & February 13, 2019 Advance registration is required.

Please call us at 301.469.0223 or email amullins@madduxschool.org 11614 Seven Locks Road· Rockville, MD

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www.TheAuburnSchool.org A school for academic and social success!

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

spirit of

achievement

Washington Episcopal School students love to learn. They are challenged daily in a balanced, joyful environment that lets kids be kids. With teachers always instructing – from books, the latest technology, studios, hallways, and athletic fields – children reach new levels of achievement.

Our students stand out without burning out out.

COME AND SEE FOR YOURSELF Daily Private Tours

Schedule by phone 301-652-7878 or email admissions@w-e-s.org

Open House

January 26 • 9:30 a.m.

RSVP at www.w-e-s.org/admissions

WASHINGTON EPISCOPAL SCHOOL An independent, co-educational school for Nursery – Grade 8 5600 Little Falls Parkway, Bethesda, MD 20816 | www.w-e-s.org

Located about a mile from the DC line and 10 minutes from northern Virginia, off River Road

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PRIVATE SCHOOLS

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

JOY AND MATH CAN BE USED IN THE SAME SENTENCE.

Beauvoir offers an extraordinary education designed for early learners.

Accepting applications for pre-kindergarten to third grade for the 2019-2020 school year.

3500 Woodley Road NW, Washington, DC 20016 www.beauvoirschool.org

Live Well By connecting with others to develop the relationships they need to succeed not only in school, but in all aspects of life.

Learn Well By engaging in the process and becoming an active participant in their educational experience.

Lead Well By empowering them to make a difference in a complex and changing world.

Holton-Arms is an independent day school in Bethesda, Md., for girls in grades 3 through 12. www.holton-arms.edu 302

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etc.

FLASHBACK

BY MARK WALSTON

TRADING PLACE

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ALICE KRESSE

How an old structure in Bethesda got its start as a spot for the beaver pelt business AROUND THE YEAR 1700, a stout band of Dutch traders trekked south from Pennsylvania and through the ancient forests of still-wild central Maryland, following Native American trails barely wide enough for man and horse to pass. Eventually the explorers reached what would become Bethesda.

Here, they built a small stone dwelling along what the old land records called the “Indian path,” today’s River Road.

They established a trading post, bartering with the Native Americans who still roamed the Potomac Valley.

Their rough one-story granite building was dominated by a great stone chimney rising up through the middle of the roof, an early form of central heating.

The Dutch built to last; their trading post still stands, now in the midst of suburban Bethesda along Allandale Road.

Although larger stone sections were added in the 19th century, the original section survives. It is believed to be the oldest standing structure in Montgomery County.

The Dutch came to Bethesda to trade for pelts, which were insatiably in demand by affluent European fashionistas. All kinds of fur were to be had in the early 18th century—including the lustrous pelts of mink, ermine and fox—but

one was desired above all others: beaver.

Starting in about 1550, beaver was popular in Europe, particularly for hats.

They may seem an accessory today, but hats were a mandatory part of everyday dress for both sexes, and beaver hats were the most prized, from the broadbrimmed hats of 16th-century English royalty, to the conically shaped hats of 17th-century Pilgrims, to the tricornered hats of American patriots in the 18th century.

The Bethesda traders became part of a trans-Atlantic network. Beavers were hunted by native tribes, skinned and brought to the trading post to be exchanged for goods, such as iron knives and utensils, or hard currency.

From Bethesda, the pelts were transported by pack animals down another old Native American trail—now Wisconsin Avenue—to ships waiting in the Potomac River and eventually bound for European markets.

Once in Europe, the outer coating of long, stiff hairs was removed to expose the shorter, softer hair beneath—the wool—which was sheared and then compressed into a solid piece of material. Beaver felt was stronger than any woven material and was water-repellent, holding its shape even when wet.

Caustic vapors were released in the process, and the expression “mad as a hatter” dates from the period, as the vapors attacked the nervous systems of the workers.

By the end of the 18th century, Maryland’s beaver population had been hunted to near extinction in pursuit of fashion. Maryland’s beavers were spared total annihilation only by the rise in popularity of the lacquered silk top hat in the early 1800s. Today, beavers are again common throughout the state.

As for the old Bethesda trading post, it was no longer in business by the middle of the 18th century, the Native Americans having been pushed from the land. The old house was greatly expanded in 1847 by Nathan Loughborough, a former comptroller of the U.S. Treasury and an early advocate for D.C. residents; Loughborough revived the Revolutionary phrase “taxation without representation”—now on D.C. license plates—to protest paying property taxes in the District of Columbia with no vote in Congress. Despite the additions, the old stone trading post is still discernable. Though a fire destroyed the roof in 1930, the structure was repaired and the current homeowners use the space for bedrooms. n

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etc.

After the photo shoot for our story on Corbin Holloway (“Tiny Dancer,” page 51), the 11-year-old ballet star decided he wasn’t done. “He was up for anything, whether climbing onto high windowsills or doing leap after leap for the camera,” says photographer Skip Brown, who first took pictures inside the Strathmore Music Center in North Bethesda, where Corbin trains with CityDance. “It was totally his idea to go out to the Strathmore breezeway and try something else.”

Corbin’s mother, Michelle, his coach and others were telling him it was too cold outside, that he was too tired and that the concrete might hurt his feet. “They were being understandably protective of their young phenom, but Corbin just laughed it off and did a bunch more leaps for me until they reined him in,” Brown says. “He could have gone on all day.”

Later, Brown was talking to Corbin’s mom—a teacher at Walt Whitman High School—and they realized something funny: Brown’s son is in her AP Calculus class. “So we shot a selfie to send to him,” Brown says.

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PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

OUTTAKES

in a Chevy Chase MDX!

The original Car Vending Machine.

And great service to back it up! “We make friends through sales...and keep them through service!�

7725 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda 301-656-9200 www.ChevyChaseAcura.com

Beth-Jan-Feb19_Layout 1 11/29/18 4:15 PM Page 1

YOU ALWAYS KNOW A STUART KITCHEN. SINCE 1955, WE’VE BEEN FIRST CHOICE FOR THE BEST KITCHEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. COME VISIT OUR SHOWROOMS. EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR THE ROOM YOU’LL LOVE THE MOST IS HERE IN ONE PLACE. AND, YOU’LL UNDERSTAND WHY SO MANY PEOPLE SAY, “NOTHING ADDS MORE VALUE TO YOUR HOME.”

BETHESDA SHOWROOM AT 8203 WISCONSIN AVE. 240-223-0875 ANNAPOLIS SHOWROOM 2335B FOREST DR. 410-761-5700 WWW.STUARTKITCHENS.COM