Bethesda Magazine: January-February 2014 by MoCo360

Weddings of the Year

A Requiem for Andrew

Coming to America

Bethesda Magazine • BethesdaMagazine.com • January/February 2014

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Editors’ and Readers’ Picks in 86 Categories!

BethesdaMagazine.com

Chevy Chase / Gaithersburg / Kensington / Potomac / Rockville / Silver Spring / Upper NW DC

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sa res tw vi ta u ee n n gs ra pa n ge ca t s volume 11 issue 1 28 rd 8be

january/february 2014

contents COVER

77 Nothing But the Best In our eighth annual “Best of Bethesda” issue, you’ll find everything from the “Friendliest Bartender” to the “Best Dim Sum Brunch,” from “The Best Orthopedic Surgeon for Runners” to “The Best Gym for People Under (and Over) 40.” We asked readers to vote online for their favorites in more than 60 categories—and then we weighed in separately with some of our favorite people, places and things in the area. It’s all part of our pursuit of “Nothing But the Best.”

FEATURES 108 Requiem for a Peacemaker Andrew Pochter was a young idealist from Chevy Chase eager to work toward world peace. But in one horrific afternoon, he would be swept away in an uncontrollable tide of anger in Egypt. By Kathleen Wheaton

124 Bethesda Interview

Publisher Katharine Weymouth talks about The Washington Post’s new ownership and some of the challenges it still faces—as well as the personal challenges she experiences as a single working mother living in Chevy Chase, D.C. By Eugene L. Meyer

133 Weddings of the Year For the third year, we introduce several couples whose big days were nothing short of spectacular—from a Bollywood-style event to a wedding in which the couple “jump the broom.”

156 Does Daryl Davis Hold the Key to Racial Harmony? The Silver Spring musician has been on talk shows, written a book and is now the subject of a documentary, thanks to his claims of converting members of the KKK. His approach is simple, really. Maybe too simple. By Mike Gruss

163 Coming to America They’ve built lives here and started families. Yet many of the immigrants of Montgomery County straddle two worlds—the one they came from and the one they’ve been thrust into by circumstance or necessity. As told to Anya Grenier and Rachel Chism

COVER: photo by Emma Patti; photo effects by Jesse Lenz

12 January/February 2014 | BethesdaMagazine.com

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F I N E P RO P E RT I E S I N T E R N A T I O N A L

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contents 273

182

226

221 Health 224 Follow the Leader After suffering an injury, Gaithersburg’s Zac Steel comes up with a knockout routine to get himself back in fighting shape. By Leah Ariniello

226 Twice Bitten

234 Coming to Terms

177 hOME 180 House

Appropriations Designers are digging the blues—with the cool color popping up in everything from rugs to wall sconces. By Carolyn Weber

182 The Element

of Surprise

On the outside, the Chevy Chase house looks much like any other in the neighborhood. But step inside the renovated interior and you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported somewhere quite exotic. By Jennifer Sergent

188 Stylish to a Tea A kitchen-and-bath designer commissions a makeover for her Bethesda bungalow— and gets a Japanese teahouse for two. By Nigel F. Maynard

194 By the Numbers A look at the most expensive houses sold in the area, as well as home sales trends by ZIP code.

For two women—one unable to conceive a second child, the other unable to carry a second child to term—their challenges would shape not only their lives but their professional careers. By Bara Vaida

242 A Patient with Connections Hospitalized with a life-threatening illness, Michael O’Neil felt lost, isolated and desperate to understand his condition. That’s when he had his “aha” moment. By Rita Rubin

248 Depression:

The Current Approach Transcranial magnetic stimulation can be both expensive and timeconsuming—but it’s also considered by some to be one of the most promising treatments for depression when medication doesn’t work. By Rita Rubin

254 Health & Fitness Calendar Seminars, running events and support groups. Compiled by Cindy Murphy-Tofig

273 DINE 273 Dining Review The former Bezu has been transformed into Mix Bar and Grille, a more casual, less expensive eatery. But while there are lots of high points, the Potomac restaurant still needs to work on getting the right Mix. By Carole Sugarman

276 Sweet Surrender Just in time for Valentine’s: a guide to chocolates at local bonbon boutiques. By Nevin Martell

280 Table Talk A Cabin John woman weighs in on her obsession with collecting; an Olney woman brings the baking lessons to you; and a Chevy Chase resident comes up with an unusual way to market his Caribbean jerk products. Plus, restaurant openings and closings in the area. By Carole Sugarman

282 Cooking Class It’s called “à la minute”—those finishing touches to a dish that otherwise can be prepared in advance. L’Academie de Cuisine’s chef shows how to do it with a recipe for Chicken Scaloppini. By Brian Patterson

284 Dining Guide Write-ups on more than 200 restaurants, now with “Editors’ Picks.”

celia pearson; amanda smallwood; stacy zarin-goldberg

She had an opportunity to do her bit for mankind—and maybe make a buck, too. All she had to do was submit to a bunch of parasite-ridden mosquitoes that might give her malaria. Then do it all over again. By Nicole Glass

14 January/February 2014 | BethesdaMagazine.com

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Ranked in the

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contents Departments 20 To Our Readers 22 Contributors 28 Letters 30 Hometown

DeRionne Pollard has never been bound by convention—not in her life, and not in her role as the president of Montgomery College. By Steve Roberts

36 Suburban•ology Parsing the meaning of a woman’s graying head of hair. By April Witt

40 My Stuff Two audio engineers are making waves with a professional sound studio that they’ve built in one man’s Gaithersburg home. By Michael-Ann Henry

44 People Watcher

54 Story of My Life She had the ideal marriage in many respects—except for one critical thing. As told to Kathleen Wheaton

58 Work Related Joie Chen, host of Al Jazeera America’s America Tonight, talks about what it’s like to work for a new network that’s misunderstood. As told to Rachel Chism

60 Person of Interest Walt Whitman wrestler Harriet Symington pins the boys and makes them cry. By David Elfin

336

320 Driving Range

62 Re•Invention A onetime cancer researcher makes her own fashion breakthrough. By Amy Reinink

298 Shop Talk A look at the latest trends in bridal gowns; plus, personalized clothing service comes to Bethesda; and skin care and fashion accessories from local people. By Cynthia Hacinli

314 To-Do List Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations, plus a tribute to Marvin Hamlisch and more happenings in the area this January and February. By Cindy Murphy-Tofig

To experience the flavor of New York, you have to take a bite of the Big Apple. And food tour companies will help you do just that. By Carole Sugarman

326 What Bethesda’s Reading Best-selling books in the area vs. those nationwide.

335 Once Upon a Time The rise and fall of the town of Triadelphia. By Mark Walston

336 Domestic Disturbances She just wanted to be one of those happy families, shooshing down the slopes. But things went downhill fast. By Sarah Pekkanen

Special Advertising Sections 65 Financial Professionals Profiles

150 Wedding Resource Guide

174 Before and After Ad Section

203 Long & Foster Ad Section

257 Dentist Profiles

302 Summer Camp Chart & Ad Section

327 Private School Ad Section

photos by lisa helfert; illustration by paul hostetler

A Silver Spring filmmaker wins accolades with her documentary about a Holocaust survivor’s art; cereal is the price of admission to a local men’s Breakfast Club; and new books by writers in the Bethesda area. By Maura Mahoney

16 January/February 2014 | BethesdaMagazine.com

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LUXURY CONDOS IN HEART OF BETHESDA AT THE CORNER OF BETHESDA AND WOODMONT AVENUES

TheDarcy.com

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Sales by PN Hoffman Realty

12/3/13 7/18/12 3:41 6:26 PM PM

BethesdaMagazine.com

digital Edition

Giveaway

exclusives

Subscribers get free access to the digital edition at www.bethesdamagazine.com/digital. Included in this issue:

Starting Jan. 1, enter to win a free teeth whitening courtesy of dentist Jonathan Morris. Go to www.bethesdamagazine.com/giveaway.

Weddings of the Year See additional photos from the Rockville wedding of Meghan Kingsley and Kevin Murphy, whose love story appears on page 138 of the magazine.

Daryl Davis Listen to a performance by Silver Spring musician and author Daryl Davis, whose unusual story of racial reconciliation appears on page 156 of this issue.

Newsletters Sign up to receive emails about our latest blogs as well as special offers from local businesses. Gmail users: Be sure to add Bethesda Magazine as a contact to ensure you receive our emails.

Blogs Get news and updates on local dining and on Montgomery County politics in the Table Talk and MoCo Politics blogs.

Archives Explore past issues and stories using our searchable database.

B*Seen

Share photos from community events. Go to calendar@bethesdamagazine.com to submit pictures for our gallery page.

Social Media

Find us on Facebook and Twitter to learn about community news, special offers and contests. Follow us on Instagram to get the scoop on happenings in the Bethesda area at instagram.com/bethesdamag. See what Bethesda Magazine is pinning at pinterest.com/bethesdamag.

murphy wedding photo by jennifer lust photography; daryl davis courtesy photo; smile istock photo

whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s online

18 January/February 2014 | BethesdaMagazine.com

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Uncluttered. Uncomplicated. And surprisingly uncommon. Our clients tell us they find our approach to be refreshingly straightforward. We offer careful planning, global thinking, exhaustive research and thoughtful allocations. This is investing pure and simple. And with todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s managers all marching to the same beat, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what makes Chevy Chase Trust a one-of-a-kind investment management firm. To learn more visit ChevyChaseTrust.com or call Stacy Murchison at 240.497.5008.

INV E ST M E N T MA N AGEMEN T

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F I N A N C I A L & E STATE PLAN N I N G

F I DUCI ARY & TRUST

FAM I LY W E ALTH S ERVIC ES

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to our

readers

Worst Cases In this, our eighth annual “Best of Bethesda” issue, we name winners in 86 categories—22 from our editors and 64 from our readers. To have some fun, I thought I would use this space to name some “Worst ofs,” too. Here are my picks: Worst Start to a Political Campaign

Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler of Bethesda has lots of competition in his quest to become governor. But in the category “Worst Start to a Political Campaign,” he is unopposed. Within six weeks of Gansler’s campaign kickoff last fall, his state police drivers claimed that on numerous occasions he forced them to run red lights, drive over the speed limit and use the siren to clear traffic. A few weeks later, the news broke that Gansler had been at a Beach Week party last spring where there was underage drinking— and that he did nothing to break it up. The only good news Gansler has received would normally be considered bad news at this point in a campaign: A poll this past fall showed that more than a third of Democratic voters didn’t know who he was.

Worst Timing for the Opening of a New Restaurant

Winter is never a good time to open a restaurant, especially if the signature feature is an outdoor roof deck. That’s exactly what happened with the highly anticipated Roof Bethesda, which was set to open in December at the corner of Norfolk and Cordell avenues. No doubt the inevitable construction and permitting delays pushed back the opening. On the brighter side, the anticipation of enjoying Roof in warmer weather may help us through the cold, dark days of winter.

Worst Career Move

In one way, I admire John Delaney’s decision to run for Congress. After a business career in which he made tens of millions of dollars, Delaney wanted to give back and help solve the problems the country faces. But at the same time, I wonder what on earth he was thinking. When he was elected in 2012, the Potomac resident became a freshman member of the minority party in the U.S. House of Representatives—a position that has virtually no power or influence, especially in

these hyper-partisan times. Worse, he joined a body that as of late fall had an approval rating of 9 percent.

Worst Laws

Montgomery County and Maryland are progressive in so many ways—but not when it comes to liquor sales. The county controls the distribution and price of all alcohol, which means that liquor stores and restaurants—and ultimately consumers—have a limited selection and pay higher prices than they would in an open market. Meanwhile, the state prohibits chain stores (Giant, CVS, etc.) from selling beer, wine and spirits—again, giving consumers fewer choices and forcing them to pay more. I know the arguments for the laws: Liquor sales contribute nearly $30 million a year to the county’s general fund, and the state law protects independent retailers. But for the good of consumers, much of the country has privatized spirit sales. How much longer can Montgomery County and the state of Maryland hold out?

Worst Decision by the President of a Business

This isn’t a “Worst Award” that I would give, but I’m pretty sure our staff would. When I signed a new lease for our Woodmont Triangle offices two years ago, I was well aware that a 17-story luxury apartment building was going to be constructed next door, but conveniently chose to ignore it. Now that construction has started, the noise and shaking are frequent. A recent visitor who was participating in a meeting in our conference room asked, after a particularly violent jolt, if we were having another earthquake. The contractor is doing a good job, I believe, minimizing the disruption and informing us when things are going to get bad, but as Charlie Maier, the project’s public relations person, told me, “You’ve got to break some eggs to make an omelet.” I think the Bethesda Magazine staff is getting sick of omelets.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Bethesda Magazine. Please send me an email with your comments and suggestions at steve.hull@bethesdamagazine.com.

Steve Hull Editor-in-chief and publisher

20 January/February 2014 | BethesdaMagazine.com

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Palisades, DC $1,895,000 Beautiful Potomac River views abound from this elegant & updated, 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath home. Frank Snodgrass & Dolly Tucker 202.744.2755 www.SnodgrassGroup.com

D OL

Spring Valley, DC $1,499,000 Spectacular 1923 Craftsman home reborn in 2013 renovation. High-end finishes and fabulous open spaces. Craley Davis 202.355.3546 www.CraleyDavis.com

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Dupont Circle, DC $980,000 Rare corner unit with updated kitchen, W&D, large closets, additional storage & parking. Pets welcome. Santiago Testa 202.552.5624 www.TestaRealEstate.net

Kalorama, DC $799,000 Ideally located end unit with 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths & large bay windows. Walk to Metro. Joan Fallows 301.526.0744 www.JoanFallows.com

Chevy Chase, MD $914,325 Pristine colonial with fabulous kitchen/family room in Town of Chevy Chase. Walk to Metro & Bethesda. Andy Hill & Sue Hill 301.646.3900 www.AndyandSueHill.com

Forest Hills, DC $1,375,000 Tranquil 5-bedroom, 4.5-bath home with large interior spaces & backdrop of private Rock Creek parkland. Kelly Joyce Perry 301.906.1775 www.KellyJoycePerry.com

Chevy Chase, MD $789,000 Under Contract with multiple offers in just 4 days! Five bedrooms, three full baths and a finished lower level. Patty Rhyne-Kirsch 301.213.5542 www.RhyneKirsch.com

Berkley, DC $1,549,000 Completely renovated in 2012 with 6 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, eat-in kitchen, large deck & private yard. Nora Burke 202.494.1906 www.NoraBurke.com

Saint Michaels, MD $510,000 Space for large gatherings. 3 bedrooms + den, 3 baths, open floor plan, access to water and nature. Lisa LaCourse 301.792.9313 www.LaCoursePortfolio.com

Kensington, MD $1,375,000 Stunning 6-bedroom, 5.5-bath, Arts & Crafts home in Parkwood. Movein ready – tons of fabulous features. Mark Hudson 301.641.6266 www.MarkHudsonGroup.com

Logan Circle, DC $1,125,000 NYC Loft Living! Dramatic duplex penthouse loft, 10.5-ft ceilings, large terrace. 1 bedroom plus office/den. Limor Schafman 202.540.7261 www.LimorSchafmanRealEstate.com

Georgetown, DC $559,000 Gracious sun-filled corner 2-bedroom with 13 big windows, high ceilings, arched doorways, wood floors. Catherine Czuba 202.549.6819 www.CzubaGroup.com

Villamay, VA $849,900 Fabulous renovated home with three bedrooms, lower level family room, den and screen porch. Kate Bertles Hennigan 202.321.3427 www.McEnearney.com

Chevy Chase, MD $870,000 Intriguing tudor style home with contemporary architectural elements. Andy Hill & Sue Hill 301.646.3900 www.AndyandSueHill.com

Washington, DC Maryland 202.552.5600 | www.McEnearney.com

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Bryce Resort, VA $345,000 Ski-in, ski-out from this generous custom 5-BR, 4-BA, 4000+ SF home at the top of Bryce’s “RedEye” ski slope. Kate & Kevin Brennan 540.999.8895 www.BryceGetaway.com

Chevy Chase, MD $740,000 Located in the only cluster of six townhouses in Kenwood. Near public transportation and shopping. Robert Shaffer 202.365.6674 www.RJShaffer.com

Equal Housing Opportunity

12/4/13 3:25 PM

Elegant Eco-Chic Living

contributors Nicole Glass

Ji ll Schwartz Luxury Realtor® Top 1%

Real Experience. Real Relationships. Real Estate.

Growing up in a German-American family in Europe, Nicole Glass had visited more than 40 countries by the time she graduated from college. During those travels, she became interested in writing and photography as a way to document the many stories she came across. But when she participated in a groundbreaking malaria vaccine trial at the National Institutes of Health in 2012, the Bethesda resident became part of the story herself. She relates her experience in this issue of Bethesda Magazine. Glass has written for The Examiner, National Geographic News Watch, USA Today, RT TV, The Huffington Post and FrumForum. She is currently the editor of the German Embassy’s newsletter, “The Week in Germany.” When she isn’t scribbling down story ideas, Glass can be found hiking or biking along Maryland’s many trails.

Mike Gruss During one of his first celebrity interviews, Mike Gruss sat wide-eyed—and somewhat cowed—as Little Richard shouted stories at a pack of reporters at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and then screamed “Shut up!” when he was interrupted by a question. In this issue of the magazine, Gruss writes about Silver Spring’s Daryl Davis, an African-American keyboardist who favors the same style of play as Little Richard, but is perhaps better known for his penchant for listening. Davis is frequently quoted on the subject of race because he has both listened to and befriended members of the KKK. An Alexandria, Va., resident whose work has appeared in Runner’s World, Arlington Magazine and other lifestyle publications, Gruss now covers military space for SpaceNews.

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Lisa Helfert is a University of Maryland journalism graduate who spent nine years photographing sports at her alma mater. She since has photographed news events for the Associated Press, documented historical sites in the Middle East and has done editorial and commercial work as a freelance photographer. In this issue of the magazine, the Chevy Chase resident returns to high school—not the Rockville school she attended as a teen, but Walt Whitman High, where Harriet Symington is making a name for herself as the wrestling team’s lone female. “It was inspiring to meet a young person who is willing to step outside of the box to pursue her passion and succeed,” says Helfert, whose own passions include hiking, cooking and her work as a Hospice Caring facilitator, helping students cope with grief.

courtesy photos

Lisa Helfert

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editorial Editor-in-Chief

Steve Hull

Their tails wag when they see you and they purr when you scratch them under the chin, but to the people they live with, they're 100% family. At Friendship, we understand that. We are doctors, technicians, and client care specialists to be sure. But we're dog and cat lovers, too. We work to provide the most comprehensive primary, specialty, and emergency care available anywhere...right around the corner.

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Only the best for the ones who warm your heart.

editorial Editor-in-Chief

Steve Hull Design Director

Maire McArdle Editor

Lisa Shroder

Associate Editor

Julie Rasicot Food Editor

Carole Sugarman Deputy Art Director

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Leah Ariniello, Lisa Braun-Kenigsberg, Roger Catlin, Jen Chaney, Stacey Colino, Joshua Cooley, David Elfin, David Frey, Cynthia Hacinli, Christine MacDonald, Maura Mahoney, Nevin Martell, Nigel F. Maynard, Gabriele McCormick, Virginia Myers, Maria Leonard Olsen, Brian Patterson, Louis Peck, Sarah Pekkanen, Archana Pyati, Amy Reinink, Steve Roberts, Rita Rubin, Charlotte Safavi, Bara Vaida, Mark Walston, Karen A. Watkins, Carolyn Weber, Kathleen Wheaton, April Witt Photographers & Illustrators

Erick Gibson, Lisa Helfert, Claudine Hellmuth, Paul Hostetler, Morgan Howarth, Alice Kresse, Liz Lynch, Laura-Chase McGehee, Amy Moore, Mike Olliver, Barbara L. Salisbury, Hilary Schwab, Michael Ventura, Richard Woods, Stacy ZarinGoldberg Bethesda Magazine is published six times a year by Kohanza Media Ventures, LLC. ÂŠ 2009 Letters to the Editor: Please send letters (with your name and the town you live in) to letters@bethesda magazine.com. Story ideas: Please send ideas for stories to editorial @bethesdamagazine.com.

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Voted Best Financial Advisor

by readers of Bethesda Magazine 2010, 2012 & 2014

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For advertising information: Call 301-718-7787, ext. 220; send an email to advertising@ bethesdamagazine.com; or go to www.BethesdaMagazine.com. For information on events and reprints: Call 301-718-7787, ext. 207; or send an email to marketing@ bethesdamagazine.com. Bethesda Magazine 7768 Woodmont Ave., #204 Bethesda, MD 20814 Phone: 301-718-7787 Fax: 301-718-1875 www.BethesdaMagazine.com

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letters ‘Match’ Point

My wife left me your latest issue regarding the struggles in our area—“We’re Healthy, Wealthy & Wise, So Why Aren’t We Happy?” (November/December 2013)—which boils down to “keeping up with the Joneses.” I found it ironic that the secret to the depressed, materialistic, never-ending obsession is found on page 250 of the same issue. “The Perfect Match” chronicles signing up to do the one thing that guarantees to bring a smile to your face and warmth to your heart—giving. Signing up for a bone marrow transplant match is truly courageous and selfless. I am proud that my football coach at Villanova University, Andy Talley, whom I played for in the late ’80s, started a bone marrow transplant program that encourages the team to sign up every year. He is still the head coach, and a simple online search for “Matt Szczur and bone marrow” will reveal one of the major reasons I am such a proud alumnus of both Villanova and the football program. I believe Coach Talley has inspired other college football teams to start similar programs. I write this with the realization that I haven’t signed up for the match program and I, too, hate needles and blood. I may have to reconsider. I was struck by the sheer look of joy on the face of the donor in your article and am guessing he is not in need of psychological therapy. It is truly better to give than to receive. Jon D. Pels Bethesda

The Road Taken

Great article on the Intercounty Connector (“The Road Less Traveled,” September/October 2013). I drive the ICC from 370 to Briggs Chaney every day to get to Greencastle Elementary School, where I teach. Personally, I love it. There are two reasons I think people don’t take it: cost (I pay roughly $40 a week, which adds up quickly), and the ICC cops are out of control. If you drive more than 70 mph, you fear getting a

ticket. That’s not an issue on any other highway in the state. Steve Lightman Gaithersburg

Friendly Comments

Thank you for Steve Roberts’ wonderful, colorful, meaningful piece, “Friends for Life” (September/October 2013). As the parent of a son who started at Sidwell Friends in kindergarten and is currently a 10th-grader there (yes, he’s classmates with Malia Obama, since she arrived in the middle of fifth grade), I appreciated the history, humor and the tone brought forth by the article. Clearly two different paths taken by two different men— yet extraordinary similarities of ultimate career choice, wives, area in which to live/retire, ways in which to contribute to others and more. Dr. David L. Katz Potomac I really must take exception to Steve Roberts’ Hometown column regarding brothers-in-law Tom Gibian and Tom Farquhar in “Friends for Life.” As a parent of two children at Sandy Spring Friends School, I can assure you that the place is not nearly as casual and bohemian as Roberts intimates. I realize, of course, that it makes for a more sensational story to contrast the brothersin-law and their schools so greatly, but the described dissimilarity reflects badly on Sandy Spring Friends School and its excellent faculty and staff. Believe me, if I did not think my kids were getting a top-notch education at Sandy Spring, I would not have sent them there since prekindergarten (our eldest is now a senior). Christina Hoffman Warnick Silver Spring

Something in Common

I know how writer Joanne Meszoly feels (“Breathing Lessons,” September/October 2013) since my daughter, too, has cystic fibrosis. Because of the physical restrictions of having children with CF

around others, it’s difficult to find the support of other parents. However, I hope my daughter can be an inspiration in that she is now 19 and off at college, 1,000 miles away at the University of Miami. She had many sleepovers growing up, went to sleepaway camp for four weeks at a time over several summers, played high school sports, spent three months in Israel during her senior year in high school and, in general, never let CF stop her from doing anything. No one with CF is fortunate to have it, but at least being born with it during this century is more promising. The scientific research they are doing makes the future for these kids look brighter. I truly believe that, and her positive attitude, help my daughter tremendously. Julie Liss Potomac

Small-World Category

I was sitting on the sand at Bethany Beach recently and happened to open the July/August 2013 issue of your magazine to the very page on which a familiar name popped out: Paul Blinkhorn (“On the Waterfront”). Like me, Paul is a Walter Johnson grad. He dated my older sister, Maryanne Schindell Mildner, both Class of ’63; I was in the Class of ’64. Paul hung out at our house often back then, and we always enjoyed his sense of humor. He had an old station wagon (with wood on it, I think) that he named “Bullwinkle” after the famous Rocky & Bullwinkle cartoon show. He even had a plastic likeness of Bullwinkle mounted on the hood. I’m so glad Paul has the house of his dreams in Bethany Beach. He was always heading there, even back in high school. Funny thing: One night, Paul came to pick up my sister for their date to a concert. He had two extra tickets and offered them to me and my boyfriend, Steve Sonner (Class of ’63). Steve decided it was too snowy, parking would be difficult and he did not want to hear all the screaming girls sure to be there. So we opted out of this first and famous con-

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cert of the Beatles at the Washington Coliseum on that snowy Feb. 11, 1964. Janette Shaw Bethesda

Death Penalty, Revisited

I read the piece on Vicki Schieber (“At Long Last,” People Watcher, September/ October 2013), and how she is thrilled to have helped eradicate the death penalty in Maryland. Your writer obviously agrees, noting that “rather than seeking vengeance [against her daughter’s killer] as many might have, Schieber opposed putting him to death.” I understand her view and deeply sympathize with her loss, but millions of us in America would argue that her view is actually unkind, unjust and immoral. Millions of us would say that the best way a society can show it values human life is to make some murderers give up their own. We do not consider this vengeance in any way, shape or form. If people like Schieber and Sen. Brian Frosh disagree, let them make a law where people like them can choose to keep the savage, evil human who murdered their loved ones healthy and alive and entertained in prison for decades. True justice would also require that they pay most of the huge cost [of keeping these people alive]. Howard Sachs Chevy Chase

Prisoner in Time

I took great interest in your article “Prisoners at Work” (January/February 2013) and would like to thank you for bringing this small piece of history to the public’s attention. My father, Fred Kobayashi, was the subject of the article, as well as my uncles, William (Bill) and Roy Kobayashi. My parents never said much about their experiences on the Ickes’ farm, but I knew they found it to be a humiliating and difficult period in their lives. Both of my parents were born and raised in California and considered themselves to be Americans. They were not treated well by their primary contact

on the farm, and looked forward to leaving. My father was eventually hired away by the University of Maryland to teach judo to members of the U.S. Army. My father went on to join Military Intelligence for the U.S. Army and was sent to Japan, where I was born. Eventually he returned to the U.S. to earn his degree in orthodontics from the University of California in San Francisco. As a dental student, he invented the Kobayashi wire, which is still used by orthodontists to this day. He practiced orthodontia in Santa Ana, Calif., until his death in 1966 from cancer at the age of 47. Because he died at a relatively young age, I am grateful for articles such as yours that keep his memory alive. Irene (Kobayashi) Senzaki Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.

Corrections/Clarifications

The photo of the TPSS (Takoma Park Silver Spring) Co-op that appeared in “Natural Selection” (November/December 2013) was of the Takoma Park outpost of the store, not the Silver Spring branch, which closed Nov. 1. Deborah Luxenberg, one of the “Honorable Mentions” in “Top Divorce Lawyers” (November/December 2013), handles a range of family law cases, including those for clients in international organizations and for U.S. government employees stationed overseas. The story mentioned other specialties that she says are incorrect. The company Neuralstem (“A Better Pill to Swallow,” November/December 2013) went public in 2006, and its NSI189 Phase Ia trial began in 2012. The dates in the story were incorrect. In “Can You Make Your Kid Smarter?” (September/October 2013), the company name Lumosity was inadvertently misspelled. n Bethesda Magazine welcomes letters to the editor. Please email your letter to letters@ bethesdamagazine.com and include your daytime phone number. Bethesda Magazine reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity.

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STEVE ROBERTS’

hometown

“Community college is the place where the American dream becomes real,” DeRionne Pollard says.

DeRionne Pollard has never been bound by convention—not in her life, and not in her role as the president of Montgomery College

Walk into DeRionne Pollard’s office at Mont-

gomery College and you immediately know who she is and what she cares about. Gospel music is playing, a reflection of her childhood church on the South Side of Chicago. Family photos are prominently displayed: her father, who raised her after her mother’s death; her partner, Robyn Jones, and their adopted son, Myles, now 7. Pollard, who has been president of the college since 2010, is a traditional church-going, hymn-singing, family-loving person. It’s just that her family looks a bit different from the Norman Rockwell version. She met Robyn more than 25 years ago, on their first day of freshman year at Iowa State University. They sat next to each other for a math placement test, “and from that moment we became best friends,” Pollard recalls.

lisa helfert

An Uncommon Woman

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hometown

Friendship eventually turned to romance. They were married in California several years ago, while Pollard was serving as president of Las Positas College in the San Francisco suburbs. Today, Jones is the “primary caregiver” for Myles. “She’s the type of parent and mother that I wish I had,” Pollard says. Now 43, Pollard had many “sistermothers” who stepped in to help after her own mother died when she was just 4. There was the aunt who cared for her during the week. Counselors at the same high school that had produced Michelle Obama a few years earlier. And the women of her church, Providence MisWITHOUT SURGERY OR DOWNTIME. sionary Baptist, who “would all say they saw something special in me.” “Our whole lives revolved around our church,” says Pollard, including choir practice, prayer sessions, usher board CoolSculpting is the non-surgical body contouring treatment meetings. When she finished eighth that freezes and naturally eliminates fat from your body. No TM CoolSculpting is the non-surgical bodyof contouring that freezes and naturally grade, the church gave her a $50 bond. needles, no surgery and best all, no treatment downtime. Developed When she finished high school, there byeliminates Harvard CoolSculpting is FDA-cleared, and fat scientists, from your body. No needles, no surgery and best of all,safe no downtime. was a modest college scholarship. clinically We will develop youris customized plan you Developedproven. by Harvard scientists, CoolSculpting FDA-cleared, safe andso clinically Those awards meant more than can say We goodbye to your stubborn fat!plan so you can say goodbye to stubborn fat! proven. will develop customized money, however. They conveyed a set of values that shapes her to this day. “That idea of service was ingrained,” she says, “that idea that we care about you, we’re invested in you as a community.” School was as important as church, and community colleges, she notes, “are in my DNA.” One of Pollard’s earliest memories is BEFORE 8 WEEKS AFTER playing the cymbals at a day care center COOLSCULPTING TREATMENT while her mother took courses at Ken(-6 pounds) Procedure by Leyda Bowes, MD nedy-King College. After her dad lost Results and patient experience may vary. Ask us if CoolSculpting is right for you. his job with the railroad, he went back In the U.S. and Taiwan, non-invasive fat reduction is cleared only for the flank (love handle) and abdomen. CoolSculpting, the CoolSculpting logo and the Snowflake design are registered trademarks of ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. © 2013. All rights reserved. IC1385-A to Malcolm X College to learn radio and James H. French Jr., MD TV production. And her aunt took PolG. Wesley Price, MD lard and her sister with her to evening Samir S. Rao, MD classes at Prairie State, where she was info@cpsdocs.com • www.cpsdocs.com qualifying to open a day care center. “There was a bench right outside that 5550 Friendship Blvd., Suite 130 • Chevy Chase, MD 20815 • 301.652.7700 classroom door and we would sit there 3299 Woodburn Road, Suite 490 • Annandale, VA 22003 • 703.560.2850 for a couple of hours, doing our homeResults and patient experience may vary. Ask us if CoolSculpting is right for you. In the U.S. and Taiwan, non-invasive fat reduction is cleared only for the flank (love handle) and abdomen. CoolSculpting, the work,” Pollard recalls. “We kept thinkCoolSculpting logo, and the Snowflake design are registered trademarks of ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. © 2013. All rights reserved. IC1385-A ing: This is cool, we’re going to college. So

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maybe it’s providence that I would be a college president. I never left college.” Yet she almost did. Several times. Adjusting to life in Ames, Iowa, wasn’t easy for “a little brown child” from Chicago. The stockings and makeup in the local stores were the wrong color. The hair products didn’t work. She became a “social butterfly,” partying with other black students, neglecting her courses and almost flunking out. Then a “sister-mother” interceded, a black attorney at the university who employed Pollard as a nanny. Don’t quit, she told the troubled young woman. Get a tutor. Come to my house and study. “She intervened in my life,” Pollard says. “She stood in the gap and wouldn’t let me do that.” Successes followed. Dean’s list. Graduate degrees. Teaching at the College of Lake County, north of Chicago. Running Las Positas. Then another “sistermother” urged her to apply for the post at Montgomery College. When Pollard asked Jones if she would be willing to move East, the response was quick and definitive: “No. It’s too cold.” Jones got over it, however, and Pollard became the first African-American woman to hold the job. The couple moved to Clarksburg, a community that reflects the growing diversity of a county where non-Hispanic whites are now in the minority. The day Pollard and I talked in her Rockville office she had just come from Myles’ classroom. “It looks like a little U.N.,” she tells me. “You can go from the palest little white girl to the darkest Indian or African in the same classroom. Those 25 or 26 little people are really the face and future of Montgomery County.” The school is still learning about same-sex parents, however. When forms ask for a father and mother, “I very deliberately scratch that out and write ‘parent one’ and ‘parent two,’ ” Pollard says.

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hometown

When the PTA was giving out gift certificates to Chick-fil-A—a restaurant chain whose owner has denounced gay marriage—Pollard protested. She feels a responsibility “to help people be aware that there are different types of families.” Her job at Montgomery College is all about understanding and appreciating differences. The student body of almost 60,000 (including part-timers) represents more than 160 different countries. Fewer than 30 percent are white. Thousands are undocumented immigrants. Many are poor. But all the threads of DeRionne Pollard’s life have prepared her for this role. The daughter whose father lost his job and fed his family on governmentissued cheese knows about financial

struggles. The freshman who couldn’t find stockings to match her skin color knows about adjusting to strange environments. The niece who did her homework on a bench at Prairie State knows the value of education. “Community college is the place where the American dream becomes real,” Pollard says. “One person in a family getting a college education can break the cycle of poverty. Just one person.” The lessons she learned at Providence Baptist are never far from her mind. She is a sister-mother herself now. She once considered a career in the ministry and describes her mission at Montgomery College in pastoral terms. “We’re this little church in the community, trying to help people live their

best life,” she says. “You come to me tired, hungry, broke, poor—and our job is to meet you where you are and get you to where you want to go.” To make her point she breaks into a lilting soprano, singing a verse from “I Need You to Survive,” a hymn from her old church, her old life. I pray for you, You pray for me. I love you, I need you to survive. I won’t harm you with words from my mouth. I love you, I need you to survive. n Steve Roberts teaches journalism and politics at George Washington University. Send ideas for future columns to sroberts @gwu.edu.

34 January/February 2014 | BethesdaMagazine.com

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april witt’s

suburban•ology

Gray’s Anatomy A man once asked my mother if she considered herself the most beautiful woman in the world. It is a family joke that she had to think before she answered, reluctantly, no. My mother, an extravagant Southern belle, grew up intuiting that her power in this world came not from her considerable intellect, but from her hourglass figure and Merle Oberon eyes. And so she raised her daughters with this message: Be anything you want to be, achieve all you can, but for God’s sake, don’t leave the house without makeup on.

I wrote that in 1992. Women

earned, on average, about 71 cents for every dollar men earned. My mother was 61. I was 33 and had just read The Beauty Myth, Naomi Wolf ’s book arguing that cultural obsession with impossible standards of female beauty was keeping women distracted, divided and down. Today at 83, my mother still demands that the world see her as she sees herself. She makes even a courtesy wheelchair at the airport look like a throne. I’m 55 now. Women on average make 77 cents for every dollar men earn. But when I get together with smart, accomplished female friends, what do we sometimes talk about? Our hair. We’re sick of coloring our gray, concerned about the health effects, and sorry we let our mothers talk us into coloring it in the first place. Then we laugh. We’re too old to blame our mothers for anything, much less our hair. Click. Activist Gloria Steinem once described

the revelatory moment when she became a feminist and vowed to seize responsibility for her own life as a “big click.” I had my first feminist click as a suburban schoolgirl. I was reading Mad magazine, bellylaughing at its satirical cartoons, when I turned to one that made such perfect sense I stopped laughing. A husband complains that his wife’s fussing with her bouffant hairdo is making them late to a party. “I’m no beauty, but my hair is my crowning glory,” the wife says. When the cartoon couple arrives at the party, guests rave about the wife’s perfect bouffant, then smirk behind her back. “Who does she think she’s kidding?” one asks. “Everybody knows that’s a wig.” I got the joke: Trying to look perfect is a losing proposition for women. I became a newspaper reporter in 1982, long before the terms “sexual harassment” and “political correctness” entered the cultural lexicon. Newsrooms in those days could be rough, macho subcultures, kind of like the Miami Dolphins’ locker room, only with smaller neck sizes and higher IQs. Eventually I adopted a work uniform symbolizing that my gender was a nonissue: flat shoes, trousers and wellcut jackets, accessorized with old-fashioned brooches and vintage handbags paying homage to my always ladylike grandmother. To my mother’s horror, I also cut my long curls. Nights after deadline, I’d catch my reflection in an elevator door as I left the newsroom and realize my unruly bob was sticking straight up. I’d

been too busy chasing stories to notice. When my first marriage ended in divorce, my mother told me that I shouldn’t have cut my hair. “You were like Samson,” she said. “You lost your power.” I don’t think so. When I lived in Afghanistan in 2003 as a foreign correspondent for The Washington Post, I vowed not to wear a burqa, but I did cover my hair with a big scarf and wear a baggie Afghan dress with pants whenever I left the capital, Kabul. Surfing the culture was polite and pragmatic. It helped me do my job. Besides, my feminist ideals were a drop of water in a vast desert. Afghanistan would change me more than I could ever change Afghanistan. In Herat, on the Iranian border, I received dispensation to enter a mosque to hear some political speeches. Deferring to local custom, I bought a chador, a floor-length, black prayer shawl, to wear over my Afghan clothes. It was a windy day. The chador was heavy and voluminous. Walking without stepping on it was as tricky as wearing 4-inch stilettos. I felt hobbled. But outside the mosque, a mob of men blocked me from entering. “Cover yourself!” they yelled. Puzzled—I couldn’t have been more covered unless I put a bag over my head—I finally saw: The wind was lifting the hem of the chador and my baggy pants, exposing an inch of bare calf. Of course, the repressive burqa and

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Getting beyond the roots of sexism

36 January/February 2014 | BethesdaMagazine.com

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our commercial exploitation of highly sexualized images of young women are two sides of the same coin. To paraphrase Steinem: All pedestals are tiny, cramped spaces. I wouldn’t want to try to live on one. In 2008, I married a kind, family medicine doctor who serenades me with a bluegrass fiddle. I returned from my honeymoon in time to turn 50. “Made it just under the wire,” a male colleague my age quipped. Some women say they start to feel invisible after 50. Every week in downtown Bethesda I see some older woman who has starved herself into the skimpy clothes of a 20-year-old rocker. From behind, the illusion holds. Then they turn around. But I also see women my age and older who radiate the relaxed confidence that comes from knowing who they are and how they got here. For my part, I like being 55. I know who I am. And I’m quite certain that my crowning glory isn’t my hair. That’s why I’m letting it go natural—my way. I found a chemical-free hair color from Germany at Whole Foods that’s made with tree bark, looks like beetle juice and smells like hay. Applying it is such a production that I feel like I should be listening to Wagnerian arias. But it beats the alternative. The last time I let a salon use chemicals on my graying hair, I arrived to find the stylist had given my appointment to a stunning young blonde with waistlength curls. He handed a bowl of dye to his assistant, who usually just shampoos hair, and told her to brush it onto my roots. I arrived home with such funnylooking hair I could have made the cover of Mad magazine. But my loving husband danced me around the kitchen and told me he’d love me with bad hair, short hair, long hair, gray hair, no hair. Back at you, baby. Unconditional love is a rare and beautiful thing. It’s the beauty that lasts. n April Witt is a former Washington Post reporter who lives in Bethesda. To comment on this column or suggest ideas, email aprilwitt@hotmail.com.

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With all the computer screens and equipment, it can be difficult for the audio engineers to see and communicate with the people they’re recording. Engel and Snider have installed cameras and nonrecording microphones in the four different recording rooms to better communicate with their clients in the studio. This purple stuff, called audio foam, helps block sound waves from bouncing around the rooms and creating echoes in the recording. It’s the simplest and cheapest way to soundproof any room, Engel says.

Sound Advice In the basement of a two-story brick house in Gaithersburg, a professionalquality recording studio buzzes with sound. Complete with the latest equipment and built with recycled materials, the studio has recorded a variety of local talent, from Quince Orchard High School cheerleaders to metal bands, from rabbis to Chinese radio talk show hosts. Michael Engel and Don Snider, both 51, established Rolling Hills Recording Studio in Engel’s home in 2001. Snider, who had built a recording studio in his own house in Damascus before moving to Germantown, brought technical expertise to the venture. Engel, the bass player for the metal band Life Denied, brought 20-plus years of experience in live performance. “Bands usually break up because of fights in the studio over different artistic directions,” Engel says. “At the same time, they’re on the clock because every recording studio minute costs them money.” So Rolling Hills offers a three-song demo package with a master CD at a fixed price of $500, rather than charging by the hour as most studios do. Engel and Snider sometimes work from dusk to dawn, trying to meet studio customers’ demands. It’s a labor of love for the two audio engineers, but they haven’t given up their day jobs just yet. Engel owns a security company, Satellite Industries; Snider works in computers for Xerox. Snider says people shouldn’t be put off by Rolling Hills’ suburban location. “Just because we are a basement studio doesn’t mean you won’t get top-notch sound,” he says. He and Engel are all about trying “to understand the vision and create it.” n

Engel adjusts the levels on the master soundboard. Every adjustment is recorded on the screen of a corresponding computer monitor. Engel says the mixing board has been made obsolete by computer programs that do the same thing. However, he prefers controlling audio levels with sliders, rather than pressing a computer key.

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Text by Michael-Ann Henry | Photo by Michael Ventura

Engel describes Juan Colon as a “master of the guitar” who can play every style of music imaginable. The Puerto Rican musician friended Engel on Facebook about two years ago and finally recorded with him in October.

Microphones are by far the greatest investment for a recording studio, according to Snider. Every microphone has its own character and suits various voices and instruments. “We have a closet full of them, and sometimes we spend hours finding the fitting microphones for the recording,” Snider says.

Making the walls and windows uneven helps to break the sound wave patterns to avoid echoes in the recording. You won’t find any parallel walls in the studio, Engel says. Even the ceiling is uneven to reduce the movement of sound waves.

Because speakers play a huge part in how a recording sounds, “we try to listen to a recording on a bunch of different types of speakers,” Engel says. “I will even try recordings out in my car stereo.” One speaker is hooked up to a computer with a software program that can emulate more than 100 different amps and speakers. After testing the audio levels in differing environments, the men tweak them accordingly.

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Go Figure

people

watcher

Bethesda’s Vivian Schiller—formerly president and CEO of NPR, and more recently, chief digital officer at NBC News—takes over as head of news at Twitter this January. That got us to wondering about her Twitter numbers.*

By Maura Mahoney

1,433 Tweets 620 People she’s following 8,797 Followers

Capt. James A. Kirk in front of the USS Zumwalt

*As of Dec. 4, 2013

Newlyweds Michelle Mulitz and Mad Men’s Ben Feldman

Beam Me Down, Scottie

Malala Yousafzai (left) and B-CC senior Julia Fine

‘Mad’ Love Emmy-nominated Mad Men star and local boy Ben Feldman returned home to wed longtime girlfriend Michelle Mulitz at Smokey Glen Farm in Gaithersburg. About 350 guests attended the Oct. 12 event, including CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and Veep’s Reid Scott. Feldman, a graduate of Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, called it “the best party of our lives.”

Girl Power Not every teenager can say she has met and corresponded with a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, but Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School senior Julia Fine can. It all began with a CNN contest. Fine submitted an essay on Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani who was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen for speaking out about girls’ education. “She’s a girl basically my age, getting shot for doing the things we don’t even think about,” says Fine, who lives in Chevy Chase. “You ride the bus, you do your homework, you go to your classes.” Fine, who will turn 18 in late January, was already working with a group called School Girls Unite, which advocates for girls’ education, but the attack on Malala “definitely motivated me even more.” Out of hundreds of submissions, Fine’s essay was chosen as the winner by Malala herself, and she got to go to New York to watch Malala tape an interview with CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour. Since meeting there, the girls have exchanged emails and plan to stay in touch.

Courtesy of Mike Nutter (kirk); Beth Heifetz (fine); Clay Blackmore (feldman)

Capt. James A. Kirk aims to go where no man has gone before. The Bethesda native—who shares a name, but not a middle initial, with the fictional Star Trek captain—was recently slated to be the commanding officer of the new USS Zumwalt, a 610-foot ship that The Washington Post calls the largest stealth destroyer ever built for the Navy. Full of cuttingedge technologies, the Zumwalt was launched in late October. All jokes aside, this Capt. Kirk is the real deal. Born in Bethesda but raised in Hershey, Pa., he was commissioned at the U.S. Naval Academy in 1990 and obtained master’s degrees in national security studies at the U.S. Naval War College and the U.S. Army War College. Kirk, who now lives in Bath, Maine, says, “Being at the forefront of this new class of ship…is a privilege.” Sounds like something James T. Kirk might have said.

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Winston Churchill graduate Eric Jaffe tells the story of two men in A Curious Madness: An American Combat Psychiatrist, a Japanese War Crimes Suspect, and an Unsolved Mystery from World War II (Scribner, 2014): his grandfather, Daniel Jaffe, and Okawa Shumei, who played a major role in the rise of Imperial Japan. During the war crimes trial in Tokyo after World War II, Okawa made headlines by slapping fellow defendant Tojo Hideki, the wartime prime minister. Jaffe, a U.S. Army psychiatrist, determined that Okawa wasn’t sane enough to stand trial (though some believed he was faking madness). Because of that, Okawa was the only defendant not to be hanged or imprisoned. Eric Jaffe, who grew up in Rockville and Potomac and now lives in New York City, says of his book: “It’s a war history focusing on two individuals, as opposed to focusing on armies or nations, with a mystery at its heart.”

Thank You for Your Service (Sarah Crichton Books, 2013) is David Finkel’s follow-up to his 2009 critically acclaimed The Good Soldiers, which chronicled the 12 months he spent embedded in an American infantry battalion in Baghdad in 2007-2008. In the new book, the Silver Spring resident follows some of the troops home to the United States, where they and their families try to heal from their experiences. A Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post reporter and 2012 winner of a MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant, Finkel says his book describes “the ‘after war.’ There are so many numbers out there about the war—suicides, the amount of dollars the Pentagon is spending—that the stories that show the impact of the war have blurred,” he says. His book attempts to portray “how soldiers try to recover from what they’ve seen and what they’ve done.”

Former NBC News foreign correspondent and Chevy Chase resident Robin Lloyd owes much of his first novel, Rough Passage to London (Sheridan House, 2013), to his grandmother. She bequeathed to him a portrait of Capt. Ely Morgan, an ancestor who made more than 100 Atlantic crossings, along with several letters Morgan received from Charles Dickens. Lloyd initially thought he’d write something for the family, but the more he learned about Morgan, the more entranced he became. “It was such a rich story,” Lloyd says. “I wanted to see that world through his eyes.” Lloyd’s novel brings to life the world of packing ships and the Anglo-American relationship in the years after the War of 1812. But at its center is Morgan, who entertained everyone from painter J.M.W. Turner to author William Thackeray to Queen Victoria aboard his ship, and became close friends with Dickens, whose short story “A Message from the Sea” was inspired by the captain.

“I was curious to find out when Americans learned they had to exercise,” says Shelly McKenzie. That curiosity led to the Bethesda resident’s book, Getting Physical: The Rise of Fitness Culture in America (University Press of Kansas, 2013). An independent scholar who has taught at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., McKenzie got swept up in “the fitness fervor” in the late ’80s as a student at the University of Maryland, and has been into exercise ever since. In researching her book, she learned that the fitness boom was a response to several factors, including: the rising number of heart attacks, the car culture of the suburbs, and concerns over the fitness of American children. McKenzie chronicles the fitness revolution, from Jack LaLanne’s popularization of fitness on TV in the ’60s to the jogging craze of the ’70s, to the health club focus of the ’80s, to the emphasis on yoga and Pilates today.

All books courtesy of Barnes & Noble

Book Report

watcher

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Did I Really Just Say That?

Author David Stewart

Garrett Park’s David Stewart had just finished a reading of his first novel, The Lincoln Deception (Kensington, 2013), at Politics and Prose in Upper Northwest D.C. this past fall when a woman in the audience began chatting with the historian. She introduced herself as Margaret Atwood. “I got totally tongue-tied,” Stewart says, “and finally blurted out, ‘Your books are great!’ Still smooth after all these years.”

Noteworthy During the ’70s and ’80s, Silver Spring’s Lisa Null became nationally known for performances at folk festivals and appearances on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion.” Null also founded what later became Green Linnet, an Irish record company. Health issues forced her to put her career on hold for more than a decade, but now, urged on by one of her voice students, the 71-year-old is attempting to record her first album in more than 30 years. A November concert at Glen Echo Town Hall marked her return to regular performing and provided an opportunity to fundraise for her new album, which she calls “my legacy.”

Perchance to Dream

Folk singer Lisa Null

Courtesy of david stewart; lisa null

A Stitch in Time Silver Spring’s Nina Shapiro-Perl has been receiving kudos for her documentary, Through the Eye of the Needle. It’s about a Holocaust survivor and the elaborate needlework that depicts the woman’s wartime experiences. Shapiro-Perl, a filmmaker-inresidence at American University, completed the documentary in late 2011. Since then it has been shown at nearly two dozen film festivals. And in December, she was heading to Israel to screen the production at the Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival. Shapiro-Perl became friends with Chevy Chase’s Bernice Steinhardt years ago, when their children were in preschool together. It was during a visit to Steinhardt’s home that ShapiroPerl saw the unusual fabric wall hangings done by Steinhardt’s Polish mother, Esther Nisenthal Krinitz. Steinhardt and her sister, Helene McQuade of New York, eventually co-founded the nonprofit Art and Remembrance to bring their mother’s 36 panels to a wider audience. Meanwhile, Shapiro-Perl began making a documentary, weaving in interviews that filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan had done with Krinitz before her death in 2001. “Doing the work was a way of healing herself,” Shapiro-Perl says. “Every stitch was a way of remembering the people who were lost—her immediate family members, her village, and the wider stories of the Jews in Poland and the Jews throughout Europe.” You can catch a preview of the film on YouTube.

Something bothered Silver Spring’s Michelle Ray about the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s modern-dress version of Hamlet that she saw in Washington, D.C., in 2007. “I loved the interpretation, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Ophelia,” she says. “Her story—going insane and killing herself—didn’t make sense to me.” So Ray, a reading teacher at Eastern Middle School in Silver Spring, decided to retell the story from Ophelia’s point of view. Her young adult novel, Falling for Hamlet, was published by Little, Brown and Company’s Poppy imprint in 2011. In Ray’s version, Ophelia is an empowered, strong-willed teenager who conducts her relationship with the prince of Denmark via text while navigating the paparazzi. Now, the E! television network has optioned a pilot for a TV series inspired by her novel, with a run date to be determined. The Royals, a contemporary drama about a fictional royal family, is set to star Elizabeth Hurley as Hamlet’s mother. “It’s very unexpected and exciting,” Ray says.

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Setting Anchor

Sandy Malone (right) Alex Corbutt with employees with her commendation

Local Hero In November, the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service recognized Bethesda’s Alex Corbutt, 24, for her efforts in helping to save a man near Great Falls on the Potomac River last summer. “A friend and I were walking along the Billy Goat Trail,” recalls Corbutt, who teaches fifth grade at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School in Bethesda, “and we heard a cry for help. We weren’t sure if someone was joking, but as we got closer, we realized it was serious.” As they ran toward the river, they saw that a man in his mid-30s had fallen out of a raft. “He looked like he might be going into shock,” Corbutt says. “People on the Virginia side of the falls were shouting at us not to go into the water because we might get pulled under, too.” So as her friend dialed 911, Corbutt came up with a plan. “If you can just swim a little closer,” she shouted to the man, “we’ll form a human chain and grab you by the paddle.” With the help of two passing men, Corbutt pulled him out by the oar that he still held, and then park police and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service teams arrived. “I guess growing up with an older brother, I have a certain toughness in me,” Corbutt says. “I knew that with help we could haul him out.”

From left: Ed Leisher, Joe Shaffner and Cathy Neifeld celebrate atop Mount Kilimanjaro.

Peak Performance Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania was on the bucket list of Bethesda’s Ed Leisher for years. So at his 60th birthday party in December 2012, he asked his friend Joe Shaffner if he’d consider joining him. Shaffner, a Silver Spring resident who was looking for a way to mark his own milestone— turning 50 that April—agreed. Then one of Leisher’s colleagues at AgencyONE, Cathy Neifeld of Philadelphia, decided to come, too. In order to make their hike more meaningful, they decided to make it a fundraiser for The Children’s Inn, a residential center in Bethesda for children being treated at the National Institutes of Health and their families. The trio began their trek the first week of September 2013. For six and a half days, they hiked slowly in order to acclimate themselves, contending with freezing temperatures at night and intense sun during the day before finally reaching the 19,341-foot summit. “It was just an unforgettable experience,” Shaffner says. And the added perk: They raised $12,500 for The Children’s Inn.

Courtesy of Javier Diaz with the Archdiocese of Washington (corbutt); wusa 9 (jeffcoat); Ralph Antolino (leisher, shaffner and Neifeld)

Jan Jeffcoat is co-anchoring the newscasts that her husband grew up watching on WUSA 9. An Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award winner, Jeffcoat spent five years anchoring Good Day Chicago and FOX Chicago News at Noon, and a year as co-host of the national news magazine show The List in Scottsdale, Ariz., before starting the WUSA WUSA 9’s Jan Jeffcoat 9 position in September. Jeffcoat’s husband, TV talent agent Matthew Kingsley, grew up in Northern Virginia, so the couple initially looked for a house there before settling in Chevy Chase. “It’s a dream to be at a news station that my husband grew up watching and his family all watches,” says Jeffcoat, who can be seen on the 5, 7 and 11 p.m. newscasts.

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H.L. Ward and his wife, Martha Foulon-Tonat

United Purr-pose Chevy Chase’s Sarah Holmes was driving along Arlington Road in Bethesda this past October when a cat ran under the wheels of the SUV in front of her. Holmes, an animal lover, jumped out of her car to see if she could help the cat, “but it was pretty clear he was terribly injured.” Amazingly, everyone who walked by stopped, she adds. “A teenage boy, a couple with a stroller, an older man with a dog, a woman out jogging…gathered around to see if there was anything they could do.” Among them was Melissa Ballinger, the chef-owner of Mia’s Pizzas, who stopped her car, wrapped the cat in the chambray overshirt she’d been wearing, jumped into Holmes’ car and directed her to Benson Animal Hospital. Sadly, the cat had to be euthanized, but Holmes says the incident revealed a lot about “the innate goodness in people.” Indeed, Ballinger says, “people are so busy nowadays, there sometimes is a tendency to not get involved. But not this time.”

Togetherness Is… H.L. Ward and Martha Foulon-Tonat take togetherness to a whole new level. Married in 2006, they’re now working for the same bank again after nearly 10 years as competitors. Ward is the president and CEO of Monument Bank in Bethesda, and as of last July, FoulonTonat is the executive vice president and chief administrative officer. They worked together years ago at Bethesda-based EagleBank. Ward left EagleBank in 2003, opening Monument Bank in 2005. Foulon-Tonat stayed at Eagle, working mostly as chief lending officer. What’s it like working together again after so many years as competitors? “There’s much more commonality to our workday, so there’s a natural spilling over from the workday to home,” Ward says. “It’s actually productive if we can temper it to a degree.”

High-Flying Attorney A mother of two and an attorney at Paley Rothman in Bethesda, Cristen Rose appears to be a fairly grounded person. But in her spare time, the Kensington resident goes head over heels for her passion: trapeze artistry. She first flew through the air 10 years ago—not, she admits, with the greatest of ease—while on a family vacation at Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Florida, which has a circus school. “Climbing the ladder was completely terrifying,” she recalls. “Once I was on the board [23 feet above the ground], I was OK. I’m not going to say ‘good.’ But it was kind of fun.” Return trips to the resort eventually hooked her on the activity. Rose now practices at the Trapeze School New York near Nationals Park in D.C., and she has performed at Sandpiper Bay. Her kids, Sydney, 9, and Alexander, 6, think her hobby is “pretty cool.” But “I annoy my kids every time I take them to the playground,” Rose says, “because I’m hanging off all the monkey bars.”

Cristen Rose’s kids consider her hobby “pretty cool.”

amanda smallwood (Holmes, ballinger); lisa marcellino (ward, foulon-tonat); Carey Dougan (rose)

Sarah Holmes (left) and Melissa Ballinger both sprang into action to try to save an injured cat.

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From left: Ben Beach, Chris Sten, Jeff Seltzer and Jeff Wagner are serious about cereal.

The Breakfast Club Book clubs aren’t the only way for busy suburbanites to get together in their elusive downtime. Some area men have been bonding over cereal for more than 25 years. “There’s more fiber in cereal than in books,” Bethesda resident Ben Beach points out. A writer and editor at the State Department, Beach says that he, fellow Bethesdans Jeff Selzer and Jeff Wagner, and Chris Sten (a former neighbor who now lives in Washington, D.C.) discovered that they all liked to combine cereals in the morning. So they decided to form a club, borrowing a page from their wives, so to speak, who were all in book clubs. At least every other month the men show up for breakfast with eight to 10 cereal boxes each. Then they catch up with each other as they dig in. “We talk about our lives, families and politics,” Wagner says. “We try not to talk about our physical ailments,” Beach adds with a laugh.

Katherine DuBois began her acting career with Adventure Theatre in Glen Echo.

Almost Famous Katherine DuBois, a 2003 Bethesda-Chevy Chase grad who went by Katie Maguire during her Bethesda days, got to rub elbows with some famous folks when she won a role in the film CBGB, a look at the punk-rock scene in New York that came out in October. Among those celebrities: British actor Alan Rickman, who is “a really cool guy to work with.” DuBois started her acting career with Adventure Theatre in Glen Echo, eventually going on to earn a bachelor’s degree in theater at Ithaca College in upstate New York. In 2010, she won a prestigious Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Ensemble in Synetic Theater’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and moved to Los Angeles. DuBois, who plays a punk feminist, isn’t the only local involved in CBGB. Andre Danylevich, the movie’s coproducer and post-production supervisor, graduated from Walter Johnson High School in 2002. Danylevich says, “It was a phenomenal experience, not only in the production of the film, but also as an educational experience in one of the most influential music scenes of the last century. I’m incredibly grateful to have been a part of it.”

Novelist, short story writer and Spanish literature professor Barbara Mujica was on her way to teach a class at Georgetown University in 2010 when she received a call from playwrightactress Coco Blignaut of the Actors Studio in West Hollywood, Calif. Blignaut wanted to adapt Sister Teresa, Mujica’s 2007 novel about Teresa of Avila, for the stage. “Coco told me later she was afraid I’d be an aloof intellectual,” Mujica says. “But I direct theater at Georgetown, and I was very excited to get her call!” Mujica, who lives in Portrait of Sister Bethesda, traveled to Los Teresa of Avila Angeles to watch rehearsals while perusing the script for historical accuracy. She especially enjoyed watching Martin Landau, the co-artistic director of the studio, at work. The play, God’s Gypsy, premiered Nov. 15 and will run through Jan. 12 at the Lillian Theatre in Los Angeles. Mujica since has had Blignaut come to her classes at Georgetown to perform a scene from the play. They hope to bring it to the East Coast soon. ■

Maura Mahoney lives in Chevy Chase. Send People Watcher tips to peoplewatcher@bethesdamagazine.com.

Courtesy of carol m. beach (Breakfast club) ; Todd williamson (dubois); God’s Gypsy Productions (Sister teresa)

Stage Right

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person

of interest

By Virginia Myers

Charlie Barnett Knows the Score He should. He wrote it. Charlie Barnett is about to play one of his favorite tunes. “Listen to this,” he says, as if sharing a delicious secret. And suddenly you can’t wait to hear what he has cued up on his computer. This is a guy who has penned symphonies, scored award-winning films, played before large audiences, and written music for acclaimed poet Maya Angelou’s spoken-word performances. But his enthusiasm makes every song he plays feel brand new. At 62, Barnett looks relaxed and trim in jeans and a snug T-shirt as he discusses life as a composer and musician. A Mac Pro sits at the ready in his lightfilled Bethesda home studio, along with several guitars, a grand piano and a banjo. Bookshelves reach two stories up one wall; vintage album covers line another. The song Barnett plays, “Snow Day,” is one he wrote in 2011 and has listened to hundreds of times. Still, he follows each phrase, tilting his head to listen, then punctuating an especially jazzy note with a jab of his elbow. The tune, with its bouncy beat and smooth vocals, sounds like something out of the early ’60s. “I was born with narrow lapels,” he jokes. Take his symphony, The Blue Chevrolet,

which conjures up classic family vacations of the era, with its movement “The Detour, the Argument, and finally, the Map.” Victoria Gau, the Takoma Parkbased conductor who presented The Blue Chevrolet with the Capital City Symphony at D.C.’s Atlas theater in 2007, loves Barnett’s retro sensibility. “There’s really great energy in his personality, and that comes right across in the music,” she says. It also comes across on stage, where he plays piano, guitar and/or accordion for Chaise Lounge, a local sextet that has been around since 1998. Barnett describes the group’s music, which includes his own compositions as well as Frank Sinatra songs, as “equal parts dry wit and dry martini.” Writing film scores, though, is Barnett’s bread and butter. He has won several awards, including for Discovery Channel’s Raising the Mammoth in 2003 and for National Geographic Channel’s Treasure Seekers and the History Channel’s Holocaust: The Untold Story, both in 2000. And he wrote the score for the 2004 Emmynominated Paper Clips. The documentary followed small-town Tennessee middleschoolers as they collected millions of paper clips in order to grasp how many people were killed in the Holocaust. Barnett’s work also has been heard on popular TV shows, including Saturday Night Live, The Cosby

Show, Weeds and Royal Pains. Paper Clips producer Joe Fab, who lives in Vienna, Va., calls Barnett a great collaborator. Chaise Lounge singer Marilyn Older, an Alexandria, Va., resident, adds that he’s a lot of fun. “He finds a place of complete and joyful presence on stage that infects the band and the audience,” she says. Not bad for a kid who grew up in a nonmusical family. “We had no records in the house,” says Barnett, recalling his childhood in tiny Riverside, Pa. Nevertheless, Barnett played folk music with friends in high school. And after dropping out of Cornell and becoming

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The composer—surrounded by all his instruments in his Bethesda home studio—is known for his retro sensibility. “I was born with narrow lapels,” he says.

a surveyor, he took off every Wednesday afternoon for piano lessons with jazz great Jimmy Amadie, who introduced him to a whole new repertoire in Philadelphia. “I was thrilled to be invited into this world of jazz, this club where we knew this canon of songs,” he says. Barnett eventually returned to college, played a few coffeehouses, graduated with a degree in English and taught music at the Severn School near Annapolis for three years. He did his first film score for a public service announcement about truancy and was hooked. In 1988, he and his wife moved to Bethesda to raise three daughters, all of whom are now grown.

(He since has divorced.) Meanwhile, he taught himself the movie-music business and began calling studios for work. By 1993, he was commuting between Los Angeles and Bethesda. These days, Barnett runs a small recording label, Big Kahuna; designs his own CD covers; tours with LA-based actor-singer Gia Mora in her show Einstein’s Girl; plays with traveling bands; and in his spare time, creates whimsical collages using vintage odds and ends like Boy Scout insignias and appliance nameplates. He also has served as an advocate for the arts in Montgomery County, including a stint as artist

in residence at The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, where he mentored young musicians. It’s a lot of keep track of—kind of like all those notes and musical instruments in his compositions. So he creates lists to be sure he doesn’t miss a beat. Among his recent entries: Put out a box set with some cool packaging; get to be a good banjo player; write three new songs; and “visit Mom more.” n Virginia Myers lives in Takoma Park and frequently writes about the arts. To comment on this story, email comments@ bethesdamagazine.com.

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story of my life

By Carolyn Sega Lowengart As told to Kathleen Wheaton

Not Love, Actually I met my husband-to-be when we were both students at Middlebury College in Vermont and he asked me to be his lab partner. I used to joke that I was the ugliest and therefore the smartest girl in the class, and that’s why he chose me. At the time, I never guessed the truth. He was good-looking, intelligent, had a great sense of humor, and we became friends. His family was from San Francisco high society. His aunt’s house in the Pacific Heights neighborhood was the set for a Fred Astaire movie. Not the world I was from—I was a Foreign Service brat. My mother was British; my father, from upstate New York, the son of Italian immigrants. They met in London during World War II and married in Paris in 1947. Theirs was quite a love story. I was born in Nuremberg. My father was in the Army, working at the trials,

and later he joined the Foreign Service. I grew up in Athens and Rome and went to high school in Vienna. As a child, I spoke German, Greek and Italian. I liked that life, and Europe was very safe in those days. When I was in high school, my parents thought nothing of letting me go out with friends in Vienna and come home at midnight by myself. My freshman year of college I attended the University of Maryland in Munich, but when my father was posted to the Philippines, I transferred to Middlebury. I graduated in 1970, the spring Kent State happened. It was a time of great upheaval, but a lot of social attitudes had not yet changed. When I went to visit my parents in Manila in the summer of 1968, my mother cried when I got off the plane because I’d gotten so heavy. It was her opinion that I’d

never get married and never have a good job because of my weight. That summer, right nearby, the Vietnam War was raging. It was the year of the Democratic Convention, of Martin Luther King Jr. and RFK, the riots in Paris and the Soviet invasion of Prague, and yet my parents were focused on my physical being. Looking at photos of myself from then, I looked OK. But they put me on a strict diet, with pills—amphetamines— and got me contact lenses, dental work and bought me new clothes. When I came back from Manila, my hair was bleached from the sun; I must have looked fantastic. My lab partner took one look at me and asked me out. We got engaged in January 1970. I realized that our intimate relationship wasn’t like that of other couples I knew, but I didn’t have anything to compare it

stacy zarin-goldberg liz lynch

The Chevy Chase woman had the perfect marriage—except for one thing

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work related

As told to Rachel Chism

Night and Day Bill Carey, 69, music center liaison/ hockey statistician I have two jobs. My most recent is director of donor and community relations at The Music Center at Strathmore, and I’ve been doing that for 10 years. I interact with our donors, business sponsors, ticket patrons and artists, and enjoy all the concerts. My colleagues see me as a very outgoing liaison. But during the ice hockey season, I’m a little more serious. I leave early on game days to be at the Verizon Center by 5 p.m. For 30 years, I’ve been an off-ice official for the National Hockey League—a statistician, for [lack of] a better word. I keep track of shots on goal, missed shots, goals, assists, hits, penalties, giveaways, takeaways and time-on-ice per player. I’m expected to capture [the action] within two to three seconds of it happening. Off-ice officials are not enjoying the hockey game as fans; we’re responsible for a function of the game. It is critical that we track the statistics in real time, consistently, night after night, with total impartiality and integrity.

Bill Carey gets ready to slap a hockey puck onstage at The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda.

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I’m a hockey fan. I’ll watch a hockey game morning, noon or night, college or pro. At my age, I’ve kind of seen it all. I’m from Ann Arbor, Mich., where I played hockey and officiated in the recreational leagues. When I moved to the Washington, D.C., area in the late 1960s, I helped create the hockey officials’ association for the hockey programs here. The organizers of the Washington Capitals’ franchise, in connection with the National Hockey League, reached out to the referees’ association to bring on our guys as office officials when the franchise was formed. We understand the game and are unbiased The highlight is seeing the skill of these superstar players (in Washington, we have Alex Ovechkin). When you see these guys come to play night after night and they continue to show these skills, it’s really something to watch. The NHL prefers that we do not interact with current players. But I have met Wayne Gretzky and a number of other NHL players and Capitals players since they retired. Seeing this one team every night, you pick up on [players’] idiosyncrasies and personalities. A perfect pass, a lastsecond goal—it makes the sport all the more exciting. The Verizon Center can get electric when a goal is scored. But we need to stay focused and credit the players appropriately. And then to see the artists come through Strathmore and perform for 90 or 120 minutes without an intermission—they’re very entertaining and sound wonderful. The performance season is from September to June, which corresponds with the hockey season. We have to stay for the shows, so if I’m not at the Verizon Center in the evening, I’m at Strathmore. I am constantly amazed by the talent of all the artists who have performed on the Strathmore stage. Both positions are great opportunities, not really [jobs], more of a joy, and a lot of fun to be a part of. n

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to. He was my first. He’d hold my hand when we walked places, and we were very good friends. But was I madly in love with him? Probably not. Did I think I’d never get married? Probably so. We married in 1971—June bride, the whole thing—and went to Europe on the QE2. We had some good times. We traveled around the world, and every year we went to Bermuda. But he’d never touch me. I don’t believe my parents suspected he was gay, but unfortunately they both died young and I can’t ask them. My husband and my mother were very close. I have a memory of being with my parents in Sicily, in this beautiful small town, and seeing my mother and my husband walking up ahead, peering into the windows of antique shops. Hindsight is so very clear. By this time, I had a brilliant job. I worked for the State Department for 33 years and became director of management policy and got lots of accolades and awards, including one from Colin Powell when I retired. My husband worked in all sorts of different government agencies, and then quit to “find himself ” and became a travel agent. I discovered he was gay in 2003, when we got a home computer. I’d resisted getting one for ages because much of my work was classified and I was petrified of accidentally bringing something home I shouldn’t. Instead, I came home and found a printout of an email exchange in which my husband was arranging to meet another man for coffee. When I asked him about it, he was honest. I said, “How long have you known?” He said, “Since I was about 14.” I said, “Why did you marry me?” And he said, “Because I didn’t want to be [gay].” Even then, I thought we might stay married. We were in counseling, and the therapist asked me what I wanted. No one had ever asked me that before. I turned to my husband and said, “I want to be loved, honored and cherished as I have done for you for 33 years.” And he said, “I don’t think I can do that.” So that was it.

I found out in April, and he moved out in November. Getting a divorce was the right decision. I’ve been far less lonely alone than I was with him. I was lucky to find the Straight Spouse Network. I’m not a joiner or a group person, and the longer I was married, the more isolated I became, so it took me awhile to go to my first meeting. But there was instantaneous acceptance and understanding. I’d never had that kind of support before—not in my family, in my marriage, in my job. I want to emphasize that it is not an anti-gay organization at all. And the hope is that with the end of “don’t-ask-don’t-tell,” there will be fewer people needing it. Finding out that you are married to an LGBT person is devastating. You never get over it, but you find ways to get through it. I was in denial about my personal health for a long time. Then in February 2013, I was hospitalized with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, anemia, congestive heart failure and about 27 other things. I was getting weaker and weaker. In August, I had surgery for sigmoid colon cancer. I am now cancer-free and have lost 60 pounds. And I’ve stopped smoking. I’m doing wonderfully. Straight Spouses has enabled me to feel validated as a woman. Though I have never questioned my intelligence or my articulateness, I have always questioned myself as a woman. But I’ve learned, through meeting other straight spouses who are men and talking to them honestly, that I am a woman. I’d love to be desired passionately, but at the moment I’m just grateful to be alive. n Carolyn Sega Lowengart lives in Chevy Chase and is featured in the documentary I Thought It Was Forever, which was screened at the Reel Independent Film Extravaganza in Washington, D.C., in October. Kathleen Wheaton, a frequent contributor to the magazine, lives in Bethesda. To comment on this story, email comments@bethesdamagazine.com.

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re• INVENTION By Amy Reinink

Barton Rubenstein stands with his kinetic sculpture “Field of Dreams” at Somerset Elementary in Chevy Chase.

The Science of Beauty Barton Rubenstein’s art is a study in motion and balance. A seemingly precarious, 10-foot-tall stack of steel shapes rotates in unison in “Circle Up.” Water cascades between bronze boxes in “Blairs Gateway.” And curvy, steel “dancers” sway in the wind in “Botero Ballerinas.” Dozens of Rubenstein’s water and kinetic sculptures dot parks, backyards and other outdoor spaces in the Bethesda area, from “Familia” in a garden at The Mansion at Strathmore in North

Bethesda to “River Twist” at the Blairs apartments in Silver Spring. His works, which can be found as far away as California and Utah, have earned the Chevy Chase artist numerous local and national awards, including a 2010 official citation from the Maryland General Assembly in recognition of his public art. Rubenstein’s unique aesthetic is grounded in a seemingly unlikely source: a background in physics and neuroscience, which he studied before turning to sculpture full time in 1994.

Growing up in Northwest Washington, D.C., Rubenstein, 52, loved working on projects with his dad, from tree houses to elaborate snow sculptures they built in the front yard. Family dinners were often spent talking about art and architecture—his mother was a curator and art historian for the Smithsonian. Rubenstein also loved astronomy and other sciences, and as a student at Sidwell Friends School in Northwest D.C., he discovered he had a gift for numbers.

liz lynch

A Chevy Chase sculptor applies the principles of physics to his award-winning art

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work related

As told to Rachel Chism

The TV Newswoman Joie Chen, 52, Bethesda,

My parents are both immigrants [father from China; mother from Japan] and scientists, and neither spoke proper English. When I was very small and learning to talk, my mother was disappointed in the lack of role models. Because Bugs Bunny may or may not have spoken proper English, I watched Walter Cronkite broadcast the news. When people ask whether I had voice coaching to develop a TV voice, I have to say, “Well, no, not exactly.” Most of my career has been a series of fortunate accidents. I went to journalism school at Northwestern University when Bob Woodward and Watergate were [considered] the pinnacle of journalism. My ambition was to be a Washington Post reporter. When I couldn’t get a job in print journalism, I went back for my master’s in broadcast journalism. At that point, I really wanted to be Don Hewitt, the executive producer of 60 Minutes. My first job was in Charleston, S.C., acting as both a producer and reporter. I turned out to be a horrible producer. I left Charleston for a local station in Atlanta. Then from Atlanta I went to CNN International, where I had to think of news for a global audience. I’ve also been on the domestic side of CNN, and covered Capitol Hill while at CBS Washington. My career has been this series of shifts from the smallest market to a global audience and back again. I left CBS five years ago and thought

my career in television news was done. I had the opportunity to work in nichefocused content. Today, every corporation or government agency is its own news outlet, and my interest was in helping these organizations tell their stories. It has a big future, sponsored journal-

ism. But the opportunity to come to Al Jazeera was too interesting to resist. I’d had a lot of conversations with friends at Al Jazeera English [the sister channel of the original Arabic-language Al Jazeera as well as Al Jazeera America] from the time they started the chan-

Jonathan Timmes

host of Al Jazeera America’s America Tonight

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re•invention

He majored in physics at Haverford College near Philadelphia, and returned to Sidwell after graduation to establish the school’s first computer lab. After a few years there, Rubenstein decided to pursue his doctorate in neuroscience at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. There, he immersed himself in researching how the brain perceives and interprets objects. “When we open our eyes, it’s just a lot of colors and lines, and yet somehow we make sense of it all,” Rubenstein says. “It’s really an astounding task.” Midway through his six years at Weizmann, Rubenstein met his wife, Shereen, during a research trip to Rutgers University in New Jersey. They married shortly afterward, and she moved to Israel for his final two years there. She recalls that every time they went out to dinner, her new husband would spend the night sketching detailed, professional-looking sculptures on napkins. So she wasn’t surprised when Rubenstein decided to defer an offer of a postdoctoral position at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda in order to spend a year making art. “I had more than an inkling that he would go in this direction,” Shereen says. “When he told me about it, I didn’t hesitate in saying he should definitely do it. …I really believed there was a good chance he would be successful.” Rubenstein never made it to that job at NIH. Instead, thanks in part to financial support from his family, he spent the year learning how to weld at the Corcoran College of Art and Design in the District, and fabricating his first seven sculptures in the small garage at the couple’s first home in Chevy Chase. He created big, metal designs that involved water—an undertaking for which his scientific background had uniquely prepared him. “There are only a few of us in the country that do this because there are a lot of headaches related to working with

water,” Rubenstein says. “You need to have a lot of knowledge about how water moves.” Rubenstein produced his first commissioned piece for roughly $6,000 about 18 months after he started sculpting, and has averaged four to six commissions a year since. Clients range from homeowners and businesses to universities and city governments, and they pay from $25,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars for Rubenstein’s sculptures. Rubenstein has applied his scientific mind to many areas of his artistic life. For example, his knowledge of kinetics helped him create a cable system that allows the various pieces of his sculptures to move in the wind without spinning in circles. His background researching neuroscience and the way the brain perceives the world also helped him relate to other scientists—experts in printing, holograms and other fields—when the National Academies asked him several years ago to help redesign the $100 bill in order to prevent counterfeiting. Rubenstein says he contributed to the design of a holographic barcode to the right of Benjamin Franklin’s image—a design that makes the bills difficult to duplicate. The new bill was unveiled last October. Rubenstein does all his welding, cutting and fabricating in a converted twocar garage behind his Chevy Chase home, where he lives with his wife and three children, ages 11 to 17. Years after turning down the opportunity to work at NIH, Rubenstein says he didn’t so much abandon his earlier career plans as simply never get back to them. “I never intended to leave science,” Rubenstein says. “I just felt really happy making stuff.” n Amy Reinink is a frequent contributor to the magazine who also writes for Runner’s World and other outdoor publications. To comment on this story, email comments@bethesdamagazine.com.

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nel here in Washington. When I heard about the plans for America Tonight, I knew that it was the right fit: a program that combines my interest in long-form reporting and storytelling with in-depth interviews and live-breaking news. Not only was it a surprise to me that I went back to television, it was a surprise that Al Jazeera selected a 50-plus Asian-American to be the anchor of the flagship television show. Women in this news organization have authority and leadership roles beyond any news organization. It’s an exceptional thing they’ve done here. We have the ability to do news in an entirely different way. No sensationalism, no yelling pundits, just in-depth reports—eight, 10, 12 minutes long. Most stories are far more complex than someone saying what is right or wrong. I was recently in southwestern Pennsylvania talking to people in a community who are being significantly impacted by natural gas drilling. There’s a very poor community that has an opportunity to make a lot of money from giving up their land, with associated environmental risks. It’s easy to say these people shouldn’t sell their land, but these families have needs, too. To spend more time getting to know people and really hearing every side of their story, that is particularly satisfying to me. People ask about our connection to Qatar, but once they’ve seen the programs, they understand Al Jazeera America is just a news organization. My colleagues are journalists from other major news organizations—CNN, CBS, ABC, BBC, NPR, a lot of top-notch local newsrooms. Yes, we are challenged by being new, we are challenged by our lack of visibility on cable, and to some extent we are challenged by not being known and understood. But I think that audiences who do find us tend to be both surprised and impressed that we are living up to our mission—a deliberate attempt to hear from people we don’t normally hear from. n

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person

of interest

By David Elfin

Wrestling Stereotypes Bethesda’s Harriet Symington pins the boys and makes them cry The wrestling room inside Walt

Whitman High School pulsates with the sound of hip-hop as the athletes pair off by size for practice on a fall evening. Suddenly, one of the lightest members of the team tries out a move on her opponent. Yes, her opponent. In a sport dominated by males, Whitman senior Harriet Symington stands out as a national champion. Last May, despite an injured left knee, the 5-foot-2-inch, 106-pound Bethesda resident was the champion in her weight class among 15- to 17-year-old girls at the Body Bar Women’s National Championships in Lakeland, Fla. The victory earned her a spot in August’s Cadet World Championships in Serbia, where she was eliminated in the first round by a Romanian. Now 17, Harriet began wrestling at age 6 after seeing a flier for the Viking Mat Club, a youth program in Bethesda, and telling her mother that she wanted to try it. “A big part of me becoming a wrestler was my twin brothers, Dylan and Sawyer, who are four years older than me and always beat up on me a bunch,” Harriet says. But her mother played a role, too. One of seven sisters, Susan Symington wanted to play Little League baseball while growing up in a less-enlightened era, but had to settle for soccer instead. She was sympathetic to a daughter wanting to compete in a sport where girls are scarce. Fortunately, there was another girl at Viking Mat, Abby Fisher, the

coach’s daughter, “which made it easier for me,” Harriet says. Like Abby, who went on to wrestle for Whitman and now does so for the University of Connecticut, Harriet quickly fell in love with wrestling. “By the time I noticed that I didn’t fit in with the whole guy thing, if I hadn’t been totally in love with the sport, I probably wouldn’t have continued,” says Harriet, who previously played basketball and soccer, ran cross-country for three years and still plays on Whitman’s girls’ lacrosse team in the spring. “Wrestling is a team sport, but when you’re out there, it’s just you. It’s pure man against man.” Or in Harriet’s case, girl against boy during the high school season, and girl against girl during national and international competition. “People assume my biggest accomplishment would be making it to the world championships, but I would trade that for placing at states against the guys,” says Harriet, who spends more than 20 hours a week on the mats during the high school season with the otherwise all-male Vikings. “A lot of it is about proving myself against guys, not just against other girls.” Over the years, Harriet has often frustrated male opponents. Once, while wearing a pink, spaghetti-strapped dress with a borrowed blazer to protect it, she pinned a boy who challenged her at a bar mitzvah reception. Harriet has never been fazed by the stares and whispers that greet girls participating in the sport. The number of

high school female wrestlers in this country nearly quadrupled from 1997 to 2011, but boys still outnumber girls 50 to 1. In Montgomery County, just 12 girls were among the more than 840 wrestlers in public schools last year, according to William Beattie, the director of athletics for Montgomery County Public Schools. Female role models in the sport are emerging. Rockville’s Helen Maroulis, who left Col. Zadok Magruder High School after her junior year in 2008, is ranked No. 1 among females nationally in the 55-kilogram weight class (roughly 121 pounds), and is an Olympic hopeful for 2016. Women’s wrestling remains a curi-

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lisa helfert

“A lot of it is about proving myself against guys, not just against other girls,” says Harriet Symington, the lone female on Walt Whitman’s wrestling team.

osity, though, despite having been an Olympic sport since 2004. “My freshman year and some of my sophomore year, our team would walk into a gym and you could hear their wrestlers say, ‘Oh, my God, a girl,’ ” Harriet says. “Wrestling is so mental that I think it can get in their heads that they’re wrestling against a girl. They really don’t want to lose to a girl. So they work even harder. A lot of times they get really angry. Sometimes they cry.” Harriet, who was 15-1 last year before that knee injury, certainly doesn’t. “She’s as tough as they come,” says

Whitman coach Derek Manon, who has coached state champions. “Some guys think: I’m wrestling a girl, so I’m gonna take it to her, I’m gonna beat her up. She’s wrestled some real tough kids—and she’s given them all they can handle and more.” Harriet isn’t sure what her own wrestling future holds. She’s applying to a number of colleges and hopes to major in psychology. Women’s college wrestling isn’t an NCAA sport, and it uses the international freestyle approach, not the American folkstyle approach that she prefers. The latter allows for her signature move, a reversal from being on the bottom.

“If I focus 100 percent on freestyle, I could probably become good in that,” Harriet says. But “it’s not the sport that I fell in love with.” She’s not sure how she’ll resolve the dilemma. “My life would be so different if wrestling wasn’t part of it,” she says. “If I stopped, I think I’d feel kind of lost. Wrestling is who I am.” n David Elfin is a Bethesda resident and author of seven books on Washington sports. He’s currently the Web columnist for Washington.cbslocal.com. To comment on this story, email comments@ bethesdamagazine.com.

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re• INVENTION By Amy Reinink

Rita Gendelman says her research skills come in handy in determining the provenance of items consigned to her shop.

Sell Theory Rita Gendelman glides through Rita G’s Chapter Two Boutique, moving easily among the Christian Louboutin pumps, Chanel scarves and other designer items on display in the highend consignment shop she owns in downtown Bethesda. “These,” she says, motioning to a pair of eggplant-colored leather boots that have caught the eye of a visitor, “these are cute.” Clad in a neutral-colored sweater with pearl buttons, a black pencil skirt and black Gucci pumps, Gendelman seems so

clearly in her element amid the Prada and Louis Vuitton that it’s hard to imagine she ever dreamed of doing anything else. But running the boutique is a second chapter for Gendelman, 58, who spent nearly 16 years as a cancer researcher at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda before she launched a career peddling high-end accessories and clothing. The daughter of two physicians who lived in Poland but moved the family to Sweden when she was 8, Gendelman always loved science, and planned to follow her parents into a career in the field.

As a teen, she also loved poring through Vogue and other fashion magazines. Her interest in high fashion blossomed while she studied chemistry, biology and immunology at Stockholm University in the late 1970s. Her study partner, a tall, lanky Swede named Kerstin, introduced Gendelman to accessories with labels such as Kenzo, Maud Frizon and Yves Saint Laurent. “Kerstin was very stylish, and she looked good in everything,” Gendelman says. “I was chubby, so I liked purses and shoes. Purses and shoes always fit.”

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A former cancer researcher’s fashion breakthrough

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Gendelman’s budget didn’t allow for many shoe and handbag purchases. Still, she loved wandering through high-end boutiques, and occasionally could afford a purse on sale by “eating popcorn for the next week,” she says. Gendelman earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Stockholm University, and then worked as a research assistant in tumor pathology and immunology at Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. In 1989, her work brought her to NIH, where she planned to spend three months researching HIV-associated Kaposi’s sarcoma and tumor-cell biology. That’s when she met James Altman, an intellectual property lawyer living in Washington, D.C. After Gendelman concluded her work at NIH, the couple conducted a long-distance romance before marrying in 1990. Gendelman returned to NIH to continue her research, and in the early 1990s, the couple moved to Bethesda and had two children, Jeremy and Debbie. When Debbie was 5, Gendelman began taking her to ballet classes in downtown Bethesda every Wednesday night. Left to entertain herself during the class, Gendelman would wander into Second Chance, a high-end consignment shop on Fairmont Avenue. She quickly formed a friendship with store owner Barbara Blesi, and the Wednesday night visits became routine. “We talked about fashion, and we talked ‘woman talk,’ ” Gendelman says. After her daughter quit ballet, Gendelman stopped frequenting the shop. But her love of high fashion continued, including a passion for kitten-heeled Manolo Blahniks, which she jokingly says she wore everywhere from the lab to her daughter’s soccer practice. She still believes that designer fashions shouldn’t be saved for special occasions. “If I don’t wear it, it’s just lying there,” she says. “If I don’t wear it, mold will eat

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it. So I wear it, even if I just go walking with the dog or work in the garden.” After Gendelman’s contract ended in 2005, she found herself home alone and bored; her kids were growing up and needed her less. Later that year, Gendelman ran into Blesi, who asked if she’d be interested in working at the consignment shop one or two days a week. Gendelman took the job, and within a few months was working three or four days a week. When Blesi died in 2010, Gendelman knew she wanted to continue selling high-end consignment items. Two years later she opened Rita G’s Chapter Two Boutique on Cordell Avenue. Gendelman quickly amassed an inventory of designer clothes, handbags, shoes and other accessories through word of mouth among friends, and she created a system that enables consignors to track their wares online. Though accessories make up most of her inventory, she carries a few racks of clothing that have included everything from a Marc Jacobs jacket-skirt combo for $895 to a Bottega Veneta cashmere sweater for $250. Gendelman says working for Blesi taught her how to interact with customers, and how to display her pieces. Scarves and handbags, for example, are arranged on antique tables with Tiffanyblue price tags. But her research skills have proved to be her best asset. “When a piece comes in, it’s my job to find out if it’s real, and to find out the story behind it—whether Tom Ford designed this piece when he worked at Gucci, or whatever,” she says. “In a previous life, I was doing my research sitting in a little room under a hood with my cells.” n Amy Reinink is a frequent contributor to the magazine who also writes for Runner’s World and other outdoor publications. To comment on this story, email comments@bethesdamagazine.com.

Special Advertising Section

Profiles

Financial Professionals

David B. Hurwitz, CFP®, CRPC®, CRPS® hilary Schwab

Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. See Profile page 73

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profiles | FINANCIAL PROFESSIONALS

Special Advertising Section

Bernard R. Wolfe & Associates, Inc.

Professional hockey taught me the importance of working as a team. This has been integrated into our culture at Bernard Wolfe & Associates.”

What type of client do you specialize in?

What is your investment approach?

We specialize in working with clients with a goals/needs-based focus. A good example would be an affluent individual making the transition from working years to retirement years. This individual may now need to generate income from his/her portfolio to cover expenses or advice on how to distribute 401(k) assets through retirement. We provide the objectivity.

We do not have a one-size-fits-all investment portfolio or proprietary products. Construction of our client’s portfolios is entirely based on their individual goals, objectives and risk tolerance. Generally speaking, we believe in “winning by not losing,” diversification and disciplined investing. We believe chasing market returns often ends in disappointment.

What do you find most satisfying about your job?

What is your professional and educational background?

We often receive postcards from vacationing retired clients with two words written: “Thank You!” They usually reach financial milestones by avoiding major investment pitfalls and remaining disciplined. This is easier said than done during tumultuous times. We consider ourselves professional hand holders who receive the greatest satisfaction when our clients reach their goals.

Those who have lived in the Washington, D.C. area for a while may remember me as a goalie for the Washington Capitals back in the ‘70s. I was also a finance major at Sir George Williams in Montreal and decided to start my own firm after retiring. Professional hockey taught me the importance of working as a team. This has been integrated into our culture at Bernard Wolfe & Associates. More specifically, it’s reflected in our flexible investment platform and communication with other professionals in our planning process.

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Special Advertising Section

Coliseum Wealth Management 6171 Executive Blvd., North Bethesda, MD 20852 301-468-2330 | info@coliseumwealth.com www.coliseumwealth.com

What makes you different than others in your profession? At Coliseum Wealth Management, we focus on client relationships – they are the foundation of our practice. Providing exceptional, reliable client service is our primary objective. We get to know our clients as people rather than defining them by their accounts. We get to know their dreams, their goals and what they hope to accomplish. With this understanding, we can make recommendations truly suited to their needs. While many speak of a personalized approach, at Coliseum Wealth Management, the client experience is the foundation of our operations, our processes and our relationships.

What is your investment approach?

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Our comprehensive process includes investment allocation, as well as tax planning, risk management and estate planning. We approach asset allocation from an outcome-oriented standpoint rather than a product-based one. Rather than focus on the traditional mix of stocks and bonds, we evaluate allocation based on “return-generating assets” and “risk-managing assets.” We complement return-generating assets intended for long-term growth with risk-managing ones intended for financial safety, as well as asset and liability matching. By diversifying risk in this way, portfolios are less tied to the risk of any one market, thereby reducing overall volatility. While we can never predict the market, we strive to achieve equity-like returns with a lower risk profile.

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“

We get to know our clients as people rather than defining them by their accounts.”

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profiles | FINANCIAL PROFESSIONALS

Special Advertising Section

Edward Geoffrey Sella, CPA/ PFS, CFP® /President / CEO SPC Financial, Inc. Nationally Recognized Among *Barron’s 2013/2012/2009 “TOP 100 INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISORS” & ** Financial Times 2013 FT/400 “TOP FINANCIAL ADVISORS”

*Barron’s 2013 / “Top 100 Independent Financial Advisors” acknowledged Edward Geoffrey Sella as one of America’s leading “Top 100 Independent Financial Advisors” in the country, among (one of three) recognized in the State Of Maryland). The National ranking of distinguished financial advisors was produced by Barron’s after conducting extensive research, surveys and interviews weighing factors such as assets under management, revenues generated for advisor’s firms and overall quality of practice. ** FT 400 "Top Financial Advisors" Recognized Edward Geoffrey Sella as one of the Top Investment Management “Elite” within one of 32 qualifying states selected within the US, including Washington, DC. The “FT 400” list was based in large part on data gathered from and verified by broker-dealer home offices and reflected each advisors’ performance in six primary areas: assets under management, asset growth, compliance record, experience, credentials and accessibility.

Top Row: L-R: Jos Mount, Patrick Mc President and CEO CFP® / CERTIFIED

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Special Advertising Section

profiles | FINANCIAL PROFESSIONALS

SPC Financial, Inc. / Our Financial Team & Associates

“

As prestigious as this national recognition is, the most rewarding aspect of my success has been watching my long-term investment family/clients reach their lifetime financial goals.”

What is the highest level of financial achievement you have accomplished throughout your 30 years of financial service to your industry?

the “ultimate” financial reward and personal achievement for me.

What makes your firm different from other advisory practices?

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SPC Financial, Inc. is one of the oldest “Tax – Integrated” Wealth Having been nationally recognized with numerous awards over Management and Financial Planning firms in the country. Our advithe years, three times named (2013/2012 & 2009) by Barron’s, sors have been integrating tax planning into wealth management The Dow Jones Business Financial Weekly, as one of America’s portfolios for over four decades. We believe that being cross-trained leading Top 100 Independent Financial Advisors within the country, in these areas separate us from most advisors. Although there are and being ranked by the Financial Times in their (2013) inaugural many skilled planners in our industry, there is a small, specialized “elite” listing, were two of the highest honors that I have received. group of independent financial advisors that are (CPA & CFP®) As T.prestigious as this national recognition is, thePamela most rewarding Top Row: L-R: Joshua Hatfield Smith, Jennifer Meyer, Leo Martinic, Mudd, Timothy J. aspect Arthur of my success been Bottom watching myL-R: long-term investment Mount, Patrick McGonigle, Stein, Loishas Weaver. Row: E. Geoffrey Sella, CPA / trained PFS, CFPin®,risk management, investments and “tax integration.” President and CEO of SPC Financial, Inc.,their Matthew Gilchrist, Mariann family/clients reach lifetime financial goals.Miller, Mark R. Zabst. Throughout my financial career, I have integrated my tax knowlFinancial Advice Provided By SPC Financial, Inc. CFP® / CERTIFIED FINANCIAL TM Professional edge and PLANNER wealth management expertise to assist clients in designhttp://www.advisorsquare.com/new/SPCFINANCIAL/pdf/OurTributePortfolio-Industrying and paving their financial pathways, while helping to illuminate their financial destinations…whether it be funding the college edu- Sella-September2013.pdf?advisorid=350051 Tax services and analysis is provided by the related firm Sella & Martinic, LLC cation for their children, achieving their retirement goals, planning through a separate engagement letter with clients. Sella & Martinic, LLC is indepentheir legacies and/or assisting with life changing financial events. dent of RJFS. Securities Offered Through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Helping them reach these successful financial milestones has been Member FINRA/SIPC. RJFS does not provide tax advice. BethesdaMagazine.com | January/February 2014 69

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Special Advertising Section

Christopher N. Brown, MBA, CFP®, AIF® Ivy League Financial Advisors LLC

“

11 N. Washington Street, Suite 250, Rockville, MD 20850 301-258-1300 | info@ivyfa.com www.ivyfa.com

Left to Right: Kristin Bushong, Christopher N. Brown, MBA, CFP®, AIF®, and Lisa Crivella

What makes your client experience unique? We ask an important question of our new clients: “So tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” It gets to the heart of our mission at Ivy League Financial Advisors LLC—helping our clients achieve their life goals through the proper management of their financial resources. Good financial planning is about much more than managing your investments. It’s about pulling all the pieces together—retirement planning, estate planning, insurance needs, college funding and charitable giving—along with investment management, to provide a personalized roadmap for achieving your objectives. Our business model is based on the fiduciary standards of loyalty, due care, full disclosure and utmost good faith to our

clients. We can fulfill these standards because we are Fee-Only financial advisors. Since our firm’s inception over 14 years ago, our clients have been our sole source of compensation—we’ve never accepted one dollar from sales commissions or referral fees. This approach allows us to provide objective advice to all aspects of our clients’ financial lives without the conflicts of interest inherent in the products and services provided by traditional, commissionbased brokerage firms. We recognize that each client is unique and deserves to have a solution customized to his or her individual needs. We invite you to call us to schedule a complimentary initial consultation to see if we are the right fit for you. We are conveniently located in Rockville Town Center, with easy access to I-270, Rockville Pike and the Metro.

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Since our firm’s inception over 14 years ago, our clients have been our sole source of compensation—we’ve never accepted one dollar from sales commissions or referral fees.”

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Special Advertising Section

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Team Mark Puccini | Complex Manager 7272 Wisconsin Ave., 4th Floor, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-657-6300 Sheri Wright | Branch Manager 7500 Old Georgetown Road, 10th Floor Bethesda, MD 20814 301-961-1819 Jeff Gonyo | Branch Manager 702 King Farm Blvd., #500 Rockville, MD 20850 301-556-2300

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profiles | FINANCIAL PROFESSIONALS

What is the one thing that your clients should know about you? When you’ve spent a lifetime pursuing the goal of financial success, choosing the right Financial Advisor can be critical. The Central Maryland complex of Morgan Stanley consists of 168 Financial Advisors and a support team of 115 professional associates managing more than $20 billion of client assets in 5 offices covering Montgomery and Frederick Counties as of November 2013. Many accomplished individuals and their families — as well as corporations, foundations and endowments — have made the same choice: Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors who are as devoted to your goals as you are.

What makes your client experience distinct? Your investments aren’t just about your money. They are also about your hard work, your dreams, your aspirations, your family and your future. Our Financial Advisors are committed to understanding you, your needs and your objectives. Together, we’ll help you create a financial strategy that addresses short-term and long-term goals.

“

Our advisors are here to help you make smart choices about how you save, spend, invest, borrow and give.”

Then, at every turn, we’ll be here for you— advising and adjusting strategies along the way. After all, this is about more than your money—it’s about your life.

What makes you different than others in your profession? Intelligence, skill and hard work aren’t always enough to achieve success. In your own experience, you’ve likely taken advice that has changed your course. Our advisors are here to help you make smart choices about how you save, spend, invest, borrow and give. You can discover the Morgan Stanley difference for yourself by calling us to connect with a Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor suited to your needs and preferences. Let us work for you.

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Special Advertising Section

Marcy L. Maycock, CFP®, CRPC® Capitol Financial Planning, Inc. 240-505-0155 | mmaycock@msfsolutions.com

What is the one thing that your clients should know about you? As a registered investment advisor, clients can expect better advice and counseling in managing their assets. There is more transparency in putting my clients’ interests first as a fiduciary, with far more focus on planning and strategy. I believe this is the future of our industry, as this will give you a better view of your investments.

I’ve started and managed two successful companies and worked for ABC-TV News for 22 years. I have been married, divorced, a single mom, remarried, blended families, bought and sold several homes and properties, taken care of an aging parent – you name it, I’m ready for it! I’m empathetic to my clients because I can relate to their life and business experiences. Life is about being prepared and making sure you make the best of it. All investment advisory services offered through Main Street Financial Solutions, an SEC Registered Investment Advisory firm

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What makes you different than others in your profession?

Joshua Halpern, CFP®, ChFC, CLU, CRPC® Registered Principal Raymond James Financial Services Inc. 1688 East Gude Drive, Suite 304, Rockville, MD 20850 240-744-7125 | josh.halpern@raymondjames.com www.raymondjames.com/joshhalpern Member FINRA/SIPC

Who is your typical client? I work with the “average” successful professional. My services are not focused on those who own personal jets or mega yachts. Most clients I see are worried about preserving wealth, maintaining their lifestyle and doing good with the resources they have accumulated.

Like most investment professionals, I help clients achieve financial goals by reviewing “the numbers,” but unlike many, I believe that investor psychology is as important as the quantifiable facts. Understanding that individuals are hard-wired to follow the herd to hot investments, or circle the wagons when times get tough, helps me guide clients through the complexities of their financial plan. The process is very collaborative. We jointly agree on a strategy before implementation. Comprehensive planning and up-front communication go far in smoothing out the inevitable bumps in the long road to achieving your financial objectives.

hilary schwab

What makes your client experience unique?

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Special Advertising Section

profiles | FINANCIAL PROFESSIONALS

David B. Hurwitz, CFP®, CRPC®, CRPS® Private Wealth Advisor Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. 6400 Goldsboro Road, Suite 550, Bethesda, MD 20817 301-263-8509 | www.davidbhurwitz.com david.b.hurwitz@ampf.com

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— $5,000,000. 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.

Hilary Schwab

What makes you different than others in your profession? I believe I have a unique ability to present information to clients in a way that they can easily understand and that allows them to confidently take action. I carefully listen to their specific issues and concerns and recommend solutions tailored to their goals and preferences. I take a comprehensive approach to financial planning and have an ongoing service model to help ensure I am adapting to the changing needs of my clients and the market. Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA & SIPC.

Nick Pakulla, Loan Officer First Place Bank—a subsidiary of Talmer Bancorp, Inc. 15400 Calhoun Drive, Suite 170, Rockville, MD 20855 301-585-7283 | NPakulla@fpfc.net | www.nickhomeloan.com NMLS #728211

How would your clients describe you? Often my clients think that the loan process is so easy with me that there must be something wrong. But I just work hard to make it painless by getting the paperwork up front and paying close attention to detail. I work at a small community bank that handles absolutely everything in our Rockville office. That means your loan is handled with the utmost efficiency. While settlements are notorious for being delayed, my clients would say, “You should’ve called Nick.”

mike olliver

What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? I enjoy reviewing loan options with clients and, ultimately, knowing that they are in the absolute best loan for the time they anticipate owning the property as well as their long-term financial goals. Agents and lenders go through this process repeatedly; it’s important not to lose sight of the fact that this is often the largest purchase a family will make. BethesdaMagazine.com | January/February 2014 73

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Special Advertising Section

John Beck, Tom Olin & Homer Hervey OBA Bank 5229 River Road, Bethesda, MD 20816 301-986-9670 | hhervey@obabank.com tolin@obabank.com | www.obabank.com

As local bankers, our goal is to serve and improve communities where we live and work. OBA Bank enjoys helping local business owners and investors, whether the request is for an acquisition or refinance of income producing property, or redevelopment of residential properties within our neighborhoods. John and Homer are forging new relationships daily with new deposit and lending products. Tom enjoys providing the financing needed to improve residential communities, and this, in turn, produces a new home for a new family in a great neighborhood. We do truly care about our customers—you’re our neighbor, you’re on the PTA at our kids’ schools, you’re members of our church and you’re the small business owner thriving in Bethesda. OBA has been part of this community for 153 years, and always ready to serve our customers. We’ll see you around town.

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What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?

What makes you different than others in your profession?

Brian W. Thoms, CFP®, CRPC®, Private Wealth Advisor Leonard L. Lupica II, CRPC®, Platinum Financial Advisor Thoms, Lupica and Associates A financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. 7500 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 1200, Bethesda, MD 20814 Leonard.l.lupica@ampf.com | www.thomslupicaandassociates.com

What makes your client experience unique? We’re not just formulating the plan, but assisting in implementing and tracking progress along the way. We meet three to four times a year with clients, not including social events and dinners. And if a client needs something quickly, our team takes tremendous pride in our responsiveness.

hilary schwab

Back L-R: David Voorhees, Financial Advisor; Crystal Rivers, Registered Support Assistant; Christopher McGavisk, Financial Advisor; Jeffery McCloskey, Financial Advisor; Front L-R: Brian W. Thoms, Private Wealth Advisor and Leonard L Lupica II, Platinum Financial Advisor

The number one thing most of our clients look for is responsiveness. Formulating your financial plan is just the beginning. Managing the plan is an ongoing, collaborative experience, and I believe in regularly checking in with clients to ensure we’re tracking progress and making adjustments, if necessary. We specialize in retirement planning for federal employees and companies unique to the D.C. area. Having intimate knowledge of your benefits is a great starting point when formulating your personalized financial plan, specifically in determining whether or not you’re on track to retire.

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Special Advertising Section

Nathan Gendelman, President and Director of Investments The Family Firm 8120 Woodmont Ave., Suite 630, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-656-3999 | ngendelman@familyfirm.com www.familyfirm.com

“

Our firm is built on long-term relationships with clients and, in time, their families.”

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What piece of advice do you most frequently get asked and what’s your answer? For much of this year, the stock market has risen despite generally mediocre developments in the economy and political space. But our advice is not to base investment decisions on the news of the day. It’s quite common for stock prices to move independently of current economic statistics such as GDP or unemployment. Actually, the correlation of “news” and stock prices is quite low. Markets look forward, never backwards. Decisions whether to sell or not should be based on an individual’s own investment plan and strategy. Certainly it makes sense to review that allocation in light of the stock market gains – both this year and since 2009. But any decision to buy, sell or hold should not be based on economic statistics or emotional reaction to current events.

What makes your client experience unique? Every client has a professional team of two CFPs plus the firm’s Director of Investments. A paraplanner and other support also contribute to client service. This extraordinary level of expertise allows us to perform not only the traditional reviews of retirement, estate, insurance and tax planning in concert with an investment plan, it also facilitates deep understanding of the client’s unique circumstances and needs. Our firm is built on long-term relationships with clients and, in time, their families.

What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? Working with a client to develop a realistic, achievable roadmap to financial success. At that point, we develop—and implement on their behalf—a customized investment strategy that becomes part of their overall strategic plan for success. BethesdaMagazine.com | January/February 2014 75

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Be amazed with the difference the LED Diet can make in the appearance of your home and the size of your energy bills.

Mention promo code BM0102, and your first home visit is FREE!

a $29.99 value

Your personal LED Dietitian will come to you for a home lighting analysis, showing you a variety of styles and options, from a few bulbs and fixtures in one room to a brilliant whole-home makeover. Schedule your in-home consultation today online by visiting www.theLEDdiet.com, or call us at 301-656-2548 to speak with your personal LED Dietitian.

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We’ve picked our favorites— and so have readers who voted online—for our annual

“Best of Bethesda,” in categories ranging from “Friendliest Bartender” to “Best New Restaurant,” from “Most Unusual School Art typography photo effects by jesse lenz

Show” to “Best Communal Experience.”

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editors’ Picks best food & drink

Dim Sum Brunch

A&J Restaurant

Macarons

Tout de Sweet Bored by cupcakes and craving something daintier than a doughnut? French macarons are the answer. And baker-owner Jerome Colin at Tout de Sweet handcrafts the classic Parisian desserts with particularly artful aplomb. The meringues are featherweight, while the sweet spreads inside pop with flavor. About a dozen Instagram-worthy options are attractively arrayed in the glassencased counter every day ($1.50 each). You can never go wrong with standards like mmm-mmm-good salted caramel or tangy lemon, but you really should indulge in limited-time-only offerings. Our favorites are the cinnamon gianduja with a chocolate-hazelnut core and autumnally spiced pumpkin. Très magnifique! 7831 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, 301-9510474, www.toutdesweetshop.com

1319-C Rockville Pike, Rockville, 301-251-7878, aj-restaurant.com

Chopped pecans top the Seven Sisters breakfast treat.

Sugar Rush for Breakfast

Seven Sisters at Woodmoor Pastry Shop The Seven Sisters at Woodmoor Pastry Shop in Silver Spring has nothing to do with higher education, though it will definitely raise your blood sugar scores. Half a dozen cinnamon buns encircle a single bun in the center. A sweet, sticky glaze made with honey, brown sugar and, of course, plenty of butter binds them all together. Chopped pecans add a little crunch and allow you to tell yourself, “This has to be healthy, it has nuts in it.” Trust us: Don’t try that line with your dietitian. Instead, simply luxuriate in the decadence of this finger-licking-good breakfast treat ($7.99). Chinese churros at A&J Restaurant are best dipped in warm, sweetened soy milk.

10127 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, 301-593-7667, woodmoorpastryshop.biz

Restroom Break Range

If the food weren’t such a major draw, you might be tempted to linger in the lovely restrooms at Range, the Friendship Heights restaurant opened by former Top Chef finalist Bryan Voltaggio last year. They feature sliding-glass doors at the entry, subdued lighting and a hushed atmosphere. You’d think you were entering a serene spa—although here the individual dark-wood doors provide privacy for toilets rather than massage tables. Crackled, graphite-colored bubble tiles line the walls, with a center band of small, silvery glass mosaic. Sunken, clear glass sinks, marble-edge mirrors and a drop ceiling add to the soothing environment. And en route to the restrooms, you can admire the restaurant’s decoratively stored and extensive selection of bottled wines. Restrooms at Range

5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 201 (inside Chevy Chase Pavilion), 202-803-8020, www.voltrange.com

range bathroom, dim sum brunch, pastry photos by heather victoria; macarons courtesy of tout de sweet

Tout de Sweet’s rainbow of macarons

A&J Restaurant may be a tiny, one-room affair, but it turns out Northern Chinese dim sum with big, bold flavors. On weekend mornings, there’s often a line outside the cash-only eatery, which is wedged into the bottom level of a strip mall on Rockville Pike. The place is well worth the wait. When you get a seat, immediately order the fried pork dumplings ($6.95). They’re so juicy on the inside that you’ll want to have a second napkin handy. Definitely don’t miss the dan dan mien ($4.95)—wide noodles tossed with spicy sesame sauce and crushed peanuts. And to finish: Chinese churros ($1.65)—simple sticks of unadorned fried dough, best dipped in a bowl of warm, sweetened soy milk.

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Communal Experience

“Dirty Dinners” at Calleva It’s a warm summer night and 120 people are eating dinner outdoors at long, communal tables on a farm. The food and wine are locally sourced, and a bluegrass band plays the night away. Welcome to “Dirty Dinners” at Calleva Farm in Dickerson. Several times each summer, Calleva holds the farm-to-table dinners in a field or a barn on the 165-acre farm run by brothers Nick, Alex and Matt Markoff. The working farm is also home to well-regarded camps and a Haunted Forest around Halloween. The food is prepared by the camp chef, and the meat and produce are from Calleva or other local farms. The servers are all farm or camp employees. “We want people to eat in the field, where the food comes from,” says Julie Clendenin, the former Calleva marketing director who organized the dinners in 2013. Ticket prices last summer ran $125 a person—not cheap, but a great way to commune with nature, and with others. Calleva Farm, 19120 Martinsburg Road, Dickerson, 301-216-1248, www.calleva.org/content/dirty-dinners

Range’s “Mother-in-Law” comes pre-mixed in a tiny bottle.

Cocktail

calleva dinner photo by Chris knowles; jackie’s courtesy photo; cocktail by heather victoria

The “Mother-in-Law” at Range Like its namesake, this cocktail is perhaps best enjoyed in small doses. Basing it on an 1890s recipe from New Orleans, Range beverage director Owen Thomson perfectly augments Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond bourbon with maraschino, bitters and curacao for a concoction that’s not as sweet as you might think. Then he gives the presentation a special twist. Spearheading the new trend of pre-mixing and bottling cocktails, the Friendship Heights restaurant sends the “Mother-in-Law” to your table in a diminutive glass bottle that looks like it’s straight out of a 19th-century apothecary shop, complete with a homespun label affixed with twine. “The drink was originally made in a decanter in advance, which is why we serve it in the small glass bottles,” Thomson says. Just pour the concoction over the mammoth cube of ice in your cocktail glass and enjoy. But don’t say we didn’t warn you—these beauties, which will set you back $12, pack a punch!

Diners enjoy locally sourced food and wine at Calleva Farm’s “Dirty Dinners.”

Restaurant Seating

Jackie’s Restaurant Where else in Montgomery County can you sit on hot-pink cushions at a former auto parts garage while eating local salt-roasted bone marrow? Aside from the inventive, modern American cuisine, a large part of what makes Jackie’s Restaurant so funky and unique is its 1960s go-go décor, notably displayed in the seating. That includes booths with vivid pink cushions and brightly colored, vintage fabric backs, canary-yellow and carnation-pink chairs, plus banquettes bolstered with vibrant, patterned pillows. What makes the seating even more appealing is that it’s actually comfortable. This is a place where you can really sit back and relax. 8081 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, 301-565-9700, www.jackiesrestaurant.com

1960s go-go décor at Jackie’s Restaurant

Range, 5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 201, Washington, D.C., 202-803-8020, www.voltrange.com

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editors’ Picks best food & drink

Pizzeria da Marco’s Angela de Rosa

restaurant dÉcor

100 Montaditos When the Spanish-based chain 100 Montaditos gutted the former Green Papaya space on Elm Street in downtown Bethesda last year, it painted the walls a deep salmon and hung nearly 600 photographs. Framed in antique gold or wood, the black-and-white pictures depict street scenes, buildings and people from modern and yesteryear Cadiz, a port city in southwestern Spain. Founded in 2000, the chain took its inspiration from 19th-century Spanish taverns such as those in Cadiz. The jam-packed, wall-to-wall photos are the signature décor for the international sandwich shop, which has more than 300 locations in Spain, Portugal, Andorra, Colombia, Mexico, Italy, Florida and now Maryland (and at press time, it was considering expanding to other U.S. locales). Though the photos aren’t individually that eye-catching, the total effect is mesmerizing. Not unlike the humongous menu, which lists 100 different varieties of the small sandwiches known as montaditos. 4922 Elm St., Bethesda, 240-396-6897, www.us.100montaditos.com/home

Beer Savant

David Birks David Birks loves beer. He loves to read about it, talk about it, try different kinds and give advice on the subject. So it’s a good thing that he gets to do all of that as the general manager of Beer Wine & Co in Chevy Chase. In the two years since the store opened, Birks, 33, estimates that he has tasted nearly 1,000 different beers. (He recently tasted a peanut-butter-and-jelly beer at a beer show in Colorado.) From those, Birks has selected the 550 or so beers that are carried in the store. How knowledgeable is he? The North Bethesda resident says if he were blindfolded he believes he would still be able to identify the type and brand of most of those beers. Beer Wine & Co., 7029 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, 301-951-0100, beerwineandco.com

Beer Wine & Co.’s David Birks knows his brews.

Friendliest Bartender Angela de Rosa

When you’re ready to leave the bar at Bethesda’s Pizzeria da Marco, you’ll get more than a check from bartender Angela de Rosa—you’ll frequently get a hug. “She’s always friendly and she almost makes it a familial experience,” says John Ake, a regular customer from Bethesda. “She remembers what you like and don’t like.” Though born in the United States, de Rosa, 35, moved to Italy when she was 6. She came to Bethesda in 2010 and has been working at Pizzeria da Marco for two and a half years. Although she usually works the bar alone, she seems to make time to talk with all the patrons. “Since when I was little, I’ve always been positive and friendly,” she says in a heavy Italian accent. “I like to talk with people. I’m not an office person.” Patron Miguel Salazar of Bethesda likes seeing “an Italian bartender in an Italian restaurant. She’s just super nice to everyone.” De Rosa, who co-owned four bars in Puglia, Italy, before moving here, says there’s one big difference between Italian and American patrons. “Italians stay all night,” she says. “Americans are in more of a hurry.” Pizzeria da Marco, 8008 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, 301-654-6083, www.pizzeriadamarco.net

100 montaditos photo by heather victoria; david Birks and angela de rosa photos by amy moore

Nearly 600 photos cover the walls at 100 Montaditos in Bethesda.

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Readers’ Pick, Best Cosmetic Surgeon, 2011

“We have a commitment to Specialization.”

“

- Dr. Jessica Kulak, MD, and Dr. Shervin Naderi, MD, FACS

”

Greater Washington DC area’s most specialized Cosmetic Surgery practice

Dr. Naderi is affectionately known by his Plastic Surgeon colleagues as “The Nose Man!” Some of the top plastic surgeons in the DC area and around the country refer complex Rhinoplasty cases to Dr. Naderi. In fact nearly 100% of his surgical practice is dedicated exclusively to Rhinoplasty while he is also a Clinical Instructor for teaching Botox and Filler injections to other doctors and nurses. Dr. Kulak is a skilled Facial Plastic Surgeon with a practice dedicated near exclusively to “rejuvenation of the aging face” using minimally invasive injections, peels and laser techniques as well as definitive surgical options like Face & Neck lifts, Eyelid & Brow lifts. Dr. Kulak is known for her natural results without a “plastic look.” She is dedicated to the face and does not do any breast or body work.

specialization matters!

THE NADERI CENTER | RHINoplAsTy & CosmETIC suRgERy Chevy Chase 301-222-2020 | Herndon 703-481-0002 | www.NaderiCenter.com

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editors’ Picks best around town

Treasure-hunters often browse the stacks at Stone Ridge.

At Yellowhale, it’s all about capturing the essence of a subject.

Children’s Photographer

Yellowhale Photography

Yellowhale Photography, 10130 Falls Road, Potomac, 202-870-6773, www.yellowhale.com

Most Unusual School Art Show Food Art Contest at Walter Johnson High School

An edible porcupine

Would last night’s spaghetti have inspired Picasso? Maybe not. But leftovers—or anything edible found in the fridge or kitchen cabinets—are fair game for students and staff creating sculptures for the annual Food Art Contest at Walter Johnson High School. The art and design department’s December competition, first held in 2004, aims to get contestants thinking outside the box. More than 40 students and staff sink their teeth into the challenge each year, with entries ranging from pretzel-stick furniture to jelly-bean mosaics to an all-vegetable Hobbit house with a roof made of dill. Entries are displayed in a hallway and judged by other staffers in categories ranging from “best use of materials” to “most disgusting.” Winners receive bragging rights. Lest anyone fret about wasted food, the contest is combined with a food drive to benefit Manna Food Center in Gaithersburg. And of course some entries—mostly those made of sweets—go straight into contestants’ mouths after judging.

School Book Sale

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart Most people probably would scoff at camping out for a used-book sale. But then again, those people probably haven’t heard of the legendary annual sale at Bethesda’s Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart. The four-day sale—which will be held April 11-14 this year—draws hundreds of book lovers, from recreational readers to book dealers looking for inexpensive stock for their own businesses. And typically about 40 people end up staking out a spot in line outside the gates the afternoon before the Friday morning opening. Their goal: first dibs on the 150,000 donated books stacked on tables in the private school’s three gymnasiums. Veterans of the sale, held since 1968, know there could be treasure hidden in those stacks—donations often include valuable estate collections and signed limited editions—while bargain hunters wait for the final day, when they can fill a paper bag with leftovers for $10. 9101 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, 301-6574322, www.stoneridgeschool.org

yellowhale photography courtesy photo; food art courtesy of walter johnson High school; book sale courtesy of stone ridge

Kyung Jung, owner of Yellowhale Photography, captures more than a child’s smile in her portraits. She finds the thoughtful or silly aspects of a personality that often only a parent sees. Kyung started Yellowhale nearly a decade ago after the first of her two sons was born. At the time, she felt as many new mothers do—that none of the professional photos she sent to relatives (who were living in South Korea and unable to visit often) caught the essence of her child. So Kyung got serious about professional photography, acquiring top-notch equipment and training, and soon she was being hired to take photos for others. To date, she has snapped memories for about 500 local clients. Today, she shoots individual or family portraits in Yellowhale’s immaculate white studio in Potomac, outdoors or at a client’s home. Kyung also will work with clients to design and display the portraits, in some cases even coming to their homes to hang them. Rates start at $250 per sitting.

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editors’ Picks best around town

Shop for the Herbalist

Village Green Apothecary offers in-house nutritionists, wellness counselors and pharmacists.

Village Green Apothecary

Environmentally Conscious Architects Meditch Murphey

Some architecture firms specialize in high-design, modern homes; others focus on green, sustainable buildings. Meditch Murphey Architects excels at both. Founded in 2002 by the husbandand-wife team of John Murphey and Marcie Meditch, MMA designs homes that incorporate solar panels, recycledcontent materials and high-efficiency mechanical systems. But its projects are far from granola crunchy, winning praise from Custom Home magazine, McGraw Hill Construction and the Northern Virginia AIA. “We feel that green building is just one component of good architecture,” Murphey says. “So we see to it that sustainability is addressed and integrated into the design, but then move into other areas like how does this building work, look and feel.” Murphey and Meditch don’t just talk the talk—they live it. They recently built their own über-green home in Chevy Chase. 4002 Underwood St., Chevy Chase, 301-657-9400, meditchmurphey.com

5415 W. Cedar Lane, Bethesda, 301-530-0800, www.myvillagegreen.com

Car Wash with a Conscience Eco Detail

We go to Whole Foods to buy “natural” foods and products—so why not get an eco-friendly car wash while we’re shopping? We like to do just that in the Chevy Chase store’s parking garage, where Eco Detail says it uses steam and biodegradable, pet-friendly Eco Detail owner products to hand-clean cars. Dimitrios Vergitis Dimitrios Vergitis, 48, is the man behind the concept. Born in Greece, Vergitis was a philosophy and theology professor who spent years in South Africa, where he was struck by how little water people there consumed (typically 5 gallons a day for an entire family). When he moved to the United States four years ago, he noted that “a typical car wash uses 80 gallons of water [per car] a day,” he says. “I think that’s a sin!” With seven employees, Eco Detail offers a “basic detail” (steam hand-wash, tire shine, windows, mirrors and vacuum) for $41 to $63, depending on vehicle size. North Bethesda’s Michelle Newberry brought her Tesla Roadster the day we visited. “I bring my cars nowhere else,” she says. The Shops at Wisconsin Place, Garage P-3 (below Whole Foods and Bloomingdale’s), 5307 Friendship Blvd., Chevy Chase (other Montgomery County locations and mobile service available), 301-502-9619, www.ecodetailmobile.com

meditch murphey courtesy photo; apothecary photo by heather victoria; eco detail photo by amy moore

A home designed by Meditch Murphey

It’s clear from the number of customers inside Village Green Apothecary that we’re not the only ones who like to frequent this 49-year-old Bethesda institution. The buzz of conversation fills the air as longtime staffers and customers chat in the aisles. The bustling shop provides everything from in-house nutritionists and wellness counselors to pharmacists (who make custom-blended medications as well as fill standard prescriptions) to an array of natural beauty potions and supplements. All of that makes it a must-stop for seekers of good health. We especially love browsing through the latest herbal remedies, vitamins and skin care products—from old-fashioned Thayer’s witch hazel to the locally made Skincando. The good news is the shop discounts most items—and it will deliver, too.

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Introducing The Sir Finley

WASHINGTON, DC

MARYLAND

FOXHALL SQUARE (MAIN OFFICE) Voorthuis Opticians Inc. 3301 New Mexico Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016 Phone: 202-363-5087

WILDWOOD Voorthuis Opticians Inc. 10231 Old Georgetown Rd Bethesda, MD 20814 Phone: 301-530-6266

WESTWOOD Voorthuis Opticians Inc. 5442 Westbard Avenue Bethesda, MD 20816 Phone: 301-652-6490

MAZZA GALLERIE Voorthuis Opticians Inc. 5300 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20015 Phone: 202-244-7114

MONTGOMERY MALL Voorthuis Opticians Inc. 7101 Democracy Boulevard Bethesda, MD 20817 Phone: 301-469-9058

BRADLEY SHOPPING CENTER OPENING DECEMBER 2, 2013 Voorthuis Opticians Inc. 6912 Arlington Rd. Bethesda, MD 20814 Phone: 301-718-9300

CONNECTICUT AVENUE Voorthuis Opticians Inc. 1035 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20036 Phone: 202-833-9455

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VIRGINIA OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA Dr. Voorthuis, O.D. and Associates, P.C. 530 King Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: 703-683-3822

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editors’ Picks best around town Orthopedic Surgeon for Runners Dr. Dan Pereles

Montgomery Orthopaedics, 10400 Connecticut Ave., Kensington, 301-9498100, www.montgomeryorthopaedics.com

Kensington orthopedist Dan Pereles helps runners stay on track.

Theater for a Cultural Experience (tie)

AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center Avalon Theatre What could be better than sipping Chardonnay in a plush seat while enjoying an intriguing Swedish murder mystery? Those of us who love watching movies on the silver screen are fortunate to have two upscale options: AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring and the Avalon Theatre near Chevy Chase Circle in Washington, D.C. Both are historic cinemas that have been restored to create a first-class experience. At AFI, three comfortable theaters offer an eclectic movie selection, and the concession stand sells wine and beer to provide filmgoers with a civilized night at the movies (mostly minus texting teens). Marquee films are shown in the huge, original space, restored to its 1938 splendor, while independent films tend to screen in the smaller, more intimate theaters. With film fests year-round that occasionally attract top stars and directors walking the red carpet—and with plenty of public parking nearby for the hoi polloi—the AFI is a top-rate scene-stealer. Certainly the Avalon gives AFI a run for its money, however. The neighborhood theater, which first opened in 1923, nearly became a symbol of a bygone era when its owners declared bankruptcy and closed the doors in 2001. But neighbors, local foundations and the D.C. government banded together, preserving a gem that has offered first-run commercial movies and independent and foreign films in two theaters since 2003. No time for dinner before a show? Stop by the Avalon Theatre Café to pick up a glass of wine and a homemade pastry or specialty sandwich before heading in. General admission tickets are $12 at AFI and $11.50 at the Avalon. AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, 301-495-6700, www.afi.com/silver; Avalon Theatre, 5612 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-966-3464, www. theavalon.org

Used Bookstore Rockville’s Friends of the Library The friendly smell of musty paper greets you as you stroll into Rockville’s Friends of the Library Bookstore. The wide, well-organized aisles are packed with gently used hardbacks and softcovers spanning the Dewey Decimal System. From sci-fi and self-help to poetry and politics and comic books and cookbooks, there’s something for everyone here. The extensive children’s section brims with offerings for younger bibliophiles, whether they’re learning their ABCs or wanting to devour the Hunger Games trilogy. Not in the mood for a good read? There are plenty of movies, CDs, video games, vintage postcards, board games and classic records to flip through. Best of all, proceeds from your purchases help fund Montgomery County public libraries. 4886 Boiling Brook Parkway, Rockville, 301-984-3300, www.folmc.org/bookstores

dan pereles photo by amy moore; theatER photos are courtesy

Dr. Dan Pereles’ exam room walls are plastered with sports-medicine articles he has written as a medical consultant to Runner’s World, along with photos of him participating in local triathlons and marathons. Runners don’t need to read up on the Kensington orthopedist, though, to know that Pereles is the one to see when they have a problem. Patients are likely to leave an appointment not only with a treatment plan for their injury, but with an amended training regimen to allow them to stay on track for an upcoming race. All of that, plus a quirky, high-energy personality, has earned Pereles—a Winston Churchill High School alum who attended the University of Pennsylvania for undergrad and med school—a cultlike following among recreational athletes. They know he’s as eager to see them get back to their regular activities as they are.

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editors’ Picks best around town

Shop for Scandinavian Country Charm Tone on Tone

Scandinavians are the happiest people on the planet, according to a United Nations report that came out earlier this year. We’re not suggesting a cause-and-effect relationship here, but we have noticed that Scandinavian furnishings can be quite serene. (Just saying…) Loi Thai and Thomas Troeschel were clued in to that long before us, however. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Tone on Tone, the partners’ downtown Bethesda store that specializes in 18th- and 19th-century Scandinavian antiques. Several times a year, the partners import classic, clean-lined pieces with casual painted finishes to fill their peaceful, light-filled shop. Step inside and you’ll find a respite from the construction chaos of downtown Bethesda—and a place to fantasize about that country home you’ve always wanted to own. There are chests of drawers, seating, mirrors and garden accessories, as well as Mora clocks, one of the hallmarks of Swedish furniture. The store draws a variety of customers,

Tone on Tone features Scandinavian décor.

from locals to visiting dignitaries. Even former first lady Laura Bush has shopped here. “Bethesda is the perfect fit for us,” Thai says. “Like our store, it’s stylish without being fussy.” 7920 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, 240-497-0800, tone-on-tone.com

Place to People-Watch in Bethesda When Bethesda Lane opened in 2008, it quickly replaced the fountain in front of Barnes & Noble as the best place for people-watching in Bethesda. The pedestrian-only, cobblestone lane draws large crowds to the shops and numerous restaurants and cafés. In warm weather, you can sit outside at Redwood, Le Pain Quotidien or Luke’s Lobster and watch the passing parade. On weekends, buskers often set up shop on the lane and (usually) add to the ambiance.

Place to People-Watch in Silver Spring Veterans Plaza

Long benches lining Veterans Plaza at the corner of Fenton Street and Ellsworth Drive in downtown Silver Spring provide the perfect perch for taking in the hustle and bustle of one of the community’s most popular destinations for shopping and dining. On weekends, visitors of many ethnicities mingle among the stands of a farmers market, listen to a musical performance, check out the mating rituals of teenagers or grab a bite at the nearby eateries or from vendors who’ve set up along the sidewalks. From spring through fall, passersby gather to watch chess players intent on a game at tables on the ice rink. Late October provides a spooky surprise when people of all ages come decked out as ghouls and shuffle by the plaza during the annual Silver Spring Zombie Walk. The ice rink opens around the same time for five months, drawing those brave enough to try out their skating skills—as well as bystanders who want to enjoy the action without the risk of taking a tumble.

tone on tone courtesy photo; bethesda lane and veterans plaza photos by amy moore

Bethesda Lane

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OUR ICE IS NICE

Visit RockvilleTownSquare.com for rink hours and rental information. ROCKVILLETOWNSQUARE.COM

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Readers’ Picks best food & drink

New Restaurant

Oysters on the half-shell at The Grilled Oyster Company

Sushi at Raku

Best Sushi Raku

Other top vote-getters: Tako Grill Sushiko Matuba Hinode Niwano Hana Sushi Damo Yuraku Hanaro

Indian Restaurant

Passage to India Other top vote-getters: Kadhai Tandoori Nights Bombay Bistro Indique Heights

This bivalve-loving eatery has earned a passionate following of shuckers, suckers and slurpers in its first year of business. Whether you like your oysters on the half shell with just a dash of mignonette sauce ($25 a dozen), grilled four ways (creamy Rockefeller-style with spinach, Parmesan and bacon takes the blue ribbon, $2.75 each), fried and dunked in jalapeño lime aioli ($13) or wrapped in bacon ($19), you will be deeply satisfied. “We’re all about local seafood,” says Rick Dugan, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Valerie. “And oysters are such a rich tradition in Maryland that the concept felt like a natural fit for the area.” It’s so authentic you can practically hear the crash of waves in the background. 7943 Tuckerman Lane, Potomac, 301-299-9888, thegrilledoystercompany.com Other top vote-getters: Range, Wildwood Kitchen, Chef Geoff’s Rockville

pizza

Haven Pizzeria Napoletana The Neapolitan-meets-New Haven-style pizzas here are almost too good-looking to eat.

7137 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, 301-664-9412, havenpizzeria.com Other top vote-getters: Mia’s Pizzas, Ledo’s, Mamma Lucia, Matchbox, Potomac Pizza, Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza, Pizzeria da Marco

Italian Restaurant & Fried Calamari Olazzo

Thai Restaurant Tara Thai

Other top vote-getters: Sala Thai Bangkok Garden Ruan Thai Thai Pavilion Benjarong

Almost. Still steaming and lightly pocked with char spots, they arrive at the table in charming, aluminum lunch trays. There are plenty of classics—the margherita ($9-$17) and bianco ($8-$15) are both superlative—but the signature selections definitely merit a try. The Uovo Carne ($12) boasts sausage, bacon, veggies and four sunny-side-up eggs, while the white Pie Bergami ($14$25) mixes mozzarella, pecorino and goat cheese with chicken chunks and salami. “It’s not about putting ingredients on a pizza and calling it a specialty,” says Mike Dolinger, vice president of operations. “The flavors have to truly meld.” If you’re too full after the meal for dessert, you can get a quart of the house-made organic gelato packed up. Creamy pistachio is always an excellent choice.

Haven Pizzeria Napoletana’s coal-fired oven

Red sauce rules at this friendly trattoria, which took home the “Best Italian” trophy both this year and last. Brothers Roberto and Riccardo Pietrobono focus on Roma’s greatest hits—from penne topped with plump, housemade meatballs ($14) and hearty lasagna Bolognese ($15) to chicken

parmesan ($15) and saffronaccented arancini rice balls with molten mozzarella cores ($8). “It’s the food we grew up on,” Roberto says. “A lot of these dishes are based on family recipes.”

Fried calamari at Olazzo

With a crunchy crust that yields to tender bangles of meat inside, the calamari ($10) are peerless, earning Olazzo top honors in this year’s “Best Fried Calamari” category, as well. Gobble them up plain, with a spritz of lemon juice or dunked in warm marinara sauce. But no matter how you enjoy them, get a double order because these golden rings go quickly. 7921 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda, 301-654-9496; 8235 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, 301-588-2540, www.olazzo.com

Other top vote-getters: (Best Italian) Pines of Rome, Mamma Lucia, Assaggi, Il Pizzico; (Best Fried Calamari) Black’s Bar & Kitchen, Pines of Rome, Capital Grille

raku courtesy photo; haven pizzeria courtesy photo; the grilled oyster company by stacy zarin-goldberg; olazzo courtesy photo

The Grilled Oyster Company

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Overall Restaurant

Black’s Bar & Kitchen Restaurateur Jeff Black has devised a can’t-fail formula for his eateries. Peerless seafood + friendly service + an inviting atmosphere = success. “It’s all about the attention to detail,” says Black, who recently opened his seventh restaurant, Republic in Takoma Park. “We pride ourselves in getting all the little things right.” That blueprint drives his bustling Bethesda bistro, which has become a focal point for the neighborhood and the community since opening in 2006. The restaurant previously took top honors for “Best Seafood” and “Best Outdoor Dining” (2008), “Best Martini” (2009) and “Best Brunch” (2010). Chef Dane Sewlall’s menu accentuates comfort and creatively updated classics (entrées, $19-$34). Think seared scallops with crawfish-thyme beurre blanc ($31) and tomato-saffron-accented seafood stew packed with mussels, prawns and calamari ($27). Complementing this fine fare is an impressive wine list that highlights both domestic and foreign selections, affirming that Black’s Bar & Kitchen is the toast of the town.

Grilled North Atlantic salmon with brown butter cauliflower, escarole and roasted fingerling potatoes at Black’s

7750 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, 301-652-5525, blacksbarandkitchen.com Other top vote-getters: MoCo’s Founding Farmers, La Ferme, Raku, Woodmont Grill, Cava, Black Market Bistro, Le Vieux Logis

happy hour

Black’s Bar & Kitchen

stacy zarin-goldberg (2)

From 4 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, you can choose from half a dozen discounted cocktails at this seafood-centric Woodmont Avenue gathering spot. If you find yourself torn between the sweettangy Lemon Drop and the White Cosmo ($6 each), treat yourself and order both. Ever-changing wines by the glass ($5) and four draft beers (prices vary)— including selections from nearby Flying Dog and Port City breweries—round out the sippable specials. “A great happy hour has got to be more than knocking the top off a bottle of beer and pouring a shot of Jameson,” owner Jeff Black says. “It has to have sophistication.” Straight-from-the-sea small plates, such as Chesapeake Bay oysters (two for $2.25) and mussels ($8), help tamp down appetites until dinner. Given those options, patrons are lucky this happy hour stretches for three hours. And those who decide to stay on for dinner will get to eat at the place voted “Best Overall Restaurant” by readers this year. 7750 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, 301-652-5525, blacksbarandkitchen.com Other top vote-getters: Caddies on Cordell, Clyde’s, Redwood, BlackFinn, Mon Ami Gabi, Tower Oaks Lodge, Chef Geoff’s Rockville

Happy Hour at Black’s features sophisticated cocktails, including the Fleur de Mal martini.

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Readers’ Picks best food & drink

Mon Ami Gabi

Other top vote-getters: La Ferme Bistro Provence Le Vieux Logis

Mediterranean Restaurant

Lebanese Taverna Other top vote-getters: Cava Bacchus Moby Dick House of Kebab Yamas

An enticing plate of falafel at Lebanese Taverna

Deli

Parkway Deli Other top vote-getters: Attman’s Delicatessen Brooklyn Deli Bradley Food & Beverage Woodside Deli

Most Romantic Restaurant La Ferme

Since 1985, this quaint country inn has been exuding charm and congeniality, making it the ideal spot for a special date. It’s little surprise that it took home the “Most Romantic Restaurant” award this year and “Best Restaurant for Ambience” last year. “We wanted to create a restaurant that was elegant and comfortable, but wasn’t ever uptight,” chef-owner Alain Roussel says. Choose a seat on the covered terrace on a sunny day or a balcony table for two on a dusky evening. The French-focused menu is classic to the core (entrées, $25-$36). Begin with foie gras crème brûlée, slathered on toasted brioche ($12), before moving on to pan-seared filet mignon with peppercorn sauce and a thatch of golden frites ($35). For dessert, order one (or more) of the specialty soufflés: Grand Marnier, amaretto, chocolate or hazelnut ($10 each). 7101 Brookville Road, Chevy Chase, 301-986-5255, www.lafermerestaurant.com

Other top vote-getters: Old Angler’s Inn, Le Vieux Logis, Bistro Provence, Persimmon, Grapeseed

Brunch

MoCo’s Founding Farmers Other top vote-getters: Black’s Bar & Kitchen Café Deluxe Redwood Normandie Farms Mon Ami Gabi Black Market Bistro

La Ferme in Chevy Chase is the place for romance.

Chipotle sauce adds a peppy finish to Wild Tomato’s popular fish tacos.

fish tacos

Wild Tomato This fun-loving little sister of downtown Bethesda’s Persimmon focuses on comfort food classics. There are shareable pizzas, nachos laden with toppings held together with oodles of gooey jack cheese, and finger-lickinggood wings. But it’s the Tweetworthy fish tacos (#sodarngood) that stand out for many readers. A fan favorite at Persimmon for several years, the tacos ($14 for three) were an instant hit when Wild Tomato put them on its opening menu in 2011. The Cabin John restaurant has sold 25,000 orders since. “It’s a beachy-casual dish that’s also healthy,” co-owner Stephanie Salvatore says. “People absolutely crave them.” Fresh white fish is fried golden, blackened Cajun-style or sautéed, then shoehorned into soft flour tortillas. The handheld munchables are filled with guacamole, a spicy sriracha slaw of crunchy cabbage, fresh pico de gallo and a zigzag of peppy chipotle sauce. Just remember to

wipe your hands before picking up your phone to rave about them on social media. 7945 MacArthur Blvd., Cabin John, 301-229-0680, www.wildtomatorestaurant.com Other top vote-getters: Uncle Julio’s Rio Grande Café, California Tortilla

Craft cocktails at MoCo’s Founding Farmers

craft cocktails

MoCo’s Founding Farmers Using fresh-pressed juices, housemade syrups and handcrafted infusions, bar and beverage director Jon Arroyo shakes up an impressive array of stellar sips at this Potomac restaurant. His carefully curated menu includes a meticulously executed Old Fashioned ($12) and a Sazerac ($15) that’s so spot-on you’d swear you were in New Orleans. There are plenty of creative house specialties, too, such as the Bone (bourbon, lime juice and Tabasco, with a bacon stick garnish, $12). Or if you’re feeling adventurous, you can always order a Dealer’s

lebanese taverna courtesy photo; la ferme by ira wexler; fish tacos courtesy photo; moco’s founding farmers by stacy zarin-goldberg

French Restaurant

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Choice (prices vary). Just tell the mixologist your likes and dislikes and you’ll get your very own custom cocktail. “We start by asking what you’re in the mood for,” Arroyo says. “What flavors do you like? What do you drink usually? Then we take it from there and make some magic.”

Small Plates Jaleo

Other top vote-getters: Cava Sugo Osteria & Pizzeria Guardado’s La Tasca

12505 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac, 301-340-8783, www.wearefoundingfarmers.com

Bar Food Breakfast is the big draw at The Original Pancake House.

Other top vote-getters: Quench, Black’s Bar & Kitchen, Redwood, Jackie’s Sidebar

with blueberries, bacon or pecans (prices vary). But the perennial favorite at the Bethesda and Rockville outposts, which opened The Original Pancake more than two decades ago, is House the oven-baked apple pancake Take a break from your Atkins ($10.75). The thick flapjack bursts Diet, tuck a napkin into your collar, with sautéed, soft Granny Smith and get down on a maple syrup- slices and is drizzled with an drenched short stack. autumn-evoking cinnamon glaze. Nearly 20 varieties vie for The sumptuous circles helped the your stomach’s affection here, restaurants earn the 2008 award including griddle cakes packed for “Best Pancakes,” as well as

pancakes courtesy photo

breakfast

“Best Place for Breakfast” honors in 2007. If you’re not in the mood for pancakes, opt for waffles, crêpes, French toast or eggs. 7703 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, 301-986-0285; 12224 Rockville Pike, Rockville, 301-468-0886, www.ophrestaurants.com Other top vote-getters: Tastee Diner, Silver Diner

Caddies on Cordell Other top vote-getters: Black’s Bar & Kitchen Clyde’s Rock Bottom Brewery Mussel Bar & Grille American Tap Room Hard Times Café

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Readers’ Picks

best homes & furnishings

Leahy Plumbing & Heating

Douglas Construction has built more than 100 homes in the Bethesda area.

Other top vote-getters: Acker & Sons Michael & Son Services

Real Estate Agency Long & Foster

Other top vote-getters: RE/MAX Washington Fine Properties Weichert Coldwell Banker Keller Williams Capital Properties TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

Place for a Second Home

Bethany Beach Other top vote-getters: Rehoboth Beach Deep Creek Lake Ocean City St. Michael’s Outer Banks Florida

A chair from Yi’s Interiors

Furniture Reupholsterer Yi’s Interiors

Other top vote-getter: Rockville Interiors

green builder

Douglas Construction Group Doug Monsein, who founded Douglas Construction Group in 1999, says people mistakenly equate green building with installing solar panels. Although his firm does that, Monsein says green building encompasses the entire “building envelope”— meaning insulation, air quality, energy efficiency and Caption environmental impact. Readers apparently appreciate that approach. They selected Monsein’s firm as the “Best Green Builder” this year, as well as in 2012. Wes Wright is among Monsein’s fans. When Douglas Construction built a house for him and his wife, Emily, in 2012, the green building perks were automatically incorporated into the plans. Energy bills for the new house—which is more than twice the size of their nearby starter home—are significantly lower and all the rooms maintain a consistent temperature. Now the Wrights are relocating to Colorado. So “we

asked Doug to take some time off and build us the exact same house out there.” Currently working on his 105th Bethesda-area home, Monsein says that “green building practices should be part of all building. A good builder is a green builder.” 8429 Fox Run, Potomac, 301-9836947, www.dcghomes.com

Symphony Park is a community of 112 upscale townhomes, each 3,000 to 4,000 square feet, with open floor plans, rooftop terraces, Viking appliances and top-of-the line fixtures and finishes. Show homes opened in January 2012 and the residences are almost 90 percent occupied. “We strove to make this a community, not just a collection of buildings,” says Ron Kaplan, comanaging principal of Streetscape Partners, Symphony Park’s developer. That means communal gathering spaces set amid brick walkways, ornamental fountains and European-style gardens. In addition, residents receive a complimentary three-year membership to The Symphony Park Circle at Strathmore, with concierge ticket service, access to a members-only lounge and private receptions with artists. Townhomes range from $1.3 million to $2 million.

Other top vote-getters: Meridian Homes, Sandy Spring Builders

luxury townhomes

Symphony Park at Strathmore Michael Kay bought the first townhome in North Bethesda’s Symphony Park 18 months ago. After 16 years in Potomac and eight in Bethesda, the empty nester wanted a spacious townhome with a lot of luxury and no maintenance. He found it in Symphony Park. “Between the luxury lifestyle, the Rockville Pike Corridor and walking to the Metro, I couldn’t be happier,” he says. Adjoining the grounds of The Music Center at Strathmore,

Symphony Park at Strathmore

10846 Symphony Park Drive, North Bethesda, 301-493-0010, www.michaelharrishomes.com/ communities/Symphony-Park/ Symphony-Park-overview.html

Other top vote-getter: Park Potomac

all courtesy photos

plumber

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Country Casual’s outdoor furniture is made from ecologically harvested Indonesian wood.

Outdoor Furniture Country Casual

Ed and Bobbie Goldstein started Country Casual in their Germantown basement in 1977, inspired by the teak benches that have withstood the elements in London’s Hyde Park for 70 years. Initially they imported the English benches. But now the company, headed by the couple’s son, Dana Goldstein, designs its own teak furniture— benches, outdoor dining sets and seating collections—using ecologically harvested Indonesian wood. “I loved the idea of buying from a local company,” says Chevy Chase’s Diana Lockshin, who purchased Country Casual’s outdoor furniture for her Chevy Chase backyard and Annapolis condo. A 4-foot-long bench starts at $550 at the company’s 4,000-square-foot Gaithersburg showroom. But Bethesda residents can enjoy the company’s teak benches for free along Bethesda Row and outside Barnes & Noble. It’s a great place to people-watch on a sunny afternoon. 7601 Rickenbacker Drive, Gaithersburg, 301926-9195, www.countrycasual.com

Other top vote-getter: Offenbacher’s

remodeling firm

Sandy Spring Builders Lara Jankel imagined living in a “classic American home,” like those in the 1990 movie Home Alone and the 1991 remake of

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Readers’ Picks

Father of the Bride. In 2012, she and her husband, Andrew—both U.K. natives—bought a colonial in Potomac’s Avenel neighborhood. But it was more 1984 than 2012 inside. Cue the renovations team from Bethesda-based Sandy Spring Builders, which Bethesda Magazine readers named “Best Builder” in 2008, 2010 and 2013, as well as “Best Remodeling Firm” this year. “What we do best is engage in an interactive relationship with clients,” says Adam Goozh, CEO for renovations. Using cutting-edge software, clients can make design choices and review progress photos online, eliminating unnecessary site visits. Lara Jankel says the team completely understood the ideas she had in her head but couldn’t put down on paper. “The house is exactly as I’d imagined.” 4705 Virginia Ave., Bethesda, 301-913-5995, www.sandyspringbuilders.com

Other top vote-getters: Anthony Wilder Design/ Build, Meridian Homes, Case Design/Remodeling, BOWA Builders, InSite Builders, Gilday Renovations

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Shoppers can find everything from furniture to accessories at Urban Country.

furniture store

Urban Country “We really set the trends, we don’t follow trends,” says Rachelle Roth, co-owner of Urban Country. That means traveling the country to find furniture that appeals to them versus heeding fads, says co-owner Jillian Roth, Rachelle’s daughter. And this past season, what appealed to them was “a lot of color,” Rachelle says, pointing to

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bright orange and soft yellow sofas and green chairs in the Bethesda store. Rachelle Roth established the furniture store with her late husband in 1991. Since then, it has expanded to include accessories, gourmet kitchen tools and baby items. In addition, Urban Country offers interior design services, which account for more than 60 percent of the business. “We mix it and make it all work,” Rachelle says of Urban Country, which won “Best Furniture Store” in 2009 and 2011, as well as this year. 7117 Arlington Road, Bethesda, 301-6540500, www.urbancountrydesigns.com

Other top vote-getter: Random Harvest

courtesy photo

best homes & furnishings

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Readers’ Picks

best schools & kids’ activities

Stone Ridge’s Catherine Ronan Karrels

tutoring company PrepU

Other top vote-getters: PrepMatters Aristotle Circle Huntington Learning Center PrepWorks1on1

two daughters attend Whitman. “Everything he does, he has the students’ best interests at heart.”

driving school

I Drive Smart

Other top vote-getters: Potomac Driving School Greg’s Driving School

place for kids’ parties Dynamite Gymnastics Center

Other top vote-getters: BounceU My Gym Kidville The Little Gym

enrichment activities

Dynamite Gymnastics Center

Other top vote-getter: Imagination Stage

swim club

Palisades Swim & Tennis Club Other top vote-getters: Chevy Chase Recreation Association Old Georgetown Swim Club Edgemoor Club YMCA Seven Locks Swim & Tennis Club

Whitman Principal Alan Goodwin

public school principal Alan Goodwin, Walt Whitman High School

Why has Alan Goodwin stayed at Walt Whitman High School long after other principals might have moved on to higher administrative posts? “I have a passion for kids,” says Goodwin, now in his 10th year as principal at the Bethesda school. “They make a difference for me every day.” Goodwin’s commitment to students—as well as to his staff—is legendary in the school community. Perhaps that’s why Bethesda Magazine readers named him “Best Public High School Principal” this year, as well as in 2010. An advocate for reducing students’ stress, Goodwin implemented a pilot “mindfulness” program last fall to teach kids how to clear their minds so they could focus better in class. About a third of the school’s 1,900 students participated. Goodwin, who taught for 24 years before becoming an administrator, “genuinely cares about the kids,” says PTSA President Jodi McGill, whose

Other top vote-getters: James Fernandez (Albert Einstein, Kensington), Karen Lockard (Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Bethesda), Michael Doran (Thomas S. Wootton, Rockville), Joan Benz (Winston Churchill, Potomac)

Private School Head & Private School with a Religious Affiliation

Catherine Ronan Karrels/Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart What sets Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart apart from other private schools? A commitment to religious principles and social action, parents say, combined with challenging academics in a supportive community. “In my experience, it is like no other,” says Melissa Lesmes, parent of a fifth-grader at the Catholic girls’ school in Bethesda. Stone Ridge is “really supportive of students intellectually and personally, applauding differences and focusing on great academics and faith.” That supportive and faithfocused environment is due in no small part, parents say,

to the leadership of Catherine Ronan Karrels, a Stone Ridge graduate now in her sixth year as head of the school, which serves preschoolers through 12thgraders. Among her initiatives: instituting fewer but longer classes per day for upper-school students to slow the pace but allow them to “go deeper” into lessons. Karrels, 45, always puts “the focus back on the girls,” says Mark Polla, parent of a 10thgrader and president of the Stone Ridge Parents Association. That’s why Bethesda Magazine readers chose Karrels as “Best Private School Head” this year and Stone Ridge as the “Best Private School with a Religious Affiliation.” “I’m blessed to be in a community with an amazing student body that is incredibly motivated and hardworking,” Karrels says. “Coming back to this place gives me the opportunity to move forward and give back to the educational family where I was fortunate to spend my childhood.” Tuition ranges from $16,500 (preschool) to $27,900 (high school). 9101 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, 301-657-4322, www.stoneridgeschool.org

Other top vote-getters: (Private Religious School) Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, The Woods Academy,

alan goodwin photo by michael seymour; stone ridge courtesy photos

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart

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Parents like Geneva Day so much that many return there to work.

green acres photo by michael hanrahan; geneva day photo by yellowhale photography

Spending time outdoors is a priority at Green Acres.

Georgetown Prep, St. Jane de Chantal, St. Andrew’s Episcopal, St. Elizabeth Catholic School, Academy of the Holy Cross, Connelly School of the Holy Child; (Private School Head) Gerald Boarman (Bullis), Neal Brown (Green Acres), Joe Powers (Woods), David Armstrong (Landon), Susan Gold (Feynman School), Michael Saxenian (McLean School of Maryland)

Private School (Grades K-8)

Green Acres Sarah Schain knew her preschooler’s inability to sit still was going to be a problem once he started elementary school. So the Bethesda resident sent him to Green Acres, a progressive school in North Bethesda where the staff believes that keeping kids active helps them be successful learners. To that end, classrooms have sliding-glass doors leading outside, students change buildings for classes and younger kids spend at least two hours outdoors each day. Plus, the 15-acre campus includes five playgrounds, a creek and a turtle

farm for the 320 students in preschool through eighth grade. “For my son, the activeness helped him focus. It was the key to his success,” says Schain, who currently has two daughters in first and sixth grade there, as well as her son, now in seventh grade. In addition to the emphasis on the outdoors, the school focuses on teaching kids to be “selfpropelled learners,” says Head of School Neal Brown. That means they “spend less time complying and more time creating.” That philosophy clearly resonates with Bethesda Magazine readers, who chose Green Acres as the “Best Private School (Grades K-8)” this year. “We don’t see childhood as a race,” Brown says. “We’re much more focused on enrichment and challenges than acceleration.” Tuition at the school is $31,450 a year for K-8. 11701 Danville Drive, North Bethesda, 301-881-4100, www.greenacres.org

Other top vote-getters: The Woods Academy, McLean

School of Maryland, Bullis School, Norwood School, St. Jane de Chantal, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart

preschool

Geneva Day School Teaching is all in the family at Geneva Day School. Many parents have so enjoyed the place, they’ve later joined the staff. Take Director Suzanne Funk: Previously there as a parent, she came on as a teacher and now heads the Potomac preschool. “One of the unique aspects [of Geneva Day] is the staff and its connection to the school,” she says. Students’ relatives have “wanted to be here, too.” That commitment—some teachers have been there for decades—perhaps explains why Bethesda Magazine readers voted Geneva Day the “Best Preschool” for the second year in a row. Established in 1965, the preschool offers an integrated, age-appropriate curriculum for children from age 2 through kindergarten,

including development of social skills and outdoor experiences such as digging for earthworms, harvesting caterpillars and exploring a nearby creek. Julie Fanburg, co-president of the Geneva Parents Association, says the staff’s dedication is evident from the moment she enters a classroom. “You walk in and see these tiny people totally engaged,” Fanburg says. “And it’s not just the kids [who are engaged], it’s the teachers.” Tuition ranges from $2,644 for two half-day sessions per week to $13,833 for all-day classes and kindergarten. 11931 Seven Locks Road, Potomac, 301-340-7704, genevadayschool.org

Other top vote-getters: Beth El Preschool, The Maddux School, Bradley Hills Presbyterian, Washington Hebrew Congregation, Feynman School, Temple Beth Ami Nursery School, Bethesda Community School

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Readers’ Picks

best fashion & shopping

Boone & Sons

Other top vote-getters: Amethyst Lou Lou

Customers find “trendy, but wearable” clothes at Belina.

place to buy a cocktail dress

Wildwood Shopping Center attracts repeat customers with its mix of stores and restaurants.

Saks Jandel

Other top vote-getters: Julia Farr Ginger Luna Claire Dratch

boutique Belina

A cocktail dress at Saks Jandel

Colorful scarves, stylish jackets, fashionable sweaters and distinctive jewelry fill the shelves of Belina, a small, family-run boutique that opened its doors 10 years ago in Bethesda. Owners Betty Barati and Sherri Hatam—a mother-daughter duo—describe their collection as “trendy, but wearable.” “People really know us for the more unique pieces that we carry,” says Hatam, who travels to New York City showrooms to hand-pick stylish designer pieces for the store. Popular brands include Majesty, White + Warren and Echo, with tops typically ranging from $70 to $300. Belina—which tied with Luna and Ginger for “Best Boutique”

last year—has a loyal clientele, which the owners attribute to its superior customer service. “We don’t want anyone to walk out wearing something that’s gonna sit in their closet,” Hatam says. “People appreciate that, and I think that’s what sets us apart from other stores.” Wildwood Shopping Center, 10215 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, 301-897-2929

Other top vote-getters: Luna, Wear It Well, Ginger, Francesca’s, South Moon Under, Bluemercury, Clover, Sassanova

shopping center

Wildwood Shopping Center With high-end clothing stores,

Old Georgetown Road and Democracy Boulevard, North Bethesda, www. shopsatwildwood.com

Other top vote-getters: Bethesda Row, Congressional Plaza, Cabin John Shopping center, Rio Washingtonian, Bradley Shopping Center

new boutique

Current Boutique “We have something for everyone,” says Amanda DeSanto, manager of Current Boutique in Bethesda. The consignment store, which opened on Wisconsin Avenue a year ago, features name-brand clothing, fashionable shoes and bold jewelry from

nicole glass (4); saks jandel dress is courtesy photo

Jewelry Store

top-rated restaurants and a range of personal services, Wildwood has become the go-to shopping center for many in the Bethesda area. “It has great variety,” says Christine Polo, raving about the shopping convenience that keeps bringing her back. This three-time “Best of Bethesda” winner (also named the best in 2008 and 2012) encompasses trendy boutiques like South Moon Under, popular restaurants like Oakville Grille and even a barbershop. Pick up a treat at Fraîche Cupcakery, stock up on groceries at Balducci’s, or simply window-shop and soak in the atmosphere. Not surprisingly, the shop voted “Best Boutique” by readers this year—Belina—is in Wildwood, too. “Wildwood is elegant, the people are friendly and the restaurants are lovely,” says Mary Katherine Larkin, a Bethesda resident who has frequented the shopping center for years.

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PAUL STEIN

MONICA HARMS

What makes FAMILY LAW at STEIN SPERLING different?

Bethesda’s Current Boutique offers a mix of consignment items.

brands such as J.Crew, Shoshanna, Diane von Fürstenberg and Theory. Founded in Arlington by fashionista Carmen Lopez, the boutique has grown since its first store was opened in 2007. It currently has four locations in the D.C. metro area and a website allowing customers to buy and sell their items online. The front of the store features new items hand-picked by Lopez, while the back of the store exhibits gently worn consignments. “Condition is No. 1,” DeSanto says. “No. 2 would be currency of the item—things preferably bought within the past two years, and things that are currently on trend.” 7220 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, 301-222-1114, www.currentboutique.com

place to buy lingerie Sylene

Sisters Cyla Weiner and Helen Kestler believe there are six types of bras every woman needs in her wardrobe: a strapless bra, a T-shirt bra, a sports bra, a sexy bra, a spa bra and a specialty bra for dresses with tricky straps. Eight out of 10 women wear the wrong bra size, and the sisters are here to help: Since opening their lingerie store in 1975, they have offered personalized fittings to mothers, breast-surgery patients, bridesto-be and local celebrities—including former first lady Nancy Reagan. “We’ve developed what we call our

S-Factor—a Sylene Makeover,” Weiner says. “We try to get what is right for you at this particular time of your life.” If you’re looking for that perfect fit, check out the diverse selection of lingerie, colorful, cup-sized swimwear and intimate accessories available at Sylene, which in addition to being a readers’ favorite this year was a “Best of Bethesda” winner in 2007.

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Other top vote-getter: Underwraps Putting on the Ritz at Sylene

JULIE CHRISTOPHER

KATHRYN DECKERT

Our clients BENEFIT from our RESOURCES in business, tax and estate matters.

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Readers’ Picks best health & beauty

Maplewood is residentowned and governed.

audiologist

Senior Community

Maplewood Park Place For the fifth consecutive year, readers have named Bethesda’s Maplewood Park Place the “Best Senior Community.” Located in a handsome, landscaped neighborhood just inside the Beltway, the residentowned retirement community offers 207 independent-living apartments and 21 assisted-living studios and suites. It features concierge medical services, nursing, gourmet dining, social events and outings, a creative arts center, a woodworking shop, individual garden plots, a fitness center and more. “We govern ourselves, so that gives everyone a sense of responsibility for the lives we enjoy here,” says Rod French, who with his wife, Sally, has lived at Maplewood for three years. And “the great majority of us have been longtime residents in the area, so there are common interests. Most

people maintain a fairly strong interest in politics and international affairs—life here is stimulating in that sense.” Apartments range from $350,000 to $900,000, with monthly fees of $2,875 to $5,878. 9707 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, 301-530-0500, www.maplewoodparkplace.com Other top vote-getters: Leisure World, Ingleside at King Farm, Riderwood Village, Fox Hill Club and Residences, Asbury Methodist Village

Whether helping people recapture the sounds they’ve lost or those they never fully had, Drs. Gail Linn and Tricia Terlep of Potomac Audiology offer state-of-the-art evaluations and the most advanced technology to improve the hearing of thousands of patients. A “Best of Bethesda” winner in this category both this year and last, the Rockville practice has been treating a variety of hearing and earrelated disorders, including tinnitus (ringing in the ears), since 1999. “I have pretty profound hearing loss,” says Richard Green, a former professional musician who lives in Chevy Chase and has worn hearing aids for 21 years, “and Gail Linn has worked with me for years to get the best possible performance. …She’s very attentive and a pleasure to work with.” 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 105, Rockville, 240-477-1010, www.potomacaudiology.com Other top vote-getters: Carolyn Wyatt, The Feldman E.N.T. Group, A&A Hearing Group

courtesy photo maplewood park place

Potomac Audiology

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Gym for People Over 40

Gym for People Under 40

What makes an athletic club the “Best Gym for People Over 40”? Part of it’s the full selection of cardio machines and strength-training equipment. But what really makes Rockville’s Life Time Athletic stand out are the group exercise classes (ballet body fusion, circuit training, cycle, kickboxing, yoga, Zumba and more). “They give you a lot of different choices and even different levels within the classes,” says Carol Klein, a member from Bethesda who’s in her 60s. “You can push yourself to do the work at a higher level or you can choose not to—and you’re not frowned upon.” Little wonder Life Time’s gym classes were also deemed the best in 2012. Another perk: easy, convenient, free parking. Individual memberships start at $110 a month, with a start-up administration fee of $50.

Bethesda’s Equinox practically screams luxury, from its state-of-theart yoga, cycling and Pilates studios, to the indoor saltwater pool, to a variety of strength and cardio equipment, to eucalyptus-infused cotton towels and a spa that offers customized massages, body wraps and facials. Workout junkies appreciate its top-notch trainers, group exercise instructors and challenging classes (with names that will appeal to young go-getters, like “Shockwave,” “Breathless” and “Flow Play”). “I love Equinox for the amazing classes—especially Tabata, Metcon and Spinning,” says 35-year-old Emily Wexler. “Since I live and work in downtown Bethesda, I work out mostly after work and enjoy meeting up with friends and coworkers for a fun workout. [And] because the locker rooms are so nice, it makes showering and meeting friends at a local restaurant really easy and enjoyable.” The gym, which opened in 2010, won “Best Gym for Fitness Fanatics,” “Best New Gym” and “Best Locker Rooms” in 2012 before being named “Best Gym for People Under 40” this year. Individual memberships start at $144 a month, with an initiation fee of $250.

Life Time Athletic

1151 Seven Locks Road, Rockville, 240-314-7022, www.lifetimefitness.com Other top vote-getters: Equinox, Sport & Health, Fitness First, Washington Sports Club, Pulse Fitness, Bethesda Sport & Health, Rock Creek Sports Club, Bethesda-Chevy Chase YMCA

Equinox

4905 Elm St., Bethesda, 301-652-1078, www.equinox.com/clubs/ bethesda Other top vote-getters: Life Time Athletic, Fitness First, Washington Sports Club, Gold’s Gym, Sport & Health

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Readers’ Picks best health & beauty

Orthodontist

Peter J. Coccaro

Other top vote-getters: Amy Light Eduardo Gerlein Carmine Petrarca

Suburban Hospital in Bethesda has become the go-to place for medical emergencies.

Dermatologist

Jaffe, O’Neill & Lindgren

Other top vote-getters: Emily Porter Gerson Dermatology Center and Rockledge MedSpa DermAssociates Katz Dermatology

Ophthalmologist

Washington Eye Physicians

Other top vote-getters:

Harry Huang Charles Bahn James Heltzer

Hair Salon

Kindle & Boom

Nail Salon

Acqua Nails

Other top vote-getters: Sandy Nails Nails by Tammy Nail Design on St. Elmo Cindy Nails Kindle & Boom Totally Polished Blu Water Day Spa Blue Zen Progressions

Emergency Room & Heart/Stroke Care

Suburban Hospital

Rodney Vieira has never forgotten the treatment he received at Suburban Hospital’s Emergency/ Trauma Center when he arrived on Nov. 7, 2009, with symptoms of a heart attack. After being evaluated in the ER, he spent five days in the hospital, undergoing an angioplasty (to open a blocked artery to the heart) and insertion of a stent. “The doctors and nurses… treated me like a person, not like just another number at the hospital,” says Vieira, a 45-yearold father of two in Chevy Chase. Afterward, he underwent cardiac

rehabilitation as an outpatient. “I could exercise under a watchful eye without worrying about something happening to me,” he says, “and it gave me a network of other people I could talk to.” Little wonder Bethesda Magazine readers named Suburban the best hospital in two categories this year: “Best Emergency Room” and “Best Heart/Stroke Care.” (The hospital also made “Best of Bethesda” lists in four previous years.) The community-based hospital, which became part of Johns Hopkins in 2009, has been serving the area since 1943. With its new state-of-the-art NIH Heart Center, its designations as the first certified stroke center in the region and as

the trauma center for Montgomery County, Suburban has become the go-to place for a variety of medical emergencies for adults and children. As Vieira notes, “It’s a great asset in the area.” 8600 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, 301-896-3100, www.suburbanhospital.org Other top vote-getters: (ER) Sibley Memorial Hospital, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, Holy Cross Hospital, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center; (Heart/Stroke Care) MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, Washington Adventist Hospital, Sibley Memorial Hospital

suburban hospital courtesy photos

Other top vote-getters: Progressions Bella Bethesda Salon Nader Ira Ludwick Salon Franz Sebastian Hair by Paabo The Shop Salon Zohra Salon Central Salon Jean

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Readers’ Picks best of the rest

A peacock design takes the cake at Fancy Cakes by Leslie.

wedding cakes

Erika and Carlos Salazar

Fancy Cakes by Leslie Leslie Poyourow and her team have built towering wedding cakes with four or more tiers, created 3-D roses and hydrangeas and incorporated lace patterns that mimic the texture of a bride’s dress. That’s why Fancy Cakes by Leslie has earned its third “Best of Bethesda” award. The Bethesda bakery previously won in 2010 and 2012. Poyourow, 58, started decorating cakes for fun back when she worked for a government contractor. Constant requests eventually motivated her to make it a business. In the 18 years since, she has designed ornate cakes for a variety of luminaries, including Caroline Kennedy, the ambassador to Japan.

“And we do a lot more than cakes in here. We’re expanding our bakery every day,” Poyourow says. That means other desserts and a wider talent pool. Cake designer Juan Lucas, who worked in a bakery featured on TLC’s Cake Boss for three years, joined the team last September. Poyourow says she looks at every cake and dessert made. “It’s all about the quality,” she says. Wedding cakes are typically priced at about $6 per serving. 4939 Elm St., Bethesda, 301-652-9390, fancycakesbyleslie.com

Other top vote-getter: Creative Cakes

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Readers’ Picks best of the rest

Wells Fargo Chevy Chase Trust

Other top vote-getters:

car dealership for service (tie)

David B. Hurwitz

Lucas and Pal (Morgan Stanley) Donald M. Wright (Morgan Stanley) Scott Berman

event photographer

Michael Bennett Kress Photography Other top vote-getters: Freed Photography Carly Glazier Photography

wealth management firm Morgan Stanley

Other top vote-getters: Coliseum Wealth Management RBC Wealth Management Ameriprise Financial Merrill Lynch UBS Financial Services Fidelity Investments

Chevy Chase Cars Ourisman Honda

Strathmore in North Bethesda

Other top vote-getters: EuroMotorcars Bethesda Lexus of Rockville

live music venue

The Music Center at Strathmore Other top vote-getters: Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club The Fillmore Silver Spring

Veterinarian

Falls Road Veterinary Hospital When her beagle, Sadie Mae, inexplicably became sick recently, JoAnn Nemeroff took

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her to Falls Road Veterinary Hospital in Potomac. There, veterinarian William Amoroso III quickly diagnosed a form of blood toxicity and started treatment for the life-threatening condition, reassuring Nemeroff that her pet was in good hands. “He handled the dog with tender, loving care—but he handled me with care, as well,” says Nemeroff, a Potomac resident. “He’s a great doctor,

full of warmth and compassion.” That compassionate care—as well as leading-edge veterinary practices—prompted Bethesda Magazine readers to name Falls Road Veterinary Hospital the “Best Veterinarian” for the second time (it previously won in 2011). “If your pet doesn’t mind coming to the vet,” says Amoroso, who opened the hospital in 1988, “then there’s something being done right.”

strathmore photo by jim morris

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courtesy of falls road veterinary hospital; bone jour photo by stacy zarin-goldberg

strathmore photo by jim morris

Veterinarian William Amoroso III examines a patient as Wendy Prolux looks on.

10229 Falls Road, Potomac, 301-983-8400, www.fallsroadvet.com Other top vote-getters: Montgomery Village Animal Hospital, Potomac Animal Hospital, Montgomery Animal Hospital, Benson Animal Hospital, Kenwood Animal Hospital, Alpine Veterinary Hospital, Friendship Hospital for Animals

pooches head to Bethesda’s Bone Jour, which offers grooming services from bathing to fur trimming, with Sunday sessions for special needs and senior dogs. Another plus: Employees will deliver pets to waiting cars so customers don’t have to struggle with parking. That focus on service is why Bethesda Magazine readers once again chose Bone Jour as “Best Pet Groomer.” In business since 1986, it also won in 2011 and was voted “Best Pet Boutique” in 2009 and 2011. “We have relationships with the customers and we really know the dogs,” says owner Becky Pugh, who also sells gourmet treats, leashes, collars and toys. “When a dog comes in, they’re treated like family.” Bethesda’s Shanee Uberman brings her shih tzus, Bitsy and Frankie, to the shop. “A lot of times you go to the groomer and dogs are shaking in their boots,” Uberman says. “But my dogs don’t mind going there. …[Bone Jour] couldn’t be more accommodating.”

Pet Groomer

4927-A St. Elmo Ave., Bethesda, 301-656-2663, www.bonejour.com

Many pet owners looking to pamper their

Other top vote-getters: PetSmart, Canine Design, Clever Dog n

Bone Jour

“When a dog comes in, they’re treated like family,” says Bone Jour’s Becky Pugh.

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Andrew Pochter, shown here at the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt in June 2013, had a mind â&#x20AC;&#x153;filled with Arabic language and with the Arab world,â&#x20AC;? according to one of his teachers.

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requiem for a

peacemaker Andrew Pochter was a young idealist from Chevy Chase eager to work toward world peace. But in one horrific afternoon, he would be swept away in an uncontrollable tide of anger in Egypt.

courtesy photo

By Kathleen Wheaton

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requiem for a peacemaker

retrospect, the email Elizabeth Pochter wrote to her 21-year-old son, Andrew, last June seems to have been prescient. But at the time, it was the typical injunction of a worried parent. “I trust that you will not go anywhere near the demonstrations this weekend,” the Chevy Chase resident wrote of the anti-government protests slated to take place in Alexandria, Egypt. “There is bound to be violence.” A rising junior at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, Andrew was a summer intern in the Alexandria office of AMIDEAST, an educational nonprofit that had hired him to teach English to 7- and 8-year-olds. He liked the job and was good with children—he’d been a camp counselor for years. But the main reason he wanted to be in Egypt that summer was to improve his Arabic. “We don’t have work those days, so I’ll be inside,” Andrew replied. “No need to worry.” Liz and her husband, Ted, were trying not to worry. When Andrew had accepted the job with AMIDEAST, they’d told themselves that at least he wouldn’t be in Cairo, where demonstrations against President Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood-led govern-

ment had grown in size and intensity throughout the spring of 2013. Alexandria, a Mediterranean port city long popular with tourists, appeared relatively calm. The Pochters also realized that they’d better get used to living with a certain amount of anxiety. Andrew, who was majoring in religious studies, wanted to pursue a career working toward peace in the Middle East. In his email, Andrew wrote that his laptop wasn’t running properly, and since there wasn’t an Apple store in Alexandria, he’d have to rely on office computers to stay in touch from then on. But “I’m safe. Don’t worry!” he repeated. It was his last email to his parents, dated June 25. Three days later, he would be dead.

An outgoing, cheerful, ath-

letic young man with light brown hair and an ever-evolving beard, Andrew Pochter wasn’t new to the Arab world. Beginning in the summer of 2010, he’d spent a year in El Jadida, Morocco, where he lived with a Moroccan family and learned to speak Darija, the Moroccan Arabic dialect. He’d also taken classes in Standard Arabic, which is spoken throughout the Middle East. One of his teachers that year notes that Andrew’s mind was “filled with Arabic

Andrew (second from right) celebrates high school graduation with friends.

language and with the Arab world.” The Arab Spring of 2011, marked by widespread protests against repressive governments, was a heady time to be in the region. Andrew wrote an account of his observations that was published in English on the pan-Arab news site Al-Arabiya in June of that year: “My surrogate parents, being teachers, for the most part have been satisfied with their jobs, livelihood, and finances. [But their] approach to life came to an apparent crossroads with...the date of the first nation-wide rally. This experience provided them an opportunity and the courage to express themselves politically. ...As I have noticed such a dramatic change in my own host family here in the sleepy town of El Jadida, Morocco, I can only imagine the types of internal changes that are affecting larger cities in the Arab world.” Michelle Hu, a Harvard University junior who became friends with Andrew in Morocco during the summer of 2010, believes that his interest in social change went beyond a fascination with the Middle East per se. “Andrew was very intellectually curious, and he was interested in social and cultural issues,” she says. “I believe he would have engaged in the same way no matter where in the world he went.” The seeds of that curiosity were

courtesy photos

Andrew in Prague in 2008

Andrew and his mother, Liz, at his graduation from Blue Ridge School in 2010

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Andrew and his sister, Emily, in 2012 at Kenyon College, where Andrew was a sophomore

courtesy photos

Andrew, shown here in Marrakech, studied in Morocco for a year after high school.

planted by Andrew’s family. Sitting in a cozy and attractive room in their Chevy Chase colonial, Ted, a retired D.C. parks planner, recounts how he was accepted to work in Gabon with the Peace Corps after college, but at the last minute got cold feet. Instead, he volunteered with VISTA and was assigned to Tallahassee, Fla., where he worked for two years in community action and economic development. Dark-haired and pretty, Liz is a Francophile who spent her junior year of college studying at the Sorbonne in Paris. She and Ted met at a New Year’s Eve party in D.C. and married in 1988. With their children—Emily, born in 1990, and Andrew, born in 1992—the Pochters made frequent trips to Europe, some in connection with Liz’s work managing traveling art exhibitions for the Smithsonian’s National Gallery of Art. Liz was pleased when French became one of Andrew’s best subjects in high school. “He loved food and cooking, and he bonded with his French teacher over that,” she says, adding that he was a clever mimic. “He could do impressions of adults around him that were quite funny,” she says. Although Ted grew up Orthodox Jewish, he and Liz, an Episcopalian, decided that since Judaism is traditionally matri-

lineal, they would raise their children as Christians. So Emily and Andrew grew up attending St. Columba’s Episcopal Church in the District. Community service was also an important family value. Both siblings volunteered for six years at Camp Opportunity, a weeklong sleepaway camp near Westminster, Md., for deprived and abused youths, where a counselor mentors the same child over several summers. Andrew was a sunny child who made friends easily, his parents say, but in ninth grade at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School he became somewhat lost in the crowd and struggled academically. The Pochters decided to send him to the Blue Ridge School in Virginia, a nominally Episcopalian boys’ boarding school at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. “Liz and Ted really missed Andrew, and would have preferred to have him at home,” says Barbara Donesky, a close family friend. “But they believed that a small, nurturing school environment would be better for him, and they put his needs ahead of their own.” Seeing Andrew only occasionally, Ted says, they could clearly perceive how he was growing and flourishing at Blue Ridge, where he debated, sang in the choir and played lacrosse and rugby. He won the French Award, the Foreign Lan-

guage Award, and the Sons of the American Revolution Citizenship Award, among others. He was a proctor and then a prefect, which gave him confidence in his ability to mediate conflict, Liz says. “Every time he came home, we could see that he was developing leadership skills, all kinds of interests,” she says. “He changed, and yet was somehow more himself.” The Rev. David McIlhiney, the chaplain of Blue Ridge who advised Andrew on his college essays, remembers him well. “There was a moral core to this boy that stood out. Even at 17, he wanted to make the world a better place,” McIlhiney says. “He wrote about spending two hours one night watching a sea turtle lay eggs in the sand. What teenager does that while his friends are drinking beer at a beach party? “When I asked him about his goals, he said he wanted to work for peace. They weren’t just words for a college essay— he’d planned out his whole future.” Andrew had been eager to study abroad since he first heard about foreign exchange programs while a freshman at B-CC, his parents say. Having switched high schools once already, he realized that studying overseas would make it difficult to graduate on time and apply to college. He was accepted to enter Ken-

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“He thought that because he could speak Arabic he would be able to break down barriers and defuse tension.” —Ted Pochter, pictured above with Liz at home in Chevy CHase

yon in the fall of 2010. That spring, he also applied to the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLIY), a State Department-funded program designed to introduce American students to languages considered crucial to national security, including Arabic, Persian, Korean, Chinese, Hindi, Russian and Turkish. NSLI-Y has both summer and yearlong programs, and when Andrew was offered a yearlong slot to study Arabic in Morocco, he decided to defer college for a year. Andrew had formed a romantic notion of the Maghreb, or French North Africa, from family trips to the south of France, according to Ted. “One of his college essays was fantasizing about Morocco— the spices, the colorful markets,” Liz says. “It turned out to really be like that.”

Andrew delighted not only in the new foods and fragrant markets of El Jadida, a small coastal town built on the ruins of a Portuguese fort, but in the new friends he made. He explored the cities of Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech, hiked in the desert, rode camels, climbed the Atlas Mountains, and was invited to a feast to celebrate Eid, the end of the fasting month of Ramadan—which in Morocco traditionally involves the slaughter of a sheep. “You don’t want to see the pictures,” he wrote to his parents of that last experience. Another Moroccan teacher remembers that Andrew “loved common folks, socializing and [the] simple life,” despite coming from a presumably privileged background in the suburbs of the American capital. “Andrew was very funny, and he

could play off other people’s personalities in a way that made everyone comfortable,” says Michelle Hu, who participated in NSLI’s summer program. Hu says that while most of the other Americans she met through NSLI considered it an enjoyable precollege adventure, she and Andrew bonded over a shared determination to continue studying the Middle East and Arabic in college. Toward the end of Andrew’s year in Morocco, his family came to visit. Like him, they were charmed by the country, as well as impressed and slightly amused by his efforts to blend in. He’d grown a beard, and interacted confidently with Moroccans, brashly bargaining with a taxi driver over a few cents. “You’d think the guy would be mad after having to lower his price,” Ted says. “But once the negotiations were over, he and Andrew were pals.” Having observed that the body language of some foreigners made them look vulnerable and thus more likely to be harassed, “Andrew told us that he stomped around on the street like someone not to be messed with,” Liz recalls. Nevertheless, avoiding trouble was sometimes a question of luck. In Marrakech, a bomb attributed to al-Qaida in Maghreb destroyed a popular café shortly before the family visited that city. “Andrew had been to the café many times,” Liz says. “When we walked by, there was this hush, flowers, people crying.” The entire family was sobered by the sight, she says. Andrew entered Kenyon in the fall of 2011. “An earring and black-rimmed glasses...funky style and a perpetual, charming smile” is how Sarah Habibi Gold describes Andrew, whom she met freshman year. “He heard I was half Moroccan and exclaimed with joy. [We were] instant friends.” Sarah remembers a young man who could be both playful (he buried her dead goldfish with its head pointing toward Mecca) and serious (lobbying the Jewish chaplain of the campus Hillel House to support bringing the president of B’Tselem, a controversial Israeli human

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rights organization, to speak at Kenyon). For a final project in a class on Zionism, Sarah and Andrew created a poetry slam about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Sarah wore a red Palestinian keffiyeh, and Andrew, a blue yarmulke. They exchanged verses charged with passion and grievance until their voices merged and became one chant.

Increasingly interested

in exploring his Jewish roots, Andrew decided to apply to live at Hillel House his sophomore year. He persuaded a close friend from the rugby team, Colin Finnegan, to join him there. “Hillel wasn’t really on my radar,” Colin says. “I said, ‘I’m Catholic. Is that a problem?’ And he convinced me that it wasn’t, that it would be interesting, and that we’d eat really well. And he was right. Andrew prided himself on making it a community space, on being inclusive with the Friday night Shabbat services. So many times I’d come back to the house and he’d be cooking something he’d learned about in Morocco. He was good at getting you interested in new things without you quite realizing it. And he liked nothing more than cooking for other people.” Classmate Taylor Scult recalls an afternoon at the campus recreation center in the spring of 2013, when Andrew and his girlfriend, Clara Fischman, were doing flips off the high dive. The pair helped Taylor overcome her fear of heights and take the plunge. Describing the romance between Clara and Andrew as “epic,” Taylor adds, “they went out of their way to make me feel loved and supported, and what couple does that?” After his death, newspapers such as The Jewish Daily Forward, The Jerusalem Post and The New York Times would identify Andrew as Jewish, though friends and family paint a more nuanced picture of a young man trying to figure out who he was. “Andrew had a reverence for all religion and how it affected people’s lives,” Finnegan says. “He valued the role it had in shaping lives.” Religious studies professor Vernon

Schubel, who became Andrew’s academic adviser after he declared a major in religious studies, believes that the young man’s affiliation with Hillel “was part of Andrew exploring every aspect of who he was.” Schubel says Andrew never discussed his religious beliefs or identity with him, but that wasn’t unusual. At Kenyon, “we study religion as a social phenomenon, the way economists study the economy,” Schubel says. “Andrew was really interested in what it meant to be religious. But he didn’t have essentialist views—that is, he recognized the fluidity of identity.” Because the college doesn’t offer majors in Arabic or Middle East studies, the religious studies department also attracts students interested in learning about the history and culture of the Islamic world. “Andrew wanted to work for social justice in the region—to do good and be a peacemaker,” Schubel says. “He was developing the skills he would need for his future—to think, to write, to understand.” Andrew knew that one of the skills he would need was fluency in Standard Arabic, since the Darija he learned in Morocco isn’t readily understood elsewhere in the Arab world. He applied for a summer internship with AMIDEAST, and was offered a job in the Washington, D.C., office to work on English-language websites devoted to the Middle East. But when an AMIDEAST position in Alexandria, Egypt, opened up, Andrew jumped at it. “He couldn’t resist the opportunity to go abroad and improve his Arabic, to be better prepared to study in Jordan spring semester,” Liz says. “The D.C. people were annoyed because they were counting on him, so he offered to stay. But when they realized how much he wanted to go, they said, ‘Go ahead.’ But he very narrowly did not go. We think of that all the time.” Egypt on May 28. Street protests calling for Morsi’s ouster accelerated throughout June, and there was scattered violence in the coun-

Andrew left for

try. Michelle Hu, who had a summer internship with Microsoft in Cairo, grew accustomed to the demonstrations in the capital—meeting with colleagues in cafés when her offices closed during protests. Michelle says she didn’t feel unsafe, but when she and Andrew spoke by phone on June 28 about meeting up, they agreed that it made more sense for her to visit him in quieter Alexandria. Later she would realize that the conversation occurred just hours before Andrew was killed. Recalling Andrew’s assurances that he would not go to the protest, Liz sighs. “The AMIDEAST offices were closed, and employees were told not to go out,” she says. “But he didn’t have AC, he didn’t have Internet, and he just wasn’t inclined to stay inside.” Around noon on Friday, June 28, Andrew met up with two Western friends who planned to watch the protests from a café. The friends with him that day declined to be interviewed for this story; their personal security remains a concern. But they did reconstruct the events for the Pochters, who say they were told that initially the atmosphere of the protest was friendly. Walking through the streets, the three friends encountered families, people taking photos and singing, banners promoting peace and unity. Some Egyptians reportedly urged Andrew to relay their unhappiness with Morsi to President Barack Obama. The three Westerners resolved to keep at a distance from the crowds, though one of them felt so uncomfortable she finally left. Andrew and his remaining friend then became acquainted with an Egyptian-American who was on the street with his Egyptian cousin. Late in the afternoon, only Andrew and his two new acquaintances were still watching the protests, though Andrew continued to update his friends by text, reassuring them that everything was fine, that there were still women and children on the street. When the news came that the Alexandria headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood had been set on fire, the three young men

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“There was a moral core to this boy that stood out. Even at 17, he wanted to make the world a better place.” —the Rev. David McIlhiney, speaking of Andrew Pochter debated about whether it would be possible to observe that from a safe distance, and they finally agreed to approach by a roundabout route. Throughout the day, Andrew—like many others in the streets—had been taking and posing for pictures. But suddenly, a middle-aged man in the crowd became either alarmed or enraged by Andrew recording the building fire. The man began shouting, demanding to know who Andrew was and why he was there. Andrew’s companions tried to calm the situation by offering to delete the pictures from Andrew’s camera. But as the knot of onlookers grew and became more menacing, the Egyptian cousin became separated from Andrew. The Egyptian-American focused on shielding Andrew and removing him from the scene as quickly as possible. With the help of another bystander, he got Andrew past police barricades and to the train station, where Andrew collapsed in his arms. Only then was it clear that Andrew was badly hurt. An ambulance arrived within minutes, and a medic removed Andrew’s shirt to reveal a deep stab wound in his rib cage. He was taken to Mostafa Kamel Hospital for Armed Forces, where it was discovered that he had been stabbed four times. An hour later, he died in surgery.

Back in Washington,

Andrew’s sister, Emily, received a call at work from a friend who’d seen a report about an American killed in Alexandria. She contacted her mother, who went home, and she and Ted began searching for news online, where initial reports said the victim was a 28-year-old photojournalist named “Victor Andrew.” Ted left to

pick Emily up from the Metro, and it occurred to Liz that “Victor Andrew,” sounded like “Pochter Andrew,” and she called Ted to point this out. After they hung up, she saw that a CNN reporter in Egypt had confirmed that the victim was a 21-year-old teacher. Her heart sank. “Almost immediately the phone rang and I heard, ‘This is Bob Bullard from the American Embassy in Cairo.’ He didn’t even have to tell me,” Liz says. Though various reports have suggested that Andrew was attacked either because he was American or because he was Jewish, Liz and Ted say they have no proof of that. On the other hand, Liz says, “he didn’t look Egyptian, and he probably stood out more than he thought he did.” “He thought that because he could speak Arabic he would be able to break down barriers and defuse tension. He was so good at that,” Ted says. But “he was also 21, an age when you think, ‘This isn’t going to be a problem.’ ” The Pochters didn’t go to Egypt, as the situation there was increasingly chaotic and dangerous. Roadblocks between Alexandria and the international airport in Cairo meant that two weeks would pass before the American Embassy managed to send Andrew’s body home. On July 3, Morsi was overthrown in a military coup. By this time, many foreign exchange and internship programs had evacuated their American students, and others canceled their Egypt programs for the 2013-2014 academic year. Although AMIDEAST has moved many of its programs to Amman, Jordan, it maintains a presence in Egypt, as it has since 1956. In a statement released shortly after

Andrew’s death, AMIDEAST President and CEO Theodore Kattouf said: “Andrew represented the best of his generation of young Americans. He was concerned about the state of the world and wanted to improve it. While interning at AMIDEAST this summer, he demonstrated the kind of enthusiasm and willingness to engage his young students that help build mutual understanding, which is at the heart of the AMIDEAST mission.” about 700 mourners attended Andrew’s funeral at Washington National Cathedral. Before the service, the Pochters met with the Egyptian ambassador, Mohamed Tawfik, and his wife, and were assured that finding Andrew’s killer or killers remained a priority. The State Department made two pleas for an investigation, Ted says, “but then the country fell apart. So, so far, nothing.” The Egyptian police are holding Andrew’s camera and his other possessions indefinitely as part of the crime investigation, they say. The Pochters received condolences from President and Mrs. Obama, from Maryland Sens. Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski, and from Rep. Chris Van Hollen. They were deeply touched by a letter from the mother of Christopher Stevens, the American ambassador killed in an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012. “She said how much Chris and Andrew were alike in their passion for the Middle East, in wanting to be in the middle of things—in a good way,” Liz says. Stevens’ sister wrote a letter of condolence to Emily. At her brother’s funeral, Emily read from a letter her brother wrote to the boy he mentored for six years at sleepaway camp: “I hope you will never stop your curiosity for the beautiful things in life. …Surround yourself with good friends who care about your future. Fall in love with someone. Get your heart broken and then move on and fall in love again.” Several of Andrew’s peers, including his girlfriend, Clara, who has graduated,

On July 12,

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say they don’t yet feel able to speak about him. In addition to being devastated at the loss of “a deep, passionate, interesting and engaged young man,” one family friend says, “we’re a little mad at him. Why did he go to that demonstration when he was warned not to?” Others, though, see their younger selves in the shaggy-haired student with his backpack, Nikon, Marlboros (a sure means of social bonding in North Africa) and elated grin. And they understand why he was there. “He reminded me of myself in Egypt as an undergraduate six years ago,” says Alexandra Raphel, a D.C. resident who’s now a graduate student in public policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School. “I don’t dismiss the risks [of being in Egypt], and you can’t say to parents not to worry, but he wasn’t wrong or foolish to go. He was doing something important.”

In an opinion piece published in the GlobalPost last July, Raphel wrote: “Students who are drawn to places like Egypt because of its challenges, rather than in spite of them, are exactly the kinds of people the country benefits from hosting.” It’s an idea the Pochters have come to embrace. Last July, they established a fund for Kenyon students who wish to study, improve their language skills or take an unpaid internship in North Africa or the Middle East. In October, the fund reached $50,000, and thus will be permanently endowed. Ted and Liz Pochter admit that they felt torn when they first considered helping other students go abroad, imagining their parents going through the heartbreak they’ve experienced. “But we came around to the idea that what Andrew wanted to do must be done,” Liz says. “We are thrilled and uplifted

to know that Andrew will be honored and remembered in perpetuity by Kenyon students who share his passion for understanding the Middle East.” In a eulogy at Andrew’s funeral, Blue Ridge chaplain McIlhiney spoke of how the young man’s curiosity about and reverence for human difference had awed him. That eagerness to explore and understand the world comes with a physical courage particular to youth, McIlhiney says. “A 21-year-old doesn’t perceive danger as we do,” he says. “And it’s part of what we love and admire about them.” n A frequent contributor to the magazine, Kathleen Wheaton is the author of Aliens & Other Stories (Washington Writers’ Publishing House, 2013). To comment on this story, email comments@bethesda magazine.com.

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Nicole Magney visits the stone valley of Wadi Rum in Jordan, where she spent the fall semester in 2012.

Letting Nicole Go We were on the Dulles Access Road,

just a couple of miles from the airport, when we heard that 11 Jordanians had been arrested for plotting to bomb hotels in Amman on the anniversary of a similar attack seven years earlier. I turned up the volume on the car radio. “Did you hear that?” I asked my husband. John nodded, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. “At least they caught them.” My words sounded shallow even to me. It was Oct. 21, 2012, and we were head-

ing to Amman to visit our daughter, Nicole, who was there for a semester abroad. Our fears about Nicole studying in the Middle East had shadowed us for more than a year. She had switched from studying Mandarin to Arabic in her sophomore year at Vassar after taking courses on the Middle East and becoming fascinated with its culture and history. Home on break that fall, she announced that she wanted to study there. Her Arabic teacher thought Jordan would be the best place to go because the dialect was so similar to the

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For a parent with a child in the Middle East, worry becomes a constant companion By Desirée Magney

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Standard Arabic she was learning. I could hear the excitement in her voice as she told us about it. But John was noticeably silent. On the last night of Nicole’s break, we took her to Bethesda for dinner at Assaggi, her favorite restaurant. White twinkle lights encircled the trees, making for a festive evening. But during dinner, John began peppering her with questions, the attorney in him treating her like a hostile witness at a trial. She teared up but held firm in her desire. And as time passed, we came to accept the inevitable. She was an adult. We had to let her go.

Less than a year later, Nicole

was preparing to go to the University of Jordan in Amman. We were preparing for her departure. We talked with friends, listened to the news, tried to foresee every eventuality she might encounter. I took Nicole shopping for longsleeved blouses and long skirts to cover her 5-foot-9-inch frame. I gave her sunglasses to obscure her green eyes, and scarves for her blond hair, recalling Lara Logan, the beautiful, blond CBS correspondent who was brutally attacked in Cairo. “Cover your hair so you don’t stand out so much,” I implored Nicole. She flew to Amman on Sept. 1, 2012. But before leaving, she gave me a finely braided friendship bracelet that she had spent days making—a circle of love to bind us. “I have to knot it around your wrist,” she said. “You won’t be able to take it off, you know.” As if I would.

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From the beginning, Nicole

and her fellow students were warned to avoid the mosques after prayer services on Friday afternoons, when weekly demonstrations were held. But that September, the Innocence of Muslims, a movie trailer on YouTube denigrating the prophet Muhammad, created a furor in the Arab world. Then militants attacked the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya, killing the U.S. ambassador and

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letting nicole go three other Americans, and the political climate throughout the Middle East became increasingly volatile. Whatever tiny bubble of hope I had that Nicole was safe quickly burst. I began texting her with each bit of information or warning I heard. Finally she asked me to stop. “The study abroad people are keeping us informed, Mom. We know what areas to avoid and when. They’ll evacuate us if they need to.” The next month, John and I headed first to Istanbul and then to Jordan. We had decided to meet her during her break, which coincided with the hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, and the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Nicole, shown here at the Jordan River, experienced some tense days during her time abroad.

But now she revealed the things she’d held back. She told us of harassment on the streets and her inability to blend in. She wouldn’t wear the scarves I’d bought; it was deemed inappropriate for a nonMuslim unless she was visiting a mosque. We flew with her to Amman on Oct. 27. At the Four Seasons, our car was inspected before being allowed to enter its gates, and inside, our belongings passed through an X-ray machine while we walked through a scanner—reminders of the omnipresent potential for danger. We met Omar, our tour guide for Petra, in the lobby later that day. Nicole had warned me: “Only reach for a man’s hand to shake if he extends his first.” Omar reached out to shake our hands as Nicole greeted him in Arabic. His eyebrows raised in delight, he replied in kind. In the ancient city of Petra, horses’ hooves and rickety wagon wheels clamored over the stones, carrying exhausted tourists up and down the steep hill to and from the site. Camels draped in colorful blankets loped by. The thick stench of horses and mules permeated the air. Western tourists mingled with Middle Eastern tourists. The Arab men wore either Western attire or long, white tunics and headdresses, while the women were covered—some in hijabs over their hair and necks, others in niqabs covering their

entire bodies, long black gowns floating to the powdery earth. Later, on our way back to the hotel, Omar said: “Please, tell your American friends to come to Jordan. Ever since the Arab Spring, Americans are afraid to come here. …We need the tourists.” The next day, our last, we took a cab to the university with Nicole. “The man always sits in front in a taxi, the woman in back,” she reminded us. When we arrived, Nicole argued in Arabic with the cab driver for overcharging us. I stiffened with worry. But she later explained that everyone, including women, haggles over fares. After a tour of the massive university, we headed to Nicole’s favorite café. The sidewalks were crammed, making it nearly impossible to avoid bumping shoulders with passersby. I recalled Nicole telling me she’d inadvertently bumped a man on a sidewalk one day. Forgetting the warnings never to look directly at or talk to a male stranger, she’d instinctively turned and said, “Assifeh” (“Sorry”). He circled back, taking that as a sexual come-on. That evening, we met Nicole’s host family. When Nicole opened the front door to their apartment, their 5-yearold son ran to her, squealing, “Neecole, Neecole, Neecole!” Nicole crouched down. He wrapped his little arms around her neck, squeezing

courtesy photo

At Dulles Airport,

we checked our bags—including one for Nicole that was filled with clothes, boxes of Snyder’s sourdough pretzels and Halloween candy—and boarded the 11:30 p.m. flight to Istanbul. The news of the foiled terrorist plot had rattled me, and I took Advil PM, hoping to sleep. When we arrived, John and I checked into our quaint hotel, climbing the circular staircase to the terrace later that night for dinner. The Blue Mosque lay before us, bathed in a pale blue light from the moonbeams washing over its aqua tiles. Six minarets flanked the mosque and towered over the Old Town of Sultanahmet. The Muslim call to evening prayer began, the imam’s melodious Arabic chant floating down the hill as we sat to eat. During dinner, our son, Daniel, texted us from New York about the arrests in Jordan. “Can Nicole just come home?” he asked. Like me, he wanted her safely back. Late the next morning, Nicole arrived. It had been almost two months since we’d held her, and I hugged her tightly, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. Although we’d been communicating regularly, she had generally kept the discussions light, talking about all the positive experiences, including a trip to the Red Sea and riding camels in the desert. She told us about her Muslim peer tutor’s family and the day the women taught her how to belly dance.

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tightly and speaking excitedly in Arabic. “Oh, Foo Foo, I missed you, too,” she said, first in Arabic, then in English. We gave her hosts small gifts to thank them for caring for our daughter—Virginia peanuts, Old Bay Seasoning, a dinosaur Lego set for Foo Foo—then squeezed into their car to go to an Arabic restaurant. Afterward, they insisted on driving us to our hotel. I held Nicole’s hand in the backseat, knowing it would be awhile before I could do so again. Outside the hotel, I hugged her and tearily told her that I loved her. I reminded her to be strong and that only seven weeks remained until her homecoming. As I walked through the lobby, my iPhone dinged and I looked down to see Nicole’s text: I miss you already.

Two weeks after

our departure, the post-prayer service demonstrations grew to include protests against

S ENIOR

the government’s end of fuel subsidies, and rumors circulated of a possible Arab Spring in Jordan. Classes were canceled, and foreign students were told to remain in their apartments until otherwise notified. They were to keep their phones charged and loaded with minutes so they could be reached in an instant. During that time, I developed sties on my eyes and rashes on my arms. My iPhone never left my side. In the morning, I’d wake to find Nicole’s friendship bracelet twisted around my wrist, evidence of another restless night. Nicole and I Skyped on the second day of her five-day confinement. Temperatures in Amman had dropped into the 50s and there was no heat in the apartment. But cold was the least of our concerns as she listened to gunshots just blocks away. Finally, classes resumed, and before Nicole knew it, her stay was ending. Thirty-six hours before her departure, she was walking with two male friends,

LIFESTYLE

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heading to say her goodbyes. The final evening call to prayer had just sounded when a car approached from behind, its headlights off. A man reached through the passenger-side window and grabbed Nicole’s long purse strap, dragging her down and through the street before she managed to let go. When she called to tell me, assuring me she wasn’t badly hurt, I reminded myself that the mugging could easily have happened in Bethesda. A day and a half later, Nicole was back. For the first time in months, I could breathe. That’s when she said: “I can’t wait to go back, Mom.” n Desirée Magney lives in Chevy Chase. Nicole is a senior at Vassar College, majoring in history with a correlate in Arabic language and culture. To comment on this story, email comments@bethesda magazine.com.

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Katharine Weymouth, seated beneath a photo of her famous grandmother, Katharine Graham (left), says she wished she had “understood earlier how critical technology is” to success in today’s media world.

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By Eugene L. Meyer

Katharine Weymouth in the Post Bezos Era

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With the sale of The Washington Post last fall to Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, the Graham family ended its 80-year control of the newspaper. But one family member remains in place. At Bezos’ request, Katharine Weymouth, 47, a member of the fourth generation in the family to be associated with the Post, is still at the helm as publisher. Weymouth, who assumed that position in 2008, grew up on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. A graduate of Harvard and Stanford Law School, she went on to join the Washington law firm of Williams & Connolly before going to work in the newspaper’s legal department, on its digital media operation and as vice president for advertising. A granddaughter of the late, legendary Katharine Graham and niece of former publisher Donald Graham, Weymouth is a single mother (she’s divorced from lawyer Richard Alan Scully). She lives with their three children in a four-bedroom house in Chevy Chase, D.C., that was built in 1920. Following the newspaper’s sale to Bezos for $250 million, she sat for an interview in her sixth-floor office in the Post building, which would be sold nearly two months later to Carr Properties for $159 million. The office overlooking 15th Street is adorned with family photos and her children’s artwork; her desk and coffee table previously belonged to her grandmother.

Q&A How did you wind up with your grandmother’s furniture?

When they renovated her office after her death [in July 2001], they offered me her office furniture, and I loved the idea of working at her desk. I like to think I get some osmosis from her furniture. I became close to my grandmother once I moved to Washington [in 1993]. We used to have fun Friday night dinners, just the two of us, and she often took me as her date to events. My grandmother’s housekeeper still works for me. Did you want to be publisher?

I grew up surrounded by journalists…[but] that was never my goal. You were the one who suggested to your uncle, Don Graham, that the paper be sold. The story goes that you brought it up when you were both sitting on a bench.

It’s been portrayed as a seminal moment. It was really Don and I talking every week. It was more of an evolution of a conversation we’d been having all along.

Were you surprised to be asked to stay on as publisher? Will you be in this position a year from now? There’s speculation you won’t.

I was not surprised to be asked to stay on. Jeff Bezos is humble enough to acknowledge that he is new to this space. I will continue as long as he’s willing to have me. There is understandable speculation about that, but it is pure speculation. If you had a second career choice, what would it be?

I have no idea. I focus on the career I’m in.

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Katharine Weymouth You were a lawyer before you were a publisher.

I went to law school for not a good reason. I needed a practical skill. My mother was nagging me to go to graduate school. But I also felt law school would give me a lot of good options— and I loved being a lawyer. At The Washington Post, I did employment law, vetting news stories, software contracts. It was a fantastic place to see different departments. I did that for two years here, and then spent two years at [washingtonpost.com]. What can Jeff Bezos do that the Grahams couldn’t?

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I personally believe there’s no magic bullet. If there were, someone would’ve found it, how to transform for the digital era. But we are in a great position. We have a credible brand, deeply engaged readers, [and we] cover Washington. And now we are owned by someone with deep pockets who cares what we do and is willing to invest for the long term. What has changed now that the Post newspaper is owned by Jeff Bezos?

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People have stopped wearing ties, that’s the biggest change around here. …He hasn’t yet told us what to do, not that he would. He’s buying it for all the right reasons: It’s an important institution. He said, “I’m an optimist by nature and, yes, I’m optimistic about the future of the Post. If not, I wouldn’t join you.” Can he bring something to the table? He clearly does have deep pockets. By itself, that’s not enough. He is obsessively focused on the reader’s experience. Have you and he discussed changes you might make under his ownership that you were unable to or didn’t make before?

I do not anticipate any dramatic changes. He has made it clear that he wants to build on what we do best, with a deep focus on serving our readers…[while] experimenting with new ways of presenting our journalism digitally that will create even more compelling experiences for our readers and users.

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Katharine Weymouth What is your proudest accomplishment since becoming publisher in 2008? And what’s your biggest challenge going forward?

My proudest accomplishment is something I cannot take credit for: the journalism we have published over the past five years. From the coverage of the financial meltdown that started in 2008, to our coverage of Afghanistan, Iraq and China, to our coverage of our local governments, crime, schools and the arts. Our challenge is building on what we have been doing: continuing to publish award-winning, compelling journalism for our readers in a digital world. We want to meet our readers where they are—on any device, 24 hours of the day, with coverage they simply cannot find anywhere else. What would you do over?

I would’ve understood earlier how critical technology is in this new world.

[But] I don’t focus on regrets. I focus on moving forward. You must experiment and try new things. Talk to us about “Salon-gate,” the proposed series of private dinners or salons at your house in 2009. Prominent persons would have paid $25,000 to $250,000 to attend up to 11 such events, where they would have gotten to meet with Post journalists. You received a lot of criticism over that.

There never was a dinner. There was simply a flier. Yes, I wouldn’t do it. I view it as a blip on the radar. But out of it came a fantastic conference business. That was my goal all along. I believe it’s OK to try things and make mistakes. My grandmother said, “You will make mistakes.” It has been widely noted in the media and in the newsroom that you received large bonuses (more than $600,000 in 2012, with $2.4 million in total com-

pensation) even as the newsroom staff was being reduced and news bureaus closed. Any comment?

That’s a question for the board and the compensation committee. I’m held to results. I delivered. The year I took over, the Post lost well over $100 million. I got us in the black in two years. I think it’s OK to be paid for delivering results. When you hired Marcus Brauchli, formerly with The Wall Street Journal, to become the Post’s executive editor in 2008, you were quoted as saying, “That’s my first big decision. If I do it right, that person will be around for a long time.” Why did you go outside the paper, and why did you replace him?

My focus was on transforming us for the digital age. I was looking for an editor over both print and the Web. I thought Marcus was a great choice. He oversaw the transition of the newsroom. He created a terrific team. He oversaw some

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Katharine Weymouth

fantastic coverage. But I think Marty Baron [the former Boston Globe editor who was hired at the end of December 2012 to become the Post’s executive editor] is the right editor to take us forward. The New York Times reported that Brauchli resisted more newsroom cuts.

Marcus was a terrific editor. He oversaw the integration of the newsroom [with the website], hired great talent and oversaw great coverage. Marty Baron is the editor who will bring us into the future. I hired Marty because of his stature as an editor. Will there be more staff reductions?

Our focus is on serving our readers, not about [staffing] numbers per se. During Watergate, the golden age, the staff was a lot smaller than it is today. Our goal is hiring the best reporters and editors and producers for video. [Staffing] we will have to assess over time. We are trying to cut costs but not coverage. We will keep [foreign] coverage as robust if not more robust. We’d rather have our journalists on the street. We don’t want reporters to be spending a lot of time in buildings, physical offices; we want them out reporting. You abolished the position of the ombudsman, who responded to reader complaints and also wrote a weekly column of criticism and commentary assessing Post coverage. Now there’s a reader representative who simply restates what readers are saying on a particular subject in his online posts.

The world has changed a lot. We need to change, too. The ombudsman became obsolete because there are now tons and tons of media critics. That role is not necessary anymore. How do you read The Washington Post? On what platform? And when?

I do all of it: I read it on my iPad at night, the [print] paper in morning, I go online

during the day. I watch the Post videos. I’m the classic of my gender—I do not read sports first; I read the front page, Metro, Style, then sports.

recipe for white chocolate crème brûlée. I make a lot of fish, and I love making summer soups. I love to read.

How do you like living in Washington compared with Manhattan?

I’m reading [An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943] the first of Rick Atkinson’s trilogy [about the American role in the liberation of Europe during World War II]. I just read Traps, by Jeff Bezos’ wife [MacKenzie]. It’s her latest novel, and it’s about four women from different walks of life. I am so in awe of her, taking care of her husband, raising four children and writing novels.

I prefer it. I love living here, raising kids here. I love the skyline. Washington has the culture, and much better restaurants over the past 10 years. Why did you choose Chevy Chase, D.C., instead of, say, Georgetown or Potomac?

Georgetown I couldn’t afford, and parking there is difficult. It’s important to me to walk places, like Starbucks, the dry cleaners, Safeway. I needed space for three children and three dogs—I have lots of pets [I was] talked into by my children. I take [the dogs] to Lafayette [Elementary School field] and to Rock Creek [Park]. We are not a cat household. My son and I are allergic. My kids are 9, 11 and 13, two strong girls and a boy in the middle. I feel lucky. It can’t have been easy for you. You’re a single mother, and one of your daughters is now recovering from a horseback riding incident.

It was my youngest daughter who fell off her horse and broke her arm badly. After multiple complicated surgeries over two years, she has regained use of her arm, but still is not able to use her left hand. She is incredibly strong and funny, and doesn’t let it get in her way at all. What do you do in your copious spare time?

I don’t have any. I try to hang out with my kids. I run and travel. I love to travel out West, where we can hike during the summer and ski during the winter. This summer I took the kids to South Africa, and we went on a wonderful safari. I love to cook. When I cook, I like to try new things. My favorite is a Washington Post

What are you reading now?

As a single mother who’s also the Post publisher, what’s your daily life like?

I definitely do a lot of juggling. My kids are at two different schools in three different buildings. On the mornings I am in town, I wake up at 5:50, go for a 2-mile run with my friend Carolyn, end at Starbucks—couldn’t live without it—come home, make breakfast for the kids and lunch for one, take the dogs out, feed the dogs, put drops in one dog’s eyes, drive the kids to three different drop-off points, and get to work by 9:30. My day is typically filled with meetings. At the end of the day, if I don’t have a business dinner, I go home to have dinner with the kids, catch up with them, make sure they have done their homework and put them to bed. Sometimes we have a family night watching Homeland or Scandal. Otherwise, like every other single parent, I pay the bills, run the house, fill out the school and camp forms, make the doctor appointments, make the play dates, schedule the activities, buy the groceries, cook, put furniture together, and I’m not too bad with a cordless drill. n Eugene L. Meyer, a former Washington Post writer, is a longtime contributing editor at Bethesda Magazine. To comment on this story, email comments@ bethesdamagazine.com.

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Weddings of theYear

Celebrating love knows no bounds when it’s time to say “I do.” The four couples selected for our third annual celebration of “Weddings of the Year” did so with style—from a garden ceremony culminating in the West African tradition of “jumping the broom” to a showstopper featuring the pageantry of Bollywood. Check out the highlights on the pages that follow. Other “Weddings of the Year” will appear each month at BethesdaMagazine.com.

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Weddings of theYear  A Passage to India The night before Nina Bajaj wed Zeshawn Uddin, she basked in the love of family and friends as they applied henna designs on her feet and arms. It was a traditional gathering known as a mehndi—a fitting beginning for a two-day celebration of love and culture, Bollywood style. Colorful traditional outfits and choreographed dancing by family and friends were highlights of the festivities, as well, which drew hundreds of relatives from as far away as India and London.

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Weddings of theYear

Bride and groom: Nina Bajaj, originally from Silver Spring, is an IT consultant for the Broadcasting Board of Governors in Washington, D.C. Zeshawn Uddin, originally from Germantown, works for NETE Solutions in McLean,Va., and is an IT consultant for the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda. They live in Washington, D.C. The wedding: April 5, 2013, ceremony at Indique Heights in Chevy Chase; April 6 reception at the Hyatt Regency Bethesda How they met: Nina and Zeshawn struck up a conversation while socializing with mutual friends after work at Lucky Bar in Washington, D.C. “The more he made me laugh, the more I wanted to hang out with him,” Nina says. First date: Dinner and dancing at the Skydome Lounge, a revolving rooftop restaurant at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Arlington, Va. “Our first date involved a lot of deep conversations and laughs over a candlelight dinner with an amazing view, followed by dancing,” Nina says. The proposal: On the Fourth of July under the fireworks on the National Mall Wedding theme: Bollywood Number of guests: 300 Gown: Nina traveled to Mumbai, India, with her mother to buy her traditional Indian gown. Photography: Erum Rizvi Photography

The honeymoon: Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa in Honolulu What made the event so special: Most of the guests were relatives who’d traveled from London and India for the two-day fusion wedding. The couple was married on a Friday in an intimate ceremony for 200 officiated by a close friend of the bride’s family, followed by a reception for 300 the next day. The pre-wedding festivities included a mehndi, in which family and friends gathered to give blessings to the bride and groom. The women also helped apply traditional henna designs onto the bride’s feet and arms. Favorite moments: Hearing the speeches and watching the choreographed performances by close family and friends at the reception. Most of the women wore saris for the wedding and all of the groom’s male cousins wore traditional Pakistani-Indian outfits. Adding to the fun: a photo booth at the reception and an Indian dhol player (drummer) who accompanied the DJ’s selection of Indian and American songs.

THE DETAILS: wedding planning by Amina Ahmad; flowers by Uzma Zafer; invitations and programs by Color Print Outlet; catering by Surfy Rahman, Indique Heights; hair by Jean Kekel at Talio Hair Design; makeup by Carlos Gallegos; rentals by Décor by Yaadein Weddings; videography by Toy Box Productions; music by Lost Sounds Entertainment and Indian dhol player Jay Kansara

Favorite details: Nina’s twist on the wearing of a traditional scarf for the ceremony—she turned the scarf on its side to resemble an elegant bridal veil. Nina also tied onto her bouquet a blue handkerchief that each of her friends had carried in their weddings. Unfortunately, the bouquet was lost at the reception, so her friends are creating a new handkerchief using fabric from their wedding dresses, Nina says.

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Weddings of theYear

 The Power of Love Just eight months after she began dating Kevin Murphy, Meghan Kingsley faced a life-threatening situation: She needed a liver transplant. It was enough to test any couple, much less one just getting to know each other. But throughout her operation and recovery, Kevin remained by Meghan’s side. And three and a half years later, the couple made their commitment to one another official. Meghan—and her unusual love story—was the subject of the story “Angel in Her Corner” in the September/October 2012 issue of Bethesda Magazine.

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Weddings of theYear

Bride and groom: A Pennsylvania native, Meghan Kingsley grew up in North Potomac and graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. She now works as an advertising associate at Bethesda Magazine. Kevin Murphy grew up in Rockville and graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School in North Bethesda and the University of Maryland. He works in the corporate office of The Palm Restaurant Group. The couple lives in Rockville. The wedding: June 29, 2013, at the Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes at Georgetown Preparatory School; reception at Manor Country Club in Rockville How they met: The couple met at Caddies on Cordell in Bethesda, where Meghan struck up a conversation with Kevin about college basketball. First date: Burgers at Gordon Biersch at the Rockville Town Center The proposal: Kevin planned to propose on March 20, 2012, which marked the fourth anniversary of the day the couple met. But St. Patrick’s Day, his favorite holiday, dawned with such beautiful weather that year that he decided to change his plans. He drove Meghan to see the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., and asked her to marry him while walking along the Tidal Basin. Number of guests: 136 Gown: A “convertible dress”—with a full skirt that could be placed over the sheathstyle gown—by Monique Lhuillier from Carine’s Bridal Atelier in Washington, D.C. photography: Jennifer Lust Portrait Design

The honeymoon: Sandals Regency La Toc Resort & Hotel in St. Lucia What made the day so special: Meghan had always wanted to get married by the water, but the couple was concerned about having guests drive across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on a Saturday in June. Kevin had always talked about getting married in the chapel at his alma mater, Georgetown Prep. One Saturday, as the couple was driving home from looking at venues on the Eastern Shore, they stopped at Georgetown Prep so Kevin could show the chapel to Meghan. “It was dimly lit when we poked our heads in, but I instantly knew that this was where I wanted to get married,” Meghan says. The ceremony was a traditional Catholic Mass and the reception included a “cookie bar,” a regular feature at Pennsylvania wedding receptions. Meghan’s family baked nearly 1,000 cookies—more than 10 varieties, including triple chocolate chip, snickerdoodles and Uncle Pat’s Orange Cookies. Not one remained by the time guests left. Favorite moment: For Meghan, it was when the couple was driving to the reception. “Kevin and I had a moment to ourselves. He was emotional and said some heartfelt things which completely melted my heart,” she says. For Kevin, the highlights of the day were “saying ‘I do’ to my beautiful bride and taking pictures with our dog, Makai.”

THE DETAILS: wedding planning by interior designer and family friend Rebecca Taylor and Claudial Fahey of Manor Country Club; cake by CakeDreams in Rockville; flowers by Janet Flowers Wedding and Event Designs; invitations and programs designed by Jennifer Farkas Designs and printed by Andrew Farkas at Print1 in Bethesda; hair by Todd Christofaro from Todd Christofaro Salon; makeup by Jacquie Hannan; rentals by DC Photobooth; music by The New Monopoly; transportation by Giron’s Limousine Service and RMA Chauffeured Transportation

Favorite detail: The CD of love songs— ranging from “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers to the Grateful Dead’s “Midnight Hour”—that Kevin created. The CDs served as place cards at the reception.

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Weddings of theYear  Tails of Love It was Lauren Pomponio and Rory Pillsbury’s big day, but Ferguson almost stole the spotlight. The couple included their beloved Maltese-Yorkie in the festivities and invited guests to bring their dogs, too. It wasn’t planned, but Ferguson decided to stroll down the aisle in front of Lauren and her father, then turned to wait for the bride. Once the pair started to say their vows, Ferguson began barking, prompting Lauren to pick her up. That’s when Ferguson decided to lick the groom’s hand. “It was so unplanned, different and sweet,” Lauren says. “Everyone laughed and our officiant made a joke of it, claiming that ‘the dog approves of the marriage.’ ”

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Weddings of theYear

Bride and groom: Lauren Pomponio, who grew up in Montgomery County and graduated from Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, is a real estate agent with TTR Sotheby’s International Realty. Rory Pillsbury is a construction manager at Hines, an international real estate firm. The couple lives in Northwest Washington, D.C. The wedding: Dec. 15, 2012, ceremony and reception at Keswick Hall in Keswick, Va. How they met: Through mutual friends while out one night in Washington, D.C. Lauren saw Rory doing a dance called “The Dougie” and thought “he was cute and a good dancer.” Two years later, “we had the band play ‘The Dougie’ at our wedding and everyone circled Rory as he performed the dance again. It was hilarious,” she says. First date: The couple met at Paolo’s Ristorante in Georgetown for a glass of wine and ended up staying and talking for hours. The proposal: It happened during a visit to Barrel Oak Winery in Virginia. “Rory was so nervous that he ended up proposing in the gravel parking lot before we even got inside,” Lauren says. “When he got down on one knee and opened the ring box, the ring fell out into the gravel!” Wedding theme: Christmas and winter Number of guests: 130 Gown: A strapless ball gown with a full skirt and long train from Hannelore’s in Alexandria, Va.

Photography: Jen Fariello The honeymoon: Viceroy Sugar Beach Resort in St. Lucia What made the day so special: The couple incorporated personal touches that honored Rory’s family history—his great-greatgrandfather, Charles Alfred Pillsbury, established Pillsbury’s Best XXXX in 1873 in Minnesota—as well as the couple’s love for wine country, dogs and the holidays. Lauren and Rory gave guests three versions of Pillsbury Doughboy magnets, with the doughboy holding a loaf of bread, a pretzel and a doughnut. They also hired the Carpe Donut food wagon to make fresh, organic doughnuts onsite that were served with locally made ice cream and spiced cider. The couple chose Keswick Hall at Christmastime because they frequently visit wine country nearby and love the hall’s romantic, cozy feeling during the holidays. Several local wines were served throughout the weekend and a bottle of wine was included in guests’ gift bags.

THE DETAILS: wedding planning by Adam DonovanGroves; cake by Keswick Hall; flowers by Hedge Fine Blooms in Charlottesville, Va.; invitations and programs

Favorite moment: The wedding planner took the couple to see the reception room before guests arrived. “It was stunning to walk in and see all of the months of planning come together in a beautiful, elegant room,” Lauren says. “It was so romantic—with candles everywhere, beautiful centerpieces with candelabras and white flowers, our beautiful three-tier white cake, table numbers, place settings with gifts and all the other little details put together perfectly.”

by Shelly Poulos, Creative Balloons and More, Potomac; hair and makeup by Lora Kelley Styling and Makeup; rentals by MS Events, Charlottesville; catering by Keswick Hall; music by In Full booked through Sam Hill Entertainment; transportation by A Goff Limo, Charlottesville

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Weddings of theYear  Nothing But Blue Skies From the beginning, CourtneyRose Harris and Adam Dantus approached their courtship with a sense of adventure. There was the online dating website through which they met. There was Adam’s elaborate ruse for proposing marriage at the Lincoln Memorial. And finally, there was the decision to stick with an outdoor wedding on a rainy August day. Their go-for-it attitude paid off: The skies cleared as the ceremony began.

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Weddings of theYear

Bride and groom: Courtney-Rose Harris, originally from Colorado Springs, is a digital campaign manager at Service Employees International Union in Washington, D.C. Adam Dantus, who grew up in Rockville, is team president of Bethesda Big Train, the summer team that plays in the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League. The couple lives in Bethesda. The wedding: Aug. 18, 2013, ceremony and reception at The Strong Mansion at Sugarloaf Mountain in Dickerson How they met: The couple met on an online dating website and “instantly connected over a mutual interest in sports, good food and Desperate Housewives.” First date: Chatting for hours over dinner at Clyde’s in Washington, D.C. The proposal: The couple had been dating for a little more than a year when Adam proposed on a chilly November night. He insisted that the couple take their shih tzu-Yorkie mix, Lox, to a so-called “Dogs at the Lincoln Memorial” event. But when the couple arrived, there wasn’t a dog in sight. Adam quickly pulled Courtney-Rose over to look at the Reflecting Pool, dropped down on one knee and asked her to marry him. “There was something so special about that moment—standing at the foot of such meaningful history as we started out to create our own,” she says. Wedding theme: Chic garden party

Number of guests: 120 Gown: Strapless satin mermaid gown with an intricately beaded bolero by designer Oleg Cassini photography: Erin Wheeler Photography The honeymoon: Florblanca Resort in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica What made the day so special: A fun and relaxed atmosphere including friends and family and filled with meaningful traditions, both new and old. The wedding brought together four different families and combined Adam’s Jewish and Courtney-Rose’s Christian beliefs and their cultural backgrounds, including the West African tradition of “jumping the broom” at the end of the ceremony. Honoring Jewish tradition, family and friends read seven personalized wedding blessings during the ceremony.

THE DETAILS: wedding planning by Tamika JosephsSmith of Diamond Event Services; cake by Fluffy Thoughts Cakes in McLean, Va.; flowers by Rachel Ziegler of Floral and Bloom Designs; invitations by Nicole Roura of Umama Invitations and Stationery; hair by Salih Watts; makeup by Marquia Kinard of Blend Make-Up Artistry; rentals by Party

Favorite moment: Anticipating a hot August day for their outdoor ceremony, the couple woke to rain and cloudy skies. CourtneyRose and Adam debated whether to move the ceremony indoors, but decided against it. The wedding was relocated to an area covered by trees, and guests were given parasols. Then, just as Courtney-Rose began to walk down the aisle, the rain stopped and the skies cleared. “It was more beautiful than anything we could have imagined,” she says. n

Rental; catering by Spilled Milk Catering; ceremony music by Canterbury Strings, reception music by Chris Styles of Chris Styles DJs

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Ridgewells Whether your wedding reception is small and intimate or a formal affair, Ridgewells Catering will transform your dreams into a memorable occasion. From traditional elegance to sleek and contemporary we craft menus and design receptions that are truly unique and reflect your individuality. Serving Washington, D.C.; Virginia; and Maryland. 5525 Dorsey Lane, Bethesda MD 20816 301-652-1515 / www.ridgewells.com

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salon jean & day spa Salon Jean is a great place to do bridal parties. We specialize in updos and make up for all ages. Salon Jean is always up to date with current styles for brides or any type of party hair. We also do nails, pedicure and facials for last minute touch ups before the big event. 7945 MacArthur Blvd., Cabin John, MD 20818 301-320-5326 / www.salonjean.com

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Does Daryl Davis hold the key to racial harmony? By Mike Gruss

The Silver Spring musician says that by getting to know members of the Ku Klux Klan and letting them get to know him, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fostering mutual respect and understanding. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a simple idea. Maybe too simple.

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Musician and author Daryl Davis holds one of the hoods that he says was given to him by former Ku Klux Klan members.

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daryl davis

Daryl Davis is a showman.

On this Saturday night at The Birchmere in Alexandria, four white men in black shirts and black pants saunter onto the stage. Then Davis, a 55-yearold African-American wearing a gold shirt and black jeans with a cellphone attached to his belt, takes his place in the spotlight. He opens with a showman’s query: “What do you people want to hear?” The audience shouts the names of 1960s rock ’n’ roll favorites, and the band kicks off a series of twangy, boogie-woogie songs. Davis plays in the flamboyant style of Jerry Lee Lewis or Little Richard, sometimes chopping the keys karate-style and grimacing as if the music pains him. Though Davis lives across the state line in Silver Spring, he addresses the crowd as if he were performing in another country. “Every time I play Northern Virginia, y’all call it rockabilly,” he says late in the set. He describes the genre by naming Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. He talks about the same music being referred to as rock ’n’ roll, but played by Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry.

It would be easy to parse this explanation by race. Presley and Holly, both white, fall under one set of rules. Diddley and Berry, both black, under another. But before the audience can think too hard about it, before they can tell if the speech is the setup for a joke or part of a larger point about how artists are viewed based on the color of their skin, Davis moves on. “In Chicago,” he says, “we call this the boogie-woogie.” And that may be one of the least polarizing things Daryl Davis has to say about race.

When he appears on television, whether it’s The Geraldo Rivera Show or National Geographic or CNN, Daryl Davis’ own history rarely comes up. The hosts don’t really want to know who he is or where he comes from; they want sound bites. Davis provides them. The subject of a 75-minute documentary scheduled for release early this year, he has become a media-friendly outlier when it comes to the über-touchy topic of race in America. He alternately is regarded as a role model in a post-racial society—and as a publicity hound who has put his own interests above the African-American community by ignoring a not-so-distant struggle. The fact that he has played with some of the country’s most revered musicians, well, that only adds to the allure.

In the early days of rock ’n’ roll,

Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry played to segregated crowds. Davis was too young to witness the concerts firsthand, but the photos intrigued him.

courtesy photos

Davis has performed with lots of celebrities. Clockwise from top: Davis with Billy Joel, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry.

Davis is a gifted keyboard player and bandleader. He has the kind of enviable talent that has attracted audiences, though never the fame of a Little Richard or a Chuck Berry. But Davis believes his true gift is this: He wants to be seen as a catalyst in resolving race relations in America. He is a black man with friends in the Klan. And now we come to the background that Davis says helps explain his views. Davis’ parents worked for the Foreign Service. He describes the international schools he attended as “a little U.N.,” with Italians, Germans and Nigerians. In 1968, when he was 10 years old and living in Belmont, Mass., he was one of two black students in his school. During a parade that spring, as Boston seethed with tension over civil rights, he marched in his Cub Scout uniform from Lexington to Concord. Onlookers pelted him with rocks and debris and bottles, he says. Davis didn’t understand why. “My first thought was they didn’t like the Scouts.” His parents told him it was because of his race. Six years later, while Davis was attending Rockville’s Thomas S. Wootton High School, Matt Koehl, then the head of the American Nazi Party, came to speak to his class. Koehl pointed at Davis, one of two black students in the room, and told him, “We’re going to ship you back to Africa.” Another student asked: “What if they don’t go?” “They will be exterminated in the upcoming race war,” Koehl said. Afterward, Davis started reading everything he could about hate groups, and today he claims to have read every book written about the Ku Klux Klan. The confrontation stuck with him like a song he couldn’t get out of his head. And rather than ignore it, he plays the refrain over and over again. How can they hate me when they don’t even know me?

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courtesy photos

Music “brought people together. I like that,” says Davis, pictured here at home in Silver Spring.

“Black kids and white kids would bounce up out of their seats, knock down the ropes and start dancing and boogying in the aisles together,” Davis said in a 2011 interview with Amerika.org, a site for the self-described New Right. “This had never happened before.” Those images became an inspiration. “I wanted to do that. I wanted to make people happy,” he says. Music “brought people together. I like that.” It’s not much of a stretch, he adds, to apply the same idea to race relations. Music depends on harmony and dissonance. Dissonance, Davis says, should only be used to create a certain mood. As he explains this, he stands up from

a couch and plays an ominous coupling of notes on the piano that dominates his family room. But harmony is different, he says. It does not come naturally. “You learn to play harmony,” he says. About the same time as his encounter with Koehl, Davis taught himself to play piano. He attended Howard University on a music scholarship, graduating in 1980 and going on to meet as many musicians as he could, taking gigs as a session player or leading a band or backing national artists. “Music became my profession,” he says, “but the whole time my obsession was racism.” Dozens of photos line the wall in his

family room, a Who’s Who of ’60s and ’70s musicians. There’s Ted Nugent and rock and doo-wop groups such as The Platters and The Coasters. There are his idols, Presley and Berry. Over the past 30 years, Davis has played with Berry and with Little Richard and even with Bill Clinton on sax. But as Davis backed some of music’s biggest names, he continued to untangle the question of race. The story Davis likes to repeat most often is about a gig at the Silver Dollar Lounge, a truck stop in Frederick, where a white man told him he played like Jerry Lee Lewis. The man said he’d never seen a black man play like that. Baffled, Davis asked the stranger if he knew who taught Lewis how to play. The man did not. A black man, Davis said. (Lewis told him so, he says.) The two kept talking, a friendly conversation about the roots of rock ’n’ roll and blues and boogie-woogie, and eventually the man mentioned that he was a member of the Ku Klux Klan. And this is where the story should end. This is where others would have walked or run away, where they would have ended the conversation, gracefully sidestepping the ignorant. Instead, the two exchanged phone numbers. “If I had a gig, I’d call him and he’d come out,” Davis says. The man would bring his Klan friends. Later, Davis hung out with them. He listened. He treated them with respect. Sometimes he knew the history and meaning of the Klan traditions better than they did. He operated on the principle that people who have a coffee or a beer together create a shared experience. “I have issues with their beliefs,” Davis says, “but I realize I’m a good influence on people.” Davis’ wife of six years, Brenda, calls her husband a “human magnet.” “I admire him for what he does,” she says. “Has it taken some getting used to? Yes.” Brenda, who is white and from Luray, Va., says she has seen a change in her

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own friends, some of whom originally disapproved of her dating a black man but have rethought their positions. Out of human kindness or something less easily defined, Daryl Davis says he convinces racists not to hate him. Some figure if Davis isn’t so bad, maybe other black people aren’t, either. Heck, maybe they’ll even quit the Klan. And maybe one day, Davis says, the Klan will simply disappear. Some might view that as positive thinking; others might call it unrealistic. To Davis, it hardly matters. Today he claims to be friends with more than a dozen current or former Klan members. And that’s why he has been on Geraldo in the ’90s and on Jenny Jones and on CNN, where one anchor deemed him “strange indeed” for attempting to bridge the impossibly wide chasm between himself and the Klan. Lest anyone doubt his results, on a Sunday morning this past September, he goes to his closet and brings out a small, black traveling bag, the kind you would pack for a short weekend away, and pulls out the white robes, the ones he doesn’t keep locked up off-site, the ones he says friends gave him after quitting the Klan. Harmony does not come naturally.

In 1997, Davis wrote about these

interactions in Klan-Destine Relationships: A Black Man’s Odyssey in the Ku Klux Klan (New Horizon Press). Readers online praised the book for its honesty. Kirkus Reviews described it as a “futile and pointless volume.” “The dual dangers of this book are that some readers will find tacit support for their beliefs that blacks are easily led,” the reviewer wrote, “and others

will view the Klan as ‘not all that bad’ and perhaps join where they otherwise might not have.” Davis says NAACP leaders have criticized him, as well, though neither the national office nor the Montgomery County chapter returned calls to confirm that. In 2007, administrators at Longwood University, a rural Virginia school where the student population is 85 percent white, made the book required reading for incoming freshmen. Other colleges have invited him to speak. Among them: Cleveland State University, Penn State University and Carleton College in Minnesota. More than 15 years after the book’s release, Davis lectures as many as 50 times a year even as he plays about 200 gigs, from private shows to Kentucky blues festivals to opening for blues guitarist and singer Buddy Guy. And early this year, Figura Media will release a documentary about him called The Daryl Davis Project. Amid all this attention, some question Davis’ intentions. Others doubt the depths of the Klan members’ conversions. Davis has heard the criticisms. This must be some kind of publicity stunt. He’s not an academic, so where does he get off claiming he knows something about the Klan that others don’t. He says African-Americans who criticize him for befriending the Klan are essentially taking the same hate-based position they despise: They’re labeling him before they’ve even listened to him. Davis makes his case by playing a DVD. The first clip, from The Geraldo Rivera Show nearly 20 years ago, features Klan members and their children. It’s typical talk-show tawdriness, and Davis was in the audience that day. Years later, according to Davis, he called one of the Klan

women who appeared on the show and offered to drive her to visit her husband in prison. The next clip, public television footage filmed five years after her appearance on Geraldo, shows both the woman and her daughter renouncing the Klan at a public ceremony for Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Silver Spring. They hug Davis and tell the crowd they love him. In another video, one that aired last summer on the National Geographic Channel series Taboo, a former Klan leader named Don sits at Davis’ dining room table. The two sip bottled water and talk about a Klan event in Missouri that the show paid Davis to attend. Don talks about how his friendship with Davis has changed his views, and says the Klan largely disbanded in Maryland after a few of the guys became friends with the musician. “My beliefs then are,” Don says, choosing his words carefully, “completely different than they are now.” Davis, watching the clip with a visitor, pops up from the couch. “Am I wrong for sitting down with people when I get results like that?” he asks.

But is it really that simple?

Davis’ logic follows that if Klan members can just get to know him, they won’t be able to hate him, and vice versa. But how can you ever really know what’s in another person’s heart? Mark Potok, a senior fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala., says the center gets calls about Davis every few years. Potok has neither met Davis nor heard of many of the Klan members the musician claims as friends. Regardless, “the idea of being nice to the Klan is a pretty silly one,” Potok says.

courtesy photo

Davis at a KKK rally

Davis started reading everything he could about hate groups, and today he claims to have read every book written about the Ku Klux Klan.

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Elyshia Aseltine, an assistant professor of sociology, anthropology and criminal justice at Towson University, studies how race factors into people’s self-perception. She says Davis likely has “a narrow understanding of how racism plays out.” Racism is more nuanced than it was 50 years ago, she says, and manifests itself in people’s decisions about where to live or shop or send their kids to school, rather than in Klan membership. She worries that Davis has become an exception to his Klan friends, not the rule, and that their views remain unchanged. Consider Gary, a former Klansman from Washington County in western Maryland who asked that his last name not be used because “crazies” could look him up. Gary has been to more than two dozen of Davis’ concerts, and Davis once secured tickets for him to see Chuck Berry. Gary says the hard-core Klan members “can’t stand” Davis because

they hate all black people. But many others like the musician, he says. Gary counts himself among the latter. He’s a separatist and would prefer that the world “be all white.” But he attended Davis’ wedding, even though it was to a white woman. “I don’t think it’s right,” he says of the interracial marriage. “But I’d never say anything about it.” If the purpose of befriending Klansmen is to somehow chip away at racebased hate, how do you measure victory? In robes? In someone holding his disapproval in check? In a change of heart?

At The Birchmere, Davis throws a

blue hand towel over the keys and bangs out an extended, flourish-filled solo. He likes to introduce stunts into his sets, occasionally playing the piano through flames created with the help of lighter fluid. “I feel it,” he shouts. “It’s in my soul.” At one point during a vivacious ver-

sion of “Johnny B. Goode,” Davis moves away from the keyboard. The bass player lays down the groove. The drummer stays on time. Davis makes a show of watching his lead guitar player so intently that he appears to be studying how to play the instrument for the first time. Finally, he nods as if to say: Let me try. Then, still facing the crowd, Davis stands in front of the lead guitar player and, as if he has just learned the song from those few seconds of careful observation, takes over the solo, playing the instrument behind his back. It’s the signature move of the evening: white fingers guiding the instrument, black fingers playing the strings, and a crowd behaving exactly the way he always dreamed. Listening. n Mike Gruss has written for newspapers in Ohio, Indiana and Virginia and now lives in Alexandria. To comment on this story, email comments@bethesdamagazine.com.

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162 January/February 2014 | BethesdaMagazine.com

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Coming to

America

The sad, funny, sweet, troubling, wonderful stories

of immigrants experiencing Montgomery County for the first time THey come for love and money, education and freedom and opportunity. They’ve built lives and started businesses and raised families here. And as Temur

Photog ra Erick phy by Gibso n

Basilia from the Republic of Georgia puts it, when he passes the highway sign announcing, “Welcome to Maryland,” he feels like he’s home. But all immigrants are suspended between two worlds. They never adjust completely to their new land. They miss the smells and the food of the old country, the trees and the flowers, the cafés and the gossip and the language. They don’t quite get the joke in English, or know the right word for something at the hardware store. And they suffer pangs of embarrassment when their parents don’t understand American mores and buy jeans for their son that were designed for a girl.

by Introduction s rt e b Steve Ro y b s Interview ier and n A ya Gren m Rachel Chis

Yet they cannot go back, either. They’ve become Americanized—by their school friends, their customers, even their own children. As Kristi Dobrovolski, who has lived here 24 years, says, “I feel a little like a tourist when I go to Greece.” Immigrants now make up about 30 percent of Montgomery County’s 1 million residents. They work hard, create jobs and pay taxes. Their children represent 157 countries and speak 138 different languages in the Montgomery County public school system. And every day they make our lives richer and more rewarding. >> BethesdaMagazine.com | January/February 2014 163

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coming to america

Jose Melara

45, founder of Cyber Web Latino From: El Salvador Resident of: Silver Spring Immigrated: 1981

I grew up in Hacienda Colima, El Salvador. I was 10 when the civil war began. One day, a group of people came and said, “We need all the men and boys to fight against the rich, against the oppressors.” My brothers and I ran and jumped into a river, and that’s how we escaped being recruited by the guerillas. Two weeks later, the army showed up to recruit us to fight against the guerillas. Again we ran and stayed hidden in the jungle until they left. If you told one group you didn’t want to fight with them, they’d say you were on the other side and shoot you right there. I saw many friends killed that way. When I was almost 14, I told my mother that I could not stay or I would end up either with the guerillas or with the army, and I would end up dead either way. She said, “What do you want to do?” And I said, “Go to America.” I repeated to her what I had heard from other people, stories about freedom and opportunity, about snow, ice skating, Mickey Mouse, TV. We had no TVs in my village. Well, we didn’t have any electricity in my village. To me, the U.S. sounded like heaven. I left El Salvador in 1978, but it took me three years to make it, walking and hitchhiking. I stopped for a year in Chiapas and two years in Mexico City, and worked cleaning buildings to make money so I could continue traveling. My sister had already made it to the U.S. and sent me a letter saying she could receive me in Houston, Texas, so finally I decided to cross the border with a group of friends from El Salvador. We were caught, and they started to interrogate me. I told them I was from Mexico. I had spent years there, and learned to talk like a Mexican. They asked me who the president of Mexico was, and I told them. They asked me to sing the national anthem of Mexico, so I did. My friends all got deported back to El Salvador, but they just told me to walk back across the border. When I tried the next night, I got caught again.

I spent two or three days sleeping in abandoned cars. Finally, I called my sister. She knew some people who could help me cross for money. They took us in a truck and dumped us by the river to swim. On the other side, they had a car waiting. I rode to Houston in the trunk with four other people. From that day on, I felt I was in a different world. I went to Washington, D.C., where they had a job for me in construction. America wasn’t heaven, like I imagined, but the people I met here were kind and peaceful; they helped me up. They made me believe that I wanted to be an American. To walk to school in El Salvador, I had to cross a bridge where the guerillas would throw the bodies down into the river. I couldn’t help looking down and seeing the bodies being pulled apart by dogs. I would wake up screaming at night. There was always that fear at night that somebody was going to get you. Here, I sleep like a baby. I know my kids are never going to have to see that kind of stuff. It was no life to live like that; it’s here that I started living. In 2001, I became a citizen and began to study computers. I had been working in construction, but I had always liked technology. When I was growing up, we only went to school for two or three years. The rest of the time we were working in the fields from 5 a.m. on, and I barely knew how to read and write. But now, when I have a computer part in my hand, it’s just automatic for me. The Cyber Web Latino in Langley Park is 8 years old now, and the one in Silver Spring is 3 years old. I get to live just a few blocks from where I work. I risked my life so many times trying to come here. Sometimes I felt like: Why continue? To me, life was worth nothing in those days. But if you ask me now, life is worth everything. If I had to risk myself again to lead the same life, I would do it all again. (As told to Anya Grenier)

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coming to america

JEnifer Buen 31, assistant teacher at Sugar Plums child development center From: Philippines Resident of: Rockville Immigrated: 2002

My mother left for the United States when I was only 7. She was a housekeeper for a wealthy family in the Philippines. It was very likely that I would become one, too—it’s a generational thing. There is no shortage of education for those who can afford to pay tuition, but there are few jobs and little opportunity to advance as a housekeeper’s daughter. When I was 18, I was approved to join my mother in the United States. The transition was hard; I was working and going to Montgomery College at the same time. In my country, you focus on studies. But life here is just…so fast-paced. If you don’t keep going further, you will be left behind. I have a certification as a pharmacy technician, but I want to continue my education. I’m looking to pursue a degree in computer programming, my first dream. My daughter, Mayumi, is able to grow up in a very independent place with the freedom to do what she wants. I try to ensure that she adopts both Filipino and American culture. (As told to Rachel Chism)

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Kalanzi Kajubi

17, junior at Montgomery Blair High School From: Uganda Resident of: Silver Spring Immigrated: 2006

When you come to a new place and are exposed to a new culture, it’s like there’s a constant tension between the culture you had back home and the culture you’re now being exposed to. America is a crossroads for so many different types of people. So it’s important for me to remember where I come from. I dress in African garb because I like the patterns and designs on African fabrics. I like that my clothes can be unique and showcase my culture. I came to the United States twice. The first time I was 4 years old and I didn’t have a strong grasp on the English language; I wasn’t properly assimilated. I went back to Uganda to live with my grandparents. My grandfather was an educator and former head of the National Institute of Education, where he drafted the white paper for Ugandan education reform. I came here permanently in 2006. My parents recognized that [my brother and I] could get a better education in the United States. The private schools in Uganda are very strict. There’s very little wiggle room for students to make mistakes. I enrolled at the Barrie School, a very free environment where there was more room for us to be kids, to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. Both systems have been beneficial in building the person I am today. Here, people tend to focus more on themselves, the individual. There’s a sense of pride that comes with accomplishing things by yourself. Whereas in Uganda, things are more communal; there will always be someone to help you. (As told to Rachel Chism)

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coming to america

Temur Basilia

56, development economist and consultant From: the Republic of Georgia Resident of: Bethesda Immigrated: 2005

After [former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili] came to power, I had to resign from my post as [former President Eduard Shevardnadze’s] economic adviser. Because I was a member of the old regime, I was receiving threatening phone calls, emails, messages to my Facebook account from Georgian authorities. I left because I was afraid of anything worse happening to me. They made it clear the region was not safe for me. I had come [to the U.S.] dozens of times when I worked for the government of Georgia, especially to Washington, D.C., so I knew the area well. After moving here, my top priority was safety. Now, I can say we are quite established in this area. It is coming to feel like my own place. The other day, I was driving from New York, where I had been with friends. And when I drove past the sign that said, “Welcome to Maryland,” I had this feeling that I was coming home. (As told to Anya Grenier)

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Lene Tsegaye

co-owner of Kefa Cafe From: Ethiopia Resident of: Silver Spring Immigrated: 1983

I came here when I was 15 or 16 years old to finish school. It was our brother’s idea to open [Kefa Cafe]. Our family had a coffee shop in Ethiopia. I guess I have had that in the back of my head. It’s in our culture to work together, to have a family business. Our goal was to create a place like at home, where you feel comfortable. In Ethiopia, coffee is a socializing occasion; they have it three times a day. It’s a time for gossip and talking. Here, people see themselves more as individuals. But as people, we need human connection. That’s what we’re trying to create here. I go back to Ethiopia, but not that often—it’s expensive. Here is home, Ethiopia is home. I feel comfortable in both. I feel lucky to have two places as my home. (As told to Anya Grenier)

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coming to america

Kristi Dobrovolski 56, painter From: Greece Resident of: Silver Spring Immigrated: 1989

I followed my husband—he was accepted to graduate school in America. At first, I was all alone. He was the only person I knew. I had English in high school, but it wasn’t good. I would go to the store, and people wouldn’t understand what I was asking for. Another thing I remember is when my daughter was born, walking outside with my baby in a stroller and wondering where everybody was. Years after that, I figured it out: All the mothers with strollers were in the mall! I still cannot stand the summer here. I miss the dry heat of the Greek summer, and I miss the water. Almost every year I go back to Greece. It’s a strange feeling; it takes some time to catch up with everything that is happening there. I feel a little like a tourist when I go to Greece. (As told to Anya Grenier)

Doris technicia From: Reside Immig

I alway On televi knew I wa poor coun was abou

My mo cost $6,0 dor to Gu my cash w (who was help me c of an Am nothing b

I got te devastate for $12.2 money.

I can’t zens—go English, t with my k

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Eunjung Joy Lee

Doris Oneyda Sierra,parent 33, facilities maintenance 48, ESOL technician community coordinator From: Honduras Resident of:for Silver Spring Montgomery County Immigrated: 1997

Public Schools I always imagined life in America would be like. From: what South Korea On television, I saw the nice cars, the nice houses, and I Resident of: Boyds knew I wanted all of that for myself. As a police officer in a Immigrated: 1984luxuries. My income poor country, I just didn’t have those was about $200 a month.

As a child in South Korea,

My mother sold her house to bring me on to the America. It I envisioned American children cost $6,000 to transport Honduras to one El Salvayellow schoolme busfrom and hoped I could day ride it, too. Although I got a dor to Guatemala and, finally, WhenI the last of high school degreetoinMexico. South Korea, wanted to attend high school in America my cash wasand stolen by on a fellow traveler, notvery evenvulnerable my sister because of the work my English. I was (who was traveling me) could spare any money to languagewith barrier. help me continue. I passed with theCollege help and later transferred to the I took Englishthrough classes Mexico at Montgomery of an American couple walked for three University of and Maryland, College Park.days I hadwith an interest in humanities but was nothing but encouraged a flashlight to border. to the seek a degree in a science field, where speaking wouldn’t be much of an issue. I continued as a computer science major for a year, when

I got temporary status at after Mitch Is this really who I am? I caughtprotected myself looking theHurricane monitor, thinking: devastated my country Myanfirst hourly wage was I went oninto1998. pursue advertising design degree that required a good deal for $12.25. Iof cried. I never imagined making that kind of A teacher who had no prior public speaking. I had horrifying experiences. money. experience with foreign students would correct my speech and then make me repeat after her in front of the class. How humiliating!

I can’t believe what my with children getfrom as American citiNow I work people all different countries as a resource for zens—good academic schooling success. and safety. working on my I doI’m thisstill work with compassion. I’ve been in their shoes English, though. It’sI’m hard sometimes being degree unable in to school help counseling so I can close the before. pursuing a master’s with my kids’gap homework. (As told to Rachel these families experience asChism) immigrants. (As told to Rachel Chism) BethesdaMagazine.com | January/February 2014 171

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coming to america

Doris Oneyda Sierra 33, facilities maintenance technician From: Honduras Resident of: Silver Spring Immigrated: 1997

I always imagined what life in America would be like. On television, I saw the nice cars, the nice houses, and I knew I wanted all of that for myself. As a police officer in a poor country, I just didn’t have those luxuries. My income was about $200 a month. My mother sold her house to bring me to America. It cost $6,000 to transport me from Honduras to El Salvador to Guatemala and, finally, to Mexico. When the last of my cash was stolen by a fellow traveler, not even my sister (who was traveling with me) could spare any money to help me continue. I passed through Mexico with the help of an American couple and walked for three days with nothing but a flashlight to the border. I got temporary protected status after Hurricane Mitch devastated my country in 1998. My first hourly wage was $12.25. I cried. I never imagined making that kind of money. I can’t believe what my children get as American citizens—good schooling and safety. I’m still working on my English, though. It’s hard sometimes being unable to help with my kids’ homework. (As told to Rachel Chism)

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Sarah Diligenti 50, executive director at Alliance Française de Washington From: France Resident of: Bethesda Immigrated: 1995

There were a few surprises, like the medical system. When you come from a country where the entire medical system is subsidized…it makes for a bit of a shock. But I like the wide-open spaces here. I quickly became accustomed to the way of life. What made me think really that my loyalty belonged to the U.S. was 9/11. That was a big, shocking event for me. I would definitely define myself as American, even though I don’t yet have U.S. citizenship. It’s just because I’m lazy; I don’t like a lot of paperwork. But otherwise I define myself as American, and proudly, as well. I still remember [France] in the spring, when I see those purple or white violets. My hometown, Toulouse, is the home of violets. They make perfume, candy, everything out of them. There, they are fragrant violets. Here, they smell of nothing. I’m very olfactory—there are fewer smells here than in France. (As told to Anya Grenier) n

Steve Roberts writes the Hometown column in Bethesda Magazine and is the author of From Every End of This Earth (Harper, 2009) about the immigrant experience. Anya Grenier, a junior at Yale University, and Rachel Chism, a senior at the University of Maryland, were interns at Bethesda Magazine.

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Special Advertising Section

BEFORE & AFTER :

AFTER

Home Makeovers

AFTER

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174 January/February 2014 | BethesdaMagazine.com

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Special Advertising Section

before & after | HOME MAKEOVERS

AFTER

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Highlights: › Outdoor living space is enhanced with a TV and hot tub › Elegant architectural details establish a sophisticated feel › New layout improves function while preserving character › Inspired design takes advantage of treetop views BethesdaMagazine.com | January/February 2014 175

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before & after | HOME MAKEOVERS

Special Advertising Section

AFTER

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Highlights: › Custom addition and renovation in Bethesda › No sub-contractors—all work done in-house › Full turnkey service by JRK Builders › A truly beautiful project 176 January/February 2014 | BethesdaMagazine.com

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Digging the Blues | A Teahouse for Two | Most Expensive Home Sales

Bethesda Magazine

January/February 2014

The Surprise Inside

A renovated Chevy Chase home keeps its conventional façade—but the interior? That’s another story. Bethesda Magazine HOME | January/February 2014 177

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Bethesda Magazine

celia pearson

january/february 2014

188 180 House Appropriations

188 Stylish to a Tea

Designers are digging the blues—with the cool color popping up in everything from rugs to wall sconces.

A kitchen-and-bath designer commissions a makeover for her Bethesda bungalow—and gets a Japanese teahouse for two. By Nigel F. Maynard

By Carolyn Weber

COVER STORY 182 The Element of Surprise On the outside, the Chevy Chase house looks much like any other in the neighborhood. But step inside the renovated interior and you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported somewhere quite exotic. By Jennifer Sergent

194 By the Numbers A look at the most expensive houses sold in the area, as well as home sales trends by ZIP code.

Home COVER PHOTO by Angie Seckinger

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house

appropriations

By Carolyn Weber

Blue Notes

Cool blues are hot this year. The world’s leading authority on color, Pantone, has chosen two shades, “Placid Blue” and “Dazzling Blue,” as top colors for spring 2014. Always popular for bedrooms and bathrooms, a shot of blue works well in the main living spaces, as well. Pair one of the new shades with classic white or yellow, or inject a more modern mix of pale violets or other blue tones.

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This charming sconce, made of turned maple with a lacquer finish, adds style and a pop of color—“Commodore of the Yacht Club Blue,” to be exact—to the wall. The Double Rachel sconce from Dunes and Duchess is made in the U.S. and priced at $775 (round burlap shades sold separately) through Urban Country in Bethesda (301-654-0500; www.urbancountry designs.com). The perfect piece to perk up a bland corner of the living room, this classic wing chair has been updated with a bold pattern. The dragon design from Schumacher, called Chiang Mai Indigo, is based on an Art Deco block print. The chair, shown in a java finish with pewter nail-head trim, is from CR Laine and is available for $2,935 through Urban Country in Bethesda (301-654-0500; www.urbancountrydesigns.com). A decorative cake stand makes even store-bought baked goods look special. So present those $5 cupcakes with style on a delicate, handpainted and glazed, blue-and-white ceramic pedestal. The Festivity cake stand is made in Vietnam and sells for $79 at Ten Thousand Villages in Bethesda (301-718-3465; www.tenthousandvillages.com). Famed cookware company Le Creuset has introduced a limited-edition Dutch oven. A nod to the company’s roots in coastal southern France, the Mariner Star Round French Oven features a raised compass pattern on the lid and is enameled in a deep, Mediterranean-inspired blue. Get one while they last for $350 at Le Creuset on Bethesda Row (301-718-1885; www.lecreuset.com). Jazz up a monochromatic kitchen or bathroom with a backsplash of spheres in watery colors. The Firenze Oceano high-gloss ceramic mosaic wall tiles come with a mesh backing for easy installation. They’re priced at $8.95 per square foot at Porcelanosa in North Bethesda (240-290-1123; www.porcelanosa-usa.com). Lively Indian textiles inspired designer John Robshaw to create these bed linens with medallions in varying sizes and shades of blue on a crisp white background. The JR by John Robshaw Bombay Bedding collection includes a duvet cover from $287 to $412, and European shams for $112 each, all at Bloomingdale’s in Chevy Chase (240-744-3700; www.bloomingdales.com). A great rug can set the tone for the entire room. Start from the ground up with the Abacus Dhurrie in regal blue. It’s handmade of 80 percent wool and 20 percent cotton and is available in various sizes, from a 2½-foot-by-7foot runner to a 9-foot-by-12-foot rectangle for $49 to $749 at West Elm (www.westelm.com). n

■ Carolyn Weber lives in Silver Spring and frequently writes about architecture and home design. Send product ideas to carolyn.weber@bethesdamagazine.com.

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surprise

The Element of

A renovated Chevy Chase Village home looks like it fits right in with the traditional neighborhoodâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; until you step inside By Jennifer Sergent Photography by Angie Seckinger

182 January/February 2014 | Bethesda Magazine HOME

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The dining room features a perfect blend of old and new. A graphic suzani pattern was used on the dining room chairs from Sarah Williams’ childhood home, while a painting by Williams’ brother, Walter, was propped atop the antique sideboard from Peter Mali’s family.

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the element of surprise

Newlyweds Sarah Williams and Peter Mali liked the cottage look of the 1938 home they bought in Chevy Chase Village 12 years ago. They also appreciated the fact that it had recently been renovated. It needed no immediate work aside from painting, “which was comforting to us as first-time homeowners,” Williams says. But by 2009, Williams, a writer, and Mali, who works in communications for the Department of the Interior, had three young boys. They found them-

Designer Tracy Morris used neutrals to offset the jolts of color in the living room. A suzani print was sewn into the sofa’s upholstery to give the illusion of a colorful throw.

selves spilling out of the tiny kitchen. An adjacent room had become a parking lot for strollers. And the entry overflowed with shoes, coats and backpacks. It was time to make a decision: Add on and renovate? Or move to a bigger house? “All of our friends had logged one [move-up] purchase or renovation,” Williams says. But “we were new to it.” Ultimately the benefits of their location—walking distance to Metro and Somerset Elementary School, and proximity to shops and restaurants along

Connecticut and Wisconsin avenues— persuaded them to stay. But this time they had a long list of priorities. “We both realized our tastes were slightly different from when we bought the house,” Williams says. They found themselves drawn to modern styles, though they still loved the traditional structure of their house. “We wanted more contemporary, but [to] have it fit in with the neighborhood,” Williams says. And “we wanted more light and flow.”

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Blue is a common thread, from deep royal in the powder room to a soft turquoise, below, in the master bedroom.

A bench purchased during the couple’s honeymoon in Bali graces the foyer.

with color and pattern. It then became a matter of assembling the right team to help them fulfill those requirements.

The couple first hired architect

Also part of the equation was their desire to display Mali’s family-heirloom antique furniture, as well as pieces from Williams’ childhood home and her brother’s modern, abstract paintings. At the same time, they wanted to infuse the place with colorful, Moroccan design, inspired by their first joint trip to that country in 1998. The 18 ceramic bowls they bought in Morocco—as well as an ornately carved bench purchased during their 2000 honeymoon in Bali—put them in the mindset for an interior filled

Michael Bruckwick of Katinas Bruckwick Architecture in Georgetown, who had worked on a friend’s home. He immediately assessed what the project required from an architectural standpoint. “We had to connect the rooms better and make them livable for how a family of five lives today,” Bruckwick says. “But Sarah and Peter still wanted distinct rooms—they didn’t just want an open expanse.” For the exterior, he adopted the vernacular of Chevy Chase Village. “I very much enjoy dropping a piece of modernity next to a colonial, but they didn’t want that,” Bruckwick says. He and Williams toured the village, identifying architectural details from the neighborhood’s prewar homes that they wanted to use in their design, such as shingles, and columns to flank an entry. The next order of business was deciding how much they could expand the house, which had been through previous additions and had nearly reached its lot limit. With architect Matt McDonald and Joe Lodmell of JML Remodeling Inc. in Silver Spring, Bruckwick

“The real trick with color [is]… a subtle enough backdrop to show it off.” —designer Tracy Morris ultimately designed a three-story addition that went out just 8 feet. It was “like a Lego piece,” Williams says. But that sliver gave them more basement storage, an expanded master bedroom and bath, and on the main floor, a spacious foyer, a proper mudroom and a powder room. For the interior, Bruckwick urged the couple to hire a designer to assist them in selecting the numerous materials, finishes, lighting and fixtures that the project required. Williams was hesitant. “I was worried I would end up with someone whose tastes were different than mine,” she says, “but Michael was getting a little bit frustrated. I was stalling [on making decisions], so clearly I needed help.” Bruckwick recommended designer Tracy Morris, who recently relocated her offices from Bethesda to D.C. and had worked with him on several projects.

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the element of surprise Morris is known for her youthful, contemporary style. “We clicked instantly,” Williams says. As the project moved forward, “we picked out every hinge, every door handle, every light,” Morris says.

The first-floor renovation

entailed widening openings between rooms, taking down a wall between the kitchen and the eating nook, and converting the “stroller parking lot” into a formal dining room. Morris then stepped in to help the couple choose colors and fabrics that would coordinate with their furnishings and art. The Bali bench, strewn with colorful pillows, is now the focal point in the foyer. An oversize painting by Williams’ brother, Los Angeles-based artist Walter Williams, hangs on the wall facing the new front door. Morris added a vibrant rug from Timothy Paul Carpets + Textiles in Northwest D.C. to tie it all together. The foyer remains tidy thanks to the adjacent mudroom, where the family stores the daily clutter of shoes, coats and bags. Elsewhere, Morris incorporated a variety of bright ikat and suzani fabrics— tribal-looking patterns that incorporate lots of saturated color—which Williams found during a shopping trip with Morris to The Washington Design Center. Morris used a graphic suzani pattern to reupholster the dining chairs from Williams’ childhood home. She also refurbished the table, which Williams’ grandfather purchased at an Iowa farm auction. Mali’s family sideboard, an early 19th-century Regency piece, blends into the mix, but gets an unexpected jolt from another oversize Walter Williams’ painting that’s propped on top. Matching the bold strokes of the fabric and art is a fireplace surround covered in vivid blue tile handmade in Morocco. Lodmell built a frame around the fireplace wide enough to display each tile fully, so none had to be cut. The kitchen next door gets its shot of color from an ikat in orange, red and chartreuse. Morris had a settee custom-made for the bay window to create a seating area next to the banquette, which has deep blue

vinyl cushions that echo the Moroccan tile of the dining room fireplace. Morris used another suzani print to set the tone in the living room. It’s sewn into the upholstery of a custom sofa to mimic a colorful throw. Paired with a saturated pink-patterned rug by Timothy Paul and deep persimmon armchairs, the sofa provides the room with a sense of exuberance. The color never reads as chaos, however. Morris infused each room with neutrals to offset the rich hues. “That’s the real trick with color,” she says. “You have to have a subtle enough backdrop to show it off.”

A consultant for Benjamin

Moore, Morris used “elmira white”— one of her favorite neutrals—throughout the first floor. “If you’ve got a lot of art you need to show,” she says, “[the paint color] just changes with the way you need it to be.” She went in the opposite direction with the small spaces. The powder room off the living room features vivid-blue “deep ocean,” and the mudroom behind it is awash in fuchsia-toned “gypsy love.” “The smaller spaces have four distinct walls, so it’s easier to drench them in color,” Morris says. “When the walls [of different rooms] flow into one another, it makes it hard to have such distinct changes in color. It makes the spaces feel jarring instead of calming.” The two-year renovation was completed in 2011. With its brick, shingles and columned screened porch, the house looks anything but modern—until visitors reach the cobalt-blue framed door and see Walter Williams’ bold abstract art through the plate glass. It’s exactly the balance Sarah Williams and Peter Mali sought. “I like the surprise,” Williams says. “I’ve always liked that it looks one way on the outside—and it’s something else on the inside.” n Jennifer Sergent is a home and design writer based in Arlington, Va. To comment on this story, email comments@ bethesdamagazine.com.

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The Japanese teahouse influence is apparent in the porch of the Gilmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; remodeled home, which grew from 2,000 to about 4,000 square feet.

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Stylish to a Tea A kitchen-and-bath designer commissions a makeover for her Bethesda bungalowâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and gets a Japanese teahouse for two By Nigel F. Maynard Photos by Celia Pearson

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pati’s mexican stylish to a tea kitchen

The 1928 Sears kit home, pre-renovation

In her 20-plus years as a kitchen and bath designer, Jennifer Gilmer has transformed countless neglected kitchens into light-filled spaces, but it wasn’t until 2005 that she undertook a major project for herself. That’s when she and her husband, Bill, decided to remodel their bungalow on Bradley Boulevard in Bethesda. Built around 1928, the couple’s Sears kit home had been “somewhat improved” before they bought the property in 1997. “It had all new wood floors, a new kitchen [good enough to live with], a new master bath and powder room,” says Gilmer, the president and owner of Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath in Chevy Chase. “At the time, we knew that we would eventually remodel the kitchen, but we didn’t plan on renovating the exterior.” Years later, though, when the house needed a new roof, the couple was forced to rethink that decision. “The expense was so great that we had to decide if we wanted to expand the house or not before putting one on,” Gilmer says. In 2003, they decided to explore the idea of renovating and expanding the house. “Because I’m involved in the building industry, I know a lot of architects,” Gilmer says, “but I just wasn’t sure which one to use.” Fate stepped in when Gilmer found permit drawings from the previous ren-

The Gilmers now have a true second level, with circular stairs providing access to the back porch. The thoroughly modern kitchen

A sink and pullout cutting board in the butler’s pantry

ovation while she was cleaning one day. The architect listed was Amy Gardner— one half of the Silver Spring-based firm of Gardner Mohr Architects. Gilmer thought Gardner’s familiarity with the house made her a good candidate for the job.

“I first did some work on the house

in 1994 for the previous owner, and the house needed a lot of work [back then],” says Gardner, an associate professor at the University of Maryland, College Park. The house had major structural challenges, she explains, including inadequate support between the roof and the walls, bowed walls and badly sagging ceilings. Jennifer and Bill, who is the service

and delivery manager for Gilmer’s company, were clear on their requirements: a true second floor with a master bedroom, patio doors for easy access to the backyard, a screened-in porch and an eat-in kitchen, among other things. “We originally thought that we were going to have a single-story addition on the back, but we felt like adding a twostory addition and maximizing the size of the home would pay off in the long run,” Jennifer Gilmer says. The Gilmers were in sync with Gardner on the design direction. She showed them how the bungalow look was inspired by Asian architecture. Using a Japanese teahouse as a reference, the architect convinced them they could improve the bungalow with a design

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In the family room and kitchen area, a freestanding stove provides warmth while a wall of glass doors lets in the light.

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stylish to a tea

Gilmer used Macassar ebony veneer cabinets in the kitchen.

A separate faucet fills large pots in a prep area.

The butler’s pantry, located in a hallway off the kitchen/family room

rooted in traditional forms but filtered through a modern lens. With the renovation, the house grew from 2,000 square feet to about 4,000. The architect preserved the front rooms of the house but removed the entire roof and attic. She reconfigured the front porch with wood-and-steel columns that sit on granite bases and added a full second floor with dormers, as well as a screened-in porch at the back of the house. Fiber cement siding and a faux slate roof cover the exterior. Visitors to the house enter into a large living room. To the left, double doors lead to a piano room/parlor, while a formal dining room lies straight ahead beyond the living room. A door in the corner of the dining room leads to a small hall and entrances to the powder room, first-floor bedroom and the basement. Beyond the formal dining room is the pantry, “the place where the real transition happens from the very faithful Craftsman to the modern/Asian,” Gardner says. The butler’s pantry is located in the hallway that leads to the kitchen/family room. It contains a microwave and

convection/steam oven hidden behind bifold doors. It also features a prep sink and a copper countertop. The large kitchen located at the back of the house is where Gilmer experimented with new ideas, using darktoned copper, exotic veneer, wenge (a dark, African hardwood) and glass. “My original idea for the kitchen was that it had to be traditional,” Gilmer says, “but after seeing how Amy made the addition on the back so contemporary, I was inspired to create a more contemporary kitchen.” Gardner set the stage with a coffered ceiling, a wall of glass doors leading to the screened-in porch and terrace, and clerestory windows that wash the space in light. Gilmer, in turn, used Macassar ebony veneer cabinets and an island with a wenge butcher-block countertop to anchor the space. A green/yellow glass tile backsplash adds a pop of color. “Having the sink in the island is great because I can socialize or watch TV while cooking and doing the dishes,” Gilmer says. “I designed a butcher-block top that can slide over most of the sink and expand the counter space.” Gilmer did her best to minimize appliances, painting the refrigerator black to reduce its visibility and hiding smaller gadgets behind bifold doors. The kitchen lacked the space for a freestanding breakfast table, so she designed one that slides under the island and can be pulled out to seat eight. The Gilmers now have a proper second level, as well, complete with a large master suite, two guest bedrooms and a complete in-law suite with a balcony and circular stairs for access to the back porch. Extending the house made the backyard smaller, but it’s now a much more enjoyable space. To create a roomlike feel, Gardner designed a raised terrace that’s almost level with the interior and the porch. “When you open up all those doors, the spaces feel like they are connected,” the architect says.

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FINE EARTH LANDSCAPE De si g n / i n s ta l l

Located on a lot that’s about 75 feet wide by 175 feet long, the house retains the spirit of a traditional bungalow even as it appears dramatically different, with materials such as resin panels, steel, mahogany and copper lending a modern edge. “We used a broad palette of things that can be used in either a modern or traditional setting,” Gardner says. “It’s about how we put things together.” Eight months after construction began in November 2005, the couple moved into their new digs, though the master bath and hall bath wouldn’t be completed until a year later. Married for 24 years, the Gilmers share the house with Maggie, an Airedale terrier and German shepherd mix, and Nibbles, a coonhound mix. They love the entire house, but mostly use the kitchen/family room area and the screened-in porch. A place for family and friends to visit, the home also has become an auxiliary showroom that Gilmer uses for clients interested in some of the kitchen, wet bar and bathroom features. Renovating the house provided Gilmer with a lab to experiment. “It was great fun,” she says. “I tried out new ideas so that I could make sure they worked. I have since incorporated these ideas into my clients’ kitchens.” More than anything, the Gilmers appreciate the home’s design ingenuity. “We really wanted a much more modern house, but we thought that we’d have to keep with the traditional American bungalow look,” Jennifer Gilmer says. “Not only did Amy find a way to honor the traditional house from the front elevation, but she also found a way to add a much more modern, contemporary feel to the back. The transition from the old to the new melds so well that it’s uncanny.” n

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Nigel F. Maynard is a Hyattsville-based editor and freelancer who writes about architecture and design. To comment on this story, email comments@bethesda magazine.com. Bethesda Magazine HOME | January/February 2014

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by the

NUMBERS Data provided by

Octoberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Expensive Home Sales 20015 (Upper NW D.C.)

Courtesy of Jane Fairweather

20814 (Bethesda) 7530 Hampden Lane List Price: $4.2 million Sale Price: $4 million Days on Market: 72 Listing Agent: Jane Fairweather, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/2

Courtesy of Marc Fleisher

20816 (Bethesda) 5201 Portsmouth Road List Price: $2.85 million Sale Price: $2.6 million Days on Market: 10 Listing Agent: Marc Fleisher, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 8/1

Courtesy of Washington Fine Properties

20854 (Potomac) 10700 Red Barn Lane List Price: $3 million Sale Price: $2.8 million Days on Market: 100 Listing Agent: Joanne Pinover, Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/2

5812 Chevy Chase Parkway NW List Price: $1.4 million Sale Price: $1.4 million Days on Market: 10 Listing Agent: Claudia Donovan, TTR Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Realty Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 3/2

20016 (Upper NW D.C.) 5005 Glenbrook Terrace NW List Price: $1.75 million Sale Price: $1.67 million Days on Market: 45 Listing Agent: William McKenna, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

20815 (Chevy Chase) 3414 Cummings Lane List Price: $2.9 million Sale Price: $3.15 million Days on Market: 32 Listing Agent: Anthony Shore, Lawyers Residential Brokerage Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

20817 (Bethesda) 5807 Aberdeen Road List Price: $2.15 million Sale Price: $2 million Days on Market: 341 Listing Agent: Jordan Fainberg, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/2

20832 (Olney) 2704 Covered Wagon Way List Price: $795,000 Sale Price: $740,000 Days on Market: 14 Listing Agent: Valerie Ofoma, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

20850 (Rockville) 10205 Cross Haven Court List Price: $1.2 million Sale Price: $1.2 million

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NUMBERS Days on Market: 18 Listing Agent: Gary Rudden, RE/MAX Realty Services Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

20851 (Rockville) 2004 Rockland Ave. List Price: $370,000 Sale Price: $365,000 Days on Market: 7 Listing Agent: Charles Martino, Weichert Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 2/0

20852 (North Bethesda/Rockville) 10903 Sugarbush Terrace List Price: $1.25 million Sale Price: $1.2 million Days on Market: 27 Listing Agent: Edward Duncan, W.C. & A.N. Miller Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

20853 (Rockville) 4415 Great Oak Road List Price: $1.2 million Sale Price: $1.15 million Days on Market: 165 Listing Agent: Pamela Weiss, Long & Foster Real Estate

Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/0

20855 (Rockville) 5704 Foggy Lane List Price: $899,000 Sale Price: $870,000 Days on Market: 176 Listing Agent: Roseann Taff, RE/MAX Realty Centre Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

20877 (Gaithersburg) 105 Bates Ave. List Price: $579,999 Sale Price: $490,000 Days on Market: 7 Listing Agent: Jose Larios, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 3/1

20878 (North Potomac/Gaithersburg) 13531 Stonebarn Lane List Price: $2.5 million Sale Price: $2.25 million Days on Market: 498 Listing Agent: Marc Fleisher, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/2

20879 (Gaithersburg) 7505 Cinnabar Terrace List Price: $403,000 Sale Price: $395,000 Days on Market: 6 Listing Agent: Jerry Rotter, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 3/1

20882 (Gaithersburg) 21225 Golf Estates Drive List Price: $775,000 Sale Price: $775,000 Days on Market: 366 Listing Agent: Laurie Lafferty, RE/MAX Realty Centre Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 4/2

20886 (Gaithersburg) 20416 Oak Bluff Drive List Price: $435,000 Sale Price: $440,000 Days on Market: 1 Listing Agent: Kerry Roth, RE/MAX Realty Group Bedrooms: 3 Full/Half Baths: 2/1

20895 (Kensington) 3944 Baltimore St. List Price: $1.5 million

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by the

NUMBERS Sale Price: $1.34 million Days on Market: 148 Listing Agent: Heidi Hatfield, Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 3/1

20906 (Silver Spring)

RE/MAX Realty Centre Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 3/1

13609 Layhill Road List Price: $699,000 Sale Price: $655,000 Days on Market: 146 Listing Agent: Ottorino Maddalena, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 3/1

20903 (Silver Spring) 1907 Edgewater Parkway List Price: $579,900 Sale Price: $565,000 Days on Market: 50 Listing Agent: Michael Altobelli, RE/MAX Realty Services Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/0

20896 (Garrett Park) 10800 Montrose Ave. List Price: $634,500 Sale Price: $634,500 Days on Market: 4 Listing Agent: Kathleen Slawta, Stuart & Maury Bedrooms: 3 Full/Half Baths: 1/1

20910 (Silver Spring) 1224 Dale Drive List Price: $750,000 Sale Price: $750,000 Days on Market: 7 Listing Agent: Carole Levin, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 2/1

20904 (Silver Spring)

20901 (Silver Spring)

1717 Priscilla Drive List Price: $789,900 Sale Price: $750,000 Days on Market: 38 Listing Agent: Phyllis Newman, RE/MAX Realty Centre Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 5/0

10901 Jarboe Ave. List Price: $979,900 Sale Price: $960,000 Days on Market: 108 Listing Agent: Michael Altobelli, RE/MAX Realty Services Bedrooms: 4 Full/Half Baths: 6/1

20912 (Silver Spring) 7213 Holly Ave. List Price: $759,000 Sale Price: $750,000 Days on Market: 34 Listing Agent: Margaret Finn, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 3 Full/Half Baths: 2/1

20905 (Silver Spring) 409 Northview Ave. East List Price: $799,900 Sale Price: $707,000 Days on Market: 262 Listing Agent: Mahadeo Wayal, Fairfax Realty Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

20902 (Silver Spring) 521 Ridgewell Way List Price: $515,000 Sale Price: $515,000 Days on Market: 137 Listing Agent: Peggy Lyn Speicher,

Note: Some sales and list prices have been rounded off.

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by the

NUMBERS

Real Estate Sales Trends (by Zip code) October October 2012 2013

October October 2012 2013

20015 (Upper NW D.C.)

20818 (Cabin John)

Number of Homes Sold 12 23 Average Sold Price $746,125 $859,554 Average Days on Market 73 35 Above Asking Price 2 6 Below Asking Price 7 13 Sold Over $1 Million 1 8

Number of Homes Sold 2 Average Sold Price $1.1 Mil. Average Days on Market 0 Above Asking Price 0 Below Asking Price 1 Sold Over $1 Million 1

20854 (Potomac)

20016 (Upper NW D.C.)

20832 (Olney)

20855 (Rockville)

Number of Homes Sold 29 33 Average Sold Price $885,445 $708,200 Average Days on Market 70 64 Above Asking Price 3 4 Below Asking Price 17 22 Sold Over $1 Million 11 8

Number of Homes Sold 15 19 Average Sold Price $424,667 $391,086 Average Days on Market 30 20 Above Asking Price 1 4 Below Asking Price 11 12 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold 6 17 Average Sold Price $458,667 $405,084 Average Days on Market 91 45 Above Asking Price 1 3 Below Asking Price 5 12 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

20814 (Bethesda)

20850 (Rockville)

20877 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold 24 43 Average Sold Price $663,667 $782,870 Average Days on Market 40 34 Above Asking Price 4 9 Below Asking Price 18 27 Sold Over $1 Million 4 10

Number of Homes Sold 32 41 Average Sold Price $539,465 $488,253 Average Days on Market 43 47 Above Asking Price 4 9 Below Asking Price 25 27 Sold Over $1 Million 2 1

Number of Homes Sold 19 13 Average Sold Price $241,900 $319,238 Average Days on Market 43 42 Above Asking Price 3 3 Below Asking Price 11 9 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

20815 (Chevy Chase)

20851 (Rockville)

20878 (North Potomac/Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold 21 20 Average Sold Price $982,095 $739,085 Average Days on Market 66 38 Above Asking Price 4 6 Below Asking Price 16 13 Sold Over $1 Million 8 2

Number of Homes Sold 7 7 Average Sold Price $268,286 $335,804 Average Days on Market 73 13 Above Asking Price 2 2 Below Asking Price 5 3 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

58 70 Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price $409,758 $554,859 Average Days on Market 52 54 Above Asking Price 9 12 Below Asking Price 39 49 Sold Over $1 Million 1 1

20816 (Bethesda)

20852 (North Bethesda/Rockville)

20879 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold 11 22 Average Sold Price $699,636 $984,323 Average Days on Market 33 40 Above Asking Price 0 6 Below Asking Price 8 13 Sold Over $1 Million 2 6

Number of Homes Sold 30 60 Average Sold Price $420,902 $451,580 Average Days on Market 48 33 Above Asking Price 5 13 Below Asking Price 20 36 Sold Over $1 Million 1 1

Number of Homes Sold 16 19 Average Sold Price $291,025 $240,416 Average Days on Market 36 38 Above Asking Price 5 5 Below Asking Price 7 13 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

20817 (Bethesda)

20853 (Rockville)

20882 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold 35 39 Average Sold Price $735,376 $956,810 Average Days on Market 46 50 Above Asking Price 5 8 Below Asking Price 25 26 Sold Over $1 Million 5 13

Number of Homes Sold 32 26 Average Sold Price $431,678 $440,550 Average Days on Market 65 46 Above Asking Price 7 5 Below Asking Price 21 20 Sold Over $1 Million 0 1

Number of Homes Sold 6 8 Average Sold Price $502,833 $469,313 Average Days on Market 92 142 Above Asking Price 0 1 Below Asking Price 6 6 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

0 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Number of Homes Sold 40 Average Sold Price $920,810 Average Days on Market 85 Above Asking Price 6 Below Asking Price 32 Sold Over $1 Million 13

45 $1 Mil. 59 5 30 16

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COMING SOON

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Gorgeous ½ acre lot is perfect setting for this classic 3BR, 3FB Colonial. Home features large Living Room, spacious Dining Room, updated eat-in Kitchen, Library/Family Room combo and 2 car attached garage. Located in one of the county’s finest school districts! Proudly Represented by HOWArD mOrIN 301-717-1005 SUZANNe HOllANDer 301-717-2603

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CB_1401.indd Untitled-2 1 1

Owned and Operated by NRT, LLC

12/10/13 12:12 10:57 PM AM

by the

NUMBERS October October 2012 2013

October October 2012 2013

20901 (Silver Spring) Number of Homes Sold 23 35 Average Sold Price $380,024 $386,020 Average Days on Market 55 28 Above Asking Price 5 3 Below Asking Price 16 25 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold 26 36 Average Sold Price $464,473 $423,243 Average Days on Market 57 33 Above Asking Price 5 8 Below Asking Price 19 19 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

20895 (Kensington)

20902 (Silver Spring)

20912 (Silver Spring)

Number of Homes Sold 24 26 Average Sold Price $515,285 $477,788 Average Days on Market 73 59 Above Asking Price 5 4 Below Asking Price 19 21 Sold Over $1 Million 2 1

Number of Homes Sold 25 27 Average Sold Price $302,703 $299,700 Average Days on Market 80 50 Above Asking Price 5 8 Below Asking Price 18 14 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold 18 22 Average Sold Price $407,722 $363,570 Average Days on Market 75 39 Above Asking Price 3 7 Below Asking Price 12 11 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

20896 (Garrett Park)

20905 (Silver Spring)

Number of Homes Sold 1 1 Average Sold Price $225,000 $634,500 Average Days on Market 1 4 Above Asking Price 0 0 Below Asking Price 0 0 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Number of Homes Sold 8 18 Average Sold Price $331,613 $454,821 Average Days on Market 56 78 Above Asking Price 1 1 Below Asking Price 6 16 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

Information courtesy of MRIS as of Oct. 13, 2013. Listing information should be independently verified. MRIS is real estate in real time™, enabling real estate professionals to list and sell more than $100 million in real estate each day in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia and markets in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. MRIS powers MRISHomes.com, the only real estate home search site in the Mid-Atlantic brought to you by the Multiple Listing Service. Visit MRIShomes.com or text MRIS2Go to 87778 to download the MRIS Homes™ app for real-time local listings.

20886 (Gaithersburg) Number of Homes Sold 39 45 Average Sold Price $237,755 $241,680 Average Days on Market 34 42 Above Asking Price 5 13 Below Asking Price 25 27 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0

20910 (Silver Spring)

Note: Some sales and list prices have been rounded off.

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Office Name

[ home]

Welcome

to The Long & Foster® Companies’ exclusive “Showcase of Homes” As the home of the best-trained, best-equipped agents in the industry, we are positioned to provide unsurpassed service and expertise to today’s real estate clients from contract to closing and beyond. No matter what your real estate goals are, Long & Foster agents can help you take advantage of historic real estate opportunities. Enjoy browsing the following pages, and when you’re ready to take the next step, we welcome you to contact one of our sales offices or expert sales associates.

Readers’ Pick— Best Real Estate Agency

In Bethesda In the Washington Metro Area In the Mid-Atlantic Region Independent Real Estate Company in the Nation Seller of Luxury Homes in the Mid-Atlantic Region

Celebrating 45 years of real estate success! Our company was founded on the principles of integrity, honesty, innovation, and customer service— values we continue to support today.

LongandFoster.com

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January 2014

How to ensure a smooth financing process when buying a home While homebuyers each want something different when it comes to the home of their dreams, every buyer, every real estate agent and every seller share one common desire: to have the buyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mortgage go through smoothly and on time. Most real estate agents recommend a few lenders to their buyers who they know are reliable and will work with their buyers to find the right loan product at the right price and who will get the buyer to settlement within the timeline for their real estate transaction. Relationships between real estate agents and lenders are crucial for buyers and sellers because financing the home purchase is the glue that holds together a deal. Mortgage financing, though, is not always a simple task, and it could become more challenging as new regulations go into effect. However, many real estate brokerages have a lender who operates out of their real estate office and who can work hand-in-hand with agents to arrange financing for their buyers while they are searching for a home. Also known as in-house lenders, these types of mortgage companies can provide one-stop shopping for homebuyers and simplify the overall process.

mortgage lender to make sure they are comfortable with the arrangement. A good real estate professional should disclose this information to you without your prompting. Real estate agents and buyers typically want their mortgage lenders to provide excellent customer service in several ways: clear communication and coordination between all involved parties, sound financial guidance, competitive pricing, rates and fees, and, above all, an on-time and hassle-free settlement. They also want to make sure that any possible issues are prioritized correctly, that everyone involved has the necessary paperwork at least 24 to 48 hours before closing, and that the loan is prepared before settlement.

What do buyers want from their mortgage lender?

While there are benefits to buyers who choose to work with an in-house lender, buyers always have the option of choosing their mortgage lender. In fact, buyers are encouraged to shop around. Federal law prohibits real estate agents from requiring clients to use a specific mortgage lender, and real estate agents are not allowed to accept any payment for a referral. When buyers get a referral from a real estate agent to a lender, they can ask about the relationship between the sales professional and the

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Communicate with your mortgage lender frequently for a speedy settlement

While most mortgage lenders try to turn loans around within the buyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; desired timeframe, loan officers at in-house mortgage companies have the benefit of working as a close coordinated team with their affiliated agents. They also have the added advantage of daily contact with real estate agents to customize loans to the buyersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs and move loan applications forward, prioritizing those real estate transactions. Loan officers who work closely with real estate agents are more likely to communicate frequently with their underwriters and appraisers to make sure every possible step toward settlement is taken as quickly as possible.

12/9/13 10:20 4:39 PM 12/11/13 AM

Additionally, most in-house lenders have a formalized method of communication not only with the buyers but also with their real estate agent. The buyers’ personal financial information is confidential between them and their mortgage consultant, but real estate agents can be kept informed about the progress of their clients’ loan application. For example, if a mortgage consultant needs additional documents from buyers, the agent can facilitate communication and help buyers meet the mortgage lender’s requirements. In-house lenders, like all mortgage lenders, rely on underwriters to approve a loan, but the additional level and frequency of communication between mortgage consultants, real estate agents and buyers can prevent last-minute issues from delaying a settlement.

Get the information you need to make an educated decision about your home and mortgage Buyers, particularly first-time buyers, often want their mortgage lender to function as a financial consultant, and one of the benefits of working with an in-house lender is the ability for a prospective buyer to meet with a real estate agent and a mortgage consultant in the same office on the same day. For most people, a home purchase is the largest investment they will make during their lifetime. A mortgage consultant can educate buyers on the complexities of home loan options and how to qualify for a loan. Buyers who face challenges when qualifying for a loan can get guidance on how to improve their credit or advice on how to gather funds for a down payment. All buyers need to be preapproved for a mortgage loan before they begin house-shopping in order to know if they can finance a new property and to know their price range. Shopping for a home without a preapproval can result in would-be buyers falling in love with a home that they cannot afford or having their offer rejected by a seller because of the uncertainty of their ability to finalize the sale. Additionally, some sellers will not accept offers without a prequalification letter, so prospective buyers should come prepared with both their mortgage preapproval amount and prequalification letter. Additionally, buyers who work with an in-house mortgage consultant will find someone who knows the local real estate market as well as loan products and programs that meet the buyers’ needs. Some buyers find that as they begin the house-hunting process they want to go up a little in price range in order to find more homes to buy. A quick phone call from the buyers or their real estate agent to an in-house lender can provide an immediate answer to the question of whether the buyers can comfortably qualify for a larger loan.

are able to reduce their lender fees for buyers because they employ more efficient methods of customer acquisition. Additionally, many offer more competitive rates thanks to the volume of loans they close. When working with an in-house lender, buyers can concurrently discuss their housing search with their real estate agent and their loan options to find both the right loan and home to meet their needs. Before you begin your home search or look for a mortgage lender, contact a Long & Foster sales associate and speak to a representative from Prosperity Home Mortgage, Long & Foster’s inhouse lender. Prosperity offers a wide range of mortgage products, including fixed and adjustable rate mortgages, jumbo loans, new construction loans, renovation financing and FHA programs. Long & Foster offices are located in Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Delaware and North Carolina, and the majority of these locations have an in-house mortgage consultant from Prosperity who can work with your sales associate for a coordinated, streamlined real estate transaction. One-stop shopping at Long & Foster includes more than working with a sales associate and a mortgage consultant. Long & Foster’s multiple services also include homeowner’s insurance, settlement services, property management and corporate relocation services. Additionally, all Long & Foster agents have an array of local, trusted resources such as moving companies and contractors they can recommend to make every move as smooth as possible. No matter what you need, the Long & Foster team will go above and beyond to help you achieve your homeownership dreams.

Convenient in-house services and connections make your process easy! Settlement Insurance Contractors Warranties Loans Movers

Do your research to make sure you receive the lowest possible rates and fees While the benefits of one-stop shopping and high levels of customer service are important reasons to opt for an in-house lender, buyers should always compare interest rates and fees. Many in-house lenders

About the author

Jeffrey S. Detwiler is president and chief operating officer of The Long & Foster® Companies, parent company to Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., the largest independent real estate company in the U.S., and Prosperity Home Mortgage. From extensive, neighborhood-level market information to Long & Foster’s core services companies — providing mortgage, settlement, insurance and property management services in a streamlined manner — Long & Foster offers the services necessary to make today’s real estate transactions manageable for owners and investors.

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Bethesda Office ® ®

Arlington, Virginia

$1,990,000

Bethesda, Maryland

$2,450,000

Bethesda, Maryland

$2,595,000

Simply spectacular! Private elevator to 14th floor expansive views of Washington D.C. and beyond. Gourmet kitchen, spacious owner’s suite, 29-foot terrace. Turnkey option available. Five-star amenities for a five-star life! Jan Brito 301.646.5774

New construction near downtown Bethesda; 7,400 sq. ft. floorplan; high-end finishes; kit w/Taj Mahal granite & Wolf apps; huge MS w/luxury bath/walk-ins; all BRs ensuite; Easy entertaining in fin LL w/wet bar; outdoor FP & grill on open & covered terrace. Cindy Souza 301.332.5032

Close in Bethesda custom home to be built by Tulacro Development. Walk to Bethesda. 6 bedroom, 6 baths. Large level lot. Elevator, wine room, so much more. Still time to customize. www.AdamGelb.LNF.com. Adam Gelb 301.922.2922/Adam.Gelb@LNF.com

Bethesda, Maryland

$2,095,000

$1,999,900

$1,550,000

Custom built home on a cul-de-sac in Bethesda, which has five bedrooms and four and a half baths. This stunning home is built with highest quality materials and finishes. For more information visit www.WydlerBrothers.com. Hans Wydler 301.986.6405

Colonial on 2 acres built for entertaining! Huge gourmet kitchen with large center island, 5 fireplaces, gleaming wood floors, lovely library, huge recreation/media room with wet bar, zoned HVAC and 4-car garage! Jamie Coley & Leigh Reed 301.907.6643/ColeyReed@gmail.com

Colonial with fantastic entertaining spaces, 4 fireplaces, wood floors, gourmet kitchen with breakfast room. Master suite with sitting room & luxury bath. Expansive lower level with rec room, bedroom, bath & storage space. Jamie Coley & Leigh Reed 301.907.6643/ColeyReed@gmail.com

Bethesda, Maryland

$1,450,000

$1,429,000

$1,425,000

Elegant and unique with upgrades and details that rival $2M homes. A wraparound flagstone front porch with lush landscaping front back. 2-car garage, 9 ft. ceilings on 3 levels, hardwood floors in bedrms, custom millwork & molding. NIH, YMCA Bethesda Office 240.497.1700

Arts-and-Crafts construction on large lot in Bethesda. Currently under construction (30-60 days out). Fabulous floor plan includes gourmet kitchen, family room with builtins and coffered ceiling, formal LR and DR, butler’s pantry, home office, mud room. Cheryl Leahy 301.370.2484

A major kitchen / family room / master suite addition and stunning whole house renovation make this 4 bedroom, 3 bath Cape absolutely delightful—a location just steps to downtown Bethesda makes it perfect! Barbara Nalls 240.497.1920

Chevy Chase, Maryland

Chevy Chase, D.C.

$1,495,000

Luxurious five-bedroom custom home overlooking Rock Creek Park. For more information visit www.WydlerBrothers.com. Hans Wydler 301.986.6405

$1,075,000

2 bedroom, 2 bath, condo in Chevy Chase/Friendship Heights/NW D.C. Features a den, gourmet kitchen, 9"-10" ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, Viking appliances, granite, marble & wood floors, 2 parking spaces. Building includes gym, party room, board rm. Bethesda Office 240.497.1700

$950,000

Corner unit, floor-to-ceiling windows w/city views. Gourmet kitchen w/granite, island, & Viking appls. Brazilian cherry wood floors throughout & 2 parking spaces. Murphy bed conveys. Amenities: gym, party room, 24hr concierge. Across the street from Metro! Bethesda Office 240.497.1700

7700 Old Georgetown Rd. #120, Bethesda, MD 240.497.1700 | LongandFoster.com

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Bethesda Office ® ®

Fenwick Island, DE $1,599,000

Chevy Chase, Maryland

$877,500

Fairfax Station, Virginia

$949,000

Contemporary home, spacious LR with FP, huge kitchen w/granite & Viking range, sep. DR plus rec/theatre room & library on the main floor. 4 separate glass paneled doors lead to a deck. LL features 4 BR’s and 2 RFB’s including a master suite with FP. Bethesda Office 240.497.1700

Estate with amazing updates & location. Floor plan w/natural light across 6000 sq. ft. New kitchen w/granite. FR off kitchen for entertaining. Master suite w/vaulted ceilings & walk-in closet. Curved stair, basement & 3-car garage. Cul-de-sac, access to FFX Parkway. Bethesda Office 240.497.1700

Garrett Park, Maryland

Germantown, Maryland

$1,525,000

Ocean block—prime location! 2 owner suites, steps to sand with lovely ocean views, open floor plan & decorated by a top Delaware designer. Gourmet kitchen with granite, stainless appliances. Multiple wraparound decks! Owner is a Delaware Realtor. Linda Lizzio 202.997.1664 302.227.2541

$1,159,000

Poolesville, Maryland

$1,875,000

New custom built Arts and Crafts home with 5 bedrooms and 4 1/2 baths, was designed for family entertaining and has quality features throughout. Situated in a beautiful tree-lined community, and is in walking distance to both Metro and Marc train. Audrey Kelly Dyer 301.758.5408

Chalet atop spectacular 6.5 acres. 5,700+ sq. ft. of lightfilled, Mediterranean/contemporary living space. Walls of windows, gorgeous views, 6 FP, multi-leveled deck. Next to Bretton Woods Golf Club, horse country, minutes to Capital Beltway. Asmeret Demeter Medhane 301.266.6612

It’s been years since 25+ acres has been available less than 10 miles to Potomac Village! 2002 custom home in MoCo Ag Reserve surrounded by 450 acres of protected land. Trails, riding arena, barn & personal Par 3 golf course! 20K watt generator. Bethesda Office 240.497.1700

Potomac, Maryland

$1,795,000

Outstanding design, construction and updates! Grand 2story rotunda foyer to open gourmet kitchen/breakfast room and 2-story family room addition. Beautiful yard encompasses inground pool, hot tub, terraces, sportcourt. Jamie Coley & Leigh Reed 301.907.6643/ColeyReed@gmail.com

$1,499,000

McAuley Park, Potomac. Beautiful setting for this 5+ bedroom home. Large addition includes huge master suite. Over 7300 square feet. Floor to ceiling windows overlook backyard and park. www.AdamGelb.LNF.com. Adam Gelb 301.922.2922/Adam.Gelb@LNF.com

$1,299,900

Gorgeous, sunlit all-brick home in “Prescott at Avenel” on quiet cul-de-sac. Recent updates & amenities on all 3 levels. Open & spacious floorplan, 2-story foyer, high ceilings & wood floors. Oversized terrace & new landscaping for outdoor entertaining! Jamie Coley & Leigh Reed 301.907.6643

Washington, D.C. $1,449,000

Silver Spring, Maryland

$999,900

Almost 8,600 sq. ft. of finished space. Media room, exercise room, wine cellar, home sound system, 3 levels, sunroom addition, gourmet granite kitchen, gleaming hdwd floors. 2-story stone FP, master suite w/huge sitting room, all bedrooms have own bath Bethesda Office 240.497.1700

Washington, D.C.

$1,695,000

Traditional colonial in the Berkeley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. But this classic home has a big surprise —the entire fourth floor is a gymnasium complete with basketball court, wet bar and media area. www.WydlerBrothers.com Hans Wydler 301.986.6405

4-level Victorian on a beautiful tree lined block! Close to shops, restaurants, museums, and galleries! Sleek eat-in kitchen with luxury appliances! Renovated bathrooms! Newly refinished floors & railings! Top floor master suite with skylight and a rooftop deck! Parking space in rear! Bethesda Office 240.497.1700

7700 Old Georgetown Rd. #120, Bethesda, MD 240.497.1700 | LongandFoster.com

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Wendy Banner & The Banner Team ® ®

Potomac, Maryland

301.365.9090 | Wendy@BannerTeam.com www.BannerTeam.com

$4,395,000

Potomac, Maryland

$2,750,000

® ®

Bethesda, Maryland

$2,195,000

Breathtaking custom built home on 2 professionally landscaped acres in the privately gated village of Rapley Preserve at Avenel offering approximately 11,000 finished sq. ft. of luxurious living and entertainment space! 7 bedrooms, 7 full and 2 half baths, 4-car garage.

Stately colonial with over 13,000 finished square feet on 2 professionally landscaped acres featuring a pool/ spa, fenced and lit grass playing field, pool house and expansive patio, 7 bedrooms, 8 full and 2 half baths, 4-car garage.

Custom built Georgian colonial estate on privately gated 1-acre lot featuring an abundance of living and entertainment spaces, embassy sized rooms, custom millwork, and fenced yard with swimming pool and patio. 7 bedrooms, 7 full and 2 half baths, 4-car garage.

Washington, D.C.

Potomac, Maryland

$1,795,000

$1,595,000

$1,350,000

Timeless brick colonial in Spring Valley with a fully fenced yard, terrace, and approx. 5,900 finished sq. ft. of sun filled living spaces. This home exudes elegance from its fine mouldings to its high ceilings to the paneled 2,000+ bottle wine cellar! 5 bedrooms, 4 full and 1 half bath.

Totally customized colonial on 1.75 acres! Features open floor plan with 5 fireplaces, wide plank hardwood floors throughout & built-ins galore. The professionally landscaped lot offers a fenced yard, salt water swimming pool, gazebo, patio, deck and 2-car garage. 6 bedrooms, 5 full baths.

This magnificent and meticulously maintained home on a private 2.2 acre lot in Potomac features a dynamic open floor plan, hardwood floors on 2 levels, and a whole house generator! 4 bedrooms, 4 full and 3 half baths, 3-car garage.

Potomac, Maryland

North Potomac, Maryland

$1,250,000

Fantastic, renovated end-unit townhome in River Falls has been updated throughout! Features include a gourmet kitchen, 4 bedrooms, 3 fabulous full and 1 halfbaths, 2 fireplaces, rough-in elevator, lovely yard with a brick patio and a 2-car garage.

$1,175,000

Spacious end-unit townhome in Avenel just steps from the TPC golf course featuring soaring 2-story foyer, renovated gourmet kitchen, NEWLY refinished hardwood floors, and delightful brick patio. 3 bedrooms, 4 full and 1 half baths, 2-car garage.

$799,900

This updated split level home sited on a 2.15-acre flat, usable lot features hardwood floors throughout the main level, 2 fireplaces, and a spacious owner’s suite with a sitting room. The lot boasts a fenced yard, and NEW deck with pastoral views. 4 bedrooms, 4 full baths, 2 -car garage.

4650 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 301.907.7600 | LongandFoster.com

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Voted one of the Area’s Top REALTORS® by Readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2012 & 2013

Potomac

$2,375,000

Classic country farm house on a picturesque 4.75 acre lot located in the heart of Potomac Village.

North Potomac

$975,000

Colonial with heated pool, spa and lighted tennis court.

Lyn Moritt, Lisa Frazier, Ying Chen, Katelynn Whitlock, Margie Halem, Amy Gordon, Kendall Strang Unikel, Lori Silverman

301.775.4196 Licensed in MD | DC | VA. Please view our listings at MargieHalemRealtor.com. Text MARGIE1 to 87778 to download my free home-search app

MargieHalemRealtor.com Potomac/Avenel

$2,495,000

Custom-built home in community of Rapley Preserve.

MargieHalem@LongandFoster.com

Bethesda Gateway Office | 301.907.7600 (O)

Parvin Navid, REALTOR®

Thanks

Wishing you all a Happy & Prosperous 2014 I want to extend a special Thanks to all my clients for their continued Trust in me and referrals to family and friends over the past 20 years and years to come. I have enjoyed the opportunity to be a part of your lives through the happy moments, life style changes and helping you in difficult times. By negotiating on your behalf, I strive to ensure the smoothest transaction possible for all parties involved. Passion about real estate and dedicated customer service is at the heart of all that I do...

Passion

301.325.6401 Parvin.Navid@LNF.com www.ParvinNavid.com

• Exceptional Service & Professionalism • In-Depth Knowledge of Real Estate Market • Member National Association of REALTORS® • Member of Greater Capitol Area Association of REALTORS® • Licensed in Maryland, DC and Virginia

Trust

Bethesda Office 240.497.1700 ext. 2729

LongandFoster.com

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Bethesda Gateway Office ® ®

SaleS Over $1 BilliOn in 2013 fOr the 10th year www.BethesdaGatewaySales.com | mobile: m.BethesdaGatewaySales.com

Chevy Chase/Kenwood, Maryland $2,799,000

Chevy Chase, D.C. Bethesda, Maryland

Charming brick French Country-style home built in 1932 on 21,000 square foot lot with large garden and pool. Leaded windows, cherry-paneled library, country room off kitchen. Six bedrooms, 6 ½ baths.

Beautiful, sun-filled 2-leveland penthouse condo Meticulously maintained updated 3,000featuring square 2 bedrooms, 2 full 4 baths, 2-story foyer, gourmet foot home featuring large bedrooms and 2.5 baths, kitchentable-space and den. Loft/family room leads to terrace large kitchen, main-level office, family with stunning views!and 2 garage 24-hour room with stonecity fireplace exit to spaces, deck, enormous concierge, state-of-the-art fitness center. master suite with luxury bath. JohnWhiteman Bragale 301.503.1300 Tom 301.469.9111 John.Bragale@LNF.com Tom@TomWhiteman.com

Bethesda Gateway Office Managers: Susann haskins, leon nasar and Greg Scott

Mary Ann Corette 202.256.5501 corettem@aol.com

Silver Spring, Maryland

$599,500

Large 4 bedroom, 2½ bath Colonial near parks, Silver Spring Metro and Town Center. Special features include a fireplace, screened porch, patio, garage, and a wonderful 3rd-floor master suite addition. Paul Schwiesow 301.385.3827 DCMDRealtor@gmail.com

Kensington, Maryland

$819,000

New Home! Want a new home but can’t afford $1.4 million? Kensington Palisades offers the same new homes built in Bethesda at much lower prices. 5 bedrooms, 6 baths, 5,100+ sq. ft., 2-car garage, stunning architecture. Only 4 left! V-Tour at www.20895.com. Sterling Mehring 301.807.9200 yoSterling@gmail.com

$539,000

Spacious, light-filled 4 bedroom Spanish Colonial with solarium, beautiful woodwork and gorgeous landscaped yard with deck and privacy fence — great for entertaining! Easy access to Sligo Creek Park and all downtown Silver Spring amenities. Paul Schwiesow 301.385.3827 DCMDRealtor@gmail.com

UNDER CONTRACT!

Chevy Chase, Maryland

$1,595,000

This elegant 4-finished-level Colonial sold in 5 days for over the asking price! High ceilings, arched windows, kitchen with breakfast area, family room, sun room, sitting room and more. Brick terrace overlooks large, treed lot. Gorgeous home! Fran Darby 301.365.3433 FranDarby@verizon.net

Potomac/Town, Maryland

$1,650,000 $825,000

$975,000

Immaculate Colonial on ½ acre just minutes to the Village. 4 bedrooms + sitting room, 3.5 baths. First floor family room with fireplace and French doors to flagstone patio, finished lower level. Neutral décor, great space for entertaining. Donna Karpa & Sharon Owens, 301.215.6907 donna.karpa@LNF.com

Bethesda,Maryland Maryland Potomac,

$1,750,000 $1,149,999

This multi-award-winning design by David Jameson is Spectacular Colonial with contemporary flair boasting elegantly scaled with 3,500 sq.with ft. onisland a .36-acre wooded 2-story foyer, gourmet kitchen and stunning lot. 3 bedrooms, 3½ baths, office,lighting walls of and glass.built-ins. Secondmaster suite. Custom paint, story deckbrick offerspatio riverbordered views! by evergreens. Charming MichaelKarpa Shapiro 301.503.6171 Donna & Sharon Owens 301.215.6907 Sean Satkus 703.887.2116 Donna.Karpa@LNF.com

4650 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 301.907.7600

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Sondra Mulheron

Pam Schiattareggia

301.785.9536

301.802.7796

pam.scat@LNF.com www.HomesbySondraandPam.com

smulheron@LNF.com

Bethesda Gateway Office 301.907.7600

Top 2% of Long & Foster Agents in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area

FOR SALE Bethesda

SOLD

FOR SALE $1,575,000

New Home by Churchill Classics. Fabulous open floor plan with 5 bedrooms, 4 ½ baths, numerous amenities and 3 blocks to downtown Bethesda. Delivery Spring 2014.

106 Newlands Street, Chevy Chase MD

O’Neill Development Corp.

Chevy Chase, MD

$3,200,000

Stunning new home in Chevy Chase Village built by awardwinning O’Neill Development. 7 bedrooms, 6 ½ baths, exceptional quality and finishes. Spring 2014 delivery.

Potomac

$1,075,000

Immaculate 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath Colonial in soughtafter River Falls. Beautifully maintained with fabulous floor plan, 3 finished levels, private yard and patio.

Where expertise, service and today’s latest technology combine to provide a homebuying experience second to none. We provide a wide variety of home financing options, including

• Jumbo • Federal Housing Administration (FHA) • Veterans Affairs (VA) • Conventional • Renovation and Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) • Construction / Permanent Financing • First-Time Homebuyer Programs

Call today for your personalized loan package. Dan Jay

Tom O’Keefe

Bethesda All Points Office

Joyce Crowe

Bethesda Gateway Office

301.529.4006

Bethesda Gateway Office

301.237.4335

dan.jay@phmloans.com

301. 518.6343

tom.okeefe@phmloans.com

joyce.crowe@phmloans.com

Karen Van Zandt

Michael Joseph

240.497.1772

240.832.6600

Bethesda Office

karen.vanzandt@phmloans.com

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Potomac Office

michael.joseph@phmloans.com

12/9/13 3:35 PM 12/11/13 10:20 AM

North Bethesda/Rockville Office ÂŽ ÂŽ

Washington, D.C. $1,079,000 Beautiful renovation, light-filled townhome located in the Cleveland Park Historic District. Featuring 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, hardwood floors, high ceilings, new windows, stainless appliances and HVAC 2 zone.

North Bethesda, Maryland

Shirley Ayers 301.775.3933 MetroHomeHunters.com

Silver Spring, Maryland

$539,900

$1,075,000

Rockville, Maryland

$975,000

Fabulous, unique open contemporary at the end of a cul-de-sac, surrounded by trees and fronting parkland with creek views. Soaring ceilings, main level bedroom with library suite and bath, oversized glass windows and door opening to balconies and decks all around. Emily Mintz 301.704.2913 www.EmilyMintz.com

Absolutely stunning and rarely available Barclay model featuring 1st and 2nd floor master suites, 2-story foyer entry, library, separate dining room, 2-story living/ great room, gourmet island kitchen with many special touches and moldings throughout. MaryAnne Fiorita 301.529.0090 www.MaryAnneFiorita.com

Olney, Maryland

Silver Spring, Maryland

$459,900

$449,000

Expanded split foyer with garage on well manicured corner lot in Kemp Mill Farms. Hardwood floors on main level, custom deck off large dining room, two fireplaces and daylight lower level with two bedrooms.

Renovated Rambler, well-situated on almost 1/2acre lot with custom deck overlooking parkland plus finished walk-out basement.

Lovingly maintained by original owner the two-story foyer opens to floor plan great for entertaining small and large gatherings. Move in mint condition.

Barbara Ciment 301.346.9126 www.Ciment.com

Bill Calomeris 301.370.3962 www.CalomerisGroup.com

Becky Plesset 202.438.3755 MyHomesDB.com/BeckyP

Rockville, Maryland Maryland Potomac,

Rockville, Maryland

$369,000 $1,149,999

$349,500

Beautifully updated and contemporary maintained contemporary Spectacular Colonial with flair boasting three-level home. Wellkitchen landscaped private rear yard 2-story foyer, gourmet with lot, island and stunning with three-season room, stunning hardwood floors master suite. Custom paint, lighting and built-ins. and open floor Charming brickplan. patio bordered by evergreens.

Great location and one of the largest models in the neighborhood. Solid brick home on a level lot, convenient walk to Rock Creek Park, MARC train and shopping.

Sherri Earman Donna Karpa &301.728.6060 Sharon Owens 301.215.6907 www.SherriEarman.com Donna.Karpa@LNF.com

Denise Szczur 301.452.5544 www.DeniseSzczur.LNF.com

Rockville, Maryland Bethesda, Maryland

$235,000 $825,000

Move in todaymaintained to this beautiful, sunny 13th floor unit Meticulously and updated 3,000 square in park-like setting of4the Grosvenor Park community. foot home featuring large bedrooms and 2.5 baths, Fantastic location kitchen, at Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro large table-space main-level office, family station. room with stone fireplace and exit to deck, enormous master suite with luxury bath. ChrisWhiteman Hager 240.498.5044 Tom 301.469.9111 www.ChrisHager.org Tom@TomWhiteman.com

6000 Executive Blvd., #100, Bethesda, MD 301.468.0606 | LongandFoster.com

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Chevy Chase Office

Woodley Park Office

20 Chevy Chase Circle, NW, Washington, DC

2300 Calvert Street, NW, Washington, DC

202.363.9700 ® ®

Silver Spring, Maryland

$229,900

Own for less than you can rent. Parking and all utilities included. Mortgage of $888 (with 20% down) + condo fee of $788 + taxes of $189. Total = $1,865 per month. 2-bedroom, 2-full bath condo (1,275 sq. ft.) with wraparound balcony. Swimming pool and exercise room. Chevy Chase Office 202.363.9700

North Potomac, Maryland

$2,999,900

Historic barns on nearly 2 acres with room to park at least 77 vehicles. The property is zoned for business and single-family use. Potential uses are unlimited— use your imagination! Chevy Chase Office 202.363.9700

Rockville, Maryland Maryland Potomac,

$525,000 $1,149,999

Spacious 2-bedroom, 2-fullcontemporary bath with loads closets, Spectacular Colonial with flairofboasting washer/dryer, hardwood floors, Eurostunning kitchen 2-story foyer, gourmet kitchen withgranite island and and Jacuzzi. building amenities roof-top master suite.Great Custom paint, lightinginclude and built-ins. pool, partybrick room, guestbyapartment, Charming patiogym, bordered evergreens.theater. 2 parking spaces. Near Metro, shopping, restaurants. Donna Karpa & Sharon Owens 301.215.6907 Chevy Chase Office 202.363.9700 Donna.Karpa@LNF.com

202.483.6300

Bethesda, Maryland $1,295,000

Bethesda, Maryland $1,199,000

Luxury condo living at the Adagio. Tons of room: over 1700 sq. ft. with 3 bedrooms and 3 baths on 2 levels. Chef’s kitchen, wood floors, gorgeous views. Concierge, fitness room, 2 parking spaces, 2 storage units.

An amazing chance to purchase a large (1900+ sq. ft.) 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo at The Carleton. Oversized living room, formal dining room, master bedroom suite with office area. 2 balconies and family room/lounge. 24-hour front desk, doorman, pool, gym and 2 garage parking spaces.

Chevy Chase Office 202.363.9700

Chesapeake Beach, Maryland

$375,000

Chevy Chase, Maryland

$354,900

Awake to your own stunning Chesapeake sunrise! Unique, bright 1-bedroom home can be your retreat on the Chesapeake Bay. Clean and simple 1-level living, open floor plan, full bay views. EI kitchen; master bedroom with dual-entry bath; deck, fenced yard, OSP. A unique opportunity! Chevy Chase Office 202.363.9700

Walk to Metro and Friendship Heights! 1065 sq. ft., 2-bedroom, 1-bath condo with balcony. South views over Whole Foods and Bloomies. New convectors, appliances, window coverings. Fee includes all utilities but phone.

Bethesda,Maryland Maryland Potomac,

Chevy Chase, Maryland Bethesda, Maryland

$749,900 $1,149,999

Renovated home with bedrooms andflair 2 boasting baths. A Spectacular Colonial with3 contemporary deck leads the back of with the island house and andstunning fenced2-story foyer,from gourmet kitchen in backyard storage building. Original master suite. including Custom paint, lighting and built-ins. hardwoodbrick floors, renovated granite and stainless steel Charming patio bordered by evergreens. kitchen, and bonus family room with fireplace. Donna Karpa & Sharon Owens 301.215.6907 Woodley Park Office 202.483.6300 Donna.Karpa@LNF.com

Chevy Chase Office 202.363.9700

$1,589,000 $825,000

Spacious Capemaintained Cod home.and This updated home features large Meticulously 3,000 asquare kitchen with breakfast bar and windows foot home featuring 4 large bedrooms andeverywhere 2.5 baths, overlooking the deck, deepmain-level garden and pool.family The large table-space kitchen, office, lower with level stone rec room with bar to a room fireplace andand exitfireplace to deck, opens enormous spacious terrace. amazing master suite withAn luxury bath.space! Tom Whiteman 301.469.9111 Woodley Park Office 202.483.6300 Tom@TomWhiteman.com

LongandFoster.com

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Bethesda All Points Office #1 W.C. & A.N. MILLER REALTORS® Office • #10 Long & Foster® Office for 2012 Marie McCormack 301.437.8678 cell Marie@LNF.com MarieMcCormack.LNF.com 37 years in real estate Marie sells DC, MD & VA Properties

Congratulations to Marie McCormack on Another Award Winning Year! R DE CT! UN TRA N CO

W ! NE ING T LIS

WYNGATE – Hendry Estates $785,000

WYNGATE – Alta Vista Terrace $950,000

WESTMORELAND HILLS $1,275,000 Lydia Chopivsky Benson

202.365.3222

LydiaBenson@StanfordAlumni.org l

Manor Country Club

Upper brackets

This is your opportunity to own one of the most distinctive and unique homes in the sought-after community at Manor Country Club. Elegant and graceful, this 4 bedroom home is situated on over one acre of majestic trees and professional landscaping with sweeping golf course views. Extra-large room with bath over garage with separate staircase is perfect for home office, guest suite, or teen room. Full community membership available to enjoy two golf courses, pools, tennis courts and club house amenities. Please contact me to schedule a personal tour of this exceptional property. Carole Egloff 240.401.1200 cell | 301.570.4664 | Carole.Egloff@LongandFoster.com

Bethesda, Maryland $1,125,000

Welene Worthington Goller goller1@verizon.net

Elegant, like new 4 bedroom end townhouse in downtown Bethesda. Gorgeous kitchen, 3 full baths, 2 family rooms, 2-car garage, many updates! Premier location near Metro, NIH and future Harris Teeter! Meg Crowlie 301.641.7488

Whether you are buying or selling property in the greater Washington Area, it’s important to have confidence in your real estate professional. My commitment to you is to provide the impeccable real estate service you deserve. Let my over 25 years of experience work for you!

301.320.5064

Associate Broker in MD, VA and DC

Selling homes in MD, DC and VA Commitment to excellence Driven to succeed Taking care of client’s needs throughout the entire process

Rowena De Leon

240.423.2422

Rowena@LNF.com l www.RowenaDeLeon.com Your Family Realtor for Life. l Montgomery County Realtor representing sellers and buyers with integrity, knowledge, and honesty. l Awarded the Long & Foster Service Award due to multiple testimonials received by past clients. l Expert Realtor you can trust from start to finish. l A native Washingtonian and Univ. of MD alum.

Mary Lou Dell

301.404.5554

MaryLouDell@aol.com I’d love to work with you. Call me when you’re ready to buy or sell. And watch me periodically on News Now TV at Noon talking about our local real estate market.

Ellen Cohen Vicki Porter Lupe Rohrer 240.462.6000 301.325.2965 301.938.2499

Licensed in MD & DC

4701 Sangamore Road, Bethesda, MD 301.229.4000 | LongandFoster.com

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Bethesda All Points Office #1 W.C. & A.N. MILLER REALTORS® Office • #10 Long & Foster® Office for 2012 Nancy Mannino

301.461.1018

Congratulations to Susan Sanford and her Extraordinary Team!

Nancy.Mannino@LongandFoster.com Celebrating my best year ever and looking forward to helping you to buy or sell a home in 2014! l

The #1 Miller Office #10 Long & Foster Office Companywide 2012

19+ years of experience Licensed in MD, DC & VA

W.C. & A.N. Miller REALTORS Bethesda All Points Office is the flagship office for Miller Realtors Companywide. We are home to successful and top-producing agents seeking an executive approach to their business as well as new agents ready to launch successful real estate careers. Call me for a confidential interview to find out why top producing and new agents join my office and choose to stay!

Susan Sanford

VP, Managing Broker Office Direct:

301.320.8300 ssanford@LNF.com

Tammy Gruner Durbin TGDHomes@aol.com

301.996.8334

Associate Broker

Resident Bethesda Neighborhood Specialist for 24 Years Consistently Ranked in Top 150 out of over 12,000 agents companywide. W.C. & A.N. Miller REALTORS 4701 Sangamore Road Bethesda, MD 20816 301.229.4000

Andy Alderdice

301.466.5898

andy4homes@gmail.com

www.andy4homes.com

Top Sales Associate 2013

Contact Andy regarding buying or selling homes in the early Spring market.

Outstanding Service Award Winner 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. Call her to schedule a private consultation.

Happy 2014!

SHARRON COCHRAN – #1 INDIVIDUAL MILLER AGENT 2012

301.351.4517

SCochran@LNF.com l

New Year, New Home?

Kat Conley Witowski

www.SCochran.com

#92 Agent Companywide—Long & Foster

2012 Realty Alliance Award Recipient, Top 5 Percent North America Staging, marketing, and negotiation expert

Let my experience work for you!

Ted Duncan

Spring Valley, D.C.

$2,175,000

Magnificent colonial in one of D.C.’s most sought-after neighborhoods. 4 finished levels with 6 bedrooms, 5 full baths, 1 half bath. Sharron Cochran 301.351.4517

301.785.7966

Lynn A. Stewart

301.580.4552

Ted@LNF.com

Lynn@LynnStewartSells.com

Providing personal attention to every detail since 1992.

MOVING YOUR HOME . . . “FOR SALE TO SOLD”! l Your Bethesda residential specialist l Your expert Buyer’s Agent in MD & DC l Your Top Producer l Your go-to help for “right-sizing” l Your Certified Negotiation Expert l Your neighbor! l Licensed in MD, DC & VA

Knowledge and ability to clearly explain all aspects of home sale l Unparalleled pricing of homes l Countless examples of negotiating ability to get the best results for you Providing a spectacular experience in the sale of your home. l

301.943.3865

Kat@LNF.com #2 Individual Sales—Bethesda Miller #69 Agent Companywide —Long & Foster #3 Individual by Units Sold—Bethesda Miller 2011 Realty Alliance Award Recipient, Top 5 Percent North America

Call Kat for any of your real estate needs.

Kelly Bohi

301.580.4991

Kelly.Bohi@LongandFoster.com l

Helping buyers and sellers in DC, MD and VA Your relocation expert for over 10 years Top Producer 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!

4701 Sangamore Road, Bethesda, MD 301.229.4000 | LongandFoster.com

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Potomac Village Office ® ®

Washington, D.C.

$219,000

Bethesda, Maryland

Price Upon Request

Darnestown, Maryland

$790,000

Cleveland Park. Unbelievable location and beautifully updated kitchen and bath. Less than 1 mile from 2 Metro stations. Sun-filled with wall of windows. Washer and dryer in unit. Fireplace. Great investment opportunity! Michael Matese 301.806.6829

Set on a gorgeous 0.55 acre lot, this custom home boasts four finished levels. Stunning renovated kitchen and baths. Large formal areas, new pool, 2 terraces and an outdoor kitchen are perfect for indoor and outdoor entertaining. Krystyna Kazerouni 240.876.8750

Gorgeous renovation to stone front colonial. New kitchen and baths, siding and windows, recessed lighting, wood floors, 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 2 fireplaces. Spectacular views on 2 acres with circular drive and side entry garage. Marsha Crowley 301.518.0262

Germantown, Maryland

Poolesville, Maryland

Potomac, Maryland

$740,000

$2,795,000

$5,500,000

Reduced! 7.75 acre equestrian property with barn and 4 bedrooms. 2,720 square foot house! Private country living with fenced pasture land. Great for family living or expansion. 7 miles from Potomac Village. Sylvia Bogley Biggar & Bob Bigger 301.299.2345/301.873.8315

Brick estate home overlooking Sugarloaf Mt. on 20 peaceful acres surrounded by the Agricultural Preserve. 4 exceptional levels of living with attention to every detail. Stunning views off brick terrace. Meticulously maintained. Gail Lee 301.602.8188

Sensational brand new residence sited on a 1-acre lot inside Potomac Village. 14,000 sq. ft. home features 8 bedrooms, 7 baths, 4 fireplaces, stunning chef’s kitchen, awesome library, 2 loggias and 2 terraces. Superb design and finishes. Krystyna Kazerouni 240.876.8750

Potomac, Maryland

$2,695,000

Grand entertaining space. Custom moldings and design. 7 bedrooms, 8 baths. 2-story foyer, ballroom and family room. Gourmet kitchen. Master suite with fireplace. Over 12,000 sq. ft. 3-car garage. Private 2+ acre lot! Michael Matese 301.806.6829

$1,150,000

Largest model in sought after Fallswick offering 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, 2 family rooms, spacious kitchen with a breakfast room, main floor library, custom builtins, hardwood floors, and full walkout basement. Chris Koons-Byrne & Gil Thurm 240.672.6628/202.744.8896

$999,000

Potomac Village. 6 bedrooms, 6 baths. Main level bedroom. Family room with wood burning fireplace and sunroom. Lower level au pair suite and oversized rec room. 2-car garage. Half acre lot. Private setting and conveniently located! Michael Matese 301.806.6829

Potomac, Maryland $824,000

Potomac, Maryland

$849,900

If you want outstanding schools, a level lot, cul-de-sac, Canal Tow Path and solid light-filled 50’s split colonial— look no further—it’s all here! Call for more details or to make an appointment. Coreta Osborne 301.922.4336

Potomac Crest. Beautifully updated and sun-filled! Gourmet kitchen with bay windows. 3 bedrooms and 4 baths. Master suite with vaulted ceiling and luxury bath. Lush and private rear backs to parkland. Easy access to everything! Michael Matese 301.806.6829

Potomac, Maryland

$4,590,000

Gated 2-acre estate in Falconhurst. Richly appointed 18,000 sq. ft. home boasts embassy-size rooms, 8 bedrooms, 10 baths, and an entertainer’s dream lower level. Beautifully landscaped, fenced lot with a pool. Krystyna Kazerouni & Michelle Yu 240.876.8750/240.888.5076

10200 River Road, Potomac, MD 301.983.0060 | LongandFoster.com

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Barbara A. Skardis,

CRS, GRI, SFR

Associate Broker

Licensed in Maryland, Washington, D.C. & Virginia International Real Estate Consultant

The Most Trusted Name in Real Estate!

• Recognized for her professionalism, integrity, and exceptional service • Outstanding communication, negotiation and marketing skills • Readily available to assist her clients in every phase of each transaction with positive and successful results whether buying or selling Specializing in Fine Properties in Montgomery County & Washington, D.C.

• Long & Foster’s Extraordinary Properties® — #1 Seller of Luxury Homes! • Christie’s International Real Estate Luxury Showcase Experience & Knowledge Matters! Top Producing Real Estate Consultant over 24 years:

• Accredited Associate Broker • Certified Residential Specialist, CRS • Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource Specialist, SFR

• Graduate Realtor Institute, GRI • Expert Buyer’s Agent Representative • Certified Corporate Relocation Representative

Barrie Kydd

A native Washingtonian, I have lived in Montgomery County throughout most of my life, and currently reside in the heart of Downtown Bethesda. I know these neighborhoods. So if you’re looking for the perfect condo, townhome or single family home—whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or an experienced homeowner looking for a new house—you will get my expertise to find the ideal solution for your lifestyle.

Barrie Kydd, Realtor® Licensed in MD and DC • Rental Certified Cell: 301.325.4040 • Office: 240.497.1700 Barrie.Kydd@LNF.com web: BarrieKydd.LNF.com My love of Montgomery County has lead me to become active in local philanthropic endeavors, such as the Children’s Inn at NIH, the Montgomery County Humane Society, JSSA and the Montgomery Hospice Foundation.

Cell: 240.481.0700 Direct: 301.294.0569

Barbara@bskardis.com www.bskardis.com

Potomac Village Office 301.299.6000

CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS

}

Thanks so much for making our search for a new home in the DC area so easy! Your knowledge of the area and strong attention to detail helped to make the process painless and efficient.” ~ Becky H SVP, Bethesda-based company

}

My recent dealings with Barrie Kydd, were of an exceptional nature. She came through with everything she promised and very promptly at that. My condominium was sold within two weeks—without a hassle.” ~ Ursula Taub Court Appointed Special Advocate, CASA

LongandFoster.com

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Rehoboth Beach Office ® ®

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

$1,999,000

Select luxury penthouse with ocean views! Over 5,400 sq. ft. penthouse on scenic Silver Lake Drive. Panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and Silver Lake. 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, 6-car garage, media room and elevator. 4 outdoor terraces, 3 terraces with ocean and lake views. MLS 597172. Call/text Bill Cullin 302.841.7147/See tour: www.RBOceanVU.com

Ocean Pines, Maryland

$1,290,000

Modern retreat on the water! Award-winning home with amazing views. Geothermal, Wolfe, Sub-Zero, Silestone counters, Pella windows, NaNaWall glass retractable wall, Maibec cedar, Brazilian IPE, Velux rainshield skylights, bamboo flooring, sauna, glass elevator and more. 4 bedroom and 3.5 baths. MLS 482852 Lucks Group-Residential Extraordinary Properties® Contact Tiffany Walter at 302.270.7623/ tiffany@wlucks.com

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware $1,250,000 Classic Beach Cottage. “North Shores” residents can enjoy private beach, pool, tennis, yacht basin, marina, tot lot and year-round security. Expertly-sited 5 bedroom, 3 bath. Stroll to state park, bike to town, abundant outdoor living space. MLS 605949 Mike Kogler 302.236.7648 www.MikeKogler.com

Lewes, Delaware

$1,295,000

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

$917,500

Extraordinarily large bay-front lot in the private community of Cape Shores in Lewes, DE. Private beach, pool, tennis, bay-front pier. Lot #92. One of the best communities in Lewes. MLS 595383 Mike Kogler 302. 236.7648/www.MikeKogler.com

Waterfront luxury home with pier. Bay and ocean access. MLS 602951

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware $1,859,000

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

4th house from the ocean! 6 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. Beach block classic with cottage. 1921 updated historic home. Ocean views and breezes! MLS 603864. Karen Gustafson 302.236.8821 www.Move2Rehoboth.com

4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2-car garage. Privacy in RBYCC. Minutes to the beach! Landscaping & fenced yard. Stainless/granite kitchen & breakfast bar & large eat-in sunroom. MLS 606355. Bridget K. Touhey 302.339.6669/BridgetAtTheBeach.com

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Milford, Delaware

Mike Kogler Team 302.236.7648 www.MikeKogler.com/www.RbyccDe.com

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware $614,999 Light-filled and contemporary space, single family home with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Walk/bike to beach. East of Rt. 1 and canal. MLS 607253 Lucks Group-Residential Extraordinary Properties® Dean Donovan 302.670.2658 dean@wlucks.com

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

$538,000

$849,900

Views of the ocean and Rehoboth Beach North Shores! 2 bedroom and 2 bath. 5th floor one unit back from ocean. Tile baths and flooring in kitchen. Swimming pool, elevator, parking garage. Terraces with ocean views! MLS 607558. See tour at www.TheHenlopen504.com Call/text Bill Cullin 302.841.7147 or Tom McCandless 917.578.2912

$379,900

Downtown condo! 2 BR, 1 BA. Walk to the beach & restaurants! Parking space & porch. MLS 595536 Candy Williams 302.448.9149/BuyABeachPlace.com

$339,900

3 bedrooms and 2.5 bath. Quiet beach area near the Nature Preserve. Decks for outdoor living! MLS 603930 Candy Williams 302.448.9149/BuyABeachPlace.com

37156 Rehoboth Ave. Ext. Rehoboth Beach, DE 302.227.2541 | LongandFoster.com

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[you ] Thank

for viewing The Long & Foster® Companies’ exclusive “Showcase of Homes”

No matter what your buying, selling or investment goals are, our agents can help you take advantage of real estate opportunities. When you’re ready to take the next step, we welcome you to contact one of our sales offices or expert sales associates.

Readers’ Pick— Best Real Estate Agency

Celebrating 45 years of real estate success! Our company was founded on the principles of integrity, honesty, innovation, and customer service— values we continue to support today.

LongandFoster.com

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WHEN BUSINESSES DO GOOD, THE COMMUNITY PROFITS. As members of Community Profits Montgomery, the following businesses have committed to give at least 2% of their net income back to the community. To learn more, or to join in our pledge, visit CommunityProfitsMontgomery.org

Â®

Melanie Folstad, Merrill Lynch FOUNDING MEMBERS

IN COLLABORATION WITH

\ 1

12/11/13 11:22 AM

Getting into Fighting Shape | A Patient with Connections Bethesda Magazine

january/february 2014

her bite for mankind A writer gets an opportunity to further science. All she has to do is give a bunch of voracious mosquitoes a snackâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;namely, her body. Bethesda Magazine HEALTH | January/February 2014 221

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Bethesda Magazine

january/february 2014

224 Follow the Leader After suffering an injury, Gaithersburg’s Zac Steel comes up with a knockout routine to get himself back in fighting shape. By Leah Ariniello

COVER STORY

234

226 Twice Bitten She had an opportunity to do her bit for mankind— and maybe make a buck, too. All she had to do was submit to a bunch of parasite-ridden mosquitoes that might give her malaria. Then do it all over again. By Nicole Glass

234 Coming to Terms For two women—one unable to conceive a second child, the other unable to carry a second child to term—their challenges would shape not only their lives but their professional careers. By Bara Vaida

242 Patient With Connections Hospitalized with a life-threatening illness, Michael O’Neil felt lost, isolated and desperate to understand his condition. That’s when he had his “aha” moment. By Rita Rubin

248 Depression: The Current Approach Transcranial magnetic stimulation can be both expensive and time-consuming—but it’s also considered by some to be one of the most promising treatments for depression when medication doesn’t work. By Rita Rubin

Seminars, running events and support groups. Compiled by Cindy Murphy-Tofig

Health Cover Illustration by Amanda Smallwood

lisa helfert

254 Health & Fitness Calendar

222 January/February 2014 | Bethesda Magazine HEALTH

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Thanks 2014

Winner

to the readers of BETHESDA MAGAZINE for selecting us as

Best Dermatologists

Drs. Jaffe, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill & Lindgren Dermatology, Dermatologic Surgery, Cosmetic Dermatology 6410 Rockledge Drive / Bethesda, MD 20817

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follow the

LEADER

By Leah Ariniello

A Knockout Routine An intimidating figure with massive, tattooed biceps, the 5-foot-11-inch, 175pound Zac Steel says he’s a born boxer—and determined to remain one. Steel, 25, began training in martial arts at age 6, and then boxing at 15, taking delight in the ability to “really hit something.” While a student at Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, where he still lives, Steel won 24 of 30 martial arts and boxing bouts. Then, just as he seemed poised to make a name for himself in boxing, Steel blew out his knee at age 18 during a high school football game. He says the injury could have ended his boxing career if he wasn’t such a fighter, mentally as well as physically. After taking time off to regroup, Steel became determined about three years ago to get back in the boxing ring. He started teaching boxing and kickboxing classes at LA Boxing (now UFC Gym) in Bethesda and Georgetown, and then began rebuilding his strength through intensive training this past year. In addition to teaching 20 classes and holding five to 10 personal training sessions a week, Steel works on his own boxing skills, including strategies that improve endurance, technique and power. That hard work is beginning to pay off. Steel recently started competing on the amateur boxing circuit, winning two fights and losing two close bouts. He says he’s now physically ready to compete twice monthly and plans to become a professional boxer within the year. “I envision nothing but success,” Steel says.

Almost 30,000 amateur boxers, ranging in age from 8 to 86, were registered in 2012 with USA Boxing, the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing in the U.S. Source: USA Boxing (based on the latest available data)

Mike Olliver

After an injury, a local boxer gets himself back in fighting shape

224 January/February 2014 | Bethesda Magazine HEALTH

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What HE Does Works It Out

Steel performs strength exercises for 45 minutes four to six times a week. He works on his legs one day, his back and biceps another day, and then his chest, shoulders and triceps. He does 60 minutes of cardio daily, including shadow boxing and either jumping rope or running 2 to 3 miles. He pummels heavy and lighter boxing bags for an hour several times each week.

The Payoff: The exercises help strengthen Steel’s muscles so he can deliver a powerful punch and stay upright after being hit. The cardio work builds endurance. “If you’re tired in the ring, you die,” he says. The shadow boxing also helps Steel improve his rhythm, form and execution of punch combinations. The bag work increases the power of his punches and improves timing, rhythm, reflexes, head movement, hand-eye coordination and hand speed.

Personalized, Advanced Hearing Care that can improve your

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Gets Strategic

At least three times each week, Steel’s boxing coach watches while he spars against an opponent for five, three-minute rounds, with 30-second rest breaks. Steel repeatedly reviews fight films of professional boxers.

The Payoff: Sparring puts Steel’s training to the test, preparing him to control any situation and helping to perfect his punch combinations. Those combos often include the jab, a favorite that he uses to help reposition his opponent and provide an opening to throw a more powerful punch. “Boxing is like a chess game,” he says. Watching films of professional fighter Sugar Ray Leonard reminds Steel how to use his head, and watching Mike Tyson reminds him to “become savage” in the ring.

Stays Fueled and Light

Steel eats four to six low-sodium, protein-rich meals daily (preferably chicken breast or salmon with lots of greens, such as spinach), aiming for a total of 125 to 175 grams of protein, and drinks at least a gallon of water. He uses techniques that cause him to perspire heavily, such as wearing a sauna suit (a sort of waterproof tracksuit) for about 45 minutes during workouts, several days before a fight or after a rare weekend of unhealthy eating.

The Payoff: Steel’s diet provides energy and aids muscle development. Perspiring helps “flush…excess sodium from my system,” he says. Having less sodium in his body means he carries less water weight, ensuring that he remains in his competitive weight class, Steel says.

Pampers His Body

He gets a weekly massage and practices yoga for about two hours twice weekly. Steel either ices sore muscles or vibrates them with a TENS unit, a device that emits electric currents.

The Payoff: He feels loose, less sore—and he hasn’t suffered another major injury.

Maintains Mental Strength

Mike Olliver

Steel enlists friends and family to attend his competitions. He also reassures himself repeatedly and pictures himself winning his fights.

The Payoff: Seeing familiar faces in the crowd makes Steel feel stronger. And his positive self-talk encourages the possibility of success. “I’ve already won that fight when I walk into the ring,” he says. ■

Leah Ariniello of Bethesda frequently writes about health. To comment on this story or suggest subjects, email comments@bethesdamagazine.com.

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twice b It was an attractive proposition: She could contribute to finding a cure for malaria and make some money at the same time. All she had to do was let a bunch of parasite-ridden, blood-thirsty mosquitoes snack on her bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; and then do it all over again.

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Illustration by AManda Smallwood

bitten s

Shivering beneath a mountain of heavy blankets pulled up to my eyes, I was convinced I would never warm up again. Then, seemingly minutes later, I was kicking sweat-drenched blankets to the floor as my body was overcome by a burning fever that no amount of ibuprofen could cure. I felt nauseous, and my mind wandered far beyond the corridors where I lay confined to a hospital bed. Throughout the torturous night, I tossed on the twin-size bed, drifting in and out of consciousness even as my body remained defiantly awake. I had malaria, there was no doubt. Later, as the medication battled the parasites that had infested my liver, I stared at my unkempt

By Nicole Glass

reflection in the bathroom mirror and wondered: Why did I do this?Â

It was, in fact, both desperation and curiosity

that landed me in that hospital bed. In September 2011, I was a journalism student with an unsustainable part-time job that barely covered the cost of my groceries. I had just entered my senior year at American University and was living in a modest apartment five minutes from the main campus in Washington, D.C. While absentmindedly browsing through job and volunteer opportunities on Craigslist one afternoon, I stumbled across a posting from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda seeking participants for a malaria study. Bethesda Magazine HEALTH | January/February 2014 227

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twice bitten

The author (above) and her arm after exposure to the infected mosquitoes. Right: blood samples taken from the author during the malaria trial.

3,000 irradiated mosquitoes to bite him at various intervals. In the end, he was rendered immune to the disease. Of course, subjecting millions of people to the bites of thousands of irradiated mosquitoes is neither practical nor realistic (not to mention unpleasant). So scientists have developed subunit vaccines, using the antigens but not the entire parasite. One of these, “RTS,S”—developed by the Silver Spring-based Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline—entered Phase III testing in 2009, with 15,460 participants enrolled in 11 trials throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Results of the trial, which was completed in January 2011, made headlines this past fall. RTS,S showed protection rates of 27 percent in African children under age 5 months, who are among the most vulnerable to the disease, and 46 percent in African children between 5 and 18 months, making it the most promising vaccine to date. Even as some were hail-

ing it as a triumph, though, others were questioning whether those figures could be deemed sufficient. A decade earlier, Hoffman became convinced he could use the whole-parasite approach to engineer a groundbreaking vaccine. He quit his job at Celera Genomics, the genetic sequencing corporation founded in Rockville by J. Craig Venter. And with the help of his wife and son, who had just graduated from college, Hoffman launched his own company from the breakfast room of his Gaithersburg home.

courtesy of nicole glass

A mosquito-borne disease that affects more than 250 million people a year, malaria appears to have been around since humans migrated out of Africa some 60,000 years ago, according to a 2010 Current Biology report. The Plasmodium parasite that causes the illness killed an estimated 660,000 people in 2010 alone, most of them children in Africa, a region that accounts for 91 percent of malaria deaths. Attracted by the idea of participating in a potentially groundbreaking study, as well as the promise of unspecified financial compensation, I volunteered to test a preventive vaccine at NIH’s Vaccine Research Center (VRC). Called “PfSPZ,” the vaccine was developed by Sanaria Inc. to combat Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest of the four species of malaria that commonly infect humans. Dr. Stephen Hoffman, former chief of the U.S. Navy’s malaria research program, founded the Rockville-based biotech company in 2003 to combat the disease. He wanted to expand on earlier research that showed animals and humans could receive protection against the disease through exposure to hundreds of thousands of weakened parasites. In 1967, Dr. Ruth Nussenzweig, a scientist and professor at New York University’s School of Medicine, had irradiated malaria-infected Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, which weakened the parasites and prevented them from replicating. After the irradiated mosquitoes feasted on lab mice, the rodents developed an immune response that effectively protected them against the disease. Over the years, scientists tested this idea on human volunteers, and studies showed that receiving weakened parasites from at least 1,000 irradiated mosquitoes could generate the production of antibodies in the liver and provide protection against the disease. To verify the procedure’s efficacy, Hoffman used himself as a test subject in the mid-1990s and allowed

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Hoffman named the company Sanaria, which means “healthy air” in Italian (mal’aria means “bad air”). The firm, which was initially based in a modest, 800-square-foot facility on Parkland Drive in Rockville, has since moved to a larger space and now employs about 40 people who work on the development of a vaccine using weakened malaria sporozoites (the first stage in the life cycle of the parasite). Painstakingly extracted from the salivary glands of irradiated mosquitoes, the sporozoites are purified, placed in a vial and frozen in the vapor phase of liquid nitrogen. The vaccine was tested in a 2009 trial that administered the drug subcutaneously (under the skin) and intradermally (within the skin). Only two of 80 volunteers received protection against the disease. But Hoffman, now in his 60s, was certain that the trial I enrolled in would be different. Human volunteers were to be injected intravenously, so the irradiated sporozoites would go directly into the bloodstream and have a greater chance of reaching the liver. “It’s been known for many years that sporozoites could deliver highlevel protection against malaria, but no one thought it was possible to actually manufacture such a vaccine,” Hoffman would later tell me. “…And here we are now with tremendous success, and we believe that we actually have a tool that can be used to eliminate malaria from defined areas very soon.” In 2011, 887 people were prescreened for the trial at the NIH Vaccine Research Center. Only 57 were chosen to participate. I was one of them.

In the weeks that followed, I heard horror stories from my parents about vaccine studies gone wrong and watched friends back away, fearful I’d somehow transmit the disease. Some considered me crazy; others figured I must be really strapped for cash. I ignored them all. My NIH visits began early in 2012. Every few weeks I dragged myself to the clinic to have my blood drawn while scien-

tists asked about my medical history and made me promise not to travel to Africa— at least while taking part in the trial. “You have amazing veins,” the nurses In 2011, 887 told me as they gazed enthusiastically at my forearm and eagerly pricked people were prescr eened me with needles. I had never before viewed my bulging veins for the trial at the NIH as a source of pride. Vaccine Research Ce In July 2012, after an ininter. Only tial screening qualified me as a 57 w er e chosen to particip “healthy volunteer,” I received ate. my first of four injections, which I w as one of them. each consisted of 135,000 irradiated sporozoites and were administered at three-week intervals. For seven days after each vaccination, I was instructed to fill out diary cards, recording my body temperature and any symptoms. Aside from unusually vivid dreams and my typical stress-induced head- Gordon said as she sat in her NIH office, aches, I never noticed anything abnor- which was bursting with photos of fammal. I had no fear of needles, blood, IVs, ily members and friends. An impressive or vaccines, and the visits seemed no collection of cactuses decorated her winmore worrisome than a regular doctor’s dowsill, and a betta fish swam lazily in his bowl. A drawing hung on her office appointment. Ingelise Gordon, a registered nurse wall. “Do What Brings You Joy,” it said. who is the VRC’s clinical operations manager, would tell me later that few It wasn’t the vaccine that worvolunteers appeared to be driven solely ried me. It was the idea of letting by the promise of compensation, and malaria-ridden mosquitoes suck my that some were “pleasantly surprised” to blood, discharging the Plasmodium parreceive any money at all. (Compensation asite into my body and leaving their varied from $2,125 to $7,375, depending itchy marks behind. But the day of the crucial test arrived on the number of visits required by NIH. quickly, and I headed to Walter Reed I received about $5,000.) “They were fun, everybody had differ- Army Institute of Research in Silver ent personalities, and I loved that most Spring, which was breeding thousands of the volunteers were doing it because of malaria-ridden Anopheles gambiae they wanted to help,” she said of the par- mosquitoes (one of the species that ticipants in this Phase I trial. “[Most of transmits the parasite) for the NIH trial. It was Oct. 23, and I worried that I’d fall them] have a big heart.” People often worry that the government deathly ill on Halloween—or worse, will subject volunteers to a harmful prod- a few days after that on my birthday, uct or that the vaccine will cause the ill- which I hoped to celebrate with friends. The scientists had warned the volunness, Gordon said. But if any of the doctors or nurses suspect the protocol or product teers to avoid showering for at least a day—preferably longer—since the scent is hazardous, the trial won’t proceed. “Would I allow my 16-year-old daugh- of soap, perfume and shampoo repels ter to do this study is a question that’s mosquitoes. So for the last of my three always in the back of my head when I’m showerless days, I stayed away from the participating in this clinic or anywhere,” grocery store and invented excuses to Bethesda Magazine HEALTH | January/February 2014 229

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twice food bitten fix

“We believe that we actually have a tool that can be used to eliminate malaria from defined areas very soon.” —Dr. Stephen L. Hoffman, founder of Sanaria in Rockville felt as if the five tiny insects were coordinating their attacks, quenching their insatiable thirsts at the same time. I looked around the room, half-expecting the other volunteers to cry out in pain or pull their arms away from their cups, but they hardly reacted. Later, Dr. Lee-Jah Chang, allergy and immunology fellow at NIH, would tell me that “no one freaked out. They could feel the pinch of the mosquitoes biting them, but it went smoothly. No one fainted, no one refused to partake in the challenge.” Some volunteers were dismissed from the insectary within minutes of being bitten. But those who had made the mistake of showering or washing their hands had to wait around for hours, repeating the procedure until at least five mosquitoes had a “full feed.” I tallied more than a dozen tingly bites on my forearm, but many didn’t count in the view of the researchers, and I repeated the process several times. Dr. Robert Seder, chief of the cellular immunology section at the VRC and principal investigator of the malaria trial, later explained the process. “The subjects received ultimately five bites

where the mosquito has been documented to actually have gotten into a vein and has evidence of a blood meal,” he said. “Each mosquito must also have a sufficient number of sporozoites in its salivary gland. That’s done by a number grading system. We tried to deliver roughly the same amount to all the subjects, so we have it controlled in the best manner we can.” After being subjected to three cups of parasite-ridden mosquitoes—spread out over the course of about an hour while a scientist analyzed the results—I took a cab home and tried to forget the ordeal.

A week and a half later, I checked

into NIH’s inpatient unit, where I was required to sleep for up to 11 nights as the doctors monitored me and drew blood to see if I was developing the disease. I was convinced that I’d be immune, and hopeful—not just for my sake, but for the doctors who had dedicated years to potentially groundbreaking research. Most mornings, I’d awake to an encouraging text message from Chang, who served as the main associate investigator for the study. “Your smear was negative!” his text would say. A 31-year-old with a medical degree from Northwestern University, Chang worked late nights and early mornings, collecting blood, making smears and checking for early signs of the parasite in the volunteers. He hardly slept during the inpatient stays, running on adrenaline as he closely monitored the subjects. “As the days went on and there were people still not getting malaria—that was really exciting,” he recalled recently. “Every day we thought: Are they going to get malaria or not? And each day that passed that they didn’t, we were thinking: There’s actually going to be a group of people who will make it through this. And that means the vaccine worked.” But on the sixth night, I felt faintly nauseous, and knew that a headache was on its way—symptoms I normally would have brushed off if I hadn’t been so keenly aware of the parasites potentially eating away at my health. After a female Anopheles mosquito deposits bloodthirsty Plasmodium para-

courtesy photo

keep friends from visiting. My unbathed body would be an irresistible banquet for a thirsty mosquito, but to anyone else, I was a smelly mess. When I arrived in the waiting room at Walter Reed, I saw the other volunteers for the first time. There were couples who had joined the trial together, NIH staffers from other labs, students, young professionals and former Peace Corps volunteers. Some wore sweatpants and baggy T-shirts; others were dressed for office jobs and carried briefcases. An odor of human sweat saturated the chamber, and the fluorescent lights illuminated the unwashed skin and greasy ponytails of the volunteers who had taken the guidelines about bathing a bit too seriously. This is a time when it really pays off to be a freelancer, I thought, pitying the poor souls who were forced to share an office cubicle with the other volunteers. Some people had already formed friendships in the group. Others, like me, quietly read a book as they waited, too sleepy—thanks to the 5 a.m. hour— to make an effort to meet new people. Finally, my name was called. I left the waiting room and was escorted through several airtight doors to the insectary. Before reaching the fluorescent-lit, windowless room, I was hit by a powerful blast of air that shot down from a vent in the ceiling—one of the many mechanisms to prevent the voracious insects from escaping. I was instructed to join four other volunteers at a small, rectangular table where I would offer myself to five ravenous female mosquitoes that had previously feasted on contaminated blood. (Male mosquitoes survive by feeding on nectar and plant juices, but females gorge themselves on blood to obtain the protein needed to produce their eggs.) A scientist delivered a netted plastic cup that imprisoned the malaria-ridden pests. I placed my forearm over it, covered my arm with a dish towel to provide darkness for the nocturnal predators, and waited. A timer set for five minutes was placed next to me. I fought the urge to swat the cup away as I waited impatiently for the timer to beep. At times, it

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courtesy photo

sites into a human host, the invaders travel to the liver, where they multiply before bursting into the bloodstream to feast on hemoglobin. Untreated victims may experience a burning fever, chills, crippling headaches and nausea. In severe cases, the parasites alter the surface properties of infected blood cells, causing them to stick to blood vessels and block the blood supply to vital organs, which can quickly lead to coma and death. After I described my symptoms, which escalated by the hour, the nurses drew my blood and sent it to the lab for testing. The results confirmed my suspicions: I had malaria. For three days, the nurses treated me with Malarone, a common anti-malarial drug that prevents the parasites from replicating. The drug’s effects were not immediate. At the outset, I endured eight seemingly endless hours of sweating and chills, which seemed unbearable at the time but were trivial in retrospect, given the months of torture that untreated malaria victims endure. I remember requesting extra blankets, but they failed to curb my shivering. Later I found myself bathed in sweat. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt so miserable, but the experience was short-lived. “It takes weeks and weeks for parasites to develop and multiply to a condition where you would really start worrying,” Chang said. “So most people might feel feverish, which you can treat, but they’re not going to have severe complications or die.” When the sunlight burst through my hospital window the next morning, I woke feeling sleep-deprived and exhausted, but ultimately cured. I was troubled that the vaccine hadn’t worked, convinced that my body had somehow failed—and in so doing, crushed the hopes of the NIH team and squandered the millions of dollars that had gone into the study. I was one of the first volunteers to succumb to the disease, and after three days of treatment, I was discharged. I returned to the quiet studio apartment I’d recently moved into in downtown Bethesda and reflected on the fact that

I would be as susceptible to malaria as most of the world’s population if I traveled to any of the exotic places I hoped to visit one day. Then, early in 2013, I received an unexpected call from Chang, who asked if I’d be willing to subject myself to malaria a second time. The NIH team was curious to see if the vaccine had any lasting effects on my body. I thought about the flavorless hospital food, the

11 days of freedom I’d sacrifice—and, of course, that torturous night after I contracted malaria. And then I agreed. This time, I made it to Day 9 before the headaches and nausea set in.

This past summer, NIH hailed the

PfSPZ study as a major success. Six of nine volunteers who received the same vaccine dosage I had were protected against the disease, and all six of those

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twice bitten who received a higher dose were rendered immune. It remains unclear how long this immunity will last. Meanwhile, 16 of the 17 individuals who received lower doses than I developed malaria, as did 11 of the 12 who weren’t vaccinated. The doses used in the Phase I trial were small, as required by the Food and Drug Administration. But Seder is hopeful that with the highest dose administered—or perhaps an even higher dose—results can be achieved that could save hundreds of thousands of lives each year. Meanwhile, other researchers continue to pursue alternatives. Numerous vaccines have been developed since the 1990s, but none has provided sufficient protection to get it to market. RTS,S, developed in the 1990s by GlaxoSmithKline and heavily funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, may be the first to do so, even though its trial results are far lower than hoped.

At the same time, researchers at the Washington, D.C.-based PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative and Inovio Pharmaceuticals are working together to develop a vaccine with genetically engineered DNA that’s meant to protect against the parasitic infection. Scientists at Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and the University of Arizona have genetically modified lab mosquitoes to make them immune to the parasitic infection from malaria. And scientists at The Rockefeller University in New York have tried to engineer the insects to find humans less attractive. Sanaria’s vaccine is the only one to use whole sporozoites, however. And Hoffman believes it could lead to immunity just as the bites of those 1,000 irradiated mosquitoes did decades ago. Sanaria’s PfSPZ vaccine is already scheduled to be used in at least four upcoming trials in Tanzania, Mali, Germany and at the Department of Defense. The VRC may conduct another study, as well, perhaps

increasing the dose and changing vaccination intervals, Seder told me. “I’m upbeat and cautiously optimistic that we’re on the right road here,” he said. “And I think a vaccine for malaria could be developed in our lifetime.” My yearlong journey as a study volunteer had brought me to Seder’s sunlit, third-floor office, which overlooks the NIH campus where I used to come for my regular monitoring. Looking at the stacks of research papers scattered across his desk, I remembered the nurses and researchers I came to know, the early morning vaccination visits and Walter Reed’s insectary. I asked Seder what it all meant. “It’s possible that you were in the first study on a path to something that could change the world,” he said. n Nicole Glass lives in Bethesda and is editor of the German Embassy’s newsletter. To comment on this story, email comments@bethesdamagazine.com.

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coming to Julie Bindeman and Joan Rabinor know what it’s like to try—and repeatedly fail—to carry or conceive a child. That’s why both women have dedicated themselves to helping others through the ordeal.

By Bara Vaida Photos by Lisa Helfert

terms On the Friday before Thanksgiving 2009,

Julie Bindeman and her husband, David, were ushered into a room at Shady Grove Radiology in Gaithersburg for an ultrasound of their 20-week-old fetus. The couple was excited about learning the baby’s sex. Their first child, Nate, was almost 2, and Bindeman wanted a girl. She had begun thinking about the nursery and dreaming about sharing her excitement with family at Thanksgiving. As the technician put jelly on Bindeman’s growing belly and turned on the screen, she chatted with the couple. Then she took measurements, said they were having a boy, and casually asked them to head to their obstetrician’s office in Rockville to go over the results. During the 15-minute drive, the Gaithersburg couple started talking about names. “Nate is going to be so excited to have a little brother next spring,” Bindeman remembers saying. >>

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Julie Bindeman calls son Ryan one of her â&#x20AC;&#x153;rainbow children,â&#x20AC;? since she had to weather difficult experiences before giving birth to his sister in 2011 and him in 2013.

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coming to terms

As they entered the obstetrician’s office, their doctor was there to greet them. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “Yes, we are having a second boy,” Bindeman said. “We’ll just have to try for another baby for a girl.” The doctor looked puzzled. “They didn’t tell you?” “Tell us what? They told us we are having a boy,” Bindeman said. “There are some problems with your baby’s brain,” the doctor said. She had already made them an appointment to see a specialist in fetal and maternal medicine that afternoon. “At that point, my husband and I started crying,” recalls Bindeman, a clinical psychologist in Rockville. “It dawned on us that there was something very wrong.” Thus began a long, painful journey of pregnancy loss for Bindeman—but one that ultimately would shape her career.

The inability to get pregnant

or maintain a healthy pregnancy affects about 11 percent of American women between ages 15 and 44, according to a report last summer by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 40 percent of those cases involve a physiological issue with the woman, such as hormonal imbalance; 40 percent involve a physiological issue with the man, such as low sperm count; and about 10 percent are attributable to both the woman and the man, says Dr. Joseph Doyle of the Shady Grove Fertility Center in Rockville. The remaining 10 percent can’t be explained, he says. The problem often leads to feelings of shame, depression and anxiety, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, an education and advocacy organization based in Birmingham, Ala. About 70 percent of women said the inability to get pregnant made them feel flawed, and 61 percent hid their infertility from family and friends, according to a 2010 survey by the pharmaceutical firm Merck. “Infertility is an absolutely devas-

tating diagnosis,” says Barbara Collura, a Herndon, Va., resident who heads RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. The nonprofit, which is based in McLean, Va., provides support to those dealing with infertility, which the organization defines as the inability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term after 12 months of trying. “An infertility diagnosis can be as stressful as cancer,” Collura says. Collura underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF), where the egg is fertilized with sperm in a lab and then placed in the uterus, in 1997 and 1998. When those attempts failed, she didn’t initially seek professional help. “I wish I had found help on day one,” she says. “It wasn’t until I crashed [emotionally] that I ended up seeing a mental health professional for a year. That process helped me decide how to move on. I couldn’t have done it without the therapist.” Those facing infertility have a number of options, but each carries a physical, financial and social cost. There’s intrauterine insemination (IUI), which involves using a catheter to deliver sperm to the uterus; IVF using the couple’s own eggs and sperm; IVF using an egg or sperm donor; or IVF with a surrogate. All of these are invasive, patients say, and involve the loss of privacy and a sense of normalcy. They’re also expensive. One IVF cycle can cost $8,000 to $18,000, and often isn’t covered by health insurance. If IVF involves an egg donor, compensation to the donor adds $4,000 to $10,000. Surrogates hired by a couple to carry a child can add up to $38,000. Adoption costs, by comparison, can range from $5,000 to $40,000. “There are so many options on family building that you may really need help navigating this,” says Collura, who ultimately adopted a son.

A clinical social worker

practicing in Chevy Chase, Joan Rabinor began trying to get pregnant a few years

“Often, patients will feel that no one understands them unless they’ve experienced [infertility], too.” —Joan Rabinor after she married her husband, Bob. It was 1982, when assisted reproductive technologies such as IVF were just becoming part of the medical landscape. In December 1981, the first baby was born in the United States through IVF. Rabinor and her husband tried unsuccessfully for a year before visiting a fertility doctor, who told the couple that Rabinor’s fallopian tubes had become scarred, disrupting the pregnancy process. She underwent surgery, which fixed the scarring, and became pregnant naturally, giving birth to Adam in 1985. Several years later, the couple again visited a fertility doctor after trying unsuccessfully for a second child. By then, Rabinor was 37, and her age and hormonal issues were making it difficult for her to get pregnant. This time they tried multiple rounds of intrauterine insemination. She got pregnant, but miscarried. Rabinor and her husband tried IVF next. As part of that treatment, she underwent multiple diagnostic tests,

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tive endocrinology at Harvard Medical School. Most result from chromosomal problems with the fetus, he says. As a psychologist, Bindeman naturally sought support from friends and family. Most were there to share her sorrow. But to her surprise, some were not. “It was not until after I had a miscarriage that I truly understood that I really didn’t know what to say to someone who miscarried,” she says. “And how uncomfortable it was.” That’s why Bindeman started reading about how to help others dealing with pregnancy loss.

gave herself hormone shots to stimulate the eggs’ maturation, and underwent surgery to have the eggs removed. Some of the resulting embryos were frozen, while others were transferred to Rabinor. The couple endured multiple cycles, but each failed. Finally, after half a dozen attempts, they stopped, defeated. As with Bindeman, though, the experience would inform Rabinor’s career.

Bindeman grew up in Bethesda and studied theater at Bard College in New York, but realized she was better at working with young people than acting. She switched to psychology and earned her doctorate in that field at George Washington University. In 2007, she and a partner, Nanci Brown, opened Integrative Therapy of Greater Washington in Rockville. A brunette with warm hazel eyes and a kind demeanor, Bindeman, 35, acknowledges being shaped both as a mother and a professional by pregnancy loss.

“A lot of times in American culture, our relationship with grief and death is that the goal is for one to move on,” she says. But “with a profound loss, it isn’t fair to ask someone to move on. I like to reframe it and suggest that this is something that you move through. You incorporate this loss as a part of you and take meaning from it.” Bindeman didn’t know that pregnancy loss was going to be one of the paths to meaning in her life. She and her husband, whom she met in high school, experienced a healthy pregnancy with the birth of their first child in 2007. Eighteen months later, she got pregnant again. But eight weeks into the pregnancy they learned that the fetus didn’t have a heartbeat. Bindeman had miscarried. About 10 to 20 percent of pregnancies in women younger than 35 end in miscarriage. That number rises to as high as 50 percent after age 43, according to Aaron Styer, assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproduc-

A friendly brunette who’s now 62, Joan Rabinor followed a similar trajectory. She grew up in a family of five in Woodmere, N.Y., where “everyone was in therapy. It was like a Woody Allen [movie],” she says, and it made her interested in learning what makes people tick. At Cornell University, Rabinor majored in human development and family studies before earning a master’s degree in social work at Smith College, in Northampton, Mass. She moved to Washington, D.C., to work at Georgetown University Hospital and met her future husband through friends. In 1980, she established a general therapy practice in Virginia, but later moved it to Chevy Chase. Her practice initially focused on helping people manage broad emotional issues, but after struggling with infertility for many years, she began focusing on that issue, as well as other life transitions. “It was emotionally draining and really painful,” she says of her own struggle. “…Everyone seemed to be pregnant, and they were able to achieve that so easily, while it proved so difficult for me. I was determined to keep on trying, and it really took over my life.” For years, Rabinor knew about RESOLVE, but didn’t reach out to the support group until her second bout with infertility. The organization, founded in Boston in 1974 by nurses wanting to provide public health train-

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coming to terms

ing and support for those dealing with infertility, was so helpful that Rabinor began running support groups and lecturing on infertility herself. She also wrote some of the material about coping and adoption that the organization uses today. RESOLVE now has 200 support groups around the country, including in Potomac and Washington, D.C. Working with RESOLVE helped Rabinor know when she needed to move on from IVF. Although her high-tech treatments were covered by her insurance, she realized after three years that she had put her life and her family’s on hold long enough. It was time to “end the excruciating limbo” and consider either adoption or acceptance of her family as complete. “Having at least two children was something really important to us,” Rabinor says. So with the help of RESOLVE and the Washington, D.C.based support group Families for Private

Adoption, she and her husband found a private adoption agency that led them to their son Matt in 1992. Rabinor was at the hospital for his birth. Today, about half of Rabinor’s practice is related to infertility issues. It helps that she has been through it. “Often, patients will feel that no one understands them unless they’ve experienced [infertility], too,” she says. “A big thing about infertility is dealing with the lack of control,” Rabinor says. “But we can control when we want to end [treatment]. We can decide when we move forward with other options. Maybe it’s adoption, maybe it’s to foster a child, maybe it’s to live child-free, or maybe it’s deciding that a family with one child is complete.”

In the spring of

2009, not long after her miscarriage, Bindeman was still trying to have a second child. She soon found herself pregnant again.

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Then November came around, and that 20-week ultrasound revealed the devastating problem. The test showed enlarged ventricles had caused fluid to build up in the fetus’ brain—a rare condition known as prenatal hydrocephalus—and was interfering with its development. Sometimes the condition can be treated with a shunt after birth, but often the child’s motor skills will be severely impaired. Bindeman and her husband spent the next several days feeling shell-shocked. Two days before Thanksgiving, a follow-up ultrasound showed even more fluid in the brain. Bindeman and her husband were told that the baby would be unlikely to do more than swallow on his own. After much angst, they decided they “could not do that to the baby, because that was not a quality of life for him.” They would end the pregnancy. By now, though, Bindeman was just over 21 weeks pregnant. No Maryland

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physician at the time was trained to surgically end a late second-trimester pregnancy. So her obstetrician induced early labor. Painful as it was, Bindeman and her husband coped by telling themselves “we had created a body, but it wasn’t the right body for the soul that was supposed to be our child.” Physicians assured the couple that there was no genetic cause for the hydrocephalus, and that it was unlikely to recur. Several months later, Bindeman became pregnant again. Then, shockingly, it happened again. At 17 weeks, an ultrasound showed fluid in their fetus’ brain. Another ultrasound at 18 weeks showed significant brain function to be unlikely. Still short of 20 weeks, Bindeman was able to terminate the pregnancy surgically this time. “I was just in disbelief that this was happening again,” she recalls. “I felt that I had done everything I was supposed to do—and I felt very robbed.”

It was an isolating experience. “People don’t talk about miscarriage, and people really don’t talk about terminating pregnancies,” she says. Bindeman found A Heartbreaking Choice, a website for those seeking support after ending wanted pregnancies. She also channeled her grief by learning how to handle loss and infertility issues. It was her way to honor three lost children and bring meaning to her experience. She took a course through the American Psychological Association and attended a yearlong training workshop with two Rockville therapists, Sharon Covington and Linda Hammer Burns, who co-edited the 1999 guide Infertility Counseling: A Comprehensive Handbook for Clinicians. Then, finally, Bindeman got her happy ending. Despite fears of another failed pregnancy, she gave birth naturally to a healthy daughter, Jordan, in July 2011. Two years later, at age 35, she

had another son, Ryan. “I call them my rainbow children,” she says. “Infertility and pregnancy loss is just the most torturous of storms, and after a terrible storm, you hope to see a rainbow. I have two.” Sometime this year, Bindeman and several partners plan to open a women’s wellness center in Bethesda. About 65 percent of her practice now involves reproductive issues, and she talks openly about her own experiences. “People will ask me, ‘Do you have children?’ ” she says. “I answer, ‘I have three living children.’ Most people don’t catch the ‘living’ part of my response. But if the person is listening carefully, they might start a conversation with me about it. Then I tell them my story.” n Bara Vaida is a freelance health writer based in Northwest Washington, D.C. To comment on this story, email comments@ bethesdamagazine.com.

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coming to terms

increasing the By Bara Vaida

It has been more than 30

years since the first baby was born in the U.S. through in vitro fertilization (IVF), the treatment in which an egg is removed from the ovary, combined with sperm in the laboratory and then placed in the uterus. Today, IVF is perhaps the best-known treatment for infertility. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) says more than 800,000 births resulted from the procedure in this country between 1985 and September 2012, the period for which it has figures. A single IVF cycle (so-called because it’s tied to a woman’s menstrual cycle) costs $8,000 to $18,000, depending on geographic location, says Mindy Berkson, owner of Lotus Blossom Consulting in Chicago, which provides infertility counseling nationwide. Rockville-based Shady Grove Fertility Center, one of the largest such clinics in the country, charges $9,600— with required medications costing about $3,500 more—for each cycle. Many insurance plans don’t pay for IVF, but Maryland law requires coverage of infertility diagnosis and certain treatments. About 40 percent of IVF cycles result in a live birth among women under 35, according to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, the arm of ASRM that represents IVF professionals. That number drops to 4 percent after age 42. Here are some of the latest treatments and technologies being used to improve the odds.

ODDS

Fertility assessment:

Two combined tests can help doctors learn if a patient will respond to IVF, says Aaron Styer, an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive endocrinology at Harvard Medical School and a staff physician at Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center. One is an antimullerian hormone (AMH) test, in which blood is drawn to indicate hormone levels; the other is an antral follicle count, in which an ultrasound is used to show how many eggs likely remain in the ovaries. The tests cost $75 and $250, respectively, at Shady Grove Fertility Center.

Embryo selection:

Before the laboratoryfertilized egg is placed in the uterus, a technician screens a cell from the embryo for genetic and chromosomal abnormalities. The cost of the screening, called pre-genetic diagnosis, ranges from

$2,000 to $4,000, according to Shady Grove’s Dr. Joseph Doyle. In 2011, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of a high-tech embryo incubator fitted with cameras that monitor the fertilized egg’s development around the clock, potentially enabling doctors to pick the most viable embryo, Styer says. The machine costs as much as $200,000, Styer says. Shady Grove’s Philadelphia lab, which has one, doesn’t charge patients extra for its use, however.

Fertility preservation: Since the quality and

quantity of eggs deteriorate over time—90 percent of women’s eggs are gone by age 30, and 97 percent by age 40, according to a study published in 2010 by the University of St. Andrews and Edinburgh University in Scotland—a recent technological advance in freezing eggs called vitrification (a type of flash-freezing)

offers new hope to those not yet ready for motherhood, as well as those facing cancer treatment. The process is similar to that of an IVF cycle. The woman takes drugs to stimulate the creation of more eggs in her ovaries, and then the resulting eggs are removed. The unfertilized eggs are frozen for later use. The cost is similar to an IVF cycle, too— $8,000 to $18,000—with an annual storage fee of $500 to $1,000, fertility experts say. For women under 38, Shady Grove now offers four egg freezing cycles for $12,500 with free storage the first year. Medication costs about $2,800 per cycle. In the first 10 months of 2013, the clinic conducted more than 200 frozen egg cycles, up from 131 cycles in all of 2012. Since mid-2010, when it first began the program, Shady Grove has thawed eggs from 65 freezing cycles. Forty-three percent resulted in a live birth, Doyle says. n

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A Patient with

Connections Michael O’Neil was in the hospital, battling cancer and feeling cut off from the world. That’s when the Bethesda resident had his ‘aha’ moment. By Rita Rubin | Photography by Erick Gibson

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“A lot of the soul of innovation comes from the most mundane experiences,” says Michael O’Neil, whose GetWellNetwork now serves 200 hospitals nationwide.

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a patient with connections

As he lay in bed in one of the world’s top hospitals, surrounded by the latest in medical technology, newly diagnosed cancer patient Michael O’Neil couldn’t get over how low-tech his room’s television was. At 9 a.m. every day, “a kid would come in my room and ask for $7 to turn on the TV,” O’Neil recalls. The problem was, O’Neil had been told to leave his wallet at home. After he obtained the necessary cash, he wondered whether that television set was worth $7 a day. “When you turned it on, there were about nine staticky channels on it.” Worst of all was when he asked a nurse one morning for information about his chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “Oh, we have an education channel,” she said brightly, directing him to the TV and yet another disappointment: Instead of information about chemotherapy, O’Neil found a breastfeeding video.

1998. At first, Georgetown’s student health center blamed his pain on bulging discs from playing intramural flag football or maybe “law school ulcers” brought on by stress. But “my pain over a number of months began to kind of move and spread,” O’Neil says. “I had terrible night sweats, often waking in a pool of sweat.” He sought answers at Georgetown University Medical Center. An endoscopy in April 1999 revealed a tumor the size of a tangerine in his stomach. “This could be stomach cancer, or it could be benign, but we need to find out quickly,” doctors told him. O’Neil underwent surgery to remove the tumor at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. A week into what ended up being a nine-day hospital stay there, the pathology report on his tumor came back from the lab. The mass was neither stomach cancer nor benign. O’Neil had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph tissue, which is found

“I literally was drawing up the idea for this company while lying in my [hospital] bed,” O’Neil says. That’s when he came up with the idea for GetWellNetwork, a Bethesda-based company that provides interactive educational and entertainment resources through televisions in patients’ hospital rooms. “A lot of the soul of innovation comes from the most mundane experiences,” O’Neil says.

O’Neil was 28 and a student in the

joint law and business degree program at Georgetown University when his back started bothering him in the spring of

throughout the body. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 70,000 Americans were diagnosed with the disease last year, and about 19,000 died from it. O’Neil’s main source of information about non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and its treatment came from the printouts that his fiancée, Wendy—a “104-pound Armenian firestorm,” as he describes her—would bring from her office in Tysons Corner in Virginia. “When you’re back in your real world—at home, at school, at work—

you have access to all this amazing technology,” O’Neil says. But in the hospital, “when you have to make all these critical decisions, you happen to have the least.” He felt uninformed, out of control, helpless. And scared. But he also felt inspired. “I literally was drawing up the idea for this company while lying in my [hospital] bed,” O’Neil says. After surgeons removed the tumor, O’Neil underwent four rounds of aggressive chemotherapy over the spring and summer. He’d then go to his fiancée’s Georgetown apartment (with three roommates, his was too noisy), eat a plain Domino’s pizza and then sleep for 14 hours. To this day, O’Neil thinks Domino’s pizza smells like chemo. After his first round of chemotherapy, his parents held an engagement party for him and Wendy. His hair was starting to fall out, so the day after the party he shaved his entire head. He returned to grad school in September 1999, bald and 10 pounds lighter, but passionate about his plan for a company that would prevent patients from feeling as powerless as he had in the hospital. “My professors were phenomenally supportive,” O’Neil says. “While back in school, I was doing research and writing the business plan, leveraging many of my law and MBA classes.” He incorporated GetWellNetwork in August 2000, nearly two years before he would graduate from Georgetown. He sketched out his ideas on a whiteboard, and then the two software engineers he hired translated them into code. In search of clients, “we went to…local hospitals and some hospitals up in New England,” O’Neil says. GetWellNetwork’s premise was that engaging patients in their own care would make them more motivated to get better and stay that way. When patients are engaged in their own care, hospitals see patient care improve and the cost of

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Calla, Wendy, Ava and Michael O’Neil enjoy a moment together at their Bethesda home.

providing that care decline, according to GetWellNetwork, which provides hospitals with the tools to measure progress. By 2003, the company had 20 employees and a handful of client hospitals.

As his business

was taking off, O’Neil and his wife faced another “lifedefining moment,” as he calls it—the devastating loss of one of their infant twin daughters. Before Macey and Ava were born in 2005, doctors detected on a sonogram what they thought was a congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM), an overgrowth of abnormal lung tissue, in Macey. In most cases, a baby with CCAM does fine. But at birth, “Macey was not breathing,” O’Neil recalls. “She was rather blue. Of course, they took her away right away. About an hour later, the pediatric surgeon came

in. [He said] ‘Macey is very sick.’ ” Macey did not have CCAM. She had a birth defect called a diaphragmatic hernia, which occurs in as many as one in 2,200 live births. Her intestines, stomach and other abdominal organs had pushed through a hole in her diaphragm and into her chest, preventing her heart and lungs from growing normally. She would need to have surgery to push her organs back in place and repair the hernia. Macey was airlifted from Inova Fairfax Hospital, where she was born, to Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., for the operation. But she was never well enough to undergo surgery, and she died 19 days after birth. Despite what he had learned as a cancer patient and in creating his company, “I still felt like I was on the outside looking in,” O’Neil says of the experience. It made him realize “how important

the family is in our health journey. The patients are often so helpless during this period of time.” GetWellNetwork had begun to work with Children’s by the time Macey was a patient, but it was not yet available in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). O’Neil’s experience as the father of a patient “woke us up to really expanding the company’s focus,” he says. “It should be family- and patient-centered care, not just patient-centered care.” Even if their loved ones are too young or too sick to interact with GetWellNetwork, the caregivers can. Today, he says, the network is available in Children’s NICU. O’Neil’s insight has helped GetWellNetwork flourish. By 2009, it was recognized by Deloitte as one of the 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and clean technology companies in North America. Today

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a patient with connections

Last year, O’Neil says about 2 million patients interacted with GetWellNetwork. it employs about 230 people, including about 50 software engineers. It serves 200 hospitals around the country—26 children’s hospitals and 25 Veterans Affairs and military hospitals among them— covering 40,000 to 50,000 beds. In September, GetWellNetwork moved from Norfolk Avenue into larger headquarters on Old Georgetown Road. At 42 and healthy, O’Neil is the company’s CEO. Originally from New York, he lives with Wendy, 46, and daughters Calla, 10, and Ava, 8, in Bethesda. His sister, Shannon O’Neil, who lives two blocks from him and his family, serves the company as vice president, user experience. She’s responsible for figuring out how the software should look, feel and behave for the people who use it. Last year, O’Neil says about 2 million patients interacted with GetWellNetwork. Some hospital rooms have new touch-screen monitors at the bedside, while others have kept their old wallmounted televisions, which have been modified with a new remote and keyboard to work with the network. Besides watching cable channels or on-demand movies, patients can access test results and post questions for and get answers from doctors on the network’s interactive whiteboard. Instead of buzzing the nurse, they can contact dietary services directly if a meal isn’t satisfactory, or housekeeping if their bathroom needs to be cleaned. “We’re doing a lot of streamlining of clinical and nonclinical functions,” O’Neil says. That frees up nurses to focus on patient care. Nurses and doctors can

select appropriate educational videos for patients that cover a wide range of conditions, medications, tests and treatments. “We’re working alongside doctors and nurses all the time,” he says. G e t Wel l Ne t work’s “O utc ome s Achievement Plan Dashboard” enables hospitals to track improvements seen as a result of implementing the system. For example, O’Neil says, at Florida Hospital Celebration Health, in Celebration, Fla., GetWellNetwork helped cut the percentage of heart failure patients who had to be readmitted within 30 days of discharge from about 16 percent to 8 percent. At Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax, Va., he says, the percentage of patients dissatisfied with the noise level at night dropped from 50 percent in 2012 to 40 percent this past year. And, O’Neil says, patients are leaving Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego a little bit sooner, as the average length of stay has fallen from 5.2 days to 4.9 days.

Last March, GetWellNetwork

launched in Georgetown University Hospital, the closest client to the company’s headquarters. For now, GetWellNetwork is only in Georgetown’s pediatrics unit. “I really thought it would make a huge difference with our patients,” says Georgetown child life specialist Linda Kim, who learned about GetWellNetwork at a conference. “The entertainment aspect of it alone sold me, but then I found out it could do so much more.” “GetWellTown,” the pediatric version of GetWellNetwork, is particularly kid-

friendly, Kim says. “The kids actually figure it out faster than the adults. They get to go online. They can check their emails, keep in touch with their teachers.” And they can watch movies, listen to music, create art and play games. Parental controls can be used to block sites such as Facebook, she says. “It’s definitely awesome,” 16-yearold Grace Mitchell says from her bed at Georgetown. Grace, who lives on Capitol Hill, was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder in 2007. She’s one of 3,000 to 5,000 Americans with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM), which causes skin rashes and muscle inflammation but is treatable. Grace spends a weekend at Georgetown every month to receive intravenous immunoglobulin, and she loves being able to watch movies and tune in to hulu.com on GetWellTown to catch up on episodes of Project Runway and Modern Family. She uses her own laptop to do homework, but she likes to surf the Internet on GetWellTown, which is faster than the hospital’s Wi-Fi. In the children’s hospitals where GetWellTown has been implemented, virtually every patient watches movies or plays games on it, O’Neil says. Before they can access the fun stuff, though, they must do their homework—which means watching the educational videos that their doctors or nurses have recommended. “They gain so much strength by staying active and being engaged in their care,” O’Neil says. And they frequently become a source of strength for their families.

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At the Birmingham VA Medical Center in Alabama, where GetWellNetwork went live in 2011, most of the patients are over 60, and “we’ve seen a lot of benefits,” says Jeff Hester, director of public affairs. Educational videos teach patients and their families about procedures they must undergo and the diet they’ll have to follow at home. They press the nurse call button less often and instead turn to GetWellNetwork to contact housekeeping about cleaning their room. Hospital executives no longer wonder “is this just a big entertainment system?” as they did when they first heard about GetWellNetwork, Hester says. In August, the Birmingham hospital integrated its electronic medical records system with GetWellNetwork. Now, when patients watch an educational video selected by a nurse or doctor, GetWellNetwork automatically notes that in the medical record. Previously, Hester says, nurses had to document it by hand. At GetWellNetwork client hospitals, patients and their families can access discharge instructions on the system, so the logical next step for O’Neil’s company was myGetWellNetwork, which delivers personalized information to patients outside the hospital via secure Internet access anywhere they can open a browser window. Throug h myG etWel lNet work, patients use their home computers, tablets and smartphones to track their progress in a personal health journal, watch educational videos and receive daily tips and reminders to help them manage chronic conditions. MyGetWellNetwork is available through a growing number of doctors’ offices, O’Neil says. “We call it ‘get well anywhere.’ ” n

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A former medical writer for USA Today, Rita Rubin lives in Bethesda and frequently writes for the magazine. To comment on this story, email comments@ bethesdamagazine.com. Bethesda Magazine HEALTH | January/February 2014 247

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Depres

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ession

The Current Approach Transcranial magnetic stimulation was ‘a magical curiosity’ when it was first used to study the human motor system. Now, some scientists regard it as a promising new treatment for patients who don’t respond to antidepressants. By Rita Rubin

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depression: the current approach

The

Bethesda woman had tried pretty much every depression treatment

out there. She suffered postpartum depression after the birth of her first child 35 years ago. With a baby at home, she wanted a quick fix and opted for electroconvulsive—aka “shock”—therapy (ECT) and medication. She felt better at first, but her depression returned many times over the decades. Then, after one of her grown children died several years ago, no medication could relieve her despair. Her psychiatrist suggested the newest treatment on the market: transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS. In 2011, she decided to try it. A noninvasive, outpatient procedure that appears to have fewer side effects than antidepressants, TMS has been shown in studies to help three or four out of every 10 patients who previously received no relief from medication. It’s expensive—amounting to more than $10,000 in the woman’s case, and not covered by her insurance—as well as time-consuming. The Bethesda woman had to drive to Dr. Wagdi Attia’s Gaithersburg office in

perate,” says the woman, who asked not to be identified. “Somebody is offering you a lifeline, you do it.”

Dr. Wagdi Attia simulates the use of a transcranial magnetic stimulation machine on his wife, Mona, in his Gaithersburg office.

Transcranial magnetic

stimulation didn’t start out as a treatment for depression. Scientists in England and the United States began using it in the 1980s as a laboratory tool for studying the physiology of the human motor system. Depending on where the TMS coil was placed on the scalp, “you could disrupt ongoing activity like speech,” explains Dr. Eric Wassermann, a Bethesda resident who’s on staff at the Behavioral Neurology Unit, Division of Intramural Research at the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. In those early days, TMS was “almost a magical curiosity,” Wassermann writes in a 2012 article in the journal Pharmacology & Therapeutics. Dr. Mark George, a psychiatrist who was formerly a fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of NIH, wondered in the early 1990s whether TMS might be useful in treating depression. “Way back then we thought there

“You get to a point where you’re desperate. Somebody is offering you a lifeline, you do it.” afternoon rush-hour traffic five days a week for six weeks. Once there, she sat in a chair and a coil that emitted electromagnetic pulses was placed on her scalp near an area of the brain believed to play a role in mood regulation. The pulses, comparable to those generated by MRI machines, induced small electric currents in her brain. Less than an hour later, she drove home. “You get to a point where you’re des-

might be a ‘there’ there,” says George, who has been on the faculty of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston since his NIMH fellowship ended in 1994. Using PET scans, an imaging tool that helps show how organs are functioning, George observed that the frontal cortex of depressed patients’ brains—particularly the left side—wasn’t as metabolically active as in healthy individuals. Perhaps

targeting that part of the brain with TMS could rev up metabolism and lift depression, he thought, in the same way ECT effectively treats the illness by passing electric currents through the brain. Of course, ECT is administered under anesthesia and uses more intense currents that cause a brief seizure. Many scientists and doctors assumed that the seizure itself played a key role in improving patients’ moods. Nonetheless, George

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liz lynch

and Wassermann decided to test TMS in six depressed patients for whom antidepressants hadn’t worked. They reported the results in 1995: Two patients experienced a marked improvement after receiving TMS for several days. Two experienced slight improvement, and two didn’t improve at all. George went on to lead the first multisite, randomized TMS trial ever conducted without the involvement of a

company interested in marketing the treatment. The NIMH-funded study randomly assigned 190 patients with major depressive disorder who weren’t taking antidepressants to one of two treatment groups. One group received TMS for 37½ minutes daily, Monday through Friday, for three weeks. The other group received sham TMS with a metal insert blocking the device’s magnetic field. Neither the researchers nor the patients knew who

was in which group. About 14 percent of the patients who received TMS experienced a remission of their depression, compared with about 5 percent of those who got the sham therapy, George’s team reported in 2010 in the Archives of General Psychiatry. The remission rate more than doubled to nearly 30 percent among patients who opted to continue in the study’s second phase, where everyone received TMS.

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Magnetic pulse to ease depression A noninvasive procedure to help fight depression called transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, uses a magnetic pulse to stimulate brain cells that control mood. TMS treatment device

Limbic system structures Thought to control emotional and behavioral patterns.

NEURON

The pulses trigger electrical charges, causing neurons to become active.

Short pulses of magnetic energy are focused at the limbic system structures.

The NIMH-funded trial confirmed the results of a study conducted by Neuronetics, a Malvern, Pa., company whose NeuroStar system in 2008 was the first— and, until this past year, the only—TMS device to be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration. The agency OK’d the device only for the treatment of medication-resistant depression in adults. By mid-November, 520 Neuronetics TMS systems had been installed in the U.S., and more than 15,000 patients had been treated, according to company spokeswoman Sue McMonigle. An Israeli company, Brainsway, received FDA clearance last January for its TMS system. The company estimated it would have 100 of its systems installed by the end of 2013. Attia purchased his Neuronetics TMS system for more than $100,000 in 2009 after observing its effectiveness at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Northwest D.C. “It was an investment in patient care,” says

Attia, a psychiatrist and neurologist who still treats patients at Sibley, as well as at his Gaithersburg office. He says he can see patients feeling better even before they can, as their faces begin to relax a couple of weeks into the six-week course of TMS. The therapy, whose main reported side effect is pain or discomfort where the coil is placed on the head, is also available in Bethesda at the TMS NeuroHealth Center on Montgomery Avenue and at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

“It’s rare as a scientist

to have an idea that initially was heretical and scoffed at that turned out to be right,” says George, who takes no money from companies that make TMS systems. “I’m tickled pink that it’s actually out there helping people.” But who exactly does TMS help? Two decades after George first thought of

using TMS to treat depression, and five years after the FDA OK’d the first TMS device for that purpose, scientists still don’t know how to identify patients who are likely to benefit from the therapy or whether fewer sessions might be as effective. Plus, the Neuronetics TMS system has been tested only on people who have failed one antidepressant in their current episode of depression. Research has not yet been done to support its use on patients who haven’t tried an antidepressant or on those who’ve experienced the failure of more than one drug. Now that it’s on the market, though, doctors can use it to treat anyone. “It’s probably true this works for some patients,” says Dr. Steven Zalcman, chief of the Clinical Neuroscience Research Branch at NIMH. But “the effect is not overwhelming.” The Bethesda woman treated by Attia says she’s one of the 30 percent to 40 percent of patients who benefit from TMS. “I’ve been feeling so much better,” says the woman, who is over 60. “I’m not feeling wonderful every day, but nobody is.” About six months after her initial sixweek course, she underwent five more “booster” TMS treatments. Although she continues to take two antidepressants, she credits TMS for her improved mood. But she acknowledges that her conclusion “is totally unscientific.” Jim Porterfield can attest to the fact that TMS doesn’t help everybody. After spending more than $11,500 out of pocket on 38 TMS treatments with Attia in 2011, the 66-year-old Bethesda resident says he felt no better. “I went into it with a tremendously positive attitude,” says Porterfield, a videographer who has tried more than a dozen antidepressant medications over the last 20 years. But as weeks of treatment passed, Porterfield began to wonder if TMS was doing anything other than draining his bank account. “I kept thinking it was just a matter of the next session or the next session,” he says. But the next session didn’t help, either. “Right now I feel fine,” says Porterfield,

Amanda Smallwood

depression: the current approach

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who credits a combination of four antidepressants for his improved state of mind.

Wassermann notes that

today’s TMS treatment is pretty much the same approach that was used in the pilot study that he and George conducted nearly 20 years ago. George says he modeled the once-a-day, five-days-aweek schedule in his initial TMS studies on ECT, which is performed once a day. “I think [that approach] could be challenged,” George acknowledges. George recently completed a study at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston in which suicidal inpatients received three treatments a day for only three days. The findings have not yet been published, but George says, “They got better.” Fewer sessions certainly would help

cut the cost. Other measures might, too. Wassermann questions why the NeuroStar system requires a one-time sensor pad for each session. At $100, the disposable pad represents a third of the cost of each session. A number of years ago, George says, the Department of Defense asked whether it would be possible to make an inexpensive and portable TMS machine. He and a colleague built a lightweight prototype that could fit inside a tackle box and cost only $4,000 to $5,000, but that’s as far as it went. Today, George is one of the principal scientists in a trial of TMS at nine Veterans Affairs hospitals. The VA wants to know whether TMS will work in treating depression in veterans, who tend to be older and have other mental health problems that might impact its effec-

tiveness. “A lot of things work in an ivory tower in highly selected patients,” George says. “Then you get them out in the real world and they don’t work.” Another unknown is how long the effects last after treatment. George says the patients in his 2010 study comparing TMS to sham TMS were advised to go on low doses of lithium and the antidepressant Effexor afterward. “We think that if you don’t take anything, there’s a high chance of relapse,” he says. Current depression treatments are imperfect at best, notes Zalcman at NIMH. He adds: “There’s both patient demand and societal demand to do better.” n A Bethesda resident, Rita Rubin previously was a health writer for USA Today. To comment on this story, email com ments@bethesdamagazine.com.

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health & fitness calenDAR

RUNNING/WALKING EVENTS Stepping Out/I Love to Walk, 8-9:30 a.m Mondays and Wednesdays, White Flint Mall, 11301 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda. Free. Register in Centre Court, across from the Hallmark store. 301-231-7467, www.shopwhiteflint.com/info/seniorprogram. The Adventist Healthcare Walking Club, 8-9:30 a.m. Tuesdays, Westfield Montgomery Mall, 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda. The free event is open to people of all ages and fitness levels. Register to become a walking club member at the food court. Registrants receive a gift and invitations to free health screenings and events. 301-315-3030, www.AdventistHealthCare.com/WalkingClub. Rise and Shine Walking Program, 8:309:30 a.m. Wednesdays, Lakeforest Mall, 701 Russell Ave., Gaithersburg. Free. 301-8963100, www.suburbanhospital.org. Al Lewis 10 Miler, 9 a.m. Jan. 4. Ken-Gar Palisades Park, 4140 Wexford Drive, Kensington. The out-and-back route travels along Rock Creek Trail. Online registration is $5; free for members of the D.C. Road Runners Club; $10 ($5 for members of the D.C. Road Runners Club) the day of the race. www. dcroadrunners.org/sign-up/al-lewis.

FITNESS EVENTS Hope Connections for Cancer Support, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda. 301-6347500, www.hopeconnectionsforcancer.org. Classes are free. Gentle Yoga, 10 and 11:15 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Stretching, breathing and relaxation exercises can help improve muscle tone and stress management. No class Jan. 1. Pink Ribbon Pilates, 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays. This class for breast cancer patients helps with regaining strength

Compiled by Cindy Murphy-Tofig

and mobility in shoulders and arms, and helps improve energy levels. No class Jan. 1. To register, call 301-493-5002. Destination Maternity, Westfield Montgomery Mall, 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda. 301-754-8800, www.holycross health.org. Prenatal Yoga, 10 and 11:15 a.m. Saturdays, Jan. 4-Feb. 8 and Feb. 22-March 29. Learn relaxation techniques, postures for stretching and toning, and ways to strengthen the muscles used during labor and delivery. The fifth class in each series is for couples. A permission note from a health care provider is required. $50. Prenatal Exercise, 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 7-Feb. 11 and Feb. 25-April 1. The classes incorporate muscle toning, stretching, strength training and cardiovascular work and are designed for women at any stage of pregnancy. A permission note from a health care provider is required. $50. Moms on the Move, 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 7-Feb. 11 and Feb. 25-April 1. The six-class session combines yoga and Pilates to help build strength. The class is for women at least six weeks postdelivery. No yoga or Pilates experience is necessary. $50. Postnatal Yoga/Pilates, 11 a.m. Thursdays, Jan. 9-Feb. 13 and Feb. 27-April 3. The six-session course for mothers and babies ages 6 weeks to 9 months includes mother‑baby postures and massage designed to strengthen, stretch and tone. Please bring a pouch-type baby carrier to class. $50. Holy Cross Resource Center, 9805 Dameron Drive, Silver Spring. 301-754-8800, www. holycrosshealth.org. Prenatal Yoga, 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 8-Feb. 12 and Feb. 26-April 2.

Learn relaxation techniques, postures for stretching and toning, and ways to strengthen the muscles used during labor and delivery. The fifth class in each series is for couples. A permission note from a health care provider is required. $50. Postnatal Yoga/Pilates, 11 a.m. Fridays, Jan. 10-Feb. 14 and Feb. 28-April 4. The six-session course designed for mothers and babies ages 6 weeks to 9 months includes mother‑baby postures and massage designed to strengthen, stretch and tone. Please bring a pouch-type baby carrier to class. $50.

SUPPORT GROUPS Hope Connections for Cancer Support, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda. Free. 301-6347500, www.hopeconnectionsforcancer.org. Young Adult Group, 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays. Open to all young adult patients, whether newly diagnosed, in the midst of treatment or post-treatment. Caregiver Group, 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Caregivers receive support and explore ways to cope with the stress of a cancer diagnosis and treatment. No session Jan 1. Bereavement Support Group, 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays. For those who have experienced the death of a loved one. Breast Cancer Support Group, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 14 and Feb. 11. For patients and their loved ones. Lung Cancer Support Group, 12:30 p.m. Jan. 27 and Feb. 24. For patients and caregivers. Dementia Support Group, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 8 and Feb. 12. Arden Courts Memory Care Community of Potomac, 10718 Potomac Tennis Lane, Potomac. Free. For patients and family members. 301-983-3620, www.arden-courts.com/Potomac.

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health calendar Montgomery Hospice, 1355 Piccard Drive, Suite 100, Rockville. 301-921-4400, www.montgomeryhospice.org. Events are free and open to Montgomery County residents at various locations. Registration is required. Six-week support groups are $25 for county residents who are not Montgomery Hospice family members. Afternoon Grief Support Group, 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 14-Feb. 18. Faith United Methodist Church, 6810 Montrose Road, Rockville. The six-week group is for anyone grieving the death of a loved one. Loss of a Child Support Group, 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 21-Feb. 25. Montgomery Hospice, 1355 Piccard Drive, Suite 100, Rockville. The six-week group is for parents grieving the death of a child of any age. Parent Loss Support Group, 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 22-Feb. 26. Woodside United Methodist Church, 8900 Georgia

Ave., Silver Spring. The six-week group is for adults who have experienced the death of one or both parents. Evening Grief Support Group, 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, Jan. 23-Feb. 27. Montgomery Hospice, 1355 Piccard Drive, Rockville. The six-week group is for anyone grieving the death of a loved one. Prostate Cancer Support Group, 7 p.m. Feb. 17. Suburban Hospital, 8600 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda. Free. For patients and family members or friends. www. suburbanhospital.org.

SEMINARS Hope Connections for Cancer Support, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda. 301-634-7500, www.hopeconnectionsformcancer.org. Free. Guided Mindful Meditation, 11:30 a.m. Fridays. Meditation can help lower blood pressure and reduce anxiety. Hypnosis for Symptom Reduction, 11

a.m. Jan. 2 and Feb. 6. A hypnotherapist teaches self-hypnosis techniques to help decrease pain and relieve stress and anxiety related to cancer treatment. Look Good…Feel Better, 1 p.m. Jan. 27. Johns Hopkins Health Care and Surgery Center, 6420 Rockledge Drive, Suite 1200, Bethesda. Volunteer cosmetologists will give cancer patients tips on dealing with skin changes and hair loss. Free. Registration required. 301-896-3100, www.subur banhospital.org. A Baby Maybe?, 7 p.m. Jan. 28. Holy Cross Hospital Professional and Community Education Center, 1500 Forest Glen Road, Silver Spring. Find out the do’s and don’ts of a healthy pregnancy, including nutrition, exercises, lifestyle changes and budgeting for a baby. Learn about maternity services at Holy Cross Hospital and take a tour. Free. 301-754-8800, www. holycrosshealth.org. n To submit calendar items, go to Bethesda Magazine.com.

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Special Advertising Section

Dentists Profiles Dr. Peter Coccaro

Bethesda Orthodontics

Darren HIggins

See Profile page 265

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profiles | DENTISTS

Special Advertising Section

Amy Light, DMD 9812 Falls Road, Suite 118, Potomac, MD 20854 301-983-9804 | www.amylight.com

What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? Specializing in children and tending to their needs is especially rewarding to both the pediatric team as well as our orthodontic specialists. We treat children of all ages, some with special needs and some with a fear of the dentist. Watching them learn that this is a happy and safe environment brings us such joy. When the child who would not walk through the door without coaxing comes running in the next time, our smiles match theirs!

L-R: Dr. Michelle Keaney, Dr. Amy Light, Dr. Madeleine Goodman, and Dr. Heather Sholander

Many of our staff members have been part of our team for multiple years and aided in our growth; We all view ourselves as one big family. Having patients come back year after year and knowing how much they enjoy being greeted and treated by knowledgeable and familiar faces is wonderful.

tony lewis jr

What is the one thing that your patients should know about you?

Jason A. Cohen, DDS 5530 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 560, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-656-1201 | www.cosmeticdds.com

What makes you different than others in your profession? The primary difference is that we treat your family like family— and we mean it. We foster relationships in our practice. Whether we’ve seen you for 10 years or you’re a new patient, you’ll feel like you’ve been a part of our office for a lifetime. You will walk out of our office with a smile and realize that going to the dentist just isn’t that bad, and that it can even be a positive experience.

Patients have described me as a detail-oriented perfectionist. I am definitely committed to both the art and science of dentistry. I know that my patients find me easy to talk to, and easygoing, yet extremely conscientious about their needs. I think they also believe that I’m a good leader, as our assembled staff is second to none.

tony lewis jr

How would your patients describe you?

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Special Advertising Section

Peter S. Kwon, DDS Crystal Carpenter Kwon, DMD 7970-B Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-657-9116 | www.peterkwondds.com

“

It’s most satisfying when we see our patients return and we see improvement in their oral health.”

What is your professional and educational background? I attended the University of Maryland Dental School and Dr. Carpenter attended the University of Pittsburgh Dental School. We both completed our residency at Maryland. We worked in different private practices in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia until setting up our own practice in Bethesda.

tony lewis jr

What made you decide to get into your line of work? I knew I wanted to be a dentist since I was in middle school; it intrigued me from early on. I always looked forward to going to see our family dentist. It was exciting to see all the equipment in the “fancy” dental chair.

What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? When we first see a patient who is very apprehensive and has history of dental neglect due to their fear, we focus on their mental comfort and spend as much time as needed to get to know the patient and make sure they feel comfortable before any clinical work is started. It’s most satisfying when we see our patients return and we see improvement in their oral health. Beyond that, it is wonderful when fearful patients become comfortable in our dental office.

How would your clients describe you? Competence, care and compassion, says our patient Edward Gabriele. He said, ‘Dr. Kwon has a unique ability to explain complex dental science well. When I go to their office, they are truly present for me, demonstrating that health care is not a business for them, it’s a human service.’

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Special Advertising Section

Lauren Bolding, DDS, MS, FACP Bethesda TMJ 10215 Fernwood Road, Suite 601, Bethesda, MD 20817 301-493-9500 | www.bethesdatmj.com

What is your professional and educational background? Working as a dental assistant during college sparked my interest in dentistry. After graduating from NYU College of Dentistry, I obtained a certificate in Prosthodontics and a Masters of Science at the University of Maryland. I then completed a fellowship in Maxillofacial Prosthetics and Dental Oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. I am also a Fellow of the American College of Prosthodontists and a Board Certified Prosthodontist.

What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? Improving patients’ quality of life is my mission. I find satisfaction in the full range of dental care: implants, crowns, bridges, veneers, basic fillings and dentures. I have a particular interest in restoring function and esthetics to patients who have lost tooth structure resulting from periodontal disease, tooth decay, erosion and wear. The mechanics of the jaw joint are very intricate, so I enjoy the challenges of helping patients who have TMJ issues, whether it’s a painful jaw or a sleep disorder. It is especially satisfying to restore both oral and facial structures that have been lost due to cancer, trauma or birth defects. I have extensive experience treating and managing patients who have had or who are currently undergoing radiation or chemotherapy for head or neck cancers.

I am one of few Maxillofacial Prosthodontists in the United States. I restore intraoral structures lost to cancer, trauma or congenital defects so that patients are able to speak, swallow and chew properly. Also, working with a medical artist, I make prosthetic noses, ears and eyes.

darren higgins

“

Improving patients’ quality of life is my mission. I find satisfaction in the full range of dental care: implants, crowns, bridges, veneers, basic fillings and dentures.”

What makes you different than others in your profession?

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Special Advertising Section

Kalpna Ranadivae, DMD, MDS, FAGS-Implant, (AIAOMT) Smilez Dental Care Group 9727 Traville Gateway Drive, Rockville, MD 20850 301-738-1075 | 240-778-6914 www.smilezdentalgroup.com

darren higgins

What makes you different than others in your profession? At Smilez Dental Care, we blend holistic health care with high tech dental care. Many of us underestimate the importance of dental health in our lives and how poor dental health can directly or indirectly lead to various general health problems. At Smilez Dental Care, we go an extra mile to help our patients understand the intimate connection between oral and overall health and what they can do to protect themselves. We strongly believe in reducing use of chemicals and radiation, not only in our office but also inside every patient’s mouth and body. We offer non-invasive laser gum treatments, all ceramic restorations and all natural mouthwashes. Further, we use minimal and preventive dental techniques to help preserve the natural tooth structure. By leveraging cutting edge technologies, including integrated computer-aided systems, we have been successful in providing one-visit ceramic dentistry that is precision and prevention based. This saves our patients not only time but also money. We take care of our patients with a heart-centered ethical approach. Being women, mothers and holistic dentists, our team of doctors believes in nurturing your mouth and body and providing total lifetime healing. We welcome new patients who can come explore holistic healing with us from the inside out, and to get to know us personally and professionally. Smilez Dental Care’s mission is to shift humanity into a disease-free tomorrow. Its founding dentist, Kalpna Ranadivae, was rated by Consumers Choice as one of “America’s Top Dentists” from 20082013, and the office was selected as a semi-finalist for a “2013 National Capital Business Ethics Award.”

“

We take care of our patients with a heart-centered ethical approach.”

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profiles | DENTISTS

Special Advertising Section

Dana Greenwald, DDS 5225 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Suite 604, Washington, DC 20015 202-966-0045 | www.PediatricDentalDC.com

What do you want patients to know about your practice?

mike olliver

My practice is growing! I recently partnered with Dr. Charles Coulter and welcomed Dr. Hilary Sherman Weiss as a new associate. Dr. Charlie received his doctor of dentistry degree and completed his pediatric dental residency at the University of Maryland. Dr.Hilary graduated from Harvard University School of Dental Medicine and is a board-certified pediatric dentist. While both Dr. Charlie and Dr. Hilary have great educational backgrounds, what makes them a special addition to my practice is their shared vision for treating children. We provide exceptional pediatric dental care in a slightly unconventional manner. We often sing, dance and even engage our patients in squirt gun fights. Because of our reputation for excellence and alleviating anxiety, many dentists and pediatricians bring their children here. We are changing the way people think about going to the dentist by making visits fun.

Joseph Kravitz, DDS, MS Kravitz Dentistry 121 Congressional Lane, Suite 605, Rockville, MD 20852 301-761-4840 | www.KravitzDentistry.com

What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? Â I really enjoy rejuvenating smiles and improving patient results in the least invasive way possible. The intersection of art, science and comfort ignites my passion to excel in patient care.

I believe what sets me apart as a dentist, prosthodontist and author is my ability to accurately diagnose recurring problems and save lives. People travel from all over the world to have me fix a multitude of mouth problems. As the author of "Dirty Mouth," "Beautiful Smiles," "The Stage," and "3 Minute Implant," I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others to prevent suffering. New teeth are custom crafted inside the office to deliver beautiful smiles the same day. I have presented my innovative findings on local and national television shows, and have been quoted in the Washington Post, USA Today and many other publications.

hilary schwab

What makes you different than others in your profession?Â

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Special Advertising Section

profiles | DENTISTS

Arthur Z. Weiss, DMD 15005 Shady Grove Road, Rockville, MD 20850 301-340-9550 | www.DreamSmiles.com

“

From the simplest procedure to the most complex treatment, our accomplished team will ensure your comfort and personalized care in a spa-like setting."

How does your practice remain current in dental care?

rachel weiss

I have devoted more than 25 years to the practice of general, reconstructive and cosmetic dentistry and am one of 350 dentists world-wide to receive the distinction and honor of accreditation from the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. During my time in practice I have always seen the value of remaining current with the latest advancements in dentistry and have incorporated that philosophy in my practice, as well as in my most recent publication about the integrated approach of using advanced technology to yield optimal results for diagnosis, planning and treatment. I regularly attend continuing education courses and encourage my team to do the same. I also lecture nationally regarding state-of-the-art dental techniques and treatment.

What is the foundation for a healthy smile? Maintaining a healthy smile requires a multi-dimensional approach. Proper home care, regular hygiene visits and ideal treat-

ment are the best ways to keep your smile beautiful and healthy. During your first visit to our practice we will perform a Comprehensive Exam, which allows us to evaluate the overall health of your mouth, including the hard and soft (gum) tissues and an oral cancer screening. Periodontal health is vital in maintaining your smile and our practice provides personalized oral care tailored to meet your dental needs.

What makes your practice unique? Our practice emphasizes periodontal and oral health to properly maintain, support and enhance one’s smile. Our comprehensive approach to patient care, combined with our use of advanced, interactive technologies—such as our new intra-oral scanner, which eliminates the need for conventional dental impressions—allows our patients to be involved in designing and maintaining their healthy and beautiful smiles. From the simplest procedure to the most complex treatment, our accomplished team will ensure your comfort and personalized care in a spa-like setting. Bethesda Magazine HEALTH | January/February 2014 263

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Special Advertising Section

Drs. Ensor, Johnson & Lewis 11810 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD 20852 301-881-6170 | www.ejldental.com

Seated L-R: Jessica M. Weber, DDS; Timothy M Johnson, DMD Standing L-R: Shailja D. Ensor, DDS; Lauren A. Lewis, DDS

Every day, it brings us satisfaction to provide the very best dental and orthodontic care to our patients. All ages are welcome here, from infants to seniors. We offer orthodontic treatment, including Invisalign™, to a broad age range. In addition, our staff is trained to care for special needs patients of any age. It’s very satisfying to take time to get to know our patients and their unique needs. Our office is friendly, professional and family-centered. We listen to our patients’ concerns and try our best to make every visit a positive experience. Our practice, started 40 years ago by Drs. Morgenstein and Levy, has seen a generation of patients, who started with us as children, returning with their children. It gives us great pleasure to serve multiple generations, and we enthusiastically welcome new patients to our caring tradition.

mike olliver

What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?

Cheryl F. Callahan, DDS, PA 15225 Shady Grove Road, Suite 301, Rockville, MD 20850 301-948-1212 | www.cherylcallahandds.com

What made you decide to get into your line of work? After working for several years as an emergency room nurse, I decided to become a dentist so that I would have more influence in each person's care. I chose dentistry because it combines a surgical component, a creative component and use of my clinical knowledge to improve health. By changing someone’s smile, I can improve their self-image and self-esteem.

It’s satisfying to teach people how to improve their health by explaining the direct correlation between the mouth— teeth, gums, joints, tongue—and the rest of the body. My goal is to develop a partnership with each patient, achieving optimum health. The gratitude I receive for this kind of care is the most rewarding part of my work.

hilary schwab

What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?

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Special Advertising Section

Peter Coccaro, DDS Bethesda Orthodontics 4833 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814 301-530-8191 | www.bethesdaorthodontics.com

What makes you different than others in your profesion?

darren higgins

The Coccaro name has been continually associated with orthodontics in this area since 1958 (my father) and 1974 (myself). We have the most experience of any orthodontic office in the D.C. area, and experience counts when it comes to healthcare. Our staff has extraordinary longevity, from 20 to 40 years with the practice. We build relationships with our patients that last for years, not just one or two visits. Skill also differentiates us. Over the years, I’ve developed the precision of a scientist and the eye of a fine artist. I was proud to have been voted "Best Orthodontist," 2014, by Bethesda Magazine’s readers. Although Bethesda Orthodontics offers traditional braces for children and adults, and Invisalign, we believe in early intervention and try to prevent the extraction of permanent teeth whenever possible.

What’s an example of a time when you helped a patient that you’re particularly proud of? A patient, Akosua Owusu, said it best in a note I treasure: “Cheese!” was a word I hated but now I love. The hands that covered my mouth are now free to wave at the world. The photos I tore off the walls now hang high and proud. Life was good but you made it great. It’s rare to find a person as kind, loving and caring as you. For years I hated my smile due to being bullied in my childhood. Every day when I look at the mirror, I will think of the gift you have given me and forever thank you in my heart. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.”

“

We build relationships with our patients that last for years, not just one or two visits.”

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Special Advertising Section

David J. Schlactus, DMD Yasir A. Siddique, DDS 121 Congressional Lane, #501, Rockville, MD 20852 301-881-9040 | www.drschlactus.com

What makes you different than others in your profession? Our patients know we are there for them. We care how they feel, how they look and what kind of experience they have at our office. We try to alleviate any fears. At the end of each day, we call our patients to check in.

Providing comprehensive care gives us the greatest satisfaction. Dentistry allows us to make a significant impact on an individual’s health, self-esteem and general well being. Whether treating disease, repairing teeth, replacing restorations or just helping maintain optimum oral health, it’s satisfying to provide a high level of care. With our compassion, diligence and attention to detail, we are confident we can achieve excellent results for all of our patients. We love hearing a patient say, “I normally hate going to the dentist, but I like coming here!”

hilary schwab

What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?

Patrick A. Murray, DDS 15200 Shady Grove Road, #340, Rockville, MD 20850 301-330-4600 | www.shadygrovedentalcare.com

What is your professional and educational background? I grew up in Kensington and opened my practice in Rockville in 1986. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Maryland Dental School, I spent four years in the U.S. Army. I have enhanced my general dentistry skills over the years and expanded my expertise to include cosmetic and forensic dentistry.

What makes you different than others in your profession?

erick gibson

Voted a “Top General Dentist” by Washingtonian, I am one of only 10 dentists in Maryland to be accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. I previously served as Training Officer for a National Disaster Medical System team (DMORT Region 3) and I’m a consultant to the Maryland Medical Examiner’s Office in Baltimore.

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Special Advertising Section

Jay Samuels, DDS 11140 Rockville Pike, Suite 510, North Bethesda, MD 20852 301-881-4200 | www.drjsamuels.com

What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? We balance the art and science of dentistry, with a smile. A natural, beautiful and healthy smile is the goal, and the joy of having a family dental practice is patient interaction. I love variety; my patients range in age from 2 to 102, and we provide cosmetic, implant and general dental services. We provide care to many adolescents who are transitioning out of pediatric dentistry. In 2013, Bethesda Magazine readers recognized my practice; we were a “Top Vote Getter” in the “Best Dentist” category. I believe that is because my staff and I take care of the total person, not just their teeth. We are here for the patient and we listen.

How do you employ new technology to help your patients? We use state-of-the-art dental technologies and the latest techniques with old-fashioned T.L.C. With CEREC CAD/CAM one-visit technology, we are able to image, design and fabricate a biocompatible ceramic restoration—all while a patient relaxes in the waiting room. Advanced studies in occlusion and functional aesthetics coupled with careful smile design, master ceramists and digital bite analysis allow us to create naturally beautiful smile makeovers. I also offer, at no charge, a cutting-edge relaxation method called NuCalm®; a safe, natural method created for those with dental fear that creates a meditative state, ensuring a comfortable, relaxing dental experience.

tony lewis jr

What is the one thing that your patients should know about you? They may not know about my volunteer service. I am active in local, national and international dental organizations. I also enjoy giving back to our community by helping people with special needs, the underserved and the elderly.

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We use state-of-the-art dental technologies and the latest techniques with old-fashioned T.L.C.” Bethesda Magazine HEALTH | January/February 2014 267

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profiles | DENTISTS

Special Advertising Section

Jonathan A. Morris, DDS 8218 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 404, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-299-4112 | www.drmorrissmiles.com

We have recently introduced CAD/CAM Dentistry. It is now possible to have one-day veneers, crowns and other restorations placed in one visit as opposed to having to wait weeks to finish treatment. Veneers are ultra-thin ceramic restorations that are permanently fitted to underlying teeth to hide flaws. We design and mill these veneers and other ceramic restorations on-site while you wait. Another program makes my practice different. For people who do not have dental insurance, our Smile Assurance Club offers significant savings. For a reasonable annual membership fee, patients get two cleanings, oral exams and cancer screenings per year and an annual set of bite-wing X-rays. Members also get a 15 percent discount on fillings, root canals, implants and all of our other services.

Brad Levine, DDS; Janice Grossman, DDS; Hilari Dunn, DDS; MarK Taff, DDS

stephanie bragg

What makes you different than others in your profession?

What is the one thing patients should know about your practice? It is comforting for a patient to know that in this office they have access to four practitioners with advanced training in all areas of dentistry. They can see their regular dentist for most procedures and know that another doctor is always available in cases of emergency or if a specialized procedure is needed, without leaving the practice.

Taff & Levine, DDS 5225 Pooks Hill Road, Suite 3, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-530-3717 | www.taffandlevine.com

We are honored to partner with the Jewish Social Service Agency to provide dental care to Holocaust survivors. Many of these patients were in concentration camps with no access to care. A majority of these survivors wear dentures and are in need of proper fit and care of these appliances. We feel privileged to provide this care 100 percent pro bono.

tony lewis jr

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an example of a time when you helped a patient that you are particularly proud of?

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profiles | DENTISTS

Special Advertising Section

Youssef Obeid, DDS, FACP Obeid Dental 8401 Connecticut Ave., Suite 109, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-652-9505 | www.obeiddental.com

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

A beautiful smile is a beautiful thing. Research has shown that 58 percent of people state that a nice smile is the one thing they notice when they meet a person for the first time.â&#x20AC;?

What is your profession and education?

darren higgins

I am a Board Certified Prosthodontist, a specialist in the field of implants and cosmetic dentistry. I am also an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Maryland and currently serve as President of American College of Prosthodontists Maryland Section. I have lectured nationally and internationally about anterior implants, esthetics and full mouth rehabilitation.

What is the one thing that your clients should know about you? Research has shown that 58 percent of people state that a nice smile is the one thing they notice when they meet a person for the first time. A beautiful smile is a beautiful thing. Since I believe ev-

eryone deserves to have a beautiful smile, I share with patients all available options to equip them with the full knowledge they need to make the right decision for their lifestyle. There is a solution for every problem and dentistry is no exception.

What makes you different from other dentists? As a Prothodontist, I have been able to make professional relationships with several general dentists and specialists locally and nationally. This gives my patients the ability to work within a network of professionals to obtain the best dental care possible, as I believe in collaboration instead of competition.

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profiles | DENTISTS

Special Advertising Section

Steven Janowitz, DDS 350 Fortune Terrace, Potomac, MD 20854 301-279-2601

I always wanted to be a dentist, but I didn’t even know the most special part of the profession until I was in practice. I treasure the enduring relationships that I develop: first meeting new patients, then assuring their dental needs are met and, finally, seeing them routinely over the years. I enjoy taking care of their families, neighbors and friends, too. Using modern technology and working with an experienced, exceptionally skilled and compassionate staff that is like family enhances my ability to provide state-of-the-art care in a very comfortable setting. There is nothing else I would rather do; this is the perfect profession for me.

hilary schwab

What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?

Alona Bauer, DMD 4601 North Park Ave., #C7, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-664-9695 | smile@drAlonaBauer.com

What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? Many men and women come to me when they’re starting a new phase in their life, such as post-divorce, entering the job market, changing jobs or when kids go off to college. Looking their best is important and in as little as two visits, I'm able to give them a confidence and youthful appearance which is the best thing they can wear.

My practice focuses on the art and science of facial aesthetics. I started in art, and was accepted into Parsons The New School for Design in New York, the nation’s topranked art school. My passion for art shows through my unique approach to smile and face rejuvenation.

tony lewis jr

What makes you different than others in your profession?

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profiles | DENTISTS

Special Advertising Section

Larry Greenbaum, DDS 5480 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 208, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-652-6011 | www.larrygreenbaumdds.com

“

What is your professional and educational background?

How would your patients describe you?

I have had 30 years of private practice experience. As a proud and active member of the dental community, I serve on numerous dental boards and committees. Enthusiastic about new developments, I regularly attend professional development courses. With an abundance of continuing education, I earned a mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry. I have been honored with various awards for different types of charitable and forensic dental work.

They often express thanks for successful outcomes and for my help with stress reduction. We use nitrous oxide and prescribe antianxiety medication for patients who need additional help. Patients describe my office as a friendly place. It’s also bilingual, with many Spanish-speaking assistants who have had dental school training in their home country. Strong communication skills, promptness, commitment and respect for patient needs are virtues for which our patients compliment us.

What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?

hilary schwab

Strong communication skills, promptness, commitment and respect for patient needs are virtues for which our patients compliment us.”

I enjoy the full range of work that I do as a general dentist. That includes crowns, bridges, implant reconstruction, cosmetic procedures, bonding and dentures. We also treat TMJ, gum disease and sleep apnea. Prevention, an important part of my practice, involves education and giving patients the tools they need to succeed.

What is the one thing that your patients should know about you? The purpose of my work is to eliminate pain and keep people healthy, from their teeth and gums to the entire body. We do not criticize anyone’s habits or condition; we are here to help.

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WWW.CCGRILL.COM GLENARDEN 9300 TAJ LANE 301.322.8600

Untitled-1 1

SILVER SPRING 928 ELLSWORTH DRIVE 301.589.1330

GAITHERSBURG 100 BOARDWALK PLACE 240.631.0003

12/3/13 3:40 PM

w Revie

dine Smoked salmon with frisée pleases the palette with high-quality fish, hazelnut vinaigrette and goat cheese.

Getting the right mix The former Bezu goes casual, but the makeover still needs a little work

Owner Eddie Benaim and chef Pedro Matamoros in the dining room of Mix

When owner Eddie Benaim transformed his upscale Bezu restaurant in Potomac into a more informal spot, he wanted to offer a mix of different cuisines and food styles in a casual setting with less expensive prices. Thus the name: Mix Bar and Grille. “Mix” also could refer to the quality of the food. After sampling a sizable chunk of the menu, I found a combination of terrific offerings, promising dishes that need tweaking, and a few clunkers that require rethinking.

When I visited, the place had been open only about six weeks, and I suspect that at least some of the kinks will disappear once the kitchen hits its stride. Chef Pedro Matamoros—a veteran of the Silver Spring dining scene, with stints at 8407 Kitchen Bar, the defunct Nicaro and most recently, the Golden Flame—executes an appealing menu here, comprised of hot and cold starters, serious entrées and lighter fare, including sandwiches, flatbreads and salads.

By Carole Sugarman Photos by Stacy Zarin-Goldberg

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dine review Owner Eddie Benaim (left) and chef Pedro Matamoros

Appetizers are clearly the stars, beginning with the tuna tartare. The ramekinsize mound of silken cubes of ahi tuna, avocado, soy sauce and pickled ginger with a hit of Tabasco is an updated version of a longtime Bezu starter. Burrata, the creamier and more glamorous sister of mozzarella, gets properly pampered, perched on a splash of balsamic vinegar and draped with strands of roasted red pepper. Tender pieces of grilled calamari are zinged with roasted garlic and hot chili peppers; too bad I had to share this dish. When it comes to the salads, the smoked salmon with frisée is a lovely choice. Slices of high-quality smoked fish overlap around a knoll of the curly endive, lightly dressed with hazelnut vinaigrette and bits of goat cheese. Otherwise, the salads have been oddly inconsistent. At lunch one day, the proportion of greens in both the beet and kale salads was way off. My dining companion joked that she needed a shovel to locate the beets and goat cheese in her garden plot of arugula, and the kale salad was a forest with hard-to-find tomatoes, mushrooms and shaved parmesan. At an adjacent table, however, a diner was served a kale salad that looked far more composed, and at a subsequent dinner, a beet salad served to a nearby diner had visible chunks of the purple vegetable surrounding a sensible pile of greens. Unlike the salads, which seem skimpy on ingredients, the flatbreads (8-inch pizzas) come with generous, quality toppings. There were no duds among the

Black olives, herbs and truffle oil accentuate the flavors of the wild mushroom and mozzarella flatbread.

The fresh burratta appetizer gets added punch from a splash of balsamic vinegar.

three I sampled, but my favorite was the flavor-packed wild mushroom, accompanied by pungent black olives, herbs and truffle oil. The compliments come with a major caveat: The kitchen needs to work on the crust. Each of the flatbread bases I tried suffered from being too thick and pliable. Mix’s new brick oven needs to turn out thinner, crackly crusts to provide a sturdier platform and contrast for the creamy cheeses and rich toppings. As for entrées, I demolished the Chinese braised short rib, a meaty, tender chunk of beef served over puréed Yukon Golds that was comforting and satisfying in the way that long-cooked meat and mashed potatoes should be. Other entrées I tried mostly suffered from being too shy on flavor. The rain-

Five big, flat-screen TVs provide diners with a view at the 20-seat bar.

bow trout Milanese looked pretty but was overcooked and bland; the silky salmon was supposed to be grilled with Latin spices, but the kitchen seemed to miss the beat; and the pesto-crusted lamb chops served with polenta and peperonata were surprisingly blah considering the ingredients. While the entrées would improve with some tweaking, I’d put the two side dishes I tried into the category of “needs rethinking.” Brussels sprouts, the now ubiquitous vegetable that everyone used

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mix bar and grille 9812 Falls Road, Potomac, 301-299-3000, www.mixbarandgrille.com

HOURS Open 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday House-made yuzu crème brûlée

House-made chocolate bread pudding

to hate, won’t garner too many converts here. Served sliced with applewoodsmoked bacon, they tasted mushy and bland. And the butternut squash-goat cheese gratin was an odd-tasting square that remained uneaten after everyone at the table took a bite. The restaurant might want to rethink some of the desserts as well. The two house-made selections—yuzu crème brûlée and chocolate bread pudding—hit the mark. Neither is too heavy or sweet, and I’d gladly order either again. But the Napoleon, opera cake and pear tart— procured from Patisserie Poupon in Baltimore—didn’t seem to weather the trip too well. The bakery is a good one, but the pastries didn’t taste terribly fresh or special. Benaim said the restaurant eventually plans to make more desserts in-house. Décor-wise, the former Bezu got a complete makeover, with Plexiglas dining chairs, tall white banquettes, oak walls made from old whiskey barrels, five big-screen TVs, cobalt-blue light fixtures and a 20-seat bar. Two huge photos of horse heads hang in the front and back of the restaurant; some may find the gaze of those equine eyes a bit unsettling. The place is still quite chic, but it’s more comfortable and not overly noisy, even on a crowded night. Benaim appears to have accomplished his goal of revamping a special-occasion restaurant into a more affordable and accessible eatery. It’s a great addition to the neighborhood. Still, I miss Bezu. n Carole Sugarman is the magazine’s food editor. To comment on this review, email comments@bethesdamagazine.com.

BEverages Beer and wine selection, plus intriguing specialty cocktails, such as a sake martini. Gourmet hot teas include organic Japanese green tea with yuzu peel.

RESERVATIONS Not accepted

PRICES Appetizers, $6 to $16; sandwiches and main-course salads, $11 to $16; flatbreads, $10 to $16; entrées, $14 to $26

FAVORITE DISHES Tuna tartare, fresh burrata and roasted peppers, grilled calamari, frisée and smoked salmon salad, Chinese braised beef short rib, wild mushroom and mozzarella flatbread

FAVORITE DESSERTS Yuzu crème brûlée, chocolate bread pudding

PARKING Shopping center lot

The wine list By Jay Youmans Mix Bar and Grille offers a diverse list with wines from California, Washington, Oregon, France, Italy and Spain. 19 wines by the glass, priced $8-$25 81 wines by the bottle One-third of the wines cost more than $100 per bottle, with the average costing $97. Five of the nine Italian reds are Barolo, priced at $100-$260; the only Chianti is $175. Recommendations by the glass: Try the Evolution #9 (white, $9) with the Chinese braised beef short rib, and the La Piuma Montepulciano (red, $10) with the wild mushroom and mozzarella flatbread. Top bottle picks: 2011 Lake Chalice Sauvignon Blanc (white, $55); and the 2011 Evening Land Pinot Noir (red, $68) Overall grade: C+ The wine list seems out of sync with the casual menu in terms of both price and selection.

An Advanced Sommelier and a Master of Wine, Jay Youmans owns the Capital Wine School in Washington, D.C. BethesdaMagazine.com | January/February 2014 275

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sweet surrender Just in time for Valentine’s, a guide to By Nevin Martell local bonbon boutiques A box of chocolates engages all five senses. First, you see the daintily decorated exterior with its tease of the treats inside. Then you hear the rustle of candies nestled in their little paper cups. Popping the top, you catch the rich scent of cocoa and your taste buds start tingling. Pick up a two-bite truffle, hold it for a moment—just long enough for a little chocolate to melt on your fingers—then take a nibble. Mmm…oh, yeah! This sweet reward isn’t the only reason a box of chocolates is the perfect Valentine’s Day gift. Unlike flowers or a stuffed teddy bear, it has universal appeal. “It means ‘I love you,’ but in so many different ways,” says Sarah Dwyer, a Silver Springbased chocolatier and owner of Chouquette, an online business that also sells its products at two area farmers markets. “Chocolates can be a very romantic gift exchanged by sweethearts, or they can be given by a little boy to his mother.” Luckily for aspiring Romeos, Juliets and kids who want to show Mom how much they care on Feb. 14, there are plenty of local bonbon boutiques where they can score a chocolate fix.

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Max Brenner’s gift box

Velatis makes a variety of traditional and chocolate caramels No card needed with these Chouquette chocolates

Max Brenner

You won’t be able to forget that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner when you walk into this Bethesda Row chocolateria. Bouquets of red roses sit atop tables covered with white linen, strands of red lights run along the counter, and romantic tunes fill the air. The shelves and cases overflow with colorful collections, including Sweet Love ($12.90) and Loves Me/Loves Me Not ($11.50), each filled with an assortment of artfully decorated chocolates. The treats are made with high-end Belgian chocolate and plenty of sugar, which makes them pop on your palate. Does your loved one want to dispense with the pretense of nibbling a sweet? Buy a Chocolate Syringe ($4.75) for a quick injection of liquid milk chocolate between the lips. Be forewarned: This indulgence may result in a trip to Chocoholics Anonymous. 7263 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, 301-215-8305, maxbrenner.com

Velatis

courtesy photos

Godiva’s hand-dipped chocolate strawberries

This master caramel maker with a shop in downtown Silver Spring has been making lovers of sweets happy since the 1850s. The candy artisan makes two types of OMG-worthy caramels. There is the traditional, chewy type that’s crafted with a recipe passed down through several generations, and a more modern, sugary option that recalls the pralines of New Orleans’ French Quarter. Each comes in a variety of flavors, including vanilla pecan and chocolate almond (prices vary). The limited-edition, black cherrybrandy sugary caramels, which provide equal parts boozy bliss and fruity sweetness, are a Valentine’s favorite ($21.99 a pound). These selections are supplemented by imported Belgian chocolates made in every size and shape, including roses, hearts and cherubs (prices vary). “We try to be sure that we fit everyone’s budget,” owner Amy Servais says. 8408 B Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, 301-578-8612, velatis.com

Chouquette

Sarah Dwyer wanted to be a chocolatier since age 2. She was partly inspired by trips to the mall with her father and brother to pick out “the biggest, reddest, frilliest box of chocolates they had” as a Valentine’s Day gift for her mother. Now Dwyer sells her own collections, including a box filled with 11 heartshaped, chocolate-covered caramels in bold flavors such as vanilla sea salt, Guinness and balsamic vinegar ($28). This year, she’s added to her repertoire with a dark bark made with Guittard chocolate, almonds, crystallized ginger and candied rose ($6.50 for 4 ounces). “It’s warm from the ginger, crunchy from the almond and floral from the roses,” she says. Available Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Montgomery Farm Women’s Cooperative Market, 7155 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bethesda Central Farm Market at Bethesda Elementary School, 7600 Arlington Road, 301-6514442, chouquette.us

Godiva

This Belgian sweets maker has been setting the gold standard for chocolate shops since founder and chocolatier Joseph Draps opened the first boutique in Brussels in 1926. When you see one of Godiva’s iconic gilded gift boxes, you know you’re in for a treat. Godiva chocolates have a remarkably luxuriant smoothness and richness, which has earned the brand a fervent following. There are now 450 shops in 80 countries, including one in Bethesda’s Westfield Montgomery mall. District manager Rachel Francois says Valentine’s Day is the second biggest holiday of the year for Godiva—right behind Christmas— so the local store is stocked from floor to ceiling. The most popular items are the strawberries, hand-dipped in chocolate (milk, dark or white), at the mouth-dropping price of $42 for six. Chocoholics can opt to fill a heart-shaped box covered in

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sweet surrender

It’s hard to pass up Range’s candy counter.

hot chocolate caramels; sweet and citrusy, blood-orange bleeding hearts; and überindulgent chocolate-raspberry doughnuts (prices vary). If you can’t settle on just one option (and why would you hold back on a holiday that celebrates splurging on your beloved?), you can mix and match chocolates to fill a box ($14 for five pieces). 5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 201, Washington, D.C., 202-803-8020, voltrange.com

Tasty Image

Krishon Chocolates

“Chocolate is my medium,” says chocolatier Eric Johnson of Alexandria, Va., who sells his creations Saturdays at the Kensington Farmers Market. “This candy is my art.” One of his most striking custom-made pieces, produced for a private event, was Nicolette, a life-size nude female torso cast in bittersweet chocolate and covered in edible gold leaf. For Valentine’s Day, he focuses on romance rather than titillation. One popular line of miniature masterpieces showcases truffles made with high-end Michel Cluizel chocolate and infused with hibiscus, rose and local lavender ($3 each). Buy these and you’ll

have covered both flowers and chocolates for your loved one. Johnson’s “O Collection”—named for a friend’s one-word reaction after her first bite of his candy—features decadent combinations, such as perky espresso caramel buttercreams enrobed with rich chocolate and dotted with crunchy, toasted cacao nibs ($18-$48 for six pieces). These will leave you marveling at Johnson’s tasty artworks one bite at a time. Available Saturdays from 8 a.m. until noon at the Kensington Farmers Market, 3710 Mitchell St., Kensington, 571-3578337, krishon.com

Range

Whether you’re just window-shopping at Chevy Chase Pavilion or stopping at Range to dine, it’s nearly impossible to saunter past the candy counter in chef Bryan Voltaggio’s epic eatery without being tempted. Pastry chef John Miele goes all out for Cupid’s favorite day, packing the shelves with a colorful array of lavishly decorated luxe treats that may be the best in the area. There are boozy bonbons, such as lavender mescal and passion fruit champagne chocolates; tongue-tingling, red-

Remember that old saying, “You’re so cute, I could just eat you up”? The phrase takes a literal turn at this international chocolate chain’s shop in Bethesda’s Westfield Montgomery mall, where you can have sweet photographs of you and your loved one (or a romantic message) printed on a variety of chocolate items. Choose a large, heart-shaped chocolate to top off a bouquet of truffles ($59.99-$79.99) or have a romantic snapshot emblazoned onto a chocolate picture frame in the center of a box of dark, milk and white chocolate truffles ($64.99). There are even heart-shaped lollipops that can be edible billboards for your affections ($3.89 each; minimum order of 20). This may not be the best chocolate in the world, but you can’t beat the novelty factor. Westfield Montgomery, 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, 301-202-9255, tasty image.com. n Nevin Martell frequently writes about food from Washington, D.C., and is the author of The Founding Farmers Cookbook: 100 Recipes for True Food & Drink from the Restaurant Owned by American Family Farmers (Andrews McMeel, 2013). To comment on this story, email comments@bethesdamagazine.com.

ken goodman photography

red satin with a personalized selection of truffles ($18 for eight). These come in extravagant flavors, some inspired by decadent desserts such as red velvet cake, crème brûlée and tiramisu. “One customer has been bringing the same box back to the store for the past 10 years,” Francois says. “He keeps refilling it with chocolates for his wife. It’s a great tradition.” Westfield Montgomery, 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, 301-365-4183, godiva.com

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LOOK WHAT PERSIMMON IS COOKIN’ UP NOW

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7003 Wisconsin Avenue 7003 Wisconsin Avenue Bethesda Bethesda www.persimmonrestaurant.com www.persimmonrestaurant.com 301-654-9860 301-654-9860 Persimmon_half.indd 182

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table

TALK

By Carole Sugarman

Keep up with the latest restaurant happenings on Carole Sugarman’s Table Talk blog at BethesdaMagazine.com

Weigh to Go

How many: nearly 50 Where she found them: at antique stores, flea markets

and garage sales all over the country

Where they’re displayed: on customized shelves and cubbies in Zimmet’s kitchen, which she renovated eight years ago expressly to showcase her collection Why: “I like bringing back what’s old—the warm fuzzies

of what the American kitchen used to be.”

The Frat Pack Back in the late ’80s and early ’90s, they were all members

of the University of Maryland’s Sigma Chi house. Now they own or work in restaurants and sports bars in Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle: Jeff Trilling, who owns Maggie’s; Gabe and Rob Coulon, who own Caddies on Cordell; and Grant Schmelzer, who worked at Nantucket Landing and Tommy Joe’s for years, and is now at Maggie’s. Roberto Pietrobono, co-owner of Olazzo, never officially joined Sigma Chi, but he did go to lots of parties there. The frat boys are still friends—and still having fun.

We All Scream for… Nicecream Who says ice cream is just a summer treat? Es-

pecially when it’s a wintry flavor like roasted butternut squash (sounds odd, but it’s surprisingly good) or when you can get it delivered to your doorstep. Nicecream Factory, a new company based in Falls Church, Va., delivers pints of unique flavors such as French toast or chocolate bacon to Bethesda and other areas of Montgomery County. In addition to funky flavors, owners Sandra Tran and Gil Welsford have come up with a new twist: They add liquid nitrogen to flash-freeze the ice cream (and yes, they say it’s safe), resulting in smaller ice crystals and a smoother, denser product. For a season-appropriate treat, order the Chocolate Drinking Pops, chunks of Callebaut chocolate affixed to lollipop-like sticks. Submerge the pops in cups of hot frothed milk and they’ll dissolve after three or four minutes, transforming the drinks into rich hot chocolate. Tran and Welsford also are available to bring their stand-up mixers and liquid nitrogen to parties, weddings, farmers markets and other events for on-the-spot ice-cream making. Ice cream delivery is $10 per pint, with subscriptions available ($45 for four pints a month; $25 for two pints a month). The Chocolate Drinking Pops cost $22 for five pops. To order, go to www.pintsplease.com. For information, see www.nicecreamfactory.com. For booking parties or other events, contact Sandra at Sandra@ nicecreamfactory.com.

courtesy photos k courtesy of amazon.com; courtesy photos

For the past 25 years, Cabin John’s Phyllis Zimmet has collected kitchen scales dating from the 1920s to the 1970s.

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COMINGS & GOINGS

Pastry chef Betsy Palmer (right) shares her baking secrets with clients in their home kitchens.

Sweet Gig Betsy Palmer thinks that even confident cooks can be intimidated by bak-

ing. So the Olney resident, who’s also a Paris-trained pastry chef, writer and former comedian, has made it her mission to take the mystery out of making piecrusts and other tricky baked goods. With her new business, Baking with Betsy, Palmer travels to clients’ home kitchens to teach individuals and groups how to bake, whether the classes are for book clubs, bridal showers, Sweet 16 parties or just for a bunch of friends. She’ll help students tackle pies, cream puffs, crème brûlée or any other dessert they’d like to master. Now with Valentine’s Day approaching, Palmer is offering an all-chocolate class (think caramel truffles, heart-shaped cakes) customized for those who want to make homemade gifts for their sweeties. Classes are 2½ to three hours long, and cost $225 for the first student and $25 for each additional person. Palmer brings the equipment, such as cookie sheets and pastry bags, and will purchase all the ingredients for an additional fee. Class size depends on the capacity of the home kitchen. For information, see bakingwithbetsy.com.

courtesy photos

FoodD FIN

PizzaPass was slated to replace Bethesda’s Jiffy Shoppes at 4924 St. Elmo Ave. in December. Borrowing from the Brazilian steak house model, where diners pay a set price for continuous table-side service, the restaurant has “pizza passers” stroll the dining room, offering different types of pizza on their trays. …Local restaurateurs Jeff and Barbara Black’s first eatery, Addie’s in Rockville, closed at the end of November after 18 years. The reason: an impasse over the lease. At press time, a new location hadn’t been announced. …Annie’s Bistro Francais, the sweet little restaurant on St. Elmo Avenue owned by Carole Robert and Mark Manly, closed in October.

Do the Jerk Lots of food products are associated with a particular jingle. But Doc-

tor Dread’s takes the concept a step further. Click on the website for Doctor Dread’s Caribbean food products (www.doctordreadsjerk.com) and you’ll hear reggae-inspired dub music by dub producer Mad Professor. David Hinds, lead singer of the Grammy Award-winning reggae band Steel Pulse, sings a jingle about the company’s jerk potato chips in a YouTube video. And other reggae artists are selling Doctor Dread’s foods at concerts. This merging of food and music makes perfect marketing sense for Gary Himelfarb, aka Doctor Dread, who started RAS Records in 1981 in his Chevy Chase basement, eventually expanding into what he says was the largest reggae label in the world. At the same time, Himelfarb owned a house in Jamaica, where he would cook jerk chicken, lobster and fish for reggae artists such as Bunny Wailer, who recorded on his label. After selling RAS, Himelfarb switched gears and worked for two Washington-area seafood wholesalers. Now he has combined his two passions with a food company, Doctor Dread. The company’s product line includes jerk potato chips, jerk peanuts, a jerk sauce and rub—zesty, multilayered tastes infused with traditional jerk seasonings, including allspice, brown sugar and thyme. At press time, Himelfarb was rolling out a dipping sauce, and he also has plans for Roots Beer—a combination of root beer, ginger beer and ginseng. Doctor Dread’s products are available at Chevy Chase Supermarket, Bradley Food and Beverage, the Bethesda Co-op, Glen Echo Pharmacy, Bethesda Crab House and the Bethesda Central Farm Market. A 2-ounce bag of potato chips sells for $1.50 to $2; 8-ounce bag, $3.50 to $4. Peanuts are about $4 for the 6-ounce bag and $5.50 to $6 for a 9-ounce can. The products are also sold online at www.doctordreadsjerk.com. n Carole Sugarman is the magazine’s food editor. Send restaurant tips or Food Find ideas to carole.sugarman@bethesdamagazine.com. BethesdaMagazine.com | January/February 2014 281

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cooking CLASS

By Brian Patterson L’Academie de Cuisine | www.lacademie.com

The Finishing Touch Preparing a dish “à la minute”—or at the last minute—can be simple and complex at the same time. The key to success is to divide cooking tasks into those that can be done in advance and those that must be done immediately before serving the dish. When making chicken scaloppini, for instance, preparing the chicken breasts and assembling the rest of the ingredients ahead of time prevents scrambling around when it’s time to cook.

Chicken Scaloppini

with Lemon Brown Butter, Parsley and Capers

ingredients (4 servings) 4 large chicken breasts, about 5 to 6 ounces each Salt and pepper to taste ½ cup all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons ½ cup vegetable oil or clarified butter 4 tablespoons of cold butter ¼ cup of chicken broth or stock Juice of two lemons (about ¼ cup) ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons good-quality capers, drained of brine

clarifying Butter

To clarify 8 ounces of butter: Place cubed, unsalted butter in a small pot and bring to a low simmer. Allow the butter to bubble gently until all noise subsides and the bubbling stops, meaning the water has evaporated and only the separated fat and solids remain. Remove it from the heat and carefully pour the fat into a bowl, leaving browned solids behind. Clarified butter can be stored in the refrigerator for one to three weeks.

photoS by stacy zarin-goldberg

Unlike whole butter, clarified butter adds flavor without burning. Clarifying butter is a simple process that separates the fat— good for cooking at high temperatures— from the milk solids, which burn easily even at low temperatures.

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get ready!

Pound It Out

Before beginning the “à la minute” cooking, assemble the rest of the ingredients, or “mise en place,” and the following cooking equipment to ensure that nothing is missing when the final steps are executed:

The meat tenderizer is essentially a hammer with two distinct sides. The dimpled side is for breaking up fiber. The smooth side is for spreading the tenderized meat into an even sheet.

1. A small pan holding ½ cup of the flour for dredging the chicken 2. A sauté pan or fry pan (nonstick is not necessary) 3. A dry, metal bowl for the spent cooking oil 4. An oven-safe platter for the cooked chicken 5. A wooden spoon or spatula for scraping the pan and stirring the sauce 6. Two pair of tongs (one for handling raw chicken and another for the cooked chicken)

TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN To prepare the chicken breasts, slice each breast lengthwise on the bias to form long, wide slabs, about ½-inch thick. Arrange the chicken pieces between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat tenderizer, gently pound the slabs of breast meat with the dimpled side to tenderize the meat, and then with the smooth side to spread it into an even sheet. The scaloppini should be no more than ¼-inch thick. Cover and store the scaloppini in the refrigerator. This step can be done up to one day ahead of time.

To make the scaloppini 1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat the sauté pan over high heat. Meanwhile, season both sides of each chicken piece with salt and pepper, and then dredge the seasoned pieces in flour, shaking off the excess. 2. Pour the cooking oil or clarified butter into the sauté pan. Put one piece of chicken in the pan. If it does not sizzle right away, then the pan is not hot enough; wait until the chicken is sizzling before adding another piece. Sear the chicken for about a minute on each side until golden brown. 3. Once all of the chicken has been seared, transfer the cooked chicken to the platter and place in the oven. 4. Discard the cooking oil or clarified butter from the sauté pan, pouring into a dry bowl. Place the pan back over the heat. Add the cold butter to the pan. Just when the butter melts completely, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour and stir constantly over high heat; the mixture will turn brown in just a few minutes. 5. When the mixture in the pan has browned nicely (be careful—it’s very hot), add the chicken broth and lemon juice, and then the parsley and capers. Remove the pan from the heat. 6. Remove the platter from the oven and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve immediately.

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dining

GUIDE

Check out the online version of the DINING GUIDE at BethesdaMagazine.com or download our app for free at the Apple Store. It’s browsable by category and updated frequently.

Bethesda 100 Montaditos (New), 4922 Elm St., Bethesda, 240396-6897, us.100montaditos.com/home. As its name proclaims, the Spanish-founded chain features 100 varieties of montaditos—mini sandwiches served on rolls. Ranging in price from $1 to $2.50, the sandwiches sport fillings from authentic (Serrano ham, manchego cheese, chorizo) to American (Philly cheesesteak, hot dogs and burgers). ❂ L D $ Aji-Nippon, 6937 Arlington Road, 301-654-0213. A calm oasis on a busy street, where chef Kazuo Honma serves patrons sushi, noodle soups, teriyaki and more. L D $$ American Tap Room, 7278 Woodmont Ave., 301656-1366, www.americantaproom.com. Classic grill menu featuring sliders and wings, from Thompson Hospitality, the owners of Austin Grill. ❂  R L D $$ Assaggi Mozzarella Bar, 4838 Bethesda Ave., 301951-1988, www.assaggirestaurant.com. Former Café Milano executive chef and owner Domenico Cornacchia offers a warm and elegant bar featuring tastings of mozzarella, both international and local. The restaurant also features Italian-inspired main courses and an extensive wine list. ❂  L D $$ Bacchus of Lebanon, 7945 Norfolk Ave., 301-6571722, www.bacchusoflebanon.com. This friendly and elegant Lebanese staple has a large, sunny patio that beckons lunch and dinner patrons outside when the weather is good to try garlicky hummus, stuffed grape leaves, chicken kabobs, veal chops and dozens of small-plate dishes.❂ L D $$ Bangkok Garden, 4906 St. Elmo Ave., 301-951-0670, www.bkkgarden.com. This real-deal, family-run Thai restaurant turns out authentic cuisine in a dining room decorated with traditional statues of the gods. L D $ Bel Piatto Pizza, 7812 Old Georgetown Road, 301986-8085, www.belpiattopizza.com. Entrées, calzones, strombolis and salads, along with a large selection of pizzas. L D $ Benihana, 7935 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-5391, www.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. J L D $$ Bethesda Crab House, 4958 Bethesda Ave., 301-

652-3382, www.bethesdacrabhouse.net. 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 them. ❂ L D $$ Bistro LaZeez, 8009 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-8222, www.bistrolazeez.com. Terrific Mediterranean grilled dishes from local Arabic teacher Reda Asaad. ❂JLD$ Bistro Provence (Editors’ Pick), 4933 Fairmont Ave., 301-656-7373, www.bistroprovence.org. Chef Yannick Cam brings his formidable experience to a casual French bistro with a lovely courtyard. ❂ L D $$$ BlackFinn Restaurant & Saloon, 4901 Fairmont Ave., 301-951-5681, www.blackfinnbethesda.com. Dark wood and crisp white tablecloths signal an aboveaverage pub experience. The bar area can be noisy and crowded, but the two dining areas are relatively peaceful. ❂ J L D $$ Black’s Bar & Kitchen (Editors’ Pick), 7750 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-5525, www.blacksbarandkitch en.com. Bethesda Magazine readers voted Black’s “Best MoCo Restaurant” and “Best Happy Hour” in 2014. Customers count on the impeccable use of fresh and local ingredients. ❂ R L D $$$ Bold Bite, 4901-B Fairmont Ave., 301-951-2653, www. boldbite.net. Designer hot dogs from the Venezuelan Roche brothers, with a menu that won “Best Menu Design” from the magazine’s editors in 2013. J L D $ Brasserie Monte Carlo, 7929 Norfolk Ave., 301656-9225, www.brasseriemontecarlo.com. FrenchMediterranean dishes and a mural of a Monte Carlo landscape transport diners to Monaco. ❂ R L D $$ Brickside Food & Drink, 4866 Cordell Ave., 301-3126160, www.bricksidebethesda.com. Prohibition-era drinks meet Italian bar bites and entrées. ❂ R D $$ Caddies on Cordell, 4922 Cordell Ave., 301-215-7730, www.caddiesoncordell.com. Twenty-somethings gather at this golf-themed spot to enjoy beer and wings specials in a casual, rowdy atmosphere that frequently spills onto the large patio. Bethesda Magazine readers voted Caddies "Best Bar Food" in 2014. ❂ J R L D $ Café Deluxe, 4910 Elm St., 301-656-3131, www.cafe deluxe.com. This local chain serves bistro-style American comfort food in a fun and noisy setting with wood fans and colorful, oversized European liquor

Key: Price designations are for a three-course dinner for two including tip and tax, but excluding alcohol. $ up to $50 $$ $51-$100 $$$ $101-$150 $$$$ $150+

Outdoor Dining Children’s Menu B Breakfast R Brunch L Lunch D Dinner



posters. ❂ J R L D $$ Cava Mezze Grill, 4832 Bethesda Ave., 301-6561772, www.cavagrill.com. The guys from Cava restaurant have created a Greek version of Chipotle. Choose the meat, dip or spread for a pita, bowl or salad. J L D $ Cesco Osteria, 7401 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-8333, www.cesco-osteria.com. Longtime chef Francesco Ricchi relocates from Cordell Avenue, turning out his Tuscan specialties in a bigger, jazzier space. ❂ L D $$ Chef Tony’s, 4926 St. Elmo Ave., 301-654-3737, www. cheftonysbethesda.com. Chef-owner Tony Marciante focuses on Mediterranean seafood tapas in what was formerly called Visions Restaurant. J R L D $$ Daily Grill, One Bethesda Metro Center, 301-6566100, www.dailygrill.com. Everyone from families to expense-account lunchers can find something to like about the big portions of fresh American fare, including chicken pot pie and jumbo lump crabcakes. ❂ J B R L D $$ Don Pollo, 7007 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-0001. Juicy, spiced birds and reasonable prices make this Peruvian chicken eatery a go-to place any night of the week. Locations in Rockville and Hyattsville, too. L D $ Du-par’s Hamburger Hamlet, 10400 Old Georgetown Road, 301-897-5350. hamburgerhamlet.com, du-pars.com. Du-par’s, a Los Angeles diner chain, teams up with the burger hangout and adds breakfast items, pies and other baked goods to the menu; it’s open 24 hours. ❂ J B R L D $$ Faryab Restaurant (Editors’ Pick), 4917 Cordell Ave., 301-951- 3484., farandawaycycling.com/Fary ab/index.html. Faryab serves well-prepared Afghani

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country food, including Afghanistan’s answer to Middle Eastern kabobs, vegetarian stews and unique sautéed pumpkin dishes, in a whitewashed dining room with native art on the walls and attentive service. D $$ Flanagan’s Harp & Fiddle, 4844 Cordell Ave., 301951-0115, www.flanagansharpandfiddle.com. This stylish pub features live music several days a week and Tuesday night poker and Monday quiz nights. In addition to traditional stews and fried fish, Flanagan’s offers smoked ribs, salmon and traditional Irish breakfast on weekends. ❂ J B L D $$ Food Wine & Co. (Editors’ Pick), 7272 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-8008, www.foodwineandco.com. American fare at a stunning bistro in the old Uno Chicago Grill space. L D $$ Freddy’s Lobster + Clams, 4867 Cordell Ave., 240743-4257, www.freddyslobster.com. New Englandstyle seafood shack with fried specialties and a terrific beer menu. Bethesda Magazine readers voted its lobster roll the best in 2013. ❂ J L D $ Garden Grille & Bar (in the Hilton Garden Inn), 7301 Waverly St., 301-654-8111, hiltongardeninn3.hilton. com/en/hotels/Maryland/Hilton-garden-inn-washing ton-dc-bethesda-WASBTGI/dining/index.html. Aside from a breakfast buffet featuring cooked-to-order omelets, waffles, fruit and more, the restaurant offers an extensive menu, from burgers and other sandwiches

to crabcakes, short ribs and pasta dishes. J B D $$ Geppetto, 10257 Old Georgetown Road, 301-4939230, www.geppettorestaurant.com. Sicilian-style pizza served in a casual atmosphere inside bustling Wildwood Shopping Center, plus classic Italian sandwiches and red-sauce dinners. ❂ J L D $$ Geste Wine & Food, 4801 Edgemoor Lane, 301-7181675, www.gestewine.com. Pizza, panini, subs and salads, plus a small retail area with reasonably priced bottles of wine. L D $ Grapeseed American Bistro + Wine Bar (Editors’ Pick), 4865 Cordell Ave., 301-986-9592, www.grape seedbistro.com. Chef-owner Jeff Heineman, who develops each dish on the frequently updated menu to pair with a specific wine, also offers small plates and a 10-seat wine-room table. Its private dining room tied for best in 2013. L (Tuesday-Friday) D $$$ Guapo’s Restaurant, 8130 Wisconsin Ave., 301-6560888, www.guaposrestaurant.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, www. guardadosnico.com. Chef-owner Nicolas Guardado, who trained at Jaleo, opened this hidden gem devoted

to Latin-Spanish cooking in 2007 and has developed a following with tapas specialties like shrimp and sausage, stuffed red peppers and paella. J L D $ Hanaro Restaurant & Lounge, 7820 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-7851, www.hanarobethesda.com. Modern dark woods and lots of light brighten the corner location, and the menu includes sushi and Asian fusion main courses. The bar offers a daily happy hour and is open on Fridays and Saturdays until 2 a.m. ❂ L D $$ Hard Times Café, 4920 Del Ray Ave., 301-951-3300, www.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. Owner Greg Hourigan is a fixture in the community. ❂ J L D $ Haven Pizzeria Napoletana (Editors’ Pick), 7137 Wisconsin Ave., 301-664-9412, www.havenpizzeria. com. Crispy-crusted, coal-fired pies like the ones they make in New Haven. The white clam pizza is a winner at this eatery, which earned “Best Pizza” honors from Bethesda Magazine readers in 2014. L D $ Himalayan Heritage (Editors’ Pick), 4925 Bethesda Ave., 301-654-1858, www.himalayanheritagedc.com. Indian, Nepalese and Indo-Chinese fare, featuring momos (Nepalese dumplings) and Indian takes on Chinese chow mein. L D $

Network at Breakfast Every Morning And Build Your Business Because delicious food has a way of building your business and bringing people together everyday.

Rockville, Bethesda or Falls Church, you will find business people discussing business.

Readers’ Pick, “Best Breakfast” BETHESDA 301-986-0285 ROCKVILLE 301-468-0886 FALLS CHURCH 703-698-6292 www.ophrestaurants.com • FREE PARKING ALL LOCATIONS BethesdaMagazine.com | January/February 2014 285

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dining guide Hinode Japanese Restaurant, 4914 Hampden Lane, 301-654-0908. Chef Ky Khuu’s sushi specials shine in a dining room dominated by a large fish tank at this tucked-away spot that has been in business since 1992. L D $$

dipping puffy pita bread into hummus and baba ghanoush. The rest of the traditional Lebanese mezze are worth a try, too, as are the slow-cooked lamb dishes. Voted “Best Mediterranean Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2014. J L D $$

House of Foong Lin, 4613 Willow Lane, 301-6563427. With a (slightly) new name but the same Cantonese, Hunan and Sichuan cuisine, Bethesda’s longtime Foong Lin restaurant has relocated to the old Moon Gate space. L D $$

Louisiana Kitchen & Bayou Bar, 4907 Cordell Ave., 301-652-6945, www.louisianabethesda.com. Former Louisiana Express chef José Blanco and veteran waiter Carlos Arana continue the tradition of the popular Bethesda institution in a larger, spiffier setting. The prices and Cajun- and Creole-style menu are pretty much the same, the fried items are still divine and the pain perdou and beignets remain a great way to start a Sunday morning. B R 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 in the old Plaza del Sol space. Chef “M&M” Kang prepares home-style fare such as bulgogi, galbi and bibimbap; also look for the Korean-style sushi known as kimbab. The kids’ menu has one item: spaghetti, made from the recipe of owner Thomas Kang’s former college roommate’s mother. L D $ Jaleo (Editors’ Pick), 7271 Woodmont Ave., 301913-0003, www.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 2014. ❂ R L D $$ Jetties, 4829 Fairmont Ave., 301-951-3663, www.jetties dc.com. The first suburban location for the popular sandwich, salad and ice cream eatery, which has two restaurants in Northwest Washington, D.C. Also look for one-pot “crock” dishes and an innovative children’s menu. ❂ J L D $ Kabob Bazaar, 7710 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-5814, www.kabobbazaar.com. The younger sister of a popular Arlington restaurant with the same name offers kabobs in every protein possibility, plus lots of vegetarian side dishes. Music on Saturdays and Sundays. ❂ J L D $ Kadhai (Editors’ Pick), 7905 Norfolk Ave., 301-7180121, www.kadhaimd.com. The popular Indian restaurant formerly known as Haandi has relocated to the old Uptown Deli space. L D $$ Kraze Burger, 4733 Elm St., 301-215-9068, www. kraze.us. The first U.S. location of a Korean chain features American-style beef burgers, as well as ground turkey, grilled tofu and veggie burgers, served in an eco-chic setting. ❂ J L D $ La Panetteria, 4921 Cordell Ave., 301-951-6433, www.lapanetteria.com. For more than 25 years, La Panetteria has transported diners into a quaint Italian villa with its impeccable service and Old World atmosphere, serving such classic dishes as homemade spaghetti and veal scaloppine. L D $$ Le Vieux Logis, 7925 Old Georgetown Road, 301-6526816, www.levieuxlogisrestaurant.com. The colorful exterior will draw you into this Bethesda institution, but classic French dishes such as Dover sole meunière will keep you coming back. D $$ Lebanese Taverna, 7141 Arlington Road, 301-9518681, www.lebanesetaverna.com. The latest branch of this long-lived local chain is an elegant spot for

Luke’s Lobster, 7129 Bethesda Lane, 301-718-1005, www.lukeslobster.com. An upscale carryout with authentic lobster, shrimp and crab rolls; the seafood is shipped direct from Maine. ❂ L D $ Maggie’s, 4914 Cordell Ave., 301-907-9466, www. maggiesdc.com. Wing Hub co-owner buys out his partners, changes the name and adds pizza; the wings remain. ❂ J L D $ Mamma Lucia,4916Elm St.,301-907-3399,www.mamma luciarestaurants.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. ❂ J L D $$ Markham’s Bar and Grill (New), 7141 Wisconsin Ave., 240-800-4700, www.markhamsbar.com. A brick-and-mortar eatery from the owner of the former One3Five Cuisine food trailer, Markham’s is a neighborhood spot offering many of the popular sandwiches and salads from the mobile operation. Look for Pakistani tacos, banh mi and a marinated flank steak sandwich, plus nightly comfort-food specials. The beige-and-black interior sports a handsome wine cabinet and photographs of old Bethesda. An outdoor patio includes a pergola and a 5½-foot waterfall. ❂ L D $$ Matuba Japanese Restaurant, 4918 Cordell Ave., 301-652-7449, www.matuba-sushi.com. Detail-oriented sushi chefs and attentive service perk up this otherwise plain white-and-blond-wood Japanese restaurant that has been doing a steady business in downtown Bethesda for 30 years. L D $$ Max Brenner Chocolate Bar, 7263 Woodmont Ave., 301-215-8305, www.maxbrenner.com. It’s sweets-only at the newest location of this international chain. Chocoholics and dessert lovers will have a field day with the restaurant’s milkshakes, coffee drinks, hot chocolate, crêpes, waffles, fondue, ice cream and chocolate pizza. There are also “Fast Max” items to go, and a retail section offers fashionably packaged bonbons, praline wafers and caramelized nuts rolled in hazelnut cream and cocoa powder. $ Mia’s Pizzas (Editors’ Pick), 4926 Cordell Ave., 301718-6427, www.miaspizzasbethesda.com. Mia’s woodburning oven turns out Naples-style pies with a variety of toppings; homemade soups and cupcakes in a cheery dining room with yellow, green and orange accents. ❂ J L D $$ Moby Dick House of Kabob, 7027 Wisconsin Ave.,

301-654-1838, www.mobysonline.com. This kabob takeout/eat-in mainstay was one of the first kabob places in the area. It makes its own pita bread. L D $ Mon Ami Gabi, 7239 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-1234, www.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. Voted “Best French Restaurant” by the magazine’s readers in 2014. Live jazz Tuesday and Thursday nights. ❂ J R L D $$ Morton’s, The Steakhouse, 7400 Wisconsin Ave., 301-657-2650, www.mortons.com. An ultra-sophisticated steak house serving pricey, large portions of prime-aged beef and drinks. The restaurant is known for a top-notch dinner experience but also offers lunch and a bar menu. D $$$ Mussel Bar & Grille, 7262 Woodmont Ave., 301215-7817, www.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, which won “Best Beer Selection” by the magazine’s readers in 2013. ❂ R L D $$ Nest Cafe, 4921 Bethesda Ave., 301-718-6378, www.nestwinebarcafe.com. Nest offers simple salads, pasta and pizzas. Among the best eats, however, are the crispy calamari and artichokes appetizer and the mussels and fries entrée. ❂ J R L (Wednesday-Saturday) D $$ Newton’s Table (Editors’ Pick), 4917 Elm St., 301718-0550, www.newtonstable.com. Modern American cuisine from up-and-coming chef-owner Dennis Friedman, whose creations were voted “Best Example of Plating as Art” by the magazine’s editors in 2013. ❂ J L D $$$ Oakville Grille & Wine Bar (Editors’ Pick), 10257 Old Georgetown Road, 301-897-9100, www.oakville winebar.com. Fresh California food paired with a thoughtful wine list in an elegant, spare setting may not sound unique, but Oakville was one of the first in the area to do so, and it does it well. ❂ J L D $$ Olazzo (Editors’ Pick), 7921 Norfolk Ave., 301-6549496, www.olazzo.com. This well-priced, romantic restaurant is the place for couples seeking red-sauce classics at reasonable prices. Voted “Best Italian Restaurant” and “Best Fried Calamari” by our readers in 2014. ❂ L D $$ Original Pancake House, 7703 Wisconsin Ave., Store D, 301-986-0285, www.ophrestaurants.com. Dozens of pancake dishes, as well as eggs and waffles galore. Named “Best Breakfast” by the magazine’s readers in 2014. ❂ J B L $ Panas Gourmet Empanadas, 4731 Elm St., 301657-7371, www.panasgourmet.com. Baked, not fried, empanadas with a modern twist—think chicken pesto, smoked eggplant and chipotle steak. L D $ Parker’s American Bistro, 4824 Bethesda Ave., 301654-6366, www.parkersbistro.com. An all-American menu with vintage local sports posters, Parker’s offers a wide-ranging food and wine list, upbeat soundtrack and servers who take an interest in your happiness. ❂ J R L D $$

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Passage to India (Editors’ Pick), 4931 Cordell Ave., 301-656-3373, www.passagetoindia.info. Top-notch, pan-Indian fare by chef-owner Sudhir Seth, with everything from garlic naan to fish curry made to order. Elegant ivory screens shield diners from street noise. Voted “Best Indian Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2014. ❂ R L D $$ Penang Malaysian Cuisine, 4933 Bethesda Ave., 301-657-2878, www.penangmaryland.com. At this Malaysian spot decorated with exotic dark woods and a thatched roof, spices run the gamut of Near and Far Eastern influence, and flavors include coconut, lemongrass, sesame and chili sauce. L D $$ Persimmon (Editors’ Pick), 7003 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-9860, www.persimmonrestaurant.com. Chef-owner Damian Salvatore’s popular restaurant hes reopened, with more casual décor, lower prices and less formal fare. ❂ L D $$ Pines of Rome, 4709 Hampden Lane, 301-657-8775. Local celebrities and families gather at this downhome Italian spot for traditional food at prices that are easy on the wallet. The white pizza is a hit, and don’t forget the spaghetti and meatballs. L D $ Pizza Tempo, 8021 Wisconsin Ave., 240-497-0003, www.pizzatempo.us. Pizza with a twist, which includes toppings such as sujuk (Mediterranean beef sausage), pistachio mortadella and spicy beef franks, plus a wide selection of pides (boat-shaped pizzas). Salads, wraps,

panini and entrées also available. Limited seating; delivery within about a 3-mile radius. L D $ Pizzeria da Marco (Editors’ Pick), 8008 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-6083, www.pizzeriadamarco.net. Authentic Neapolitan pizzas fired in a $15,000 Italian brick oven. ❂ L D $ Positano Ristorante Italiano, 4940-48 Fairmont Ave., 301-654-1717, www.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, www.praline-bakery.com. Two former White House pastry chefs opened this sunny restaurant with 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. The magazine’s editors voted its desserts the prettiest around in 2013. ❂ J B R L D $$ Raku (Editors’ Pick), 7240 Woodmont Ave., 301718-8680, www.rakuasiandining.com. Voted “Best Sushi” by the magazine’s readers in 2014 and “Best Bethesda Restaurant” in 2013, this casual restaurant has bamboo walls that do little to dampen the noise, but the menu satisfies with everything from sushi to kung pao chicken. ❂ L D $$

Red Tomato Café, 4910 St. Elmo Ave., 301-652-4499, www.redtomatocafe.com. This appealing, modern Italian spot was showcasing its brick pizza oven before it was trendy. A sun-and-moon mural watches over diners munching creative takes on pizza, pasta and salads. Children’s portions. L D $ Redwood Restaurant & Bar, 7121 Bethesda Lane, 301-656-5515, www.redwoodbethesda.com. An upscale wine bar featuring fresh, local food and California-centric wines in the heart of Bethesda Lane. Voted “Best Private Dining Room” by the magazine’s readers in 2013 (in a tie), Redwood features a frequently changing menu and in-season farmers market dinners. The interior décor makes the most of recycled redwood and “green” materials. ❂ J RL D $$ Rice Paddies Grill & Pho, 4706 Bethesda Ave., 301718-1862, ricepaddiesgrill.com. This cute copper-andgreen eat-in/carryout makes quick work of Vietnamese favorites like pork, beef and vegetable skewers infused with lemongrass and the classic beef noodle soup known as pho. L D $ Rock Bottom Brewery, 7900 Norfolk Ave., 301652-1311, www.rockbottom.com. The award-winning beers are crafted in-house and the menu is vast at this cavernous yet welcoming chain. The burgers are the real deal. ❂ J L D $$ Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 7315 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-7877, www.ruthschris.com. A dark and

Readers’ Pick: Winner,

Best Chinese Restaurant 2010 & 2012

House House ofof

Foong Lin Lin Foong FineAsian AsianCuisine Cuisine & Lounge Fine & Lounge Foong lin means “the harvest is in.” And with a bounty of succulent shrimp, crispy-skinned duck and broccoli swimming in hot garlic sauce, Bethesda’s Foong Lin restaurant lives up to its name.

– The Washington Post

Dine-in • Pickup • Delivery • Catering & Parties

• Free Parking on Saturday & Sundays • Online Menu: www.HouseOfFoonLin.com

4311 Willow Lane, Bethesda

(301) 656-3427

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dining guide clubby feel makes this elegant chain popular with families as well as the happy-hour crowd. Don’t skip the fresh seafood choices. D $$$ Sala Thai, 4828 Cordell Ave., 301-654-4676, www. salathaidc.com. This Thai mainstay cooks the classics and offers diners a nearly panoramic view of Woodmont Avenue through huge, curved windows. Live jazz Friday and Saturday evenings. L D $$ 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. ❂ J L D $ Satsuma, 8003 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-1400. 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 $$ Shanghai Village, 4929 Bethesda Ave., 301-654-7788. Owner Kwok Chueng prides himself on personal attention and recognizing regulars who have been stopping in for his classic Chinese cooking for more than 25 years. Order the secret recipe Mai Tai. L D $ Shangri-La Indian and Nepalese Cuisine, 7345-A Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-4444, www.shangrilaus.com. Northern Indian and Nepali specialties such as butter chicken and fresh flatbreads known as naan shine here. J L D $ Share Wine Lounge & Small Plate Bistro, 8120 Wisconsin Ave. (in the Doubletree Hotel), 301-6522000, www.doubletreebethesda.com/Food-DrinksFun/Share-Wine-Lounge-Small-Plate-Bistro. Share some buffalo chicken sliders or avocado bruschetta, or go for main courses ranging from Yankee pot roast to cedar plank-roasted salmon. B L D $$ Smoke BBQ Bethesda, 4858 Cordell Ave., 301-6562011, smokebbqbethesda.com. Pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, ribs and all the fixin’s at Bethesda’s only sit-down barbecue joint. L D $ South Street Steaks, 4856 Cordell Ave., 301-2157972, www.southstreetsteaks.com. Even transplanted Philadelphians will admire the cheesesteaks at this local chain’s third location. The shop also offers chicken cheesesteaks, hoagies (that’s Philly-talk for cold subs) and sandwiches called “Phillinis,” a cross between “Philly” and “panini.” J L D $ Steamers Seafood House, 4820 Auburn Ave., 301-718-0661, www.steamersseafoodhouse.com. Steamers brings Bethany Beach to Bethesda, especially if diners sit on the wraparound porch in warm weather with a bucket of crabs and some beer.❂ J L D $$ Stromboli Family Restaurant, 7023 Wisconsin Ave., 301-986-1980, www.strombolisrestaurant.com. In addition to a large selection of delectable hot Italian sandwiches called stromboli, this proud family restaurant/carryout features pizzas, subs and pastas at reasonable prices. L D $

sweetgreen, 4831 Bethesda Ave., 301-654-7336, www.sweetgreen.com. Founded in 2007 in Washington, D.C., by three newly graduated Georgetown students, the sweetgreen fast-casual chain—with its focus on local and organic ingredients—has expanded rapidly. The menu concentrates on salads and wraps (devise your own, or pick from a list), plus tart frozen yogurt. Look for eco-friendly décor, a healthy sensibility and a hip buzz. ❂ L D $ Tako Grill, 7756 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-7030, www. takogrill.com. Families and sake connoisseurs seek out this eclectic spot where sushi, sashimi and other Japanese treats are fresh, and waiters are knowledgeable and friendly. L D $$ Tandoori Nights, 7236 Woodmont Ave., 301-6564002, www.tandoorinightsbethesda.com. Indian cuisine returns to the former Delhi Dhaba space. ❂ L D $$ Tara Thai, 4828 Bethesda Ave., 301-657-0488, www. tarathai.com. Thai goes high style at Bethesda Magazine readers’ pick for “Best Thai Restaurant” in 2014. With colorful murals of ocean creatures looking on, diners can try dishes ranging from mild to adventurous. ❂ L D $$ Tastee Diner, 7731 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-3970, www.tasteediner.com. For more than 70 years, this crowd-pleasing if slightly sagging spot has served up everything from breakfast to burgers to blueplate specials like steak and crabcakes. Open 24 hours. J B L D $ Taylor Gourmet, 7280 Woodmont Ave., 301-9519001, www.taylorgourmet.com. Upscale takes on Philadelphia hoagies and sandwiches. Italian flavors and top-notch ingredients. L D $ The Barking Dog, 4723 Elm St., 301-654-0022, www. thebarkingdogonline.com. A fun place for young adults, with drink specials nearly every night and bar food such as quesadillas and burgers. Salsa dancing on Tuesdays, trivia on Wednesdays, karaoke on Thursdays and a DJ and dancing Fridays and Saturdays. L D $ The Burger Joint, 4827 Fairmont Ave., 301-358-6137, www.bgrtheburgerjoint.com. The burgers are good and the vibe is great at this frequently packed eatery next to Veterans Park. The non-beef burgers are good, too. ❂ J L D $ The Corner Slice, 7901 Norfolk Ave., 301-907-7542, www.thecornerslice.net. New York-style pizza, available by the slice or as a 20-inch pie. ❂ L D $ The Parva, 7904 Woodmont Ave., 301-312-6488, www. theparva.com. Latin-fusion cuisine with offerings from Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela. ❂ D $ Tia Queta, 4839 Del Ray Ave., 301-654-4443, www.tia queta.com. This longtime family and happy-hour favorite offers authentic Mexican food like moles and fish dishes, as well as the usual Tex-Mex options. ❂ J L D $$ Tommy Joe’s Restaurant, 4714 Montgomery Lane, 301-654-3801, www.tommyjoes.com. Hot wings and drink specials abound at this friendly restaurant/ bar/nightclub featuring 20 big-screen TVs for game time. ❂ J L D $$

Trattoria Sorrento (Editors’ Pick), 4930 Cordell Ave., 301-718-0344, www.trattoriasorrento.com. This family-run Italian favorite offers homemade pastas, baked eggplant and fresh fish dishes. Halfprice bottles of wine on Wednesdays. Opera dinners at 6 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month feature a four-course meal and a performance for $50 per person. D $$ Uncle Julio’s Rio Grande Café, 4870 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-2981, www.unclejulios.com. Loud and large, this Tex-Mex eatery packs in families and revelers fueling up on fajitas, tacos and more. Kids love to watch the tortilla machine. ❂ J R L D $$ Union Jack’s, 4915 St. Elmo Ave., 301-652-2561, www.unionjacksbethesda.com. This authentically decorated British-style pub is partially below street level. English dishes such as Welsh rarebit cozy up to burgers, salads and crabcakes. DJ and dancing weekends until 2:30 a.m. ❂ J L D $$ Vapiano, 4900 Hampden Lane, 301-215-7013, www. vapiano.com. Worldwide Italian chain offers reasonably priced pizza, pasta and panini in a chic cafeteriastyle setting. ❂ J L D $ Vino Volo, 7247 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-0916, www. vinovolobethesdarow.com. First non-airport location for the wine bar and shop that also features a rustic café serving small plates, salads, sandwiches, pizza and a few entrées. ❂ L D $$ Wildwood Kitchen, 10223 Old Georgetown Road (in the Wildwood Shopping Center), 301-571-1700, www.wildwoodkitchenrw.com. Attractive neighborhood bistro serving fresh and light modern cuisine from well-known chef Robert Wiedmaier. L D $$ Woodmont Grill (Editors’ Pick), 7715 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-9755, www.hillstone.com. Part of the Houston’s chain, offering such classics as spinach and artichoke dip and the famous burgers, but also house-baked breads, more exotic dishes, live jazz and a granite bar. ❂ J L D $$$ Yamas Mediterranean Grill, 4806 Rugby Ave., 301312-8384, www.yamasgrill.com. Gyros, souvlaki, lemon chicken and other Greek specialties at this friendly and sunny café. ❂ J L D $ Yuzu, 7345-B Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-5234, yuzu bethesda.com. 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 (New), 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 301-2290900, www.fishtacoonline.com. This counter-service taqueria from the owners of Bethesda’s Food Wine & Co. features a full roster of seafood as well as nonaquatic tacos, plus margaritas and other Mexican specialties. The eco-chic décor is casual and attractive, and there are rolls of paper towels on every table to sop up sauce-stained fingers. Don’t miss the bread pudding. ❂ J L D $ Wild Tomato, 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 301-229-0680,

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www.wildtomatorestaurant.com. A family-friendly neighborhood restaurant from Persimmon owners Damian and Stephanie Salvatore, serving salads, sandwiches and pizza. Voted "Best Fish Tacos" by our readers in 2014. ❂ J L D $

Chevy Chase Alfio’s, 4515 Willard Ave., 301-657-9133, www.alfios. com. Owner Anastasios “Tasios” Hatzitanagiotis welcomes families and casual diners to the elegant dining room of this northern Italian classic, located on the first floor of the Willoughby Condominium. The salad bar, pastas and homemade desserts are popular. L D $$ Capital Grille, 5310 Western Ave., 301-718-7812, www. capitalgrille.com. The upscale steak-house chain, known for its he-man-sized portions and extensive wine list, is located in The Shops at Wisconsin Place. L D $$$$ Clyde’s, 5441 Wisconsin Ave., 301-951-9600, www. clydes.com. Features a frequently changing menu of American favorites and a collection of vintage airplanes and cars, as well as a model train running on a track around the ceiling. ❂ J R L D $$ Indique Heights, 2 Wisconsin Circle, 301-656-4822, www.indiqueheights.com. Sumptuous silks, a fountain and sweeping vistas from the windows behind the bar heighten the feeling of an Indian palace, but it’s the cooking of chef-partner K.N. Vinod that keeps patrons coming back. ❂ R L D $$ La Ferme (Editors’ Pick), 7101 Brookville Road, 301-986-5255, www.lafermerestaurant.com. This warm and charming Provence-style restaurant is a popular choice for an intimate dinner or a celebration in one of several private rooms or on the heated patio terrace. Perhaps that’s why the magazine’s readers voted it the “Most Romantic Restaurant” in 2014 and editors named it “Best Restaurant for Ambience” in 2013. Classic French cuisine from onion soup to sweetbreads. ❂ R L D $$$ Lia’s (Editors’ Pick), 4435 Willard Ave., 240-2235427, www.liasrestaurant.com. Owner Geoff Tracy focuses on high-quality, low-fuss modern ItalianAmerican fare at this funky and modern space with a wine room. Pizzas, house-made pastas and fresh fish please business lunchers and dinner crowds. The magazine’s readers chose it as “Best Chevy Chase Restaurant” in 2013. ❂ J R L D $ Manoli Canoli Restaurant, 8540 Connecticut Ave., 301-951-1818, www.manolicanoli.com. Italian and Greek specialties at a fun family eatery that features a large prepared foods section, dishes made with olive oil from owner Stavros Manolakos’ family farm in Greece and homemade mozzarella on pizza and subs. ❂ J L D $ Meiwah Restaurant, 4457 Willard Ave., 301-6529882, www.meiwahrestaurant.com. This modern restaurant on the second floor of a Friendship Heights office building offers top-quality Chinese dishes that are hard to beat. A fountain sparkles on the outdoor patio. Sushi bar. ❂ L D $$ Mi Cocina, 5471 Wisconsin Ave. (in The Collection), 301-652-1195, www.micocinarestaurants.com. A Dallas-

based chain serving Tex-Mex staples such as enchiladas, tacos and fajitas in stylish surroundings. L D $$ Potomac Pizza, 19 Wisconsin Circle, 301-951-1127, www.potomacpizza.com. This cheery, casual dining room provides a break from the ultra-posh shopping surrounding it. In addition to pizza, subs and pastas are popular. Beer and wine available. ❂ J L D $ Sushiko (Editors’ Pick), 5455 Wisconsin Ave., 301961-1644, www.sushikorestaurants.com. Washington, D.C.’s oldest and most respected sushi restaurant, opened in Glover Park in 1976, continues its tradition in a bigger, sleeker suburban outpost. ❂ L D $$ Tavira, 8401 Connecticut Ave., 301-652-8684, www. tavirarestaurant.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 (except Saturday and Sunday) D $$ The Tasting Room Wine Bar & Shop, 5330-A Western Ave. (The Shops at Wisconsin Place), 301-664-9494, www.thetastingroomwinebar.com. A project of John Kent Cooke, son of Jack and owner of Virginia’s Boxwood Winery, the Tasting Room offers Boxwood as well as European wines, plus olives, nuts and charcuterie and cheese plates. Live music Saturday nights. ❂ L D $

Garrett Park Black Market Bistro (Editors’ Pick), 4600 Waverly Ave., 301-933-3000, www.blackmarketrestaurant. com. Sublime American bistro fare served in a restored Victorian building next to railroad tracks; the building once served as a general store and still houses a post office. ❂ J R L D $$

Glen Echo Irish Inn at Glen Echo, 6119 Tulane Ave., 301-2296600, www.irishinnglenecho.com. This historic tavern has been a family home and a biker bar, but its incarnation as the Irish Inn has been bringing smiles to faces and hearty food to bellies since 2003. Traditional Irish music on Monday nights and The 19th Street Band on every other Wednesday night. ❂ J R L D $$

Kensington K Town Bistro, 3784 Howard Ave., 301-933-1211, www.ktownbistro.com. Beef Wellington, duck breast à l’orange and other classic continental dishes from this eatery owned by Gonzalo Barba, former longtime captain of the restaurant in the Watergate Hotel. L D $$ Savannah’s American Grill, 10700 Connecticut Ave., 301-946-7917. A casual sports bar serving American bar food, including wraps, burgers, salads and ribs, and brunch on weekends, which spills out onto a 50-seat patio. ❂ J R L D $

North Potomac/ Gaithersburg Athens Grill, 9124 Rothbury Drive, 301-975-0757, www.athensgrill.com. This casual, friendly, familyrun restaurant in Goshen Plaza specializes in authentic Greek cooking, using recipes handed down through generations. Specialties like rotisserie chicken, chargrilled salmon with a lemon dill sauce and lamb kabobs are cooked behind the counter on a hardwood grill. L D $ Bonefish Grill, 82 Market St., 240-631-2401, www. bonefishgrill.com. While fresh fish cooked over a wood fire is the centerpiece of this upscale Florida chain, the steaks, crabcakes and specialty martinis make it a fun option for happy hour and those with hearty appetites. Bethesda Magazine readers selected it as the “Best Gaithersburg Restaurant” in 2013. R L (only on Sundays) D $$ Buca di Beppo, 122 Kentlands Blvd., 301-947-7346, www.bucadibeppo.com. The Kentlands outpost of this national chain serves huge, family-style portions of Italian specialties amid a sea of Italian kitsch. J L D $$ Burma Road, 617 S. Frederick Ave., 301-963-1429, www.burmaroad.biz. A good place to sample pickled tea leaf salad and other Burmese specialties. L D $ Coal Fire, Kentlands Square, 116 Main St., 301-5192625, www.coalfireonline.com. Homemade crusts fired by anthracite coal and topped with your choice of three different sauces, plus toppings. Salads, sandwiches and pasta also available. Full bar. ❂ L D $ Copper Canyon Grill, 100 Boardwalk Place, 240-6310003, www.ccgrill.com. Large portions of American classics like salads, ribs and rotisserie chicken at family-friendly prices are the bill of fare at this spacious chain restaurant. J L D $$ Dogfish Head Alehouse, 800 W. Diamond Ave., 301963-4847, www.dogfishalehouse.com. The first Maryland outpost of the popular Rehoboth Beach brewpub, the restaurant is packed with revelers and families clamoring for the Dogfish Head brews, burgers, pizzas and ribs. ❂ J L D $$ Famous Dave’s, 917 Quince Orchard Road, 240-6830435, www.famousdaves.com. This local outpost of a national chain offers smoked meat and hearty portions of classic sides such as baked beans and creamy coleslaw. ❂ J L D $ Growler’s, 227 E. Diamond Ave., 301-519-9400, www. growlersrestaurant.com. This turn-of-the-century building in downtown Gaithersburg is now a brewpub with regular and seasonal house brews and a full menu including pizzas, burgers, sandwiches and entrées such as Cajun rigatoni and steak frites. Live music Wednesday through Saturday. ❂ R L D $ Guapo’s Restaurant, 9811 Washingtonian Blvd., L-17, 301-977-5655, www.guaposrestaurant.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ J R L D $ HaKuBa Restaurant, 706 Center Point Way, 301947-1283, hakubakentlands.com. An elegant, modern Japanese sushi spot that also serves fresh fish

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dining guide

All natural breads made from scratch

Indulge in our s, e sandwicahnd soups, ts swee too!

4961 Elm St Bethesda, MD 20814 301-654-7970 Located in Bethesda, Gaithersburg, and Barracks Row (Capitol Hill)

Kadhai I n di a n Cu isi n e

and teriyaki and tempura dishes. Wood stools and a silver bar elevate the décor. Dollar-sushi happy hours Monday through Thursday; sake bottles half-price on Mondays. L D $$

lounge meets modern curry palace in the Kentlands. A feast for the eyes as well as the palate, Tandoori Nights specializes in marinated meats baked in the eponymous clay oven. ❂ L D $

Il Porto Restaurant, 245 Muddy Branch Road, 301590-0735, www.ilportorestaurant.com. A classic redsauce menu, elegant murals of Venice and an authentic thin-crust pizza at a friendly, unfussy Italian restaurant tucked in the Festival Shopping Center. L D $

Tara Thai, 9811 Washingtonian Blvd., L-9, 301-947-8330, www.tarathai.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $$

Joe’s Crab Shack, 221 Rio Blvd., 301-947-4377, www. joescrabshack.com. This is one of three Maryland locations of the chain, which offers blue crabs from April through August and other varieties year-round, as well as chicken and burgers for landlubbers. Popular with families and young couples. ❂ J L D $$ Le Palais, 304 Main St., Suite 1, 301-947-4051, www. restaurantlepalais.com. Chef-owner Joseph Zaka trips lightly through the dishes of Brittany and Burgundy, adding a modern twist here and there. D $$$ Nantucket’s Reef (New), 9755 Traville Gateway Drive, North Potomac, 301-279-7333, www.nantucketsreef. com. Located in the former Stella’s restaurant, 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, fish and shrimp tacos, tuna and salmon salads, and several lobster items. The décor is bright and nautical, with baby blue walls, white wainscoting, model ships and other seafaring décor. Signature cocktails are made with Nantucket Nectars juices. ❂ J L D $$ Not Your Average Joe’s, 245 Kentlands Blvd. (in Kentlands Square Shopping Center), 240-477-1040, www.notyouraveragejoes.com. Massachusetts-based chain serving creative casual cuisine. ❂ J L D $$ Potomac Pizza, 625 Center Point Way, 301-9779777, www.potomacpizza.com. See Chevy Chase listing. J L D $ Red Hot & Blue, 16811 Crabbs Branch Way, 301948-7333, www.redhotandblue.com. Hickory-smoked barbecue and a Southern attitude at a chain popular for its office party takeout and its family-friendly, kitschy roadhouse décor. J L D $ Rio Grande Café, 231 Rio Blvd., 240-632-2150, www. unclejulios.com. See Bethesda listing under Uncle Julio’s. ❂ J R L D $$ Romano’s Macaroni Grill, 211 Rio Blvd., 301-9635003, www.macaronigrill.com. Standard Italian-American fare served in a lively, family-friendly setting. Pastas, pizzas and house-label wine. ❂ J L D $$

Lunch 11:30-2:30 | Dinner 5-10

We offer daily lunch buffet 301.718.0121 7905 Norfolk Ave. Bethesda, MD 20814 www.kadhai.com

Sardi’s Pollo a La Brasa, 430 N. Frederick Ave., 301977-3222, www.sardischicken.com. Yes, there’s chicken, but don’t miss the other Peruvian specialties, especially the ceviche. L D $

Thai Tanium, 657 Center Point Way, 301-990-3699, www.thaitaniumrestaurant.com. Authentic Thai food laced with lots of chilies and garlic as hot as you like. ❂ J L D $ The Melting Pot, 9021 Gaither Road, 301-519-3638, www.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 $$ The Wine Harvest, The Kentlands, 114 Market St., 301-869-4008, www.thewineharvest.com. Popular Cheers-like wine bar locally owned by the Meyrowitz family, with salads, sandwiches and cheese plates. It also has a Potomac location. ❂ L D $ Vasilis Mediterranean Grill, 353 Main St., 301-9771011, www.vasilisgrill.com. With soaring white pillars and a spate of inviting outdoor tables, the Greek restaurant serves the usual souvlaki and gyros as well as more interesting dishes such as grilled branzini (sea bass) and lamb chops. ❂ J L D $ Yoyogi Sushi, 328 Main St., 301-963-0001. A nononsense neighborhood sushi place with bright fish tanks, offering the familiar sushi, teriyaki, tempura and green tea or red bean ice cream. L D $ Ziki Japanese Steak House, 10009 Fields Road, 301330-3868, www.zikisteakhouse.com. This large steak house on a busy corner charms patrons with its fountains, stone Buddhas and geisha mannequins. Food offerings include sushi, as well as meats cooked on a tableside hibachi. J L D $$

Star Diner, 705 Center Point Way, 301-921-8222, www.mystardiner.com. A modern diner with a ’50s feel. The massive menu includes everything from gyros to pancakes, chicken noodle soup and wraps. Tiki Bar on Thursdays. Live music Fridays and Saturdays. ❂ J B L D $

Attman’s Delicatessen (Editors’ Pick), 7913 Tuckerman Lane (in the Cabin John Shopping Center & Mall), 301-765-3354, attmansdeli.com. After getting its start on Baltimore’s Corned Beef Row in 1915, the landmark Attman’s Deli made an historic move and opened a second location in Potomac in July 2013. The menu at the nearly century-younger sibling offers the same legendary corned beef, pastrami and other deli specialties. Third-generation owner Marc Attman is at the helm. J L $

Tandoori Nights, 106 Market St., 301-947-4007, www.tandoorinightsmd.com. Downtown martini

Benny’s Bar & Grill, 7747 Tuckerman Lane (in the Cabin John Shopping Center & Mall), 301-299-3377.

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Elevation Burger, 12525-D Park Potomac Ave., 301838-4010, www.elevationburger.com. Fast-food burgers go organic and grass-fed at this Northern Virginia-founded chain. Veggie burgers, salads and grilled cheese available, too. ❂ L D $ Gregorio’s Trattoria (New), 7745 Tuckerman Lane (in the Cabin John Shopping Center), 301-296-6168, www.gregoriostrattoria.com. “Our food is like a warm hug with spaghetti sauce” is the slogan for this familyowned restaurant, where proprietor Greg Kahn aims to make everyone feel at home. The extensive menu reads like 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 spaghetti and penne. J L D $$ Mix Bar and Grille (New), 9812 Falls Road, Potomac, 301-299-3000, www.mixbarandgrille.com. The former Bezu restaurant has been transformed into a more casual concept, serving charcuterie and cheese plates, brick-oven flatbreads and other light fare. The space was gutted and renovated into a modern, hip and totally different-looking dining room, with Plexiglas chairs, tall white banquettes, oak walls made from old whiskey barrels, five big screen TVs, cobalt blue light fixtures and a 20-seat bar. Look for lots of wines by the glass and beers on tap. See review, page 273. L D $$ MoCo’s Founding Farmers, 12505 Park Potomac Ave., 301-340-8783, www.wearefoundingfarmers. com. Farm-inspired fare in a modern and casual setting; this is the sister restaurant to the phenomenally popular downtown Founding Farmers. Bethesda Magazine readers chose it for “Best Brunch” and “Best Craft Cocktails” in 2014 and as “Best Potomac Restaurant” in 2013. ❂ B R L D $$ Normandie Farm Restaurant, 10710 Falls Road, 301983-8838, www.popovers.com. A fine-dining French restaurant, open since 1931, that strives to preserve its classical heritage while embracing new traditions. It offers quick service and crayons for children, a casual café option and a violinist at afternoon tea. ❂ J R L D $$ Old Angler’s Inn, 10801 MacArthur Blvd., 301-2999097, www.oldanglersinn.com. Open since 1860 and known for its refined American food and beautiful fireplaces and grounds, it features live music on weekends. ❂ R L D $$$ Potomac Pizza, 9812 Falls Road, 301-299-7700, www. potomacpizza.com. See Chevy Chase listing. L D $ Renato at River Falls, 10120 River Road, 301-3651900, www.riverfallsmarket.com. The classic Italian restaurant has added more wine and greatly improved fish dishes to its menu of pastas and classics such as osso bucco and linguini with clams and eggplant parmigiana. ❂ J L D $$ Sugo Osteria & Pizzeria, 12505 Park Potomac Ave.,

Tally-Ho Restaurant, 9923 Falls Road, 301-2996825, www.tallyhorestaurant.com. A local fixture since 1968 serving a diner-style menu with Greek and Italian specialties. ❂ J B L D $ The Grilled Oyster Company (Editors’ Pick), 7943 Tuckerman Lane (in the Cabin John Shopping Center), 301-299-9888, www.thegrilledoystercompa ny.com. Chesapeake-style seafood eatery, featuring small plates, salads, sandwiches and entrées. Happy Hour from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in bar only. Named “Best New Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2014. ❂ J R L D $ The Hunter’s Inn, 10123 River Road, 301-299-9300, www.thehuntersinn.com. A Potomac institution and a popular English hunt-themed spot for a big salad or hamburger lunch with friends or a filet mignon dinner with the family. ❂ J R L D $$ The Tavern at River Falls (Editors’ Pick), 10128 River Road, 301-299-0481, www.thetavernatriverfalls.com. Seafood-heavy pub menu served in a rustic setting; the tavern is owned by the adjacent Renato’s at River Falls and River Falls Seafood Market. ❂ J L D $$ The Wine Harvest, 12525-B Park Potomac Ave., 240-314-0177, www.thewineharvest.com. The second location of the popular Gaithersburg wine bar. See Gaithersburg listing. ❂ L D $ Zoës Kitchen, 12505 Park Potomac Ave., Suite 115, 240-328-1022, www.zoeskitchen.com. First Maryland outpost of a Birmingham, Ala., fast-casual chain, Zoës features Mediterranean dishes such as kabobs, hummus and veggie pita pizzas. Specializes in takeout dinner for four for under $30. ❂ J L D $

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Brooklyn’s Deli & Catering, 1089 Seven Locks Road, 301-340-3354, www.brooklynsdelimd.com. From chopped liver to chicken soup, Brooklyn’s serves all the deli specialties, plus more. ❂ J B L D $

240-386-8080, www.eatsugo.com. The Greek guys who own Cava Mezze and Cava Mezze Grills partner with Mamma Lucia restaurants to serve Italian small plates, meatballs, sliders, pizza and pasta. Bethesda Magazine readers chose Sugo as the “Best New Restaurant” in 2013. ❂ R (only on Sundays) L D $$

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Rockville/ North Bethesda A & J Restaurant (Editors’ Pick), 1319-C Rockville Pike, 301-251-7878, www.aj-restaurant.com/main. html. Northern dim sum, more bread, less dumplings, is the specialty at this hard-to-find spot tucked in the Woodmont Station shopping center. Warm-colored walls and modern lighting surround the young crowd as they dig into thousand-layer pancakes and fresh tofu. Named “Best Dim Sum Brunch” by the magazine’s editors in 2014. L D $ Al Carbon, 200 Park Road, 301-738-0003, www.alcar bonrestaurant.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 and more. ❂ B L D $ Amalfi Ristorante Italiano, 12307 Wilkins Ave., 301770-7888, www.amalfirockville.com. A family-run, redsauce Italian restaurant with specialties like white pizza and lasagna. The gazebo is a charming spot to dine during the summer. J L D $

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dining guide Amina Thai Restaurant, 5065 Nicholson Lane, 301770-9509. Pleasant and bright, Amina Thai is run by a husband-and-wife team and bills itself as the first Muslim Thai restaurant in the area, using only halal meats and serving familiar Thai dishes. L D $

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Benjarong Thai Restaurant, 885 Rockville Pike, 301424-5533, www.benjarongthairestaurant.com. This Thai food stalwart has a reputation for above-average food served in a gracious setting reminiscent of an upscale country home. L D $ Bombay Bistro, 98 W. Montgomery Ave., 301-7628798, www.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. J L D $ BRIO Tuscan Grille, 20 Paseo Drive, 240-221-2691, www.brioitalian.com. Look for Tuscan specialties served in a handsome setting. ❂ J R L D $$ Carbon Peruvian Chicken & Grill, 100-F Gibbs St., 301-251-1944, www.carbonperuviangrill.com. A Peruvian grilled meat mecca from the owners of the popular La Canela, also in Rockville Town Square. ❂ L D $ Cava (Editors’ Pick), 9713 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-309-9090, www.cavamezze.com. The dark and elegant Cava offers small plates of fried Greek cheese, octopus and orzo in cinnamon tomato sauce and martini specials. ❂ R L D $$ Cavo’s Cantina, 4007 Norbeck Road, 301-929-3501. Traditional Tex-Mex fare, from nachos to enchiladas and fajitas. J R L D $$ Chef Geoff’s, 12256 Rockville Pike (in the Towne Plaza), 240-621-3090, www.chefgeoff.com. Geoff Tracy branches out with his fourth eponymous restaurant featuring contemporary cuisine and something for everyone. ❂ J R L D $$ Cuban Corner, 825 Hungerford Drive, 301-279-0310, www.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. L D $

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5552, www.fareastrockvillemd.com. This classic Chinese restaurant greets customers with two royal stone lions out front and sticks to the familiar Chinese-American basics. Check for daily specials. L D $$ Fontina Grille, 801 Pleasant Drive, 301-947-5400, www.fontinagrille.com. A trendy spot with its curvy maple bar and wood-burning pizza oven, Fontina Grille is a favorite gathering place for the King Farm neighborhood. Pizza, pasta and salads are the main attractions. Two-dollar pasta dishes on Monday nights, half-price bottles of wine on Tuesdays and ladies’ night on Thursdays with half-priced alcoholic drinks. ❂ J R L D $$ Gordon Biersch, 200-A E. Middle Lane, Rockville Town Square, 301-340-7159, www.gordonbierschrestau rants.com. 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.❂ J R L D $$ Grand Fusion Cuisine, 350 East Fortune Terrace, 301-838-2862, grandfusionrestaurant.com. Something for everyone seeking a taste of the Asian continent, a full sushi bar, and Chinese, Malaysian and Singaporean specialties. ❂ L D $ Hard Times Café, 1117 Nelson St., 301-294-9720, www.hardtimes.com. See Bethesda listing. J L D $ Hinode Japanese Restaurant, 134 Congressional Lane, 301-816-2190. See Bethesda listing. L D $$ Il Pizzico, 15209 Frederick Road, 301-309-0610, www. 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 make even a weeknight meal feel special. L D $$ India Garden, 1321-C Rockville Pike, 301-838-0000, www.india-garden.com. Decorated in warm shades of orange and yellow, India Garden offers northern Indian specialties such as tandoori chicken and the flavorful flatbread called naan, as well as vegetarian options. Daily lunch buffet. ❂ J L D $

East Pearl, 838-B Rockville Pike, 301-838-8663. www. eastpearlrestaurant.com. Hong Kong cuisine, including familiar dishes, as well as those for adventurous tastes. L D $

Joe’s Noodle House, 1488-C Rockville Pike, 301-8815518, www.joesnoodlehouse.com. Despite the barebones service and dingy interior, Chinese ex-pats and many other customers consider the Szechuan specialties (soft bean curd with spicy sauce and hot beef jerky) among the area’s best examples of gourmet Chinese cooking. L D $

El Mariachi Restaurant, 765-D Rockville Pike, 301738-7177, www.elmariachirockville.com. Serving TexMex 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 $

La Brasa Latin Cuisine, 12401 Parklawn Drive, 301468-8850, www.labrasarockville.com. A bold, yellow awning marks the unlikely industrial location of the popular La Brasa. Customers rave about the rotisserie chicken, lomo saltado (Peruvian marinated steak), Salvadoran pupusas and Tres Leches. ❂ L D $

El Patio, 5240 Randolph Road, 301-231-9225, www. elpatiointernational.com. 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 $

La Canela (Editors’ Pick), 141-D Gibbs St., Rockville Town Square, 301-251-1550, www.lacanelaperu. com/. Sophisticated, modern Peruvian cooking shines in a yellow stucco building graced with curvy black ironwork. ❂ L D $

Far East Restaurant, 5055 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-

La Limeña Restaurant, 765 Rockville Pike, 301-4248066. Diners can choose dishes such as beef hearts, tripe and homemade pastries in this tiny but well-

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appointed eatery. And of course, there’s rotisserie chicken to go. L D $ La Tasca, 141 Gibbs St., Suite 305, Rockville Town Square, 301-279-7011, www.latascausa.com. The Rockville location of this regional chain strives to keep things interesting with 45 tapas dishes and six kinds of paella. ❂ J L D $$ Lebanese Taverna Café, 1605 Rockville Pike, 301468-9086; 115 Gibbs St., Rockville Town Square, 301309-8681; www.lebanesetaverna.com. A casual and pleasant family spot for lunch or dinner after shopping at Congressional Plaza or Rockville Town Square, Lebanese Taverna Café is a more casual offshoot of the local Lebanese Taverna chain, serving hummus, pita, falafel, chicken and lamb kabobs. J L D $ Lighthouse Tofu & BBQ, 12710 Twinbrook Parkway, 301-881-1178. In addition to numerous tofu dishes, diners at this Korean stalwart can try barbecue, stirfried specialties and kimchee, the national dish of pickled cabbage. L D $ Mamma Lucia, 12274-M Rockville Pike, 301-7704894; 14921-J Shady Grove Road, 301-762-8805; www.mammaluciarestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ J L D $$ Matchbox Vintage Pizza Bistro (Editors’ Pick), 1699 Rockville Pike, 301-816-0369, www.matchbox foodgroup.com. Mini-burgers and thin-crusted pizza in a super-cool space in Congressional Plaza. ❂ J R L D $ MemSahib, 4840 Boiling Brook Parkway, 301-4680098, www.memsahibrestaurant.com. Patrons eat the Indian country way, with their hands. MemSahib offers a buffet lunch and a six-course prix fixe dinner while belly dancers entertain customers. L D $$ Michael’s Noodles, 10038 Darnestown Road, 301738-0370, www.michaelsnoodles.com. Extensive Taiwanese menu at this popular strip mall eatery includes dim sum, mixed noodle dishes, noodle soup and unusual specialties. L D $ Mi Rancho, 1488 Rockville Pike, 240-221-2636, www. miranchotexmexrestaurant.com. A boisterous party atmosphere every night at a place serving standard Tex-Mex fare at good prices. The outdoor patio, strung with colorful lights, is the place to be in nice weather. ❂ J L D $ Moa, 12300 Wilkins Ave., 301-881-8880. A welcoming Korean restaurant in the midst of an industrial stretch. Try the seafood pancake appetizer—a satisfying, crispy frittata bursting with squid, clams, shrimp and scallions. L D $ Mosaic Cuisine & Café, 186 Halpine Road, 301-4680682, www.mosaiccuisine.com. A diner with a soft European accent. Try the fresh Belgian waffles for breakfast. For those with hefty appetites, the waffle sandwiches are worth the trip, but don’t overlook the homemade soups or light dinner entrées. JBRLD$ Mykonos Grill, 121 Congressional Lane, 301-7705999, www.mykonosgrill.com. An authentic Greek taverna with whitewashed walls on a busy street, Mykonos Grill turns out legs of lamb and fresh seafood expected at any good Greek restaurant. ❂ J L D $$

Nagoya Sushi Japanese Restaurant, 402 King Farm Blvd., Suite 130, 301-990-6778. Cheery yellow walls decorated with shelves of Japanese knickknacks greet customers at this unassuming sushi spot in King Farm. L D $$ Nick’s Chophouse, 700 King Farm Blvd., 301-9268869, www.nickschophouserockville.com. Aged Angus beef cooked over an open fire is the specialty at this upscale spot, but seafood lovers can get their fill from big crabcakes. Separate bar menu. ❂ J L D $$ Niwano Hana Japanese Restaurant, 887 Rockville Pike, 301-294-0553, www.niwanohana.com. Clean Asian décor and elegant wooden screens greet diners at this friendly and busy sushi spot located in Wintergreen Plaza. Niwano Hana serves the usual sushi rolls, plus more creative options such as a Spicy Scallop Roll with mayonnaise and chili peppers, noodle dishes, teriyaki and yakitori, as well as a special crêpe for dessert. L D $$ Old Kimura Sushi, 785 Rockville Pike, Unit D, 301251-1922, www.oldkimura.com. A small restaurant serving an extensive sushi menu, along with noodle soups, rice dishes and tempura. L D $$ Original Pancake House, 12224 Rockville Pike, 301468-0886, www.ophrestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. J R L $ Oro Pomodoro, 33-A Maryland Ave., Rockville Town Center, 301-251-1111, www.oropomodoro.com. Freshly made Neapolitan-style pizzas, cheese and charcuterie are the draw at this modern, airy, goldaccented space. ❂ J L D $ Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar (New), 11333 Woodglen Drive, 301-816-1100, www.paladarlatin kitchen.com. This small 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, curry shrimp and jerk chicken. The extensive bar selection includes 50 varieties of rum, 15 tequilas and six types of mojitos, plus sangria, margaritas and specialty cocktails.❂ J R L D $$ Pho 75, 771 Hungerford Drive, 301-309-8873. 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. L D $

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Pho 95, 785-H Rockville Pike, 301-294-9391, www. pho95md.com. Pho, the Vietnamese beef noodle soup, is king here. Other offerings include fat ricepaper rolls of shrimp, noodles and herbs with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce. 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 Vietnamese iced coffee is divine. L D $ Pho Nom Nom, 842 Rockville Pike, 301-610-0232, www. phonomnom.net. As the name suggests, the specialty is pho, but there are also grilled dishes, noodles and the Vietnamese sandwich known as banh mi. L D $

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Pitchfork, an American pub, 800 Pleasant Drive, 301-

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dining guide 355-4979. American food with an emphasis on burgers. ❂ LD$ Pizza CS, 1596-B Rockville Pike, 240-833-8090, www. pizzacs.com. Authentic Neapolitan pies offered in a sub-shop atmosphere. ❂ J L D $ Potomac Pizza, 9709 Traville Gateway Drive, 301279-2234, www.potomacpizza.com. See Chevy Chase listing. ❂ J L D $ Quench, 9712 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-424-8650, www.quenchnation.com. Urban bar scene in the suburbs, with unique cocktails and contemporary American cuisine. ❂ J R L D $$ Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company, 891-A Rockville Pike, 240-268-1120, www.rocklands.com. John Snedden has perfected the art of barbecue since he first opened Rocklands in Washington, D.C., in 1990. This location serves all-American pork ribs, smoked chicken, brisket and lamb cooked exclusively over red oak and hickory. ❂ J L D $ Rolls ‘N Rice, 1701 Rockville Pike (Shops at Congressional Village), 301-770-4030, www.rollsnrice. com. This Asian café serves more than 25 varieties of rolls, from a volcano roll (spicy tuna, white fish, salmon, tomato, jalapeno, fish eggs and vegetables) to a Philadelphia Roll (smoked salmon, cream cheese and avocado). J L D $ Sadaf Halal Restaurant, 1327-K Rockville Pike, 301424-4040. An elegant alternative to the run-of-themill kabob places dotting the Pike, Sadaf is pristine, with lace curtains and glass mosaic tiles in front. In addition to kabobs, it offers Persian curries and fish dishes. ❂ J L D $

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Sam’s Café & Market, 844 Rockville Pike, 301-4241600, www.samcafemarket.com. After filling up on the kitchen’s juicy skewered meats, have a gelato and check out the hookahs. ❂ J L D $

Seth, chef and owner of Bethesda’s Passage to India, this location offers lower prices, smaller plates and dishes reflecting the history of culinary influences on India. ❂ J R L D $$

Seasons 52, 11414 Rockville Pike, 301-984-5252, www. seasons52.com. A fresh, seasonal menu featuring items under 475 calories. Nightly piano music. Voted “Best Rockville Restaurant” in 2013. ❂ L D $$

Super Bowl Noodle, 785 Rockville Pike, 301-738-0086. Asian noodle dishes in super-size portions. ❂ L D $

Seven Seas Chinese Restaurant, 1776 East Jefferson St., 301-770-5020, www.sevenseasrestaurant. com. An elegant restaurant popular with politicians and local chefs and known for its fresh seafood and impeccable service. Specials include the paper hot pot, meals using ancient Chinese herbs and afternoon tea. Sushi, too. J L D $ Sheba Restaurant, 5071 Nicholson Lane, Rockville, 301-881-8882, www.shebarockville.com. Authentic Ethiopian cuisine, with lots of vegetarian and vegan options. L D $ Sichuan Jin River, 410 Hungerford Drive, 240-4037351, www.scjinriver.com. Terrific Sichuan cuisine served in a no-frills setting. Take the plunge with the authentic Chinese menu. L D $ Silver Diner, 12276 Rockville Pike, 301-770-2828, www.silverdiner.com. Shiny new digs replace the local chain’s first location a few traffic lights away. The latest food trends (think quinoa coconut pancakes) share company on the enormous menu with diner staples such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes. J B R L D $ Spice Xing, 100-B Gibbs St., Rockville Town Square, 301-610-0303, www.spicexing.com. Started by Sudhir

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Sushi Damo, 36-G Maryland Ave., Rockville Town Square, 301-340-8010, www.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 $$ Sushi House Japanese Restaurant, 1331-D Rockville Pike, 301-309-0043. A tiny, plain restaurant serving fresh sushi. Lunch specials for under $7. It’s popular, so be prepared to wait. L D $$ Sushi Oishii, 9706 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-2511177, www.sushioishii.com. Charming sushi bar in the Traville Gateway Center offering friendly service and 24 specialty sushi rolls, bento boxes and a few grilled items. ❂ L D $$ Taipei Tokyo, 14921-D Shady Grove Road (Fallsgrove Village Center), 301-738-8813; 11510-A Rockville Pike, 301881-8388; www.taipei-tokyo.net. These sister restaurants offer a sizable roster of Chinese, Japanese and Thai dishes. Opened in 2003, the Fallsgrove Village location is the younger and sleeker of the two, with full sit-down service. The older sister, opened in 1993 across from White Flint Mall, is more like a noodle shop/cafeteria. L D $$ Tara Asia, 199-D E. Montgomery Ave., 301-315-8008. A pan-Asian offshoot of the Tara Thai family, dominated by a floor-to-ceiling mosaic and an 82-item menu that spans the cuisine from Japan to Thailand and the tiny islands in between. ❂ J L D $$ Tara Thai, 12071 Rockville Pike, 301-231-9899, www. tarathai.com.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $$ Taste of Saigon (Editors’ Pick), 20-A Maryland Ave., Rockville Town Square, 301-424-7222, www.tasteof saigon.com. This neighborhood favorite focuses on elegant Vietnamese preparations. Tamarind soft-shell crab and lime steak topped with an egg are specialties, but a variety of noodle dishes and lemongrass skewers are also offered. ❂ L D $$ Ted’s 355 Diner, 895 Rockville Pike, 301-340-0088, www.teds355.com. The former Broadway and Hollywood diners get reincarnated again, this time by Virginia pizza restaurateur Ted Thedorou. J B R L D $$ Temari Café, 1043 Rockville Pike, 301-340-7720. Deep-fried oysters, classic rice balls and comic books to peruse while you await your order set this Japanese restaurant apart from the rest. L D $$ Thai Farm, 800 King Farm Blvd., 301-258-8829, www. thaifarmrestaurant.com. A tastefully modern dining room soaked in a soothing yellow light. The usual suspects are on the menu here, but chef’s suggestions include an intriguing broiled fish wrapped in banana leaf and stir-fried duck. L D $$ Thai Pavilion, 29 Maryland Ave., Unit 308, Rockville Town Square, 301-545-0244, www.thaipavilionrestau rant.com. The soaring ceilings decorated with red chandeliers shaped like giant, stationary spinning

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“Voted best Best Pizza by the readers of Bethesda Magazine, 2014”

tops give the feel of a modern museum. When the menu says spicy, believe it. ❂ J L D $$ That’s Amore, 15201 Shady Grove Road, 240-2680682, www.thatsamore.com. This local chain focuses on family-style portions of classic Neapolitan dishes like lasagna and chicken Parmesan in a more elegant setting than might be expected. Good for groups and large families. J L D $$ The Original Ambrosia Restaurant, 12015 Rockville Pike, 301-881-3636, www.theoriginalambrosia.com. When Ambrosia Restaurant lost its lease after 30 years, the original employees opened this location, which features an eclectic menu of breakfast, gyros, pizza, crabcakes and soups. J B L D $ The Potomac Grill, 1093 Rockville Pike, 301-7388181, www.thepotomacgrill.com. A spacious, nautical-themed restaurant with a fireplace, Potomac Grill specializes in seafood but also features serious steaks, burgers and salads. Look for daily specials featuring a catch of the day and several desserts of the day. J R L D $$ Timpano Italian Chophouse, 12021 Rockville Pike, 301-881-6939, www.timpanochophouse.net. A chain steak house with an Italian accent, Timpano is a favorite of wheeler-dealer business lunchers and nighttime diners looking for a high-quality steak or wellprepared pasta. ❂ J R L D $$$ Tower Oaks Lodge, 2 Preserve Parkway, 301-294-0200, www.clydes.com. The Clyde’s version of a lodge in the mountains. Well-prepared food runs the gamut of American desires, from burgers to fish. J R L D $$

Silver Spring 8407 Kitchen Bar (Editors’ Pick), 8407 Ramsey Ave., 301-587-8407, 8407kb.com. With new chef Ed Witt, this sleek space across from the Silver Spring Metro prides itself on stellar service and from-scratch preparations, such as house-smoked salmon and home-cured charcuterie. It tied for “Best Silver Spring Restaurant” in 2013. J R L D $$ Addis Ababa, 8233 Fenton St., 301-589-1400 or 301589-1999. Authentic Ethiopian-style vegetables and fiery meats served atop spongy bread in communal bowls. Traditional woven tables and a roof deck add to the ambience. ❂ R L D $ Adega Wine Cellars & Café, 8519 Fenton St., 301608-2200, www.adegawinecellars.com. This light and bright blond wood dining room serves creative sandwiches and allows customers to choose from a small selection of wines by the bottle to take home. A fine place to stop for lunch, if only to try the eggplant fries. ❂ L D $ Asian Bistro Café, 8537 Georgia Ave., 301-589-0123, www.asianbistrocafe.com. A bevy of choices, from Japanese sushi to Chinese noodles and vegetarian dishes. L D $ Austin Grill, 919 Ellsworth Drive, 240-247-8969, www. austingrill.com. Fun and friendly service welcomes families and couples to this noisy, colorful Tex-Mex favorite. ❂ J R L D $$

Azúcar Restaurant Bar & Grill, 14418 Layhill Road, 301-438-3293, azucarrestaurantmd.com. The name means sugar, and it fits. A colorful Salvadoran spot decorated in bright purple and orange with Cubiststyle paintings. The pork-stuffed corn pupusas are stars. Also look for more elegant dinners, including fried whole trout. L D $$

Urban Burger Company, 5566 Norbeck Road, 301460-0050, www.iloveubq.com. Urban Bar-B-Que’s Black Angus burgers were so popular, its owners decided to open another location in 2007. The fullservice restaurant also offers killer fries, salads and wings. ❂ J L D $

Blair Mansion Inn, 7711 Eastern Ave., 301-588-1688, www.blairmansion.com. The graciously restored, 19th-century mansion (formerly the residence of Abigail and Charles Newman) is best known for its participatory mystery dinner theater shows, but it also serves dinner à la carte for private events. J L D $$

Villa Maya, 5532 Norbeck Road (in the Rock Creek Village Center), 301-460-1247, www.villamayarestau rant.com. Traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex food for the whole family. ❂ J R L D $$ Woodside Deli, 4 N. Washington St., 301-444-4478, www.thewoodsidedeli.com. A second location of the venerable Silver Spring eatery and caterer that has been dishing up matzo ball soup since 1947. This one has a pickle bar. ❂ J B R L D $ Yekta, 1488 Rockville Pike, 301-984-0005, www.yekta. com. Persian cuisine served in a beautiful dining room. Check out the adjacent market after polishing off your kebab. L D $$ Yuan Fu Vegetarian, 798 Rockville Pike, 301-762-5937, www.yuanfuvegetarian.com. From tea-smoked “duck” to kung pao “chicken,” the whole menu is meatless, made from Chinese vegetable products. L D $

After eating our homemade pizzas you will think you have died and gone to Haven

7137 WISCONSIN WISCONSIN AVE. AVE. 7137 BETHESDA, MD MD BETHESDA, 301-664-9412 301-664-9412

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dining guide garlic) and fried plantains keep customers coming back. ❂ J L D $$ Da Marco Ristorante Italiano, 8662 Colesville Road, 301-588-6999, www.damarcorestaurant.com. This full-service restaurant has been a fixture in Silver Spring for years, with an intimate ambience for classic Italian pasta suppers. J L D $$ Eggspectation, 923 Ellsworth Drive, 301-585-1700, www.eggspectations.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 and dinners. ❂ J B L D $$ El Aguila Restaurant, 8649 16th St., 301-588-9063, www.elaguilarestaurant.com. A cheery bar and generous plates of Tex-Mex favorites such as enchiladas and Salvadoran seafood soup make this popular with families and others looking for a lively night out. ❂ J L $ El Gavilan, 8805 Flower Ave., 301-587-4197. The walls are bright, the music’s upbeat, the margaritas are fine and the service is friendly. The usual Tex-Mex fare is here, as well as Salvadoran specialties such as tasty cheese- or pork-filled pupusas. Live music on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. J L D $ El Golfo, 8739 Flower Ave., 301-608-2121, elgolfores taurant.com. Friendly, home-style Latin service is the hallmark, as attested to by the many Salvadorans who stop in for lunch and dinner. Pupusas, soups and beef dishes such as carne asada as well as more adventurous choices can be found in the charming, raspberry-colored dining room. ❂ J R L D $ Fenton Café, 8311 Fenton St., 301-326-1841. An out-of-the-way crêperie serving 31 kinds of sweet crêpes and 16 varieties of savory crêpes. B L D $ Fire Station 1 Restaurant & Brewing Co., 8131 Georgia Ave., 301-585-1370, www.firestation-1.com. A historic firehouse has been given a makeover as an eatery serving 21st-century pizza, sandwiches, meat, seafood and vegetarian entrées. J R L D $ Golden Flame Restaurant & Lounge, 8630 Fenton St., 301-588-7250, www.goldenflamerestaurant. com. A standard-bearer for Greek-American sit-down restaurants in the area for 40 years. Its warm wood bar and yellow and white walls welcome patrons to feast on steaks, seafood, pastas and Greek specialties. ❂ J L D $$ Jackie’s Restaurant (Editors’ Pick), 8081 Georgia Ave., 301-565-9700, www.jackiesrestaurant.com. This lovable eatery serves modern American cuisine in a former-auto-repair-shop-gone-1960s-hot-pink. The Sidebar is a cocktail lounge; Jackie’s Back Room has live music and private parties. The restaurant tied for “Best Silver Spring Restaurant” in 2013. R D $$ Jewel of India, 10151 New Hampshire Ave., 301-4082200, www.jewelofindiamd.com. Elegant décor and top-notch northern Indian cuisine make this shopping center restaurant a real find. ❂ L D $$ Kao Thai, 8650 Colesville Road, 301-495-1234, www. kaothairestaurant.com. This recently expanded restaurant turns out top-notch curries, noodle dishes and vegetarian options, plus house specialties, such as Siam Salmon with Spicy Thai Basil Sauce. ❂ L D $$

La Casita Pupuseria & Market, 8214 Piney Branch Road, 301-588-6656, www.lacasitapupusas.com. Homemade pupusas, tamales and other Salvadoran specialties, plus a full breakfast menu and a small selection of grocery items. B L D $ LacoMelza Ethiopian Cafe, 7912 Georgia Ave., 301326-2435, www.lacomelza.com. Traditional Ethiopian cuisine served in a modern and attractive setting. J R L D $ La Malinche, 8622 Colesville Road, 301-562-8622, www.lamalinchetapas.com. 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 $$ Langano Ethiopian Restaurant, 8305 Georgia Ave., 301-563-6700, www.langanorestaurant.com/. Named for the popular Ethiopian vacation spot, Lake Langano, this longtime restaurant offers fine Ethiopian cuisine such as doro wat (spicy chicken stew) and tibs (stewed meat) in a cozy white- and red-accented dining room. Lunch specials on weekdays. L D $ Lebanese Taverna Café, 933 Ellsworth Drive, 301588-1192, www.lebanesetaverna.com. See Rockville listing. ❂ J L D $ Mamma Lucia, 1302 East West Highway, 301-5620693, www.mammaluciarestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. J L D $$ Mandalay Restaurant & Café, 930 Bonifant St., 301585-0500, www.mandalayrestaurantcafe.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, 301-5871270, www.mcgintyspublichouse.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. Happy Hour from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. ❂ J R L D $$ Mi Rancho, 8701 Ramsey Ave., 301-588-4872, www. miranchotexmexrestaurant.com. See Rockville listing. ❂ J L D $ Mrs. K’s Restaurant, 9201 Colesville Road, 301-5893500, www.mrsks.com. An elegant, antique-filled option for special occasions and sublime Sunday brunch. This historic restaurant beckons a younger crowd with the Wine Press, a European-style wine bar downstairs, which has its own more casual menu. ❂ J R L D $$$ Olazzo, 8235 Georgia Ave., 301-588-2540, www. olazzo.com. The Silver Spring location of the Bethesda restaurant draws crowds to its dark and intimate space with classic Italian-American fare and Tuesday martini specials. ❂ J L D $ Oriental East Restaurant, 1312 East West Highway, 301-608-0030, www.orientaleast.com. Be prepared to wait for a table and maneuver around carts filled with dumplings, noodles and spare ribs at this popular dim sum restaurant that caters to families and groups on weekends. Chinese standards for dinner, plus tripe and jellyfish. L D $ Pacci’s Neapolitan Pizzeria (Editors’ Pick), 8113

Georgia Ave., 301-588-1011, www.paccispizzeria.com. This stylish eatery turns out top-notch pizzas from a wood-burning oven. ❂ J (upon request) L D $ Pacci’s Trattoria & Pasticceria, 6 Old Post Office Road, 301-588-0867, www.facebook.com/Paccis Trattoria. Classic Italian dishes, including homemade meatballs and sausage, from the owner of Pacci’s Pizzeria, also in Silver Spring. L D $$ Parkway Deli & Restaurant, 8317 Grubb Road, 301-587-1427, www.theparkwaydeli.com. Voted “Best Deli” for 2014 by Bethesda Magazine readers, Parkway features a bustling back dining room, around for decades, that makes this popular spot so much more than a deli. Longtime waitresses greet regular customers and kids with hugs during busy weekend breakfasts. All-you-can-eat pickle bar. ❂ B L D $ Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza, 962 Wayne Ave., 301-588-7383, www.petesapizza.com. Sporting more stylish décor than its other locations (see Upper NW D.C.), Pete’s fourth and latest restaurant offers the same crunchy-crusted New Haven-style pizzas, plus pasta, panini and salads. This branch is the only one so far to offer fried calamari. J L D $ Pho Hiep Hoa, 921-G Ellsworth Drive, 301-588-5808, phohiephoa.com. Seventeen kinds of Vietnamese soup called pho can be customized to taste in this upbeat restaurant overlooking the action in the downtown area. L D $ Piratz Tavern, 8402 Georgia Ave., 301-588-9001, www.piratztavern.com. Decorated to the hilt with scabbards, skeletons and booty, this pirate-themed tavern opened by husband-and-wife graphic artists offers frequent live entertainment and a secluded back terrace. ❂ J L D $ Quarry House Tavern, 8401 Georgia Ave., 301-5878350, www.quarryhousetavern.com. A great dive that serves organic burgers and dozens of beers; frequent live music. D $ Romano’s Macaroni Grill, 931 Ellsworth Drive, 301562-2806, www.macaronigrill.com. See Gaithersburg listing. J L D $$ Samantha’s, 631 University Blvd. East, 301-445-7300, 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 $$ Scion, 1200 East-West Highway, 301-585-8878, www. scionrestaurant.com. A contemporary American eatery from sisters Joanne and Julie Liu, who also own a popular Dupont Circle restaurant with the same name. Look for everything from wasabi Caesar salad to lobster reuben to spicy yogurt chicken. R L D $$ Sergio’s 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 Double Tree Hotel. Ravioli with asparagus and cheese in a tarragon sauce is popular. L D $$ Sushi Jin, 8555 Fenton St., 301-608-0990, www. sushijinnextdoor.com. Spare, clean and modern,

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with terrific udon noodle soup and impeccable raw fish. L D $$ sweetgreen, 8517 Georgia Ave., 301-244-5402, www. sweetgreen.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $ Tastee Diner, 8601 Cameron St., 301-589-8171, www. tasteediner.com. A 1930s-era lowbrow classic open 24 hours and featuring friendly service and typical diner food. ❂ J B L D $ Thai at Silver Spring, 921-E Ellsworth Drive, 301-6500666, www.thaiatsilverspring.com. The Americanized Thai food is second to the location, which is superb for people-watching on the street below. A modern and stylish dining room with a hip bar in bold colors and good service add to the appeal. ❂ L D $$ Thai Derm, 939 Bonifant St., 301-589-5341, www. thaidermusa.com. This local favorite serves homestyle Thai food in a pleasantly modest dining room off a quiet street near downtown. The large menu includes noodle dishes like pad Thai and savory-sweet salads. Lunch specials daily. ❂ L D $ The Big Greek Café, 8223 Georgia Ave., 301-5874733, www.biggreekcafe.com. Owned by the Marmaras brothers, whose family operates the decadesold Golden Flame restaurant, the café serves a hit parade of Greek specialties, including a top-notch chicken souvlaki pita. ❂ J L D $ The Classics (Editors’ Pick), 8606 Colesville Road, 301-588-7297, www.raystheclassics.com. Michael Landrum’s second restaurant features great steaks and seafood served without the pomp in a basic white dining room. Serious drinks and fresh seasonal American fare. D $$$

with traditional fare like steak frites, bouillabaisse and braised lamb cheeks. R L D $$

Café of India, 4909 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-244-1395, www.cafeofindiadc.com. Cute corner café with two levels of dining. Features an extensive menu, including vegetarian and Tandoori entrées, dosas, samosas, tikkas, curries and kabobs. ❂ L D $$

Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza, 4940 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-237-7383, www.petesapizza.com. New Haven-inspired pizza with crusts that are crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Salads, pasta and panini also served. ❂ J L D $

Chads Friendship Heights, 5247 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-362-8040, www.dcchadwicks.com. Neighborhood hangout sometimes compared to Cheers, but with a full menu beyond bar food, including salads, steaks, seafood and sandwiches. ❂ J R L D $$

Range (Editors’ Pick), 5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 201, 202-803-8020, www.voltrange.com. Celebrity chef Bryan Voltaggio’s extravaganza, featuring multiple open kitchens, 300 seats, an enormous wine list, and one-of-a-kind small plates. The restaurant was chosen for “Best Cocktail” in 2014 by the magazine’s editors. L D $$$

The Greek Place, 8417 Georgia Ave., 301-495-2912, www.thegreekplace.net. Big portions of better-thanaverage food at reasonable prices. The bifteki pita sandwich, a seasoned ground lamb and beef patty with tzatziki, tomatoes and red onions, is especially good. ❂ J L D $

DeCarlo’s Restaurant, 4822 Yuma St. NW. 202-3634220, www.decarlosrestaurant.com. Family-owned neighborhood staple, with traditional Italian menu and upscale/casual atmosphere. Signature dishes include agnolotti, veal Bolognese, broiled salmon and hand-made pasta. ❂ L D $$

The Society Lounge, 8229 Georgia Ave., 301-5658864, www.societyss.com. Former collegiate and professional basketball player Jason Miskiri opened this restaurant and lounge with a Caribbean accent. ❂ L D $$

Woodside Deli & Restaurant, 9329 Georgia Ave., 301-589-7055, www.thewoodsidedeli.com. Famous for its matzo ball soup, terrific clubs and Reuben sandwiches since 1947. J B L D $

Comet Ping Pong (Editors’ Pick), 5037 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-0404, www.cometpingpong.com. Landmark fun spot where you can play ping-pong or admire local art while you wait for your woodfired pizza. ❂ R L (weekends only) D $

Vicino Ristorante Italiano, 959 Sligo Ave., 301588-3372, vicinoitaliano.com. A favorite neighborhood red-sauce joint that hasn’t changed in decades, featuring some fine seafood choices in addition to classic pasta dishes. Families welcome. ❂ L D $

Masala Art (Editors’ Pick) 4441-B Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-362-4441, www.masalaartdc.com. Fine Indian dining featuring tandoor-oven specialties and masterful Indian spicing. L D $$

Buck’s Fishing and Camping, 5031 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-0777, www.bucksfishingandcamping. com. Hip takes on comfort food such as roast chicken (locally raised) and “camp” steak, with fun twists that include grilled chorizo and tempura squash blossoms, in an artsy-chic setting. D $$$

The Daily Dish, 8301 Grubb Road, 301-588-6300, www.thedailydishrestaurant.com. A neighborhood favorite serving seasonally inspired, locally sourced comfort food. Full-service catering, too. ❂ J R L D $$

Urban Bar-B-Que Company, 10163 New Hampshire Ave., 301-434-7427, www.iloveubq.com. A fast and friendly spot to meet for smoked meats, especially the ribs. See Rockville listing. J L D $

Maggiano’s, 5333 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-966-5500, www.maggianos.com. Old-style Italian fare that’s a favorite for large groups and private celebrations. J L D $$

Guapo’s Fine Mexican Cuisine, 4515 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-686-3588, www.guaposrestaurant.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ R L D $$ Jake’s American Grille, 5018 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202966-5253, www.jakesdc.com. Burgers, steaks and sandwiches in a restaurant named after the owner’s grandfather, an accomplished Navy test engineer. J R L D $$ Le Chat Noir, 4907 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-2442044, www.lechatnoirrestaurant.com. Cute, cozy neighborhood bistro run by French restaurateurs,

Rosa Mexicano, 5225 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-7779959, www.rosamexicano.com. Upscale Mexican chain known for its tableside-prepared guacamole and stylish decor. J R L D $$ Satay Club Asian Restaurant and Bar, 4654 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-363-8888, www.asiansatayclub. com. Comfortable/casual with a menu that spans Japanese sushi, Chinese moo-shi vegetables, Thai curries and Vietnamese spring rolls. L D $ Tanad Thai, 4912 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-966-0616, www.tanadthaicuisine.com. Extensive menu includes noodles, rice, curries and vegetarian entrées, and even a Thai lemonade cocktail. ❂ L D $$ Tara Thai, 4849 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-363-4141, www.tarathai.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ R L D $ Terasol (Editors’ Pick), 5010 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-237-5555, www.terasolartisans.com. Charming French café serving soups, salads, quiches and a few entrées, along with jewelry and pottery from local artisans. Live music on Fridays and Saturdays. ❂ JBLD$ The Dancing Crab, 4615 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-2441882, www.thedancingcrab.com. Informal family restaurant that looks as if it has been relocated from the beach, with a fresh seafood menu that includes hardshell and soft-shell crabs in season. ❂ J L D $$

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shop

talk

By Cynthia Hacinli

Wedding Belles Weddings have gone high style, with trends that are hitting the runway influencing bridal gown design. One reason is that well-known designers—think Vera Wang and Oscar de la Renta—have crossed over into creating wedding gowns. Another is that brides who follow fashion 24/7 want to look upto-the-minute on their big day. Though there will always be classic styles, this spring’s on-trend brides will be wearing gowns with fishtail and trumpet hems, keyhole backs, slim column cuts, plunging V-necks, boleros, and lace, lace, lace. Check out the latest looks. ▲

▲ Mallory column gown of Chantilly lace from Vera Wang at Saks Jandel in Chevy Chase, $4,190

Beaded lace gown with V-neck and keyhole back from Augusta Jones at Claire Dratch in Bethesda, $2,695

Strapless fishtail gown in ivory from David’s Bridal Collection at David’s Bridal in Rockville, $749

All Courtesy Photos

Ashton gown with Chantilly lace on tulle with matching lace bolero from Oscar de la Renta at Saks Jandel in Chevy Chase. Gown, $9,590; bolero, $1,490.

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This Is Personal In this era of DIY, it’s comforting to know that personal service isn’t dead. It’s alive and well at Etcetera in downtown B ethesda, where longt ime C he v y Chase resident Polly Sturm sells the edgier, less pricey line of Carlisle, a luxury clothing brand Etcetera’s typically sold at inPolly Sturm home trunk shows. Until a couple of years ago, Etcetera was also sold through home shows. Now there’s a brick-and-mortar showroom—the only one in the country—filled with samples to mix and match before ordering. Sturm manages Etcetera, where she and nine other area salespeople/stylists bring clients to try on clothes that range from $175 tops to $495 jackets/coats. You visit the showroom by appointment and the experience feels much like having a personal stylist. Bonobos, the new menswear showroom on Bethesda Avenue, takes a similar approach. Sturm, who previously worked in public relations but always had a passion for clothes, began selling Etcetera 12 years ago when her kids were teenagers. “I like helping women feel good about themselves,” she says. 4709 Montgomery Ave., Bethesda, 301-215-8363, www.etcetera.com

Not Your Average

Bear

Build-a-Bear at Westfield Montgomery Mall has gone virtual. That doesn’t mean the stuffed bear is no more. But the process of creating it has gotten more interactive. You can customize your bear ($10 to $25) with personality traits (brave, smart, silly) displayed as emoticons at the Love Me Station; and add sounds, such as recordings of your own voice and music loaded onto a chip that’s inserted in the bear at the Hear Me station. The Fluff Me station is a virtual bathtub with rippling “water” and “soap bubbles.” Even naming the bear has gotten more high-tech, with kids creating a personalized birth certificate and photo at the Name Me station. All of it is included with the price of the bear, except for the sounds, which range from $4 to $8. Westfield Montgomery Mall, 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, 301-365-8388, www.buildabear.com

Michael Ventura (Sturm); Courtesy photos (Build-a-Bear, DePandi)

All in the Family It was probably inevitable that Giuliana Rancic would end up as a fashion doyenne for the E! television network. Her father, Eduardo DePandi, has been a master tailor making bespoke suits for such notables as Placido Domingo for more than 35 years. DePandi’s most recent shop was the now-defunct Bruno Cipriani in White Flint Mall, but now he has opened an upscale men’s clothing store next door to Saks Jandel and across from the pearls-and-mink strip of Tiffany & Co., Gucci, Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton in Chevy Chase. In addition to custom suits made from luxe fabrics, DePandi also carries ready-to-wear suits, shirts, ties, leather goods and sportswear from such lines as Stefano Ricci, Versace and Marol. And while daughter Giuliana prefers gowns on the Red Carpet, her husband, Bill Rancic, is an avid fan of DePandi’s suits. ■ DePandi the store and the man (upper left)

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shop

talk

Tie One On Life is too short to wrestle with a bow tie. So Sasha Whitaker has come up with a solution: the

magnetic bow tie. Whitaker, who grew up in Bethesda and attended Holton Arms, now lives and works in Rockville. She created her first bow tie by folding fabrics and hand sewing, and then started selling the bow ties through her company, Sasha Bella, last summer. Besides bow ties for boys and men in preppy plaids, gingham and stripes, Whitaker also launched a women’s line this past year with magnetic bow accessories featuring crystal, ribbon and leather. Each bow or bow tie has a strong magnet sewn into it with a second magnet for snapping it into place. Whitaker has a small staff that hand- and machine-sews the bows and bow ties. “My sister and I grew up sewing, thanks to my mother, and I have always made my own clothes,” Whitaker says. Next up are matching accessory sets for couples so that a woman’s purse can match her man’s bow tie. Sasha Bella bows and bow ties sell for $7.95 to $35.95. Custom bow ties can be ordered, as well. Whitaker donates 10 percent of the proceeds to orphans in India through the Sahasra Deepika Foundation. www.sasha-bella.com and www.etsy.com

Without a Doubt Renan Kennedy of Potomac began her chemical-free skin-care line, Sans, in 2012 as a real labor of love. Her mother had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and the chemo had turned her skin to cracked leather. Unable to find 100 percent chemical-free lotions to help, Kennedy, a graphic designer by trade, decided to create her own. “I not only researched ingredients,” she says, “but I was interested in how the body processes what we put on it.” After some trial and error, she came up with Sans (meaning “without” in French), a line of scrubs, serums, body butters and lip balms made from plant-derived ingredients and beeswax. Kennedy’s mother lived long enough to see the products sold at Flora’s Feathered Nest in Potomac, the first store to carry the line. Sans is still sold at Flora’s and through Someone With, a Frederick-based outfit that works with cancer patients, as well as online. Prices range from $6 for the lip balm to $65 for the company’s Nourish Face Serum, which targets elasticity and cell regeneration. Sans Petite, a product line including bath and skin products for babies, debuted in November. Her new challenge? A chemical-free post-surgical balm to heal scars. Kennedy says several doctors have contacted her and she is working on it. Flora’s Feathered Nest, 12211 River Road, Potomac, 301-765-0003, florasfeath erednest.com or www.sansskincare.com

openings A branch of Pure Barre, a ballet-based exercise chain, has opened at 4930 Hampden Lane in the former Bundles of Cookies space in the Shoppes of Bethesda. Think classes like Fab Abs, Lifted Seat and Bye Bye Inner Thighs. …T.J.Maxx, the discount retailer for everything from bath towels to designer shoes, has relocated from 4350 Jennifer St. NW to 5252 Wisconsin Ave. NW, the former two-level Filene’s Basement locale, in Friendship Heights. …Gaylord Lighting, the lighting fixtures and repair shop, has moved from 7833 Woodmont Ave. to 5272 River Road in Bethesda, where parking is more readily available. … Friendship Pharmacy has opened a beauty and health department adjoining the pharmacy in the Chevy Chase Building at 5530 Wisconsin Ave. in Chevy Chase. n Cynthia Hacinli lives in Chevy Chase and has written for GQ, The New York Times and National Geographic Traveler. Send Shop Talk ideas to editorial@bethesdamagazine.com.

All Courtesy Photos

Sasha Bella bows for ladies and gents

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3 - 14

Washington, D.C.

Champions Club House

Day

Coed

3 - 18

Rockville

Creative Summer at Holton-Arms

Day

Coed

3.5 - 13

Bethesda

ESF Summer Camps at Georgetown Prep

Day

Coed

4 - 15

N. Bethesda

Georgetown Prep Sports Camps

Day

Coed

8 - 15

N. Bethesda

Green Acres School Summer Camp

Day

Coed

3 - 12

N. Bethesda

Imagination Stage Summer Camp

Day

Coed

4 - 18

Bethesda

Landon Summer

Day

Coed

3.5 - 17

Bethesda

Language Stars

Day

Coed

1 - 10

multiple locations

Lowell School Summer Programs

Day

Coed

3 - 14

Washington, D.C.

Mercersburg Summer

Overnight

Coed

7 - 17

Mercersburg, Pa.

Oneness-Family School Summer Programs

Day

Coed

2 - 11

Chevy Chase

Rockville Summer Programs

Day

Coed

3 - 16

Rockville

Round House Theatre

Day

Coed

5 - 18

Bethesda, Silver Spring

Silver Stars Gymnastics

Day

Coed

3.5 - 15

Silver Spring, Bowie

St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Athletic Summer Camp

Day

Coed

7 - 15

Washington, D.C.

Stone Ridge Summer CampUs

Coed

4 - 16

Bethesda

Summer at WES

Day & Overnight

Coed

4-14

Bethesda

SummerEdge at McLean School

Day

Coed

3 - 18

Potomac

Valley Mill Camp

Day

Coed

4 - 14

Darnestown

WIS Passport to Summer

Day

Coed

3 - 16

Washington, D.C.

YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase/Ayrlawn Center

Day

Coed

4 - 15

Bethesda

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Special Advertising Section

Field Trips

Water sports Horses

Essential information on summer camps

Specialties Website 30+ courses include 16mm film, journalism, broadcast journalism music entertainment production, commercial production, photography and video game design

●

Study international relations and receive college credit. Attend briefings at the State Department and embassies. Develop research and writing skills. On-site swimming, horseback riding, sports, special day-long field trips and overnights, social activities, outdoor skills, dramatics and music

●

Outdoor swimming pool/swimming lessons, outdoor education and adventure, comprehensive early childhood camp program

●

Phone

●

audiscover.org

202-885-2098

●

american.edu/sis/communityofscholars

202-885-2442

●

barrie.org/barrie-camp

301-576-2816

●

beauvoirschool.org

202-537-6485

The area’s top baseball camp. Learn directly from the Big Train college star players and special celebrity guests.

bigtrain.org/summercamp

301-365-1076

Something for Everyone…..60+ athletic, specialty, and academic camps in one- to three-week sessions. 12 new camps in 2014!

●

bullis.org/summerprograms

301-983-5741

Calleva offers exciting outdoor adventures in nearby wilderness areas -”Rivers, Trails, Rocks & Farm”

●

calleva.org

301-216-1248

Traditional activities: archery, ropes, arts specialty, tennis, water skiing, gymnastics, equestrian

●

campfriendship.com

800-873-3223

Build lifelong friendships while on outdoor adventures, creating art, backpacking, sailing, rock climbing, rafting, gardening & more!

●

camphiddenmeadows.com

304-456-5191

Participate in hands-on driving education at a real racetrack, as well as enjoy traditional summer camp!

●

campmotorsport.com

855-508-9382

Horseback riding, swimming, soccer, tennis, gymnastics, basketball, track and field, and more

●

camp-olympia.com

301-926-9281

Horseback riding, aquatics with private lake and two pools, sports, performing arts, arts and crafts

●

camprimrock.com

347-746-7625

●

campstrawderman.com

301-868-1905

Riding, swimming, tennis, archery, dance, arts and crafts, hiking CASA offers a variety of classes based on fine arts and performing arts

●

Sports, LAX, field hockey, soccer, volleyball

casaatsheridan.org

202-507-7723

championsfieldhouse.com

301-838-7403

Arts, cooking, crafts, dance, music, nature, sports, swimming, tennis, theater, tutoring, trasnportation, extended day and more

●

holton-arms.edu/creative summer

301-365-6008

60 activities across 3 camps, including swimming, art, sports, performing arts, science and nature, fencing, martial arts, archery, “True Life Adventures” and more

●

esfcamps.com/georgetownprep

301-493-2525

gpcamps.org

301-214-1213

GPCamps offers the following sports: Basketball, golf, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, wrestling, baseball, football Daily, on-site swimming instruction; Create your own path in Science & Technology, Sports, Music and Art.

●

More than 100 1, 2, 3, & 4-week camps in drama, dance, musical theatre and filmmaking Day camps, specialty art, music, sports, and travel programs, academic classes, bus transportation, extended hours

●

Fun foreign language for kids in Spanish, French, Mandarin, German and Arabic, taught by nativespeaking teachers. Special anniversary pricing. Horsemanship program, Outdoor Adventures program, Onsite swimming pool, Amazing Race DC teen program, and extended programs into August, including an Aquatics camp

greenacres.org

301-468-8110

imaginationstage.org

301-280-1660

landonsummer.com

301-320-1044

languagestars.com

240-483-0083

●

lowellschool.org

202-577-2006

●

Adventure camp, theatre workshop, dance workshop, young writers camp, swim clinics

●

mercersburgsummer.com

717-328-6225

Exciting outdoor adventures, outdoor swimming, yoga, creative movement, and a comprehensive early childhood camp program

●

onenessfamily.org

301-652-7751

65+ traditional and specialty camps: sports, arts, crafts, nature, science, rocketry, skateboarding, swimming, travel and more. Transportation, extended day.

●

rockvillemd.gov/camps

240-314-8620

Inspire creativity, exercise imaginations, promote artistic risk-taking and explore ways to tell stories through theater.

roundhousetheatre.org

301-585-1225

Gymnastics

gosilverstars.com

301-589-0938

Football, boys/girls lacrosse, boys/girls soccer, boys/girls tennis, boys/girls basketball, volleyball, baseball

stjohnschs.org/summercamps

202-363-2316 301-657-4322

Arts, science, sports, computers, music, games, creative writing, dance, swimming, yoga and more

●

stoneridgesummercampus.org

Sports, Art, Science, Academics, Swimming, Theatre, Technology, Pottery, Journalism

●

w-e-s.org

240-482-0160

summeredge.org

240-395-0690

From producing a blockbuster movie to conducting eye-opening science experiments, SummerEdge at McLean School of Maryland offers something fun and learning for everyone. Kayaking, canoeing, swimming, horseback riding, rock climbing, archery, air rifle, gymnastics and more. Transportation provided.

●

Specialty camps, languages

●

25+ different camps a week - travel camps, aquatics, sports, arts, science, teen, specialty

●

valleymill.com

301-948-0220

●

wis.edu

202-243-1791

●

ymcadc.org

301-530-3725

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summer camps Forty-five acres of streams, woods, and fields, just minutes away in Silver Spring

Barrie Day Camp On-site Riding, Swimming & Overnights

Special Event Days & Leadership Training Transportation & Extended Day Visit our Open Houses Sunday, January 19 1:00 to 3:00pm Sunday, February 23 1:00 to 3:00pm Sunday, March 16 1:00 to 3:00pm 13500 Layhill Road Silver Spring, MD ●

●

Since 1932, the summer program of

www.barrie.org/barrie-camp

Driving! Camp Motorsport ™ www.campmotorsport.com

French

Mandarin

German

Arabic

ivers n n h A a ry

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Spanish

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Summer Celebration! Save 40%.

Save on summer foreign language immersion camps and classes when you reserve your spot with a $100 deposit. Limited time only.

Summer Camp • Ages 8-16 • Co-Ed

Clover, Virginia

(855) 508-9382

Bring the world to your child. Call 866-55-STARS or visit languagestars.com/summer

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summer camps

MAKE WASHINGTON

WORK FOR YOU THIS SUMMER AUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s summer sessions will introduce you to college life, while teaching you new skills and giving you valuable credentials for your college application and resume. Choose from two exceptional programs:

DISCOVER THE WORLD OF COMMUNICATION For those in grades 9-12. Explore photography, investigative journalism, filmmaking, sportswriting and broadcasting, public speaking and 30 more hands-on experiential workshops. audiscover.org

COMMUNITY OF SCHOLARS For those in grades 11 and 12. Study international relations and earn three college credits. Visit State Department, hear from guest speakers, participate in simulations. www.american.edu/sis/communityofscholars

Now accepting applications for Summer 2014. Learn more at summeratau.com

An equal opportunity, affirmative action university. For information regarding the accreditation and state licensing of American University, please visit american.edu/academics.

READY FOR ADVENTURE?

Adventure is not in the guidebooks & beauty is not on the maps.

www.calleva.org

CALLEVA SUMMER 2014 Registration begins mid-January

CUBS

ages 4-5 Outdoor Fun

EXPLORERS

ages 6-9 Outdoor Activities

ADVENTURERS

ages 9-15 Outdoor Challenge

TRIPS FOR TEENS

ages 13-17 Outdoor Leadership

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summer camps

Let Us

K O R C

m ddp i H a C wesn meado

June 1262Aug.

1 - 4 Weeks Boys & Girls Ages 7-16 Horseback Riding • White-Water Rafting • Climbing Tower • Sailing Sports • Mountain Boarding • Canoeing • Backpacking • Swimming Arts & Crafts • Organic Farm • Mountain Biking • Rock Climbing 1,000 Ft. Zip Line • Performing Arts & more!

e Shuttl C D r fo area!

1-800-600-4752

camphiddenmeadows.com

Your Summer

• Over 65 camps • Before and after care; transportation • One- and multi-week options • Open to all; ages 3-16 • Celebrating more than 50 years of summer fun • Registration begins Jan. 21; early-bird special ends March 18

www.rockvillemd.gov/camps • 240-314-8620

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summer camps

Athletic Summer Camps 2014 St. John’s College High School This summer, there’s something for everyone at St. John’s College High School! SJC offers boys and girls a wide variety of athletic summer camps, including baseball, volleyball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, field hockey, track, wrestling and football. For more information on these camps - including dates, times and registration - please visit www.stjohnschs.org/summercamps.

2607 Military Road, NW, Chevy Chase, DC 20015

It’s not

CAMP ...

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CAMP ...

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It’s not just CAMP... BethesdaMagazine.com | January/February 2014 307

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It’s not just CAMP...

12/12/13 10:53 AM

summer camps 79 years of tradition... a summer of new adventures!

WWW.LANDONSUMMER.COM WHO? WHAT?

Girls and boys grades Pre-K through 12 Sports, music, arts, academics, travel, and day camp programs

WHERE?

Landon School, 6101 Wilson Lane, Bethesda, MD

WHEN?

One week sessions from June 16 – August 15

WHY?

To build confidence and explore passions in a vibrant, nurturing and FUN camp environment!

WASHINGTON EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

summer camp for boys and girls Pre-K - Grade 8

9 Weeklong SeSSionS June 9 - August 8, 2014

Awesome adventures include archery, robotics, cooking, and hip-hop, 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.

LEARN MORE AT OUR OPEN HOUSES: Sunday, March 16 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Sunday, April 6 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

For more information & to register online: www.w-e-s.org/summer 301-652-7878

5600 Little Falls Parkway, Bethesda, MD 20816

Open House

March 1, 2014 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Express Yourself Programs For Grades 7 - 12 Now in Bethesda!

Camp Strawderman Established 1929

In the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Girls 6-17. June 22 - August 16, 2014. Real mountain camping in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. Riding, Swimming, Tennis, Archery, Hiking, Crafts, Dramatics, Nature Study, Indian Lore, Dancing, and Music.

Experienced Leaders. Cabins, 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks. For brochure, write or phone: Margaret H. Gouldman 10902 Brookwood Ave., Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

301-868-1905 • www.campstrawderman.com

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dining

GUIDE

Check out the online version of the DINING GUIDE at BethesdaMagazine.com or download our app for free at the Apple Store. It’s browsable by category and updated frequently.

Bethesda 100 Montaditos, 4922 Elm St., Bethesda, 240-3966897, us.100montaditos.com/home. As its name proclaims, the Spanish-founded chain features 100 varieties of montaditos—mini sandwiches served on rolls. Ranging in price from $1 to $2.50, the sandwiches sport fillings from authentic (Serrano ham, manchego cheese, chorizo) to American (Philly cheesesteak, hot dogs and burgers). ❂ L D $ 4935 Bar and Kitchen (New), 4935 Cordell Ave., 301-830-8086, www.4935barandkitchen.com. Former Tragara Ristorante space gets a major redo, with a sleek, modern interior and a young chef-owner serving French and Indian fusion dishes such as spicy chicken confit and Tandoori pork chops. The popular upstairs private party room is now called “The Loft at 4935.” L D $$$ Aji-Nippon, 6937 Arlington Road, 301-654-0213. A calm oasis on a busy street, where chef Kazuo Honma serves patrons sushi, noodle soups, teriyaki and more. L D $$ American Tap Room, 7278 Woodmont Ave., 301656-1366, www.americantaproom.com. Classic grill menu featuring sliders and wings, from Thompson Hospitality, the owners of Austin Grill. ❂  R L D $$ Assaggi Mozzarella Bar, 4838 Bethesda Ave., 301951-1988, www.assaggirestaurant.com. Former Café Milano executive chef and owner Domenico Cornacchia offers a warm and elegant bar featuring tastings of mozzarella, both international and local. The restaurant also features Italian-inspired main courses and an extensive wine list. ❂  L D $$ Bacchus of Lebanon, 7945 Norfolk Ave., 301-6571722, www.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, www.bkkgarden.com. This real-deal, family-run Thai restaurant turns out authentic cuisine in a dining room decorated with traditional statues of the gods. L D $ Bel Piatto Pizza, 7812 Old Georgetown Road, 301986-8085, www.belpiattopizza.com. Entrées, calzones, strombolis and salads, along with a large selection of pizzas. L D $

Benihana, 7935 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-5391, www.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. J L D $$

Key: Price designations are for a three-course dinner for two including tip and tax, but excluding alcohol.

Bethesda Crab House, 4958 Bethesda Ave., 301652-3382, www.bethesdacrabhouse.net. 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 them. ❂ L D $$

Bistro LaZeez, 8009 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-8222, www.bistrolazeez.com. Terrific Mediterranean grilled dishes from local Arabic teacher Reda Asaad. ❂JLD$

$ up to $50 $$ $51-$100 $$$ $101-$150 $$$$ $150+ Outdoor Dining Children’s Menu B Breakfast R Brunch L Lunch D Dinner



Bistro Provence (Editors’ Pick), 4933 Fairmont Ave., 301-656-7373, www.bistroprovence.org. Chef Yannick Cam brings his formidable experience to a casual French bistro with a lovely courtyard. ❂ L D $$$

Café Deluxe, 4910 Elm St., 301-656-3131, www.cafe deluxe.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. ❂ J R L D $$

BlackFinn Restaurant & Saloon, 4901 Fairmont Ave., 301-951-5681, www.blackfinnbethesda.com. Dark wood and crisp white tablecloths signal an aboveaverage pub experience. The bar area can be noisy and crowded, but the two dining areas are relatively peaceful. ❂ J L D $$

Cava Mezze Grill, 4832 Bethesda Ave., 301-6561772, www.cavagrill.com. The guys from Cava restaurant have created a Greek version of Chipotle. Choose the meat, dip or spread for a pita, bowl or salad. J L D $

Black’s Bar & Kitchen (Editors’ Pick), 7750 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-5525, www.blacksbarandkitch en.com. Bethesda Magazine readers voted Black’s “Best MoCo Restaurant” and “Best Happy Hour” in 2014. Customers count on the impeccable use of fresh and local ingredients. ❂ R L D $$$ Bold Bite, 4901-B Fairmont Ave., 301-951-2653, www. boldbite.net. Designer hot dogs from the Venezuelan Roche brothers, with a menu that won “Best Menu Design” from the magazine’s editors in 2013. J L D $ Brasserie Monte Carlo, 7929 Norfolk Ave., 301656-9225, www.brasseriemontecarlo.com. FrenchMediterranean dishes and a mural of a Monte Carlo landscape transport diners to Monaco. ❂ R L D $$ Brickside Food & Drink, 4866 Cordell Ave., 301-3126160, www.bricksidebethesda.com. Prohibition-era drinks meet Italian bar bites and entrées. ❂ R D $$ Caddies on Cordell, 4922 Cordell Ave., 301-215-7730, www.caddiesoncordell.com. Twenty-somethings gather at this golf-themed spot to enjoy beer and wings specials in a casual, rowdy atmosphere that frequently spills onto the large patio. Bethesda Magazine readers voted Caddies "Best Bar Food" in 2014. ❂ J R L D $

Cesco Osteria, 7401 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-8333, www.cesco-osteria.com. Longtime chef Francesco Ricchi relocates from Cordell Avenue, turning out his Tuscan specialties in a bigger, jazzier space. ❂ L D $$ Chef Tony’s, 4926 St. Elmo Ave., 301-654-3737, www. cheftonysbethesda.com. Chef-owner Tony Marciante focuses on Mediterranean seafood tapas in what was formerly called Visions Restaurant. J R L D $$ City Lights of China, 4953 Bethesda Ave., 301913-9501, www.bethesdacitylights.com. Longtime Chinese eatery relocates to a different stretch of Bethesda Avenue, serving the same menu of familiar Szechuan and Beijing dishes. Red walls and chocolate-colored booths give the place a darker, sharper look. L D $$ Daily Grill, One Bethesda Metro Center, 301-6566100, www.dailygrill.com. Everyone from families to expense-account lunchers can find something to like about the big portions of fresh American fare, including chicken pot pie and jumbo lump crabcakes. ❂ J B R L D $$ Don Pollo, 7007 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-0001. Juicy, spiced birds and reasonable prices make this Peruvian

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NOW OPEN: The Place to Eat & Drink in Bethesda www.markhamsbar.com

chicken eatery a go-to place any night of the week. Locations in Rockville and Hyattsville, too. L D $ Faryab Restaurant (Editors’ Pick), 4917 Cordell Ave., 301-951- 3484., farandawaycycling.com/Fary ab/index.html. Faryab serves well-prepared Afghani country food, including Afghanistan’s answer to Middle Eastern kabobs, vegetarian stews and unique sautéed pumpkin dishes, in a whitewashed dining room with native art on the walls and attentive service. D $$ Flanagan’s Harp & Fiddle, 4844 Cordell Ave., 301951-0115, www.flanagansharpandfiddle.com. This stylish pub features live music several days a week and Tuesday night poker and Monday quiz nights. In addition to traditional stews and fried fish, Flanagan’s offers smoked ribs, salmon and traditional Irish breakfast on weekends. ❂ J B L D $$ Food Wine & Co. (Editors’ Pick), 7272 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-8008, www.foodwineandco.com. American fare at a stunning bistro in the old Uno Chicago Grill space. L D $$ Freddy’s Lobster + Clams, 4867 Cordell Ave., 240743-4257, www.freddyslobster.com. New Englandstyle seafood shack with fried specialties and a terrific beer menu. Bethesda Magazine readers voted its lobster roll the best in 2013. ❂ J L D $ Garden Grille & Bar (in the Hilton Garden Inn), 7301 Waverly St., 301-654-8111, hiltongardeninn3.hilton. com/en/hotels/Maryland/Hilton-garden-inn-washing ton-dc-bethesda-WASBTGI/dining/index.html. Aside from a breakfast buffet featuring cooked-to-order omelets, waffles, fruit and more, the restaurant offers an extensive menu, from burgers and other sandwiches to crabcakes, short ribs and pasta dishes. J B D $$ Geppetto, 10257 Old Georgetown Road, 301-4939230, www.geppettorestaurant.com. Sicilian-style pizza served in a casual atmosphere inside bustling Wildwood Shopping Center, plus classic Italian sandwiches and red-sauce dinners. ❂ J L D $$ Geste Wine & Food, 4801 Edgemoor Lane, 301-7181675, www.gestewine.com. Pizza, panini, subs and salads, plus a small retail area with reasonably priced bottles of wine. L D $

Reservations or Catering Contact: 240-800-4700 or Reservations@markhamsbar.com

LOOK WHAT PERSIMMON IS COOKIN’ UP NOW Sunset Dining

3-Course Tasting Dinner $33 Tuesday thru Sunday 4 pm – 6 pm

Happy Hour at the Bar

86’ Worries Tuesday thru Friday 4 pm – 7 pm Food & Drink Specials!

Wine Down on Tuesday Nights!

Select Half Price Bottles of Wine & an Exclusive List of Exceptional Steals!

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Grapeseed American Bistro + Wine Bar (Editors’ Pick), 4865 Cordell Ave., 301-986-9592, www.grape seedbistro.com. Chef-owner Jeff Heineman, who develops each dish on the frequently updated menu to pair with a specific wine, also offers small plates and a 10-seat wine-room table. Its private dining room tied for best in 2013. L (Tuesday-Friday) D $$$ Gringos & Mariachis (New), 4928 Cordell Ave., 240-800-4266, www.gringosandmariachis.com. The owners of the popular Olazzo Italian restaurants in Bethesda and Silver Spring trade in the red sauce for salsa at this hip taqueria with edgy murals, dark booths and plenty of tequila. Starters include duck nachos, chorizo-stuffed dates and bacon-wrapped jalapenos, and the taco selection nears 15 different choices. Platters available, too. L D $ Guapo’s Restaurant, 8130 Wisconsin Ave., 301-6560888, www.guaposrestaurant.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 $

Monday thru Frid

Monday thru Sat Sunday 5

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BethesdaMagazine.com | March/April Best 2014 309 Overall Photography by Marirose Photography, LLC.

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Resta Be

summer camps

I’m In MY Imagination Stage! Drama Dance Musical Theatre Filmmaking EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT: Save 5% through

Camp Olympia

Looking for an exciting summer camp experience? Established in 1958, our professionally designed summer day camp program is one of the longest running programs in the area. We offer a high quality, Sports Day Camp and Horseback Riding Camp from June 16-August 22, for children ages 3½ through 15. Spring Break Riding Camp: April 14-18 and April 21-25. Minimum enrollment two weeks, extended hours, and door to door transportation available. Year round Nursery School.

Jan. 31

1, 2, 3, or 4-week Summer Camps! 3 Great Locations Around the DC Area Half or Full-Day Options www.imaginationstage.org 301-280-1660

OPEN HOUSE - Jan. 25, Feb. 1, Feb. 8 and Feb. 22 at 3:30pm Year Round Horseback Riding Lessons. Call for schedule and prices.

Camp Olympia 5511 Muncaster Mill Rd. Rockville, MD

301-926-9281

www.camp-olympia.com

UNDER THE BIG TOP aTION REGIsTR ONlINE s jaNUaRy 1 BEGIN

Early Bird: June 16–20 Session 1: June 23–July 11 Session 2: July 14–August 1 Last Call!: August 4–8

Ages 3–14 8:00 am–3:15 pm Aftercare Available

2014

HALF & FULL DAY OPTIONS AGE S 3–1 1

SUMMER PROGRAM Creating Adventures and Lasting Memories!

Swimming, Outdoor Adventures, Gymnastics, Languages, Music, Drama, Cooking, Science, Field Trips and MUCH, MUCH more. For more information visit www.beauvoirschool.org/summer 3500 Woodley Road, NW • Washington, DC 20016

Lowell's “Eight Acres in the City” offers an expansive, relaxed camp with experienced teachers and caring counselors who understand child development and love to have fun. Highlights include: 2014 “Under the Big Top” theme Juggling • Tight Rope Walking Ride a Unicycle End of Summer “Circus Day” Summer Stage: Seussical: The Musical

Summer Programs Open House Sunday, March 16, 2014 1:00 pm–3:00 pm

1640 Kalmia Road, NW Washington, DC 20012 (202) 577-2006

www.lowellschool.org

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dining guide Guardado’s, 4918 Del Ray Ave., 301-986-4920, www. guardadosnico.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 $

Kabob Bazaar, 7710 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-5814, www.kabobbazaar.com. The younger sister of a popular Arlington restaurant with the same name offers kabobs in every protein possibility, plus lots of vegetarian side dishes. Music on Saturdays and Sundays. ❂ J L D $

Hanaro Restaurant & Lounge, 7820 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-7851, www.hanarobethesda.com. Modern dark woods and lots of light brighten the corner location, and the menu includes sushi and Asian fusion main courses. The bar offers a daily happy hour and is open on Fridays and Saturdays until 2 a.m. ❂ L D $$

Kadhai (Editors’ Pick), 7905 Norfolk Ave., 301-7180121, www.kadhaimd.com. The popular Indian restaurant formerly known as Haandi has relocated to the old Uptown Deli space. L D $$

Hard Times Café, 4920 Del Ray Ave., 301-951-3300, www.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. Owner Greg Hourigan is a fixture in the community. ❂ J L D $ Haven Pizzeria Napoletana (Editors’ Pick), 7137 Wisconsin Ave., 301-664-9412, www.havenpizzeria. com. Crispy-crusted, coal-fired pies like the ones they make in New Haven. The white clam pizza is a winner at this eatery, which earned “Best Pizza” honors from Bethesda Magazine readers in 2014. L D $ Himalayan Heritage (Editors’ Pick), 4925 Bethesda Ave., 301-654-1858, www.himalayanheritagedc.com. Indian, Nepalese and Indo-Chinese fare, featuring momos (Nepalese dumplings) and Indian takes on Chinese chow mein. L D $ Hinode Japanese Restaurant, 4914 Hampden Lane, 301-654-0908. Chef Ky Khuu’s sushi specials shine in a dining room dominated by a large fish tank at this tucked-away spot that has been in business since 1992. L D $$ House of Foong Lin, 4613 Willow Lane, 301-6563427. With a (slightly) new name but the same Cantonese, Hunan and Sichuan cuisine, Bethesda’s longtime Foong Lin restaurant has relocated to the old Moon Gate space. L D $$ 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 in the old Plaza del Sol space. Chef “M&M” Kang prepares home-style fare such as bulgogi, galbi and bibimbap; also look for the Korean-style sushi known as kimbab. The kids’ menu has one item: spaghetti, made from the recipe of owner Thomas Kang’s former college roommate’s mother. L D $

La Panetteria, 4921 Cordell Ave., 301-951-6433, www.lapanetteria.com. For more than 25 years, La Panetteria has transported diners into a quaint Italian villa with its impeccable service and Old World atmosphere, serving such classic dishes as homemade spaghetti and veal scaloppine. L D $$ Le Vieux Logis, 7925 Old Georgetown Road, 301-6526816, www.levieuxlogisrestaurant.com. The colorful exterior will draw you into this Bethesda institution, but classic French dishes such as Dover sole meunière will keep you coming back. D $$ Lebanese Taverna, 7141 Arlington Road, 301-9518681, www.lebanesetaverna.com. The latest branch of this long-lived local chain is an elegant spot for dipping puffy pita bread into hummus and baba ghanoush. The rest of the traditional Lebanese mezze are worth a try, too, as are the slow-cooked lamb dishes. Voted “Best Mediterranean Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2014. J L D $$ Louisiana Kitchen & Bayou Bar, 4907 Cordell Ave., 301-652-6945, www.louisianabethesda.com. Former Louisiana Express chef José Blanco and veteran waiter Carlos Arana continue the tradition of the popular Bethesda institution in a larger, spiffier setting. The prices and Cajun- and Creole-style menu are pretty much the same, the fried items are still divine and the pain perdou and beignets remain a great way to start a Sunday morning. B R L D $ Luke’s Lobster, 7129 Bethesda Lane, 301-718-1005, www.lukeslobster.com. An upscale carryout with authentic lobster, shrimp and crab rolls; the seafood is shipped direct from Maine. ❂ L D $ Mamma Lucia,4916Elm St.,301-907-3399,www.mamma luciarestaurants.com. New York-style pizza dripping with cheese and crowd-pleasing red sauce, and favorites like chicken Parmesan and linguini with clams draw the crowds to this local chain. ❂ J L D $$

Jaleo (Editors’ Pick), 7271 Woodmont Ave., 301913-0003, www.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 2014. ❂ R L D $$

Markham’s Bar and Grill, 7141 Wisconsin Ave., 240800-4700, www.markhamsbar.com. A brick-and-mortar eatery from the owner of the former One3Five Cuisine food trailer, Markham’s is a neighborhood spot offering many of the popular sandwiches and salads from the mobile operation. Look for Pakistani tacos, banh mi and a marinated flank steak sandwich, plus nightly comfort-food specials. The beige-andblack interior sports a handsome wine cabinet and photographs of old Bethesda. An outdoor patio includes a pergola and a 5½-foot waterfall. ❂ L D $$

Jetties, 4829 Fairmont Ave., 301-951-3663, www.jetties dc.com. The first suburban location for the popular sandwich, salad and ice cream eatery, which has two restaurants in Northwest Washington, D.C. Also look for one-pot “crock” dishes and an innovative children’s menu. ❂ J L D $

Matuba Japanese Restaurant, 4918 Cordell Ave., 301-652-7449, www.matuba-sushi.com. Detail-oriented sushi chefs and attentive service perk up this otherwise plain white-and-blond-wood Japanese restaurant that has been doing a steady business in downtown Bethesda for 30 years. L D $$

Max Brenner Chocolate Bar, 7263 Woodmont Ave., 301-215-8305, www.maxbrenner.com. It’s sweets-only at the newest location of this international chain. Chocoholics and dessert lovers will have a field day with the restaurant’s milkshakes, coffee drinks, hot chocolate, crêpes, waffles, fondue, ice cream and chocolate pizza. There are also “Fast Max” items to go, and a retail section offers fashionably packaged bonbons, praline wafers and caramelized nuts rolled in hazelnut cream and cocoa powder. $ Mia’s Pizzas (Editors’ Pick), 4926 Cordell Ave., 301718-6427, www.miaspizzasbethesda.com. Mia’s woodburning oven turns out Naples-style pies with a variety of toppings; homemade soups and cupcakes in a cheery dining room with yellow, green and orange accents. ❂ J L D $$ Moby Dick House of Kabob, 7027 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-1838, www.mobysonline.com. This kabob takeout/eat-in mainstay was one of the first kabob places in the area. It makes its own pita bread. L D $ Mon Ami Gabi, 7239 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-1234, www.monamigabi.com. Waiters serve bistro classics such as escargot, steak frites and profiteroles in a dark and boisterous spot that doesn’t feel like a chain. Voted “Best French Restaurant” by the magazine’s readers in 2014. Live jazz Tuesday and Thursday nights. ❂ J R L D $$ Morton’s, The Steakhouse, 7400 Wisconsin Ave., 301-657-2650, www.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. D $$$ Mussel Bar & Grille, 7262 Woodmont Ave., 301215-7817, www.musselbar.com. Kensington resident and big-name chef Robert Wiedmaier serves his signature mussels, plus wood-fired tarts, salads and sandwiches. Wash them all down with a choice of 40 Belgian beers, which won “Best Beer Selection” by the magazine’s readers in 2013. ❂ R L D $$ Nest Cafe, 4921 Bethesda Ave., 301-718-6378, www.nestwinebarcafe.com. Nest offers simple salads, pasta and pizzas. Among the best eats, however, are the crispy calamari and artichokes appetizer and the mussels and fries entrée. ❂ J R L (Wednesday-Saturday) D $$ Newton’s Table (Editors’ Pick), 4917 Elm St., 301718-0550, www.newtonstable.com. Modern American cuisine from up-and-coming chef-owner Dennis Friedman, whose creations were voted “Best Example of Plating as Art” by the magazine’s editors in 2013. ❂ J L D $$$ Oakville Grille & Wine Bar (Editors’ Pick), 10257 Old Georgetown Road, 301-897-9100, www.oakville winebar.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 it does it well. ❂ J L D $$ Olazzo (Editors’ Pick), 7921 Norfolk Ave., 301-6549496, www.olazzo.com. This well-priced, romantic restaurant is the place for couples seeking red-sauce classics at reasonable prices. Voted “Best Italian Restaurant” and “Best Fried Calamari” by our readers in 2014. ❂ L D $$

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summer camps

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Original Pancake House, 7703 Wisconsin Ave., Store D, 301-986-0285, www.ophrestaurants.com. Dozens of pancake dishes, as well as eggs and waffles galore. Named “Best Breakfast” by the magazine’s readers in 2014. ❂ J B L $

Persimmon (Editors’ Pick), 7003 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-9860, www.persimmonrestaurant.com. Chef-owner Damian Salvatore’s popular restaurant hes reopened, with more casual décor, lower prices and less formal fare. ❂ L D $$

Panas Gourmet Empanadas, 4731 Elm St., 301657-7371, www.panasgourmet.com. Baked, not fried, empanadas with a modern twist—think chicken pesto, smoked eggplant and chipotle steak. L D $

Pines of Rome, 4709 Hampden Lane, 301-657-8775. Local celebrities and families gather at this downhome Italian spot for traditional food at prices that are easy on the wallet. The white pizza is a hit, and don’t forget the spaghetti and meatballs. L D $

Parker’s American Bistro, 4824 Bethesda Ave., 301654-6366, www.parkersbistro.com. An all-American menu with vintage local sports posters, Parker’s offers a wide-ranging food and wine list, upbeat soundtrack and servers who take an interest in your happiness. ❂ J R L D $$ Passage to India (Editors’ Pick), 4931 Cordell Ave., 301-656-3373, www.passagetoindia.info. Top-notch, pan-Indian fare by chef-owner Sudhir Seth, with everything from garlic naan to fish curry made to order. Elegant ivory screens shield diners from street noise. Voted “Best Indian Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2014. ❂ R L D $$ Penang Malaysian Cuisine, 4933 Bethesda Ave., 301-657-2878, www.penangmaryland.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 $$

PizzaPass (New), 4924 St. Elmo Ave., 301-657-5522, www.pizzapass.net. Waiters, or “pizza passers,” circulate with a variety of hot slices of pizza on their trays, allowing diners to choose their preferred topping. Informal and very kid-friendly, the restaurant also offers pasta and a salad bar. It’s all-you-caneat for a set price, with substantial discounts for the kids. ❂ L D $ Pizza Tempo, 8021 Wisconsin Ave., 240-497-0003, www.pizzatempo.us. Pizza with a twist, which includes toppings such as sujuk (Mediterranean beef sausage), pistachio mortadella and spicy beef franks, plus a wide selection of pides (boat-shaped pizzas). Salads, wraps, panini and entrées also available. Limited seating; delivery within about a 3-mile radius. L D $ Pizzeria da Marco (Editors’ Pick), 8008 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-6083, www.pizzeriadamarco.net. Authentic Neapolitan pizzas fired in a $15,000 Italian brick oven. ❂ L D $

Positano Ristorante Italiano, 4940-48 Fairmont Ave., 301-654-1717, www.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, www.praline-bakery.com. Two former White House pastry chefs opened this sunny restaurant with 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. The magazine’s editors voted its desserts the prettiest around in 2013. ❂ J B R L D $$ Raku (Editors’ Pick), 7240 Woodmont Ave., 301718-8680, www.rakuasiandining.com. Voted “Best Sushi” by the magazine’s readers in 2014 and “Best Bethesda Restaurant” in 2013, this casual restaurant has bamboo walls that do little to dampen the noise, but the menu satisfies with everything from sushi to kung pao chicken. ❂ L D $$ Redwood Restaurant & Bar, 7121 Bethesda Lane, 301-656-5515, www.redwoodbethesda.com. An upscale wine bar featuring fresh, local food and California-centric wines in the heart of Bethesda Lane. Voted “Best Private Dining Room” by the magazine’s readers in 2013 (in a tie), Redwood features a frequently changing menu and in-season farm-

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summer camps

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dining guide ers market dinners. The interior décor makes the most of recycled redwood and “green” materials. ❂ J RL D $$ Rice Paddies Grill & Pho, 4706 Bethesda Ave., 301718-1862, ricepaddiesgrill.com. This cute copper-andgreen eat-in/carryout makes quick work of Vietnamese favorites like pork, beef and vegetable skewers infused with lemongrass and the classic beef noodle soup known as pho. L D $ Rock Bottom Brewery, 7900 Norfolk Ave., 301652-1311, www.rockbottom.com. The award-winning beers are crafted in-house and the menu is vast at this cavernous yet welcoming chain. The burgers are the real deal. ❂ J L D $$ Roof Bethesda (New), 7940 Norfolk Ave. 240-2457663, www.roofbethesda.com. Bethesda’s first fullservice rooftop restaurant and bar is a two-level extravaganza with a casual glass-enclosed dining room and bar on the second floor and a large rooftop space—serving drinks and lighter fare—directly above it. The modern American menu focuses on familiar dishes such as sea scallops, pork chops and shrimp and grits, elevated with simple twists. Craft cocktails and homemade desserts are taken seriously, too. ❂ J R L D $$ Ruth’s Chris Steak House, 7315 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-7877, www.ruthschris.com. A dark and clubby feel makes this elegant chain popular with families as well as the happy-hour crowd. Don’t skip the fresh seafood choices. D $$$ Sala Thai, 4828 Cordell Ave., 301-654-4676, www. 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 $$ Saphire Café, 7940 Wisconsin Ave., 301-986-9708. A relaxing spot for tasting everything from Maryland-style crab soup to Argentine skirt steak, Saphire pumps it up a notch on Friday and Saturday nights with drink specials and DJs. Tiki bar open Wednesdays through Saturdays. ❂ J L D $ Satsuma, 8003 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-1400. Bethesda’s first yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) restaurant has built-in grills at each table. Diners select a cut— short rib, chuck rib, skirt or tongue—and prepare it themselves. There’s also an extensive sushi and sashimi menu, as well as interesting cooked dishes. L D $$ Shanghai Village, 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 Indian and Nepalese Cuisine, 7345-A Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-4444, www.shangrilaus.com. Northern Indian and Nepali specialties such as butter chicken and fresh flatbreads known as naan shine here. J L D $ Share Wine Lounge & Small Plate Bistro, 8120 Wisconsin Ave. (in the Doubletree Hotel), 301-6522000, www.doubletreebethesda.com/Food-DrinksFun/Share-Wine-Lounge-Small-Plate-Bistro. Share some buffalo chicken sliders or avocado bruschet-

ta, or go for main courses ranging from Yankee pot roast to cedar plank-roasted salmon. B L D $$ Smoke BBQ Bethesda, 4858 Cordell Ave., 301-6562011, smokebbqbethesda.com. Pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, ribs and all the fixin’s at Bethesda’s only sit-down barbecue joint. L D $ South Street Steaks, 4856 Cordell Ave., 301-2157972, www.southstreetsteaks.com. Even transplanted Philadelphians will admire the cheesesteaks at this local chain’s third location. The shop also offers chicken cheesesteaks, hoagies (that’s Philly-talk for cold subs) and sandwiches called “Phillinis,” a cross between “Philly” and “panini.” J L D $ Steamers Seafood House, 4820 Auburn Ave., 301-718-0661, www.steamersseafoodhouse.com. Steamers brings Bethany Beach to Bethesda, especially if diners sit on the wraparound porch in warm weather with a bucket of crabs and some beer.❂ J L D $$ Stromboli Family Restaurant, 7023 Wisconsin Ave., 301-986-1980, www.strombolisrestaurant.com. In addition to a large selection of delectable hot Italian sandwiches called stromboli, this proud family restaurant/carryout features pizzas, subs and pastas at reasonable prices. L D $ sweetgreen, 4831 Bethesda Ave., 301-654-7336, www.sweetgreen.com. Founded in 2007 in Washington, D.C., by three newly graduated Georgetown students, the sweetgreen fast-casual chain—with its focus on local and organic ingredients—has expanded rapidly. The menu concentrates on salads and wraps (devise your own, or pick from a list), plus tart frozen yogurt. Look for eco-friendly décor, a healthy sensibility and a hip buzz. ❂ L D $ Tako Grill, 7756 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-7030, www. takogrill.com. Families and sake connoisseurs seek out this eclectic spot where sushi, sashimi and other Japanese treats are fresh, and waiters are knowledgeable and friendly. L D $$ Tandoori Nights, 7236 Woodmont Ave., 301-6564002, www.tandoorinightsbethesda.com. Indian cuisine returns to the former Delhi Dhaba space. ❂ L D $$ Tara Thai, 4828 Bethesda Ave., 301-657-0488, www. tarathai.com. Thai goes high style at Bethesda Magazine readers’ pick for “Best Thai Restaurant” in 2014. 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, www.tasteediner.com. For more than 70 years, this crowd-pleasing if slightly sagging spot has served up everything from breakfast to burgers to blueplate specials like steak and crabcakes. Open 24 hours. J B L D $ Taylor Gourmet, 7280 Woodmont Ave., 301-9519001, www.taylorgourmet.com. Upscale takes on Philadelphia hoagies and sandwiches. Italian flavors and top-notch ingredients. L D $ The Barking Dog, 4723 Elm St., 301-654-0022, www. thebarkingdogonline.com. A fun place for young adults, with drink specials nearly every night and bar food such as quesadillas and burgers. Salsa danc-

ing on Tuesdays, trivia on Wednesdays, karaoke on Thursdays and a DJ and dancing Fridays and Saturdays. L D $ The Burger Joint, 4827 Fairmont Ave., 301-358-6137, www.bgrtheburgerjoint.com. The burgers are good and the vibe is great at this frequently packed eatery next to Veterans Park. The non-beef burgers are good, too. ❂ J L D $ The Corner Slice, 7901 Norfolk Ave., 301-907-7542, www.thecornerslice.net. New York-style pizza, available by the slice or as a 20-inch pie. ❂ L D $ The Parva, 7904 Woodmont Ave., 301-312-6488, www. theparva.com. Latin-fusion cuisine with offerings from Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela. ❂ D $ Tia Queta, 4839 Del Ray Ave., 301-654-4443, www.tia queta.com. This longtime family and happy-hour favorite offers authentic Mexican food like moles and fish dishes, as well as the usual Tex-Mex options. ❂ J L D $$ Tommy Joe’s Restaurant, 4714 Montgomery Lane, 301-654-3801, www.tommyjoes.com. Hot wings and drink specials abound at this friendly restaurant/ bar/nightclub featuring 20 big-screen TVs for game time. ❂ J L D $$ Trattoria Sorrento (Editors’ Pick), 4930 Cordell Ave., 301-718-0344, www.trattoriasorrento.com. This family-run Italian favorite offers homemade pastas, baked eggplant and fresh fish dishes. Halfprice bottles of wine on Wednesdays. Opera dinners at 6 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month feature a four-course meal and a performance for $50 per person. D $$ Uncle Julio’s Rio Grande Café, 4870 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-2981, www.unclejulios.com. Loud and large, this Tex-Mex eatery packs in families and revelers fueling up on fajitas, tacos and more. Kids love to watch the tortilla machine. ❂ J R L D $$ Union Jack’s, 4915 St. Elmo Ave., 301-652-2561, www.unionjacksbethesda.com. This authentically decorated British-style pub is partially below street level. English dishes such as Welsh rarebit cozy up to burgers, salads and crabcakes. DJ and dancing weekends until 2:30 a.m. ❂ J L D $$ Vapiano, 4900 Hampden Lane, 301-215-7013, www. vapiano.com. Worldwide Italian chain offers reasonably priced pizza, pasta and panini in a chic cafeteriastyle setting. ❂ J L D $ Vino Volo, 7247 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-0916, www. vinovolobethesdarow.com. First non-airport location for the wine bar and shop that also features a rustic café serving small plates, salads, sandwiches, pizza and a few entrées. ❂ L D $$ Wildwood Kitchen, 10223 Old Georgetown Road (in the Wildwood Shopping Center), 301-571-1700, www.wildwoodkitchenrw.com. Attractive neighborhood bistro serving fresh and light modern cuisine from well-known chef Robert Wiedmaier. L D $$ Woodmont Grill (Editors’ Pick), 7715 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-9755, www.hillstone.com. Part of the Houston’s chain, offering such classics as spinach and artichoke dip and the famous burgers, but also house-baked breads, more exotic dishes, live jazz and a granite bar. ❂ J L D $$$

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summer camps

Bullis Summer Programs Some thing for Ever yone

June 16 - August 8, 2014

- Ages 3 Â˝ to 17 - Academic - Specialty & Day - Athletic

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Yamas Mediterranean Grill, 4806 Rugby Ave., 301312-8384, www.yamasgrill.com. Gyros, souvlaki, lemon chicken and other Greek specialties at this friendly and sunny café. ❂ J L D $ Yuzu, 7345-B Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-5234, yuzu bethesda.com. 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, www.fishtacoonline.com. This counter-service taqueria from the owners of Bethesda’s Food Wine & Co. features a full roster of seafood as well as nonaquatic tacos, plus margaritas and other Mexican specialties. The eco-chic décor is casual and attractive, and there are rolls of paper towels on every table to sop up sauce-stained fingers. Don’t miss the bread pudding. ❂ J L D $ Wild Tomato, 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 301-229-0680, www.wildtomatorestaurant.com. A family-friendly neighborhood restaurant from Persimmon owners Damian and Stephanie Salvatore, serving salads, sandwiches and pizza. Voted "Best Fish Tacos" by our readers in 2014. ❂ J L D $

bience” in 2013. Classic French cuisine from onion soup to sweetbreads. ❂ R L D $$$ Lia’s (Editors’ Pick), 4435 Willard Ave., 240-2235427, www.liasrestaurant.com. Owner Geoff Tracy focuses on high-quality, low-fuss modern ItalianAmerican fare at this funky and modern space with a wine room. Pizzas, house-made pastas and fresh fish please business lunchers and dinner crowds. The magazine’s readers chose it as “Best Chevy Chase Restaurant” in 2013. ❂ J R L D $ Manoli Canoli Restaurant, 8540 Connecticut Ave., 301-951-1818, www.manolicanoli.com. Italian and Greek specialties at a fun family eatery that features a large prepared foods section, dishes made with olive oil from owner Stavros Manolakos’ family farm in Greece and homemade mozzarella on pizza and subs. ❂ J L D $ Meiwah Restaurant, 4457 Willard Ave., 301-6529882, www.meiwahrestaurant.com. This modern restaurant on the second floor of a Friendship Heights office building offers top-quality Chinese dishes that are hard to beat. A fountain sparkles on the outdoor patio. Sushi bar. ❂ L D $$ Mi Cocina, 5471 Wisconsin Ave. (in The Collection), 301-652-1195, www.micocinarestaurants.com. A Dallas-based chain serving Tex-Mex staples such as enchiladas, tacos and fajitas in stylish surroundings. L D $$ Potomac Pizza, 19 Wisconsin Circle, 301-951-1127, www.potomacpizza.com. This cheery, casual dining room provides a break from the ultra-posh shopping surrounding it. In addition to pizza, subs and pastas are popular. Beer and wine available. ❂ J L D $ Sushiko (Editors’ Pick), 5455 Wisconsin Ave., 301961-1644, www.sushikorestaurants.com. Washington, D.C.’s oldest and most respected sushi restaurant, opened in Glover Park in 1976, continues its tradition in a bigger, sleeker suburban outpost. ❂ L D $$ Tavira, 8401 Connecticut Ave., 301-652-8684, www. tavirarestaurant.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 (except Saturday and Sunday) D $$

All natural breads made from scratch

Indulge in our s, e sandwicahnd soups, ts swee too!

4961 Elm St Bethesda, MD 20814 301-654-7970 Located in Bethesda, Gaithersburg, and Barracks Row (Capitol Hill)

Kadhai I n di a n Cu isi n e

The Tasting Room Wine Bar & Shop, 5330-A Western Ave. (The Shops at Wisconsin Place), 301-6649494, www.thetastingroomwinebar.com. A project of John Kent Cooke, son of Jack and owner of Virginia’s Boxwood Winery, the Tasting Room offers Boxwood as well as European wines, plus olives, nuts and charcuterie and cheese plates. Live music Saturday nights. ❂ L D $

Lunch 11:30-2:30 | Dinner 5-10

We offer daily lunch buffet

GarretT Park Black Market Bistro (Editors’ Pick), 4600 Waverly Ave., 301-933-3000, www.blackmarketrestaurant. com. Sublime American bistro fare served in a restored Victorian building next to railroad tracks; the building once served as a general store and still houses a post office. ❂ J R L D $$

301.718.0121 7905 Norfolk Ave. Bethesda, MD 20814 www.kadhai.com

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to-do list

Compiled by Cindy Murphy-Tofig

January | February

Feb.

Westmoreland Congregational Church, 1 Westmoreland Circle, Bethesda. Alexander Paley, 8 p.m. Jan. 4. The pianist’s program will include works by Rachmaninoff and Charles-Valentin Alkan. Presented by the Washington Conservatory of Music. Free; donations accepted. 301-320-2770, www. washingtonconservatory.org. Cezanne Piano Trio, 8 p.m. Feb. 1. The trio will present works by Shostakovich and Mendelssohn. Presented by the Washington Conservatory of Music. Free; donations accepted. 301320-2770, www.washingtonconservatory.org.

Going Gospel Though rooted in African-American spirituals sung by slaves, gospel music has gained fans throughout the United States with its passionate rhythms and soulful singing and is widely credited with influencing such musical icons as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. The Music Center at Strathmore will pay tribute to the gospel tradition in Make a Joyful Noise: Best of Maryland Gospel at 8 p.m. Feb. 8. Choirs scheduled to perform include The Tribe of Judah Choir of RCCG Victory Temple Bowie and the James E. Jordan Choir of Riverdale, winners in the mid-Atlantic regionals for the gospel music competition How Sweet the Sound. Tickets are $21-$26, or $18.90-$23.40 for Stars members. For more information, go to www.strathmore.org or call 301-581-5100. The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda

MUSIC Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www.bsomusic.org. “The Blue Danube” & More, 8 p.m. Jan. 2. Enjoy favorites by Johann Strauss II and Mozart. $31-$94. Dvořák’s New World Symphony, 8:15 p.m. Jan. 10. BSO Music Director Marin Alsop looks at Dvořák’s portrayal of life in early America as part of her “Off the Cuff” series. $39-$73. Beethoven and Mozart, 8 p.m. Jan. 16. Works include Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8. $31-$94. Chaplin’s Back!, 8 p.m. Feb. 1. The orchestra performs during screenings of The Idle

Class and The Kid to mark the centennial of the Little Tramp’s first appearance on the silver screen. $31-$94. Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique, 8 p.m. Feb. 15. Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, Pathétique, will be performed along with works by Berlioz and Saint-Saëns. $31-$94. Sci-Fi Spectacular!, 8 p.m., Feb. 20. Explore strange new worlds with host and actor George Takei—who will forever be Mr. Sulu to Star Trek fans—during a concert featuring works by John Williams, who composed music for Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman, Somewhere in Time and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. $31-$94. CSI: Mozart, 8:15 p.m. Feb. 28. What actually killed Mozart? This semi-staged production tries to answer that question. $29-$63.

Sounds of Central Europe, 8 p.m. Jan. 4 and 3 p.m. Jan. 5. Works include Dvořák’s Serenade for Strings and Mozart’s lively Violin Concerto No. 5. Presented by The National Philharmonic. $28-$84; children ages 7-17 are admitted free with the purchase of adult tickets. Three Great Classics, 8 p.m. Jan. 18. Mozart’s inventive D Major Divertimento, Bach’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Schubert’s Mass No. 2 in G Major are on the program. Presented by The National Philharmonic. $28-$84; children ages 7-17 are admitted free with the purchase of adult tickets. Chucho Valdés & The Afro-Cuban Messengers, 7 p.m. Feb. 9. Valdés melds his Cuban roots with American jazz and Native American traditions. $29-$50; $26.10-$45 for Stars members. St. Petersburg Philharmonic, 8 p.m. Feb. 12. The famed Russian orchestra will perform works by Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff. Presented by Washington Performing Arts Society. $35-$105. Guitar Passions, 8 p.m. Feb. 13. Classical guitarist Sharon Isbin, jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan and Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo explore music. $29-$70; $26.10-$63 for Stars members. Marcus Johnson and the Urban Jam Band, 8 p.m. Feb. 14. Johnson jazzes up Valentine’s Day. $26-$50; $23.40-$45 for Stars members. Newport Jazz Festival, 7 p.m. Feb. 16. Soul and jazz musicians celebrate the 60th anniversary of the famed festival. $19-$57; $17.10$51.30 for Stars members. Chopin, the Storyteller, 8 p.m. Feb. 22. Pianist Brian Ganz continues his multiyear quest

Courtesy of the music center at Strathmore

The Tribe of Judah Choir will be among the performers at Strathmore.

The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www.strathmore.org.

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dining guide Glen Echo Irish Inn at Glen Echo, 6119 Tulane Ave., 301-2296600, www.irishinnglenecho.com. This historic tavern has been a family home and a biker bar, but its incarnation as the Irish Inn has been bringing smiles to faces and hearty food to bellies since 2003. Traditional Irish music on Monday nights and The 19th Street Band on every other Wednesday night. ❂ J R L D $$

Dogfish Head Alehouse, 800 W. Diamond Ave., 301963-4847, www.dogfishalehouse.com. The first Maryland outpost of the popular Rehoboth Beach brewpub, the restaurant is packed with revelers and families clamoring for the Dogfish Head brews, burgers, pizzas and ribs. ❂ J L D $$ Famous Dave’s, 917 Quince Orchard Road, 240-6830435, www.famousdaves.com. This local outpost of a national chain offers smoked meat and hearty portions of classic sides such as baked beans and creamy coleslaw. ❂ J L D $ Growler’s, 227 E. Diamond Ave., 301-519-9400, www. growlersrestaurant.com. This turn-of-the-century building in downtown Gaithersburg is now a brewpub with regular and seasonal house brews and a full menu including pizzas, burgers, sandwiches and entrées such as Cajun rigatoni and steak frites. Live music Wednesday through Saturday. ❂ R L D $ Guapo’s Restaurant, 9811 Washingtonian Blvd., L-17, 301-977-5655, www.guaposrestaurant.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ J R L D $ HaKuBa Restaurant, 706 Center Point Way, 301947-1283, hakubakentlands.com. An elegant, modern Japanese sushi spot that also serves fresh fish and teriyaki and tempura dishes. Wood stools and a silver bar elevate the décor. Dollar-sushi happy hours Monday through Thursday; sake bottles half-price on Mondays. L D $$ Il Porto Restaurant, 245 Muddy Branch Road, 301590-0735, www.ilportorestaurant.com. A classic redsauce menu, elegant murals of Venice and an authentic thin-crust pizza at a friendly, unfussy Italian restaurant tucked in the Festival Shopping Center. L D $ Joe’s Crab Shack, 221 Rio Blvd., 301-947-4377, www. joescrabshack.com. This is one of three Maryland locations of the chain, which offers blue crabs from April through August and other varieties year-round, as well as chicken and burgers for landlubbers. Popular with families and young couples. ❂ J L D $$ Le Palais, 304 Main St., Suite 1, 301-947-4051, www. restaurantlepalais.com. Chef-owner Joseph Zaka trips lightly through the dishes of Brittany and Burgundy, adding a modern twist here and there. D $$$ Nantucket’s Reef, 9755 Traville Gateway Drive, North Potomac, 301-279-7333, www.nantucketsreef.com. Located in the former Stella’s restaurant, 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, fish and shrimp tacos, tuna and salmon salads, and several lobster items. The décor is bright and nautical, with baby blue walls, white wainscoting, model ships and other seafaring décor. Signature cocktails are made with Nantucket Nectars juices. ❂ J L D $$ Not Your Average Joe’s, 245 Kentlands Blvd. (in Kentlands Square Shopping Center), 240-477-1040, www.notyouraveragejoes.com. Massachusetts-based chain serving creative casual cuisine. ❂ J L D $$ Potomac Pizza, 625 Center Point Way, 301-9779777, www.potomacpizza.com. See Chevy Chase listing. J L D $

Red Hot & Blue, 16811 Crabbs Branch Way, 301948-7333, www.redhotandblue.com. Hickory-smoked barbecue and a Southern attitude at a chain popular for its office party takeout and its family-friendly, kitschy roadhouse décor. J L D $ Rio Grande Café, 231 Rio Blvd., 240-632-2150, www. unclejulios.com. See Bethesda listing under Uncle Julio’s. ❂ J R L D $$ Romano’s Macaroni Grill, 211 Rio Blvd., 301-9635003, www.macaronigrill.com. Standard Italian-American fare served in a lively, family-friendly setting. Pastas, pizzas and house-label wine. ❂ J L D $$ Sardi’s Pollo a La Brasa, 430 N. Frederick Ave., 301977-3222, www.sardischicken.com. Yes, there’s chicken, but don’t miss the other Peruvian specialties, especially the ceviche. L D $ Star Diner, 705 Center Point Way, 301-921-8222, www.mystardiner.com. A modern diner with a ’50s feel. The massive menu includes everything from gyros to pancakes, chicken noodle soup and wraps. Tiki Bar on Thursdays. Live music Fridays and Saturdays. ❂ J B L D $ Tandoori Nights, 106 Market St., 301-947-4007, www.tandoorinightsmd.com. Downtown martini lounge meets modern curry palace in the Kentlands. A feast for the eyes as well as the palate, Tandoori Nights specializes in marinated meats baked in the eponymous clay oven. ❂ L D $ Tara Thai, 9811 Washingtonian Blvd., L-9, 301-947-8330, www.tarathai.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $$ Thai Tanium, 657 Center Point Way, 301-990-3699, www.thaitaniumrestaurant.com. Authentic Thai food laced with lots of chilies and garlic as hot as you like. ❂ J L D $ The Melting Pot, 9021 Gaither Road, 301-519-3638, www.themeltingpot.com. There’s nothing like dipping bits of bread, vegetables and apples into a communal pot of hot cheese to get a date or a party started. The Melting Pot chain also offers wine, oil or broth to cook meat tableside and chocolate fondue for dessert. J D $$ The Wine Harvest, The Kentlands, 114 Market St., 301-869-4008, www.thewineharvest.com. Popular Cheers-like wine bar locally owned by the Meyrowitz family, with salads, sandwiches and cheese plates. It also has a Potomac location. ❂ L D $ Vasilis Mediterranean Grill, 353 Main St., 301-9771011, www.vasilisgrill.com. With soaring white pillars and a spate of inviting outdoor tables, the Greek restaurant serves the usual souvlaki and gyros as well as more interesting dishes such as grilled branzini (sea bass) and lamb chops. ❂ J L D $ Yoyogi Sushi, 328 Main St., 301-963-0001. A nononsense neighborhood sushi place with bright fish tanks, offering the familiar sushi, teriyaki, tempura and green tea or red bean ice cream. L D $ Ziki Japanese Steak House, 10009 Fields Road, 301-330-3868, www.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 $$

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Awards Bethesda Urban Partnership and Bethesda Magazine will honor writers at the Bethesda Literary Festival, April 11-13, 2014.

Short Story & Essay Contest Deadline: Jan. 24, 2014

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 gift certificate to The Writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 Bethesda Literary Festival.

Adults (ages 18+) and High School Students (grades 9-12) are eligible. High School winners receive: $250, first place; $100, second place; $50, third place. Bethesda Magazine will print the first place Essay & Short Story.

For eligibility and rules, please visit www.bethesdamagazine.com or www.bethesda.org.

For more information, call 301-215-6660, Ext. 142 or 301-718-7787, Ext. 207.

BUP-2014EssaySSContest_AD.indd 1 Untitled-1 1

12/2/13 11:40 4:57 PM 12/9/13 AM

Potomac Amici Miei, 1093 Seven Locks Road, 301-545-0966, www.amicimieiristorante.com. Chef Davide Megna and manager/partner Roberto Deias have created an upscale Italian neighborhood gathering place, with wood-fired pizzas, homemade pastas and creative salads. Happy Hour held Monday through Friday. ❂ R L D $$ Attman’s Delicatessen, 7913 Tuckerman Lane (in the Cabin John Shopping Center & Mall), 301-765-3354, attmansdeli.com. After getting its start on Baltimore’s Corned Beef Row in 1915, the landmark Attman’s Deli made an historic move and opened a second location in Potomac in July 2013. The menu at the nearly century-younger sibling offers the same legendary corned beef, pastrami and other deli specialties. Thirdgeneration owner Marc Attman is at the helm. J L $ Benny’s Bar & Grill, 7747 Tuckerman Lane (in the Cabin John Shopping Center & Mall), 301-299-3377. Familiar American favorites and old-time cocktails served amidst 1940s-era décor. L D $$ Brooklyn’s Deli & Catering, 1089 Seven Locks Road, 301-340-3354, www.brooklynsdelimd.com. From chopped liver to chicken soup, Brooklyn’s serves all the deli specialties, plus more. ❂ J B L D $ Elevation Burger, 12525-D Park Potomac Ave., 301838-4010, www.elevationburger.com. Fast-food burgers go organic and grass-fed at this Northern Virginia-founded chain. Veggie burgers, salads and grilled cheese available, too. ❂ L D $ Gregorio’s Trattoria, 7745 Tuckerman Lane (in the Cabin John Shopping Center), 301-296-6168, www. gregoriostrattoria.com. “Our food is like a warm hug with spaghetti sauce” is the slogan for this familyowned restaurant, where proprietor Greg Kahn aims to make everyone feel at home. The extensive menu reads like 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 spaghetti and penne. J L D $$ Mix Bar and Grille, 9812 Falls Road, Potomac, 301299-3000, www.mixbarandgrille.com. The former Bezu restaurant has been transformed into a more casual concept, serving charcuterie and cheese plates, brick-oven flatbreads and other light fare. The space was gutted and renovated into a modern, hip and totally different-looking dining room, with Plexiglas chairs, tall white banquettes, oak walls made from old whiskey barrels, five big screen TVs, cobalt blue light fixtures and a 20-seat bar. Look for lots of wines by the glass and beers on tap. L D $$ MoCo’s Founding Farmers, 12505 Park Potomac Ave., 301-340-8783, www.wearefoundingfarmers. com. Farm-inspired fare in a modern and casual setting; this is the sister restaurant to the phenomenally popular downtown Founding Farmers. Bethesda Magazine readers chose it for “Best Brunch” and “Best Craft Cocktails” in 2014 and as “Best Potomac Restaurant” in 2013. ❂ B R L D $$

Normandie Farm Restaurant, 10710 Falls Road, 301983-8838, www.popovers.com. A fine-dining French restaurant, open since 1931, that strives to preserve its classical heritage while embracing new traditions. It offers quick service and crayons for children, a casual café option and a violinist at afternoon tea. ❂ J R L D $$ Old Angler’s Inn, 10801 MacArthur Blvd., 301-2999097, www.oldanglersinn.com. Open since 1860 and known for its refined American food and beautiful fireplaces and grounds, it features live music on weekends. ❂ R L D $$$

SUNDAY BRUNCH CHAMPAGNE SPECIAL AT BLACK’S SUNDAY BRUNCH UNLIMITED CHAMPAGNE SPECIAL 11-2:30PM SUNDAY NIGHT HALF PRICE WINE SPECIAL

Potomac Pizza, 9812 Falls Road, 301-299-7700, www. potomacpizza.com. See Chevy Chase listing. L D $ Renato at River Falls, 10120 River Road, 301-3651900, www.riverfallsmarket.com. The classic Italian restaurant has added more wine and greatly improved fish dishes to its menu of pastas and classics such as osso bucco and linguini with clams and eggplant parmigiana. ❂ J L D $$ Sugo Osteria & Pizzeria, 12505 Park Potomac Ave., 240-386-8080, www.eatsugo.com. The Greek guys who own Cava Mezze and Cava Mezze Grills partner with Mamma Lucia restaurants to serve Italian small plates, meatballs, sliders, pizza and pasta. Bethesda Magazine readers chose Sugo as the “Best New Restaurant” in 2013. ❂ R (only on Sundays) L D $$ Tally-Ho Restaurant, 9923 Falls Road, 301-2996825, www.tallyhorestaurant.com. A local fixture since 1968 serving a diner-style menu with Greek and Italian specialties. ❂ J B L D $ The Grilled Oyster Company (Editors’ Pick), 7943 Tuckerman Lane (in the Cabin John Shopping Center), 301-299-9888, www.thegrilledoystercompa ny.com. Chesapeake-style seafood eatery, featuring small plates, salads, sandwiches and entrées. Happy Hour from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in bar only. Named “Best New Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2014. ❂ J R L D $

7750 WOODMONT AVENUE | BETHESDA, MD 301.652.5525 blacksbarandkitchen.com

Sit outside. Have a cocktail. What better way to welcome back the sun?

The Hunter’s Inn, 10123 River Road, 301-299-9300, www.thehuntersinn.com. A Potomac institution and a popular English hunt-themed spot for a big salad or hamburger lunch with friends or a filet mignon dinner with the family. ❂ J R L D $$ The Tavern at River Falls (Editors’ Pick), 10128 River Road, 301-299-0481, www.thetavernatriverfalls.com. Seafood-heavy pub menu served in a rustic setting; the tavern is owned by the adjacent Renato’s at River Falls and River Falls Seafood Market. ❂ J L D $$ The Wine Harvest, 12525-B Park Potomac Ave., 240-314-0177, www.thewineharvest.com. The second location of the popular Gaithersburg wine bar. See Gaithersburg listing. ❂ L D $ Zoës Kitchen, 12505 Park Potomac Ave., Suite 115, 240-328-1022, www.zoeskitchen.com. First Maryland outpost of a Birmingham, Ala., fast-casual chain, Zoës features Mediterranean dishes such as kabobs, hummus and veggie pita pizzas. Specializes in takeout dinner for four for under $30. ❂ J L D $

www.freddyslobster.com

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to-do list | January | February THEATER Gettysburg the Musical, 2 p.m. Jan. 5. Glenview Mansion Conservatory at Rockville Civic Center Park, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville. Actor/ impersonator Billy Finch plays multiple roles in this presentation about the Battle of Gettysburg. Free. 240-314-8620, www.rockvillemd.gov/arts.

Jan.

Fit for a King

Looking for a way to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on this year’s national holiday? Here are two local options: Volunteer for community service or attend a showcase that celebrates his legacy. Montgomery County is hosting the annual MLK Day of Service from 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Bethesda North Marriott Conference Center. Last year’s activities included making sandwiches for area homeless shelters, assembling personal care kits and creating well-wishes cards for children. The city of Rockville’s celebration will begin at 10 a.m. at Richard Montgomery High School, and will include multicultural performers and a guest speaker. Open to all ages, the free event includes the presentation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Youth Award to a high school student who carries out King’s dream through social service. For more information on the county’s MLK Day of Service, go to www.montgomeryserves.org; for more on Rockville’s celebration, go to www.rockvillemd.gov. Bethesda North Marriott Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Road, Bethesda; Richard Montgomery High School, 250 Richard Montgomery Drive, Rockville

to perform all of Chopin’s works. Presented by The National Philharmonic. $28-$55; children ages 7-17 are admitted free with the purchase of adult tickets. The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra Featuring New York Voices, 4 p.m. Feb. 23. The ensembles combine the best of Big Band and jazz vocalists. $35-$65; $31.50-$58.50 for Stars members. The John E. Marlow Guitar Series. Performances take place at Westmoreland Congregational Church, 1 Westmoreland Circle, Bethesda. 301-654-6403, www.marlowguitar.org. Kupinski Guitar Duo, 8 p.m. Jan. 18. Ewa Jablczynska and Dariusz Kupi ński of Poland are scheduled to perform works by Schumann, Chopin, Albéniz and Rossini. $25. Carlos Perez, 8 p.m. Feb. 15. Perez has given recitals in more than 30 countries throughout North, South and Central America. $25. Vienna Concert-Verein Orchestra, 8 p.m. Feb. 1. The Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center, Montgomery College, 51 Mannakee St., Rockville. Piano soloist Sebastian Knauer will join the orchestra, which performs works ranging from classical Viennese compositions to contemporary Austrian music. $40; $38 for seniors and students. 240-567-

5301, www.montgomerycollege.edu/pac. Gaudior, 2 p.m. Feb. 2. Glenview Mansion Conservatory at Rockville Civic Center Park, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville. The ensemble uses period instruments to perform works from the Baroque and Classical eras. Free. 240-314-8620, www.rockvillemd.gov/arts. Swing! Swing! Swing!, 3 p.m. Feb. 9. F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville. Join the Rockville Swing Band for an afternoon of lively music. Free; $5 donation accepted. 240-314-8620, www.rockvillemd.gov.

DANCE The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www.strathmore.org. Krasnoyarsk National Dance Company of Siberia, 8 p.m. Feb. 19. The dance company is known for high-energy performances accompanied by folk music on authentic Russian instruments. $29-$70; $26.10-$63 for Stars members. Pilobolus, 8 p.m. Feb. 26. The modern dance company is known for its inventive choreography. $27-$67; $24.30-$60.30 for Stars members.

An Inspector Calls, 8 p.m. Jan. 24, 25 and 31 and Feb. 1; and 2 p.m. Jan. 26 and Feb. 2. An inspector comes to a family celebration to investigate a woman’s murder in this Tony Award-winning whodunit. It soon becomes clear to family members that they are suspects. Presented by Rockville Little Theatre. $18; $16 for those 62 and older and students. Yeomen of the Guard, 8 p.m. Feb. 20-22 and 28 and March 1; and 2 p.m. Feb. 23 and March 2. The work centers on Col. Fairfax and his pending execution. Presented by the Victorian Lyric Opera Company. $24; $20, seniors; $16, students; $12 for preview performance Feb. 20. Impossible! A Happenstance Circus, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 31-Feb. 9. Also 8 p.m. Feb. 3-7. Round House Theatre Silver Spring, 8641 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Happenstance Theater returns with a new work. $10-$15. 240-644-1100, www.roundhouse theatre.org.

ART VisArts at Rockville, 155 Gibbs St., Rockville. Gallery hours noon-4 p.m. Wednesdays, noon-8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, noon-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Free. 301-315-8200. www. visartsatrockville.org. Lauren Boilini, through Jan. 12 in the Gibbs Street Gallery. The artist creates large-scale oil paintings and works directly on the wall. Michael Sellmeyer, through Jan. 12 in the Common Ground Gallery. Sellmeyer creates paintings, drawings and prints. Test Kitchen for Change, Jan. 17-Feb. 9 in the Common Ground Gallery. Artist Irinna Alesina uses bread-making as a platform for engaging communities. Opening reception from 1-3 p.m. Jan. 24. Sumita Kim, Jan. 22-Feb. 16 in the Gibbs Street Gallery. The artist’s oil paintings explore themes of beauty in imperfection. Opening reception from 1-3 p.m. Jan. 24. Hoi Polloi, Jan. 22-Feb. 23 in the Kaplan Gallery. Printmaker Brian Garner curates an exhibition that investigates the possibilities of prints to convey images and words. Opening reception from 1-3 p.m. Jan. 24. Glenview Mansion Art Gallery at Rockville

Courtesy Photo

Montgomery Hospice volunteer Sarah Bullard at last year’s MLK Day of Service

F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville Civic Center Park, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville. 240-3148690, www.rockvillemd.gov/theatre.

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dining guide Rockville/ North Bethesda A & J Restaurant (Editors’ Pick), 1319-C Rockville Pike, 301-251-7878, www.aj-restaurant.com/main. html. Northern dim sum, more bread, less dumplings, is the specialty at this hard-to-find spot tucked in the Woodmont Station shopping center. Warm-colored walls and modern lighting surround the young crowd as they dig into thousand-layer pancakes and fresh tofu. Named “Best Dim Sum Brunch” by the magazine’s editors in 2014. L D $ Al Carbon, 200 Park Road, 301-738-0003, www. alcar bonrestaurant.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 and more. ❂BLD$ Amalfi Ristorante Italiano, 12307 Wilkins Ave., 301770-7888, www.amalfirockville.com. A family-run, redsauce Italian restaurant with specialties like white pizza and lasagna. The gazebo is a charming spot to dine during the summer. J L D $ Amina Thai Restaurant, 5065 Nicholson Lane, 301770-9509. Pleasant and bright, Amina Thai is run by a husband-and-wife team and bills itself as the first Muslim Thai restaurant in the area, using only halal meats and serving familiar Thai dishes. L D $ Benjarong Thai Restaurant, 885 Rockville Pike, 301424-5533, www.benjarongthairestaurant.com. This Thai food stalwart has a reputation for above-average food served in a gracious setting reminiscent of an upscale country home. L D $ Bombay Bistro, 98 W. Montgomery Ave., 301-7628798, www.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. J L D $ Bonchon Chicken (New), 107 Gibbs St., Unit A, 301637-9079 and 301-637-9379, www.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, bimbimbop and scallion seafood pancakes. Red, black and white color scheme encompasses a bar, tables and booths. L D $ BRIO Tuscan Grille, 20 Paseo Drive, 240-221-2691, www.brioitalian.com. Look for Tuscan specialties served in a handsome setting. ❂ J R L D $$ Carbon Peruvian Chicken & Grill, 100-F Gibbs St., 301-251-1944, www.carbonperuviangrill.com. A Peruvian grilled meat mecca from the owners of the popular La Canela, also in Rockville Town Square. ❂ L D $ Cava (Editors’ Pick), 9713 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-309-9090, www.cavamezze.com. The dark and elegant Cava offers small plates of fried Greek cheese, octopus and orzo in cinnamon tomato sauce and martini specials. ❂ R L D $$ Cavo’s Cantina, 4007 Norbeck Road, 301-929-3501. Traditional Tex-Mex fare, from nachos to enchiladas and fajitas. J R L D $$

Chef Geoff’s, 12256 Rockville Pike (in the Towne Plaza), 240-621-3090, www.chefgeoff.com. Geoff Tracy branches out with his fourth eponymous restaurant featuring contemporary cuisine and something for everyone. ❂ J R L D $$ Cuban Corner, 825 Hungerford Drive, 301-279-0310, www.cubancornerrestaurant.com. Pork and empanadas shine at this small space brimming with ethnic pride (there’s a tribute wall to famous Cuban-Americans). Don’t skip the Cuban coffee or the Cuban sandwich, a sub bursting with ham, pickles and tangy mustard. L D $ East Pearl, 838-B Rockville Pike, 301-838-8663. www. eastpearlrestaurant.com. Hong Kong cuisine, including familiar dishes, as well as those for adventurous tastes. L D $ El Mariachi Restaurant, 765-D Rockville Pike, 301738-7177, www.elmariachirockville.com. Serving TexMex and South American food in a bright, pleasant space made lively with colorful art. In addition to the usual enchiladas, tacos and burritos, look for Peruvian seafood and Cuban beef specialties. ❂ L D $ El Patio, 5240 Randolph Road, 301-231-9225, www. elpatiointernational.com. This bustling café with pretty green umbrellas on the patio serves up the traditional meat-heavy dishes of Argentina, as well as pizzas and freshly made baked goods. Look for mouth-watering empanadas, beef tongue and sausage specialties. ❂ J B L D $ Far East Restaurant, 5055 Nicholson Lane, 301-8815552, www.fareastrockvillemd.com. This classic Chinese restaurant greets customers with two royal stone lions out front and sticks to the familiar Chinese-American basics. Check for daily specials. L D $$ Fontina Grille, 801 Pleasant Drive, 301-947-5400, www.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. Two-dollar pasta dishes on Monday nights, half-price bottles of wine on Tuesdays and ladies’ night on Thursdays with half-priced alcoholic drinks. ❂ J R L D $$ Gordon Biersch, 200-A E. Middle Lane, Rockville Town Square, 301-340-7159, www.gordonbierschrestau rants.com. The national brewpub chain prides itself on house beers and friendly service. The shiny bar is boisterous, and the menu includes bar favorites with some barbecue and Asian touches.❂ J R L D $$ Grand Fusion Cuisine, 350 East Fortune Terrace, 301-838-2862, grandfusionrestaurant.com. Something for everyone seeking a taste of the Asian continent, a full sushi bar, and Chinese, Malaysian and Singaporean specialties. ❂ L D $ Hard Times Café, 1117 Nelson St., 301-294-9720, www.hardtimes.com. See Bethesda listing. J L D $ Hinode Japanese Restaurant, 134 Congressional Lane, 301-816-2190. See Bethesda listing. L D $$ Il Pizzico, 15209 Frederick Road, 301-309-0610, www. 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 make even a weeknight meal feel special. L D $$ India Garden, 1321-C Rockville Pike, 301-838-0000, www.india-garden.com. Decorated in warm shades of orange and yellow, India Garden offers northern Indian specialties such as tandoori chicken and the flavorful flatbread called naan, as well as vegetarian options. Daily lunch buffet. ❂ J L D $ Joe’s Noodle House, 1488-C Rockville Pike, 301-8815518, www.joesnoodlehouse.com. Despite the barebones service and dingy interior, Chinese ex-pats and many other customers consider the Szechuan specialties (soft bean curd with spicy sauce and hot beef jerky) among the area’s best examples of gourmet Chinese cooking. L D $ La Brasa Latin Cuisine, 12401 Parklawn Drive, 301468-8850, www.labrasarockville.com. A bold, yellow awning marks the unlikely industrial location of the popular La Brasa. Customers rave about the rotisserie chicken, lomo saltado (Peruvian marinated steak), Salvadoran pupusas and Tres Leches. ❂ L D $ La Canela (Editors’ Pick), 141-D Gibbs St., Rockville Town Square, 301-251-1550, www.lacanelaperu. com/. Sophisticated, modern Peruvian cooking shines in a yellow stucco building graced with curvy black ironwork. ❂ L D $ La Limeña Restaurant, 765 Rockville Pike, 301-4248066. Diners can choose dishes such as beef hearts, tripe and homemade pastries in this tiny but wellappointed eatery. And of course, there’s rotisserie chicken to go. L D $ La Tasca, 141 Gibbs St., Suite 305, Rockville Town Square, 301-279-7011, www.latascausa.com. The Rockville location of this regional chain strives to keep things interesting with 45 tapas dishes and six kinds of paella. ❂ J L D $$ Lebanese Taverna Café, 1605 Rockville Pike, 301468-9086; 115 Gibbs St., Rockville Town Square, 301309-8681; www.lebanesetaverna.com. A casual and pleasant family spot for lunch or dinner after shopping at Congressional Plaza or Rockville Town Square, Lebanese Taverna 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 numerous tofu dishes, diners at this Korean stalwart can try barbecue, stirfried specialties and kimchee, the national dish of pickled cabbage. L D $ Mamma Lucia, 12274-M Rockville Pike, 301-7704894; 14921-J Shady Grove Road, 301-762-8805; www.mammaluciarestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ J L D $$ Matchbox Vintage Pizza Bistro (Editors’ Pick), 1699 Rockville Pike, 301-816-0369, www.matchbox foodgroup.com. Mini-burgers and thin-crusted pizza in a super-cool space in Congressional Plaza. ❂ J R L D $ MemSahib, 4840 Boiling Brook Parkway, 301-4680098, www.memsahibrestaurant.com. Patrons eat the Indian country way, with their hands. MemSahib offers a buffet lunch and a six-course prix fixe dinner while belly dancers entertain customers. L D $$

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Jan.

ism. Reception from 6-9 p.m. Jan. 10. 24+24, Feb. 11-March 8. The exhibit will feature works by 24 gallery members and 24 guest artists. Reception from 6-9 p.m. Feb. 14. Bethesda Art Walk, 6-9 p.m. Jan. 10 and Feb. 14. Various galleries in downtown Bethesda open their doors on the second Friday of every month. Free. 301-215-6660, www.bethesda.org. Capitol Arts Network, 12276 Wilkins Ave., Rockville, 301-661-7590. www.capitolartsnetwork.com.

Marvin Hamlisch

Nobody Does It Better Whether it’s popular tunes like “The Entertainer” or “What I Did for Love” or movie scores for classics like A Chorus Line and The Way We Were, almost everyone is familiar with the work of the late composer and conductor Marvin Hamlisch. But not everybody might know that the celebrated winner of Oscar, Emmy and Tony awards has a local connection: He served as the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s principal pops conductor from 1996 to 2000. The BSO will pay tribute to Hamlisch at 8 p.m. Jan. 23 in Marvin Hamlisch: One Singular Sensation at The Music Center at Strathmore. Tickets cost $31-$94. For more information, go to www.bsomusic. org or call 301-581-5100. The Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda Civic Center Park, 603 Edmonston Drive, Rockville. Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. 240-314-8682, www.rockvillemd.gov. The Paté Painters, Jan. 5-24. The artists’ group is so named because the members get together to paint, have wine and eat paté.

Painting Through the Lens, 1 p.m. Mondays, Jan. 27-March 17 and 7 p.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 22-March 12. Learn to paint by using a favorite photo. Students may work in oils, acrylics, pastels or watercolors. For beginning and advanced students. $275.

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda. 301-280-1660, www.imaginationstage. org. $15-$22. Lyle the Crocodile, 11 a.m., 1:30 and 4 p.m. Jan. 4 and 1:30 and 4 p.m. Jan. 5. Lyle’s part of the Primm family, but neighbor Mr. Grumps thinks a crocodile isn’t fit for the neighborhood. Can Lyle change his mind? Suitable for children 4-12. Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr., 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10 and 11. Millie Dillmount is a smalltown girl determined to become a flapper in New York. The production is performed by students in Imagination Stage’s Performance Ensemble. $10. Rumpelstiltskin, 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Feb. 8-March 16; 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Feb. 17; 11 a.m. Feb. 15 and 22 and March 15; and 7 p.m. March 7. The miller’s daughter is told to spin straw into gold, and Rumpelstiltskin is willing to help her—for a price. Can she solve Rumpelstiltskin’s riddle in time to help her family? Suitable for children 5-10.

Waverly Street Gallery, 4600 East West Highway, Bethesda. Gallery hours noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Free. 301-951-9441, www.waverly streetgallery.com.

Are You My Mother?, 11 a.m. Jan. 11. The Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center, Montgomery College, 51 Mannakee St., Rockville. A mother bird flies off to find food, but her egg hatches while she’s away. The baby bird sets out on a search for his mom, asking a dog, a kitten, a plane and other animals and things along the way. Recommended for those 4 and older. $7; $6 for seniors, students and children. 240-5675301, www.montgomerycollege.edu/pac.

Lucid Dreams, Jan. 7-Feb. 8. Painter Gabor Szabo’s work marries symbolism and surreal-

Miss Nelson Is Missing, 10:30 a.m. TuesdaysFridays; 11 a.m., 2 and 4:30 p.m. Saturdays; 11

Gordana Gerskovic, Washington Wax Works and William Peirce, Feb. 2-21. Gerskovic’s pieces are in experimental photography, Washington Wax Works pieces are created with hot wax, and Peirce creates wood vessels.

Courtesy Photo

Landscape in Watercolor, 9:30 a.m. Thursdays, Jan. 23-March 13. Learn to create compositions with strong dark colors and brilliant light. Watercolor and drawing experience recommended. $250.

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Mi Rancho, 1488 Rockville Pike, 240-221-2636, www. miranchotexmexrestaurant.com. A boisterous party atmosphere every night at a place serving standard Tex-Mex fare at good prices. The outdoor patio, strung with colorful lights, is the place to be in nice weather. ❂ J L D $

Pho 75, 771 Hungerford Drive, 301-309-8873. 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. L D $

Moa, 12300 Wilkins Ave., 301-881-8880. 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. L D $

Mosaic Cuisine & Café, 186 Halpine Road, 301-4680682, www.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. JBRLD$ Mykonos Grill, 121 Congressional Lane, 301-7705999, www.mykonosgrill.com. An authentic Greek taverna with whitewashed walls on a busy street, Mykonos Grill turns out legs of lamb and fresh seafood expected at any good Greek restaurant. ❂ J L D $$ Nagoya Sushi Japanese Restaurant, 402 King Farm Blvd., Suite 130, 301-990-6778. Cheery yellow walls decorated with shelves of Japanese knickknacks greet customers at this unassuming sushi spot in King Farm. L D $$ Nick’s Chophouse, 700 King Farm Blvd., 301-9268869, www.nickschophouserockville.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. Separate bar menu. ❂ J L D $$ Niwano Hana Japanese Restaurant, 887 Rockville Pike, 301-294-0553, www.niwanohana.com. Clean Asian décor and elegant wooden screens greet diners at this friendly and busy sushi spot located in Wintergreen Plaza. Niwano Hana serves the usual sushi rolls, plus more creative options such as a Spicy Scallop Roll with mayonnaise and chili peppers, noodle dishes, teriyaki and yakitori, as well as a special crêpe for dessert. L D $$ Old Kimura Sushi, 785 Rockville Pike, Unit D, 301251-1922, www.oldkimura.com. A small restaurant serving an extensive sushi menu, along with noodle soups, rice dishes and tempura. 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 Vietnamese iced coffee is divine. L D $ Pho Nom Nom, 842 Rockville Pike, 301-610-0232, www. phonomnom.net. As the name suggests, the specialty is pho, but there are also grilled dishes, noodles and the Vietnamese sandwich known as banh mi. L D $ Pitchfork, an American pub, 800 Pleasant Drive, 301355-4979. American food with an emphasis on burgers. ❂LD$ Pizza CS, 1596-B Rockville Pike, 240-833-8090, www. pizzacs.com. Authentic Neapolitan pies offered in a sub-shop atmosphere. ❂ J L D $ Potomac Pizza, 9709 Traville Gateway Drive, 301279-2234, www.potomacpizza.com. See Chevy Chase listing. ❂ J L D $

The

Setting the Gold Standard in Middle Eastern Cuisine for Three Decades

king

the Caribbean and Central and South America. From Brazil, there’s feijoada stew; from Cuba, ropa vieja; and from Jamaica, curry shrimp and jerk chicken. The extensive bar selection includes 50 varieties of rum, 15 tequilas and six types of mojitos, plus sangria, margaritas and specialty cocktails.❂ J R L D $$

t of Lebanese

Michael’s Noodles, 10038 Darnestown Road, 301738-0370, www.michaelsnoodles.com. Extensive Taiwanese menu at this popular strip mall eatery includes dim sum, mixed noodle dishes, noodle soup and unusual specialties. L D $

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Bacchus of Lebanon

“Voted best Best Pizza by the readers of Bethesda Magazine, 2014”

Quench, 9712 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-424-8650, www.quenchnation.com. Urban bar scene in the suburbs, with unique cocktails and contemporary American cuisine. ❂ J R L D $$ Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company, 891-A Rockville Pike, 240-268-1120, www.rocklands.com. John Snedden has perfected the art of barbecue since he first opened Rocklands in Washington, D.C., in 1990. This location serves all-American pork ribs, smoked chicken, brisket and lamb cooked exclusively over red oak and hickory. ❂ J L D $

Original Pancake House, 12224 Rockville Pike, 301468-0886, www.ophrestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. J R L $

Rolls ‘N Rice, 1701 Rockville Pike (Shops at Congressional Village), 301-770-4030, www.rollsnrice. com. This Asian café serves more than 25 varieties of rolls, from a volcano roll (spicy tuna, white fish, salmon, tomato, jalapeno, fish eggs and vegetables) to a Philadelphia Roll (smoked salmon, cream cheese and avocado). J L D $

Oro Pomodoro, 33-A Maryland Ave., Rockville Town Center, 301-251-1111, www.oropomodoro.com. Freshly made Neapolitan-style pizzas, cheese and charcuterie are the draw at this modern, airy, goldaccented space. ❂ J L D $

Sadaf Halal Restaurant, 1327-K Rockville Pike, 301424-4040. An elegant alternative to the run-of-the-mill kabob places dotting the Pike, Sadaf is pristine, with lace curtains and glass mosaic tiles in front. In addition to kabobs, it offers Persian curries and fish dishes. ❂ J L D $

Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar, 11333 Woodglen Drive, 301-816-1100, www.paladarlatin kitchen.com. This small Cleveland-based chain covers the spectrum of Latin cuisine, with dishes from Cuba,

Sam’s Café & Market, 844 Rockville Pike, 301-4241600, www.samcafemarket.com. After filling up on the kitchen’s juicy skewered meats, have a gelato and check out the hookahs. ❂ J L D $

After eating our homemade pizzas you will think you have died and gone to Haven

7137 WISCONSIN WISCONSIN AVE. AVE. 7137 BETHESDA, MD MD BETHESDA, 301-664-9412 301-664-9412

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to-do list | January | February

7719 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814 (240) 330-4500

www.bethesdabluesjazz.com

PHILLIP “DOC” MARTIN JANUARY 11

MID-ATLANTIC COLLEGIATE JAZZ ORCHESTRA JANUARY 12

TIZER FT. KAREN BRIGGS JANUARY 16

POPA CHUBBY JANUARY 18

THE SOUL SERENADERS JANUARY 19

SAMMY FIGUEROA & HIS LATIN JAZZ EXPLOSION NOVEMBER 30

RON KEARNS QUINTET W/ SPECIAL GUEST MICHAEL THOMAS JANUARY 26

DEANNA BOGART BAND FEBRUARY 7

JOE LOUIS WALKER FEBRUARY 21

THE SOUL CRACKERS W/ TOMMY LEPSON FEBRUARY 22

Facebook.com/Bethesda.Blues.Jazz

In Seminar, the students who sign up for a celebrity teacher’s writing workshop don’t know it, but they’re about to get schooled in more than prose. The comedy by playwright and Pulitzer Prize nominee Theresa Rebeck centers on four writing students in a class taught by Leonard, a famous— but hotheaded—novelist. As the plot unfolds, the students learn as much about survival as they do about writing. This Broadway work—Rebeck’s plays Dead Accounts and Mauritius also have been performed on the Great White Way—is making its area premiere Feb. 5 and will run through March 2 at Round House Theatre Bethesda. Tickets are $20-$45. For more information, go to www.round housetheatre.org or call 240-644-1100.

Feb. 5 Mar. 2

Round House Theatre Bethesda, 4545 East West Highway, Bethesda a.m. and 2 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 17-March 9. Also, 7 p.m. Jan. 17, and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Jan. 20-21 and Feb. 17. No performances Jan. 22 and 27 and Feb. 18. Adventure Theatre, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. Miss Nelson’s class is terrible, so terrible that she turns up missing. Miss Nelson is replaced by the petrifying Viola Swamp. Will the kids ever get Miss Nelson back? Recommended for those 5 and older. $19. 301-634-2270, www. adventuretheatre-mtc.org The Puppet Co. Playhouse, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. 301-634-5380, www.thepuppetco.org. Tales of Beatrix Potter, 10 and 11:30 a.m. Fridays, 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Jan. 17-Feb. 9. Suitable for pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. $10; group rates available. Sleeping Beauty, 10 and 11:30 a.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Feb. 13-March 23. The tale of romance and adventure features frogs, fairies and, of course, a sleeping princess. Suitable for pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. $10; group rates available. The Puppet Co.’s Tiny Tots program, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo. 301-634-5380, www. thepuppetco.org. Performances begin at 10 a.m. and last 30 minutes. Recommended for children up to age 4. $5 per person, including babies in arms. Snow Show, Jan. 18. A snow bunny on skis,

snowmen, snowwomen, a penguin and other friends salute snow. Winter Wonderland, Jan. 19. The King of Winter and the Snow Queen welcome Jack Frost and other wintry characters. Old McDonald’s Farm, Jan. 22 and Feb. 8 and 26. Meet Al E. Cat and his barnyard buddies. Baby Bear’s Birthday, Jan. 25. Join Baby Bear as his friends perform circus tricks as a birthday surprise. Dragon Feathers, Jan. 26. Fun-loving dragons show off their abilities in a magical talent show. The Mother Goose Caboose, Feb. 2. Meet Mother Goose and several of her friends. Teddy Bear’s Picnic, Feb. 5. Baby Bear’s friends bring food for a picnic and entertain each other. Clowning Around, Feb. 15. Join Burlington the Bear, Bingo the Dog and a clown named Gus under the big top. Merlin’s Magic, Feb. 22. The famous magician and his dragons put a new spin on old tricks. Penguin’s Playground, Feb. 23. Come explore a super-secret playground hidden at the South Pole.

LITERARY Café Muse, 7 p.m. Jan. 6 and Feb. 3. Friendship Heights Village Center, 4433 S. Park Ave., Chevy Chase. Monthly literary program with open readings following featured readers. Free. 301-6562797, www.wordworksdc.com/café_muse.html.

SEASONAL Bethesda Central Farm Market, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays. Bethesda Elementary School, 7600 Arlington Road. The year-round market’s offerings include baked goods, fruits and vegetables, seafood and some meats. www.centralfarmmarkets.com. Outdoor Ice Skating Rink in Rockville, noon10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, noon-11 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays, through March 14. Rockville Town Square, 131 Gibbs St., Rockville. $8 for adults; $7 for those 12 and younger and 55 and older. Skate rental is $3. 301-545-1999, www.rockvilletown square.com/at-the-square/ice-rink. Outdoor Ice Skating Rink in Silver Spring, noon-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, noon-11 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m.10 p.m. Sundays, through March 25. Veterans Plaza, 8523 Fenton St., Silver Spring. $8 for adults; $7 for those 12 and younger and 55 and older. Skate rental is $3. 301-588-1221, www.silver springiceskating.com. n To submit calendar items, or to see a complete listing, go to BethesdaMagazine.com.

courtesy photo

Class Action

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dining guide Seasons 52, 11414 Rockville Pike, 301-984-5252, www. seasons52.com. A fresh, seasonal menu featuring items under 475 calories. Nightly piano music. Voted “Best Rockville Restaurant” in 2013. ❂ L D $$ Seven Seas Chinese Restaurant, 1776 East Jefferson St., 301-770-5020, www.sevenseasrestaurant. com. An elegant restaurant popular with politicians and local chefs and known for its fresh seafood and impeccable service. Specials include the paper hot pot, meals using ancient Chinese herbs and afternoon tea. Sushi, too. J L D $ Sheba Restaurant, 5071 Nicholson Lane, Rockville, 301-881-8882, www.shebarockville.com. Authentic Ethiopian cuisine, with lots of vegetarian and vegan options. L D $ Sichuan Jin River, 410 Hungerford Drive, 240-4037351, www.scjinriver.com. Terrific Sichuan cuisine served in a no-frills setting. Take the plunge with the authentic Chinese menu. L D $ Silver Diner, 12276 Rockville Pike, 301-770-2828, www.silverdiner.com. Shiny new digs replace the local chain’s first location a few traffic lights away. The latest food trends (think quinoa coconut pancakes) share company on the enormous menu with diner staples such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes. J B R L D $

that spans the cuisine from Japan to Thailand and the tiny islands in between. ❂ J L D $$ Tara Thai, 12071 Rockville Pike, 301-231-9899, www. tarathai.com.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $$ Taste of Saigon (Editors’ Pick), 20-A Maryland Ave., Rockville Town Square, 301-424-7222, www.tasteof saigon.com. This neighborhood favorite focuses on elegant Vietnamese preparations. Tamarind soft-shell crab and lime steak topped with an egg are specialties, but a variety of noodle dishes and lemongrass skewers are also offered. ❂ L D $$ Ted’s 355 Diner, 895 Rockville Pike, 301-340-0088, www.teds355.com. The former Broadway and Hollywood diners get reincarnated again, this time by Virginia pizza restaurateur Ted Thedorou. J B R L D $$ Temari Café, 1043 Rockville Pike, 301-340-7720. Deep-fried oysters, classic rice balls and comic books to peruse while you await your order set this Japanese restaurant apart from the rest. L D $$ Thai Farm, 800 King Farm Blvd., 301-258-8829, www. thaifarmrestaurant.com. A tastefully modern dining room soaked in a soothing yellow light. The usual suspects are on the menu here, but chef’s suggestions include an intriguing broiled fish wrapped in banana leaf and stir-fried duck. L D $$

Spice Xing, 100-B Gibbs St., Rockville Town Square, 301-610-0303, www.spicexing.com. Started by Sudhir Seth, chef and owner of Bethesda’s Passage to India, this location offers lower prices, smaller plates and dishes reflecting the history of culinary influences on India. ❂ J R L D $$

Thai Pavilion, 29 Maryland Ave., Unit 308, Rockville Town Square, 301-545-0244, www.thaipavilionrestau rant.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 $$

Super Bowl Noodle, 785 Rockville Pike, 301-738-0086. Asian noodle dishes in super-size portions. ❂ L D $

That’s Amore, 15201 Shady Grove Road, 240-2680682, www.thatsamore.com. This local chain focuses on family-style portions of classic Neapolitan dishes like lasagna and chicken Parmesan in a more elegant setting than might be expected. Good for groups and large families. J L D $$

The Original Ambrosia Restaurant, 12015 Rockville Pike, 301-881-3636, www.theoriginalambrosia.com. When Ambrosia Restaurant lost its lease after 30 years, the original employees opened this location, which features an eclectic menu of breakfast, gyros, pizza, crabcakes and soups. J B L D $ The Potomac Grill, 1093 Rockville Pike, 301-7388181, www.thepotomacgrill.com. A spacious, nautical-themed restaurant with a fireplace, Potomac Grill specializes in seafood but also features serious steaks, burgers and salads. Look for daily specials featuring a catch of the day and several desserts of the day. J R L D $$ Timpano Italian Chophouse, 12021 Rockville Pike, 301-881-6939, www.timpanochophouse.net. A chain steak house with an Italian accent, Timpano is a favorite of wheeler-dealer business lunchers and nighttime diners looking for a high-quality steak or wellprepared pasta. ❂ J R L D $$$ Tower Oaks Lodge, 2 Preserve Parkway, 301-294-0200, www.clydes.com. The Clyde’s version of a lodge in the mountains. Well-prepared food runs the gamut of American desires, from burgers to fish. J R L D $$

Urban Bar-B-Que Company, 2007 Chapman Ave., 240-290-4827, www.iloveubq.com/. Urban Bar-B-Que Company, a tiny joint run by a couple of local friends with a winning formula, features finger-licking ribs, burgers and wings and a friendly staff. J L D $ Urban Burger Company, 5566 Norbeck Road, 301460-0050, www.iloveubq.com. Urban Bar-B-Que’s Black Angus burgers were so popular, its owners decided to open another location in 2007. The fullservice restaurant also offers killer fries, salads and wings. ❂ J L D $ Villa Maya, 5532 Norbeck Road (in the Rock Creek Village Center), 301-460-1247, www.villamayarestau rant.com. Traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex food for the whole family. ❂ J R L D $$ Woodside Deli, 4 N. Washington St., 301-444-4478, www.thewoodsidedeli.com. A second location of the venerable Silver Spring eatery and caterer that has been dishing up matzo ball soup since 1947. This one has a pickle bar. ❂ J B R L D $ Yekta, 1488 Rockville Pike, 301-984-0005, www.yekta. com. Persian cuisine served in a beautiful dining room. Check out the adjacent market after polishing off your kebab. L D $$ Yuan Fu Vegetarian, 798 Rockville Pike, 301-762-5937, www.yuanfuvegetarian.com. From tea-smoked “duck” to kung pao “chicken,” the whole menu is meatless, made from Chinese vegetable products. L D $

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style paintings. The pork-stuffed corn pupusas are stars. Also look for more elegant dinners, including fried whole trout. L D $$

A historic firehouse has been given a makeover as an eatery serving 21st-century pizza, sandwiches, meat, seafood and vegetarian entrées. J R L D $

Jackie’s Restaurant (Editors’ Pick), 8081 Georgia Ave., 301-565-9700, www.jackiesrestaurant.com. This lovable eatery serves modern American cuisine in a former-auto-repair-shop-gone-1960s-hot-pink. The Sidebar is a cocktail lounge; Jackie’s Back Room has live music and private parties. The restaurant tied for “Best Silver Spring Restaurant” in 2013. R D $$

Bombay Gaylord, 8401 Georgia Ave., 301-565-2528, www.bombaygaylordsilverspring.com. A neighborhood favorite serving respectable Indian fare for years. Lunch buffet. ❂ L D $ Copper Canyon Grill, 928 Ellsworth Drive, 301-5891330, www.ccgrill.com. See Gaithersburg listing. ❂ J R L D $$ Crisfield Seafood Restaurant, 8012 Georgia Ave., 301-589-1306. With its U-shaped counter and kitschy, oyster-plate-covered walls, this landmark seafood diner has customers lining up for the Eastern Shore specialties such as oysters and crabmeat-stuffed lobster that it has served since the 1940s. J L D $$ Cubano’s, 1201 Fidler Lane, 301-563-4020, www. cubanosrestaurant.com. The brightly colored tropical dining room of greens, blues and reds 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. ❂ J L D $$ Da Marco Ristorante Italiano, 8662 Colesville Road, 301-588-6999, www.damarcorestaurant.com. This full-service restaurant has been a fixture in Silver Spring for years, with an intimate ambience for classic Italian pasta suppers. J L D $$ Eggspectation, 923 Ellsworth Drive, 301-585-1700, www.eggspectations.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 and dinners. ❂ J B L D $$ El Aguila Restaurant, 8649 16th St., 301-588-9063, www.elaguilarestaurant.com. A cheery bar and generous plates of Tex-Mex favorites such as enchiladas and Salvadoran seafood soup make this popular with families and others looking for a lively night out. ❂ J L $ El Gavilan, 8805 Flower Ave., 301-587-4197. The walls are bright, the music’s upbeat, the margaritas are fine and the service is friendly. The usual Tex-Mex fare is here, as well as Salvadoran specialties such as tasty cheese- or pork-filled pupusas. Live music on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. J L D $ El Golfo, 8739 Flower Ave., 301-608-2121, elgolfores taurant.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. ❂ J R L D $

Jewel of India, 10151 New Hampshire Ave., 301-4082200, www.jewelofindiamd.com. Elegant décor and top-notch northern Indian cuisine make this shopping center restaurant a real find. ❂ L D $$ Kao Thai, 8650 Colesville Road, 301-495-1234, www. kaothairestaurant.com. This recently expanded restaurant turns out top-notch curries, noodle dishes and vegetarian options, plus house specialties, such as Siam Salmon with Spicy Thai Basil Sauce. ❂ L D $$

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4930 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda 301-718-0344 www.trattoriasorrento.com

Fenton Café, 8311 Fenton St., 301-326-1841. An out-of-the-way crêperie serving 31 kinds of sweet crêpes and 16 varieties of savory crêpes. B L D $

Mi Rancho, 8701 Ramsey Ave., 301-588-4872, www. miranchotexmexrestaurant.com. See Rockville listing. ❂ J L D $

Fire Station 1 Restaurant & Brewing Co., 8131 Georgia Ave., 301-585-1370, www.firestation-1.com.

Mrs. K’s Restaurant, 9201 Colesville Road, 301-5893500, www.mrsks.com. An elegant, antique-filled

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dining guide option for special occasions and sublime Sunday 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. ❂ J R L D $$$ Olazzo, 8235 Georgia Ave., 301-588-2540, www. olazzo.com. The Silver Spring location of the Bethesda restaurant draws crowds to its dark and intimate space with classic Italian-American fare and Tuesday martini specials. ❂ J L D $ Oriental East Restaurant, 1312 East West Highway, 301-608-0030, www.orientaleast.com. Be prepared to wait for a table and maneuver around carts filled with dumplings, noodles and spare ribs at this popular dim sum restaurant that caters to families and groups on weekends. Chinese standards for dinner, plus tripe and jellyfish. L D $ Pacci’s Neapolitan Pizzeria (Editors’ Pick), 8113 Georgia Ave., 301-588-1011, www.paccispizzeria.com. This stylish eatery turns out top-notch pizzas from a wood-burning oven. ❂ J (upon request) L D $ Pacci’s Trattoria & Pasticceria, 6 Old Post Office Road, 301-588-0867, www.facebook.com/Paccis Trattoria. Classic Italian dishes, including homemade meatballs and sausage, from the owner of Pacci’s Pizzeria, also in Silver Spring. L D $$ Parkway Deli & Restaurant, 8317 Grubb Road, 301-587-1427, www.theparkwaydeli.com. Voted “Best Deli” for 2014 by Bethesda Magazine readers, Parkway features a bustling back dining room, around for decades, 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 $ Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza, 962 Wayne Ave., 301-588-7383, www.petesapizza.com. Sporting more stylish décor than its other locations (see Upper NW D.C.), Pete’s fourth and latest restaurant offers the same crunchy-crusted New Haven-style pizzas, plus pasta, panini and salads. This branch is the only one so far to offer fried calamari. J 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 $ Piratz Tavern, 8402 Georgia Ave., 301-588-9001, www.piratztavern.com. Decorated to the hilt with scabbards, skeletons and booty, this pirate-themed tavern opened by husband-and-wife graphic artists offers frequent live entertainment and a secluded back terrace. ❂ J L D $ Quarry House Tavern, 8401 Georgia Ave., 301-5878350, www.quarryhousetavern.com. A great dive that serves organic burgers and dozens of beers; frequent live music. D $ Romano’s Macaroni Grill, 931 Ellsworth Drive, 301562-2806, www.macaronigrill.com. See Gaithersburg listing. J L D $$ Samantha’s, 631 University Blvd. East, 301-445-7300, This white-tablecloth, Latin-Salvadoran spot in an industrial neighborhood is popular because of its wel-

coming attitude toward families with young children. The steak and fish specialties are good. L D $$ Scion, 1200 East West Highway, 301-585-8878, www. scionrestaurant.com. A contemporary American eatery from sisters Joanne and Julie Liu, who also own a popular Dupont Circle restaurant with the same name. Look for everything from wasabi Caesar salad to lobster reuben to spicy yogurt chicken. R L D $$ Sergio’s 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 Double Tree Hotel. Ravioli with asparagus and cheese in a tarragon sauce is popular. L D $$ Sushi Jin, 8555 Fenton St., 301-608-0990, www. sushijinnextdoor.com. Spare, clean and modern, with terrific udon noodle soup and impeccable raw fish. L D $$ sweetgreen, 8517 Georgia Ave., 301-244-5402, www. sweetgreen.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $ Tastee Diner, 8601 Cameron St., 301-589-8171, www. tasteediner.com. A 1930s-era lowbrow classic open 24 hours and featuring friendly service and typical diner food. ❂ J B L D $ Thai at Silver Spring, 921-E Ellsworth Drive, 301-6500666, www.thaiatsilverspring.com. The Americanized Thai food is second to the location, which is superb for people-watching on the street below. A modern and stylish dining room with a hip bar in bold colors and good service add to the appeal. ❂ L D $$ Thai Derm, 939 Bonifant St., 301-589-5341, www. thaidermusa.com. This local favorite serves homestyle Thai food in a pleasantly modest dining room off a quiet street near downtown. The large menu includes noodle dishes like pad Thai and savory-sweet salads. Lunch specials daily. ❂ L D $ The Big Greek Café, 8223 Georgia Ave., 301-5874733, www.biggreekcafe.com. Owned by the Marmaras brothers, whose family operated the decadesold Golden Flame restaurant, the café serves a hit parade of Greek specialties, including a top-notch chicken souvlaki pita. ❂ J L D $ The Classics (Editors’ Pick), 8606 Colesville Road, 301-588-7297, www.raystheclassics.com. The restaurant features great steaks and seafood served without the pomp in a basic white dining room. Serious drinks and fresh seasonal American fare. D $$$ The Daily Dish, 8301 Grubb Road, 301-588-6300, www. thedailydishrestaurant.com. A neighborhood favorite serving seasonally inspired, locally sourced comfort food. Full-service catering, too. ❂ J R L D $$ The Greek Place, 8417 Georgia Ave., 301-495-2912, www.thegreekplace.net. Big portions of better-thanaverage food at reasonable prices. The bifteki pita sandwich, a seasoned ground lamb and beef patty with tzatziki, tomatoes and red onions, is especially good. ❂ J L D $ The Society Lounge, 8229 Georgia Ave., 301-565-8864, www.societyss.com. Former collegiate and professional basketball player Jason Miskiri opened this restaurant and lounge with a Caribbean accent. ❂ L D $$

Urban Bar-B-Que Company, 10163 New Hampshire Ave., 301-434-7427, www.iloveubq.com. A fast and friendly spot to meet for smoked meats, especially the ribs. See Rockville listing. J L D $ Urban Butcher (New) (Editors’ Pick), 8226 Georgia Ave., 301-585-5800, www.urbanbutcher.com. Hip, eclectic setting provides the backdrop for this New Age steakhouse, with its home-cured salamis, sausages and other charcuterie, plus imaginative meat dishes made from local animals of yesteryear breeds. Space includes a lounge, bar, meat curing room, retail counter and dining area. Review, page 301. B D $$ Vegetable Garden, 3830 International Drive (in Leisure World Plaza), 301-598-6868, www.vegetable gardensilverspring.com. Popular vegan, vegetarian and macrobiotic Asian restaurant relocates from Rockville to a fresh-looking dining room done in pink and green. The health-focused menu features a wide variety of eggplant and asparagus dishes, plus vegetarian “beef,” and “chicken” dishes often made with soy and wheat gluten. L D $$ Vicino Ristorante Italiano, 959 Sligo Ave., 301588-3372, vicinoitaliano.com. A favorite neighborhood red-sauce joint that hasn’t changed in decades, featuring some fine seafood choices in addition to classic pasta dishes. Families welcome. ❂ L D $ Woodside Deli & Restaurant, 9329 Georgia Ave., 301-589-7055, www.thewoodsidedeli.com. Famous for its matzo ball soup, terrific clubs and Reuben sandwiches since 1947. J B L D $

Upper NW D.C. American City Diner, 5532 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202244-1949, www.americancitydiner.com. Retro diner complete with blue-plate specials such as Salisbury steak and stuffed peppers; malts and egg creams. Classic movies free with dinner. ❂ J B L D $ Arucola, 5534 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-244-1555, www.arucola.com. Authentic Italian in a casual setting, with a changing menu that includes creative treatment of traditional dishes, homemade pasta and pizza from the wood-burning oven. ❂ J L D $ Blue 44, 5507 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-362-2583, www.blue44dc.com. Classic American favorites in the old Senor Pepper space. ❂ J R L D $$ Buck’s Fishing and Camping, 5031 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-0777, www.bucksfishingandcamping. com. Hip takes on comfort food such as roast chicken (locally raised) and “camp” steak, with fun twists that include grilled chorizo and tempura squash blossoms, in an artsy-chic setting. D $$$ Café of India, 4909 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-244-1395, www.cafeofindiadc.com. Cute corner café with two levels of dining. Features an extensive menu, including vegetarian and Tandoori entrées, dosas, samosas, tikkas, curries and kabobs. ❂ L D $$ Chads Friendship Heights, 5247 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-362-8040, www.dcchadwicks.com. Neighborhood hangout sometimes compared to Cheers, but with a full menu beyond bar food, including salads, steaks, seafood and sandwiches. ❂ J R L D $$

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There’s one sure way to enjoy the flavor of the Big Apple: Take one of the city’s food tours

courtesy of Foods of New York Tours

By Carole Sugarman

A family-owned Italian specialty shop, Faicco’s has been on Bleecker Street since 1900.

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with traditional fare like steak frites, bouillabaisse and braised lamb cheeks. R L D $$

Masala Art (Editors’ Pick) 4441-B Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-362-4441, www.masalaartdc.com. Fine Indian dining featuring tandoor-oven specialties and masterful Indian spicing. L D $$

Eurasian Hotpot, 4445 Wisconsin Ave., 202-9667088, www.eurasianhotpot.com. The extensive Vietnamese menu features pho, egg and rice noodle soups, vermicelli dishes, entrée salads, broken and fried rice entrées and choices for vegetarians. You can also devise your own soup by choosing among broths, meat, vegetables and starches. Then you do the cooking in hotpots brought to the table. ❂ L D $ Guapo’s Fine Mexican Cuisine, 4515 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-686-3588, www.guaposrestaurant.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ R L D $$ Jake’s American Grille, 5018 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202966-5253, www.jakesdc.com. Burgers, steaks and sandwiches in a restaurant named after the owner’s grandfather, an accomplished Navy test engineer. J R L D $$ Le Chat Noir, 4907 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-2442044, www.lechatnoirrestaurant.com. Cute, cozy neighborhood bistro run by French restaurateurs,

15th Annual

Maggiano’s, 5333 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-966-5500, www.maggianos.com. Old-style Italian fare that’s a favorite for large groups and private celebrations. J L D $$

Murasaki Japanese Cuisine and Sushi Bar, 4620 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-966-0023, www.murasakidc. com. Wide variety of specialty sushi rolls plus full menu, including teriyaki, tempura, noodle soup and other authentic Japanese dishes in tastefully understated décor. ❂ L D $$ Parthenon Restaurant, 5510 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-966-7600, www.parthenon-restaurant.com. Neighborhood eatery taken up a couple notches, with an extensive menu full of authentic selections familiar and exotic, including avgolemono (egg/lemon soup), tzatziki, moussaka, dolmades and souvlaki. ❂ J L D $$ Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza, 4940 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-237-7383, www.petesapizza.com. New Haven-inspired pizza with crusts that are crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Salads, pasta and panini also served. ❂ J L D $ Range (Editors’ Pick), 5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 201, 202-803-8020, www.voltrange.com. Celebrity chef Bryan Voltaggio’s extravaganza, featuring multiple open kitchens, 300 seats, an enormous

wine list, and one-of-a-kind small plates. The restaurant was chosen for “Best Cocktail” in 2014 by the magazine’s editors. L D $$$ Rosa Mexicano, 5225 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-7779959, www.rosamexicano.com. Upscale Mexican chain known for its tableside-prepared guacamole and stylish decor. J R L D $$ Satay Club Asian Restaurant and Bar, 4654 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-363-8888, www.asiansatayclub. com. Comfortable/casual 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, www.tanadthaicuisine.com. Extensive menu includes noodles, rice, curries and vegetarian entrées, and even a Thai lemonade cocktail. ❂ L D $$ Tara Thai, 4849 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-363-4141, www.tarathai.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ R L D $ Terasol (Editors’ Pick), 5010 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-237-5555, www.terasolartisans.com. Charming French café serving soups, salads, quiches and a few entrées, along with jewelry and pottery from local artisans. Live music on Fridays and Saturdays. ❂ JBLD$ The Dancing Crab, 4615 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202244-1882, www.thedancingcrab.com. Informal family restaurant that looks as if it has been relocated from the beach, with a fresh seafood menu that includes hard-shell and soft-shell crabs in season. ❂ J L D $$

April 11-13, 2014 The Bethesda Urban Partnership invites you to celebrate the diversity of literature with novelists, journalists, poets, children’s events and writing contest winners. All events take place throughout downtown Bethesda and are FREE!

William Martin, Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus, Martha Grimes, Michael Sokolove, Alice McDermott and more!

For a complete schedule, call 301-215-6660 or visit www.bethesda.org. BethesdaMagazine.com | March/April 2014 321

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Joe’s Pizza, the Greenwich Village institution owned and operated by Naples-born Joe Pozzuoli since 1975, has been visited by a host of celebrities over the years. But its latest claim to fame was its inclusion in the movie Spider-Man 2. Actor Tobey Maguire, aka Spider-Man, plays a Joe’s delivery guy. Our tour guide finishes telling us some of this history, then ducks into the jam-packed joint, emerging with the pizzeria’s classic New York pie. He places it on a bar table outside and notes that the pizza’s made with San Marzano tomatoes and whole milk mozzarella. Everybody grabs a slice. Luckily, there are 15 people in this Foods of New York Tours group, and 16 pieces in the pie. My son, a recent graduate of New York University who practically majored in pizza, calls the last slice. Traditional New York pizza—thincrusted and foldable—is the ideal first food for our three-hour walking/eating adventure through Manhattan’s West Village. Our noshing contingent includes a Chicago mom and her grown daughter from Arlington, Va., a group of tourists from California, and a collection of locals, including a suburban teenager celebrating her birthday with a friend. And it includes me and my two kids, committed foodies who are always on the lookout for our next memorable meal. We’re all here for bites of the Big Apple, a city with so many good restaurants and interesting grocery stores and so little time to enjoy them, particularly over a single weekend. Our June jaunt on the “Original Greenwich Village Food and Culture Walking Tour” is one of five tours given by the company, which was founded in 1999 and claims to be the oldest of the dozen or more food tour firms in the city. Over the course of a steamy afternoon, we’ll sample 15 different dishes at eight places, and by the time we part, we’ll be feeling fat and happy. More than a pleasurable pig-out, though, a tour

Arancini from Faicco’s Pork Store

Actor Cary Grant once lived in this narrow Greenwich Village home.

Barbra Streisand worked at Cherry Lane as an usher.

Bottles of oils hang at O&Co.

Rafele, an Italian restaurant

Murray’s Cheese Shop

Cannoli from Rocco’s

Tourists grab a slice of Joe’s.

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such as this is a great way to learn about New York, since food shops and restaurants are inextricably linked to the city’s immigration, history and architecture. Our guide, Ted Mineau, a tall, slim and perpetually chatty man who also works for The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, sprinkles his tour with historical links, trivia and restaurant tips along the way.

Cookies from Milk & Cookies Bakery

Customers can grab a seat outside Milk & Cookies Bakery.

Joe’s Pizza

courtesy of Foods of New York Tours

A sampling at Murray’s

Living in Greenwich Village is like living in Europe, Mineau explains as we gather on Bleecker Street, around the corner from Joe’s. In both places, people tend to do their shopping at small specialty stores—the cheese shop, the bread store, the olive oil boutique—rather than at large supermarkets. So here we are at O&Co., a tiny, chic shop lined with shelves displaying all sorts of olive oils, vinegars, tapenades, spreads and more. An employee gives a brief talk, mostly about the superiority of the oils that are custom-made for O&Co. by small-batch producers in the Mediterranean region. Based in France, the company has five shops in the United States, as well as in Paris, Tokyo and elsewhere, in addition to a bustling business online. The overview sounds like a lot of hype, but the food samples don’t disappoint. First, basil oil is drizzled on baguette slices, followed by a spread of Parmesan truffle cream. Both are intense in flavor, eliciting an enthusiastic round of oohs and aahs from the group. (Mineau tells us the truffle cream is great when mixed into pasta or spread onto a burger; later, he adds that he covets the store’s truffle salt, which he likes to sprinkle on eggs.) The final sample arrives in small plastic cups: balsamic cherry vinegar mixed with tonic water, a titillating drink combining acid, fruit and fizz. Back outside, Mineau launches into a brief historical aside. In the late 1700s, Bleecker Street was a main road in New York City, and the Federal-style

brick homes all had farms behind them, he says. The Dutch and English were the first immigrants to settle in the area of Bleecker Street, and then the Italians came in the late 1800s. That segue brings us to Faicco’s Pork Store, a family-owned Italian specialty shop that has been in business on the street since 1900 and makes seven types of sausage daily, according to Mineau. While the group waits on a corner, Mineau heads inside the store with its red, white and blue pig emblem sign, and comes out with a container full of arancini, the deep-fried rice balls that everybody loves. These are winners—greaseless, golf ball-size orbs lightly coated in herbed bread crumbs and filled with creamy risotto and homemade mozzarella and ricotta cheeses. “Any vegetarians?” Mineau asks as we savor the last bites of arancini. When no one raises a hand, he heads back to Faicco’s, returning with slices of homemade soppressata, a sweet and spicy salami that melts in your mouth. Buono! My kids and I, not normally soppressata fans, agree that Faicco’s version has single-handedly changed our minds. Aware that we’re blocking foot traffic, Mineau asks us to line up single file as he delivers a what-to-eat-where lesson around the corner on a quaint stretch of Cornelia Street. Go for the crabcakes at Le Gigot, he tells us; lobster rolls at Pearl Oyster Bar; burger, clam chowder and macaroni and cheese at Home. He sprinkles his recommendations with stories about the chefs and owners, while reminding us that these are not chain restaurants with cookie-cutter menus. (We know that, Ted!) He also frequently mentions dining here or there with “Todd,” the founder of Foods of New York Tours. Todd Lefkovic, a Jersey boy from Cranford, started coming into Manhattan to eat when he was a teenager. He’d hit mom-and-pop restaurants, specialty stores and other out-of-the-way spots.

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As he got older (he’s now 52), he’d “go to one restaurant for an appetizer, another for a main course, another place for a drink, another for music,” says Amy Bandolik, director of operations for Foods of New York Tours. Working as a graphic designer, Lefkovic would devise eating itineraries and share them with colleagues and friends. In 1999, he advertised weekend food tours in a New York magazine and got about 60 takers. The calls kept coming. Two years later he quit his day job to devote himself full time to Foods of New York Tours. He now employs three fulltime and two part-time staffers, plus 15 guides who take people on five different neighborhood tours seven days a week, 360 days a year. As the year was winding down, Bandolik estimated that 35,000 people will have taken a company tour in 2013, and that more than 250,000 will have done so since its inception. Lefkovic has competition, however. More than a dozen food tour companies are operating in the city now, though Bandolik claims Foods of New York Tours has the most tour guides and does the greatest volume. (Not that big is always better. With up to 16 people on a tour, it’s hard to fit the entire group into some of these historic stores and pintsize restaurants, making at least some of the tour more of a sidewalk introduction than a real culinary experience.) As for the clientele, Bandolik says Foods of New York Tours gets “a nice mix,” with about 72 percent of its customers American, 11 percent Canadian, 7 percent Australian, 5 percent from the United Kingdom, and the rest from somewhere else. “And we do get a good percentage of locals,” she adds, referring to the New Yorkers who come on dates, with visiting guests or just for a fun afternoon. Most of the American out-of-towners have “already done the Times Square thing,” Bandolik says. “They’re trying to see things on a deeper level. And they’re looking for food.” We don’t have far to look for food. Mineau has just distributed small cups of peach gelato from Dolce Gelateria as we stand on the Barrow Street side-

walk. No sooner have we finished it than we’re off to Rafele, an Italian restaurant owned by a friend of Lefkovic’s. Mineau previews the place, gushing about the eggplant rollatini. Opened six months earlier, the restaurant doesn’t offer much other than the friend connection in my view. The eggplant rollatini is just so-so, and the restaurant is nice, though hardly distinctive. But after all the standing outside, a sit-down snack is a welcome respite. We get another sit-down break at the pretty blue-tiled tables of our next destination, the diminutive Milk & Cookies Bakery on Commerce Street, which offers us rich chocolate chip cookies the size of a saucer. The popular bakery, which specializes in homemade ice cream sandwiches and design-your-own cookies (you select the dough base and the mix-ins), also sells founder Tina Casaceli’s Milk & Cookies cookbook (Chronicle Books, 2011). “Does everyone feel that sugar rushing to their veins?” Mineau asks as we waddle out and head down the charming street, bypassing the former home of Washington Irving. Thankfully, after six stops for rapid-fire eating, there’s a break in the action. It’s time to digest some trivia instead. Mineau brings us to a red brick structure on Bedford Street and tells us it’s the narrowest house in the Village—9½ feet wide outside; 8½ feet wide inside. At various times, Cary Grant, John Barrymore, Margaret Mead and Edna St. Vincent Millay have called it home. After a stop in front of the famous Cherry Lane Theatre—where Mineau tells us Barbra Streisand got her start as an usher—followed by a brief walk and explanation about a couple of former speakeasies nearby, we head back to Bleecker Street. It’s time to wrap things up in the second-floor, glass-enclosed tasting room at Murray’s cheese shop, which overlooks a frenzy of shoppers below. In airconditioned comfort, we’re served slices of three lovely cheeses—ewephoria sheep’s milk Gouda, 5 Spoke Creamery Tumbleweed (a Pennsylvania cheddar) and manouri (a Greek semisoft product). Then Mineau slips out, returning a

IF YOU GO Getting there: Though you can fly or take the train to New York, by far the cheapest and easiest way to go is by bus, via Tripper or Vamoose, both of which offer service from downtown Bethesda. I usually take Tripper Bus, which leaves from the southwest corner of Elm Street and Wisconsin Avenue and arrives in New York at 31st Street and 8th Avenue. One-way trips are $27 (www. tripperbus.com). Vamoose buses, which leave from 7490 Waverly St. and arrive at the corner of West 30th Street and 7th Avenue, one block from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden, start at $30 each way (www.vamoosebus.com). With either company, a one-way ride takes from four to 4½ hours.

Foods of New York Tours: In addition to the Original Greenwich Village tour, which I took last June, Foods of New York Tours offers four other eating/walking options, all of them lasting about three hours: Chelsea Market/Meatpacking District; Central Greenwich Village/SoHo; Nolita/NoHo (north of Little Italy/north of Houston Street); and Chinatown. The Chinatown tour, which includes three sit-down minimeals, costs $65; the others are $49 ($35 for children 12 and under). Tour capacity is 16 people. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and are available online at www.foodsofny. com through Zerve.

few minutes later with a box of anisette toast, biscotti and cannoli from Rocco’s pastry shop. Somehow, all of us find room for those last little bites. n Carole Sugarman is the food editor at Bethesda Magazine. To comment on this story, email comments@bethesdamagazine.com.

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Other Food Samplers Foods of New York Tours claims to have started the trend in 1999, but there are plenty of other food tours out there these days. Here are some of the possibilities:

Ahoy New York Tours & Tasting: I took this eating/cultural walk through New York’s Little Italy and Chinatown in 2012. Led by owner/operator Alana Hoye, an international relations and history buff, it covered some terrific places, including a tiny fried dumpling shop aptly called Fried Dumpling that only sells one item, pork and scallion dumplings; Alleva, a cheese shop in Little Italy that dates back to 1892, where we tasted some amazing fresh mozzarella and prosciutto; and Ferrara, the legendary Italian pastry shop, where we ogled the displays of sweets and downed mini cannolis. Tickets, which must be purchased in advance, are $49 for a three-hour tour. They’re available at ahoynewyorkfood tours.com through Zerve. Tour capacity is 12 people. Famous Fat Dave’s: Featured on the Travel Channel with Anthony Bourdain, the Cooking Channel, PBS and a host of other outlets, Maryland-raised Dave Freedenberg gives private tours in a New York City Checker cab. Stops are made for pizza, pickles, cannoli and much more. Minimum tour lasts two hours and costs $240 for the first eater and $120 for each additional eater and each additional hour. To schedule a tour, contact dave@famousfatdave.com, or for more information, go to www.famousfatdave.com.

A pizza from A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour

A stop on a Noshwalks tour

Noshwalks: Myra Alperson, co-founder of the now-defunct Hungry Pedalers Gourmet Bicycle Tours in New York, has abandoned the bikes, but not the scope of her eating tours, which now cover all five boroughs on foot. Alperson, who also writes a newsletter called Noshnews (www.noshnews.com), leads more than 30 different three-hour tours over the course of a year, including to Brighton Beach, Staten Island and Southern Washington Heights, generally at a cost of $50 each. See www.noshwalks.com for tour and registration information. New York Chocolate Tours: This company leads three different tours, each to five chocolate shops. The Luxury Chocolate Tour heads to the posh European boutiques of the Upper East Side; the New Cuisine Chocolate Tour hits stylish, avant-garde SoHo; and a brand-new tour to Union Square pairs chocolate with wine. Tours are two to three hours long, include two chocolate samples at each shop and start at $59. Go to www.sweetwalks.com to reserve through Zerve.

One of Enthusiastic Gourmet’s offerings

Enthusiastic Gourmet Food Tours: A former manager at

Courtesy photos (all)

Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s, Susan Rosenbaum studied cooking at several New York City schools and received a culinary certificate from New York’s The International Culinary Center. She gives small group tours (a maximum of eight people) of Chinatown, Little Italy and the Lower East Side. Tours are three hours and cost $50. See www.enthusiasticgourmet.com for ticket details.

Famous Fat Dave’s tours stop for cannoli.

A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour: This bus tour, started by Brooklynite Tony Muia, takes visitors for sit-downs to two Brooklyn pizza parlors—Grimaldi’s and L&B Spumoni Gardens—and shows them the sights, including Brooklyn Bridge Park, Coney Island, the fancy homes along Shore Road, and the locations where movies such as Annie Hall, Goodfellas and Saturday Night Fever were filmed. The tour is about 4½ hours and costs $80. See www.asliceofbrooklyn.com for ticket information. —Carole Sugarman BethesdaMagazine.com | January/February 2014 325

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what Bethesda’s

reading

Top-selling books in November at the Barnes & Noble in Bethesda compared with Barnes & Noble stores nationwide and at www.bn.com

Hardcover Fiction

1. Sycamore Row, John Grisham 2. Identical, Scott Turow 3. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt 4. The First Phone Call from Heaven, Mitch Albom 5. The Valley of Amazement, Amy Tan 6. Tatiana (Arkady Renko Series, #8), Martin Smith 7. Police (Harry Hole Series, #10), Jo Nesbo 8. The Lowland, Jhumpa Lahiri 9. The Signature of All Things, Elizabeth Gilbert 10. Critical Mass, Sara Paretsky

1. Takedown Twenty, Janet Evanovich 2. The First Phone Call from Heaven, Mitch Albom 3. Sycamore Row, John Grisham 4. King & Maxwell, David Baldacci 5. Dust, Patricia Cornwell 6. The Valley of Amazement, Amy Tan 7. Doctor Sleep, Stephen King 8. White Fire, Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child 9. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt 10. The Longest Ride, Nicholas Sparks

Hardcover Nonfiction

Barnes & Noble Nationwide/www.bn.com

1. The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism, Doris Kearns Goodwin 2. David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, Malcolm Gladwell 3. Things That Matter: Three Decades of Passions, Pastimes and Politics, Charles Krauthammer 4. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, Malala Yousafzai, Christina Lamb 5. Double Down, Mark Halperin, John Heilemann 6. Killing Jesus: A History, Bill O’Reilly 7. End of Days: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy, James Swanson 8. Skyscrapers: A History of the World’s Most Extraordinary Buildings—Revised and Updated, Judith Dupre 9. The Death of Santini: The Story of a Father and His Son, Pat Conroy 10. Heart: An American Medical Odyssey, Dick Cheney, Jonathan Reiner

1. Things That Matter: Three Decades of Passions, Pastimes and Politics, Charles Krauthammer 2. Killing Jesus: A History, Bill O’Reilly 3. Miracles & Massacres, Glenn Beck 4. The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism, Doris Kearns Goodwin 5. David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, Malcolm Gladwell 6. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, Malala Yousafzai, Christina Lamb 7. Hero, Rhonda Byrne 8. Good Tidings and Great Joy, Sarah Palin 9. Double Down, Mark Halperin, John Heilemann 10. The Pioneer Woman Cooks, Ree Drummond

Paperback (Fiction and Nonfiction)

Barnes & Noble Bethesda

1. Dear Life, Alice Munro 2. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak 3. The Yoga Store Murder: The Shocking True Account of the Lululemon Athletica Killing, Dan Morse 4. The Racketeer, John Grisham 5. Someone, Alice McDermott 6. Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened, Allie Brosh 7. A Thousand Mornings: Poems, Mary Oliver 8. Death Comes to Pemberley, P.D. James 9. Sweet Tooth: A Novel, Ian McEwan 10. Far from the Tree: Parents, Children and the Search for Identity, Andrew Solomon

1. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak 2. If You’re in the Driver’s Seat, Why Are You Lost?, Lawana Gladney 3. Shark Tank Jump Start Your Business, Michael Parrish DuDell 4. Magic Tree House Boxed Set, Mary Pope Osborne 5. The Hunger Games Trilogy Box Set, Suzanne Collins 6. Percy Jackson and the Olympians 5-Book Boxed Set, Rick Riordan 7. World Almanac and Book of Facts 2014, Sarah Janssen 8. Notorious Nineteen (Stephanie Plum Series, #19), Janet Evanovich 9. Dark Witch (Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy Series, #7), Nora Roberts 10. Harry Potter Paperback Boxed Set (Books 1-7), J.K. Rowling Source: Barnes & Noble Bethesda

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private schools

Parents Talk. Join the conversation about McLean School. Open House Saturday, January 11 Wednesday, January 22 9:00 am RSVP

admission@mcleanschool.org

McLEAN SCHOOL of MARYLAND

8224 LOCHINVER LANE

240.395.0698

POTOMAC, MARYLAND 20854

www.mcleanschool.org

BethesdaMagazine.com | January/February 2014 327 K-12 COLLEGE-PREPARATORY SCHOOL SUPPORTING BRIGHT STUDENTSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; INDIVIDUAL LEARNING STYLES

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private schools

Burke is a challenging and inclusive “The Beginning is the Most Important Part of the Work” —Plato

Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School is an independent elementary school for grades Pre-Kindergarten – Third Grade. For more information, please visit us online at: www.beauvoirschool.org. 3500 Woodley Road, NW · Washington, DC 20016 · www.beauvoirschool.org

co-ed, college prep school, with an emphasis on leadership and service. Located in Van Ness, DC with morning shuttle service from VA.

Serving grades 6-12. Get a great start in our terrific middle school!

4101 Connecticut Ave. NW Washington, DC 20008 202-362-8882 admissions@burkeschool.org

ion ApplicAt deAdline 10 JAnuAry

The accolades are piling up for Holy Child’s Girl-Centered • Active • Engaging • Joyful

Middle School

Educating young women grades 6 through 12 9029 Bradley Boulevard • Potomac MD 20854 • 301.365.0955

www.holychild.org

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private schools

Applications for 2014-2015 Now Being Accepted www.barrie.org/apply

Be inspired confident

@ Coed Age 18-months through Grade 12

happy creative successful yourself

13500 Layhill Road, Silver Spring, MD barrie.org • 301.576.2800 admission@barrie.org

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spirit of

community The Washington Episcopal School’s spirit of community provides a rich setting for students to build confidence, character and accomplishments. We’re inclusive. We’re welcoming. Above all, we’re supportive. Every member of our skilled faculty is committed to helping each student find success in class and life.

COME AND SEE FOR YOURSELF: Thursday, January 16, 2014, 9 am Private Tours Also Available

WASHINGTON EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

An independent, co-educational school for Nursery – Grade 8 5600 Little Falls Parkway, Bethesda, MD 20816 301-652-7878 www.w-e-s.org BethesdaMagazine.com | January/February 2014 329

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private schools

LANDON Landon School prepares talented boys for productive lives as accomplished, responsible and caring men.

Visit an Open House at Landon this fall! Dec. 12, 2013 - 9 a.m. Jan. 9, 2014 - 9 a.m.

WWW.LANDON.NET 301-320-1067 An independent, non-sectarian, college preparatory day school for boys in grades 3-12 located in Bethesda, Maryland.

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TouR Day:

Wed. 9:30 am

www.thesienaschool.org

“To me the greatest testament to a school is the fact that your child wakes up every morning and can’t wait to get there.” — parent of an 8th grader

1300 Forest Glen Road | Silver Spring, MD 20901 | 301-244-3600 Serving bright college bound students with language-based learning differences in grades 4-12.

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Friday, MarcH 7, 2014 9:00 aM - 12:00 PM

• Serving a multicultural community for over 50 years • Combining a challenging German academic curriculum with American honors and advanced placement classes • International Abitur and U.S. High School Diploma

School Bus Service & Extended Care available 8617 Chateau Drive | Potomac, MD 20854 301.767.3807 | admissions@dswash.org

www.dswashington.org

i S i lv e r S pr i n g, M D 2 0 9 1 0

at tHE PrEScHOOl & ScHOOl ENtry lEvEl

OPEN HOUSE

955 Sligo Avenue

Coeducational | age 2- grade 12

tel 301. 495.6672

private schools

Think differently. At The Nora School, these are words we take to heart. This small, college preparatory high school, grades 9 –12, works to bring out the best in students with diverse learning styles since 1964.

t He nor A SC Hool

www.nor A-SC Hool.org

Weekly Tours: Tues. & Thurs. at 9:15am For more information: admissions@thedienerschool.org 11510 Falls Road Potomac, MD 301.299.4602

www.TheDienerSchool.org

Motivating Minds, Inspiring Capabilities Serving Students Kindergarten-6th Grade with Learning Disabilities, Language and Sensory Processing Disorders, Executive Functioning & Attention Issues, and Social Thinking Challenges Readers’ Pick, Runner-Up, A 2013 A 2012 A 2011 Top Vote Getter Top Vote Getter Top Vote Getter

800-272-1172

Best School for Non-Traditional Learners

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private schools

Open House Sunday, January 12 1:00-3:00 pm

Engaging students to think creatively since 1934

7300 River Road Bethesda, Maryland 20817

School Day Open House 1/8 • 9 AM Register online at www.greenacres.org or call for a tour

Discover

what sets a Primary Day School education apart.

Pre-K — 8th Grade

301-881-4100 11701 Danville Drive North Bethesda, MD

Pre-K–Grade 2

The finest education for the most important years www.theprimarydayschool.org

THe WoodS Word of THe dAy: #243

#243

padilinguist

n: A student who gave iPad support saying, “Happy to help” in Spanish while walking away.

Exceptional College Preparatory Education for Girls, Grades 9-12 Offering the International Baccalaureate ( IB) Program Join Us for FOCUS ON ACADEMICS OPEN HOUSE Saturday, January 18, 2014, 11:00 am

OPEN HOUSE stt.org admis@stt.org 410 ·486 · 7401

January 15, 22, 29, 2014 9 –10:30 am Call 301.365.3080

from Montessori through grade 8, our students get involved in so many activities, we had to create a unique vocabulary just to describe them. Define yourself at The Woods.

6801 Greentree Road, Bethesda woodsacademy.org An inclusive Catholic community preparing boys and girls to lead lives of significance.

Where curiosity and confidence thrive.

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private schools

» campus tours Call to schedule your visit: 301-983-5724

Encouraging a lifelong love of learning • Programs for 2s-Kindergarten • Full- & Half- Day Programs • 2-, 3-, or 5-Day Options

Sandrita, Chamber Singer and Softball Learn how Bullis students are succeeding every day.Visit www.bullis.org 10601 Falls Road Potomac, MD 20854 301-299-8500

Voted Best Preschool by readers of Bethesda Magazine, 2012 & 2014

Call for an individual tour!

301-340-7704

11931 Seven Locks Road, Potomac, MD 20854 office@genevadayschool.org • www.genevadayschool.org

Middle School Community Service Day

an inclusive community of life-long learners in which each individual is valued and respected

Join us for a Tour! Scan the code or visit our website for tour information

Inspiring young women to lead lives of positive influence

1640 Kalmia Road NW | Washington, DC 20012 202.577.2000 | www.lowellschool.org

7303 River Road | Bethesda, MD 20817 www.holton-arms.edu

Age 21/2 through 8th Grade

College Preparatory School for Girls Grades 3-12 BethesdaMagazine.com | January/February 2014 333

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private schools

ng the community since 1970 Ser vi

St. Anselm’s Abbey School. Where a rigorous curriculum keeps students challenged and engaged. Where a warm community encourages every boy to be himself. Where dozens of sports, arts, and clubs give rise to confident leaders. Where a strong Benedictine tradition grounds values and inspires faith.

Where Bright Boys Become Exceptional Men.

• NAEYC Accredited • Half-Day & Full Day Preschool • School Day Pre-K

• Before & After School School-Age Program • Camp Westmoreland • Low teacher-tochild ratio

3 Locations in Bethesda

301-229-7161 More information at:

Now Accepting Applications for Fall 2014

Grades 6-12 | 40-Acre D.C. Campus | www.saintanselms.org

www.wccbethesda.com

Approved & licensed by Division of Early Childhood Development/ Office of Child Care of the Maryland State Department of Education

Get Bethesda Magazine’s Private School Guide on Your iPad

Now you can take our Private School Guide with you anywhere, anytime by downloading the digital edition for your iPad, Kindle or other mobile devices.

Download Today!

www.bethesdamagazine.com/digital

FRforEalEl

ers

read

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Once Upon a

time

By Mark Walston

What Lies Beneath

Alice kresse; Montgomery County historical society

How the town of Triadelphia ended in a watery grave They were, arguably, the most accomplished brothers-in-law in Montgomery County, if not all of Maryland. In the early 19th century, Thomas Moore, Caleb Bentley and Isaac Briggs each married a daughter of Roger Brooke, the largest and wealthiest landowner in the Sandy Spring area. Moore was an agricultural pioneer, friend of Thomas Jefferson and noted inventor who in 1803 patented a new device to help farmers transport their butter to market. He named it “the refrigerator.” Bentley was the first postmaster of Brookeville, a founder of a local private school and family friend of President James Madison. When the British burned Washington, D.C., during the War of 1812, Madison and his wife, Dolley, sought refuge in Bentley’s home, making it the unofficial White House for a day.

Briggs was an inventor and entrepreneur who was appointed surveyor general of the Mississippi territory by President Jefferson and named civil engineer in charge of the construction of the Erie Canal in New York. In 1809, the three brothers-in-law combined their collective experience and connections in a new enterprise, an industrial complex that would harness the waters of the Patuxent River to turn the gears of industry. They named their new milling complex “Triadelphia,” Greek for “three brothers.” Eventually, a full-fledged town rose on the riverbank in upper Montgomery County, with waterwheels spinning cotton mills, wood mills, gristmills, mills for grinding bone and plaster. Around the industrial buildings, 37 substantial stone and wood homes went up for the workers. Other buildings followed: a company store, a post office, a church,

a schoolhouse for the children, an Odd Fellows Hall for town meetings. There was a wheelwright shop to fix wagons, a cooperage to make barrels, a cabinet shop, meat house, lime kiln, stables, orchards and gardens. In a few short years, Triadelphia became one of the largest towns in that section of the county. Then in 1840, miller Thomas Lansdale bought the entire complex. Under his ownership, the cotton factories and mills employed nearly 400 people, turning out muslin, cotton duck, lumber and flour shipped up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Triadelphia was in its heyday. But in May 1889, disaster struck. “A rainstorm began,” one Sandy Spring resident wrote, “continuing for 24 hours with increasing fury of wind and volumes of water.” It was the same storm that burst the dam upstream from Johnstown, Pa., creating a flood that claimed 2,209 lives. The rising, torrential waters of the Patuxent devastated Triadelphia. Richard Lansdale, Thomas’ grandson, recalled fleeing the water-ravaged town with a pillow under one arm and a chicken under the other. The enterprise was abandoned. In 1942, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission took control of that section of the Patuxent River valley in order to create a water supply for Montgomery County. That same year, just south of the town, the commission built Brighton Dam across the river to create a reservoir. Today, the town’s old streets sleep beneath 6.6 billion gallons of water destined for the Jacuzzis and kitchen sinks of Bethesda. n Mark Walston is an author and historian raised in Bethesda and now living in Olney. To comment on this story, email comments@bethesdamagazine.com.

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sarah pekkanen’s

domestic

disturbances

All Downhill from Here holiday cards showing rosy-cheeked, smiling families perched atop snowy mountains, I decide it’s time to teach the kids how to ski. 7 a.m. I gulp a cup of coffee, grab coats, hats and mittens, and hustle the children to the minivan. We drive half a mile before turning around to retrieve boots for one of the boys, at which point the dog slips out the front door. We chase her around the block, screaming, no doubt endearing ourselves to the neighbors. 8:45 a.m. After three stops along the highway—one for gas, one for breakfast and one for the bathroom (six minutes after leaving the restaurant, where our youngest insisted he didn’t need to use the facilities)—we finally pull into the resort. Families mill around, looking pink-cheeked and merry in their brightly colored jackets. This is going to be great! 9:45 a.m. Having successfully navigated a long line to purchase lift tickets and having signed legal waivers implying injury and/or dismemberment will necessarily ensue from our chosen leisure activity, we get into another long, snaking line to rent equipment. 10:30 a.m. Finally, everyone is wearing ski boots and clutching skis and poles. It’s time to hit the slopes! One of my sons says something. “What?” I ask, turning to look at him. My skis, which are resting on my shoulder, swing around with me and whack another child of mine on his head. I’m beginning to understand why we had to sign those waivers. 10:40 a.m. Apparently my son was saying he needed to use the bathroom. We shuffle with all the grace of Star Wars Stormtroopers to the lodge and get in yet another line. I crack a Star

Wars joke and the kids stare at me blankly. Feel old. 11:15 a.m. Having finally reached the top of the bunny slope, I give the kids a few basic instructions. I decide not to reveal that on my first-ever ski trip in the ninth grade, I absentmindedly swung my feet just before disembarking the chairlift, causing the tips of my skis to get caught in a mound of snow and flipping me off the chairlift face-first. The operator had to shut down the lift and haul me up while my high-school classmates cheered. 11:30 a.m. “It isn’t as easy as it looks,” I warn the kids. “It took me awhile to even be able to stand up, so don’t be embarrassed if…” They promptly whiz down the mountain while I struggle to keep up, falling twice. 11:45 a.m. “Should we head to the real slopes?” I ask. “I’m hungry,” one of my kids complains. Noon. As we lurch toward the lodge, I tell myself that it’s good we’re getting an early lunch. That way, we can beat the crowds. 12:20 p.m. Still in line to get lunch, I stifle the urge to shoplift a half-dozen Snickers bars and race back to the slopes. All that stops me is the knowledge that the grandmother manning the cash register could tackle me in the time it took me to “run” there in my boots. 1 p.m. We’ve finished lunch, and I ask the kids, “Are you sure you don’t need to use the bathroom?” The little one somberly shakes his head. I’m pretty sure he’s lying. 1:30 p.m. Finally back on the slopes! Well, not technically. We need to get in line again.

1:45 p.m. I breathe in the fresh air, glance around, and realize I’ve lost a child. I wonder if I could just substitute someone else’s for the rest of the afternoon. They’re all a collection of bulky coats and hats and runny noses, so who would even notice the difference? 2-4:30 p.m. We manage a few runs in between stopping to exchange the boots one of my kids decides are too small. I drop a (new, expensive) glove off the chairlift after admonishing my children to hold on to their belongings. The kids move on to the intermediate slopes while I flail behind, shouting instructions they neither hear nor need. I recall that I don’t actually like skiing, and curse those holiday cards that made me believe otherwise. 5 p.m. My gloveless hand is frozen. My legs are bruised. My teeth are chattering. We head back to the rental counter to return our skis, and I try not to calculate the cost per minute of our time zipping and tumbling down the slopes. Next time, I might as well empty out our bank account and set the bills on fire. At least I’d be warm. n Sarah Pekkanen’s latest novel is The Best of Us (Washington Square Press, 2013). She can be reached at sarah.pekkanen@ bethesdamagazine.com.

PAUL HOSTETLER

Seduced by an abundance of

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“Chevy Chase Cars pampers me so much it’s like a day at the spa! I love my new car and their service is incredible!” Jane Fairweather, Realtor, Bethesda

“Bethesda continues to develop into a world class community and Chevy Chase Cars has been there from the start, providing great products and customer-friendly service for almost 75 years!” Bob Dalrymple, Partner at Linowes & Blocher

Readers’ Pick, Best Car Dealership for Service

“Chevy Chase Acura is a family business that has been serving the Bethesda community for almost 75 years. We share the same commitment to providing great customer service.” Lee Barnes, President Barwood Taxi Service

“At Chevy Chase Cars, just like in banking, it’s all about long term relationships, excellent service, knowledgeable people, quality products and above all TRUST.” Tom Murphy, President of Community Banking Eagle Bank

“We make friends through sales…and keep them through service!” 7725 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda · 301-656-9200

www.ChevyChaseCars.com

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12/13/13 10:51 AM

YOU ALWAYS KNOW A STUART KITCHEN. SINCE 1955,

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SHOWROOMS.

AND,

EVERYTHING

YOU NEED FOR THE ROOM YOU’LL LOVE THE MOST IS HERE IN ONE PLACE.

YOU’LL UNDERSTAND WHY SO MANY PEOPLE SAY,

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AT IN

8 2 0 3 W I S C O N S I N AV E . 2 4 0 - 2 2 3 - 0 8 7 5

1 3 5 9 B E V E R LY R D . 7 0 3 - 7 3 4 - 6 1 0 2 LORTON

ANNE ARUNDEL SHOWROOM B A LT I M O R E S H O W R O O M

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10440 FURNACE RD. 703-690-4045

8 0 3 1 R I T C H I E H W Y. 4 1 0 - 7 6 1 - 5 7 0 0

1858 REISTERSTOWN RD. 410-486-0500

www.stuartkitchens.com

12/3/13 4:08 PM