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FIN E PROPERTIES I N T E R N A T I O N A L
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September/October 2015 | Volume 12 Issue 5
contents The Education Issue 84 | getting in Local high school students juggle college-level classes, sports and extracurricular activities—all in pursuit of getting into a top school. But at what cost? By Julie rasicot
96 | beyond Brand names Bethesda is obsessed with college admissions. Yet research shows that what really matters is not what college you attend, but what you do once you get there. By caralee adams
108 | The college chart Where 2015 high school graduates applied to college—and compiled by kelly seegers
124 | making the grade Five local teachers who earn top marks By AAron kraut
cover illustration by david clegg
p. 84
photo by michael ventura
where they got in
14 september/october 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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Dedicated Women Bankers.
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Left to right: Tracy Berriman, EVP, Chief Operating Officer; Martha Foulon-Tonat, President, Chief Administrative Officer; Karen Grau, EVP, Chief Financial Officer
Meet the women on Monument Bank’s executive management team. As bankers and business leaders, they provide the highest level of professionalism, performance, and personal service. As managers and mentors, they inspire others to strive for their standard of excellence and accomplishment.
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contents
p. 182
Now in their 80s, Germaine and Dick Swanson helped their family members escape from Vietnam in 1975.
features Most people wouldn’t associate Montgomery County with human trafficking. But experts say it’s happening here—in massage parlors, nice hotels, even a town house in Rockville. By louis peck
172 ‘can i see your id?’
When cops and county officials want to find out if a restaurant, bar or liquor store is selling to minors, they send in an underage volunteer to try and buy alcohol. You might be surprised by what happens next.
182 eScape from vietnam
196 the way we were
By James michael causey
By joanne meszoly
After a last-minute rescue on the eve of the fall of Saigon, a South Vietnamese family started over in Bethesda
By david frey
Some of the first students to graduate from Walt Whitman High School returned to the school this spring to celebrate their reunion
208 bethesda interview
Marriott International President and CEO Arne Sorenson on being the first nonMarriott to run the company, the hotel giant’s plans to find new office space, and living in Somerset By maura mahoney
photo by deborah jaffe
164 hidden among us
16 september/october 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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R E SP ON SI VE
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contents P. 372
departments 22 | To Our Readers 24 | Contributors 30 | From Our Readers
35
good life
art. festivals. day trips. hidden gems.
42 | Best Bets
231
home
232 | house appropriations Kitchen accessories that add style and personality
P. 372
234 | spins on a classic It seems like everyone wants a white kitchen these days. We found six local homes that offer beautiful examples of how to do it.
332 | dine review Robert Wiedmaier’s new Urban Heights falls short with jumble of small plates
14 can’t-miss arts events
248 | the right mix
339 | Table Talk
46 | ARTS Calendar
A young family’s Bethesda home proves that interior design can be both stylish and practical
What’s happening on the local food scene
344 | Cooking Class
256 | home sales by the numbers
346 | Dining Guide
Where to go, what to see
53
banter
How to make an apple tarte tatin
people. politics. books. columns. Local college admissions by the numbers
64 | Neighborhood NOTES News you may have missed
66 | Book Report New books by local authors, literary events and more
72 | Suburbanology In Bethesda and around the country, people are demanding greater freedom to forge their own identities and define themselves By April Witt
78 | Hometown A farmers market in Takoma Park brings fresh produce to the county’s urban poor—and reminds many local immigrants of home By Steve Roberts
289
health
363 etc.
290 | Be Well
364 | Shop Talk
Gaithersburg grandfather John Kalil isn’t just doing grueling kettlebell workouts— he’s teaching them
368 | Weddings
292 | water warriors On a quiet stretch of the C&O Canal, a different kind of exercise class combines yoga and stand-up paddleboarding
298 | change of plans Whitman alum Stephanie Rosen was on track to become a doctor. Then depression struck, and the Kensington resident found a different way to help others.
306 | wellness Calendar
323
Back-to-school shoe shopping
A Southern celebration
372 | Get Away Your cheat sheet for a weekend getaway
374 | Driving Range An annual festival in Chestertown, Maryland, gives visitors a chance to explore the town’s rich history—on sea and on land
381 | PETS Local apartment buildings are wooing fourlegged residents with high-end amenities
382 | Flashback
dine
Looking back at the creation of Montgomery County’s Confederate memorials
324 | Weekend Winemaker Chevy Chase Realtor Donna Evers pursues her passion at her Virginia winery
384 | Family Portrait Snapshot of local lives
AD SECTions Private school guide and ad section 130
Long & Foster Ad Section 217
Home Expert Profiles 264
Physician Profiles 311
illustration by goodloe byron; photo by skip broWN
56 | Figuratively Speaking
18 september/october 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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What’s online @ bethesdamagazine.com enter our
GIVEAWAYS Our daily news briefing features stories about the community, restaurants, Montgomery County politics and more. Get the Bethesda Beat daily newsletter in your inbox by signing up at www.BethesdaMagazine.com.
september 1 Enter for a chance to win a Strathmore Season Dance Pass, which includes a pair of tickets to each performance in the 2015-2016 season.
MAGAZINE.COM
»digital edition
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»online Extras
See more of photojournalist Dick Swanson’s pictures. You can read his family’s inspiring story on page 182.
View more photos of Erica Burns’ home, featured on page 248. See more photos of Chestertown, Maryland, the subject of Driving Range, on page 374.
october 1 Enter for a chance to win a $250 gift card to South Moon Under.
»archives
Explore past issues and stories using our searchable archives.
»social scene
Share photos from community events by emailing them to website@bethesdamagazine.com, and we’ll post them to our gallery page.
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To enter, go to BethesdaMagazine.com/Giveaways
20 september/october 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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We’re investing in robots, not investing like robots. Today’s world is evolving quicker than ever before. It’s getting harder to predict the next transformative technology, and many investment firms are slow to evolve. At Chevy Chase Trust, we take a different approach. We research and identify global themes, like Robotics and Automation, that will impact businesses worldwide through innovative and disruptive changes. To learn more about our thematic approach, 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
8/4/15 4:27 PM
to our readers
Too much pressure? In the middle of her junior year of high school, my stepdaughter, Amy, put up a bulletin board in our home office and decorated it with the logos of all the colleges to which she would apply. Under each logo, she posted application deadlines and other important information. She was self-motivated and organized. And totally stressed out. Amy’s life was a whirlwind of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses, an SAT prep class, the constant pressure to get perfect grades, sports practices and games, yearbook meetings and deadlines, and college visits. Amy, of course, was not alone. Every year, thousands of Bethesda-area high school students go through the college prep gauntlet, which begins the first day of freshman year for many and ends when the last acceptance or rejection letter arrives. (Some say the process and the pressure really start earlier. Last year, in fact, I met with someone who was thinking of starting a college counseling practice for parents of middle schoolers.) For many students—and their parents—high school has become four years of hell. But does it have to be? In this issue, we examine that question in two stories. In “Getting In” on page 84, writer Julie Rasicot looks at where the pressure comes from and what can be done to ease it. The challenge is that the pressure comes from so many sources— including the students themselves. In “Beyond Brand Names” on page 96, writer Caralee Adams makes the case for students attending the school that’s the right fit for them, rather than the one with the biggest name recognition. The latter topic was certainly much discussed in our house. Amy and my stepson, Alex, were excellent students who both decided to go to the University of Florida (UF). Although it’s a terrific school that they both love, UF isn’t usually on the radar of the top Bethesda-area students. When Amy and Alex told their friends and teachers where they were going, many couldn’t understand why they would go there. The pressure on students to perform in high school and then to go to a college on the “approved” list is unrelenting. For our kids’ sake—and for ours—we need to find a way to change that. I hope that our stories will encourage discussions.
In the “Fast and Furious” story on weekend warrior bike riders in the July/August issue, we attributed to John Ourisman a quote that our writer had heard from a friend of Ourisman’s. We reached out to Ourisman to confirm the quote, but ran it in the story without receiving confirmation from him. That was a mistake. After the story came out, Ourisman told us that he never said the words that were attributed to him. We regret having made the error and apologize to Mr. Ourisman and his family for any consternation and embarrassment the quote caused. Every summer we are fortunate to have interns work in our office. This year’s group was the best yet. Kelly Seegers of Potomac, now a senior at the University of Virginia, was our editorial intern. Kelly is a good reporter with a natural writing style; readers will notice her byline attached to a large number of stories in this issue. Mara Corbett of McLean, Virginia, was our design intern. The graphic design major and junior at Syracuse University is skilled and mature beyond her years. Finally, Katie Edgar of Bethesda was our Web intern. A public relations major and junior at the University of Miami, Katie helped produce the content on BethesdaMagazine.com this summer and handled other projects. Over the course of just a few months, Kelly, Mara and Katie became part of our staff. We are sorry to see them go. A reminder that the “Best of Bethesda” Readers’ Poll is open until Sept. 21. To vote, go to BethesdaMagazine. com. The results will appear in the January/February “Best of Bethesda” issue. I hope you enjoy this issue of Bethesda Magazine. Please send me your thoughts at steve.hull@bethesdamagazine.com.
Steve Hull Editor-in-Chief & Publisher
22 September/october 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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contributors
James Michael causey Lives in: Kensington Hometown: Born in Washington, D.C., grew up in Brookmont and Cabin John.
caralee adams Lives in: Bethesda Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa In This Issue: Writes about the college search process and looking beyond the name of the school for the best fit. What SHe does: Freelance journalist for nearly 20 years, covering education, parenting and other topics. Her college search: When she was a high school senior, she didn’t know of anyone who took a test prep course or had a college list. “I visited, applied to and got into one school, Iowa State University, and loved it,” says Adams, who met her husband working at the campus newspaper. Her college search as a parent: Much different. Her sons visited about a dozen schools each—one is in college, another is in the middle of the process. She gets a five-year break before her daughter starts looking. Bottom line: “Wherever kids go, they end up embracing their choice,” says Adams. “In the end, they are just really excited to go to college.”
What he does: After working as a freelance writer for about 13 years, Causey recently took a fulltime job as editor-in-chief at the Association of Clinical Research Professionals in Alexandria. How he got His start: Founded his own newspaper in elementary school called The Causey News. “It featured a lot of stories about me and, when I could fit them in, short items about the rest of my family.” College: Attended Tulane University but never graduated. He has also taken classes at George Mason and the University of Maryland. His college search: Not very disciplined. “I remember walking around Tulane on my first day of classes asking where the journalism department was because I intended to major in it. Unfortunately, I then learned they did not have a journalism department.”
David Clegg Lives in: Cumming, Georgia Hometown: Columbus, Georgia In this issue: Drew the illustration on the cover as well as on pages 84 and 96 of the magazine. Clegg works digitally on a Wacom tablet. “I went completely digital in 1997,” he says. “Computers were just starting to get powerful enough to do what I wanted to do, and were coming down in price.” Before that, Clegg used more traditional media such as watercolors and airbrushing. Where you may have seen his work: Clegg has done a lot of work for children, including for Ranger Rick magazine and Scholastic Books. College: Clegg graduated from Georgia State University in Atlanta, but never felt a strong connection to the school. “My weekend trips to visit my cousin at the University of Georgia gave me a more enjoyable taste of college life,” Clegg says. “The thing that impressed me the most were the UGA billboards illustrated by MAD Magazine cartoonist Jack Davis. I grew up on MAD and Jack was my idol. I learned that Mr. Davis was not only an Atlanta native, but a University of Georgia graduate as well. I have been a Bulldog fan ever since.”
adams and clegg photos courtesy; causey photo by deborah jaffe
In this issue: Writes about the family of an old friend that escaped Saigon just before it fell to the North Vietnamese in 1975. “I had no idea how harrowing the journey was,” he says.
24 september/october 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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26 September/october 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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28 September/october 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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from our readers “erroneous, sloppy journalism” I was distressed to read the quote attributed to me in your July/August issue on competitive cycling. Not only did I never say any such thing, but I never gave permission to your author to quote me on anything related to the article. I merely had a brief email exchange with the author, who wanted to attribute a nasty quote to me, apparently invented by someone else; otherwise, I had no communication with him. Everyone who knows me understands that while I am competitive, I am never hurtful. In addition, I don’t swear, and never heard the ridiculous term “asshat” before. Your apology in your Publisher’s Column is appropriate. This episode represents just one more example of how erroneous, sloppy journalism can be devastating to someone’s well-being. John Ourisman
Tension Over the Trail Amy Reinink’s July/August story, “Collision Course,” about congestion on the Capital Crescent Trail, generated a lively debate online. Here are edited excerpts of some of the comments. “I run on the trail 3-5 nights a week and see stupidity by all. Bikers going too fast, groups taking up too much of the trail, rarely does anybody use a bell or voice when passing. I also see runners not paying attention when turning around, and I’ve been tripped by a dog’s leash more than once in my years of CCT use. Don’t get me started about walkers and runners wearing dark clothes at night! Perhaps the CCT user groups could have info/safety tables set up once in a while to give out info and raise awareness? How about public safety riders patrolling?” –posted by Norman
“The focus should be on recreational use and push the ridiculous commuters to the roads with their padded butts and ostentatious and overly serious getups. I can’t count the number of times fast bikers have almost hit my kids, who are admittedly bobbling along clueless. But it is a trail and used for that, it isn’t a road.” –posted by John@sumner “What’s with the ridiculous stereotyping? Plenty of bike commuters ride without ‘ostentatious and overly serious getups.’ ” –posted by Trail User “Entitled drivers think that bikers need to get off the road. Entitled joy walkers think that bikers need to get on the road. Bikers can’t win. Using a trail to actually get somewhere is a bad thing, it would seem.” –posted by Frank
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The War of the Trees “Power to the People,” April Witt’s story in the July/August issue, is about a group of homeowners in Potomac fighting Pepco’s aggressive tree-cutting practices in their neighborhoods. Readers weighed in online; here are edited excerpts of some of their comments. “Pepco is cutting trees on land where it has a right to do so. The homeowners clearly saw the major transmission lines when they bought their homes. If they weren’t aware of the easement, they should blame their title insurer and not Pepco. On top of that, it sounds like the homeowners are welcome to plant new trees, and are even being given $200 to do so. NIMBYing (literally) and bellyaching.” –posted by Jim “Thanks for chiming in on something you know so little about, Jim. I’ve seen this devastation firsthand. It’s criminal unnecbethesda_ad.pdf 1 and 3/23/15 3:40 essary.” –posted by David
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“I’m as green as the next guy, but I am also one of those downstream customers who loses my power for days at a time after storms. Until we follow the European model and bury our power lines underground, both to avoid the unsightly mess of power lines and to reduce the number and frequency of power outages, I vote with Pepco and their tree-trimming policy.” –posted by Improvise_Adapt_Overcome “Wow, clever solution, I like that! So, who gets to pay for it? The lines are aboveground because they’re cheaper to put in place and maintain with a reasonable maintenance program (which, alas, would include culling trees, darn!). I personally am not interested in a significant rate hike to pay for placing all power lines underground simply to accommodate Potomac homeowners PMwho don’t want their trees cut down.” –posted by JamesMN
A Story Worth Telling “Being There,” a story about Suburban Hospital’s No One Dies Alone program in the July/August issue, brought tears to my eyes. I want to thank all of the volunteers that make this program a success. Having been a nurse for 30 years, I have supported many patients and their family members during their final hours. This experience is beyond words, it’s so emotional. I remember one patient who was resting comfortably in bed with his eyes closed. He looked very peaceful. I was sitting next to him, he was not responding, then he picked up my hand and gave it a kiss. I will never forget this experience. I think dying alone is a fear we all have. Knowing that this program is around gives us all comfort. Lisa Moore Registered Nurse Suburban Hospital
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©MMXV TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, licensed real estate broker. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Equal housing opportunity. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Price and availability subject to change. Date Source: MRIS (Sales, 12/1/12+, Legal Subdivision: Georgetown)
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BETHESDA $2,495,000
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Exquisite, extraordinary residence–a Neoclassical built by award-
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©MMXV TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, licensed real estate broker. Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Equal housing opportunity. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Price and availability subject to change. Date Source: MRIS (Sales, 12/1/12+, Legal Subdivision: Georgetown)
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experience
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art. festivals. culture. day trips. hidden gems.
good life
photo by Hilary Schwab
Go Gourd Shopping Picking out a pumpkin is a fall tradition. But if you’re looking for something different, try Comus Market, home to more than 30 varieties of pumpkins and squash. You might find the Long Island Cheese pumpkin—named for its pale appearance that resembles a cheese wheel—which is great for pies, or the Blue Hubbard pumpkin, which has a blue-gray exterior and a yellow interior, and can be used in stews and casseroles. Other pumpkin varieties include Mystic, Ironside, Aladdin, Fairytale, Cinderella and Jarrahdale—and many of them look as good on a front stoop as they taste in a dish. They are all locally grown on Heisler Farm, which is near Sugarloaf Mountain in Dickerson, Maryland. The farm and Comus Market are both owned and operated by David Heisler. “I don’t think I have ever seen such a diversity of really fantastic edible works of art,” says Caroline Taylor, executive director of Montgomery Countryside Alliance, which promotes and protects rural Montgomery County. The market runs every fall (the exact opening date depends on the fall harvest) through Dec. 24. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to dusk and is at 23830 Old Hundred Road in Dickerson. For more information, visit www.comusmd.com. –Kelly Seegers
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Built during the first half of the 19th century, the C&O Canal once was lined with 57 lockhouses, where lockkeepers and their families lived. Today, 26 remain, the others lost to floods, fires or other natural events. Over the last few years, the National Park Service has restored six of the survivors—including four in Montgomery County—and made them available to rent through a program run by the C&O Canal Trust. Each restored lockhouse reflects a dif-
ferent time period. Pictured here, Lockhouse 10 in Cabin John is furnished in the style of the 1930s, when officers of the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) stayed there while restoring the canal. The walls are lined with black-and-white photos of the CCC, and the beds are covered with green U.S. Army blankets. Cabinets are filled with 1930s-era toys, such as Lincoln Logs and marbles. Bethesda residents Christina Mage
and Paul Krause stay in Lockhouse 10 every November with their twin 10-yearold sons. “It is really neat to think, ‘This is what it was like back then to be a lockkeeper,’ ” Mage says. “You don’t have the distractions of the present day.” The two-bedroom house has a kitchen, indoor plumbing and a screened-in porch; it costs $150 per night. For more information, visit www.canaltrust.org. —Kelly Seegers
Photo by Chris Hanessian
Travel Back in Time
36 September/October 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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good life
OPENED IN JUNE, the 65,000square-foot Silver Spring Library is not your traditional library. Occupying the top three floors of a striking five-story glass building that juts out over the corner of Fenton Street and Wayne Avenue in downtown Silver Spring, the library cost $64 million to build and has floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space in natural light. Parts of the top two floors are wrapped in red metal mesh walls, making them appear as if they are suspended above the third floor. The modern design makes for a fitting setting for state-of-the-art offerings such as an automated conveyor belt for book drop-offs and a Mac lab with expensive editing software for photos and videos. But this is a library after all, which means it also houses 100,000 books. With sweeping views of downtown Silver Spring, the third-floor seating area, pictured here, is a particularly nice place to spend an afternoon reading a book—or surfing the Internet on your laptop. 900 Wayne Ave., Silver Spring; 240-773-9420. —Kelly Seegers
38 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM
PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA
GET LOST IN A BOOK
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good life
Climb Through the Trees
Photo by Erick Gibson
Inside Rockville’s Rock Creek Regional Park, the Go Ape treetop adventure course features 2,145 feet of rope ladders, Tarzan-style swings and zip lines, some of which reach as high as 50 feet into the tree canopy. The course is broken into six sections around Lake Needwood, and offers great water views. One zip line even crosses directly over traffic on Beach Drive. Before being set loose on the course, which takes two to three hours to complete, participants are given a 30-minute safety demonstration and equipped with harnesses, pulleys and carabiners. Site Manager Ethan Freeman says the course is particularly popular with couples on an outdoor adventure date, but also draws teens and corporate groups. On a recent afternoon, employees from Bethesdabased Point Performance were at Go Ape for team-building exercises. “I am scared of heights, so you’ve got to overcome that,” employee Louise Kelley said, “but it was doable and it was fun.” Tickets are $57 for “Gorillas” (ages 18 and over) and “Orangutans” (ages 16 and 17), and $37 for “Baboons” (ages 10 to 15; all participants must be at least 4 feet 7 inches tall, and children under 10 are not permitted on the course). For more information, visit goape.com. –Kelly Seegers
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good life
best bets
Our picks for the best things to see and do in September and October By Stephanie Siegel Burke
Sept. 15
During a career spanning more than half a century, Diana Ross has become an icon of American music and style. As lead singer of the Supremes, she scored 12 No. 1 singles in the United States, rivaling The Beatles. As a solo artist, she achieved six No. 1 singles and 14 Top 10 albums, not to mention paving the way for generations of divas—without Ross, there would be no Whitney, Mariah or Beyoncé. See the original when she comes to Strathmore with her “In the Name of Love” tour. 8 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore, $69-$249, www.strathmore.org
Sept. 16
May The Triforce Be With You Plenty of fans of The Legend of Zelda have found themselves humming the memorable melodies from the classic video game series. Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses gives those tunes the symphonic treatment as a full orchestra performs new arrangements from the franchise onstage in front of a giant video screen projecting images from the games. 8 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore, $45-$150, www.strathmore.org
Sept. 23-Nov. 1
I Believe I Can Fly A girl imagines she meets Amelia Earhart in When She Had Wings, a world premiere play that is part of the Women’s Voices Theater Festival. Earhart makes the girl a promise: She’ll be able to fly if she helps the aviator complete her famous attempt at a circumnavigational flight. The show incorporates stage actors and puppetry, and is best for ages 5 and up. 1:30 and 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays (occasional 11 a.m. Saturday shows) at Imagination Stage, $10-$35, www.imaginationstage.org
Sept. 2-26
And The Prize Goes To... Easily the most exciting art show you’ll see in Bethesda this year, the finalists exhibition of The Trawick Prize: Bethesda Contemporary Art Awards features the work of Selin Balci, Lynn Cazabon, Catherine Day, Jason Hughes, Tim Makepeace, Sebastian Martorana, Jonathan Monaghan and Nara Park. The eight finalists, chosen by a panel of art-world judges, compete to win a top prize of $10,000. Meet some of the finalists at the opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 11.
Noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday at Gallery B, free, www.bethesda.org
Sept. 11
Mountain Music With his unique style of singing and banjo playing, Dr. Ralph Stanley helped develop bluegrass, which emerged from Appalachia in the 1930s and ’40s. Featured in the 2001 film O Brother, Where Art Thou?, which earned him a Grammy Award, Stanley and his band, the Clinch Mountain Boys, come to Bethesda on Sept. 11. 8 p.m. at Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, $35, www.bethesdabluesjazz.com
Legend of zelda photo Courtesy of The Music Center at Strathmore; courtesy imagination stage; diana ross file photo
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42 september/october 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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good life
best bets Sept. 29
Former Jonas Brothers band member and Disney Channel star Nick Jonas has taken his career in a decidedly more grown-up direction. Often appearing shirtless and flaunting chiseled abs, Jonas’ sexy new image is reflected in his 2014 eponymous album. Catchy hits such as “Jealous” and “Chains” demonstrate his smooth vocals and R&B influences—and should draw a more diverse audience than his teen girl fan core. 7:30 p.m. at The Fillmore Silver Spring, $29.50, www. fillmoresilverspring.com
Sept. 27
Get Your Fix Oct. 3
All You Can Eat
Fans of the hit TV show Breaking Bad have been feeling a bit of withdrawal since chemistry teacher-turned-meth-kingpin Walter White and his sidekick Jesse Pinkman went off the air. So Los Angeles-based actor and entertainer Miles Allen developed One Man Breaking Bad, a comedy show that lovingly condenses 60 episodes of the series into 75 minutes of impressions. 6:30 p.m. at AMP by Strathmore, $30-$40, www.ampbystrathmore.com
Everybody Dance Now Fall brings a number of dance performances— from international folk to edgy contemporary Tiny Dancer Choreographer Jillian Pena’s Polly Pocket: Expansion Pack combines themes of capitalism, Marxism, queer theory, psychoanalysis and ballet. Sept. 11-12, 8 p.m., American Dance Institute, $15-$30, www.americandance.org South of the Border The Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia
Hernandez troupe, founded in 1952, performs many traditional Mexican dances. Sept. 29, 8 p.m., The Music Center at Strathmore, $38-$58, www.strathmore.org True Stripes Choreographer Chris Schlichting collaborates with a rock guitarist and visual artist in Stripe Tease to create a spectacle both grand and intimate at the same time. Oct. 2-3, 8 p.m., American Dance Institute, $15-$30, www.american dance.org
Fanning the Flames Backed by a live orchestra, dance company Compania Flamenca Jose Porcel takes audiences through the history of flamenco, the iconic Spanish style of dance, in Flamenco Fire. Oct. 23, 8 p.m., The Music Center at Strathmore, $28-$68, www.strathmore.org Siberian Steps The Krasnoyarsk National Dance Company of Siberia uses intricate choreography and costumes to bring the beauty of Siberia to the stage. Oct. 25, 4 p.m., The Music Center at Strathmore, $32-$72, www.strathmore.org
Foodies will flock to Bethesda’s marquee festival, Taste of Bethesda, where patrons can sample dishes from 60 restaurants. Not hungry? The party also features activities for kids and five stages for live entertainment. It’s held in conjunction with a classic car show called Come Back to Bethesda, as well as Rescue Day at the BethesdaChevy Chase Rescue Squad. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Woodmont Triangle, free admission, food tickets: four for $5, www.bethesda.org
Oct. 14
Black Hole Fun Chris Cornell is a grunge veteran. The singer known for his powerful, soulful voice began his career with Seattle’s trailblazing band Soundgarden. He also fronted Temple of the Dog, a side project with members of Pearl Jam, and joined members of Rage Against the Machine to form supergroup Audioslave. The “Black Hole Sun” howler has a quieter sound these days, which he’ll showcase in an acoustic solo show at Strathmore. 7 p.m. at The Music Center at Strathmore, $87.50, www.strathmore.org n
jonas file photo; breaking bad courtesy photo; taste of bethesda photo by sonny odom
Oh Brother
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good life
arts & entertainment
calendar Compiled by Cindy Murphy-Tofig
Master musicians Béla Fleck (left) and Chick Corea perform Sept. 30 at The Music Center at Strathmore.
nounced. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www.bso music.org. Sept. 19 and 20 SYMPHONIC DANCES FROM WEST SIDE STORY. In addition to Bernstein’s work, the program includes An American in Paris and Concerto in F by Gershwin. Presented by the National Philharmonic. 8 p.m. Sept. 19 and 3 p.m. Sept. 20. $29-$89; children ages 7-17 free with the purchase of adult tickets. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www.strathmore.org. Sept. 26 BEETHOVEN’S PASTORAL. Beethoven’s “Pastoral” Symphony starts out cheerfully and then depicts a violent thunderstorm. The symphony’s final movement reflects shepherds’ relief after the storm ends. Presented by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. 8 p.m. Ticket prices to be announced. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www.bsomusic.org.
Sept. 3-24 EVENINGS IN OLDe TOWNE. Scheduled performers include Lloyd Dobler Effect (pop/rock, Sept. 3), Four Star Combo (rockabilly, Sept. 10), Patty Reese (roots/soul/ rock, Sept. 17) and Precautionary Measures (funk, Sept. 24). 6 p.m. Thursdays. Free. City Hall Concert Pavilion, Gaithersburg. www. gaithersburgmd.gov. Sept. 10 SEASON PREVIEW CONCERT. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s performance will include selections by Debussy, Prokofiev, Beethoven, Vivaldi, Mendelssohn and Elgar. 8 p.m. $15. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www.bsomusic.org. Sept. 11 THE NIGHTHAWKS. The blues-rock-rockabilly band plays its original music and covers of Muddy Waters, Nat King Cole and
Elvis Presley, among others. 8 p.m.; doors open 90 minutes before showtime. $20-$30. AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301581-5100, www.ampbystrathmore.com. Sept. 11 BLUES TRAVELER. The blues-rock band is known for the upbeat hits “Run-Around” and “Hook.” 8 p.m. $30. The Fillmore, Silver Spring. 301-960-9999; www.fillmoresilver spring.com. Sept. 12 SILVER SPRING JAZZ FESTIVAL. Al Chez, a trumpeter with the band on The Late Show With David Letterman, will headline the annual festival with his band, The Brothers of Funk Big Band. 3-10 p.m. Free. Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring. www.montgomerycountymd.gov. Sept.17 AN ALPINE SYMPHONY. Strauss’ work captures the danger and majestic glory of the Alps. Presented by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. 8 p.m. Ticket prices to be an-
Oct. 2 OFF THE CUFF: DON GIOVANNI. Conductor Markus Stenz discusses Mozart’s opera, focusing on how its dark humor and drama inspired composers and how the piece continues to delight audiences. Presented by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. 8:15 p.m. Ticket prices to be announced. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www.bsomusic.org. Oct. 3 WAGNER’S RIENZI: A CONCERT OPERA. Wagner’s third opera follows a man who goes from liberator to despot, and eventually meets his downfall. Presented by the National Philharmonic. 8 p.m. $29-$89; children ages 7-17 free with the purchase of adult tickets. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www. strathmore.org.
Photo by C. Taylor Crothers
MUSIC
Sept. 30 CHICK COREA AND BÉLA FLECK. The master musicians unite for an evening of piano-banjo pairings that cross genres. Presented by Strathmore, Blues Alley and Washington Performing Arts. 8 p.m. $35-$75. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www.strathmore.org.
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Oct. 3 NEW ORCHESTRA OF WASHINGTON. The self-proclaimed “compact chamber orchestra” performs both classical work and more modern music. 8 p.m.; doors open 90 minutes before showtime. $30-$40. AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www.ampbystrathmore.com. Oct. 4 ALL-MOZART. The program includes Symphony No. 1, Sinfonia Concertante and selections from Don Giovanni. Presented by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. 3 p.m. Ticket prices to be announced. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, www.bsomusic.org. Oct. 8 CLASSIC FM: FIVE DECADES OF RADIO HITS. Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly leads the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra up and down the radio dial, with hits including “Dancing Queen,” “Happy,” “Let It Be,” “Sweet Caroline” and many others. 8 p.m. Ticket prices to be announced. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www.bsomusic.org. Oct. 10 JACKIE EVANCHO: AWAKENING. The 14-year-old’s 2011 performance at Avery Fisher Hall made her the youngest artist to sing a solo recital at Lincoln Center in New York City. 8 p.m. $48-$115. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, www.strathmore.org.
Photo by C. Taylor Crothers
Oct. 11 LISA FISCHER AND GRAND BATON. Fischer—who has sung backup for Tina Turner and Luther Vandross, and performed duets with Mick Jagger—takes center stage. 7 p.m. $28-$58. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www. strathmore.org. Oct. 11 YING QUARTET AND ZUILL BAILEY. The program for the string quartet and cellist Bailey includes Schumann’s Cello Concerto, Op. 129, and Haydn’s Quartet in F Major, Op. 77, No. 2. 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices to be announced. Gildenhorn/Speisman Center for the Arts’ Kreeger Auditorium, Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, Rockville. 301-348-3779, www.jccgw.org. Oct. 13 UNDER THE STREETLAMP. The group performs an evening of doo-wop, Motown and other hits from the American radio songbook. 8 p.m. $28-$68. The Music Center
at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, www.strathmore.org. Oct. 17 ROMEO AND JULIET: IN CONCERT. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra presents a concert performance of Shakespeare’s classic tale of love with music by Prokofiev. 8 p.m. Ticket prices to be announced. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www.bsomusic.org. Oct. 24 MENDELSSOHN AND MOZART. The evening will include Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 3. Presented by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. 8 p.m. Ticket prices to be announced. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www.bsomusic.org.
Readers’ Pick, Best Podiatrist
Oct. 31 BACH FAVORITES. The evening will include Orchestral Suite No. 3, Cantata No. 80 (“A Mighty Fortress”) and Cantata No. 147 (“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”). Presented by the National Philharmonic. 8 p.m. $29-$89; children ages 7-17 free with the purchase of adult tickets. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, www.strathmore.org.
THEATER Sept. 3 DOWNTON ABBEY AND HISTORY: USING THE COSTUME DRAMA TO EXPLORE THE SOCIAL WORLD OF THE EDWARDIANS. British history professor Julie Anne Taddeo of the University of Maryland discusses how the TV show reflects British history and gives historical context for the drama. 7:30 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Takoma Park Community Center-Sam Abbott Citizens’ Center, Takoma Park. 301-891-7266, www.takomaparkmd.gov. Sept. 9-Oct. 4 IRONBOUND. This world premiere follows Darja, a Polish immigrant, and her relationships with men, who can offer her either love or security but not both. 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. Ticket prices to be announced. Round House Theatre, Bethesda. 240-644-1100, www.roundhousetheatre.org. Oct. 2-Nov. 1 MAYTAG VIRGIN. Elizabeth Nash is grieving her husband, but also harbors regrets and
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good life longings. Her neighbor Jack Key, meanwhile, sees something in Lizzy he can’t ignore in this world premiere of playwright Audrey Cefaly’s work. Presented by Quotidian Theatre Co. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. $30; $25 seniors; $15 students. The Writer’s Center, Bethesda. www.quotidiantheatre.org. Oct. 21-Nov. 13 THE NIGHT ALIVE. Tommy is crashing in his uncle’s rundown house when he defends a destitute woman against an attack one day and then tends to her. 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. Ticket prices to be announced. Round House Theatre, Bethesda. 240-644-1100, www.roundhousetheatre.org. Oct. 30-Nov. 15 FOOTLOOSE. In this lively musical-drama, a Chicago teen moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned. Presented by Rockville Musical Theatre. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. $22; $20 seniors and students. The F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville. 240-314-8690, www.r-m-t.org.
Oct. 30-Nov. 21 JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s emotional work dramatizes Christ’s final days. 8:15 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. $25; $20 seniors and students; $17 Kensington residents and children. Kensington Arts Theatre at Kensington Town Center, Kensington. 240-6210528, www.katonline.org.
ART Sept. 2-Oct. 4 DANE WINKLER. The sculptor uses natural and industrial materials, video and sounds to explore life’s mundane happenings. Opening reception from 7-9 p.m. Sept. 4. Gallery hours are noon-4 p.m. Wednesdays, noon-8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and noon-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Free. VisArts at Rockville, Rockville. 301-3158200, www.visartsatrockville.org. Sept. 2-Oct. 18 GO BACK TO ROCKVILLE. Artists Naoko Wowsugi and Graham Coreil-Allen have been commissioned to create artwork for the exhibition. Opening reception from 7-9
p.m. Sept. 4. Gallery hours are noon-4 p.m. Wednesdays, noon-8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and noon-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Free. VisArts at Rockville, Rockville. 301-315-8200, www.visartsatrockville.org. Sept. 4 ART WALK IN THE PARK. Various studios stay open for exhibitions and demonstrations. 6-8 p.m. Free. Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo. 301-634-2222, www.glenechopark.org. Sept. 5-7 LABOR DAY ART SHOW. More than 200 artists and 450 works of art will be featured. Noon-6 p.m. Free. Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo. 301-634-2222, www.glenechopark.org. Sept. 5-Nov. 8 WOMEN CHEFS: ARTISTS IN THE KITCHEN. The exhibit features portraits created by artists who were paired with chefs. Weekly cooking demonstrations will feature the chefs, including Nora Pouillon of Restaurant Nora in Washington, D.C. Opening reception from 7-9 p.m. Sept. 10. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday; and noon-4 p.m. Sunday. Check website for a schedule of cooking demonstrations. Free.
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The Mansion at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5125, www.strathmore.org. Sept. 8-Oct. 3 BLOOMING. The sculpture exhibition by Wanjin Kim features her small bronze figures juxtaposed with larger, hanging sculptures made with copper wire. Opening reception from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 11. Gallery hours are noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Free. Waverly Street Gallery, Bethesda. 301-9519441, www.waverlystreetgallery.com. Sept. 11 and Oct. 9 BETHESDA ART WALK. Various galleries in downtown Bethesda open their doors on the second Friday of every month. 6-9 p.m. Free. 301-215-6660, www.bethesda.org. Sept. 25 MARY WHYTE: LIVING A CREATIVE LIFE. The renowned watercolorist will conduct an artist talk and sign her book, Working South. In addition, two of her larger works will be on exhibit in the Stone Tower Gallery, adjacent to Yellow Barn Studio & Gallery. 6:30-9 p.m. $55; $40 for gallery members. Yellow Barn Studio & Gallery, Glen Echo. www.yellowbarnstudio.com. Oct. 4-23 SUSAN FELLER, RUTH LOZNER, CAROL MOORE AND GISELE NIMIC. The mixedmedia exhibit will feature Feller, who uses encaustic, a hot-wax painting style; Lozner, who creates sculpture; Moore, who does intaglio and other forms of printmaking; and Nimic, who creates paper collages. Opening reception from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Oct. 4. Gallery hours are 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Free. Glenview Mansion Art Gallery at Rockville Civic Center Park, Rockville. 240-314-8682, www.rockvillemd.gov.
Photo by Sarah Voisin
Oct. 17-18 BETHESDA ROW ARTS FESTIVAL. Nearly 200 artists will line the Bethesda Row area with displays of ceramics, pastels, metalwork, jewelry, digital art, sculpture and other media during the 18th annual festival. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Free. Along Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda Avenue, Bethesda Lane and Elm Street. 301-637-5684, www.bethesdarowarts.org.
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES Sept. 18-Oct. 18 THE VELVETEEN RABBIT. This tale of a friendship and toys becoming real is suitable for children in prekindergarten through fourth grade. 10 and 11:30 a.m. Fridays, 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturdays and
Park After Dark features live music, an auction and a campfire Sept. 19 at Historic Great Falls Tavern in Potomac.
Sundays. $12. The Puppet Co. Playhouse, Glen Echo. 301-634-5380, www.thepuppetco.org. Oct. 22-Nov. 20 ALADDIN (AND HIS WONDERFUL LAMP ). The famous tale is full of genies, princesses and wizards. Suitable for children in kindergarten through eighth grade. 10 and 11:30 a.m. Fridays, 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. $12. The Puppet Co. Playhouse, Glen Echo. 301-634-5380, www.thepuppetco.org.
SEASONAL Sept. 7 LABOR DAY PARADE. The annual parade, in its 77th year, will feature antique fire trucks and cars, marching bands, dance groups and other participants. 1 p.m. Free. Olde Towne Gaithersburg. 301-258-6350, www.gaithersburgmd.gov. Sept. 19 PARK AFTER DARK. The annual fundraiser, which benefits the C&O Canal National Historical Park, will feature live music, a campfire, auction items and more. 6 p.m. $175. Historic Great Falls Tavern, Potomac. 301714-2233, www.parkafterdark.org. Sept. 27 THEN AND WOW! The festival to celebrate Glen Echo Park’s past and present will include children’s rides and games, vintage cars, magic shows and other entertainment.
11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo. 301-634-2222, www.glenechopark.org. Oct. 11 OKTOBERFEST AT THE KENTLANDS. Activities include a wine tasting, dance performances, strolling entertainers, children’s crafts and horse-drawn wagon rides. Walk to different areas of the festival, or take a trolley. Noon-5 p.m. Free. Kentlands Market Square, Gaithersburg. 301-258-6350, www.gaithersburgmd.gov. OCT. 17 ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC CAR SHOW. More than 500 classic and antique cars are scheduled to be on display. 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Free. Glenview Mansion, Rockville Civic Center Park, Rockville. 240-314-8620, www.rockvillemd.gov. Oct. 25 POTOMAC DAY. The annual festival includes a parade, classic car show, moon bounces and a business fair. Presented by the Potomac Chamber of Commerce. 10 a.m. Free. Potomac Promenade, Potomac. 301299-2170, www.potomacchamber.org. Oct. 31 FALL FROLIC. Events include pumpkin decorating, trick-or-treating, and a costume parade around the park. 1-4 p.m. Free. Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo. 301-634-2222, www. glenechopark.org. n To submit calendar items, or to see a complete listing, go to BethesdaMagazine.com.
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Bal
SEASON
Coming up at
2015 2016
DIANA ROSS
IN THE NAME OF LOVE TOUR Tue, Sept 15
BALLET FOLKLÓRICO DE MÉXICO DE AMALIA HERNÁNDEZ Tue, Sept 29
CHICK COREA & BÉLA FLECK DUET Wed, Sept 30 Co-presented by Strathmore, Blues Alley & Washington Performing Arts
JACKIE EVANCHO
AWAKENING LIVE IN CONCERT Sat, Oct 10
MS. LISA FISCHER AND GRAND BATON
Grammy winner featured in the documentary film 20 Feet from Stardom steps into the spotlight.
Sun, Oct 11
UNDER THE STREETLAMP Tue, Oct 13
COMPAÑIA FLAMENCA JOSÉ PORCEL FLAMENCO FIRE Fri, Oct 23
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Sat, Nov 7 Ballet Folklórico de México, Chick Corea & Béla Fleck by C. Taylor Crothers, Jackie Evancho, Lisa Fischer by Djeneba Aduayom, Paul Anka by Annie Leibovitz
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GET EXCITED. Just Announced!
The following shows go on sale Wednesday, September 23. Strathmore Stars presale begins Thursday, September 10; become a Star today to purchase tickets before the public.
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ALAN CUMMING SINGS SAPPY SONGS Sun, Feb 14
Sept 11
Matt Schofield {Blues guitar phenom}
Sept 12
THE PEKING ACROBATS
30TH ANNIVERSARY NORTH AMERICAN TOUR Thu, March 24
JOHNNY MATHIS Wed, April 6
PATTI LaBELLE Thu & Fri, April 7 & 8
CAROL BURNETT Fri & Sat, April 15 & 16
SFJAZZ COLLECTIVE
THE MUSIC OF MICHAEL JACKSON & ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS Wed, April 27
Roy Assaf Trio {Piano-driven jazz}
Sept 17
James Lloyd
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Sept 18 & 19
Peter Rowan
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Chaise Lounge
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Sept 26
One Man Breaking Bad {Hit AMC series in 75 minutes}
SepT 27
Blue Highway
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Oct 25 Patti LaBelle, Kristin Chenowith, Peking Acrobats, Carol Burnett by Randee St. Nicholas
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people. politics. current events. books. columns.
banter
Hands-On Fun The story behind Bethesda’s newest attraction for youngsters: the KID Museum
photo by mike olliver
By kelly seegers
In 2011, Bethesda resident Cara Lesser, now 47, was employed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, overseeing a team that was working on the Affordable Care Act. She noticed that many of the people who were implementing the legislation lacked creativity. At the same time, her kids were entering Bradley Hills Elementary School in Bethesda, leaving the hands-on environment of preschool to sit at a desk for six hours each day. She realized that there may be a link between the two. “There was just this mismatch between what we need in the work world and what we are giving our kids to prepare them for that world,” Lesser says. Lesser spoke to Jill Chessen, a Bethesda attorney who has a passion for understanding other cultures, and David Goldberg, a Bethesda entrepreneur who was on the executive leadership team at Ticketmaster when the company went public in 1996. Soon after, the three set out to create a hands-on science center where kids could experiment and learn. Last October, the Kids International Discovery (KID) Museum opened in Bethesda’s Davis Library. »
Bethesda’s Cara Lesser co-founded the KID Museum so children could have a place to experiment and learn.
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banter The 7,200-square-foot space features everything from laptops and printers to textiles and cardboard— all of which kids are encouraged to play with and touch. On a recent afternoon, a group of kids was building “drawbots”—robots made out of a plastic cup, markers, and a small motor that makes the markers scribble. One girl looked intently at a vertical wind tunnel, watching to see if her small paper flying machine would make it out, before catching it midair and exclaiming, “I did it!” Bethesda Magazine spoke with Lesser, the museum’s executive director, about how one of our area’s newest—and perhaps coolest—museums came to be. How the museum was designed: Lesser visited kids’ muse-
»
ums around the country including in Boston, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. Her children—Cayla, now 12, and Eliana, now 10—often tagged along, telling their mom what interested them and what didn’t. The girls enjoyed places that allowed them to make things, such as the “clay bar” at the Children’s Museum of the Arts in Manhattan. In the end, Lesser and Chessen fell in love with the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, which embraces the national “maker movement.” Says Lesser: “The maker movement is about combining the new and the old and getting people back in touch with the joy of making things, not just consuming things.” Who it’s for: The target audience
is elementary to middle school kids, whose lives, Lesser believes, have become too rigid and structured. “Even after school, it is 12 weeks of piano lessons or skating lessons and soccer games,” she says. “Where do our kids have that time to just explore and enjoy sort of finding what they want to
learn, what their passion is?” Seeing the museum’s philosophy in action: More than 15,000
people are expected to attend the KID Museum’s Maker Faire on Sept. 20 at the Silver Spring Civic Building and Veterans Plaza. At this event, kid inventors display their exhibits alongside astronauts and high school robotics teams, and attendees have plenty of opportunities to build creations of their own. Last year, the National Institutes of Health had an exhibit showcasing its 3-D printing technology. This year, there will be an area focused on coding and video game design. In addition, the museum will announce the finalists in its “Toy 2.0 Challenge,” a contest for kids to design their own toys. The winning toy will be produced by Innovation First International and sold across the country. What kids have invented:
Alex Fisher, a 15-year-old student at Walter Johnson High School, is designing a toy called “Treasure Hunt” that uses electronic sensors to find hidden balls. As part of a sixweek after-school program, a group of students from Parkland Middle School in Rockville made “Circuit City,” in which each student designed a house and produced it on a 3-D printer. The students also created lights and sound machines to complete a cityscape. What’s next: Lesser is hoping to move the museum into a larger space in Montgomery County in about three years. The move would facilitate more cultural exhibits and community service programming. “The thing we hear over and over again is: ‘You know, it is easy to get here, it is just impossible to leave,’ ” Lesser says. “People just get sucked in.”
In for a penny Preschool teacher Davinia James is teaching her students a valuable lesson: how to be global citizens By alexandra nowicki
Three years ago, Davinia James saw Girl Rising at the Regal Majestic movie theater in Silver Spring. The film, directed by Richard Robbins, tells the story of nine girls in nine different developing countries struggling to get an education. “Growing up, I had my own struggles, and education changed my life,” says James, 29, who came to America from Jamaica when she was 18. “I left that screening thinking, OK, what can I do?” James, who lives in Chevy Chase, became an ambassador for the film, hosting local screenings and sharing her own story. When she was 3 months old, James was placed in the care of a Jamaican community activist because she had gotten sick and her mother could no longer take care of her. In the woman’s home, James lived a privileged life. When James was 11, she was returned to the care of her mother, and she found herself surrounded by violence and poverty. She quickly realized how easy it was to take things for granted. Walking home from school one day, James watched as a gun was pulled on her brother. Later she witnessed the killing of one of her friends. “I wanted to show the world that this is not just a film,” James says. “This is an actual person.” In addition to hosting screenings, James collects pennies to raise money for The Girl Rising Fund, an organization inspired by the movie that directs donations to education programs for girls.
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Photo by mike olliver
y
“I have friends that throw away pennies,” she says. “The world doesn’t think there is much value to pennies, and it’s sad to say, but that’s how girls in developing countries are viewed. So my thing is that I’m going to change your perspective of a penny, so the next time you see a penny, you won’t walk over it, you will pick it up.” In the past three years, James has raised more than $6,000 in pennies. When James isn’t increasing awareness for the education of girls, she is teaching preschoolers at the Outdoor Nursery School in Chevy Chase. Pictures drawn by her students of influential women such as Malala Yousafzai, J.K. Rowling and Michelle Obama line the walls of her classroom, and three enormous jars of pennies, many of which have been brought in by students, sit on a table. “She will wear tutus, crazy hats and wacky clothing,” says Colleen Kelly, a Chevy Chase mom whose three daughters attended the Outdoor Nursery School. “She is true to herself, and she teaches that to others through her actions—especially my girls.” Another cause close to James’ heart is the Avon walk for breast cancer, which she has participated in for the last four years. James was 20 when her mother died of breast cancer. “My mom never complained,” James says. “So every year I walk 39.3 miles.” During the walk, James plays music through a speaker and dances down the street to energize and encourage the people around her. Kensington resident Ayme Fried has two sons who had James as a teacher. “Because of Davinia, both think outside of themselves,” Fried says. “They are constantly aware that people don’t have the same opportunities they do. How many 4- and 5-year-olds think that way?”
Chevy Chase preschool teacher Davinia James has collected more than $6,000 in pennies to help pay for education programs for girls.
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By David Frey
Figuratively Speaking
college applications by the numbers For several years, Bethesda Magazine has compiled a chart that analyzes where students at six Montgomery County public high schools—B-CC, Wootton, Walter Johnson, Whitman, Churchill and Montgomery Blair—applied to college. (This year, Richard Montgomery also participated; to keep this year’s data consistent with past years, information from that school has not been factored into the numbers below. To see this year’s chart, turn to page 108.) We examined the last five years of data and also crunched figures from other sources. Here’s a look at the college admissions game in Montgomery County by the numbers.
17%
2015: 1,350 2014: 1,214
Number of
U.S. Presidential Scholars, out of 141 nationwide, from MCPS.
The two students from MCPS were the only public school students from Maryland to receive this honor.
2013: 1,306 2012: 1,355 2011: 1,240
Number of Ivy League acceptances MCPS-wide in 2015
208
$11,000
increase in Ivy LeagUe acceptances MCPS-wide from 2011 to 2015
Cost of the 12th - grade college counseling package at Marks Education, a Bethesda-based firm
$750
Cornell University (245)
University of Virginia (263)
Salisbury University (273)
Amount charged per hour by company owner Nina Marks University of Pit tsburgh (279)
Pennsylvania State University, University Park (395)
37% Towson University (411)
Montgomery College (489)
University of Maryland, Baltimore County (531)
$8,152
University of Michigan (385)
2015-2016 in - state base tuition at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park (1,550)
Top 10 colleges applied to in 2015
increase in in - state base tuition at the University of Maryland from the 2011-2012 school year to the 20152016 school year
According to Bethesda Magazine ChaRt
2
Number of Ivy League Applications by Year according to Bethesda Magazine charts
Sources: BEthesda Magazine, MCPS, University of Maryland and MarksEducation.com
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For a Bethesda teen, painting murals is about more than artwork By Maura Mahoney
Most kids come home from sleepaway camp with some bug bites, warm memories and a whole lot of dirty laundry. But when Noa West, now 19, returned to Bethesda from Camp Seneca Lake in upstate New York in 2012, she came home with something else: a new passion. As part of a community service day during camp, West was chosen to help paint a mural on a bathroom wall. Though she’d always loved to draw and had taken art classes at school, she’d never worked on such a large-scale project. She loved doing the artwork and was thrilled with the finished product. And she says that creating something lasting for the community had a big impact on her.
Once home, she formed an organization called “The World is Our Canvas,” with the idea, she says, of bringing “color to the places where there is none, free of cost.” That winter, during her sophomore year at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac, she contacted the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington in Rockville and was given a location—a wall in the staff lounge—for a floor-to-ceiling mural. She came up with a sketch of a peacock in an orchid tree, bought the paint, and did the work over spring break. Since then, she has painted four other murals, including two at St. Andrew’s, one in a playroom at the Carrie Simon House in Washington, D.C. (a shelter for young homeless women and their children), and one at the Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Station on River Road. Her pieces are big, bold, colorful and often draw heavily on nature themes. “Derek’s Waterfall,” a 25-foot-by9-foot mural that she painted at St. Andrew’s, remembers and celebrates Derek Park, a classmate who died after an accident on Thanksgiving in
2011. “I was good friends with Derek,” West says. “I have memories of him helping me with a project and showing me his artwork.” She asked Park’s family and friends for advice on what to depict, and came up with a design that illustrates Derek’s love of art and science. The mural shows his hands painting waterfalls, flowers, fish and birds, which come to life in glowing, rich colors. Marie Park, Derek’s mother, didn’t see the mural until it was finished. “It was so lush and beautiful,” she says. “We were wowed by the lighting and the size of it.” West graduated from St. Andrew’s this past June and attends the College of Visual and Performing Arts at Syracuse University. She plans to major in art history or museum studies, and hopes to combine her interest in philanthropy with a career in art management. “Making sandwiches at a food bank would be just as helpful,” she says. “But doing this is using something within me, something I can share. I can make my mark on the world, and the experience makes a mark on me.”
West Photo courtesy of Noa West; Mural Photo by Michael Ventura
Making Her mark
Noa West created this mural, “Derek’s Waterfall,” at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Potomac to honor a classmate who died in 2011.
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#
#i do Wedding hashtags are trending
Two days after their May 2014 wedding, Sarah and Brad Larson sat in the airport waiting for the plane that would take them to their honeymoon in Costa Rica. To pass the time, they flipped through photos from the weekend, which had included a rehearsal dinner on Friday night, a ceremony at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda on Saturday, a reception at Bretton Woods in Germantown and a brunch on Sunday morning. The couple had asked their friends to tag their pictures with #BrarahWedding, which meant they were able to see photos from the events weeks before the professional pictures. “It was really fun to see everything that we had missed,” Sarah says. (To read more about Sarah and Brad’s wedding, see page 368.) Creating and asking guests to use a wedding hashtag—such as #2haveand 2holder or #smittenwhittens—is on the rise. People who attend a wedding include the hashtag when they post pictures on social media sites such as Instagram and Facebook, which then group the photos all in one place. The resulting pictures are often able to fill in the gaps of professional photography by capturing people driving to the wedding, the rehearsal dinner, candid shots of different friend groups, and after-parties. The trend has become so popular that in February, Chevy Chase-based wedding services company Wedding Wire created
a “Hashtag Generator.” Couples enter details such as their names, wedding date and location, and the online tool creates a unique hashtag for them in seconds. By June, the generator had created more than 17 million hashtags—such as #CanYouFeeltheHartmansTonight and #FallfortheHoff. “It has turned from just a way to organize photos to being your wedding brand,” says Blair Staunton, marketing manager at Wedding Wire. A lot of couples reveal the hashtag on their save-the-date and start using it before the wedding. Emily Urciolo, a Bethesda native who teaches fourth grade at St. Jane de Chantal, is marrying Taylor Wood on Sept. 26 and started using #knockonwood926 over the summer. The bridal shower was stocked with “Knock on Wood” napkins, and the bachelorette party featured #knockon wood926 koozies. Adrienne and Dixon Bross, who were married at Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ in Bethesda on June 13, used #likeabross as a play on the saying, “like a boss.” Their friends used the hashtag at the bachelor and bachelorette parties. “That was kind of cool just to increase our sense of anticipation,” Adrienne says. Using a wedding hashtag can come with risks—guests could ruin professional photos by sticking their phone into the aisle while the bride is walking down. To prevent this, guests of the Larson
wedding were asked not to take pictures during the ceremony, first dances, toasts or cake cutting. Megan and Justin Kondos, Bethesda residents who used #meganandjustin 2014 when they were married on April 12, 2014, had a similar policy. Nevertheless, Megan says some of the photos taken by guests who didn’t comply ended up being her favorites. Walt Whitman High School grads Kelsey Knight and Marc Steinhardt were married on Sept. 6, 2014, in Dewey Beach, Delaware. They chose #knighthardt because it was short and easy to remember. They put it on invitations, cocktail napkins and at the bottom of several signs throughout their reception. The result was 129 photos on Instagram. “Typically you spend a fortune on a wedding photographer, but now, looking back on my wedding, I much prefer the photos collected from my hashtag,” Kelsey says. The couple is about to have their first child, and at the baby shower on July 11, their friends were still posting pictures with the hashtag #knighthardt.
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The Trailblazer
Maryland State Treasurer Nancy Kopp looks back on 40 years in public office By Louis peck
When Nancy Kopp received an unexpected achievement award from her alma mater, Wellesley College in Massachusetts, on the 50th anniversary of her graduation earlier this year, it led to some retrospection. “It made me think back on what I had done, most of which was not intended or at all planned,” she says. In February, the same month she was honored by Wellesley, she was re-elected by the Maryland General Assembly to a fourth full term as state treasurer. Her initial selection to that post in 2002 followed 27 years of representing the Bethesda area in the state
House of Delegates. For Kopp, 2015 marks 40 years of public service. Now 71, she will become the second-longest-serving treasurer in state history when her term ends in 2019—and she says she hasn’t ruled out seeking a fifth term. “She was a star in the House of Delegates because she understood the budget like nobody else,” says state Attorney General Brian Frosh, who shared representation of Bethesdabased District 16 with Kopp for 15 years. However, Frosh adds: “She’s not a natural-born politician. She’s kind of a natural-born college professor.”
In fact, that’s precisely the job Kopp aspired to when she graduated from Wellesley in 1965 and headed to the University of Chicago. She completed the course work and preliminary exams for a Ph.D. in political philosophy, and then she and her husband, Robert, headed east so he could accept a job at the U.S. Department of Justice. After the couple moved into a home in Bethesda’s Mohican Hills neighborhood, where they still live, Kopp found that she didn’t have the self-discipline to finish her dissertation outside of an academic setting. “I went to work on Capitol Hill instead,” she says. After two years, a colleague encouraged her to apply for a newly created job as staff aide to the county’s delegation at the Maryland Legislature. “State government, much to my surprise, was terrifically fascinating,” she says. When an opening came up in District 16 in 1974, Kopp won the Democratic nomination and was elected at the age of 31 to the first of seven terms as a state legislator. Today, women make up more than 30 percent of the General Assembly, but when Kopp arrived in Annapolis, the figure was barely 7 percent. Shortly after her election, Kopp and another newly elected District 16 Democrat, Marilyn Goldwater, became the first women ever appointed to the powerful House Appropriations Committee. “The speaker of the House [the late John Hanson Briscoe] told the Appropriations Committee chairman—who was a conservative curmudgeon from the Eastern Shore—that he had to have at least one woman on his committee,” Kopp says. In 1976, she became the first sitting state legislator—not just in Maryland, but anywhere in the country, according to Kopp—to give birth while in office. During the General Assembly’s 90-day sessions over the next couple of years, Kopp and her husband rented a house in Annapolis, and he commuted daily
Photo by Liz Lynch
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to Washington, D.C. Kopp is only the second woman to serve as Maryland treasurer—an accomplishment that gives her little satisfaction. “Just as I would have thought we’d have a woman governor by now, or a woman president by now, I’m not proud of being the only woman in [Maryland statewide] constitutional office,” she says. As treasurer, Kopp oversees the investment of state funds and the reconciliation of the state’s books with its bank accounts. She’s most visible as a member of the Board of Public Works, where she, the governor and the state comptroller vote on capital construction projects and major state procurement contracts. For the past eight years, one of her Board of Public Works colleagues has been Comptroller Peter Franchot, a fellow Montgomery County resident who served with Kopp in the House of Delegates and on the Appropriations Committee. Kopp and Franchot occasionally found themselves on opposite sides of 2-1 votes during Martin O’Malley’s governorship. “Even though I may have the more flamboyant style,” Franchot says, “she also has a great deal of courage, and her low-key style doesn’t always get the attention that mine does.” Franchot cites the 2014 episode in which Kopp, as chair of the state’s pension board, argued against a move by the General Assembly to cut $100 million in payments to the state retirement system. “Some of the proposals last year that Gov. O’Malley put forth would have been extremely expensive to the state in the long run. That was the case I was making on behalf of the pension board, and some people didn’t like it,” she says. “Well, that’s part of the job. I could never be the sort of legislator, and I don’t think I can be the sort of treasurer, whose main concern is being re-elected.”
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By Aaron Kraut and andrew metcalf
Neighborhood NOTES 270
News you may have missed
gaithersburg
MD 200 95
rockville
I-95
200
I-270
270
3 I-495
4
1 Potomac
downtown
bethesda
silver spring
2
chevy chase M
5 495
M
I-495
1
Taking Aim
Bow hunters are heading into county parks in Potomac and Germantown this fall to help cull a deer population that has grown to as many as 80 deer per square mile.
2
Up on the farm
The rooftops of downtown Bethesda are home to bars, pools—and now a farm. Up Top Acres plans to grow salad greens, beets, tomatoes and other produce on its farm on the roof of the Equinox building and sell the items to local restaurants.
3
Caught in the Act
County police say a Bethesda man used a selfie stick to record videos of a neighbor in his apartment building. Donald F. Beard, 60, faced multiple charges after he allegedly was spotted waving the handheld device in front of the 58-year-old woman’s window.
4
495
Overexposed
District 16 state Del. Ariana Kelly faced indecent exposure and trespassing charges in June after she allegedly exposed her
breasts while outside the Bethesda home of her former husband. County prosecutors later dropped the charges.
5
Little House in the Woods
In an upscale Bethesda neighborhood full of teardown home projects, a one-bedroom log cabin built in 1933 has somehow survived complete destruction. New owners, who bought the home for the bargain price of $555,000, say they’ll keep the cabin mostly as is, but expand its cozy confines with an addition.
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By Aaron Kraut and andrew metcalf
trending
What we’re talking about
( The good, the bad and the ugly )
Great ideas should see the light of day. In the mood for a cold brew? An easing of state rules has opened the tap for more breweries in Montgomery County, resulting in new ventures in Rockville and Silver Spring and another that may be coming to downtown Bethesda.
95
I-95 Montgomery County public school students can look forward to catching some extra z’s now that starting times have been pushed back—20 minutes later for middle and high school students, and 10 minutes later for elementary school students. 495
It was only a matter of time: Sports Illustrated has named Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder the most hated owner in the NFL. The Potomac resident can’t seem to field a winning team—or a compelling argument for keeping a team name some consider racist. With school buses and more local workers back on the road now that August is over, commuters can expect even longer delays as they move through local road construction zones, such as the ongoing sidewalk work on East West Highway in Bethesda. Once again, a large percentage of county public high school students failed their final exams in geometry, algebra 1 and algebra 2, leading to hand-wringing and finger-pointing about what’s going wrong in county classrooms.
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book Report By Maura Mahoney
What’s on your bedside table?
Chevy Chase residents Linda Perlman Gordon and Susan Morris Shaffer drew on a wealth of experience and research for their fifth book, How to Connect with Your iTeen (McGraw-Hill, May 2015). Gordon, a psychotherapist, and Shaffer, the president of an educational nonprofit, offer techniques for parents who are trying to connect with their teens. “This is the first generation of kids that has been raised as digital natives,” Gordon says. “They’re raised in a different culture than their parents. It’s very difficult for parents to figure out what the boundaries are and how to protect their kids.”
After his 2009 book on expedition and wilderness medicine for medical personnel, Chevy Chase resident Michael Manyak, an executive for GlaxoSmithKline, thought, “We need something regular travelers can use.” Lizard Bites & Street Riots: Travel Emergencies and Your Health, Safety & Security (Windrush Publishers, December 2014) is that book. Co-written by Chevy Chase resident Joyce Johnson, a two-star admiral and former surgeon general of the U.S. Coast Guard, and Alexandria resident Warren Young, the book details medical and security problems that can occur while traveling.
achievers—such as Condoleezza Rice and Jonas Salk—and how those conversations widen his perspective and provided creative inspiration for many of his movies and TV shows, including Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, Splash, Arrested Development, 24, and 8 Mile. It was a quick and entertaining read that really reminded me of the importance of a disciplined approach to asking questions.”
In her new book, Gap Year Girl: A Baby Boomer Adventure Across 21 Countries (She Writes Press, September 2015), Bethesda’s Marianne Bohr writes about the year abroad that she and her husband, Joe, took in 2011. Bohr chronicles their adventures in places such as France, Turkey, Hungary, Germany and the Czech Republic, and includes events such as running in the Paris Marathon and completing a weeklong hike of Mont Blanc. Bohr, who now teaches French at Redland Middle School in Rockville, says she wanted to let people know that “adventure doesn’t have to end when you’re 25 or 30.”
Veteran Washington Post reporter Neely Tucker’s Murder, D.C. was published by Viking in June. The Bethesda resident says the novel, the second in a series that began with last year’s murder-mystery, The Ways of the Dead, features protagonist Sully Carter, whom Tucker describes as a reporter with an attitude and a drinking problem. Carter is covering the murder of the scion of Washington, D.C.’s most influential African-American family, a story that leads him from the gritty backstreets of the city to its most glittering corridors of power.
Photo By Michael Ventura/courtesy of Donna Redmond JOnes; all Book covers courtesy
We asked Donna Redmond Jones, the new principal at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, what she’s been reading lately. “I really enjoyed A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life (Simon & Schuster, 2015). Hollywood producer Brian Grazer and business journalist Charles Fishman describe the weekly one-on-one ‘curiosity conversations’ that Grazer conducts with various high
66 September/October 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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What Bethesda’s Reading Top- selling books as of July 21 at the Barnes & Noble in Bethesda compared with Barnes & Noble stores nationwide and at www.bn.com
Linda Hirshman
Barnes & Noble Nationwide/www.bn.com
1. Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee 2. The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins 3. The English Spy (Gabriel Allon Series, #15), Daniel Silva 4. All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr 5. The Rumor, Elin Hilderbrand 6. The President’s Shadow (Culper Ring Series, #3), Brad Meltzer 7. Truth or Die, James Patterson, Howard Roughan 8. A God in Ruins, Kate Atkinson 9. The Melody Lingers On, Mary Higgins Clark 10. At the Water’s Edge, Sara Gruen
1. Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee 2. The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins 3. All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr 4. The English Spy (Gabriel Allon Series, #15), Daniel Silva 5. Code of Conduct, Brad Thor 6. Armada, Ernest Cline 7. Naked Greed, Stuart Woods 8. The Rumor, Elin Hilderbrand 9. Nemesis, Catherine Coulter 10. Truth or Die, James Patterson, Howard Roughan
1. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, Marie Kondo 2. The Wright Brothers, David McCullough 3. Modern Romance, Aziz Ansari, Eric Klinenberg 4. The Road to Character, David Brooks 5. Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania, Erik Larson 6. Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates 7. Ally: My Journey Across the American-Israeli Divide, Michael B. Oren 8. The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789, Joseph J. Ellis 9. Primates of Park Avenue: A Memoir, Wednesday Martin 10. The Billion Dollar Spy: A True Story of Cold War Espionage and Betrayal, David E. Hoffman
1. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, Marie Kondo 2. Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates 3. The Wright Brothers, David McCullough 4. Down the Rabbit Hole, Holly Madison 5. Modern Romance, Aziz Ansari, Eric Klinenberg 6. Adios, America, Ann Coulter 7. Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania, Erik Larson 8. A Time for Truth, Ted Cruz 9. It’s Good to Be Gronk, Rob Gronkowski, Jason Rosenhaus 10. The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789, Joseph J. Ellis
LITERARY events CALENDAR Sept. 3
LINDA HIRSHMAN. Hirshman’s latest book, Sisters in Law: How Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World (HarperCollins, 2015) is scheduled to be released Sept. 1. 7 p.m. Free. Politics and Prose, Washington, D.C. www. politics-prose.com.
Sept. 8
JOYCE CAROL OATES. The prolific author will talk about her memoir, The Lost Landscape: A Writer’s Coming of Age (Ecco, scheduled for release in September). 7 p.m. Free. Politics and Prose, Washington, D.C. www.politics-prose.com.
Oct. 1
1. The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Daniel James Brown 2. Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian, E.L. James 3. The Vacationers, Emma Straub 4. Art for Mindfulness: Geometrics, Andrew Paciorek 5. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, Malala Yousafzai, Christine Lamb 6. The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt 7. David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, Malcolm Gladwell 8. Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina, Misty Copeland 9. Scandinavian Folk Patterns, Michael O’Mara Books 10. Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel
1. Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book, Johanna Basford 2. Enchanted Forest: An Inky Quest & Coloring Book, Johanna Basford 3. The Official SAT Study Guide, College Board 4. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee 5. Shareology: How Sharing Is Powering the Human Economy, Bryan Kramer 6. Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian, E.L. James 7. Go Set a Watchman, Harper Lee 8. Color Me Calm: 100 Coloring Templates for Meditation and Relaxation, Lacy Mucklow, Angela Porter 9. Adult Coloring Book for Relaxation: Calming Mandalas and Patterns for Adults, Emma Bloom 10. How to Read Literature Like a Professor Revised: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines, Thomas C. Foster
Wil Haygood. The Washington Post writer talks about Showdown: Thurgood Marshall and the Supreme Court Nomination That Changed America (Deckle Edge, scheduled for release in September). 7 p.m. Free. Barnes & Noble, Bethesda. www.barnesandnoble.com.
Oct. 2
ROBERT B. REICH. The former labor secretary recently released Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few (Knopf, 2015). 7 p.m. Free. Politics and Prose, Washington, D.C. www.politics-prose.com.
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banter | My Life
Fine-Tuned How writing—and rewriting—a college essay helped one teen start to heal When it was time to write an essay for college applications, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School senior Ben Martel knew he wanted to write about his mom, Lisa Flaxman. Flaxman, who died of breast cancer in 2009 at age 43, was passionate about music. A mother of three and a lawyer, she also was a singer who founded a popular local music education program for infants and young kids. She imparted her passion to Ben, who started playing the clarinet in fourth grade. “Really, the way we always communicated was music,” says Ben, who graduated from B-CC in June. Flaxman was first diagnosed with breast cancer when Ben was 6. She underwent chemotherapy, which put the disease in remission. But it recurred when Ben was finishing fifth grade. Flaxman died as Ben was beginning the second half of sixth grade. “Over the years,” Ben says, “I realized that one way of therapy, of resolving to…move on, was I had to really put my feelings into words.” Ben wrote a “not very good” first draft of his essay before starting his senior year. His dad, Jonathan Martel, helped him organize his thoughts, and he rewrote the essay several times before asking his high school counselor to read it. Next, he gave drafts to his grandmother, a college English professor; his aunt, a high school English teacher; and three of his former English teachers at B-CC. Each offered advice on his phrasing and choice of words. All told, he wrote 10 drafts before he was satisfied. “It helped me articulate thoughts and emotions that have been in my mind for years,” he says. Ben was accepted as an early decision applicant to Brown University, his mom’s alma mater, and plans to attend this fall.
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Ben and his mom, Lisa, in a photo taken around 2000
Ben martel photo by lisa helfert; motHer and son photo courtesy family
Ben’s Essay Sitting on a simple wooden bench in my parents’ bedroom, my eyes fixated on a wrinkled piece of manuscript paper, I think about how this will be the first concerto that I ever perform, but the last that my mother will ever hear. I think about her five-year struggle with breast cancer. I take a mammoth gulp of air, raise the clarinet to my mouth, and close my eyes. Music was her life and our connection. She played the piano and sang in several community groups. Although she began her career as a lawyer, her passion was music. She eventually turned this passion into a thriving business that taught music classes to hundreds of small children each week. In the womb, she carried me across the stage as part of the chorus in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Yeoman of the Guard. As a child, she fed me a steady diet of Mother Goose rhyming songs and she introduced me to dozens of other children’s tunes. She told me I made her proud when I sobbed as I listened to my father sing out of tune. My mom exposed me to the beauty of music. Now that six years have passed, it becomes increasingly difficult to stay connected with my mother. The memories become fuzzy and I oftentimes struggle simply to remember what she looked like. But even now, whenever I pick up my clarinet and begin to play the introduction of the Weber Clarinet Concertino, I feel
a powerful warmth deep inside. I use the sound to pull her closer to me. Despite our separation, I feel as united as ever. When I finally reach the most intimate levels of this musical connection as the piece transitions from a minor to a major key, a magical thing occurs: all of the memories become crystal clear. I suddenly remember with great detail her smile, our hiking trip to Vail, and the car rides to school. Every time I access these memories, I heal just a bit more. But music does not just allow me to maintain a profound emotional bond with my mom. It also helps me to resolve and come to terms with the pain, sorrow and loss. When I blow into that long, dark, wooden tube, the negative emotions are liberated. They effortlessly flow out of my body as I am left with feelings of relief, peace and remembrance. Rather than focus on the distressing images of my mother during the last days of her life, the music enables me to concentrate on her comforting hugs and soft kisses. As I play my first concerto, my mom lies in her bed, surrounded by my father, sister and brother. It is my last chance to tell her that I love her, my last chance to say goodbye. But words are insufficient to say farewell. Instead, I convey my love and sadness through the sound. When I finish holding the high E, I sit there in silence. She understands. n BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 71
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banter | suburbanology
by april witt
i am who i am
My grandparents wouldn’t recognize Bethesda Presbyterian Church down the street from my house. The congregation isn’t just diverse. It’s diverse in ways they couldn’t have imagined. It celebrates Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month and is officially welcoming to LGBT congregants. It hosts dozens of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings weekly. Its Sunday study group this summer read and discussed The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. My maternal grandparents’ homogeneous Presbyterian congregation was a bit like a club that you were born or married into. If you weren’t Presbyterian, you were somehow other. Hence their era’s corny jokes that began: “A Baptist, a Methodist and a Presbyterian got into a lifeboat.” The other. Who do you think of as the other—not of your tribe, not your kind? Who thinks of you as the other, and what are the consequences for you both? I’ve asked those questions since I was a child reading Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl. It helped make sense of the TV news sound track of my childhood: civil rights marches, a black
church bombed, assassinations, war and more protests. In sixth grade, I gave an oral book report on Black Like Me, written by a white journalist who darkened his skin to pass as black as he traveled the South. His saga of meeting undisguised hatred from white strangers shook me. My teacher said through pursed lips that I took the book too seriously. Bigotry and hatred are serious, I told her. A child of the 60s, I cast off the unreliable cartographers of an older generation and charted my own path. In the decades since the cultural revolutions of my youth, questions about us and them haven’t faded away; they’ve become more complicated as more people demand ever-greater freedom to define and redefine themselves. I can’t stop thinking about Rachel Dolezal, the president of the Spokane, Washington, chapter of the NAACP who was outed as a white woman who darkened her skin and colored her hair to pass as black. Tossed into the 24-hour news spin cycle, she was almost universally scorned. Her explanation that she identifies as black sounded to me a lot like Caitlyn Jenner identifying as a woman. My response to both was much the same.
We have entered a new era, and I celebrate it. The Paper Source in downtown Bethesda should stock greeting cards that read: “Congratulations on your new identity. I hope you are very happy.” Dolezal has a more legitimate claim to black experience than most whites. She has adopted black siblings. She was married to a black man and has a biracial child. Still, she was denounced as a lying charlatan who pretended to be someone she wasn’t. She resigned her position with the NAACP. Her contract teaching Africana studies at a local college wasn’t renewed. Perhaps the persistent human impulse to identify us and them is part of some genetically-encoded survival instinct. About 10,000 years ago, humans lived in small, isolated communities where they rarely if ever met a stranger, UCLA geographer and author Jared Diamond says. As humans flourished and communities became bigger and more numerous, encountering strangers became commonplace. Tribes began marking their members in distinctive ways—tattoos or body mutilations—so one could tell at a glance who was in or out. Outsiders might be trying to take
illustration by claudine hellmuth
In Bethesda and around the country, people are demanding greater freedom to forge their own identities and define themselves
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what wasn’t rightfully theirs. According to Diamond, the anthropological term for a member of one tribe who pretends to be a member of another is freeloader. White Australian rapper Iggy Azalea, who affected aspects of black street culture to record hits, but allegedly posted racist tweets, might well be a freeloader. But Dolezal has been an effective advocate for racial justice. Isn’t it unevolved of us to tell her, or anyone, that they aren’t free to craft their own identity? Showing the world who you think you are and how you wish to be viewed is part of getting dressed in the morning. Teenagers dress like the group they wish to be accepted into. That young adult you just dropped off at college is likely already remodeling in ways small if not large. Brunettes decide blondes
have more fun. Young men who have no clue how to chop wood wear lumberjack shirts and work boots. The older I grow, the hipper my reading glasses get—my way of telling the world: “Don’t count me out. I still have it going on.” Forging an identity starts in the crib. It’s shaped not just by the facts of our biology, but by the names our parents give us, the colors they dress us in, the stories they tell us about who we are, where we came from and what we should believe. A crucial task of growing up is taking the identity our parents began crafting for us and using it as part of the raw material of the identity we forge ourselves. “The people who seem to do best in their lives have fluid identities and the ability to transform and shift,” says Rhegina Sinozich, a Bethesda clinical
social worker and therapist. “They are not stuck in these rigid molds of who they think they should be or who their parents think they should be or society thinks they should be.” Lacey Schwartz, director and star of the documentary Little White Lie, grew up in a white Jewish family in Woodstock, New York. Her parents showed her an old photo of a Sicilian relative to explain why her hair and skin were darker than theirs. She didn’t just think she was white, she was white, she says in the film. That was her identity. When she applied to Georgetown University, she, like a lot of people, declined to check a box identifying her race. Based on the photograph she submitted with her application, Georgetown admitted her as a black student, she says. She joined
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banter | Suburbanology
the black student union, began exploring a new identity—and pushed her mother for answers. Eventually, mom admitted that she’d had an affair with a black man who was Schwartz’s biological father. My favorite TED Talk is by author Andrew Solomon, who recounts how the gay pride movement helped him overcome childhood bullying, create a healthy identity as a gay man, and find joy in marriage and fatherhood. “Forging meaning is about changing yourself,” he says. “Building identity is about changing the world. All of us with stigmatized identities face this question daily: how much to accommodate society by constraining ourselves, and how much to break the limits of what constitutes a valid life.” His advice: “Forge meaning. Build identity. And then invite the world to share your joy.” Having the freedom to construct your own identity is part of our American mythology. It’s arguably true—just ask your neighbors who own a house in Abu Dhabi but choose to raise their daughters here. It’s also never been entirely true. Recent research shows that some impoverished ZIP codes offer so little social mobility that they might as well be supermax prisons. I caught my breath when some critics griped that Dolezal couldn’t point to a single black ancestor to support her claim of black identity. Requiring blood proof sounds uncomfortably like a vestige of our more racist history: If you have one drop of black blood, you are black. I sometimes toy with the idea of buying one of those DNA test kits that promise to use “cutting-edge science” to shed light on my own ancestry. But I won’t. I already know who I am: a person who has been privileged to be able to define myself. “That,” Sinozich says, “may be the greatest privilege of all.” n April Witt (aprilwitt@hotmail.com) is a former Washington Post writer who lives in Bethesda. 76 September/October 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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banter | hometown
by steve roberts
Farm Fresh
Rosa Linares (right) sells produce at the Crossroads Farmers Market, which also serves as a community center and street fair.
They line up early at Rosa Linares’ stand in the Crossroads Farmers Market in Takoma Park. Many customers are young mothers with toddlers at their feet. Most are immigrants from El Salvador and Guatemala, and they are here because Linares grows and sells plants they know from back home. A big favorite is chipilin, a leafy green vegetable that cooks up like spinach and flavors dishes like eggs and soups. Another is hora de maiz, large corn leaves that wrap tamales. Her herbs are used in folk remedies that are said to reduce anemia, relieve cramps and refresh skin. “The produce she sells is from our
culture, from our country,” says Rosa Sanchez, a Salvadoran immigrant who lives in Bladensburg and works at the market. “It reminds me of home, when I was growing up, it’s a piece of my homeland.” Crossroads was founded in 2007 by John Hyde, who sold baked goods at the Takoma Park Farmers Market and noticed that few poor families ever patronized his stand. Hyde, who died in 2009, had a smart, simple idea: Establish a market that’s accessible to low-income shoppers and supplement their food budgets. Here’s how the system works. Families that qualify for federal nutrition programs like food stamps tell a clerk
what portion of their benefits they want to spend. They receive coupons called Fresh Checks that double their purchasing power as long as they use the checks for healthy options. Everyone wins. Families improve their diets while stretching their dollars, and farmers reach new customers. But launching the market wasn’t easy. The day before it was scheduled to open, the Department of Agriculture said the subsidy program was illegal. Fortunately Hyde had an ally, a senior official at USDA, who called his bosses and said: “What do you think The Washington Post would have to say about your trying
Photos by patrice gilbert
A market in Takoma Park brings produce to the county’s urban poor—and reminds many local immigrants of home
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banter | hometown
to prevent poor people from eating fresh fruits and vegetables?” The bureaucrats backed down. And today, notes the market’s website, “our model has been replicated in more than 500 farmers markets in 30 states and D.C.” The only problem is that subsidies cost money and Crossroads is a victim of its own success. It runs every Wednesday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., June through November; more than 1,000 shoppers come most days and since 90 percent qualify for some form of aid, the cost keeps going up. The market has raised $55,000—from private donors, foundations and local governments—to finance Fresh Checks for the current season, but that might not be enough. “It was really hard to get people here
initially and now it’s like exploded,” says Christie Balch, the executive director of the Crossroads Community Food Network, the nonprofit that runs the market. “Every year the number of people we serve keeps going up. I’m sure we’ll run out this year.” Located on a short block of Anne Street in Takoma Park, just off University Boulevard, the market is also a street fair, a community center and a health clinic. Kids watch a juggler while their moms shop. Others paint pictures using broccoli and lemons as stamps or draw with chalk on a brick wall. A trumpeter plays jazz, while a small child keeps time with one hand and drinks a bottle with the other. A group of elderly Chinese women come by bus from Rockville and sit under a shady tent chatting in their native
language long before the market opens. “They have relationships with other customers and farmers,” says Balch. Social service organizations can have trouble reaching immigrant families and here there’s a captive audience. Adventist HealthCare offers free blood pressure tests and health tips. The University of Maryland Extension program sponsors food demonstrations using produce sold at the market (watermelon and tomato salad was on the menu when I was there). The shoppers and vendors reflect the diversity of the region (Montgomery County is now one-third foreign born, Prince George’s one-fifth). While Latinos and Asians predominate, there are also Russian speakers, including Lyubov Velychko, a native of Ukraine, who clutches her Fresh Checks and says in halting
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English, “We save and save and after three weeks we buy something here.” Margaret Cunningham, an African American who grew up on a farm in Delaware, fondly remembers the fresh vegetables from her mother’s kitchen garden. “Coming from the country, that’s the healthy way to eat,” she says. Monica Medina and her husband, Isidro, farm 20 acres in Montross, Virginia, a two-hour drive from the market, and sell corn and kale, squash and peppers. Many of their neighbors in Montross come from the same small area in Mexico’s Jalisco state and most are related. “My dad started in the business,” says Medina. “My cousins were already started, and then we followed the same steps.” Roy and Arti Castari are from Indo-
nesia and grow Asian specialties like bitter melons on a tiny backyard plot in College Park. “It backs up on the Beltway and they have a huge wall behind their house,” says Balch, who grew up on a farm in Wisconsin. “You would never imagine it’s there, it’s like this oasis in the city.” If Crossroads has a symbol, it’s Rosa Linares, now in her mid-60s, who cleaned houses after emigrating from El Salvador and used her savings to buy her own place in Adelphi, right near the market. Balch tells her story: “Her sons banded together and bought her the empty lot next to her house and she started farming. She showed up at the market four years ago with a bucket full of produce and an umbrella and she started selling. “Our market manager was like, ‘Who
are you? Did you fill out a vendor application?’ And she was like, ‘No, but I belong here.’ Now she has a full stand and she’s making almost as much as some of the regular farmers.” Linares is a small woman with a large red straw hat and gold-rimmed front teeth. Her English is limited so my interview with her was brief. I asked if she did all the work herself. “Look at my hands,” she replied, holding them out for me to see. They were brown and bruised, with dirt edging the fingernails. “I work outside,” she said. And then she laughed. n Steve Roberts teaches politics and journalism at George Washington University. Send him ideas for future columns at sroberts@gwu.edu.
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financial aid
the wait
auditions
College Crunch
sATs
college visits
leaving home
getting IN Local high school students juggle college-level classes, sports and extracurricular activities—all in pursuit of getting into a top school. But at what cost? By Julie rasicot Photos by Michael Ventura | Illustration by David Clegg 84 September/October 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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College Crunch
J
Joe Wiedemann has just begun his senior year at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, and he’s busy cataloging his accomplishments so he can apply for college. A passionate drummer, he’s captain of the Whitman drumline team and performs with a jazz combo he founded with friends. He’s a member of Whitman’s water polo team and is vice president of the Student Government Association. He also is working on a project to earn the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest in Boy Scouting. All of this while earning a 4.3 weighted GPA, learning to drive, studying for the SAT and working at least 12 hours a week at Bethesda Bagels, a job he has held since he was 14. By all accounts, Joe should think of himself as accomplished. But that’s not how this student at one of Montgomery County’s highest-performing public high schools sees himself. “I’m no Harvard-bound student,” he says. “I’m a pretty average guy, pretty average goals.” And because he feels that way, Joe was starting to lose confidence last spring that he would be able to live up to what he believed were his parents’ expectations: getting into his top choice for college—the highly selective U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. So Joe continued to push himself, spending more than 20 hours each week writing music and creating formations for the drumline. He finally reached a point one night when he says he “kind of cracked under the pressure.” “I told my parents that if I didn’t get into this school that I was a disappointment,” he says.
Their response surprised him. “When they finally opened up to me, they explained, ‘You’ll end up where you’ll end up and you’re going to be OK,’ ” he says.
Students in the Bethesda
area describe high school as a “pressure cooker.” They say they’re often at the breaking point as they juggle collegelevel classes, play sports and participate in extracurricular activities—all in pursuit of college admission. The intensity of the competition faced by today’s teens was highlighted in June’s news reports about a Korean student at Fairfax County’s top-ranked Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology who felt so much pressure to be successful that she faked acceptances to Harvard and Stanford. According to a 2014 American Psychological Association (APA) survey, teens feel more stress during the school year than adults do on a regular basis. Eighty-three percent of the more than 1,000 teens surveyed said that school was “a somewhat or significant source of stress.” Nearly 60 percent reported that “managing their time to balance all activities is a somewhat or very significant stressor.” And 36 percent reported feeling tired and nervous or anxious. Parents have taken notice. A 2013 survey conducted by National Public Radio, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health found that nearly 40 percent of parents said their high school students “experienced a lot of stress,” with nearly 25 percent saying that homework was the main reason. “Especially in our area, a lot of students have this idea they have to be
perfect to get into a school,” says Jodi Edmunds, director of counseling services at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda. “Everyone is trying to keep up with each other. They’re not really doing what’s right for them.” Local school administrators say they are seeing more students diagnosed with anxiety disorders than ever before. And the suicides of several local teens in recent years—including a June graduate of Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville in the summer of 2014, a student at Walter Johnson in January, and a seventh-grader at Col. E. Brooke Lee Middle School in Silver Spring in February—have raised concerns among local educators, parents and students themselves. Mental health experts are quick to point out that school stress is not a leading indicator for suicide, which usually is the result of deeper mental health issues and family problems. And they say that experiencing some stress can be a good thing, motivating students to achieve. Still, too much can push some students over the edge, and that’s causing worry. “There’s an alarming number of suicides and self-harm…and you have to wonder how much of it is all the stress these kids are under,” says psychologist and author Mary Alvord, who has offices in Silver Spring and Rockville and has contributed to the APA’s public education guides on resilience and stress in children and teens. Students say they break down in tears because they can’t finish a night’s worth of homework—or don’t show up for a test because they are too anxious, opting instead to take a more difficult makeup exam. It’s become routine,
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Liz Wiedemann often worried about her son, Joe, during his junior year at Whitman. “Honestly, it was a source of contention in our house,” Wiedemann says. “I kept asking him to do less. I couldn’t make him do less.”
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College Crunch some say, to stay up until early morning to finish homework and then crash for a few hours before downing coffee or high-octane energy drinks before heading to school. Before retiring in June, Karen Lockard says she witnessed students dealing with health issues ranging from eating disorders to having suicidal thoughts during her seven years as principal of BethesdaChevy Chase High School. “We do a disservice to students by creating a culture in which they feel they have to go to the Ivies,” she says. “They feel ‘lesser colleges’ are not good enough.” Joe Wiedemann says he doesn’t consider himself a “very stressed person.” His mother holds a different opinion. She often worried about him during his junior year, describing him as moving “100 miles a minute.” “Honestly, it was a source of contention in our house,” Liz Wiedemann says. “I kept asking him to do less. I couldn’t make him do less.”
On a Tuesday afternoon in mid-
May, I visited Whitman to talk about school stress with Principal Alan Goodwin and a group of students he’d invited— one sophomore, four juniors and one senior, all of whom were involved in school sports and organizations. Whitman is one of the county’s top public high schools, regularly boasting the highest SAT scores and sending students to the country’s elite colleges. Whitman students are well aware of its legacy. For these six students, including Joe, the message they’ve heard at school, home and through the media is clear: Their success later in life would be defined by the college they attended. The students were eager to share their experiences, feeding off each other’s stories as I listened. Michael Faulkner said that as he started his sophomore year, he began to realize how important it was to plan his
schedule so he’d take the right courses to get into a science-based college. “If you can’t get into a good college and you don’t have that as part of a résumé to get to a job, then…life sucks,” he said. Other students talked about the importance of managing their time, especially if they were involved in activities or had after-school jobs. “It’s hard to lessen the pressure,” junior Rebecca Fisch said. “I cheer, so I have to be there for all the games, all the practices. If you can’t manage your time, you are lost.” For junior Selvi Ulusan, thinking about college was a “huge stress” because she wasn’t sure she’d be able to afford it. She had to give up playing lacrosse to make time for her job at Chipotle. “I have to think about having a job to help my family out, and at the same time all my friends are spending thousands of dollars on SAT tutors and I’m, like, working in a book, and all my friends are going to college counselors and having tutors for all their hard classes and I’m at work making burritos,” she said. “I just feel like I can’t compete with everyone else.” Goodwin said the stress and anxiety generated by trying to keep up leads some students to abuse alcohol. “A lot of them say that they drink to relax... because they’re working so hard,” he said. “Therefore on Saturday night they feel like they need to drink so they can just forget for a while.”
Why do our teens worry so
much about getting into college? I and other parents I know recall a much different high school experience. Sure, there was pressure to fit in, to be part of the cool crowd, to think about the future after graduation. But constantly stressing over grades and worrying about getting into the “right” college, sometimes as early as middle school? That just didn’t happen, even among those of us who were top
students. We took the SAT once, maybe twice during junior and senior year without studying, applied to a few schools, and then headed off in late August. Today’s teens study for weeks—often with tutors—before taking the SAT or ACT multiple times. And now that students can apply online through The Common Application, they are seeking admission to more colleges, creating larger applicant pools. That in turn allows colleges to be more selective, making it harder for kids to get into schools. That’s why Goodwin blames colleges for increasing student stress. Though colleges say they seek well-rounded students, Goodwin says elite institutions in particular are looking for applicants with rigorous academic records. Applicants compete directly against their classmates for a slot, so that means students at schools like Whitman face extraordinary pressure to keep up with their super-achieving peers. Even colleges that used to be considered “safe” schools, such as the University of Maryland, have become more selective because they are attracting so many more high-quality applicants, allowing them to raise the academic profile expected of incoming students. Parents also share the blame. “There are parents who have too high expectations for their children,” Goodwin says. “They don’t realize how hard it is to get into college [now].” Case in point: Goodwin notes that the average weighted GPA for a Whitman student accepted to Maryland last year was 4.35. College counselors say they’ll show parents and students data about college admissions to help them figure out which choices are feasible. “Parents sometimes come in with expectations, and we show them where their student falls, and it’s these data points that help bring parents down” to reality, says Lynn Kittel, associate director of college counseling at Bullis School in Potomac.
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“People say ‘Wootton is such an academic powerhouse and such an academic stressor’ and I say, ‘Look, you moved here to go to a rigorous school, then you can’t really complain when we’re rigorous,’ ” says Michael Doran, principal of Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville.
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Mental health experts say we need to teach our kids how to be resilient. “Unless you learn how to deal with frustration and disappointment, and tolerate all that and get through it, you’re not going to be able to learn new things,” says psychologist and author Mary Alvord. In Montgomery County, conversations about college can begin at a young age. “I have parents of middle school kids in sixth and seventh grade who are already asking what’s on their child’s transcript, and what happens if they repeat a math course,” Edmunds says. “It’s scary that it starts that soon, if that’s the message that kids are getting at home.” Wootton Principal Michael Doran says talking about college early isn’t inherently wrong, and can be particularly important for students whose parents did not attend. “[It] comes from a good place, but I’m not sure it’s always a good thing,” he says. “The thing that worries me is, as parents, you always want your kids to do better than you did. I’ve got a feeling now that the stress on some kids is, There’s no way I’m going to do better than Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad went to Brown and Cornell. Dad owns something, Mommy is an entrepreneur. I’m smart, but how am I going to do better?” Joshua Starr, who served as superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools from 2011 until February, recalls growing up in Larchmont, New York, and later feeling he should have worked harder in school, considering the opportunities afforded him in his upper-middle-class community. He thinks some local parents may push their kids to achieve because they believe they should work hard to take advantage of the entitlements available to them.
Or, he says, it could be fear of loss of privilege. “That’s a very, very touchy subject. But when you are an upper-middleclass white person living in Bethesda, Potomac, Chevy Chase or wherever else, you’ve always had a certain level of privilege in this country, and with the changed demographics, I wonder if people are trying to hold on to something.”
Parents may be partly to blame,
but teens readily admit that they put pressure on themselves to keep up with their peers. Students and educators say many teens foster competition by talking—even lying—about their grades and SAT scores and pressuring each other about taking specific courses or deciding which colleges to apply to. Lockard, who was an MCPS educator for 38 years, frequently witnessed that type of “academic bullying” among her students at B-CC. She recalls when her own son, Adam, was a B-CC student years ago and wanted to take four Advanced Placement classes, including a difficult statistics class. She advised him not to take the class because she knew he would struggle. She remembers his response: “I’ll look like an idiot if I don’t.” I am always astonished to hear my two teenage daughters discussing grades, test scores and GPAs with their friends. My oldest daughter, Emily, attended a magnet program at Eastern Middle School in
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College Crunch Silver Spring before moving on to a competitive communication arts program at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, from which she graduated in June. She and her friends recall spending much of eighth grade talking about which high school to attend based on what would “look good” on college applications. “It was, like, a weird, competitive thing,” says one of her friends, Katherine Murtha of Silver Spring, who graduated from Blair and is a freshman at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. My younger daughter, Natalie, now a sophomore in Blair’s communication arts magnet, started worrying about getting into college once Emily began visiting schools during junior year. One of her friends took the SAT in eighth grade to see where she needed to improve. And at a softball practice last spring, one of Natalie’s sophomore teammates said she wanted to get a high grade on a major project because doing so would look good on college applications. Another player, a German exchange student, asked her why she was thinking about college already. “That’s all we think about,” the girl responded. Administrators and counselors at public and private schools say they routinely advise students against taking on too much. Still, students push themselves. Josie Mark, a senior at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda, says she knows her family has made sacrifices in order for her to attend private school, so she is determined to take challenging courses and earn top grades to help her win scholarships and get into a “good college.” And the pressure has only mounted as she prepares to apply. “It is daunting and a little stressful to think about: What do I need to get that little boost?” she says. Sarah Bair, who graduated from Bullis in May, says her decision to take five AP classes during her senior year drew con-
cern from her counselor, but she knew she wanted to challenge herself. Though some weeks were difficult, she made it through with the help of her teachers, who would reschedule a test if she couldn’t study because of other commitments. AP and International Baccalaureate classes were designed to prepare students for college-level work, but they’ve taken on higher importance: Because colleges judge applications, in part, based on the number of such courses taken, students and parents believe that more is always better. But that may not be the case. A study by admissions officers at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that “taking more than five AP courses probably doesn’t prepare students any better for college,” researcher Susan Hardy wrote in an online university publication in 2013. That’s why university admissions officers there have stopped placing greater weight on applications listing more than five AP or IB classes. It’s a view that educators wish more colleges would adopt as they see students load up on AP classes, even taking courses online or at a community college. At Wootton, Doran says, “We talk kids out of APs because they’ve got six, seven, eight. How many do they need?” Yet Montgomery County Public Schools annually touts statistics about the number of students who took AP classes and how many achieved passing or better grades on the final exams. And administrators urge students to take AP courses so they can be prepared for college-level work. Walter Johnson senior Jeffrey Cirillo says there’s a sense among students that taking anything less than an honors-level or AP course in a given subject would make it appear that they’re not smart enough to get into college. “All of high school is precollege,” he says. “Nothing you do in high school matters if it doesn’t get you into college.”
Bucking the pressure can be
tough, even for parents. My husband and I debated with Emily whether she should attend the Blair communication arts magnet or the highly regarded IB program at Rockville’s Richard Montgomery High School, where she’d also been accepted. What we saw as a challenging opportunity at Richard Montgomery that could help her get into a good college, Emily rejected as too intensely competitive. With some reservations, we agreed with her decision to attend Blair. When the mother of one of her friends heard that Emily wasn’t attending the IB program, she was shocked. “You should have made her go,” she said. I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that as Emily moved through high school, I’d mentally catalog her grades and activities, the sports leadership awards she received, and her involvement in political activities, always thinking about the profile she was building for her college applications. Even though the magnet program required a lot of work, it wasn’t until junior year that we worried that Emily was putting herself under too much academic pressure. She’d signed up for four AP courses: calculus BC, literature, world history and biology, thinking she’d need all of them to get into a good school. After hearing about the amount of work involved, my husband and I urged Emily to take a lower-level course in either calculus or biology, and she struggled for days before deciding to take honors biology and to stick with the AP calculus class. Then she struggled in calculus—and I worried: How will this class affect her chances of getting into a good school? I kept telling her and myself that colleges would rather see students struggle through difficult courses than take the easy way out. Now that Emily is a freshman at the College of William & Mary, with no plans to
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College Crunch
major in math, I can’t help but wonder: Was that year of stress even necessary? Carmen Everett of Silver Spring constantly worried that her daughter Stephanie’s grades would suffer during high school at Sidwell Friends School in Northwest Washington, D.C., because she was involved in so many activities. “At the end of the day, it’s grades. I worried about nothing else,” says Everett, whose daughter now attends Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. At Sidwell, she says there’s a “silent competition” among students and parents when it comes to college admissions. “Nobody says, ‘My kid is going to Harvard,’ or whatever. But it’s in the air.” Former Wootton guidance counselor Sam Davis, who left the school in June to move to California, has counseled dozens of students who deal with parental pressure about school. One boy told him that his mother would print out his online grade reports daily, lay them on his desk, and then highlight those grades that she didn’t approve of. “You can just feel for this kid,” says Davis, whose son was a Wootton freshman last year. “This is what’s going on here. You go to other parts of the country and it’s just not like that. But we’re Montgomery County. Or we’re Wootton. Or we’re Churchill.”
Recognizing that stress
and anxiety are growing problems, schools are working to help students reduce the worry about getting into college. Some local private schools, such as Bullis, don’t allow students to take AP and higher-level courses until junior year, and then limit the number of courses they can take. “We say upfront, ‘You don’t have to schedule all APs to get into college,’ ” says Kittel, who advises Bullis students as they apply to colleges. “I tell them from the first meeting, ‘You are going to get into college.’ ” Several schools have started offering yoga classes; about 400 kids are taking 94 September/October 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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MONICA GARCIA HARMS
PRIVATE SCHOOL AFTER DIVORCE: WHO PAYS?
Principal
Family Law Attorney
yoga this school year at Walter Johnson. At Whitman, students learn mindfulness as a way to relax. Teachers are also asked to assign only “meaningful” homework, and not assign group work over holidays, when families may be traveling. And the Parent Teacher Student Association often holds programs on reducing stress, inviting families from area schools to attend. Wootton offers students homeworkfree weekends, and some schools set testing schedules for courses so students aren’t overloaded with too many exams on the same day. Students at Walter Johnson can research online the workload and time commitment required by a particular course, Principal Jennifer Baker says. “We talk all the time about balance: Give them some hard classes, give them some nice fun classes, give them some classes they’re passionate about,” Doran says. “Or in some cases, don’t give them a full day.” Such ideas help, but educators and some parents agree that what’s really needed is a change of culture. “We need to stop telling kids they have to be perfect,” Lockard says. “Nobody is perfect.” Instead, educators and mental health experts say, we need to teach our kids how to be resilient and to bounce back from failure. That’s why Walter Johnson added the word “perseverance” to its school mission and vision this year. “We feel that’s an important quality that will serve kids well into the future,” Baker says. Alvord, the psychologist, says recent brain research shows that kids do better academically when parents and educators focus on the process of achievement, rather than the result. It’s a perspective that Davis, the former Wootton counselor, says he shared often with his students. “These grades, these test scores,” he told them, “do not allow them to define your life, who you’re going to be or what you’re going to be—because they don’t.” n Senior Editor Julie Rasicot (julie.rasicot@ bethesdamagazine.com) lives in Silver Spring.
The primary focus during a divorce is maintaining stability for the children. Ensuring that a child continues to enjoy the familiarity rooted in his or her school community can be an important benefit. Hopefully, divorcing parents can agree on whether or not their kids will remain in or attend private school and how those costs will be allocated. However, if they cannot agree, it is a component of child support (until age 18 in most cases), and therefore is a question the court can decide for them. The court considers the following factors: •
The child’s educational history;
•
The child’s performance while in private school;
•
Family history of attending private or public school;
•
Any factor impacting the child’s best interest; and, perhaps most importantly,
•
The parents’ ability to pay.
Even if the first four factors weigh heavily in favor of private school, the court will not likely order it if the divorcing parents don’t have the resources to pay for it. The court may also decide that the expenses should be paid in proportion to the parents’ adjusted actual income. By contrast, payment of college education expenses must be negotiated, and cannot be ordered by the court unless already agreed upon by the divorcing parties.
301-340-2020 • www.steinsperling.com Monica Garcia Harms co-chairs the Family Law department at Stein Sperling. Her thorough knowledge and understanding of her clients’ circumstances and needs distinguish her approach to the practice of family law. Monica represents clients in complex matters including divorce, contested custody, support and property allocation. BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 95
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College Crunch
Bethesda is obsessed with college admissions. Yet, research shows that what really matters is not what college you attend, but what you do once you get there.
Beyond
Brand Names By Caralee Adams
Photos by Michael Ventura | Illustration by David Clegg
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College Crunch
T
The hallway outside the counseling office at Walter Johnson High School is lined with pieces of brightly colored paper that showcase the names of colleges where seniors have been accepted. This past spring, the names included Harvard, Duke, Stanford and dozens of others. Madeline Feierstein, a 2014 graduate of Walter Johnson, knew that many of her classmates would not recognize her choice, McDaniel College, a 1,700-student liberal arts school in Westminster, Maryland. For her, that didn’t matter. Madeline wanted a small school, not too far from home. She was struck at first by the beauty of McDaniel’s campus, but ultimately it was the welcoming students and faculty who won her over. Madeline says she often felt like an outsider when she visited colleges as a high school senior. While shadowing a student for a day at McDaniel, her host introduced her to her friends in the cafeteria and showed her the dorms. Sitting in on a class, Madeline found herself contributing to the discussions. “I raised my hand and said, ‘I think I know the answer,’ ” she says. Now, as a sophomore studying French and social work, Madeline says the personal attention continues. She likes that her professors notice when she is absent. “Instead of them going, ‘Where were you?’ they ask, ‘Are you OK?’ ” Madeline says. “That means a lot.” While Madeline’s college search may not sound particularly groundbreaking, she was able to arrive at a mature conclusion that eludes many of her peers—and even her peers’ parents. “It was important for me to apply to schools where I could see myself, not just because every-
one else was going,” she says. “In the end, it’s about you.”
On a Monday night in late
April, parents from across Montgomery County filled about two-thirds of the Walt Whitman High School auditorium to hear Frank Bruni talk about his book Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be. A columnist for The New York Times, Bruni described students he interviewed who excelled at state schools and others who flaked out at selective colleges, and listed business executives and politicians who graduated from lesser-known institutions. Bruni said many parents and students have turned what should be an “electric and exhilarating” phase of exploration into a “chapter of the greatest dread” for teenagers. When parents spend so much money on test prep, tutoring and private counselors, it conveys the notion that advantage in life can be bought. “The message the kid hears is, ‘I can’t do it on my own,’ ” Bruni said. During the question-and-answer period, some parents said they were relieved to hear his voice of reason, while one parent of a freshman expressed doubt that she could manage the process without hiring help. “I know it seems like a dizzying process,” Bruni said before adding that school counselors are paid for their expertise, and that there is a wealth of information online. “We have entered an era where people with money seem not to feel like they are living life as they should unless important decisions are outsourced to experts.” Bruni said it’s up to parents to change the tone of the conversation. “It has to
start with the consumer,” he said, telling parents that colleges are all too happy to play the game of competing and appearing exclusive—as long as there is a market for it. Lynda Hitchcock, college/career information coordinator at Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville, has had similar conversations with parents over the years, but she says many are not convinced. “It’s like talking to a brick wall,” she says. “I have been all over the country, and it is the same in every neighborhood that resides in the top 5 percent of the parental income, as Bethesda does,” says Jay Mathews, a reporter for The Washington Post, author of Harvard Schmarvard: Getting Beyond the Ivy League to the College That Is Best for You, and a former Bethesda resident. “Successful parents want the same success for their kids, and too many of them believe that comes from getting into a very selective college.” The college search process here has always been intense, but has become more so thanks in part to The Common Application and the ease of applying online. Top colleges are more selective than ever, with many reporting record numbers of applicants in 2015. Yet most experts agree: More important than the reputation of the college is what students do once they’re on campus. Research shows that landing a spot in a top-tier school does not guarantee the employment and income edge that many assume. Economists Alan Krueger and Stacy Dale investigated the monetary return for graduates of selective colleges compared with those who attended less-
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“The name of your college does not brand you,” says Madeline Feierstein, a 2014 graduate of Walter Johnson High School and current sophomore at McDaniel College. selective schools. After factoring for academic achievement—such as SAT scores—the researchers concluded that students who applied to elite schools but attended less-selective institutions earned salaries as high as those who did go to the elite schools. In other words, the school was not the springboard for their success—it was the caliber and the ambition of the students going into college that mattered most. Rather than zeroing in narrowly on the so-called “best” schools, local counselors suggest that parents should encourage their child to make a college list based on his or her interests. “All those rankings are fair places to start if you want someone else’s opinion or someone else’s criteria,” says Dennis Reynolds, a counselor at Walter Johnson. For this story, we sought out area families and kids who looked beyond brand names in favor of colleges that made sense for them. The reasons why they ended up where they did are as varied as the kids themselves—from the unique degree programs to the engaging social scene to the lower cost. “In the end, what prestige offers is status and an experience,” says Anthony Carnevale, director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 99
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College Crunch Workforce. “Its practical effect on your career is minimal.”
The summer before her senior
The summer before her senior year, Lila Sheon’s parents bought her a guidebook on colleges. “I literally sat on the couch, watching TV, and put sticky notes on pages that sounded like any sort of possibility,” she says.
year, Lila Sheon’s parents bought her a guidebook on colleges. “I literally sat on the couch, watching TV, and put sticky notes on pages that sounded like any sort of possibility,” says the 2015 graduate of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. Lila initially flagged about 75 schools— at first, she thought she wanted a small school, until she visited Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina, and felt that it was too isolated. Then she was hot on Boston, until this year’s harsh winter reminded her that she doesn’t like the cold. Feeling so unsure, Lila applied to nine very different schools, from Temple University in Philadelphia to Occidental College in Los Angeles to the University of Vermont in Burlington. Feeling frustrated because she was among the last of her friends to decide, Lila says she came to the realization that there is no perfect college. Recognizing that each school has its pluses and minuses eased the pressure she was feeling—and helped her make the decision to attend the University of North Carolina in Asheville. With its Earth Day celebration, Walk Against Racism and nearby vegan restaurants, the school had a socially active campus that lined up with her values. “They don’t take themselves too seriously,” she says. “It just seems really fun.” For many high school students, the college search begins just as it did for Lila, with books and online research. Then, late in their junior year or during the summer before their senior year, most students in Montgomery County Public Schools meet with a counselor to review their academic record and figure out where they have a good chance of being accepted. Counselors encourage students to think about location, size,
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College Crunch the majors that are offered and life outside the classroom. Reynolds says any list needs to include some reflection by the student, which can be difficult for teenagers. “What am I good at? What will I do in the future? What do I value? And toughest of all: How do others see me?” Reynolds says. “When these questions can be answered, then kids can start to become more selfaware and identify characteristics of schools that will fit who they are.” Counseling offices at Montgomery County public high schools—which have graduating classes ranging from about 300 to 700 students—employ anywhere from 8 to 15 counselors, depending on the size of the school. Each office has one staffer designated as a college/career information coordinator (other counselors work with students on such issues as scheduling and social/emotional problems, as well as colleges). They also hold college fairs and host reps from schools throughout the year. With lower counselor-student ratios, private high schools can offer more personalized attention. For example, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart and Holton-Arms School both employ two dedicated college counselors who handle caseloads of about 40 seniors each. At Landon School, there are three college counselors and one college counseling assistant on staff. With 77 students in the class of 2016, that means each college counselor will advise about 25 seniors. In October of their junior year, girls at Holton-Arms attend a college fair and are required to seek out and ask questions of four schools they’d never heard of. Current senior Sydney Lampkin recalls asking about the nearest city, research opportunities and how students interact. “Because we live on the East Coast, some schools you just don’t even hear about,” she says. Increasingly, families in the Bethesda
area are also turning to private counselors to navigate the process. According to Mark Sklarow, chief executive officer at the Fairfax, Virginia-based Independent Educational Consultants Association, there are 42 independent college consultants in the Washington area. He says that number has doubled in the past five years and is likely to continue growing. Shelley Levine, a certified educational planner in Potomac, works with students by the hour or provides consulting services for a student’s entire high school career for a flat fee of $6,000. She says most clients come to her when they are in 10th grade, though she occasionally works with eighth- or ninth-graders. She helps with everything from choosing summer activities to assisting on essays and applications. Betsy Goldstein hired Levine to help her son Alex starting at the end of eighth grade. Now he is a senior at Winston Churchill High School. When the Goldsteins are at an impasse (Alex wanting to try for schools in California, and his parents thinking it’s too far away and expensive), Levine has been able to mediate (suggesting that they at least allow him to apply). Alex says he is more likely to respond to a task from her than to nagging from his parents. “It’s great to have an unbiased opinion,” he says.
Most college counselors
will tell you the same thing: Visiting colleges in person is very important. “It’s like buying a car,” says Wootton’s Hitchcock. “Would you ever buy a car and pay $40,000 and not sit in it?” Daniel Miyares was reluctant to dive into the college search, which he says was all-consuming for many of his peers at Churchill. After a stressful junior year filled with Advanced Placement classes, SATs and participating in four honor societies, Daniel didn’t start considering schools in earnest until the summer
before his senior year. Friends who knew of his high test scores and academic record assumed he would apply to the most-selective colleges, but Daniel was drawn to large state schools because he was looking for a strong business program. After attending a summer entrepreneurship program at Potomac’s Bullis School in 2014, he got excited about the possibility of working in the startup world. Daniel visited five campuses and was accompanied on each tour by his dad, Henry. “I always let him have the opportunity to think through what he did and didn’t like about the different schools,” Henry says. Daniel was turned off by the way Georgetown emphasized its status and sold the notion of connecting students with jobs in the District. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill had a heavy focus on finance, which did not appeal to him. At the University of Texas at Austin, Daniel sat in on a business ethics course taught by a faculty member. The honors program he had his eyes on at the university does not have many teaching assistants leading classes, something he viewed as a plus. He also was struck by the enthusiasm of a student in the program who told him he’d get little sleep because he’d likely be involved in so many interesting and fun things to do on and off campus. “Every person I would tell I was visiting Austin would say it was an incredible town,” Daniel says. “I visited the day after South by Southwest, so there were still remnants of all the music ringing in your ears.” Counselors suggest students look beyond the official tour while visiting a college and ask some questions about what life is like on campus. Janet Harris, college/career information coordinator at Rockville High School, says students should find out about food, campus
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College Crunch
“I knew I wanted the energy that comes with a large school. I wanted to go to games with friends, and have access to a large variety of majors,” Wootton graduate Alex Mazze says. “There was more socioeconomic diversity at Maryland than at the other schools I visited.”
activities and entertainment. Ask how accessible the professors are, check out the bookstore, pick up a campus newspaper, and, if possible, spend a night in a dorm. Though it might seem far off, ask about career services to see how helpful the school is with internships and job hunting. This past spring, as the May 1 commitment deadline approached, Daniel was still trying to decide whether he should attend the University of Florida, the University of Virginia or the University of Texas at Austin. For his 18th birthday that spring, Daniel’s parents had given him baseball hats for each school. He was leaning toward UT and—as if it were a sign—that hat literally fit the best. On April 29, he used scraps of orange construction paper to arrange the iconic “T” on the dining room table and covered it with a black piece of paper that read, “Yes, I’ve finally decided.” When he flipped it over to reveal the “T” for his mom, Daniel says she screamed and cried. “It was a huge relief,” he says, “like an incredible weight is lifted off your shoulders.”
Although most students
try to anticipate whether a school will be the right fit, sometimes it just doesn’t work out. Or they change their minds. Indeed, about 37 percent of college students transfer before graduation. Morgan Byrd was recruited to join the gymnastics team at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, in 2010 after she graduated from Rockville High School. All was well until she sustained an injury. No longer competing, Morgan says there wasn’t much else to do, and the appeal of that college faded. She transferred to James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where she was drawn to the hilly campus. Morgan enjoyed hiking on weekends, and she made friends in the orchestra, her church and through the gymnastics club on campus.
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Morgan says she now wishes she had given more thought to the entire process. She applied to 25 schools, but visited only five. “If you’re an athlete, make sure you know if you stop doing the sport you will still love the school,” she says. Counselors say one good way to help ensure that kids find a school that fits is to delay the decision altogether. Jeremy Drysdale, a 2014 graduate of Walt Whitman High School, says he wanted a break after his senior year. “I could go to college and after that work, and then just be stuck in the rat race—or I could go do something very different,” he says. Jeremy decided to take a gap year with the Youth for Understanding exchange program in Turkey. It was an adjustment being in a predominantly Muslim country and not knowing the language, but Jeremy’s mom, Sylvie Payan, said it was
a year of growth. “When I talk to him, I barely recognize him. He is so mature and happy,” Payan says. “There is a whole new personality emerging.” When Jeremy applied to college this past spring, he wrote about his experience. After growing up in what he calls the “Bethesda bubble,” Jeremy says going to Turkey was very difficult, but also great preparation for college. “I feel ready for it,” he says about his decision to attend The University of British Columbia in Vancouver this fall. “I don’t feel stressed out about it. I feel confident and excited to go.”
With the cost of some private colleges topping $60,000 a year, price has become a major factor for many families. Nearly 70 percent of graduating college seniors in 2013 took out loans to finance their education, with those who
borrow leaving with an average debt of about $28,400, according to The Project on Student Debt. Swathi Tadepalli looked at several outof-state schools, including Penn State, but prices were twice as expensive as instate, and she liked the idea of being close to home in Potomac. The 2015 Wootton graduate chose the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The campus felt new, the dorms were nice, and she liked the housing arrangements—four people share a living space and there are weekly dorm hall meetings. “When I came up with the decision to go to UMBC, I definitely had a lot of looks because some people don’t think that it’s the best school ever,” she says, admitting some initial doubts. “But I put my needs in front of theirs.” Walter Johnson graduate Yasi Hosse-
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marymount.edu/campusvisitdays (800) 548-7638 BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 105
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College Crunch ini also heard negative comments about her choice of Montgomery College. “The general reaction is to say, ‘Oh, Montgomery College, it’s like 13th grade,’ ” she says. But the 2015 grad says she didn’t doubt her decision because she knew she would be getting a good education with small class sizes and the ability to establish relationships with her professors. Yasi, who was accepted everywhere she applied, including the University of Maryland in College Park, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, is set to begin attending Montgomery College on a full scholarship this fall. If she maintains a 3.0 GPA, she can apply to the Maryland Transfer Advantage Program and will be guaranteed admis-
sion to UMD in College Park. Yasi says her parents were a driving force behind her “practical” choice, but ultimately she arrived at the decision on her own. She didn’t want to take on debt, especially since she hopes to go to medical school. Yasi may meet Alex Mazze if she matriculates to the University of Maryland, College Park. Alex, a National Merit Finalist at Wootton, was accepted at Duke, Cornell, Johns Hopkins and Washington University in St. Louis. This fall, he will attend the University of Maryland. Alex says some of his friends were surprised by his choice, and he felt a little defensive. From the beginning, he liked Maryland. “I knew I wanted the energy that comes with a large school. I wanted to go to games with friends, and
have access to a large variety of majors,” Alex says. “There was more socioeconomic diversity at Maryland than at the other schools I visited.” With a full scholarship to the Maryland honors program, Alex, who plans to attend graduate school and has a younger sister who is a high school senior, says it was hard to justify the cost of going elsewhere. Alex’s mother, Carmen Gomez, says the family is thrilled with his decision. She thinks he will work hard, but also take time to explore other interests. “College is just the beginning,” she says, “not the end.” n Bethesda writer Caralee Adams can be reached at Caralee.adams@verizon.net.
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The doctors of OrthoBethesda: Back row from left to right: Mahidhar M. Durbhakula, Timothy Bhattacharyya, Christopher J. Cannova, Kurt C. Schluntz, Andre R. Gazdag, Robert R. Buber, Craig A. Miller, Ira D. Fisch, Sridhar M. Durbhakula. Bottom row from left to right: J. Patrick Caulfield and Edward J. Bieber.
A HALF-CENTURY OF SUPERB ORTHOPAEDIC CARE! OrthoBethesda is the premier orthopaedic group in Montgomery County comprised of highly trained and experienced orthopaedic surgeons assisted by an excellent staff including physical therapists, occupational therapists, and physician assistants. The group was founded 50 years ago by two local orthopaedic surgeons and has expanded steadily since that time developing expertise in essentially all areas of orthopaedic surgery. OrthoBethesda is at the forefront of dramatic developments in musculoskeletal function and expansion of orthopaedic capabilities aimed at enhancing the lives of patients. J. Patrick Caulfield joined the group in 1972 after service in the United States Navy. He was a pioneer in the treatment of arthritis by participating in the first total hip replacement in the Washington Metropolitan area in 1969 at the Veterans Administration Hospital located on Irving Street NW. He performed the first total joint replacement at Suburban Hospital, and under his leadership it now has one of the largest total joint programs in Maryland with an enviable record of success and safety.
Edward J. Bieber joined Dr. Caulfield in 1986 after residency at Johns Hopkins and specialized fellowship training in hand and upper extremity surgery at the Mayo Clinic. He was the first fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeon in Bethesda and started the group standard of acquiring fine surgeons who not only came from excellent residency programs but also performed additional fellowship training in a variety of orthopaedic subspecialties. OrthoBethesda combines knowledge and skill with compassion and consideration for all patients. They have expanded to eleven orthopaedic surgeons with an established expertise in joint replacements, spine surgery, sports medicine, hand and foot surgery, and trauma surgery. In combination, they have not only the largest, but the highest regarded experience in these subspecialties. Visit our website or practice and get to know the most trusted and experienced surgeons in Montgomery County.
The Camalier Building • 10215 Fernwood Road, Suite 506 • Bethesda, MD 20817
www.orthobethesda.com For appointments, dial (301) 530-1010 Untitled-1 1
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College Chart
Where 2015 high school graduates applied to college—and where they got in Compiled by Kelly Seegers
Albright College Allegheny College Allegheny College of Maryland American University Amherst College Appalachian State University Arizona State University Auburn University Bard College Barnard College
2 4 4 30 9 0 1 7 6 8
Walter Johnson
2 2 0 20 1 2 7 3 2 3
2 4 0 37 3 3 4 8 3 7
1 2 0 16 0 2 3 2 1 0
0 4 0 18 0 0 1 6 2 2
2 3 1 30 9 1 2 0 4 4
1 1 1 18 0 1 2 0 2 0
1 2 0 23 8 2 4 5 1 8
ed Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl
pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Montgomery Blair
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Winston Churchill
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Walt Whitman
Ap
d
ed pt Ac
ce
ie pl
Richard Montgomery
Ap
d
ed
Thomas S. Wootton
Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl Ap
pt
d
ce
ie Ac
ce Ac
1 2 2 13 2 0 0 4 2 3
pl
pt
ie pl Ap
B-CC
Ap
d
ed
The following is a chart of the colleges and universities where 2015 graduates from seven Bethesda-area high schools applied and were accepted, based on data provided by the schools over the summer. The schools that provided data are: Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Walt Whitman and Walter Johnson in Bethesda; Richard Montgomery and Thomas S. Wootton in Rockville; Winston Churchill in Potomac; and Montgomery Blair in Silver Spring. The acceptance information that the schools sent is “self-reported” by students, so school officials could not guarantee its accuracy. Churchill only provided data from schools that had at least four applicants, so we have designated some of their numbers as nonapplicable (N/A). For brevity’s sake, we have limited the list to colleges and universities with at least seven applicants from the combined high schools.
Total
1 1 0 18 2 0 4 3 1 2
N/A N/A N/A 22 N/A N/A 6 6 N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A 10 N/A N/A 4 5 N/A N/A
9 4 12 26 3 1 6 1 1 10
4 2 1 6 0 0 0 1 0 1
18 19 17 188 33 9 30 30 17 40
8 12 4 99 4 3 14 21 8 8
Bates College
8
3
0
0
2
1
0
0
5
2
N/A
N/A
4
1
19
7
Baylor University Beloit College Berklee College of Music Binghamton University Boston College Boston University Bowdoin College Bowie State University Brandeis University Bridgewater College Brigham Young University Brown University Bryn Mawr College Bucknell University Butler University California Institute of Technology California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
3 3 0 2 38 36 13 7 7 0 0 34 1 21 0 4
0 3 0 2 7 11 2 0 3 0 0 2 0 4 0 1
2 0 0 4 18 39 0 1 7 0 1 19 2 18 4 5
2 0 0 4 9 14 0 0 6 0 1 1 0 8 4 1
0 2 1 6 16 40 5 4 11 2 2 18 0 16 3 4
0 1 1 4 4 19 0 1 4 2 1 0 0 3 3 0
3 0 1 2 12 29 3 5 11 1 2 35 2 3 3 8
0 0 0 2 4 9 1 2 6 1 0 4 2 1 2 1
0 0 4 1 19 27 5 0 14 0 3 27 3 19 5 3
0 0 1 1 6 13 1 0 9 0 1 4 2 4 2 0
N/A N/A N/A 4 16 41 N/A N/A 5 N/A N/A 20 N/A 12 N/A 4
N/A N/A N/A 2 5 20 N/A N/A 1 N/A N/A 2 N/A 1 N/A 2
2 2 2 4 12 30 3 20 5 5 1 42 4 9 1 16
0 1 0 2 6 14 0 1 1 3 0 5 2 0 1 5
10 7 8 23 131 242 29 37 60 8 9 195 12 98 16 44
2 5 2 17 41 100 4 4 30 6 3 18 6 21 12 10
2
1
0
0
1
1
2
0
2
0
4
3
1
1
12
6
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Carleton College Carnegie Mellon University Case Western Reserve University Catholic University of America Champlain College Chapman University Christopher Newport University Claremont McKenna College Clark University Clemson University Coastal Carolina University Colby College Colgate University College of Charleston College of the Holy Cross College of William and Mary College of Wooster Colorado College Colorado State University Columbia College Chicago Columbia University Concordia University Connecticut College Coppin State University Cornell University Dartmouth College Davidson College Delaware State University Denison University DePaul University Dickinson College Drexel University Duke University Duquesne University Earlham College East Carolina University Eckerd College Elon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Emerson College Emory University Evergreen State College Fairfield University Fashion Institute of Technology Flagler College Florida Atlantic University Florida International University Florida State University Fordham University
11 22 11 13 4 5 2 5 17 15 7 17 15 20 3 24 11 12 4 4 25 8 10 3 31 22 13 1 3 9 23 17 42 1 2 1 15 24 1 9 31 6 4 1 3 2 3 5 20
Walter Johnson
0 32 32 4 1 1 4 2 3 17 11 3 3 10 1 20 1 1 3 0 22 2 0 2 40 6 2 0 1 1 5 20 29 7 0 6 1 8 3 2 18 0 0 3 3 2 2 18 10
8 29 20 11 1 0 5 2 8 27 4 9 6 11 1 36 3 3 6 2 23 2 3 2 33 8 1 2 5 1 16 18 12 0 2 8 0 16 1 3 21 0 1 1 1 2 1 11 18
0 7 18 4 1 1 2 0 3 7 9 1 1 10 1 5 1 0 3 0 1 1 0 2 13 1 2 0 1 1 3 19 5 7 0 5 1 5 3 2 3 0 0 2 2 1 1 12 6
3 7 12 8 0 0 2 0 7 11 2 4 2 8 1 15 3 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 7 1 0 1 4 1 10 13 1 0 1 4 0 13 1 1 9 0 1 0 1 0 0 5 8
3 24 8 12 0 1 5 6 2 3 4 4 0 2 0 14 0 1 1 0 39 1 0 4 59 26 1 4 2 0 2 7 37 1 1 1 1 1 2 4 18 0 0 0 2 1 2 5 6
2 4 2 8 0 0 3 1 1 0 3 1 0 2 0 5 0 0 1 0 6 0 0 4 15 4 0 2 2 0 2 4 6 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 6 0 0 0 1 1 1 3 1
Winston Churchill
5 20 11 9 1 2 3 3 3 21 10 7 8 16 2 20 2 7 8 2 20 3 7 0 41 14 1 0 5 5 19 23 24 1 0 11 3 18 1 3 23 0 2 1 0 1 1 5 4
N/A 25 20 6 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 27 4 N/A 5 26 N/A 14 4 N/A N/A N/A 26 N/A N/A N/A 43 12 N/A N/A N/A N/A 5 19 27 4 N/A N/A N/A 21 N/A 5 13 N/A N/A N/A 4 N/A N/A 20 8
3 5 5 9 0 1 1 0 2 5 8 2 4 13 1 11 2 2 4 2 3 1 3 0 15 2 1 0 5 3 12 16 1 1 0 5 1 8 1 3 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 3
N/A 9 8 3 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 8 2 N/A 3 18 N/A 4 4 N/A N/A N/A 3 N/A N/A N/A 16 2 N/A N/A N/A N/A 2 12 6 0 N/A N/A N/A 8 N/A 1 3 N/A N/A N/A 4 N/A N/A 7 2
1 35 10 14 1 2 1 3 9 6 3 3 5 3 1 13 9 9 4 3 49 2 2 5 57 15 2 4 1 6 4 21 31 1 4 3 8 6 1 4 10 3 1 1 0 1 1 2 14
ed Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
0 9 4 5 0 1 0 0 4 1 0 1 0 1 1 3 7 0 1 0 5 0 0 1 10 1 0 1 1 6 1 9 4 1 2 1 4 3 1 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 7
pl
pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Montgomery Blair
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Walt Whitman
Ap
d
ed pt ce
pl
ie Ac
Ap
d
ed pt Ac
ce
ie pl
Richard Montgomery
Ap
d
ed
Thomas S. Wootton
Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl
pt ce Ac
5 2 4 6 4 0 1 0 13 4 5 6 4 15 1 4 5 4 2 2 2 3 4 1 3 1 4 1 3 8 13 5 5 1 2 0 8 13 1 6 5 5 3 1 2 1 2 1 7
Ap
d ie pl Ap
B-CC
Total 28 187 112 69 8 11 20 21 42 116 43 43 42 88 8 141 30 33 26 11 204 18 22 16 304 103 20 11 17 22 74 125 202 15 9 30 28 94 9 30 134 9 8 7 13 9 10 66 80
13 43 53 43 5 3 9 1 30 36 29 15 14 67 5 47 22 7 14 6 21 6 8 9 79 12 7 5 16 19 43 78 28 10 5 15 15 51 8 15 34 5 6 3 10 3 4 33 34
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Franklin and Marshall College Frostburg State University George Mason University George Washington University Georgetown University Georgia Institute of Technology Gettysburg College Goucher College Grinnell College Guilford College Hamilton College Hampshire College Hampton University Harvard University Harvey Mudd College Haverford College High Point University Hobart and William Smith Colleges Hofstra University Hollins University
8 25 23 24 30 9 5 12 7 3 9 4 1 27 6 9 7 7 9 0
Walter Johnson
2 4 27 26 21 24 6 3 1 1 2 0 2 18 3 1 11 2 8 2
8 22 36 21 17 16 9 8 3 3 5 1 5 16 3 7 10 2 6 1
2 2 23 17 5 13 5 3 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 9 1 8 2
2 9 23 8 2 9 4 2 3 2 2 1 4 2 0 1 7 2 4 1
2 21 29 20 24 23 3 7 4 1 3 0 6 39 3 7 7 0 7 0
0 9 14 5 5 7 1 4 2 1 1 0 4 2 2 1 2 0 3 0
9 2 24 21 21 16 5 4 2 1 6 1 2 26 2 4 8 1 2 2
6 1 20 10 10 4 1 2 2 1 3 1 2 1 0 3 7 0 2 2
4 8 25 31 26 24 5 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 27 N/A N/A 10 N/A 10 N/A
2 6 19 15 5 11 2 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 N/A N/A 7 N/A 9 N/A
7 41 27 21 25 16 9 21 6 8 2 6 10 43 10 3 6 0 17 2
ed Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
1 10 16 3 6 6 0 6 3 6 0 3 2 2 3 0 4 0 8 2
pl
pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Montgomery Blair
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Winston Churchill
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Walt Whitman
Ap
d
ed pt Ac
ce
ie pl
Richard Montgomery
Ap
d
ed
Thomas S. Wootton
Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl Ap
pt
d
ce
ie Ac
ce Ac
2 10 16 14 7 5 3 5 3 3 5 4 0 2 0 0 5 5 5 0
pl
pt
ie pl Ap
B-CC
Ap
d
ed
College Chart Total 40 123 191 164 164 128 42 55 23 17 27 12 26 196 27 31 59 12 59 7
15 47 131 72 40 55 16 22 13 14 11 9 14 9 5 5 41 8 39 7
A Bright Future is Closer Than You Think
110 September/October 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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Hood College Howard University Indiana University at Bloomington Indiana University of Pennsylvania Ithaca College James Madison University Johns Hopkins University Johnson & Wales University, Providence campus Juniata College Kent State University Kenyon College La Salle University Lafayette College Lehigh University Lesley University Lewis & Clark College Liberty University Louisiana State University Marymount University Loyola SU_BethesdaMag_2015_Layout 1
Walter Johnson
Montgomery Blair
ed ce Ac
pl
ie
pt
d
ed Ap
ce Ac
pl
ie
pt
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Winston Churchill
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Walt Whitman
Ap
d
ed
Richard Montgomery
Ap
ce Ac
pl
ie
pt
d
ed
Thomas S. Wootton
Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl
pt ce
ie Ac
Ap
d
ed
pl
pt ce Ac
Ap
d ie pl Ap
B-CC
Total
10 8 16 0 18 11 38
6 2 12 0 9 8 5
8 3 41 17 11 42 32
5 3 33 15 9 34 4
7 9 21 4 10 20 33
4 2 12 4 5 12 3
3 12 10 0 4 12 36
1 0 7 0 3 7 4
6 2 42 0 8 23 22
4 2 33 0 5 15 3
N/A 8 43 N/A 8 24 39
N/A 3 42 N/A 2 20 5
7 28 8 0 16 4 48
3 8 6 0 6 4 4
41 70 181 21 75 136 248
23 20 145 19 39 100 28
3
1
0
0
1
0
1
1
3
3
N/A
N/A
1
1
9
6
2 5 8 5 7 19 0 5 0 3 3
2 2 4 3 3 6 0 2 0 1 0
1 1 2 1 0 1 0 2 0 5 0
1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0
1 2 7 0 8 20 2 5 0 8 3
0 2 1 0 4 8 2 3 0 6 1
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 18 N/A N/A N/A 4 N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 4 N/A N/A N/A 2 N/A
3 1 12 3 4 6 2 9 7 1 2
2 1 3 0 1 3 0 3 2 0 0
14 15 48 11 31 87 7 34 10 25 12
9 12 12 5 11 26 5 20 5 13 2
6 0 18 2 10 12 3 13 1 1 4 8/5/15
3 1 1 0 6 6 3 1 0 1 0 0 2 2 1 1 11 4 3 0 0 11 0 0 1 2 2 1 3 1 1 PM 0 Page0 1 3:27
The quality of a private campus with the affordability of a public university. Academic Excellence Offering 58 distinct programs within four endowed schools, SU is one of those rare universities that celebrates individual talents and encourages big ideas. National Recognition SU consistently ranks among the nation’s best in The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. Beautiful Campus Home to 8,700 students and over $350 million in new facilities, the University is located on Maryland’s scenic Eastern Shore. To find out how Salisbury University is the right — and affordable — fit for you visit www.salisbury.edu
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ed Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl
pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Montgomery Blair
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Winston Churchill
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Walt Whitman
Ap
d
ed pt Ac
ce
ie pl
Richard Montgomery
Ap
d
ed
Walter Johnson
Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed ce
pl
pt
ie pl Ap
Ac
Thomas S. Wootton
B-CC Loyola University Maryland Loyola University New Orleans Lynchburg College Lynn University Macalester College Marist College Marquette University Marshall University Maryland Institute College of Art Marymount Manhattan College Marymount University Massachusetts Institute of Technology McDaniel College McGill University Miami University, Oxford Michigan State University Middlebury College Montgomery College Morehouse College Morgan State University Mount Holyoke College Mount Saint Mary’s University Muhlenberg College New England College New York University North Carolina A&T State University North Carolina State University Northeastern University Northwestern University Notre Dame of Maryland University Oberlin College Occidental College Ohio State University Ohio University Ohio Wesleyan University Old Dominion University Pace University, New York City Pennsylvania State University, Schreyer Honors College Pennsylvania State University, University Park Pepperdine University Pitzer College Pomona College Pratt Institute Princeton University Purchase College, State University of New York Purdue University Quinnipiac University Radford University
Ap
d
College Chart
Total
10 5 1 3 13 1 2 2 1 5 4
4 1 1 3 8 1 1 1 0 4 1
6 1 3 0 2 2 2 0 3 0 6
3 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 6
16 0 1 4 3 7 0 3 2 3 25
7 0 1 1 0 4 0 3 1 2 22
12 0 1 1 1 1 5 0 7 0 6
6 0 0 1 1 1 2 0 5 0 3
10 1 3 2 3 0 0 1 2 0 3
6 0 2 2 3 0 0 0 2 0 3
7 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 4 N/A N/A
3 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2 N/A N/A
15 0 0 1 7 2 0 1 2 0 7
4 0 0 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 0
76 7 9 11 29 13 9 7 21 8 51
33 2 6 8 17 6 4 5 13 6 35
15
2
13
3
10
0
31
5
12
3
12
0
55
5
148
18
28 16 24 0 13 95 0 7 2 8 10 1 29 2 5 49 34 3 10 11 7 5 4 1 8
15 6 14 0 1 92 0 2 2 5 5 0 9 1 1 20 2 0 3 5 5 1 2 0 3
11 1 20 9 2 73 1 0 0 14 6 1 28 0 10 30 22 0 3 1 58 15 1 2 2
6 1 13 9 0 73 1 0 0 14 6 1 15 0 4 11 1 0 2 1 30 12 1 2 2
22 14 8 1 5 162 2 10 2 19 10 3 34 0 12 35 17 0 8 7 14 4 2 5 7
15 9 4 0 1 153 2 3 1 16 7 2 15 0 3 10 3 0 5 2 10 2 2 4 5
3 5 0 3 3 156 2 5 0 14 4 6 30 1 3 9 17 2 8 1 13 5 4 2 2
0 2 0 2 2 154 1 3 0 9 4 5 10 0 1 3 1 0 3 1 7 4 1 2 1
8 10 13 2 15 23 0 2 1 7 5 1 31 0 7 32 40 0 5 5 16 0 4 3 1
5 5 11 1 3 20 0 2 0 6 3 1 12 0 5 15 5 0 4 2 6 0 4 3 0
9 N/A 12 9 N/A 27 N/A N/A N/A 12 5 N/A 42 N/A 5 38 18 N/A 7 N/A 29 4 N/A 4 N/A
7 N/A 8 6 N/A 25 N/A N/A N/A 9 3 N/A 13 N/A 1 12 0 N/A 2 N/A 17 4 N/A 3 N/A
19 7 1 2 5 109 5 28 5 23 5 0 31 6 4 24 28 6 17 8 10 2 0 3 10
8 2 1 1 2 54 3 8 1 11 2 0 8 1 0 7 4 2 7 2 2 1 0 1 4
100 53 78 26 43 645 10 52 10 97 45 12 225 9 46 217 176 11 58 33 147 35 15 20 30
56 25 51 19 9 571 7 18 4 70 30 9 82 2 15 78 16 2 26 13 77 24 10 15 15
1
0
3
2
0
0
3
0
0
0
N/A
N/A
1
0
8
2
46
31
115
104
62
44
42
23
47
35
87
68
38
14
437
319
2 9 13 0 34
0 2 2 0 2
1 0 1 0 28
0 0 0 0 1
2 3 2 1 19
0 1 0 0 0
0 1 10 0 45
0 0 0 0 6
3 5 5 5 22
1 1 1 4 1
N/A N/A N/A N/A 23
N/A N/A N/A N/A 5
1 7 4 2 45
1 1 0 0 5
9 25 35 8 216
2 5 3 4 20
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
N/A
N/A
4
0
7
0
7 0 0
3 0 0
29 3 4
25 3 4
15 3 1
5 3 1
15 1 3
11 1 2
19 0 0
11 0 0
22 N/A N/A
14 N/A N/A
12 1 0
8 0 0
119 8 8
77 7 7
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Randolph-Macon College Reed College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhode Island School of Design Rice University Rider University Ripon College Roanoke College Robert Morris University Rochester Institute of Technology Rollins College Rutgers University-New Brunswick Saint Joseph’s University Salisbury University San Diego State University San Francisco State University Santa Clara University Sarah Lawrence College Savannah College of Art and Design School of the Art Institute of Chicago Scripps College
2 11 4 3 10 3 3 1 0 9 4 12 4 73 3 5 7 0 2 2 2
Walter Johnson
2 1 9 2 17 1 0 0 3 4 1 9 6 32 1 0 1 1 0 0 1
0 3 9 2 12 2 0 2 4 5 0 7 4 60 3 1 1 1 5 1 2
1 0 6 2 2 1 0 0 2 4 0 6 6 25 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
0 1 2 1 1 2 0 1 2 4 0 5 4 39 3 0 0 1 2 0 1
0 3 2 1 21 1 0 2 4 6 0 2 0 39 4 0 1 2 1 1 3
0 1 1 0 7 1 0 2 2 4 0 1 0 17 1 0 0 1 1 1 1
1 2 4 1 16 0 0 1 0 9 2 1 2 22 6 1 4 2 7 3 1
0 0 2 0 2 0 0 1 0 9 2 1 1 15 2 0 1 0 7 3 0
N/A N/A 4 N/A 10 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 28 6 N/A N/A N/A 4 N/A N/A
N/A N/A 1 N/A 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 21 5 N/A N/A N/A 3 N/A N/A
3 6 8 1 17 0 4 2 4 11 0 4 1 58 1 0 0 2 2 0 2
ed Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
2 3 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 3 0 1 1 13 1 0 0 1 1 0 1
pl
pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Montgomery Blair
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Winston Churchill
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Walt Whitman
Ap
d
ed pt Ac
ce
ie pl
Richard Montgomery
Ap
d
ed
Thomas S. Wootton
Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl Ap
pt
d
ce
ie Ac
ce Ac
1 3 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 7 3 3 3 27 3 2 2 0 2 1 1
pl
pt
ie pl Ap
B-CC
Ap
d
ed
College Chart
Total 8 26 40 10 103 7 7 8 15 44 7 35 17 312 24 7 14 8 21 7 11
4 8 15 4 17 6 0 5 6 31 5 17 15 157 15 2 4 3 16 5 4
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Honey Roasted Apples Spiced Pumpkin Bisque Maple Glazed Acorn Squash
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Seton Hall University Shenandoah University Shepherd University Siena College Simmons College Skidmore College Smith College Southern Methodist University Spelman College St. John’s College St. John’s University, Queens Campus St. Mary’s College of Maryland St. Olaf College Stanford University State University of New York at Albany Stevenson University Stony Brook University Susquehanna University Swarthmore College Syracuse University
Walter Johnson
Montgomery Blair
ed Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl Ap
ce Ac
pl
ie
pt
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Winston Churchill
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Walt Whitman
Ap
d
ed pt Ac
ce
ie pl
Richard Montgomery
Ap
d
ed
Thomas S. Wootton
Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl Ap
pt
d
ce
ie Ac
ce Ac
pl
pt
ie pl Ap
B-CC
Ap
d
ed
College Chart Total
1 1 2 2 1 15 1 3 6 5 2 64 0 40
1 1 1 0 0 6 0 0 2 1 2 30 0 2
1 3 6 0 2 2 1 0 1 1 3 18 0 21
1 3 6 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 2 16 0 0
1 4 4 1 2 10 0 0 1 0 3 54 1 21
1 0 2 1 2 6 0 0 0 0 2 27 0 1
3 2 4 0 0 5 5 3 1 1 6 18 1 34
1 1 1 0 0 0 3 1 1 0 4 10 0 1
0 0 2 0 2 13 4 2 2 0 1 12 1 30
0 0 2 0 2 9 2 1 2 0 1 7 1 3
N/A N/A N/A 4 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 12 N/A 19
N/A N/A N/A 2 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 10 N/A 4
4 3 1 0 1 0 2 1 5 5 11 30 4 39
2 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 2 0 8 11 0 3
10 13 19 7 8 45 13 9 16 12 26 208 7 204
6 5 12 3 6 22 8 2 8 2 19 111 1 14
2
1
0
0
4
2
1
1
0
0
N/A
N/A
0
0
7
4
18 2 9 9 40
6 1 4 2 15
4 6 3 7 27
2 6 3 0 17
24 8 2 10 23
14 6 2 2 11
10 4 5 16 13
2 3 1 1 5
4 3 6 8 16
2 3 5 0 7
N/A 4 N/A 6 31
N/A 3 N/A 0 13
18 5 1 12 13
2 3 0 2 1
78 32 26 68 163
28 25 15 7 69
Innovative National Movement Comes to Montgomery County Montgomery County recently joined a nationwide movement by passing the Building Energy Benchmarking Bill, to improve transparency in the commercial real estate market. Energy Benchmarking is a way for building owners to leverage the classic wisdom, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.”
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The Glascock Building owners are very pleased to accept EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts. Through our partnership with Recurrent, whose management of this effort helped us achieve the Energy Star certification, we have demonstrated our continuing commitment to environmental stewardship, while also lowering our energy costs.” Denise Spencer, President Glascock Condo Board
Whether you need a small amount of technical assistance or a complete turn-key solution, Recurrent’s energy experts will fulfill all your building benchmarking needs.
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RECURRENT is proud to hold the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection’s Benchmarking Ambassador designation. 116 September/October 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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Temple University Texas A&M University Texas Christian University The New School Trinity College Trinity University, Washington, D.C. Tufts University Tulane University Union College United States Coast Guard Academy United States Naval Academy University at Buffalo, State University of New York University of Alabama University of Arizona University of Baltimore University of Bridgeport University of British Columbia University of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis
Walter Johnson
ed
ie
pt
d
ed
ce Ac
ce Ac
pl
pt
ie pl
Montgomery Blair
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Winston Churchill
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Walt Whitman
Ap
d
ed pt Ac
ce
ie pl
Richard Montgomery
Ap
d
ed
Thomas S. Wootton
Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl Ap
pt
d
ce
ie Ac
ce Ac
pl
pt
ie pl Ap
B-CC
Ap
d
ed
College Chart Total
22 1 2 7 7 12 35 39 3 1 3
13 0 1 1 2 7 5 18 2 0 2
9 4 0 1 1 0 7 37 1 1 3
9 1 0 0 1 0 1 14 1 0 2
10 1 0 3 2 1 13 26 2 2 3
4 0 0 2 1 1 2 11 0 1 1
13 2 3 2 2 0 7 14 0 2 2
5 0 0 1 1 0 0 3 0 0 0
11 0 2 2 2 0 31 48 2 1 2
10 0 0 0 1 0 8 28 1 0 1
13 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 9 50 N/A N/A N/A
3 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2 29 N/A N/A N/A
37 0 0 7 3 9 19 14 0 0 1
17 0 0 3 1 7 1 3 0 0 0
115 8 7 22 17 22 121 228 8 7 14
61 1 1 7 7 15 19 106 4 1 6
1
1
0
0
6
4
2
2
0
0
N/A
N/A
2
0
11
7
7 9 1 1 7 33 1
4 4 0 0 2 7 0
12 12 2 1 2 31 1
10 11 1 1 2 4 0
6 10 8 1 2 16 7
6 4 4 0 1 4 5
2 4 2 4 1 18 3
1 1 0 2 1 8 1
4 2 1 0 3 18 3
3 2 1 0 2 5 1
12 21 N/A N/A N/A 38 6
11 16 N/A N/A N/A 9 2
10 5 4 0 8 46 5
5 1 1 0 4 9 1
53 63 18 7 23 200 26
40 39 7 3 12 46 10
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University of California, Irvine University of California, Los Angeles University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Barbara University of California, Santa Cruz University of Central Florida University of Chicago University of Cincinnati University of Colorado at Boulder University of Connecticut University of Dayton University of Delaware University of Denver University of Edinburgh University of Florida University of Georgia University of Hartford University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign University of Kentucky
Walter Johnson
Winston Churchill
ed
ie
pt
d
ed
Ac
ce
pl
pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Montgomery Blair
Ap
d
ed Ac
Ap
ce
pl
ie
pt
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Walt Whitman
Ap
d
ed pt Ac
ce
ie pl
Richard Montgomery
Ap
d
ed
Thomas S. Wootton
Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl Ap
pt
d
ce
ie Ac
ce Ac
pl
pt
ie pl Ap
B-CC
Ap
d
ed
College Chart Total
0 28 17 13 2 0 27 4 37 5 2 25 7 4 7 9 2
0 7 7 4 1 0 3 1 23 1 1 16 6 2 7 4 1
4 20 7 4 2 4 20 4 14 9 0 40 3 0 24 24 3
2 8 1 2 1 3 3 3 13 8 0 30 3 0 14 9 3
2 13 10 6 2 0 19 4 20 10 2 32 1 4 9 18 5
0 5 5 3 2 0 2 3 11 4 1 15 1 3 6 8 5
2 18 8 4 1 1 29 2 5 1 1 18 2 1 10 1 0
0 5 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 10 1 1 6 0 0
2 20 7 7 2 3 18 3 22 4 3 17 14 1 8 14 1
1 7 2 3 2 2 4 3 20 3 2 13 8 1 4 6 0
5 38 22 18 5 N/A 18 N/A 28 9 N/A 26 5 N/A 30 32 N/A
1 9 11 3 3 N/A 5 N/A 20 4 N/A 12 4 N/A 17 14 N/A
6 20 9 4 4 1 29 3 15 5 0 26 0 0 2 5 0
4 4 5 0 1 0 3 0 3 3 0 7 0 0 0 5 0
21 157 80 56 18 9 160 20 141 43 8 184 32 10 90 103 11
8 45 33 15 11 5 21 10 91 24 4 103 23 7 54 46 9
5
3
22
12
14
10
9
4
10
6
22
15
11
6
93
56
1
1
2
2
3
1
2
1
1
0
7
3
0
0
16
8
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Winner 120 September/October 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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ed Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl
pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Montgomery Blair
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Winston Churchill
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Walt Whitman
Ap
d
ed pt Ac
ce
ie pl
Richard Montgomery
Ap
d
ed
Walter Johnson
Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed ce
pl
pt
ie pl Ap
Ac
Thomas S. Wootton
B-CC University of Maine University of Mary Washington University of Maryland, Baltimore County University of Maryland, College Park University of Maryland, Eastern Shore University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Miami University of Michigan University of Minnesota, Twin Cities University of Mississippi University of Missouri Columbia University of New Hampshire University of New Haven University of North Carolina at Asheville University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Charlotte University of North Carolina at Greensboro University of North Carolina at Wilmington University of Notre Dame University of Oregon University of Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh at Bradford University of Redlands University of Rhode Island University of Richmond University of Rochester University of San Diego University of San Francisco University of Scranton University of South Carolina University of South Florida, Tampa University of Southern California University of St. Andrews University of Tampa University of Tennessee, Knoxville University of Texas, Austin University of Toronto University of Vermont University of Virginia University of Washington University of Wisconsin, Madison Ursinus College Vanderbilt University Vassar College Villanova University
Ap
d
College Chart
Total
5 1
4 1
3 7
3 7
1 10
1 7
1 1
1 1
1 3
1 3
N/A N/A
N/A N/A
1 0
0 0
12 22
10 19
40
16
158
141
109
65
118
61
35
29
70
56
119
49
649
417
183 13 18 27 62 4 1 0 7 6
103 2 8 14 12 1 1 0 5 4
350 2 17 23 71 3 1 6 2 0
255 0 14 19 19 1 0 4 2 0
256 7 21 27 49 4 3 1 4 0
175 0 11 15 15 3 2 1 2 0
256 13 6 6 26 5 2 1 2 1
148 4 5 3 9 4 1 1 2 0
208 0 16 22 80 3 1 3 2 2
143 0 12 13 36 2 1 1 2 2
267 N/A 15 41 83 6 N/A N/A 4 N/A
202 N/A 10 23 32 4 N/A N/A 4 N/A
286 28 8 11 40 2 1 0 2 1
122 11 3 5 9 1 1 0 1 0
1806 1148 63 17 101 63 157 92 411 132 27 16 9 6 11 7 23 18 10 6
10
5
0
0
5
2
0
0
1
1
N/A
N/A
1
0
17
8
40
8
31
7
33
9
24
6
30
10
48
11
19
6
225
57
2
0
3
2
5
3
1
0
3
2
4
3
3
1
21
11
4
2
1
0
2
1
1
1
3
1
N/A
N/A
1
0
12
5
13
7
6
4
9
8
6
4
10
6
6
6
5
0
55
35
9 7 39 35 2 2 3 20 18 2 7 2 17 2 25 4 12 1 8 5 48 57 10 34 2 28 15 15
0 6 4 25 0 1 2 3 4 0 2 2 8 1 2 3 8 1 2 4 32 13 2 20 2 4 1 7
5 1 28 85 2 0 2 7 7 0 1 1 39 2 22 0 8 3 10 3 14 37 7 29 1 29 0 9
3 1 2 74 2 0 2 3 4 0 1 1 28 2 0 0 5 1 4 1 9 5 3 17 1 6 0 6
2 1 21 48 2 1 2 6 17 3 3 2 19 1 15 4 11 6 8 10 21 41 4 14 4 28 12 12
0 1 0 34 1 0 1 3 7 2 2 2 13 0 3 2 8 4 3 4 13 12 0 6 2 3 2 4
5 2 41 22 2 0 3 5 4 0 0 1 8 2 16 1 5 1 9 0 8 40 3 12 0 16 7 4
0 2 1 15 1 0 2 1 1 0 0 1 4 0 3 1 2 1 2 0 5 12 1 6 0 4 1 3
4 4 39 19 1 1 3 5 12 4 2 0 22 0 27 1 4 1 14 7 47 54 13 38 0 34 11 9
0 3 3 15 1 1 3 1 5 1 2 0 14 0 10 1 2 1 4 6 34 12 6 22 0 3 2 2
6 N/A 35 66 N/A N/A N/A 9 13 N/A N/A N/A 30 N/A 25 N/A 11 N/A 18 N/A 30 50 7 35 N/A 22 N/A 7
0 N/A 4 53 N/A N/A N/A 1 6 N/A N/A N/A 24 N/A 2 N/A 11 N/A 7 N/A 20 14 2 18 N/A 9 N/A 4
4 3 58 26 0 3 2 0 15 2 1 2 7 0 22 1 0 1 14 3 40 24 7 15 5 15 4 6
0 0 5 17 0 1 1 0 7 2 1 1 3 0 3 0 0 0 2 0 21 4 4 6 2 6 1 1
35 18 261 301 9 7 15 52 86 11 14 8 142 7 152 11 51 13 81 28 208 303 51 177 12 172 49 62
3 13 19 233 5 3 11 12 34 5 8 7 94 3 23 7 36 8 24 15 134 72 18 95 7 35 7 27
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Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Tech Virginia State University Virginia Union University Wagner College Wake Forest University Warren Wilson College Washington Adventist University Washington and Lee University Washington College Washington University in St. Louis Wellesley College Wesleyan University West Virginia University West Virginia Wesleyan College Western New England University Western University Williams College Worcester Polytechnic Institute Yale University York College of Pennsylvania
8 19 1 1 2 25 2 2 0 10 36 2 11 9 1 2 3 8 4 33 3
Walter Johnson
7 43 1 2 1 11 0 0 3 5 39 2 1 26 0 0 0 2 3 19 8
22 29 3 0 1 10 0 0 4 8 29 1 3 18 1 1 2 4 2 16 11
6 36 0 1 1 6 0 0 0 5 8 1 0 22 0 0 0 0 2 0 4
14 16 0 0 1 2 0 0 1 3 4 0 1 8 1 0 1 0 1 0 5
6 17 3 5 1 3 0 0 3 5 28 5 6 6 0 2 0 11 0 35 5
1 8 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 4 5 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 6 4
Winston Churchill
4 31 1 0 0 12 0 0 1 5 42 2 13 8 0 1 0 5 5 26 3
10 28 N/A N/A N/A 11 N/A N/A N/A N/A 34 N/A N/A 8 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 22 N/A
3 22 0 0 0 7 0 0 0 4 13 2 6 7 0 1 0 1 3 0 1
5 23 N/A N/A N/A 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A 6 N/A N/A 4 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2 N/A
5 6 2 1 1 1 0 3 0 3 3 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 4 2
ed Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed ce Ac
14 12 12 5 2 3 6 11 1 8 25 2 10 10 5 1 2 2 2 39 8
pl
pt
ie pl
Montgomery Blair
Ap
d
ed pt ce
ie Ac
pl
Walt Whitman
Ap
d
ed Ap
ce Ac
pl
ie
pt
d
ed pt Ac
ce
ie pl
Richard Montgomery
Ap
d
ed
Thomas S. Wootton
Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl Ap
Ac
ce
ie
pt
d
ed
pl
pt ce Ac
2 13 0 1 0 8 0 0 0 7 7 1 2 6 1 2 2 3 1 3 1
Ap
d ie pl Ap
B-CC
Total 71 179 21 13 7 75 8 13 12 41 233 14 44 85 7 7 7 32 16 190 38
36 124 2 6 4 25 0 3 1 26 46 6 12 50 2 4 4 4 7 15 17
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Extraordinary
Educators
grade making the
Maryanne Hellender
Fourth Grade | Little Flower School, Bethesda Years teaching: 45
By Aaron Kraut Photos by Lisa Helfert
Each year we write about educators who earn top marks from parents, students and peers. Here, five beloved teachers talk about everything from getting kids to relate to science through cooking to using humor in the classroom.
How technology has changed the classroom: “When I first started teaching, the overhead projector was the big thing because, wow, you could flash it on the screen and change your transparencies. Now, I have a laptop that projects directly onto a Lightboard [a glass chalkboard pumped full of light], and it’s interactive and I’ve got life right in front of me. “When I’m doing a lesson on the pink dolphins of the Amazon, I can just call up images and have them floating across the classroom. It makes it so much more fun for the children when they can really interact with so many different subjects.” Keeping Kids Engaged: “The students like some of the old-school techniques I have. I’ve had them make filmstrip presentations by drawing on each little strip. They get a kick out of that. But they also like
doing PowerPoints and making movies on their Chromebooks. It’s fun having both eras be part of the classroom. It keeps them engaged and involved.” Learning to Work Together: “I put on a circus with the fourth- and fifth-graders at the end of the year every two years. I teach them after school, and we really do a whole show with acrobatics, gag jokes, singing, and they dress up like lions. They learn a lot, too. I go into the math aspects, we talk about animals, and we even talk about the use of the animals in the circus, because that’s a controversial issue. “I pretty much do it all by myself, so I really count on them to help with the production. When they’re given a task, they just step right up to the plate. They learn so much. It’s about working together and counting on each other.”
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Extraordinary
Educators Summer Roark Thiero Chemistry | Montgomery Blair High School, Silver Spring Years teaching: 17 What got her interested in chemistry: “I really connected with my chemistry teacher in college. He was an outstanding teacher because he was down-to-earth. A lot of professors, especially in science, can seem unreachable and above you. You have to try to connect and you have to find ways to hook the students and engage them. I’m constantly trying to think about that.”
[with the students] in our experiments, in our work. “I start with a basic waffle recipe and the kids really have to research the ingredients and then consider those ingredients from a molecular view. That’s really intriguing to kids. Then we start to talk about how those recipes are developed. What would happen if we added more baking soda or less baking soda or took it out? This year, I’m going to get ting kids to relate to start a new one with chocolate chip chemistry: “When you come to cookies. A lot of kids don’t like wafthe science department, we’re always fles. Chocolate chip cookies are a cooking. It’s a good way to connect classic.”
On co - sponsoring the school’s Arts and Science Club: “We have three murals completed [in the science wing of the school]. They all have themes. One was a STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] theme, then we have a biology-themed one and a marine biology one. We really hoped we would get some talented artists. But we also look for students who don’t really have a place to go, or maybe are a lower-level artist but very much interested in science. It’s important that students see their own work, and there’s no better place for that than in the hallways.”
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Todd Stillman Social Studies | Richard Montgomery High School, Rockville, Years teaching: 7 Why he chose to be a teacher: “A lot of people spend their lives behind a desk pushing paper, and I get to put on a little show every day and interact with a lot of awesome people. I really enjoy what I do.” On teaching in a magnet school: “The magnet kids, they’re still teenagers—they might absorb material faster or have a bit more curiosity [than other students]. Anthropology is a mixed class. I’ve got
all kinds of kids in here from all kinds of backgrounds. For them to have a chance to discuss it together gives me a charge. It’s true that some kids have different kinds of academic ability and come from different places. But the important thing in high school is that you meet a kid where they are and give them a chance to build on what they have. “I’ve got a great mix of kids. Everybody wants to learn about something unusual. We have a lot of fun together. I like to use different
kinds of activities, like poetry and skits and discussions, to let the kids explore the issues for themselves.” Why he helped start a homework club: “It’s a relaxed way for kids to go for help after school. All kinds of kids come. We’ve got some kids who are good at math and science who can help with that. If someone will cheer you on or help you see what you’re doing, you’re going to be more successful.”
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Extraordinary
Educators Kamini Kumar Science | Cabin John Middle School, Potomac Years teaching: 15 On building relationships with students: “My first year of teaching, I wanted to put so many rules on them. It was one of the worst experiences, because kids want you to be their friend. You want to be [their friend]. I have kids now who know they can come in and talk about what’s going on in their life, versus me just nagging them about their work. To get them to open up if they might be having a bad day or if they might be having trouble at home is important. But sometimes what they might need is
more of a disciplinarian so they know you’ll be someone who is going to help them succeed, not just emotionally, but academically.” On being funny in the classroom: “I joke with the kids a lot. But also, they know when I’m serious. Really, it’s just trying to have that balance. When I think of what kids need, they need humor. They also need people to be strict with them when it comes to teaching them things. In getting them to be successful, you almost
have to get into their heads.” On teaching science: “We make sure that we pull in real-world examples anytime we can. If it’s a video game they’re playing, we’ll ask them to think about all that goes into video game design—the technology, the engineering, the art, the writing and, of course, the programming. There’s an example of all the disciplines that you can bring in to show them that everything they’re learning is really connected.”
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Judy Shapiro Fifth Grade | Burning Tree Elementary School, Bethesda Years teaching: 19 On knowing students: “The biggest things that you have to know about your students are what they really like, what they’re really good at, and what they’re struggling with. And you have to be flexible, trying to look at what most students need. It’s not just our struggling students, it’s also the advanced students—being able to push somebody who’s really good at a certain topic to become better, without losing the student who’s struggling. It’s about moving everybody forward. Wherever they were when they started the year, your job is to make sure they
have improved by the time they ended the year.” On changes in education: “They’re still trying to find a quick fix for the problems in education, and I don’t think there’s a quick fix. Every five to 10 years, somebody comes up with a new idea, a new innovation, a new way to do it, and they change everything. It [lasts] for about five or six years. There are a lot of different things that go into a good education, and you have to look at a lot of different aspects. “Schools have always encouraged creativity—doing unusual things
and being creative in the way things are presented. The actual change has been in the way kids respond. We used to be much more [about] multiple choice, what’s called ‘the right answer.’ Now it’s much more open-ended, not ‘this is the correct answer.’ It’s ‘what did you think, and now go back and support your answer.’ It’s much more what they will need for middle school, high school and college.” n Aaron Kraut is a senior writer for Bethesda Beat, Bethesda Magazine’s daily online newsletter.
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Special advertising Section
Choosing a private school for your child isn’t easy. There are scores of good schools to chose from and a countless number of factors that you need to consider. Co-ed or single gender? A school with a religious affiliation or not? What’s the educational philosophy and approach? Bethesda Magazine’s Private School Guide will help you to find the school that’s the best fit. In the following pages, we provide essential information on 40 schools. You’ll find the information you need to narrow your search and to start your exploration in a targeted and effective way.
istock
Private School Guide
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The Academy of the Holy Cross
Barrie School
4920 Strathmore Ave. Kensington, MD 20895 301-942-2100 www.ahctartans.org Grades: 9-12 Gender: Girls Total number of students: 530 Average class size: 19 Student/teacher ratio: 11:1 Religious affiliation: Catholic Seniors with National Merit recognition: 6 Grade foreign language first offered: 9 Languages offered: Spanish, French, Latin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $21,575 Annual tuition for grade 12: $21,575 Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: Ride-on Bus stop at school entrance; Metro – 5-minute walk Number of AP courses offered: 11, plus International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme World School Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 71% Varsity sports: Basketball, Crew, Cross Country, Equestrian, Field Hockey, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming/Diving, Tennis, Track, Volleyball Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: 8 (Musical, Dance, Vocal, Instrumental, Dramatic) Music ensembles: 1 Instrumental, 4 Vocal Accreditations/Affiliations: National Catholic Education Association, Middle States, Independent Education, International Baccalaureate Organization, Maryland State Department of Education Founded: 1868
13500 Layhill Road Silver Spring, MD 20906 301-576-2800 www.barrie.org Grades: 18 months - Grade 12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 332 Average class size: 16 Student/teacher ratio: Lower School, 13:1; Middle-Upper School, 10:1 Religious affiliation: None Grade foreign language first offered: Primary Languages offered: Spanish, French, Chinese, Independent Study Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $15,500 Annual tuition for grade 12: $29,650 Students receiving financial aid: 47% Uniform: No Bus transportation: Yes Number of AP courses offered: 5 Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 5 Varsity sports: Soccer, Volleyball, Cross Country, Basketball, Tennis, Equestrian, Track & Field Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, Volleyball, Cross Country, Basketball, Tennis, Equestrian, Track & Field Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: 5 Music ensembles: 5 Accreditations/Affiliations: American Montessori Society, Independent Education, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, National Association of Independent Schools, Association of Maryland & DC Founded: 1932
The Auburn School, Silver Spring Campus 9545 Georgia Ave. Silver Spring MD 20910 301-588-8048 www.theauburnschool.org Grades: K-8 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 50 Average class size: 10 Student/teacher ratio: 8:2 Religious affiliation: None Languages offered: Spanish, Mandarin Students receiving financial aid: 47% Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Teacher retention rate: 98% Theater productions per year: 1 Accreditations/Affiliations: AdvancEd/Mansef Founded: 2011
BASIS Independent McLean 8000 Jones Branch Drive McLean, VA 22102 703-356-0268 www.McLean.BASISindependent.com Grades: Preschool - 12 Gender: Co-educational Student/Teacher Ratio: Preschool–Grade 4: 2 teachers in the classroom. Religious Affiliation: None Grade foreign language first offered: PS Languages offered: French, Latin, Mandarin, Spanish Lowest Tuition (5-day students): $22,000 (Preschool) Annual Tuition Grade 12: $25,500 Uniform: No Bus transportation: Yes
Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School 3500 Woodley Road NW Washington, DC 20016 202-537-6485 www.beauvoirschool.org Grades: PK-3 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 395 Average class size: 20 Student/teacher ratio: 10:1 Religious affiliation: Episcopal Grade foreign language first offered: PK Languages offered: Spanish, additional options after school Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $34,400 Students receiving financial aid: Children currently receive grants ranging from approximately 12% to 98% of full tuition. More than $1 million in grants are awarded each year. Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Number of art studios: 1 Founded: 1933
Bullis School 10601 Falls Road Potomac MD 20854 301-299-8500 www.bullis.org Grades: 2-12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 810 Average class size: 15 Student/teacher ratio: 7:1 Religious affiliation: None Grade foreign language first offered: 3rd Languages offered: French, Spanish, Latin, Chinese Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $34,390 Annual tuition for grade 12: $38,180 Students receiving financial aid: 27% Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: Yes Teacher retention rate: 92% Number of AP courses offered: 17 Varsity sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cheerleading, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track & Field, Wrestling Interscholastic sports (middle): Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Football, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track & Field, Wrestling Number of art studios: 4, plus dance studio Theater productions per year: Upper
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Private School
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Guide School—at least 3, often more, plus dance shows and musical concert performances; Middle School—one plus dance shows and musical concerts; Lower School—two plus musical concerts Music ensembles: Chorus, Chamber Singers, Concert Band, Jazz Workshop, Jazz Ensemble, Strings Accreditations/Affiliations: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Maryland Department of Education, National Association of Independent Schools, Independent Education, Association of Independent Maryland Schools, Secondary School Admission Test Board, The Black Student Fund Founded: 1930
Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School Lower School: 1901 E. Jefferson St. Rockville, MD 20852 Upper School: 11710 Hunters Lane Rockville, MD 20852 301-881-1400 www.cesjds.org Grades: K-12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 1,100 Average class size: 18 Student/teacher ratio: 8:1 Religious affiliation: Open to all backgrounds and affiliations Seniors with National Merit recognition: 20% of class of 2015 Grade foreign language first offered: Dual language program in Hebrew begins in Kindergarten; others begin in grade 7 Languages offered: Hebrew, Spanish, Arabic Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $23,860 (Lower School) Annual tuition for grade 12: $15,640 (seniors graduate in February); 7-11 tuition is $30,600 Students receiving financial aid: 41% Uniform: No Bus transportation: Yes Number of AP courses offered: In keeping with the school’s educational philosophy, emphasizing personal academic discovery, creativity, and a deep exploration of course material, CESJDS does not offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses. However, students often elect to take AP exams. For the class of 2015, students took more than 50 AP exams. Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 94%
Varsity sports: 12 Interscholastic sports (middle): 9 Number of art studios: 2 Theater productions per year: 2 Music ensembles: 7 Accreditations/Affiliations: Association of Independent Maryland & DC Schools Founded: 1965
Christ Episcopal School 22 W. Jefferson St. Rockville, MD 20850 301-424-6550 www.cesrockville.org Grades: Age 2–Grade 8 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 150 Average class size: 13 Student/teacher ratio: 7:1 Religious affiliation: Episcopal Grade foreign language first offered: PK4 Languages offered: Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $10,560 (PK3 half-day); $10,920 (PK4 half-day); $17,165 (K-8) Students receiving financial aid: 30% Uniform: Yes, beginning in PK4 Bus transportation: None, but possible given demand Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, Basketball, Track & Field; Daily P.E. K-6 Number of art studios: 1 Theater productions per year: 3 (Preschool, Lower School, Middle School) Music ensembles: Band, Strings Accreditations/Affiliations: Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools, National Association of Independent Schools, National Association of Episcopal Schools, Mid-Atlantic Episcopal Schools Association, Independent Education Founded: 1966
Concord Hill School 6050 Wisconsin Ave. Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-654-2626 www.concordhill.org Grades: Preprimary (age 3)-3 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 100 Average class size: 17 Student/teacher ratio: 6:1 Religious affiliation: None Grade foreign language first offered: Primary (age 4) Languages offered: Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $16,600
(Preprimary); $22,000 (Primary); $25,585 (K – 3rd) Students receiving financial aid: 10 Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Teacher retention rate: 100% Number of art studios: 1 Accreditations/Affiliations: AIMS/ IE, NAIS, NAEYC, Black Student Fund, Latino Student Fund Founded: 1965
Connelly School of the Holy Child 9029 Bradley Blvd. Potomac, MD 20854 301-365-0955 www.holychild.org Grades: 6-12 Gender: Girls Total number of students: 300 Average class size: 15 Religious affiliation: Catholic Grade foreign language first offered: 7 Languages offered: Spanish, French (Latin in Grade 6) Lowest tuition for 5-day students: Upper School: $29,716; Middle School: $26,471 Annual tuition for grade 12: $29,966 Students receiving financial aid: 30% Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: Yes, based on interest Number of AP courses offered: 10 and 15 Honors courses Varsity sports: Soccer, Field Hockey, Volleyball, Cross Country, Tennis, Basketball, Swim & Dive, Dance, Lacrosse, Softball, Track, Equestrian Interscholastic sports (middle): Field Hockey, Soccer, Tennis, Basketball, Equestrian, Swim & Dive, Lacrosse, Softball, Track & Field Number of art studios: 2 Theater productions per year: 2 Music ensembles: 4-6 Accreditations/Affiliations: Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, The Maryland Department of Education, National Association for College Admission Counseling, the Potomac and Chesapeake Association for College Admission Counseling, the College Board, AIMS, Independent Education, Archdiocese of Washington, Black Student Fund, Holy Child Network of School, National Coalition of Girls’ Schools, Online School for Girls Annual applications per opening: 2.5 Founded: 1961
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Private School
D
Special advertising Section
Guide The Diener School 11510 Falls Road Potomac, MD 20854 301-299-4602 www.thedienerschool.org Grades: K-6 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 40 Average class size: 8 Student/teacher ratio: 3:1 Religious affiliation: None Students receiving financial aid: Please inquire Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Founded: 2007
Geneva Day School 11931 Seven Locks Road Potomac, MD 20854 301-340-7704 www.genevadayschool.org Grades: 2 years old - Kindergarten Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 270 Average class size: 12-18
Student/teacher ratio: 3:1 Religious affiliation: None Grade foreign language first offered: 3 years old Languages offered: Spanish, Chinese Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $7,200 Students receiving financial aid: 5-10% Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Teacher retention rate: 98% Accreditations/Affiliations: Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Office of Childcare, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Maryland State Board of Education Kindergarten Certification, Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education Certified Green School Founded: 1965
Georgetown Day School PK-8th Grade: 4530 Macarthur Blvd. Washington, DC 20007 9-12th Grade: 4200 Davenport Street NW
School Lycée Rochambeau • • Profile
Washington, DC 20016 202-295-6200 www.gds.org Grades: PK-12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 1,075 Average class size: Lower and Middle School varies; High School 12-14 Student/teacher ratio: 7:1 Religious affiliation: None Seniors with National Merit recognition: 6 National Merit Finalists and 31 Commended students Grade foreign language first offered: 3 Languages offered: Chinese, French, Latin, Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $32,500 Annual tuition for grade 12: $37,450 Students receiving financial aid: 22% Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Number of AP courses offered: 25 Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 87% Varsity sports: 13 Interscholastic sports (middle): 11 Number of art studios: 4
•
9600 Forest Road Bethesda, MD 20814 301-530-8260 www.rochambeau.org
Enrollment
1,015
Grades
Age 2-Grade 12 Average Class Size
20
Student/Teacher Ratio
11:1
Annual Tuition (Grade 12)
$21,265
Year Founded
1955
For 60 years, Rochambeau, The French International School has been educating generations of bicultural, bilingual and internationallyminded students. Students can start as of age 2 in our French Preschool, and continue through high school (12th grade or Terminale). A French Immersion program is offered in Lower school (from age 2 to 3rd grade) for non-French speakers. Our comprehensive academic program is based on the French National Curriculum with native-level English and Spanish programs. Rochambeau graduates receive both a U.S. diploma and the French Baccalauréat, (or OIB, the international option of the French Baccalauréat), providing them with the opportunity to continue their education in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France or anywhere in the world. Sixty percent of students choose to study outside of France. Rochambeau is part of the network of French schools abroad (AEFE), which allows students to move with ease to any of the 500 schools around the world, and enjoy the same quality of the education.
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I
R
t
DISCOVER the ROCHAMBEAU Advantage Special advertising Section
by attending an Open House, scheduling a tour or visiting our website at rochambeau.org
Immersion program open to non French speakers from age 2 through 3rd grade
ROCHAMBEAU celebrates 60 YEARS of experience in educating the bicultural, multilingual* and internationally-minded students of today, helping them become the decision makers of tomorrow. * Spanish, Arabic and German can be studied in Elementary and Middle School
1955•2015
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Private School
Guide Theater productions per year: 3 Music ensembles: A Cappella, Barbershop, Chorus, Jazz Band, and Orchestra Accreditations/Affiliations: Middle States Association, Association of Independent Maryland Schools Annual applications per opening: Approximately 5 Founded: 1945
Georgetown Preparatory School 10900 Rockville Pike N. Bethesda, MD 20852 301-493-5000 www.gprep.org Grades: 9-12 Gender: Boys Total number of students: 490 Average class size: 16 Student/teacher ratio: 8:1 Religious affiliation: Jesuit (Catholic) Grade foreign language first offered: 9 Languages offered: 4 Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $33,165 Students receiving financial aid: 26% Uniform: Sport coat and tie
Bus transportation: Bus transportation from the Grosvenor–Strathmore (Red Line) Metro stop. Students commuting to Georgetown Prep from Virginia can take advantage of a new joint transportation option with Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart. Number of AP courses offered: 25 Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 95% Varsity sports: Football, Soccer, Cross Country, Basketball, Wrestling, Hockey, Swimming & Diving, Winter Track, Baseball, Lacrosse, Track, Rugby, Tennis, Golf Number of art studios: 2 Theater productions per year: 3 Music ensembles: 3 Accreditations/Affiliations: Accreditation: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Maryland State Department of Education, Jesuit Province of Maryland Annual applications per opening: 3.5/1 Founded: 1789
Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School 1524 Thirty-fifth St., NW
Washington, DC 20007 202-337-3350 www.visi.org Grades: 9-12 Gender: Girls Total number of students: 490 Average class size: 12-15 Student/teacher ratio: 9:1 Religious affiliation: Roman Catholic Seniors with National Merit recognition: 19 Grade foreign language first offered: 9 Languages offered: French, Spanish, Latin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $27,400 Students receiving financial aid: Approximately 30% Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: No Teacher retention rate: 94% Number of AP courses offered: 18 Varsity sports: Basketball, Crew, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming and Diving, Tennis (Fall and Spring), Track & Field (Winter and Spring), Volleyball Number of art studios: 1, plus Dance Studio Theater productions per year: 2
D.C. School German •School Washington • • Profile
8617 Chateau Drive Potomac, MD 20854 301-365-4400 www.dswashington.org Located in a quiet
Enrollment
500
Grades
PK-12
Average Class Size
18
Student/Teacher Ratio
7:1
Annual Tuition (Grade 12)
$19,600
Year Founded
1961
neighborhood in Potomac, the German School Washington provides students with a unique international perspective by combining the best of both U.S. and German academic education. We teach students from over 20 different countries side by side and give them the opportunity to earn the U.S. High School Diploma and the German International Abitur. With these degrees, our students are well-equipped to attend any prestigious American or European university. For children age 2 through 12th grade, our school creates a unique, multicultural and multilingual experience within a warm and nurturing environment. Knowledge of German is not required for admission to our pre-K and Kindergarten programs. Extended care is available for all students until 5 p.m. and buses serve D.C., MD, and NOVA. As Washington’s only German full-time day school and one of over 140 recognized German Schools Abroad worldwide, we offer a very attractive alternative to other American independent schools. Visit our Open Houses on November 6, 2015, and March 4, 2016, or call us to schedule a private tour!
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GERMAN SCHOOL WASHINGTON D.C. 8617 Chateau Drive | Potomac, MD 20854 | 301.767.3807 www.dswashington.org | admissions@dswash.org
OPEN HOUSE DATES: NOV. 6, 2015 & MAR. 4, 2016 strong focus on science and languages
graduate with international degree
preschool starts at age 2 “The German School not only creates academic excellence but also concentrates on students’ social skills and their ability to become happy, well-rounded people.” - Minh D., parent BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 137
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Private School
Guide Music ensembles: Madrigals (select), Chorus, Orchestra Accreditations/Affiliations: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, National Association of Independent Schools, National Catholic Education Association, National Coalition of Girls’ Schools, Archdiocese of Washington, Independent Education, Online School for Girls, Bridge Program with Georgetown University Founded: 1799
German School Washington D.C. 8617 Chateau Drive Potomac, MD 20854 301-365-4400 www.dswashington.org Grades: PK-12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 500 Average class size: 18 Student/teacher ratio: 7:1 Religious affiliation: None Seniors with National Merit recognition: n/a Grade foreign language first offered: German in PK, English in grade 1
Languages offered: German, English, French, Spanish, Latin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $11,190 Annual tuition for grade 12: $19,600 Students receiving financial aid: 97 Uniform: No Bus transportation: DC, MD, NOVA Teacher retention rate: 90% Number of AP courses offered: 5 Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 95% Varsity sports: Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, Swimming, Track & Field, Tennis Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, Swimming, Track & Field, Tennis Number of art studios: 1 Theater productions per year: 4 Music ensembles: Choir, Orchestra Accreditations/Affiliations: accredited by the Federal Republic of Germany’s Central Office for Schools Abroad and Maryland State Department of Education Annual applications per opening: 61 applicants per opening Founded: 1961
The Goddard School of Bethesda 6400 Goldsboro Road Bethesda, MD 20817 240-630-2400 www.goddardschool.com Grades: Infants through Pre-Kindergarten Gender: Co-Ed Total number of students: 179 Student/teacher ratio: Infants 3 to 1; Toddlers 6 to 1; Preschool 10 to 1; Pre-K 10 to 1 Religious affiliation: None Grade foreign language first offered: Age 2 Languages offered: Spanish and Chinese Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $1,205 Uniform: None Bus transportation: For after school children to surrounding schools Accreditations/Affiliations: MSDE Founded: 1987
Green Acres School 11701 Danville Drive North Bethesda, MD 20852 301-881-4100 www.greenacres.org
School st. john’s college high school • • • Profile
2607 Military Road, NW Chevy Chase D.C. 20015 202-363-2316 www.stjohnschs.org
Enrollment
1,095
Grades
9-12
Average Class Size
21
Student/Teacher Ratio
12:1
Annual Tuition (Grade 12)
$17,850
Year Founded
1851
St. John’s College High School is an independent, Catholic, coeducational, college preparatory school. Rooted in the Lasallian tradition, we are committed to academic excellence and preparing young men and women for lives of leadership, achievement and service. St. John’s offers 22 AP and 16 honors courses, as well as a Scholars Program for gifted and talented students. Our dynamic 1:1 educational technology program, featuring iPads provided by the school at no additional cost, allows students to learn, produce and collaborate in a manner now commonplace at colleges across the country. Our graduates have a 100 percent college acceptance rate; the Class of 2015 earned $24 million in scholarships. We field 26 varsity teams that train with our two full-time performance coaches and offer more than 45 clubs and activities. Unique to St. John’s is the Corps of Cadets, a century-old program that promotes leadership and teamwork. We have invested approximately $30 million in recent improvements to our 28-acre campus, including the Kimsey Science and Technology Center, Fitzpatrick Library and Cassidy Commons Dining Hall. This May, we began construction on a new performing arts center, and we will open two new fine arts studios this fall.
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Grades: Age 3 – Grade 8 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 275 Average class size: 12 Student/teacher ratio: 6:1 Religious affiliation: None Grade foreign language first offered: Age 3 Languages offered: Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $17,000 (Half-day Pre-K), $27,700 (Pre-K), $29,260 (Kindergarten), $33,940 (1st - 8th Grade) Students receiving financial aid: 32% Uniform: No Bus transportation: Yes Teacher retention rate: 90% Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, Cross Country, Basketball, Softball Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: Multiple Music ensembles: Middle School Instrumental Ensemble; 4th Grade Chorus Founded: 1934
The Harbor School
301-365-1100 www.theharborschool.org Grades: PK-2 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 100 Average class size: 14 Student/teacher ratio: 6:1 Religious affiliation: None Grade foreign language first offered: Preschool Languages offered: Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: Half-day: $11,390; Full-day: $19,820 Students receiving financial aid: 24% Uniform: no Bus transportation: no Teacher retention rate: 87% Number of art studios: 1 Music ensembles: 4 Accreditations/Affiliations: Accredited by AIMS, member of IE, NAIS Annual applications per opening: 2 Founded: 1972
The Heights School
7701 Bradley Blvd. Bethesda, MD 20817
10400 Seven Locks Road
Potomac MD 20854 301-765-2093 www.heights.edu Grades: 3-12 Gender: Boys Total number of students: 540 Average class size: 17 Student/teacher ratio: School-wide 5:1 Religious affiliation: Catholic Seniors with National Merit recognition: 10% Grade foreign language first offered: 7 Languages offered: Spanish, Latin, Greek Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $18,430 Annual tuition for grade 12: $24,775 Students receiving financial aid: 45% (Aid granted includes full merit and need based scholarships) Uniform: Dress code (shirt and tie); Upper and Middle School students must also wear a blazer or sport coat Bus transportation: Shuttle service is available from the Grosvenor Metro; bus service from several locations in Northern Virginia Teacher retention rate: 97% Number of AP courses offered: 15. Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 82%
Your Path Your Passion
Success
Maggie
Collin
Valedictorian Stanford University Class of 2019 Major: Bioengineering Cross Country and Track
Salutatorian University of Delaware Class of 2019 Major: Engineering Div. 1 Football Scholarship
Open House October 25, 2015 Opening Minds
2607 Military Road, NW
|
|
Unlocking Talents
|
Building Leaders
Chevy Chase, DC 20015
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Admissions Office: 202-363-2316
|
www.stjohnschs.org
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Private School
Guide Varsity sports: Soccer, Cross Country, Golf, Basketball, Wrestling, Swimming, Squash, Lacrosse, Baseball, Track & Field, Rugby, Tennis Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, Cross Country, Golf, Basketball, Wrestling, Swimming, Lacrosse, Baseball, Track & Field, Tennis Number of art studios: 2 Theater productions per year: 3 Music ensembles: Men’s Chorus, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Middle School Band, Lower School Band Accreditations/Affiliations: AdvancED, Archdiocese of Washington, Maryland Department of Education, AISGW, NAIS Annual applications per opening: 2 on average, but highly grade dependent Founded: 1969
Holton-Arms School 7303 River Road Bethesda, MD 20817 301-365-5300 www.holton-arms.edu Grades: 3-12
Gender: Girls Total number of students: 645 Average class size: 15 Student/teacher ratio: 6:1 Religious affiliation: None Seniors with National Merit recognition: 31% of graduation class Grade foreign language first offered: 3 Languages offered: Chinese, French, Latin, Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $35,155 Annual tuition for grade 12: $38,700 Students receiving financial aid: 25% Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: Yes Number of AP courses offered: 21 Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 85% Varsity sports: Basketball, Crew, CrossCountry, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Diving, Tennis, Track & Field, Volleyball Accreditations/Affiliations: Accreditations include Association of Independent Maryland Schools and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Affiliations include National Association of Independent
School McLean School • Profile
•
Schools, Independent Education, Association of Independent Maryland Schools, Parents Council of Washington, National Coalition of Girls Schools, National Middle School Association, Secondary School Admission Test Board Founded: 1901
Lowell School 1640 Kalmia Road, NW Washington, DC 20012 202-577-2000 www.lowellschool.org Grades: PK-8 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 350 Average class size: 16 Student/teacher ratio: 6:1 Religious affiliation: None Grade foreign language first offered: Kindergarten Languages offered: Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $17,100 (Half day, Pre-Primary) Students receiving financial aid: 1/3 Uniform: No
•
8224 Lochinver Lane Potomac, MD 20854 240-395-0698 www.mcleanschool.org McLean School is transformative.
Enrollment
380
Grades
K-12
Average Class Size
10
Student/Teacher Ratio
7:1
Annual Tuition (Grade 12)
$38,980
Year Founded
1954
It provides bright students with a K-12 college preparatory education that emphasizes small classes, differentiated instruction and individualized program enhancement. We embrace both traditional learners and ones with mild to moderate learning differences—including ADHD, executive functioning, anxiety and language-based differences, such as dyslexia and dysgraphia. McLean distinguishes itself through its readiness to accelerate students in areas of strength while supporting them in others. Our Upper School curriculum offers an extensive selection of AP and honors classes. McLean graduates have gained acceptances to colleges and universities such as Duke, Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt and Vassar. These placements are a tribute to the fine quality of our students, teachers and program. For each student, we seek to find the right college; not just the most selective one. Always a leader in teaching to individual aptitudes and achievement levels, McLean is now also at the forefront among east coast schools of implementing Mindful practices. A rapidly growing body of scientific research shows that mindful practice reduces stress and aids in focus, performance, and the learning process overall. To see McLean up close is to see a school that transforms lives.
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Bus transportation: Yes Interscholastic sports: Co-ed Cross Country, Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, Co-ed Swimming, Co-ed Jr. Track & Field, Co-ed Sr. Track and Field, Girls Lacrosse, Co-ed Ultimate Frisbee Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: A variety of music, drama, and dance performances occur throughout the year in the Primary and Middle Schools. Students perform in class and at school-wide assemblies and special events. Music ensembles: 4th - 5th Grade Chorus, Recorder Consort, Jazz Band, Pop Bands Accreditations/Affiliations: National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), The Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS), Independent Education (IE), National Association for the Education of Young People (NAEYC), Progressive Educators Network (PEN), Capital Area Progressive Network (CAP), Black Student Fund (BSF), Latino Student Fund (LSF), Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network
McLean celebrates differences; they don’t walk away from them. These kids are the people who will think differently and solve the world’s problems.
It is surprising how few public or private schools understand how to educate a child with learning disabilities—yet capable of high academic performance. McLean is the only school that can provide a rigorous, college prep curriculum for students with learning challenges!
(GLSEN), Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT), Educational Records Bureau (ERB) Founded: 1965
Lycée Rochambeau, the French International School 9600 Forest Road Bethesda, MD 20814 301-530-8260 www.rochambeau.org Grades: Age 2-Grade 12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 1,015 Average class size: 20 Student/teacher ratio: 11:1 Religious affiliation: None Grade foreign language first offered: Bilingual French/English program in all grades. Additional language in 3rd grade. Languages offered: Spanish, German, Arabic French Baccalaureate: 55% highest honors, 24% high honors, 18.5% honors Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $15,860 Annual tuition for grade 12: $21,265
The love, attention, and the individualized understanding of our daughter’s academic needs were managed in such a positive manner. McLean has changed our child’s life, and our family dynamic.
Uniform: No Bus transportation: Yes Interscholastic sports: Soccer, Rugby, Basketball, Volleyball, Swimming Music ensembles: 1 Vocal Theater productions per year: 2 Accreditations/Affiliations: French Ministry of Education (AEFE), State of Maryland Dept. of Education, International Option Baccalaureate (OIB) Founded: 1955
The Maddux School 11614 Seven Locks Road Rockville, MD 20854 301-469-0223 www.madduxschool.org Grades: PK-2 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 55-60 Average class size: 10-12 Student/teacher ratio: 5:1 Religious affiliation: none Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $18,000 Uniform: No Bus transportation: No
Open House 9:00 am Wednesday, October 21 9:00 am Saturday, November 7 RSVP admission@mcleanschool.org 240.395.0698
Our son was off the charts smart— but couldn’t get organized. It was a relief to come to a school that recognized his intellectual strengths.
Parents Talk. Join the conversation about McLean School.
8224 Lochinver Lane Potomac, Maryland 20854 mcleanschool.org K-12 College preparatory school supporting bright students’ individual learning styles
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Private School
Guide Number of art studios: 1 Accreditations/Affiliations: State approved curriculum Founded: 2004
Massanutten Military Academy 614 S. Main St. Woodstock, VA 22664 540-459-2167 www.militaryschool.com Grades: 7-12, Post Graduate Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 100 Average class size: 10 Student/teacher ratio: 10:1 Religious affiliation: None, but the school has relationships with religious organizations of nearly every faith. Grade foreign language first offered: 7 Languages offered: Spanish, French, Portuguese, Russian Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $12,900 Annual tuition for grade 12: $32,900 Students receiving financial aid: 20% Uniform: Military Styled Cadet Uniform Bus transportation: Boarding School
Number of AP courses offered: 9 Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 30% (Although we offer AP courses, most cadets have switched to Dual Enrollment options that don’t require an AP exam.) Varsity sports: Football, Basketball (Boys and Girls), Lacrosse, Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, Track, Cross Country, Wrestling, Tennis, Rifle, Raiders Number of art studios: 1 Music ensembles: Highland Bagpipe and Drum Band, Jazz Ensemble, Chorus Accreditations/Affiliations: NAIS, VAIS, TABS, AMCSUS Founded: 1899
McLean School 8224 Lochinver Lane Potomac, MD 20854 240-395-0698 www.mcleanschool.org Grades: K-12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 380 Average class size: 10 Student/teacher ratio: 7:1
Grade foreign language first offered: Grade 3 Languages offered: Spanish, Latin, American Sign Language Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $27,500 Annual tuition for grade 12: $38,980 Students receiving financial aid: 30% Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: Yes Teacher retention rate: 96% Number of AP courses offered: 10 Varsity sports: Volleyball, softball, lacrosse, track & field, cross country, soccer, wrestling, basketball Interscholastic sports (middle): Volleyball, softball, lacrosse, track & field, cross country, soccer, wrestling, basketball Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: 1 drama/comedy per year, 1 musical per year, 2 musical concerts per division, talent shows Music ensembles: Strings Ensemble, Jazz Band, Rock, Pop & Blues Band, Chorus Accreditations/Affiliations: Maryland Department of Education, National Association of Independent Schools, Association of Independent Maryland Schools, Association of
School Washington Episcopal School • • • Profile
5600 Little Falls Parkway Bethesda, MD 20816 301-652-7878 www.w-e-s.org Washington Episcopal
Enrollment
260
Grades
pK-8
Average Class Size
16
Student/Teacher Ratio
7:1
Annual Tuition (Grade 8)
$32,440
Year Founded
1986
School (WES) believes that learning should be joyful, because academic excellence and happy children belong together. An independent, coeducational school for students from Nursery through Grade 8, WES is committed to helping every child develop his or her fullest potential. Our skilled, caring and attentive teachers nurture the abilities and talents of each student. The broad and enriched curriculum builds knowledge and strengthens moral awareness, self-reliance and leadership. Our supportive community — true to Episcopal tradition — welcomes and celebrates a diversity of faiths and cultures. WES graduates are accepted, attend, and seamlessly transition to a wide variety of top secondary schools. Here, children stand out without burning out. To learn more visit www.w-e-s.org or contact the WES Admission Office at 301-652-7878. Each Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m. WES hosts a campus tour, no appointment necessary. Join us!
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Independent Schools in Greater Washington, The Black Student Fund, International Dyslexia Association, Learning Disabilities Association, Secondary School Admission Test Board, Association of Independent School Admission Professionals, National Business Officers Association Founded: 1954
Bus transportation: No Varsity sports: 4 Co-ed JV teams Number of art studios: 2 Music ensembles: 2 Accreditations/Affiliations: NAIS, AISGW and Middle States Accreditation Association Founded: 1964
The Nora School
Norwood School
955 Sligo Ave. Silver Spring MD 20910 301-495-6672 www.nora-school.org Grades: 9-12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 65 Average class size: 8 Student/teacher ratio: 5:1 Religious affiliation: None Grade foreign language first offered: 9 Languages offered: Spanish, German Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $27,400 Annual tuition for grade 12: $28,000 Students receiving financial aid: 20% Uniform: No
8821 River Road Bethesda, MD 20817 301-365-2595 www.norwoodschool.org Grades: K-8 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 440 Average class size: 10-12 Student/teacher ratio: 6 to 1 Religious affiliation: None Grade foreign language first offered: Kindergarten Languages offered: Spanish, French, Mandarin Chinese, Latin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $28,820 Students receiving financial aid: 19%
Uniform: Dress Code Bus transportation: Morning and afternoon routes available Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, Field Hockey, Volleyball, Basketball, Lacrosse, Baseball, Softball, Cross Country, Track & Field Number of art studios: 4 Theater productions per year: 2 (Fall Play and Spring Musical) Music ensembles: 4 (Choral, Strings, Band, Hand Bells) Accreditations/Affiliations: AIMS, AISGW Founded: 1952
The Primary Day School 7300 River Road Bethesda, MD 20817 301-365-4355 www.theprimarydayschool.org Grades: PK-2 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 140 Average class size: 17 Student/teacher ratio: 6:1 Religious affiliation: None
spirit of
achievement
Washington Episcopal School students love to learn. They are challenged daily in a balanced, joyful environment that lets kids be kids. With teachers always instructing – from books, the latest technology, studios, hallways, and athletic fields – children reach new levels of achievement. Our students stand out without burning out.
COME AND SEE FOR YOURSELF: Early Childhood Open House Thursday, October 29, 9:30 a.m. General Admissions Open Houses Wednesday, November 11, 9:00 a.m. RSVP at www.w-e-s.org/admissions Call 301-652-7878 to schedule a visit today!
WASHINGTON EPISCOPAL SCHOOL An independent, co-educational school for Nursery – Grade 8 5600 Little Falls Parkway, Bethesda, MD 20816 | www.w-e-s.org
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Guide Grade foreign language first offered: Pre-K Languages offered: Spanish, Chinese, French Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $19,250 Students receiving financial aid: 11% Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Number of art studios: 1 Music ensembles: twice a month Accreditations/Affiliations: IE/AIMS Founded: 1944
Randolph-Macon Academy 200 Academy Drive Front Royal, VA 22630 540-636-5200 or 800-272-1172 www.rma.edu Grades: 6-12, plus post graduate Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 325 Average class size: 13-15 Student/teacher ratio: 8:1 Religious affiliation: United Methodist Church Grade foreign language first offered: 7 Languages offered: Spanish, French and German
Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $26,640 Annual tuition for grade 12: $35,635 Students receiving financial aid: 37.5% Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: No Number of AP courses offered: 11 Varsity sports: 20 Interscholastic sports (middle): 9 Number of art studios: 1 Theater productions per year: 2 Music ensembles: 3 Accreditations/Affiliations: Accredited by VAIS (Virginia Association of Independent Schools) and SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, listed with the University Senate of the United Methodist Church. A Falcon Foundation School. A member of AMCSUS (Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the U.S.) Founded: 1892
Sandy Spring Friends School 16923 Norwood Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 301-774-7455 www.ssfs.org
Grades: PK-12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 570 Average class size: 12-15 Student/teacher ratio: 8:1 Religious affiliation: Quaker Seniors with National Merit recognition: 2 Grade foreign language first offered: PK - Spanish Languages offered: Spanish, French, Mandarin Chinese Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $16,200 Annual tuition for grade 12: $30,500 Students receiving financial aid: 28% Uniform: No Bus transportation: Yes Number of AP courses offered: 16 Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 120 scored 3 or higher out of a total of 248 exams administered Varsity sports: Yes - check website for specific sports by gender Interscholastic sports (middle): Yes – check website Number of art studios: 2 Theater productions per year: Several
School Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School • Profile • • Lower School: 1901 E. Jefferson St. Rockville, MD 20852 Upper School: 11710 Hunters Lane Rockville, MD 20852 301-881-1400 www.cesjds.org
Enrollment
1,100
Grades
jK-12
Average Class Size
18
Student/Teacher Ratio
8:1
Lowest Tuition for 5-day students
$23,860
Year Founded
1965
Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, CESJDS is the largest JK-12 independent Jewish day school in North America. Our mission is to engage students in an outstanding and inspiring general and Judaic education. In grades JK-5, we foster an environment where children feel safe, loved and challenged. Our faculty works hard to instill feelings of joy and self-confidence in each child. CESJDS achieves academic excellence through an integrated curriculum. Our students start on the journey to become skilled writers, mathematicians and artists, anchored in Jewish values. In Middle School (grades 6-8) and High School (grades 9-12), rigorous study in the classroom is infused with creativity and relevance, while activities outside the classroom are characterized by hands-on engagement. Students pursue their passions through dozens of extra-curricular options, including visual and performing arts, athletics, student leadership, publications and debate. Our program culminates in the journey of a lifetime, the 13-week Senior Trip to Eastern Europe and Israel. Graduates then depart for college equipped with memorable experiences and abundant knowledge to help them succeed in college and beyond.
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Music ensembles: Yes Accreditations/Affiliations: AIMS, NAIS, IE Founded: 1961
The Siena School 1300 Forest Glen Road Silver Spring, MD 20901 301-244-3600 www.thesienaschool.org Grades: 4-12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 110 Average class size: 10 Student/teacher ratio: 10:1 Religious affiliation: None Grade foreign language first offered: 9 Languages offered: Spanish Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $34,973 Annual tuition for grade 12: $36,633 Students receiving financial aid: 33% Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Teacher retention rate: 95% Varsity sports: Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis, Softball Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer,
Basketball, Flag Football, Cross County, Softball Number of art studios: 2 Theater productions per year: 2 Music ensembles: 2 Accreditations/Affiliations: NAIS, ISM, MSACS, IDA, LDA-MC Annual applications per opening: 8 Founded: 2006
Students receiving financial aid: 36% Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: Yes Number of AP courses offered: 22 Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 69% Varsity sports: Baseball, Basketball, Crew (Fall and Spring), Cross Country, Equestrian Team, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Rugby, Soccer, Softball, Swim and Dive, Tennis, Track & Field (Indoor and Outdoor), Volleyball, Wrestling Number of art studios: 2 Theater productions per year: 2-3 Music ensembles: 17 Accreditations/Affiliations: Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington Annual applications per opening: 4:1 Founded: 1851
St. John’s College High School 2607 Military Road, NW Chevy Chase, DC 20015 202-363-2316 www.stjohnschs.org Grades: 9-12 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 1,095 Average class size: 21 Student/teacher ratio: 12:1 Religious affiliation: Catholic Seniors with National Merit recognition: 12 Grade foreign language first offered: 9 Languages offered: Spanish, French, Latin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $17,850 Annual tuition for grade 12: $17,850
New for 2016-17! Gurim Junior Kindergarten Program
St. Margaret’s School 444 Water Lane / P.O. Box 158 Tappahannock, VA 22560 804-443-3357 www.sms.org
Timeless lessons. Enduring values. Brilliant futures. Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School (CESJDS) is a JK-12 independent school that engages students in an exemplary and inspiring general and Jewish education. We are a welcoming, inclusive community united by our shared Jewish values with a comprehensive, inquiry-based academic program that challenges students to think critically and look from within.
VISIT OUR COMMUNITY - SAVE THE DATE Lower School Open House Sunday, November 1
Upper School Open House Wednesday, November 11
CONNECT WITH US www.cesjds.org 301-692-4870 /cesjdsconnect @cesjdsconnect /cesjdsconnect
Lower School: 1901 E. Jefferson St. Upper School: 11710 Hunters Lane Rockville, Maryland 20852
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Private School
Guide Grades: 8-12 Gender: girls Total number of students: 138 Religious affiliation: Episcopal Seniors with National Merit recognition: N/A Grade foreign language first offered: 8 Languages offered: 2 Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $44,300 Annual tuition for grade 12: $47,300 Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: Yes Number of AP courses offered: 6+ Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 95% Varsity sports: 7 Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: 1 Music ensembles: 4 Accreditations/Affiliations: Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS) Founded: 1921
Grades: PK - 8 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 220 Average class size: 23 Student/teacher ratio: 23:1 Religious affiliation: Catholic Grade foreign language first offered: PK Languages offered: Spanish and Latin Students receiving financial aid: 10% Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: Metro Teacher retention rate: 90% Interscholastic sports (middle): CYO basketball, track & field, cross country Theater productions per year: 1 Music ensembles: 3 Accreditations/Affiliations: AdvancEd Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Founded: 1868
St. Peter School
Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart
422 Third St., SE Washington, DC 20003 202-544-1618 www.stpeterschooldc.org
9101 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20814 301-657-4322 www.stoneridgeschool.org
Grades: Preschool-Grade 12 Gender: Co-ed Preschool, Pre-K, K; All-girls Grades 1-12 Total student population: 700 Avg. class size: 16 Student/teacher ratio: 11:1 Religious affiliation: Catholic National Merit Recognition: 2 National Merit Finalists, 2 National Merit Commended Scholars, 1 National Hispanic Recognition finalists Grade foreign language first offered: Preschool (3 year-olds) Languages offered: French, Spanish, Latin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $24,900 Annual tuition for Grade 12: $30,900 Uniform: Yes Bus: Yes Number of AP courses offered: 20 Students Scoring 3+ On AP Exams: 77% Varsity sports: High School: Soccer, Field Hockey, Cross Country, Basketball, Swimming/Diving, Volleyball, Lacrosse, Tennis, Track & Field, Softball; Club Level: Equestrian, Ice Hockey, Squash, Golf Interscholastic sports: Middle School: Soc-
School The Goddard School • • Profile
•
6400 Goldsboro Road Bethesda, MD 20817 240-630-2400 www.goddardschool.com For more than 25 years,
Enrollment
179
Grades
Infant-Pk Student/Teacher Ratio
10:1
Lowest Tuition for 5-day students
$1,205
Year Founded
1987
The Goddard School® has been a trusted name among parents and families. Its classrooms are safe, nurturing environments for children six weeks to six years, offering age-appropriate opportunities to explore and discover. Highly trained teachers prepare the children for success in school and in life. At The Goddard School located in Bethesda, on-site owner Michael Pesi makes health and safety a priority. “Nothing is more important than the health and safety of your children,” Michael says. “That’s why, at The Goddard School, we consider their security in all we do. From every detail of our classroom and playground design to our high standards of cleanliness—we’ve tried to think of everything. Our diligent hiring practices ensure that we have the best people in our schools, and our teachers are thoroughly trained in safety and wellness principles from day one.” For more information, please visit www.goddardschool.com or call 240-630-2400. The Goddard School located in Bethesda is located at 6400 Goldsboro Road.
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November 8, 2015 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
YOUR CHILD DESERVES THE BEST POSSIBLE START. Tour your local Goddard School and experience why it’s the best preparation for social and academic success. Goddard Systems, Inc.’s program is AdvancED Accredited.
ENROLL TODAY! BETHESDA • 240-630-2400 6400 Goldsboro Road GoddardSchool.com
LEARNING FOR FUN. LEARNING FOR LIFE.®
The Goddard Schools are operated by independent franchisees under a license agreement with Goddard Systems, Inc. Programs and ages may vary. Goddard Systems, Inc. program is AdvancED accredited. © Goddard Systems, Inc. 2015
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Private School
Guide cer, Field Hockey, Tennis, Volleyball, Basketball, Swimming, Lacrosse, Softball, Track & Field, Ice Hockey, Golf Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: 2 in Upper School, 2 in Middle School Music ensembles: Upper School Heartfelt (A Cappella), Chorus, Handbells, and Instrumental Ensemble; Middle School Band, Orchestra and Choir; Junior Chorus Accreditations/Affiliations: AIMS, Middle States Associations Of Colleges And Schools, Network Of Sacred Heart Schools, National Catholic Education Association, National Association Of Independent Schools, National Coalition Of Girls Schools, National Association Of Principals Of Schools For Girls, Association For Supervision And Curriculum Development, Independent Education, National Association For The Education Of Young Children Founded: 1923
Valley Forge Military Academy 1001 Eagle Road
Wayne, PA 19087 (610) 989-1200 www.vfmac.edu Grades: 6-12 (day school), 7-12 (boarding) Gender: Boys Total number of students: 300 Average class size: 14 Student/teacher ratio: 12:1 Religious affiliation: None Seniors with National Merit recognition: 1 National Merit Finalist, 2 National Merit Semi-Finalists Grade foreign language first offered: 7th Languages offered: Spanish, French, Latin, Chinese Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $29,475 Middle School Tuition: Boarding $42,175; Day Student $27,475 High School Tuition: Boarding $43,675; Day Student $28,975 Uniform: Yes Bus transportation: No Teacher retention rate: 87.5% Number of AP courses offered: 6 Students scoring 3+ on AP exams: 9 Varsity sports: 9
Interscholastic sports (middle): Flag Football, Basketball, Baseball Number of art studios: 1 Music ensembles: 3 Accreditations/Affiliations: Middle States, NAIS, PAIS, AMSCUS Annual applications per opening: 2 Founded: 1928
Washington Episcopal School 5600 Little Falls Parkway Bethesda, MD 20816 301-652-7878 www.w-e-s.org Grades: PK-8 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 260 Average class size: 16 Student/teacher ratio: 7:1 Religious affiliation: Episcopal Grade foreign language first offered: Age 4 Languages offered: French, Spanish, Latin Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $9,800 Annual tuition for Grade 8: $32,440 Students receiving financial aid: 23% Uniform: Yes
School beauvoir, the national school Profile cathedral elementary • •
•
3500 Woodley Road NW Washington, DC 20016 202-537-6485 www.beauvoirschool.org
Enrollment
395
Grades
pK-12
Average Class Size
20
Student/Teacher Ratio
10:1
Year Founded
1933
Beauvoir is an independent elementary school, serving a co-ed population of close to 400 students from grades Pre-Kindergarten through Third. Our campus is located on the picturesque grounds of the Washington National Cathedral in Northwest Washington, D.C. Under the nurturing guidance of our faculty, children at Beauvoir are challenged and supported academically while also learning the character-building skills that will help them succeed throughout their lives. At Beauvoir, we recognize that the years between three and 10 are the most intensely productive and vital learning years in a child’s life. Children’s earliest educational experiences help shape the kind of learners they become. For this reason, we seek to develop in our students a spirit of inquiry and a joy in learning.
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OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2015 1-4 PM
Georgetown Preparatory School, an independent, Jesuit college-preparatory day and boarding school for young men in grades 9-12, is part of a rich tradition of Catholic education in America since its founding in 1789 and is the oldest Jesuit secondary school in the country. Prep’s 90-acre campus features state-of-the-art academic, athletic and student centers, small classes and a curriculum that prepares its graduates to earn admission to the world’s best colleges and universities. Prep's mission is to form men of competence, conscience, courage and compassion; men of faith and men for others. REGISTER ONLINE AT www.gprep.org/admissions 10900 rockville pike | north bethesda, md 20852 301-493-5000 | www.gprep.org
“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
www.rma.edu
540-636-5484
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Private School
Guide Bus transportation: No Teacher retention rate: Avg. tenure 15 years Interscholastic Sports: Soccer, Cross-Country, Basketball, Lacrosse, Track, Swimming Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: Every grade performs at least once/year for entire school Accreditations/Affiliations: Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS); Mid-Atlantic Episcopal Schools Association (MAESA); National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES); National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS); Independent Education; Black Student Fund. Founded: 1986
Washington Waldorf School 4800 Sangamore Road Bethesda, MD 20816 301-229-6107 washingtonwaldorf.org Grades: PK-12 Gender: Co-ed
Total number of students: 285 Average class size: 18 Student/teacher ratio: 9:1 Religious affiliation: None Grade foreign language first offered: 1 Languages offered: Spanish, German Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $21,500 for full-day Kindergarten Annual tuition for grade 12: $26,900 Students receiving financial aid: 35% Uniform: No Bus transportation: No Number of AP courses offered: 1 (Calculus) Varsity sports: Soccer, Cross Country, Basketball, Baseball/Softball Interscholastic sports (middle): Soccer, Cross Country, Basketball, Baseball/Softball Number of art studios: 3 Theater productions per year: Class plays grades 1-8, drama club, Folger Theater HS Competition, Sr. Play Music ensembles: Middle School and High School Orchestras, Chorus, Flute Ensemble; High School Jazz Band, Guitar Ensemble, Drum Ensemble
Accreditations/Affiliations: Association of Independent Maryland Schools & Association of Waldorf Schools of North America Founded: 1969
Westmoreland Children’s Center 5148 Massachusetts Ave. Bethesda, MD 20816 301-229-7161 www.wccbethesda.com Grades: PK- 5 Gender: Co-ed Total number of students: 235 Average class size: 15 Student/teacher ratio: 13:5 Religious affiliation: None Lowest tuition for 5-day students: $14,250 for full day Students receiving financial aid: 10 Uniforms: No Bus Transportation: No Teach retention rate: 97% Accreditations/Affiliations: NAEYC Accredited Founded: 1970
School connelly school of the holy child • • • Profile 9029 Bradley Blvd. Potomac, MD 20854 301-365-0955 www.holychild.org
Enrollment
300
Grades
6-12
Average Class Size
15
Annual Tuition (Grade 12)
$29,966
Year Founded
1961
Connelly School of the Holy Child is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory middle and upper school for young women in grades 6 through 12, in Potomac, Maryland. Founded in 1961 by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, the school is a member of the Holy Child network of schools in the United States and a part of the larger community of Holy Child schools that includes Europe and Africa. Our foundation is the educational philosophy of Cornelia Connelly (1809-1879), whose ideas even today are advanced in personalized, compassionate education. Holy Child provides Advanced Placement and honors courses on site. Additional specialized course offerings are available through our membership in the Online School for Girls, as well as through other online educational institutions. Campus ministry, robust community service programs, international travel, newly renovated fine arts and athletics center, artificial turf field, publications, newly revised STEAM (STEM, plus Arts) offerings, as well as a Spanish heritage program for native Spanish speakers, enrich the curriculum. With an active, engaged alumnae network, comprised of successful professionals in many fields, a young woman joining the Holy Child community begins a life-long journey of joyous and enriched experiences.
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www.ThePrimaryDaySchool.org
OPEN HOUSE
NOVEMBER 1 REGISTER NOW
301.365.0955 www.holychild.org 9029 Bradley Blvd. Potomac, MD 20854
. iversity
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s rk the em wo f our Cla where Many o hips. All of thteam to find on. scholars advisement put into acti college nce could be See more outcomes. experie
www.holychild.org
PREPARING SELF-RELIANT STUDENTS to think critically, lead and suceed in a changing world.
JOIN US AT AN OPEN HOUSE!
LOWER SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL October 7 • 9:30am December 13 • 2pm
October 21 • 9:30am December 13 • 3pm
October 22 • 7pm December 10 • 9:30am
PK-12 FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOP November 17 • 7pm (High School Campus)
GEORGETOWN DAY SCHOOL www.gds.org/admissions BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 151
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School bullis school Guide Profile • • Private School
•
10601 Falls Road Potomac, MD 20854 301-299-8500 www.bullis.org At Bullis, we believe that
Enrollment
810
Grades
2-12
Average Class Size
15
Student/Teacher Ratio
7:1
Annual Tuition (Grade 12)
$38,180
Year Founded
1930
the best education is achieved through a balance of academics, arts and athletics. Here, students learn and grow, discover their passions, achieve their highest potential and develop the best tools to succeed in college and beyond. At the same time, they are happier and more confident through communitybuilding, service, teacher relationships and our healthy Bullis balance. Combining superior academics, arts and athletics with signature programs—in STEM, Entrepreneurship, Visual and Performing Arts and Humanities and Global Studies—Bullis leads the way in 21st century educational approaches. Our students are equipped to make the most of today and tomorrow’s global opportunities and challenges. Located on a 100-acre campus in Potomac, Maryland, Bullis offers top-rate facilities, a one-to-one laptop/iPad program, a highly diverse student body and a unique combination of traditional with progressive for all of our students in grades 2-12. You are welcome to visit during open houses, campus tours or through individual appointments. Visit our website or contact our Admission Office at 301-983-5724 to learn more.
School Valley Forge Military Academy • • • Profile 1001 Eagle Road Wayne, PA 19087 610-989-1200 www.vfmac.edu
Enrollment
300
Grades
7-12
Student/Teacher Ratio
12:1
Annual Tuition (Grade 12)
$28,975; boarding: $43,675 Year Founded
1928
Consider Valley Forge Military Academy (VMFA), an independent, private, college preparatory school. With our small class sizes and dedicated faculty and staff, your son will come to realize his academic and leadership potential. Valley Forge Military Academy is an international leadership institute for boys in grades 7-12. Students are immersed in a unique educational experience centered on academic excellence, personal motivation and character that helps them reach their academic potential. From its cadet leadership ranks to the rifle club to its award winning equestrian program, VFMA teaches students leadership and responsibility in practical ways. Established in 1928, VFMA has a long tradition of instilling values and building self-confidence to prepare tomorrow’s leaders. VFMA offers college preparatory academics, credentialed faculty, competitive PIAA athletics and individual attention, providing cadets with an environment focused on their academic success. Valley Forge Military Academy empowers cadets to thrive in an environment that demands standards of conduct, ethical behavior, integrity, community service and competition, while also teaching time management, critical thinking and other essential skills. Within a safe, supportive and caring environment, cadets are encouraged to set goals and strive for excellence, while developing leadership skills and responsibility.
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Bullis encourages us to continue to experience all that the world has to offer.
I am living the big and small moments of my life with courage and compassion.
~STARR, 9TH GRADE
I am a Lady of the Academy.
What else does Starr like about Bullis?
www.bullis.org/Starr Grades 2–12
Open House: Oct. 18, 1:00 pm
OR AN JOIN US F
USE OPEN HO
m. - 1:00 p.m.
ber 8 • 10:00 a.
Sunday, Novem
301-299-8500 Potomac, MD
w w w .A cAd e my O f T h e h O ly c r O s s . O r g All-Girls, Grades 9-12 • 4920 Strathmore Ave, Kensington MD • 301.942.2100
WE CAN HELP YOUR SON
AHC Bethesda Magazine July 15.indd 1
SUCCEED
LEARN
GROW
VA L L EY F O RG E M I L I TA RY AC AD EMY College Preparatory Curriculum Middle School Grades 6 - 8 High School Grades 9 - 12
LEAD
Schedule a Tour or Join Us for Our Next Open House 610-989-1300
Located 12 Miles from Philadelphia 1001 Eagle Road • Wayne, PA 19087
6/3/15 4:17 PM
Celebrating 50 Years Contact Susan Arzt, Director of Admission & Financial Aid to schedule a visit today. 301-654-2626 sarzt@concordhill.org
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Special advertising Section
School The Heights Guide Profile • Private School
•
•
10400 Seven Locks Road Potomac, MD 20854 301-765-2093 www.heights.edu
Enrollment
540
Grades
3-12
Average Class Size
17
Annual Tuition (Grade 12)
$24,775
Year Founded
1969
The Heights School assists parents in their role as primary educators with the intellectual, moral, physical and spiritual formation of their sons. The Heights experience begins in log-cabin classrooms where wonder is sparked in our students’ minds by exploration and play in the beautifully wooded valley in which the Lower School resides. Our curriculum—developed by educators with long experience educating boys—provides the knowledge base and habits of mind that young men need to effectively pursue a life of learning and exploration. This curriculum continues in the Middle School, which fosters study skills and personal responsibility while continuing the academic rigor initiated in the Lower School. Finally, through a wide variety of educational methods, some traditional, some innovative, all highly interactive and stimulating, the Heights Upper School provides students the opportunity to develop both the intellectual tools required for success in higher education, and the breadth of mind that marks an educated man. Students at The Heights understand modern challenges and opportunities, along with the traditional disciplines necessary to capitalize upon them. The rich sacramental life of The Heights— along with the religious curriculum it offers to Catholic and other interested students—nurtures a faith that is freely embraced and deeply cherished. Athletic, travel and adventure opportunities abound, developing camaraderie and toughness in the student body. Most importantly, Heights students receive mentoring from personal advisors and teachers who work with parents to foster their sons’ growth into “men fully alive.”
School green acres school • • Profile
•
11701 Danville Dr. N. Bethesda, MD 20852 301-881-4100 www.greenacres.org
Enrollment
275
Grades
age 3-Grade 8 Average Class Size
12
Student/Teacher Ratio
6:1
Annual Tuition (Grade 8)
$33,940
Year Founded
1934
Voted “Best K-8 School” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2014, Green Acres School challenges and inspires students to live and learn with intellect, curiosity, determination, joy and compassion. We provide our students with powerful learning experiences that challenge them to reach their potential. For over 80 years, Green Acres School has embraced the principles of progressive education. Experts in education and child development, our teachers skillfully blend tradition, innovation and flexibility to help students develop into knowledgeable critical thinkers, joyful risk-takers, determined makers, creative problem-solvers and intrinsically-motivated learners. Our students develop a strong sense of who they are, both as learners and as members of society. Alumni are thoroughly prepared for success in high school, college and beyond as passionate, creative and intelligent adults. Located on 15 wooded acres in North Bethesda, learning at Green Acres extends into the woods, streams, playgrounds and athletic fields. The school was named a Maryland Green School in 2015. To register for an open house, go to www.greenacres.com/visit.
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www.cesrockville.org (301) 424-6550 22 W. Jefferson St., Rockville, MD
Men fully alive
Admissions Open House
Sunday, October 25, 2015 from 2:00-5:30 pm
The Heights School The Heights is an independent Catholic preparatory school for boys in grades 3-12 located in Potomac, MD 301.765.2093
10400 Seven Locks Road, Potomac, MD 20854 www.heights.edu
Discover Rockville’s educational gem since 1966.
Preschool 2’s – Grade 8 Offering LIFT: A 21st century education with emphasis on language arts, mathematics and preparation for STEM-related fields of study. Nurturing kind, confident, well-rounded students Small class size Outstanding visual and performing arts programs Located seconds from I-270
• • • •
Open House Dates:
Saturday, Nov. 7 Friday, Nov. 20 Friday, Jan., 22 Friday, Mar., 11
9:00-11:00 9:00-11:00 9:00-11:00 9:00-11:00
Inspiring minds to learn, hearts to love and hands to serve
We are
makers and risk-takers. A Green Acres school
educAtion
challenges A n d inspires s t u d e n t s
to l i v e A n d l e A r n w i t h i n t e l l e c t , c u r i o s i t y , d e t e r m i nA t i o n , j oy , A n d c o m pA s s i o n .
Family Open House Sunday, October 25, 1:30-3:30 PM
To RSVP, contact the Office of Admission
The Key to Educational Excellence since 1868
Pre-K to 8th grade Rigorous Academic Program Religion • Spanish • Latin Accelerated Reader Music • Art • PE Health & Wellness Aftercare Enrichment Programs All Denominations Welcome Open House Dates: November 4, 2015 6:00–7:30 p.m. November 6, 2015 9:00–10:30 a.m. December 4, 2015 9:00–10:30 a.m.
admission@greenacres.org | 301.881.4100 | www.greenacres.org
Age 3-Grade 8
St. Peter School, Capitol Hill 422 Third Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 202-544-1618 • stpeterschooldc.org BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 155
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Special advertising Section
School Barrie school Guide Profile • Private School
•
•
13500 Layhill Road Silver Spring, MD 20906 301-576-2800 www.barrie.org
Enrollment
332
Grades
18 months-Grade 12 Average Class Size
16
Annual Tuition (Grade 12)
$29,650
Year Founded
1932
Barrie, a community of learners from age 18 months through Grade 12, empowers individual students to expand their intellectual abilities, develop their creative talents and discover their passions to make a positive impact in a rapidly changing world. Through Barrie Montessori (age 18 months through Grade 5) and Barrie Prep (Grades 6-12), we emphasize academic and personal excellence. We nurture students who are intellectually curious, socially engaged, and prepared to take on the challenges of college and life. Rooted in the Montessori principle of “follow the child,” Barrie students are known and valued as individuals. From our youngest toddlers to our seniors preparing for college, Barrie provides a developmentally appropriate balance of autonomy, responsibility and personal attention. Opportunities for voice, advocacy and leadership increase as students mature. Located on 45 acres in Silver Spring (just minutes from the Beltway, ICC and Glenmont Metro station), our campus combines a natural setting of woods, trails, streams, stables and ponds with thoughtfully designed, award-winning learning environments, performance spaces and athletics facilities (including a new, state-of-the art turf playing field). We invite you to visit us on the web at barrie.org, or to simply stop by campus to learn more about what Barrie has to offer.
School the nora school • • Profile
•
955 Sligo Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-495-6672 www.nora-school.org Think differently. At The
Enrollment
65
Grades
9-12
Average Class Size
8
Student/Teacher Ratio
5:1
Lowest Tuition for 5-Day Students
$27,400
Year Founded
1964
Nora School, these are words we take to heart. This intentionally small, college preparatory learning community works to bring out the best in high school students with diverse learning styles. Many students turn to us because they’ve become frustrated in large, impersonal institutions, while others seek a richer, more engaging education without the emphasis on standardized testing. In our discussion-based classrooms, students find their voice in an intellectually rigorous, accepting and nurturing environment. With a thought-provoking curriculum, and inclusive sports and arts programs, The Nora School helps students find their unique path in life. We encourage responsibility and build confidence and excitement about learning. We inspire a critical world view. At Nora, we prepare students for college, work and life. We invite you to discover the essence of our school. RSVP for an Open House or call to arrange a visit. Come see how our students thrive. Celebrating the same mission for over 50 years. Think Differently.
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IA SPIRITED AM STUDENT. A TRUSTED FRIEND. A GLOBAL CITIZEN.
All-School Open House Saturday, October 17 • 11am On the Barrie campus
13500 Layhill Road, Silver Spring, MD 20906
Please visit barrie.org/OpenHouse to pre-register. For more information, contact our Admission team at 301.576.2800 or admission@barrie.org Serving students age 18-months through Grade 12
Empowering leaders to serve with faith, intellect, and confidence.
OPEN HOUSES
UPPER SCHOOL · October 18, 12:00 pm ALL-SCHOOL · November 11, December 9, and January 7, 8:45 am
www.stoneridgeschool.org Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for girls, Grades 1-12, with a co-educational Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten, and Kindergarten, located in Bethesda, Maryland. Northern Virginia bus transportion available.
WCC 1/4 Ad_Color_Layout 1 10/3/12 1:03 PM Page 1
ng the community since 1970 Ser vi
“I can finally breathe!” -Julia, 10th grade
The Nora School Grades 9-12 Silver Spring MD
www.nora-school.org
• 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:
www.wccbethesda.com
Approved & licensed by Division of Early Childhood Development/ Office of Child Care of the Maryland State Department of Education
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Special advertising Section
School lowell school Guide Profile • Private School
•
•
1640 Kalmia Road, NW Washington, DC 20012 202-577-2000 www.lowellschool.org At Lowell, dedicated teachers
Enrollment
350
Grades
PK-8
Average Class Size
16
Student/Teacher Ratio
6:1
Year Founded
1965
nurture curiosity and help children develop fundamental skills and deep, conceptual understandings that will last a lifetime. In the Pre-Primary School, opportunities abound for exploration, discovery and learning. Teachers pay close attention to each child’s social, emotional and academic development. In the Primary and Middle Schools, a rigorous, integrated curriculum—which includes the full complement of academic classes, as well as arts, technology and physical education—engages students in active, experiential learning. A strong social curriculum develops interpersonal skills, multicultural understanding and community engagement. A full array of after-school activities—including sports, swimming lessons, music lessons and minicourses—are also available for all enrolled students. Lowell’s dynamic and welcoming community is committed to ensuring that the principles of diversity and inclusivity permeate all aspects of the school from administrative decisions and event planning to curriculum and student life. Lowell is centrally located on eight, tree-filled acres adjacent to Rock Creek Park in Northwest Washington, D.C.
School the siena school • • Profile
•
1300 Forest Glen Road Silver Spring, MD 301-244-3600 www.thesienaschool.org
Enrollment
110
Grades
4-12
Average Class Size
10
Student/Teacher Ratio
10:1
Lowest Tuition for 5-day students
$34,973
Year Founded
2006
Siena is known for providing individualized reading/language remediation through daily reading classes offering explicit, systematic instruction in the five essential skills identified by the National Reading Panel: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Our focus is bright, creative, college-bound students in grades 4-12, with mild to moderate language-based learning differences. At Siena, a critical component of our engaging and successful learning environment is the value we place on an interdisciplinary curriculum, packed with experiential learning and integrated arts. Siena’s arts program includes substantial experiences in the fine and performing arts. Courses in history and literature are connected thematically and topically, and other subjects draw on the themes and topics covered in the humanities. Through highly individualized, research-based, multisensory instruction and curriculum-related field trips, our students develop critical thinking skills and acquire the tools and strategies needed to become successful and independent learners, prepared for college. The Siena School is conveniently located on Forest Glen Road in Silver Spring, off the Beltway, just past Holy Cross Hospital and near the Forest Glen Metro station.
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Open House Sunday, October 18 1:00 – 4:00 pm
PK-12 college prep school with optional boarding program Tours and additional visit dates available at www.ssfs.org.
An inclusive community of life-long learners in which each individual is valued and respected
Join us for a tour! Come, learn more about our programs for children ages 21/2 through 8th grade. Tours begin in October. 1640 Kalmia Road NW Washington, DC 20012 202-577-2000 | lowellschool.org New this fall: Bethesda/Friendship Heights bus service sienna_Bethesdamag3.375 x 4.625_Layout 1 7/15/13 9:31 AM Page 1
16923 Norwood Road • Sandy Spring, MD 20860 301.774.7455 • www.ssfs.org • admissions@ssfs.org
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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Special advertising Section
School norwood school Guide Profile • • Private School
•
8821 River Road Bethesda, MD 20817 301-365-2595 www.norwoodschool.org Norwood uses the proven
Enrollment
440
Grades
K-8
Average Class Size
10-12
Student/Teacher Ratio
6:1
Annual Tuition (Grade 8)
$33,630
Year Founded
1952
power of a K-8 education in a diverse, inclusive and connected community to inspire joy in learning and engage the whole child in a challenging and dynamic academic program. At the core are more than 60 years of proven excellence in educating and preparing children for the future. Our students are guided to develop important 21st century skills: to think critically, creatively, collaboratively and compassionately with a global perspective. We believe that world languages, art, music, PE and athletics should never be considered extracurricular subjects. Each is a vibrant program that is as much a part of the Norwood experience as other subjects. Teachers are highly skilled at blending the very best of traditional and innovative teaching methods to inspire analytical and critical thinking, strong oral and written communication, independent thinking and leadership in teamwork. Lower school teachers understand the careful balance of nurture and challenge; middle school teachers provide the freedom and structure adolescents need to flourish. Our goal is for every child to leave at the end of the day, excited to return the next morning.
School GEORGETOWN VISITATION Profile PREPARATORY• SCHOOL •
1524 Thirty-fifth St., NW Washington, D.C. 20007 202-337-3350
Enrollment
490
Grades
9-12
Average Class Size
12-15
Student/Teacher Ratio
9:1
Annual Tuition
$27,400
Year Founded
1799
• www.visi.org
Georgetown Visitation provides an outstanding, Catholic-based education to young women in grades 9-12. On our beautiful, 23-acre campus in historic Georgetown, our students become confident leaders who truly learn to—in the words of our religious founder, St. Francis de Sales—“Be who they are and be that well.” They graduate with a well-rounded academic foundation, faith and values that will forever guide them, a strong sense of purpose and desire to serve, and friendships that last a lifetime. We boast a student-teacher ratio of 9:1 and classrooms that are lively and highly participatory. Electives range from neuroscience to creative writing, and those seeking additional challenge can choose from many Honors and AP courses—or even participate in our Bridge Program with Georgetown University. We empower our students to reach their full potential, whether they’re conducting a science experiment, competing with one of our champion sports teams, singing with our award-winning performing arts groups or heading a school club. Beloved traditions, retreats, and domestic and international service trips are just some of the additional opportunities.
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scottiepride This is how I tell my story. #expressyourself
Excellence in K-8 Education Learn more about our child-centered program at www.norwoodschool.org
Grades K-8 Open House 1:00-3:00 pm
What are you passionate about? Develop your talent and discover new interests at SMS. To find out more, follow us on Instagram @scottiepride. And while you’re at it, schedule a visit at (804) 443-3357 or viewbook.sms.org.
*Tour Our Campus *Experience Our Program *Meet Our Community Girls’ Boarding and Day grades 8 –12 Tappahannock, VA (804) 443-3357 www.sms.org
8821 River Road Bethesda, MD 20817 Bus transportation available How you lead your life matters.
Weekly Tours: Tuesday & Thursday at 9:00am 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
OPEN HOUSE
Readers’ Pick, Runner-Up,
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1–4 PM Come learn more about us—a Catholic high school and pioneer in women’s education that empowers students to achieve, lead, and become their best selves.
A 2013 A 2012 A 2011 Top Vote Getter Top Vote Getter Top Vote Getter
Best School for Non-Traditional Learners
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
1524 Thirty-fifth Street NW • Washington, DC 20007 • 202.337.3350 • www.visi.org
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Special advertising Section
School holton-arms school Guide Profile • • • Private School
7303 River Road Bethesda, MD 20817 301-365-5300 www.holton-arms.edu The Center for the Advancement of STEM at
Enrollment
645
Grades
3-12
Average Class Size
15
Student/Teacher Ratio
6:1
Annual Tuition (Grade 12)
$38,700
Year Founded
1901
Holton-Arms continues our rich history of inspiring girls to find a way or make one. The center features an integrated grade 3-12 program that capitalizes on Holton’s faculty, facilities and strategic partnerships to educate girls to be fluent, not just literate, in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Teachers encourage students to apply a growth mindset to explore and discover, tinker and innovate, and collaborate and problem-solve. All students learn through the center’s innovative curriculum; however, some go even further and achieve the designation of Holton-Arms STEM Scholar. These students engage in a variety of applied science and math opportunities, achieve at a high level in related academics, and complete science research at Georgetown University, George Washington University, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences or the University of Maryland. The Center for the Advancement of STEM and the STEM Scholar designation further establish HoltonArms as one of the preeminent institutions for preparing young women to pursue STEM education and careers in this complex and changing world.
School The Auburn School, Campus Profile Silver Spring • •
•
9545 Georgia Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-588-8048 www.theauburnschool.org
Enrollment
50
Grades
K-8
Average Class Size
10
Student/Teacher Ratio
8:2
Year Founded
2011
The Auburn School serves intellectually curious students with challenges in socialization, communication, pragmatic language and organization, including, but not limited to, Asperger’s Syndrome/ASD. Currently serving grades K-8. Auburn is unique in that it offers both high-level academics and strong social skill programs. Effective, research-based strategies for social growth are integrated throughout the curriculum and school day. Areas of emphasis include understanding others, peer relations, responsibility, self-awareness, self-advocacy and problem resolution. Academically, we offer a challenging program designed to build on our students’ unique talents and interests, and we are prepared to support accelerated studies. Auburn integrates art, music, social learning, occupational therapy, study skills and organizational techniques into the core academic subjects. Auburn has campuses in Silver Spring, Baltimore and Chantilly, VA. We are committed to working with any family who can benefit from our program to ensure adequate financial support is provided. The Auburn School’s Camp Aristotle summer camp provides a fun, stress free environment for students with social and communication challenges. Exciting activities, based on weekly themes, are carefully designed to foster friendships, self-awareness, exploration and social success. Camp Aristotle has campuses in Silver Spring, Baltimore and Chantilly, VA.
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Who is a Holton girl? a Holton girl is someone Is who: Loves to learn eager to explore Might be an artist, athlete, scholar, or all three Works hard, yet knows how to have fun Hears •
•
•
•
our motto, “I will find a way or make one,” and thinks,
Unique Your child. Our school.
yes, that’s me!
Sound like anybody you know?
ADMISSIONS OPEN HOUSE Sunday, November 8, 2015 2 to 4:30 p.m.
Holton-Arms is an independent day school in Bethesda, Md., for girls in grades 3 through 12. www.holton-arms.edu
“For the first time in his life, our son loves school! He can’t wait to get there every morning and doesn’t want to leave at the end of the day. He has finally found a place where he fits in and is accepted for who he is.” - Auburn Parent
Celebrate HAPPINESS// CHALLENGE// Unique Minds Encourage CURIOSITY//
Preschool through Second Grade www.theharborschool.org
Students at The Maddux School: PLaY • DIsCoVeR • CReAtE • ExPloRE • CoNNeCT • PArTicIpaTE • CoMMuNicaTE
Come visit us and see for yourself what Auburn has to offer!
The Auburn School
A transdisciplinary approach to learning for social success!
Now Enrolling with campuses in Silver Spring, Northern VA and Baltimore ▪ admissions@theauburnschool.org ▪ ▪ www.theauburnschool.org ▪
• LEARN
Preschool to second grade classes offering an innovative transdisciplinary curriculum targeting social skills, self-esteem and academic success. 11614 Seven Locks Road • Rockville, MD 301-469-0223 • www.madduxschool.org
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hidden a Most people wouldn’t associate Montgomery County with human trafficking. But experts say it’s happening here—in massage parlors, nice hotels, even a town house in Rockville.
By LOUIS PECK photos by mike olliver
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illustration by amanda smallwood
n among us
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W When Lucy Mwaka was
17 years old, she took a job as a nanny for a government official in her native Kenya. Mwaka had just had a baby, and wanted to help support her. Mwaka says she was paid and treated well. Eventually, her employer was posted to the Kenyan Embassy in Washington, D.C., and she convinced Mwaka to accompany her, promising, Mwaka says, to further her education and give her access to the medical care she needed after a bad car accident. But barely a week after arriving in this country in June 2010 and moving into a rented home in Rockville with her employer and the employer’s son, Mwaka says she found herself the victim of a bait and switch. “Everything changed,” she says. According to Mwaka, now 24, her employer—Waithira Njuguna, then a newly named second secretary at the
says her agreed-upon salary of more than $350 per week shrank to $250 per month with no days off. Promised educational and medical benefits never materialized, and—except when dispatched to work in the home of another embassy employee— Mwaka says she was forbidden by Njuguna to leave the house or communicate with family members or friends. When Mwaka tried to talk to her employer about these dramatic changes, she says she was met with veiled threats. “I knew she can easily find my child,” she says, referring to Njuguna and the baby she left behind with her parents in Kenya. “So I don’t call nobody. I want to, but I can’t.” In March of 2014, Mwaka finally summoned the courage to call the 24-hour hotline operated by the Washingtonbased National Human Trafficking Resource Center, which arranged what is referred to among advocates for trafficking victims as an “extraction.” Several
“I have given speeches on this, and people sat there with their mouths open,” says Bobbe Mintz, chair of the Montgomery County Human Trafficking Task Force. Kenyan Embassy—became abusive, forcing Mwaka to work 16- to 18-hour days during the week and even longer on weekends as Njuguna hosted a nonstop round of parties. In addition, Mwaka says she was frequently loaned out by Njuguna to clean and cook for other embassy employees. Despite a written agreement, Mwaka
days later, Mwaka was out of Njuguna’s Rockville home, ending what she says was her nearly four-year ordeal. Advocates say that Mwaka was the apparent victim of what is known as labor trafficking or domestic servitude, a form of human trafficking that they say is not uncommon in Montgomery
County and other close-in Washington suburbs where diplomats and other foreign officials often bring workers from their home countries. “In terms of what we’re seeing in Montgomery County, domestic servitude is a big issue,” says Lara Powers, a program specialist with the Polaris Project, the organization that operates the national hotline that Mwaka called. “The vast majority of victims of domestic servitude are foreign nationals.” An ongoing analysis by the Washington-based Human Trafficking Pro Bono Legal Center of civil suits filed nationwide against alleged labor traffickers supports the notion that the crime is a significant problem here: While the overall number of such suits filed over the past decade is relatively small, nearly 4 percent of them mentioned individuals or locations in Montgomery County. During the final year of her selfdescribed ordeal, Mwaka lived in an upscale townhome in Rockville, just blocks from Richard Montgomery High School and less than three-quarters of a mile from the Montgomery County courthouse—underscoring the fact that trafficking is a crime that often occurs in our midst. “What is going on in the community…is not well understood,” says Bobbe Mintz, who chairs the Human Trafficking Task Force created last year by Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett. “I have given speeches on this, and people sat there with their mouths open.”
Due to a lack of reliable statistics, it’s hard to say how much human trafficking is taking place in Montgomery County. The FBI only began collecting data on human trafficking in January 2013, a spokesman said. The first release of FBI data, in April 2015, included information from a limited number of police agencies in 13 states. Although data from Maryland was included,
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Montgomery County was not. The Polaris Project, which uses its toll-free hotline and other resources to compile one of the few current databases on the extent of human trafficking nationwide, says there were 16 cases of human trafficking in Montgomery County in 2014, divided almost evenly between labor and sex trafficking. The organization’s state-by-state breakdown of trafficking cases found that there were a total of 135 in Maryland last year, putting the state in 10th place nationally, with about three times as many sex trafficking as labor trafficking cases for the state as a whole. The Montgomery County Police Department’s Vice and Intelligence Unit, which focuses almost exclusively on sex trafficking cases, reports 16 arrests in 2012, 11 in 2013 and 5 in 2014. According to Maryland’s Administrative Office for the Courts, approximately 250 trafficking cases were adjudicated statewide from June 2013 to June 2014. Officials who deal with human trafficking suggest that such figures understate its pervasiveness both nationally and locally. “The numbers seem low, and I think what in reality is happening is we’re seeing human trafficking kind of emerge like domestic violence did 30 years ago,” says Amanda Rodriguez, who until recently oversaw human trafficking policy at the state’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention. “The more people are becoming aware, the more these numbers are going to go up, because it is absolutely happening next door and in the community.” In large measure, what links labor and sex trafficking is federal law defining both as involving the use of “force, fraud and coercion” upon the victims. The two occasionally merge, according to victims’ advocates, in instances such as massage parlors where women are forced to work without wages and generate income through prostitution.
“In Montgomery County, we have the perfect storm: money, access and a low crime rate,” says Sgt. Kenneth Penrod, who heads the county police department’s vice and intelligence unit.
But labor trafficking more often than not involves servitude without a sexual element. And if labor trafficking in Montgomery County is primarily driven by foreigners, local sex trafficking appears to be largely American-made. “You say human trafficking, and people think…international cabal, organized crime, kids coming from Southeast Asia in cages. That’s not what it is,” says Montgomery County Assistant State’s Attorney Patrick Mays, who has prosecuted numerous sex trafficking cases in recent years. “Most of it is homegrown guys who are exploiting vulnerable women and children in their own communities, or traveling them around, up and down the East Coast.”
Increasingly, sex trafficking in Montgomery County is taking place in well-appointed hotels that do not fit into the red-light district stereotype of eras past. In August, Armand Theinkue Donfack, a Germantown soccer coach, was charged with prostitution and human trafficking after an undercover sting at a hotel off I-270.
In 2013, Mays was the lead prosecutor when the state’s attorney’s office won a sex trafficking conviction against Nahshon Kornegay, a Prince George’s County resident who was operating a prostitution ring out of the Hilton hotel on Rockville Pike in Twinbrook. In that case, Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy charged that the defendant—who was sentenced to 10½ years in prison—controlled the women by giving them drugs. Another high-profile sex trafficking trial, prosecuted in the same year by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland after a joint investigation with county police officials, resulted in a 36-year sentence for Jeremy Naughton, a New York-based rapper using the street name of “Jerms Black.” Naughton was said to have coerced a prostitute at gunpoint who was operating out of the Crowne Plaza hotel (now Sheraton) in downtown Silver Spring to work for him. In recent years, women have been brought in from China through New York City by organized criminal enter-
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prises and then dispatched across the nation to so-called “body works” businesses that are designed to skirt the regulations placed on massage parlors in jurisdictions such as Montgomery County. County police moved in 2012 and 2013 to shut down a number of these storefront enterprises—concentrated in Rockville and Gaithersburg—and arrest the owners on prostitution and human trafficking charges. But for the most part, the bulk of the sex trafficking in the county is taking place on Silver Spring’s Georgia Avenue corridor, and along Interstate 270— much of it in the kind of hotels that a person would use to house extended family during the holidays, says Sgt. Kenneth Penrod, who heads the county police department’s vice and intelligence unit.
digital era. Internet sites such as backpage.com and eros.com, where people can solicit sex, have given the industry a new mobility. According to Penrod’s unit, during just one evening in May 2014 there were almost 150 ads for prostitution on backpage.com for the Washington area, with eros.com featuring nearly 175 such ads. Craigslist shut down its “adult services” section five years ago, but law enforcement officials worry that pressure on backpage.com and eros.com to do the same would simply send a greater volume of ads to offshore sites, making it more difficult to pursue prostitution and human trafficking. “When I was in college, when you rode up 14th Street [in downtown Washington, prostitutes] were on every cor-
Most of the sex trafficking in the county is taking place on Silver Spring’s Georgia Avenue corridor, and along Interstate 270—much of it in the kind of hotels that a person would use to house extended family during the holidays. Ready access to I-95 and multiple airports plays a major role, he adds, in addition to the disposable income here that allows sex traffickers to charge significantly higher rates than in other areas. “In Montgomery County, we have the perfect storm: money, access and a low crime rate,” Penrod says. “If you run one of these things in downtown D.C., the chances of your being a victim of a crime goes up.” Out-of-state traffickers fly in women from as far away as California, Penrod says, “and in minutes, once you’re off the plane and in your hotel room, it’s bing, bing, bing and you’re open for operation.” If this appears at first blush to be little more than old-fashioned prostitution, experts say that modern-day sex trafficking has been dramatically altered in the
ner, and maybe multiple girls on every corner,” McCarthy says. “Now, you don’t have to stand on the corner, and what happened on 14th Street is the same thing that is happening at some of our local hotels.” McCarthy says that in some ways, the Internet has made prostitution harder for police to detect because it isn’t occurring in the open as much. But in other ways, the Internet has helped law enforcement. “The way the meetings are set up leaves a telltale trail,” he says. Maryland’s so-called pandering law was modified in the past decade to make it easier to prosecute prostitution as sex trafficking. And there has been an accompanying transformation in perspectives about what once was widely seen as a victimless crime—prosecutors and victims’
advocates often cite the risk prostitutes face of being raped or robbed by their customers or contracting serious diseases. “This is not a victimless crime,” McCarthy says. “If you look at the young women being trafficked, large percentages were victims of sex abuse before they got into the trade. In some instances, that led to them being runaways, which led them to being kidnapped or coerced either by drugs or by force into becoming prostitutes themselves.” The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) says the average age of child sex trafficking victims who are reported missing to them is between 15 and 16 years. “NCMEC is seeing evidence that traffickers are targeting teens,” said Ashley Iodice, a spokeswoman for the organization. But while there have been scattered cases of sex trafficking and prostitution involving minors in the county— in 2013, McCarthy’s office successfully prosecuted a case in which the mother of a 14-year-old made the minor available for sex to pay off a debt—Penrod says he occasionally finds himself at odds with advocacy groups that urge him to make the trafficking of juveniles his top enforcement priority. “We might find one juvenile [case] a year, if we’re lucky,” he says. Penrod, whose eight-person vice and intelligence unit includes three people who focus on sex trafficking, says he often tells advocacy groups: “I can’t have a unit if [juvenile sex trafficking] is what we’re going to deal with, because it’s almost nonexistent in the county.” Why so few local juvenile cases? Law enforcement officials suggest that the stiff penalties tied to trafficking minors have been a deterrent. Mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines in federal cases range from 10 to 15 years in prison for sex trafficking involving minors, a crime that was made a felony under state law in 2007. Several victims’ advocates acknowledge that Penrod has a point, and that
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a public focus on the issue of juvenile sex trafficking has drawn attention and resources away from adult victims. “Forced labor is the invisible and hidden stepchild of the entire anti-trafficking movement,” says Martina Vandenberg, who founded the Human Trafficking Pro Bono Legal Center nearly three years ago after leaving her job with the Washington law firm of Jenner & Block. “There is no dissent that trafficking of children into the sex industry is horrific, similarly with adult women,” she adds. “But we also need to use some resources to prosecute forced labor, which is also horrific.”
When Lucy Mwaka finally called the hotline for help, she did so with encouragement from several outsiders who had witnessed firsthand the constant verbal badgering from her employer, amid long workdays and little sleep. To make sure that she didn’t leave the house, Mwaka says Njuguna called home repeatedly during the day. “If you don’t pick up the phone, she would know you’re not there,” Mwaka says. She says Njuguna expected her to be on call 24 hours a day. “If it’s 4 in the morning and she wants water, she would call you to come get her some water,” Mwaka says. “That’s why you have to stay awake.” After more than three years, following a move from a house on the outskirts of Rockville to a new residence near the downtown area, Mwaka decided she had to get out. “At one point, I just sat down and said, ‘I should not be going through this,’ ” Mwaka says. “But I [was] still scared—I wanted to do it in a way she would not know.” She found a surprising ally in her boss’ boyfriend at the time; Mwaka says he often fought with Njuguna about how she was treating Mwaka. “He was always telling me to call the police on her,” Mwaka says. In March 2014, Mwaka called the National Human Trafficking Resource Center’s 24-hour hotline, which is
“This is not a victimless crime,” Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy says of sex trafficking.
located in a downtown Washington office that has no name on the door and extra security in place to guard against possible retribution by traffickers. Mwaka’s cry for help triggered a call to CASA (formerly Casa de Maryland), one of several immigrant advocacy organizations in the Washington area that aid victims of human trafficking. Officials of such organizations say one of the biggest challenges regarding victims of both sex and labor trafficking is finding a place to house them while more permanent arrangements can be made. “We need to support our traditional shelters so that they can become more comfortable housing trafficking victims,” says Morgan Weibel, who heads the Baltimore office of the Tahirih Justice Center, which specializes in protecting immigrant women and girls fleeing violence. In Mwaka’s case, CASA staffer Antonia Pena was dispatched to meet with her while Njuguna was at work. They came up with a plan in which Mwaka would be ready to leave the house in three days,
on a Tuesday, again when Njuguna was working. The arrangements included a rented room where Mwaka could stay. But an unexpected complication arose when Njuguna discovered the calls to the hotline that were made on the house phone. Njuguna had the phone line disconnected, and presented Mwaka with a phone bill for $754—about three times her monthly salary. Mwaka says the phone bill triggered another argument between Njuguna and her boyfriend, which ended with Njuguna ordering him and Mwaka out of the house. “The boyfriend says [to Njuguna], ‘Where is she supposed to go?’ ” Mwaka recalls. “ ‘She doesn’t know anywhere past this door. You lock her in here like an animal.’ ” The boyfriend drove Mwaka to the home of another Kenyan Embassy staffer sympathetic to her plight, where Mwaka spent her first night of freedom before moving to the room arranged for her by CASA. Mwaka remembers the embassy
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worker’s reaction when she arrived at the doorstep: “I knew one day you would come to your senses.”
“Human traffickinG IS
not like being a victim of a burglary or robbery, where people call up the cops and say, ‘Come help me, I’ve been victimized,’ ” says Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Yasser, who serves as the coordinator for the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force. “You have to re-create a victim’s account where it may be impossible to corroborate what happened to them. We may believe the victim, but there is a difference between believing something occurred and being able to prove it in court.” Prosecutors face particularly steep
hotline to say that a woman in a nearby home was only coming out of the house to take out the garbage, “and she looks sad.” “We’ve had workers who call us who don’t even know where they are in the United States,” says Powers of the Polaris Project. “We have to have them find a piece of mail in the house to figure out where they are. That psychological coercion—the outside is so unknown—is very effective in keeping them in there.” Diplomats generally bring in domestic workers under what’s called an A-3 visa—as was the case with Mwaka—while foreigners working for the World Bank or other international institutions utilize what is known as a G-5 visa. “These two categories of visas represent some
During the final year of her self-described ordeal, Mwaka lived in an upscale town house in Rockville, less than three-quarters of a mile from the Montgomery County courthouse.
challenges in labor trafficking cases: While the increasingly Internet-based nature of prostitution has provided law enforcement with openings to go after sex traffickers, detection in labor trafficking cases often relies on a tip to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline from the victim or a suspicious neighbor. Vandenberg recalls one labor trafficking case in the Washington area that was uncovered when a neighbor called the
of the most vulnerable workers in the United States, because they’re bound to their employer,” Vandenberg says. “The moment they walk out the front door or run away, they’re out of status. That is a powerful tether to have on a worker who’s terrified of being ‘illegal’ in this country.” Even though Maryland has statutes that could be utilized, Montgomery County officials have mostly deferred to the U.S. attorney’s office and federal agencies to pursue labor trafficking cases. “In Mary-
land, we struggle because the extortion law we could use for labor trafficking is pretty underutilized in state courts,” Rodriguez says. “I think the issue is we don’t have a specific unit of the police department that is looking for these cases.” But that’s not the only reason the number of labor trafficking cases is so low: Available data indicate that federal prosecutors have pursued significantly more sex trafficking than labor trafficking cases in recent years. By its count, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland prosecuted 55 human trafficking cases from 2009 through 2014, and only two of those involved labor trafficking. Nationwide, a survey by the Human Trafficking Pro Bono Legal Center of more than 300 federal criminal indictments brought for trafficking during a four-year period—2009 through 2012—found that less than 10 percent involved forced labor. A number of labor trafficking victims have chosen to file civil suits, an option created by a change in federal law more than a decade ago. According to a database compiled by Vandenberg’s group, 147 civil trafficking suits were filed across the country between 2003 and earlier this year, with 138 of these involving labor trafficking and nine involving sex trafficking. Vandenberg describes this overall number as “tiny,” adding, “I think it reflects the fact that many trafficking victims don’t know they can bring these cases against the traffickers.” The difficulty of proving such cases, coupled with the need to find an attorney willing to take on a time-consuming effort on a pro bono basis, also has created a steep hurdle. However, unlike many civil suits filed in state courts, where plaintiffs often have just a couple of years to file legal action, the 2003 federal law authorizing civil suits by trafficking victims provides for a 10-year statute of limitations. What is significant, Vandenberg says, is that five of these 138 labor trafficking civil suits—or nearly 4 percent— were linked to Montgomery County. Four alleged labor trafficking violations
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at homes in the county; the fifth dealt with a domestic servitude case in nearby College Park in which a Montgomery County resident played a role. One of the five civil suits tied to Montgomery County involved a diplomatic official from Tanzania, just to the south of Mwaka’s home country of Kenya. The defendants—Alan Mzengi, then a minister at the Tanzanian Embassy, and his wife, Stella—lived in Bethesda, Gaithersburg and Silver Spring during a period from 2000 to 2004. The plaintiff in the suit, Zipora Mazengo, said she was given an employment contract by the Mzengis that was ignored. She charged that her passport was taken from her, and that, in addition to long hours of housecleaning and taking care of the Mzengis’ children for no payment, she was forced to work weekends in an African food catering business that the Mzengis ran on the side. The suit, initially filed by Vandenberg in 2007 when she was an attorney with Jenner & Block, represents something of a landmark case. Pursued by other attorneys from Jenner & Block after Vandenberg left the firm, Mazengo received a confidential settlement from the Tanzanian government in 2013, marking the first time a foreign government agreed to settle a human trafficking case in which a member of its diplomatic corps was involved, according to Vandenberg. A sixth Montgomery County labor trafficking suit is expected soon: Attorneys working for Mwaka are planning in the next month or so to file a civil action against Njuguna and, perhaps, the Kenyan government.
W h e n M w a k a w a s f irst approached about coming to the U.S., her father was concerned because he knew what can happen to women in similar situations. “The only reason he couldn’t say no was that I said, ‘I’m OK with it,’ ” Mwaka says. Once Mwaka said yes, Njuguna started the paperwork to bring her to the United States, including a passport that Mwaka
“We’ve had workers who call us who don’t even know where they are in the United States,” says Lara Powers of the Polaris Project. “We have to have them find a piece of mail in the house to figure out where they are. That psychological coercion—the outside is so unknown—is very effective in keeping them in there.” says was processed without her knowledge. She says Njuguna retained possession of the passport both in Kenya and in the U.S., except for brief periods going through customs on the way to this country. But while cleaning the house in Rockville, Mwaka found it—and took it with her when she left Njuguna’s residence early last year. On her one visit to the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi to obtain a visa, not long before her June 2010 departure to the United States, Mwaka was given a 10-page booklet outlining her rights, which she did not show to Njuguna. The booklet, whose distribution was required by a 2008 reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, includes the phone number of the Polaris Project’s National Human Trafficking Resource Center—which Mwaka used four years later in planning her escape. Vandenberg counts the booklet as a rare victory in the fight against labor trafficking: “That little booklet is responsible, I think, for the surge we’re seeing in reporting.” In May 2014, a CASA attorney acting on Mwaka’s behalf sent a demand letter to Njuguna and the Kenyan ambassador to the United States at the time, saying Mwaka was owed more than $265,000 in unpaid wages and overtime for her four years of work. The letter offered to settle the matter for $210,000. Neither Njuguna nor Kenyan officials have responded. The Kenyan Embassy also did not respond to several requests for comment from Bethesda Magazine.
The civil suit that is expected to be filed this fall would likely include those claims for back pay. Attorneys at the law firm of McDermott, Will & Emery, whose Washington office is representing Mwaka on a pro bono basis, declined to comment on the case. Njuguna left her post at the Kenyan Embassy last summer, and is currently believed to be residing in Kenya. Legal action was not at the top of Mwaka’s mind when she finally left Njuguna. “All I wanted was to get out of that house— for me to feel like I’m free,” she says. But an initial feeling of relief soon gave way to emotional turmoil. “I was seeing everything playing over and over—I’m hearing her coming and screaming,” Mwaka says, referring to Njuguna. “I couldn’t sleep.” She visited a counselor, and also saw a psychiatrist. Mwaka currently has a part-time job as a cashier in a Montgomery County restaurant, and is looking for other part-time work. She would like to be able to bring her daughter, now 7 and living with Mwaka’s parents in Kenya, to the United States. After several years of being largely unable to communicate with her parents, she now talks to them often. “They don’t really know what I went through,” she says. “I just kind of kept it to myself.” n Loui s Peck ( loui s .peck@bethe sd a magazine.com) has covered politics extensively at the local, state and national levels for four decades.
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‘Can I See Your ID?’
When cops and county officials want to find out if a restaurant, bar or liquor store is selling to minors, they send in an underage volunteer to try and buy alcohol. You might be surprised by what happens next. By David Frey | photos by lisa helfert
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A young woman in skinny jeans and a black T-shirt walks into a dimly lit restaurant bar alone. “Party of two,” she says. It would seem suspicious, she thinks, to look like she’s drinking by herself on a Wednesday evening. She has on little makeup and dark-framed glasses. Her black hair hangs long and straight. The hostess leads her to a two-top banquette near the bar and she takes her seat. It’s dinnertime, but the restaurant inside Westfield Montgomery mall in Bethesda is nearly empty. When the waitress arrives, the young woman
orders a glass of merlot. “You look awfully young,” the waitress tells her. “You look my age.” The waitress asks for her identification, and she hands over her Maryland driver’s license. The young woman’s ID, her real one, says it all: She was born on Sept. 30, 1995; she doesn’t turn 21 until 2016. The waitress studies the license, hands it back and walks away. Outside the restaurant, Brian Walburn, a plainclothes Montgomery County police officer, and Lee Williams, an alcohol and tobacco enforcement specialist for
the county’s Department of Liquor Control (DLC), hope to avoid attracting attention as they wait to hear from the young woman. Williams compulsively checks the text messages on his phone like an anxious father. Nothing. Inside, the 19-yearold woman, officially referred to as “UV 16-04,” waits to see if she’ll get her wine.
I n M o n t g o m e ry C o u n ty,
teams like this—a liquor control official, a cop and an underage volunteer—go out two or three times a month to see if liquor licensees are serving minors. They try
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“I don’t believe licensees intentionally try to break the law. They just drop their guard and make mistakes.” —Ron Price, DLC compliance manager
Lee Williams (left) and Brian Walburn often wait outside to see what happens when an underage volunteer orders a drink.
each time to visit a handful of the 1,000plus establishments that have a license to sell alcohol: beer and wine shops, countyrun liquor stores, restaurants, bars, even the occasional grocery store. By the end of the year, they’ll hit 400 or so. Volunteers such as UV 16-04 are required to be straightforward with servers: no lying about their ages, no flirting, no friendly banter. The compliance program isn’t focused on the use of fake IDs— the idea is to catch servers that don’t card at all, and those that do card and serve alcohol to minors anyway. A violation
means a fine for the establishment and a criminal citation for the server, and sometimes the manager, too. Once, Williams and Walburn recall, the manager of a bar that had just served a volunteer a Corona refused to hand over the beer as evidence and got into a struggle with officers. In an area where alcohol sales are tightly controlled, the county’s program is one of the most robust compliance operations in Maryland. “Montgomery County has tried to be proactive. In reality, most of the other counties are reactive,” says Lou Berman, investigator and auditor for the state comptroller’s Field Enforcement Division. Montgomery County is one of the only places in the nation where restaurants, bars and retailers—except for brewpubs and wineries—must buy alcohol directly from the county government. Because the DLC acts as a massive warehouse and has a bureaucracy to go with it, Berman says, the county has been able to pursue grants to fund liquor control enforcement that other counties can’t. In recent months, those post-Prohibition rules have come under scrutiny as the County Council considers reforms that would privatize parts of the liquor control program. It’s a thorny issue. The program nets $30 million a year for the county and employs about 350 union workers. Supporters of the current program say the system ensures a level of alcohol moderation that could disappear without it. But advocates of reform,
including state comptroller and county resident Peter Franchot, say the program is inefficient and fails to keep up with specialty beverages that customers are increasingly seeking. “Montgomery County needs to get out of the liquor business,” he told Bethesda Magazine in the May/June 2014 issue. In July, the County Council took a step in that direction when it approved a resolution that would privatize the distribution of specialty craft beer and fine wines. Supporters hoped the resolution would be the first step toward broader privatization—what Council member Roger Berliner has called a “phased exit strategy” out of the liquor business. While questions swirl about distribution, liquor enforcement goes on. In August 2014, the county had an unusually high-profile bust at Clyde’s Tower Oaks Lodge in Rockville, where drink specials such as half-price wine had turned slow Monday nights into festive occasions. Then complaints started rolling in, claiming that every Monday the upscale tavern turned into an underage drinking party that often ended in fights. An undercover police sting resulted in 12 citations for underage drinking and fake IDs, and five arrests for driving under the influence. Clyde’s did away with its drink specials, but the Montgomery County Board of License Commissioners fined it $9,000. DLC officials say there’s a big difference between undercover operations like the one at Clyde’s and routine inspections
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offer to sign up and staff are encouraged free training. and frequent ly take this -1 PM ALERT Seminar 10 AM of every month. First and Third Monday day, If a holiday falls on a Mon Tuesday. ALERT class will be held 201 Edison Park Drive Gait hersburg, MD 20878
Responsible Pract ices
✔ ALWAYS ask for an ID ID card ✔ NEVER accept an expired the phot o on the ID at K O LO D AN AD RE ✔ d to minors under 21 ue iss e ar s ID AL IC RT ✔ VE ! St op, should be a RED FLAG ✔ A VERTICAL ID ask questons re-look and
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rms of ID ✔ ACCEPTABLEivefo rs License • State Issued Dr card • State Issued MVA ID • Military ID • Passport • Immigration Card If you weren't born on or before TODAY'S DATE in then you CAN'T
1997 buy TOBACCO!
You must be 18 to purchase
tobacco products.
that occur all the time. “We don’t like to call them stings,” Compliance Manager Ron Price says. “I don’t believe licensees intentionally try to break the law. They just drop their guard and make mistakes.” This is the DLC’s first night at work in Bethesda in about two years. The first night usually means more violations, Williams says, then news gets out and managers crack down. “I know when I bartended in Bethesda, we’d spread the word: ‘They’re down the street!’ It was like the best phone tree ever,” says Kathie Durbin, chief of licensure, regulation and education for the DLC, who spent 20 years working in Bethesda’s restaurant scene. In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, the county’s licensees had an 81 percent compliance rate with underage serving laws, about as good as the DLC can expect to get, Durbin says. Of the 400 licensees visited, 77 sold to a minor. At the DLC’s 12 liquor stores, three sold to a minor, a 75 percent compliance rate. What that rate will look like in 2015 depends on what happens on nights like this.
UV 16-04 takes her seat in the
If you weren't born on or before TODAY'S DATE in
94 19 L! then you CAN'T buy ALCOHO You must be 21 to purchase
alcohol.
back of a squad car with Walburn at the wheel and Williams beside him. “It’s fun to be in a cop car and not be arrested,” Laura says. That’s a pseudonym—DLC officials do not want her real name published. Laura is in her second year at Towson University, where she’s studying criminal justice, and although she’s not sure what she wants to do after she graduates, she believes that going undercover with law enforcement will help her along the way. Tonight, the team is at Westfield Montgomery mall. Other nights, the trio might be in downtown Bethesda, Silver Spring or Germantown. “I’ll tell you what’s here,” Williams says, rattling off a list of 10 licensees to check as Walburn parks the car. The mall was renovated last year and now includes more sit-down restaurants, food court vendors that sell alcohol, and a movie theater with a lobby bar. So far, it’s been an uneventful evening. Laura ordered wine at a Ledo Pizza nearby, but a server asked for her ID, and the computer system flagged her as underage. Lots of restaurants use computers now, Williams says. Servers swipe
the ID or enter the customer’s date of birth, and the computer tells them if the customer is too young to drink. “That’s OK,” Laura told the Ledo waiter. “I’ll just go somewhere else.” A computer shouldn’t be needed to catch an underage drinker. A Maryland driver’s license makes it easy to spot a minor. Licenses for minors are vertical, not horizontal. That’s the first clue. The second: Minors’ photos are boxed in red, with the words “UNDER 21 ALCOHOL RESTRICTED” beneath. The bottom of the card shows the day a minor turns 18, old enough to buy tobacco products, and 21, old enough to purchase alcohol. Laura’s reads: “Under 21 Until 09-30-2016.” That’s clue No. 3. But that isn’t always enough. Sometimes servers ask for IDs but don’t bother to read them. At a beer and wine store near the mall, Laura asks the manager for a small bottle of red moscato. The county pays for anything she purchases, so she tries to keep costs down. Manager Pushp Shah points to a different bottle on the shelf. “This one’s better,” he tells her. She carries the bottle to the counter, and Shah takes his place at the cash register and asks to see her ID. Laura hands him her driver’s license. “I can’t sell to you with this ID,” Shah says. He shakes his head as she walks out the door. Every day, Shah says, he writes down the legal birthdate for buying alcohol. He places one reminder on the counter, another above the computer, and a third on the credit card machine. “I never want to get fined,” he says. For licensees caught serving a minor, a first offense usually results in a $1,000 fine; a second offense can cost $2,500. A third offense means a mandatory appearance before the Board of License Commissioners, which by state law may result in fines up to $20,000 and a suspended liquor license. Waiters and waitresses are also held responsible. A server with no criminal
Taken from DLC 2015 Calendar
A tear-off section at the bottom of a Department of Liquor Control calendar helps servers determine if a customer is old enough to buy alcohol. The tear-off, which many establishments keep close to the cash register, has Laura’s ID on it, with the name changed.
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THIS FALL, WARM UP WITH REBATES record usually has to take an Alcohol Law Education and Regulatory Training (ALERT) class, administered by the DLC, and perform 22 to 44 hours of community service for a first offense. After two or three months, the charge can be erased from the person’s criminal record. But penalties can reach two years in jail and a $1,000 fine.
L aura has worked with Wil-
liams and Walburn several times in the four years that she’s been going undercover, and they share an easygoing camaraderie. They laugh about past busts and Walburn’s driving, and moan when the patrol car’s muffler drags on the ground. “I see you fixed that,” Williams jokes. Williams, 60, is one of five DLC inspectors in Montgomery County, but somehow, he says, he ends up with most of the cases. That’s no accident because, Walburn says, “He doesn’t cut any breaks.” On nights like this, he usually wears a bright blue DLC shirt with khaki cargo pants and clutches an iPad that he uses to document violations and issue citations on the spot. As they get out of the car at the mall, Walburn, 36, puts on a jacket over his black hoodie. He’s wearing jeans and running shoes, but his hoodie has a police emblem on it, so he covers it up unless he needs to show his badge. He’s one of six officers in the department’s Alcohol Initiatives Section, which also handles drunken driving patrols and gives presentations to high school health classes. Walburn’s been a cop for 11 years. He transferred from patrol to the Alcohol Initiatives Section after being shot in the line of duty in 2012. He was training a rookie when they got a call about shots fired in Silver Spring. Probably fireworks or something, he figured. They arrived, stepped out of the cruiser and approached a man on the street. The man pulled out a .38-caliber handgun. “Game over,” the man said. The officers took cover behind cars as the man opened fire. A bullet grazed
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‘can i see your id?’
Walburn’s hand before backup came and the officers could fire back. Someone— probably the rookie, Walburn says—shot the man three times to subdue him. (He survived.) “Most officers go through 20and 30-year careers and they never pull out their guns to use them,” Walburn says. “After a traumatic experience, it’s good to get a change.” Laura, who lives in Rockville, started volunteering with the DLC in the tobacco division—it was her job to try to buy cigarettes. Although she recently stopped working with the program, she would be close to retirement age anyway. When volunteers turn 20, they can no longer participate. Officials say they want to 178 September/october 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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“You better not be with the police,” a server once told Laura, after carding her and handing her a drink.
If a volunteer is served or sold alcohol, Lee Williams takes a picture to have as proof.
catch restaurants serving minors, but they don’t want to make it too tricky by using volunteers who are almost old enough to buy alcohol. The DLC usually has a pool of about five underage volunteers. The agency used to have male volunteers, but lately they’ve all been females. During their hourlong training, volunteers are told to walk away if they feel threatened, if they know any of the staff at the establishment, or if they recognize any of the customers. On their first time out, new volunteers team up with others who have more experience. In order for the program to work, volunteers have to feel comfortable ordering something they know they’re not allowed to have. (It’s ille-
gal for someone under 21 to even ask for alcohol, but the state’s attorney makes an exemption for police purposes.) Volunteers also have to be comfortable with the knowledge that their work could get someone in trouble; one young woman quit because she felt bad about that. Within the program, Laura was something of a celebrity. ALERT participants receive a calendar with a tear-off section on the bottom to help servers card wouldbe customers. The tear-off has Laura’s ID on it, with the name changed, and it points out where servers should look to find a customer’s age. “If you weren’t born before TODAY’S DATE in 1994 then you CAN’T buy ALCOHOL!” the current calendar reads. Many establishments keep the tear-off close to the cash register. A Bethesda restaurant owner once carded Laura, recognized her from a picture he’d seen in alcohol education classes, took her ID and cut it up. Almost every week, one of Laura’s friends spots her picture at a bowling alley or a restaurant and asks her about it.
T h e C h e e s e ca k e F acto ry
at the mall turns Laura down. So does Bobby’s Burger Palace. The next stop is Crave, a trendy restaurant and bar that opened last December. That’s where she orders the merlot. A few minutes later, Williams’ phone lights up with a text: “Sold.” “Let’s go!” he shouts. They find Laura alone at the table, sitting behind a glass of red wine. Williams takes out his iPad and snaps a picture—wine in the foreground, Laura in
the background—that he may eventually use as evidence. The waitress returns to find company at the table. “How old does she look?” Walburn asks her. The waitress recalls the birth year on the driver’s license and realizes she’s in trouble. “That was totally my fault,” she says. “I don’t know what I was thinking.” It doesn’t surprise them: Servers often card minors and serve them anyway, sometimes on purpose. Maybe servers think they’ll get a better tip if customers realize they could have been turned down, Walburn says. Maybe they figure they’ve done their job if they glance at an ID. Or they’re just careless. He’s noticed that some bartenders and bouncers seem to look the other way in order to get young women in the door. “You better not be with the police,” a server once told Laura after carding her and handing her a drink.
The next stop is Noodles & Co. Since it’s not a bar, customers have to order food if they want a drink. So Laura asks for macaroni and cheese and a Miller Lite. The store’s computer system won’t allow the sale of alcohol without the manager sliding his card, so the young woman at the counter calls him over. “Modern technology has saved many a person,” Williams says. Not this time. The manager cards Laura and rings up the sale. When the server delivers the beer, she seems suspicious. “Can I see your ID?” she asks. “He already checked my ID,” Laura says.
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The server sets the beer on the table, and a few seconds later Williams gets another text. “Sold.” Another photo, violation and criminal citation—this time for the manager. “I hate seeing food go to waste,” Walburn says as he digs into the mac and cheese. When asked if he feels set up, the manager says no. “It’s fine,” he says. “I am disappointed with myself, but I’m in charge of the restaurant. It’s never happened before. They’re doing their job.” Liquor licensees used to complain that they were being tricked, but that’s changed, says Price, the DLC compliance manager. In 2007, the DLC remodeled its enforcement program, based on others from around the country. Now Durbin, the DLC’s chief of licensure, regulation and education, travels around the country and touts Montgomery County’s system. Before 2007, police officers and liquor control officials visited establishments separately, and neither group registered very high compliance rates. The police recorded compliance rates of less than 50 percent, Durbin says. So they started working together, and laid down a strict protocol intended to strike a balance between enforcement and transparency. Volunteers can only ask for beer or wine, so licensees can’t argue later that the margarita they served was a virgin. Volunteers can’t wear hats or sunglasses. No facial hair for males or heavy makeup for females. “They don’t try to entice the server— it’s not a ‘gotcha’ program,” Price says. “Either it did happen or it didn’t.” Volunteers aren’t allowed to show fake IDs. That probably would boost the number of violations, Price says, but the point isn’t just to catch violators—it’s also about educating them. “The vast majority of people we regulate are decent, honest, hardworking people,” he says. “It’s human error—they made a mistake and they need to learn from it.”
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where she asks for lobster tacos and a Bud Light. The woman at the counter checks her ID. Behind the cash register, the tear-off section of the DLC calendar—the one with Laura’s picture on it—is taped to the counter. The woman compares the ID in Laura’s hand to the one on the calendar, then rings her up anyway. Only once before has Laura been carded, compared to her own picture, and served. This is the third time tonight that Laura has been given an alcoholic beverage. “The key, and anyone will tell you, is confidence,” Williams says. “If you have the confidence to go in, chances are pretty good you’ll get served.” The cashier at Lobster ME tells Walburn that she was confused, that she thought the ID read 1996. But that would have made Laura even younger, Walburn tries to explain to the cashier in her native Spanish. He’s been taking language classes for just this kind of moment, but he admits he’s not fluent, even with a Peruvian girlfriend. As Williams and Walburn hand out the citations, a customer walks away. “We’re closed,” the manager says. The enforcement team tries to avoid this kind of spectacle. That’s the reason for the street clothes, Walburn says. They try to handle the paperwork discreetly so other customers don’t know they’re there. At Crave, a bartender recognizes Williams from an ALERT class. He smiles and waves, not realizing that his co-worker just received a criminal citation behind him. At the end of the night, Williams does the math. Three violations, 16 licensees. That’s an 81.25 percent compliance rate, almost exactly the rate in the county. Their last stop of the night was Balducci’s, a gourmet market in Bethesda. Last time they were there, Williams says, the underage volunteer bought alcohol with no problem. This time, Laura left emptyhanded. n David Frey (www.davidmfrey.com) lives in Gaithersburg and has written for Sunset magazine and other publications. BethesdaMagazine.com | september/october 2015 181
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airport photo by dick swanson
The family of Germaine Swanson arriving in California from Guam after fleeing Saigon in 1975
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After a last-minute rescue on the eve of the fall of Saigon, a South Vietnamese family started over in Bethesda By James Michael Causey
Escape from
arirport photo by dick swanson
Vietnam
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President Gerald Ford’s chief of staff, Donald Rumsfeld, offered his Bethesda basement. CIA Director William Colby’s wife called to say that she had two spare bedrooms. Friends from all over the Mohican Hills neighborhood rallied around friends Dick and Germaine Swanson after their family members narrowly escaped South Vietnam and were brought to Bethesda at the end of one of the longest wars in American history. “Food and other supplies kept appearing on our doorstep,” 80-year-old Germaine remembers today as she cooks her famous spring rolls and pho for lunch in her Gaithersburg home. Germaine grew up in South Vietnam and came to America after marrying Dick in 1969. Officially, the Vietnam War ended for America with the signing of the Paris Peace Accords on Jan. 27, 1973. Emotionally, the war ended when Saigon fell to North Vietnam on April 30, 1975. TV images were horrific: a panicked U.S. evacuation leaving behind desperate South Vietnamese on the roof of the U.S. Embassy, terrified refugees reaching for the struts of the final helicopters leaving the country. In Bethesda, Dick and Germaine and 12 of their family members gathered together to watch the coverage on TV. Just three days before, Dick and his wife’s
relatives had been in South Vietnam. “I would have been killed, I’m sure of that,” Germaine’s brother Rene says now from his home in California. “I would have been put in a camp and worked and starved to death. I owe my life to Dick and Germaine.” But they escaped. They reached America, where Dick and Germaine helped them build new lives. Along the way, several worked for Germaine, who became one of the Washington area’s most celebrated chefs and restaurateurs. Her four brothers would eventually adjust to life in America, forging successful careers at such companies as United Airlines and Lockheed Martin. But none of it would have been possible if a young American photojournalist named Dick had not met a South Vietnamese stringer named Germaine at the Saigon bureau of Time Life in 1966.
It was definitely not love at first sight. “I mostly ignored her,” Dick, now 81, says, recalling the hot, muggy morning when he first saw his future wife. Watching her in the Time Life bureau, he thought she seemed aloof and too busy for a relationship. “I thought he looked like a hippie,” Germaine says in the unmistakable musical cadence of a Vietnamese accent.
“Long hair, marijuana joints rolled up in his shirt sleeves. I was not interested. I was a straight girl.” Dick was an imposing figure with a mop of shaggy blond hair and cameras swinging around his neck. His work had already been published in The New York Times, Life, Time and Newsweek. Germaine, a beautiful, black-haired woman, worked to support her entire family and volunteered for the South Vietnamese army. Fluent in French and Vietnamese, with a working knowledge of English, Germaine was a translator and liaison for reporters and photographers. Back in the fall of 1963, she received a midnight call from a high-level source in the South Vietnamese army. He told her to come over right away. Dubious of his motives, she suggested that they meet the next morning. He warned that it would be too late by then. Reluctantly, she went to see him. “Tomorrow we will have a coup d’etat,” he said. Germaine rushed from his apartment and found a Reuters reporter with whom she frequently worked. “I told him the story and he wrote it in good English,” she says. The next morning, Nov. 1, 1963, a cabal in the South Vietnamese military captured and later executed President Ngo Dinh Diem and his brother. It was
wedding photos by ©Nik Wheeler from The Dick and Germaine Swanson Collection
p
Germaine and Dick Swanson (far right), surrounded by family members during their civil wedding ceremony in 1969
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wedding photos by ŠNik Wheeler from The Dick and Germaine Swanson Collection
Germaine and Dick Swanson met in 1966. Dick was working in Saigon as a photojournalist and Germaine was a translator and liaison for the press corps. This photo was taken on the couple’s wedding day.
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Refugees, including Dick and Germaine’s family members, filled the last fixed-wing military plane to leave Saigon as the city fell to North Vietnam forces in 1975.
one of the biggest stories of the year, overshadowed only by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy a few weeks later. Germaine shared a byline with the Reuters reporter and became a local celebrity. For three years after Dick and Germaine first met in 1966, each went about their business in the Saigon bureau. “I was about the only one not trying to seduce her,” Dick says. In the summer of 1969, Germaine agreed to accompany Dick on a trip to Bangkok. “I wanted to see the first man walk on the moon,” she says now about why she decided to go with him. “The satellites in Vietnam didn’t work well, but I knew in Bangkok I could see it.” The pair became more than friends during the trip. “We got closer. We had
Underage person leaving the police car heading toward a liquor store
the same hotel room,” Dick says with a smile. Married in South Vietnam in November 1969, they left Saigon for Bethesda in 1971 so Dick could resume his career in Time Life’s Washington, D.C., bureau, bringing along Germaine’s 8-year-old son, Philip, who Dick subsequently adopted. In 1972, Germaine and Dick welcomed another son, Justin.
N ot lo n g a f t e r they became a couple in 1969, Germaine introduced Dick to her extended local family—her mother, Dang Thi Tuyet; brothers Bernard, Albert, Rene and Leonard; her sister, Gabrielle; and all of her siblings’ spouses and children. She knew, perhaps years before many, that South Vietnam would fall one day and that her family
would be extremely vulnerable when it happened. She asked Dick if he would help rescue her family when that day came. “I said of course I would,” Dick says. In early 1975, it became clear that time was running out for South Vietnam and Germaine’s family. The country’s president resigned April 21, and reports of evacuations soon began to pour out. It was time for the Swansons to conduct their own rescue mission. Though Germaine wanted to accompany Dick back to her homeland, he convinced her that it was safer if he traveled alone. On April 26, 1975, Dick arrived on the final civilian plane entering Saigon after a 26-hour flight from Dulles International Airport that made stops in Los Angeles, Honolulu, Guam and Hong Kong.
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photos by dick swanson
Running on adrenaline and a few cocktails, Dick met up with Germaine’s extended family in her mother’s Saigon home. North Vietnamese mortar rounds were exploding in the distance. “I didn’t have much of a plan,” Dick says today, “but the situation was so chaotic, a plan wouldn’t have done much good.” The group knew that the biggest hurdle would be getting into the U.S. air base. Security guards had been unpredictable and reluctant to admit Vietnamese. Germaine’s sister, Gabrielle, was married to Nguyen Van Ba, a colonel in the South Vietnamese air force. She had an idea: She would call the base as the colonel’s wife and demand an official army truck to pick them up at home at 5 the next morning before the curfew lifted. The truck, with its military markings, would have no problem getting into the base. Afraid of drawing the attention of government officials or nosy neighbors, Dick returned alone to his hotel that night. The family decided that they would meet him the next morning at the air base. They planned to take the South Vietnamese army truck; he planned to get a ride from an old reporter colleague. At home in Bethesda, Germaine anxiously awaited updates. Dick had managed to call her at a few points in the journey, so she knew the rescue was moving forward. But she struggled to keep herself busy. “I took walks,” she says. “I cooked, I watched television.” When Dick awoke the next morning, April 27, South Vietnam was teetering on the brink. “It was total chaos the whole time,” Dick says “Everyone was in a panic.” Roads were cut off by invading soldiers, the sound of missile explosions grew closer, and stores were being abandoned and looted. Approaching the air base, which housed a temporary outpost of the U.S. Embassy, Dick had no idea if Germaine’s family had made it safely inside. If they weren’t there, he wasn’t sure what he would do next.
After arriving in Guam, Germaine’s family climbed onto a U.S. Navy truck to be taken to tent housing.
Try to find them among millions? Wait for them inside the compound? Dozens of scenarios were playing out in his head when he spotted the group. After a quick hug of relief, they encountered another obstacle: No one but Dick had the proper exit papers. Thinking quickly, he ran to the embassy office and pretended to interview the man in charge. “I told him this was going to go into Time magazine,” Dick says today. After an “interview,” Dick broached the subject of exit papers. “I explained that I needed to get my entire family out,” he says. The official nodded and looked down on his desk before he spoke: “I can’t give you these. But here are the papers and here are the stamps. I’m going to use the toilet for a minute.” When the official left the room, Dick scooped up the documents and applied the critical stamps. Dick then gathered Germaine’s family and rushed across the runway to U.S. Air Force Evacuation Flight 202 bound for Guam. To get on the plane, the family had to walk through a gauntlet of South Vietnamese army officials who were looking for draft-age men—like Germaine’s brothers—to pluck from the evacuees. “They
Germaine’s mother got her first glimpse of the United States as the plane flew over the California coast.
would have made us stay,” Albert says. Germaine’s mother pretended to be ill to distract the officials, and the brothers kept their heads down as they boarded the plane. “My mind was completely empty,” Rene says of those final hours in his homeland. “There were a lot of questions I did not have answers to, and I
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In a motel room near Los Angeles International Airport, the family watched CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather announce the end of the Vietnam War.
After a six-hour flight, the family landed in Guam, the base from which many U.S. airstrikes against North Vietnam originated. The Air Force had set up a long buffet table to feed the refugees, and B-52 pilots doled out meals. Upon landing at Camp Pendleton in California, Dick and Germaine’s family members were informed by U.S. officials that they were subject to a three-month
Germaine welcomed brother Albert after he arrived at Dulles International Germanine greeting herin Airport brother at DullesVirginia.
quarantine. “They were treating the refugees like they were filthy Vietnamese,” Dick says, the scorn clear in his voice. Dick approached a long line of reporters and photographers covering the arrival of the first refugees in San Diego County. “I said, ‘These idiots are going to keep us here for months,’ ” he recalls. He knew many of the members of the press personally. When the reporters began barking out questions, Dick says an angry col-
onel told Dick they could go. “We sat in the airport watching Walter Cronkite narrate the end of the war,” Dick says. He felt anger, and sadness. He looked at Germaine’s family: Not a single face betrayed emotion. Dick could only imagine how they felt. “They’d just lost their country,” he says. Albert was a semester shy of graduating with a master’s degree in economics. Rene remembers a heart full of regret
photos by dick swanson
tried to live one day at a time.” Through one of the aircraft’s windows, Dick could see thousands of South Vietnamese looking for planes that weren’t coming, fingers reaching helplessly through chain-link gates. Inside the cargo plane, the mood was somber, everyone was quiet. There were no seats. Instead, more than 100 passengers sat or laid down on the floor as the plane escaped South Vietnamese air space. Although they didn’t know it at the time, they were riding on the last fixedwing military plane to leave the country.
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At a Glance A look at Montgomery County’s Vietnamese community 40 years after the end of the war By James Michael Causey
The inspiring Swanson family story is the exception and not the rule for Vietnamese immigrants in Montgomery County. The population struggles far more with language barriers, isolation and economic hardship than other Asian groups, says Thomas Tran, executive director of the Association of Vietnamese Americans in Silver Spring. The nonprofit organization opened in 1979, during the massive “Boat People” exodus, when hundreds of thousands of people from southern Vietnam attempted to escape the increasingly harsh treatment of their conquerors. Tran’s brother-in-law died during the exodus. Misperceptions about Vietnamese people persist in the area, says Diane Vy Nguyen-Vu, Asian liaison and language access coordinator with the Montgomery County Office of Community Partnerships. “When people talk about how well Asians
are doing, they include the Vietnamese with the more successful and long-standing immigrant populations such as the Koreans and Chinese,” Nguyen-Vu says. That’s misleading, she says, because the Vietnamese tend to be less educated and have fewer family roots in the area. Many work in nail salons or other service jobs without benefits such as health insurance, retirement income or vacations. More than half of Maryland’s Vietnamese population lives in Montgomery County, where a 2010-2012 census survey reported 11,047 Vietnamese speakers. Social services and support are often available, Tran says, but language issues prevent many Vietnamese from taking advantage of them. “I’ve probably helped 500 Vietnamese sign up for Obamacare in the past year,” he says. “They don’t own computers and didn’t know how to enroll.” County Executive Ike Leggett, who
“for leaving our home, failing to defend our country, and losing everything we had spent our lives building.” He learned later that every item in his home was taken by the North Vietnamese. Sandy Pressman, a friend and former neighbor in Bethesda, was part of the caravan meeting Dick and Germaine’s family at Dulles. A pacifist who opposed American involvement in Vietnam, Pressman drove an orange Volkswagen Microbus. The car was silent most of the way home—until it climbed the big hill to enter the Mohican Hills neighborhood. Germaine’s mother spoke softly: “It’s so quiet. There’s no gunfire.” Forty years later, Pressman says that moment is still “etched in my mind. The wonder in her
voice; I’ll never forget it.” Later, Pressman’s 7-year-old son was asked at school to write an essay about a great American hero. Most of his classmates picked George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. “My son, Ronnie, chose Dick Swanson,” Pressman says.
It took some time for Germaine’s family to adjust to life in America. In the late 1970s, Leonard worked as a night manager at an Exxon gas station in Glen Echo. One night, a robber came in with a gun, demanding money. “I wasn’t afraid of the Viet Cong and I’m not afraid of you,” Leonard said to him. “Put down that gun and fight me like a man.”
served in the Vietnam War and is active in the local Asian community today, works to help the Vietnamese improve their quality of life, especially in the area of education. “I have a special affinity for the Vietnamese,” Leggett says. “I connect with them in part because of my experience in the country and my knowledge of their struggles, and they simply have a greater need [than other Asian populations].” It is the seniors who struggle most, Nguyen-Vu says. She believes the problem isn’t getting the attention it deserves because people assume Vietnamese families are tight-knit groups in which elderly members are protected. “That’s not true anymore,” Nguyen-Vu says. “Many live alone. Ninety percent can only speak Vietnamese. They’re one of the most isolated populations in the county.”
“You’re crazy,” the thief said as he dropped his gun and ran from the station. Other employees said later that they thought Leonard should have let the man have the money. Leonard disagreed—that’s not what he would have done in South Vietnam. There were other times when the immigrants forgot that they weren’t back home. A few weeks after their arrival, Pressman gave Germaine the use of her house while she was gone for a month on vacation. The brothers moved in temporarily. Germaine stopped by to visit one day. “I saw one brother working in the garden and didn’t think about it,” she says. It was a typical way to repay a favor in Vietnam. “But when I got inside, they were paint-
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ing her kitchen and fixing all the windows.” No one had asked Sandy if she wanted her kitchen painted. “We also gave the cat a bath,” Rene said. Cats weren’t considered pets in Vietnam. To Germaine’s brothers, it was no different than hosing down a goat or a horse. “That cat was never the same,” Pressman says now as she laughs at the memory. Adjusting to life in America hadn’t been easy for Germaine, either. “I couldn’t get good Chinese food here,”
she says. Worse, the MSG sprinkled everywhere gave her painful allergic reactions. In 1976, she began conducting cooking classes in her home. At one point she taught six days a week, boasting a roster of nearly 400 students. Friends and fans urged her to open a restaurant. “We had dozens of investors,” Dick says. Some came up with a few hundred dollars, others loaned thousands. In September 1978, Germaine’s, the
Washington, D.C., area’s first PanAsian restaurant, opened in Georgetown. Almost immediately, it became the District’s coolest dining destination. “There was nothing like it in D.C. back then,” says New York Times food columnist Marian Burros, who was thrilled when Germaine allowed her to use three of her recipes in The New Elegant But Easy Cookbook. “I’ve never, before or since, had spring rolls as good as Germaine’s,” says Burros,
dining room table photo courtesy family; restaurant file photo; Photo of Dick And Germaine walking by david hume kennerly
Clockwise: The family having lunch at home in Bethesda (left to right): Dang Thi Tuyet (Gemaine’s mother), Gabrielle, Albert, Lien Chi (Rene’s wife), Germaine, Dick, Rene, Bernard and Long; Germaine cooking in her restaurant kitchen; Dick and Germaine visiting Hanoi
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photo by deborah jaffe
dining room table photo courtesy family; restaurant file photo; Photo of Dick And Germaine walking by david hume kennerly
Now in their 80s, Germaine and Dick live in Gaithersburg.
a Bethesda resident. The restaurant served as the unofficial headquarters for many of D.C.’s power elite. Regulars included ABC anchorman Peter Jennings and actors Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson. Germaine even remembers Mick Jagger eating there one muggy summer night in 1978. Former White House Press Secretary Jim Brady ate there regularly in the years after he was shot during the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan in
1981. “He loved the place,” says Burros, who often joined him for dinner, “and wouldn’t even let the long stairs stop him from coming every time we got together.” Celebrated in the pages of Bon Appétit and Gourmet magazines, Germaine’s earned another stamp of culinar y approval when Julia Child dropped by one night in 1979 to learn how to make Germaine’s Peking duck.
Until it was sold in 1998, the res-
taurant employed all of Germaine’s family members at one time or another— providing stability, and helping each of them earn a paycheck and assimilate to life in America. Philip was a busboy, and eventually a manager. Bernard was an assistant manager before becoming a manager at Germaine’s second location in downtown Washington. For a time, Germaine’s mother worked in the kitchen one day a week, overseeing food before it went out
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Behind This Story Dick and Germaine Swanson’s son Philip graduated in 1981 from Walt Whitman High School, where he and the author, James Michael Causey, became close friends. “In all the years I’ve known him, we’ve rarely talked about his life in Vietnam,” Causey says. “He’s an optimistic, easygoing person, and I don’t think he likes to dwell on the past. In fact, I learned more about his family’s incredible story while researching this article than in our nearly 40 years of friendship.”
to tables. Rene handled the bookkeeping, and then managed Germaine’s Deli, another eatery Germaine owned downtown. Today, the extended family is scattered across the country. Bernard, who worked for United Airlines for many years, divides his time between Arlington and Atlanta; Rene, who retired from the World Bank last year, has homes in Fairfax and California; and Gabrielle, Albert and Leonard, who worked for years at Lockheed Martin, all live in California.
Dick and Germaine moved from Bethesda to Gaithersburg a few years ago. Although their lives have slowed considerably, Germaine continues to do catering jobs and Dick worked for a time on his photo archive at the Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin. Rene, who has returned to Vietnam several times for work, believes the country is much better off than it was in the days after the Americans left, but scars remain. There
are many new businesses in the southern part of the unified country. “But North Vietnamese own them all,” he says. “The South Vietnamese are the workers.” Albert couldn’t bring himself to return to Vietnam until 2011. “I am still angry at what the communists did to my country,” he says while talking with Dick and Germaine from California on speakerphone. “It hurts to see all the soldiers everywhere.” Germaine, perhaps reacting to her brother’s sadness, tilts her head sideways and grins as if she’s just remembered something. “Albert, when is your birthday?” she asks. He responds in a loud and proud voice, “I was born on the Fourth of July.” Dick laughs from the other end of the dining room table: “That’s just about perfect, isn’t it?” n James Michael Causey can be reached at michaelcausey@me.com.
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Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad founding members circa 1940.
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The Way We Were
courtesy whitman yearbook
Some of the first students to graduate from Walt Whitman High School returned to the school this spring to celebrate their reunion
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By Joanne Meszoly
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O
O n a F r i day in early May, Walt Whitman students funnel out of their classrooms and cluster in the halls. Many are sprawled on the floor, eating lunches, checking cellphones and chatting while shuffling through papers and folders. This scene would look like any other day at the Bethesda high school—except for the presence of about 50 adults in their late 60s milling around the library, studying the trophy cases, and winding through halls narrowed by the legs of seated students. Though the visitors have reached retirement age, and many sport heads
Jim and Diana Jamieson, who have two children, in front of their Chevy Chase home
of gray hair, they look as though they’re evaluating Whitman—checking out the classes, gauging academics, sizing up the student vibe. And in fact they are, comparing the present-day school to the one they knew 50 years ago. Here for a reunion, these alumni are from Whitman’s classes of 1964 and 1965, the first two to graduate from the high school. “There is definitely a feeling of ownership, that as teenagers we were building something special,” says Bethesda resident Mary Slaby, a 1965 graduate and reunion organizer. “We were told that we had an opportunity, that the school’s rep-
utation was based on what we did with it. And we believed in that.” More than 340 people attended the reunion events, which culminated with a party at the William F. Bolger Center, a conference hotel in Potomac. Some of the graduates had stayed in touch over the years or attended past reunions, but others were reuniting with fellow alumni for the first time. “When we arrived at Whitman, it had blank walls, an empty trophy case,” says Craig Davis, a ’65 graduate now living in South Carolina. “It had no history, no reputation. It was a blank page that we could fill.”
high school photo Courtesy of the Jamiesons; current Photo by hilary schwab
Jim Jamieson and Diana Holtz at Beach Week in 1964. The couple met and dated at Whitman, and were married in 1969.
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reunion Photos by hilary schwab; archival Photos courtesy yearbook
Gill Jones Cook and Isabelle Claxton
Classmates Kathy Smith Daniels and Guy Clifton at the reunion (above) and in the school yearbook
Wa lt W h i t m a n was one of several public schools built in Montgomery County during the 1950s and 1960s. Schools sprouted like mushrooms then to accommodate the many baby boomers reaching school age. WJ opened in 1956 to alleviate the burgeoning population at B-CC, and that same year officials announced plans for another high school, between the two, in West Bethesda. Opened in 1962, Walt Whitman was a modern, sprawling, multilevel building, offset by a large, white-domed field house that quickly became a defining icon
Tom Fields and Bruce Frank
for the school. That fall, 1,400 students entered Whitman, a mixture of 9th-, 10th- and 11th-graders from area junior high schools, as well as B-CC and WJ. Because administrators thought it would be unfair to displace rising seniors for their last year of school, Whitman didn’t have any 12th-graders that first year. At the time, some parents were leery
about sending their kids to a new school. “I overheard my parents arguing about it,” recalls Jeffrey Small, from Whitman’s Class of ’65. “My folks assumed that I’d be going to Walter Johnson, but then Whitman opened. Parents worried about our college options.” As for the juniors who moved from B-CC or WJ to Whitman in 1962, their
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allegiances and school pride straddled the line. “We had mixed feelings, and at first, everyone stayed latched to WJ or B-CC friends and went to those games,” recalls Chevy Chase resident Jim Jamieson, one of the 1964 Whitman graduates who attended B-CC in 10th grade. “Eventually we came around. There was something wonderful about being at a new school. We were unencumbered by long-standing traditions. We weren’t subject to history.” Whitman’s first students helped select the mascot, logo and school colors. “I recall that ‘Titan’ was a potential mascot, but it wasn’t as popular as the Viking,” Small says. “Before we picked the Vikings, The Washington Post referred to Whitman’s winning tennis team as the ‘Poets,’ and we wanted to get rid of that. It was all about building an identity.” As for colors—black , white and Columbia blue—Diana Jamieson, class of ’65, says, “I can remember thinking, ‘What’s Columbian blue?’ I don’t know where that came from. But picking colors, a mascot and naming the yearbook were ways to sweeten the deal, to get kids on board and let them be a part of
the school. And it worked. We felt very invested in Whitman.” Students created the Saga yearbook and The Black & White newspaper, along with a core of clubs, including drama, forensics and “It’s Academic.” Many of these clubs continue at Whitman today, while others, such as the bridge club and the Future Homemakers of America, have disappeared. Whitman also launched a slew of sports, including football, wrestling and basketball for boys. Girls’ athletics were represented through a club, members of which played basketball, volleyball and field hockey. From the beginning, Whitman proved its academic mettle and gained a collegepreparatory reputation, similar to the
standing it maintains today. Whitman students dominated mathlete and debate competitions, and several of Whitman’s first graduates in 1964 attended respected universities in the Ivy League and elsewhere. “Whitman was academically rigorous, to the point that it made those first years of college seem easy,” says Small, who attended Cornell University and law school at the University of Michigan. Dr. Raymond Taetle, a ’65 graduate now living in Arizona, says his classmates “constituted the smartest peer group I have ever encountered. Whitman was one of those rare times when public education realized its full potential.” Though Whitman gained academic
archival Photo courtesy yearbook; current photo from wikipedia
The original school with the dome (above) and the school today (inset)
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Photo courtesy Rebecca Gelber, MD
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I n t h e e r a of social media, it might seem that everybody is accessible through a few computer clicks. But
man alumni directory, and located graduates through engagement and wedding announcements and their parents’ obituaries. The group contacted employers, ex-spouses and friends of siblings. “We made thousands of phone calls, often to wrong numbers or those no longer in service,” Frank says. “We located wedding announcements, including one from the ’70s where we had to track down the wedding party to find the classmate. We had to stretch our tentacles very wide.” At times, the search yielded more frustration than success, and committee members learned in the process that 54 classmates were deceased. But 375 living classmates were located, includ-
original paper courtesy yearbook; current images from whitman website
notoriety, its students were not unlike teenagers at other high schools: They drank beer on darkened golf courses, plotted senior pranks at school, and plastered graffiti on Whitman’s dome. “Whitman was a great school, but it was a little like the Wild West,” says Bethesda resident Mark O’Hara, a ’65 grad who still goes by his high school nickname, “Schlitz.” “I remember one time we took the economics teacher down to the Zebra Room for lunch and had pizza and a couple of beers.”
“When we arrived at Whitman, it had blank walls, an empty trophy case,” says Craig Davis, a ’65 graduate now living in South Carolina. “It had no history, no reputation. It was a blank page that we could fill.” toss in five decades of marriages, name changes, divorces, moves and jobs, and finding a single person can be a Herculean task. In preparation for their 50th reunion, five graduates from 1965 launched an exhaustive search to locate more than 500 classmates. “We didn’t want this reunion to be an event just for friends who’ve stayed in touch, or those identified through a single search,” says Bruce Frank, class of ’65, a reunion organizer who headed the search committee. “We didn’t want people to miss out because we didn’t know where they were.” The group began tracking classmates early in 2014, using information from previous reunions, but found that many people had moved or abandoned landlines for cellphones. So the committee scoured college and university records, connected with siblings through a Whit-
ing people in Australia, the Middle East and throughout Europe. “They tracked me down through my brother,” says Georgia resident Isabelle Claxton, who has moved 13 times in 30 years while working in international health care policy and communications. In high school, Claxton served as sophomore class president and editor-in-chief of the yearbook, but she lost touch with classmates over the years. Other grads had remained in the Bethesda area, or returned after several years, and maintained friendships that predate Whitman. “I’m grateful for a group of friends who’ve stayed close, who I’ve known for 60 years, since Wood Acres Elementary,” Chevy Chase resident Diana Jamieson says. “Something about the process of planning this reunion made me feel like a kid again.” “If there’s one thing to take from
From top to bottom: the original Black & White newspaper, The Black & White today and the newspaper’s website today
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the way we were
this reunion, it’s the community that’s been rebuilt,” Slaby says. “It put people in touch who otherwise wouldn’t have reconnected.” Tom Fields was one of these recently reunited alumni. A retired architect living in Florida, Fields is deaf, and he attended Whitman without the support services provided to hearing-impaired students today. “I was totally on my own,” he says. “I came to Whitman after attending a school for deaf students, and didn’t know what I was getting into. But I graduated from Whitman with honors.” Fields hadn’t been in touch with any classmates for 50 years. “When I got Bruce Frank’s email, I was shocked,” he says. “Utterly shocked.” Spotting Frank at a reunion event, Fields asked him, “How’d you find me?” Frank hesitated before answering, “I think we found you through your ex-wife.” “Which one?” Fields asked with a smile.
D e s p i t e t h e t u m u lt u o u s
changes associated with the ’60s, many of the first Whitman graduates describe their high school years as worry-free. The civil rights movement was in full swing, and segregation issues arose at Glen Echo Amusement Park and simmered quietly at local country clubs and in residential communities where real estate covenants barred minorities. But most Whitman students weren’t yet active in civil rights or other cultural reforms between 1962 and 1965. “For many of us, high school was a period of relative calm before a time of tremendous upheaval,” Frank says. “Our years at Whitman preceded Vietnam and student protests. Drugs were almost nonexistent at school. The biggest debate was where to locate the smoking area.” This period of calm was shaken by President John F. Kennedy’s assassination on Nov. 22, 1963, the news of which was relayed over the school’s public address system. “Kennedy represented youth and hope, and that was dashed when he died,” 204 September/october 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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Center for Plastic Surgery FACE Slaby says. “They announced that he’d been shot, and later we heard the chains on the flagpole [rattling] as the flag was lowered to half-mast. We knew then that Kennedy had died, before they made the second announcement.” Diana Jamieson recalls gazing out the window during Spanish class after the announcement of Kennedy’s shooting. “I looked out at the quad and there were people on their knees, praying. ...Shortly afterward, they announced that he was dead. In high school, many of us hadn’t given much thought to activism, but Vietnam and the deaths of the Kennedys and Martin Luther King ignited our generation.” Frank says Kennedy’s call to public service motivated him, and he went on to participate in anti-war protests in college. He served in the Peace Corps before joining the United Nations, where he devoted his career to helping people in developing countries and resolving disputes in regions with political and civil unrest. Many other Whitman graduates sought public service through science, health, government and law. “The ’60s made us aware of our ability to make social changes,” says Taetle, who specializes in oncology and hematology. “It was certainly the tenor of the times.”
During reunion weekend,
the Whitman alumni discussed their era’s defining and pivotal events during a session devoted to the topic, but shifted to more lighthearted subjects at other reunion events. Leaning toward one another to peer at name tags, the attendees swapped stories about work, travel and family. They reminisced about school pranks, dances in the dome, notable teachers, wild parties, high school haunts and beach trips. The original Whitman building and its iconic dome are long gone—replaced in 1992 by what stands today—but a group of reunion-goers toured the “new” school and met with students to hear what life is like at the school now. Convening in Whitman’s library, the alumni sat across from a panel of students who described
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academic hurdles and efforts to balance studies and extracurricular activities. In some ways the students resembled the alumni as they likely appeared 50 years ago: They were bright, earnest, ambitious and well-spoken, aside from the momentary pauses and uneasiness that affect teenagers in any era. Many of the alumni nodded as students mentioned the challenges of Advanced Placement classes and their hopes to attend highly ranked colleges. At other times, the differences between past and present students were cavernous. The teens discussed Edline, which gives parents Web access to test results and grades, and Turnitin, a site that checks students’ homework for plagiarism. There’s other evidence of change in high school life. The lockers that line the school hallways are now hollow relics of the past—students today carry their coats, books and bags with them from class to class. And library books are out of style, too, rendered virtually obsolete by online resources. “I’ve never once checked out a book from here,” admitted one senior, pointing to the library shelves. “The technology and course opportunities are pretty amazing,” Small said after the tour. “If we’d had photography or courses in radio and TV, that might’ve changed my trajectory.” Instead, Small pursued law, retiring recently after several years as an attorney for a labor union representing commercial airline pilots. Strolling the halls, a few alumni marveled at the relaxed style of student life today. Attire was more formal in the ’60s, Claxton said: “A-line Villager skirts and [collared shirts] for girls. No denim or T-shirts for guys. We couldn’t sit in the halls, and if you took the stairs, you walked up on the right side and down on the left.” The alumni also noted a palpable pressure that wasn’t present at Whitman in its early years. “They’re so intense,” a few people whispered as they passed students in the halls. “I think we had more fun.” n A longtime former resident of Bethesda, Joanne Meszoly now lives in Dickerson, where she blogs about farm life.
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name Arne Sorenson AGE 56 What he does President and CEO of Marriott International Grew up in Tokyo, Japan, and the American Midwest Lives in Somerset, Chevy Chase
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interview
A Conversation with
Arne Sorenson By Maura Mahoney | photo by liz lynch
Every morning, Monday through Friday, roughly 2,500 people come to work at the corporate headquarters of Marriott International on Fernwood Road in Bethesda. They stream across the sprawling, bucolic campus and into the 900,000-square-foot building. It’s a scene that has been repeated about 10,000 times since the building first opened in 1979. It also happens to be a scene with an expiration date. Arne Sorenson, the president and CEO of the corporate giant since late 2011, told The Washington Post in February that the company has begun searching for a new location. With that, Sorenson, 56, the first non-family member to ever lead Marriott, triggered a fierce competition among legislators from Maryland, Virginia and the District, all of whom would love to have the Fortune 500 company based in their jurisdiction. Marriott’s current lease expires in 2022. Sorenson is only the third CEO in Marriott’s history. Founded in the District in 1927 by J. Willard and Alice Marriott as a nine-stool root beer stand,
the business grew into the Hot Shoppes restaurant chain, and eventually evolved into Marriott International, a hotel company with about 4,300 properties in 80 countries and territories. There are approximately 350,000 employees worldwide, about 4,330 of whom work in Maryland. Born in Tokyo to Christian missionaries, Sorenson and his family returned to the U.S. when he was 7. He spent most of his youth in the Midwest, majoring in religion at Luther College in Iowa and attending the University of Minnesota Law School, before coming to Washington, D.C., to work in corporate litigation for Latham & Watkins in 1984. He met Bill Marriott, the son of J. Willard and Alice, in 1993, while defending the hotel chain in a lawsuit, and began working for the business three years later as head of Marriott’s mergers and acquisitions team. He has lived in the Somerset neighborhood of Chevy Chase for 27 years with his wife, Ruth, who teaches music at Chevy ChaseBethesda Community Children’s Center in D.C. The couple has four grown children. >>
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Arne’s Favorites
interview
Restaurant Mon Ami Gabi in Bethesda
Place to Get Sushi Makoto on MacArthur Boulevard in Washington, D.C.
▼ Place to See a Movie Avalon Theatre in Chevy Chase, D.C.
▼ Place to Ride a Bike The Capital Crescent Trail, especially a loop through Rock Creek Park to the Georgetown waterfront and back up the trail
▼ Month in Washington, D.C. October
What brought you to D.C.? A job. Ruth and I were engaged, and we had to decide where to live. We found in Washington a place that seemed to be wonderfully livable, but with a legal practice that I thought could be as exciting as any, anywhere. How did you change industries, from law to the hotel business? In late ’95, maybe early ’96, I started talking to the folks here, including Mr. Marriott. There wasn’t a deep plan. Mr. Marriott said, ‘I’d love to have you come out,’ and I basically said, ‘I’d like to, but not to be a lawyer. If you want me to represent you as a lawyer, you know where I am. I can do that where I am. But if you’re interested in having me do something else, I’m always interested in having more than one career.’ There was no more definition or plan in my head, or, as far as I know, in his. I started doing mergers and acquisitions in the summer of ’96. I did that for a couple of years before I became chief financial officer in ’98. I got to know the industry really well that way, as well as the company. You’re the first non-Marriott to run the company. What has that been like? Well, I still have my job. It’s been three years, that’s a good sign. Mr. Marriott’s been great. It is intimidating in some
respects to step into a job, not just as the first non-family member, but when you look at the longevity of both Bill Marriott and his father—his father was CEO for 45 years, Bill was CEO for 40 years, so between the two of them they covered 85 years. Without doubt, I will not serve the same length of time as either one of them did. I’m under no illusions. My name is not over the door. I do not have a stake in the company the way they have a stake in the company. But I love the company, and I love the business, and I’m totally committed to the culture. I think he knows that. He was a great mentor long before I became CEO, and continues to be a great adviser and partner.
How often do you see him? I see him every day we’re in the office at the same time. I travel a lot—I’m on the road 200 days a year. He’s on the road some, too, so I see him on average at least once a week. If I’m in the office and he’s not here, we’ll talk just about every day. Tell me about the possibility of Marriott leaving Bethesda? How much of this is about attracting millennials, who might not want to come out to a suburban office building and prefer to use public transportation to get around? There are a few things going on here. First, this building is leased, not owned. The lease expires in 2022. The second factor is that to renovate this building, which was opened in the ’70s, would cost almost as much as to build a building from scratch. And a brand-new building is almost always going to be better than a renovated building, no matter how much money you want to put into it. It’s not going to be state of the art. The third driver, we talk about millennials and millennial mindset, but I actually have many of the same views. I’d like to be someplace that is accessible by public transportation. I’d like to be someplace where I can walk to restaurants or
istock
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You were born in Tokyo. What was your family doing there? My father went there with the Army as a 17-year-old in 1945, just after World War II ended. He spent a year in Tokyo, came back, went to college, then to a Lutheran seminary. He became a preacher. After that, he went to Japan in ’52 or ’53, and my parents lived there for 13 years. It was where I was born, and where my three siblings were born. In many respects, it’s really our family heritage. Comfort food in my family is Japanese food. If anyone gets sick, they go straight for sushi.
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WHERE INSPIRED LIVING MEETS FINE DESIGN
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interview be part of a community that seems more vibrant, that doesn’t require me to have a car. Obviously, that is a more pronounced bias from our younger workers. The overwhelming likelihood is we will not be in this building after the lease expires. And so that means we need someplace else. And we have 900,000 square feet in this building. Even if we are more efficient about our use of space in the future, we’re not talking about a small office space. It takes a number of years to go through the process, to find locations. I think there are places in Montgomery County that can be accessed by public transportation, have an urban feel, and where we could build a new building that would meet our needs. But there are obviously places in Virginia or D.C. that could be considered, as well. We’ve made no decision to move from Maryland. And I’ve assured the governor of Maryland, for example, we’re not starting any negotiating process. You’re not going to wake up one morning and read in the paper that we’ve decided to move. We’re going to spend the next year or so figuring out: How much space do we need? Are we going to put everyone in the same building, or are we going to put some disciplines in different buildings? Only when we’ve really completed that process will we start to focus on possible locations. I have talked to Gov. Hogan, Gov. McAuliffe and Mayor Bowser. I’ve had calls from other states. The likelihood of our moving out of the Washington area, where we’ve been for our entire 88 years, is very slim. The overwhelming likelihood is that we will be in the Washington area for many, many decades to come. I suspect sometime in 2016, or more likely in 2017, we’ll start to zero in on a location or two.
Let’s talk a little about the hotel business. What about the industry appeals to you? I think it’s a great business. It’s of interest to virtually everybody. When my kids were playing soccer or swimming in a 212 September/oCtober 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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meet and I’d be talking to other parents on the sidelines, people would want to tell you about the hotel they stayed in. It’s of interest to people, it’s accessible to people, it’s not a complicated technological thing that people don’t understand. It’s also intensely a ‘people’ business. We have something like 350,000 people who wear our name badge every day in our hotels around the world. They’re making their careers with us. How do you create jobs for them that are attractive, how do you give them the opportunity to feel like they’ve got pride in their work, and, obviously, how do you do that in a way that causes them to deliver great service, something that customers recognize? And then, in addition, you’ve got a business, which has lots of dollars, lots of real estate transactions, and lots of financing, lots of strategic questions. We have about 4,300 hotels today—it’s probably about $150 billion worth of real estate. Last year we signed 650 new hotel deals. That’s about 100,000 rooms. So you look at those 650 hotel deals in one year, that’s spread across something like 15 brands, those deals are probably, I’ll guess, in 40 different countries. Every one of those hotel deals is a separate real estate transaction. So you’ve got a really fun deal aspect, which is married to this human aspect that gives a breadth to the business that makes it accessible—but also deeply interesting, filled with all sorts of great problem-solving, riddles and strategy.
How many hotel rooms are in Marriott’s portfolio? Sometime this year we will hit a million rooms open or that are headed to open. It will probably be a few years before we’ve actually opened our 1 millionth room. That’s a lot of pillows. What’s the most interesting place you’ve been? I get asked all the time, ‘What’s your favorite Marriott hotel?’ My typical response is, ‘I love all my children.’
Mr. A. James Clark
The Clark Charitable Foundation: Building Tomorrow’s Top Engineers The Montgomery College Foundation extends its sincere appreciation to the Clark Charitable Foundation for its substantial investment in scholarships for engineering students with financial need. Named for A. James Clark, founder of Bethesda-based Clark Construction Group, these scholarships continue Mr. Clark’s philanthropic legacy of creating opportunities for students studying engineering and thus, helping to meet America’s need to develop high achieving future engineers. At Montgomery College, we have the nation’s largest community college engineering transfer program, which sends students to top programs such as the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and George Mason University. We thank the Clark Charitable Foundation and its president, Courtney Clark Pastrick, for their partnership with the College and generosity to our students. For more information about our engineering programs, please visit cms.montgomerycollege.edu/set.
montgomerycollege.edu/foundation Carol Rognrud Executive Director of the Montgomery College Foundation 240-567-7493 BethesdaMagazine.com | september/october 2015 213
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interview I find fascinating things almost everywhere. I’ve been in India twice this year. In India, we have about 30 hotels open and about 50 under construction. There’s tremendous growth there. It’s a place that is teeming with people, beauty, color, noise, spectacular food. I could go there every month and never fail to find something new and interesting.
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When you travel, what do you look for in a hotel room? I love a great bed. Particularly with international travel, you’re going to want a really comfortable place to rest your head. Beyond that, the fitness center is really important to me—getting the opportunity to exercise when I travel. You’ve been all around the world. Is there anything in particular that seems unique to our region? There are a lot of things. When you come into American airspace…we’ve made so much progress on our environment in the last 25 years. There’s still more that can be done, and we have a real debate on global warming. But you see often a pristine sky. You don’t see the smog that you see in many parts of the world, particularly in Asia. Washington is also a place that’s filled with folks who don’t have great work/life balance. Often at social events we talk about how hard we work, partly because we’ve selfselected for folks who are driven to succeed. How many hours a week do you work? We’re always plugged in. In some respects it’s hard to define what work is and what work isn’t. The fact of the matter is, I’m always probably, in one way or another, engaged in work. Most waking hours of the day. But it’s not work in the sense that I’ve got my head down at my desk. I love what I do. It’s not a burden in any respect.
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Join the Celebration
Fourth Annual Montgomery County Business Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
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Tuesday, October 27, 2015
11:30 AM
The Universities at Shady Grove Conference Center 9630 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD 20850 WHAT IS IT?
The Montgomery County Business Hall of Fame, co-founded by Grossberg Company LLP CPAs and Monument Bank, is a celebration of individuals who have made a significant impact on the Montgomery County Business Community.
2015 HONOREES
Ron Paul
CEO EagleBank
WHY SUPPORT IT?
Dr. Martine Rothblatt CEO United Therapeutics Corporation
Kevin Sexton
President and CEO Holy Cross Health
Jim Sweet
President Smokey Glen Farm Barbequers, Inc.
All net proceeds from the MCBHOF will benefit the scholarship programs at The Universities at Shady Grove (USG), the University System of Maryland’s regional education center that brings 80+ degree programs from nine Maryland public universities directly to Montgomery County. Since its inception in 2012, MCBHOF has raised over $425,000 for the USG scholarship fund and this is continuing to grow impressively. The same type of vision that led to the creation of USG — to do something unique and extraordinary — is the type of vision our honorees all share.
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Sponsorships to honor these great contributors are available. For more information or to register, visit our website: www.MCBusHallofFame.com, or contact Lenore Dustin at 301.571.1900 or lmd@grossberg.com
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What do you do for recreation? We have a place on the Chesapeake Bay in Kent County, which is our refuge. Being with family, being outside, hiking, running, canoeing, swimming. When did you move to Somerset? We moved to Somerset in ’88. We’ve been in the same house for 27 years. The owner had lived there for 50 years, and he was selling it without a Realtor or an asking price. We had never been to the neighborhood before, but a fellow in my firm, who lived in Somerset, sent around a memo letting people know that there was a house for sale in his neighborhood. Our oldest, Astri, was already born, Ruth was pregnant with Esther. The owner and his wife, who had passed away, had never had kids, and I think he loved the notion
that a family would live there. He sold us the house. To this day, we don’t know whether we actually were the high bidder.
Tell me a little about your family and raising them in the area. Ruth and I have been married for 31 years. All four kids went to Somerset Elementary School. The oldest three went to Westland Middle School. All of them went to Maret for high school. Lars, the youngest, went to Washington Episcopal School, and then St. Andrew’s in Potomac. All of them swam on the Town of Somerset’s swim team, all were involved in the school plays, all four played soccer. Why have you stayed in the same neighborhood all these years? It’s a great place to raise a family. [We
had] friends and neighbors who lived in Somerset who were journalists from Minnesota. When they were moving back to Minnesota, their comment was, ‘We’re not sure we can find a community that is as warm and welcoming as Somerset.’
How do you and Ruth spend your free time at home? We go out to eat more than we should. There’s no more pleasing experience for us than walking to downtown Bethesda for dinner—not being reliant on the car, and being able to walk through the neighborhood or take the bike path. We’ve eaten in every single place. n Freelance writer Maura Mahoney (maura kmahoney@gmail.com) lives in Chevy Chase.
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-Bethesda WELCOME PAGE July-Aug.indd 2 Untitled-7 1
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Miller Bethesda All Points Office
4701 Sangamore Road Bethesda, MD 301.229.4000
#1 W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtors® Office • #10 Long & Foster Office for 2014 KAT CONLEY WITOWSKI 301.943.3865 (C) • 301.229.4000 (O)
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ANNE & LAURA EMMETT Anne: 301.466.2515 • Anne.Emmett@LNF.com Laura: 202.422.6374 • Laura.Emmett@LNF.com Licensed in DC, MD & VA
#2 Team Miller Bethesda Office • Anne & Laura call Bethesda home! It is our pleasure to work with our friends and neighbors. • We are a full service real estate team and can guide you through complex transactions. We take pride in maximizing profit and minimizing stress! • Gibson Island Real Estate Expertise • Anne, M.A.E., Stanford University; Laura, J.D., Georgetown University
NANCY MANNINO
301.461.1018 • Nancy.Mannino@LNF.com Licensed in DC, MD & VA #1 Team Miller Bethesda Office #1 Team Miller Bethesda Office (units) #2 Team Companywide #4 Team Companywide (units) #2 Team Companywide (volume) • Celebrating 21 years of success selling real estate! • Long & Foster Gold Team, Founder’s Club • Top 100 Agents–Washingtonian Magazine • Native Washingtonian
MARIE McCORMACK
301.437.8678 • MarieMcCormack@mris.com Licensed in DC, MD & VA #1 Individual Agent Miller Bethesda Office #2 Individual Agent Companywide #3 Agent Overall Miller Bethesda Office #3 Individual Agent Miller Bethesda Office (units) #5 Individual Agent Companywide (units) • 38 years of successfully selling real estate • Top 1% Nationwide • Top 100 Agents–Washingtonian Magazine
TAMMY GRUNER DURBIN 301.996.8334 • TGDHomes@LNF.com
Serving MD and DC Associate Broker Consistent top honors and producer in the Bethesda Miller Group, Long & Foster Companies and Nationwide. 25 years of a proven track record = Results Commitment to Excellence
Andy Alderdice 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. 301-466-5898/301-229-4000 andy4homes@gmail.com www.andy4homes.com
Darnestown, Maryland
$1,449,000
Elegant 4/5 bedroom, 4.5 bath estate is set back to park land on a stunning 2 acre lot. Highlights include a dramatic, 2-story family room and an extended balcony overlooking the infinity pool, hot tub, and outdoor fireplace.
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Bethesda, Maryland
$1,399,000
Bethesda, Maryland
$1,025,000
Annapolis, Maryland
$1,225,000
Rockville, Maryland
$314,900
Sophisticated and spacious, this 5 bedroom, 4.5 bath Colonial is set on a cherry tree-lined street. With 6,000+ sq. ft. on 3 levels, this home is an entertainer’s delight with large open rooms and a custom sun room addition.
Waterfront Retreat! Custom built Rixey Contemporary with 4 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, stunning gardens, swimming pool, and private beach access. Community marina, too!
This gracious 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath Colonial features gorgeous, random-width hardwood flooring throughout, expansive rooms for entertaining and a spectacular oneacre lot.
Great condo alternative! Immaculate 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath, 3 level townhome with refinished wood flooring, renovated kitchen and baths, community pool and recreational facilities.
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Miller Bethesda All Points Office
4701 Sangamore Road Bethesda, MD 301.229.4000
#1 W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtors® Office • #10 Long & Foster Office for 2014 We are pleased to welcome the following new associates who have recently joined our team! The #1 Miller Office is growing one great agent at a time!
Susan Sanford
VP, Managing Broker ssanford@LNF.com Office Direct: 301.320.8300
We are home to successful and top-producing agents seeking an executive approach to their real estate business as well as new agents ready to launch successful real estate careers. Gorgeous private office space available for top producing transferees! Call Susan today for a confidential interview to find out why top producing and new agents join my office and choose to stay!
ELLEN COHEN
SHARRON COCHRAN
Always There for YOU!
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• Realty Alliance Award Recipient, Top 5 Percent North America • SRES (Seniors Real Estate Specialist) • Staging, marketing, and negotiation expert
Let my experience work for you! Licensed in MD, DC & VA
Maria DaGama Calado • 214.577.2164 Maria.DaGamaCalado@LongandFoster.com Joanne Hill • 301.768.2849 Joanne.Hill@LongandFoster.com Deborah Lancaster • 240.460.2223 Deborah.Lancaster@LongandFoster.com Michael Miller • 202.365.9008 Michael.Miller@LongandFoster.com Amanda Palafox • 202.236.4431 Amanda.Palafox@LongandFoster.com George Rados • 301.502.1959 George.Rados@LongandFoster.com Christina Washington • 240.893.3910 Christina.Washington@LongandFoster.com
Cell or Text 240.462.6000 ecohen@LNF.com • www.EllenCohen.com Moving up, down OR away Contact me for Potomac, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, Bethesda, Rockville & DC homes for sale. • Certified Residential Specialist • Licensed to represent Sellers & Buyers in MD-DC-VA • Long & Foster Gold Club Hall of Fame • Seniors RE Specialist
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LYNN A. STEWART
301.580.4552 • Lynn@LynnStewartSells.com Licensed in DC, MD & VA
• Helping you open your next door • Call me to start planning your move • Senior Residential Specialist (SRES) with a focus on “Right-Sizing” • Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) & Top Producing Listing Agent • Bethesda Residential Specialist & Expert Buyers Agent in MD & DC • Local Resident & Neighbor
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WALSH RICHARDS
301.325.2965 • Vicki.Porter@LNF.com Licensed in DC, MD & VA Innovative Marketing Expert Your Montgomery County Expert raised in Bethesda ● Helping buyers and sellers make their real estate dreams come true! ● SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) experienced in down-sizing ● Call Vicki for the real estate results you desire! ●
301.706.3151 ● Walsh.Richards@LongandFoster.com Licensed in DC, MD & VA ●
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www.VickiPorter.net
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Results driven Native Washingtonian committed to finding you the perfect home. Professional and personal level of service Over 45 years of diverse commercial and residential real estate experience to help you throughout the selling and buying process.
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 News on Now TV at Noon talking about our local real estate market. Licensed in MD & DC
Call Our Award-Winning Managing Broker Susan Sanford to find out why top producing and new agents join our office and choose to stay! 301.320.8300 | ssanford@longandfoster.com
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Potomac Village Office 301.299.6000 | 301.983.0060
® ®
Potomac, Maryland
$719,000
Center Hall Colonial featuring wood floors, updated kitchen, master bath and family room, new roof, newer windows, new AC and 4-seasons room. Great location.
Potomac, Maryland
$1,775,000
Potomac, Maryland
$1,795,000
Chris Koons-Byrne 240.672.6628/ Chris.Koons-Byrne@LNF.com Long & Foster Potomac Village 301.983.0060
New Price! Colonial on 5 acres, 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, expansive rooms for formal and casual entertaining. Close to Great Falls Park, C&O path and Potomac Village. Graciela Haim 301.807.8845/ Graciela.Haim@LNF.com W.C. & A.N. Miller Potomac 301.299.6000
Natelli built in 1996 on a double lot with views of 18th hole at TPC Golf Course Community at Avenel. 400K renovation, screened-in porch and gourmet kitchen. Krystyna Litwin 301.332.7615/ Krystyna.Litwin@LNF.com Long & Foster Potomac Village 301.983.0060
Potomac, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Potomac, Maryland
$1,075,000
$1,445,000
$1,700,000
Recently renovated Mitchell and Best home with a fenced half-acre lot. Five bedrooms, finished walk-out lower level, built-ins throughout, and gourmet kitchen. Krystyna Litwin 301.332.7615/ Krystyna.Litwin@LNF.com Long & Foster Potomac Village 301.983.0060
Colonial in private setting next to Congressional CC. This home offers expanded custom kitchen, sunroom, screened porch, luxury master bath, lovely pool. Pam Powers 202.253.0754/ Pam@PamelaPowers.net Long & Foster Potomac Village 301.983.0060
3+ acre estate. Stately 6 bedrooms, 6 full bathrooms, 2 powder rooms, 3 car garage, formal entertaining spaces, gathering rooms, a private studio and tennis court. Peg Mancuso 301.996.5953/ PeggyM9@aol.com W.C. & A.N. Miller Potomac 301.299.6000
Potomac, Maryland
Bethesda, Maryland
Potomac, Maryland
$3,400,000
$1,650,000
$625,000 each
Incredibe estate designed and built by Brendan O’Neill. On 2.2 acres with 4 finished levels, 7 bedrooms, 7 baths, entertaining spaces, and a pool and tennis court. Peg Mancuso 301.996.5953/ PeggyM9@aol.com W.C. & A.N. Miller Potomac 301.299.6000
Gracious brick home on 2 acres in prime location (1 mile to I-495). Over 8,000 sq. ft. 6 bedrooms (1st floor master), 6 baths, daylight lower level and 2-car garage.
Two adjacent half acre lots. One lot with existing home. Level, deep lots with backyard privacy. Build your dream home. Water and sewer hook-up available at lot.
Krystyna Kazerouni 240.876.8750/ Krystyna.Kazerouni@LNF.com
Bonnie Mack Barker 301.785.3474/ Bonnie@BonnieBarker.com
Long & Foster Potomac Village 301.983.0060
W.C. & A.N. Miller Potomac 301.299.6000
Frederick, Maryland
North Potomac, Maryland
Washington/Berkley, D.C.
$1,900,000
Exceptional 160 acre farm. Main house, farm house, tenant house, farm outbuildings and barns. Suitable for horses, cattle, agribusiness. Private off Rte 15 & Rte 340. Toni Koerber 301.802.6770/ Toni.Realtor@us.net W.C. & A.N. Miller Potomac 301.299.6000
$1,237,000
Beautiful home with pool and patio for entertaining. Hardwoods, 4 fireplaces, 6 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms. Walkout lower level has game/rec room and guest suite. Ethel Skenderis 301.467.1010/ Ethel@LNF.com Long & Foster Potomac Village 301.983.0060
$2,099,000
Elegant Arthur Cotton Moore designed classic revivalstyle home in exclusive enclave of Foxhall Crescent! Curved staircase in foyer, stylish gourmet kitchen. Pam Powers 202.253.0754/ Pam@PamelaPowers.net Long & Foster Potomac Village 301.983.0060
10200 River Road, Potomac, Maryland | LongandFoster.com
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Creig Northrop Realtor®
301.761.5997 NorthropTeam.com
® ®
The #1 Real Estate Team in Maryland for all Brokerages!*
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Gaithersburg $1,025,000
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Germantown $650,000
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Silver Spring $499,900
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office 301.770.0760
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Ashton $1,450,000
17517SirGalahadWay.com
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Bethesda $200,000
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8/10/15 2:09 PM
Bethesda Gateway Office BethesdaGatewaySales.com | LongandFoster.com
Over $1.18 Billion in Sales for 2014 • A Record $156 Million Sold in April
Bethesda
$1,875,000
Potomac
$1,348,000
Spectacular 4-level townhome with elevator, 3-car garage and beautiful finishes. Elegant curved staircase, high ceilings, paneled study, master suite with custom closets and wet bar, gourmet kitchen leading to covered patio with city views. Steve Schuck 301.580.0177 TheSchucks@LNF.com
Luxurious end unit in Avenel. Grand floor plan with 2-story living room and dining room overlook, updated gourmet kitchen open to breakfast room , elevator to all levels and rooftop deck with golf course views.
Potomac
Cabin John Park
$1,098,000
Michael Matese 301.806.6829 Mike@MichaelMatese.com
$1,547,000
Washington, D.C.
$2,089,000
Luxurious end-unit townhome with elevator and 2-car garage minutes to Georgetown! Built in 2012, this former model home offers 3,800 square feet with designer finishes throughout and a roof deck with fireplace for elegant entertaining. Aaron Jeweler 301.325.8569 Aaron.Jeweler@LNF.com
Bethesda
$975,000
Classic New England colonial on serene, private, 2-acre Lot. Sun-filled open floor plan with gourmet kitchen, sunroom off dining room, 5 bedrooms, 5 baths. Master bedroom with roofdeck overlooks lush rear yard.
Modern, custom-designed new home featuring dramatic, light-filled open spaces on four finished levels. High ceilings, walls of glass, chef’s kitchen open to family room, fabulous master suite with luxury bath.
Michael Matese 301.806.6829 Mike@MichaelMatese.com
Phyllis Wiesenfelder 301.529.3896 PhyllisW@LNF.com
Charming Cape Cod with flexible floor plan on landscaped corner lot. 3-4 bedrooms, 3 baths, large living room with fireplace, remodeled kitchen, family room/4th bedroom, sun room, finished lower level. Blocks to downtown Bethesda! Bonnie Casper 301.252.7616 Bonnie@LNF.com
$1,799,900
Chevy Chase/Town of Somerset $1,625,000
Potomac/Fox Hills
Beautiful home on 2-acre lot offering 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, finished, walk out lower level, today’s granite chef’s kitchen, gorgeous hardwoods, and incredible views from every window.
Classic Colonial with sun-drenched rooms, gorgeous gardens and enchanting views. Six bedrooms, 5.5 baths with designer finishes, chef’s kitchen, dramatic study/ family room, superb walkout lower level with rec room, office and guest room. Near Metro, town pool and tennis. Phyllis Wiesenfelder 301.529.3896 PhyllisW@LNF.com
Updated 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath Northampton model Colonial with large kitchen, hardwood floors, recessed lights, expansive screened porch, deck and private, beautifully landscaped backyard with koi pond.
Bethesda
Debbie Cohen 202.288.9939 DebbieCohen@msn.com
® ®
$799,000
Lauren Hatten 301.996.5592 Lauren.Hatten@LNF.com
4650 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland | 301.907.7600
Bethesda Gateway 2015 Sept-Oct.indd 1 Untitled-7 1
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Wendy Banner
& The Banner Team ® ®
301.365.9090 | Wendy@BannerTeam.com | www.BannerTeam.com
Potomac/ Piney Glen
$3,695,000
Bethesda/ Burning Tree
$3,495,000
Potomac/ Potomac Falls
$2,995,000
Over 17,000 square feet featuring custom finishes and soaring ceilings with walls of intricate windows, chef’s kitchen, great room and banquet size dining room. Owner’s suite with sitting room, deck, his/hers dressing rooms and sauna. Indoor sport court and home theater!
Builder’s own dream home loaded with extras! Four finished levels with elevator to all floors. 6 fireplaces, main level study and billiard rooms. Rec room with level walkout, theatre, spa area with sauna, massage, exercise rooms and 4 car garage and back-up generator.
Elegant and timeless estate on 2.68 acres. National Grand Award winner for Outdoor Living Space in 2009! Incredible mouldings, wine cellar, walk-out lower level, main level library, chef’s kitchen and finished 3rd floor! Spectacular views overlook pool and parkland.
Bethesda
Potomac/ Avenel
Potomac/ close-in
$1,925,000
$1,650,000
$1,599,000
Elegant Georgian setback on service road on private 3/4 acres on 4 levels with 5 fireplaces! Walkout lower level. Professionally landscaped lot with fenced yard, brick terrace, 3-car garage and circular driveway. Amy Michaels 301.807.5990
Unique floor plan features approximately 8,000 square feet, 6 bedrooms, 6 full baths, great room with floor to ceiling fireplace, main level study, elegant owner’s suite with separate his/hers closets and bonus room. Lower level with rec and exercise rooms.
Renovated and expanded home on quiet cul-de-sac conveniently located at the Bethesda/Potomac line! Featuring over 8,000 square feet, custom finishes, main level owner’s suite, gourmet chef’s kitchen with granite counters, upgraded HVAC, generator and solar panels!
Potomac
Potomac/ Lake Potomac
Bethesda/ Avenel
$1,500,000
$1,395,000
Brick/stone Colonial with 6,800+ sq. ft. on 4 levels. Featuring expansive gourmet kitchen, spacious bedrooms with ensuite baths, large recreation/media rooms in walkout lower level, patio, deck and sport court! Priced below cost!
Sun-filled brick rambler with contemporary flair, open floor plan with over 8,200 finished square feet, on sprawling 2 acre landscaped lot, with iron fenced yard, in-ground swimming pool, multiple patios and sunken terrace, Koi pond and 2 car garage.
$1,329,000/ $5,500 month Updated brick colonial featuring sweeping views of the TPC golf course at Avenel! Upgrades include new driveway, all new windows/doors, new HVAC system, renovated owner’s bath, back-up generator and Polk surround sound system.
Darnestown
Potomac/ Normandy Estates
Potomac/ close-in
$1,195,000
Custom Williamsburg Cape on private 2 acres with circle driveway. Main level owner’s suite. Hand milled cabinetry includes paneled cherry library, built-ins and dramatic great room with gorgeous 2-story fireplace. Gourmet kitchen, large bedroom suites up.
$915,000
Stately home on lush .79 acre lot! Features a luxurious owner’s suite with sitting area, fireplace and renovated bath, hardwood floors on two levels, freshly painted interior, renovated lower level with walk up stairs to yard, main level office, 2 fireplaces, upper level laundry!
$899,000
Stately Colonial on 1/2 acre lot with cleared, usable yard steps from Potomac Village. Main level study, family room with fireplace, gourmet kitchen with granite counters and formal living/dining rooms. Walkout lower level. Legal rental.
4650 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland | 301.907.7600
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301.775.4196 #1 Billion Dollar Bethesda Gateway Office | 301.907.7600 (O) Licensed in MD | DC | VA | MargieHalem@LongandFoster.com Please view our listings at MargieHalemRealtor.com.
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Potomac $1,495,000 Exquisite 6 bedroom, 6 ½ bath Georgian Colonial custom built by renowned Mitchell, Best & Visnic on beautiful 2-acre lot.
Margie Halem Recognized by THE WALL STREET JOURNAL as one of America’s Top Real Estate Agents
Work with the Winners! Earn what you Deserve and be part of our Huge Market Share. The Bethesda Office of Long & Foster, located at 7700 Old Georgetown Road sold more than
$1 Billion in real estate last year and we’re on track to do it again in 2015.
For a private consultation about joining our winning team, Call Dottie Crago Faust VP, Associate Broker
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interior design. architecture. home sales.
photo by Anna Routh
home
Bethesda interior designer Erica Burns decorated her home with art and accessories that she had collected over time. For more, see page 248.
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Splash of Color
Neutral kitchens are easy to live with and less likely to look dated, but all that white and stainless steel can also be dull. With bright colors or warm wood tones, these stylish kitchen accessories and gadgets can add personality to any space.
2
By Carolyn Weber
3
Every kitchen needs a bit of whimsy—especially at cocktail time. The Parrot bottle opener and corkscrew from Alessi comes in blue, green or black and is priced at $64 at Bloomingdale’s in Chevy Chase (240-744-3700; www.alessi.com).
2. Fruity Beauty
A graphic dish towel is an easy way to add color and pattern to a kitchen—and you can rotate them every week. This cotton cutie is handmade and available for $20 at Anthropologie in Chevy Chase (301-654-1481; www.anthropologie.com).
3. Double Duty
These Squish collapsible measuring cups and spoons save space and add color. The set of four spoons is $4.99 and the cups are $9.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond in Rockville (301-7704330; www.bedbathbeyond.com).
Carolyn Weber lives in Silver Spring and frequently writes about architecture and home design.
4. Work of Art
Blending metal alloy and rich acacia wood, the Nambé Gourmet Fruit Tree Bowl holds large fruit below and the center pole allows bananas and grapes to dangle. Find it for $135 at Macy’s in Westfield Montgomery mall (301-4696800; www.nambe.com).
all images courtesy
1. Cheers!
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5. Practical Stackables
Simple, clear bowls are essential for storing and transporting leftovers. And this fun set is topped with sunny yellow lids. Find a set of a dozen 16-ounce bowls for $19.95 at Crate and Barrel in Spring Valley (202364-6100; www.crateandbarrel. com).
6. Fresh PEpper?
Handcrafted in Italy, the Octagonal Walnut Wood Salt & Pepper Mills are easy to grip and beautiful to behold. The salt mill is 9 inches high and is $79.95, and the pepper mill comes in 9- and 12-inch sizes, priced at $79.95 and $99.95. Find them at Williams-Sonoma at Mazza Gallerie (202-237-1602; www.williams-sonoma.com).
7. Pass the Jam
This bright-red Berry Jam Jar has signature Le Creuset charm and is a welcome addition to any countertop. The 16-ounce stoneware crock comes with a silicone spreader and retails for $35 at the Le Creuset Signature store in Bethesda (301-718-1885; www.lecreuset.com).
8. On a Pedestal
A pretty cake stand gives any baked good an instant upgrade. These colorful earthenware pedestals would also look nice in a glass-front cabinet. The “Quilted� Cake Plates are 14 inches in diameter and sell for $48 at Neiman Marcus in Mazza Gallerie (202-966-9700; www. neimanmarcus.com). n
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spins on a
Classic It seems like everyone wants a white kitchen these days. We found six local homes that offer beautiful examples of how to do it. By Nigel F. maynard
white this time When Melissa Blume
and Scott Levine renovated the kitchen in their 1935 row home in D.C.’s Glover Park in 2005, they had regrets. To fit in with the colonialstyle home, they chose dark cherry cabinets, black granite countertops and dark oak floors. “I thought back and wondered, ‘Why didn’t I do a white kitchen?’ ” says Blume. When it was time to renovate the kitchen in the Chevy Chase home the couple bought in 2008, they weren’t about to make the same mistake. Their new kitchen, by designer Sarah Kahn Turner, features white cabinets and an island painted in Sherwin-Williams “web gray.” According to Turner, who designed the kitchen while working at Gilday
Renovations in Silver Spring, “A different-colored island is the primary way to break up the white.” The couple removed the upper cabinets and added two windows, which shower the space in natural light. To make up for the lost storage, they added a walk-in pantry. “Now there is so much more cabinet space in this kitchen because of the way everything was designed,” Blume says. A backsplash made from bevelededge white subway tiles and gray grout gives the kitchen an industrial flair. The light fixtures, which have metal braces in an “X” shape and visible rivets, extend the industrial theme. And bar stools from Ethan Allen with the same “X-shape” design pull everything together.
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photo by michael ventura
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Mix and match W h e n D r s. A n u a n d Rav i
white they chose for the cabinets. The range hood is hidden behind cabinetry, and the beams that run across the ceiling have the same molding as the cabinets. Made with onyx stone, the inset “window” on the backsplash creates a focal point and hides extra storage. “Your eyes stop and spend a little time on that detail,” Kadwell says. The floors and island are made of Brazilian cherry, which creates a beautiful contrast to all the white. Anthony Wilder says the kitchen is a great example of the adaptability of white. “We could have done anything in the kitchen,” he says. “Instead of having the white beams, we could have gone with barn wood for a slightly tattered, worn look.” Anu is glad they didn’t. “We have not regretted or looked back,” she says. “It’s our favorite room in the house.”
photos by Morgan Howarth
Dahiya bought their circa 1992 colonial in Bethesda’s Avenel neighborhood, the kitchen had issues. “It was a disaster,” Anu says. “There was a tiny door leading to the dining room, cherry cabinets, laminate countertops and pine floors.” To brighten and modernize the space, kitchen designer Shannon Kadwell and project architect Marian Vaias, both of whom work at Anthony Wilder Design/Build in Cabin John, created larger openings between the kitchen and dining room, then mixed and matched several finishes in the kitchen. They chose two types of marble countertops with different edge treatments, as well as painted maple cabinets. “We wanted something with a little bit of cream to it because we thought that would bring a little richness,” Anu says about the shade of
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potomac modern would have been too much contrast,” company owner Jonas Carnemark says, adding that using organic materials is one way
to tone down the starkness of a modern kitchen. An angular and playful faucet from Kohler adds a touch of whimsy. photos by Anice Hoachlander of Hoachlander Davis Photography
The kitchen in this
contemporary Potomac house had been renovated piecemeal over 20 years with builder-grade cabinets, standard granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. “It was functional, but not particularly interesting or welcoming,” the homeowner says. Bethesda-based Carnemark was called in to help create a bright, functional space with unique materials—from polished glass countertops and glass tiles on the floor to two types of cabinets: matte glass and polished lacquer. To break up the white, the owners chose a mocha lacquer finish for the island and added black countertops made from a paperbased surface called Richlite. “Doing just the black top and a white island and white floors
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Renovated in Kensington A rare find! Updated kitchen & baths, new windows & a recently finished lower level all on a fabulous lot, perfect for a playset or a game of croquet! Just minutes to downtown Bethesda or DC, this one won’t last long!
For an appointment to see this home, please call Cindy Souza at 301-493-9878
The Souza Group of Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc 7700 Old Georgetown Rd, Bethesda, Md 20814 â—? 240-497-1700 Main Office
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home
BLANK canvas The owners of this
Gaithersburg townhome knew they wanted a white kitchen that showcased their collection of colorful art and furniture. But it couldn’t be just any white. “They had a paint chip from Duron,” says Dave Vogt, a director of project development at Case Design/ Remodeling in Bethesda. Case had 10 shades of white in its collection, including an antique white with a brown undertone that was a close match to the client’s chip. The warm color complements the cabinets they chose, which were made by Crystal Cabinets in a finish called bisque. Next, the designers brought in
white subway tiles with beveled edges and white marble for the countertops. Vogt says hickory hardwood floors help to tone down all the white. The neutral kitchen acts as a backdrop for several splashes of color: blue and white stools around the island, dining chairs in a rainbow of colors, a glossy blue Asian-inspired sideboard and colorful wall art. Art, furniture and paint could easily be swapped out to change the look of the space. Says Vogt: “You can just come in with an allnew paint scheme on the walls and really affect the look and feel of the kitchen.”
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photos by June Stanich
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clean lines
photos by Geoffrey Hodgdon
Allan and Linda Dallas
Reider wanted a white kitchen that complemented their 1926 center-hall colonial in Chevy Chase Village—but they didn’t want anything too fussy. “Even though we don’t like contemporary kitchens, we do like clean lines,” Linda says. Chevy Chase architect Bruce Wentworth says the Reiders had plenty of space, but it was poorly laid out. “In the old kitchen, if you were preparing a meal, you felt isolated because you were not open to the family room.” Wentworth gutted the entire space and reorganized the interior, opening it up to the family room and creating a butler’s pantry and a walk-in pantry. Featuring its own window, the butler’s pantry offers storage for collectibles such as crystal and silver, while the walk-in pantry has pocket doors that conceal food and supplies. He also removed the upper cabinets and replaced them with two large windows that flank the range. “The more unattractive functional things are tucked to the side, and the working space is open and bright with lots of windows and skylights,” he says. Recessed cabinet fronts and threedimensional tiles add texture to the space. Linda says the bold light fixtures from Rejuvenation complete the room. Inspired by fixtures made
from 1910 to 1920, they feature large glass globes and industrial-style metal accents. Wentworth says he often uses light fixtures as a sculptural element over islands or peninsulas: “They help to mark the importance of that work area.”
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family affair behind cabinet doors. The refrigerator and one of the dishwashers have white panels that match the rest of the kitchen’s cabinetry, while another dishwasher is tucked beneath the island and covered in a black cabinet door. The rest—two wall ovens, one steam oven, a tall wine refrigerator and an under-counter refrigerator— are stacked neatly on a far wall of the
kitchen. “I have a very large family—12 nieces and nephews, and six brothers and sisters—so our gatherings are between 20 and 40,” Nicholas says. “We needed a kitchen like this.” n Freelance writer and blogger Nigel F. Maynard lives in Hyattsville and has a white kitchen.
photos by Bill Bauer Photography
Catherine Nicholas and
her family love to entertain and cook large meals together, but the kitchen in their Luxmanor home couldn’t handle the kind of dinner parties she wanted to host. “The space was very cramped and dark,” says Karen Hourigan, a designer at Kitchen and Bath Studios in Chevy Chase. As part of a whole-house renovation and addition, Sterling Custom Homes of Potomac gave Hourigan space to create a larger kitchen. A new walk-in pantry cut the rest of the kitchen off from daylight, so Hourigan chose white-painted maple perimeter cabinets to help brighten the space. Several dark accents add contrast: a black-painted island with a veined granite countertop and dark leather bar stools, a black built-in hutch, and solid black granite countertops next to the cooktop and refrigerator. Hourigan didn’t want to let the kitchen’s many appliances dominate the space, so she hid some of them
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Silver Spring | 4/4.5 | $699,000 Janis Carter 301.718.0010 2107 Thompson Hill Court Search MC8683573 on CBHomes.com
Historic Poolesville | 3/3 | $699,900 Cathy Hunter 301.921.1040 20101 Fisher Avenue Search MC8556093 on CBHomes.com
Potomac Chase | 4/3.5 | $654,999 Ronald Danielian 301.921.1040 12600 Native Dancer Place Search MC8678023 on CBHomes.com
Ward Farm Estates | 4/3.5 | $640,000 Cathy Sherk 301.921.1040 9309 Harrisons Farm Way Search MC8703097 on CBHomes.com
Hillandale | 4/4 | $624,900 Betty Batty 301.718.0010 10420 Greenacres Drive Search MC8613623 on CBHomes.com
Kentlands Gatehouse | 3/3.5 | $615,000 Diane Naedel 301.921.1040 110 Clagett Crossing Place Search MC8702438 on CBHomes.com
Bethesda 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 100 | Bethesda, MD | 301.718.0010 North Potomac/Rockville 14955 Shady Grove Road, Suite 170 | Rockville, MD | 301.921.1040 Potomac 10220 River Road | Potomac, MD | 301.983.0200 The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor agents and are not employees of the Company. Š2015 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker logo, Coldwell Banker Previews International and the Previews logo are registered and unregistered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. 10696WDC_07/15
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Administered by American Home Shield
8/5/15 7:09 PM
Discover a better path to your career goals. Agents affiliated with the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage North Potomac/Rockville office achieve results with unmatched technology and Internet reach, powerful global connections and a dedicated luxury marketing program. At Coldwell Banker , ®
we provide the tools. You earn the rewards. Contact the North Potomac/Rockville office to find out more.
Kelly Vezzi Branch Vice President North Potomac/Rockville 14955 Shady Grove Road, Suite 170 Rockville, MD 301.921.1040
ColdwellBankerHomes.com/Rockville
Like us on Facebook! Coldwell Banker North Potomac/Rockville Office Nothing in this document is intended to create an employment relationship. Any affiliation by you with the Company is intended to be that of an independent contractor agent. ©2015 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker is a registered service mark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. 10712WDC-8/15
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home
The Right Mix A young family’s Bethesda home proves that interior design can be both stylish and practical By Charlotte Safavi | Photos by Anna routh
A few months after having their first daughter in 2011, interior designer Erica Burns and her husband, Ryan, moved into a home in Bethesda’s Wood Acres neighborhood. “We bought it pretty much unchanged from the original owner,” Burns says of the 2,300-square-foot, three-bedroom colonial built in 1954. “We weren’t ready to embark on an extensive renovation, but we were interested in updating and refreshing the home—in making it ours.” The biggest job was to redo the outdated galley kitchen and expand its
cramped dimensions by absorbing a formerly closed-off dining room. With the first floor opened up, the project became purely cosmetic. Wood floors throughout were stained a darker hue, and everything was repainted. Burns used a palette of bright, unexpected colors, and decorated the home with furniture, art and accessories that she’d collected over time. “I like to use new and old things,” she says. “Even though we’re starting out, I wanted our house to feel unique and interesting, not like it was bought out of a catalog.”
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Interior designer Erica Burns, shown here in the foyer niche off the living room of her Wood Acres home
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1. dining area “Formal dining simply isn’t happening at this stage in our lives,” says Burns, who now has two girls, ages 4 and 1. The wall between the kitchen and dining room was removed, creating a larger eat-in kitchen. The dining area is defined by vibrant green grasscloth walls and a blue and green Roman blind made of fabric by Christopher Farr. Three Crate and Barrel Windsor chairs and a custom upholstered bench surround a reclaimed wood pedestal table that can be expanded for dinner parties.
A mounted collection of blue and white dishes makes for personal, colorful artwork in the dining area. Burns began with pieces inherited from one of her grandmothers, and has added flea market finds to the collection.
2. kitchen “The old kitchen was a hodgepodge of mismatched cabinets and dated appliances,” Burns says of her costliest remodeling project, which was done before the family moved in. Reico Kitchen & Bath cabinets with nickel pulls, quartzite countertops, and gray subway tile backsplashes made by Architectural Ceramics define the workspace. The retro-looking Viking range is a pale robin’s egg blue.
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home
3. living room Because the house doesn’t have a formal entry, Burns set out to design an adult-feeling living room. “I wanted to walk into a clean space, not a room filled with sippy cups and kids’ toys,” she says. The sofa is upholstered in white linen, though treated to be stain-resistant, and faces a pair of chairs from Noir upholstered in a Sister Parish pattern. The chairs have a strong presence with their distinct retro look and darker wood frames. A dark wood coffee table delivers similar gravitas and helps to anchor the light, airy room. Burns balanced these bolder pieces with an old-fashioned impressionistic painting in an unexpected acrylic frame. It hangs above the traditional mantel, which is also adorned with contemporary sconces from Visual Comfort. Tip from Burns: Vary the Color Palette Though robin’s egg blue can be spotted throughout the first floor—from the kitchen’s range and the den’s walls to the living room’s sateen curtains on Lucite rods—each room introduces pops of unexpected color. In the den, there are coral-orange Ro Sham Beaux lamps; grassy green enlivens the dining area; and the backs of the built-in shelves in the living room are covered in lavender grasscloth.
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Burns gave this Crate and Barrel bar chest, which was purchased as a floor sample by the couple years ago, a coat of green lacquer paint. It sits in a corner of the living room.
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4. kids’ rooms Of course, Burns has also added new life to the house in the form of her two young daughters. Her 4-year-old loves pink, so she chose a pink-andwhite striped rug and pink duvet covers for the two twin beds in her room. To balance the bold color, Burns bought vintage headboards from Etsy and painted them kelly green. Burns designed her younger daughter’s room when she was pregnant. “I kept that room
gender neutral, because we didn’t know if we’d have a boy or a girl,” she says. The room has a navy palette; she added a pink monogrammed pillow to the chair after her daughter was born. The wallpaper, by Osborne & Little, is designed to look like vintage book spines. It adds lots of color to the space, and also echoes Burns’ collection of old books, some of which line the shelves in the living room.
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In matted Pottery Barn frames, the gallery wall features five generations of family photos.
Burns chose an acrylic table because it’s easy to keep clean and takes up little visual space, making it a good choice for the small room.
5. den Covered in fabric from JAB Anstoetz, the custom throw pillows on the couch in the den served as the color inspiration for the entire house. “I toted the swatch everywhere with me,” Burns says of the bright, happy-hued print, which she says reminds her of Florida, where she used to live. “I love the colors—the orange, the green, the lavender, the turquoise, the robin’s egg blue.” Gray is Burns’ favored neutral—which you can see in the kid-friendly CB2 sofa and the side tables from Ballard Designs.
Tip from Burns: Mix Old and New Burns inherited this cane-backed chair, which sits in the den, from one of her grandmothers, and had it reupholstered in a fun wool plaid. “The house’s character is trendy and fresh,” Burns says, “but I love old things that have a story and like to layer them in.” The gilt mirror in the foyer niche off the living room was purchased from the home’s first owner. “I love having something original to the home,” Burns says. n
Charlotte Safavi is a freelance writer living in Alexandria, Virginia. BethesdaMagazine.com | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 255
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by the numbers
Data provided by
JUNE’s Most Expensive
Home Sales
$2.7 million
List Price: $3.7 million
Address: 6217 Walhonding Road, Bethesda 20816 Days on Market: 7 Listing Agent: Suzanne Goldstein, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 5, Full/half baths: 4/1
Courtesy of long & foster
$3.4 million Address: 9841 Avenel Farm Drive, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 0 Listing Agent: Marc Fleisher, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6, Full/half baths: 5/3
Courtesy of long & foster
$3.3 million
Courtesy of Washington Fine Properties
List Price: $2.8 million
Sale Price:
$2.6 million Sale Price:
Courtesy of Washington Fine Properties
Sale Price:
Sale Price:
List Price: $3.6 million
Address: 8516 Country Club Drive, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 32 Listing Agent: Marc Fleisher, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 7, Full/half baths: 5/4
Sale Price:
$3 million
List Price: $3.3 million
Address: 3939 Fordham Road NW, Washington, D.C. 20016 Days on Market: 121 Listing Agent: Virginia Chew, Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 5, Full/half baths: 6/2
Sale Price:
$2.8 million List Price: $3 million
Address: 7105 Armat Drive, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 64 Listing Agent: William F.X. Moody, Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 6, Full/half baths: 6/3
List Price: $2.7 million Address: 2 Melrose St. West, Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 202 Listing Agent: Honor Ingersoll, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 4, Full/half baths: 3/2 Sale Price:
$2.4 million
List Price: $2.4 million Address: 7514 Oldchester Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 8 Listing Agent: Ronald Sitrin, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6, Full/half baths: 5/1 Sale Price:
$2.2 million List Price: $2.3 million
Address: 3612 Macomb St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016 Days on Market: 8 Listing Agent: Katherine Buckley, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 6, Full/half baths: 4/1 Sale Price:
$2.1 million
List Price: $2.1 million Address: 6209 Poindexter Lane, Rockville 20852 Days on Market: 0 Listing Agent: Cheryl Leahy, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6, Full/half baths: 5/1
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A ConneCtiCut YAnkee in BethesdA sensAtionAl CountrY CluB CommunitY
Bethesda. Welcome to this outstanding Early American replicated center hall colonial with stone and clapboard elevation. Exquisitely built by Monroe Development and acclaimed Griff Gosnell, this very special home combines traditional architecture with today’s finest materials and expert workmanship. A newly redesigned center hall foyer introduces a fabulous floor plan complete with gourmet chef’s kitchen, terrific adjoining family room, exquisite screened porch with vaulted ceiling, English paneled library and deluxe owner’s suite all located on the main level. Custom millwork, vaulted and tray ceilings, six fireplaces and gorgeous hardwood floors highlight the beautiful design found throughout this special home. Further enhancing the home’s appeal is a fully finished walk out level with recreation room, game room, exercise room and full bedroom and bath. Guest/staff quarters with bedroom and bath are located above the attached garage. Breathtaking grounds have been completely redesigned with expanded yard, professional landscaping, beautiful pool and cabana and bath. Ideally located in the prestigious and sought after Country Club Drive community, the home is convenient to Washington DC, Tyson’s Corner, Crescent Bike Trail, C&O Canal, the vibrancy of downtown Bethesda and three major airports. Offered at $3,595,000.
Marc Fleisher
www.thefleishergroup.com 202.364.5200 x 2927 (O) 202.438.4880 (C)
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by the numbers Sale Price:
$2 million
List Price: $2.2 million
Address: 6401 Elmwood Road, Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 7 Listing Agent: Alex Stefan, RE/ MAX Realty Services Bedrooms: 5, Full/half baths: 5/1 Sale Price:
$2 million
List Price: $2.2 million
Address: 9806 Hall Road, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 27 Listing Agent: John Pobiak, Maryland Home Realty Bedrooms: 5, Full/half baths: 6/3 Sale Price:
$2 million
List Price: $2 million
Address: 5318 Woodlawn Ave., Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 6
Listing Agent: Robert Jenets, Stuart & Maury Bedrooms: 5, Full/half baths: 4/1 Sale Price:
$2 million
List Price: $2 million Address: 6236 Clearwood Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 15 Listing Agent: Marc Fleisher, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 5, Full/half baths: 4/1 Sale Price:
$2 million
List Price: $1.8 million
Address: 5804 Surrey St., Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 4 Listing Agent: Phyllis Wiesenfelder, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 5, Full/half baths: 4/1 Sale Price:
$1.9 million
List Price: $2 million
Address: 5105 Wehawken Road, Bethesda 20816 Days on Market: 276 Listing Agent: Todd Harris, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6, Full/half baths: 5/1 Sale Price:
$1.9 million List Price: $1.9 million
Address: 8021 Aberdeen Road, Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 7 Listing Agent: Sherry Davis, Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 4, Full/half baths: 4/1 Sale Price:
$1.9 million List Price: $1.9 million
Address: 5513 Namakagan Road, Bethesda 20816 Days on Market: 39 Listing Agent: George Koutsoukos, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6, Full/half baths: 5/0
Sale Price:
$1.9 million List Price: $2 million
Address: 3816 Military Road NW, Washington, D.C. 20015 Days on Market: 40 Listing Agent: Mary Lynn White, Evers & Company Real Estate Bedrooms: 5, Full/half baths: 4/1 Sale Price:
$1.8 million List Price: $1.9 million
Address: 8926 Abbey Terrace, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 30 Listing Agent: James Coley, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 5, Full/half baths: 4/3 Sale Price:
$1.8 million List Price: $1.7 million
Address: 4107 Fordham Road NW, Washington, D.C. 20016 Days on Market: 5
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Deb Levy and Lisa Bennett
They say the kitchen is the hearT of the home‌ Trust your instincts when you find the right house. Trust us to find the perfect mortgage financing to make the house your home. Service | mortgage options | Local Bank | home Lending Team Deb Levy, Vice President/Senior mortgage Banker NMLS# 481255
| 202.292.1581 | deblevy@eaglebankcorp.com
Lisa Bennett, Loan Consultant NMLS# 482234
| 202.292.1582 | lbennett@eaglebankcorp.com
ReLocatioN SpeciaLiStS • We LeNd iN eveRy State
mD | DC | Va | www.debbielevy.com
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by the numbers Listing Agent: Diana Hart, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 4, Full/half baths: 3/1 Sale Price:
$1.8 million List Price: $1.8 million
Address: 4707 Woodway Lane NW, Washington, D.C. 20016 Days on Market: 6 Listing Agent: Matthew McCormick, Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 5, Full/half baths: 4/1 Sale Price:
$1.8 million List Price: $1.9 million
Address: 7205 Bradley Blvd., Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 66 Listing Agent: Ellen Hatoum, Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 6, Full/half baths: 5/1 Sale Price:
$1.7 million
Selling
mASterWork
Martins Addition. Dramatic floorplan & grand proportions on three finished levels. Gorgeous 13,000+ sq ft lot w/enchanting garden views. Walk to shops on Brookville Road. Easy access to all of downtown Bethesda & DC. $2,700,000 Eric Murtagh 301.652.8971
List Price: $2 million
Address: 3422 36th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016 Days on Market: 206 Listing Agent: Catherine Gill, Cathie Gill Inc. Bedrooms: 5, Full/half baths: 3/1 Sale Price:
$1.7 million List Price: $1.7 million
Address: 5220 Marlyn Drive, Bethesda 20816 Days on Market: 11 Listing Agent: Katherine Witowski, W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtors, a Long & Foster Co. Bedrooms: 6, Full/half baths: 5/1 Sale Price:
$1.7 million List Price: $1.7 million
Address: 11716 Lake Potomac Drive, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 44 Listing Agent: Anne Killeen, Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 6, Full/half baths: 6/2
the
Sale Price:
$1.7 million List Price: $1.7 million
Address: 5605 McKinley St., Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 0 Listing Agent: Jeremy Lichtenstein, RE/MAX Realty Services Bedrooms: 6, Full/half baths: 5/1 Sale Price:
$1.7 million List Price: $1.7 million
Address: 4034 Glenridge St., Kensington 20895 Days on Market: 69 Listing Agent: Alana Aschenbach, Flaherty Group Bedrooms: 6, Full/half baths: 4/1 Sale Price:
$1.7 million
Days on Market: 37 Listing Agent: John Lee, J.K. Lee Realty Bedrooms: 5, Full/half baths: 4/2 Sale Price:
$1.7 million List Price: $1.7 million
Address: 7904 Maryknoll Ave., Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 5 Listing Agent: Marc Fleisher, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 5, Full/half baths: 4/1 Sale Price:
$1.6 million List Price: $1.7 million
Address: 5704 Kirkside Drive, Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 5 Listing Agent: Cheryl Kurss, Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6, Full/half baths: 3/2
List Price: $1.7 million
Address: 10716 Barn Wood Lane, Potomac 20854
Note: Some sales and list prices have been rounded off.
AreA’S FineSt ProPertieS
timeleSS treASure
Chevy Chase. Spectacular, perfectly sited new residence w/ gorgeous, high-end finishes on three magnificent levels w/5 BR, 5.5 BA, & chef’s Kit. Walk to the Capital Crescent Trail, community center, park, Metro, farmers markets, & more. $2,700,000 Eric Murtagh 301.652.8971
viSit uS BetheSdA/Chevy ChASe 7032 WiSConSin Avenue Chevy ChASe, md 20815 301.656.1800
grAnd trAditionS
Town of Chevy Chase. Impressive 1920s manor w/ dramatic spaces has been renovated from top to bottom. Formal LR & DR, 5 BR, 6.5 BA, dazzling Kit, 3-car garage, and inviting deck. $2,695,000 Eric Murtagh 301.652.8971 Karen Kuchins 301.275.2255
deluxe deSign
Bethesda. Designed for entertaining! Soaring ceilings, top-of-the-line Kitchen, 5 BR, 4.5 BA including sumptuous owner’s suite, & much more. Close to NIH, Metro, YMCA, the Beltway & downtown Bethesda. $1,530,000 Eric Murtagh 301.652.8971 Marina Krapiva 301.792.5681
FriendShiP heightS 4400 JeniFer St nW WAShington, dC 20015 202.364.1700 WWW.everSCo.Com
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We want to help local families have sweeter dreams. Each night, many families sleep on floors just miles away from some of our nation’s greatest wealth. These families need beds. That’s why the Wydler Brothers Team created the 1000 Bed Challenge. For every home bought or sold with Wydler Brothers this year, our lead agent will donate a bed to A Wider Circle, a local charity helping thousands of families in need. To help us reach our goal of donating 1000 beds, we have joined with the generous partners listed below who will also donate beds to A Wider Circle. Please help us deliver sweeter dreams to local families in need. TO LEARN MORE OR MAKE A DONATION, VISIT
10 0 0 BEDC H A LLE NG E .C O M
In-kind donation by Art Director: Craig Coughlin, Copywriter: Francis Sullivan, Photographer: Elliott O’Donovan
& We want to thank our partners for their support of this campaign.
Wydler Brothers Team, of Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
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by the numbers
Real Estate Trends (by zip code )
june 2014
june 2015
june 2014
june 2015
june 2014
june 2015
20015 (Upper NW D.C.)
20817 (Bethesda)
20853 (Rockville)
Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Average Days on Market Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million
Number of Homes Sold 47 52 Average Sold Price $1.4 Mil. $1.2 Mil. Average Days on Market 38 32 Above Asking Price 14 17 Below Asking Price 24 30 Sold Over $1 Million 25 25
Number of Homes Sold 24 43 Average Sold Price $423,283 $455,961 Average Days on Market 21 54 Above Asking Price 8 11 Below Asking Price 12 28 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0
20016 (Upper NW D.C.)
20818 (Cabin John)
20854 (Potomac)
Number of Homes Sold 31 29 Average Sold Price $1.85 Mil. $1.24 Mil. Average Days on Market 24 37 Above Asking Price 11 14 Below Asking Price 11 8 Sold Over $1 Million 24 20
Number of Homes Sold 3 2 Average Sold Price $835,000 $1.3 Mil. Average Days on Market 28 30 Above Asking Price 1 0 Below Asking Price 1 2 Sold Over $1 Million 1 2
Number of Homes Sold 52 Average Sold Price $1.1 Mil. Average Days on Market 55 Above Asking Price 13 Below Asking Price 36 Sold Over $1 Million 23
20812 (Glen Echo)
20832 (Olney)
20855 (Rockville)
Number of Homes Sold 2 0 Average Sold Price $1.1 Mil. N/A Average Days on Market 129 N/A Above Asking Price 0 N/A Below Asking Price 1 N/A Sold Over $1 Million 2 N/A
Number of Homes Sold 30 20 Average Sold Price $557,668 $532,232 Average Days on Market 31 26 Above Asking Price 9 2 Below Asking Price 17 12 Sold Over $1 Million 1 0
Number of Homes Sold 15 8 Average Sold Price $526,953 $554,892 Average Days on Market 66 21 Above Asking Price 2 1 Below Asking Price 10 5 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0
20814 (Bethesda)
20850 (Rockville)
20877 (Gaithersburg)
Number of Homes Sold 13 21 Average Sold Price $975,038 $981,398 Average Days on Market 15 24 Above Asking Price 2 8 Below Asking Price 5 10 Sold Over $1 Million 2 10
Number of Homes Sold 30 28 Average Sold Price $701,867 $665,772 Average Days on Market 42 47 Above Asking Price 6 8 Below Asking Price 17 18 Sold Over $1 Million 4 3
Number of Homes Sold 9 10 Average Sold Price $370,211 $386,380 Average Days on Market 77 54 Above Asking Price 0 0 Below Asking Price 9 8 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0
20815 (Chevy Chase)
20851 (Rockville)
20878 (North Potomac/Gaithersburg)
Number of Homes Sold 29 35 Average Sold Price $1.3 Mil. $1.2 Mil. Average Days on Market 21 36 Above Asking Price 7 12 Below Asking Price 18 20 Sold Over $1 Million 16 18
Number of Homes Sold 18 15 Average Sold Price $336,756 $338,127 Average Days on Market 25 21 Above Asking Price 5 4 Below Asking Price 8 5 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0
Number of Homes Sold 48 46 Average Sold Price $698,652 $701,417 Average Days on Market 46 64 Above Asking Price 7 9 Below Asking Price 33 32 Sold Over $1 Million 2 4
20816 (Bethesda)
20852 (North Bethesda/Rockville)
20879 (Gaithersburg)
Number of Homes Sold 16 17 Average Sold Price $751,031 $637,047 Average Days on Market 13 38 Above Asking Price 6 3 Below Asking Price 6 9 Sold Over $1 Million 4 1
Number of Homes Sold 16 17 Average Sold Price $462,000 $436,822 Average Days on Market 56 27 Above Asking Price 2 5 Below Asking Price 10 8 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0
Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Average Days on Market Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million
24 11 $1 Mil. $1.2 Mil. 13 24 18 6 6 4 12 9
17 23 $1 Mil. $1.2 Mil. 10 28 10 9 3 10 7 14
74 $1 Mil. 49 10 55 27
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june 2014
june 2015
june 2014
june 2015
june 2014
june 2015
20882 (Gaithersburg)
20896 (Garrett Park)
Number of Homes Sold 18 17 Average Sold Price $562,106 $468,321 Average Days on Market 62 85 Above Asking Price 1 4 Below Asking Price 13 11 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0
Number of Homes Sold 2 Average Sold Price $837,500 Average Days on Market 5 Above Asking Price 1 Below Asking Price 0 Sold Over $1 Million 0
20903 (Silver Spring)
20886 (Gaithersburg)
20901 (Silver Spring)
20904 (Silver Spring)
Number of Homes Sold 15 14 Average Sold Price $426,867 $405,284 Average Days on Market 31 28 Above Asking Price 2 3 Below Asking Price 10 9 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0
Number of Homes Sold 41 44 Average Sold Price $457,894 $455,803 Average Days on Market 33 27 Above Asking Price 13 13 Below Asking Price 21 18 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0
Number of Homes Sold 26 27 Average Sold Price $435,285 $448,204 Average Days on Market 50 45 Above Asking Price 8 6 Below Asking Price 16 18 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0
20895 (Kensington)
20902 (Silver Spring)
20905 (Silver Spring)
Number of Homes Sold 25 34 Average Sold Price $626,296 $660,599 Average Days on Market 25 23 Above Asking Price 13 8 Below Asking Price 7 19 Sold Over $1 Million 1 3
Number of Homes Sold 29 49 Average Sold Price $402,310 $379,822 Average Days on Market 27 43 Above Asking Price 4 15 Below Asking Price 16 25 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0
Number of Homes Sold 21 21 Average Sold Price $442,567 $473,114 Average Days on Market 45 28 Above Asking Price 9 3 Below Asking Price 10 14 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0
3 $1 Mil. 48 1 2 2
Number of Homes Sold 6 7 Average Sold Price $338,917 $395,179 Average Days on Market 27 30 Above Asking Price 2 3 Below Asking Price 2 3 Sold Over $1 Million 0 0
Information courtesy of MRIS as of July 15, 2015. 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 MidAtlantic 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. Note: Some sales and list prices have been rounded off.
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Special Advertising Section
Home Experts Profiles
James Moylan President
Design Builders Inc. 8315 North Brook Lane, Suite 205, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-875-2781 | www.designbuildersmd.com
While our firm does all types of remodeling work, our expertise in upscale outdoor spaces sets us apart. Our kitchens withstand extreme temperatures and humidity, our outdoor audio elements are operated via smartphone and our screens are motorized. Because we’ve done hundreds of projects, we know where savings can be found and offer competitive pricing. Our customers don’t have to seek out a builder, architect and landscaper: We do it all.
How do you employ new technology to help your customers? The technology we leverage addresses our clients’ pain points by offering convenience, accessibility and peace of mind. It begins with our online design consultation, which offers a remote alternative to in-person meetings. A busy couple can conference-
call us to review their proposed design, even on different devices, from across town or across the country. Our programs are interactive; feedback and changes are made in real time. Meanwhile, our job site cameras allow us to troubleshoot, monitor safety, verify deliveries and watch the weather from our offices. Homeowners also get a live feed. If there’s a question about something they see, or anything regarding their project, they can use our online project management software to ask us questions and access vital documents day or night.
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? My team and I love to tackle difficult and unusual projects. To do so, we stay current with industry trends and respect the work of established masters in our field. Being creative and completing projects on time and on budget leaves homeowners happy, which makes our work a pleasure.
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What makes you different than others in your profession?
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Home Experts | Profiles
“While our firm does all types of remodeling work, our expertise in upscale outdoor spaces sets us apart.�
From left to right: Sandy Kursban, Founder; Neal Kursban, President; Mindy Kursban, Vice President, Therapeutic Massage
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Home Experts | Profiles Andy Alderdice W.C. & A.N. Miller Realtors, a Long & Foster Co. 4701 Sangamore Road Bethesda, MD 20816 301-466-5898 www.andy4homes.com
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“There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a client realize their dream.”
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? Results! There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a client realize their dream. And real estate is never boring. A recent project is a new condo building in downtown Silver Spring – Octave 1320 – which will be ready for occupancy this fall. The building will be comprised of one and two bedroom condos starting in the mid $200Ks, a block from the Silver Spring Metro. There will be great amenities such as a fitness room, sky lounge, roof deck, with a washer/dryer and storage unit for every condo.
What is the one thing that your customers/clients should know about you? I’m a proud, 5th generation Washingtonian with strong community roots. Raised in Bethesda with five siblings, I attended Whitman and the University of Maryland, and have also lived in Potomac and Silver Spring. I’m grateful for wonderful friends I’ve made through real estate and, even after settlement, remain a trusted resource.
I’ll let my clients do the talking: “Andy showed us only houses that we would take seriously. We got more done in two weeks with Andy than we did in several months with others.” “We’re a military family and move around a lot so we have experience with Realtors! Andy is professional, knowledgeable and caring. I would absolutely recommend her to friends and family.” “Andy helped me find and buy my first house over 15 years ago, and she’s been my Realtor ever since. I’ve used her both as a buyer and seller. Each time she’s provided outstanding customer service. I love her smart, professional demeanor, and warm, friendly personality.”
Hilary schwab
How would your clients describe you?
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“We can take full responsibility for a project from beginning to end and are here for you every step of the way.”
Anthony Wilder Design/Build, Inc. architecture with whimsy 7913 MacArthur Blvd., Cabin John, MD 20818 301-907-0100 | www.anthonywilder.com
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? Creating unique structures that are decidedly different because they reflect the individual identity and style of our clients.
What is the one thing that your clients should know about you?
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We make sure all elements of design and construction come together cohesively in both form and function. We are with you every step of the way. As a design/build firm, we are able to help clients make informed decisions in every phase of the process because we deeply understand how design affects construction. At each project milestone, we endeavor to strike the right balance between three priorities: Design, Cost and Schedule.
What makes you different than others in your profession? “Architecture with whimsy” echoes our goal of making
every project spectacular and special. For us, it’s all about capturing the very essence of what makes each client distinctive, free-spirited and fun. As a client, you are the source of inspiration for our design concepts. That is what sets Anthony Wilder Design/Build apart from the rest. We believe that great architecture begins with great relationships with our clients. Design is a collaborative process in which the clients’ knowledge of their own needs is as important as the expertise of the architect. One of the unique aspects of our office is that we are both architects and contractors. We can take full responsibility for a project from beginning to end and are here for you every step of the way.
How would your clients describe you? One client wrote: “We had no reluctance about placing complete trust in Anthony Wilder. There’s no architectural suggestion or artistic hint that he can’t implement.”
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“Using the right technology to make sure the listing is seen by as many people as possible is of the utmost importance to us.”
Cindy Souza & The Souza Group Long & Foster Real Estate 7700 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 120, Bethesda, MD 20814 240-497-1700 | www.Souza-Group.com
Our clients would say that no matter which stage of the home buying or selling process we are in—be it marketing, negotiations or settlement—The Souza Group is committed to not just meeting their needs, but exceeding them. That is our number one priority. Here are some recent comments from clients: “She understood what qualities were important to me in a property and conducted a targeted search to find a property that was well-suited. Cindy’s personal and professional qualities made me confident in her abilities and her advice.” “Her contacts for financing, title search, appraisal and closing provided us with very professional service and helped make the purchase happen on time. Cindy had the knowledge of the market and the strategies needed for success.”
“Cindy Souza is the best Realtor we have worked with—and we have bought 12 homes between us!”
What makes you different than others in your profession? Using the right technology to make sure the listing is seen by as many people as possible is of the utmost importance to us. From putting a home on all appropriate real estate websites, to Twitter, Facebook and beyond, and combining that effort with direct marketing, we will always find a way to capture the right buyer. I pride myself on customer service. In fact, most of my clients over the years have become personal friends. It is one of the aspects of my professional life that I enjoy the most!
James Kim
How would your clients describe you?
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“We like what we do and we must be doing it right to be voted ‘Best Mortgage Broker’ by Bethesda Magazine readers each year since 2012.”
Deb Levy and Lisa Bennett The Deb Levy Team - Residential Mortgage Division, EagleBank 1425 K St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20005 301-332-7758 | www.debbielevy.com | NMLS 481255
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What is the one thing your customers should know about you? We are happy to answer questions! We know that buying a home is a major and often complicated process many only face a few times in life. It’s one that can be made easy, when you select an experienced lender you can trust, one who understands the importance of open communications and critical deadlines, and will keep you informed every step of the way. Rate is always a question. Rates are based on buyer qualifications, credit score, depth of credit history, down payment, property type, occupancy and other factors. Our focus is to understand you and find the best loan program that offers a financially comfortable way for you to pay for and enjoy your new home. You cannot get that level of experience
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or service from an 800 number or Internet lender. You’re lucky if you talk with the same person twice, or if the low rates published even exist without hidden fees.
What makes you different than others in your profession? The difference is how we listen and learn about you, our depth of research, our many resources and our dedication to finding your specific loan solution. We like what we do and we must be doing it right to be voted “Best Mortgage Broker” by Bethesda Magazine readers each year since 2012. After all, it’s not just a house you’re buying. It’s your home, a reflection of you. Trusting your instincts is critical when you find the right home. Trust us to find the best financing, and to provide you with answers and explanations all along the way.
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Home Experts | Profiles Christine Basso TTR Sotheby’s International Realty 5454 Wisconsin Ave. Chevy Chase, MD 20815 202-302-2508 Cbasso@ttrsir.com
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“I enjoy guiding my clients—from search to settlement—with peace, ease and a sense of humor.”
What made you decide to get into your line of work? Directly after receiving a degree from Loyola College in Maryland, I obtained real estate licenses in MD, D.C. and Virginia. I had an immediate attraction to the creative design and problem solving aspects of real estate development and sales. Buyers and sellers want their agent to care as much as they do about where they choose to live and why they choose to live there.
Buying a home is a decision that forces us to consider the future; this scares most people. I enjoy guiding my clients—from search to settlement—with peace, ease and a sense of humor. I have been afforded the opportunity to work as a listing agent for several developers in the area, currently Quarry Springs (www.QuarrySprings.com) and The Lauren (www. TheLaurenResidences.com). It is a fascinating process, watching a condominium building move from architectural plans to marketing materials, and ultimately to a place people call home. It is outstandingly rewarding to understand the day-to-day needs of buyers and to help achieve their goals. I enjoy building new relationships and solving problems. I get a window into the real lives and feelings of my clients. The ultimate reward is to see a satisfied new homeowner smile and a life unfold and change over time. It is an amazing career path. I am grateful for the opportunity to assist my clients.
Christine Basso pictured at Quarry Springs Estate Condominium in Bethesda. Delivering October 2015, NOW SELLING
Hilary Schwab
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“In our very own local workrooms, we handcraft our designs using the finest fabrics and old-world fabrication techniques.” Tom Fulop, President; Ilan Fulop, VP Residential; Dan Fulop, VP Commercial Rockville Interiors 5414 Randolph Road, Rockville, MD 20852 301-424-1900 | www.rockvilleinteriors.com
What made you decide to get into your line of work? Ilan and Dan: Our dad! As children, we watched him pour his heart into the custom fabric furnishings we handcraft. He makes every client feel truly loved while ensuring our work is gorgeous and lasts a lifetime. It’s that passion that inspired us to lead the business into the future.
James Kim
What makes you different than others in your profession? We’re one of a few fabric workrooms performing every aspect of a project. Our team of expert interior designers guides clients through selections to ensure aesthetic and functional perfection. In our very own local workrooms, we handcraft our designs using the finest fabrics and old-world fabrication techniques. The result is stunning custom window treatments, upholstery, slipcovers, pillows,
cushions and bed ensembles. Finally, our in-house technicians, who each have at least 10 years of experience, oversee delivery and installation. By managing every step of the experience, rather than relying on subcontractors, we deliver the best looking and longest lasting results as efficiently and affordably as possible.
How do you employ new technology to help your clients? Traditionally, window treatments feature unsightly, hard-to-use and dangerous cords. We specialize in motorized window fashions that enable you to operate shades at the touch of a button. We can even program shades to operate from an app or adjust automatically throughout the day based on the time and temperature. Visit the Lutron Experience Center in our showroom to interact with the largest display of motorized shades in the nation.
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“My tech experience allows me to provide a higher level of online exposure for my listings, which is where the heart of the action is today.” Lynda O’Dea
Long & Foster Bethesda Gateway 4650 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-907-7600 (o) | 240-988-4400 | LyndaODea@LNF.com www.BethesdaRealEstate.com | www.LegendaryHomes.com
After spending my early career as a marketing executive with technology expertise, I realized that I had developed skills that could dramatically enhance a career in real estate, which was my personal passion along with interior design. My tech experience allows me to provide a higher level of online exposure for my listings, which is where the heart of the action is today. The ability to get listings in front of potential buyers exactly when they are searching online is a hugely important advantage that we provide through our two leading websites. In fact, we just settled on a luxury listing where the buyers had seen that same home over a year prior when it was listed with another agent. After we staged the house and did a stunning virtual tour, they happened to see it on our one of our websites, fell in love with it and bought it!
What makes you different than others in your profession? I’m very proud to have the top team at Long & Foster’s top office, which includes my daughter Christina. Our multigenerational perspective allows us to genuinely relate to all of our clients as they transition from one stage of their lives to the next. Both of us were raised in Bethesda/Chevy Chase so there isn’t much we don’t know and love about our community.
How would your clients describe you? They are likely to tell you that we will help them with every conceivable detail from the moment we meet until well after settlement. This often includes unsolicited decorating advice!
James Kim
What made you decide to get into your line of work?
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“From masonry to aquascaping, our landscape division offers experienced, personalized design and building services that transform even a difficult space into a paradise.”
Erik Shorb
General Manager and Co-Owner American Plant Landscape Design | Build | Maintain 7405 River Road, Bethesda, MD 20817 301-762-6301 | americanplant.net
What should your customers know about you? American Plant is a local, 90-year-old family-owned business committed to traditions of superior quality, hard work and treating our customers as family friends. We’ve been leaders in natural and organic gardening. We prefer using natural products to nurture plants and manage pests, and encourage our customers to do the same.
What makes you different than others in your profession?
Hilary Schwab
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In a word: specialization. From masonry to aquascaping, our landscape division offers experienced, personalized design and building services that transform even a difficult space into a paradise. We don’t rely on contractors.
What’s an example of a time when you helped a customer that you’re particularly proud of? A couple requested a backyard reminiscent of their home state
of Minnnesota. Wanting it to be conducive to natural wildlife, they requested no grass. The plants we selected were evergreens for a year-round lush environment and low maintenance. A pond was designed with large boulders and a pebble beach, allowing the family to sit on the boulders and listen to the sound of the waterfall, which made it an interactive and tactile experience.
How would your clients describe you? Some of our favorite customer comments include the following: “American Plant did not leave the job until we were completely satisfied. They even did a few extra things that we requested that were not in the contract.” “Susy knew exactly what I meant when I said I needed ‘low maintenance.’ I told her my budget and she drew up a plan that was beautiful and creative.” “The area was left immaculate, along with detailed instructions for maintaining the new yard.”
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Chris, Christy and John Scango Capitol Hardscapes Bethesda, MD 301-887-1880 www.capitolhardscapes.com
What made you decide to get into your line of work? When we worked for a large residential hardscapes company we felt contractors didn’t spend enough time with homeowners. We were interested in starting a boutique company that made the customer experience the main focus. Our company, Capitol Hardscapes, founded in 2004, specializes in creating custom outdoor spaces. Our years of experience in construction and marketing have helped us build a successful company. Either Chris or John visits every project every day. We always walk homeowners through the process of finding the right stone color, texture and style so they are delighted with the end result.
We are a proud partner of the D.C. RiverSmart and Montgomery County Rainscapes Programs. They provide incentives to homeowners interested in reducing storm water pollution from their properties by having pervious pavers installed.
James Kim
What makes you different than others in your profession?
Bill Schoenbauer Owner Schoenbauer Furniture Service 30507 Potomac Way Charlotte Hall, MD 20622 800-955-7603 www.schoenbauer.com
What made you decide to get into your line of work? My great-grandfather, German cabinetmaker Carl Schoenbauer, came to the U.S. in 1896. The family trade of woodworking has since been passed down through four generations of craftsman. My wife, Debbie, and I started our furniture repair and antique restoration business in 1991 and we’ve been restoring fine furniture for discerning residents of the D.C. metropolitan area ever since.
Schoenbauer’s commitment to quality and attention to detail brings me great pride at the end of the day. We work with our customers on a very personal level from the beginning. From consultation to delivery, our clients place a very high level of trust in us through every step of the process. I enjoy exceeding all of our customer’s expectations, whether they are residential, government or commercial customers.
Tony Lewis JR
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?
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“We’re very tech-savvy and involved with all social media available, including Twitter, Instagram, blogging, Facebook and Pinterest.”
Margie Halem Margie Halem Group Long & Foster Bethesda Gateway 4650 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-907-7600 (o) | 301-775-4196 | Margie@LNF.com | www.margiehalemrealtor.com
What makes you different than others in your profession? My clients appreciate my enthusiasm coupled with my calm and confident temperament. I take pride in developing personal relationships that last, with every one of my clients. Whatever the price range, my clients receive my highest degree of service. I’ve enjoyed wonderful success for 30 years.
interested in, and had a great understanding of current trends. But maybe more important was her willingness to gain an in-depth understanding of exactly what we were looking for.” “We were leaving the country for two weeks and she stayed on top of everything to ensure all paperwork between parties was expedited and always correct. Her professionalism and upbeat personality made the entire process very positive.”
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How would your clients describe you? I’m accessible, detail-oriented, a skillful negotiator and look out for my clients’ best interests whether they are selling or buying. I’m very hands-on and attentive. For example, when I have a buyer looking for a house I don’t just rely on the multiple listing service. I dig in, contacting agents, friends and colleagues. Here are some recent comments: “She had excellent knowledge of the housing market in general, was very familiar with all the areas we were
How do you employ new technology to help clients? This is a networking business, particularly if you’re selling a home. So we’re very tech-savvy and involved with all social media available, including Twitter, Instagram, blogging, Facebook and Pinterest. We put your listing on as many websites as possible. We’re very connected throughout the community, with colleagues and past customers and clients; so personal phone calls are also an integral part of our strategy. BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 275
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“Most of our clients come to us because they’re looking for substantial change in their kitchen or bathroom. Nobody else has given them the solution to their problem, but we pride ourselves in thinking outside the box.”
Kitchen & Bath Studios 7001 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, MD 20815 301-657-1636 | www.kitchenbathstudios.com
We get the most satisfaction from creating designs that have the desired look, yet functionality our clients will love. Many clients come to us because they’re looking for substantial change in their kitchen or bathroom. Nobody else has given them the solution to their problem, but we pride ourselves on thinking outside the box. There’s always two halves to designing a kitchen: the color, style and other visuals on one hand; the functionality of the space with the appliances, on the other. There comes a moment in time when you solve the puzzle and are able to put these two halves together.
What is the one thing that your customers should know about you? We get over 85 percent of our business from referrals, mainly from other industry professionals, which is a huge compliment. We also get referrals from individual clients referring a friend or relative. Most of our business comes by word of mouth from architects, designers and contractors who thought we did a really great job.
What’s an example of a time when you helped a customer that you’re particularly proud of? We once had a client who needed a second dishwasher in her kitchen in order to keep kosher. She also wanted to expand her laundry room. Several other professionals advised her to do an expensive addition. We came up with a plan to convert a seldom-used side door into a window, which eliminated the need for a 4 x 10 ft. hallway, opening up space in both the kitchen and laundry room. Our design solution saved the client from having to do a $150,000 addition.
How would your customers describe you? Kitchen & Bath Studios has received over 100 letters of referral describing our clients’ gratitude for creative designs, attention to detail and fair business practices. Clients often praise the beauty and design of our work. They talk about how much they enjoy being in their kitchens and how often their friends compliment the renovated space.
Hilary Schwab
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?
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Home Experts | Profiles Vicki Porter Miller Realtors "A Long & Foster Co." 4701 Sangamore Road Bethesda, MD 20816 301-325-2965 www.vickiporter.net
What makes you different than others in your profession? I’m a certified Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES), which means I have taken courses necessary to qualify to help people downsize from that big house where they raised a family and move onto a new phase of life. Through my network of resources, I help with organizing, fix ups, staging and donating. Sometimes adult children are involved, and I like forming a team of sorts with the sellers and their adult children. It can be a challenging process, but one I enjoy and that brings great emotional rewards.
What is the one thing that your clients should know about you?
Hilary Schwab
“Being licensed in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia allows me to show my clients all the possibilities.”
I am able to find my buyers hidden gems and surprisingly great areas since I’ve lived in Bethesda all my life. Being licensed in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia allows me to show my clients all the possibilities. This knowledge benefits those who may not know what city they would like to live in yet or those who may be moving for a new job.
How would your clients describe you? My clients have described me as trustworthy, efficient and responsive. Here is part of a recent note that I appreciated: “Working with Vicki was like working with a trusted friend who had only our best interests at heart. Not only did she sell our condo quickly, she helped us with every aspect of the move and preparation. Since I was trying to manage the sale long distance, she took my place in handling all of the many on-site activities. She was always available and responsive to my many questions, and went well beyond our highest expectations.” BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 277
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Home Experts | Profiles Jimmy Johnson, Charlie Johnson and Matt Johnson
Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc.
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“We truly are a one-stop shop for clients seeking to transform their outdoor spaces.”
7201 Brookville Road Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-679-7400 www.JohnsonsLandscaping.com
What made you decide to get into your line of work? We come from a long line of landscaping and garden design professionals. Our grandfather, Raymond T. Johnson, was the founder of Johnson’s Florists and Garden Center in Northwest D.C. Our father, James H. Johnson, opened Johnson’s Landscaping Service, Inc. in 1960. We all worked in the business at some point and eventually came together to carry on the family tradition of creating distinctive and memorable outdoor spaces for our clients.
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? We’re most satisfied when our designs and installations enable clients to both enjoy their property more than they have before and solve a specific problem posed by their landscape. Often, our projects enhance the quality of a family’s life because people are spending more time together outdoors. We also resolve specific issues like drainage and erosion. Whether beautifying or repairing, both add value.
What is one thing that your clients should know about you? We truly are a one-stop shop for clients seeking to transform their outdoor spaces. We offer a full array of design, masonry, lighting, planting and carpentry services to create a new look for areas that need refreshing. Maintenance services are also a core part of our business, ensuring a client’s long-term enjoyment of their new space. We also feel our design team is unsurpassed in its skill level and knowledge base.
After serving clients in Montgomery County for more than 50 years, they equate our family name with quality, integrity and professionalism. Clients view us as a genuine partner in enhancing their outdoor living environment.
Mike Olliver
How would your clients describe you?
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Home Experts | Profiles
“Serving my clients well makes my career more of a calling.”
Tom Williams McEnearney Associates, Inc. Realtors 4315 50th St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20016 202-255-3650 | www.tomwilliamsrealtor.com
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? Whether buying a first home, selling one that they have lived in for a lifetime, or investigating an in-between move, serving my clients well makes my career more of a calling. I always have their best interests at heart and work incredibly hard to find the solution to their real estate needs.
James Kim
What’s an example of a time when you helped a client that you’re particularly proud of? Some clients have more challenges than others, and I do enjoy a challenge, but the one that sticks out is when I represented Blessed Sacrament School and Parish. There was some strategy involved in the purchase of an abutting older home to make room for a sports field that they desperately needed.
What is the one thing your clients should know about you? One of my most valuable assets as an agent is that I am a native Washingtonian. I was born and raised here, raised my children here and built my business here. This longevity gives me in-depth knowledge of the communities in our area, as well as the businesses, schools and people that make up those communities. Over 26 years of interaction within the community related to real estate, combined with my love of the area, benefits my clients when determining where they would like to buy a house.
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“My enthusiasm is contagious. My experience and expertise in the region’s real estate market have resulted in recognition as one of D.C.’s top Realtors.”
Jill Schwartz Long & Foster Bethesda Gateway 4650 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-907-7600 (o) | 301-758-7224 (cell) | JillSchwartzGroup@gmail.com | www.JillSchwartzGroup.com
My enthusiasm is contagious. My experience and expertise in the region’s real estate market, in conjunction with my specialties of second home purchasing and relocation services, have resulted in recognition as one of D.C.’s top Realtors. As someone with a personal and professional interest in the success of every real estate transaction, I am known for ethical business practices, assertive negotiation skills and passion for assisting people who are buying or selling a home.
What is your professional and educational background? As a co-founder of an IT company, I developed one of the first platforms to create IT software for buyers and sellers of products and services. This equipped me with the knowhow to successfully market homes in the technological world we live in today. I own
the intellectual property rights for that software, generating an advantage for how my real estate portal markets my listings. I also implemented web-based transaction management technology that enables buyers, sellers, Realtors and settlement companies to interact collaboratively on real estate documents. My degree in marketing and advertising from the University of Florida also contributes to my exceptional start-to-finish marketing approach for buyers and sellers.
What are your interests outside of work? I enjoy spending time with my husband, our twins and goldendoodle. I am passionate about my philanthropic work with Breath of Life Foundation, an organization committed to research of respiratory illnesses related to unhealthy living environments. I have recently been appointed to the board of The Beautiful Mind Foundation, a new nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of those suffering from mental illness.
Stephanie Bragg
What is the one thing that your clients should know about you?
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“At Fine Earth, we’re eager to please and focused on surpassing client expectations with each project.” Fine Earth Landscape, Inc. 16815 Budd Road, Poolesville, MD 20837 301-972-8810 | info@fineearth.com | www.fineearth.com
What makes you different than others in your profession? We feel we’re unsurpassed when it comes to our absolute commitment to quality. No matter the size of the job, we’re 100 percent thrilled about doing the work and confident that we can beautify and enhance any landscape.
Hilary Schwab
What is the one thing your customers should know about you? Our design/build landscaping firm has won over 100 local and national awards, and the experience, skill level and knowledge of our design team is second to none in this market. Although we’ve been fortunate to work on some high-profile projects, our “bread and butter” business comes
from clients we’ve served for decades who are kind enough to refer us to their friends. We are incredibly proactive about following up with clients to ensure they’re enjoying their outdoor living space for years to come.
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? Working in tandem with clients to really transform parts of their property into inviting outdoor living spaces never gets old. It’s constantly stimulating to go on this journey with them and make them fall in love with their backyard, front porch or side patio all over again. At Fine Earth, we’re eager to please and focused on surpassing client expectations with each project.
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“At Fine Earth, we’re eager to please and focused on surpassing client expectations with each project.” Fine Earth Landscape, Inc. 16815 Budd Road, Poolesville, MD 20837 301-972-8810 | info@fineearth.com | www.fineearth.com
What makes you different than others in your profession? We feel we’re unsurpassed when it comes to our absolute commitment to quality. No matter the size of the job, we’re 100 percent thrilled about doing the work and confident that we can beautify and enhance any landscape.
Hilary Schwab
What is the one thing your customers should know about you? Our design/build landscaping firm has won over 100 local and national awards, and the experience, skill level and knowledge of our design team is second to none in this market. Although we’ve been fortunate to work on some high-profile projects, our “bread and butter” business comes
from clients we’ve served for decades who are kind enough to refer us to their friends. We are incredibly proactive about following up with clients to ensure they’re enjoying their outdoor living space for years to come.
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? Working in tandem with clients to really transform parts of their property into inviting outdoor living spaces never gets old. It’s constantly stimulating to go on this journey with them and make them fall in love with their backyard, front porch or side patio all over again. At Fine Earth, we’re eager to please and focused on surpassing client expectations with each project.
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Home Experts | Profiles
Special Advertising Section
Florri Beckley Owner Your Cleaning Connection 14 Tuckahoe Court N. Potomac MD, 20878 301-742-7949 (c) 301-424-8518 (o) www.yourcleaningconnection.net
Your Cleaning Connection is a relationship-based house keeping service. Clients do not get a rotational team that swoops through the home. I introduce people to one housekeeper who best suits the needs and preferences of their busy family. You get to know each other and the housekeeper gets to know your home. It’s a more personal way to ensure long lasting, quality house-keeping support. We do what people need, whether that is laundry, ironing, caring for the pet during the day, or anything that makes life easier. My motto is “When Detail Matters!” Having the key to your most important material possession, your home, is something I take very seriously. You always know that you are in good hands, and that your home and belongings will be well taken care of in your absence. All services are licensed, bonded and insured.
James Kim
What makes you different than others in your profession?
Russ Glickman, MCR, CAPS
Founder/Owner
Glickman Design Build 14516 Pebblewood Drive N. Potomac, MD 20878 301-444-4663 www.GlickmanDesignBuild.com
What’s a challenge that you’ve faced in your life and how did you overcome it? Twenty-seven years ago my son was born fifteen weeks prematurely. He was in the NICU for six months, then had 24-hour nursing at home for another six. He has multiple disabilities. My family banded together, always providing love and emotional support for Mikie. What I’ve learned from helping Mikie has enabled me to help others with special needs. That comprises about a third of our design/build work. We solve complex design challenges. Helping people enjoy their daily lives through our experience and creativity makes work a pleasure. About two-thirds of our projects are general remodeling: whole house renovations, additions, kitchens, baths, and more. Whether we’re making someone’s home more livable for a growing family or for accessibility, we’re always working to make someone’s home, and life, better. That feels great.
Supplied Photo
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?
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Home Experts | Profiles
Special Advertising Section
“I love the challenges that come with this job, from staging, fantastic marketing skills to negotiation.”
Krystyna Litwin Long & Foster/Christie's Great Est. 301-299-6098 301-332-7615 www.TheLitwinGroup.com
What is the one thing that your clients should know about you? I think it is important for prospective clients to know what I have achieved through very hard work, starting when I became a real estate agent when I was only 25. In the business for 30 years, I list and sell properties throughout the area ranging from a $128,000 condo to an estate that sold for $12 million.
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? I’ve lived and worked in the community for 35 years and I have extensive knowledge of the area and all the homes in this market. I love people and real estate is a people business. I’ve seen all types of markets from low interest rates to high, from hot markets to slow ones, and I still love it and the challenges that go with it. Whatever the economic realities, I always give clients an accurate picture of the situation. I am clear about what a property is really worth, whether they are buying or selling. I make sure to provide a deep, grounded perception of not only where the market currently is, but also which direction it’s heading.
What makes you different than others in your profession?
megan nadolski
My background is in psychology and that helps me with many types of clients, especially those who are divorcing. I love the challenges that come with this job, from staging, fantastic marketing skills to negotiation.
What are your interests outside of work? I’m active in the community, very involved with the Washington Humane Society, even fostering pets; Autism Speaks and The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 283
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Special Advertising Section
Kris Feldman Long & Foster Bethesda Gateway 4650 East West Highway Bethesda, MD 20814 301-907-7600 (o) 301-806-8240 KrisFeldman@LNF.com www.KrisCanSell.com
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? I love it when a client I’ve worked with years ago calls me to say they want to work with me again. Knowing that, after so much time, the client never forgot me and chose to contact me again…what could be a greater compliment? I work seven days a week and my clients know they can call me anytime – even at 1:00 in the morning. I’m always up that late, scouring new listings and shopping on Gilt. And while I’d love for all my clients to buy and sell now, they know I won’t push them to do anything that’s not right for them. They trust my judgment and skills, and that means a great deal to me.
James KIm
What makes you different than others in your profession?
Dave Goldberg Owner Goldberg Group Property Management Serving all of Montgomery County 301-223-6501 www.GoldbergGroupPM.com
I am most satisfied when we exceed expectations. I’ve been in real estate all my life. I started off in a management role in new construction. Eventually, I became interested in residential property management. In less than five years, Goldberg Group Property Management has amassed a client list of 300 residential properties, primarily in Montgomery County. People often observe that I have a calm way about me, and it helps during what can be a stressful process. I like managing properties for clients moving overseas. Whether it’s for military, State Department families or a team of NIH doctors, word spreads. I find that once one diplomat or doctor says, “This is the great management guy I was telling you about,” the phone starts to ring with referrals.
Hilary Schwab
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?
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Special Advertising Section
Kris Feldman Long & Foster Bethesda Gateway 4650 East West Highway Bethesda, MD 20814 301-907-7600 (o) 301-806-8240 KrisFeldman@LNF.com www.KrisCanSell.com
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? I love it when a client I’ve worked with years ago calls me to say they want to work with me again. Knowing that, after so much time, the client never forgot me and chose to contact me again…what could be a greater compliment? I work seven days a week and my clients know they can call me anytime – even at 1:00 in the morning. I’m always up that late, scouring new listings and shopping on Gilt. And while I’d love for all my clients to buy and sell now, they know I won’t push them to do anything that’s not right for them. They trust my judgment and skills, and that means a great deal to me.
James KIm
What makes you different than others in your profession?
Dave Goldberg Owner Goldberg Group Property Management Serving all of Montgomery County 301-233-6501 www.GoldbergGroupPM.com
I am most satisfied when we exceed expectations. I’ve been in real estate all my life. I started off in a management role in new construction. Eventually, I became interested in residential property management. In less than five years, Goldberg Group Property Management has amassed a client list of 300 residential properties, primarily in Montgomery County. People often observe that I have a calm way about me, and it helps during what can be a stressful process. I like managing properties for clients moving overseas. Whether it’s for military, State Department families or a team of NIH doctors, word spreads. I find that once one diplomat or doctor says, “This is the great management guy I was telling you about,” the phone starts to ring with referrals.
Hilary Schwab
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?
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Special Advertising Section
“I have extensive market knowledge and can identify issues that other agents don’t recognize until they cause significant problems in a transaction.” John Young & The ‘Metro DC For Sale’ Team RE/MAX Realty Services 4825 Bethesda Ave., Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814 Cell: 301-REALTOR (301-732-5867) | Office: 301-652-0400 | www.metrodcforsale.com
What made you decide to get into real estate?
How would your clients describe you?
My mother was a very successful Realtor who took her career to the top—eventually working with Michael Jackson as a client. I learned from the best and share many of the same qualities that made her a top agent: strong social and negotiation skills, integrity and a genuine desire to help clients get the best out of every transaction.
I have an outstanding reputation with over 200 online 5-star reviews. Here are just a few recent highlights: “John took care of everything—including meeting contractors/handymen when we were too busy to be present for repairs. When challenges arose, John was calm and reassuring, but also realistic about the different potential outcomes. He expertly managed the steps around putting our house on the market, negotiating with buyers’ agents, and made sure we got the best deal possible. We ended up being under contract in just 4 days, getting 7 offers, and selling for almost $30,000 more than our asking price!” “John Young is the most proficient Realtor in the industry today. John first listens to understand your needs, then exercises his very impressive and masterful skill set to find you a buyer or a new home.”
Supplied Photo
What makes you different than other agents? I have extensive market knowledge and can identify issues that other agents don’t recognize until they cause significant problems in a transaction. Examples include renovations done without required permits, basement kitchens and financing issues. I’ve worked hard to build a real estate team with Jeff Lim-Sharpe that focuses on client satisfaction and exceeding expectations—not just sales.
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Home Experts | Profiles
Special Advertising Section
Jonathan and Michael Lerner Founders Meridian Homes 4938 Hampden Lane, #330 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-652-4440 info@meridianhomesinc.com www.meridianhomesinc.com
We enjoy being personally engaged in every project. It’s very satisfying when clients tell us that they know we listen carefully, because what we deliver shows we understand who they are and what they want. From the day we founded Meridian Homes over 19 years ago, our goal has been to create custom homes and renovations that suit people in ways they didn’t expect. We’ve always worked diligently to produce high-quality work and provide superior customer service. We’ve been fortunate to build strong relationships with our clients, working with many of them multiple times. As brothers who grew up in Bethesda, these bonds are especially meaningful. Our philosophy, as a family-owned and operated business, translates into great experiences for our clients and our team throughout each project. Of course, winning awards gives us a thrill, and we’ve been honored dozens of times.
Tony Lewis Jr
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?
Michael Shapiro Realtor® Long & Foster Bethesda Gateway 4650 East West Highway Bethesda, MD 20814 301-907-7600 (o) 301-503-6171 (c) www.moderncapitaldc.com
What made you decide to get into your line of work? When my wife and I moved back to Washington in 2005, I looked for a resource for mid-century modern homes and neighborhoods here. I couldn’t find anything, so I created a site called Modern Capital: moderncapitaldc.com. I started it to satisfy my own interest, but it grew into such a resource for people—getting thousands of visits a month— that I got my real estate license specifically to help people buy and sell mid-century modern homes.
Many people assume our area does not have many mid-century modern homes, but we do. I love connecting buyers and sellers who have a similar passion for modern architecture, design, art and furniture. Helping save these special, 50- and 60-year old homes from getting torn down is important preservation work.
Mike Olliver
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?
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Home Experts | Profiles
Ingrid Dallaire Realtor® Long & Foster Bethesda Gateway 4650 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-455-6962 (c) | 301-907-7600 (o) Ingrid.Dallaire@LongandFoster.com www.IngridDallaire.com
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? I enjoy utilizing the skills that come naturally to me. I also love the creativity required and the challenge of successfully negotiating the home buying and selling process.
Hilary Schwab
How would your clients describe you? One of my favorite notes was from my client Charlotte, who said, ”Selling our 130-year-old home required strategy, creativity, out-of-the-box marketing, patience, and a great sense of humor, all combined with excellent sales skills. From the initial listing through the closing process, Ingrid brought it all together for us.” Another recent buyer, Kacey, wrote, “It’s hard to express our gratitude for all you’ve done for us during the buying process. Your wisdom, patience, market savvy and warmth are so appreciated. We always felt heard and reassured, knowing that you were looking out for us. You’re a true professional and we look forward to sharing your name with other homebuyers.”
Doug Monsein Owner Douglas Construction Group, LLC 8429 Fox Run Potomac, MD 20854 301-983-6947 doug@dcghomes.com www.dcghomes.com
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work? I've been renovating and building custom homes for more than 18 years. I am, in fact, that person who wakes up each morning and cannot wait to start my day. The relationships I’ve built over time with owners, trade partners and my team are at the heart of my business. I thoroughly enjoy interacting with everyone—from architects to trade workers to bankers—inherent to the design/building process. I take enormous pride in my craft given that there are so few manufacturers left in this country. It’s gratifying to point to a home and say, “I built that!”
Mike Olliver
What makes you different than others in your profession? Honesty, integrity and a spirit of collaboration permeate our culture. We work diligently to earn a client’s trust through a steadfast commitment to quality materials, a transparent process and a truly caring approach. We take extraordinary measures to make ourselves accessible and create an experience that’s enjoyable and rewarding for our clients. BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 287
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Special Advertising Section
Ben Fazeli Long & Foster Bethesda Gateway 4650 East West Highway Bethesda, MD 20814 301-907-7600 (o) 202-253-2269 (c) ben.fazeli@LNF.com Licensed in D.C., Maryland and Virginia
What made you decide to get into your line of work? I was intrigued by the opportunity to work with the many different types of people of such diverse backgrounds that we have here in the D.C. area. I’ve spent time on three continents—attending boarding school, playing competitive soccer and skiing—and have been exposed to a variety of people and cultures. I have a solid understanding of how to work with people of different backgrounds and needs. Working with a diverse clientele is exciting and energizing to me. I graduated from College Du Leman High School in Switzerland, have a bachelor’s degree in political science from St. Mary’s College in California, and a master’s in international law and communications from American University. I have over 20 years of area banking experience, including positions with First American Bank, Chevy Chase Bank and Fannie Mae.
James Kim
What is your professional and educational background?
Claude C. Lapp Claude C. Lapp Architects, LLC 11820 Parklawn Drive, Suite 100 Rockville, MD 20852 301-881-6856 www.cclarchitects.com
What made you get into your line of work? I’ve always enjoyed solving puzzles and every project we work on, big or small, is a puzzle. Each melds the client’s wishes and needs with style, function and budget. My six years of experience in the construction field, prior to my career in architecture, allowed me to understand how homes are properly constructed. When my team and I approach each project, we are not only striving to create a pretty picture, we are working to meet client expectations without breaking their budget. Satisfaction comes from the relationships that I’ve built with builders, tradesmen and, most importantly, my clients. Through these relationships, our projects come to life. The greatest compliment that I can receive is when a client refers me to a friend.
james kim
What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?
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fitness. wellness. medicine.
photo by Skip Brown
health
Stand-up paddleboard yoga classes are drawing yogis out of the studio. For more, see page 292.
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health | be well
Never too late Gaithersburg grandpa John Kalil isn’t just doing kettlebell workouts. He’s teaching them. By Kathleen Seiler Neary | Photo By Skip Brown
Burpees — grueling full- body exercises
that go from a squat to a push-up and back to a jump—are a mainstay of John Kalil’s workouts. So are box jumps, bear crawls and strength exercises with kettlebells, weights that resemble a cannonball with a handle. The 73-year-old Gaithersburg grandfather attributes his ability to do all this to a workout regimen he’s followed for the past seven years, a combination that involves CrossFit training and kettlebells. “CrossFit means functional movement, high intensity, constantly varied,” he says. “The kettlebells keep you flexible. They’re hard as hell. …I’m doing the stabilizing, not a bar, therefore I build my core.” Kalil, who ran a D.C. liquor store for more than four decades, spent a year at home relaxing after he retired in 2006. “I got tired of watching Oprah,” he says. He’d always kept active—skiing, running, biking, weightlifting—and in 2008, his son Chris brought him along to try out kettlebells at CrossFit Koncepts, a boutique gym in Gaithersburg. Kalil was so sore afterward that he didn’t think he’d ever do it again. But Chris urged his dad to go back, and Kalil wanted to prove to himself that he could handle the exercises. “I couldn’t do things like jumping rope and pull-ups, and that bothered me,” Kalil says. Now, with two instructor certifications from kettlebell company Dragon Door, Kalil teaches eight classes a week and sees 15 clients for personal training. Between teaching and working out, he puts in about 40 hours a week at CrossFit Koncepts, which has 158 kettlebells of varying weights. He’s also changed his diet—he eats salads and quinoa every day and hasn’t had fast food in seven years—and has lost 45 pounds off his 5-foot-6-inch frame. “I feel like I’ve got to stay in shape in order to teach this,” says Kalil, a prostate cancer survivor whose clients are younger than he is. “I’ll say, ‘Look, if I can do it, I know you can.’ ” Kathleen Seiler Neary, who lives in Kensington, is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Washington Post and Parenting, among other publications. 290 September/october 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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John Kalil on
getting older and stronger Age is just a number
“I go to parties and see guys 10 years younger than me, and they’re humped over, holding their backs. I look at my wife and say, ‘God bless him. This is exactly why I bust my ass seven days a week—I do not want to end up like that.’ Never too late to start. Period. I don’t care who you are.”
Grandpa duty
“Bulky might be good when you’re 20 with big pecs at the beach. But I’m 73 years old—I want to be lean and mobile and strong. I want to be able to run up steps, and grab my grandchildren if they run out in the street.”
then and now
“When I first did the CrossFit-kettlebell workout, I couldn’t even do a pullup. But I could bench press maybe 300 pounds. I said, ‘There’s something wrong with this [other] workout I’m doing.’ I was stiff and tight. We are all about mobility, flexibility. We’re not so hung up about how much weight you can put over your head. I’m more excited to do 10 burpees in a row—fluid, instead of all over the place—than five bench presses.”
Support system
“I had back issues when I came in here, I had shoulder issues. I couldn’t lift my arm next to my ear. [Now] my back is very strong because my glutes are. My hamstrings, my quads, all my hip area, my core is strong. I didn’t have that before.”
On Fighting cancer
“I’ve had prostate cancer—about 3½ years ago, I had my prostate removed. I was good for about a year and a half, but then needed radiation. I had 39 treatments—knocked it right out. They would ask me questions every time I went in: Do you have this, do you have that? I had zero side effects. I think it’s because of the shape I was in and my immune system being so strong. Right now I am clear, so I’m trying to stay healthy. The doctors all say, ‘Keep up the good work.’ ”
The right fit
“I think people in their 50s and 60s feel better training with me than they would some 18-year-old kid. They say I’m very patient. My wife says they’re crazy as hell.”
Teacher appreciation
“I love what I do. I’ll work until I die. I love teaching people that don’t know [kettlebells] more so than I enjoy a class full of veterans. I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing someone develop over the months.”
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health
Potomac Paddlesports offers stand-up paddleboard (SUP) yoga classes from May through September.
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Water Warriors On a quiet stretch of the C&O Canal, a different kind of exercise class combines yoga and stand-up paddleboarding
By Kathleen Seiler Neary | photos by Skip Brown
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health
As water softly ripples
by on a late-May morning, a group of women attempt a yoga pose on stand-up paddleboards in the Widewater stretch of the C&O Canal. Nearby, three kids— not part of the yoga crew—are playfully jumping into the lakelike water from a large rock, so the class instructor has to speak a little louder as her students move into crow pose, a tricky arm-balancing maneuver with knees positioned right above elbows. The more advanced (or, perhaps, more willing to get wet) yogis go for it, while others cling to a sense of balance, keeping at least one foot on the board. No one topples over. This time. Potomac Paddlesports’ stand-up paddleboard (SUP) yoga classes tend to be filled with yogis who’ve never tried
water sports, paddlers who’ve never tried yoga, and those who fall somewhere in between. That’s part of what makes the classes interesting. “You can’t master the water. Even though I may be able to do more tricks, we’re all at the same level,” says Lisa Marie Riggins, a Potomac Paddlesports SUP yoga instructor who lives in Cabin John. “And falling in is fun—as soon as one person falls, the next person’s concentration goes off and they fall. Sometimes it’s like a domino effect.” SUP yoga classes move similarly to those in a studio, flowing from pose to pose in the asana style and ending in savasana, or total relaxation, with students lying flat on a board instead of a mat. But movements are slower, more deliber-
ate and tailored to the water. A warrior 1 pose, normally similar to a lunge with arms extended overhead, is performed with one knee on the board. The paddle acts as a prop for some poses—students use it to help with balance or hold it overhead when they’re stretching. Participants, mostly women and occasionally a few men, come to classes wearing athletic swimsuits, running gear or yoga clothes. Some show up in bikinis. Anything goes, and comfort is key. While sunglasses might seem like a good idea, an insecure pair could easily disappear underwater—a reminder that hardwood floors have been swapped for water, and walls and ceilings have been replaced by trees and sky. “When you paddle out of the canal
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In SUP yoga, the paddle acts a prop for some poses—students use it to help with balance or stretching. If one person falls into the water, others often follow.
and it opens up into Widewater, and you see the little rock formation island, people are like, ‘Wow, I had no idea this was here,’ ” says Potomac Paddlesports SUP yoga program director Krissee D’Aguiar, who lives in Oak Hill, Virginia, and teaches many of the classes. “It’s a beautiful space. You can come after work and be transplanted to a completely pristine area, out of the city. There are no buildings in the skyline—people are really struck by that.”
On the cover
of the May catalog for fitnesswear company Athleta, a toned model arches in bow pose, her belly pressed to a stand-up paddleboard, arms stretched back grasping her ankles.
Water glistens below her. It looks cool and serene, not like something you’d see near Great Falls in Maryland, right outside of Washington, D.C. For the past two years, however, SUP yoga classes have drawn yogis out of the studio and guided paddle-lovers into pretzel poses. Potomac Paddlesports started offering the classes after staff noticed the growing popularity of stand-up paddleboarding and a yogi suggested they try teaching yoga on the boards. A handful of other outfits in the Washington, D.C., area now offer SUP yoga, including Boating in DC and the REI Outdoor School, which holds classes in Widewater. Potomac Paddlesports has SUP yoga classes on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings from May through September, as well as Saturday afternoons in June and July. The fee—$39 for a single 1½-hour class, $325 for a package of 10—includes equipment, and instructors are certified to teach paddleboarding and yoga. The idea of practicing yoga on a paddleboard might sound a bit like jogging on a tightrope, but the inflatable boards are actually sturdy and thick, more like surfboards than pool rafts. The boards weigh 26 pounds, not easy to carry in one arm when you have a paddle in the other, and once you reach the water’s edge, it’s an ankle-deep, often wobbly step to get on them. (It’s even harder to haul the board uphill after a class.) Students are encouraged to wear shoes that are made to get wet and stay secure on their feet. Everyone is outfitted with a board, an adjustable paddle and a personal floatation device. Because no experience is required, instructors do a quick rundown on stand-up paddleboarding before every class. Participants then paddle out on their knees, with their boards spaced so they don’t bump each other. “It’s this beautiful, relaxing paddle where you can coordinate your move-
ment with breath, which is yoga in and of itself,” D’Aguiar says. “It’s like a moving meditation.”
The view from the canal, sev-
eral feet below the towpath, is different from what you see when you’re walking. It’s partly the lower vantage point, partly the focus that’s needed to stay on the board, partly the group exercise experience. If you didn’t appreciate the area’s natural beauty before, it’s hard to miss once you’re in the water. Students may be treated to a beautiful sunset, the gentle patter of raindrops or a majestic layer of steam fog. There might be a waft of honeysuckle coming from the banks, turtle heads popping up from the water, a bald eagle soaring overhead. “The pedestrians that are walking on the C&O path say, ‘Hi, that looks so cool, what are you guys doing?’ ” says Bethesda resident Leslie Edsall, a health coach who teaches yoga in a studio. “They just chime in and chat with the classes, which is kind of fun.” Students meet in the parking lot across from the Old Angler’s Inn, and classes set up in an area of Widewater that’s 15 to 20 feet deep. The water might seem a bit murky, but Scott Jorss, director of stand-up paddleboarding at Potomac Paddlesports, says the quality is good, and that the only time to give pause is after a heavy rain. The breeze and gentle waves cause boards to spin around during class, but nobody drifts away. Participants clip their boards to an anchor system—one small anchor on a rope per board, attached to a line with floating bobbers—which the instructor drops into the water. Students say yoga poses that put the body into a plane, with one foot directly in front of the other, rather than side by side, are the most difficult. The fewer points of contact with the board, the more difficult the moves. “You can’t
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health Classes end in savasana, or total relaxation, with students lying flat on an inflatable paddleboard instead of a mat.
be doing every crazy pose that you can pull off on the ground,” Edsall says. “The poses are more basic or modified on the boards. But you can still throw in balancing poses, headstands.”
When D’Aguiar teaches yoga
in a studio, she cautions students about what she calls “monkey mind,” when your thoughts start to wander away from the mat. It’s different on the water: Students can’t get too distracted or they might lose their balance. “There’s nothing you can do on that board without focusing,” Riggins says. “Otherwise, you’re going over sideways. It’s humbling in a really good way.” The result of all that balancing is a challenging core workout. “The first few times, I was a little sore from the SUP yoga because you’re using different muscles, and it’s a lot harder to do yoga on a board than it is in the studio,” says Laura
Kelleher of Bethesda, who started practicing yoga in 2007 and has taken several SUP yoga classes. D’Aguiar calls the mix of SUP yoga participants a “cool cross-contamination of interests,” and she’s even seen romances blossom among paddlers and yogis who’ve taken her classes. Some yogis go on to more SUP instruction, while paddlers may decide to pursue studio yoga. Frank Cook of Germantown, an avid stand-up paddleboarder who also teaches the sport, had only taken one yoga class before trying SUP yoga. “I was trying to look around and see what other people were doing because I wasn’t clear on what the poses are,” Cook says. He liked SUP yoga’s full-body workout so much that he now takes hot yoga classes in a studio. Once students have finished the poses for the day, they lie down just as they would in a studio. “Being on the water, and being able to dip your hands in the water if
you want to for savasana and hearing the birds and the nature around you, it gives you the opportunity to go a little deeper with your meditation at the end than you would get in a studio class,” Edsall says. For some, having to carve out a couple hours in the day makes SUP yoga more of a special outing than a regular workout. Others come a few times a month. No two classes are alike, and the surprises can be memorable. Kelleher recalls paddling back to shore and spotting a family of Canada geese. “The parents got separated from some of the babies, and everybody stopped and just waited,” she says. “These cute little baby geese just swam in front of us, and then they were reunited with their parents. It was a nice moment.” n Kathleen Seiler Neary of Kensington is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Washington Post and Parenting, among other publications.
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Stephanie Rosen is executive director of Montgomery County’s chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
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Change of Plans Whitman alum Stephanie Rosen was on track to become a doctor. Then depression struck, and the Kensington resident found a different way to help others. By Gabriele MCCormick | photos by lisa helfert
S t e p h a n i e Ro s e n k n e w something was wrong when she failed anatomy during her first year of medical school in Philadelphia in 2004. Stephanie, who grew up in Bethesda, had excelled academically at Walt Whitman High School and at Northwestern University, where she earned a degree in genetic and molecular biology. She hoped to specialize in infectious diseases and work for Doctors Without Borders, treating patients in developing nations. But suddenly, at the age of 23, she found herself oversleeping and showing up late to class. She couldn’t concentrate on studying and started to feel hopeless. She was crying every day. “I’d gotten into med school with a scholarship. … This behavior was so unlike me—I had no idea what was happening,” she says. “I just thought it was because my boyfriend was in Chicago and I was in med school in Philadelphia and med school was tough.” She was having distorted thoughts that she couldn’t control—paranoia that someone was in her apartment at night, the feeling that no one liked her, and an overwhelming sense that something bad was going to happen. Her student adviser at Jefferson Medical College (now Sidney Kimmel Medical College) at Thomas Jefferson University suggested that she see a school psychiatrist, something she says he often recommended to struggling medical students. “It was a revolving door,” says Stephanie, who now lives in Kensington. “I’d see a classmate come out of the office, I’d go in, and when I came out, I’d see
another classmate waiting.” She’d never felt anything like this before. Growing up, she was easygoing, inquisitive and always up for a challenge. Her Saturdays were filled with ballet classes, horseback riding lessons and art shows. She was involved in so many activities that she became an expert at changing clothes in the car. In high school, she did especially well in math and science, and flourished as an artist. For a time, she considered becoming a reconstructive surgeon, which someone told her was the perfect combination of science and art. But everything changed after her undergraduate years at Northwestern. For Stephanie, it was the beginning of an ongoing struggle with depression, one that has involved doctors, medication, failure, success and an unexpected change of plans.
Stephanie used to wonder if she should talk about her depression, whether people would think she was “damaged goods.” But she began to realize that the stigma connected to mental illness is part of the reason people don’t get help, she says, and that sharing her experiences might benefit others. According to a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, one in five U.S. adults age 18 and older suffered from mental illness in 2013, and only about 45 percent received treatment. In Montgomery County, the percentage of adults reporting that they’ve been diagnosed with anxiety and/or
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depression increased between 2009 and 2013, according to Healthy Montgomery. Nearly 144,000 adults and 12,000 children in the county live with a mental illness. At 34, Stephanie is a long way from where she thought she would be, but given her struggles with depression, she believes she’s right where she should be. Two years ago, she was named executive director of Montgomery County’s chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI MC), one of the leading mental health organizations in the county. It’s a big job for someone who used to be so overcome with sadness that she didn’t think she’d amount to anything. Founded in 1978, NAMI MC is dedicated to improving the lives of county residents with mental illness, their families and their caregivers through free classes, support groups and advocacy. The nonprofit organization assists with
thing she thought she’d never have the confidence to do. Under Stephanie’s leadership, NAMI MC is growing. Her original staff of one has expanded to four full-time and 10 part-time employees. The organization’s annual Heroes gala, which honors individuals who have made a significant contribution to mental health advocacy, policy, stigma-busting, education and research, brought in $18,000 in 2012, Stephanie says. In 2013, her first year as executive director, the event raised $43,000, a figure that grew to $53,000 the following year, when Virginia state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds was honored for his work to reform access to mental health in the wake of his son’s 2013 suicide. But Stephanie doesn’t define her success in dollars. Instead, she revels in the fact that NAMI MC’s programs, which in previous years reached about 4,000 peo-
Stephanie used to wonder if she should talk about her depression, whether people would think she was “damaged goods.” everything from housing and legal referrals to providing help in crisis situations. The help line receives about 2,400 calls a year, referring some individuals to NAMI MC programs or to the county’s 24-hour crisis center. Stephanie understands what some of her clients are going through: She still sees a psychiatrist regularly, and her husband, Jared, stops by her Rockville office a few times a week to make sure she’s eaten and taken her medication. She once thought about ending her life; now she spends her days working with donors, running fundraisers, writing grant applications, and promoting the organization’s mission on social media. She also gives speeches, and recently did her first live television interview—some-
ple, will reach five times as many in 2015. NAMI MC recently partnered with umttr (texting shorthand for “you matter”) to bring Sources of Strength, a suicide prevention program for adolescents, to four Montgomery County high schools, with several more—including Whitman, Stephanie’s alma mater—scheduled for the fall. Umttr, founded by local teens and Sue Rosenstock, the mother of Winston Churchill High School sophomore Evan Rosenstock, who took his own life in 2013, works to raise awareness of depression and suicide. “Stephanie’s proven herself a real asset,” says NAMI MC board member Mimi Kress, whose 24-year-old son has struggled with mental illness since he was 10. Kress first met Stephanie when Stephanie
was teaching a course at NAMI MC called Family-to-Family, which focuses on ways for relatives to cope with the trauma of mental illness, and how to problem solve. “I saw firsthand her compassion for those families,” Kress says. During her interview for the executive director position, Stephanie told the board of directors that she had never written a grant application or worked with a board, and that she didn’t know how to read financial statements. She thought she blew the interview, she says. But she brought something else to the job: an in-depth knowledge of the anguish that mental illness causes for individuals and their families, and a passion for helping them heal.
L i k e m a n y p e o p l e, Stephanie thought her depression might be a onetime thing. The psychiatrist she saw in medical school prescribed Lexapro, a drug used to treat generalized anxiety disorder and depression, and Stephanie noticed a change quickly. “I would tell anyone who would listen: ‘You’ve got to take Lexapro,’ ” she says. “It really was a miracle drug.” But Stephanie only saw that doctor twice. When another psychiatrist took over the practice, Stephanie thought, “Things are better. I guess I’m done.” She didn’t make an appointment with the new doctor and stopped taking the Lexapro. “I should’ve stayed on the medication and I should’ve been in therapy,” she says. Stephanie spent the summer after her first year in med school studying for the anatomy exam, which her professor allowed her to take again. She started eating more and moving less as a result of the stress and her depression, which had started to come back. “When I got back to school, one close friend looked at me and said, ‘What happened?’ ” she says. The start of her second year marked another downhill slide. This time her symptoms appeared more slowly than they had before, and she found them easier to ignore. She muddled through school and managed to pass all of her classes.
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Stephanie once thought about ending her life; now she spends her days promoting NAMI MC’s mission and programs. She recently gave a live TV interview, something she never thought she’d have the confidence to do.
Stephanie’s mother, Mary Custer, could tell something was wrong when she talked to her daughter on the phone. “She would cry. She couldn’t get out of bed or do her laundry. She wasn’t studying,” says Custer, a grants administrator at the National Institutes of Health. Finally, while home on winter break, Stephanie saw her primary care physician and asked for a new prescription for Lexapro. According to a report on the American Psychological Association (APA) website, a 2009 study showed that nearly four out of five prescriptions for psychotropic drugs are written by physicians who aren’t psychiatrists and who may have limited training in the treatment of mental health disorders. This time, the medication Stephanie had viewed as a miracle drug didn’t work. A month later, the doctor doubled the dosage, but there was still no relief—and no recommendation for psychotherapy, which is shown in some
studies to be just as effective as antidepressants, according to a 2012 report on the APA website. After her second year of medical school ended in 2006, Stephanie went through one of the most painful periods of her life. She took Step 1 of the three-step United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)—and failed. “That doesn’t happen,” she says. “All of my friends passed and were continuing with their course work, doing their rotations, and I wasn’t.” After an intensive nine-week boot camp in Dallas that summer, Stephanie took the USMLE again, and failed. Jefferson Medical College’s policy was “three times, you’re out,” Stephanie says, so she began to feel intense pressure to pass on that third and final attempt. As her depression worsened, she sought help from another school psychiatrist and cried through the appointment. “I remember asking him, ‘How do
people feel good about themselves? How is self-esteem even possible?’ I felt I had let a lot of people down. It’s painful to think about even now,” she says. When she asked the doctor for his prognosis, he told her he thought she needed intensive inpatient treatment— and that she probably would never be able to hold down a job.
Stephanie was so terrified to take the exam again that she waited a year to do it. She spent her time studying, and made frequent trips to Bethesda to see her parents. During a visit home in November 2007, she met Jared Rosen, an account manager with Nolan Financial in Bethesda and a part-time disc jockey, at Flanagan’s Harp & Fiddle in Bethesda. That night, Jared was standing outside the bar talking on his phone when a woman walked by and they made eye contact. “She was beautiful,” he says. “There was an attraction right away.” When he returned to his
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Stephanie and her husband, Jared, married in 2013. Although his wife’s depression is a small part of their relationship, Jared says, it’s always there.
friends inside, the same woman, Stephanie, was sitting at their table. His friends had invited her, as well. After that night, the two spent more and more time together, commuting between Bethesda and Philadelphia, where Stephanie still had an apartment. Jared loved her adventurous spirit, and they were out all the time—playing shuffleboard at Dave & Buster’s, taking a food tour of Philadelphia, spending afternoons at the park with Stephanie’s dog, Louie. At first, Stephanie only hinted at the depression. She’d say, “There are things you don’t know about me,” or refer to the medication she had taken. When she finally told him, Jared thought he
knew what depression was. But Stephanie was able to hide her symptoms from him when they were together. In hindsight, he says, he didn’t fully understand what it meant to have depression. In August 2008, Stephanie took the licensing exam for the third time. “Everyone said, ‘You’re going to pass, you’re going pass,’ ” she says. She failed by one point and was dismissed from medical school. Looking back, Stephanie’s mother says she wishes she’d done things differently. “I accepted that Stephanie had depression and that she probably needed medication, but I didn’t really know what that meant in terms of how it would affect her life,” Custer says. “In retrospect, we
should have withdrawn her after her first year and given her more time to heal.” At 27, Stephanie moved back to her parents’ house in Bethesda. She found a psychiatrist she liked, started taking a combination of Lexapro and the antidepressant Wellbutrin, and went regularly for psychotherapy. “The doctor made me understand that my depression is chronic. It isn’t going to be ‘take your magic pill for three months and everything’s going to be better,’ ” she says. But it was difficult being home. Stephanie’s high school friends had graduate or law degrees. They were getting married and buying houses. “They just kept saying, ‘Why aren’t you doing anything,
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Stephanie? What’s wrong? Just do something,’ ” she says. Stephanie got a job at Georgetown University working on a stroke disparities study, and continued calling medical schools in a desperate attempt to get admitted so she could take the licensing exam again. Jefferson Medical College told her she would have to agree to repeat classes before they would even consider letting her return. “I finally came to the realization that medical school wasn’t going to happen,” she says.
I n N ov e m b e r 2010, Stephanie found a new job in a lab at the University of Maryland. She moved to Baltimore three months later and got a place by herself. Jared visited when his weekend DJ business allowed. “A few months into it, she said, ‘I’m not going to work today,’ ” he says. “She didn’t feel like call-
ing in sick, but she stayed home and just did nothing. I didn’t know what it was, or why telling her, ‘Just go to work,’ didn’t change anything.” Six months later, he convinced Stephanie to move back to the Bethesda area and live with him. That’s when he began to recognize the signs of her depression. “You can hide it for a while when you’re dating,” Jared says. “You don’t necessarily know when there’s something wrong because it’s all on the inside. But you can’t hide it when you live together.” Two years after their wedding, Jared, 33, says he’s still learning what it means to live with someone who has depression. It’s a small part of their relationship, but it’s there, he says. Stephanie works long hours and sometimes comes home depleted. “I don’t want to confuse that with the depression,” he says. But he can tell when it’s more than exhaustion.
“She’ll go three or four months without anything, and then she’ll have a day when she can’t do anything but lay in bed, order pizza and watch movies,” he says. “I sympathize with him,” Stephanie says. “It’s frustrating when you don’t totally understand.” When Jared has something to do, he wants to tackle it right away, he says, but there are times that Stephanie can’t. So he’ll return the broken wedding plate that sat in a box for months, or sort through Stephanie’s online purchases and pack up what needs to be shipped back. He knows that the worst thing he can do is push her. “Jared has all of this energy to clean the house or do this and do that, and I don’t,” Stephanie says. “It’s not that I don’t want to be a good partner—it’s not that I don’t want to contribute as much as he does. But sometimes I have to do it in a different way.” If Stephanie feels like going out to din-
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health ner or to a friend’s house, they go, Jared says. If she doesn’t, they stay in. Some days, Jared wakes Stephanie before he leaves for work and hands her a drink and her medication. “I’m so focused on work right now that I can forget to take it for a few days. It’s not good. I have an illness and I have to take it,” Stephanie says. She once asked a friend who suffers from depression: What is the best thing your family ever did for you? “She said, ‘They just told me that they loved me,’ ” Stephanie says. “Sometimes it’s just about unconditional love.”
Around the time she moved in with Jared in 2011, Stephanie accompanied her sister, Kathy, to a NAMI MC Family-to-Family class to learn more about Kathy’s son, who’d had episodes of mental illness. She was in denial, though, thinking that she needed to go for her nephew and not for herself. As she lis-
tened to the families in the classroom talk, she ended up learning a lot about herself. “I blamed myself for all the things that had happened, but they weren’t my fault,” she says. “I understood I have a treatable illness, but I wasn’t necessarily in the right treatment plan. I finally forgave myself.” In 2012, Stephanie made the decision to teach Family-to-Family as a volunteer, and she convinced her mother to join her. The three-day teacher training was intensely personal. That was the first time she told her mother that she had once made a plan to die by suicide. “It had gotten that bad,” Stephanie says. “I felt so ashamed telling her, but she did the best thing that anyone has ever done. She said, ‘It’s OK, it wasn’t you. It was just your depressed brain telling you to do that.’ ” As she continued to volunteer, Stephanie realized that her goals had shifted. She had wanted to be a doctor, but what she really enjoyed was patient education.
She loved the nonprofit environment and the advocacy. Stephanie told the executive director that she intended to work at NAMI MC one day. In January 2013, Kress recommended her for a Family-toFamily program coordinator position, and later for the top job. “I never thought of myself as an executive director. I was working only part time and had to think about full-time work and my mental health. Would the stress be too much? One thing I’ve learned is that I have limits,” Stephanie says. Jared says you wouldn’t know it during those weeks when she practically lives at the office. “It’s the hardest job I’ve ever had. I’ve had to grow a lot, but it is whatever I want to make it. This is exactly what I want to do and where I want to do it,” she says. “I haven’t felt this way in a long time.” n Gabriele McCormick is a frequent contributor to Bethesda Magazine.
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fun run will start at 10 a.m. 8617 Chateau Drive, Potomac; $30 by Sept. 7; $35 by Sept. 14; $40 through Sept. 23; $45 through race day. Fees for the fun run are $15 by Sept. 7, $20 by Sept. 14, $25 by Sept. 23; $30 through race day. dswashington.org/ oktoberfest-run.html. Sept. 27 CABIN JOHN KIDS RUN. The event, meant to encourage children’s running, is free for participants 17 and younger. 9 a.m. quarter-mile run; 9:10 a.m. half-mile run; 9:25 a.m. 1-mile run. Cabin John Regional Park, Potomac. www.mcrrc.org.
RUNNING/WALKING Sept. 13 PARKS HALF MARATHON. 7 a.m. Though it starts near the Rockville Metro Station, most of the race is run through preserved parkland along the Rock Creek Stream Valley. Sponsored by the Montgomery County Road Runners Club. Race starts at the intersection of South Stonestreet and Highland avenues in Rockville. $67 through Aug. 31; $73 beginning Sept. 1. www.parks halfmarathon.com. Sept. 19 KENSINGTON 8K. 8:30 a.m. Proceeds from the race benefit Kensington Parkwood Elementary, North Bethesda Middle and Walter Johnson High schools. The event also includes a 2-mile race, 8K wheelchair race and 1K fun run. 8:25 a.m. wheelchair race; 7:45 a.m. 2-mile race; 8:35 a.m. 1K fun run. Race starts in Warner Circle in Old Town Kensington. $29; $16 for 2-mile; $13 for 1K. www.kensington8k.org.
Sept. 19 LAKE NEEDWOOD CROSS COUNTRY. The 10K course goes through mud, grass and dirt trails. The event also includes a 1-mile fun run, and quarter- and half-mile young runs. 8:50 a.m.; 8:52 a.m. 1-mile run; 8:30 a.m. young runs. $10; $5 younger than 18; free for members of Montgomery County Road Runners Club. www.mcrrc.org. Sept. 20 EYE RUN 5K FOR PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS. 9 a.m. Proceeds benefit the Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington. The event also includes a roughly 2-mile fun run and a kids’ camp with themed activities, featuring children’s author Valerie Tripp. Macy’s parking lot, Westfield Montgomery mall, Bethesda. $40 for 5K or fun run. www.youreyes.org. Sept. 26 5K OKTOBERFEST RUN AND FUN RUN. 9 a.m. After the race, stay for dancing, German food, live music and other Oktoberfest fun. Proceeds from the race benefit the German School in Washington, D.C. A kids’
Sept. 27 ELLEN’S RUN. 9 a.m. Proceeds from the run, named for longtime community volunteer Ellen Vala Schneider, will benefit the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Community Scholarship Fund. Candy Cane City Pavilion, Chevy Chase. $30 through Sept. 14; $35 through Sept. 25; $40 Sept. 26 and 27. $15 for students through Sept. 25; $20 Sept. 26 and 27. Children: $10. www.ellensrunonline.org. Oct. 10 BEST OF THE BEST 5K. 8:30 a.m. The fifth annual race is in memory of Rory Weichbrod and Adam Hosinski, who were killed by a drunk driver. Sligo Creek Park, Silver Spring. $25; $20 for age 12 and younger. www.rorys unfinishedbusiness.org. Oct. 10 MATTHEW HENSON TRAIL 5K. 9 a.m. The low-key trail run starts behind Global Mission Church in Silver Spring. $10; $5 younger than 18; free for members of Montgomery County Road Runners Club. www.mcrrc.org. Oct. 18 JCADA 5K. 9 a.m. Proceeds will benefit the Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse. Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy, Rockville. $36 through Aug. 21; $40 through race day; free for ages 10 and younger. hbaron.wix.com/jcada-5k. Oct. 31 HALLOWEEN HUSTLE 5K. 9 a.m. The race benefits the Montgomery Village
Photos courtesy of the german school
The German School’s Oktoberfest activities include a 5K, kids’ fun run, live music and German food.
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health Rotary Foundation and Family Services Inc., and also includes a 1K fun run/walk. 8:30 a.m. 1K. Montgomery Village Shopping Center, Gaithersburg. $25 through Sept. 15; $30 through Oct. 30; $35 on race day. $10 for 1K. eliteracemanagement.com/halloween-hustle5k-2015.
SUPPORT GROUPS Support groups are free unless otherwise noted. Sept. 1 and Oct. 6 DIABETES SUPPORT GROUP. 5 p.m. For people with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Adventist HealthCare Washington Adventist Hospital, Takoma Park. Registration required; call 301-891-6105. www.adventist healthcare.com.
Sept. 2-Oct. 21, Oct. 28-Dec. 16 BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT GROUP. 6 p.m. Wednesdays. The seven-week session is designed for anyone coping with loss. Holy Cross Resource Center, Silver Spring. To register, call 301-754-7742; www.holycross health.org. Sept. 3 AFTERNOON DROP - IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT GRIEF AND HEALING. 1:30 p.m. For anyone grieving the death of a loved one. Montgomery Hospice, Rockville. Free. 301-921-4400, www.montgomeryhospice.org. Sept. 8 and Sept. 22, Oct. 13 and Oct. 27 ALL CANCERS/CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUP. 12:30 p.m. For patients, family members, friends, caregivers and others who share a cancer experience. Aquilino Cancer Center, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, Rockville. Registration required; call 301-634-7500. www.adventist healthcare.com.
Sept. 1 and Oct. 6 THYROID CANCER SUPPORT GROUP. 6:30 p.m. For current patients, survivors, family members and friends. Adventist Sept. 10 HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, BETTER BREATHERS CLUB. 6:30 p.m. For Rockville.2015-03_BethesdaMag.pdf 240-826-6297, www.adventist 1 3/9/15 people 2:41 PMwith chronic lung disease, including asthma, lung cancer and chronic obstructive healthcare.com.
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Sunday, September 27, 2015 at 9am Candy Cane City, Rock Creek Park Plus, activities for kids, all followed by a celebratory brunch Ellen’s Run is held annually to remember and honor Ellen Vala Schneider of Chevy Chase whose involvement in our community touched and inspired so many. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Community Scholarship Fund and the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County, through the Ellen Vala Schneider Fund of the Community Foundation for Montgomery County.
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mobility in their shoulders and arms, as well as improving their energy level and wellbeing. Hope Connections for Cancer Support, Bethesda. Free. 301-634-7500, www.hopeconnectionsforcancer.org. Ongoing VACATION FROM CANCER. 6 p.m. Thursdays. Engage the creative side of your mind through writing, journaling or sketching. Free. 301-634-7500, www.hopeconnectionsforcancer.org. Sept. 1 LOOK GOOD … FEEL BETTER. 1 p.m. The hands-on workshop, conducted by a cosmetologist, includes information on skin care and makeup application, and demonstrations on how to wear wigs, scarves and hats. For women who are currently undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Hope Connections for Cancer Support, Bethesda. Free. To register, call 301-6347500; www.hopeconnectionsforcancer.org. Sept. 8-Oct. 13, Oct. 27-Dec. 1 MOMS ON THE MOVE. 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays. The six-session class combines yoga
and Pilates to build strength and work abdominal muscles. Destination Maternity, Bethesda. $50. 301-754-8800, www.holy crosshealth.org. Sept. 9-Oct. 14, Oct. 28-Dec. 2 PRENATAL YOGA. 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Learn breathing techniques, stretching postures and ways to strengthen certain muscles during the six-week class. Holy Cross Resource Center, Silver Spring. $50. 301-754-8800, www.holycrosshealth.org. Sept. 9 and 16 JOURNALING AND GRIEF WORKSHOP MINISERIES. 6:30 p.m. The two-session workshop will focus on journaling as a way of addressing grief. Free. Montgomery Hospice, Rockville. 301-921-4400, www. montgomeryhospice.org. Sept. 10 CLUB MED - ITERRANEAN. 6 p.m. Learn about ways to lighten up your menu with grains, beans and Mediterranean flavors. 6 p.m. Suburban Hospital, Bethesda. $25. 301-896-3939, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/ suburban_hospital/.
Sept. 10 COMMUNITY CPR. 5 p.m. The four-hour class will cover infant, child and adult CPR, and is appropriate for nannies, young adults, preschool teachers and lifeguards. Clara Barton Community Center, Cabin John. $75. 301-896-3939, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/ suburban_hospital/. Sept. 11-Oct. 9 MINDFULNESS MEDITATION. 10 a.m. Fridays. An instructor will guide the class through the basics, focusing on breathing and posture. Bethesda Regional Service Center, Bethesda. $45. 301-896-3939, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/suburban_hospital/. Sept. 12 AARP SMART DRIVER. 1 p.m. Learn new traffic laws and defensive driving techniques during the 4½-hour class. For drivers age 50 and older; bring driver’s license. Registration required. Suburban Hospital, Bethesda. $15 for AARP members; $20 for nonmembers. Fee is due at the class. 301-896-3939, www.hopkins medicine.org/suburban_hospital/.
How you live has everything to do with wHere you live
Our community is truly the foundation for not only a successful retirement, but a successful life. Here, members live a life engaged, filled with cultural, educational and recreational opportunities— and with the peace of mind and security that comes with quality on-site health care. Ingleside at King Farm is accepting reservations for our Wait List Club. As a member, you can experience the Ingleside lifestyle before you move. Call us today for more information!
An Ingleside Community
701 King Farm Blvd., Rockville, MD
(240) 398-3842 • www.inglesideatkingfarm.org BethesdaMagazine.com | September/october 2015 309
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health Sept. 12-Oct. 17, Oct. 31-Dec. 5 MOMS ON THE MOVE. 11:15 a.m. Saturdays. The six-session class combines yoga and Pilates to build strength and to work abdominal muscles. Destination Maternity, Bethesda. $50. 301-754-8800, www.holy crosshealth.org.
A Dental Experience Like No Other We offer a variety of dental solutions for those people who experience fear, anxiety, or simply have a busy schedule. Our uniquely skilled dentists are hospital trained in sedation dentistry so you will be in safe hands as you drift off into a relaxed sleepy state and wake up when it’s all over! Sedation dentistry enables us to comfortably accomplish more care in each visit.
Sept. 23 and Oct. 28 CHOLESTEROL, HEART HEALTH AND OTHER SCREENINGS. 8 a.m. Register for a lipid profile, diabetes screening, body fat analysis, prostate specific antigen and other screenings. Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, Rockville. Costs vary depending on the screening; call 800-542-5096 to register, www.adventisthealthcare.com. Sept. 24 SUPER FOODS SPOTLIGHT: NUTS. 6 p.m. They’re a great source of protein and fiber. See how nuts can be incorporated into many dishes. Suburban Hospital, Bethesda. $25. 301-896-3939, www.hopkinsmedicine. org/suburban_hospital/. Sept. 28-30 SELF - DEFENSE CLASS FOR WOMEN. 6 p.m. The class—a series of three four-hour sessions—will help women learn how to defend themselves. Wear comfortable clothing, long pants and sneakers. For women 16 and older. Bethesda Regional Service Center, Bethesda. $65. 301-896-3939, www.hopkins medicine.org/suburban_hospital/. Beginning Oct. 7 MOTHER-TO - MOTHER CONNECTION. 10 a.m. Wednesdays. This discussion group for moms of babies 6 months and younger gives mothers a chance to ask questions and share experiences. Facilitated by childbirth educators. Holy Cross Resource Center, Silver Spring. $15; once you pay the registration fee you can attend as many sessions as you wish. 301-754-8800, www.holycross health.org.
We promise our gentle care and genuine concern will make you smile! We are here for you when you are ready to take the first step in your dental transformation. Just schedule an appointment online or call Bethesda Sedation Dentistry at 301.530.2434. Dr. Deb Klotz, Dr. Rob Schlossberg and the team at Bethesda Sedation Dentistry are looking forward to meeting you. Please check out our new website BethesdaSedationDentistry.com and see why we were voted one of the Best Dentists by the readers of Bethesda Magazine.
Oct. 24 17th ANNUAL LIVING WITH BREAST CANCER SYMPOSIUM. 8:30 a.m. Johns Hopkins University Montgomery County campus, Rockville. Many women try to reduce the stress in their lives after being diagnosed—discover how much stress is too much, and learn how to reduce and cope with it in a healthier way. Free. 301-8963939, events.suburbanhospital.org. n To submit calendar items, go to www.Bethesda Magazine.com.
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Special Advertising Section
Physicians Profiles
The Center for Innovative GYN Care
Paul MacKoul, MD & Natalya Danilyants, MD, FACOG Tony Lewis Jr
The Center for Innovative GYN Care The Center for Innovative GYN Care Specialists Dr. Paul MacKoul and Dr. Natalya Danilyants Developed Groundbreaking Minimally Invasive GYN Surgical Techniques
See Profile page 319 BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 311
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Physicians | Profiles
Special Advertising Section
Roberta F. Palestine, MD The Dermatology Center & Rockledge MedSpa The Champlain Building 6410 Rockledge Drive, Suite 201 Bethesda, MD 20817 301-530-8300 www.dermskin.com Other locations in Germantown and the Sibley Medical Building
Caring, convenient and comprehensive. These three words best describe The Dermatology Center and Rockledge MedSpa. The practice provides complete dermatological and cosmetic services in three locations: Bethesda, Germantown and Washington, D.C. Dr. Roberta Palestine, the founder and medical director, has been in practice for more than 30 years. “Our practice has grown so much since we first opened in Bethesda,” says Dr. Palestine. “I now see the children and grandchildren of some of my patients.” Joining Dr. Palestine are 10 other dermatologists, a plastic surgeon, two physician assistants, a nurse practitioner and clinical estheticians. Providers see patients of all ages and skin types, treating every condition from acne to skin cancer. The practice has evening and weekend hours, and next day appointments are typically available. Medical grade skincare products are also available, including cleansers, anti-aging
serums and sunscreens. “It’s important to wear sunscreen every day, not just when you’re out in the sun,” says Dr. Palestine. “Protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful rays not only helps you prevent potential skin cancers, it also helps slow down the aging process.” For those who already have sun damage, the practice offers Halo, the world’s first and only hybrid fractional laser. “We’re proud to be the only practice in Montgomery County and Washington, D.C to offer Halo,” says Dr. Palestine. “This innovative technology gives patients wonderful results without the downtime associated with typical skin resurfacing lasers.” In addition to Halo, the practice offers many other cosmetic procedures, including Botox, dermal fillers, noninvasive fat reduction, laser hair removal, tattoo removal, micro-needling, photofacials, vein treatments and plastic surgery. Looking your personal best has never been easier!
Hilary schwab
“Looking your personal best has never been easier!”
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Special Advertising Section
Physicians | Profiles
“We find solutions that fit your unique lifestyle and, most importantly, one that you feel comfortable with.”
Tricia Terlep, AuD Gail Linn, AuD, CCC-A Tony Lewis JR
Doctors of Audiology, Potomac Audiology 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 105 Rockville, MD 20852 240-477-1010 gail@potomacaudiology.com www.potomacaudiology.com
This mother-daughter team has been in practice together since 2011, and was just joined by Dr. Linn’s niece Julie Linn, who just recently received her doctorate. It’s a powerful family team for best practices in all aspects of audiology. Both doctors are longtime practice veterans and are active in the industry. Dr. Linn is involved with the American Speech Language Hearing Association, among others, and Dr. Terlep spent seven years at the Georgetown University Audiology Department working in adult and pediatric audiology. Also in the office is Therese Walden, AuD, who has been practicing for over 30 years and was in charge of Audiology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for 28 years and a past president of the American Academy of Audiology. This past year, the office was part of a research project with
the National Institutes of Health, and Dr. Linn spoke to the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine on how hearing aids are dispensed in a private practice. Located in Rockville, Potomac Audiology helps people recapture sounds they’ve been missing. “Our practice offers thorough hearing evaluations and state-ofthe-art hearing systems to fit your unique lifestyle,” says Dr. Linn. “We offer unhurried, personalized care to ensure all your hearing needs are fully explored and met.” Since 1984, Dr. Linn and her team have helped over 10,000 patients improve their hearing with customized solutions to meet their individual needs. “There’s no one answer for your needs,” said Dr. Linn. “We find solutions that fit your unique lifestyle and, most importantly, one that you feel comfortable with.”
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Physicians | Profiles
Special Advertising Section
Christina M.B. Stayeas, DPT, MSPT Meghan R. Zampardi, MSPT, ATRIC Maureen Maier, MSPT GetWell Rehabilitation, LLC 4601 North Park Ave., Suite 10C Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-654-9355 info@getwell-rehab.com www.getwell-rehab.com
While so many physical therapy offices see two to three patients an hour and often use technicians for treatments, the therapists at GetWell Rehab are all superbly qualified and spend a full hour one-on-one with clients. They offer lots of hands-on treatment, too. Each therapist has years of experience with a variety of medical issues and treatment methods. “I think you can really see the advantages when you compare us to traditional physical therapy practices around this area,” says Dr. Stayeas. In a quiet, intimate setting the practice offers skilled manual therapies, including myofascial release, soft tissue mobilizations, joint mobilizations and strain/counterstrain techniques, along with attentive therapeutic exercises and aquatic therapy. Dr. Stayeas offers particular expertise in treating patients with MS as well as complex orthopedic disorders.
Maureen Maier enjoys helping people with musculoskeletal conditions including fitness related injuries and muscle imbalance. Meghan Zampardi helps those with sports injuries and is an expert in aquatic physical therapy; a unique service GetWell offers patients. She’s also certified in Pilates Mat Therapy. “With such a patient-centered practice, everyone gets to know the patient and their needs very well, while they get to know us, too,” says Dr. Stayeas. “We believe people want to get to know their physical therapist and build that level of trust and camaraderie that’s so vital to their health.” One newer service at GetWell is weight loss protein services, with the same level of one-to-one coaching and careful attention the practice gives physical therapy patients. Located in Friendship Heights in the Elizabeth Arcade, GetWell is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Hiilary Schwab
“I think you can really see the advantages when you compare us to traditional physical therapy practices around this area.”
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hilary schwab
Special Advertising Section
“One recent addition is non-invasive Ultherapy®, which is the only FDAcleared procedure to lift skin on the neck, eyebrows and under the chin.”
Physicians | Profiles
A recognized expert in facial plastic surgery, Dr. Porter focuses on both surgical and nonsurgical procedures that deliver extraordinary results for her busy and professional clientele. The practice offers laser skin treatments, DermaPen®, BOTOX® Cosmetic, fillers and other facial rejuvenation technologies. A full-time professional aesthetician offers chemical peel and microdermabrasion services. “One recent addition is non-invasive Ultherapy®, which is the only FDA-cleared procedure to lift skin on the neck, eyebrows and under the chin,” she says. “It also improves lines and wrinkles on the décolletage.” “Rhinoplasty also delivers the “wow” factor many of our patients want and need,” she says. “It can enhance facial harmony and proportions and correct structural defects.” She adds that upper eyelid procedures also produce great results with a relatively easy recovery. Nonsurgical procedures include the latest fillers, injectables and skin care products, as well as radiofrequency skin tightening with the Reaction® and Skinfinity®. The practice is growing with its excellent reputation and quality services, and is moving in to their new offices at 7201 Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Bethesda in September. More than twice the size of the current location, it offers easy parking and Metro Red Line access for patients during work hours. A new associate, Dr. Gina Chu, began in August and specializes in the mini-lift, a small incision facelift that offers less downtime and remarkable results. “We have many ways to restore the youthful beauty of your skin and our trained professionals can help you to maintain the results,” says Dr. Porter.
Jennifer Parker Porter,
MD, FACS
Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgery, LLC 7201 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 515 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-652-8191 concierge@chevychaseface.com www.ChevyChaseFace.com BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 315
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Physicians | Profiles
Special Advertising Section
“I’m an optometrist with a passion for fashion, too. I think that’s why people really like us,” says Rachel Cohn of her optometry practice and eyewear boutique. “We offer a very high standard of care.” Located in Potomac, Wink offers stateof-the-art technology to “map” eyes and look at the retina without dilating drops. The practice corrects sight problems with innovations such as i.Scription® technology by Zeiss, which helps patients with night vision difficulties. Besides extraordinary eye care, Wink offers a complete selection of eyeglasses and sun wear to correct vision and serve as fashion accessories. Handpicked designer frames are available from around the world and certified opticians will help you select your style, shape and color. “Glasses should flatter but also match your personality and reflect the way you want to be viewed by the world,” says Dr. Cohn. “Try on lots of them and have fun with it!”
Paul Ross, DPM
8218 Wisconsin Ave., Suite P14 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-656-6055 drpaulross@aol.com www.PaulRossDPM.com
Tony Lewis JR
Podiatry Center Fellow, American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons
Dr. Rachel Cohn Optometrist Wink Eyecare Boutique 1095 Seven Locks Road Potomac, MD 20854 301-545-1111 drcohn@wink.net www.wink.net
Tamzin b. Smith
“The Podiatry Center is committed to earning the trust of our patients, profession and community,” says Dr. Ross. “We provide the most state-of-the-art technology to ensure you faster, more accurate, and better treatment.” Dr. Ross takes a consultative approach to treatment, with a kind and well-trained staff that make you feel at home. He will educate you, and determine your treatment options along with you. “We perform a myriad of non-invasive procedures and modalities to treat and hopefully eliminate your foot problem,” says Dr. Ross. “Surgery is also available, but always as a last resort.” The practice is rated highly on Angie’s List, Yelp, Facebook and Health Grades, and has earned an Angie’s List “Super Service Award” and “Best of Bethesda” award from Bethesda Magazine’s readers. “Awards are a result of us exceeding your expectations,” says Dr. Ross. “Contact us for foot or ankle pain. You do not have to live in pain and discomfort.”
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Physicians | Profiles
Special Advertising Section
“Our patients see amazing results and appreciate the personalized attention they receive from our doctors and clinicians.”
Richard A. Silva, MD, FACS Jeffrey Y. Wang, MD, FACS Horizon Vascular Specialists 9715 Medical Center Drive, Suite 105 Rockville, MD 20850
Darren Higgins
18109 Prince Philip Drive, Suite 275 Olney, MD 20832 20410 Observation Drive, Suite 100 Germantown, MD 20876 301-762-0277 info@horizonvascularspecialists.com www.horizonvascularspecialists.com
Vascular specialists practicing in Rockville, Germantown and Olney, Drs. Silva and Wang specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases, administering care for both chronic and acute conditions, such as venous insufficiency and peripheral arterial disease. “Since the opening of our inoffice angio suite in 2012, many of our minimally-invasive procedures can be performed within our own office setting,” says Dr. Wang. “Because of advancements in the treatment of vascular disease, patients living with leg pain, swelling or difficult-to-heal ulcers no longer need to wait days or weeks to undergo treatment in a hospital or surgical environment.” In consultations, many of our patients are unaware that the leg problems compromising their appearance and limiting their mobility are highly treatable. “Here, procedures to return patients to an active lifestyle and reduce their discomfort are offered in a state-of-the-art facility
where expert, specialized care is provided without complicated visits to the hospital,” says Dr. Silva. “Our patients see amazing results and appreciate the personalized attention they receive from our doctors and clinicians.” Dr. Silva and Dr. Wang each have privileges at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital, Holy Cross Hospital, Medstar Montgomery General Hospital and Frederick Memorial Hospital. They maintain their own in-house, vascular ultrasound testing facility and offer same-day testing for patients. Horizon physicians effectively complete the vast majority of their procedures using minimally invasive techniques. Dr. Silva serves as the Director of the Cardiovascular Cath Lab at Medstar Montgomery General Hospital. Dr. Wang is the Director of Vascular Research for Shady Grove Adventist Hospital. He is internationally recognized as one of the foremost leading vascular surgeons for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE).
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Physicians | Profiles
Special Advertising Section
“Our practice provides personalized care in a very relaxed setting,” says Dr. Seidman. “Because we see far fewer patients than in a traditional practice, we’re much more patient-focused and available almost any time for patients. Health care can be so confusing and nerve-wracking. We make it far less so.” Limiting patients to about 20 percent of a traditional practice provides much more time to invest in patient care, so the doctors can develop meaningful one-onone relationships with each person. “It’s the complete opposite of what’s normal in a medical practice today, and we like that,” says Dr. Seidman. The internal medicine physicians care for adults over the age of 18, offering preventive care and personalized wellness plans in addition to sick care. Practice programs include prevention of heart disease, osteoporosis, smoking cessation, weight loss, and more. The office is located just off I-270 within easy reach of Rockville, Bethesda and Gaithersburg.
Ralph V. Boccia, MD, FACP Victor M. Priego, MD Iva Ferreira, MD James Xu, MD The Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders Supplied Photo
6410 Rockledge Drive, Suite 660 Bethesda, MD 20817 301-571-0019 www.ccbdmd.com
Aimee Seidman,
MD, FACP
Rockville Concierge Doctors 9420 Key West Ave., Suite 104 Rockville, MD 20850 301-545-1811 info@rockvilleconciergedocs.com www.rockvilleconciergedocs.com
Supplied Photo
“Dr. Priego and I offer a patient-centered practice rooted in compassion and hope and offering the most advanced treatments available,” says Dr. Boccia. Supported by highly trained nurse practitioners, nurses, clinical research associates and technicians, the Center has served thousands of cancer and blood disorder patients. “We deliver attentive, individualized care that includes families and loved ones in the regimen,” says Dr. Boccia. “Our staff pays special attention to quality of life, offering wellness classes and support groups that explore everything from nutrition and exercise to managing treatment schedules and strengthening family relationships.” “We pride ourselves on offering innovative new therapies, and helping bring best-in-class new drugs to market,” says Dr. Boccia. To expand perspectives, Dr. James Xu and Dr. Iva Ferreira recently joined the staff and contribute admirably to the Center’s reputation as the region’s premier treatment organization. Tenemos orgullo de servir a la comunidad de habla hispana.
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Special Advertising Section
Physicians | Profiles
"We have developed techniques to provide the safest and most thorough options with less pain and faster recovery.”
The Center for Innovative GYN Care Specialists Dr. Paul MacKoul and Dr. Natalya Danilyants Developed Groundbreaking Minimally Invasive GYN Surgical Techniques
Paul MacKoul, MD Natalya Danilyants, MD, FACOG The Center for Innovative GYN Care 8218 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 414 Bethesda, MD 20814
Tony Lewis JR
129 Lubrano Drive, Suite 101 Annapolis, MD 21401 1860 Town Center Drive, Suite 255 Reston, VA 20190 888-787-4379 www.innovativegyn.com
The GYN surgical specialists at The Center for Innovative GYN Care have developed two groundbreaking techniques in minimally invasive gynecological surgery that improve outcomes for women. The techniques are LAAM for removing uterine fibroids and DualPortGYN, which makes performing all GYN procedures in an outpatient setting using only two small incisions possible. Many women are told that their condition can only be treated with an open or robotic procedure, and that’s no longer the case. Every woman is a candidate for minimally invasive surgery at CIGC. “When I first went to a gynecologist, she said I wouldn’t be a candidate for laparoscopic surgery,” said Brenda, a patient at CIGC. “When I went to see Dr. Danilyants, she was very confident that she would be able to do [the surgery] laparoscopically.” “We have developed techniques to
provide the safest and most thorough options with less pain and faster recovery,” said Dr. Danilyants. “As more women and doctors become aware of CIGC minimally invasive techniques, they begin to realize open or robotic procedures aren’t necessary.” CIGC specialists are fellowshiptrained minimally invasive surgeons, who have performed over 23,000 surgeries. Using advanced techniques, the surgeons are able to see the entire pelvic cavity, and ensure that all of the vital structures are protected, while controlling blood loss. “Minimally invasive procedures should always be the first option,” said Dr. MacKoul. “Often, women are told that a fibroid or uterus is too large to be removed laparoscopically, unless a power morcellator is involved, which can be scary. Our goal at CIGC is to provide all women with the least invasive procedure with the best possible outcome.”
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Physicians | Profiles
Special Advertising Section
Carolynn Young, MD Astrid von Walter Gonzalez, MD Tosha Luchtefeld, MS, FNP-BC Rockville Gynecology 15204 Omega Drive, Suite 200 Rockville, MD 20850 301-330-7007 office@rockvillegynecology.com www.rockvillegynecology.com
Tony Lewis JR
“We relate to our patients because the practice is entirely women, of all different ages,” says Dr. Young. Besides individualized care for general gynecologic needs, the practice delivers specific expertise for adolescent gynecology, breast cancer risk assessment and prevention, and treatment of menopausal symptoms. Another advantage is extensive experience with minimally invasive gynecological surgery. They are the first and only office in the county to offer Mona Lisa Touch, the FDA-approved laser for treatment of vaginal atrophy, plus BrevagenPlus, highly effective and individualized breast cancer risk screening. A nice place to visit – planned for women, by women – there’s espresso and cappuccino, plush cloth gowns, and happy people that love what they do. “You’re not coming to us for just an annual exam and a birth control prescription,” says Dr. Young. “You’re our guests and we want to treat you well.”
(L to R): Valerie Relacion, MD; Jessica Lu, MD; Amanda Caruso, Office Manager; Wendy J. Hookman, MD; Joy Paul, LCSW-C Not pictured: Susan Felzer, PsyD
Wendy J. Hookman, MD Susan Felzer, PsyD Jessica Lu, MD Valerie Relacion, MD Joy Paul, LCSW-C chiatric care and our special focus on weight management.” WCWCW eliminates obstacles to care and treats every patient like a VIP, providing a playroom with free childcare, a separate entrance for patients concerned about privacy, doctors cell phone numbers for emergencies and lastminute appointments when necessary. Visit www.wcwcw.org for more information.
Washington Center for Women’s and Children’s Wellness (WCWCW, LLC) The Westmoreland Building 6430 Rockledge Drive, Suite 218 Bethesda, MD 20817 301-881-9464 info@wcwcw.org www.wcwcw.org
peter stepanek
WCWCW has moved to Bethesda! Now centrally located on Rockledge Drive in Bethesda, Dr. Hookman and her associates have settled into a beautiful new space designed for comfort and convenience for patients. “We specialize in taking excellent psychiatric care of women and children,” says Dr. Hookman. “Our new space is a direct reflection of our holistic philosophy of psy-
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Physicians | Profiles
Special Advertising Section
“Using your own stem cells to heal musculoskeletal injuries is an excellent alternative to surgery.”
Mayo F. Friedlis, MD StemCell ARTS, An Affiliate of National Spine & Pain Centers
hilary schwab
5550 Friendship Blvd., Suite 100 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 1750 Tysons Blvd., Suite 120 McLean, VA 22102 301-887-5284 www.stemcellarts.com
The StemCell ARTS medical team is committed to advancing the science and art of using a patient’s own blood platelets and stem cells to help harness the body’s natural healing abilities. These regenerative treatments offer safe, non-surgical, viable alternatives to steroid injections or surgery. “We treat sports injuries such as rotator cuff tears, ACL injuries, tendinitis, arthritis of all joints, as well as pain from disc injuries and pinched nerves,” says Dr. Friedlis. “Using your own stem cells to heal musculoskeletal injuries is an excellent alternative to surgery.” A national expert in pain management, Dr. Friedlis is one of the first doctors in the area to use Stem Cell Therapy. StemCell ARTS is one of the few practices in the area trained and licensed to perform the Regenexx family of stem cell and platelet procedures for common orthopedic
injuries and joint conditions. Regenexx is considered the most advanced method of processing blood platelets and stem cells. This assures optimal therapeutic benefits. “Stem cell and platelet therapies ‘supercharge’ the healing process, restoring strength and mobility,” says Dr. Friedlis. “Our procedures increase function, decrease pain and offer viable alternatives to invasive surgery typically followed by lengthy periods of downtime and painful rehabilitation.” A “Top Doctor” for many years, Dr. Friedlis is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and is a Diplomat of the American Academy of Pain Management and the National Board of Medical Examiners. Always interested in a challenge, he has trekked the Himalayas, and has been to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro and base camp of Mt. Everest.
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Special Advertising Section
Arthritis & Rheumatism Associates, PC Chevy Chase: The Barlow Building, 5454 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 600 Olney: 18111 Prince Phillip Drive, Suite 323 Wheaton: 2730 University Blvd. West, Suite 310 Rockville: 14995 Shady Grove Road, 2nd Floor Washington, D.C.: 2021 K St., NW, Suite 300 240-514-5611 www.washingtonarthritis.com
“We all have general musculoskeletal pains from time to time that last for just a few days, says senior partner Dr. David Wolfe.”But when pain in your joints, muscles, neck, back and bones is severe and persistent for more than a few days, you should see your doctor.” “Rheumatic diseases are difficult to identify in early stages. You can have everyday symptoms that actually are related to much more complex conditions,” says Dr. Wolfe. Rheumatologists are experts in this area, trained to evaluate all your symptoms to diagnose and treat your condition. “It’s imperative to find the correct diagnosis as rapidly as possible and begin appropriate treatment because many of these disorders respond best in the early stages,” he says. They offer special skills and training in the complex diagnosis and treatment of arthritis and rheumatic illnesses and
more, treating patients with pain and disorders of the joints, muscles, tendons, bones and other connective tissues. “Our strong foundation in internal medicine prepares us to manage localized and generalized pain while also considering other medications or conditions,” says Dr. Wolfe. Treating the total person, not just the disease, is the underlying philosophy at ARA. Physicians consider the social and emotional impact of a disease or condition, and collaborate with patients and families in treatment plans. The largest rheumatology practice in the area, ARA has served the community for more than 30 years. “We take pride in delivering exceptional care with the courtesy and respect you deserve,” says Dr. Wolfe. “We know there are choices in selecting a physician or healthcare service and look forward to being your choice.”
Hilary Schwab
“It’s imperative to find the correct diagnosis as rapidly as possible and begin appropriate treatment because many of these disorders respond best in the early stages.”
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restaurants. cooking. food. drinks.
dine
photo by stacy zarin-goldberg
Small plates, such as dumplings, are the focus at Urban Heights. To read our review, see page 332.
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Grapevines form neat rows at Twin Oaks Tavern Winery in Bluemont, Virginia. Inset: Donna Evers pours a vintage in the tasting room at her winery.
Chevy Chase real estate agent Donna Evers pursues her passion at her Virginia winery
r
By Nevin Martell | photos by skip brown
Twin Oaks Tavern Winery is perched at the edge
of the Blue Ridge Mountains with a view of the Shenandoah Valley. An award-winning boutique vineyard, it’s a 20-year endeavor for owner-winemaker Donna Evers of Chevy Chase Village, who also works full time at Evers & Co., the real estate firm she founded. Evers fell in love with the idea of making wine while traveling through Europe. “I fell asleep on a train between Munich and Venice,” she says. “When I woke up in northern Italy, there were vineyards as far as my eye could see. I thought, ‘I have to have a vineyard.’ ” That was nearly two decades ago. Back then, the wine lover didn’t know anything about operating a vineyard. But she and her husband, Robert Evers—who died in 2010—were determined. They bought the 6½-acre property, including a historic stone house, in Bluemont, Virginia, for roughly $90,000 in 1998. Then they spent a year taming the wild landscape before planting Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Merlot grapes. “They grow well in this climate,” she says. “I wanted to have something that would have a shot at being successful.” BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 325
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After battling bad
Evers uses a “must plunger” to “punch down” the mixture of grapes, seeds and stems that rises to the top while wine is fermenting in barrels.
weather, diseases and incursions from marauding turkeys and deer, the couple completed their first harvest in the fall of 2002. The original plan was to sell the grapes to another winemaker, but they didn’t have enough to attract a buyer. Not wanting the grapes to go to waste, they decided to make their own wine. They read viniculture books, talked to other local winemakers, and hired a consultant. In the end, they produced five 5-gallon carboy jugs of Chardonnay and two of Cabernet Franc. “It wasn’t very good, but it was wine,” Evers says. The couple spent the next several years honing their skills privately before they began producing commercially in 2008. To this day, Evers has a hand in every step of the process—from planting through bottling—working long hours on weekends. When her Norton red wine is fermenting in 50-gallon blue plastic barrels in the house’s basement, she and her crew must “punch down” the mass of grapes, seeds and stems that rises to the surface, using long metal stirrer/mashers known as must plungers. The particulate is then strained out when the wine is funneled into oak barrels to be aged over the winter. Restoring the historic stone house was another project entirely. An inn from the turn of the 20th century until the 1950s—which inspired the winery’s name—the house had fallen into disrepair and been ravaged by a fire. The couple renovated the two-story house so they could live there on weekends, and then transformed the basement into the epicenter of the winemaking operation, where vintages are fermented, aged and stored.
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The stone house that now serves as Evers’ weekend residence was the historic Twin Oaks Tavern from the turn of the 20th century until the 1950s.
Evers has a hand in every step of the process— from planting through bottling. BethesdaMagazine.com | September/October 2015 327
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Now the winery produces more
Bottles move through the conveyor system of a mobile bottling truck at the winery in June.
Before the wine is bottled, it is processed through a filtration system.
Emptied oak aging barrels are set aside to be cleaned.
than half a dozen varietals—a Chardonnay-Riesling blend called White Nights, Vidal Blanc, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Norton and the Bordeauxinspired Raven Rocks Red—with approximately 8 tons of its own grapes, as well as those purchased elsewhere. Evers also crafts peach and raspberry fruit wines, which are especially popular with female customers. Every year in the late spring or early summer, a mobile bottling operator comes to the property to move the vintages out of the aging barrels and into bottles. Evers rounds up all her employees and calls in favors from family and friends to come help. This year’s bottling started at around 10:30 on a chilly, overcast June morning. As classic rock tunes blared from a stereo, wine was suctioned out of the barrels and through an advanced filtration system inside a bottling trailer. Meanwhile, the bottles traveled along a mechanized conveyor system where they were filled and given a puff of nitrogen to prevent the wine from becoming oxygenated. Then they were corked, capped with a paper-thin metal capsule, labeled, and shunted out the other side of the conveyor system. Finally, the bottles were placed in handlabeled boxes before going back into the cellar to settle before being put on sale later this year. Evers says the conveyor belt system gets hectic as more and more bottles move through it. “It’s like I Love Lucy with the chocolates coming off the assembly line,” she says. Though the clouds were looking like they might burst, the rain held off. By 2:30, the group of more than a dozen workers had filled about 630 cases containing more than 7,500 bottles of wine. More bottles still needed to be filled, but those would be done by hand in the coming weeks. The whites would go on sale at the winery just a few weeks after the bottling, while the reds would be released later in the year.
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Hand-labeled boxes of the latest vintages are stored in the cellar for several weeks or longer to allow their flavors to settle before they’re put on sale.
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The vineyard is a family affair.
Evers walks through the vineyard with her grandson, Clay McFarren (right), who manages the winery, and her granddaughter, Lauren McFarren who also helps out.
The tasting room hosts live music, open mic nights and culinary events throughout the year.
The flags represent Evers’ late husband’s Irish and German heritage, her own Italian and Croatian roots and their American homeland.
Evers’ 24-year-old grandson, Clay McFarren, manages the winemaking operation. “No day is the same,” the proud grandmother says. “It’s learning how to work all the machines, operating them and keeping them in good shape, then getting everything lined up for bottling. It’s year-round.” Her granddaughter, Lauren McFarren, 21, pitches in on busy days. “Whenever we need to pull in extra forces, she comes over,” Evers says. The younger McFarren also works in the tasting room, which looks over the vineyard and into the valley. Formerly a three-bay garage detached from the house, the room has a central bar, indoor seating, three fireplaces and a trio of outdoor decks giving visitors multiple vantage points to drink in views and vintages. A quintet of flags flies over the front door representing the Irish and German heritage of Evers’ late husband, her own Italian and Croatian roots and their American homeland. Nearly 90 percent of the vineyard’s business occurs on the weekend, when wine enthusiasts stop by to taste the wines, nibble on Virginia-made cheeses and cured meats and—Evers hopes—buy a few bottles for their own cellars. The fan favorite is the crispy, acidic Chardonnay with notes of pear and apple. It’s the critics’ choice as well; the 2012 edition won a gold medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute competition in Chicago. Also popular is frozen mulled wine that’s only available onsite—Evers calls it “a Slurpee for adults.” When she takes a moment to sit down and enjoy a glass of wine, Evers is surprised at how far she has come. “My first year of winemaking, I made 35 gallons of wine,” she says. “Now I’m up to a thousand cases a year.” n
Nevin Martell lives in Washington, D.C., and frequently writes about food and culture.
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Dinner 1975
Dinner 2015
The Market at River Falls. The Perfect Meal for Your Grown Up Tastes! Come in and enjoy all of your favorites including our famous crab cakes and our amazing salmon. Be sure to try our new healthy option salads and take home some artisanal foods from our over three dozen new local producers.
Hosting a Dinner Party or Upcoming Corporate Event? Ask about our catering menu!
Sushi at The Market
by Sushi Chef, Rollei Pascual With daily sushi specials utilizing our fresh seasonal fish selections and party display options, you can always count on a great meal for two or a party for 200.
The MarkeT at river Falls 301-765-8001 | MarketRiverFalls.com | Potomac, MD
Seafood • Meats • Prepared Foods • Sushi
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dine | review
Fusion Confusion Urban Heights falls short with jumble of small plates BY Carole Sugarman | photos by stacy zarin - goldberg
The Chicken Adobo Sliders pack a flavorful punch of grilled chicken in adobo sauce topped with cucumber salad and Sriracha mayonnaise.
Urban Heights
7940 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda, 301-312-8282, urbanheightsbethesda.com FAVORITE DISHES: Brussels sprouts, cauliflower with kimchee cream, grilled asparagus, shrimp chive dumplings, xo honey-glazed shrimp, lumpia
BEER, WINE AND COCKTAILS: Good selection of bottled craft beers, plus a few Asian offerings. About a dozen wines by the glass, plus about 50 bottles, including red, white, rosĂŠ and sparkling. Short list of specialty cocktails.
PRICES: Tuna bar, $13 to $14; small plates, $5 to $11; soups and salads, $8 to $18; entrĂŠes, $22 to $28.
SERVICE: Sweet but unsophisticated
Overall Rating:
B-
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food photos by stacy zarin-goldberg; chefs’ photo by skip brown
After protracted negotiations, our table of four finally decided how to divvy up the small plates of lamb meatballs and stuffed chicken wings. Each contained three pieces of food. I realize that chefs prefer the visual appeal of odd numbers of items, but the diddling among us is just one of the reasons why I wish little dishes would run away with the spoons. Alas, small plates are the heart of Bethesda’s Urban Heights, the Asianinspired eatery from the RW Restaurant Group, which has lately taken our area by storm. Replacing the short-lived Roof restaurant, Urban Heights joins the group’s other recent acquisitions— Bethesda’s Villain & Saint (formerly Markham’s Bar and Grill), Potomac’s River Falls Tavern (formerly the Tavern at River Falls) and Gaithersburg’s Boulevard Tavern (formerly the group’s Brasserie Beck). Robert Wiedmaier and his team already have Bethesda’s Mussel Bar & Grille and Wildwood Kitchen under their local belts. This hubbub of openings or rebranding has been beneficial for Montgomery County diners, who will generally find more distinctive fare at a Wiedmaier spot than what’s offered by the national chains muscling into our midst. And the suburban expansion seems like a smart move for the restaurant group, which doesn’t have to compete with trendsetting downtown dining destinations. The most ambitious of the projects is Urban Heights, showcasing Executive Chef Cliff Wharton’s pan-Asian specialties, some of which were served at TenPenh, the late, great Pennsylvania Avenue eatery where he worked as chef de cuisine until it closed in 2011. I liked that restaurant, which was smart and special when it opened in 2000. The menu included about a dozen small plates (then called “appetizers”), with an equal number of entrées. At Urban Heights, there are nearly 30 diminutive dishes on the menu (including the tuna bar and a section called “small plates”)
RW Restaurant Group’s Robert Wiedmaier (left) and Chef Cliff Wharton on the roof of their new Bethesda restaurant
A drizzle of yuzu cream tops fried Brussels sprouts with shiitake mushrooms and roasted red peppers.
Each table is set with droppers of dipping sauces: mirin, ponzu, wasabi soy and hot chili oil.
Customers can enjoy a treetop view from the second-floor dining room.
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Better Bets Here’s a look at the RW Restaurant Group’s other openings in our area, all of which I prefer to Urban Heights. These are comfortable, neighborhood places worth return visits. River Falls Tavern
Boulevard Tavern
Villain & Saint
I always liked River Falls Tavern, back in the day when it was under different ownership and called the Tavern at River Falls. But now that the RW Restaurant Group has taken the reins, I like the upscale American pub even more. The natureinspired space is still the same—and even the prior chef is in the kitchen. Still, the restaurant seems to have more polish, with several new fish dishes and some improved ingredients. It’s not inexpensive, but my dinner of chilled asparagus with lemon herb vinaigrette and lemon ricotta cheese, and grilled swordfish with ratatouille, zucchini pesto and minestrone sauce was lovely.
This summer’s revamping of Brasserie Beck Kentlands—the suburban outpost of Wiedmaier’s downtown Belgian restaurant—into a more casual neighborhood eatery was a wise move. Boulevard Tavern is a less tony version of River Falls Tavern (its Potomac sibling), sharing a few of the same menu items, but with more emphasis on steaks and barbecue. The cavernous place has been brightened up from its Belgian days, with new artwork and lighting. Salads are particularly good, and don’t miss the baked feta appetizer with pine nuts and Japanese eggplant marmalade.
For something completely different for Bethesda (and for Wiedmaier), try this Haight-Ashbury-inspired club, featuring live music, lava lamps and photos of dead rock legends. The food is a hit, far surpassing expectations for music hall fare. Divided among “Villain” options (substantial main courses), “Saint” fare (vegetarian dishes) and “Hand and Bar Food,” the menu is best appreciated before the bands begin, when you can concentrate on the conversation and dishes including chart-topping salt-roasted beets, mushroom sauté and pan-seared catfish.
311 Kentlands Blvd., Gaithersburg, 301-5694247, thetaverns.com/boulevard-tavern/
7141 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, 240-800-4700, villainandsaint.com
10128 River Road, Potomac, 301-299-0481, thetaverns.com/river-falls-tavern/
and just seven entrées. As a diner, I found the combination of small plates and Asian fusion confusing. Eating too many dishes with a gimmick or twist—pretty as they may be—makes for a mishmash of a meal. In addition, while some of the restaurant’s small plates are worth ordering again (particularly those focused on vegetables), others seem passé, and end up being forgettable. Regarding those veggies, the kitchen breathes new life into cauliflower; roasted and topped with togarashi (a peppery spice), the florets come perched on a kimchee cream with just the right kick. Similarly satisfying are perfectly grilled asparagus spears lounging on a rectangular plate with a mound of tomato sambal and sliced almonds at their midriff. And fried Brussels sprouts take on a new richness with shiitakes, a tangle of roasted red peppers and a drizzle of yuzu cream. Shrimp are also treated well here, whether they’re glazed with honey and
xo (Chinese seafood sauce) and draped atop a hill of wasabi-spiked grits, or steamed in tender dumpling wrappers with chives. Also worth sampling: Wharton’s native lumpia, crackly fried Filipino spring rolls filled here with beef, shrimp and cabbage. But other small plates lack excitement, such as duck rolls with dried-out, shredded filling; blah lamb meatballs with timid green curry sauce; guacamole, with a dull avocado mash and crumbles of what’s-the-point blue cheese; and stuffed chicken wings slicked with sweet sauce. Three items from the tuna bar were disappointing, including a tempura-crusted tuna roll that left the fish mealy and unappealing. As for entrées, the two I tried, recommended as the best of the bunch by the waiter, were pretty boring: a dated preparation of salmon glazed with hoisin, and a vapid duck breast that was upstaged by the terrific grilled Chinese broccoli
served alongside. And none of the desserts I sampled were worth the splurge, including a brownie spiked with sweet soy sauce that killed the chocolate flavor, and lumpia wrappers stuffed with apples, pears and an overload of Chinese fivespice powder. Aside from the bum steers from the waiter, he was otherwise delightful and dependable, as was the waitstaff during two other visits. The panoramic second-story setting has been spiffed up a bit from the Roof days with new carpeting and paint, and it’s a pleasant enough atmosphere. New patio furniture and some greenery improved the third-floor rooftop deck, and on a nice evening, happy hour up there may be the best way to enjoy the restaurant. n Carole Sugarman is the magazine’s f o o d e di t o r. To c o mm e n t o n t hi s review, email comments@bethesda magazine.com.
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Saturday, October 3
•
11am - 4pm
Taste of a d s e h t e B The Taste of Bethesda food and music festival takes place in Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle along Norfolk, St. Elmo, Cordell, Del Ray and Auburn Avenues. The festival site is three blocks from the Bethesda Metro. Photos © Sonny Odom
Produced By
Sponsored By
Audi Bethesda
For more info, please call 301-215-6660 or visit www.bethesda.org. TOB-BethMag2015_v2.indd Untitled-3 1 1
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Special Advertising Section
culture watch Community Stories Festival Docs In Progress Nov. 10-15 Montgomery County plays on the big screen at Docs In Progress’ 5th annual Community Stories Festival. Watch documentary films about local people and places. Meet the filmmakers and people in the films. Participate in a storytelling night. Learn how to make films of your own. Festival to take place across the county from the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring to BlackRock Arts Center in Germantown. DOCSINPROGRESS.ORG OR 301-789-2797
A Celebration of Glass The Art Glass Center at Glen Echo Park, Popcorn Gallery 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD Sep. 4-27. Popcorn Gallery is open Sat. and Sun., noon-6pm Artists Reception Sep. 4, 6-9pm This show features more than 90 new works by 22 artists from the Art Glass Center’s community. The pieces celebrate the art of glass in sculpture, wall hangings, vessels and jewelry. These works explore the endless possibilities of the medium through rich surface textures as well as deeply tonal glass, while the artists’ visions range from graceful organic designs and exciting geometrics to images of nature. Admission is free! ARTGLASSCENTERATGLENECHO.ORG
CELEBRATE THE ART OF GLASS!
Dance Classes for All
SIGN UP NOW FOR THE 2015/2016 SCHOOL YEAR!
2015/2016 School Year CityDance School & Conservatory Sep. 8 CityDance - based in North Bethesda, with locations in Rockville and Tenleytown - provides pre-professional training for ages 4-19 in classical, contemporary, and world dance. The curriculum, designed to develop the next generation of dance performers and innovators, includes an intensive training program that prepares young dancers for professional careers. Inquire now by emailing: registrar@citydance.net.
Your Writing Life Starts Here
The Writer’s Center The Writer’s Center offers workshops in all genres for beginners to advanced writers, free Open Door readings every Sunday, special events like art openings and performances, studio space to write your masterpiece, and a community of supportive writers and instructors to bring your stories to life. What are you waiting for? WRITER.ORG
CITYDANCE.NET OR 302-581-5204
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Train like a Dancer!
National Philharmonic
BOGO Maryland Youth Ballet’s ADULT PROGRAM OFFER 926 Ellsworth Dr., Silver Spring, MD 7 days a week, year-round Strengthen, Stretch, and Tone. Adult drop-in classes offered in Ballet, Stretch, Pilates, Floor Barre®, and Jazz. The program is the largest of its kind in the area and welcomes adults of all ages and abilities. New to ballet? Try an Introductory Ballet mini-session and join other beginners in a comfortable, fun, pressure-free environment. MYB is located blocks from the metro in downtown Silver Spring. New Students-Buy One, Get One FREE! (No limit. Offer valid thru Oct. Expires 60 days from date of purchase.) MARYLANDYOUTHBALLET.ORG
Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story Sat., Sep. 19, 8pm & Sun., Sep. 20, 3pm Thomas Pandolfi, piano; Piotr Gajewksi, conductor Wagner’s Rienzi Sat., Oct. 3, 8pm Issachah Savage, tenor; Piotr Gajewski, conductor NATIONALPHILHARMONIC.ORG OR 301-581-5100
Learn a New Instrument this Fall! Levine Music Levine offers outstanding music instruction and programs to students of all ages, interests, and skill levels at four campuses in the DC area. LEVINEMUSIC.ORG
Weaving Community Sandy Spring Museum Sep. 5-Dec. 31 Fabric artist Suzanne Herbert Forton invites visitors to add their own thread and materials to a project that turns the museum into a giant loom. SANDYSPRINGMUSEUM.ORG/WEAVING
75th Anniversary World Premiere Caps for Sale, The Musical
Enroll Now for Adult Education Classes
Live & Learn Bethesda 4805 Edgemoor Ln., Bethesda, MD Live & Learn Bethesda provides art, music, humanities, and computer classes for adults. We are conveniently located at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center in downtown Bethesda next to the Bethesda Metro and the Montgomery County parking garage. View our Fall 2015 Catalog and register for classes today. To request a catalog, visit our website, call 301-740-6150, or email info@liveandlearnbethesda.org. MC.com
LIVEANDLEARNBETHESDA.ORG OR 301-740-6150
Adventure Theatre MTC Sep. 11-Sep. 27 Based on the children’s book by Esphyr Slobodkina. “Caps! Caps for sale! Fifty cents a cap!” The cap peddler wears a huge stack of caps. When no one buys a cap, he takes a nap under a shady tree. But, when he wakes up, the caps are gone! ADVENTURETHEATRE-MTC.ORG
Ballet Professional Training Program Akhmedova Ballet Academy ABA is dedicated to providing the finest quality ballet training utilizing the Vaganova Method. All of our graduates are in major dance companies around the world. Annual “Nutcracker Dreams” Dec. 18, 7pm. AKHMEDOVABALLET.ORG FACEBOOK\AKHMEDOVABALLET
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Special Advertising Section
culture watch 2015-2016 Season Preview Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center 7995 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD Mark your calendars and get ready for a spectacular season with some of the finest performances from around the world. Experience the sounds of Ethiopian Krar, marvel at the intricacies of traditional Indian Dance and journey with us into Shakespearean times. Season tickets are on sale now. Located just around the corner, we offer affordable tickets MC.com and free parking. MONTGOMERYCOLLEGE.EDU/CAC OR 240-567-5775
Experience Something Extraordinary! CultureSpotMC.com MC.com
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24, 2015
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dine
table talk BY CAROLE SUGARMAN
Bryan Voltaggio
Food photos from istock; voltaggio photo by Ken goodman; Kronenburg and Heineman photos courtesy
Executive chef and owner of restaurants including Range, Aggio and Lunchbox in Upper Northwest, D.C. Voltaggio says his son, Thacher, started rejecting his diet of allhomemade baby food by age 3. Now 8, Thacher likes crispy fried foods and pizza without sauce. “He’s into simple things…it’s hard to get him to eat outside the box,” his father says. A packed lunch is often a cheese sandwich, organic applesauce and some sort of fresh fruit or vegetable. However, the chef is holding out hope for his adventurous 2-year-old daughter, Ever, who “eats off Dad’s plate on a regular basis.”
in the
bag
Jeff Heineman
What do chefs pack for lunch for their children? If it’s any consolation, even they have to deal with picky eaters.
Chef/owner of Grapeseed American Bistro + Wine Bar, Bethesda On Sunday nights, Heineman cooks up a big batch of food for his family. Then, as part of weekday brown-bag lunches, 9-year-old Nicholas “eats dinner leftovers as if he’s going to a supper club,” his dad says. That could mean paella, barbecue or lasagna and other casseroles. Not so for his twin sister, Elyse, a picky eater who sticks with the standards, Heineman says.
Eva Kronenburg Executive pastry chef, Food Wine & Co., Bethesda With a mom who specializes in sweets, it’s no wonder that 10-year-old Abigail Stafford’s lunch box desserts are hot commodities for bartering (Abigail has snagged pencils and necklaces in exchange). “She likes surprises to trade with friends,” Kronenburg says. Among the shared goodies: marshmallows dipped in chocolate or rolled in powdered sugar, Nutella-filled crepes or a scooped-out orange rind filled with chopped fruit.
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PERFECT!
Conversation Piece We have to hand it to Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria e Bar, the attractive eatery that opened in May in Bethesda’s Westfield Montgomery mall. On one wall, a three-dimensional mural depicts dozens of Italian hand gestures. New York artist Nicholas Fasciano fashioned the 6-by-8½-foot creation, which features 49 gestures cast from the hands of real people. Fasciano, an Italian who talks a lot with his hands, said it took him about three months to complete the mural, which he made by having friends and relatives place their paws into a mailing tube filled with alginate, a gel-like material that’s used to make dental impressions. Resin was poured into the mold to harden after the hands were removed. Restaurant manager Mark Harkins says patrons may touch the sculpture— just no grabbing.
If I Catch you!
let’s have a drink
LONG TIME AGO
7101 Democracy Blvd., (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-365-8300, www.patinagroup.com
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Don’t Leave me, I love you
Bang, Bang
( Rotating Finger on cheek ) It’s delicious
WHITE LIE
Talk with the Hand Please cut it short Cheers to a hundred years
photo by michael ventura
Something Secret going on
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food find
Feivel Cohen (above) mans the counter at Café Sunflower in North Bethesda. The café offers kosher baked goods produced by people with cognitive or developmental disabilities.
Café Sunflower Background: Opened in April, the café is a retail operation for Sunflower Bakery, a Gaithersburg workforce training facility that teaches people with cognitive or developmental disabilities about pastry arts. Located on the lobby level of the North Bethesda office building owned by the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, the clean, bright café provides separate training in marketing and customer service. The nonprofit café is a collaboration between the Jewish Federation, the Jewish Foundation for Group Homes and the United Jewish Endowment Fund. The goods: A full range of kosher baked items, including cookies, bars, muffins, pies and cupcakes, is delivered each weekday from the Gaithersburg bakery. For the upcoming Jewish holidays, look for desserts such as honey cake and apple cake. Café Sunflower also sells challah, bagels and light lunch dishes, which are not prepared by the bakery. Taste test: As Laurie Wexler, co-founder of Sunflower Bakery and Café Sunflower, puts it, “people will come once if they think you’re doing something good. They’ll come twice if they like the product.” There’s much to like; the raspberry crumb bars, blondies, oatmeal raisin cookies and mandel bread are especially good.
&
Where to buy: Café Sunflower, 6101 Executive Blvd., Suite 115, North Bethesda, 301-321-3280. Baked goods can also be ordered online and picked up at the Sunflower Bakery, 8507 Ziggy Lane, Gaithersburg, as well as at several synagogues in the area. 240-361-3698, www.sunflowerbakery.org.
Restaurateur Francis Namin (Food Wine & Co., Beer Wine & Co., City Burger, Don Pollo) always had the idea to open multiple locations of Fish Taco, his fast-casual taqueria in Cabin John. And now it’s happening, with the scheduled November debut of a Fish Taco in Bethesda’s Wildwood Shopping Center and another location at 7200 Wisconsin Ave. in the works.
And there’s more happening at Rockville Town Square, reinvigorated after several restaurant closings. Mellow Mushroom, the pizza chain with hippie roots that’s “been keeping it mellow since 1974,” takes over the former Oro Pomodoro space sometime this winter, joining a host of other new eateries.
Tara Thai, which shuttered on Bethesda Avenue in March, plans to reopen in part of the former Legal Sea Foods space at Westfield Montgomery mall in Bethesda; look for a December opening. Jamaican Mi Crazy, a family-owned D.C. food truck, was scheduled to open a restaurant in August in the mall’s dining terrace.
Shortly after Michael Harr, former executive chef at Bethesda’s Food Wine & Co., announced he would rebrand Largent’s Restaurant & Bar in Gaithersburg into Kentlands Kitchen, the deal fell through and the restaurant closed. Meanwhile, Ted’s 355 Diner in Rockville and Silver Spring’s Da Marco Ristorante Italiano folded in July.
Photos courtesy of café sunflower
comings goings
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first taste
Food photo Courtesy of Barrel and Crow; houlihan and forest photo by andrew metcalf; urban winery photo courtesy
Barrel and Crow’s Lemon Blueberry Trifle oozes lemon cream, blueberry compote and lemon curd.
Owners Laura Houlihan and Patrick Forest
barrel AND crow
Former Grapeseed managers Laura Houlihan and Patrick Forest opened a neighborhood restaurant featuring local and regional cuisine, next door to their former employer. The two snagged culinary gems Chef Nick Palermo, formerly of the Old Angler’s Inn in Potomac, and pastry chef Rita Garruba, formerly of 8407 Kitchen Bar in Silver Spring. TAKEAWAY: With contemporary, sophisticated fare served in a spare, handsome setting, the restaurant seems carefully planned but exudes effortlessness. Maryland crab beignets, Virginia mackerel and the seasonal rhubarb crumble are terrific. 4867 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, 240-800-3253, www.barrelandcrow.com. n
THE URBAN WINERY
Silver Spring residents Damon Callis, a former Marine and financial planner, and his wife, Georgia, a nurse and daughter of a late hobbyist winemaker, buy domestic and international grapes to make their own wines. Damon Callis says their winery is the first in an urban location in the Mid-Atlantic area.
TAKEAWAY: Friendly staff and a non-trendy atmosphere create a comfortable, inviting environment you gotta love. Cabernet Franc is the best bet wine-wise; other options are easy to drink, but lack complexity. Menu of light bites includes homespun renditions of avocado toast, Greek meatballs and chicken wings. 949 Bonifant St., Silver Spring, 301-585-4100, www.theurbanwinery.com.
Urban Winery in Silver Spring
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dine
By Brian Patterson L’Academie de Cuisine | www.lacademie.com
Bottoms Up Why not celebrate the fall apple harvest with a French tarte tatin instead of a traditional pie? The dish is baked with the fruit on the bottom and the crust on top in an ovenproof skillet and then flipped over, resulting in a delicious tart of baked apples, rich caramel sauce and flaky crust.
Difficulty Level
On the Clock
1 hour Servings
8
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2
3
4
Flaky Dough Ingredients 1 1⁄3 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons cold butter, diced into small cubes 6-7 tablespoons of very cold water
Directions 5
Apple Tarte Tatin Ingredients 8 Granny Smith apples Juice of two lemons ¾ cup sugar 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons Karo Syrup 4 tablespoons butter flaky dough prepared ahead (or one package of puff pastry)
Directions
photos by stacy zarin-goldberg
1. Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core and halve the apples and toss them in the lemon juice. 2. In an ovenproof 9-inch sauté pan, heat the sugar, water and Karo Syrup on medium-high heat. Stir the sugar occasionally with a wooden spoon so that it caramelizes uniformly. Once the sugar has fully caramelized (turning the color of coffee with a little cream in it), add the butter. Be careful: The caramel will be very hot. 3. Using a pair of tongs, add the apple pieces individually until they are packed tightly and slightly overlap-
6 ping. Cook the apples for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. 4. Place the prepared flaky dough (or puff pastry) over the apples and fold the rim of the flaky dough back over on itself to form a lip. 5. Using a knife, make a hole in the center of the pastry about ½ inch in diameter. Fold a 2-inch square piece of aluminum foil in half, and wrap it around your finger to form a cylindrical tube. Insert the foil tube into the hole in the center of the pastry. 6. Place the pan with the apples and the pastry into the preheated oven. Bake until the flaky dough is cooked, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the dish to cool for about 45 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil vent. 7. When ready to serve, heat the pan over medium heat to loosen the apples and caramelized sugar from the pan. Place a large plate over the pan, and then invert the pan so that the pastry will be under the apples. Use a rubber spatula to loosen the tart if needed.
1. Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Toss the diced butter with the flour to coat each cube. 2. Using a bench scraper or two forks, chop the butter with the flour until the mixture resembles coarsely ground cornmeal. 3. Make a well in the mixture and pour the water into the well. Incorporate the dry ingredients with the water, beginning with the walls of the well and working outward. 4. Once the flour and water are combined, but still loose and crumbly, form the mixture into a loose ball. Using the heel of your hand, smear the dough a bit at a time across a lightly floured surface such as a table, stretching it to a length of about 10-12 inches. This milling process helps to fully incorporate the butter into the dough. Form the dough into a ball and repeat the milling process. Press the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and then chill for at least 30 minutes.
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dine
Dining Guide
Check out the online version of the DINING GUIDE at BethesdaMagazine.com.
Bethesda 4935 Bar and Kitchen
4935 Cordell Ave., 301-951-4935, www.4935bar andkitchen.com. The restaurant offers 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 $$$
Aji-Nippon
6937 Arlington Road, 301-654-0213. A calm oasis on a busy street, where chef Kazuo Honma serves patrons several kinds of sushi, sashimi, noodle soups, teriyaki and more. Try a dinner box, which includes an entree, vegetables, California roll, tempura and rice. L D $$
American Tap Room
7278 Woodmont Ave., 301- 656-1366, www.americantaproom.com. Here’s a classic grill menu featuring sliders, wings and craft beer offered by Thompson Hospitality, the owners of Austin Grill. Entrées range from BBQ Glazed Meatloaf Dinner with whipped potatoes and green beans to the lighter Crabmeat Omelet.❂ R L D $$
&pizza
7614 Old Georgetown Road, 240-800-4783, www.andpizza.com. Create your own designer pizza from a choice of three crusts, three cheeses and eight sauces or spreads. Toppings for the thin, crispy crusts range from the usual suspects to falafel crumbles, fig marsala and pineapple salsa. This location of the hip, fast-casual chain has limited seating. L D $
Bacchus of Lebanon
7945 Norfolk Ave., 301-657-1722, www.bacchus oflebanon.com. This friendly and elegant Lebanese staple has a large, sunny patio that beckons lunch and dinner patrons outside when the weather is good to try garlicky hummus, stuffed grape leaves, chicken kabobs, veal chops and dozens of small-plate dishes. ❂ L D $$
Bangkok Garden
4906 St. Elmo Ave., 301-951-0670, www.bkk garden.com. This real-deal, family-run Thai restaurant turns out authentic cuisine, including curries, soups and noodle dishes, in a dining room decorated with traditional statues of the gods. Dishes range from mild to very hot. L D $
BARREL and CROW (New)
4867 Cordell Ave., 240-800-3253, www.barrel andcrow.com. Contemporary regional and southern cuisine served in a comfortable setting with charcoal gray banquettes and elements of wood and brick. Menu highlights include Maryland crab beignets, shrimp and grits croquettes and Virginia mackerel. ❂ R L D $$
Benihana
7935 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-5391, www. benihana.com. Experience dinner-as-theater as the chef chops and cooks beef, chicken, vegetables
and seafood tableside on the hibachi. This popular national chain serves sushi, too. The kids’ menu includes a California roll and hibachi chicken, steak and shrimp entrées. J L D $$
Key
Bethesda Barbecue Co.
4917 Elm St., 301-718-0550, bethesdabbq.com. Chef Dennis Friedman turned his upscale Newton’s Table into a down-home barbecue spot, with bacon pops, biscuits and sandwiches, plus platters with smoked pulled pork, chicken, sliced brisket and ribs. Hot smoked salmon, grilled fish and salads for those who don’t fancy finger-lickin’ fare. JLD$
Bethesda Crab House
4958 Bethesda Ave., 301-652-3382, www.bethesda crabhouse.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 jumbosized crabs available year-round; call ahead to reserve them. ❂ L D $$
Price designations are for a threecourse dinner for two including tip and tax, but excluding alcohol. $ $$ $$$ $$$$ b B R L D
up to $50 $51-$100 $101-$150 $150+ Outdoor Dining Children’s Menu Breakfast Brunch Lunch Dinner
Bethesda Curry Kitchen
4860 Cordell Ave., 301-656-0062, www.bethesda currykitchen.com. The restaurant offers lunch buffet and Southern Indian vegan specialties, served in a spare and casual setting. There are plenty of choices from the tandoor oven, as well as vegetarian, seafood and meat curries. L D $
Bistro LaZeez
8009 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-8222, www.bistro lazeez.com. Reasonably priced Mediterranean cuisine served in a small, attractive space. Don’t miss the grilled pita and the signature BLZ Chicken Medley, with a grilled, marinated chicken thigh, drumstick and wing basted in a zesty sauce. ❂JLD$
Bistro Provence (Editors’ Pick)
4933 Fairmont Ave., 301-656-7373, www.bistro provence.org. Chef Yannick Cam brings his formidable experience to a casual French bistro with a lovely courtyard. The Dinner Bistro Fare, served daily from 5 to 6:30 p.m., offers a choice of appetizer, main course and dessert for $35. ❂ L D R $$$
Black’s Bar & Kitchen (Editors’ Pick)
7750 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-5525, www. blacksbarandkitchen.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 and enjoy dining on the expansive patio. ❂ R L D $$$
Blaze Pizza
7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 240-630-8236, www.blazepizza.com. One of the new breed of fast-casual pizza concepts, Blaze features build-your-own pies with a choice of nearly 30 toppings and six sauces. Pizzas are “fast-fire’d” for 180 seconds, resulting in thin, super-crisp crusts. Wash them down with the bloodorange lemonade. L D $
Bold Bite
4901-B Fairmont Ave., 301-951-2653, www.bold bite.net. Designer hot dogs and hickory-smoked burgers from the Venezuelan Roche brothers, with a menu that won “Best Menu Design” from the magazine’s editors in 2013. Among the menu options: breakfast sandwiches, ice cream sandwiches and house-made doughnuts. J B L D $
Brickside Food & Drink
4866 Cordell Ave., 301-312-6160, www.brickside bethesda.com. Prohibition-era drinks meet Italian bar bites and entrées. Dishes range from fried chicken and waffles to lobster ravioli. Try one of the colorfully named punches, which include Pink Murder Punch and Snow Cone Punch. ❂ L R D $$
Caddies on Cordell
4922 Cordell Ave., 301-215-7730, www.caddies oncordell.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 Place for a Guys’ Night Out” in 2015. ❂ J R L D $
Café Deluxe
4910 Elm St., 301-656-3131, www.cafedeluxe.com. This local chain serves bistro-style American comfort food in a fun and noisy setting with wood fans and colorful, oversized European liquor posters. Menu options include burgers, entrées, four varieties of flatbread and mussels served three different ways. ❂ J R L D $$
Cava Mezze Grill
4832 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-1772, www.cava grill.com. The guys from Cava restaurant have created a Greek version of Chipotle. Choose the meat, dip or spread for a pita, bowl or salad. Housemade juices and teas provide a healthful beverage option. ❂ L D $
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Cesco Osteria 7401 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-8333, www. cesco-osteria.com. Longtime chef Francesco Ricchi turns out Tuscan specialties, including pizza, pasta and foccacia in a big, jazzy space. Stop by the restaurant’s Co2 Lounge for an artisan cocktail before dinner. ❂ L D $$
Chef Tony’s 4926 St. Elmo Ave., 301-654-3737, www.chef tonysbethesda.com. Chef-owner Tony Marciante focuses on Mediterranean seafood tapas, offering dishes ranging from fish and seafood to chicken, steak and pasta. Desserts include Drunken Strawberries and Classic Creme Brulée. J R L D $$
City Burger 7015 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-0010, www.city burgeronline.com. Inexpensive quarter-pound burgers made from all-natural, antibiotic-free beef from the owners of Food Wine & Co., Beer Wine & Co., Don Pollo and Fish Taco. Hot dogs and half-smokes, plus homemade milkshakes and ice cream available. Space seats about 15, but geared for takeout. L D $
City Lights of China 4953 Bethesda Ave., 301-913-9501, www.bethesda citylights.com. Longtime Chinese eatery serves familiar Szechuan and Beijing fare, including six types of dumplings and seven handmade noodle dishes. Red walls and chocolate-colored booths give the place a sharp look. L D $$
CRAVE
Flanagan’s Harp & Fiddle
Daily Grill
Food Wine & Co. (Editors’ Pick)
7101 Democracy Blvd., Suite 1530 (in Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-469-9600, cravebethes da.com. Minnesota-based chainlet offers an eclectic melting pot of American dishes, including bison burgers, duck confit flatbread and kogi beef tacos. The restaurant is also known for its extensive selection of wine and sushi.J L D $$ One Bethesda Metro Center, 301-656-6100, www.dailygrill.com. Everyone from families to expense-account lunchers can find something to like about the big portions of fresh American fare, including chicken pot pie and jumbo lump crabcakes. ❂ J B R L D $$
Don Pollo
7007 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-0001. www.don pollogroup.com. Juicy, spiced birds and reasonable prices make this Peruvian chicken eatery a go-to place any night of the week. Family meals that serve four or six people available. Locations in Rockville and Gaithersburg, too. L D $
Faryab Restaurant (Editors’ Pick)
4917 Cordell Ave., 301-951-3484, farandaway cycling.com/Faryab/. 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 $$
4844 Cordell Ave., 301-951-0115, www.flanagans harpandfiddle.com. This stylish pub features live music several days a week, Tuesday night poker and Monday quiz nights. In addition to traditional stews and fried fish, Flanagan’s offers smoked ribs, salmon and traditional Irish breakfast on weekends. ❂ J L D $$ 7272 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-8008, www.food wineandco.com. Upscale American fare that includes a farmstead cheese and charcuterie bar, an oyster bar, salads and sandwiches, and entrées ranging from pan-roasted rockfish to a risotto made with local pumpkin, smoked pearl onion and wild mushroom, all served in a stunning bistro. L D $$
Garden Grille & Bar
(in the Hilton Garden Inn), 7301 Waverly St., 301654-8111. Aside from a breakfast buffet featuring cooked-to-order omelets, waffles, fruit and more, the restaurant offers an extensive menu, from burgers and other sandwiches to crabcakes, short ribs and pasta dishes. J B D $$
Geppetto
10257 Old Georgetown Road, 301-493-9230, www. geppettorestaurant.com. Sicilian-style pizza served in a casual atmosphere inside bustling Wildwood Shopping Center, plus salads, classic Italian sandwiches, entrées and pasta dishes. ❂ L D $$
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dine Grapeseed American Bistro + Wine Bar (Editors’ Pick)
4865 Cordell Ave., 301-986-9592, www.grape seedbistro.com. Chef-owner Jeff Heineman, who develops each dish on the frequently updated menu to pair with a specific wine, also offers small plates and a 10-seat wine-room table. Charcuterie offerings include house-made and artisan meats. L (Tuesday-Friday) D $$$
Gringos & Mariachis (Editors’ Pick)
4928 Cordell Ave., 240-800-4266, www.gringos andmariachis.com. The owners of the popular Olazzo Italian restaurants in Bethesda and Silver Spring trade in the red sauce for salsa at this hip taqueria with edgy murals and plenty of tequila. Starters include duck nachos and the taco selection nears 15 choices. Voted “Best New Restaurant” by the magazine’s readers in 2015. L D $
Guapo’s Restaurant
8130 Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-0888, www.guapos restaurant.com. This outpost of a local chain has everything you’d expect: margaritas and chips galore, as well as a handful of daily specials served in festive Mexican surroundings. Perfect for families and dates. J R L D $
Guardado’s
4918 Del Ray Ave., 301-986-4920, www.guardados. com. Chef-owner Nicolas Guardado, who trained at Jaleo, opened this hidden gem devoted to Latin-Spanish cooking in 2007 and has developed a following with tapas specialties like shrimp and sausage, stuffed red peppers and paella. J L D $
Hanaro Restaurant & Lounge
7820 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-7851, www.hanaro bethesda.com. Operated by father-and-son Mike and Gene Han, the restaurant’s modern dark woods combined with a light-filled dining room brighten its corner location, and the menu includes sushi and Asian fusion main courses. The bar offers a daily happy hour. ❂ L D $$
Heckman’s Delicatessen
4914 Cordell Ave., 240-800-4879. www.heckman sdeli.com. The deli features all the staples, plus a dinner menu with chicken-in-a-pot and stuffed cabbage. Menu offers long lists of ingredients to build your own salads, sandwiches and egg dishes. Sweets include rugelach, black-and-white cookies and homemade cheesecake. ❂ J B L D $
Himalayan Heritage (Editors’ Pick)
4925 Bethesda Ave., 301-654-1858, www. himalayanheritagedc.com. The menu includes North Indian, Nepalis, Indo- Chinese and Tibetan cuisines, featuring momos (Nepalese dumplings), Indian takes on Chinese chow mein and a large selection of curry dishes. All-you-can-eat lunch buffet offered, too. L D $
House of Foong Lin
4613 Willow Lane, 301-656-3427. www.foong lin.com. The Chinese restaurant features Cantonese, Hunan and Szechuan cuisine, including chef’s recommendations, low-fat choices and lots of traditional noodle dishes. L D $$
House of Milae
4932 St. Elmo Ave., 301-654-1997. The Kang family, who own Milae Cleaners in Bethesda, bring simple Korean dishes to their first food foray. Chef “M&M” Kang prepares home-style fare such as bulgogi, galbi and bibimbap; 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., 301-913-0003, 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 and 2015. ❂ R L D $$
Jetties
4829 Fairmont Ave., 301-769-6844, www.jetties dc.com. The only suburban location of the popular Nantucket-inspired sandwich shop, which has four restaurants in Northwest Washington, D.C. Aside from the signature Nobadeer sandwich (roasted turkey and stuffing with cranberry sauce and mayonnaise on sourdough), look for large salads, a soup bar and an innovative children’s menu. ❂ J L D $
Kabob Bazaar
7710 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-5814, www.kabob bazaar.com. The younger sister of a popular Arlington restaurant with the same name offers kabobs in every protein possible, plus lots of vegetarian side dishes. Music on Saturdays and Sundays. ❂ L D $
Kadhai (Editors’ Pick)
7905 Norfolk Ave., 301-718-0121, www.kadhai .com. This popular Indian restaurant formerly known as Haandi serves a variety of traditional chicken, lamb and seafood dishes, plus rice and vegetarian dishes and a selection of breads. An extensive lunch buffet is offered daily. ❂ L D $$
La Panetteria
4921 Cordell Ave., 301-951-6433, www.la panetteria.com. La Panetteria transports diners into a quaint Italian villa with its impeccable service and Old World atmosphere, serving such Southern and Northern Italian classic dishes as homemade spaghetti and veal scaloppine. L D $$
Mamma Lucia
4916 Elm St., 301-907-3399, www.mammalucia restaurants.com. New York-style pizza dripping with cheese and crowd-pleasing red sauce, and favorites like chicken Parmesan and linguini with clams draw the crowds to this local chain. Gluten-free options available. ❂ L D $$
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 years. L D $$
Max Brenner Chocolate Bar
7263 Woodmont Ave., 301-215-8305, www.max brenner.com. Chocoholics and dessert lovers will have a field day with the restaurant’s milkshakes, coffee drinks, hot chocolate, crêpes, waffles, fondue, ice cream and chocolate pizza. A retail section offers bonbons, praline wafers and caramelized nuts rolled in hazelnut cream and cocoa powder. ❂ $
Met Bethesda
7101 Democracy Blvd., Unit 3200 (in Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-767-1900. www.met bethesdamd.com. Boston-based restaurateur Kathy Sidell’s restaurant offers seasonal American cuisine cooked over a wood-burning grill. Look for oak-fired prime rib-eye steak, grilled avocados stuffed with Maryland crab and an extensive martini selection, served in snazzy surroundings with an open kitchen. L D $$
Mia’s Pizzas (Editors’ Pick)
4926 Cordell Ave., 301-718-6427, www.miaspizzas bethesda.com. Mia’s wood-burning oven turns out Naples-style pies with a variety of toppings, plus homemade soups and cupcakes. Sit in the cheery dining room with yellow, green and orange accents or under an umbrella on the patio. ❂ J L D $$
Le Vieux Logis
Moby Dick House of Kabob
Lebanese Taverna
MOMO Chicken + Jazz
7925 Old Georgetown Road, 301-652-6816, www. levieuxlogisrestaurantmd.com. The colorful exterior will draw you into this family-run Bethesda institution, but classic French dishes such as Dover sole meunière and mussels in a white wine broth will keep you coming back. ❂ D $$$
7141 Arlington Road, 301-951-8681, www.lebanese taverna.com. This 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 $$
Louisiana Kitchen & Bayou Bar
4907 Cordell Ave., 301-652-6945, www.louisiana bethesda.com. The popular Bethesda institution offers a Cajun- and Creole-style menu, complete with divine fried items. The pain perdou and beignets remain a great way to start a Sunday morning. B R L D $
Luke’s Lobster
7129 Bethesda Lane, 301-718-1005, www.lukes lobster.com. This upscale carryout features authentic lobster, shrimp and crab rolls; the seafood is shipped directly from Maine. Try the Taste of Maine, which offers all three kinds of rolls, plus two crab claws.❂ L D $
7027 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-1838, www. mobyskabob.com. This kabob takeout/eat-in mainstay was one of the first kabob places in the area. It makes its own pita bread. The menu includes a variety of salads and vegetarian sandwiches and platters. L D $
4862 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, 240-483-0801, www. momofc.com. Skip the breasts, and head for the wings or drumsticks at Bethesda’s first Korean fried chicken spot. Options such as seafood pancakes, bulgogi and bibimbap are part of the extensive offerings, all served in a hip space with framed record albums gracing the walls. ❂ J L D $$
Mon Ami Gabi
7239 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-1234, www.mon amigabi.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 Place for a Couple’s Night Out” by the magazine’s readers in 2015. Live jazz Tuesday and Thursday nights. ❂ J R L D $$
Morton’s, The Steakhouse
7400 Wisconsin Ave., 301-657-2650, www.mortons .com. An ultra-sophisticated steak house serving pricey, large portions of prime-aged beef and drinks. The restaurant is known for a top-notch dinner experience but also offers lunch and a bar menu. D $$$
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Mussel Bar & Grille 7262 Woodmont Ave., 301-215-7817, www.mussel bar.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, a list that won “Best Craft Beer Selection” by the magazine’s readers in 2013 and 2015. ❂ R L D $$
Naples Ristorante E Pizzeria E Bar 7101 Democracy Blvd. (in Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-365-8300, www.naplesbethesda.com. Neapolitan-style pizzas from three wood-fired ovens are served at this large, light and airy addition to the mall’s dining terrace. Owned by the Patina Restaurant Group, which operates about 70 eateries nationwide, Naples also offers Italian wines, small plates, pasta dishes and entrées. L D $$
Nest Cafe 4921 Bethesda Ave., 301-718-6378, www.nestwine barcafe.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. Live music on Friday and Saturday nights. ❂ R L (except Monday) D $$
NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE’S (New) 10400 Old Georgetown Rd., 240-316-4555, www. notyouraveragejoes.com/bethesda/. Massachusetts-based chain does a total redo, inside and out, of the old Hamburger Hamlet, transforming it into an urban, rustic setting. Moderately-priced menu offers burgers, big salads and stone-hearth
pizzas, plus entrées like Vietnamese salmon and Anything But Average Meatloaf. ❂ J L D $$
Oakville Grille & Wine Bar (Editors’ Pick) 10257 Old Georgetown Road, 301-897-9100, www.oakvillewinebar.com. Fresh California food paired with a thoughtful wine list in an elegant, spare setting may not sound unique, but Oakville was one of the first in the area to do so, and continues to do it well. L D $$
Olazzo (Editors’ Pick) 7921 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-9496, www.olazzo. com. This well-priced, romantic restaurant is the place for couples seeking red-sauce classics at reasonable prices. Founded by brothers Riccardo and Roberto Pietrobono, it was voted “Best Italian Restaurant” and “Best Fried Calamari” by our readers in 2014. ❂ L D $$
Original Pancake House 7700 Wisconsin Ave., Store D, 301-986-0285, www.ophrestaurants.com. Try one of 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., 301-657-7371, www.panasgourmet. com. Latin-fusion gourmet empanadas that are baked, not fried, and have a modern twist—think chicken pesto, smoked eggplant, chipotle steak and brie with mushrooms and artichoke hearts. ❂ LD$
Parva Cocina & Tequila Bar
7904 Woodmont Ave., 301-312-6488, www.the parva.com. With more than 70 tequilas and an extensive menu of Tex-Mex dishes, the eatery formerly called The Parva has re-branded itself from its Latin fusion days. All three varieties of the ceviche are lively, and so is the bar scene. R D $$
Passage to India (Editors’ Pick)
4931 Cordell Ave., 301-656-3373, www.passage toindia.info. Top-notch, pan-Indian fare by chefowner Sudhir Seth, with everything from garlic naan to fish curry made to order. Elegant ivory screens shield diners from street noise. Voted “Best Indian Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2014. ❂ R L D $$
PAUL (New)
4760 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-3285, www.paul-usa. com. Five-generation, family-owned French bakery becomes an international chain, with locations in close to 35 countries. Aside from breads and pastries, look for soups, sandwiches and quiche. ❂ B L D $
Penang Malaysian & THAI Cuisine & BAR 4933 Bethesda Ave., 301-657-2878, www.penang maryland.com. At this Malaysian spot decorated with exotic dark woods and a thatched roof, spices run the gamut of Near and Far Eastern influence, and flavors include coconut, lemongrass, sesame and chili sauce. L D $$
Persimmon (Editors’ Pick)
7003 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-9860, www.persimmonrestaurant.com. Owners Damian
Classic French in Chevy Chase. 301.986.5255 lafermerestaurant.com
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dine and Stephanie Salvatore’s popular restaurant offers casual fare from salads to sandwiches to meat and seafood entrées in a bistro setting featuring a lively bar, cozy booths and bright paintings on the walls. ❂ L D R $$
Pines of Rome
4709 Hampden Lane, 301-657-8775. Local celebrities and families gather at this down-home Italian spot for traditional pasta, pizza, fish and seafood at prices that are easy on the wallet. The white pizza is a hit, and don’t forget the spaghetti and meatballs. L D $
Pizza Tempo
8021 Wisconsin Ave., 240-497-0000, www.pizza tempo.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.pizzeria damarco.net. Authentic Neapolitan pizzas fired in a 900-degree Italian brick oven range from the Siciliana with eggplant confit and black olives to the Solo Carne with sausage, pepperoni and salame. Salads, antipasti and calzones available, too. ❂ 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. This sunny restaurant offers a tempting bakery takeout counter, full dining service and a patio. The food, which includes chicken pot pie and pralines, is French with an American accent. The magazine’s editors voted its desserts the prettiest around in 2013. ❂ J B R L D $$
Raku (Editors’ Pick)
7240 Woodmont Ave., 301-718-8680, www.raku asiandining.com. Voted “Best Sushi” by the magazine’s readers in 2014 and “Best Bethesda Restaurant” in 2013, this casual restaurant has bamboo walls that do little to dampen the noise, but the menu satisfies with everything from sushi to kung pao chicken. ❂ L D $$
Redwood Restaurant & Bar
7121 Bethesda Lane, 301-656-5515, www.redwood bethesda.com. The upscale wine bar features fresh, local food and California-centric wines. 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. ❂ J R L D $$
Rice Paddies Grill & Pho
4706 Bethesda Ave., 301-718-1862, ricepaddies grill.com. This cute copper-and-green eat-in/carryout makes quick work of Vietnamese favorites like pork, beef and vegetable skewers infused with lemongrass and the classic beef noodle soup known as pho. L D $
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery 7900 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-1311, www.rock bottom.com. India Pale Ales and specialty dark brews are among the award-winning beers crafted in-house at this cavernous yet welcoming chain, which offers a vast menu. The burgers are the real deal. ❂ J L D $$
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
7315 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-7877, www.ruths chris.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, which include Caribbean lobster tail and barbecued shrimp. D $$$
Sala Thai
4828 Cordell Ave., 301-654-4676, www.salathai dc.com. This Thai mainstay cooks the classics and offers diners a nearly panoramic view of Woodmont Avenue through huge, curved windows. Live jazz Friday and Saturday evenings. L D $$
Saphire Café
7940 Wisconsin Ave., 301-986-9708. A relaxing spot for tasting everything from Maryland-style crab soup to Argentine skirt steak, Saphire pumps it up a notch on Friday and Saturday nights with drink specials and DJs. Tiki bar open Wednesdays through Saturdays. ❂ L D $
Satsuma
8003 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-1400. satsumajp.com. Bethesda’s first yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) restaurant has built-in grills at each table. Diners select a cut—short rib, chuck rib, skirt or tongue— and prepare it themselves. There’s also an extensive sushi and sashimi menu, as well as interesting cooked dishes. L D $$
Shanghai Village
4929 Bethesda Ave., 301-654-7788. Owner Kwok Chueng prides himself on personal attention and recognizing regulars who have been stopping in for his classic Chinese cooking for more than 25 years. Order the secret recipe Mai Tai. L D $
Shangri -La Nepalese and Indian Cuisine
7345-A Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-4444, www. shangrilabethesda.com. Northern Indian and Nepali specialties such as butter chicken and fresh flatbreads known as naan shine here. The extensive menu ranges from soups and salads to tandoori and kabobs.J L D $
Share Wine Lounge & Small Plate Bistro
8120 Wisconsin Ave. (in the Doubletree Hotel), 301-652-2000, www.doubletreebethesda.com/ dining.aspx. Share some buffalo chicken sliders or avocado bruschetta, or go for main courses ranging from Yankee pot roast to cedar plankroasted salmon. B L D $$
Smoke BBQ Bethesda
4858 Cordell Ave., 301-656-2011, www.smoke bbqbethesda.com. Pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, ribs and all the fixin’s, plus starters including smoked tomato soup and fried pickles served in a friendly, casual space. Delivery available for orders over $15. J L D $
South Street Steaks
4856 Cordell Ave., 301-215-8333, www.south streetsteaks.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.steamers seafoodhouse.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. Party rooms available. ❂ J L D $$
Stromboli Family Restaurant
7023 Wisconsin Ave., 301-986-1980, www.strombolis restaurant.com. In addition to a large selection of delectable hot Italian sandwiches called stromboli, this proud family restaurant/carryout features pizzas, subs and pastas at reasonable prices. L D $
sweetgreen
4831 Bethesda Ave.301-654-7336, sweetgreen. com. The sweetgreen fast-casual chain—with its focus on local and organic ingredients—concentrates on salads (devise your own, or pick from a list) and soups. Look for eco-friendly décor and a healthy sensibility. ❂ L D $
Tako Grill
4914 Hampden Lane (in The Shoppes of Bethesda), 301-652-7030, www.takogrill.com. Longtime, popular sushi destination relocates to the space formerly occupied by Hinode Japanese Restaurant. Look for the same traditional sushi menu, plus some new options, such as griddle-cooked teppanyaki at lunch, and more varieties of yakatori at dinner. L D $$
Tandoori Nights
7236 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-4002, www.tandoori nightsbethesda.com. Located in the heart of downtown Bethesda, the restaurant serves traditional Indian fare ranging from tandoori chicken, marinated in yogurt and spices, to a biryani flavored with saffron, nuts and raisins. ❂ L D $$
Tastee Diner
7731 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-3970, www.tastee diner.com. For 80 years, this crowd-pleasing if slightly sagging spot has served up everything from breakfast to burgers to blue-plate specials like steak and crabcakes to crowds of loyal customers. Open 24 hours. J B L D $
Taylor Gourmet
7280 Woodmont Ave., 301-951-9001, www.taylor gourmet.com. The sandwich shop offers a menu of upscale takes on Philadelphia hoagies, sandwiches and salads made with top-notch ingredients. Check out the eggroll appetizer of mozzarella, provolone, hot capicola, Genoa salami, peppers and red onion. L D $
The Barking Dog
4723 Elm St., 301-654-0022, barkingdogbar.com. A fun place for young adults, with drink specials nearly every night and bar food such as quesadillas and burgers. Salsa dancing on Tuesdays, trivia on Wednesdays, karaoke on Thursdays and a DJ and dancing Fridays and Saturdays. ❂ L D $
The Burger Joint
4827 Fairmont Ave., 301-358-6137, www.bgrthe burgerjoint.com. The burgers are good and the vibe is great at this frequently packed eatery next to Veterans Park. Try the veggie burger, made with a blend of brown rice, black beans, molasses and oats. ❂ J L D $
The Corner Slice
7901 Norfolk Ave., 301-907-7542, www.the cornerslice.net. New York-style pizza, available by the slice or as a 20-inch pie. Specialty pizzas in-
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clude the spinach-artichoke white pie with ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan and the Buffalo Chicken Pie with blue cheese and hot sauce. ❂ L D $
Tia Queta
4839 Del Ray Ave., 301-654-4443, www.tiaqueta. com. This longtime family and happy-hour favorite offers authentic Mexican food like moles and fish dishes, as well as the usual Tex-Mex options. Menu includes American and Mexican beers. ❂ J L D $$
Tommy Joe’s Restaurant
4714 Montgomery Lane, 301-654-3801, www. tommyjoes.com. Hot wings, loaded potato skins and sliders, along with drink specials, abound at this friendly restaurant/bar/nightclub featuring 20 big-screen TVs for game time. ❂ L D $$
Trattoria Sorrento (Editors’ Pick)
4930 Cordell Ave., 301-718-0344, www.trattoria sorrento.com. This family-run Italian favorite offers homemade pastas, baked eggplant and fresh fish dishes. Half-price bottles of wine on Wednesdays. Opera dinners at 6 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month feature a four-course meal and a performance for $60 per person. D $$
Tyber Bierhaus
7525 Old Georgetown Road, 240-821-6830, www.tyberbierhausmd.com. Czech, German and Belgian brews served in an authentic beer-hall setting, furnished with the same benches as those used in the Hofbrau brewhouse in Munich. Pub menu features mussels, hearty sandwiches, schnitzel and goulash. R L D $$
Uncle Julio’s Rio Grande Café
4870 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-2981, www.uncle julios.com. Loud and large, this Tex-Mex eatery packs in families and revelers fueling up on fajitas, tacos and more. Kids love to watch the tortilla machine. Voted “Most Kid-Friendly Restaurant” by the magazine’s readers in 2015. ❂ J R L D $$
Union Jack’s
4915 St. Elmo Ave., 301-652-2561, www.union jacksbethesda.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. ❂ L D $$
Urban Heights
7940 Norfolk Ave., 301-312-8282, urbanheights bethesda.com. Chef Robert Wiedmaier’s RW Restaurant Group features the pan-Asian cooking of Filipino chef Cliff Wharton, who concentrates on creative small plates (think wasabi blue cheese guacamole). The second-story restaurant offers patio and rooftop dining, plus jazzy drinks such as a kumquat mojito. See review, page 332. ❂ L D $$
Villain & Saint
7141 Wisconsin Ave., 240-800-4700, villainand saint.com. Listen to live music while digging into salt-roasted beets or slow-smoked pork ribs at this hip bar, courtesy of chef Robert Wiedmaier’s RW Restaurant Group. Delightfully dated décor includes lava lamps and photos of late great rock stars. The menu is divided into hearty dishes (villain) and vegetarian options (saint). ❂ R L D $$
Vino Volo
7247 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-0916, www.vino volobethesdarow.com. This wine bar and shop features a rustic café serving small plates, cheeses and cured meats, salads, sandwiches, pizza and a few entrées. For dessert, there’s bourbon bread pudding, gelato or sorbetto. ❂ L D $$
Wildwood Kitchen (Editors’ Pick)
10223 Old Georgetown Road (in the Wildwood Shopping Center), 301-571-1700, www.wildwood kitchenrw.com. Chef Robert Wiedmaier’s attractive neighborhood bistro serving fresh and light modern cuisine. Entrées range from Amish chicken with a scallion potato cake to grilled Atlantic salmon with creamy polenta. L D $$
Woodmont Grill (Editors’ Pick)
7715 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-9755, www.hillstone.com. Part of the Houston’s chain, the eatery offers such classics as spinach and artichoke dip and its famous burgers, but also housebaked breads, more exotic dishes, live jazz and a granite bar. ❂ L D $$$
Yamas Mediterranean Grill
4806 Rugby Ave., 301-312-8384, www.yamasgrill. com. A friendly staff serve gyros, souvlaki, lemon chicken and other Greek specialties at this sunny café. Dinner entrées include Greek-style chicken and vegetarian mousaka. ❂ J L D $
Yuzu
7345-B Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-5234, yuzu bethesda.com. Diners will find authentic Japanese dishes, including sushi, sashimi and cooked tofu, vegetable, tempura, meat and fish dishes, prepared by sushi chef and owner Yoshihisa Ota. L D $$
CLARENDON 703.312.9080 3101 Wilson Blvd.
RESTON 703.834.0400 1811 Library St.
RICHMOND 804.308.9013 1601 Willow Lawn Dr.
BETHESDA 301.656.1366 7278 Woodmont Ave. LARGE PARTY SEATING SUNDAY BRUNCH PATIO DINING
C
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Fish Taco
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7945 MacArthur Blvd., 301-229-0900, www.fish tacoonline.com. This counter-service taqueria from MY the owners of Bethesda’s Food Wine & Co. features a full roster of seafood as well as non-aquatic ta-CY cos, plus margaritas and other Mexican specialties. CMY The eco-chic décor is casual and attractive. Don’t miss the bread pudding. ❂ J L D $ K
Indigo House
7945 MacArthur Blvd. (in MacArthur Plaza), 301312-6737. Sake-steamed clams, tamarind pork buns and tea-smoked duck breast are among the choices at this hip Pan-Asian eatery from Persimmon and Wild Tomato restaurateurs Damian and Stephanie Salvatore. There’s a long bar that’s inviting for drinks and sushi. ❂ L D $$
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Wild Tomato (Editors’ Pick)
7945 MacArthur Blvd., 301-229-0680, www.wild tomatorestaurant.com. A family-friendly neighborhood restaurant from Persimmon and Indigo House owners Damian and Stephanie Salvatore, serving salads, sandwiches and pizza. Voted “Best Fish Tacos” by our readers in 2014. ❂ J L D $
CHEVY CHASE
Old Town 703.684.8969 801 King St Alexandria, VA 22314
Penn Quarter 202.393.3776
Alfio’s La Trattoria
4515 Willard Ave., 301-657-9133, www.alfios.com. This Northern Italian classic on the first floor of The Willoughby of Chevy Chase Condominium has been feeding families and casual diners for more than 30 years. Look for traditional pasta, veal and chicken dishes (plus pizza), served in an Old World environment. J L D $$
750 E St NW Washington, DC 20004
Springfield 703.644.3111
8430 Old Keene Mill Rd Springfield, VA 22152
Silver Spring 240.247.8969
919 Ellsworth Dr Silver Spring, MD 20910
Capital Grille
5310 Western Ave., 301-718-7812, www.capital grille.com. The upscale steak-house chain, known for its he-man-sized portions and extensive wine list, is located in The Shops at Wisconsin Place.
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dine Entrées also include chicken, lamb chops, salmon and lobster. L D $$$$
Clyde’s
5441 Wisconsin Ave., 301-951-9600, www.clydes. com. The popular restaurant features a frequently changing menu of American favorites and a collection of vintage airplanes and cars, as well as a model train running on a track around the ceiling. ❂ J R L D $$
La Ferme (Editors’ Pick)
7101 Brookville Road, 301-986-5255, www.la fermerestaurant.com. This charming Provencestyle restaurant serving classic French cuisine 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. ❂ R L D $$$
Lia’s (Editors’ Pick)
4435 Willard Ave., 240-223-5427, www.chefgeoff. com. Owner Geoff Tracy focuses on high-quality, low-fuss modern Italian-American fare at this modern space with a wine room. Pizzas, housemade pastas and fresh fish please business lunchers and dinner crowds. ❂ J R L D $
Manoli Canoli Restaurant
8540 Connecticut Ave., 301-951-1818, www.manoli canoli.com. Italian and Greek specialties abound at a fun family eatery that features a large prepared foods section, dishes made with olive oil from owner Stavros Manolakos’ family farm in Greece and homemade mozzarella on pizza and subs. ❂ J L D $
Meiwah Restaurant
4457 Willard Ave., 301-652-9882, www.meiwah restaurant.com. This modern restaurant on the second floor of a Friendship Heights office building offers top-quality Chinese dishes that are hard to beat. There’s also a sushi bar with an extensive menu. A fountain sparkles on the outdoor patio. ❂ L D $$
Potomac Pizza
19 Wisconsin Circle, 301-951-1127, www.potomac pizza.com. This cheery, casual dining room provides a break from the ultra-posh shopping surrounding it. In addition to pizza, subs and pastas are popular. Beer and wine available. ❂ J L D $
Sushiko (Editors’ Pick)
5455 Wisconsin Ave., 301-961-1644, www.sushiko restaurants.com. Known as the Washington, D.C., area’s most respected sushi restaurant, Sushiko offers a wide range of sushi and other dishes. A chef’s nine-course tasting menu includes seven original small dishes, a sushi course and dessert. ❂ L D $$
Tavira
8401 Connecticut Ave., 301-652-8684, www.tavira restaurant.com. Fish stews and several versions of bacalhau (salted cod) figure prominently on the menu of this intriguing Portuguese restaurant, which manages to be charming and attractive despite its location in an office building basement. L (except Saturday and Sunday) D $$
GARRETT PARK Black Market Bistro (Editors’ Pick)
4600 Waverly Ave., 301-933-3000, www.black marketrestaurant.com. Sublime American bistro fare served in a restored Victorian building next to railroad tracks; the building once served as a
general store and still houses a post office. Entrées range from swordfish to a burger and pizza, including several vegetable options. ❂ J R L D $$
GLEN ECHO Irish Inn at Glen Echo
6119 Tulane Ave., 301-229-6600, www.irishinn glenecho.com. This historic tavern has been a family home and a biker bar, but its incarnation as the Irish Inn has been delivering smiles and hearty food since 2003. Traditional Irish music on Monday nights and The 19th Street Band on every other Wednesday night, plus live jazz on Thursday nights. ❂ J R L D $$
KENSINGTON Frankly…Pizza!
10417 Armory Ave., 301-832-1065, www. frankly-pizza.com. Owner Frank Linn turns out high-quality pizza in a rustic brick-and-mortar restaurant. The menu offers wood-fired pies topped with home-cured meats and tomato sauce made from an 80-year-old family recipe. Homemade sodas and wines served on tap, too. ❂ L (Saturdays and Sundays) D $
K Town Bistro
3784 Howard Ave., 301-933-1211, www.ktown bistro.com. Try filet mignon, duck breast à l’orange, chicken marsala and other classic continental dishes from this family-run eatery owned by Gonzalo Barba, former longtime captain of the restaurant in the Watergate Hotel. L D $$
Savannah’s American Grill
10700 Connecticut Ave., 301-946-7917. This casual sports bar serves American bar food, including wraps, burgers, salads and ribs, and brunch on weekends. Diners can enjoy their meals outside on a 50-seat patio. ❂ J R L D $
Sub*Urban Trading Co.
10301 Kensington Parkway, 301-962-4046, www. suburbantrading.com. Earthy, neighborhood bistro and market features creative seasonal dishes. Think cured duck leg sandwich with shaved onions and fig preserves, roasted sausage and ricestuffed shallots, vegetable pot-au-feu, plus homemade sweets. R L D $$
NORTH POTOMAC/ GAITHERSBURG Asia Nine
254 Crown Park Ave., 301-330-9997, www.asia ninemd.com. Pan Asian restaurant with a first location in Washington, D.C.’s Penn Quarter offers dishes from Vietnam, China, Thailand and Japan. Specialties include grilled lamb chops served with mango-soy coulis and miso honey duck breast drizzled with a sake butter sauce. R L D $$
Athens Grill
9124 Rothbury Drive, 301-975-0757, www.athens grill.com. This casual, friendly, family-run restaurant specializes in authentic Greek cooking, using recipes handed down through generations. Specialties like rotisserie chicken, chargrilled salmon with a lemon dill sauce and lamb kabobs are cooked on a hardwood grill. L D $
Bonefish Grill
82 Market St., 240-631-2401, www.bonefishgrill. com. While fresh fish cooked over a wood fire is the centerpiece of this upscale Florida chain, the steaks, crabcakes and specialty martinis make it a fun option for happy hour and those with hearty appetites. R L (only on Sundays) D $$
Buca di Beppo
122 Kentlands Blvd., 301-947-7346, www.bucadi beppo.com. The Kentlands outpost of this national chain serves huge, family-style portions of Italian specialties from fresh breads to antipasti and pasta dishes amid a sea of Italian kitsch. Desserts include Italian Creme Cake and Tiramisu. J L D $$
Burma Road
617 S. Frederick Ave., 301-963-1429, www.burma road.biz. A good place to sample pickled tea leaf salad and other Burmese specialties. House specials include Three Cup Chicken Casserole and Sizzling Shrimp and Scallop in Hot Garlic Sauce. LD$
Coal Fire
Kentlands Square, 116 Main St., 301-519-2625, www.coalfireonline.com. Homemade crusts fired by coal and topped with your choice of toppings and three different sauces: classic, spicy and signature, which is slightly sweet with a hint of spice. Salads, sandwiches and pasta also available, plus a full bar. ❂LD$
Copper Canyon Grill
100 Boardwalk Place, 240-631-0003, www.ccgrill. com. Large portions of American classics like salads, ribs and rotisserie chicken prepared with seasonal ingredients at family-friendly prices are the bill of fare at this spacious and casual chain restaurant. J L D $$
Coastal Flats
135 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 301-8698800, www.greatamericanrestaurants.com. First Maryland locale for Great American Restaurants, a Fairfax-based chain. Seaside-inspired décor extends to the menu, which offers lobster and shrimp rolls, fried grouper and key lime pie. Steaks, pasta and burgers also served. ❂ J L D $$
Dogfish Head Alehouse
800 W. Diamond Ave., 301-963-4847, www.dogfish alehouse.com. The first Maryland outpost of the popular Rehoboth Beach brewpub, the restaurant is packed with revelers and families clamoring for the Dogfish Head brews, burgers, pizzas and ribs. Check out the burger of the week. ❂ J L D $$
Growler’s
227 E. Diamond Ave., 301-519-9400, www.growlers restaurant.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. ❂ JR L D $
Guapo’s Restaurant
9811 Washingtonian Blvd., L-17, 301-977-5655, www.guaposrestaurant.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂JRLD$
Il Porto Restaurant
245 Muddy Branch Road, 301-590-0735, www.il portorestaurant.com. A classic red-sauce menu, elegant murals of Venice and an authentic thincrust pizza are hallmarks of this friendly, unfussy Italian restaurant tucked in the Festival Shopping Center. Fried calamari and the white pizza are among customer favorites. ❂ L D $
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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 $$
Le Palais
304 Main St., No. 100, 301-947-4051, www. restaurantlepalais.com. Chef-owner Joseph Zaka trips lightly through the dishes of Brittany and Burgundy, adding a modern twist here and there. Entrées include squab with chestnuts, prunes and wild mushrooms, and cassolette of lamb. D $$$
Not Your Average Joe’s
245 Kentlands Blvd. (in Kentlands Square Shopping Center), 240-477-1040, www.notyouraverage joes.com. Massachusetts-based chain serving creative casual cuisine in a neighborhood spot. Menu includes big salads, pizza, burgers and sandwiches, plus seasonal selections. ❂ J L D $$
Old Town Pour House
212 Ellington Blvd. (in Downtown Crown), 301963-6281, www.oldtownpourhouse.com. One of the eateries from Chicago’s Bottleneck Management restaurant company, this place features more than 90 local and international brews on tap. Classic American cuisine is served in a setting with copper-inlaid bars and high ceilings. ❂ L D $$
Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar
11333 Woodglen Drive, 301-816-1100, www. paladarlatinkitchen.com. This Cleveland-based chain covers the spectrum of Latin cuisine, with dishes from Cuba, the Caribbean and Central and South America. From Brazil, there’s feijoada stew; from Cuba, ropa vieja; and from Jamaica, jerk chicken. Bar selections includes 50 varieties of rum, 15 tequilas and six types of mojitos. ❂ J R L D $$
Potomac Pizza
625 Center Point Way, 301-977-9777, www.potomac pizza.com. See Chevy Chase listing. J L D $
Quincy’s Bar & Grille
616 Quince Orchard Road, 301-869-8200, quincys bar.com. Energetic neighborhood pub with a sports bar atmosphere, Quincy’s also has an extensive menu with wings, pizza, build-your-own burgers and chicken sandwiches, plus entrées including Guinness-braised brisket. Live music is also a big draw. L D $
Red Hot & Blue
16811 Crabbs Branch Way, 301-948-7333, www. redhotandblue.com. You’ll find generous portions of hickory-smoked barbecue, plus burgers, salads and wraps, and a Southern attitude at this chain popular for its office party takeout and its familyfriendly, kitschy roadhouse décor. J L D $
Rio Grande Café
231 Rio Blvd., 240-632-2150, www.unclejulios. com. See Bethesda listing under Uncle Julio’s. ❂ J R L D $$
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
106 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 301990-1926, www.ruthschris.com. With more than 9,000 square feet, this location of the world’s largest upscale steak house chain offers the same prime steaks, barbecued shrimp and specialty cocktails offered at the company’s other 130-plus restaurants. Same “Sizzle, Swizzle and Swirl” Happy Hour, too. D $$$
Sardi’s Pollo a La Brasa
430 N. Frederick Ave., 301-977-3222, www.sardis chicken.com. Yes, there’s charbroiled chicken, but don’t miss the other Peruvian specialties, especially the ceviche and Salchipapas, a true Peruvian street food of thinly sliced pan-fried beef hotdogs mixed with french fries and served with condiments. L D $
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Tandoori Nights
106 Market St., 301-947-4007, www.tandoori nightsmd.com. Downtown martini lounge meets modern curry palace in the Kentlands. A feast for the eyes as well as the palate, Tandoori Nights specializes in marinated meats baked in the eponymous clay oven. Desserts include Indian ice cream and rice pudding. ❂ L D $
Tara Thai
9811 Washingtonian Blvd., L-9, 301-947-8330, www.tarathai.com. Thai cuisine goes high style at Bethesda Magazine’s pick for “Best Thai Restaurant” in 2014. With colorful murals of ocean creatures looking on, diners can try dishes ranging from mild to adventurous. ❂ L D $$
Ted’s Bulletin
220 Ellington Blvd. (in Downtown Crown), 301990-0600, www.tedsbulletin.com. First Maryland location of the modern diner chainlet from the folks at Matchbox Food Group. Boozy milkshakes, homemade pop tarts and the Cinnamon Roll As Big As Ya Head served weekends only are among the specialties. ❂ J R L D $$
Join Us For Sunday Brunch Every Sunday 11 am - 3 pm
4935 Cordell Avenue | Bethesda, Maryland 301-951-4935 | www.4935barandkitchen.com
Thai Tanium
657 Center Point Way, 301-990-3699, www.thai taniumrestaurant.com. Authentic Thai food laced with lots of chilies and garlic as hot as you like. Try one of the Thai street food dishes, such as roasted pork with Thai herbed sweet sauce and noodle soups. ❂ J L D $
The Boulevard Tavern
311 Kentlands Blvd., 301-569-4247, thetaverns. com/boulevard-tavern. This summer, Brasserie Beck Kentlands was revamped into a more casual American tavern with an expansive menu including chicken wings, burgers, Maryland crab cakes and mussels. The new restaurant also offers a mixture of American and Belgian craft beers and a larger outdoor dining area that sometimes hosts live music. ❂ R L D $$
the
grilled oyster co.
The Melting Pot
9021 Gaither Road, 301-519-3638, www.the meltingpot.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 $$
The Wine Harvest, The Kentlands
114 Market St., 301-869-4008, www.thewine harvest.com. Stop by this popular Cheers-like wine bar locally owned by the Meyrowitz family for a glass of wine or a Belgian beer. The menu includes salads, sandwiches and cheese plates. There’s also a Potomac location. ❂ L D $
Vasilis Mediterranean Grill
353 Main St., 301-977-1011, www.vasilisgrill.com. With soaring white pillars and a spate of inviting outdoor tables, this Greek restaurant serves the usual souvlaki and gyros as well as more interesting dishes such as grilled branzini (sea bass) and lamb chops. ❂ J L D $
The Grilled Oyster Company is a regionally inspired fresh seafood & raw bar 7943 Tuckerman Ln. Potomac, Md 20854 TheGrilledOysterCompany.com
301-299-9888
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dine Yoyogi Sushi
328 Main St., 301-963-0001. A no-nonsense neighborhood sushi place with bright fish tanks, it offers the familiar sushi, teriyaki, tempura dishes, plus seaweed salad, soup, green tea and red bean ice cream. L D $
Ziki Japanese Steak House
10009 Fields Road, 301-330-3868, www.zikisteak house.com. This large steak house on a busy corner charms patrons with its fountains, stone Buddhas and geisha mannequins. Food offerings include sushi, as well as meats cooked on a tableside hibachi. J L D $$
POTOMAC Amici Miei
1093 Seven Locks Road, 301-545-0966, www.amici mieiristorante.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 $$
Attman’s Delicatessen
7913 Tuckerman Lane (in the Cabin John Shopping Center & Mall), 301-765-3354, cabinjohn.attmansdeli.com. This landmark Baltimore deli has run a second location in Potomac since 2013. The menu offers the same legendary corned beef, pastrami and other deli specialties. Third-generation owner Marc Attman is at the helm. J B L D $
Benny’s Bar & Grill
7747 Tuckerman Lane (in the Cabin John Shopping Center & Mall), 301-299-3377. www.ben nysbargrill.com. Familiar American favorites from pancakes and waffles to shrimp scampi, ribs and roast chicken served amidst 1940s-era décor. Signature cocktails include Rhubarb Gin Fizz and Sweet Fire Margtini. J B (on weekends) L D $$
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. Think hot pastrami with cole slaw and Russian dressing on pumpernickel or grilled marinated chicken breast, avocado, tomato and mayonnaise on grilled sourdough. ❂ J B L D $
Elevation Burger
12525-D Park Potomac Ave., 301-838-4010, www. elevationburger.com. Fast-food burgers go organic and grass-fed at this Northern Virginia-founded chain. Veggie burgers, chicken sandwiches, grilled cheese and a BLT available, too. Shake flavors range from banana to key lime and cheesecake. ❂LD$
Gregorio’s Trattoria
7745 Tuckerman Lane (in the Cabin John Shopping Center), 301-296-6168, www.gregorios trattoria.com. Proprietor Greg Kahn aims to make everyone feel at home at this family-owned restaurant serving a hit parade of traditional Italian favorites, with all the familiar pasta, pizza, chicken, veal and seafood dishes; the glutenfree menu offers pizza, cheese ravioli and quinoa pastas. J L D $$
Hunter’s Bar and Grill
10123 River Road, 301-299-9300, www.thehunters inn.com. At this Potomac institution and popular English hunt-themed spot, try a big salad or ham-
burger for lunch and a traditional pasta dish or filet mignon for dinner with the family. ❂ J R L D $$
Mix Bar and Grille
9812 Falls Road, Potomac, 301-299-3000, www. mixbarandgrille.com. This casual spot serves charcuterie and cheese plates, brick-oven flatbreads and other light fare. The space is modern and hip, with tall, white banquettes, Plexiglas chairs, five big-screen TVs, and a 20-seat bar. Look for lots of wines by the glass and beers on tap. L D $$
MoCo’s Founding Farmers
12505 Park Potomac Ave., 301-340-8783, www.we arefoundingfarmers.com. Farm-inspired fare in a modern and casual setting; this is the sister restaurant to the phenomenally popular downtown Founding Farmers. Bethesda Magazine readers chose it as “Best Restaurant in Montgomery County” and for “Most Inventive Cocktails” in 2015. Try the warm cookies for dessert. ❂ B R L D $$
Normandie Farm Restaurant
10710 Falls Road, 301-983-8838, www.popovers. com. This fine-dining French restaurant, open since 1931, strives to preserve its classical heritage while embracing new traditions. Dinner entrées run from seafood to beef and lamb. The restaurant offers quick service, a casual café option and a violinist at afternoon tea. ❂ J R L D $$
Old Angler’s Inn
10801 MacArthur Blvd., 301-365-2425, www.old anglersinn.com. Open since 1860 and known for its refined American food and beautiful fireplaces and grounds, it features live music on weekends. Signature cocktails include hard cider sangria and a pumpkin pie martini. ❂ R L D $$$
Potomac Pizza
9812 Falls Road, 301-299-7700, www.potomac pizza.com. See Chevy Chase listing. L D $
Renato’s at River Falls
10120 River Road, 301-365-1900. The Italian restaurant offers fish dishes among its menu of pastas and classics such as osso bucco and linguini with clams and eggplant parmigiana. Traditional Italian desserts include tiramisu, profiteroles and cannolis. ❂ J L D $$
River Falls Tavern (Editors’ Pick)
10128 River Road, 301-299-0481, www.thetav erns.com/river-falls-tavern. Well-known chef Robert Wiedmaier’s RW Restaurant Group took over this upscale American pub—formerly called The Tavern at River Falls—in February. Entrées include crab cakes, fish tacos, grilled bronzino, a New York strip steak and steak frites. ❂ R (Sundays) L D $$
Sugo Osteria & Pizzeria
12505 Park Potomac Ave., 240-386-8080, www. eatsugo.com. The Greek guys who own Cava Mezze and Cava Mezze Grill partner with Mamma Lucia restaurants to serve Italian small plates, meatballs, sliders, pizza and pasta. Chef specialities include blue crab gnocchi and charred octopus. ❂ R (only on Sundays) L D $$
Tally- Ho Restaurant
9923 Falls Road, 301-299-6825, www.tallyho restaurant.com. A local fixture since 1968, the eatery serves an expansive diner-style menu with Greek and Italian specialties. Choose from options ranging from burgers and deli sandwiches to pizza, calzones and dinner entrées. ❂ J B L D $
The Grilled Oyster Co. (Editors’ Pick)
7943 Tuckerman Lane (in the Cabin John Shopping Center), 301-299-9888, www.thegrilledoys
tercompany.com. This Chesapeake-style seafood eatery features small plates, salads, sandwiches and entrées. Happy Hour from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in the bar only. Named “Best New Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2014. ❂ J R 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 offers salads, sandwiches and cheese plates, along with wine and beer. See Gaithersburg listing. ❂ L D $
Zoës Kitchen
12505 Park Potomac Ave., Suite 120, 240-3281022, www.zoeskitchen.com. The first Maryland outpost of a Birmingham, Alabama, fast-casual chain, Zoës features Mediterranean dishes such as kabobs, hummus and veggie pita pizzas. It specializes in takeout dinner for four for under $30. ❂JLD$
ROCKVILLE/NORTH BETHESDA A & J Restaurant (Editors’ Pick)
1319-C Rockville Pike, 301-251-7878, www. aj-restaurant.com/main.html. Northern dim sum is the specialty at this hard-to-find spot in the Woodmont Station shopping center. Warm-colored walls surround the crowd digging into thousand-layer pancakes and fresh tofu. Named “Best Dim Sum Brunch” by the magazine’s editors in 2014. R L D $
Al Carbon
200 Park Road, 301-738-0003, www.alcarbon restaurant.com. Serving authentic Latin American fare across the street from the Rockville Metro station, this unassuming roadhouse has a loyal following for its arepas, empanadas, tapas and more. Try one of the natural juices including mango and tamarindo. ❂ B L D $
Amalfi Ristorante Italiano
12307 Wilkins Ave., 301-770-7888, www.amalfi rockville.com. A family-run, red-sauce Italian restaurant with specialties including white pizza and lasagna. Lots of antipasti choices, too. The gazebo is a charming spot to dine during the summer. J L D $ $
Amina Thai Restaurant
5065 Nicholson Lane, 301-770-9509. 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. Chef’s specials include pineapple fried rice and grilled salmon. L D $
Benjarong Thai Restaurant
885 Rockville Pike, 301-424-5533, www.benjarong thairestaurant.com. This Thai food stalwart has a reputation for above-average food served in a gracious setting reminiscent of an upscale country home. Try Thai-style fried bananas with ice cream for dessert. L D $
Blue Star
11417 Woodglen Drive, 301-881-6800, www.blue starkosher.com. Subtitled “House of Beef, Burgers, BBQ,” this strip shopping center eatery is under the kosher supervision of the Rabbinical Council of Greater Washington. A beef rib- and brisketheavy menu includes all the traditional barbecue
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favorites, minus the pork. Family friendly atmosphere. L D $
Bombay Bistro
98 W. Montgomery Ave., 301-762-8798, 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. House specialties include tandoori lamb chops and shrimp and scallops masala. J L D $ $
featuring chicken, beef, poultry, pork and even duck, as well as those for adventurous tastes. Try the soups ranging from egg drop to seafood with bean curd. L D $
El Mariachi Restaurant
765-D Rockville Pike, 301-738-7177, www.el mariachirockville.com. Serving Tex-Mex and South American food in a bright, pleasant space made lively with colorful art. In addition to the usual enchiladas, tacos and burritos, look for Peruvian seafood and Cuban beef specialties. L D $
Bonchon Chicken
El Patio
BRIO Tuscan Grille
Ev & Maddy’s
107 Gibbs St., Unit A, 301-637-9079 and 301637-9379, 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. L D $ 20 Paseo Drive, 240-221-2691, www.brioital ian.com. Look for a wide range of Tuscan dishes served in a handsome setting. House specialties run from the traditional, such as lasagna Bolognese al forno, to the modern, including grilled chicken and quinoa salad. ❂ J R L D $$
CavA MEZZE (Editors’ Pick)
9713 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-309-9090, www. cavamezze.com. The dark and elegant Cava offers small plates of everything from fried Greek cheese, octopus and orzo in cinnamon tomato sauce to crispy pork belly and macaroni and cheese. There are martini specials, too. ❂ R L D $$
Chef Geoff’s
12256 Rockville Pike (in the Towne Plaza), 240621-3090, www.chefgeoff.com. Geoff Tracy branches out with his fourth eponymous restaurant featuring contemporary cuisine and something for everyone. Try a CG Classic dish, such as Big Shrimp and Very Gouda Grits or Blackened Fish Tacos. ❂ J R L D $$
City Perch Kitchen + Bar
11830 Grand Park Ave., 301-231-2310, www. cityperch.com. Located above the entrance to the iPic Theaters at Pike & Rose, City Perch offers creative, seasonal American cuisine in a rustic, inviting space. The menu includes raw-bar selections, small plates, shareable salads and entrée options such as rotisserie-cooked lamb shoulder and black sea bass. ❂ R L D $$$
Cuban Corner
825 Hungerford Drive, 301-279-0310, www. cubancornerrestaurant.com. Pork and empanadas shine at this small space brimming with ethnic pride (there’s a tribute wall to famous CubanAmericans). Don’t skip the Cuban coffee or the Cuban sandwich, a sub bursting with ham, pickles and tangy mustard. L D $
Del Frisco’s Grille
11800 Grand Park Ave. (at Pike & Rose), 301-8810308, delfriscosgrille.com. This is the Texas-based chain’s second location in the area. Look for upscale takes on American comfort foods, such as veal meatloaf and short rib stroganoff, plus trendy items like kale and Brussels sprouts salad, deviled eggs, flatbreads and ahi tuna tacos. Plenty of burgers, sandwiches and salads, too. ❂ R L D $$
East Pearl
838-B Rockville Pike, 301-838-8663, www.east pearlrestaurant.com. Choose from many options of Hong Kong cuisine, including familiar dishes
5240 Randolph Road, 301-231-9225, www.elpatio international.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 $ 101 Gibbs St., Unit C, 301-296-6682. Owned by Olney residents Patrick and Eunice Pak, this unpretentious French bistro serves beef bourguignon, lamb sausage, hanger steak and other traditional dishes with a modern twist. Executive Chef Patrick Pak sports impressive credentials, having cooked at Washington, D.C.’s Komi, Blue Duck Tavern and the former Palena. J L D $$
Far East Restaurant
5055 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-5552, www.fareast rockvillemd.com. Owned and operated by the same family since 1974, this classic Chinese restaurant greets customers with two royal stone lions out front and sticks to the familiar ChineseAmerican basics. Check out the daily specials and dim sum menu. L D $$
Fontina Grille
801 Pleasant Drive, 301-947-5400, www.fontina grille.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 available on Monday nights and half-price bottles of wine on Tuesdays. ❂ J R L D $$
Gordon Biersch
200-A E. Middle Lane, Rockville Town Square, 301340-7159, www.gordonbiersch.com/restaurants. The national brewpub chain prides itself on house beers and friendly service. The shiny bar is boisterous, and the menu includes bar favorites with some barbecue and Asian touches, small plates, salads and pizza and flatbreads. J L D $$
FRESH CLASSICS FROM SCRATCH
Grand Fusion Cuisine
350 East Fortune Terrace, 301-838-2862, grand fusionrestaurant.com. Diners will find something for everyone seeking a taste of the Asian continent, a full sushi bar, and Chinese, Malaysian and Singaporean specialties. Chef’s specials include Crispy Eggplant in Spicy Orange Sauce and Double Flavored Shrimp. ❂ L D $
Hard Times Café
1117 Nelson St., 301-294-9720, www.hard times.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 Weststyle saloon for lunch and dinner. L D $
Hinode Japanese Restaurant
134 Congressional Lane, 301-816-2190, www. hinoderestaurant.com. Serving traditional Japa-
Voted one of the most kid friendly restaurants by the readers of Bethesda Magazine
GAITHERSBURG | BETHESDA | TYSONS CORNER | CLEVELAND PARK | WEST END | WWW.CAFEDELUXE.COM
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dine nese cuisine since 1992. All-you-can-eat lunch and weekend dinner buffet offers 40 types of sushi, 14 hot foods and a salad bar. Check out the patio with full bar service. L D $$
Il Pizzico
15209 Frederick Road, 301-309-0610, www.il pizzico.com. Setting aside the strip mall location and lack of pizza (il pizzico means “the pinch” in Italian), chef-owner Enzo Livia’s house-made pasta dishes, gracious service and extensive wine list of mainly Italian wines make even a weeknight meal feel special. L D $$
Joe’s Noodle House
1488-C Rockville Pike, 301-881-5518, www.joes noodlehouse.com. 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, 301-468-8850, www.labrasa rockville.com. A bold, yellow awning marks the unlikely industrial location of the popular La Brasa. Customers rave about the rotisserie chicken, lomo saltado (Peruvian marinated steak), Salvadoran pupusas and Tres Leches. ❂ L D $
La Canela (Editors’ Pick)
141-D Gibbs St., Rockville Town Square, 301-2511550, www.lacanelaperu.com. Sophisticated, modern Peruvian cooking shines in a regally furnished dining room in a yellow stucco building graced with curvy black ironwork. The menu includes artfully prepared seafood, pork, chicken and beef dishes. ❂ L D $
La Limeña Restaurant
765 Rockville Pike, 301-424-8066. lalimena restaurant.com. Diners can choose dishes such as beef hearts, tripe and homemade pastries in this tiny but well-appointed eatery. Desserts include passion fruit mousse and vanilla flan. And of course, there’s rotisserie chicken to go. L D $
La Tasca
141 Gibbs St., Suite 305, Rockville Town Square, 301-279-7011, www.latascausa.com. The Rockville location of this regional chain strives to keep things interesting with 45 tapas dishes and six kinds of paella, including Paella Mixta with chicken, shrimp, chorizo, scallops, mussels, squid and clams. ❂ L D $$
Lebanese Taverna Café
1605 Rockville Pike, 301-468-9086; 115 Gibbs St., Rockville Town Square, 301-309-8681; www.leba nesetaverna.com. A casual and pleasant family spot for lunch or dinner after shopping on Rockville Pike, the café is a more casual offshoot of the local Lebanese Taverna chain, serving hummus, pita, falafel, chicken and lamb kabobs. J L D $
Lighthouse Tofu & BBQ
12710 Twinbrook Parkway, 301-881-1178. In addition to the numerous tofu dishes ranging from Mushroom Tofu Pot to Seafood Beef Tofu Pot, diners at this Korean stalwart can try barbecue, stirfried specialties and kimchee, the national dish of pickled cabbage. L D $
Mamma Lucia
12274-M Rockville Pike, 301-770-4894; 14921-J Shady Grove Road, 301-762-8805; www.mamma luciarestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $$
Matchbox Vintage Pizza Bistro
(Editors’ Pick) 1699 Rockville Pike, 301-816-0369, www.match boxrockville.com. Look for mini-burgers, a “ginormous meatball” appetizer and thin-crusted pizza with toppings including herb-roasted chicken and portobella mushrooms or fire-roasted red peppers and Spanish onions served in a super-cool space in Congressional Plaza. ❂ J R L D $
Nick’s Chophouse
MemSahib
Niwano Hana Japanese Restaurant
Michael’s Noodles
Old Kimura Sushi
4840 Boiling Brook Parkway, 301-468-0098, www. memsahibrestaurant.com. Patrons eat the Indian country way, with their hands. MemSahib offers a buffet lunch, including such dishes as tandoori chicken and vegetable samosas and pakoras, and a six-course prix fixe dinner while belly dancers entertain customers. L D $$ 10038 Darnestown Road, 301-738-0370, www. michaelsnoodles.com. Extensive Taiwanese menu at this popular strip mall eatery includes dim sum, mixed noodle dishes, noodle soup and unusual specialties, such as Shredded Chicken with Jelly Fish and Stewed Pork Intestine and Duck Blood. LD$
Mi Rancho
1488 Rockville Pike, 240-221-2636, www.mi ranchotexmexrestaurant.com. You’ll find a boisterous party atmosphere every night at a place where customers can count on standard Tex-Mex fare at good prices. The outdoor patio, strung with colorful lights, is the place to be in nice weather. ❂LD$
Moa
12300 Wilkins Ave., 301-881-8880. moakorean restaurant.weebly.com. A welcoming Korean restaurant in the midst of an industrial stretch. Try the seafood pancake appetizer—a satisfying, crispy frittata bursting with squid, clams, shrimp and scallions. Dol Sot Bibimbap, a mix of rice, vegetables and protein in a hot pot, is a customer favorite. L D $
Mosaic Cuisine & Café
186 Halpine Road, 301-468-0682, www.mosaic cuisine.com. A diner with a soft European accent. Try the fresh Belgian waffles for breakfast. For those with hefty appetites, the waffle sandwiches are worth the trip, but don’t overlook the homemade soups or light dinner entrées. J B R L D $$
Mykonos Grill
121 Congressional Lane, 301-770-5999, www. mykonosgrill.com. An authentic Greek taverna with whitewashed walls with Mediterranean blue accents on a busy street, Mykonos Grill turns out legs of lamb and fresh seafood expected at any good Greek restaurant. ❂ L D $$
Nagoya Sushi Japanese Restaurant
402 King Farm Blvd., Suite 130, 301-990-6778. Cheery yellow walls decorated with shelves of Japanese knickknacks greet customers who come for the large selection of sushi at this unassuming sushi spot in King Farm. L D $$
Nantucket’s Reef
9755 Traville Gateway Drive, Rockville, 301-2797333, www.nantucketsreef.com. This casual New England-style eatery offers a wide range of reasonably priced seafood dishes, including raw and baked oysters, stuffed cod, fried Ipswitch clams, seafood tacos, tuna and salmon salads, and lobster items. Signature cocktails are made with Nantucket Nectars juices. ❂ R L D $$
700 King Farm Blvd., 301-926-8869, www.nicks chophouserockville.com. Aged Angus beef cooked over an open fire is the specialty at this upscale spot, but seafood lovers can get their fill from big crabcakes. Signature steaks include slow-roasted prime rib weighing 10 to 32 ounces. Separate bar menu. ❂ L D $$ 887 Rockville Pike, 301-294-0553, www.niwano hana.com. Clean Asian décor and elegant wooden screens greet diners at this friendly and busy sushi spot located in Wintergreen Plaza. There are the usual sushi rolls, plus creative options such as a Spicy Scallop Roll with mayonnaise and chili peppers, noodle dishes, teriyaki and yakitori. L D $$ 785 Rockville Pike, Unit D, 301-251-1922, www. oldkimura.com. A small restaurant serving an extensive sushi menu, along with noodle soups, rice dishes and tempura. Dinner specials include grilled fresh eel served over rice and sushi and sashimi combinations. L D $$
Original Pancake House
12224 Rockville Pike, 301-468-0886, www.oph restaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. J R L $
Peter Chang
20-A Maryland Ave. (Rockville Town Square), 301838-9188. Chef Peter Chang’s only restaurant in Maryland showcases his Szechuan specialties in an apricot-walled dining space. Garnering a cult-like following over the years, Chang is best known for dishes such as dry-fried eggplant, crispy pork belly and duck in a stone pot. L D $$
Pho 75
771 Hungerford Drive, 301-309-8873. The restaurant is one of the Washington area’s favorite spots for the Vietnamese beef noodle soup known as pho. Soup can be customized with bean sprouts, Thai basil, chilies, lime, and hot and hoisin sauces. Beverages include interesting options like Iced Salty Pickled Lemon Juice. L D $
Pho 95
785-H Rockville Pike, 301-294-9391. Pho, the Vietnamese beef noodle soup, is king here. Other offerings include fat rice-paper rolls of shrimp, noodles and herbs with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce, Grilled Lemon Grass Chicken and Grilled Pork Chop and Shredded Pork Skin. L D $
Pho Hoa Binh
11782 Parklawn Drive, 301-770-5576. www.pho hoa.com. This pleasant pho restaurant offers the full gamut of variations on the beef noodle soup, plus about a dozen grilled entrées. The Adventurer’s Choice features “unusual” meats, including tendon, tripe and fatty flank. The Vietnamese iced coffee is divine. L D $
Pho Nom Nom
842 Rockville Pike, 301-610-0232, www.phonom nom.net. As the name suggests, the specialty is pho, but there are also grilled dishes, noodles and the Vietnamese sandwich known as banh mi. House specials include Vietnamese beef stew and pork and shrimp wontons. L D $
PHOLUSCIOUS VIETNAMESE GRILL
10048 Darnestown Road, 301-762-2226, www. pholuscious.com. This casual restaurant and bar is home to traditional Vietnamese cooking, with fresh ingredients, minimal use of oil and many herbs and vegetables. Their menu features pho, noodle dishes, rice plates and lots of protein dishes. Bever-
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ages include bubble tea, smoothies, beer and wine. L D $$
Pizza CS
1596-B Rockville Pike, 240-833-8090, www.pizza cs.com. Authentic Neapolitan pies are offered in a sub-shop atmosphere. Choose from a list of red and white pizza options, or build your own pie with herbs, cheeses, meats and vegetables. ❂ J L D $
Potomac Pizza
9709 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-279-2234, www. potomacpizza.com. See Chevy Chase listing. ❂ JLD$
Quench
9712 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-424-8650, www. quenchnation.com. Urban bar scene in the suburbs, with unique cocktails and contemporary American cuisine. Lots of starter options to try, plus salads, entrées, sandwiches and burgers, and three Asian dishes including pad Thai. ❂ J R L D $$
Quincy’s South Bar & Grille
11401 Woodglen Drive, 240-669-3270, quincys bar.com. See North Potomac/Gaithersburg listing. ❂LD$
Rocklands Barbeque and Grilling Company
891-A Rockville Pike, 240-268-1120, www. rocklands.com. John Snedden has perfected the art of barbecue since he first opened Rocklands in Washington, D.C., in 1990. This location serves allAmerican pork ribs, smoked chicken, brisket and lamb cooked exclusively over red oak and hickory. ❂ JLD$
Rolls ‘N Rice
1701 Rockville Pike (Shops at Congressional Village), 301-770-4030, www.rollsnrice.com. This Asian café serves more than 25 varieties of rolls, from a volcano roll (spicy tuna, white fish, salmon, tomato, jalapeno, fish eggs and vegetables) to a Philadelphia Roll (smoked salmon, cream cheese and avocado). J L D $
Sadaf Halal Restaurant
1327-K Rockville Pike, 301-424-4040. An elegant alternative to the run-of-the-mill kabob places dotting Rockville Pike, Sadaf is pristine, with lace curtains and glass mosaic tiles in front. In addition to kabobs, it offers Persian curries and fish dishes. ❂ J L D $
Sam’s Café & Market
844 Rockville Pike, 301-424-1600, www.samcafe market.com. Fill up on the kitchen’s juicy skewered meats or interesting entrées, including pomegranate molasses stew and marinated grilled salmon, then have a gelato and check out the hookahs. ❂ L D $
Seasons 52 (Editors’ Pick)
11414 Rockville Pike, 301-984-5252, www.seasons 52.com. A fresh, seasonal menu featuring items under 475 calories. Choose from flatbreads including Blackened Steak & Blue Cheese and Grilled Garlic Pesto Chicken to entrée salads to meat and seafood dishes. Nightly piano music. ❂ L D $$
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. L D $
TAVIRA
Sheba Restaurant
5071 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-8882, www.sheba rockville.com. The menu features authentic Ethiopian cuisine with lots of vegetarian and vegan options. House specialties include Dulet Assa, chopped tilapia mixed with onion, garlic and jalapeño and served with a side of homemade cheese. L D $
Sichuan Jin River
410 Hungerford Drive, 240-403-7351, www.sich uanjinriver.com. Customers find terrific Sichuan cuisine served in a no-frills setting. Take the plunge and try something new with the authentic Chinese menu, inlcuding 23 small cold plates. L D $
Silver Diner
12276 Rockville Pike, 301-770-2828, www.silver diner.com. Customers flock to this trendy diner that still offers tableside juke boxes. The latest food trends (think quinoa coconut pancakes) share company on the enormous menu with diner staples such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes. JBRLD$
Spice Xing
100-B Gibbs St., Rockville Town Square, 301-6100303, www.spicexing.com. Chef and owner Sudhir Seth, who also owns Bethesda’s Passage to India, serves up small plates and dishes that reflect the history of culinary influences on India. Try the allyou-can-eat lunchtime buffet. ❂ J R L D $$
Stella Barra Pizzeria
11825 Grand Park Ave. (at Pike & Rose), 301-7708609, www.stellabarra.com. Adjacent to its sister restaurant, Summer House Santa Monica, Stella Barra is an artisan pizzeria with a hip, urban vibe. Look for crisp crusts with chewy centers topped with butternut squash and candied bacon or house-made pork sausage and fennel pollen. Italian wines available. ❂ L (weekends only) D $$
Portugese & Mediterranean Cuisine Prefix Menu* 3 Course Meal $25 Dinner $15 Lunch Sunday-Thursday Tasting of Portugal* 3 Course Meal $33 Dinner $20 Lunch 7 Days a Week • Open Table Diners' Choice Winner 2015 •
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Summer House Santa Monica
(Editors’ Pick) 11825 Grand Park Ave. (at Pike & Rose), 301-8812381, summerhousesm.com. An airy, light and stunning space sets the scene for modern American cuisine with a West Coast sensibility. Dishes include Beach Bum Ceviche, Santa Monica Cobb Salad, plus sushi, tacos, sandwiches and steak frites. Do not miss the bakery counter. ❂ J R L D $$
Super Bowl Noodle
785 Rockville Pike, 301-738-0086. www.super bowlnoodlehouse.com. Look for a large variety of Asian noodle dishes in super-size portions, plus a large selection of appetizers. Also, bubble tea and desserts, including Sweet Taro Root Roll and Black Sugar Shaved Ice. ❂ L D $
Sushi Damo
36-G Maryland Ave., Rockville Town Square, 301340-8010, www.sushidamo.com. A slice of New York sophistication, this elegant restaurant offers sushi à la carte or omakase, chef’s choice, plus beef and seafood entrées and an impressive sake list. L D $$
Sushi House Japanese Restaurant
1331-D Rockville Pike, 301-309-0043. A tiny, plain restaurant serving a large selection of fresh sushi, including sushi and sashimi combinations. Lunch specials for under $7. It’s popular, so be prepared to wait. L D $$
Sushi Oishii
9706 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-251-1177, www. sushioishii.com. This charming sushi bar in the Traville Gateway Center offers friendly service and
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dine 24 specialty sushi rolls, bento boxes and a few grilled items, including beef, poultry and seafood teriyaki. L D $$
Taipei Tokyo
14921-D Shady Grove Road (Fallsgrove Village Center), 301-738-8813; 11510-A Rockville Pike, 301-881-8388; www.taipei-tokyo.net. These sister restaurants offer a sizable roster of Chinese, Japanese and Thai dishes. The Fallsgrove Village location is the younger and sleeker of the two, with full sit-down service. The older sister, opened in 1993, is more like a noodle shop/cafeteria. L D $$
Tara Asia
199-D E. Montgomery Ave., 301-315-8008. www. taraasiarestaurantrockville.com. A pan-Asian offshoot of the Tara Thai family, Tara Asia is dominated by a floor-to-ceiling mosaic and has an 82item menu that spans the cuisine from Japan to Thailand and the tiny islands in between. L D $$
Tara Thai
12071 Rockville Pike, 301-231-9899, www.tarathai. com.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $$
Temari Café
1043 Rockville Pike, 301-340-7720. Deep-fried oysters, classic rice balls, ramen noodle soup, sushi and sashimi and comic books to peruse while you await your order set this Japanese restaurant apart from the rest. L D $$
Thai Farm
800 King Farm Blvd., 301-258-8829, www.thai farmrestaurant.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 $$
Thai Pavilion
29 Maryland Ave., Unit 308, Rockville Town Square, 301-545-0244, www.thaipavilionrestaurant.com. The soaring ceilings decorated with red chandeliers shaped like giant, stationary spinning tops give the feel of a modern museum. When the menu says spicy, believe it. ❂ J L D $$
That’s Amore
15201 Shady Grove Road, 240-268-0682, 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 $$
The Dough Roller
800 Pleasant Drive, #160, (in the King Farm Village Center), 301-869-4584, www.doughroller restaurants.com. Grab a pizza slice and dream of boardwalk breezes at the first inland outpost of Ocean City’s popular pizza and pancake chainlet. Besides pizza, this locale features sandwiches, burgers and other items, including pancakes served all day. J B R L D $
The Original Ambrosia Restaurant
12015 Rockville Pike, 301-881-3636, www.theo riginalambrosia.com. Look for an eclectic menu of breakfast, gyros, pizza, crabcakes and soups at this family-owned eatery. Traditional Greek dishes include spanikopita, stuffed grape leaves, mousaka and shish kabob. J B L D $
The Potomac Grill
1093 Rockville Pike, 301-738-8181, www.the potomacgrill.com. A spacious, nautical-themed restaurant with a fireplace, Potomac Grill specializes in seafood but also features serious steaks, burgers and salads. Look for daily specials featur-
ing a catch of the day and several desserts of the day. J R L D $$
Timpano Italian Chophouse
12021 Rockville Pike, 301-881-6939, www.timpano chophouse.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 well-prepared pasta. ❂ L D $$$
Tower Oaks Lodge
2 Preserve Parkway, 301-294-0200, www.clydes. com/tower. Here is Clyde’s version of a lodge in the mountains. Well-prepared food runs the gamut of American desires, from burgers to fish, plus a raw bar. Check out the twig sculpture spanning the ceiling of The Saranac Room. J R L D $$
Trapezaria
11 N. Washington St., 301-339-8962, thetrapezaria. com. This down-to-earth and hospitable Greek/ Mediterranean restaurant serves top-notch and unfussy small plates and entrées. Choose among a variety of dips, vegetarian mezze, souvlaki, sausages, and more-involved fish and lamb dishes. Save room for the baklava. L D $$
Urban Bar-B - Que Company
2007 Chapman Ave., 240-290-4827; 5566 Norbeck Road, 301-460-0050, urbanbbqco.com. Urban Bar-B-Que Company, a tiny joint run by a couple of local friends, has a winning formula and features finger-licking ribs, burgers and wings, plus salads, chili and smothered fries. Staff is friendly, too. J L D $
Villa Maya
5532 Norbeck Road (in the Rock Creek Village Center), 301-460-1247. Here you’ll find all the traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex favorites from quesadillas to fajitas that are sure to please the whole family. R L D $$
Woodside Deli
4 N. Washington St., 301-444-4478, www.the woodsidedeli.com. A second location of the venerable Silver Spring eatery and caterer that has been dishing up matzo ball soup since 1947. Choose from a wide selection of sandwiches, burgers and entrées. This one has a pickle bar. ❂ JBRLD$
Yekta
1488 Rockville Pike, 301-984-1190, www.yekta. com. Persian cuisine, including a selection of beef, chicken and lamb kabobs, is served in a beautiful dining room. Try a dessert such as frozen noodle sorbet or saffron ice cream. Check out the adjacent market after polishing off your kebab. L D $$
Yuan Fu Vegetarian
798 Rockville Pike, 301-762-5937, www.yuanfu vegetarian.com. From tea-smoked “duck” to kung pao “chicken,” the whole menu is meatless, made from Chinese vegetable products. There is a large selection of chef’s specials, including Pumpkin Chicken with Mushrooms in a hot pot and Baby Abalone in Tomato Sauce. L D $
Silver Spring 8407 Kitchen Bar
8407 Ramsey Ave., 301-587-8407, 8407kb.com. This sleek space across from the Silver Spring Metro prides itself on stellar service and fromscratch preparations, such as house-smoked salmon and home-cured charcuterie. Signature craft cocktails are a specialty. R L D $$
Addis Ababa
8233 Fenton St., 301-589-1400. Authentic Ethiopian-style vegetables and fiery meats are served atop spongy bread in communal bowls. Traditional woven tables and a roof deck add to the ambience. There’s a weekday lunch buffet, too. ❂ RLD$
Adega Wine Cellars & Café
8519 Fenton St., 301-608-2200, www.adegawine cellars.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 for lunch, if only to try the eggplant fries. ❂ L D $
A.G. Kitchen (New)
931 Ellsworth Drive, 301-588-9480, www.ag kitchen.com. Cuban-born Manhattan chef and restaurateur Alex Garcia goes casual at this colorful Latino eatery with a creative menu of foot-long bacon-wrapped hot dogs with jalapeno, papaya and sweet pickle relish; a Gaucho burger topped with crispy onions and guava barbecue sauce; and crispy Cuban seafood sliders with pineapple slaw. For the less adventurous, there’s Brazilian-style roast chicken, tacos, Cubanos and paella. ❂ R L D $$
All Set Restaurant & Bar
8630 Fenton St., 301-495-8800, www.allsetres taurant.com. American cuisine with a focus on New England specialties. Look for clams, oysters and lobster, plus crab cakes and rockfish, and beef and vegetarian options. The snazzy space is also the setting for clam bakes and fried chicken on Sunday nights. ❂ J L D $$
Asian Bistro Café
8537 Georgia Ave., 301-589-0123, silverspring asianbistro.com. A bevy of choices, from Japanese sushi and soups to Chinese noodles and vegetarian dishes are offered at this bustling downtown eatery. Try one of the Chinese or Japanese lunch specials. L D $
Austin Grill
919 Ellsworth Drive, 240-247-8969, www.austin grill.com. Fun and friendly service welcomes families and couples to this noisy, colorful Tex-Mex favorite. Finish off a meal with Margarita Bites, cake “bites” soaked in tequila, flash fried and served with salted honey-lime dipping sauce. ❂ J R L D $$
Azúcar Restaurant Bar & Grill
14418 Layhill Road, 301-438-3293, azucar restaurant.net. The name means sugar, and it fits. A colorful Salvadoran spot decorated in bright purple and orange with Cubist-style paintings. The pork-stuffed corn pupusas are stars. Also look for more elegant dinners, including fried whole trout. L D $$
Copper Canyon Grill
928 Ellsworth Drive, 301-589-1330, www.ccgrill. com. See Gaithersburg listing. ❂ J R L D $$
Crisfield Seafood Restaurant
8012 Georgia Ave., 301-589-1306. www.cris fieldseafood.com. With its U-shaped counter and kitschy, oyster-plate-covered walls, this landmark seafood diner has customers lining up for the Eastern Shore specialties such as oysters and crabmeat-stuffed lobster that it has served since the 1940s. L D $$
Cubano’s
1201 Fidler Lane, 301-563-4020, www.cubanos restaurant.com. The brightly colored tropical dining room of greens, blues and reds and the au-
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thentic Cuban cooking evident in dishes such as ropa vieja (shredded beef in onions, peppers and garlic) and fried plantains keep customers coming back. ❂ L D $$
Denizen’s Brewing Co.
1115 East West Highway, 301-557-9818, denizens brewingco.com. The bright-orange building houses Montgomery County’s largest brewery, featuring core beers and seasonal offerings, along with drafts from other regional breweries. The former BBQ Bus food truck provides sandwiches, picnic plates and chili. There is a large outdoor beer garden and indoor seating overlooking the brewery. ❂ D $
Eggspectation
923 Ellsworth Drive, 301-585-1700, www. eggspectations.com. This Canadian import features fresh and creative egg plates in an elegant yet casual dining room complete with a fireplace and colorful Harlequin-themed art. It also serves great salads, dinners and dessert. ❂ B L D $$
El Aguila Restaurant
8649 16th St., 301-588-9063, www.elaguila restaurant.com. A cheery bar and generous plates of Tex-Mex favorites such as enchiladas and Salvadoran seafood soup make this eatery popular with families and others looking for a lively night out. ❂ L D $
El Gavilan
8805 Flower Ave., 301-587-4197. gavilanrestau rant.com. The walls are bright, the music’s upbeat, the margaritas are fine and the service is friendly. The usual Tex-Mex fare is here, as well as Salvadoran specialties such as tasty cheese- or porkfilled pupusas. Live music on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. J L D $
El Golfo
8739 Flower Ave., 301-608-2121, elgolfo restaurant.com. Friendly, home-style Latin service is the hallmark, as attested to by the many Salvadorans who stop in for lunch and dinner. Pupusas, soups and beef dishes such as carne asada as well as more adventurous choices can be found in the charming, raspberry-colored dining room. ❂ JRLD$
Ethio Express Grill
952 Sligo Ave., Silver Spring, 301-844-5149, ethiogrill.com. Ethiopian food goes fast-casual in this counter service eatery that offers your choice of carbohydrate bases (i.e., injera, rice, pasta), plus grilled meats (or tofu), sauces and a host of vegetables (the spicy lentils and yellow split peas are especially good). L D $
Fenton Café
8311 Fenton St., 301-326-1841. An out-of-theway crêperie serving 31 kinds of sweet crêpes and 16 varieties of savory crêpes. Savory versions range from cheese and ham to roasted eggplant with zucchini, bell pepper, sundried tomato, garlic and onion. B L D $
Fire Station 1 Restaurant & Brewing Co.
8131 Georgia Ave., 301-585-1370, www.fire station1.com. A historic firehouse made over as an eatery serves 21st-century pizza, sandwiches, meat, seafood and vegetarian entrées. Try the Cuban sandwich with seasoned pork, chipotle mayo, Dijon mustard, pickles and Swiss cheese on a ciabatta roll. L D $
Jackie’s Restaurant (Editors’ Pick)
8081 Georgia Ave., 301-565-9700, www.jackies restaurant.com. This lovable eatery serves modern American cuisine emphasizing seasonal, organic ingredients from local farms 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. R D $$
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Jewel of India
10151 New Hampshire Ave., 301-408-2200, www. jewelofindiamd.com. Elegant décor and top-notch northern Indian cuisine make this shopping center restaurant a real find. Diners will find a good selection of curries, and rice and biryani dishes. L D $$
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Kao Thai
8650 Colesville Road, 301-495-1234, www.kaothai restaurant.com. This restaurant turns out topnotch curries, noodle dishes and vegetarian options, plus house specialties, such as Siam Salmon with Spicy Thai Basil Sauce and Thai Chili Tilapia. Dishes are cooked medium spicy. ❂ L D $$
4865 Cordell Ave Bethesda 301-986-9592
La Casita Pupuseria & Market
8214 Piney Branch Road, 301-588-6656, www.la casitapupusas.com. Homemade pupusas, tamales and other Salvadoran specialties are available, plus a full breakfast menu and a small selection of grocery items. B L D $
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LacoMelza Ethiopian Cafe
7912 Georgia Ave., 301-326-2435. One of Silver Spring’s many Ethiopian eateries, Lacomelza serves traditional cuisine from doro wat (chicken legs with spicy sauce) to the ground beef mixture of kitfo in a modern and attractive setting decorated with Ethiopian art. R L (only weekends) D $
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La Malinche
8622 Colesville Road, 301-562-8622, www.la malinchetapas.com. Diners will find an interesting selection of Spanish and Mexican tapas, plus a full Saturday and Sunday brunch featuring huevos rancheros, variations of tortillas Espanola and more. R L D $$
Langano Ethiopian Restaurant
8305 Georgia Ave., 301-563-6700. Named for the popular Ethiopian vacation spot, Lake Langano, this longtime restaurant offers fine Ethiopian cuisine such as doro wat (spicy chicken stew) and tibs (stewed meat) in a cozy white- and red-accented dining room. Lunch specials on weekdays. L D $
Lebanese Taverna Café
933 Ellsworth Drive, 301-588-1192, www.lebanese taverna.com. See Rockville listing. J L D $
Mamma Lucia
1302 East West Highway, 301-562-0693, www. mammaluciarestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $$
Mandalay Restaurant & Café
930 Bonifant St., 301-585-0500, www.mandalay restaurantcafe.com. The modest dining room is packed most evenings with families and large groups who come for the Burmese food, a cross between Indian and Thai. L D $
McGinty’s Public House
911 Ellsworth Drive, 301-587-1270, www.mcgintys publichouse.com. Traditional Irish pub and restaurant features corned beef and cabbage, live music and dancing. Early-bird special, three-course menu for $15, from 5 to 7 p.m. Happy Hour from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. ❂ J R L D $$
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Sorrento trattoria
4930 Cordell Avenue, Bethesda 301-718-0344 www.trattoriasorrento.com
Mi Rancho
8701 Ramsey Ave., 301-588-4872, www.mirancho texmexrestaurant.com. See Rockville listing. ❂ LD$
MOD Pizza (New)
909 Ellsworth Drive, 240-485-1570, www.mod pizza.com. First Maryland location of this Bellevue, Washington-based chain offers design-your-own fast-casual pies (hence, Made on Demand, or MOD). Pizzas, cooked at 800 degrees for three minutes, can be topped with a choice of nearly 40 sauces, cheeses, meats, spices and veggies. ❂ L D $
Mrs. K’s Restaurant
9201 Colesville Road, 301-589-3500, www.mrsks. com. Here’s an elegant, antique-filled option for special occasions and Sunday brunch. This historic restaurant beckons a younger crowd with the Wine
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dine Press, a European-style wine bar downstairs, which has its own more casual menu. ❂ R L D $$$
Nainai’s Noodle & Dumpling Bar
1200 East West Highway, 301-585-6678, www. nainaisnoodles.com. Sisters Joanne and Julie Liu serve homemade noodles and dumplings in this lovable fast-casual eatery that shares kitchen space with their Scion restaurant next door. Focus on the noodles, and bring a picture of your “Nainai” (grandmother in Chinese) to tack on the bulletin board. L D $
Olazzo
8235 Georgia Ave., 301-588-2540, www.olazzo. com. The Silver Spring location of the Bethesda restaurant draws crowds to its dark and intimate space with classic Italian-American fare and Tuesday martini specials. ❂ J L D $
Oriental East Restaurant
1312 East West Highway, 301-608-0030, www. orientaleast.com. Be prepared to wait for a table and maneuver around carts filled with dumplings, noodles and spare ribs at this popular dim sum restaurant that caters to families and groups on weekends. Chinese standards for dinner, plus tripe and jellyfish. L D $
Pacci’s Neapolitan Pizzeria (Editors’ Pick) 8113 Georgia Ave., 301-588-1011, www.paccis pizzeria.com. This stylish eatery turns out topnotch pizzas from a wood-burning oven. Choose from red or white pizza selections, plus four kinds of calzones. Outdoor dining available. ❂ J (upon request) L D $
Pacci’s Trattoria & Pasticceria
6 Old Post Office Road, 301-588-0867, paccistrat toria. com. Diners will find a range of classic Italian dishes, including homemade meatballs and sausage, from the owner of Pacci’s Pizzeria, also in Silver Spring. L D $$
Parkway Deli & Restaurant
8317 Grubb Road, 301-587-1427, www.theparkway deli.com. Voted “Best Deli” for 2014 by Bethesda Magazine readers, Parkway features a bustling back dining room that makes this popular spot so much more than a deli. Longtime waitresses greet regular customers and kids with hugs during busy weekend breakfasts. All-you-can-eat pickle bar. ❂BLD$
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 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, phohiep hoa.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 $
Samantha’s
631 University Blvd. East, 301-445-7300, saman thasrestaurante.com. This white-tablecloth, LatinSalvadoran 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 $$
Scion
1200 East West Highway, 301-585-8878, www. scionrestaurant.com. A contemporary American eatery from sisters Joanne and Julie Liu, who also own a popular Dupont Circle restaurant with the same name and Nainai’s Noodle & Dumpling Bar in Silver Spring. Look for everything from wasabi Caesar salad to lobster reuben to spicy yogurt chicken. J R L D $$
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 $$
Sligo Café
923 Sligo Ave., 301-565-2233, sligocafe.com. Neighborhood restaurant serving modern takes on comfort food, like French onion soup topped with a gratin of macaroni and cheese, or shrimp and smoked Gouda black pepper grits. Interesting craft cocktails and rotating selection of local craft brews. ❂ R L D $$
Sushi Jin NEXT DOOR
8555 Fenton St., 301-608-0990, www.sushijinnext door.com. The eatery is spare, clean and modern, and offers terrific udon noodle soup and impeccable raw fish. Choose from 11 appetizers and seven soups and salads. L D $$
PReSenTinG SPonSoR
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7 p.m.-12 a.m.
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Taste in Potomac benefits Adoptions Together in their quest to find permanent loving families for children in foster care. Join us for an evening of delicious food from the area’s best restaurants, an amazing auction and great entertainment. FOR MORE INFORMATION
301-439-2900 or mdevine@adoptionstogether.org | www.adpotionstogether.org/TasteinPotomac.aspx
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sweetgreen
8517 Georgia Ave., 301-244-5402, www.sweet green.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $
Tastee Diner
8601 Cameron St., 301-589-8171, www.tastee diner.com. A 1930s-era lowbrow classic open 24 hours and featuring friendly service and typical diner food. Weekly specials include prime rib, spaghetti and chicken and dumplings. ❂ JBLD$
Thai at Silver Spring
921-E Ellsworth Drive, 301-650-0666, www.thai atsilverspring.com. The Americanized Thai food is second to the location, which is superb for people-watching on the street below. A modern and stylish dining room with a hip bar in bold colors and good service add to the appeal. ❂ L D $$
Thai Derm
939 Bonifant St., 301-589-5341, www.thaiderm usa.com. This local favorite serves home-style Thai food in a pleasantly modest dining room off a quiet street near downtown. The large menu includes noodle dishes like pad Thai and savorysweet salads. Lunch specials offered daily. ❂ LD$
The Big Greek Café
8223 Georgia Ave., 301-587-4733, www.biggreek cafe.com. Owned by the Marmaras brothers, whose family operated the decades-old Golden Flame restaurant, the café serves a hit parade of Greek specialties, including a top-notch chicken souvlaki pita. L D $
The Classics (Editors’ Pick)
8606 Colesville Road, 301-588-7297, www.the classicsdc.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. Its less-formal bistro seating is first-come, first served. D $$
The Daily Dish
8301 Grubb Road, 301-588-6300, www.thedaily dishrestaurant.com. A neighborhood favorite serving seasonally inspired, locally sourced comfort food, including bar bites and brunch dishes. Full-service catering is available, too. ❂ J R L D $$
The Greek Place
8417 Georgia Ave., 301-495-2912, www.thegreek place.net. Here are 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. L D $
The Society Lounge
8229 Georgia Ave., 301-565-8864, www.societyss. com. A sleek and modern atmosphere catering to a nightlife crowd, Society offers fare with a Caribbean accent. Check out the rooftop seating and daily drink specials, which include $25 beer buckets. ❂ L (weekends only) D $$
Urban Bar- B- Que Company
10163 New Hampshire Ave., 301-434-7427, ur banbbqco.com. A fast and friendly spot to meet for smoked meats, especially the ribs. See Rockville listing. L D $
Urban Butcher (Editors’ Pick)
8226 Georgia Ave., 301-585-5800, www.urban butcher.com. Hip, eclectic setting is the backdrop for this New Age steak house, with its home-cured salamis, sausages and other charcuterie, plus meat dishes made from local animals of yesteryear breeds. There’s a lounge, bar, meat curing room, retail counter and dining area. R D $$
URBAN WINERY (New)
949 Bonifant St., 301-585-4100, www.theurban
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dine winery.com. Silver Spring residents Damon and Georgia Callis open the first and only urban winery in the Mid-Atlantic area. Tasting facility offers craft wines made with local and international grapes, and customers can even create their own wines (by appointment). Light menu includes artisan cheese, charcuterie and smoked seafood platters, plus Greek mezze. D $
Vegetable Garden
3830 International Drive (in Leisure World Plaza), 301-598-6868, vegetablegarden.com. The popular vegan, vegetarian and macrobiotic Asian restaurant features a wide variety of eggplant and asparagus dishes, plus vegetarian “beef,” and “chicken” dishes often made with soy and wheat gluten. L D $$
Vicino Ristorante Italiano
959 Sligo Ave., 301-588-3372, vicinoitaliano. com. A favorite neighborhood red-sauce joint that hasn’t changed in decades, Vicino features some fine seafood choices in addition to classic pasta dishes. Families are welcome. ❂ L D $ $
The Woodside Deli
9329 Georgia Ave., 301-589-7055, www.the woodsidedeli.com. Famous for its matzo ball soup, the deli, open since 1947, serves terrific burgers, clubs, Reuben sandwiches and lots of breakfast dishes, among other items. JBLD$
Upper NW D.C. Aggio (Editors’ Pick)
5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW (in the Chevy Chase Pavilion), 202-803-8020, www.volt-aggio.com. Located in the former private party room at Range, this formal and sophisticated space is chef Bryan Voltaggio’s “restaurant within a restaurant.” Look for modern takes on Italian standbys like steak Florentine and inventive combinations such as lentils with charred octopus and sprouted wheat berries. D $$$
American City Diner
5532 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-244-1949, www.americancitydiner.com. Retro diner complete with blue-plate specials such as Salisbury steak and stuffed peppers; malts and egg creams. Diners can catch a classic movie free with dinner. ❂ J B L D $
Arucola
5534 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-244-1555, www. arucola.com. The restaurant serves authentic Italian cuisine in a casual setting, with a changing menu that includes creative treatment of traditional dishes, homemade pasta and pizza from the wood-burning oven. ❂ L D $ $
Blue 44
5507 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-362-2583, www. blue44dc.com. The menu features classic American favorites infused with the flavors of Italy and France, including ratatouille, pork schnitzel and bouillabaisse. ❂ J R L D $$
Buck’s Fishing and Camping
5031 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-0777, www.bucksfishingandcamping.com. Diners can enjoy a seasonal menu that changes daily, and offers hip takes on comfort food such as roast chicken (locally raised) in an artsy-chic setting. D $$$
Café of India
4909 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-244-1395, www.cafe ofindiadc.com. Here’s a cute corner café with two levels of dining and an extensive menu that includes vegetarian and Tandoori entrées, dosas, samosas, tikkas, curries and kabobs. ❂ L D $$
Chads Friendship Heights
5247 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-362-8040, chadsdc. com. This neighborhood hangout is sometimes compared to Cheers, but it also offers a full menu beyond bar food, including salads, steaks, seafood and sandwiches. ❂ R L D $$
Comet Ping Pong (Editors’ Pick)
5037 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-0404, www.cometpingpong.com. Landmark fun spot where you can play ping-pong or admire local art while you wait for your wood-fired pizza. Choose from over 30 toppings to design your own pie. ❂ R L (weekends only) D $
DeCarlo’s Restaurant
4822 Yuma St. NW. 202-363-4220, www. decarlosrestaurant.com. This is a family-owned neighborhood staple, with a traditional Italian menu and upscale/casual atmosphere. Signature dishes include agnolotti, veal Bolognese, broiled salmon and hand-made pasta. ❂ 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, 202-966-5253, www. jakesdc.com. Burgers, steaks and sandwiches are served in a restaurant named after the owner’s grandfather, an accomplished Navy test engineer. Check out the Boiler Room, a sports bar in the basement. J R L D $$
Jetties
5632 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-2465. www. jettiesdc.com. See Bethesda listing. J L D $
Le Chat Noir
4907 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-244-2044, www.le chatnoirrestaurant.com. This cute, cozy neighborhood bistro is run by French restaurateurs, who cook traditional fare like steak frites, bouillabaisse and braised lamb cheeks. R L D $$
LUNCHBOX
5535 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 018, 202-244-3470, www.voltlunchbox.com. The Washington remake of chef Bryan Voltaggio’s defunct Frederick restaurant offers specialties include the Southern Bahn Mi with crispy chicken and pickled vegetables and B’More with pepper-crusted pit beef. L D $
Macon Bistro & Larder (Editors’ Pick)
5520 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-248-7807, macon bistro.com. Southern and French cuisine converge at this airy, charming restaurant in the historic Chevy Chase Arcade. Appetizers include raclette and fried green tomatoes, and steak frites is offered alongside short ribs with grits for main courses. ❂ R D $$
Maggiano’s LITTLE ITALY
5333 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-966-5500, www.maggianos.com. The restaurant features old-style Italian fare that’s a favorite for large groups and private celebrations. Check out the signature flatbreads and specialty pastas, including lobster carbonara. J L D $$
Masala Art (Editors’ Pick)
4441-B Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-362-4441, www. masalaartdc.com. Here is fine Indian dining featuring tandoor-oven specialties and masterful Indian spicing. Start off by choosing from a selection of nine breads and 17 appetizers. L D $$
Murasaki Japanese Cuisine and Sushi Bar
4620 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-966-0023, www. murasakidc.com. The restaurant offers a wide variety of specialty sushi rolls plus a full menu, including teriyaki, tempura, noodle soup and other authentic Japanese dishes served in a tastefully understated décor. ❂ L D $$
Parthenon Restaurant
5510 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-966-7600, www. parthenon-restaurant.com. This is a neighborhood eatery taken up a couple notches, with an extensive menu full of authentic selections familiar and exotic, including avgolemono (egg/lemon soup), tzatziki, moussaka, dolmades and souvlaki. ❂ L D $$
Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza
4940 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-237-7383, www. petesapizza.com. Look no further for New Haveninspired pizza with crusts that are crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Salads, pasta and panini are also served. ❂ J L D $
Range (Editors’ Pick)
5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 201, 202-8038020, www.voltrange.com. Celebrity chef Bryan Voltaggio’s extravaganza, featuring multiple open kitchens, seats 300 and offers an enormous wine list. The restaurant was chosen for “Best Cocktail” in 2014 by the magazine’s editors. L D $$$
Rosa Mexicano
5225 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-777-9959, www.rosa mexicano.com. The upscale Mexican chain is known for its tableside-prepared guacamole and stylish decor. House specials include pan-roasted mahi mahi with a traditional salsa Veracruz. Gluten-free options available, too. J R L D $$
Satay Club Asian Restaurant and Bar
4654 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-363-8888, www. asiansatayclub.com. The restaurant prides itself on providing a comfortable/casual setting with a menu that spans Japanese sushi, Chinese moo-shi vegetables, Thai curries and Vietnamese spring rolls. L D $
Tanad Thai
4912 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-966-0616, www. tanadthaicuisine.com. The extensive menu ranges from noodles, rice and curries to vegetarian entrées, and even a Thai lemonade cocktail. House specialties include pad Thai and Drunken Noodles. ❂ L D $$
Tara Thai
4849 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-363-4141, www.tarathai.com. One of the aqua-accented eateries in the locally based chainlet, the restaurant features an extensive Thai menu with vegetarian options, plus sushi in bento boxes. Dessert includes ice cream flavored with green tea, coconut or Thai coffee. ❂ L D $$
Terasol (Editors’ Pick)
5010 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-237-5555, www.ter asolartisans.com. This charming French café offers soups, salads, quiches and a few entrées, along with jewelry and pottery from local artisans. Live music on Fridays and Saturdays. ❂ B L D $ n
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shopping. beauty. weddings. pets. travel. history.
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The annual Downrigging Weekend brings tall ships to the Chester River in Chestertown. For more, see page 374.
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sole searching etc. S h o p Ta l k
Sperry Tevin Oxford $50 at Shoe Train in Cabin John Mall
By samantha miller
sole
searching
“This is a great everyday shoe for kids who attend private school.” Marina Fradlin, owner Shoe Train
We reached out to local stores, asking which shoes they predict will be the hottest for kids this fall
“The Guide has some arch support, which is helpful for boys with flat feet.” Reu Scherf, owner RnJ Sports
Saucony Guide 8 $65 at RnJ Sports in Bethesda
“New Balance sneakers continue to be popular among high school students.” J.P. Bishop, buyer South Moon Under
New Balance 574 Sweatshirt $80 at South Moon Under in Wildwood Shopping Center
Reu Scherf, owner RnJ Sports
ASICS GEL- Nimbus 17 $80 at RnJ Sports in Bethesda ALL SHOES ARE COURTESY PHOTOS
“These shoes have great cushioning, a nice fit and vibrant colors.”
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“This boot is a fresh take on the hiker trend without being too masculine.” Melissa Bona, buyer South Moon Under
The SHOE Guru
Shoe Train owner Marina Fradlin
During back-to-school season, as many as 120 children visit Shoe Train in Potomac’s Cabin John Mall every day. In business for more than 40 years, the store carries footwear for toddlers, high school students and every stage in between. We caught up with owner Marina Fradlin, who purchased the store in 2011, to chat about what’s trending for fall and Steve Madden Troopa Boot $110 at South Moon Under in Wildwood Shopping Center
“UGGs will continue to be a huge seller this fall, especially in classic colors like brown and black.”
SHOE TRAIN PHOTO BY michael bennett kress
Marina Fradlin, owner Shoe Train
how to find the right fit. What trends are you seeing for the back-to-school season? “Retro, classic styles are very in right now. Bright shades and metallics are also very popular, so brands are pushing the color envelope as far as it will go. Everyone from Nike to New Balance has silver sneakers coming out in fall. My 13-year-old daughter, Ava, swears by ASICS.” Why is finding a good fit important? “Children’s foot bones are not fully formed, so you need to provide ample room for growth. Most people don’t know that the foot grows sideways first, then lengthwise. That’s why, for small children, finding wide and extra-wide shoes are imperative.” How often should shoes be replaced? “It depends on the child, but we recommend that younger customers come in every four to six weeks for a ‘shoe check.’ The staff doesn’t work on commission, so there’s no pressure to make a purchase. For kids 10 and older, footwear should be checked every six months. Unless they’re incredibly hard on their shoes, they will likely grow out of them before the shoe falls apart.” What’s the biggest mistake parents make when shoe shopping? “I think a lot of parents are more focused on fashion, which is fine for a special weekend or dress shoe. But for everyday footwear, it’s crucial to find something that fits properly and has the right support.”
UGG Classic $120 at Shoe Train in Cabin John Mall
Are there any trends you wish would disappear? “My personal pet peeve are Crocs. Forget the fact that they’re ugly, but the shoe doesn’t fit anyone and leads to tons of injuries. Luckily, most girls have traded their Crocs for adorable sandals, but boys still love them!” BethesdaMagazine.com | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015 365
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Zosimos Botanicals founder Linda Stein says customers should read the ingredients list of natural skin care products.
The average woman uses 12 personal care products every day, according to the Environmental Working Group, a research organization in Washington, D.C. Yet with the exception of checking color additives and restricted ingredients, the Food and Drug Administration doesn’t have the legal authority to approve cosmetics before they hit the market. That’s why Linda Stein, founder of skin care line Zosimos Botanicals, set out to enlighten consumers. “Women aren’t going to stop wearing lipstick,” Stein says. “You just have to educate yourself on what’s healthy, what you’re putting on your skin and what goes into your body.” Stein, who lives in Gaithersburg, has sensitive eyes that become easily irritated, which she says has always made wearing cosmetics a challenge. After learning how to formulate her own products, the former trademark attorney decided to launch her own company. In 2004, the online boutique, named after a third-
century alchemist named Zosimos, began selling makeup without parabens and synthetic preservatives. Zosimos, which is certified by PETA as cruelty-free, offers a range of personal care products including face serum, eye shadow, blush, lip balm and shower gel. Stein and her team of two artisans fill each order as it comes in, using only certified organic flavors, essential oils, mica pigments and local ingredients—including honey from Butler’s Orchard in Germantown and lavender from Stein’s garden. As a growing number of consumers turn to natural alternatives, Stein offers some advice: “Learn how to read the ingredient list. If there’s something you can’t pronounce, maybe you don’t want to use that product.” n Zosimos Botanicals, Gaithersburg, 301-977-2826, zosimosbotanicals.com. Select products available at Dawson’s Market in Rockville, 240-428-1386, dawsonsmarket.com.
Photo by Michael Ventura
Behind the Brand: Zosimos Botanicals
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etc. weddingS
A Southern Celebration The couple: Born and raised in Bethesda, Sarah Omenitsch, 25, graduated in 2008 from Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart. The couple lives in San Francisco where Sarah is a senior analyst at McKesson, a health care services company. Brad Larson, 26, grew up in Wausau, Wisconsin, and is a software engineer at Coinbase, a bitcoin wallet and exchange service, also based in San Francisco. The wedding: The wedding was held May 31, 2014, at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda, followed by a reception at Bretton Woods in Germantown. How they met: In 2007, Sarah was visiting Duke University in North Carolina, which she planned to attend, when she met Brad at a powderpuff football game held outside his freshman dorm. The proposal: Brad put a new diamond in a ring that Sarah’s grandmother had received on her 16th birthday and later given to Sarah. He tied it around the neck of Jeb, the couple’s 6-month-old puppy, and proposed Oct. 5, 2012, at the couple’s house in Richmond, Virginia. Wedding theme: Classic Southern hospitality featuring blush and hunter-green accents Number of guests: 150 What made the event special: “Since our relationship began at Duke, we really wanted our
guests to experience some old-fashioned southern hospitality,” Sarah says. A few months before the wedding, the couple sent guests a guide to D.C. that included all of their favorite sightseeing options and activities. On the Friday night before the wedding, the couple hosted a party at the home of Sarah’s parents. “My parents turned our backyard into an amazing Duke-themed pig roast, complete with a 70-pound pig,” she says. Food also played an important role at the reception. “We had Bretton Woods design a totally personalized menu full of all of our North Carolina favorites,” Sarah says. Guests feasted on mini chicken ’n’ waffles, pigs in a blanket, a biscuit bar, deviled eggs, hush puppies, brisket, mac and cheese, and pie. “Each dish was a nod to a favorite meal in Durham and we had a great time introducing them to our guests,” she says. “We even served bottled Cheerwine, a North Carolina cola that is delicious.” Thinking it would be fun to invite a celebrity to their wedding, the couple sent an invitation to wellknown Duke basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who autographed it before sending it back. “We now have it framed in my office,” Sarah says. Favorite moment: Sitting outside the ballroom at Bretton Woods during the reception, the couple enjoyed watching through the three walls of windows as their guests danced and celebrated. “It was the only time when it was just the two of us,” Sarah says. “We were alone for a couple of minutes.”
Photos by ( Once Like a Spark ) Photography
Sarah Omenitsch and Brad Larson infused their wedding with the flavors and hospitality of North Carolina
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Cost- cut ting tips: Looking to family and friends to help out. “My good friend’s mother has great handwriting and a knack for calligraphy, so we asked her to address our envelopes and escort cards. She was happy to help and it only cost us a few bottles of wine and lots of thank-yous,” she says. Her brother did all the ceremony music and the groom’s sister was the cantor. The couple also served mini pies, which were less expensive than buying a wedding cake, and hired a photographer and videographer who charged less because they are building their businesses. “These professionals are often looking for great weddings to add to their portfolios and I am convinced we got an even better product because they were trying so hard to prove themselves,” Sarah says. Something to laugh about: “I was very excited about our mantel décor— there was a huge, beautiful fireplace that we had decorated with magnolia leaves and lots of candles,” Sarah says. “When we arrived, the DJ had set up lighting there for the dance floor that blocked most of the mantel. We never noticed and no one remembered to light the candles. The lesson learned was don’t sweat the miscellaneous decorations. I wish I had saved all the money from that décor and put it towards something people would have noticed.” Gown: Strapless lace A-line with custom sheer-lace top The honeymoon: A trip to Costa Rica The details: Catering was provided by Bretton Woods; wedding pie, The Pie Life; flowers, Suzann Stotlemyer; hair, Drew Connelly; makeup; Lindsey Clark; photography, Kait Winston; and music, Mixing Maryland. n 370 September/october 2015 | BethesdaMagazine.com
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Weddings of the year Bethesda Magazine is now accepting submissions for Weddings of the Year
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HYATT REGENCY BETHESDA One Bethesda Metro Center Bethesda, MD 20814 BethesdaMagazine.com | september/october 2015 371 HyattRegBeth_Wedding-FINAL.indd 1
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etc. G e t Away
By Christine Koubek
The Mid -Atlantic region is home to many scenic autumn races, but only one allows for a run down Chocolate Avenue with its streetlights shaped like Hershey’s Kisses. Runners (or walkers) in the sixth annual Hershey Half Marathon & Relay—scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 18—will also cruise past Hersheypark’s rides and Milton S. Hershey’s High Point Mansion. The route’s highlight is the “Chocolate Aid” station, where past participants have sugared up on everything from Kit Kats to Twizzlers (you are burning calories, after all). Entrants age 14 and older can run the full half marathon or form a relay team (two people split 13.1 miles). Participants receive two free tickets to Halloween-themed Hersheypark in the Dark, where kids can trick-or-treat and ride coasters at night. An added perk: complimentary, 15-minute post-race, finish-line chair massages by The Spa At The Hotel Hershey. Fun runs for kids ages 2 to 13 range in distance from 30 yards to 340 yards. Individual registration for the half marathon is $85, or $140 for a two-person relay team. For more info, visit www.chocolatetownchallenges. com/hershey-half-marathon.
Get Spooked
Named No. 1 on TripAdvisor’s 2010 list of Top 10 Ghost Tours in the U.S., Ghost Tours of Harpers Ferry by “O’ Be JoyFull” offers a journey through Harpers Ferry’s Civil War era. The stories are based on Shirley Dougherty’s 1977 book, A Ghostly Tour of Harpers Ferry, and include tales of a 14-year-old Confederate drummer boy who was taken prisoner by Union soldiers, and the hauntings of a freed slave. The roughly 100-minute walking tour is family and dog friendly. $14 per person; $10 for ages 8 to 12. For more information, visit www.harpersferryghost.20m.com or call 732-801-0381.
Courtesy of Hersheypark; Courtesy of Ghost tours of harpers ferry
run for Chocolate
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Kayak for
Color
Kayak photo by Skip Brown ; Courtesy of hopkins ordinary bed & Breakfast
Instead of hiking for mountaintop views of fall foliage, you can gaze up at trees turned blazing reds and yellows from the seat of a kayak. Potomac Paddlesports’ Fall Colors on the Potomac offers naturalist-guided tours that launch from Pennyfield Lock in C&O National Historical Park and head north about a mile before crossing over a beach and launching again in the Potomac River for views of eagles, herons, turtles and more of autumn’s vibrant colors reflected on the water’s surface. The four-hour trips are designed with beginners in mind: calm waters and pre-trip paddling instructions. Equipment is provided. Bring a thermos of coffee or cider, binoculars and a waterproof camera. Available six weekend dates from Oct. 17 to Nov. 1 at 9 a.m. or 2 p.m. The cost: $95 per person. For more information, visit www.potomacpaddlesports.com.
Bed and Beer
Seven miles from the Thornton Gap entrance to Shenandoah National Park, Hopkins Ordinary Bed & Breakfast offers three B’s that keep guests returning: comfy beds, gourmet breakfasts and freshly brewed beer. Owners and hosts Sherri Fickel and Kevin Kraditor refurbished the 19th-century hotel, which they opened in 2005, and last year they added a nano-brewery. Each of the five guest rooms includes a bathroom with a rainfall showerhead, a fireplace or woodstove, and direct access to a private porch. The inn also includes communal wraparound porches with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A two-bedroom cottage with a kitchen sleeps five and is a good choice for those traveling with children or pets. Breakfast offerings include homemade muffins and breads (they make their own challah for French toast), fresh fruit, and egg dishes from frittatas to omelets. Salted oatmeal cookies are the perfect treat after a day of hiking. Guests receive a complimentary pint of craft beer in the cellar brewery Fridays through Sundays—or delivered to your porch any day. Rates range from $139 to $299 per night. 47 Main St., Sperryville, Virginia. For more information, visit www.hopkinsordinary.com or call 540-987-3383. BethesdaMagazine.com | September/october 2015 373
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Visitors tour tall ships that line the docks of Chestertown during Downrigging Weekend, held annually during the fall.
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a ship’s
tale
An annual festival in Chestertown, Maryland, gives visitors a chance to explore the town’s rich history—on sea and on land By amy brecount white | photos by michael ventura
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Detailed wood carvings decorate the Kalmar Nyckel, a replica of a colonial Swedish ship.
Most cars cross the Chesa-
peake Bay Bridge and veer right toward the beaches, but on a late-fall day, I find myself steering left onto Route 213 to the historic port of Chestertown, Maryland. Founded in 1706 as a British royal port of entry and situated above a bend in the Chester River, this tidewater town—which bills itself as “America’s best preserved colonial seaport”—celebrates its heritage with some cool modern spins. The occasion for my visit is the annual Downrigging Weekend, which started 15 years ago as a showcase of the many wooden vessels—tall ships, tiny cats, skipjacks, oyster boats—that have plied these waters for centuries. (This year’s event takes place Oct. 29 through Nov. 1; see sultanaeducation.org.) The centerpiece of the festival is the Sultana, a locally built replica of a 1768 ship that the British used during colonial times to enforce tea tariffs. I arrive early on a Friday afternoon amidst talk of a polar vortex that is bearing down on the region, though today the weather is mild and the Chester River is nearly flat, festooned with colorful flags
that gently flap from atop the ships’ masts. Strolling the dock provides eye candy for any boating enthusiast. From the impressive Sultana to its equally gorgeous counterpart, the Kalmar Nyckel (a replica of a colonial Swedish ship), each registered boat has a helpful placard indicating its name, origin and designer. I am drawn to the Shaker simplicity of the Aubrey, a small Beetle Cat built in 1967 that seems perfect for a romantic sail for two. (The Aubrey’s owner later gives a bagpipe concert on the dock.) “How does the weather look?” I ask a festival worker who is manning the information tent. As advised, I’ve booked several cruises for the weekend (with fares ranging from $25 to $55 per person) in advance online. But the forecast is iffy. “It would be good to get out on the water today,” she suggests. “The ships are doing private cruises, but you might talk your way on a boat.”
I’m not one to pull rank, but I long to be on the water below those billowing sails. Flashing the verbal
Wooden ships fill the Chester River during Downrigging Weekend every fall.
equivalent of a press badge, I traipse from ship to ship, pleading for passage. Most turn me away, until the Pride of Baltimore II graciously allows me to stowaway, more or less, on an educational cruise sponsored by the sailing club of Washington College, which is also located in Chestertown. The Pride is a replica of an 1812 topsail schooner—a Baltimore clipper—that ran circles around the more cumbersome British vessels, Capt. Jamie Trost explains. As we head out, the lateafternoon sun casts a honeyed glow on the other polished wooden ships passing by. Like Pride, most of the big ships in our midst serve as floating classrooms promoting history and environmental stewardship.
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“Why are all those ropes everywhere?” a boy asks his dad, gesturing toward the neat coils that form the veins and sinews of the tall ship—the same ropes that will soon be tucked away for winter in the deconstruction known as downrigging (although the festival might be more aptly named pre-downrigging, given that visitors don’t get to see the ropes and sails actually being taken down). “She runs on wind and muscle power,” Trost says to the boy, explaining the ship’s intricate system of masts, sails, pulleys and cables. Next, he launches into a series of nautical yarns, starting with the origins of why it’s considered bad form to put one’s elbows on the dinner table. In colonial times, sailors usually ate
with their elbows on either side of their plates to prevent the plates from sliding as the ship rolled, he explains, and British seafarers who were shorthanded would often scour harbor pubs and inns, looking for deserters and “volunteers.” Those who ate with their elbows on the table were presumed to have maritime training and were often pressed into His Majesty King George’s service. Apocryphal or not (there is some disagreement online), it’s a great story. Getting on the water gives me a prime view of the historic homes and gardens that line the shore of this quaint town, which, over centuries, gained prominence and wealth through tobacco, the slave trade and wheat. Nowadays its biggest business seems to be tourism.
No one seems to mind that the tall ships are accompanied by some potentially tall tales. Legend also has it that, five months after the Boston Tea Party revolt (news traveled slowly in 1744), residents of Chestertown, in an act of solidarity, dumped tea into the Chester River from the British ship the Geddes. Whether this event actually happened or not matters little to the locals who reenact the protest from the deck of the Sultana every Memorial Day weekend, when the town also offers cruises, tours, wine tastings and wandering minstrels (www.chestertownteaparty.org).
True to forecast, the next
morning brings lashing rains and winds gusting up to 40 mph, which keeps all
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Jody Bortz runs an antique letterpress at Book Plate, a quirky used book shop in Chestertown.
Evergrain Bakery offers a selection of breads and baked goods.
Visitors check out works in the Chestertown RiverArts gallery. The state recently designated the town an arts and entertainment district.
the ships tied down. I entertain myself with the largest, most decadent cinnamon roll I’ve ever eaten at Simply Bed & Bread (simplybedandbread.com), along with fresh fruit and a dollop of basil ice cream, before heading over to the town’s central square, with its ornate 1899 fountain of Hebe, cupbearer to the gods. On Saturdays, the square is filled with farmers and crafters hawking their wares. I buy a fun pair of fingerless alpaca gloves for my daughter. Downrigging Weekend also coincides with the second weekend of Chestertown’s annual art studio tour. Though the tour includes artists’ studios throughout
Kent and Queen Anne’s counties, I find plenty of vibrant work to admire right in Chestertown, which recently gained an official “Arts and Entertainment District” designation from the state of Maryland. (Be sure to pick up the pamphlet available at local shops and B&Bs, which has a map and describes each artist’s work in detail.) I check out the Chestertown RiverArts gallery (chestertownriverarts.org), then walk across the hall to visit the stunning Hegland Glass shop, with its delicately crafted geometric bowls and platters. Later on, the weather clears and I stroll the town’s red-brick herringbone sidewalks, which are lined with well-kept
Stately homes with manicured gardens line the streets of Chestertown.
Federal, Italianate, Queen Anne and Victorian homes. George Washington reportedly visited this stately area eight times, and I can see why. Blooming roses and even some azaleas peek out from hidden gardens, enjoying a last hurrah before winter. The population of Chestertown
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(5,277, according to 2013 data) hasn’t changed too much since 1790, the year of the first U.S. Census. But on this weekend, the place is packed as the town pulls out all the stops with gospel and folk concerts, dancing, wine tastings, nautical lectures and book signings and revelers in costume. A 45-minute recorded tour (with headphones) of the waterfront is provided by scholars and students from Washington College. It focuses largely on the town’s 1746 Custom House, once the residence of Thomas Ringgold— who is ironically remembered as both a revolutionary “Son of Liberty” and a prosperous slave trader—and now run by the college’s C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience. The tour doesn’t sugarcoat the area’s slave-trading history (it includes some graphic details), although not all of the slave stories are grim. In 1855, Harriet Shephard impressively led her five children and friends to freedom by stealing her master’s two coaches and four horses and driving them all to a stop on the Underground Railroad in Wilmington, Delaware. They eventually made it to Canada.
On Sunday,
the sun comes out, but the wind doesn’t abate, so the ships are once again grounded. At least the larger ones are open for tours. I have a marvelous time hopping from the A.J. Meerwald (a 1928 oyster schooner) to the Sigsbee (a 1904 skipjack) to the Lady Maryland (a cargo schooner replica)— all of which are tethered together. I climb down ladders and into the galleys to chat with the crew and volunteers who man these floating works of art. “This ship is pretty much made of rope and wood,” Giani Siri, a volunteer on the Kalmar Nyckel, tells me. Apparently the ship boasts a full eight miles of rope when fully rigged. Just then, a strain of bagpipes reaches my ear, and I smile up at the yellow-andblue flag snapping hard above my head. It’s the end of the season and everything is shipshape.
If you go.... Some of Chestertown’s can’t-miss shops, restaurants and sights Book Plate In addition to used books, this quirky shop sells imported ceramics and olive oil, along with offbeat illustrated books and letterpress products by nearby Idiots’ Books, a publishing and printing operation owned by Matthew Swanson and his wife, Robbi Behr. www.bookplate.biz
Visitors can try the delectable crab dumplings at the Lemon Leaf Café.
Brampton Inn This charming bed-and-breakfast in a former peach orchard offers rooms, suites and cottages, with special packages for a romantic weekend or kayak adventure. Much of its scrumptious fare, including a full breakfast and afternoon tea, includes ingredients from the inn’s organic garden. www.bramptoninn.com Evergrain Bakery Picture cheddar-scallion scones, roasted-tomato-and-feta croissants and baguettes that look positively Parisian. I settled on a Spanish latte (made with condensed milk) and a wild blueberry muffin. Gotta love a place whose WiFi password is ciabatta. www.evergrainbreadco.com Gabriel’s of Chestertown This boutique sells fun and affordable jewelry, nauticalthemed clothing and accessories, and giftables ranging from books to seasonal tableware. There are small sections dedicated to foodies and kids, too.
Garfield Center for the Arts With its jauntily painted art deco entrance, beautiful brickwork and casual atmosphere, this fun venue plays host to acts like the alt-rock band The Ragbirds, whose members last year dressed as The Addams Family for a folksy concert. www.garfieldcenter.org The Imperial A stopping point for travelers since 1903, this refurbished hotel offers boutique lodging, wine
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If you go.... tastings and an upscale restaurant serving everything from tapas to surf and turf. www.imperialchestertown.com Simply Bed & Bread This bed-and-breakfast in the owner’s Cape Cod home offers two cozy rooms, a filling breakfast and mouth-watering cookies. It’s a 10-minute walk to the waterfront. www.simplybedandbread.com
College students toss a frisbee on the lawn of Washington College.
Lemon Leaf Café Stop in for the bright and friendly décor, good service and delectable dishes like crab dumplings in Old Bay broth. www.thellcafe.com
of the college’s earliest and most generous donors.) With its historic buildings and beautiful landscaping, the campus is worth a stroll. www.washcoll.edu n
Washington College George Washington’s signature hangs everywhere, as if the school still has his stamp of approval. (No surprise, he was one
Delighted by its meshing of new world and old, Amy Brecount White plans to set sail for Chestertown more often.
rehoboth beach • thebellmoor.com 302-227-5800 800-425-2355
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etc. Pets
by Kelly Seegers
Living the high life Apartments are wooing four-legged residents
illustration by goodloe byron
T u c k e r, a n A u s t ra l i a n
shepherd, and Ellie, a terrier mix, were used to the quiet of their home in San Antonio before they moved to The Whitney—an 11-story apartment building in downtown Bethesda—in August 2014. Suddenly they found themselves surrounded by noises and long hallways. “They barked at everything,” says the dogs’ owner, Sara Bandish. Lisa Almanza, who also moved to The Whitney recently, had a similar experience with her two pugs, Annie and Bubby. “They weren’t elevator dogs—that’s for sure,” Almanza says. “He pooped in the elevator the first day we were here.” Daisy Buchanan, a cat who moved from Hollywood, California, to The Whitney in March 2014, faced perhaps the biggest change. According to her “Pet-of-the-Month” write-up that was posted throughout the building, Daisy was used to “luxuriating on expansive terraces in the SoCal sunshine” and is still adjusting to life inside the Beltway. Luckily for these pets, many apartment buildings go above and beyond to welcome furry friends into the community. Pet owners who are apartment hunting can expect amenities such as dog walking services, pet spas, dog treats at the front desk and “Yappy Hours,”
occasional opportunities for pets and their owners to network and socialize. “It used to be that you just had to accept pets, and that was enough to be pet friendly,” says Chad Cooley, a senior vice president at Bozzuto Management Company, which operates 18 apartment communities in Montgomery County. “But with the evolution of how pets fit into families—for many folks, pets are like children—the amenities packages have definitely changed.” Many pet owners are unable to come home midday to walk their dogs, so they hire a service to do it. The concierge at apartment buildings such as Triangle Towers and the Bainbridge, both of which are in downtown Bethesda, will greet the dog walker, provide a key, and collect the key when the walk is over. Gallery Bethesda and Cadence at Crown in Gaithersburg also offer a “pet spa” where residents can clean their pets in sinks and dry them off with a blowdrying hose. At Cadence, the spa is attached to an indoor play area with agility equipment. Pets can climb through a small tunnel, walk up and down ramps, and jump through a vertical frame. Lorraine Ebbin, a concierge at The Whitney, hands out dog treats to pets that stop by the front desk. She knows
most of the pets in the building by name, as well as when to expect them. Bandish, whose dogs always tug on their leash to get to the front desk, says there’s even a supply of treats for dogs that have allergies. At Triangle Towers, Sharon Pare, a regional leasing specialist for Southern Management Corp., will sometimes make frozen pops that include Greek yogurt, peanut butter, granola and blueberries for the dogs in the building. Every October, Triangle Towers hosts a Halloween costume contest for pets. Last year, an English bulldog named Winnie won for dressing as a frog. Another crowd favorite was a terrier named Emerson who dressed as a scuba diver—complete with flippers and Coke bottles wrapped in foil for air tanks. For one “Yappy Hour” in June, Triangle Towers unrolled a red carpet lined with small red fire hydrants that led to the rooftop pool area. Dogs dressed in their swimsuits and walked down the carpet while their owners enjoyed food and drinks. Though separate mini dog pools had been set up, it wasn’t long before the pups and the people were all swimming together. n Kelly Seegers is an editorial intern.
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etc. f l a s h b ac k
BY MARK WALSTON
men in gray
In 1911, on the 50th anniversary of the battle of Manassas—the first major encounter of the Civil War—a crowd of about 10,000 people gathered on the Virginia battlefield to celebrate what was called the “Peace Jubilee.” Confederate and Union veterans attended. President William Howard Taft gave the keynote address. An air of camaraderie enveloped the crowd, and former enemies shook hands, smiled and laughed. It was the beginning of a shift in America’s attitude toward the conflict. For many years after the war, decorating the graves of the Confederate dead in Arlington National Cemetery was forbidden. While today there is a backlash against Confederate symbols, in the early 1900s monuments to the fallen were accepted as recognition of a soldier’s value. “Splendid valor,” as President Woodrow Wilson called it, was celebrated in town squares and cemeteries across the South. Here in Montgomery County, a chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Elijah Veirs White Chapter, was formed in 1911. It was
founded in honor of the hundreds of county residents who crossed the Potomac River to join the Southern cause, and the cavalry captain who led the men in battle. In all, around 25,000 Marylanders fought for the Confederacy, while 60,000 joined the Union military. The chapter spearheaded a movement to have a monument placed in the courthouse yard in Rockville “to be an inspiration to the youth of our land to hold principle, honor, and a firm trust in God above all else.” The statue was unveiled on June 3, 1913—the birthday of Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America. Atop a granite pedestal, a lone Confederate soldier stared into the distance. The Damascus Coronet Band regaled 3,000 spectators with the playing of “Maryland, My Maryland,” a favorite at public gatherings for years. The lyrics, written by Marylander James Ryder Randall, memorialized the Baltimore riot of 1861, when Southern sympathizers fired upon Union troops marching through town to catch a southbound train—resulting
in the first death of the Civil War. The song contains the rousing line, “Huzza! she spurns the Northern scum!” It was adopted as the official song of Maryland in 1939. The E.V. White chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy had erected another monument west of Rockville, heading out Route 28, in 1911. The stone tablet listed the names of 32 Confederate veterans buried in Monocacy Cemetery. In 1915, the chapter laid the cornerstone for a stone chapel as a larger memorial at the cemetery. Today, the E.V. White Chapter no longer exists. The stone tablet is still in place and the chapel is used for burials. As for the Rockville statue, it was moved to a less conspicuous place—the side of the old brick courthouse—during urban renewal in 1971. This summer, county officials began taking steps to remove the statue, which was spray-painted with the words “Black Lives Matter” in late July. n Mark Walston is an author and historian raised in Bethesda and living in Olney.
Photo illustration by alice kresse
Looking back at the creation of Montgomery County’s Confederate memorials
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etc.
By kelly seegers
family portrait Apartment living: In New Jersey, they had to drive everywhere. But now, Richard says, “I can go for a week without getting in my car.” They miss their porch and outdoor space, but say they appreciate not having to worry about deer eating their landscaping. The travel bug: When Pam and Richard lived in Tokyo from
1988 to 1992, they traveled all around Asia. Since Richard retired from PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2004, they have been able to go on even more adventures, taking separate trips to Italy, Germany and Ireland in the summer of 2014 alone. Why they love Bethesda: Pam and Richard often walk to dinner—favorites include the Mussel Bar & Grille, Mon Ami Gabi and Redwood. Pam takes pottery classes at Glen Echo Park, and Richard likes to run or walk along the Capital Crescent Trail. About once a week, they have playdates with their grandkids, Sofia, 4, and Camila, 1, who like going to Barnes & Noble and getting mac and cheese at Cafe Deluxe. Pam and Richard expected to enjoy being close to family, but they didn’t expect to like the area as much as they do. “I’d still stay here even if the kids left,” Pam says. n
photo by liz lynch
In November 2013, Pam and Richard Stolz left northwestern New Jersey, where they had lived for about 40 years, and moved into an apartment in Upstairs at Bethesda Row to be closer to family. Their son Brian lives in Chevy Chase with his wife and two daughters; another son, Jonathan, plans to move to Arlington with his family next year. Pam, 68, and Richard, 70, now spend the winter and spring in Florida, and the summer and fall in Bethesda.
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