FROM THE EDITOR
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It’s summertime, and the push to legalize recreational use of marijuana in Maryland is really heating up. For some, it seems like a win-win situation (you can already drive down to D.C. and smoke it at a friend’s house, so why not do it at home in Montgomery County and put some dealers out of business?). Others still consider it a gateway drug, conjuring stoner images such as those in “Dude, Where’s My Car?”— a 2000 comedy following two potheads who Vanessa B. Harrington can’t even remember where they parked. Zag Magazine cuts through the smoke on the issue and shares all sides of the debate, to include a college student’s tale of how she has benefited from cannabis while others she knows have struggled. Looking for some less-controversial indoor activities? This edition of Zag includes a great vegan mac and cheese recipe, as told from a successful Takoma Park chef; helps you twerk out to get in shape; and explains how an ’80s rock band inspired a well-known Bethesda tattoo artist. For those ready to take on the great outdoors, we’ve got information about beaches where your pooch can catch some waves, too; tips on how to dabble with drones; and a host of fun activities and music festivals. And, just in time for the Fourth of July, we’ve got a one-on-one interview with Wonder Woman! Lynda Carter, a Potomac resident, reveals her thoughts on the superhero character she brought to life, her singing career and whether she kept the magic lasso. Zag Magazine is bringing you transformation and celebration, all in one summer edition. Enjoy!
ABOUT ZAG MAGAZINE Zag Magazine is published bimonthly by Post Community Media LLC 9030 Comprint Court, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 301-948-3120 It is distributed free throughout Montgomery County, Md. Send comments to editor@zagmagazine.com. For advertising information, email ads@zagmagazine.com, or call 301-670-2654.
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS JOE ANTOSHAK | TIFFANY ARNOLD | MORGAN FECTO | KIRSTY GROFF, JEFFREY LYLES | NATHAN ORAVEC | KIRSTEN PETERSEN | ANIKA REED SAMANTHA SCHMIEDER | KEVIN JAMES SHAY | RAECINE WILLIAMS
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CONTENTS Zag Magazine • June/July 2015 • Issue 2
Follow us: TheZagMag
People
6 | SAY WHAT?
This is Important
32 | FIT
Are you ready to visit the Red Planet?
Get ready for the beach with a great twerkout.
8 | THIRD DEGREE
Meet the woman who brought Wonder Woman to life.
34 | TECH TALK
Drone advice that shows the sky’s the limit.
Lifestyles
10 | BOD MOD
36 | ON THE GRIND
Buzz word is “expression” at Bethesda Tattoo.
Don’t let your online reputation hold you back at work.
12 | PET PERKS
Plan a pet wedding, beach fun, office time — or just get a good grooming.
14 | HOUSE RULES
Need work done around the house? You can do it!
37 | MAKING CENTS
On the Cover
20 | WEED OF OPPORTUNITY With medical marijuana approved in Maryland, will recreational use take root soon?
Find out how to cash in on your hobbies.
And Another Thing
42 | THE BACK PAGE
Digital Exclusive!
16 | RIDES
Enjoy the greener side of the VW Golf.
18 | RETAIL THERAPY
Sweet summer finds at local stores.
Eat & Drink
26 | MIXOLOGY
Saddle up with these horse race-themed drinks.
27 | DELISH
Learn about one chef’s path to becoming a vegan and try some of his recipes.
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Stuff to Do
28 | GAMING
“Resident Evil HD” elicits top-notch terror; WWE 2K 15 brings Warrior fun.
29 | IN THE GAME
Get on board with board game matches, ride through the trees or enjoy some novel fun à la Harry Potter.
30 | THE LIST
Crabs, beer, fireworks and more!
31 | NIGHTLIFE
Music festival fun does not have to be far away.
LISTEN TO THE ZAGCAST
ZagCast is a podcast from four opinionated entertainment enthusiasts — self-described nerds. The group discusses what’s going on in the world of pop culture, from movies to television to comic books and everything in between. Visit ZagMagazine.com, or look for the free podcasts in Stitcher or the iTunes Store. Zag Magazine.com
G O L F : M O T O R M AT T E R S , F R O M T H E M A N U FA C T U R E R ; M A R I J U A N A : I S T O C K . C O M / C A B E Z O N I C AT I O N ; R E S I D E N T E V I L H D F R O M C A P C O M ; F E S T I VA L F R O M F I R E F LY M U S I C F E S T I VA L ; T W E R K I N G : T O M F E D O R / Z A G M A G A Z I N E
Confessions of an online quiz taker.
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PEOPLE
SAY WHAT?
—as recounted to Kirsten Petersen in Rockville
What one thing would you bring if you
Traveled to Mars? NASA, you’re welcome.
MUSIC.
A CACTUS.
A COW.
for companionship and milk.
LOIS NASON
That way, it can photosynthesis my carbon dioxide and it will give me oxygen so we can survive together. NATHAN POLAND
NANCY JIN
CAMERA.
A really good one. You’ve got to capture the moments.
DEJOURNETTE WALKER
MY COMPUTER
to share the place where I am. MIRIAM GRANADOS
A CANNAE DRIVE.
[A solar-powered space engine being developed by NASA]. Of all the things, I want a way home.” DAVID GOODENOW
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See more things that are (not) going to Mars at ZagMagazine.com.
Zag Magazine.com
C OW : I S TO C K . C O M / G L O BA L P ; M A R S , M P 3 P L AY E R , C A M E R A , L A P TO P / P H OTO D I S C / T H I N K S TO C K ; C AC T U S : S TO C K B Y T E / T H I N L S TO C K
It gets in your soul. It can just change your perspective and take you different places.
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PEOPLE
THIRD DEGREE Read the full interview at ZagMagazine.com.
w/
Lynda Carter, Wonder Woman
A
BY NATHAN ORAVEC
nyone who has either owned or existed near a television since the mid-1970s remembers Lynda Carter. Her iconic portrayal of Wonder Woman notwithstanding, the former Miss World USA winner staked a claim on America’s heartstrings time and again throughout the ’80s with her varied credits, from “The Muppet Show” to Maybelline advertisements to a series of her own television specials that showcased her dazzling singing voice and paired her with industry luminaries from Kenny Rogers to Ray Charles. Carter, 63, moved to Montgomery County with her second husband, attorney Robert A. Altman, in 1984, and raised two children — James and Jessica — here. In the midst of occasional movie appearances (“Sky High,” “Super Troopers”) and voice work (husband Altman is CEO of ZeniMax x Media, owner of Bethesda Softworks, which produced the popular “Elder Scrolls” series, in which she appears), Carter returned to her true passion: music. Her latest tour, the cabaret show ow “LongLegged Woman,” launched in March. Meanwhile, the hero she made famous ous is enjoying a comeback. The character off Wonder Woman is set to make her cinematic debut in “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” ce” in summer 2016, before starring in her own femalehelmed solo film, while DC Comics recently released “Wonder Woman ’77,” a tribute bute to Carter’s pivotal TV series. For her part, Carter graciously embraces braces the legacy she has been entrusted with.
Well, I think when I was a small girl, I probably saw something on tele-nd vision and ... I kind of had it in my mind that was what I was going to do. And the et my way that my life has gone, I sort of set mind to something and that’s what I do. You know, I went out on the road as a young girl. I started singing at age 14 in Arizona. And I went on the road out of high school. And then I moved to
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I know your most recent tour launched at the end of March, with an appearance at the Kennedy Center at the beginning of April. Can you tell me a bit about your relationship with that venue?
Well, the Kennedy Center — there’s only one Kennedy Center, you know? It is a pinnacle of venues to play at. That and Jazz at Lincoln Center, both. I really do change up my show every year … in particular for the Kennedy Center venue, so that every time I go I have a new show to put on. And people [who] come back to see the show, they’re always going to [hear] new music.
There’s been a recent resurgence of comic books on television, with programs like “The Flash,”“Arrow” and an upcoming “Supergirl” project. … Hypothetically, if CBS approached you about a series catching up with Wonder Woman today, would you be interested?
Well, certainly not as the lead character. I think that time has passed. You know, I hope that the character has got a resurgence. I’m hopeful that she will pop right back up again.
Have you heard about the new “Wonder Woman ’77” title from DC Comics?
Yes, I do know it. And they’re also doing it in a digital form. And it’s pretty exciting to have that come back out again. It’s very cool. I have seen it. And also, they have come up with a slot machine. So, I am a slot (laughs). To this day, whe when someone mentions the character in conve conversation, the image that springs to mind is yours. Do you have a sense of owner ownership about the character?
Do I have an ownership? I certainly have the relationsh relationship. When you bring something — any ch character — to life, whether it’s in a film or television … you do feel an ownership ownership. You do feel — certainly a relationsh relationship. The character’s been a huge part of my life, and … it did open the doors in so many ways for some o of the other things that I’ve done in my career. And it’s iconic, you know?
Speaking of iconic — I read Sp spin the spinning transformation was contrib your contribution to the lore. Is that true, and how did it come about if so?
Yes. It is. They sti still hadn’t worked out how trans they wanted to transform [the character] Diana Prince into Wonder Woman. So they had a Lazy Susan that they wanted want me to stand on, and all sorts of weird stuff, but I said … ‘Why don’t I just do a pirouette?’ ended, did you ever find After the show e yourself spinning around when no one else was watching?
Oh (laughs). Jus Just about as often as I took the invisible jet. Zag Magazine.com
P H O T O B Y K A R L S I M O N E ; I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y S E R E N A L O D E R / Z A G M A G A Z I N E
Your career for some time has focused on your music. And singing long predates your work on television.Tell me a little bit about how that passion took hold?
[Los Angeles]. I did some recording and some jingles and that sort of thing. So, it’s always been what I loved to do. After “Wonder Woman” — or actually, during — I did specials for CBS, my own specials. And I sang all over the world … and then I sort of gave it up. I didn’t want to stay on the road when I was raising my family.
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LIFESTYLES
BOD MOD
Hughes’ own favorite tattoo is of this guy, Tom Waits, inarguably one of the coolest cats on the planet. Seriously. Do. Not. Argue.
TIPS FOR FIRST-TIMERS
ROCKIN’ TATS
B
BY MORGAN FECTO
ethesda Tattoo owner James Hughes
learned what passion was before learning he would have it for tattooing. “It was Van Halen’s first album. It hit me like a lightning bolt,” says Hughes over the buzz of needles and Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” in his Woodmont Avenue shop. “So I said to myself, ‘I want to be an artist but I don’t know what I want to do. I want something to hit me the way music hit me, and then I’ll know it’s real.’” In the late ’80s, Hughes had his second Van Halen moment. In Navy boot camp, he got his first tattoo of a skull he’d drawn with bat wings and fire, something he now says represents his youth. Once the needles hit the skin, everything Hughes thought about tattoos got a fresh coat of ink. “Tattooing was just sort of the answer. It was like, ‘I can do tattoos and express myself artistically, make a living and be able to do what I want to do on my terms,’” Hughes says. “I’d always been drawing and I’d always loved tattooing, but where I grew up in California, it was just gangs, bikers and really seedy characters with tattoos.”
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Splurge “Whatever it ends up costing, I tell people, ‘It’s pennies a day.’ You’re going to have that on your body forever,” Hughes says. “Get the tattoo that you want; don’t get the tattoo you can afford.”
The inside of Bethesda Tattoo is modest (save for the occasional skull on the walls), open and bright. The company moved to this location in December to encourage camaraderie among artists and clients with its salon-style open floor. “It adds to the experience of getting a tattoo,” Hughes says. “Everyone in the room is doing something they love, and everyone is getting something done that they love to get done. It’s fun to share our stories.” He says he has the best piercer, cover-up tattooers and artists. He’s a returning tattoo artist at the D.C. Tattoo Expo, and he’s been recognized by Washington City Paper’s “Best of D.C.” roundup, but Hughes tattoos for the love of art and people rather than for recognition. He also tattoos for the “punk-rock skater kid” that lives just under his skin — the boy who loves drawing skulls with bat wings, and Van Halen. “So I didn’t want to be a rock star,” Hughes says. “I got my first tattoo and that was it. It had everything I wanted in life.”
Communicate, consult Hughes says the client-tattooer bond is forged on creating a tattoo concept that satisfies the client’s desires and the tattooer’s artistic visiwon. For this to work, clients need to give their tattoo artist enough information about their hopes for the finished work. “You want to get up every day and look at your tattoo and go, ‘Yes! I love it!’ That’s the goal, and that’s what I urge regardless of where they get tattooed or who they get tattooed by,” Hughes says. Go black and gray Black and gray, a style of tattooing that uses only shades of black ink, is the style for you if you want your tattoo to last, Hughes says. “It can capture a lot of great gradients and smooth tones from dark to light,” he says. “It just ages well. It looks cool. It even ages well if it’s 20 years old.” Get more tips, and the complete interview, at ZagMagazine.com.
Zag Magazine.com
TAT T O O F R O M J A M E S H U G H E S ; T O M WA I T S : I S T O C K . C O M / E D S T O C K
In the ’80s, Hughes saw tattooing evolve from a low-brow discipline to a nuanced art form. “Everything made a huge shift from analog to digital, and so people were creating using a computer. I think there were a lot of people my age who were like, ‘No, I want to use my hands and dictate my own innovation,’” Hughes says. Early in his career, Hughes worked with Baltimore tattoo legend Vinnie Myers, and relished the opportunity to get tattooed by artists he admired. “Jeez, that’s almost 20 years old. It’s hard for me to say that,” Hughes says, pointing to his favorite tattoo. It’s a blue-and-black portrait of singersongwriter Tom Waits on his inner arm. “I went to get tattooed by this guy named Tin-Tin from Paris. He’s really well known around the world for portrait work. It was one of those experiences where you walk away a better person.”
Do your homework Hughes says researching artists, shops and styles is the first step. “It’s really good to look at people’s portfolios and what other people have to say about their experiences online... .If you see a tattoo you like, you should pursue it. If you see a body of work that you like, then you go meet up with them and talk to them, and if you get along, then pursue it.”
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LIFESTYLES
PET PERKS
Dogs of Summer M
Haircut? Got ’em all cut!
— Will C. Franklin
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Working like a dog
Don’t head for the beach without your pooch! Several areas in Maryland allow dogs to play in the water, too. However, be sure to read the list of rules and check for any fees before grabbing your beach umbrella. Here are a couple worth checking out:
• Dog Beach at Downs Park, 8311 John Downs Loop, Pasadena. Beach and trails are open to dogs. Visit aacounty.org/ recparks and search under Downs Park for detailed regulations.
• Dog Beach at Matapeake Park, 2010 Sonny Schulz Blvd., Stevensville. A nice trail leads to a section of the beach for dogs. For rules, visitqac.org and do a search for “dog beach.” — Vanessa B. Harrington
Don’t forget to celebrate Take your Dog to Work Day! Bring your lovable buddy to your workplace June 26 (with permission from your boss) and watch your co-workers flock to your desk. If you don’t have a dog, this is a good time to check with local animal shelters to see what items are in need and make a donation. — Vanessa B. Harrington
PRIVATE PARTIES FOR YOU AND YOUR PETS
S
ummer is wedding season, and for pet owners who don’t want their canines to miss out on the experience, iCare Canine Pet Services at 16598 Oakmont Ave. in Gaithersburg has you covered.
“We do whatever people request,” says owner Morris Lindesey. “They can rent the space and decorate it any way they want. Whatever they want we can put it together.” Lindesey said simple dog birthday parties and play groups are commonly requested, but iCare has even hosted dog weddings. For more information, call 301-963-6962. — Jeffrey Lyles
Sure, they might enjoy dress-up as much as you do. Then again, payback can be, you know, a bitch. Zag Magazine.com
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The summer heat brings cookouts, trips to the pool and other things to keep you cool. Your pets, however, need to stay cool, too. It’s important to make sure they’re groomed to be ready for hot months. According to Taylor Hosking, Amy Huntzinger and Aubrie Geyer at Janneth’s Pet Grooming at 19220 New Hampshire Ave. in Brinklow, pets can easily overheat in the summer, which increases the risk for heatstroke. Just as we’re comfortable wearing shorts and T-shirts in the summer, dogs are more comfortable with a shorter cut, they say. Canines aren’t the only ones in need of grooming, though. Certain types of cats need professional grooming if their owners don’t brush out their hair. Other animals, such as rabbits, need their nails trimmed monthly. For dogs, summer grooming normally entails going shorter for comfort in the swelter. And shorter hair means they can be groomed less frequently.
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LIFESTYLES
FYI, You Can DIY!
HOUSE RULES
I
BY KIRSTY GROFF
f you’ve recently moved or are ready for a style change, you may be tempted to jump in and tear everything apart. Tom Christopher of Christopher’s Hardware in Sandy Spring has some tips for where to begin — and what to leave up to the professionals.
Baby steps
If you have yard space available, a garden is a good way to wet your DIY feet. By mulching a patch of land and planting some vegetables, fruits or flowers, homeowners or renters can gain a lot of look for a small investment. “It doesn’t take a large amount of expertise,” Christopher says, “just a little bit of time and some labor.” Apartment dwellers typically have to check with landlords before going through with any possibly permanent changes. However, Christopher says tasks as small as changing out towel bars or curtain rods can spruce a space up quickly. Substantial builds that don’t affect the foundation or the home itself — such as a doghouse or a small garden shed — are also great projects for enthusiastic homeowners to take on without risking extensive damage to a house. Thanks to the magic of YouTube tutorial videos, many household tasks previously left for experts to handle have become accessible, even to those who haven’t had any experience working with their hands. Books and
WASTE
NOT
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Proceed with caution
For some DIY projects, the materials needed sometimes make it cheaper to just hire a professional. For example, refinishing a deck isn’t the most complex project a homeowner could take on; however, the funds needed to secure a power washer, floor sander, etc., would be better spent on hiring someone with the right tools to do the job instead. Christopher also warns people about working by themselves on the circuit breaker box or projects such as replacing a garbage disposal that involve both electrical and plumbing work. Working under the sink also means being comfortable working in a confined space with little flexibility, which could be intimidating for the inexperienced.
Before taking on a DIY project, keep these items in mind: • Time available — it’s better to overestimate; • Financial investment — hiccups along the way can cost additional money;
“I’ve changed mine myself, but it’s not something everybody would want to do,” he says. “My mother is capable of a lot of things, but I wouldn’t recommend her doing that.” However, if you feel confident in your abilities to create or fix something yourself, the task is bound to feel rewarding.
• Planned end result — leave improvisation to the comedy clubs; • Physical labor — can you handle heavy lifting?
“There’s a great sense of satisfaction in working with your hands,” Christopher says, “and you can frequently get good results that are not significantly different from the professional you would hire would do. You might surprise yourself at how good a job you could do.”
As outside temperatures heat up and lawns start to scorch, homeowners should be careful about the amount of water they use. The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission recommends starting with bathroom usage, as that’s where water is used the most. For tips, visit wsscwater.com/conservation.
Zag Magazine.com
I S T O C K . C O M / P H I L L I P S P E A R S ; FA U C E T: S T O C K B Y T E / T H I N K S T O C K
Kicking it up a notch
other websites can also guide people through projects such as soldering plumbing joints or working on small electrical fixes. “Putting in a dimmer or changing out a switch or receptacle in the wall, ballasts with fluorescent lights — those are projects a lot of people shy away from because they don’t understand electricity and know it could be dangerous,” Christopher says.
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LIFESTYLES
GREEN WHEELIN’
RIDES
VW E-GOLF: E-GOLF:
V
BY DAN CARNEY, MOTOR MATTERS
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response to lifting off the accelerator pedal; the car coasts along nicely, very much like a gas car in the same situation, without the sudden lurching deceleration from regeneration as soon as the car stops accelerating. There’s an ordinary-looking console-mounted shifter that slides from park, through reverse, neutral and drive, exactly like regular cars do, with no silly knobs, buttons, levers or other nonconventional, unfamiliar shifter formats to annoy drivers and possibly confuse them when reacting in an emergency. For those making the move from gas cars who want the most invisible EV experience possible, the e-Golf seems like today’s leader, from its innocuous Golf exterior appearance to those driving characteristics that make it feel very much like a conventional car. However, for drivers who do
crave that EV experience, along with the bonus of some potential added driving range, the e-Golf has another driving mode. Select that by clicking the shifter down a notch as if changing to low gear. In this mode, the e-Golf has stronger regeneration and functions more like a one-pedal vehicle, with more powerful and abrupt regeneration as soon as the driver begins to lift off the accelerator pedal. This mode betrays the e-Golf’s electric nature, so for drivers trying to avoid that, it is probably not a good choice. But for those who embrace electric driving, (and who is likely to buy an EV without embracing it?) it is a sensible selection. That’s because, once you’re used to it, one-pedal driving is actually easier and smoother in stop-and-go traffic since the driver rarely has to move a foot to the brake pedal.
According to Volkswagen, the e-Golf achieves an EPA-estimated miles per gallon Equivalent (MPGe) of 126 city, 105 highway and 116 combined; the EPA estimates that range is 83 miles on a single charge. This makes the e-Golf the most fuel-efficient compact car in the U.S., according to the EPA’s list of 2015’s most fuel efficient cars by size class (including electric vehicles). Volkswagen has announced a lower-cost Limited Edition of the e-Golf in a bid to recruit customers who might be on the fence. This entry-level edition starts at $33,450, but there also is an attractive $229 monthly lease deal that makes EV ownership more realistic for a lot of prospective drivers. They’ll just have to get used to the fact that nobody else is likely to realize their Golf doesn’t burn gas. Zag Magazine.com
M O T O R M AT T E R S , F R O M T H E M A N U FA C T U R E R
olkswagen’s 2015 e-Golf looks like pretty much any other Golf on the road. Its analog instrument panel looks similarly familiar, as a large gauge shows energy remaining, just like the gas gauge on a conventional car. Driving the 2015 e-Golf feels much more conventional than some other electronic vehicles, too. It seems less sensitive to accidentally chirping the front tires on launch, with a smoother, more progressive takeoff than many EVs. Similarly, its response to very small amounts of throttle pedal, as when parking, is very predictable, making parallel parking as easy as with a gas car and automatic transmission. Another very normal aspect of driving the VW e-Golf is its
It’s Just Like Driving a Regular Golf
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LIFESTYLES
RETAIL THERAPY
Sunshine & Shopping
AS
BY RAECINE WILLIAMS
warmer weather kicks into gear, these fun items will help you get in the summer spirit.
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1. Mini Avery Beach Bag
This bright, striped bag with zip-top closure can work as a coin purse or makeup case. The bag also comes in a bigger size and multiple designs, so you can even pick up two.
2. Butterfly Wing Earrings
Made from the wings of butterflies that have lived a full life, these gorgeous teardrop earrings are made by Asana Natural Arts in Salt Lake City, Utah, and sold by GALA Artisan Jewelry and Gifts. The Papilio Albertisi Butterfly is showcased in this sterling silver design.
3. Erika Necklace
This simple yet sophisticated necklace hosts a London Blue Topaz as its focal point and adds a touch of color to any outfit. Designer Anna Balkan came from the Ukraine to the United States and says she started designing items with a lot of color, as the world she lived in was often very drab.
4. Stemless Acrylic Wine Glasses
This pair of casual, cute wine glasses featuring Lily Pulitzer’s Jungle Tumble pattern can be used for just about any beverage. Perfect for an outdoor spring gathering, a casual lunch at home or for a fun burst of color at any table setting.
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5
5. Fragonard Pois de Senteur Soap
Between the festive spring packaging, delicate scent of sweet pea and the pleasing pink color of this soap, it’s sure to wash away any remaining winter blues. This wonder is made in France by a perfumery that only produces a set amount of each scent every year and is carried by the Blue House in Bethesda.
Where to get these goodies, and what they’ll run you 18
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1. Mini Avery Beach Bag ($28). Store: The Cottage Monet, 36 Maryland Ave., Rockville. cottagemonet.com 2. Butterfly Wing Earrings ($40). Store: Gala Artisan Jewelry and Gifts, 10417 Armory Ave., Kensington. galaartisans.com 3. Erika Necklace ($75). Store: Appalachian Spring, 1641 Rockville Pike, Rockville. appalachianspring.com 4. Stemless Acrylic Wine Glasses ($20). Store: The Pink Palm, 4867 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda. thepinkpalm.net 5. Fragonard Pois de Senteur Soap ($15). Store: The Blue House, 7770 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda. thebluehousebethesda.com Zag Magazine.com
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June l July 2015 | Zag Magazine
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WEED’S FUTURE
COVER STORY
in Maryland Medical marijuana became legal in Maryland about 14 months ago, though you still can’t get it until licensed dispensaries open next year.
20
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I S T O C K . C O M / C A B E Z O N I C AT I O N
Meanwhile, a bill that would have legalized recreational use died in the state legistature just a few months ago. Still, advocates say it’s only a matter of time. BY WILL C. FRANKLIN
Zag Magazine.com
Zag Magazine.com
June l July 2015 | Zag Magazine
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J Joan breaks the law almost every week. The 22-year-old Potomac resident (whose name has been changed in this story to protect her identity) recently graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park. She has successfully completed several internships and graduated with a 3.7 GPA.
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In 1930, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics pushed to outlaw all recreational drugs.
The FBN, led by Commissioner Harry J. Anslinger, made the case to make marijuana illegal, claiming cannabis caused people to commit violent crimes, act wildly and unpredictably, and become overly sexual. Not only did Anslinger make these statements repeatedly in the press, but the FBN also made several propaganda films about the dangers of marijuana. In 1937, the Marihuana Tax Act basically made having, smoking or selling marijuana illegal in the United States. “I think the whole country is moving in the direction of repealing marijuana prohibition,” says state Sen. Jamie Raskin (D-Dist. 20) of Takoma Park. “It’s not a question of ‘if,’ it’s a question of ‘when.’ The whole thing is very similar to the end of Prohibition. Prohibition didn’t work. … We can drive the drug dealers out of the state, we can lay huge amounts of money on law enforcement, we can create a legitimate industry with tax-paying jobs and stop a war on our own people in essence by recognizing the failure of marijuana prohibition.” Last year, Maryland adopted a law that decriminalized possession of fewer than 10 grams of marijuana. If you’re caught, it becomes a civil offense, punishable by a citation or a fine. Having marijuana paraphernalia, such as a pipe or bong, is still a criminal offense. Gov. Larry Hogan (R) vetoed a bill May 22 that would have removed criminal penalties for those caught with paraphernalia, even though it was approved 32-13 in the state Senate and 85-53 in the state House of Delegates. The Marijuana Control and Revenue Act of 2015, brought to the Maryland legislature earlier this year by Raskin, was sponsored by more than 40 lawmakers. The bill, which died in session after there was no vote, would have allowed adults 21 and older to have up to one ounce of marijuana and grow up to six plants in their homes. The bill also would have set up the possibility for future retail marijuana stores in Maryland, much as they have in Colorado, where these laws already exist. Raskin says the bigger issue now is getting the dealers of more dangerous drugs off the streets.
“THE REAL PROBLEM IS THE EPIDEMIC RELATED TO HEROIN USE.”
“The real problem is the epidemic related to heroin use. That’s where we should be targeting law enforcement,” he says. Raskin says that while he doesn’t smoke or drink and doesn’t want his children to do so, either, he understands that people may try marijuana and doesn’t feel like their image should be forever tarnished by that. “I don’t want [my children’s] lives ruined if they go out and experiment with any of the common substances in American society. I just think we have a much better chance of reducing consumption through a public health strategy. … We should teach our kids in a very specific and no-nonsense way the harmful effects of marijuana, and we should do everything in our power to keep it away from anyone under the age of 21. That’s where we should be channeling our resources.”
‘A drug dealer is a drug dealer.’ Washington, D.C., native Will Jones III, 25, started the Two is Enough antimarijuana movement in D.C. in 2014.
The diverse group made a push against legalizing marijuana, stating that, with alcohol and tobacco, “We have seen and are still combating the negative impact of tobacco and alcohol on our youth, families and communities. Companies that produce these two legal drugs have disproportionately targeted and affected communities of color, thus we are committed to protecting these communities and the rest of our city from the consequences of legalized marijuana,” according to the group’s website. “A drug dealer is a drug dealer; it doesn’t matter if you’re on the corner of the street or if you’re a corporate business,” Jones says. “What is being done with that money? In Colorado, if we look at the latest reports coming out, the revenue is maybe a couple hundred million, but it’s a lot less than what was projected.” ~CONTINUED ON 24~ Zag Magazine.com
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Joan’s hard work — to include the added pressure of finding a full-time job — has not come without its share of stress, but Joan has a way to deal with the tension: She smokes marijuana. She knows it’s illegal in Maryland, except under regulations allowed for medicinal use, but she’s hoping state leaders will legalize its recreational use, as has been done in Washington, D.C., Colorado, Alaska, Oregon and Washington state. “Sometimes I’ll go a week without smoking, but probably never more than a week, though,” Joan says. “When I do, I guess I usually do it before bed to help me relax and stop thinking about the stress of the day, or if I don’t have anything to do for school or work, and it’s like a social thing where we invite friends over, then I’ll do it then. So a few times a week on average, but never multiple times in a day.” According to the Washington, D.C., based nonprofit group NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, some 25 million Americans have smoked marijuana in the past year and 14 million do it more than once a week. “The vast majority of marijuana smokers, like most other Americans, are good citizens who work hard, raise families, pay taxes and contribute in a positive way to their communities,” according to NORML’s website. “They are certainly not part of the crime problem in this country, and it is terribly unfair to continue to treat them as criminals.”
Growing approval
A medical marijuana sign outside of a clinic on the Venice Beach boardwalk in Los Angeles. Zag Magazine.com
June l July 2015 | Zag Magazine
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“WE HAVE SEEN AND ARE STILL COMBATTING THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL ON OUR YOUTH.”
~CONTINUED FROM 22~
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County because it made better financial sense and there happened to be a better selection of real estate available. “The rents are half to even sometimes a third of what they are in Montgomery County, and the available workforce in Frederick [is larger],” Goldberg says. “In Frederick, there’s a little bit more room and a little bit more space. There may have been a few warehouses that looked good in Montgomery County, but when we looked at the overall landscape zone, well, there’s a church nearby and there’s a school somewhat close by … . We’re really trying to be as far out of the way as possible.” Jones agrees that marijuana can and should be used medicinally. However, he cautioned that even allowing medical marijuana has its dangers. “Medical marijuana is about getting people a card that is going to allow them to smoke, which is self-medicating,” Jones says. “There is no prescription on how much I should smoke if I feel like I have some back pain and I need to smoke, so let me get my marijuana card. For instance, in California there are millions of people who have this so-called medical marijuana card that do not have life-threatening illnesses who just want to smoke, so they’ll report some back pain or something unverifiable to obtain a medical marijuana card.”
Smoke signals Buying marijuana, at least according to Joan, seems to be a lot easier nowadays than it used to be.
She describes having to drive from the College Park campus to Rockville during her first years in college to meet up with a guy who sold weed. “It used to be a little more difficult [to buy] than it is now,” Joan says. “I feel like more people I know have started selling weed recently. I don’t buy it very much … . I maybe buy a gram every four months and sort of parcel it out. It doesn’t take a lot for me because I’m not doing it all day, every day, so I can make it last. … Now, my boyfriend’s roommate and best friend started selling, so I guess I’ll buy from him now. So it’s getting easier, oddly enough.” Joan says her brother is a recovering alcoholic who attends both Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, but she believes that marijuana, just like anything else, is good in moderation. To her, smoking marijuana is no worse than drinking a beer or a glass of wine. “It’s just the stigma behind it and the number of people who find it acceptable,” Joan says. “I think time will change that and push it one way or the other and I think it’s happening already, but people shouldn’t be afraid of it.” Zag Magazine.com
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In 2014, Colorado brought in about $700 million in revenue from the sale of marijuana, according to the state’s government website, which broke down to $385.9 million coming in for medical marijuana and $313.2 million for recreational use. One issue on which both sides occasionally find some common ground is the benefits of medical marijuana. Doctors have used cannabis to help reduce nausea and vomiting with chemotherapy, as well as help those dealing with pain. “More than 90 percent of the people [nationwide] favor medical marijuana,” Raskin says. “Wherever you stand on the war on drugs and the war on marijuana, generally, we should all agree that it’s time to get the wounded civilians and noncombatants off the battlefield. The people who are suffering from cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis and other serious maladies should be given a lifeline. The government should not be standing in between very sick people and the drugs that they need to get through the day.” Philip Goldberg, a Germantown businessman, is on the forefront of medical marijuana here in Maryland. He’s looking to open a factory in Frederick to grow and sell medical marijuana — plants, oils, etc. — wholesale to soon-to-be opened dispensaries in the state. Originally, the idea to start a medical marijuana factory was strictly about the money. However, Goldberg says his views changed after meeting patients who are suffering. “I mean, there’s still a profit motivation there, but also meeting the patients and meeting their caregivers definitely turned my mind toward helping patients and realizing that it’s serious medicine,” he says. Goldberg says he decided to open the facility in Frederick County instead of Montgomery
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2 0 1 5 To u r D a te s :
2 0 : Main St. Market, Gaithersburg, MD 2 4 : The Music Cafe, Damascus, MD 2 6 : Ebenezer’s Coffeehouse, D.C. 2 7 : Stone Room Concerts, Arlington, VA 2 8 : Frederick Coffee Co. Frederick, MD 2 9 : Brewer’s Alley, Frederick, MD
June l July 2015 | Zag Magazine
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MIXOLOGY
EAT & DRINK
The Races Are Over.
THESE DRINKS RIDE ON.
M
Jackie’s Sidebar bar manager Paul Martinez with a mint julep, a black-eyed Susan and a Belmont Jewel.
BY JEFFREY LYLES
ontgomery County bartenders say the television show “Mad Men” has influenced drinkers’ selections for most of the year, but with the recent end of horse racing’s Triple Crown — The Kentucky Derby, The Preakness and The Belmont Stakes — in-the-know patrons at the Sidebar (the bar to the side of Jackie’s Restaurant at 8081 Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring) prefer drinks synonymous with the signature races. “This is the main time of year we’ll have people coming in asking for those drinks,” says bar manager Paul Martinez. “Most people just know the black-eyed Susan as the Maryland state flower and not a drink, but it’s a really delicious drink.” Here’s what you’ll need to be the bartender in demand long after the races.
MINT JULEP
BLACK-EYED SUSAN
2 ounces Kentucky bourbon
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1 ounce Kentucky bourbon
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1½ ounces of Kentucky bourbon
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1 teaspoon powdered sugar
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1 ounce vodka
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3/4 ounce of lemon juice
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6-8 mint leaves
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3/4 ounce lemon juice
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3/4 ounce simple syrup
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Crushed ice
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3/4 ounce simple syrup
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1 ounce pomegranate juice
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2 ounces orange juice
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1 egg white
Combine ingredients, shaking vigorously and strain into a double rocks glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
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Combine all ingredients, but add the egg last, Martinez says. Dry shake vigorously for at least 15 seconds. Add ice, reshake for another 10 seconds then double strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with an orange wheel and brandied cherry.
WATCH MARTINEZ MAKE THESE AT ZAGMAGAZINE.COM
Zag Magazine.com
I L L U S T R AT I O N : I S T O C K . C O M / H O P E - D E S I G N E R ; D A N G R O S S R / Z A G M A G A Z I N E
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Lightly muddle the mint leaves to break up the stem cells, just be mindful not to mash them otherwise you’ll have a bitter drink, Martinez warns. Add in the mint, sugar and bourbon, and stir. Add crushed ice then stir again until it’s well chilled. For the best Mint Julip, mix it in a silver or pewter cup, which gets the drink colder faster, Martinez says. Also, use a julip strainer to avoid having a mouth full of mint particles so people will rave about your drink and not your green teeth. When you’re ready to serve, add a sprig of mint for effect.
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BELMONT JEWEL
EAT & DRINK
DELISH
Get vegan COLESLAW, POTATO recipes at ZagMagazine.com.
SALAD AND BBQ CHICKEN We know what you’re thinking, so, yes, turns out chicken CAN be vegan.
MAKE THIS:
VEGAN ‘EVOLVES’ CREAMY VEGAN MAC AND CHEESE
BY SAMANTHA SCHMIEDER
HEADSHOT FROM BARUCH BEN-YEHUDAH; PHOTOS BY TOM FEDOR/ZAG MAGAZINE
N
ative Washingtonian Baruch Ben-Yehudah — or Dr. Baruch as his loyal customers and employees call him — has worked to provide a plant-based alternative to the often-unhealthy comfort food that carnivores and herbivores alike crave. With that in mind, 20 years ago Ben-Yehudah took the plunge into the restaurant world. Everlasting Life, located in Capitol Heights, is his cafeteria-style joint. And now Evolve Vegan Restaurant, located in Takoma Park, just minutes from the Takoma Metro and Washington, D.C.-Montgomery County border, is a sit-down restaurant with a full-service bar because, let’s face it, even vegans need a drink. Ben-Yehudah sat down at Evolve to chat about his decision to cut animal products from his life and the summertime vegan eats he replaced them with. Why did you personally become a vegan?
Well, it’s a long story, but I’ll make it short. My second-grade teacher was extremely gorgeous and she saw me eating a pork chop sandwich one day and she asked what it was. I told her and she squinched up her face. And I was in love with her, she was my wife, in my mind, and I didn’t want to upset her and she said, ‘You know pork chops isn’t the best thing for you.’ So on that day, that was the last day, at Zag Magazine.com
Serves 4-5
Nadia Carnegie and Jarreau Anthony, both of Washington, D.C., dine at Evolve Vegan Restaurant in Takoma Park. TOP: Baruch Ben-Yehudah
age 7, that I ate pork. At age 13, I had been exposed to the damage that meat does to the body so I stopped eating meat. Meat, chicken and all other flesh at 13, and the motivation there was health. It wasn’t until later that I understood the compassion and the environmental impact of my decisions. Who comes up with the food?
Between myself and the head chef, we come up with the recipes, we come up with the different foods on the menu. A lot of it is comfort food, Southern food?
We are a vegan food [place] with definitely a Southern twist. I think we coined the term “vegan sophistication with a Southern twist.” A lot of meat eaters come here as well?
Oh yes, the majority of our customers are not vegan. Are they usually surprised that they are eating vegan food?
No, but they’re surprised that vegan food could taste so good.
If you were hosting a summer barbecue, what would you bring?
We would probably offer our chicken, and there are various forms of chicken which are all of course tofu or Quorn or wheat seitan. So we would offer the chicken, the barbecue, what I call ‘rib tips,’ we would offer crab cakes, hamburgers. [I’m] not too excited about vegan hot dogs or how they’re made; we do make a loaf, but not a hot dog. I’d say that would be it. And of course the vegetables, the macaroni and cheese is a must, the collard greens, the vegan tuna fish, vegan carrot salad, I think that would about round it up.
Ingredients: l 10 ounces dried macaroni (or about 2 cups) l 10 ounces Teese brand vegan cheddar cheese l 1½ cups plain soy milk l 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes l 1 tablespoon lemon juice l 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder l 1 pinch paprika l Salt (to taste) Preparation: Cook macaroni al dente, according to package instructions (usually requires boiling for six to eight minutes in salted water), drain and set aside. Melt 10 ounces of Teese brand vegan cheddar in a sauce pan with soy milk, nutritional yeast, garlic powder and paprika. Once cheese has melted, slowly add lemon juice, stirring continuously. Pour sauce over cooked macaroni noodles in a dish of your choice, taste for salt and serve immediately. Can also be baked in the oven sprinkled with bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden brown. June l July 2015 | Zag Magazine
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v
STUFF TO DO
gaming
The horror! TH E DECI IN WHICH WE REGRET
SION TO TURN OFF TH
E LIGHTS
Terror (& Thrills) are Real with ‘Resident Evil HD’
F
BY JEFFREY LYLES
or old-school gamers, there’s nothing quite like that maddening realization that you’re down to one bullet when you hear that ominous moaning coming from just around the corner. Capcom video game company wanted a new generation of gamers to experience true survival horror with “Resident Evil HD” — a spiffed-up, high-def goodness coating of the 1996 classic action game. The remake is avail-
VIDEO WARRIORS
Zag Magazine | June
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Listen to me, Warriors. For the nostalgic wrestling fans out there, 2K Sports’ new Downloadable Content (DLC) Showcase mode for its popular “WWE 2K15” allows them to take the “Path of the Warrior,” featuring some of the memorable moments in the career of the late Ultimate Warrior. You’ll be able to re-enact Warrior’s matches against fel-
low WWE Hall of Famers such as Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant (with Bobby “The Brain” Heenan), “Macho King” Randy Savage (with Queen Sherri), Rick Rude, The Undertaker (with Paul Bearer), Col. Mustafa (with Gen. Adnan) and Hunter Hearst Helmsley in matchspecific attires. As an added bonus, you’ll be able to play out these historic matchups
in the actual arenas, complete with detailed ring aprons for WrestleMania VI, VII and XII; SummerSlam; Saturday Night’s Main Event, and Madison Square Garden. The “Path of the Warrior” is available on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One for $9.99 ... or the cost of the WWE Network for a month. Zag Magazine.com
PHOTOS FROM CAPCOM
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able on most major platforms from PlayStation 3 and 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows. In later years, the popular franchise has leaned more toward an action adventure slant in which ammunition is rarely in short supply and you can gleefully blast away knowing there’s another slew of zombie-blasting bullets right around the corner. Not so much here. In “RE HD,” it’s all about strategy and trying not to let your nerves get the better of you. Good luck, though, as you’ll quickly start to question that decision to
turn the lights off while playing. The improvements to the graphics are immediately noticeable for those who have played throughout the series across various platforms ranging from the original PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Gamecube and PlayStation 3. You can actually make out all the details in the infamous mansion where Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine find themselves trapped with little hope of survival. Players can choose a more old-school look for the two playable characters or go more with a more modern appearance similar to later character models from the games. The real beauty of the game is the enhanced tension provided by updated graphics and sound. Capcom re-established some camera and lighting perspectives to truly tap into that dreaded sense of fear you get watching horror thrillers. This time, though, instead of being a passive observer, you’re the potential victim so on edge from the sudden arrivals of zombies, zombie dogs, crows and other beasts, you’ll start freaking out over your character’s own shadow. A lack of resources from weapons to medicine also helps keep players on edge, forcing some tough decisions — like if it’s really, really worth going down that hallway with six bullets and one health-healing herb. Although some later entries in the series look better and are heavier on action, the mood, tension and embodiment of true survival horror can’t be beat. For $20, you won’t find a better bargain for such an impressive game, until Capcom decides on a ‘Resident Evil 2 HD’ version.
v
STUFF TO DO
in the game
CH ALLENGE YOUR BODY & YOUR MIND — by Kirsty Groff
Ban Boredom, Embrace Board-Dom
v Up a Tree
B O A R D G A M E : T O M F E D O R / Z A G M A G A Z I N E ; Z I P - L I N E : A D V E N T U R E PA R K AT S A N D Y S P R I N G ; Q U I D D I T C H : I S A B E L L A G O N G P H O T O G R A P H Y
Itching to leave your cubicle and go zip-lining? The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring (6701 Norwood Road in Sandy Spring) can help with that. As of June 12, the park’s Aerial Forest Park, Monkey Grove and Labyrinth is open all week into the night, with some trails available as late as 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
F
Patrons play Dixit at
The Board and Brew orget everything fun is Games Club in College Park. you know about of Maryland, which board games. began in 1996 in Baltimore Monopoly and Scrabble and since has expanded to 37 have their own place in the game locations in five different states of Life (pun intended), but there’s and the District. Steven Quade, an entire world of tabletop gamwho hosts two GCOM locaing that can be found just inside tions, says sites such as Facebook the Beltway. and Meetup.com have helped For example, The Board and immensely with bringing people Brew (8150 Baltimore Ave. in with similar tastes in tabletop College Park) opened in June games together. 2014, with co-owners Brian “Before the Internet, finding McClimens and Ben Epstein hopother people that share the same ing to provide a relaxing space interest required knowing who to for the community to gather and ask or where to look,” he says. choose from 500-plus board “With the Internet, finding other game options. They continually people who share the same interadd to their library based on cusest or where to go became easier, tomer suggestions. and then social media made it “It’s difficult for most indireally easy.” viduals to accumulate that type GCOM groups teach the rules of collection,” McClimens says. of that night’s game beforehand “These games aren’t too cheap, so so players with a range of expeif there’s a game you’re interested rience can feel comfortable joinin, you’re not necessarily going to ing in. go out and buy it.” While mobile devices have Also adding to the game board led to a rise in digital versions
Zag Magazine.com
of physical games, Quade hasn’t noticed any decrease in gamers wanting to join in with others in person. Spaces such as The Board and Brew and other public spaces for board gaming can actually bring more people in, like people passing by who ask to play for one or two rounds. Today’s game-board options encompass a wide range of topics, from political and warfare strategy to historical and mythological, which may surprise would-be gamers wary of the family night choices of their youth. “A lot of people think of the games they played as kids, which really weren’t that good,” McClimens says. “It’s taken awhile for people to realize how good a lot of board games are. There’s so many different types that people with very different interests can find games they like. They’re certainly not all the same.”
v Magic Touch
Quidditch, the spellbinding sport from the “Harry Potter” book series, has flown off the page and onto nearby fields! Washington, D.C., team Capital Madness, along with the University of Maryland team and dozens of other competitors, took part in the 2015 World Cup in April. Join the D.C. team or create your own by registering with the United States Quidditch organization (usquidditch.org) and signing up seven to 21 additional players. Find more stuff to play at ZagMagazine.com. June l July 2015 | Zag Magazine
29
v
STUFF TO DO
the list
IT’S SUMMER. OK TO LEAVE THE HOUSE NOW. 27-28 | 23rd annual Safeway Barbecue Battle — 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Pennsylvania Avenue between 9th and 14th streets NW, Washington, D.C. Teams will compete for a chance to win more than $40,000 in cash and other prizes. bbqindc.com.
JULY 4 | 15th annual Autism
Speaks 5K Run-1 Mile Walk
— 6:30 to 9:30 a.m., Potomac Library parking lot, 10101 Glenolden Drive, Potomac. Start out Independence Day supporting a good cause. Not going to be in town? There’s a “Virtual 5K” option at autismspeaks5k.org.
June 13 | Chesapeake Crab and Beer Festival — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m., Rash
Field at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. More than 30,000 crabs up for grabs, as well as live music and arts and crafts. The Charm City Crab Run 5K takes place as well at 9:30 a.m.
19, the festival kicks off with the Whole Hog Friday Night Pig Pickin’ Session, and barbecue vendors and live music will follow on June 20. Tickets cost $29 to $99. beerandbourbon.com/ national-harbor/show-info.
Festival — 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.,
7000 Carroll Ave., Takoma Park. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the jazz festival, which is a free, all-day event filled with music, food and family-friendly fun. tpjazzfest.org.
16-Aug.16 | “The Book of
Mormon” — The nine-time Tony
Award-winning musical written by the creators of “South Park” comes to the Kennedy Center. The show, which will run in the Opera House, has been hailed as “the best musical of this century” by The New York Times. Tickets for the show are $43 to $250. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org.
17-21 | AFI Docs — Various
metropolitan area locations, including AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville
30
Zag Magazine | June
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July 2015
24-28, July 1-5 | Smith-
Road, Silver Spring. Cost: $11 to $14 per screening. The fiveday international documentary film festival will hold many screenings at the local AFI theater as well as museums and organizations in Washington, D.C. Go to afi.com/afidocs for screening times and locations and to purchase ticket packages.
19-20 | Beer, Bourbon & BBQ — National Harbor hosts
one of the area’s best fests to enjoy all-you-care-to-taste samplings of beer, bourbon and barbecue. From 6 to 10 p.m. June
sonian Folklife Festival — 11
a.m. to 5:30 p.m., National Mall in Washington, D.C., between Third and Fourth streets NW. Learn about old and new cultural traditions from around the world, with a focus this year on Peru. Learn more at festival.si.edu.
26-28 |
7th annual Frederick Film Festival —
More than 100 international shorts will be screened during this festival, along with guest appearances by filmmakers, live music and other special events. Tickets range from $5 to $35. weinbergcenter.org.
are Fourth of July celebrations aplenty here in Montgomery County — to include events in Boyds, Gaithersburg, Kensington, Takoma Park and Rockville — or you can celebrate in the nation’s capital. For information about the musical extravaganza planned on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, visit pbs.org/a-capitol-fourth.
17-19 | Artscape — 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday in Baltimore’s Mount Royal Avenue and Cathedral Street, Charles Street, Bolton Hill, and Station North Arts and Entertainment District neighborhoods. Concerts, artists, designers and more. Touted as America’s largest free arts festival. artscape.org 21-25 | 10th annual Bethesda Outdoor Movies — 9 p.m., corner of Norfolk and Auburn avenues. Bring a lawn chair to this free event. The list of movies being shown is available at bethesda.org/bethesdaoutdoor-movies.
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C H E S A P E A K E C R A B A N D B E E R F E S T I VA L : H E AT H E R V I C T O R I A P H O T O G R A P H Y; A F I D O C S : C H R I S T O P H E R A N D E R S O N / Z A G M A G A Z I N E
JUNE 14 | Takoma Park Jazz
4th Celebrations | There
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STUFF TO DO
Or in this case, daylife.
nightlife
COMING TO A FESTI VAL NE AR YOU
— by Samantha Schmieder
— festival season is upon us! Despite the big-name festivals like Lollapalooza and Coachella happening a bit too far away for us East Coast dwellers, we’re no longer getting the short end of the totem pole, or however that saying goes.
THE WEATHER IS WARM AND THE BANDS ARE PLAYING OUTSIDE
June 18-21 The Woodlands, Dover, Del. Four-day pass, starting at $299
show Delaware what their neighbors can do. Bring or rent a tent and camp out with friends for the full experience.
Firefly may only be celebrating its fourth birthday this year, but it’s not lacking the star power that much older, more mature festivals have boasted in the past. Veterans Paul McCartney, Snoop Dogg and Modest Mouse are joining recent hit-makers Hozier and Bastille as some of the bigger names of the festival. Keep in mind that Firefly is just one state over in Delaware, meaning there definitely are some Maryland natives set to perform. Logic, the Gaithersburg rapper, and indie newcomers Prinze George will
Landmark Music Festival
Zag Magazine.com
Sept. 26-27 West Potomac Park, Washington, D.C. Two-day passes, starting at $150
This festival is literally in your backyard. Just a quick trip on the Metro and you’re there, then you get to rest up for day two of the festivities in your own home-sweet-home. Why would you not go? What’s better than a festival that you don’t even have to drive to? Well, how about a festival that also benefits the restora-
tion of D.C.’s pride and joy — The National Mall. The inaugural Landmark Festival has both of those and performers including
Drake, alt-J, CHVRCHES and The Strokes, with
more being added. While there will be food and drinks onsite, your wristband scans to let you come in and out up to five times throughout the day, meaning you can hit up happy hour at your favorite D.C. spot instead. Ticket prices have been rising steadily since it was announced, so grab ’em while they’re cheap.
Way more festivals at ZagMagazine.com, including Merriweather’s Warped Tour and Mayhem Fest, both in July.
+ CHECK OUT THESE ARTISTS LIVE
P H O T O F R O M F I R E F LY M U S I C F E S T I VA L ; W I Z K H A L I FA B Y M I K O L I M
Firefly Music Festival AWOLNATION at Fillmore Silver Spring, June 18 If you haven’t heard AWOLNATION’s hit single “Sail” yet, you should probably go to YouTube and search “cat sail fail.” Like, right now. Hozier at Merriweather Post Pavilion, June 20 “Take Me to Church” earned the 25-yearold Irish gentleman a Grammy nomination this year, and it seems like he’s just getting started. You don’t want to miss this. Fall Out Boy and Wiz Khalifa at Merriweather, June 27
While the pop-rockers and the hip-hop star don’t sound like the most conventional tour mates, it means there definitely is something for everyone. Neon Trees at 9:30 Club in D.C., July 20
The dance-rockers are sure to put on an energetic show that will keep the club bouncing all night. More at Zag online, like mewithoutYou and Rise Against. Wiz Khalifa’s swagga is (probably) no disrespect to Bono’s crew.
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S THIS IS IMPORTANT
fit
TWERKOUTS: Workouts that are fun to get behind
Sorry, not sorry.
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BY TIFFANY ARNOLD
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You feel sexy.
Michaela Brown-Jones demonstrates twerk aerobics at her women’s exotic fitness studio. Zag Magazine.com
TOM FEDOR/ZAG MAGAZINE
ichaela Brown-Jones already has issued a warning to her Saturday afternoon twerk aerobics class. “After this class, you might not want to twerk again,” says Brown-Jones during the warmup. And by the first water break, a third of the 20 or so students — all female — were visibly sweaty. The rest were at the dewy glow phase. “I’m going to be sore tomorrow,” says former Silver Spring resident Brittani Gordon, slightly winded. Other participants described the class as “the best workout ever,” the only exercise routine they’d stick to. “You work. You feel sexy. You have a lot of fun doing it,” says Gordon, 26, who now lives in Washington, D.C. For better or worse, Miley Cyrus’ stiff-legged twerk at MTV’s 2013 VMAs has drawn twerking — what the Oxford Dictionary defines as “thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance” — out into the mainstream. Leave it to local gym owners and trainers to capitalize on pop culture’s latest obsession, trading in conventional workouts for “twerkouts.” “Pushups and running on a treadmill is painstaking and boring and, in most cases, rigorous on the mind,” says Brown-Jones, a certified personal trainer, fitness twerker and founder of The P Spot Fitness Studio in Washington, D.C. The P Spot already offered pole dancing and other types of exotic fitness classes. Brown-Jones says Cyrus was the reason she started offering twerk aerobics at The P Spot last spring. “Everybody’s been popping for a long time, but I guess when Miley Cyrus started twerking, everybody was,” Brown-Jones says. On the surface, it’s really easy to question the fitness merits of twerking. Local gym owners warned that if you’re not dealing with a professional — someone with a credible certification in fitness and experience as a personal trainer or group fitness training — wiggling your butt is all you might wind up doing. A good twerk fitness instructor is more concerned about how much exercise you’re getting than your ability to twerk.
Ebony Freeman, 36, who leads a Tuesday night Twerk After Work class in Riverdale, says sex appeal is the draw for a lot of women in her class. Her facility, My Body Shop, dedicated an entire workshop to twerking. The session’s “ATL BootyClap” format challenged participants to “make the booty work in wondrous ways, while building your core and intensifying your cardio workout,” according to a flier. The suggested workout flie gear? “Loose-bootied shorts.” ge “You work. “Our emphasis is on the assets — the ass and everything it sits on,” she says. You have a lot of Sexed-up fitness is nothfun doing it.” ing new. More than a decade in ago, pole fitness phenom Sheila ag Kelley Kell lley appeared on “Oprah” and, thanks th ks tto the Oprah Effect, swung pole dancing out of strip clubs and into gyms. Around the same time, actress/model Carmen hawking striptease aerobics DVDs. Electra was hawk that women want to feel sexy. “I’ve found th feel comfortable in their own They want to fee skin,” says Ashley McGaughey, 29, a certified personal trainer aand group fitness instructor in think [exotic fitness] gives them Silver Spring. “I th that.” an outlet to do th Even though pole fitness classes are abunfitness has been slow to spread dant, twerk fitn Montgomery County, where McGaughey in Montgomer demographic skewed older. She says says the demog twerking ggets unfairly stigmatized. hard. It’s almost like a taboo,” “It’s h she says. “A lot of places don’t wa want to offer it.” Freeman says she thinks twerk stigma has to do with the type of music associated with it, music she describes as “ratchet.” It’s the reason she believes twerk fitness will be a passing trend.
At The P Spot, pushups went something like this: “Down. Up. Twerk it! Twerk it! Twerk it!” If you got rid of the twerking in Brown-Jones’ class you’d be left with the basic mechanics of an air squat, burning up your legs and behind. “[Women] come in for the excitement of the twerk, the opportunity to swing around a pole or do a lap dance, whatever. That’s what brings them in,” Brown-Jones says. “I sneak the workout in while you’re thinking king about how sexy you look.”
Another fun filled event from The Gazette!
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YOU’RE OUT OF EXCUSES!
Spring has sprung, and summer is right around the corner! This is the time of year when most neglect their fitness and health regimens in lieu of parties, gatherings, vacations and the “oh so popular” barbeques. While it is encouraged to enjoy life to its fullest, we should always be mindful not to over-indulge in the many temptations that this season brings. We here at Planet Fitness are here to help you stay on track and maintain those excellent achievements that were attained over the winter months. Planet Fitness is known for our Judgement Free Zone where members have a welcoming, non-intimidating atmosphere to achieve and celebrate all accomplishments, big and small. Now, Planet Fitness is recognizing those members and their triumphs with the launch of a new online community called Planet of Triumphs. With Planet of Triumphs, the brand is creating a platform on the belief that every achievement deserves to be celebrated. Members are able to share their personal stories and be supported by other members for their accomplishments. Members can join Planet of Triumphs either by creating a profile or signing up with their Facebook or Twitter accounts. Then they can begin crafting their story by posting a picture or video. To encourage others to share their achievements, all registered members will be eligible to win weekly prizes and the chance to be named “Triumph of the Week.” If accountability, motivation and inspiration are what you seek, you will surely find it here in this awesome community. There are currently 4 locations in Montgomery County, MD- Germantown, Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Silver Spring. Come check us out in person, or visit us on the web at www.planetfitness.com.
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S THIS IS IMPORTANT
tech talk
DRONE ON! W
BY JOE ANTOSHAK
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FIRST GLANCE
CONSUMER QUADCOPTERS COST-EFFICIENT BUY:
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$50, Hubsan X4 H107L Mini Quadcopter
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Weight — 4 ounces (about the size of a palm) Ideal flight — Wind speed should be less than 10 mph Flight time — Less than 10 minutes Max altitude — 0.19 miles (about 1,000 feet) Camera — N/A
PRICEY OPTION: $2,900, DJI Inspire 1 Quadcopter l l
Weight — 6.5 pounds Ideal flight — Stable flight reported in 25 to 30 mph wind
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Flight time — 20 minutes Max altitude — 2.8 miles (nearly 15,000 feet) Camera — 4K videos, 12 megapixel photographs
BEST FOR YOUR BUCK: $300, Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 Quadcopter l l
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Weight — 4 pounds Ideal flight — Wind speed should be less than 10 mph Flight time — About 12 minutes Max altitude — 0.03 miles (150 feet; WiFi controlled) Camera — 720p videos, unknown megapixel specifications for photographs Zag Magazine.com
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hether for aerial photography, love of robotics building or the sheer fun of flying, recreational drone use is taking off. Just ask Christopher Vo, a robotics engineer who in 2011 co-founded, and now stands as president of, the DC Area Drone User Group, a community of amateur and professional drone users, which has accrued more than 1,800 members on its page online at meetup.com/DC-AreaDrone-User-Group. “Recreational drones, that is to say remote-controlled aircraft, have been around for more than 80 years,” Vo says. “But in the last five years [their use has] exploded.” He aligned the rise in hobbyist drone users to the rise in “maker culture,” which is most clearly
defined as a technology-focused extension of DIY culture. Vo and many others became interested in drones because of the possibilities in building and modifying them. The DC Area Drone User Group is used as a way to organize this community by promoting user-created events such as flying lessons, building parties and drone races. On March 21, the organization held an event at Warrenton Training Center in Virginia to celebrate International Drone Day (March 14). The event’s flier notes a purpose “to showcase the technology in a good way.” For those looking to get started in the drone community, Vo recommended purchasing a cheap quadcopter to learn how to fly. From there, he says, users have an ever-growing number of opportunities to upgrade.
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S THIS IS IMPORTANT
on the grind
The Internet Is Not Always Your Friend
MAKE SURE YOUR ONLINE IMAGE IS THE ONE YOU WANT EMPLOYERS TO SEE
WHAT YOU CAN DO
BY KEVIN JAMES SHAY
Y
To minimize having “negative” content turn up on searches of your name, Samuels offers the following tips: l
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engine results, which can get that public DUI record off the first page of Google or Yahoo searches, to simply requesting a photo, for example, be removed. In some cases, legal action may be required, he says. “We also offer real-time online monitoring, which allows us to suppress the negativity and inaccurate content quickly,” Samuels says. Auxilium has developed proprietary methods and relationships with social media sites that enable it to resolve issues much quicker than
individuals could, he says. Most of the same methods can be used to help both individuals and businesses. One problem is that cached links can remain for months despite the content being removed or changed, Samuels says. Auxilium can submit court orders to big search engines to get them to fix the issue, he says. “It usually takes 30 to 90 days before we see a change in the search engines,” he says. “But if you try to do it yourself, it can take much longer — six months to a couple of years.”
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Monitor social media sites and do regular searches of your name. Take care of issues immediately. Realize that privacy is limited. Any email, tweet, social media post or text that you send can possibly be made public. If a friend on Facebook tags an unflattering photo of you, untag it. You can also politely ask that the photo be removed. If there are issues you cannot handle yourself, consider hiring a professional firm to help manage your online reputation.
OFFICE CRAMPS Feel like you have less space at work? You’re not alone. The average space per office worker in North America is expected to continue to decline to 151 square feet by 2017, according to a survey by real estate research firm CoreNet Global. That’s down from 225 square feet in 2010 and 176 square feet in 2012. Social & Scientific Systems, which works largely with federal health agencies on clinical, epidemiology and health policy research, reduced 36
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its Silver Spring office space about 20 percent, adding more shared offices and cubicles. The moves by such employers are to cut costs, make workplaces more efficient and respond to employees’ changing habits and needs. Many employers, such as Rockville research company Westat, are allowing more telecommuters. Some, like accounting and consulting giant Deloitte, require many employees to share or even reserve a desk like they would a
hotel room. Employees still have their own storage space, such as a rolling file cabinet. The trend is resulting in more office space on the market and causing planners to study the situation. The Montgomery County commercial office vacancy rate climbed to 14.8 percent in mid2014 from 13.7 percent a year earlier. Some 10.8 million square feet of office space was available in the county in 2014 — a 9 percent increase from 2013. Zag Magazine.com
I L L U S T R AT I O N : S E R E N A L O D E R / Z A G M A G A Z I N E ; C R A M P E D O F F I C E : L I Q U I D L I B R A R Y / T H I N K S T O C K
ou have an interview with a company for which you really want to work. But there are those photos your friends tagged on Facebook of you dancing atop a bar. Then there’s the matter of the DUI you had more than a decade ago that shows up on an Internet search. Are those records destined to remain forever in cyberspace, compromising your ability to gain the position you covet? Not necessarily, says Ed Samuels, chief technology officer at Gaithersburg-based Auxilium Technology. The business started providing services such as Web design and Internet marketing, then found more people asking about how to deal with “negative” online content about two years ago, he says. “Online reputation management is becoming a bigger issue,” Samuels notes. When Auxilium’s employees find a record that a client disputes or wants to see minimized, they work to identify the originator and craft a response, he says. That can vary from removing or suppressing search
S THIS IS IMPORTANT
making cents On Etsy or other sites, good photography can be the deciding factor for potential customers.
10
Tips to Turn Your Hobby into a Moneymaker
BY ANIKA REED
It
is important to create a job out of your inspiration, says Etsy jewelry designer Amy Abrams of Silver Spring. As the saying goes, “Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” Check out these tips to learn how to make money off your hobbies.
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Find your own voice. While you can grab inspiration from other sources, it is important to find your own lane and stay in it. Abrams says doing something that you love will shine through your work, and customers will take notice.
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Go after your passion. Actually pursuing what you’re interested in is the next step to making money. “Don’t wait until you think you’re good enough to start trying to sell,” Abrams says.
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Know your craft and do your research. It’s important to research things you need to know in order to sell. Abrams says it’s imperative to gain as much knowledge about what you’re doing so that you can be an expert in your field.
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Don’t undersell your products or yourself. “When you do that, you’re inviting people to have an attitude of a perceived value that it’s low,” Abrams says. “You’ve got to figure out what you’re worth and figure out how much of a markup you want to make on something.”
Zag Magazine.com
Presentation is everything. Putting your product in the best light can make or break your business, Abrams says. For sellers on Etsy or other sites, good photography can be the deciding factor for potential customers. Provide advice to amateurs in your field. You were there once, too. Everyone has to start somewhere, and no one benefits from hoarding knowledge and not sharing, Abrams says. Find a community. Finding a group to be a part of can be beneficial. Abrams says many of her opportunities have come from contacts in her groups. Positive partners. Business partners are vital to getting your work seen. Abrams says she has relationships with store owners where she sells her jewelry and makes sure not to undersell her products to clients. Get creative. Think outside the box if you want to market your product in an innovative way. Abrams says to think of an ideal client and then work to create around the person who you want to buy your work.
10 Time to hustle. Getting out
and selling your product is key in making any money, Abrams says. Hosting home parties, going to conventions and being your own salesperson will pay off in the end.
Those who make money off their hobby know it’s critical to learn as much as they can about their art, including which materials work best for them.
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+ AND ANOTHER THING
Going Ape Over Online Quizzes So, yeah, I’m a gorilla. I didn’t know I was a gorilla until Facebook told me after I took a twoBY WILL C. minute quiz. I was FRANKLIN surfing the big, blue time killer, contemplating the meaning of life and looking into mind-blowing news such as, “See what these celebrities look like without eyebrows” and the ever popular, “Like this post or a demented, half-dead hippopotamus will come after you while you sleep!” Hey, these things are weirdly specific. I barely get enough sleep as it is. I don’t need an angry, half-dead hippo waking me in the middle of the night.
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This got me thinking— with all of these quizzes, they must be running out of ideas. So I’m here to help. “Which celebrity do you most resemble when you first wake up in the morning?” Nah, I think I actually saw this one already. “Which deadly sin are you?” Damn it, that’s online, too. OK, I’m going to have to get really creative here. “Which imaginary real creature are you?” Getting warmer. How about, “Which president would be your Christian Grey from ‘50 Shades of Grey?’” Steamy, but no. Besides, I think all of the answers would end up being Bill Clinton anyway. We could go with, “What does your favorite Martian rover say about your sex life?” or, “Can we guess what T-shirt you wore in middle school that one time in February?”
Be careful about clicking on random links. You might end up getting all kinds of viruses that will learn everything there is to know about you. Like the time you visited that one site and swore it was “by accident.” Or the time you became a full-fledged, card-carrying member of the Justin Bieber/One Direction Awesome Musical Fan Club for True Fans Who Are Fans of Justin Bieber and One Direction. Yes, you still have the JB/ODAMFCTFWAFJBOD card in your wallet. Don’t deny it; the hackers have already found it and are posting it on Facebook, along with all your quiz results and cat photos. Hey, I’m only trying to look out for ya. After all, I’m a gorilla. Zag Magazine.com
I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y S E R E N A L O D E R / Z A G M A G A Z I N E
But I digress … the quiz. It looked innocent enough, and who wouldn’t want to know the answer to: “What is your spirit animal?” After answering a bunch of questions that didn’t seem to make much sense —“How does the scent of rain make you feel?”— it turns out I’m a gorilla, which is good because it means I’m a protector. Facebook didn’t provide any specific rationale for this answer, but I like to think it’s because of my great upper body strength and powerful vocal projection. At least, that was MY interpretation of this ultra-scientific, 10-question interrogation, anyway. These ubiquitous quizzes are so damned intriguing, you can’t help
but click on the link to find out exactly what Disney princess you would be (spoiler alert: I’m Belle from “Beauty and the Beast”). With a gazillion-and-one quizzes, questionnaires and lists so readily available, there’s no excuse for failing to find out everything you didn’t know you wanted to know about yourself! Curious about what kind of beer you might be? You’re in luck! Answer 10 questions on one website and you’ll find out. Or maybe you want to learn just how “Southern” you are? Let me save you some time— if you know about sweet tea, Moon Pies and sweltering summer heat, you might just be a true Southerner, quiz be damned. Some quizzes, though, are a little out there: “What fluorescent color should you be?” “What breed of dog would you be?”
For me, it’s the rover Opportunity, FTW! And as for the shirt, I’m willing to bet it was baseball themed and reeked of puberty, insecurity and too much cologne. Let’s have some fun here. “What kitchen utensil best describes your ex?” “Which ice cream flavor is your true best friend?” “If Robert Downey Jr. were playing chess, which chess piece would you be?” Now that I think about it, coming up with good quiz questions is actually kinda hard. And, for what it’s worth, these quizzes may be excellent time killers, but they also could be computer killers as well.
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