Bethesda Magazine - July/August 2025

Meet Dr. Ankit Shah of Sports & Performance Cardiology in Chevy Chase.

party

OH, WHAT A NIGHT!

More than 400 guests, including Montgomery County residents, business leaders, and local officials, gathered at KID Museum in May to celebrate the triumphant return of our community’s favorite party after a five-year hiatus. The event featured live music, a wine lounge, engaging activations from local businesses, along with craft cocktails, mocktails, massages, a makeup artist, an illusionist and culinary delights from 15 award-winning restaurants recognized as “the best” by Bethesda Magazine readers and editors.

Thank you to our fantastic restaurants. They really brought their A game.

The night was a vibrant showcase of our spirit and thriving community, supporting Bethesda Magazine’s mission to inform, connect and inspire.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS & PARTNERS INCLUDING:

MODENA RESERVE KENSINGTON & MODENA RESERVE BETHESDA

EDGE Floral Event Designers

Save the Date, LLC Events

BabyCat Brewery

JUST ICE Tea

Saratoga®

Scotty’s Vodka

Windridge Vineyards

Great fun, food and cocktails flowed all night.

Guests sipped on favorites from Windridge Vineyards in the Modena Reserve Lounge, Scotty’s Vodka, BabyCat Brewery, JUST ICE Tea and Saratoga® water

Sweet treats were in abundance. Chocolate slabs were just one of the many desserts that stole the show.

The 2026 Best of Bethesda Readers’ Poll Opens August 4

Guests enjoyed meeting and watching top local tastemakers in action, including sushi chefs from Raku.

A night to savor. Raw oysters, taco bars, crudo, lamb sliders, pizza, gazpacho and more fueled the night.

Under the stars, the patio was the perfect spot to mingle, eat and drink.

Washington Talent Agency’s photo station was a hit! Guests took home a custom photo of a magazine cover featuring themselves.

Our table sponsors brought the fun with exclusive giveaways and raffle prizes. Thanks for the support!

Sean Gaiser and his band provided the live music and cool vibes.

33 Top Doctors 2025

Meet the 446 physicians in 50-plus specialties who made our list, plus Q&A interviews with four doctors

74 Menopause Momentum

Women are having healthy conversations about their changing bodies BY CARALEE ADAMS

PHOTO BY JOSEPH TRAN

PHOTO BY JOSEPH TRAN

The winners of the 2025 Short Story & Essay Contest

FEATURES

81 Brave New Words

The short stories and essays that took the top prizes in our annual writing competition

92 A Sense of Agency

How county residents are helping fired federal workers in creative ways BY DAVID MONTGOMERY

DEPARTMENTS

Decor with fruity accents

PAGE

Linen set from Faherty

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Summer Rocks at 2025

LIVE LAWN fromthe

Free outdoor concert series, Wednesdays at 7:30pm GUDELSKY GAZEBO

Yellow Dubmarine: A Reggae Tribute to the Beatles

July 9

Reggae spin on The Beatles’ hits

JigJam

July 16

Irish roots meet high-energy bluegrass

Chopteeth Afrofunk

Big Band

July 23—Member night!

Irresistible grooves from DC to West Africa

Rainbow Girls

July 30

Eclectic folk trio with multi-instrumental talent

Elida Almeida

Aug 6

Cabo Verdean singer with vibrant spirit

RSVP at

UkeFest Finale

Aug 13

7pm Strum-along, 7:30pm Concert

Celebratory concert featuring UkeFest teaching artists

Juliet Lloyd Band

Aug 20

Soulful folk-pop rooted in storytelling

COOL CONCERTS

Thursdays at 7pm!

Divi Roxx Kids

July 10

Confidence-boosting beats for young audiences

Old-Time Music & Dance Party with Becky Hill, Rachel Eddy & Friends

July 17

Banjo, fiddle, and Appalachian rhythm

Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats

July 24

Playful, bilingual jazz celebrates family fun

L–R: Juliet Lloyd, Live from the Lawn, JigJam, Lucy Kalantari by Kristin Chalmers, Divi Roxx by OGATA Photo

A Sunny Outlook

I WAS CHATTING WITH A FRIEND I RAN INTO AT OUR BEST OF BETHESDA PARTY IN MAY, and he asked if the physicians in our Top Doctors list pay to be included. I responded, “Absolutely not.” There is no “pay-to-play.” Doctors are nominated by their peers, then vetted by a physician-led research team at the highly regarded company Castle Connolly. Our list starting on page 33 features 446 top doctors in more than 50 specialties—check it out now and hang on to it for later reference.

In this issue we also take a look at local conversations about menopause in “Menopause Momentum” on page 74. Writer Caralee Adams delves into what area doctors and other specialists are doing to help women manage their symptoms, and what women are doing to make sure they are getting the care they need. It’s important reading for everyone—women of all ages, and yes, men, too.

Growing up in the Washington, D.C., area, I discovered that our local news is often national news—what is happening in Washington is important to the rest of the country, and it’s also important to us on a deep level because it’s happening right here. That’s what I’ve been reminded of with the waves of federal government workforce layoffs. It’s basically impossible to live in Montgomery County and not know someone who works for the federal government—someone who is worried about being laid off or already has been. A friend who hadn’t yet been let go from her federal government job recently told me she planned to deliver a meal to a “RIF-ed” colleague—a small act to show she cared (RIF has entered our vocabulary for reduction in force). That kind of generosity and compassion is showing up across Montgomery County, from grassroots support to businesses offering free services. Learn about five programs helping former federal workers in “A Sense of Agency” on page 92.

Since the weather is finally warmer, this issue suggests lots of ways to soak up summer. Sip a pisco sour at a new spot’s happy hour (“3 Things We Love,” page 22). Peek inside a Bethany Beach house that makes the most of its lot (“A Very Narrow Escape,” page 110). Plan a getaway to Deep Creek Lake, North Carolina’s Outer Banks or Berkeley Springs in West Virginia (“Traveler’s Notebook,” page 142) or to Virginia’s River Realm (“Let the Good Times Flow,” page 146). And don’t forget sun protection (“Cover Story,” page 140).

I hope you enjoy this issue of Bethesda Magazine. Please reach out to me at Kathleen.Neary@BethesdaMagazine.com with any feedback.

KATHLEEN NEARY EDITOR

CONTRIBUTOR SPOTLIGHT

RUBEN CASTANEDA

WASHINGTON, D.C.

BACKGROUND: “I’m a freelance journalist who writes about a wide array of topics, including health care, criminal justice, sports and cultural issues. I live in the Randle Highlands neighborhood of D.C., just southeast of Capitol Hill.”

IN THIS ISSUE: Castaneda interviewed four physicians for Top Doctors 2025 starting on page 33.

FAVORITE MOCO SPOT: “My favorite Montgomery County hangout is Wonderland Books [in Bethesda], co-owned by Amy Joyce, a former Washington Post colleague, and Gayle Weiswasser.”

WHAT HE DOES FOR FUN: “I enjoy playing pickup basketball, tennis, swimming, reading, listening to podcasts while walking through splash pads on hot summer days and walking dogs.”

CONTRIBUTOR SPOTLIGHT

FRANCESCO ZORZI

FLORENCE, ITALY

BACKGROUND: “I’m ... born and raised in Tuscany. I’m currently working on connecting the dots of my background as an illustrator artist, designer and creative director. Also, since 2019, I’ve been teaching illustration and design at [Santa Reparata International School of Art] in Florence.”

IN THIS ISSUE: Zorzi created the illustrations for the 2025 Short Story & Essay Contest feature, starting on page 81.

WHAT HE DOES FOR FUN: “I might be one of the six Italians who [doesn’t] care about soccer. Whenever I can, I leave my studio, get on my bike (or my running shoes) and ride out on the roads that lead to the hills surrounding the city. I believe the true beauty and spirit of Florence can be felt from there.”

FROM LEFT:

PHOTO

BETHESDA MAGAZINE EDITORIAL

EDITOR

Kathleen Neary

MANAGING EDITOR

Amy Orndorff

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Jillian Lynch

ART DIRECTOR

Olivia Sadka

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER

Diana Ramírez

RESTAURANT CRITIC

David Hagedorn

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Louis Peck, Carole Sugarman

COPY EDITORS

Elisabeth Herschbach, Steve Wilder

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Caralee Adams, Jennifer Barger, Rachel Pomerance Berl, Stephanie Siegel Burke, Meg Drennan, Christine Koubek Flynn, Dana Gerber, Amy Halpern, Wendy A. Jordan, Dawn Klavon, Nevin Martell, Buzz McClain, Jacqueline Mendelsohn, David Montgomery, Mike Unger, Carolyn Weber

PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS

Maria DeForrest, Jimell Greene, Lisa Helfert, Gel Jamlang, Deb Lindsey, Brendan McCabe, Chanelle Nibbelink, Louis Tinsley, Joseph Tran, Francesco Zorzi

BETHESDA TODAY EDITORIAL

EDITOR

Julie Rasicot

MANAGING EDITOR

Amy Orndorff

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Ginny Bixby

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Jennifer Farkas

PUBLISHING

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Sherri Greeves

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ADVERTORIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS

Skip Brown, Heather Fuentes, Tony Lewis, Hilary Schwab, Michael Ventura

FOUNDERS & ADVISERS

Steve and Susan Hull

TODAY MEDIA

PRESIDENT/CEO

Robert F. Martinelli

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Richard Martinelli

DIGITAL

DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL STRATEGY

Greg Mathias

ASSOCIATE DIGITAL PUBLISHER

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DIGITAL PRODUCER

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CIRCULATION

SENIOR AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Lisa Bennett

ADMINISTRATION

CONTROLLER & DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Donna Kraidman

ACCOUNTING MANAGER

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ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE/LOGISTICS MANAGER

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ACCOUNTS PAYABLE COORDINATOR

Sara Corbett

STAFF ACCOUNTANT

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JUNIOR STAFF ACCOUNTANT

Jennifer Floor

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SPECIALIST

Nancy Evans

IN MEMORIAM

CHAIRMAN Angelo R. Martinelli (1927–2018)

VICE PRESIDENT Ralph A. Martinelli (1962–2019)

Bethesda Magazine is published six times a year by Today Media. © 2025 Story ideas and letters to the editor: Please send ideas and letters (with your name, the town you live in and your daytime phone number) to editorial@BethesdaMagazine.com

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Themed chocolates from Chouquette

The Silver Spring couple behind Boyd Cru Wines

WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT

Children’s band Rocknoceros is a headliner for a kid-centric entertainment series in Montgomery Parks. PAGE 27

BITE-SIZE BUSINESS

Sarah Dwyer started Chouquette, a small-batch chocolate business in 2010, and we’ve been buying her cute (and delicious) themed packages at local gift stores. In May, Chouquette moved its manufacturing operations to a new Gaithersburg spot that also features a storefront, making it easy to pick up chocolate bundles, from Maryland flag designs with a “bay spice” and caramel filling to custom-made ones with pretty much any design, including a picture of yourself or someone you know, through photo-printing on top.

Chouquette employs neurodiverse individuals through partnerships with Cornerstone Montgomery and Sunflower Bakery. On most Saturdays, the store hosts chocolate parties—learn how to make different types of chocolates with your choice of more than 20 fillings. The goodies are made with fair trade Guittard chocolate, fresh cream, non-genetically modified cane sugar, Madagascar vanilla beans, and sea salt from the south of France.

7901K Cessna Ave., Gaithersburg, 301-651-4442, chouquette.us

THINGS WE LOVE RIGHT NOW 3

3

2

A SWEET SIP OF PERU

There’s no travel required for this Peruvian flight. Pisco y Nazca, a modern Peruvian-themed gastropub chain that opened in Bethesda in March, offers a sampler of three foam-topped tangy cocktails called pisco sours. The drinks are made with fruit purees, Angostura bitters, egg whites and pisco, a liquor made from distilled fermented grape juice from Peru and Chile.

The trio of 5-ounce drinks, pictured above from left, comes in lime, passionfruit, and chicha morada (purple corn) topped with a dash of cinnamon. The flight goes for $27.50. Tall bottles of pisco line the shelves of the spot’s sleek 30-seat bar, and the liquor is also featured alongside ginger beer and citrus in the Nazca mule ($14.50) and chilcanos ($14 to $16.50). Check out the restaurant’s daily happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m., when individual specialty cocktails are $9. Dip into the house fried cancha (corn nuts) for a complimentary crunchy snack while you imbibe.

7401 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, 301-514-4830, piscoynazca.com

A NEW LEAF

Takoma Park’s newest gift shopping destination, Laurel Leaf, is a combination of local storefronts Indigro Plant Design, HouseMouse Books and Vintage, and Cheeky’s Vintage, which joined forces to open under one roof in March. The three businesses previously operated independently. The shop features a plant arrangement bar, where shoppers can customize displays of greenery in unique pots and vases, shelves of vintage and gently used books—ranging from popular fiction to obscure history—and eclectic antiques, from art deco glassware to kitschy salt and pepper shakers.

6919 Laurel Ave., Takoma Park, 301-712-9444, laurelleaftakoma.com

FROM TOP: PHOTO BY MARIAM BUKHARI; PHOTO BY DANIELA PALLONE;

PHOTO BY GINNY BIXBY

People Watching

BY CARALEE ADAMS

In May, Silver Spring couple Jon’ll and Matthew Boyd opened a tasting room for their company, Boyd Cru Wines, in Savage, Maryland, where customers can sample different blends and grab a bite to eat. It’s a big step for the entrepreneurs, who launched their venture in 2023 with the support of crowd funding from 100-plus investors. “You don’t see a lot of people who look like us. You don’t see a lot of African Americans in the industry who are on the ownership side,” says Jon’ll, who has an MBA and completed a wine apprenticeship in New York. “New perspectives are always good.” Jon’ll, 44, and Matthew, 41, who also has an MBA and works in the pharmaceutical field, built Boyd Cru Wines in stages—balancing the venture with raising two young sons. They partner with another family on Maryland’s Eastern Shore to harvest grapes. They produce their wine at a facility in Poolesville. The couple initially sold their wines in stores, including Target, and at pop-up events. With the tasting room in Savage Mill, a historic cotton mill-turned-shopping and restaurant complex, they have expanded their outlets and now have a place for people to gather and learn about wine.

Logic, the rapper who grew up in Gaithersburg (aka Bobby Hall), is making his film debut in Paradise Records, a comedy featured at the Tribeca Festival in New York City in June. The 35-yearold wrote, directed, produced and stars in the movie as Cooper, a record store owner trying to keep his business from shutting down. Kevin Smith is an executive producer on the film. Logic received two Grammy nominations for his 2018 song titled “1-800-2738255.” He is also the author of This Bright Future: A Memoir and the novel Supermarket.

Matthew, left, and Jon’ll Boyd, owners of Boyd Cru Wines

Logic in a film still from Paradise Records

After Andrew Tenney Curren heard the Billy Joel song “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” the Bethesda 11-year-old says he blasted it nonstop for weeks, bombarding his parents with questions about the lyrics. “I’m obsessed with history,” he says. “I thought: This is my jam!” The song inspired Andrew’s family to start a podcast for kids, History Ignited, explaining the 119 historical events and people Joel lists in his iconic 1989 song. Since June 2024, Andrew, his sister, Caroline Tenney Curren, 9, and parents Amy Tenney Curren and David Curren have recorded nearly 50 episodes (three to five minutes each) at a studio near their home in Bannockburn. Topics range from Red China to Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and the Suez crisis. In April, they won the 2025 Webby People’s Voice Award for Best Kids and Family Podcast. “I love the fact that the kids want to go once a month and sit and talk about history for two hours,” says David, 50. “If this goes for another week or another two years—as long as they’re enjoying it, I’m happy.” Amy, 50, says they’ve used the project to figure out together how to responsibly use ChatGPT in research: “It’s been a really fun experience all around.”

While divorce is common, Kate Scharff says parents are often overwhelmed and unsure how to best talk about it with their kids. Recognizing the need for better support for families—especially those with older children—the Bethesda psychotherapist wrote We Need to Talk About Divorce: An Important Book About Separation, Stepfamilies, and Feeling Heard (St. Martin’s Press, March 2025) for kids age 10 and older. “The biggest unfairness about divorce is that kids do nothing to cause it, can’t stop it and yet it affects them most of all,” says Scharff, whose parents divorced when she was the age of her intended audience. “Nobody really knows what they are doing, that’s the reality.” Scharff, 62, says she hopes the book, which is full of cartoon illustrations, will spark conversations, normalize feelings and create empathy between parents and children through the transition.

Bethesda’s Jill Adams says the idea for her new business came from her experience looking for a place to work out where she could bring her kids and meet other moms. Pink Moon, which opened in May at 7610 Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda, has yoga, Pilates and other exercise classes— including some open to having children alongside. There is also a “playcare” room on-site (for ages 6 months to 6 years for up to two hours) and a lounge for co-working or socializing. “It’s [a place for] connection to other moms and resources. It’s reconnecting with yourself as a mom ... and it’s connecting with your kiddo,” says Adams, 40, a former lawyer, yoga instructor and mother of three (ages 4, 6 and 8). She plans to create support groups for moms, to partner with lactation consultants and other providers, and to offer programming on topics such as sibling rivalry. Various memberships are available, including three- and 12-month packages, as well as drop-in options.

HistoryIgnited hosts, from left, David, Caroline, Amy and Andrew

As a college basketball player, a father of five and a coach at all levels, Carl Parker has learned a lot about sports on the court and from the sidelines that he says he wants to pass on to parents of young athletes. The 53-year-old, who lives in Silver Spring, operates CP Basketball Academy, which offers a variety of training sessions and camps. In October, he started a podcast, Driveway Dads, with plans to ramp up to two episodes a week and expand to include interviews with guest coaches. “The idea is to encourage parents to be an active part of the process,” Parker says. “We should be our kids’ first coaches.” While the goal for some athletes is a college or professional career, Parker emphasizes raising kids with sports as a vehicle to teach them about leadership, accountability and hard work. “You’re not necessarily going to be the most talented [player], the tallest or the strongest, but everyone can put in 100% effort,” he says.

After a six-year break from publishing, acclaimed mystery writer Martha Grimes, 94, is out with a new book—her 26th featuring detective Richard Jury. The Red Queen (Atlantic Monthly Press, July 2025) centers on a murder investigation. A man is shot while sitting on a barstool at The Queen pub in a quaint English village, and everyone in town becomes a suspect. Grimes, who lives in Bethesda, is a graduate of the University of Maryland. Her last novel, The Old Success, was published in 2019. Grimes’ next book, The Sweet Cheat, an Emma Graham novel, is slated for publication in the summer of 2026.

Have an idea for People Watching? Email editorial@BethesdaMagazine.com.

READING LIST

These were the best-selling titles at Wonderland Books in Bethesda in April.

Fiction

1 Sunrise on the Reaping (A Hunger Games Novel)

Suzanne Collins

2 Great Big Beautiful Life

Emily Henry

3 Kitchens of the Great Midwest

J. Ryan Stradal

4 Dream Count

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

5 James Percival Everett

6 Martyr! Kaveh Akbar

7 Orbital

Samantha Harvey

8 Romantic Comedy

Curtis Sittenfeld

9 Evvie Drake Starts Over

Linda Holmes

10 Long Bright River

Liz Moore

Nonfiction

1 On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century

Timothy Snyder

2 Abundance

Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson

3 Who Is Government?: The Untold Story of Public Service

Edited by Michael Lewis

4 The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World

Robin Wall Kimmerer

5 Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism

Sarah Wynn-Williams

6 Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection

John Green

7 The Tell: A Memoir

Amy Griffin

8 The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America

Kostya Kennedy

9 The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore

Evan Friss

10 Field Guide to the Natural World of Washington, D.C.

Howard Youth

Carl Parker, whose leadership roles include assistant basketball coach for James Hubert Blake High School

JULY/AUGUST

INDEPENDENCE DAY

July 4

Germantown Glory

The celebration at South Germantown Recreational Park in Boyds includes a concert by Central City Orchestra at 7 p.m. and fireworks at 9:15. Bring blankets, lawn chairs and picnics, leave alcohol and pets at home. Food vendors will be on-site and parking is free at the park. montgomerycountymd.gov

Poolesville’s Annual Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration

The community celebrates with music, food and fireworks at the soccer fields off Hughes Road. Gates open at 5 p.m. Parking costs $10 cash. poolesvillemd.gov/225/events

Rockville’s Independence Day Celebration

Annapolis-based cover band Vertigo Red kicks off the party at the city’s July 4 event with a set of rock music beginning at 7 p.m., followed at 9:15 by a 20-minute fireworks display at Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park. rockvillemd. gov/663/independence-day

July

5

Mid-County Sparkles

The pyrotechnics continue Saturday at Albert Einstein High School in Kensington. Joe Falero and Downtown Sound perform at 7 p.m., fireworks start at 9:15. Arrive on foot, or park for free at Westfield Wheaton mall, where shuttle service to the school starts at 6:30. The only on-site parking is for individuals with disabilities. Lawn chairs, blankets, food, nonalcoholic drinks and coolers are welcome. Food will also be available to purchase. montgomerycountymd.gov

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

July 6-Aug. 31

Cultural festivals at Veterans Plaza

Sundays at Silver Spring’s Veterans Plaza in July and August will be home to festivals celebrating many cultures and countries, among them the Afro Latino Festival on July 6; SenFest, with a focus on Senegal, on July 13; Jamaica Fest on Aug. 17; and Ethiopia Day on Aug. 31. The free festivals feature live music with international food and crafts for sale. silverspringdowntown.com

Aug. 8-16

Montgomery County Agricultural Fair

While carnival rides, farm animals and fried foods (think funnel cakes and corn dogs) are the hallmarks of this annual event, now in its 76th year, there is so much more to see and do. From entertainment—rodeo, demolition derby, monster truck show, to name three—to blueribbon contests for crops, crafts, confections and more, there are plenty of ways to spend a day. It all happens at the Montgomery County Agricultural Center and fairgrounds in Gaithersburg. mcagfair.com

MUSIC

July 6-7

Jessie Reyez

Earlier in her career, the Canadian singersongwriter penned tunes for Dua Lipa, Calvin Harris, Kehlani and Normani. Her own songs are soulful and emotional, blending elements of R&B and hip-hop with a distinct vocal style. She’s been touring the country after releasing her latest album, Paid in Memories, and stops by The Fillmore Silver Spring for two performances. fillmoresilverspring.com/shows

July 9

Yellow Dubmarine

Strathmore’s outdoor summer concert series, Live from the Lawn, kicks off with a performance featuring reggae and dub covers of favorite Beatles songs. The series continues with a different musical group performing at Strathmore’s Gudelsky Gazebo stage Wednesday nights through Aug. 20. Concerts

SUMMER OF SHAKESPEARE

Originating in New York City’s Central Park in 1954, Shakespeare in the Park—presentations of Shakespeare plays, often outdoors for free—has become a summer tradition beyond the city. This summer, you can catch three productions of the Bard’s classics around Montgomery County.

The Comedy of Errors, Hon!

Set in Baltimore with such characters as Edgar Allan Poe, Billie Holiday and Frederick Douglass, this absurdist version by Chesapeake Shakespeare Company puts a twist on the William Shakespeare comedy. The county’s Shakespeare Beyond performances take place July 8 at Lake Needwood Mansion in Rockville and July 15 at Black Hill Regional Park in Boyds. The family-friendly events are free, and concessions will be available for purchase on-site. mocoparks.org/ chesapeakeshakespeare

The Comedy of Errors

It’s Carnival season in Italy in this production of Shakespeare’s classic farce, setting the scene for mistaken identities among two sets of identical twins separated at birth and the chaos that follows when they encounter each other’s friends and families. Audiences are invited to bring chairs, blankets and picnics to this free event on July 1 at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton and July 3 at Meadowside Nature Center in Rockville. montgomeryparks.org

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

This production by Synetic Theater is completely wordless. The Arlington, Virginiabased company—known for its unique style of physical performance, blending movement, dance, mime and acrobatics— tells the magical story of romantic entanglement among fairies and humans without any dialogue. Unlike the summer’s other Shakespeare performances around the county, this one requires a ticket purchase and is indoors on the main stage at Olney Theatre Center from July 17 through Aug. 10. olneytheatre.org

—Stephanie Siegel Burke

July 18

B5

This R&B boy band is made up of five brothers, just like the Jackson 5, which was a big influence on them. In the 2000s, their song “Get’cha Head in the Game” was included on Disney’s High School Musical soundtrack, and they contributed the song “Shining Star” to the Hannah Montana soundtrack. They may have outgrown Disney, but they’re still exciting fans with smooth new music. See them perform at the Bethesda Theater bethesdatheater.com

July 20

Dinosaur Jr., Snail Mail

are free, but guests are encouraged to RSVP online. Bring a blanket, lawn chairs and a picnic, or grab a bite from Strathmore’s on-site barbecue tent. strathmore.org

July 9

Rocknoceros

Expect to hear kid rock, but not that Kid Rock, when this Fairfax, Virginia-based band performs at Wheaton Local Park as part of the Parks Playhouse Junior children’s entertainment series. The band, which aims to make original family-friendly music, will perform at four county parks that week. The series brings children’s entertainers, including musical groups, puppet shows and science demonstrations, to county parks through July 30. montgomeryparks.org/event-team/ parks-playhouse-junior

July 10

Divi Roxx Kids

The Grammy-nominated children’s musician Divinity Roxx is the first performer in Cool Concerts for Kids, which offers interactive performances geared toward the 8 and younger crowd at Strathmore’s Gudelsky Gazebo. Expect catchy, upbeat songs with positive messages about creativity and self-expression. Look out for other Cool Concerts for Kids on July 17 and 24. Concerts are free, but an online RSVP is encouraged. strathmore.org

Don’t forget your earplugs if you go to The Fillmore Silver Spring to see these notoriously loud alternative rockers. Known for their noisy, distorted guitar sounds and singer J Mascis’ drawling vocals, Dinosaur Jr. was an influence on many ’90s-era grunge bands. Co-headlining is Ellicott City, Maryland’s Lindsey Jordan, who goes by Snail Mail and plays guitar-driven indie rock. fillmoresilverspring.com

Aug. 30

Music Free-for-All

Attendees are encouraged to hit the dance floor at Glen Echo Park’s Bumper Car Pavilion as live bands perform throughout the day. The lineup for the free event includes the groups NoWhere Men, Karen Collins & The Backroads Band, The Experience Band & Show and the Carly Harvey Band. While you’re there, make a stop at the Spanish Ballroom to view art on display as part of the park’s Labor Day Art Show. Featuring more than 300 artists from the mid-Atlantic region, it’s one of the largest art shows in the Washington, D.C., area. glenechopark.org

THEATER

Through July 27

Kim’s Convenience

Playwright Ins Choi’s comedy about a Korean immigrant family in Toronto went on to inspire a hit Netflix series. Fans of that show will recognize the characters they love in their earliest iterations. Those new to the story of the family that runs a corner store will be introduced to an intergenerational drama involving the characters Appa and Umma (Korean for dad and mom), daughter Janet

and estranged son Jung. The show at the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab at Olney Theatre Center would be rated PG-13 if it were a movie. olneytheatre.org

Through Aug. 3

Dory Fantasmagory

Based on the children’s book by Abby Hanlon, this comedy follows imaginative Dory, the youngest of three siblings, as she battles made-up monsters and tries to win her family’s attention. The show at Imagination Stage in Bethesda is best for age 4 and older. imaginationstage.org

SPORTS AND FITNESS

July 12

SportsFest

Kids entering kindergarten through eighth grade can run, play and test their skills in a variety of athletic challenges at this annual

event celebrating the fun of participation. The festival begins with a 3K run at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm in Gaithersburg to benefit the city’s youth and teen sports programs. After the run, kids can test their skills in soccer, football, volleyball, baseball, basketball, track and field, and also tackle an inflatable obstacle course. There is a registration fee for the run, but sports challenges are free. gaithersburgmd.gov

Aug. 30

Kentlands/Lakelands 5K

Local bands perform along the course to keep

the runners motivated in this race through the iconic Gaithersburg neighborhoods of Kentlands and Lakelands. The annual event draws more than 1,400 participants and raises money for community nonprofits and charities. Kids can participate in a 200-meter Tot Trot or a 500-meter Kids Dash. An awards ceremony, merchant expo and live music follow. kentlands.org/kentlands-5k

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Aug. 9

Summer Family Day at Woodlawn Manor

Participate in nature-based, hands-on activities such as leaf rubbing and crafting sachets of 19th-century traditional herbs on the grounds of Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park in Sandy Spring. The free event is recommended for age 6 and older. woodlawnmanor.org

—Stephanie Siegel Burke

WESTBARD

A Fit for Everyone

Kensington’s Spirit Club makes exercise accessible to people with disabilities

BY MIKE UNGER

The familiar anthem echoes through Spirit Club as it has countless times at gyms everywhere. Only here, “We Will Rock You” sounds a bit different. As the song plays on the sound system one afternoon in April, four participants seated in a semicircle use plastic batons to strike makeshift drums comprised of a rubber stability ball stuffed into a trash can. This is a drum fitness class, and while the attendees, who are varying levels of nonverbal, aren’t all keeping the same time, they are indeed rocking.

Lots of people move to their own rhythm at this Kensington-based fitness club, which caters to clients who are developmentally and/or physically disabled, from kids to older adults. Founder, owner and director Jared Ciner, 35, has a simple mission: to make fitness accessible to everyone.

“It sounds kind of corny, but when you see how somebody responds to working out when they didn’t think there was an opportunity for them, it’s special,” Ciner says.

Small triumphs and breakthroughs happen often at Spirit Club, which stands for Social, Physical, Interactive, Respectful, Integrated, Teamwork. A few days earlier, Donovan Quinn, 18, was working with personal trainer Shiann Jackson, 41, in another part of the gym. Quinn, who faces challenges relating to his mobility and vision, was doing bridges (lying on his back and pressing his hips into the air) and other exercises designed to improve his flexibility. “It’s been really helpful to deal with my mobility and also helping me deal with some of my posture problems, my balance issues, as well as my neck issues and especially my shoulders,” Quinn says.

“It really helps keep me physically fit.” Spirit Club provides personal training and group classes to about 550 people weekly at its 3,000-square-foot flagship facility in Kensington and at satellite locations including Gaithersburg and Baltimore. It is scheduled to open a 1,900-square-foot addition adjacent to the Kensington space in July that will allow people to work out on their own. The club stocks standard gym equipment along with machines modified to accommodate those with disabilities.

Ciner, who grew up in Denver and graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a degree in psychology, conceived the idea in 2012 while working as a support counselor at the Jubilee Association of Maryland, a Montgomery County-based nonprofit that

Spirit Club’s founder, owner and director, Jared Ciner, right, at the Kensington gym with a client

works with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“I noticed that my clients had health- and fitness-related goals—everybody wanted to lose weight,” says Ciner, who also worked as a personal trainer at the time. “If you or I wanted to go join a gym, we could do so pretty comfortably. We could find a personal trainer who would love to work with us, right? If you have a developmental disability, those things are much more difficult. I also felt like the gym where I worked was not a particularly accommodating environment. I didn’t see people with disabilities working out. There were gyms, there were disability services, but there wasn’t a lot of talking to each other. That was the spark, to try to bridge that gap.”

Ciner enlisted Sam Smith, a Rockville runner with autism, to help him launch fitness classes for Jubilee clients at a gym in Northwest Washington, D.C., and later at the Chevy Chase Athletic Club, that focused

on socializing and working out through strength, endurance, balance, coordination and agility training. The two bonded and the concept took off. In the ensuing years, Ciner’s former Jubilee co-worker Steve Allen created the Spirit Club Foundation. It gives about 70 scholarships annually to people who can’t afford services at the gym, says Allen, 81, who still serves on its board. In 2016, Spirit Club moved into its current Kensington digs.

Smith, 40, who has run seven marathons, is still a running coach at Spirit Club. He is one of several instructors and lead trainers with a disability. Most of Spirit Club’s teachers and trainers, Ciner says, hold an active fitness certification from an NCAA-accredited organization and a certification to work with people of all abilities from the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Administration.

The drum fitness program was started by Sam Allen, 33, manager of the Kens-

ington location, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in college. As his four students jam to Queen, Survivor and Taylor Swift, they are active, engaged, sweating—and smiling. Adera Brian, 13, is the youngest among them.

“He absolutely loves it,” his mother, Alshadye Yemane, says. “It’s one of the few classes that he’s been able to consistently attend. He’s autistic with intellectual disability. But he’s always loved drumming. … He struggles with following any kind of exercise class, but because this is based in drumming, it’s able to hold his attention and help him get past the frustration of not being able to follow all of the moves.”

During parts of the class, he covered himself with a blanket or put on headphones, but when the last song began playing, he leaped to his feet and started banging with a verve that would make Queen drummer Roger Taylor proud.

ADVENTIST HEALTHCARE: YOUR TRUSTED CHOICE CLOSE TO HOME

Named to Newsweek’s List of the Most Trusted U.S. Businesses

Offering care to our neighbors since 1907.

Shady Grove Medical Center · White Oak Medical Center · Fort Washington Medical Center · Rehabilitation · Adventist Medical Group · Cardiac Associates · Germantown Emergency Center · Home Care Services · Imaging · Lourie Center for Children’s Social & Emotional Wellness · Ridge School ·

Shady Grove Aquilino Cancer Center · Sports Performance Institute · White Oak Cancer Center

Cardiologist Dennis Friedman and Heart Surgeon Paul Massimiano

THE LEADER IN CARDIAC CARE

Our doctors performed the D.C. region’s first open-heart surgery in 1971. Today, our heart surgery program is ranked in the top 10% of hospitals nationwide for quality by the Society for Thoracic Surgeons. Our patients benefit from the region’s most experienced minimally invasive heart surgeons, who offer specialized procedures not available anywhere else in the area.

In addition, we have Montgomery County’s only accredited Chest Pain Center, which means a higher level of coordination from the moment a patient reports symptoms. Care begins in the ambulance, where emergency medical techs obtain an EKG test and send it to our heart team while a patient is en route to the hospital.

Our physicians and nurses are specially trained in heart attack care and able to diagnose and deliver rapid treatment in the early stages of a heart attack— which preserves vital heart muscle.

MENTAL HEALTH

Largest mental health provider in the county

STROKE TREATMENT

Administering clot-busting tPA with speed that leads the U.S.

ROBOTIC SURGERY

Local pioneers in technology for shoulder, hip, and knee replacement

CANCER CARE

Comprehensive, whole-person care at two convenient locations

REHABILITATION

FIRST

open-heart surgery in D.C. region

HEAD, MEET HEART

A health challenge is often more than physical— it impacts your mental, spiritual and social life.

That’s why we remain true to our founding belief that the best healthcare treats the whole person—and why we pair the best of medical science with attentive, compassionate care.

Two inpatient locations, specialty-certified for stroke, amputation, brain injury and spinal cord injury

AWARDWINNING CARE

HEART SURGERY

Ranked in the top 10% of hospitals nationwide

REHABILITATION

Recognized among America’s Best Physical Rehabilitation Centers 2024 by Newsweek

JOINT CENTER

Gold Seal of Approval for hip, knee and shoulder replacement from The Joint Commission

NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE

Maryland Patient Safety Center award-winner for innovations in quality

STROKE CARE

Awarded Gold Plus honors for rapid, top-tier treatment that prevents brain damage

Integrity, Service, Excellence, Stewardship

We will be the trusted choice for exceptional care in every community we serve.

COMING

SOON SHADY GROVE MEDICAL CENTER’S NEW PATIENT CARE TOWER

Our Rockville hospital is building state-of-the-art facilities for Montgomery County residents who need emergency and critical care.

Currently under construction, the hospital’s new tower features spacious private rooms, natural light and family waiting areas with easy outdoor access. A modernized Emergency Department will meet our community’s evolving needs, with more spaces for mental health and added flexibility for tomorrow’s public health emergencies.

Shady Grove’s new tower will place its heart attack and advanced stroke treatment labs in the ideal location for efficiency when minutes matter most. These new facilities will enhance the capabilities of our acclaimed cardiac and stroke care teams. They stand alone in our region with the prestigious HeartCARE designation from the American College of Cardiology and with The Joint Commission’s Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Center certification.

BY THE NUMBERS

We extend God’s care through the ministry of physical, mental and spiritual healing.

152,013 Emergency visits

5,872

Babies delivered in 2024

6,500 Employees

1,700 Physicians

57 Locations

Historic Preservation in Montgomery County

THE CRADLE OF THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS HAS CLEARED THE FIRST HURDLES FOR DESIGNATION AS A HISTORIC SITE IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY. Built in 1901, the home and grounds known as Timberlawn (pictured right) at 5700 Sugarbush Lane in Rockville is where Eunice Kennedy Shriver started a summer camp for 34 children with intellectual disabilities in 1962. Camp Shriver led to the first International Special Olympics Summer Games in Chicago in 1968 and inspired a global movement.

Following a recommendation by the county Historic Preservation

Commission and the support of the planning board, Timberlawn still needs a favorable vote by the county council later this year to be added to the county’s Master Plan for Historic Preservation. Since the plan was adopted in 1979, the county has designated hundreds of properties and historic districts, protecting them from demolition and affording them tax credits. A place need not be really old to be historic—consider the 1956 ranch house on Berwick Road in Silver Spring where Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring.

—David Montgomery

455

INDIVIDUAL SITES

DESIGNATED HISTORIC

BY MONTGOMERY COUNTY

1 historic pet cemetery—

Aspin Hill Memorial Park, one of the largest and earliest in the country, established in 1920 and named after a British dog kennel, not its location, which is Aspen Hill

1,035 properties in the LARGEST

HISTORIC

DISTRICT, the Takoma Park district

8

HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE SIGNIFICANT EXAMPLES OF EARLY FEDERAL HISTORY AND RURAL VILLAGES, SUCH AS BEALLSVILLE AND SANDY SPRING

66 YEARS IS THE AGE OF THE MOST RECENT HISTORIC SITE, THE HEFFNER PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, BUILT IN 1959 AT 42 OSWEGO AVE. IN TAKOMA PARK, REFLECTING ACTIVISM BY BLACK RESIDENTS FOR FACILITIES DURING LINGERING SEGREGATION

Source: Montgomery County Historic Preservation Office

5 art deco houses in the SMALLEST HISTORIC DISTRICT, the Polychrome district, built in 1934 and 1935 on Colesville and Sutherland roads in Silver Spring

2-3

years to complete the process, including 18 months of research by county historians and a year of public hearings and reviews by the Historic Preservation Commission, the planning board and the county council

275 YEARS is the approximate age of the county’s oldest historic property, Magruder’s Blacksmith Shop, 7835 River Road in Bethesda, built before 1751

19 LOCATIONS REVIEWED FROM 2020 TO MAY 2025, including 17 sites and 2 districts. Of the 19, 7 were designated historic, 7 were turned down, and 5 are pending, including Timberlawn

25% OF THE COST OF EXTERIOR RESTORATION OF INDIVIDUAL HISTORIC PROPERTIES AND ALL PROPERTIES WITHIN HISTORIC DISTRICTS CAN BE CREDITED AGAINST PROPERTY TAXES

TOP

Looking for a doctor, stat? Here are 446 physicians in more than 50 specialties from adolescent medicine to vascular surgery who practice in Montgomery County and Upper NW D.C. (ZIP codes 20015 and 20016). Research company Castle Connolly provided the data for the list.

DOCTORS 2025

Doctors are listed in alphabetical order by specialty. While some physicians work in more than one office, we have listed their primary location. We’ve included up to three hospital affiliations. Some hospital names have been shortened. A version of this guide at BethesdaMagazine.com/business-category/top-doctors includes practice addresses, websites and up to six hospital affiliations for each doctor.

Dr. Ankit Shah

Dr. Lucy McBride

Dr. Terrence Sheehan

Dr. Oluyemisi Famuyiwa

Methodology

FROM CASTLE CONNOLLY:

With more than 30 years of experience researching, reviewing and selecting Top Doctors, Castle Connolly is a trusted and credible health care research and information company. Its mission is to help people find the best health care by connecting patients with bestin-class health care providers.

Castle Connolly’s physician-led team of researchers follows a rigorous screening process to select top doctors on both the national and regional levels. Its online nomination process is open to all licensed physicians in the U.S., who may nominate physicians in any medical specialty and in any part of the country, as well as indicate whether each nominated physician is, in their opinion, among the best in their region in their medi-

cal specialty or among the best in the nation in their medical specialty. Then, Castle Connolly’s research team thoroughly vets each physician’s professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation, disciplinary history and if available, outcomes data. Additionally, a physician’s interpersonal skills, such as listening and communicating effectively, demonstrating empathy, and instilling trust and confidence, are also considered in the review process. The Castle Connolly Doctor Directory is the largest network of peer-nominated physicians in the nation.

Physicians selected for inclusion in Bethesda Magazine’s “Top Doctors” feature may also appear online at castle connolly.com, or in conjunction with

ADOLESCENT MEDICINE

Lawrence D’Angelo

Children’s National Friendship Heights

Washington, D.C.; 202-895-3888

Children’s National, MedStar Washington Hospital Center

Kirsten Hawkins

MedStar Health Pediatrics and OB/GYN at Tenleytown

Washington, D.C.; 202-243-3400

MedStar Georgetown University

Dana Kornfeld

Pediatric Care Center

Bethesda; 301-564-5880

Children’s National, Holy Cross Silver Spring

David Reitman

MedStar Health Pediatrics and OB/GYN at Tenleytown

Washington, D.C.; 202-295-0547

MedStar Georgetown University

ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY

David Jeong

Institute for Asthma and Allergy Chevy Chase; 301-986-9262

Huamin Li

Institute for Asthma and Allergy Wheaton; 301-962-5800

Y. Howard Pung

Capital Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

North Bethesda; 301-770-7756

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, MedStar Georgetown University, Suburban Hospital

Mark Scarupa

Institute for Asthma and Allergy Wheaton; 301-962-5800

Rachel Schreiber

Schreiber Allergy Rockville; 301-545-5512

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

D’Jahna Thomas

Alpha Allergy & Asthma Associates Silver Spring; 301-879-7700

other Castle Connolly Top Doctors databases online and in print.

Castle Connolly is part of Everyday Health Group, a recognized leader in patient and provider education, attracting an engaged audience of more than 82 million health consumers and more than 900,000 U.S. practicing physicians and clinicians to its premier health and wellness digital properties. Its mission is to drive better clinical and health outcomes through decision-making informed by highly relevant information, data and analytics. It empowers health care providers and consumers with trusted content and services delivered through Everyday Health Group’s world-class brands.

For more information, please visit castleconnolly.com.

Carla Mosby Ward

Institute for Asthma and Allergy Wheaton; 301-962-5800

BARIATRIC SURGERY

John Brebbia

General and Bariatric Surgery at MedStar Montgomery Olney; 301-774-8962

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center

CARDIAC ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY

Alexander Asser

Cardiac Associates Rockville; 301-670-3000

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Adventist HealthCare White Oak, Holy Cross Germantown

Edward Healy

Johns Hopkins Community Physicians Bethesda; 301-897-5301

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Anees Ahsan

Silver Spring; 301-891-3338

Adventist HealthCare White Oak

Edward Bodurian

Johns Hopkins Cardiology at Sibley Memorial Hospital Washington, D.C.; 202-960-1500

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Robert DiBianco

Cardiac Associates

Rockville; 301-670-3000

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Maureen Fennell

Johns Hopkins Community Physicians

Rockville; 240-238-3760

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Daniel Fernicola

Johns Hopkins Community Physicians

Rockville; 240-238-3760

Suburban Hospital

DR. ANKIT SHAH, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

DR. ANKIT SHAH GREW UP ON LONG ISLAND, where he spent time playing basketball, baseball and soccer. He’s now a physician in the field of sports and performance cardiology. Shah was the team cardiologist for USA Swimming during the 2024 World Aquatics Swimming Championships in Budapest. He has worked with many local professional sports teams, including the Washington Capitals, D.C. United and the Baltimore Orioles, he says. Shah obtained his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine and did his residency at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. When he’s not working, Shah, 41, who lives in Bethesda with his wife and two young kids, enjoys rock climbing. “I’m trying

to get my son into it. He’s slowly picking it up,” says Shah, who typically bikes from his home to his practice, Sports & Performance Cardiology in Chevy Chase. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

What do you look for when working with high-performance athletes? One of the most important components when working with elite athletes is making sure you have the skill set to help differentiate healthy athletic hearts from potentially diseased hearts. There’s overlap with certain heart conditions that can be dangerous or lethal with what we call ‘athlete’s heart,’ which refers to structural and functional

changes that happen in the hearts of athletes who exercise vigorously at least four to six hours a week. When you have athletes training 20, 30 hours a week, all of our testing has to be interpreted with the right context. Knowing that this athlete’s doing X amount of work—we will get their EKG [electrocardiogram] or ultrasound of the heart, the echocardiogram—we have to interpret that in context: Is this something that makes sense for this athlete, or does it seem like it’s more a disease process?

How has the field of sports and performance cardiology evolved over the years? We continue to formalize the training and education for cardiologists interested in sports cardiology. The first dedicated sports cardiology training program in the country was at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and is where I trained. Since then, new programs have started at Emory University in Atlanta, Atlantic Health system in New Jersey and most recently at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. I worked closely with the team at Hopkins in creating the Johns Hopkins Sports Cardiology Fellowship and I am collaborating faculty for the training program. These programs are for doctors who have completed a general cardiology fellowship and then pursue sports cardiology training. There’s more of a formal process where we have an annual sports radiology course. It’s becoming top of mind with the news over the last few years with cardiac arrests happening to young, healthy athletes. People are now seeking specialists who deal with athletes because the field’s very different than general cardiology.

Do you see many teenage or young adult patients? We work with patients who are aged 16 and above. There’s younger athletes and their families who want to get checked out to make sure their child doesn’t have a potential heart problem. Our data’s been consistent: About one in 300 competitive athletes have an underlying heart condition that puts them at risk of having cardiac arrest. So we have had athletes and families coming in to get checked out to see if there’s anything there. We’ve had a lot of athletes coming in for performance testing to help fine-tune some of their training.

—Ruben Castaneda

PHOTO BY JOSEPH TRAN

Dr. Ankit Shah (right) with his patient Edose Ibadin, a runner who competed for Nigeria at the 2024 Olympics in Paris

Jack Flyer

CardioCare

Chevy Chase; 301-656-5050

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Aaron Kenigsberg

Johns Hopkins Community Physicians

Bethesda; 301-897-5301

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Thomas Odar

Cardiac Associates

Rockville; 301-670-3000

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Richard Rubin

CardioCare

Chevy Chase; 301-656-5050

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Peter Sabia

Associates in Cardiology P.A. Silver Spring; 301-681-5700

Adventist HealthCare White Oak, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Reza Sanai

CardioCare

Chevy Chase; 301-656-5050

George Washington University Hospital, Sibley Memorial

Ankit Shah

Sports & Performance Cardiology Chevy Chase; 240-892-7070

Suburban Hospital

Scott Shapiro

MDVIP

Chevy Chase; 301-654-1059

Suburban Hospital

Viral Ras Sheth

CardioCare

Chevy Chase; 301-656-5050

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

William Weigold

Adventist HealthCare

Cardiovascular Specialists

Silver Spring; 240-637-7000

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Adventist HealthCare White Oak

Richard Weinstein

MedStar Health Cardiology Associates Olney; 301-570-7404

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Joshua Yamamoto

Foxhall Medicine

Washington, D.C.; 202-243-0271

Sibley Memorial

CHILD & ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY

Anne Hayes

Bethesda; 301-951-2001

Khendra Peay Chevy Chase; 301-648-7101

CHILD NEUROLOGY

Marc DiFazio

Children’s National of Montgomery County Rockville; 301-765-5400

Children’s National

COLON & RECTAL SURGERY

Vincent Obias

Johns Hopkins Colorectal Surgery Bethesda; 443-927-3900

Suburban Hospital

Vivek Patil

Maryland Oncology Hematology Rockville; 240-487-7522

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sibley Memorial

DERMATOLOGY

Jay Barnett

Greater Washington Dermatology

Rockville; 301-990-6565

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Nashida Beckett

Epiphany Dermatology

Bethesda; 301-530-8300

Brenda Berberian

Brenda J. Berberian, M.D.

Chevy Chase; 301-656-7660

George Washington University Hospital

Paula Bourelly

Olney Dermatology Associates Olney; 301-260-9202

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Martin Braun

Braun Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center

Washington, D.C.; 202-816-7557

George Washington University Hospital

Amy Cole

U.S. Dermatology Partners

Rockville; 301-681-7397

Alison Ehrlich

Ehrlich Dermatology

Chevy Chase; 202-838-3016

Eleanor Ford

Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center

Silver Spring; 301-681-4233

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Roni Ford

Center for Cosmetic & Clinical Dermatology

Gaithersburg; 301-977-2070

Walter Giblin

Anne Arundel Dermatology

Rockville; 443-351-3376

Lawrence Green

Aesthetic & Dermatology Center Rockville; 301-610-0663

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, George Washington University Hospital

Ali Hendi

Ali Hendi, MD Chevy Chase; 301-812-4591

Anita Iyer

Epiphany Dermatology Bethesda; 301-530-8300

Mark Jaffe

Anne Arundel Dermatology Bethesda; 301-530-4800

Suburban Hospital

Matthew Katz

Anne Arundel Dermatology Rockville; 301-530-4800

Allison Larson

MedStar Health Dermatology Chevy Chase; 301-951-2400

MedStar Washington Hospital Center

Ann Lindgren

Anne Arundel Dermatology Bethesda; 301-530-4800

Suburban Hospital

Benjamin Lockshin

U.S. Dermatology Partners Rockville; 301-681-7397

Andrew Montemarano

Anne Arundel Dermatology— Skin Cancer Surgery Center Bethesda; 301-564-3131

John O’Neill

Anne Arundel Dermatology Bethesda; 301-530-4800 Suburban Hospital

Tania Peters

Capital Laser & Skin Care Chevy Chase; 301-798-9699

Brendan Pillemer

Epiphany Dermatology

Germantown; 301-444-0153

Ronald Prussick

Anne Arundel Dermatology— Washington Dermatology Center Rockville; 855-314-1424

Suburban Hospital

Geeta Shah

Capital Laser & Skin Care Chevy Chase; 301-798-9699

Maral Skelsey

Dermatologic Surgery Center of Washington Chevy Chase; 301-652-8081

Children’s National, MedStar Georgetown University, Sibley Memorial

Margaret Sommerville

Chevy Chase Dermatology Chevy Chase; 301-656-7546

Pantea Tamjidi

Tamjidi Skin Institute Chevy Chase; 301-652-4828

Elizabeth Tanzi

Capital Laser & Skin Care Chevy Chase; 301-798-9699

Samantha Toerge

Chevy Chase Dermatology Center Chevy Chase; 301-951-7905

Sunny Walia Aesthetic & Dermatology Center Rockville; 301-610-0663

Mark Welch

Anne Arundel Dermatology— Skin Cancer Surgery Center Bethesda; 301-564-3131

Thomas Yu

Epiphany Dermatology Bethesda; 301-530-8300

DEVELOPMENTAL-BEHAVIORAL PSYCHIATRY

Chuck Ng Potomac Psychiatry Rockville; 301-984-9791

DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY

Jonathan Bowles

Adventist HealthCare Imaging Rockville; 240-864-1100

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Douglas Jones

Johns Hopkins Medical Imaging Bethesda; 301-897-5656

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Maya Reiser

Community Radiology Associates Rockville; 301-947-0700

Alex Wurm

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center

Rockville; 240-826-6000

Adventist HealthCare

Rehabilitation, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Adventist HealthCare White Oak

ENDOCRINOLOGY, DIABETES & METABOLISM

Dagmar Arnold

Dagmar Ruth Arnold MD Olney; 301-260-2130

MedStar Georgetown University, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, MedStar Washington Hospital Center

David Brown

David R. Brown, MD, PhD, PA Rockville; 301-977-9272

Beatriz Chanduvi

Capital Diabetes & Endocrine Associates Silver Spring; 301-899-7713

Michael Dempsey

Endocrine and Metabolic Consultants

Rockville; 301-770-7373

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Anurag Gupta

Advanced Endocrinology Rockville; 301-297-3330

Helena Rodbard

Endocrine and Metabolic Consultants

Rockville; 301-770-7373

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY/ OTOLARYNGOLOGY

Brian Driscoll

Maryland ENT Associates Silver Spring; 301-989-2300 Holy Cross Silver Spring, Suburban Hospital

Jennifer Porter

Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgery Bethesda; 301-652-8191

MedStar Georgetown University, Suburban Hospital

Philip Schoenfeld

The Centers for Advanced ENT Care—Renu by Dr. Schoenfeld

Chevy Chase; 301-652-7368

MedStar Georgetown University, Sibley Memorial

Christopher Sinha

The Centers for Advanced ENT Care—Montgomery Otolaryngology Division

Gaithersburg; 301-963-6334

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

FAMILY MEDICINE

Christina Council

One Medical North Bethesda; 888-663-6331

Joanna Delaney

One Medical Chevy Chase; 888-663-6331

Seth Garber

One Medical Chevy Chase; 888-663-6331

Kevin Gil

MDVIP

Rockville; 301-610-0500

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Bradley Hunter

MDVIP Rockville; 240-728-2378

Avni Jain

Potomac Wellness Medical Center

Rockville; 301-500-0261

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Uma Jayaraman

One Medical

Chevy Chase; 888-663-6331

Adolph Johnson

Associates in Family Practice

Silver Spring; 301-368-0038

Adventist HealthCare White Oak

Steven Schwartz

One Medical Chevy Chase; 888-663-6331

Rosie Singh

Montgomery Family Medicine Associates

Silver Spring; 301-989-0193

Adventist HealthCare White Oak

Kahsu Tsehay

First Medical Associates Silver Spring; 301-593-7792

Charles Umosella

Cullen, Umosella, Cullen and Cullen

Bethesda; 301-951-0420

Sibley Memorial

Kimaya Vaidya

First Medical Associates Germantown; 301-284-3181

Kathyann Walcott

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group

Silver Spring; 800-777-7904

Holy Cross Germantown

GASTROENTEROLOGY

M. Aamir Ali

Capital Digestive Care

Chevy Chase; 240-737-0085

Sibley Memorial

Ajay Bakhshi

Ajay Bakhshi, MD Bethesda; 301-530-5142

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Suburban Hospital

George Bolen

Capital Digestive Care

North Bethesda; 240-737-0085

Sibley Memorial

Erica Cohen

Capital Digestive Care

Chevy Chase; 240-737-0085

Sibley Memorial

Robert Finkel

Capital Digestive Care Olney; 301-593-2002

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Mark Gloger

Capital Digestive Care Rockville; 301-251-1244

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Frederick Health, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Zilla Hussain

Capital Digestive Care Rockville; 301-251-1244

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Germantown

Toufic Kabbani

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group Rockville; 800-777-7904

Holy Cross Germantown, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Samuel Kallus

Capital Digestive Care

Chevy Chase; 240-737-0085

Sibley Memorial

Brian Kirsh

Capital Digestive Care

Chevy Chase; 240-737-0085

Sibley Memorial

Jonathan Koff

Capital Digestive Care

Chevy Chase; 240-737-0085

Sibley Memorial

Jessica Korman

Capital Digestive Care

North Bethesda; 240-737-0085

Sibley Memorial

Eric Pollack

Capital Digestive Care North Bethesda; 240-737-0085

Suburban Hospital

Zaifi Shanavas

Capital Digestive Care

Germantown; 301-593-2002

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Silver Spring, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Manish Singla

Capital Digestive Care

Chevy Chase; 240-737-0085

Sibley Memorial

Steven Zeddun

Capital Digestive Care

Chevy Chase; 240-737-0085

Sibley Memorial

GERIATRIC MEDICINE

Michael Grady

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group

Washington, D.C.; 202-686-0813

GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY

Margaret Alexander

Margaret Alexander MD PC/ Oncology for Women

Bethesda; 301-564-4966

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Mildred Chernofsky

Sibley Center for Gynecologic Oncology and Advanced Pelvic Surgery

Washington, D.C.; 202-243-5295

Sibley Memorial

Jeffrey Lin

Sibley Center for Gynecologic Oncology and Advanced Pelvic Surgery

Washington, D.C.; 202-243-5295

Sibley Memorial

Andrew Saltzman

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group

Silver Spring; 301-905-3506

Holy Cross Silver Spring

Albert Steren

Maryland Oncology Hematology

Rockville; 240-238-3552

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Silver Spring

HAND SURGERY

Richard Barth

Washington Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

Chevy Chase; 202-833-1147

Sibley Memorial

Sunjay Berdia

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—The Orthopaedic Center

Rockville; 301-251-1433

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Suburban Hospital

Edward Bieber

OrthoBethesda

Bethesda; 301-530-1010

Suburban Hospital

Mahidhar Durbhakula

OrthoBethesda

Bethesda; 301-530-1010

Suburban Hospital

Peter Fitzgibbons

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Maryland Orthopedic Specialists

Bethesda; 301-515-0900

Suburban Hospital

Mustafa Haque

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Summit Orthopedics

Chevy Chase; 301-657-9876

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Alison Kitay

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Summit Orthopedics

Chevy Chase; 301-657-9876

Sibley Memorial

Leo Rozmaryn

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—The Orthopaedic Center

Rockville; 301-251-1433

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Adventist HealthCare White Oak

Joseph Shrout

Shady Grove Orthopaedics

Rockville; 301-340-9200

Adventist HealthCare

Rehabilitation, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Harrison Solomon

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Montgomery Orthopaedics

Chevy Chase; 301-949-8100

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Suburban Hospital

INFECTIOUS DISEASE

Sameh Aly

Metro Infectious Disease Consultants

Rockville; 301-605-7468

Adventist HealthCare

Rehabilitation, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Suburban Hospital

John McNeil

Maximed Associates

Silver Spring; 301-460-6664

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Ramani Reddy

Maximed Associates

Silver Spring; 301-460-6664

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE CARE

Angela Lee

Department of Hospice & Palliative Medicine

Washington, D.C.; 202-537-4000

Sibley Memorial

INTERNAL MEDICINE

Meena Andrew

Bethesda Internal Medicine Partners

Bethesda; 301-388-8858

Suburban Hospital

Satish Angra

Silver Spring; 301-593-3400

Susan Baruch

Bethesda Medical Associates— MDVIP

Bethesda; 301-493-8487

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Suburban Hospital

Brent Berger

Bethesda Medical Associates

Bethesda; 301-493-9320

Suburban Hospital

Melissa Blakeman

Johns Hopkins Community Physicians

Rockville; 240-314-7080

The Johns Hopkins Hospital

Dave Chen

Bethesda Internal Medicine Partners

Bethesda; 301-388-8858

Suburban Hospital

Brent Cole

Bethesda Internal Medicine Partners

Bethesda; 301-388-8858

Suburban Hospital

Collin Cullen

MDVIP

Washington, D.C.; 202-966-2828

Sibley Memorial

Dennis Cullen

Cullen, Umosella, Cullen and Cullen Bethesda; 301-951-0420

Sibley Memorial

Helene Freeman MDVIP

Washington, D.C.; 202-686-0812

Sibley Memorial

Rebecca Musher Gross One Medical Chevy Chase; 888-663-6331

David Hansen

Foxhall Internists

Washington, D.C.; 202-362-4467

MedStar Georgetown University, Sibley Memorial

Suvarnarekha Kammula

Bethesda Internal Medicine Partners

Bethesda; 301-388-8858

Suburban Hospital

Andrea Karp

Bethesda Internal Medicine Partners

Bethesda; 301-388-8858

Suburban Hospital

Daphne Keshishian

Bethesda Medical Associates— MDVIP

Bethesda; 301-493-9328

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Suburban Hospital

Lucy McBride

Ackerly McBride Group

Washington, D.C.; 202-953-0990

Wayne Meyer

Adventist HealthCare

Rockville; 301-251-9503

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Alan Morrison

Morrison Membership Practice

Washington, D.C.; 202-966-0622

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Ana Paunovic

MedStar Health Medical Center at Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase; 301-215-9420

MedStar Washington Hospital Center

David Plotkin

Olney; 301-570-7633

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Karen Rabin

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group

Kensington; 800-777-7904

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Kaiser Permanente Kensington Medical Center

Noelia Rodriguez

Patient First Primary and Urgent Care Rockville; 240-238-0411

Assil Saleh Foxhall Internists

Washington, D.C.; 202-362-4467

MedStar Georgetown University, Sibley Memorial

Lakshmi Sastry

Bethesda Internal Medicine Partners

Bethesda; 301-388-8858

Suburban Hospital

Sharon Scanlon

Value In Prevention of Maryland Chevy Chase; 301-634-1345

Sibley Memorial

Aimee Seidman

Rockville Concierge Doctors Rockville; 301-545-1811

Rajshree Thaker

Bethesda Internal Medicine Partners

Bethesda; 301-388-8858

Suburban Hospital

DR. LUCY MCBRIDE, INTERNAL MEDICINE

WHEN SHE’S NOT TREATING PATIENTS at her practice, Ackerly McBride Group in Upper Northwest D.C., Dr. Lucy McBride writes the medical newsletter Are You Okay?, hosts the podcast Beyond the Prescription, and has written about health and wellness issues for The Washington Post, The Atlantic and USA Today McBride, 52, has appeared as a guest on NPR, PBS News Hour and CNN, where she’s advocated for holistic health care. McBride obtained her bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, her master’s in pharmacology from the University of Cambridge as a Fulbright scholar, and her medical degree from Harvard Medical School. She did her residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. McBride lives in Northwest D.C. with her husband a few blocks from her parents. McBride is working on her first book, about holistic health, which Simon & Schuster is scheduled to publish next spring. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

How did the idea for the upcoming book come about? The book has been percolating in my mind for probably a decade. The idea for it came from my 25 years as an internal medicine doctor, where I saw firsthand how many patients needed deeper support than what rushed, short office visits allowed. I want to reach and help more people than I can see in a day. I started a Substack newsletter in the pandemic to try to help people navigate all the new information and make the right decisions for themselves on their health, which connected me to tens of thousands of readers. That process made it even more clear to me how many people struggle to access quality primary care because our health care system fails them and they don’t have the tools to advocate for themselves. This book is my way of empowering patients to take charge of their health and become their own strongest medical advocate.

How do you balance the demands of your practice with writing a newsletter, hosting a podcast, doing press interviews and writing a book? I believe that it takes a village. I do all the writing, but I have a team, a lean, mean group of gals who help me with social media, who help me with the formatting on Substack and who help me with the content calendar. I ask for help, I take breaks and I pace myself. I try to practice what I preach.

What do many patients get wrong about what it means to be healthy? They think it’s about a number on a scale or a cholesterol level. They think it’s about a certain diet or lifestyle. They think it’s about a way of eating and exercising that’s

prescriptive. Health is a process. It’s about having agency and having tools and information and guidance to manage the everyday risks we face.

—R.C.

PHOTO BY JOSEPH TRAN

Innovative Cancer Care Starts with the Heart, Not Just the Head

From Bethesda to Germantown, The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders combines advanced treatments—like molecular profiling and access to high priority clinical trials—with truly individualized care.

With diagnostics, treatment planning, clinical trials, and infusion services all under one roof, we streamline patient care and help improve outcomes—creating a more connected experience from diagnosis to recovery. We are now able to give the newest T-cell engaging bispecific therapies right here in our clinic—so you can avoid a hospital stay and receive advanced treatment in a more comfortable, convenient setting.

But what truly sets us apart is the team behind the science—physicians and staff who listen, support, and treat every patient like family. Because here, you’re never just a diagnosis. You are someone we are honored to care for.

Ralph V. Boccia, MD, FACP

Victor M. Priego, MD

Mark G. Goldstein, MD, FACP

Garrett Diltz, MD

Shreya Desai, MD

Andrew Umhau

Foxhall Internists

Washington, D.C.; 202-362-4467

MedStar Georgetown University, Sibley Memorial

INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY

Dennis Friedman

Cardiac Associates Rockville; 301-670-3000

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Eric Lieberman

Johns Hopkins Community Physicians Rockville; 240-238-3760

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Robert Marshall

CardioCare

Chevy Chase; 301-656-5050

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

MATERNAL & FETAL MEDICINE

Dennis Amini

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group

Kensington; 301-929-7044

Holy Cross Germantown, Holy Cross Silver Spring, MedStar Washington Hospital Center

Richard Broth

TLC Perinatal

Silver Spring; 301-681-0004

Holy Cross Silver Spring

Rita Driggers

Sibley Memorial Hospital

Washington, D.C.; 202-660-7180

Sibley Memorial

Thomas Pinckert

Greater Washington Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Genetics

Rockville; 301-279-6060

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Silver Spring

MEDICAL ONCOLOGY

Kashif Ali

Maryland Oncology Hematology Silver Spring; 301-933-3216

Adventist HealthCare White Oak, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Paul Bannen

Community Hematology Oncology Practitioners Olney; 301-774-6136

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Hospital, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Ralph Boccia

The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders

Bethesda; 301-571-0019

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Germantown, Suburban Hospital

Karim Boudadi

Washington, D.C.; 202-660-6500

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Bruce Cheson

The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders

Bethesda; 301-571-0019

Nicholas Farrell

Maryland Oncology Hematology

Rockville; 301-424-6231

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Suburban Hospital

Kashif Firozvi

Maryland Oncology Hematology

Silver Spring; 301-933-3216

Adventist HealthCare White Oak

Ari Fishman

Maryland Oncology Hematology

Bethesda; 301-424-6231

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Henry Fox

Henry B. Fox M.D.

Chevy Chase; 202-296-2440

George Washington University Hospital, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Carolyn Hendricks

Maryland Oncology Hematology

Bethesda; 301-424-6231

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Suburban Hospital

Nelson Kalil

Rockville; 240-467-5888

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Bruce Kressel

Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel

Comprehensive Cancer Center

Washington, D.C.; 202-660-6500

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sibley Memorial

Benjamin Levy

Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel

Comprehensive Cancer Center

Washington, D.C.; 202-660-6500

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sibley Memorial

Syed Mahmood

Maryland Oncology Hematology

Germantown; 301-424-6231

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Germantown, Suburban Hospital

Shannon O’Connor

Maryland Oncology Hematology Rockville; 301-424-6231

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Suburban Hospital

Channing Paller

Washington, D.C.; 202-660-6500

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sibley Memorial

Victor Priego

The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders

Bethesda; 301-571-0019

Holy Cross Germantown, Suburban Hospital

Chitra Rajagopal

Regional Cancer Care Associates Rockville; 301-279-7510

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Frederick Smith

Regional Cancer Care Associates Chevy Chase; 301-657-4588

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

George Sotos

Maryland Oncology Hematology Rockville; 301-424-6231

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Germantown, Suburban Hospital

John Wallmark

Maryland Oncology Hematology Rockville; 301-424-6231

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Suburban Hospital

NEONATAL-PERINATAL MEDICINE

Sharon Kiernan

Community Neonatal Associates Silver Spring; 301-754-7490

Holy Cross Germantown, Holy Cross Silver Spring

NEPHROLOGY

Farzad Assar

Potomac Nephrology

Germantown; 301-528-3580

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Germantown

Raymond Bass

Montgomery Renal Associates

Wheaton; 301-942-5355

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, Suburban Hospital

Steven Burka

Chevy Chase; 301-654-3803

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Saeed Kronfli

Washington Nephrology

Associates

Takoma Park; 301-270-4360

Adventist HealthCare White Oak, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Jeremy Marcus

Washington Nephrology

Associates

Chevy Chase; 202-337-7660

George Washington University Hospital, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Sibley Memorial

Jeffrey Perlmutter

Nephrology Associates of Montgomery County Rockville; 301-231-7111

Holy Cross Silver Spring, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, Suburban Hospital

NEUROLOGICAL SURGERY

Joshua Ammerman

Washington Neurosurgical

Associates

Washington, D.C.; 202-966-6300

George Washington University Hospital, Sibley Memorial

Matthew Ammerman

Washington Neurosurgical Associates

Washington, D.C.; 202-966-6300

George Washington University Hospital, Sibley Memorial

Louis Chang

Johns Hopkins Neurosurgery

Bethesda; 301-896-6069

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Suburban Hospital

Shih-Chun Lin

Johns Hopkins Neurosurgery

Bethesda; 301-896-6069

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Suburban Hospital

At Chesapeake Urology, our mission is to deliver the highest level of care and an exceptional experience to every patient. This commitment shapes everything we do and inspires us to continually raise the bar.

We’re proud to once again be recognized on this year’s annual list and deeply honored that our physicians have gained the trust and respect of their peers.

To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, scan the QR code or call 443-963-3619.

Dr. Spencer K. Craven

Dr. Juan P. Litvak

Dr. Roberto Pedraza

Dr. Gary S. Friedlander

Dr. Anup A. Vora

Dr. Michael A. Isaacson

Dr. Melissa Mendez

Dr. Katherine A. Walker

Nathan Moskowitz

Nathan Moskowitz MD, PhD

Rockville; 301-309-0566

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, The Johns Hopkins Hospital

NEUROLOGY

Kathleen Burger

MedStar Health Medical Center at Chevy Chase Chevy Chase; 202-295-0545

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Ezra Cohen

The Neurology Center Rockville; 301-562-7200

Kenneth Eckmann

The Neurology Center Silver Spring; 301-562-7200

Aneesa Keya

Olney Medical Group

Rockville; 240-912-7771

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Pavel Klein

Mid-Atlantic Epilepsy & Sleep Center

Bethesda; 301-530-9744

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Ratnavali Kolla

Capital Neuro Care

Gaithersburg; 301-869-2358

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Gregory Mathews

Gregory C. Mathews, MD Silver Spring; 301-456-5810

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Washington Adventist Hospital

Nirjaleshwar Nikhar

Neurology Clinic of Washington Olney; 301-260-7600

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Tricia Ting

MedStar Health Medical Center at Chevy Chase Chevy Chase; 301-215-9420

MedStar Georgetown University, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Lawrence Zumo

Silver Spring; 301-562-8400

Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center, UM Capital Region Medical Center

NUCLEAR MEDICINE

Peter Herscovitch

NIH Clinical Center—Positron

Emission Tomography Department

Bethesda; 301-451-4248

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

Darryn Band

Capital Women’s Care

Silver Spring; 301-681-9101

Holy Cross Silver Spring

Richard Beckerman

Foxhall Women’s Health

Washington, D.C.; 202-243-3500

Sibley Memorial

Tamara Coates

Capital Women’s Care

Silver Spring; 301-593-8101

Holy Cross Silver Spring

Vivian Fraga

Chevy Chase; 301-654-2182

MedStar Georgetown University, Sibley Memorial

Niloofar Ghassemzadeh

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group

Gaithersburg; 800-777-7904

Holy Cross Silver Spring

Stephen Lakner

Capital Women’s Care

Rockville; 301-279-9400

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Diane Laurin

Capital Women’s Care

Bethesda; 301-279-9400

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Dorothy Lee

Capital Women’s Care

Rockville; 301-279-9400

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Connie Liang

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group

Kensington; 301-929-7001

Kaiser Permanente Kensington

Medical Center

Madelaine Rosche-Scott

Kaiser Permanente Kensington Medical Center

Kensington; 800-777-7904

Kaiser Permanente Kensington

Medical Center, Holy Cross

Germantown

Gayle Skinner

Capital Women’s Care

Silver Spring; 301-681-3400

Holy Cross Silver Spring

OPHTHALMOLOGY

Marwa Adi

Washington Eye Physicians & Surgeons

Chevy Chase; 301-657-5700

MedStar Georgetown University, MedStar Washington Hospital Center

George Agritellis

Rockville Eye Associates Rockville; 301-231-5088

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Lamees Ashker

Montgomery Eye Physicians & Surgeons

Rockville; 301-881-5888

Melanie Buttross

Eye Associates of Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C.; 202-686-6700

MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Sibley Memorial

Thomas Clinch

Eye Doctors of Washington Chevy Chase; 301-215-7100

MedStar Georgetown University

Sandra Cremers

Visionary Eye Doctors

Rockville; 301-896-0890

Suburban Hospital

Reena Garg

Visionary Eye Doctors Rockville; 301-896-0890

MedStar Washington Hospital Center

Lauren Gavaris

Eye Associates of Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C.; 202-686-6700

Sibley Memorial

Todd Goodglick

Washington Eye Physicians & Surgeons

Chevy Chase; 301-841-6595

MedStar Georgetown University, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Sibley Memorial

Andrew Hammer

Visionary Eye Doctors Rockville; 301-896-0890

Suburban Hospital

Jordan Heffez

Retina Consultants

Bethesda; 301-530-5200

Suburban Hospital

Mark Hendrix

Rockville Eye Associates

Rockville; 301-231-5088

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Harry Huang

Harry H. Huang M.D., P.A.

Bethesda; 301-897-3322

Aziz Khanifar

The Retina Group of Washington Silver Spring; 301-495-2357

Won Kim

Eye Doctors of Washington Chevy Chase; 301-215-7100

Michael Lai

The Retina Group of Washington Chevy Chase; 301-656-8100

Neil Martin

Washington Eye Physicians & Surgeons

Chevy Chase; 301-657-5700

MedStar Georgetown University, MedStar Washington Hospital Center

J. Alberto Martinez

Visionary Eye Doctors

Rockville; 301-896-0890

MedStar Washington Hospital Center

David Parver

Retina Consultants

Bethesda; 301-530-5200

Inova Fairfax Hospital, MedStar Georgetown University, Suburban Hospital

Kevin Perman

Center for Eyelid & Facial Plastic Surgery

Bethesda; 301-571-0000

MedStar Georgetown University, Sibley Memorial

Roy Rubinfeld

Re:Vision

Rockville; 301-908-8091

MedStar Washington Hospital Center

Kenneth Schor

Eye Doctors of Washington Chevy Chase; 301-215-7100

Children’s National is home to world-class pediatricians. Our convenient primary care locations offer preventive care and treat illnesses and minor injuries. Make an appointment today. childrensnational.org/primarycare

Deepika Shah

Eye Doctors of Washington

Chevy Chase; 301-215-7100

MedStar Georgetown University

Michael Tigani

Metropolitan Ophthalmology Associates

Chevy Chase; 301-657-4171

Sibley Memorial

G. Vike Vicente

Eye Doctors of Washington

Chevy Chase; 301-215-7100

Children’s National

Cuong Vu

The Retina Group of Washington Silver Spring; 301-495-2357

Howard Weiss

Washington Eye Physicians & Surgeons

Chevy Chase; 301-657-5700

MedStar Georgetown University, MedStar Washington Hospital Center

Thomas Yau

Silver Spring Eye Silver Spring; 301-587-1220

David Yeh

The Medical Eye Center

Germantown; 301-528-4500

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Jefferson Medical Center

ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY

Zohair Alam

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Montgomery Orthopaedics

Chevy Chase; 301-949-8100

Adventist HealthCare White Oak, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Steven Bernstein

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Summit Orthopedics

Chevy Chase; 301-657-9876

Sibley Memorial

Steven Bleckner

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Summit Orthopedics

Bethesda; 301-657-9876

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Barry Boden

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—The Orthopaedic Center

Rockville; 301-251-1433

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Robert Buber

OrthoBethesda

Bethesda; 301-530-1010

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Suburban Hospital

Christopher Cannova

OrthoBethesda

Bethesda; 301-530-1010

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

John Christoforetti

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Maryland Orthopedic Specialists Bethesda; 301-515-0900

Marc Connell

Washington Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

Chevy Chase; 202-833-1147

Sibley Memorial

Sridhar Durbhakula

OrthoBethesda Bethesda; 301-530-1010

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Suburban Hospital

Korboi Evans

Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group

Silver Spring; 301-589-3324

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Germantown, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Joel Fechter

Mininberg & Fechter

Silver Spring; 301-681-7100

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Silver Spring, Suburban Hospital

Kenneth Fine

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—The Orthopaedic Center

Rockville; 301-251-1433

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Ira Fisch

OrthoBethesda

Bethesda; 301-530-1010

Suburban Hospital

James Gardiner

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Maryland Orthopedic Specialists Bethesda; 301-515-0900

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

James Gilbert

Metro Orthopedics & Sports Therapy

Potomac; 301-588-7888

Holy Cross Germantown

Michael Goldsmith

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Summit Orthopedics

Chevy Chase; 301-657-9876

Sibley Memorial

Antoni Goral

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Montgomery Orthopaedics

Chevy Chase; 301-949-8100

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Suburban Hospital

Brett Hampton Shady Grove Orthopaedic Associates

Rockville; 301-340-9200

Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

David Higgins

Maryland Sports Medicine Center

Olney; 301-232-1050

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Clifford Hinkes

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Montgomery Orthopaedics

Chevy Chase; 301-949-8100

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Suburban Hospital

Rinelda Horton

Holy Cross Health Center Gaithersburg; 301-557-1832

Holy Cross Silver Spring

John Keeling

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Montgomery Orthopaedics

Chevy Chase; 301-949-8100

Holy Cross Silver Spring

Bruce Knolmayer

MedStar Orthopaedic Institute Olney; 301-774-8958

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Derek Kram

Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group

Silver Spring; 301-589-3324

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Germantown

David Levin

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—The Orthopaedic Center Rockville; 301-251-1433

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Craig Miller

OrthoBethesda

Bethesda; 301-530-1010

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Suburban Hospital

Douglas Murphy

Metro Orthopedics & Sports Therapy Potomac; 301-588-7888

Holy Cross Germantown, Holy Cross Silver Spring, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Emily Niu

Fight For Children Sports Medicine Center

Silver Spring; 202-476-2112

Children’s National

Denis O’Brien

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Potomac Valley Orthopaedic Associates Olney; 301-774-0500

George Washington University Hospital, Suburban Hospital

Joseph O’Brien

OrthoBethesda

Bethesda; 301-530-1010

Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

David Perim

Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group

Silver Spring; 301-589-3324

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Germantown

Mark Peterson

Shady Grove Orthopaedic Associates Rockville; 301-340-9200

Adventist HealthCare

Rehabilitation, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Brett Quigley

Shady Grove Orthopaedic Associates

Rockville; 301-340-9200

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Christopher Raffo

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Maryland Orthopedic Specialists

Bethesda; 301-515-0900

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Suburban Hospital

Marc Rankin

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Summit Orthopedics

Washington, D.C.; 301-657-9876

Sibley Memorial

Jonas Rudzki

Washington Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

Chevy Chase; 301-657-1996

Sibley Memorial

Kurt Schluntz

OrthoBethesda

Bethesda; 301-530-1010

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Suburban Hospital

Philip Schneider

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Montgomery Orthopaedics

Chevy Chase; 301-949-8100

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Suburban Hospital

Navinder Sethi

OrthoBethesda

Bethesda; 301-530-1010

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Germantown

Gautam Siram

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Summit Orthopedics

Chevy Chase; 301-657-9876

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

John Starr

Washington Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

Chevy Chase; 301-657-1996

Sibley Memorial

Leonard Tassy

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group

Kensington; 703-359-7878

Suburban Hospital

James Weiss

Orthopaedic & Sports Rehab Center

Germantown; 301-540-4791

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Victor Wowk

Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group

Rockville; 301-589-3324

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

OTOLARYNGOLOGY

Valerie Asher

Maryland ENT Associates

Silver Spring; 301-989-2300

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Suburban Hospital

David Bianchi

Maryland ENT Associates

Silver Spring; 301-989-2300

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Suburban Hospital

John Bosworth

The Centers for Advanced ENT Care—Siegel, Bosworth and Sorensen Division

Rockville; 240-361-9000

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Mark Dettelbach

The Centers for Advanced ENT Care—Feldman ENT Division

Chevy Chase; 301-652-8847

Sibley Memorial

Sports Medicine

Arthroscopy

Spine Surgery

Total Joint Replacement

Hand & Upper Extremity Surgery

Shoulder and Elbow Surgery

Foot and Ankle Surgery

Fracture Care

Vaninder Dhillon

Johns Hopkins Otolaryngology— Head and Neck Surgery, National Capital Region

Bethesda; 443-997-6467

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Natalie Earl

The Centers for Advanced ENT Care—Feldman ENT Division

Bethesda; 301-652-8847

Sibley Memorial

Leslie Hao

Chevy Chase ENT Chevy Chase; 301-656-8630

Sibley Memorial

Wojciech Mydlarz

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Bethesda; 301-896-3332

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Suburban Hospital

Liesl Nottingham

Maryland ENT Associates

Silver Spring; 301-989-2300

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Suburban Hospital

Seth Oringher

The Centers for Advanced ENT Care—Feldman ENT Division

Chevy Chase; 301-652-8847

Sibley Memorial

Murugappan Ramanathan

Johns Hopkins Health Care & Surgery Center

Bethesda; 443-997-6467

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Suburban Hospital

Jessica Shen

The Centers for Advanced ENT Care—Feldman ENT Division

Chevy Chase; 301-652-8847

MedStar Georgetown University, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Sibley Memorial

Michael Siegel

The Centers for Advanced ENT Care—Siegel, Bosworth and Sorensen Division

Rockville; 240-361-9000

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Pete Sorensen

The Centers for Advanced ENT Care—Siegel, Bosworth and Sorensen Division Rockville; 240-361-9000

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Jack Williams

The Centers for Advanced ENT Care—Feldman ENT Division

Chevy Chase; 301-652-8847

Sibley Memorial

Thomas Winkler

Chevy Chase ENT

Chevy Chase; 301-656-8630

Sibley Memorial

PAIN MEDICINE

Akshay Garg

Capital Interventional Pain & Spine Center

Rockville; 301-841-6600

Suburban Hospital

Ramani Peruvemba

Pain Management Specialists

Rockville; 240-453-9182

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Kamran Saraf

Vein Treatment Clinic Bethesda; 301-900-6334

MedStar Georgetown University, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

PEDIATRIC ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY

James Mattey

Pediatric Care Center

Bethesda; 301-564-5880

Children’s National, Holy Cross Silver Spring

PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY

Douglas Sobel

MedStar Health Pediatrics and OB/GYN at Tenleytown Washington, D.C.; 202-295-0547

MedStar Georgetown University

PEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY

Mariastella Serrano

MedStar Health Pediatrics and OB/GYN at Tenleytown Washington, D.C.; 202-243-3558

MedStar Georgetown University

PEDIATRIC OTOLARYNGOLOGY

Rahul Shah

Children’s National Montgomery County Rockville; 202-476-2159

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Children’s National

PEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY

Maria Bautista

MedStar Health Pediatrics and OB/GYN at Tenleytown Washington, D.C.; 202-243-3550

MedStar Georgetown University

Samuel Rosenberg

Children’s National Pulmonary Department Rockville; 301-738-7011

Children’s National

PEDIATRICS

Victor Abdow

Abdow Friendship Pediatrics Rockville; 301-468-6171

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Promise Ahlstrom

Chevy Chase Pediatrics Bethesda; 202-363-0300

Howard Bennett

Chevy Chase Pediatrics Bethesda; 202-363-0300

Leah Brasch

Friendship Pediatrics Chevy Chase; 301-656-2745

Children’s National, Sibley Memorial

Virginia Cohen

Pediatric Care Center Bethesda; 301-564-5880

Children’s National, The Johns Hopkins Hospital

Dinea DeSouza

Children’s National Pediatricians and Associates Gaithersburg; 301-926-3633

Children’s National

Daniel Finkelstein

Capitol Medical Group Chevy Chase; 301-907-3960

Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center, Sibley Memorial

Robert Gancayco

Pediatric Health Partners Germantown; 301-515-5414

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Alan Gober

Silver Spring; 301-933-4210

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Leila Hall

Next Generation Pediatrics Bethesda; 301-832-6048

Joseph Hsu

THH Pediatrics

Germantown; 301-540-0811

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Earlene Jordan

Pediatric Associates of Montgomery County Wheaton; 301-933-6440

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Nancy Kadowitz

Capitol Medical Group

Chevy Chase; 301-907-3960

Amy Kaplan

Potomac Pediatrics

Rockville; 301-279-6750

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

James Kiwanuka

Gaithersburg; 301-926-7891

Holy Cross Silver Spring

Bertha Koomson

Capitol Medical Group

Chevy Chase; 301-907-3960

Panayiota Koroulakis

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group Kensington; 800-777-7904

Holy Cross Silver Spring

Giorgio Kulp

Metropolitan Pediatrics North Bethesda; 301-230-2280

Victoria Lee

Olney Pediatrics

Olney; 301-774-4100

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Hilary Light-Deutsch

Bethesda Pediatrics Potomac; 301-299-8930

Jessica Long

Spring Valley Pediatrics

Washington, D.C.; 202-966-5000

Sibley Memorial

Mallory Lostumbo

Johns Hopkins Community Physicians

Rockville; 301-881-7995

The Johns Hopkins Hospital

Robin Madden

Discovery Pediatrics

Silver Spring; 301-681-7020

Holy Cross Silver Spring

Ana Markovic

Capitol Medical Group

Chevy Chase; 301-907-3960

Sibley Memorial

Shama Mittal

Adult & Pediatric Clinic, P.C.

Rockville; 240-453-0000

Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Francis Palumbo

Spring Valley Pediatrics

Washington, D.C.; 202-966-5000

MedStar Georgetown University

Wolfgang Rennert

MedStar Health Pediatrics and OB/GYN at Tenleytown Washington, D.C.; 202-295-0547

MedStar Georgetown University

Melissa Schwartz

Olney Pediatrics

Olney; 301-774-4100

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Joanna Sexter

Spring Valley Pediatrics

Washington, D.C.; 202-966-5000 Sibley Memorial

Reva Snow

Capitol Medical Group

Chevy Chase; 301-907-3960

J. Apple Sussmann

Pediatric Care Center

Bethesda; 301-564-5880

Children’s National, The Johns Hopkins Hospital

Amy Sweeney Foxhall Pediatrics

Washington, D.C.; 202-537-1180

MedStar Georgetown University, Sibley Memorial

Nandini Thillairajah

Coleman Pediatrics Rockville; 301-468-9225

Jill Troilo

Johns Hopkins Community Physicians Rockville; 301-881-7995

The Johns Hopkins Hospital

Elizabeth Valois

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group Kensington; 800-777-7904 Holy Cross Silver Spring

Caroline Van Vleck

Spring Valley Pediatrics

Washington, D.C.; 202-966-5000 Sibley Memorial

Monika Walters

Bethesda Pediatrics Potomac; 301-299-8930

Peter Warfield

Spring Valley Pediatrics

Washington, D.C.; 202-966-5000

Children’s National, Sibley Memorial

Gail Warner

Growth & Wellness Pediatrics

Bethesda; 240-630-8882

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Paul Weiner

Pediatric Care Center

Bethesda; 301-564-5880

Children’s National, Holy Cross Silver Spring

PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION

Inder Chawla Silver Spring; 301-891-5393 Sibley Memorial

Mark Klaiman Point Performance

Bethesda; 301-493-8884

David Rodriguez

Clearway Pain Solutions Germantown; 855-527-7246

Terrence Sheehan

Adventist HealthCare

Rehabilitation

Rockville; 240-864-6007

Adventist HealthCare

Rehabilitation, Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Adventist HealthCare White Oak

John Toerge

Rockville; 301-377-2661

MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital

Stephanie Van Johns Hopkins Medicine Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Bethesda; 443-997-5476

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sibley Memorial

PLASTIC SURGERY

Kelly Bolden

Cultura Dermatology & Plastic Surgery

Washington, D.C.; 202-251-6787

Howard University Hospital, Sibley Memorial

C. Coleman Brown

Bruno & Brown Plastic Surgery

Chevy Chase; 301-215-5955

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Mary Ella Carter

Washington, D.C.; 202-363-6844

Sibley Memorial

Wendy Chen

Washington, D.C.; 443-997-9466

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sibley Memorial

Stephane Corriveau

Affiliates in Plastic Surgery

Chevy Chase; 301-232-3000

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Adventist HealthCare White Oak

Kasandra Dassoulas

Kaiser Permanente Kensington Medical Center Kensington; 800-777-7904

Kaiser Permanente Kensington Medical Center

Jules Feledy

Belmont Plastic Surgery Chevy Chase; 301-654-5666

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Douglas Forman

Plastic Surgery Institute of Washington—Forman Plastic Surgery

North Bethesda; 301-881-7770

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Kathy Huang

Plastic Surgery Institute of Washington North Bethesda; 301-881-7770

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

A. Dean Jabs

Cosmetic Surgery Associates

Bethesda; 301-493-4334

Suburban Hospital

Sheilah Lynch

Lynch Plastic Surgery

Chevy Chase; 301-652-5933

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

PHOTO BY JOSEPH TRAN

Dr. Terrence Sheehan (right) with patient Jordan Strauss of Rockville

DR. TERRENCE SHEEHAN, PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION

IN EARLY 2001, Dr. Terrence Sheehan helped open Kessler-Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital in Rockville, a facility that specializes in short-term intensive physical rehabilitation for patients recovering from acute injuries or illnesses. Actor Christopher Reeve, who became wheelchair-bound after fracturing his neck in a horse-riding accident six years earlier, was present for the ribboncutting. “I essentially came in with the sheetrock,” says Sheehan, who was then a young physiatrist. The institution grew and rebranded. It’s now known as Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation, an acute specialty hospital that takes care of patients with brain and spinal cord injuries, stroke, amputations and other ailments. The hospital has facilities in Rockville and White Oak. Sheehan, 61, is now the chief medical officer. Sheehan obtained his medical degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo and did his residency in Boston at Tufts University-New England Medical Center Hospitals. Since 2006, Sheehan, who lives in Potomac with his wife, has led and participated in several educational missions in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Ecuador. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

What drew you to rehabilitative medicine?

I went to a small college that had a rehabilitation institute, and it was there that I was introduced to the foundational aspects of rehabilitation. In medical school I learned there are doctors that are doing rehabilitation. The school had some of the national leaders in rehab medicine. I was turned on by the work, which can involve focusing on someone’s neck or back or thumb pain or catastrophic care. I gravitated to catastrophic care, working with people with spinal cord injuries, stroke and limb loss. These are patients who, when they come to us, are at a lower functional level. Our program helps them achieve a higher functional level, helping them enhance the things that are important in life, regardless of what function they do or don’t have.

What do you say to patients when they are starting their rehabilitation regimen?

I recently spoke with a patient who lost their leg below the knee. I went through the nuts and bolts of what the next several months of rehabilitation will look like, then I asked him how he was doing emotionally. I let him know I understand that his life has changed on a dime, and we are here to support and take care of all of him. I wanted to let him know I understand he’s experienced a significant

loss and we want to help him through the grief while we build a vision for the future.

Are there certain types of injuries that are more prevalent or on the rise? With an aging population, we have a skewed age group that we’re seeing in the acute rehabilitation hospital. That’s because we see a significant number of people who suffer strokes. Separately, we see many older people who fall. As we get older, we no longer bounce, we break. We see fractures and major trauma. We see a lot of cardiac diseases post open-heart surgery. Cardiac disease is a very common comorbidity for the people we serve in all categories—stroke, amputation, medical debility, reinjury. We take care of a lot of brain injuries beyond stroke.

What do you like to do during your downtime? On my off time I play golf and do gardening and artwork. I have a substantial garden; I plant and prune. I like to sketch in pencil, black and white shadows. I was in a sketching contest when I was in grade school and only now, later in my life, am I picking up that activity again. My wife of 46 years and I enjoy going to museums, bike riding and getting together with friends.

—R.C.

Keshav Magge

Cosmetic Surgery Associates

Bethesda; 301-493-4334

Suburban Hospital

Joseph Michaels

Rockville; 301-468-5991

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Franklin Richards

Cosmetic Surgery Associates

Bethesda; 301-329-5430

Suburban Hospital

Mark Richards

Ageless Impressions Plastic Surgery Institute

North Bethesda; 301-468-3458

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Adam Tattelbaum

Washington Plastic Surgery Group

Rockville; 301-656-6398

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, Sibley Memorial

PSYCHIATRY

Sushila Chelliah

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group

Rockville; 800-777-7904

Kaiser Permanente Gaithersburg Medical Center

Marc Dalton

Washington Interventional Psychiatry

Washington, D.C.; 202-525-5123

Bruce Kehr

Potomac Psychiatry

Rockville; 301-984-9791

Daniel Lieberman

Rockville; 240-259-3354

George Washington University Hospital

Guillermo Portillo

Potomac Psychiatry

Rockville; 301-984-9791

Mary Salcedo

The Ross Center

Washington, D.C.; 202-363-1010

PULMONARY DISEASE

Peter Hamm

Chevy Chase Pulmonary Associates

Washington, D.C.; 301-656-7374

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Steven Kariya Pulmonologists, P.C. Kensington; 301-942-2977

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Germantown, Suburban Hospital

Carlos Picone

Premier Medicine

Chevy Chase; 301-637-5555

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Michael Solomon

Chevy Chase Pulmonary Associates

Washington, D.C.; 301-656-7374

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

RADIATION ONCOLOGY

Neha Bhooshan

Maryland Oncology Hematology Rockville; 301-309-6765

Adventist HealthCare White Oak

DR. OLUYEMISI FAMUYIWA, REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY/ INFERTILITY

DR. OLUYEMISI FAMUYIWA BELIEVES IT’S HER RESPONSIBILITY as a physician to provide the most accurate information about fertility, not just one-on-one with her patients, but also online and over the airwaves. “There’s a lot of social media out there, a lot of misinformation,” Famuyiwa says. That’s why she blogs, posts YouTube videos and puts out podcasts explaining the science of fertility. Famuyiwa obtained her undergraduate degree from Kent State University, her medical degree from Emory University and did her residency at Georgetown University Medical Center. When she’s not treating patients at her practice, Montgomery Fertility Center in Rockville, or sharing fertility facts, she loves reading—particularly books about leadership. She’s read books by John Maxwell and Jack Canfield, and recently finished Dare to Lead by Brené Brown. Famuyiwa, who lives in the Olney area, hopes to publish her first book, The Quest for Fertility, this fall. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

How much are you concerned about the Trump administration’s deep cuts to the National Institutes of Health research? I just think it’s a tragedy. I did my fellowship at NIH from 1993 to 1995. After that, for three years I was doing [lab-based research] at NIH; it was really fun. We were on the forefront of basic science research. I was in a lab where it was so intoxicating doing a lot of hands-on research and going to conferences to present it, to meet our colleagues from all over the world, to exchange ideas. That’s where innovation comes from, that’s where breakthrough comes from. Just as we’re cutting back, China is now leaping to the forefront of such research. Some of the Ph.D. doctors who were in the lab with me are now heading huge hospitals out in China, huge lab organizations.

When should couples or individuals who are dealing with fertility issues see a doctor like you? As soon as possible—when you think about it, dream about it. Traditionally, the correct answer is, if you’ve been trying for a year,

or if you’re over the age of 35 [and] you’ve been trying for six months. However, if you’ve been trying for any length of time and you have fibroids or endometriosis or diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome, don’t wait, there’s no point in waiting. … I encourage my patients— the minute you think about it, don’t wait. What’s the worst thing that can happen? You get an analysis, you get an evaluation, and it says that everything is OK.

What are some of the lifestyle adjustments that couples or individuals can make to try to improve fertility? Fertility is deeply influenced by lifestyle. Maintaining a healthy weight, eat -

ing a balanced diet rich in whole foods, moving your body regularly, getting restorative sleep and managing stress is critical. Fertility thrives in a body that is nourished, not inflamed. I counsel my patients to avoid known disruptors like tobacco, excessive alcohol and cannabis. While often portrayed as harmless, cannabis has been shown to negatively affect both egg and sperm quality, disrupting ovulation in women and reducing sperm count in men. A lot of fragrances have been found to have phthalates [endocrine disruptors] that can interfere with the hormonal part of the patient.

Victoria Croog

Washington, D.C.; 202-537-4788

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sibley Memorial

Stephen Greco

Johns Hopkins Health Care & Surgery Center

Bethesda; 301-896-2012

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Aditya Halthore

Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Washington, D.C.; 410-955-8964

Sibley Memorial

Rachit Kumar

Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Washington, D.C.; 410-955-8964

Sibley Memorial

Sheela Modin

Associates in Radiation Medicine

Wheaton; 301-681-4422

Holy Cross Germantown, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Susan Stinson

Johns Hopkins Health Care & Surgery Center Bethesda; 301-896-2012

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

Jean Wright

Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Washington, D.C.; 410-955-8964

Sibley Memorial

REPRODUCTIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY/ INFERTILITY

Oluyemisi Famuyiwa

Montgomery Fertility Center

Rockville; 301-946-6962

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Suburban Hospital

Jeanne O’Brien

Shady Grove Fertility

Rockville; 301-340-1188

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

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RHEUMATOLOGY

Grace Ahn Arthritis and Rheumatism Associates Rockville; 301-942-7600

Ashley Beall

Arthritis and Rheumatism Associates Rockville; 301-942-7600

Adey Berhanu Arthritis and Rheumatism Associates

Chevy Chase; 301-942-7600

Warren Ferris

MedStar Health at Leisure World Boulevard

Silver Spring; 301-598-1590

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Rachel Kaiser Arthritis and Rheumatism

Associates

Chevy Chase; 301-942-7600

William Mullins

Center for Rheumatic Diseases & Osteoporosis

Rockville; 301-230-5888

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Suburban Hospital

Anu Sharma

Center for Rheumatic Diseases & Osteoporosis

Rockville; 301-230-5888

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Suburban Hospital

Evan Siegel

Arthritis and Rheumatism

Associates Rockville; 301-942-7600

David Wolfe

Arthritis and Rheumatism

Associates

Chevy Chase; 301-942-7600

Angus Worthing

Arthritis and Rheumatism

Associates

Chevy Chase; 301-942-7600

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Louisa Ziglar

Arthritis and Rheumatism Associates Rockville; 301-942-7600

SPORTS MEDICINE

Daniel Pereles

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics—Montgomery Orthopaedics

Chevy Chase; 301-949-8100

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Suburban Hospital

SURGERY

C. Francisco Espinel

MedStar General Surgery Olney; 301-260-3292

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Dawn Leonard

Holy Cross Health Cancer Center Wheaton; 301-681-4422

Holy Cross Silver Spring

Martin Paul

Johns Hopkins Surgery at Sibley Memorial Hospital Washington, D.C.; 202-895-1440

Sibley Memorial

Cynthia Plate

Maryland Oncology Hematology Silver Spring; 301-933-3216

Adventist HealthCare White Oak

James Robey

Sibley Memorial Hospital

Washington, D.C.; 202-895-1440

Sibley Memorial

Glenn Sandler

Advanced Surgery PC Rockville; 301-251-4128

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove

Thomas Zorc

Chevy Chase Surgical Associates

Chevy Chase; 301-656-6700

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

SURGICAL ONCOLOGY

Marie Pennanen

Chevy Chase Breast Center

Chevy Chase; 301-656-9010

MedStar Georgetown University, Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

THORACIC & CARDIAC SURGERY

Reed Quinn

Johns Hopkins Community Physicians—Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Center

Bethesda; 301-896-7610

Suburban Hospital

THORACIC SURGERY

Stephen Broderick

Washington, D.C.; 202-660-7509

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sibley Memorial

Nyen Chong

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group

Silver Spring; 800-777-7904

Holy Cross Silver Spring

Mary DuPont

DuPont Institute

Chevy Chase; 301-654-5530

Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

UROLOGY

Compton Benjamin

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group

Gaithersburg; 800-777-7904

Holy Cross Silver Spring

William Brems

Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic Medical Group

Kensington; 800-777-7904

Holy Cross Silver Spring, Kaiser Permanente Kensington Medical Center

Nicholas Constantinople

Foxhall Urology

Washington, D.C.; 202-364-3434

Sibley Memorial

Spencer Craven

Chesapeake Urology Rockville; 301-258-1919

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Germantown

Edward Dunne Foxhall Urology

Washington, D.C.; 202-364-3434

Sibley Memorial

Gary Friedlander

Chesapeake Urology Rockville; 301-258-1919

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Germantown

Michael Isaacson

Chesapeake Urology Rockville; 301-258-1919

Holy Cross Germantown, Holy Cross Silver Spring

Thomas Jarrett

Washington, D.C.; 202-660-5561

George Washington University Hospital, Sibley Memorial

Juan Litvak

Chesapeake Urology

Bethesda; 301-530-1700

Suburban Hospital

Melissa Mendez

Chesapeake Urology Silver Spring; 301-598-9717

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Roberto Pedraza

Chesapeake Urology Germantown; 301-933-9660

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Germantown

Rachel Rubin

Rachel Rubin MD Bethesda; 202-888-6731

Anup Vora

Chesapeake Urology

Silver Spring; 301-598-9717

MedStar Montgomery Medical Center

Katherine Walker Chesapeake Urology Bethesda; 301-530-1700

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Holy Cross Germantown

VASCULAR & INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY

Andrew Akman

Johns Hopkins Vascular and Interventional Radiology Bethesda; 301-896-3202

The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Sibley Memorial, Suburban Hospital

William Nghiem

Horizon Vascular Specialists Germantown; 301-762-0277

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Frederick Health

VASCULAR SURGERY

Shan-e-Ali Haider

Horizon Vascular Specialists Germantown; 301-762-0277

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Frederick Health

Andrew Schulick

Johns Hopkins Community Physicians Bethesda; 301-896-7619

Suburban Hospital

Richard Silva

Horizon Vascular Specialists Germantown; 301-762-0277

Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Frederick Health

Cosmetic Surgery Associates

A. DEAN JABS, MD, PHD, FACS & KESHAV MAGGE, MD, FACS

Dr. Dean Jabs is an award-winning, board-certified plastic surgeon trained at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons with more than three decades of experience in aesthetic surgery. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Dr. Keshav Magge is a board-certified plastic surgeon who completed his residency in plastic surgery at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center in New York. He went on to complete a fellowship in Craniofacial and Pediatric Plastic Surgery at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and brings nearly two decades of experience to his practice.

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The best cosmetic surgery doesn't draw attention—it draws compliments. Your friends won't ask if you've had work done; they'll ask what skincare you're using, if you've just come back from vacation or if you've finally caught up on sleep. When facial rejuvenation is done well, it doesn't look like surgery; it looks like you, rested and radiant.

That's the magic of Cosmetic Surgery Associates' signature deep plane facelift—a transformative approach that leaves you looking refreshed, not "done."

"Our patients want to look like themselves, just 10 or 20 years younger," says Dr. A. Dean Jabs.

With more than 60 years of combined experience, board-certified plastic surgeons Dr. Dean Jabs and Dr. Keshav Magge specialize in creating natural-looking results using the most advanced surgical techniques available.

As its name suggests, the deep plane facelift goes beyond traditional methods by lifting the underlying facial infrastructure—not just tightening the skin—to restore youthful contours while preserving facial harmony.

"Our extensive experience working with the deeper layers of the face, knowing exactly where and how to reposition those tissues, makes all the difference," says Dr. Magge.

The result is a softer, more balanced appearance without the tight or "windblown" look. Performed under sedation and enhanced by a natural, fibrin based skin glue (with no drains and minimal bruising), the deep plane facelift also provides a quicker recovery and beautifully healed scars.

Another reason patients trust Cosmetic Surgery Associates? Everything—from consultation to surgery to recovery—happens under one roof. With fully

accredited, state-of-the-art surgical suites located onsite, the practice provides a level of comfort, continuity and safety that's hard to match. Their operating rooms are Quad A-certified, the highest standard for outpatient surgical facilities. They are staffed by experienced, board-certified anesthesiologists and surgical teams specializing in aesthetic procedures.

"Our patients aren't walking into a hospital where the staff may have never seen a facelift," says Dr. Jabs. "They're cared for by people who know them, know the procedures and are committed to optimizing every detail."

While the deep plane facelift is a hallmark of their facial rejuvenation work, Cosmetic Surgery Associates offers a full spectrum of cosmetic procedures for the face, breast and body—including eyelid to nasal reshaping, body contouring, breast lifts, reductions, and augmentation procedures as well as male aesthetic procedures.

From consultation through recovery, patients enjoy a highly personalized experience, with direct access to their surgeon and a caring staff that treats them like family. Whether someone is seeking subtle refinement or a more comprehensive transformation, every treatment is approached with the same commitment to natural results and exceptional care.

"We don't talk patients into procedures—they talk, and we listen; it's about understanding their goals and making sure those goals align with what's possible and safe," says Dr. Magge.

Adds Dr. Jabs: "We're not here to change who people are; we're here to help them feel more confident in themselves. When how they look on the outside matches how they feel on the inside—that's the real reward."

Ageless Impressions Plastic Surgery Institute

MARK RICHARDS, MD

Nationally recognized, Dr. Richards’ expertise has been praised in U.S. News & World Report and other national media. He served as the plastic surgery consultant for The White House and recently authored a book, “Nobody Wants You Healthy: Achieving Better Health by Avoiding the Corruptions in Modern Medical Science,” to benefit both doctors and patients.

11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 912 North Bethesda, MD 20852

301-468-3458

DrMarkRichards.com

Patients describe Dr. Mark Richards as a caring, knowledgeable and skillful artist. “Supporting clients during recovery while exceeding their expectations is always the goal at the Ageless Impressions Plastic Surgery Institute,” says Dr. Richards.

Honest communication with patients is as important as the proper analysis of their appearance. Each individual has unique concerns. Dr. Richards’ professional joy comes from happy patients who love their natural looking enhanced appearance. This happens when skillful, creative solutions are used to achieve well defined goals.

While the latest technology may elevate the quality of obtainable results, technology alone is not the answer. For the best results, your doctor needs wisdom and experience combined with the appropriate technology and techniques. It is important to remember

that all treatments require some healing, and this healing process can vary greatly between patients.

In private practice for more than 30 years, Dr. Richards has been an innovator of new surgical techniques and new ways of thinking about the components that create a naturally attractive appearance. His improved surgical techniques have been published in plastic surgery journals and presented nationally and internationally at conferences. He doesn’t believe in patenting the techniques he developed and would rather all surgeons and patients benefit from improved methods without restriction.

His plastic surgery residency training in Boston took place at the Lahey Clinic and Harvard affiliated hospitals. In private practice, he has devoted time to training Georgetown and Johns Hopkins plastic surgery residents in aesthetic surgery and analysis.

Bespoke Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

NADYA CLARKE, MD

“I was drawn to the aesthetic of D.C.-area residents: They appreciate natural, refined beauty. Enhancing my patients’ beauty—not changing it—is what defines my practice. My goal is to offer exemplary plastic surgery that is technically excellent and delivered in a warm, compassionate manner.”

3202 Tower Oaks Blvd., Suite 200 Rockville, MD 20852

301-500-0215

bespokebeautymd@gmail.com BespokeBeautyMD.com

Born and raised in Potomac, Dr. Nadya Clarke was thrilled to move back home following 10 years of surgical training to begin her plastic surgery career. Her practice, Bespoke Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, offers a full spectrum of care, from surgery of the breast, body and face to non-surgical procedures including Botox, fillers and PRP—all in elegant, sophisticated surroundings.

While state-of-the-art, technically advanced surgery is the science of Dr. Clarke’s practice, her relationships with patients are the soul. All are treated like family; warmth and education are key. Each patient is informed in detail about what their procedure entails and what to expect in the days and weeks following. Dr. Clarke then devises a care plan tailored to their unique goals and comfort level.

Dr. Clarke has credentials from some of the most highly respected academic institutions and hospitals in the world. After majoring in psychology and neuroscience at Vanderbilt University, she earned a medical degree from Drexel University in Philadelphia and completed a five-year general surgery residency at New York University Medical Center. Her residency was followed by pediatric craniofacial surgery research at the renowned Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania. Plastic Surgery fellowships at Loyola University and the Few Institute in Chicago capped off 10 years of surgical training.

With a world-class medical background and a mission to provide the highest level of care, Dr. Clarke performs complex plastic surgery procedures with precision and innovation. The results are transformative, boosting patients’ confidence and self-esteem for a lifetime.

Bruno | Brown Plastic Surgery

JAMES R. BRUNO, MD, FACS

C. COLEMAN BROWN, MD, FACS

SUMA YALAMANCHILI, MD

Bruno | Brown Plastic Surgery founders

Dr. James R. Bruno and C. Coleman Brown, both board-certified plastic surgeons, consistently rank among the area’s best. Dr. Brown trained at Tulane University, Dr. Bruno at the University of Pennsylvania, and both at Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Yalamanchili completed her plastic and reconstructive surgery residency at the University of Cincinnati.

5454 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1210  Chevy Chase, MD 20815

8100 Boone Blvd., Suite 730  Tysons Corner, VA 22182

301-215-5955  BrunoBrownPlasticSurgery.com

Since 2003, Bruno | Brown Plastic Surgery has earned a reputation as one of the Washington metropolitan area's premier and most trusted providers of cosmetic and reconstructive care. Drs. James R. Bruno, C. Coleman Brown and Suma Yalamanchili combine advanced surgical techniques with a personalized, patientfocused approach to deliver exceptional, natural-looking results tailored to each individual's unique goals.

From transformative surgeries for body, breast and face, Bruno | Brown Plastic Surgery offers a comprehensive range of procedures designed to enhance confidence and celebrate natural beauty. Innovative treatments like AlloClae fat grafting and Aveli cellulite reduction provide effective, minimally invasive solutions for those seeking non-surgical options.

Some noteworthy accolades in the community include Dr. Brown as Chief of Plastic Surgery at Sibley Memorial

Hospital and Dr. Bruno as Chief of Plastic Surgery at Suburban Hospital—both part of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Their patients benefit from hospital privileges at Sibley Memorial, Suburban, INOVA Fairfax and Fair Oaks hospitals, ensuring access to the highest standards of care.

Bruno | Brown Plastic Surgery's Chevy Chase location features a state-of-the-art AAAHC-certified operating room staffed by board-certified anesthesiologists, providing a tailored, safe and comfortable surgical experience. The practice also includes a licensed medical esthetician to complement the surgical experience and help patients achieve their best skin.

Consistently recognized as Top Doctors and Top Plastic Surgeons by Washingtonian, Bethesda Magazine and Northern Virginia Magazine, Bruno | Brown Plastic Surgery invites you to experience the difference that expert, personalized care can make.

Capital Laser & Skin Care

ELIZABETH TANZI,

MD; GEETA SHAH, MD; TANIA PETERS, MD

Voted the "Best Dermatology Practice" and “Best Practice for Medical Aesthetics” by Bethesda Magazine readers every year since 2018, Capital Laser & Skin Care specializes in cosmetic and non-invasive treatments to enhance and maintain skin health and beauty. Drs. Geeta Shah, Tania Peters and Elizabeth Tanzi have been named Bethesda Magazine "Top Doctors" every year since 2019.

5471 C2 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 200 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-798-9699

CapitalSkinLaser.com

Capital Laser & Skin Care is a worldrenown center of excellence dedicated to delivering the most advanced, effective dermatologic treatments in a warm and welcoming environment. Board-certified dermatologists, Drs. Geeta Shah, Tania Peters and Elizabeth Tanzi use stateof-the-art technology and innovative techniques to truly customize each treatment plan, maximizing outcomes and patient satisfaction. Each dermatologist is fellowship-trained in dermatologic laser surgery and aesthetic procedures with years of experience treating patients. As an aesthetic dermatology research clinic and beauty industry liaison, the Capital Laser & Skin Care team has access to the most sophisticated, cutting-edge tools and routinely evaluates novel technology. Drs. Shah, Peters and Tanzi focus on noninvasive treatments to deliver naturally radiant and elegant results that emphasize and enhance personal features without creating an overdone look.

With a patient-centered approach, the entire Capital Laser & Skin Care team is dedicated to providing exceptional patient care. Through comprehensive consultations, transparent and reliable communication, customized skin care recommendations and individualized treatment plans, Drs. Shah, Peters and Tanzi exceed patient expectations at every turn, from their first phone call through treatment follow-ups and beyond.

With such exclusive patient benefits as complimentary skin cancer screenings, neurotoxin touch-ups and laser treatments for post-injectable bruising, Capital Laser & Skin Care goes the extra mile to ensure your experience with the practice is as pleasant as it is rewarding. Setting the bar for clinical excellence and attention to detail, Capital Laser & Skin Care stands out as the Washington metropolitan area’s premier aesthetic dermatology practice.

Vein Treatment Clinic

KAMRAN A. SARAF, MD, FABA, DABVLM & LISA ALFORD, MD, FACS, RPVI

Specializations & Awards

Vascular Surgery; Castle Connolly “Top Doctor” 2021-2024; Bethesda Magazine “Top Doctor” 2025

6903 Rockledge Drive, Suite 470 Bethesda, MD 20817

4201 Northview Drive, Suite 104 Bowie, MD 20716

7625 Maple Lawn Blvd, Suite 100 Fulton, MD 20759

240-941-1637

VeinClinicDC.com

“You’d be surprised how many people live with daily leg discomfort that’s completely treatable,” says Dr. Kamran A. Saraf, double-board-certified, award-winning physician with more than 15 years of experience in vein and pain treatments. “Most people don’t realize it's not just cosmetic but a real medical problem—covered by insurance.”

One in three Americans suffers from a vein-related condition such as spider and varicose veins, but only 10 percent seek professional treatment. Most patients don’t know where to start, but delay can lead to worsening symptoms and even serious complications. Early diagnosis and treatment are key to preventing progression and improving quality of life.

At Vein Treatment Clinic, Dr. Saraf teams up with Dr. Lisa Alford, one of the first African American female vascular surgeons in the United States. She has more than 30 years of experience in complex vascular care. Together they treat venous insufficiency using advanced, non-surgical procedures that take less than an hour, are outpatient and have no downtime.

Drs. Saraf and Alford bring experience, compassion, precision and a warm, approachable style to every consultation. They provide relief from symptoms such as leg heaviness, swelling, cramps, spider veins and varicose veins. Their comprehensive approach includes personalized plans tailored to each patient’s condition and lifestyle.

Patients describe their experience as "easy." From their first call to their final visit, the clinic team handles everything from insurance approvals to answering questions. Vein Treatment Clinic was designed to feel less like a medical office and more like a space where individuals have treatments that improve their daily lives.

TONY J. LEWIS

The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders

For more than 25 years, The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, an American Oncology Partner, has provided advanced, personalized and compassionate care in Bethesda and Germantown. Led by nationally recognized oncologists and hematologists, the team offers cutting-edge treatments, clinical trials and supportive services tailored to each patient's needs— all under one roof.

6410 Rockledge Drive, Suite 660 Bethesda, MD 20817

19735 Germantown Road, Suite 255 Germantown, MD 20874

301-571-0019

CCBDMD.com

At The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (CCBD), patients find something rare: world-class cancer care delivered with compassionate, personalized attention that feels like home. CCBD combines advanced therapies and clinical trials—often available only at major academic institutions—with the comfort and convenience of a community-based practice.

With comprehensive services under one roof—from diagnostics and treatment planning to infusion services— CCBD streamlines the patient journey, accelerating care timelines and improving outcomes through seamless coordination. An integrated team of experts collaborates to design individualized care plans, using advanced molecular profiling to tailor treatments and target cancer precisely at its source.

What truly sets CCBD apart is the heart

behind the care. The physicians, nurses and support staff are deeply committed to treating every patient like family. They take the time to listen, understand and provide emotional support throughout the entire cancer journey.

As exciting breakthroughs continue to emerge and bring new hope to cancer patients, CCBD remains at the forefront. They offer cutting-edge treatments, like immunotherapies and bispecific antibodies, that empower the body's own immune system to fight cancer more effectively. CCBD connects local patients with the latest research and innovative therapies, ensuring they receive the most advanced care—right in their community.

At CCBD, patients are never just a diagnosis. They are individuals with unique stories—and the CCBD team is honored to walk alongside them, every step of the way.

Jennifer Parker Porter, MD, FACS

CHEVY CHASE FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY

Double board-certified; American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery & American Board of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery; Bethesda Magazine Winner, Best Cosmetic Surgeon, 2021 & 2023; Top Doctor, 2019 & 2021; Top Vote Getter, Best Aesthetic Practice, 2020 & 2022; Top Vote Getter, Best Cosmetic Surgeon, 2017.

7201 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 515 Bethesda, MD 20814

301-652-8191

ChevyChaseFace.com

For more than 27 years, double board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Jennifer Parker Porter has been recognized for her refined approach to facial aesthetics, enhancing natural beauty with precision, artistry and intention. Since founding Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgery in 2003, she has helped thousands of patients achieve subtle, lasting results through a full range of surgical and non-surgical procedures. Known for her meticulous technique and thoughtful treatment planning, patients globally seek Dr. Porter for her ability to deliver results that honor their individuality.

Regarded for her attention to detail, Dr. Porter customizes every treatment, from rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, facelifts and neck lifts to laser resurfacing, dermal fillers, Morpheus8 skin tightening, and more, based on each patient’s unique facial structure, skin type and aesthetic goals for a seamless, transformative refinement of their natural beauty.

“We individualize instead of standardize,” says Dr. Porter. “My goal is to help patients look like the best version of themselves, with just subtle, stunning results that enhance their natural beauty.”

Dr. Porter is a leader in facial plastic surgery, especially sought after for her expertise in primary and revision rhinoplasty. Her ability to enhance nasal form and function with natural, balanced results has earned trust from patients worldwide. With a deep understanding of facial harmony and more than two decades of surgical experience, Dr. Porter is known for her thoughtful, individualized approach to each rhinoplasty case.

Beyond her clinical work, Dr. Porter is an active member of the greater Washington, D.C. community and serves on several nonprofit boards dedicated to women’s health and empowerment.

Michaels Plastic Surgery

JOSEPH MICHAELS, MD

Dr. Michaels received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his medical degree from The Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He completed his plastic surgery training at the world-renowned Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery at New York University and a body contouring fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

6120 Executive Blvd., Suite 250 Rockville, MD 20852 301-468-5991

JosephMichaelsMD.com

Instagram: @drjosephmichaels

Located in Rockville, MD, Michaels Plastic Surgery has quietly become a trusted destination for advanced aesthetic services—though you may not have heard of them until now.

Led by Dr. Joseph Michaels, a board-certified plastic surgeon nationally recognized for his expertise in body contouring, the practice has been delivering exceptional results for 15 years.

With more than 235,000 followers on Instagram (@drjosephmichaels), Dr. Michaels’ reputation has extended far beyond the region. Patients from across the country and internationally seek him out for body contouring procedures, particularly after weight loss or pregnancy. These include skin tightening and reshaping of the abdomen, breasts, arms, thighs, buttocks and back, as well as liposuction. The practice also offers procedures specifically tailored for men.

“Plastic surgery is the only field in medicine where you can help a patient both physically and emotionally,” says Dr. Michaels. “These procedures are so powerful. To see my weight loss and postpartum patients beam with confidence after surgery is so rewarding. While some may view these procedures as cosmetic, I consider many of them truly reconstructive.”

In addition to surgical care, Michaels Plastic Surgery offers a full range of non-surgical and minimally invasive treatments, including neurotoxins, dermal fillers, microneedling, PRP, lasers and customized skincare. Their experienced nurse injector and aesthetician combine clinical expertise with an artistic eye to enhance natural beauty and help patients look and feel their best.

From transformative surgery to subtle rejuvenation, Michaels Plastic Surgery delivers trusted results with care that’s closer than you think.

Maragh Dermatology, Surgery & Vein Institute

SHERRY L.H. MARAGH, MD, FAAD, FACMS, FACS

Specializations, Honors & Affiliations

National Aesthetic Medical Director - Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery (150-plus locations); Board Certified: General, Surgical, Cosmetic and Laser Dermatology & Mohs Surgery; Fellow: American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, American Academy of Dermatology, American Society of Dermatologic Surgery; Top Doctor, Best Dermatologist – D.C. Suburbs, and Patient's Choice for Excellent, Compassionate Care

Part of Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery 14995 Shady Grove Road, Suite 150 Rockville, MD 20850 301-358-5919

AdvancedDerm.com

As one of the nation’s top physician/leaders, Dr. Maragh has earned a reputation for care that’s as personalized as it is expert.

Trained at the prestigious Mayo Clinic Department of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, she and her team of board-certified specialists are trusted by discerning people seeking extraordinary results, wherever they are on their journey to healthy skin and hair. Her unique practice encompasses the full landscape of medical, cosmetic, surgical and laser dermatology, as well as advanced skin cancer care.

Dr. Maragh manages common and complex skin conditions and provides highly sought-after cosmetic procedures using BOTOX Cosmetic, dermal fillers, laser therapies and cosmetic surgical procedures. She has performed extensive skin cancer surgeries with cosmetic facial reconstruction for more than 20 years.

“It’s essential for me to understand your goals and help you navigate the various treatment options to find the best ones for your specific needs,” said Dr. Maragh. “Whether you’re on an aesthetic journey seeking to regain your youthful radiance, or undergoing facial reconstruction after skin cancer removal, it is always my goal to hear and understand your concerns and aspirations.”

To maintain healthy skin, you must protect it. Annual totalbody skin cancer exams save lives, and sunscreen is the most important ingredient in any good skincare regimen.

Annual exams are also a good time to discuss what is happening to your skin and hair as you mature, revealing what changes are normal and which are cause for concern. Enhancing, rejuvenating and loving the skin you’re in starts with one call.

Maryland Oncology Hematology

Maryland Oncology Hematology is Maryland’s largest independent oncology practice, with more than 52 practicing clinicians devoted to providing comprehensive, compassionate, high-quality cancer care. A part of The US Oncology Network, Maryland Oncology Hematology patients benefit from a community of 2,300plus independent providers dedicated to advancing local cancer care and delivering better patient outcomes.

Aquilino Cancer Center – Rockville, Bethesda and Germantown 301-424-6231

MarylandOncology.com

This distinguished group is a leading provider of community cancer care and treatment of blood disorders in suburban Maryland. The highly specialized team of board-certified physicians at Maryland Oncology Hematology provides the highest level of expertise and cuttingedge treatment options for patients in Maryland. At Maryland Oncology Hematology, the dedicated physicians, nurses and staff will guide you and your family through all available treatment

options while tailoring your care to your individual needs. Using sophisticated technology and the latest treatments, including targeted agents and immunotherapies, Maryland Oncology Hematology offers compassionate care while keeping you close to home. Maryland Oncology Hematology’s state-of-the-art infusion centers offer a full range of chemotherapy services, laboratory testing, clinical trials, genetic counseling and support services as well.

Christopher Raffo, M.D.

ORTHOPEDIC

SURGERY AND SPORTS MEDICINE

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics, LLC Offices in Bethesda, Rockville and Germantown 301-515-0900

MDOrthoSpecialists.com

With a special interest in arthroscopic shoulder and knee surgery, Dr. Christopher Raffo is board certified in orthopedic surgery and fellowship-trained in sports medicine. Although no one in his family was a physician, Christopher knew he wanted to be a doctor from a young age, second grade in fact.

“I always had an interest in taking away pain,” he says. Why orthopedics? As a physics major in college, the mechanical side of it had appeal. “It’s a very satisfying job.”

In addition to caring for patients, he has also found it rewarding to create a great workplace. As a practice founder and partner, this has always been a part of his mission. “We try to maintain a phenomenal workplace for our great employees, who we deeply appreciate,” he says.

Dr. Raffo cares for adult, teen and pediatric patients. Known for working with athletes, he has spent time caring for members of the Washington Commanders, D.C. United, Georgetown Hoyas, and numerous high school teams. He also served as assistant team physician for the Boston Celtics.

Whether the patient is an athlete or a person who simply enjoys being physically active, quickly getting through an injury is essential. While Dr. Raffo is an expert at diagnosing and treating all types of orthopedic issues, he specializes in shoulder and knee injuries. Many of his surgical treatments involve minimally invasive arthroscopic repairs, including rotator cuff and meniscus tear procedures.

“I prefer a conservative approach,” Raffo says, “my philosophy is to get as many years as possible out of your original parts.”

John S. Brebbia, MD, FACS, MBA

MEDSTAR MONTGOMERY MEDICAL CENTER

Dr. John S. Brebbia is a double-board-certified surgeon specializing in advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery. He earned his medical degree and completed surgical training at the State University of New York at Buffalo, followed by a Master of Business Administration degree from George Washington University. Widely published, Dr. Brebbia is passionate about helping patients reclaim their health and live fuller lives.

18109 Prince Philip Drive, Suite B 100 Olney, MD 20832

301-774-8820

MedStarHealth.org

For too many people, seeking help for weight management feels like admitting defeat after years of trying on their own. At MedStar Health, Dr. John S. Brebbia and his team are working to change that narrative—focusing on health, not numbers.

"This shouldn't be a last resort; it should be a first step," he says. "We can prevent problems before they start."

MedStar's comprehensive weight management program offers both surgical and non-surgical solutions tailored to each patient. Dr. Brebbia's integrative approach includes nutrition counseling, behavioral health support, peer-led support groups and access to the latest weight loss medications, including GLP-1s. For those considering surgery, decades of innovation have made today's procedures safer and more effective than ever.

"Whether someone needs to lose 20 pounds or several hundred, we meet you where you are—without judgment," says Dr. Brebbia. "From the moment you walk in, it's clear everything here is designed to support you."

Board-certified in both surgery and obesity medicine, Dr. Brebbia, who's spent much of his career in trauma surgery, brings a unique perspective: "In trauma, you save lives in critical moments. In weight management, I get to help people save their own lives."

The results are life changing. Patients who never thought they'd travel are now exploring the world. Young adults are gaining confidence. Families are growing. Careers are flourishing. For many, daily medications are distant memories.

"Every time I hear one of these stories, it's incredibly rewarding," says Dr. Brebbia. "But I always tell my patients: I help steer—they're the ones making it happen."

Montgomery Women's Fertility Center

YEMI ADESANYA-FAMUYIWA, MD, FACOG, MEDICAL DIRECTOR

Founded by award-winning, board-certified reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Yemi Adesanya-Famuyiwa, Montgomery Fertility is a proud member of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, committed to upholding the highest standards of excellence, safety, ethics and results. Its affiliate lab, Conception Center, is accredited by The Joint Commission.

3202 Tower Oaks Blvd., Suite 370 Rockville, MD 20852 301-946-6962 faqmfc@gmail.com MontgomeryFertilityCenter.com

At Montgomery Fertility Center, Dr. Yemi Adesanya-Famuyiwa is more than a leading reproductive endocrinologist at the forefront of advanced fertility care—she’s a compassionate partner in her patients’ journey to parenthood. Seamlessly blending cutting-edge science and state-of-the-art technology with heartfelt care, Dr. Famuyiwa delivers medical expertise with a human touch.

Meaningful connection is central to her approach, fostering a welcoming, family-like atmosphere. For Dr. Famuyiwa, listening to patients and understanding the unique paths that bring them to her office is just as important as using the latest medical advancements. “I want my patients to know that I am paying attention; that I care,” she says.

That philosophy is reflected in the center’s recently updated space, designed to be a calming and comfortable haven—with thoughtful touches like refreshments and herbal teas—where patients can pause and catch their breath during what can often be a stressful time.

Montgomery Fertility offers a full range of leading-edge fertility services, from preimplantation genetic testing to personalized treatment plans, to help increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy. Its recent partnership with Kaiser Permanente allows Dr. Famuyiwa and her team to extend its nurturing, high-quality care to even more families across the network.

Pati ent education is another cornerstone of Dr. Famuyiwa's approach. Through resources like her Fertile Talks podcast and YouTube channel, she shares practical insights and expert guidance that help patients feel informed and empowered.

For Dr. Famuyiwa, the most rewarding moments are often the simplest. "That positive pregnancy test—it's always special," she says. "It's the culmination of hard work, hope and trust."

John J. Christoforetti, MD, FAAOS

MARYLAND ORTHOPEDIC SPECIALISTS

6710A Rockledge Drive, Suite 130

Bethesda, MD 20817

301-515-0900

DrChristo.com

MDOrthoSpecialists.com

After nearly two decades treating elite athletes and pioneering new arthroscopic joint-preserving techniques in Pittsburgh and Dallas, board-certified orthopedic surgeon John "Dr. Christo" Christoforetti returned to the Washington Metropolitan region in 2023 to enter private practice. His gold-standard care combines innovation, compassion and accessibility—utilizing cutting-edge injectable orthobiologics, minimally invasive camera-based repair and customized rehabilitation protocols.

Now seeing patients at Maryland Orthopedic Specialists in Bethesda and Germantown, Dr. Christoforetti helps individuals return to active lifestyles after hip, shoulder and knee injuries. Since 2007, patients of all ages from across the United States have sought care from his teams; together, they've created incredible comeback stories.

A global leader in arthroscopic surgery, Dr. Christoforetti is president of the International Society for Hip Arthroscopy and was a team physician for Major League Baseball (Pittsburgh Pirates), Major League Soccer (FC Dallas), NCAA Division 1 and international events like the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the SheBelieves Cup. Despite his surgical credentials, he views surgery as a last resort—favoring thoughtful, conservative solutions whenever possible.

"We apply elite care to everyday practice, meet patients on their terms and witness incredible outcomes," says Dr. Christo.

Drawn back by longtime friendships from his Georgetown days and the independent, physician-led model at Maryland Orthopedic Specialists and the CAO Research Foundation, Dr. Christoforetti saw a unique opportunity to provide high-touch, coordinated care in a private practice setting.

"The best outcomes come from understanding the whole person—not just the injury," he says. "It's about knowing what matters most to our patients and creating a safe, confident path forward."

Gayle Skinner, MD, FACOG

CAPITAL WOMEN’S CARE

10801 Lockwood Drive, Suite 320 Silver Spring, MD 20901

19851 Observation Drive, Suite 345 Germantown, MD 20876

301-681-3400

OBGYNCapitalWomensCare.com

Dr. Gayle Skinner has been in practice for more than 18 years and enjoys the full scope of obstetrics and gynecology. Over the years, she has become particularly interested in the medical and surgical management of fibroids, minimally invasive surgery, hysteroscopic procedures and menopause care, for which she has received additional certification.

“I believe in a comprehensive and individualized approach to care,” Skinner says, “and love to discuss general health and wellness with my patients.”

At Capital Women’s Care, chosen Best OB/GYN Practice this year by Bethesda Magazine readers, each patient is engaged in a dialogue regarding the optimal treatment plan for her particular concerns.

Wink Eyecare Boutique

RACHEL COHN, OPTOMETRIST

JENNIFER KARMIOL, OPTOMETRIST

1095 Seven Locks Road Potomac, MD 20854

301-545-1111 Wink.net

Stressed eyes need a caring touch. Amid the endless Zoom calls, screen strains, dryness and now summer allergies, too, award-winning Wink Eyecare Boutique in Potomac offers the relief you seek. With cutting-edge lens technology, unique eyewear and the latest dry eye and allergy treatments, Drs. Rachel Cohn and Jennifer Karmiol have helped hundreds of patients see, feel and look their best.

Founded by Dr. Cohn in 2006 to provide a patient-centered, personalized approach to eyecare, Wink blends innovation with fashion and premium customer service. From comprehensive eye exams to chic handpicked frames that perfectly fit your face and prescription and match your style, visit Wink Eyecare for the care you—and your stressed eyes—deserve.

Adam G. Tattelbaum, MD

WASHINGTON PLASTIC SURGERY GROUP

After medical school at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Tattelbaum became chief resident at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center. He completed his plastic surgery training at Georgetown and Harvard. Double board certified, he’s on the clinical faculty at Georgetown, and is an attending physician at many regional hospitals.

3203 Tower Oaks Blvd., Suite 200 Rockville, MD 20852

301-656-6398

Pei@washingtonplastics.com

ATCosmetics.com

DCBreast.com

DCTummyTuck.com

DCAfterWeightLoss.com @drtattelbaum

“Success is a happy patient who is prepared, informed and has realistic expectations,” says Dr. Adam Tattelbaum, who has been recognized and awarded multiple times by Washingtonian and Bethesda Magazine.

With more than three decades of experience, Dr. Tattelbaum prioritizes making a connection, developing trust with his patients. He considers it an honor to treat his patients through surgery and does not take the trust they put in him for granted. His love of teaching is evident in his detailed consultations, blogs and websites.

It is important to him to help patients feel “normal” again. “Sometimes you just can’t make the changes you want or tighten loose skin despite your best efforts,” he says. “That’s where I come in.”

Because each patient’s needs are unique, he works with each person to formulate a common sense plan that will realize their goals. He thinks that it is just as important to point out when a particular procedure would not be appropriate for a patient as when they would benefit from it.

In cosmetic surgery, he believes that simple is often best and looks the most natural. “The best result is often the work no one knows you have had,” he says. “I only make the kind of recommendations to patients that I would make to someone dear to me.”

MENOPAUSE

BY CARALEE ADAMS

Illustrations by Chanelle Nibbelink

Not so silent generation— these women are advocating for healthy conversations on what their bodies are going through

BETHESDA’S ROUND HOUSE THEATRE WAS NEAR CAPACITY WITH ABOUT

325 women gathered to watch The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause one night in early February. The documentary about a lacking awareness of the challenges women face during menopause was followed by a panel of local experts answering questions from the audience.

“It was affirming and at the same time it made me angry,” Northwest Washington, D.C., resident Ellen Shortill says about the film and discussion that highlighted the need for women to advocate for care that addresses a range of symptoms they often just endure.

The 56-year-old says she didn’t initially recognize that her migraines and brain fog were related to menopause. Through a friend’s suggestion and her own research, Shortill sought out hormone therapy. She got it from her psychiatrist after her longtime OB-GYN refused to prescribe it, citing a desire to “do no harm”—an attitude mentioned in the film as far too common. Once on hormones, Shortill says she felt sharper in about a week and became an “evangelist,” telling others to speak up.

Conversations about menopause are becoming very public. Celebrities including Oprah Winfrey and Halle Berry are sharing their experiences. Access to information on social media and new books on the subject are prompting women to seek help. Many local health care providers are offering tailored services to support women through the yearslong transition.

Dr. Wendy Hookman, 55, a reproductive psychiatrist and founder of the Washington Center for Women’s and Children’s Wellness in Bethesda, moderated the panel at the February event, which included an OB-GYN, urologist, physical therapist and sex therapist, along with experts in fitness and nutrition who treat menopausal women. “The biggest question women have right now is ‘Where do I start?’ ... We all offer treatment but come at it from different directions,” Hookman says. The clinicians refer to each other as the “meno-posse.”

Education is needed to help women navigate

their care options, says Hookman, who organized the Round House event and is planning a similar gathering in October. Hookman recently created the Women’s Health Collaborative to serve as a local hub of information for women and providers. Its first program, set to launch this fall, will be “The Midlife Reboot,” in which several practitioners will create free educational videos on menopause care, with the option to participate in other programs and in-person appointments. Since menopause affects every cell in the body, it can take a “pit crew” or team to support women, says Dr. Rachel Rubin, 40, a Bethesda urologist and sexual medicine specialist who appeared on the panel at Round House. It’s a paradigm shift for women to think beyond their OB-GYN as their sole clinician and accept brief annual visits as adequate care, she says.

Women in the United States spend on average 25 to 30 years in menopause, Dr. Sharon Malone writes in her book Grown Woman Talk: Your Essential Companion for Healthy Living (Crown, 2025). Perimenopause—the lead up to menopause—can start from as early as the mid-30s to the late 40s. On average, women are considered in menopause when they have not had a period for 12 months, which in the U.S. tends to happen around age 51. With ovaries no longer producing estrogen, women stay in menopause for life—although some symptoms become less intense over time.

Malone, an OB-GYN who lives in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Upper Northwest D.C., lists 34 perimenopause concerns in her book, including oft-cited hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings and

vaginal dryness, as well as lesser-known ones: itchy skin, digestive issues and joint pain. “About 80% of women are going to experience symptoms that are bothersome for them,” says Malone, 66. “And the worst thing of all is having these symptoms and not even recognizing that the symptoms are due to perimenopause and menopause.”

Women who come to see Brooke Bralove, 50, a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist and sex therapist in Bethesda, don’t always recognize that their issues (mood changes, painful intercourse, anxiety and depression) could be related to menopause.

“I feel like it’s my job to tell people: ‘You’re not crazy. It’s menopause,’ ” says Bralove, who often refers her patients to other physicians to coordinate medication. “I do way more education than I ever did. Women deserve to have pleasure their whole lives.”

Menopause is a natural transition that 100% of females will experience if they live long enough, but that doesn’t mean the entire transition is pleasant, says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director of The Menopause Society, an Ohio-based nonprofit that educates health care professionals about menopause. Its membership increased more than 200% from 2020 to 2024, according to the organization. “Women do not have to suffer during this time. And if they’re told by their health care provider that nothing can be done, that’s not the right answer. There’s always something that can be done,” Faubion says. “These symptoms last a long time, and women should not think that they have to put up with them.”

Malone says the consensus opinion points to hormone therapy as the most effective treatment for the symptoms of menopause. For years, estrogen and progestin were prescribed for women, but when a study by the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) was abruptly halted in 2002, with attention focused on a slight increased risk in breast cancer, hormone use plummeted. However, a closer look at the findings, according to Malone and others, shows that the benefits of hormone therapy far exceed the risks for most women. “The interpretation of that data was what was so problematic,” Malone says.

34Number of perimenopause concerns Dr. Sharon Malone lists, including hot flashes, fatigue, mood swings, vaginal dryness, incontinence, itchy skin, digestive issues and joint pain

Malone says she’s not preaching just for hormones; she’s preaching for “agency.” She doesn’t want women to dismiss options that might help them without learning all they can and doing a risk-benefit analysis. Since many physicians lack menopause training and are reluctant to prescribe hormone therapy, she says, that may involve women shopping around to find what’s right for them.

How to manage menopause is very individualized, Faubion says, and she cautions that hormone therapy is not a panacea. “We can’t look at hormone therapy as the fountain of youth. It’s not. Should more people be using it across the United States than are? Absolutely. But is it for everybody? No, it’s not,” she says.

Hormone therapy is not recommended for a fairly small group of women, Faubion says, including those with a history of heart attack, stroke or blood clotting, or an inherited high risk of blood clots. Also included are those with a personal history of breast cancer or other hormonedependent cancers, and active severe liver disease. For women over 60 or beyond 10 years of menopause onset, the benefits of hormone therapy probably do not outweigh the risks, Faubion says.

The Menopause Society maintains an online list of Menopause Society Certified Practitioners (MSCP), which includes physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives, pharmacists and other health care professionals. To become certified, practitioners must pass an exam; they maintain the credential every three years through continuing education or passing the exam again. The number of clinicians nationwide with an MSCP credential reached more than 3,100 at the end of 2024 (67 are in Maryland, including 27

in Montgomery County). There was a 51% increase in applications to sit for the exam from 2022 to 2024, according to the society.

Dr. Harita Raja, a reproductive psychiatrist based in Bethesda, received her MSCP certification in 2024. She says community educational events on menopause have become a big part of her work as medical director at Bethesda Women’s Mental Health. Last year, she started the DMV Menopause Provider Network—a multidisciplinary team of about 100 providers who care for women in midlife—for networking, education and collaboration.

In January, Raja’s practice hosted its own M Factor movie screening for the public at Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema. She spoke about menopause in May at the Wednesday Morning Group lecture series in Bethesda and in June at an educational event for male business leaders at MoCo’s Founding Farmers in Potomac. “We need to teach everybody about menopause, because it’s not just women who are impacted,” says Raja, 39. “The idea is to teach them about the benefits of addressing menopause in the workplace.”

Not enough clinicians know how to prescribe hormones, says Rubin, who gives lectures around the country on the topic. Indeed, less than 4% of menopausal women use hormone therapy, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Menopause Society in 2024 in which Faubion was the lead author. (Systemic estrogen can be taken as an oral pill, a patch, gel, vaginal ring or spray; local estrogen can be delivered as a cream, suppository or ring to the vaginal area.) Rubin is part of an effort to get the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to remove blanket warnings on boxes of estrogen products that several physicians maintain are untrue and outdated.

“We talk about the risks of hormone therapy, which are very misinterpreted and incorrect,” Rubin says. “We don’t spend a lot of time talking about the risk of not taking hormone therapy.” There can be benefits to bone health, genitourinary health, sexual health, and possible brain and heart health, she says. The WHI study data was interpreted to look scary, Rubin adds, and over time many of the findings

were revised but did not receive a lot of media coverage. Rubin says updated data showed reduced cancer risk in the women who were only on estrogen therapy, and data on increased breast cancer risk in those on combined estrogen-progestin therapy has been questioned.

Colleen Fisher, 53, an indoor cycling instructor who lives in Chevy Chase, began to struggle with night sweats about four years ago and says her longtime OB-GYN said it was just part of menopause. Fisher first tried overthe-counter supplements, drinking less alcohol and avoiding spicy foods. She went to her primary care doctor, who, she says, put her on a low dose of hormones and referred her to Rubin’s practice. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rubin invited Fisher to join about a dozen women for a two-hour webinar on menopause that eventually morphed into a support group. “We all became this great shoulder to lean on,” Fisher says. “I was surprised by the camaraderie that started to develop. You

felt like you weren’t alone.”

After getting the basics, Fisher met with Rubin, who fine-tuned her hormone therapy prescription of estrogen and progestin, plus added testosterone. “I didn’t feel like myself, I’d lost the skip in my step,” Fisher says. “Once we got [the dosage] right, my night sweats completely disappeared. ... I was less cranky because my sleep was better.”

Fisher says her experience was so positive and life-changing that she wanted to tell others. In March 2024, she hosted a party at her home with 80 women that she called “What to Expect When You Are Not Expecting,” where Rubin discussed menopause. “Women said they had questions but just didn’t know where to go. ... They left feeling so empowered,” says Fisher, who held a follow-up gathering at her home in January that drew about 50.

Fisher’s neighbor Meghan Jarvis says she was struck by how much she and others learned at the parties, which took place in a wealthy, educated neighborhood. “All of

At a February movie screening and panel discussion at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, experts shared information on menopause.

Number of Montgomery County health care professionals credentialed by the Menopause Society

the women in the room were so overly privileged and we barely knew what [the speakers] were talking about or how to take care of our own bodies,” says Jarvis, 51. “This felt very suffragette-like to me. We are a bunch of women in a basement trying to teach each other what we need to survive.”

Jarvis, who is a trauma therapist, had attributed her trouble sleeping, weight gain and migraines to grief following the recent deaths of her parents, but says she came to recognize they were crossover symptoms with menopause. She switched OB-GYNs, asked for hormone therapy and then went to Rubin’s urology practice. As much as the medication is making her feel

PHOTO COURTESY WENDY HOOKMAN

About 70%

Women going through menopause who experience some kind of musculoskeletal symptom (frozen shoulder, hip issues, etc.), according to a 2024 study in Climacteric, the journal of the International Menopause Society

better, Jarvis says, she’s equally grateful for all the explanations about what is happening to her body.

Motivated to inform others, Jarvis invited Tamsen Fadal, author of the book How to Menopause: Take Charge of Your Health, Reclaim Your Life, and Feel Even Better Than Before (Balance, 2025) to her podcast, Grief Is My Side Hustle, to explore the connection between grief and menopause symptoms. “I really feel like it’s a life-and-death thing,” Jarvis says of the need to educate women about menopause care. “I’m out there myth-busting.”

When patients come to see Rubin, she gives them a mirror and a tour of their bodies, asking questions nobody’s asked: How’s your libido? Any problems with orgasm? “The reality is most people examine you under a sheet. And we worsen the shame and the guilt by keeping this part of a body a secret,” says Rubin, who posts on women’s health on Instagram and

Attendees at the February event on menopause at Round House, from left: panel moderator Dr. Wendy Hookman, a reproductive psychiatrist; Tenley Pereira of Fogo de Chão, an event sponsor; panelist Jennifer Gularson, a physician assistant and functional medicine practitioner; and panelist Laura Hardnett, a life coach

has more than 140,000 followers. “If you teach women about their bodies, how they work, and give them a menu, they make excellent health care decisions.”

Physical therapy can be part of menopause management, says Jennifer Chu, 51, a physical therapist who runs ITR Physical Therapy, which includes a Bethesda location. She specializes in pelvic health and treats many women with chronic pelvic pain and urinary incontinence.

Estrogen is anti-inflammatory and helps build muscle, Chu says, so the loss of muscle mass in aging is more profound in women. About 70% of women going through menopause experience some kind of musculoskeletal symptom (frozen shoulder, hip issues, etc.) and for 25% it can be disabling, according to a 2024 study published in Climacteric, the journal of the International Menopause Society, and posted in the National Library of Medicine.

“Hormone therapy is great, but it’s not enough,” Chu says. “It needs to be a piece

of the puzzle.”

Chu credits social media, celebrities and women of Generation X for speaking out about menopause and getting the care they need. “There’s something that happens in our 40s as women,” she says. “There is an internal emotional shift where we are no longer willing to keep silent.”

Dr. Tobie Beckerman, 66, an OB-GYN in Rockville, says much of the hour she spends with each of her menopause patients goes toward explaining misconceptions about hormone therapy and treatment choices. Beckerman offers advice on diet, stress management and exercise, as well as hormone therapy and nonhormonal medications and supplements. For more than 10 years, she’s offered an in-office vaginal laser treatment called MonaLisa Touch to improve vaginal dryness and vaginal atrophy, as well as overactive bladder symptoms. She also has an in-office chair, called Emsella, to treat stress urinary incontinence and urinary urgency through electromagnetic energy to the pelvic floor. A big part of Beckerman’s focus is on establishing positivity for hormone therapy.

Beckerman says hormone therapy is best prescribed early on in menopause—within five to 10 years of onset—to get the maximum benefit. Hormones also can be used for symptomatic perimenopausal women, while the ovaries are still functioning, to treat symptoms that arise with a fluctuation in hormones, she says. Newer thinking and evaluation of data, Beckerman says, support staying on hormone therapy for life to continue to reap the benefits.

The cost of care varies widely. Menopause management is a “billable code,” Faubion says, so women with insurance should be able to get covered care. Some women want providers who can offer longer appointments. Some practices, such as those run by Beckerman and Rubin, do not accept insurance, although patients may be able to submit for out-of-network reimbursement.

For women who are busy or don’t have providers nearby, there are online options, such as Midi Health and Alloy Women’s Health. (Alloy charges about $50 for an initial consult and about $40 a month for generic hormone therapy.) Access to affordable care should not depend on your

ZIP code, Malone says, which is why she became chief medical adviser of Alloy in 2021. She left her private practice in 2020.

Shannon Lantzy, 43, who lives in Silver Spring, turned to Alloy earlier this year for care. She says fatigue, brain fog, big mood changes and joint pain that didn’t respond to standard treatments led her to do some research about perimenopause. Lantzy says she typically likes to try one thing at a time—using a scientific approach—but in an eagerness to resolve her issues, she tried several recommendations she discovered on her own simultaneously and then sought out hormone therapy.

“As a woman, I’m used to ignoring my internal signals of emotional health and brain health, but it really, really bothers me when I know my brain’s not working the way it could,” Lantzy says. She started with intermittent fasting, lowering her intake of inflammatory foods, eating protein paired with fiber, wearing a continuous glucose monitor and amping up her strength training. Lantzy, who says she’s usually a happy, optimistic person, felt some relief, but continued to have occasional “days of despair” and sleep disruption.

With a history of not feeling heard by her OB-GYN and long waits to get into a new provider, Lantzy consulted with an Alloy practitioner through a telehealth messaging service and liked the convenience and ability to exchange written notes with the provider. She started on estrogen and progestin pills. After a few months on the medication, Lantzy says she is sleeping well, has more daytime energy and her once monthly “days of despair” are not as bad. She says she’s not sure exactly what’s working, “I just know it feels good right now.”

In October 2024, Lucy Silva Vanormer, 50, a nurse practitioner in Silver Spring, opened The Clinic, which focuses exclusively on perimenopausal care for women through both virtual and in-person consultations. She offers a three-month program that begins with lab work to get a clear picture of any underlying issues. Vanormer creates an individual plan that often includes lifestyle changes, supplements and hormone therapy as an option.

“Women are frustrated, they dismiss their issues themselves because their doctors do,” she says. “But we can fix these things and help them feel better.”

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These short stories and essays took the top prizes in our annual writing competition

Bethesda Magazine and the Bethesda Urban Partnership sponsored the 2025 Short Story & Essay Contest for local writers. The judges pored over 145 short stories and 227 essays to select the winners, who were recognized at a ceremony at The Bethesdan Hotel in Bethesda in March. First-, second- and third-place writers in the contest and honorable mentions were awarded cash prizes ranging from $50 to $500. The work of the firstplace winners appears on the pages that follow. Read the stories and essays by the runners-up at BethesdaMagazine.com and bethesda.org

ILLUSTRATIONS

BY FRANCESCO ZORZI

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Asma Dilawari

LIVES IN: Bethesda

OCCUPATION: “I am a medical oncologist; I recently left the FDA to take on a new role as a medical director at Thyme Care, a company that focuses on cancer supportive care and navigation.”

RECOMMENDED READING:

“One of my favorite books is A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif because the author takes an event in history (the death of a Pakistani president) that I heard about growing up and creates this amazing story around it.”

HOW SHE GOT THE IDEA FOR THE STORY: “I have an aunt on my mom’s side who was an amazing human that I wish I had known better. This was my way of exploring parts of her life, real and imagined.”

UP NEXT: “Thanks to [this] contest, I was able to take a free class at The Writer’s Center and chose one on nonfiction narratives, so I am working on a piece reflecting on cancer from different perspectives, including that of a friend who is undergoing treatment.”

FIRST PLACE ADULT SHORT STORY

Rubina

By Asma Dilawari

What a pleasure it was to make tea the way she liked it, in a kitchen all her own, shelves displaying her chosen necessities. At 55, Rubina finally had the independence she had yearned for since she was a teenager. Being born deaf and receiving a cancer diagnosis brought some benefits, at least in a country with taxpayers who didn’t want to see her homeless. She had been so happy when her nephew secured this apartment for her, the first time she had a place of her own. She had placed tins of tea, cans of evaporated milk, raw sugar, and chili oil intentionally within arm’s reach of her small stove, relishing the organization of a kitchen barely more than the width of her shoulders. It seemed a betrayal when, shortly after, the cancer gene she carried her whole life began wreaking havoc on her pelvis, her cells reproducing with exponential fury. Right when she had felt settled in this country of clean air and plenty, the parts of her body she had accepted would never be of use rebelled.

The kettle whistled and she poured the boiling water over tea in the saucepan, recalling one of the first times she had gone through these motions, now practically muscle memory. Her shoulders tensed as she remembered the audition of sorts, older aunties watching as she brought chai to them on a tray with masked confidence. They had intensely gazed at the curves in her teenage body as their sagging faces sipped chai from thin mugs she had worried about breaking. She recalled feeling so stressed about the tea preparation that she had enlisted her cousin’s help, her only confidante at the time. But B was not an orphan like Rubina. B was in a proper family of six, with servants to make tea and a father who would give

her money to buy sweets, so she had been quite useless in this task and had only giggled with her in the kitchen. Rubina had relied on her memories, of people standing over saucepans on gas flames, of gentle tilts of milk poured onto boiling brown water, smells of cloves and cardamom, and the sparkles of sugar granules cascading generously from a box. She had not realized then how many times she would repeat those motions in the years that followed, and how easily she would learn to prepare tea for others. That afternoon was deemed a success; she was accepted as a potential wife to her older male cousin at the age of 15. This man, who hid behind his mother at gatherings, bore no resemblance to the image of a husband she and B had dreamed of, with Bollywood movies and magazines feeding their imaginations. When her sister-in-law had asked if she agreed to the marriage, Rubina felt numb, staring past her face as if there was another option behind it. Her sister-in-law was a tired young mother with two small children, whose husband spent long hours working to support his family and other siblings. Rubina knew what was being asked of her: that she not become a burden and find a way to live her life without being dependent on them. So she had agreed to be married

and asked only if she could continue going to school. Years later, she would scold herself for being so naive when her sister-in-law agreed. She hadn’t realized then what the word “wife” really meant, that the tasks she would be expected to do would have no resemblance to life in a schoolyard with carefree lunches and homework; any decision about her life would be made by her husband and his mother. The lessons she had needed were not those her lovely teacher had taught her. There were no classes in school on massaging your motherin-law’s calloused feet, on how to lie perfectly still and pretend to sleep, or to stifle screams of boredom while being confined to a house to wait for summons. Still, she remembered the satisfaction of grasping the beauty of sign language, a world of lips and faces that portrayed feelings and connected her to others, allowing her to finally laugh at the punch line instead of searching for B to explain

the joke. She would learn to carry that skill with her in the years that followed, sharpening it on her own.

From a young age, Rubina had always tried to fill voids, to make some parts of her so pretty and pleasant—blowing up the good qualities like a reverse caricature—that her flaws would be forgotten or go unnoticed. She always hid her coughs or ailments, perfected her makeup and grooming. She couldn’t afford a mark against her. Being born deaf and killing your mother in the process carried a cloud over you. Everything else had to be perfect so as not to further inconvenience anyone. As an orphan with six siblings, she could either become squashed with the rest of the city’s forgotten or find a way to shine. After her marriage, she regretted trying so hard to look attractive; her appearance had only gotten her an early marriage and crushed any hopes of continuing school. It would be decades

before she got a ticket to a new life.

Three family homes in a congested neighborhood encompassed the only world she had seen as a child and young adult. Less than two months after the proposal, she moved into a house she had visited dozens of times as a guest but had never really seen. She had missed the yellowing of the curtains, the shelves dotted with shiny items, the gaudy displays of wealth that belied shabby reality. She had missed the grime between the tiles in the bathroom, the sadness of the dark cracked floor, the intensity of the kitchen heat, and the coolness of the inhabitants.

After three years of marriage, she swore her husband would never touch her again, though it would take almost two decades to finally leave. Seeing him in that small office of their family’s store with another man unclothed had stunned her; she had run to her brothers, who told her not to speak

ONE VISIT, SHE HAD SEEN THE WORDS

”HEARING IMPAIRED” ON HER MEDICAL CHART, AS IF THAT DESCRIBED HER SITUATION. HOW COULD SOMETHING BE IMPAIRED WHEN IT WAS NEVER ACTUALLY THERE?

of it. As she waited in her bedroom, a part of her experienced some relief, as if she had filled in the missing piece of her puzzling life: the rushed marriage, the husband who rarely reached for her. He had come home and cried with her that night, not being able to meet her gaze. He had begged her not to tell anyone else and to forgive him. She had acquiesced, stunned at the sight of a grown man sobbing. He had laid his head in her lap and Rubina placed her hand on top of his hair, shocked by the intimacy she felt for the first time with him at that odd moment.

She spent years caring for her husband, in addition to her mother-in-law, her siblings, sick relatives, nephews and nieces. Early in her marriage, she thought that she may have a child herself but could never really imagine it. Though she had held her nephews when they were babies, she couldn’t fathom having one of her own who would grow up to run in the streets, to spill food while eating, and depend on her to wipe his mouth, or hold his hand tightly in crowds. Rubina had always felt so near to the longings of a child herself, still sometimes wishing for her mother, any mother, to look for her out the window when she played with her cousins, to comment on her clothes and tell her they were too tight or too short. She had longed to be reprimanded because it meant someone was worried about her, about her future as a respectable girl. In the end, it hadn’t

mattered: In her small world, a family marriage served as an almost foolproof prevention of adventure.

Now she thought about how many people worried about her. B, still her closest confidante, made video calls and visited often to give her health advice gleaned from her years as a doctor’s wife. Her favorite chemotherapy nurse and her friend whose treatment days coincided with hers both knew her schedule and checked in frequently. Her nephew, who was her best friend, would narrow his eyes when he saw her wince, and call this doctor or that nurse to try to fix her ailments. This concern was so foreign to her. The only time she felt unfettered by the attention was when she was sitting in the cancer center among other patients. She had become so adept at reading lips that she could understand people from their eyes, the widening or narrowing, eyebrows dancing or furrowing to match the movements in their lips. She had realized that the nurses asked her the same questions they posed to every patient, and this was a comfort to her, that her body could be damaged the same way as people who had been born perfect and that they were just as concerned about her side effects as theirs.

One visit, she had seen the words “hearing impaired” on her medical chart, as if that described her situation. How could something be impaired when it was never actually there? She had never really had her hearing. Maybe her mother,

knowing she was dying, reached into her womb and grabbed a small anvil or hammer from her daughter’s ears as a keepsake. She smiled thinking of her mother putting middle ear bones into a tiny gold box like baby teeth, and wondered if they would be ready for her when she joined her in the afterlife. Perhaps she would stick them back into Rubina’s ears and they would talk for hours.

She interrupted her reverie to pour the perfectly sweetened scorching chai into one of her delicate bone china mugs. How many times had this ritual been taken from her, the sharp orders to boil loose tea in a pan while squatting in a hot kitchen, the scoldings as she acquired the skill of preparing salty pink tea in large pots for wedding nights. She relished the thought that she would never be forced to make tea for others again. Though nothing tasted quite like the chai she learned to make as a child, she would never trade her English tea for that of the past.

As she sat down at the narrow table, Rubina looked around her apartment: the linoleum floors she cleaned to her standards, her bedroom with the dark silk sheets covering a small bed she now rarely shared with anyone. She sipped slowly as she planned her outfit for her infusion appointment. She never bothered with wigs and prided herself on having the best scarves of any patient in the center. After she finished, she began to dress, selecting bright colors with a few pieces of jewelry, wearing dark lipstick and her new scarf. When she painted her face—creating eyebrows and outlining her lips—she was curating her mask. Her reflection mirrored how she thought of herself inside, glamorous and smart. She cleaned the kitchen before she left, unsure if she would be using it later, as she never knew how she would feel after chemotherapy. Perhaps she would sleep late tomorrow and prepare tea in the afternoon with buttered toast, or maybe she would wake early to have a proper breakfast with morning chai. These details did not matter; Rubina knew that the choice was hers.

Golden Gifts

By Sarah Craven

Golden apples falling at your feet. This was a phrase my father often used to remind me of the many gifts and privileges in my life. Lately, I have reinterpreted his adage through the lens of golden plumeria—the tender and fragrant blossoms of the tropics.

In 1969, my parents moved our family from Maryland to Honolulu. My mother famously told my father she was willing to live there for “one year—and not a day more.” Yet, by the following year, they were signing the deed to a house on Wa’a Street—the Hawaiian word for canoe. The house, small and open-air, sat on the curve of the street under a rainbow shower tree shading the carport. A prodigious mango tree stood sentry at the corner of the lot, and the back garden brimmed with golden plumeria trees. Neighbors often knocked on the door, asking for a few ripe mangoes or plumeria blossoms to string into leis.

We made our leis with long wire needles from Long’s drugstore, threading them with dental floss. A plumeria lei could welcome a visitor, mark a birthday or celebrate a graduation. Even a single plumeria tucked behind the ear carried meaning—on the right if you were single, on the left if you were committed. The plumeria’s delicate fragrance and fleeting beauty became part of the rhythm of our lives.

This spring, my mom, now 99, reluctantly moved from her beloved home to The Ivy, a senior living community a short drive away. The irony of the name Ivy—a plant nonindigenous to Hawaii—did not go unnoticed. Her new studio apartment overlooks a serene garden filled with fragrant plumeria trees. In the early days of her transition, she sighed wistfully, noting, “They are pretty trees but they’re not MY trees.”

Recently, a Wa’a Street neighbor texted, upset about plumeria blossoms from my

mother’s trees drifting into her yard. I promised to trim the tree but couldn’t resist sharing how, years ago, those blossoms were treasures, not troubles. She wasn’t swayed. Perhaps I’ll send her a lei needle.

Two plumeria plants thrive in my home, once mere sticks hastily bought from the Honolulu airport gift shop on a trip back. To my surprise, they blossomed, offering three or four flowers at a time. I tenderly care for them, floating the infrequent but cherished blossoms in a small dish of water so their gentle fragrance seasons my home with memories of Honolulu.

Some things change—our homes, our stages of life—but some endure, like plumeria blossoms, quietly falling, a testament to beauty’s persistence. These small, simple treasures have been a constant through decades of change, bearing silent witness to our joys and sorrows, milestones and departures.

My father’s wisdom lingers: Golden blessings abound if we’re willing to notice. Sometimes they fall at our feet, waiting to be gathered. Life, like the plumeria, offers fleeting beauty and connection. We must pause to honor it, weaving a lei of memories, an offering of gratitude.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LIVES IN: Cabin John

OCCUPATION: Office director at the United Nations

RECOMMENDED READING: “Two books I always recommend to fellow readers are A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith and 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff.”

HOW SHE GOT THE IDEA FOR THE ESSAY: “The inspiration for this essay came from my remarkable mom, Dorothy Craven, who passed away unexpectedly in early February at the age of 99 and a half. The very next morning, I found out I’d won the contest—a golden, unexpected gift. She would’ve been proud, delighted, and—knowing her—bragging to everyone in her independent living community by lunchtime.”

UP NEXT: “I’m celebrating the college graduations of my twins, Jack and Grace, and carving out time to make a dent in the ever-growing stack of books by my bed.”

Sarah Craven

FIRST PLACE HIGH SCHOOL SHORT STORY

Beneath the Frozen Moon

By Max Bakelar

The boy woke to the smell of burned toast and the muffled sounds of clinking dishes. For a moment, as he lay in the dim light of the morning, he could pretend it was any other day—a better day. He stretched under the thin blanket, feeling the chill of the air pressing against his lanky legs as they escaped the safety of the blanket. Across the small room, his younger sister stirred, her hair a tangled nest atop the pillow.

“Is he up yet?” Her voice was barely a whisper, and her tones were urgent but nervous.

“I don’t know,” the boy said, sitting up on his mattress. However, the sound of boots downstairs told him everything he needed to know.

The kitchen was a cramped space, its yellowing wallpaper peeling in places, the corners darkened with stains that never seemed to come off no matter how hard his mother scrubbed. The woodstove cast a faint glow, and the room smelled of weak coffee and eggs cooked in too much butter. His older sister moved quickly between the counter and the table, her head down, her hands careful as she placed a plate of toast in front of their stepfather.

The man sat at the head of the table, hunched over a cup of coffee that steamed in the pale morning light. His presence was dominating like a storm cloud, unpredictable and impossible to ignore. The boy sat down at the opposite end of the table, a quiet act of defiance that had become routine as he grew.

“Coffee’s cold,” the man muttered, dropping the mug from his grip and spilling it everywhere. The boy flinched. Jolted from her thoughts, his mother swiftly got to cleaning up the mess and brewing another mug.

The man didn’t thank her. He never did.

The boy ate in silence, his stomach knotting with every scrape of his stepfather’s fork against the plate. His little sister sat beside him, nibbling on her toast like a mouse, her eyes darting toward the man every few seconds.

“You finish that woodpile yesterday?” the man said suddenly, his voice cutting through the quiet. He didn’t look up from his plate.

“Yes, sir,” the boy said quickly.

“Good. You’ll do another one today. And no slacking this time.” The boy nodded, his throat tight.

The man stood, scraping his chair back loudly. He grabbed his coat from the back of the chair and slung it over his shoulder. “I’ll be back later,” he said. “And don’t give your mother any trouble while I’m gone.” He didn’t wait for an answer before stomping out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

The boy let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. The house seemed to exhale with him, the tension lifting slightly in the man’s absence.

The morning passed like a reprieve, the house quieter than it ever was when the man was home. The boy helped his mother with the dishes, drying each one carefully as his older sister washed. His little sister sat by the window, drawing shapes on the wintered glass with her index finger. He smiled.

“What’re you drawing over there?” he asked with genuine interest.

“A dog!” she announced excitedly, swiveling to look at him. “Doesn’t he look good?” “Suuuure,” he drawled, peering around her small torso and looking at the shape on the window. Dog? More like an elephant. For a moment, the boy let himself laugh—a sound that felt foreign in the house, but not unwelcome.

By late morning, the boy and his sisters were in the yard, building a snow fort in the small clearing near the shed. The wind had died down, and the sun peeked through the clouds, casting a faint glow over the snow. The little girl laughed as the older sister piled snow higher, the fort growing with each pass of their hands.

The boy stood back for a moment, watching them. It felt like a memory he wanted to hold on to, a rare moment of

normalcy in a life that often felt anything but.

Lunch was a quiet affair, but it was different from breakfast. With the man gone, the air in the kitchen felt lighter, the silence less oppressive. The boy sat at the table, tearing into a sandwich as his sisters chatted quietly beside him. His mother even smiled faintly as she set down a plate of leftover soup.

“Eat up,” she said. “You’ll need the energy for that woodpile later.”

The boy nodded, his stomach tightening slightly at the mention of the pile. He hadn’t forgotten, but he wished he could. For now, though, he focused on the warmth of the soup and the sound of his sisters’ laughter.

The truck pulled into the driveway just as the sun dipped below the horizon, its headlights cutting through the gray shadows of dusk. The boy froze, his hands halfway through tying his boots. His sisters stopped their game of cards at the table, their smiles fading as the engine sputtered, then stopped.

“He’s back,” the older sister said softly.

The little girl darted toward the corner of the room, clutching her teddy bear to her chest. The boy felt the knot in his stomach return, heavier now, as he stood and straightened his jacket.

The front door opened, and the man entered, bringing with him a gust of cold air that seemed to suck the life from the room. He slammed the door shut, his boots leaving snowy streaks on the worn floorboards.

“What the hell is this?” he muttered, gesturing toward the table. “Place looks like a damn mess.”

The boy’s mother moved quickly, gathering the scattered cards and wiping the table with a damp rag. “I’ll take care of it,” she said, her voice quiet but steady.

“You better,” the man said, shrugging off his coat and tossing it onto a chair. He grabbed a beer from the fridge and twisted off the cap with a sharp crack.

The boy stood by the door, his hands clenched at his sides. He wanted to move, to disappear, but the man’s gaze caught him before he could.

“What are you standing there for?” the man barked. “That woodpile’s not gonna stack itself.”

The boy nodded, his throat tight. He opened the door and stepped into the cold, the sound of the man’s voice following him out.

The snow had started falling again, soft and steady, as the boy worked on the pile. The logs were heavier now, coated in ice, and his gloves were soaked within minutes. He worked quickly, his breath coming in short bursts, his chest tightening with each movement.

The light from the house glowed faintly in the distance, a beacon of warmth that felt unreachable. The boy paused for a moment, leaning against the pile as he stared at the window. His sisters’ faces hovered behind the glass, pale and worried, their small hands pressed against the frost.

The knot in his stomach grew tighter, twisting until it felt like it might break

him. He turned back to the pile, grabbing another log. He didn’t have time to think. He didn’t have time to feel. All he could do was work.

The shadows stretched long across the yard, the snow falling heavier now. The boy didn’t stop. He didn’t look back at the house. He just worked, the weight of the wood pressing into his hands, into his chest, into his soul.

By the time the boy finished stacking the wood, his fingers were numb. He stepped back, surveying his work. The pile stood straight now, the logs neatly aligned, but he knew it wouldn’t matter. The man would find something wrong. He always did.

The back door creaked open, and the man’s silhouette filled the doorway, framed by the warm light spilling from the kitchen. He was holding a beer in one hand, the bottle catching the faint glow of the porch light. In the other hand, the shotgun hung loosely, its dark barrel pointed toward the ground.

“You still out here?” he barked. His voice carried over the yard, sharp and jagged. “Jesus, boy, how slow can you be?”

“I’m done,” the boy said, his voice steady but low.

The man stepped off the porch, his boots crunching against the snow as he

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Max Bakelar

LIVES IN: Bethesda

SCHOOL: Rising senior at Georgetown Preparatory School

FUN FACT: “I can speak, read and write in five languages.”

HOW HE GOT THE IDEA FOR THE STORY: “I got the idea based on the stories my father told me about his childhood, and I adapted what I knew of his experiences to create my story.”

UP NEXT: “I’m currently focused on exploring colleges and figuring out what I want to study.”

THE BOY CLOSED HIS EYES. HE THOUGHT OF THE SUMMER SUN ON HIS BACK, THE SOUND OF HIS MOTHER’S LAUGHTER, THE WARMTH OF A LIFE HE COULD BARELY REMEMBER.

approached. The boy felt his stomach tighten as the man stopped in front of the pile, looking it over with a critical eye.

“This is what you call done?” the man sneered, gesturing toward the pile with the neck of his beer bottle. “Looks like a damn toddler put it together.”

“It’s good enough,” the boy said, the words slipping out before he could stop them.

The man’s head snapped toward him, his eyes narrowing. “What did you just say?”

“Nothing, sorry. I didn’t say anything.”

“No, what did you say?” the father asked again, more forceful this time.

The boy swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest. “I said it’s good enough,” he repeated, his voice quieter now.

The man’s face twisted into a scowl, and for a moment the boy thought he might swing the beer bottle. Instead, the man turned and spit into the snow.

“Get inside,” he said. “Dinner’s waiting. And don’t think you’re getting out of cleaning up afterward.”

Dinner was silent, the kind of silence that pressed against the walls and made the air feel heavy. The boy sat at the table, his shoulders hunched as he picked at the plate of overcooked meat and soggy vegetables in front of him. His little sister sat beside him, her small hands clutching her fork as though it might slip away. Across from him sat the eldest, quietly picking at her plate, unsatisfied.

The man ate noisily, his fork scraping against the plate with every bite. He drained his beer in one long gulp and set the bottle down hard enough to make the little girl jump. His gaze flicked toward the boy.

“You think you’re too good for this food?” he asked, his voice low and mocking. “Sitting there, barely touching it. You think you’re better than me?”

“No, sir,” the boy said quickly, his throat tight.

“Then eat,” the man snapped. “And don’t make me tell you again.”

The boy forced himself to take a bite. His older sister threw him a glance, her message clear. Don’t be stupid. The younger kept her head down, hands mechanically shoveling food into her mouth.

The man leaned back in his chair, his eyes still on the boy. “You think you’re a man now, huh?” he said. “Talking back to me out there? You think you’re tough?”

“I didn’t mean to—” the boy began, but the man cut him off.

“Shut up,” he said flatly. “Meet me outside. Now. Your food can wait.”

The yard was dark, only illuminated by the faint glow of the moon and a few flickering streetlights. The boy stepped out into the cold. He didn’t look back at the house as he walked to the center of the yard, his boots crunching against the snow. He stopped and waited, his heart pounding in his chest.

The man followed a moment later, the shotgun resting against his shoulder. He took his time, his heavy boots leaving deep impressions in the snow. When he reached the boy, he raised the gun and pointed it straight at him, making him look through the very barrel of it. Two shells sat there, smirking at him.

“You think you can talk to me like that?” the man said, his voice low and venomous. “In my house? After all I do for you?”

The boy didn’t answer. He dropped his gaze, clenching his fists. “Look at me,” the man said.

The boy raised his head slowly, his breath coming in shallow bursts. The barrel of the gun still loomed there, a black void that swallowed the faint light around it.

“You think you’re tough?” the man asked, sneering. “You think you’re a man? Let’s see how tough you really are.”

The boy’s chest tightened, his heart slamming against his ribs. He glanced toward the house, where he knew his sisters were watching, their faces probably pale as they pressed against the frost-rimmed window.

“I’m waiting,” the man said, his voice louder now. “Beg.”

The boy closed his eyes. He thought of the summer sun on his back, the sound of his mother’s laughter, the warmth of a life he could barely remember. He thought of his sisters, their wide eyes and trembling hands. He thought of the cold snow beneath his feet, waiting to catch him.

“No? Fine then.”

The blast shattered the silence.

The lifeless body crumpled to the ground. The boy opened his eyes.

The man was on the ground, a pool of blood already beginning to seep into the cold snow.

The boy’s ears rang, the sound of the shot still echoing in his mind. His gaze wandered past the lifeless body. His mother stood behind the man, her hands trembling as she lowered her own shotgun.

She didn’t speak. She didn’t move. She just stood there, staring at the man’s body, her eyes wide and unblinking.

The door to the house creaked open, and his sisters ran out, their small feet crunching against the snow. The older sister walked up behind the boy, her hands hovering over his shoulders.

“Are you OK?” she asked, her voice trembling.

The boy nodded, his gaze fixed on his mother. She stood over the man’s body, her shadow long and dark against the snow. She turned and walked back to the house, shotgun still in hand.

The boy stood there for a moment longer, the cold biting at his skin. The snow began to fall again, soft and relentless, covering the blood, the footprints, erasing everything.

The Painting in the Mirror

By Logan Moran

As I step into the powder room adjacent to my attic bedroom, I take in my surroundings. The afternoon light streams through the stained glass window, dappling the walls with color. The messy array of pastes, sprays and brushes are strewn across the surfaces, each exactly where I left them. I turn on the faucet, waiting for the water to warm. As it washes over my face, I feel refreshed, and when I’m done, I reach for my towel to carefully pat my face dry. I stand up, and when the towel drops, I catch a glimpse of the painting in the mirror.

Some days it’s a Picasso, and I see not a unified person but rather a combination of different features, both feminine and masculine.

I see the wide “cow eyes,” as my sister used to call them when she wanted to put me down. Attached to those are the long and dark eyelashes that my ophthalmologist used to say she was jealous of. I poke and prod at my cheeks as I try to figure out where fat ends and bone begins. They are rounder than I’d like—a still lingering reminder of my childhood and the first part of my adolescence, when estrogen ran through my veins.

The testosterone brought with it the thick eyebrows of my mother’s side and the sharper nose of my father’s side. I see the

Adam’s apple, which accompanied the longawaited voice drop. I see what could be the beginnings of a beard.

If I stare long enough, my features start to distort. I see what I hope to be my future, and I see the girl I used to be. I can see everything except the real face that stares back at me. I know these features create a coherent face, one that’s perceived by others just as I perceive theirs, but on Picasso days I can’t imagine it. Try though I may, I can’t combine these features into a person. They exist individually, reminding me of the progress I’ve made and the things I will never be able to paint over.

The pain has eased, as the testosterone replaced the estrogen. Now most days are Van Gogh days—aesthetically pleasing but never perfectly smooth.

Painter and painted, with each injection and exercise, I make contact with the canvas once again, but the paint is not without its flaws. The acne that plagued my face for two years has left scars. A side effect and therefore a constant reminder of my transition. I didn’t have to take the testosterone. I was choosing to do this to myself. Still, it was the right decision.

Each brush stroke builds upon the previous layer until the canvas is transformed. Each stroke will never be as smooth and the feeling never as warm as a Rembrandt or Vermeer. Nevertheless, I continue to paint, content with the beauty found in imperfection.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Logan Moran

LIVES IN: “I’ve lived in East Bethesda since I was 9.”

SCHOOL: Rising senior at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School

FAVORITE BOOK: The Overstory by Richard Powers

HOW HE GOT THE IDEA FOR THE ESSAY: “I had started the draft a few months before and when I saw the call for [submissions] I decided to revisit it. The first draft was inspired by a book of impressionist postcards I keep in my room.”

UP NEXT: “After hopefully taking a gap year, I want to go to college for botany or entomology someplace where the weather is nice.”

FIRST PLACE HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY

THE RUNNERS-UP

ADULT SHORT STORY

Laura Kuhlmann, Rockville, second place

John Simpson, Germantown, third place

Olivia Ikenberry, Silver Spring, honorable mention

HIGH SCHOOL SHORT STORY

Hana Sor, Montgomery Blair High School, second place

Asha Akkinepally, Richard Montgomery High School, third place

Lila Grosko, Montgomery Blair High School, honorable mention

THE JUDGES

SHORT

STORY JUDGING COORDINATOR AND ADULT SHORT STORY JUDGE

ADULT ESSAY

Kathy Wei, Bethesda, second place

Lisa Park, Fairfax, Virginia, third place

Kyi May Kaung, Chevy Chase, honorable mention

Celina Santana, Bethesda, honorable mention

Lindsey Wray, Arlington, Virginia, honorable mention

marginalized authors at Loyalty and on Instagram @readingismagical.

HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY

Caroline Easley, Walt Whitman High School, second place

Michaela Levy, Winston Churchill High School, third place

Marin Brow, The Potomac School, honorable mention

Eleham Salo, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, honorable mention

Katja Treadwell, Walt Whitman High School, honorable mention

Lisa Friedman is an essayist, author and educator whose work has appeared in publications including The New York Times , Smithsonian and The Huffington Post. She holds an M.A. in fiction from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. in American literature from George Washington University. Friedman also teaches creative writing and mentors professional and beginning writers in the art of fiction. Her novel Hello Wife is set to be released Sept. 30 via Santa Fe Writers Project. She lives in Washington, D.C.

ADULT

Jarvis Slacks has taught composition and fiction writing at Montgomery College for 17 years. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. His discipline is in fiction writing, and he is working on his first novel. He lives in Washington, D.C.

HIGH SCHOOL SHORT STORY JUDGES

SHORT STORY JUDGES

Christine Bollow is the co-owner and programs director for Loyalty Bookstores. A resident of Silver Spring, she was a fiction juror for the 2024 Kirkus Prize, has won the Duende-Word BIPOC Bookseller Leadership Award and has been a Publishers Weekly Star Watch honoree. Bollow is the founder of Liwanag Filipino Lit Fest DC and is a book consultant for multiple comic cons. A graduate of Barnard College, she is passionate about championing books by

Eva Langston is a former high school math teacher who is now an instructor at The Writer’s Center in Bethesda. She is co-host of the podcast This Mama Is Lit! and will soon launch her own podcast, The Long Road to Publishing . Langston works as a writing coach, and her writing resources newsletter on Substack has more than 5,000 followers. Langston received her Master of Fine Arts degree in fiction writing from the University of New Orleans and is represented by Ali Lake of O’Connor Literary. Langston lives in Washington Grove.

Debbie Levy is the author of more than 30 books for young people, including The New York Times bestselling I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark; A Dangerous Idea: The Scopes Trial, the Original Fight Over Science in Schools; and more. Levy has been the recipient of a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor, the Sydney Taylor Book Award and the National Jewish Book Award, among other honors. Before she started writing books for young people, she worked as a newspaper editor and a lawyer. She lives in Washington, D.C.

John Wang was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and grew up in Los Angeles. He is a professor of English at Montgomery College. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of California, Berkeley. He has taught English to kindergarten, elementary and junior high students in Matsusaka, Japan. He earned a master’s degree in English/creative writing at the University of Southern Mississippi and a doctorate in English literature/creative writing at Florida State University in Tal-

Bethesda Magazine and the Bethesda Urban Partnership work together to honor local writers through the short story and essay contests. Short stories are limited to 2,500 words, and authors must be residents of Montgomery County or Upper Northwest D.C. (20015 and 20016 ZIP codes). Essays are limited to 500 words and writers in the adult contest must live in Washington, D.C., or select counties of Maryland (Montgomery, Prince George’s, Howard and Frederick) or Virginia (Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William); high school writers must be residents of, or attend a school in, Montgomery County or Washington, D.C.

Keep an eye out for next year’s contest details at bethesdamagazine.com/forms/essay-and-short-story-contest

lahassee. Wang’s fiction and poetry have appeared in Cimmaron Review, Quarterly West, Hobart, The Barcelona Review and elsewhere. He lives in Darnestown.

ESSAY CONTEST JUDGES

Darron L. Wright Memorial Writing Award, and her work has been supported by the Fine Arts Work Center, Community Building Art Works and Missouri Humanities. Danback-McGhan lives in Annapolis with her family.

Jillian DanbackMcGhan is a Navy veteran and the author of the debut short story collection Midwatch (Split/ Lip Press, 2024). Her work has appeared in Military Experience & the Arts, storySouth, Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors (Southeast Missouri State University Press, 2023), the anthology Our Best War Stories (Middle West Press, 2020) and elsewhere. She was the recipient of the 2020 Col.

Anna Lapera is a Guatemalan Filipina American author and educator. Her debut novel, Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice, is an International Latino Book Awards winner, a Jane Addams Peace Association finalist, a 2025 selection for the American Library Association’s Feminist Book Project, and is on the School Library Journal’s 2024 list of Best Middle Grade Books and is on

the New York Public Library’s 2024 list of Best Books for Kids. Most weekends you can find her hiking in Silver Spring, where she lives with her husband, two daughters and a rescue dog named Leo. She is working on a young adult historical fiction novel set in 1970s Guatemala.

Vonetta Young is a writer and strategy consultant based in Washington, D.C. Her essays and fiction have appeared in Indiana Review, Barrelhouse, Lunch Ticket, Catapult and Cosmonauts Avenue, among others. She serves as executive editor and insight (nonfiction) editor at The Offing. Follow her on Instagram @vonettawrites.

The Wait Is Almost Over at The Kensington Bethesda Opening This Summer for New Residents to Join Our Loving Family

The Kensington Bethesda will welcome residents and their families soon! When we ofcially open our doors, the atmosphere of our assisted living, memory care and couples care community will be lled with the happy sounds of family, friends, our team and pets as residents settle in to their new home. With a comprehensive spectrum of care and service in place and a passionate team to deliver it, we will live our promise to love and care for our residents as we do our own families.

Don’t Miss Thursdays on the Outdoor Terrace: A Taste of Kensington Weekly from July 10th through Labor Day • 4:00pm-6:00pm • On-site

Wellfed, a group dedicated to helping laid-off federal workers in the D.C. area, has hosted in-person retreats and virtual workshops focusing on well-being, career transitions and finding support.

AGENCY A Sense of

COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE OFFERING THEIR SKILLS—FROM FINANCIAL ADVICE TO MASSAGES—TO HELP FIRED FEDERAL WORKERS

BY DAVID MONTGOMERY

If you live in Montgomery County and don’t work for the federal government, chances are you know someone who does—or did. As of 2023, nearly 69,000 county residents, or about 17% of employed civilians, worked for the federal government and more than 48,000 federal jobs were located in the county, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Now many of those jobs are being cut. The Maryland Department of Labor reported that through mid-May, about 3,400 layoffs had been announced in the county at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—which includes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other agencies—and at contractors working for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other agencies. In response, a coalition of county government and economic development groups formed Mobilize Montgomery, offering resources and job leads to former federal workers and contractors. At the same time, county residents are coming up with creative and practical ways to bolster their neighbors caught in the federal turmoil. Here are some of their stories.

WELLFED: NOURISHING FEDERAL WORKERS’ NEXT STEPS

Augusto Cangahuala was reeling from seeing colleagues lose their jobs at the Administration for Children and Families at HHS and considering a retirement incentive package in case the same thing happened to him. That’s when he heard about a March event at an art studio in Chevy Chase being held in response to the job cuts. He sought the company of those who would understand what he was going through. He found a room full of laid-off federal workers who shared a meal, practiced meditation, received tips on job searches and bonded over their common struggles.

“That is powerful, especially at this time when you feel very isolated,” says Cangahuala, 44, who lives in Bethesda. “I [came] out refreshed, inspired, more connected to my community.” A few weeks later, he decided to leave his job on his own terms, he says, “instead of [being] laid off later.”

That gathering at Red Panda Art Studio was hosted by Wellfed. Its slogan, “Nourish your next chapter,” reflects its mission to help fired federal workers and contractors as well as those contemplating other careers. Founders Drew Tye Ruby-Howe and Rebecca Ferguson-Ondrey were probationary employees who were termi-

nated from their positions at the Administration for Children and Families at HHS on Valentine’s Day. Joined by another laidoff colleague, Amanda Welch, 45, of Gaithersburg, they decided to create a service for others caught in the downsizing.

“Our philosophy is that these folks are hungry for support, they’re hungry for guidance, they’re hungry for actionable next steps,” says Ruby-Howe, 38, of Northwest D.C., who started working as a teacher and senior manager at Red Panda a week after she was laid off. “Just knowing that there’s somebody there to take them in and take them on that journey is really important. … We want to focus on leading with wellness.”

The women were well prepared for this new role. They worked in the division of the Administration for Children and Families that managed employees’ learning, development, cultural engagement and well-being.

“As hard and difficult as it was, we knew that what we were experiencing, everyone else would be experiencing,” says Ferguson-Ondrey, 41, of Northeast D.C. “And we also knew that we had the skills and the tools to address what people needed and provide the support that they were craving.”

More than 1,000 federal workers and contractors have participated in Wellfed’s programs, according to the founders. Those include in-person events in the county and elsewhere in the D.C. area, as well as three-times-a-week virtual events, such as Monday meditations, Wednesday workshops in career development and emotional well-being, and Friday resumewriting sessions. Wellfed has enlisted local and national corporate sponsors to donate space or provide monetary support and expertise for the endeavor.

Ruby-Howe and Ferguson-Ondrey say their encounters with these besieged colleagues show how much federal workers have to offer the region and the nation. “How do we help people to pivot and find their professional footing and remain in our area, hopefully, and find new jobs and reclaim control of their life?” FergusonOndrey says. “We cannot afford for this talent and expertise to leave the area.”

POTOMAC MASSAGE TRAINING INSTITUTE: EASING STRESS, RELAXING THE MIND

As waves of federal layoffs hit the county, Tam Gelman could detect the rising tension in the mood and muscles of clients at the Potomac Massage Training Institute in Silver Spring.

“Our clinic patrons were either so stressed themselves because they were federal government employees or they had a spouse, a partner, another member of their household who was being subjected to a layoff,” says Gelman, 68, of Laytonsville, the institute’s executive director. “The need just kept surfacing.”

To help federal workers who, for now, may not have the discretionary income to pay for regular massages, the training institute has been offering periodic free sessions. Fieldwork Manager Nicole Teal, 40, of Frederick, Maryland, designed programs featuring 30-minute chair massages plus self-care circles with stretching and mindful breathing exercises, as well as art therapy.

“Anytime we find ourselves under stress, our body is paying a price for that stress the same way we pay for that stress emotionally,” Gelman says. Massages are a tool to help people “relax,

rejuvenate and recover from the stress that they’ve been under.”

One evening in late April, the lights at the institute on Georgia Avenue were subdued and gentle flute melodies played over the sound system as federal workers trickled in to receive massages from institute students Natalie Evans and David Alfaro. Education Director Ellen Olmstead, of Brookeville, offered foot reflexology, a type of massage, and Teal led breathing and stretching exercises.

Natasha Sakolsky hadn’t been able to afford regular massages since she lost her job in February at a federal contractor for USAID—though her regular massage therapist at a different location insisted she come in for a free session right after the layoff. “I’m not used to taking people up on their offers for things, but I feel that I’ve had to in the last few months,” says Sakolsky, 56, who lives in Silver Spring. The April night at the massage institute felt like a moment to “live in the generosity of the community.” When people help in this way, she adds, “it makes it feel like a closer

Opposite: Potomac Massage Training Institute’s Petra Clinton gives a free massage to a federal worker during a special session in May. Above: The institute’s team offers free 30-minute chair massages to feds.

community than sometimes the Washington, D.C., area does. It’s our community, here in Maryland, in Montgomery County, Silver Spring. So that’s nice, too.”

Meredith Carlson Daly, who was notified on April Fools’ Day of her layoff from her job in communications for the All of Us Research Program at NIH, decided to attend that evening even though she doesn’t usually get massages. “Nighttime is the worst for me,” says Daly, of Silver Spring, who worked at NIH for 20 years. “I’m just super stressed at night. Like, how are we going to pay the mortgage? What if? I wake up at night and it’s really hard to go to sleep.”

Daly couldn’t believe the difference Alfaro made with simply the working of his hands. “Honestly, this was so relaxing, I was like, how am I gonna drive home?” she says. “I didn’t realize how much it would help me exhale.” She felt a sense of reassurance: “You’re going to get through this. When he was going down my back, I was envisioning the stress just going, boom, get out of here.”

CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS: PREPARING FOR THE TRANSITION

Phones started “ringing off the hook” in the offices of financial planners as federal workers facing layoffs or contemplating early retirement deals urgently sought advice, says Bethesda resident Erin Koeppel, managing director of government relations for the Washington, D.C.-based Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board of Standards. “We all know this from our friends and neighbors—federal workers are worried, they’re scared, they’re anxious.”

Koeppel and her colleagues at the CFP Board—the body that sets national requirements for qualification as a certified financial planner—launched an initiative to help. They tailored two webinars for the situation: one to give planners a refresher on the intricacies of federal pay, benefits, pensions and retirement, and another to provide information directly to federal workers. About 1,500 federal workers registered for the session, and the video had been viewed about 2,500 times by late May, according to the CFP Board.

In addition, the board rallied planners to offer pro bono or reduced-rate services to federal workers. Some 250 planners volunteered nationwide, including several in Montgomery County, according to the CFP Board.

Michelle Muhammed, senior wealth adviser with M&M Wealth Advisory in Silver Spring, says she remembers thinking, Hey, what can I do to be of help? I can use my financial planning expertise.

Nearly a dozen federal workers reached out to Muhammed during the first few weeks of discounted services for federal workers. She offers one hour of pro bono advice, and, if more time is needed, charges $250 an hour after that, a little more than half her standard rate. The CFP Board set a cap of $250 an hour for reduced-rate services.

“There are just so many questions that have been coming up as I’ve been talking to federal workers who are taking advantage of the pro bono and reduced-rate offers, and a

big one is just, ‘Are we going to be OK if we can’t find replacement jobs or income?’ ” Muhammed says. “So you model that. … If you model the worstcase scenario, and someone looks OK in the worst-case scenario, then it gives them breathing room.”

Diamond Chaflawee, a certified financial planner with LPL Enterprise in North Bethesda, started working with a federal employee in his late 50s who was bracing

for a layoff, and then the dreaded notice actually came. Chaflawee has been helping the man identify risks and strategies that he and his wife could adopt to improve their situation. When the man asked how much he owed the adviser, Chaflawee says he told him to pay whatever he wanted, from nothing to $250 an hour. “It’s very important for everyone to have access to financial knowledge and literacy,” he says, “and I’m happy to provide.”

The good news for federal workers anxious about their finances is that a bit of planning almost always helps, says Karen Schaeffer, co-founder of Schaeffer Financial in Rockville, who helped lead the webinars produced by the CFP Board. “We can improve anything, and sometimes we can really avert disaster,” she says. “It’s always better having gone through a conversation with somebody qualified to give you that advice.”

EDS FOR FEDS: UPDATING RESUMES AND BOOSTING SPIRITS

Kathleen Kelly Halverson was already alarmed by the widespread layoffs and wondering how she could help when a close friend texted in early April that she’d just lost her job at the FDA. Halverson’s first instinct was to offer to bring over food, as one does after a death. But she was also thinking more strategically. What could one person do for so many?

“I was like, all right, what skills do I have, how can I help?” says Halverson, 56, an editor for a professional association who lives in Olney. The answer was obvious: Halverson could edit. She

came up with a name—Eds for Feds— and posted messages on locally focused Facebook groups offering to help refresh resumes and polish cover letters. Within a few weeks, Eds for Feds was working on more than a dozen resumes and had its first success story: A fired FDA employee from Olney landed a job for a private company, according to Halverson.

“I haven’t seen a resume that’s shorter than four pages,” Halverson says. “A lot of the work is just shortening, shortening, shortening and un-governmentspeaking the resume so that people in the private sector know what the heck

you’re talking about.”

As demand for the free service has grown, Halverson has enlisted about 10 editors and human resources professionals to pitch in. The fed workers say this outpouring of kindness from strangers sustains them as much as the practical assistance.

“Now I have a much-improved resume and [the editors] continue to reach out to me, to check on me and let me know about job opportunities,” says Colleen LoCicero, 61, of Frederick, Maryland, who was let go in April after working at the FDA for more than 27 years. She was a policy adviser at the White Oak campus in Silver Spring who developed drug regulations, regulatory policy and guidance. “It’s really nice and uplifting to hear about the many positive things that people are doing to help us feds who are in this situation right now,” LoCicero says.

Aria Gray considered it a “dream” to pursue a career at HHS, where she was a public health analyst with the Health Resources and Services Administration. She had worked there for nearly four years before being let go in early April. Gray, 37, of Germantown, met Halverson recently for coffee and “talked about my resume in person for about half the time, but also half the time just chatted,” she says. “It was just also a really great way to build community during this time and meet new people and feel supported.”

Halverson has a message for all the laid-off feds she meets: “This is not your end. Take your power back. … Reach out and lean on people because there are so many people right here in the county who want to help.”

From left: Eds for Feds’ Tess D’souza-Magee, Kathleen Kelly Halverson and Maureen Salamat work on resumes at a cafe in Olney.

JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER WASHINGTON: EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR

FAMILIES

Gil Preuss knew the abrupt federal downsizing would blow a hole in household budgets as families scrambled to make alternative plans. The CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, based in North Bethesda, was reminded of another recent collective emergency—the COVID-19 pandemic. During COVID, the federation created a fund for rabbis to distribute to families in need. Preuss and the leadership of the federation adopted a similar plan in response to the layoffs.

“We wanted the rabbis to know that if there was a need, that there would be support, and for people to know that there’s a place that they [could] go to” for help, Preuss says.

The federation set aside $100,000 for the fund, with up to $1,500 per person to be used for food, rent, the mortgage, utilities and any other necessities. As of late May, about $62,500 had been distributed to families in the region, according to the federation. “If it gets used up, then we’ll provide more resources,” Preuss says.

The fund helped a household in Potomac where a federal worker was suddenly laid off after 25 years. “With no severance and mounting bills, the weight of uncertainty began to feel overwhelming,” Preuss says, reading from one rabbi’s report on the case.

Rabbi Uri Topolosky of Kehilat Pardes, the Rock Creek Synagogue in Rockville, says the financial assistance is an essential part of a broader embrace of federal workers in his congregation. Out of some 100 households in the congregation, about 25 include federal workers or contractors who face pressure and uncertainty even if they haven’t been laid

off, according to Topolosky. In addition to weekly Zoom calls for federal workers and family members to share worries and see that they’re not alone, synagogue members have been helping with errands and providing meals to these families. Topolosky has given funds from the federation to three families hit by layoffs.

Kehilat Pardes is a relatively young community, Topolosky says, with lots of young children, and families are preoccupied with maintaining stability and normalcy at home even as work lives are overturned. He wants federal workers looking for new jobs to feel they have enough support to take the time to find another opportunity worthy of their expertise and talent.

“Especially for young families,” Topolosky says, “these are scary times.”

David Montgomery is a freelance journalist based in Takoma Park. He is a former staff writer for The Washington Post Magazine.

Advocacy.

Empathy. Experience.

Announcing our new Family Law Practice

Amanda W. Gilbert and Tracy E. Phillips bring a solutionfocused, strategic, and compassionate approach to complex family law matters in D.C. and Maryland. Utilizing their skills in negotiation, mediation, litigation, and Collaborative Practice, they guide their clients in addressing divorce, custody, and support issues, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, assisted reproductive technology, and adoption.

Amanda W. Gilbert, Partner agilbert@sgrwlaw.com 301-634-3194

Tracy E. Phillips, Partner tphillips@sgrwlaw.com 301-634-3193 SelzerGurvitch.com

Bruno Smiles

DR. JILL J. BRUNO ORTHODONTICS

Awards & Honors

Top Dentist, Bethesda Magazine

Top Dentist, Washingtonian

5454 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1260

Chevy Chase, MD 20815

301-656-3310

BrunoSmiles.com

Q What does your designation as a Diamond Plus Provider by Invisalign mean for your patients or people looking to improve their smile?

A This designation means that I am considered one of the top Invisalign providers in the country, with expertise in treatment planning and correcting complex orthodontic issues, as well as minor tooth movement, with clear aligners.

Q Can a treatment plan be developed to correct just one crooked tooth?

A Absolutely! Through detailed treatment planning, I have the ability to hold the position of certain teeth while focusing on improving the position of one tooth. We offer Smile Express, which includes 20 Invisalign aligners, no attachments and remote monitoring.

Q What is your educational background?

A I graduated magna cum laude from Boston College with a bachelor’s degree in economics. I received my Doctor of Dental Medicine and Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Pennsylvania and my certificate in Orthodontics from the University of Rochester’s Eastman Dental Center.

Q Are children and teens candidates for Invisalign orthodontic treatment?

A Yes. Our children and teen patients are very compliant with their aligners. Children as young as 8 or 9 years old can benefit from early Invisalign treatment, especially for severe crowding, blocked teeth or spacing issues. Clear aligners and the removeable Invisalign palatal expanders are a great option for children and teens who have a metal allergy or sensory issues.

Q What options do you have for patients that can’t physically visit your office?

A We are proud to offer virtual consultations and appointments through our website.

DC Pediatric Smiles and The Ortho Suite

DEREK BLANK, DDS

ROMA GANDHI, DMD

ROBIN CHOI, DDS

Awards & Honors

Voted Best Pediatric Dentist, Bethesda Magazine Readers' Poll 2025; Voted Top Dentist, Orthodontist, Washingtonian Magazine 2025; Voted Top Dentist, Pediatric Dentist, Washingtonian Magazine 2025

5640 Shields Drive Bethesda, MD 20817

301-363-9026

DCPediatricSmiles.com TheOrthoSuite.com

Q What makes your pediatric dental practice unique?

A DC Pediatric Smiles was crafted with a vision to help kids love going to the dentist and look forward to their next visit. Our bright, coastal-inspired space is the perfect setting for a comfortable introduction to dentistry. Kids love to find their name on our chalkboard wall, pick out colorful sunglasses and begin their visit on a positive note.

Here, visiting the dentist is fun for kids of all ages. While providing a team approach to dental care, Dr. Derek Blank and Dr. Roma Gandhi channel an enthusiasm that puts children at ease and helps motivate them to establish healthy dental habits.

Our team provides positive, individualized solutions to each patient’s unique dental needs. We find it most

rewarding when families who join our practice recognize our attention to detail, clear communication and thoughtfulness throughout the new patient experience.

Q What is The Ortho Suite?

A With the success of DC Pediatric Smiles, we wanted to create the same positive, relaxed experience to help our patients smoothly transition into the world of braces and Invisalign. With that purpose in mind, we recently added The Ortho Suite, a newly built space devoted to orthodontic care for kids and adults.

Our experienced orthodontist, Dr. Robin Choi, shares our passion for positive vibes and loves learning about each family’s goals. Parents particularly value Dr. Choi’s careful, conservative approach to dental care. Let The Ortho Suite's talented team guide you to achieve your perfect smile!

Taff & Levine DDS, PA

FROM LEFT: DR. MAZEN SAAD, DR. JANICE GROSSMAN, DR. MARK TAFF, DR HILARI DUNN, DR. BRAD LEVINE

Our goal is to provide state-of-the-art, first-class dental care that’s affordable to everyone. No insurance? No problem. Join our VIP dental plan for a low monthly fee and receive a discount on all our services.

7811 Montrose Road, #300 Potomac, MD 20854 301-530-3717

TaffandLevine.com

Q What makes your dental practice unique?

A We’re a multigenerational practice committed to full-service dental care in a relaxing atmosphere, surrounded by compassionate doctors and staff. We’re honored to have been named a Top Dentistry Practice in Bethesda Magazine and to be recognized consistently in the community. And we’re proud to be celebrating our 50th anniversary this year! Our modern, state-of-the-art Potomac office has HD TVs in every treatment room, allowing us to show patients oral issues that need attention right there on the television screen. With our in-house 3D CAT scan equipment, we can diagnose a multitude of conditions more accurately. Our intraoral digital scanner can take photo impressions of teeth, eliminating the need for messy and uncomfortable impression trays. We can also offer

crowns in a day with our “one-visit Cereccrown” treatment, making additional visits a thing of the past. While our goal is to deliver first-class dentistry, we’re conservative in our approach, offering traditional treatments that may be just as effective when more expensive, technologically advanced treatments are unnecessary.

Q What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?

A We always strive to make the patient experience in our office like no other––relaxing, affordable and with great results. It’s a wonderful feeling to see a patient who thought that quality dentistry was out of their reach transform into a person with a vibrant, healthy smile. That, more than anything, brings us tremendous gratification.

Harmony Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics

HEATHER SHOLANDER, DMD, MS

MADELEINE GOODMAN, DMD

Dr. Goodman is an orthodontist and president-elect of the Middle Atlantic Society of Orthodontists. Dr. Heather is a pediatric dentist and a Diplomat of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. They have been practicing together in the area for over 10 years.

4818 Del Ray Ave. Bethesda, MD 20814 301-664-4220 smile@harmonybethesda.com HarmonyBethesda.com

Q What makes you stand out as dentists?

A Teamwork: Over the years we’ve developed a shared philosophy that treating the patient as a whole is more beneficial than the traditional specialty approach. It takes a team to help a child grow to his or her full potential. This includes not only a collaborative ortho-pediatric approach but also working with other specialists like speech therapists and pediatricians and most importantly, the child’s family. We strive to create an environment where we get to know each family individually and focus on their specific needs

Q What is unique about your practice?

A Supporting others: Harmony has partnered with a wonderful non-profit called City Blossoms that develops kidfocused green spaces that supply food, community and the opportunity to learn

through creativity and play. For every new patient, we support this cause by donating plants to help these gardens grow because we believe that health starts from the ground up!

Q How do you employ new technology to help your patients?

A Innovative techniques: We are both board-certified specialists who strive to create a standard of care by integrating technology, research and experience. It is a running joke in Dr. Goodman’s house that Facebook is where you go to look at teeth and Dr. Heather’s kids think research articles are a normal Saturday morning read. We have incorporated state-of-the-art technology into our practice such as a digital scanner (no more yucky impressions) and a dental laser which allows us to fill most cavities without anesthesia!

Avant Dentistry

ANNIE YU, DDS, MAGD

5454 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1035

Chevy Chase, MD 20815

240-743-4421

AvantDentistry.com

Q What makes you different from other dentists?

A I focus on whole-body wellness. As one of fewer than 2 percent of dentists to earn a Master of the Academy in General Dentistry, I bring advanced training, and a deep understanding of how oral health connects to overall wellbeing. I collaborate with physicians and other specialists to address root causes—because true health requires teamwork, not just treating symptoms.

Q What is the one thing your patients should know about you?

A I meet patients where they are—no pressure, no judgment. Everyone's on their own journey; I'm here to guide, not push. I share what I see, explain all treatment options (including doing nothing), and let them decide what feels right. Building trust matters most. And whenever they're ready, I'm here to help however I can.

Chevy Chase Pediatric Dentistry

K AREN BENI TE Z , DDS, QOM-D, CBS

8401 Connecticut Ave., Suite 650

Chevy Chase, MD 20815

301-272-1246

ChevyChaseKids.dentist

Q What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?

A Helping children grow healthy and happy. Pediatric dentistry offers a remarkable chance to nurture children during their pivotal growth years, laying the foundation for bright smiles and healthy futures. I started this practice when my kids were little, and the journey of motherhood has profoundly shaped my holistic approach to dental care. My upbeat, caring, experienced team and I go far beyond routine check-ups and traditional dental services to offer comprehensive care that encompasses children's overall health and development, including sleep issues, facial growth and orofacial muscle dysfunctions affecting speech, chewing, swallowing and breathing.

I also love keeping up with the latest research and innovation. Taking every opportunity to learn from experts outside dentistry has only made me even better at what I do.

MICHAEL VENTURA

Jason A. Cohen, DDS

In addition to a comprehensive dental hygiene program and oral cancer exams, patients come to Dr. Cohen’s practice for bonded fillings, porcelain crowns and veneers, teeth whitening and Invisalign clear braces.

5530 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 560 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-656-1201 drcohen@cosmeticdds.com CosmeticDDS.com

Q How would your patients describe you?

A Words and phrases we see about me and about the practice include knowledgeable, attentive, communicative, gentle, thorough and caring. Our favorite is when a patient writes “actually makes going to the dentist fun.”

Our practice mantra is “We Treat Your Family Like Family,” and we live by that philosophy every day. From the moment someone calls to schedule their first appointment, we start taking care of them as if they are a family member. This means ensuring they get the most efficient, comprehensive and outstanding personalized care.

From simple aesthetic bonding to complex implant dentistry, my goal is always to preserve, protect and enhance my patients’ long term dental health and beautiful smiles through the kind of care that meets their individual needs and desires.

Q How do you employ new technology to help your patients?

A Our modern office allows us to provide the safest, most relaxing dental experience using the latest tools and technology available. We use digital radiography, photography and scanning with computer-assisted technology that makes our process as comfortable and as accurate as possible. Additionally, my team and I are committed to continuing education, making sure we stay at the forefront of the latest developments in dentistry and make appropriate investments in equipment.

Q What is one thing your patients should know about you?

A I appreciate that modern dentistry combines art with science, and I truly embrace the creativity we can employ to assure that our patients get the most ideal aesthetic results from their time with us.

District Dental Surgery

RAHA YOUSEFI, DDS, MPH

5626 Shields Drive Bethesda, MD 20817

301-358-0206

DistrictDentalSurgery.com

Q What inspired you to become a dentist?

A I grew up in my dad's dental office—some of my earliest memories are of running around with my brother, laughing as we put topical anesthetic on our lips and shouted, "Our lips are numb!" But what truly inspired me was seeing the trust his patients placed in him. Watching him care for people with such compassion made me realize I wanted to make that kind of impact too.

Q What brings you the most satisfaction in your work?

A Most people don't exactly look forward to dental visits. So, it's incredibly rewarding when patients say they feel comfortable, cared for and even enjoy coming in. It means we've created an experience that changes how they see dental care. That trust and connection make this work truly fulfilling.

Jay H. Samuels, DDS

11140 Rockville Pike, Suite 510 North Bethesda, MD 20852

301-881-4200

DrJSamuels.com

Q What is your approach to care?

A At Dr. Jay Samuels’ dental practice, we believe your mouth is the gateway to your whole-body health. That’s why we take an integrative approach—considering how oral health connects to your heart, immune system and more. Every patient is unique, so we personalize care to your needs, goals and lifestyle. Whether it’s preventive, cosmetic, or restorative treatment, we recommend exactly what’s needed—never more, never less.

What sets us apart is the time we take to listen and build real relationships. Dr. Samuels ensures you’re informed and comfortable at every step. Our office is warm and welcoming, with a friendly team and the latest dental technology for efficient, stress-free visits.

Experience dental care that truly supports your whole health.

Washington Oral & Facial Surgery

LEONARD A. MERLO, DMD, FACS & MOAIAD SALOUS, DDS

Double board-certified in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Dental

Anesthesiology, Dr. Leonard Merlo is a proud Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is excited to welcome Dr. Moaiad Salous to his award-winning practice. Dr. Salous completed his Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency at the University of Minnesota, and is happy to return to DC, where he was raised.

Offices in Rockville, MD and Washington, D.C.

301-468-0020

202-223-3391

md@dmvoralsurgery.com

dc@dmvoralsurgery.com

DMVOralSurgery.com

Q What is your approach to patient care?

A At Washington Oral & Facial Surgery, our philosophy is simple: we treat every patient like family. This guiding principle shapes every aspect of our care. Whether it's a straightforward procedure or a complex reconstruction, we give each case our full attention and expertise. We're committed to staying at the forefront of oral and maxillofacial surgery, continually integrating the latest scientific advances and technologies to ensure our patients receive the highest standard of care.

Q What might surprise people about the scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery?

A Many people are surprised to learn that our specialty goes far beyond wisdom tooth extractions and dental implants. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons undergo years of advanced training after dental

school, equipping us to treat facial trauma, congenital skeletal deformities and oral and facial pathology. We also rebuild bone structures and manage a variety of complex head and neck conditions. Thanks to our extensive hospital-based residency training in anesthesia, most procedures can be safely performed in our office under IV sedation, assisted by surgical team members certified by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Q What is one of the most transformative procedures you offer?

A Full-mouth restoration in a single day is truly life-changing. For patients with failing or missing teeth, we can remove damaged teeth, place dental implants and deliver a beautiful, functional new smile—all within a few hours. Patients arrive with serious dental challenges and leave with renewed confidence and a fully restored smile.

North Bethesda Periodontal Group

KHALID CHOUDHARY, DDS, MS & JOAN HOWANITZ, DDS, MS

11921 Rockville Pike, Suite 407

Rockville, MD 20852

240-483-0775

contact@northbethesdaperio.com NorthBethesdaPerio.com

Q Why choose North Bethesda Periodontal Group?

A We strongly believe in a team approach to care for our patients. Our husband-wife team of surgeons has been practicing together for 15+ years, working closely with referring restorative doctors and dental specialists to provide optimal treatment and results. Utilizing the latest technologies, including periodontal lasers and 3D imaging, we perform minimally invasive procedures whenever possible. Everything we do is guided by accuracy, safety, comfort and recovery.

At North Bethesda Periodontal Group, we understand that visiting the periodontist’s office can be stressful. We do our best to foster a pleasant, relaxing environment to help patients stay calm. We are always respectful of every patient’s unique situation and like to include them in the process of customizing a treatment plan to fit their wants and needs.

Home goods with berry accents are in season.

The most expensive recently sold homes

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO CREATE A BEAUTIFUL SPACE

Shari Lahlou’s renovated retreat in Bethany Beach, Delaware, features two wings linked by a swimming pool. PAGE 110

BERRY Goods

Celebrate the sweetness of summer with strawberry motifs on everything from pillows to pottery BY

1 Wild Walls

CAROLYN WEBER

Make a bold statement with the “Berry Nice” oversize novelty pattern wallpaper from York Wallcoverings’ Madcap Cottage collection. It is peel-and-stick, washable, repositionable, and available in berry pink (pictured) or navy blue. foot roll covers 34.16 square feet. $70 per roll suggested retail price. Available at Dan Kugler’s Design, 11622 Boiling Brook Parkway, Rockville, 301-770-3090, dankuglersdesign.com; Sherwin Williams, 4809 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, 301-654-7955, sherwin-williams.com; Urban Country, 7121 Arlington Road, Bethesda, 301-654-0500, urbancountrydesigns.com 3

5 Ripe on Time

Designed to resemble classic produce cartons, these hand-painted glazed stoneware versions feature blueberries, strawberries or cherries. The Fruta berry baskets measure 4-by-4-inches square and are dishwasher safe. $16 each at Anthropologie, 4801 Bethesda Ave. (Bethesda Row), Bethesda, 240-3459413, anthropologie.com

August 20

Train Edwin McCain

August 21–24

James Taylor & His All-Star Band Special Guest: Tiny Habits

September 2 + 3

John Legend

September 12

Maren Morris

Rick Springfield with John Waite, Wang Chung & Paul Young

July 6

The Swell Season

July 11

Todo Sonido Festival

Juanes* | Carlos Vives^

Kany García and many more!

July 12* + 13^

David Sedaris

July 19

Chicago

July 23

Pink Martini Featuring China Forbes

July 29

Lyle Lovett and his Large Band with Asleep at the Wheel

August 7

Wolf Trap Opera Carmen

August 15 UB40

August 31

…and many more!

lot

With a

zoned for one dwelling, Shari and Med Lahlou chose to build two three-story wings.

A VERY ESCAPE NARROW

At just 17 feet wide, this oceanfront second home in Bethany Beach, Delaware, maximizes its slim footprint BY

JENNIFER BARGER

Shari and Med Lahlou’s shorefront Delaware home is so skinny—only 17 feet wide—that their builder, Marnie Oursler, christened it the “Narrow Escape.” Still, when the Lahlous lounge on the pool deck at their weekend home or wake up in the primary bedroom surrounded by ocean views, things feel anything but cramped. “Even though it’s so narrow, Marnie made the house so airy,” Shari says. “On the main level, you can see sea and sky from nearly every direction.”

PHOTO BY DANA HOFF

WINDOWS WERE KEY TO THE OVERALL DESIGN, SINCE NATURAL LIGHT OPENED UP THE NARROW SPACE.

—builder Marnie Oursler

The 4,332-square-foot, six-bedroom, 6½-bath structure is a dramatic change from the tiny 1970s “beach shack” they purchased in 2020 in Bethany Beach, Delaware. The couple, both in their 50s, live in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Upper Northwest D.C. Shari, a trial lawyer, and Med, the owner of five Washington restaurants (including Lupo Verde and Lupo Marino), initially fixed up the existing three-bedroom cottage. They used the snug house on a patch of Atlantic Ocean-front land for two summers.

“But it wasn’t insulated or in good shape, and we had always planned to build something new,” Shari says. She found Bethany Beach-based Marnie Custom Homes on Instagram and chose the company because “it seemed like they could maximize the challenging lot.” Construction occurred in the offseason of 2022 to 2023, and the Lahlous were splashing in the pool by the middle of June 2023.

The couple, who go to the shore on summer weekends with their 21-year-old daughter, Sabrina, and 18-year-old son, Miles, at first envisioned a main house with a guest cottage and a swimming pool.

Shari Lahlou on a balcony facing the house’s other wing

“But this lot is zoned for just one dwelling, so we had to puzzle something together within those constraints,” Oursler says.

Working with architectural firms Gentilucci Designs of Bethesda and the Barker Design Group of Washington, D.C., Oursler got creative. She built two slender, three-story wings—one that serves as the main house, and the other for guests—with dramatic gable roofs. The two wings are linked by a rectangular central deck with a swimming pool. “This allowed both sections of the house to have ocean views,” Oursler says. Directly facing the beach, the three floors of the main house contain three bedrooms with en suite baths plus an open kitchen and a great room. The guest wing boasts a living area on the second floor, a two-car garage on the ground level, and three bedrooms (one with bunk beds).

“We wanted this to be a user-friendly house,” Shari says. “And having a guest wing means our kids can bring friends with them, or another family can stay with us and be in their own space.” An exterior staircase and a laundry room in the guest quarters up the privacy.

BY

A living area is decorated in blue and white to complement the ocean views.

The 40-by-17-foot deck, constructed of weather-resistant ipe-wood planking, is inset with a 7-foot-by-8.6-foot fiberglass pool that’s 5½ feet deep. “It’s actually an in-ground model resting on framing with the deck constructed around it,” Oursler says. “We put the pool in the middle of the lot to take advantage of the southern exposure. You get sun there almost all day.”

Oursler installed the pool deck railings at a slightly obtuse angle to keep the outdoor space from feeling too enclosed. A bar with room for four stools is attached to one side; both sides hold built-in planters that Shari fills with perennial flowers and herbs such as mint. “We make a lot of mojitos and mint iced tea in the summer,” she says. It’s one of five decks around the house, including a jumbo one off the second level of the main wing facing the ocean.

The guest and main quarters feel connected to the pool deck and the outdoors thanks to glass doors and outsize windows (many floor-to-ceiling). “Windows were key to the overall design, since natural light opened up the narrow space, especially in the second-floor kitchen and great

PHOTOS

DANA HOFF

A balcony offers a view of sand, sky and ocean.

room,” Oursler says. “We used floor-toceiling multi-slide doors on the ocean side, plus floor-to-ceiling windows with bottom transoms next to them. Now the space has gorgeous views from all angles.”

Other visually expanding touches throughout the house include 9-foot ceilings in most rooms and barely visible wire balustrades on the interior white wood stair rails. The floors, covered in pale wood-look vinyl from Georgia-based COREtec in “Cyril Oak,” bounce light around.

Just off the pool deck in the main wing, the kitchen adjoins the many-windowed main living area with its vistas of sand dunes and waves. The kitchen, like so many features in Narrow Escape, presented space constraints. “Since Med is a restaurant owner, we knew the kitchen had to be functional and beautiful in that narrow area,” says Sarah Kahn-Turner, the lead designer with Marnie Custom Homes. Space considerations, including leaving room for a staircase from the first floor, meant the kitchen required a long, lean floor plan. A cooktop, oven, refrigerator and a bank of cabinets were snuggled along the room’s north wall. Facing it, Kahn-Turner installed a 15-foot-long, 39-inch-wide island with a sink, dishwasher and seating for six. “It’s nice, because people sitting at the island can interact with whoever is cooking,” she says.

Pale colors and gold finishes amplify the kitchen’s breezy, beachy feel. Wall cabinets by Canada’s Decor Cabinet Co. were painted in Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White (CC-20), the island was crafted in white oak by Michigan’s Quality Cabinets, and quartz countertops by New Jersey’s Emerstone mimic the look of marble. Cabinet panels conceal all the appliances along the wall except the Wolf five-burner cooktop and a built-in Miele coffee station. “That coffee machine is a dream, because I grab a cup and head to the front deck to watch the dolphins,” Shari says.

Finishing touches in the kitchen include a mosaic tile backsplash rendered in California-based MIR Collections’

PHOTOS

A 5½-foot-deep pool links the main house and the guest quarters.

The main house has a kitchen that opens to the pool.

gleaming “Shell Satelite Beach,” and a trio of Atlanta-based Currey & Co.’s “Sea Fan Gold” pendants suspended over the island. “I love the finish of that backsplash, since it has a mother-of-pearl look that subtly nods to coastal design,” Kahn-Turner says. “Paired with the gold cabinet hardware and pendant lights, it’s so elegant.”

Just off the kitchen, the main living area stars both sea vistas and a fireplace wall decked in bricklike Rockmount Arctic White stone from Orange, California’s MSI Surfaces. Here, and throughout the house, Shari chose furnishings in a range of blues, whites and natural finishes to harmonize with the scenery. “I wanted it to be an ode to the beach, but I tried to not make it all rattan,” Shari says. Aquatic-inspired art fills the walls, including a mixed-media painting by Australian artist Elizabeth Langreiter with playful toy swimmers embedded in a “sea” of blue paint.

Shari says she and daughter Sabrina had fun choosing multiple jewelryesque fixtures that hang around the house, including a chandelier festooned with multicolored agate stones at the top of the third-floor stairs and a Dale Chihuly-style glass confection in one of the guest bedrooms.

The most dramatic light fixture might be the blue glass Currey & Co. chandelier anchoring the primary bedroom

suite on the third floor of the main wing. Suspended from the cathedral ceiling, its beachy hues echo the views outside of another wraparound, floor-to-ceiling bank of windows. “[This] bedroom is one of my favorite spaces in the whole project,” Oursler says. “It’s just an oasis, and it oozes peace and relaxation.”

The beachy-with-a-twist finishings continue in other areas, including bathrooms that mix different blue, gray and white tiles. Each loo is a little different from the other: the primary bath with its sapphire-colored, marble-look porcelain shower walls and natural-hued tile floor, a guest bath with blue-and-white Portuguese-style patterned tile walls and creamy hexagon tile floors.

“It’s so light and playful in this house, it’s hard to feel too sad here,” Shari says. “There is nothing better than seeing the sun rise over the ocean after I push up the blinds in my bedroom. I sometimes come here when I’m really busy at work, since the water and environment allow me to focus better.”

Jennifer Barger is a Washington, D.C., travel and design writer and the director of content for Consumer’s Checkbook. Follow her on Instagram (@dcjnell) or read her travel and design newsletter, The Souvenirist, at dcjnell.substack.com.

“

THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN SEEING THE SUN RISE OVER THE OCEAN.

—homeowner

Shari Lahlou

Shari Lahlou relaxes in a nook under a staircase.

LEFT

PHOTO BY MARIA DEFORREST; RIGHT PHOTO BY DANA HOFF

A blue glass Currey & Co. chandelier anchors the primary bedroom suite.

HOME SALES

A peek at one of the area’s most expensive recently sold houses

SALE PRICE:

$6.85 million

LIST PRICE: $7 MILLION

Address: 7609 Fairfax Road, Bethesda 20814

Days on Market: 0

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$6.6 million

LIST PRICE: $7.85 MILLION

Address: 6909 Armat Drive, Bethesda 20817

Days on Market: 32

Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 7

Full/Half Baths: 8/2

SALE PRICE:

$4.16 million

LIST PRICE: $4.29 MILLION

Address: 10816 Barn Wood Lane, Potomac 20854

Days on Market: 20

Listing Agency: Taylor Properties

Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 6/2

SALE PRICE:

$4 million

LIST PRICE: $4.3 MILLION

Address: 5315 Kenwood Ave., Chevy Chase 20815

Days on Market: 37

Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 6/2

SALE PRICE: $10 million

LIST PRICE: $10 MILLION

Address: 2750 Chain Bridge Road NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 0

Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties

Bedrooms: 7

Full/Half Baths: 7/3

SALE PRICE:

$4 million

LIST PRICE: $4.15 MILLION

Address: 5012 Lowell St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 0

Listing Agency: None listed

Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.7 million

LIST PRICE: $3.7 MILLION

Address: 5010 Sedgwick St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 0

Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties

Bedrooms: 7

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.52 million

LIST PRICE: $3.5 MILLION

Address: 3909 Thornapple St., Chevy Chase 20815

Days on Market: 3

Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.5 million

LIST PRICE: $3.45 MILLION

Address: 8925 Harvest Square, Potomac 20854

Days on Market: 7

Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 6/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.45 million

LIST PRICE: $3.7 MILLION

Address: 10021 Avenel Farm Drive, Potomac 20854

Days on Market: 134

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 7

Full/Half Baths: 7/3

SALE PRICE:

$3.44 million

LIST PRICE: $3.35 MILLION

Address: 8820 Burning Tree Road, Bethesda 20817

Days on Market: 8

Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties

Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 6/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.4 million

LIST PRICE: $4 MILLION

Address: 3718 Brandywine St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 1

Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE: $3.4 million

LIST PRICE: $3.7 MILLION

Address: 3115 Chain Bridge Road NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 136

Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties

Bedrooms: 4

Full/Half Baths: 6/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.4 million

LIST PRICE: $3.55 MILLION

Address: 8014 Aberdeen Road, Bethesda 20814

Days on Market: 26

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 6/2

SALE PRICE:

$3.23 million

LIST PRICE: $3.5 MILLION

Address: 4919 Cumberland Ave., Chevy Chase 20815

Days on Market: 219

Listing Agency: Jack Realty Group

Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.1 million

LIST PRICE: $3.19 MILLION

Address: 4515 Drummond Ave., Chevy Chase 20815

Days on Market: 210

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty

Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 3/2

SALE PRICE: $3.05 million

LIST PRICE: $3.65 MILLION

Address: 3838 52nd St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 42

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 8

Full/Half Baths: 7/1

SALE PRICE: $3.05 million

LIST PRICE: $2.8 MILLION

Address: 3701 McKinley St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20015

Days on Market: 2

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE: $3 million

LIST PRICE: $3 MILLION

Address: 11015 Glen Road, Potomac 20854

Days on Market: 1

Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 7

Full/Half Baths: 8/2

SALE PRICE: $3 million

LIST PRICE: $3 MILLION

Address: 12 Hesketh St., Chevy Chase 20815

Days on Market: 4

Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE: $2.95 million

LIST PRICE: $3.15 MILLION

Address: 5509 33rd St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20015

Days on Market: 12

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.95 million

LIST PRICE: $3 MILLION

Address: 4500 48th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 97

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 7

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

REAL ESTATE TRENDS

20832 (Olney)

20855

20850 (Rockville)

20851 (Rockville)

20815 (Chevy

20852 (North

20879

20853 (Rockville)

20882

20854

20886

20895 (Kensington)

20902 (Silver Spring)

20910 (Silver Spring)

20901 (Silver Spring)

20903 (Silver Spring) Number

20912 (Takoma Park)

Information courtesy of Bright MLS, as of May 15, 2025. The Bright MLS real estate service area spans 40,000 square miles throughout the mid-Atlantic region, including Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and parts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Bright serves approximately 100,000 real estate professionals who in turn serve over 20 million consumers. For more information, please visit brightmls.com. This information includes single-family homes from April 1, 2025, to April 30, 2025, as of May 15, 2025, excluding sales where sellers have withheld permission to advertise or promote. Information should be independently verified. Reports reference data provided by ShowingTime, a showing management and market stats technology provider to the resi

dential real estate industry. Some sale and list prices have been rounded.

YOUR GUIDE TO EATING AND DRINKING WELL

A loaf of Hokkaido-style milk bread is served with smoked butter, honey and Parmesan at Bouboulina, a new steakhouse at Pike & Rose. PAGE 128

Thai flavors in Chevy Chase, D.C.

Duke’s Grocery in Potomac

Duke It Out

Prepare to be properly seduced by the Proper Burger ($17) at Duke’s Grocery, the D.C.-based gastropub chainlet that opened its first Montgomery County location in Potomac Village this spring. It features double patties of Creekstone Farms Black Angus beef, gouda cheese, housemade pickles, charred onions and arugula on a brioche bun. Thanks to its

sweet chili sauce and aioli, it’s a gloriously messy affair. It’s a popular one, too. According to owner Dan Kramer, Duke’s is approaching the millionth Proper Burger sale among its five locations, including one in the British Embassy.

Duke’s in Potomac seats 96 people in two spacious rooms—one with a gleaming copper-topped 14-seat bar—and

24 at six tables outside. The restaurant features hardwood floors, tufted red leatherette booths, a pressed tin ceiling, brick accent walls and plenty of British bric-a-brac, including a host stand fashioned from two diminutive versions of Britain’s famed scarlet telephone boxes. Kramer sensed that the former Lock 72 Kitchen & Bar space would be a good

fit for Duke’s. “It feels like we’ve been here a decade, but we’ve only been here a day,” he says while giving me a sneak peek at the space before it opened in April. “There’s a general positivity to the neighborhood that’s great to witness and be a part of.”

There are some excellent starters at Duke’s, including caramelized onion dip served with Tayto-brand crisps ($9) and an ultra-gooey white truffle mac and cheese ($13), but sarnies (British slang for sandwiches) are the menu’s stars. The Spicy Aubergine ($16) is a stunner, made with crispy

panko-crusted eggplant and squash slices, pickled jalapenos and fennel walnut pesto on ciabatta. Equally stunning is their version of a tuna melt ($15), laced with capers and red onions. Fans of more traditional British pub fare will enjoy fish and chips ($22), bangers and mash ($16) and sticky toffee bread pudding ($9). There is plenty of Guinness stout on draft ($9) to wash it all down.

Duke’s Grocery, 10122 River Road, Potomac, 240-403-7342, dukesgrocery.com

—David Hagedorn

At the new Duke’s Grocery in Potomac, the Proper Burger (opposite) is a popular choice. Owner Dan Kramer (below) opened this latest location of his chainlet in the spring.

Steamed dumplings at BirdSong

BirdSong of Paradise

“Get the white curry and the ribs” is a suggestion that diners in the D.C. area will likely hear as word gets around about BirdSong, a Thai restaurant that opened in Chevy Chase, D.C., in May. Restaurateur Aaron Gordon, who owns neary restaurant Little Beast, partnered with self-taught chef Kitima Boonmala in this venture, which also features desserts by Little Beast pastry chef Naomi Gallego and a superb cocktail list on which Thi Nguyen, the mixologist at D.C.’s Moon Rabbit, consulted.

“You don’t find white curry much, except in people’s houses,” says Boonmala, reminiscing about a dish from her childhood in Ayuttaya, Thailand, a city north of Bangkok where her family ran a noodle shop. “It was considered a special occasion curry, like if someone’s kid is becoming a monk or someone

is getting married. People make it less and less, which is why I want to bring it back.” The curry is a faintly beige color and not super spicy like some of the green, yellow and red Thai curries that American palates have become acquainted with, she says. Her white curry is replete with shrimp, braised pork belly and tender bamboo shoots, the coconut milk-based sauce emboldened with a paste made from makrut lime leaves, lemongrass, shrimp paste and shallots. Its trace of heat comes from adding chiles to the pork’s braising liquid, not to the curry paste.

I sampled the dish in a tasting before the 76-seat restaurant opened. The fare included two kinds of delicate steamed dumplings ($12), one stuffed with pork and shrimp and nestled in a pool of black vinegar, soy sauce and chile oil,

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the other filled with shrimp, chicken and shiitake mushrooms and served with a spicy sauce of sriracha, sesame oil, Thai chiles and cilantro. Tender, meaty grilled pork ribs were marinated in soy sauce, roasted, tossed with nam tok (lime juice, fish sauce and chiles) and topped with toasted rice powder and a profusion of fresh mint, Thai basil and cilantro ($16). Boonmala also offered a side dish (called an enhancement on the menu) often found on Thai tables: an over-easy fried egg dressed with Thai chiles, fish sauce, lime juice and scallions ($8).

Boonmala, 42, came to the U.S. from Thailand in 2008 intending to go to university and work in nonprofits but wound up in the restaurant business, working as a server at Alfie’s, a Thai pop-up in D.C., and then as a cook at Ellē restaurant in D.C. Encouraged to strike out on her own by the chefs she worked for, Boonmala started Toh Roong (Night Market), taking over the

kitchen at Little Beast—across the street from BirdSong—for late-night Sunday noodle pop-ups, where flavor-packed boat noodle soup ($24) with braised beef and meatballs was a hit. “Everyone loved the food, so a partnership made perfect sense,” says Gordon, 51. “There’s no Asian food in this neighborhood, so when the Blue 44 space became available, we jumped on it.”

The 3,000-square-foot space has an eight-seat bar and a covered terrace that seats 22. Teamed with Gallego, whose sweet offerings include dark chocolate Thai chile flan ($13) and yeast doughnuts with toasted sesame sugar and Hojicha tea caramel sauce ($11), don’t be surprised if this BirdSong flies to the top of the charts.

BirdSong, 5507 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 202-204-2356, birdsongthai.com

—David Hagedorn

Restaurateur Aaron Gordon (left) partnered with chef Kitima Boonmala to open BirdSong.

The menu at Bouboulina includes a wagyu picanha steak.

CLAIM Their STEAKING

With Bouboulina, the Cava team adds a swanky steakhouse to its growing portfolio

BY DAVID HAGEDORN • PHOTOS BY DEB LINDSEY

As a martini aficionado, there’s nothing I love more than a new flourish to dress up my cocktail of choice. So imagine my glee when the server at Bouboulina in North Bethesda uses a perfume atomizer to mist the inside of an etched martini glass with vermouth. Chilled with liquid nitrogen, the glass arrives at the table on a brass tray with a small carafe of icy Hendrick’s gin laced with olive juice (I had requested gin instead of the Belvedere vodka it comes with). Dubbed the Coldest Martini in DC, the drink is garnished with a meaty Spanish Gordal olive that has been marinated in citrus peels, chile flakes and fennel seeds, then grilled on executive chef Aris Tsekouras’ pride and joy, a 6-foot-wide Spanish grill fueled with oak wood and eucalyptus charcoal. “There is no gas,” Tsekouras says. “The whole kitchen only works with wood except for an electric combi oven [a commercial hybrid convection and steam oven] for breads and cakes. But even the bread is finished in the charcoal oven.”

With such fuss over a martini, it’s clear that dining is going to be full of extra touches at this Pike & Rose steakhouse from Cava founders Ike Grigoropoulos, Dimitri Moshovitis and Ted Xenohristos, who all grew up in Montgomery County and own Bouboulina’s neighboring restaurants, Julii and Melina. “I like to design places I want to eat at, and I always wanted to do a smallish steakhouse with a New York basement vibe and old-world charm, like a Keens Steakhouse,” says Xenohristos, referring to the Manhattan restaurant that has operated since 1885.

Bouboulina executive chef Aris Tsekouras tends to hearth-roasted carrots.

BOUBOULINA

921 Meeting St. (Pike & Rose), North Bethesda, 301-857-9090, eatbouboulina.com

FAVORITE DISHES: The Coldest Martini in DC; Bouboulina bread; lobster wedge salad; Ora King salmon with beurre blanc; picanha steak with rosemary red wine sauce; lasagna; side of roasted carrots; Basque cheesecake

PRICES: Starters: $12 to $29; Entrees: $31 to $75; Tomahawk steak for two: $160; Sides: $13 to $18; Desserts: $14 to $16

LIBATIONS: Bouboulina’s beverage list includes nine innovative craft cocktails ($14 to $17), including a yuzu spritz with chamomile-infused tequila, fermented honey and Licor 43, and a spicy margarita made with grilled pineapple syrup, chili liquor and parsley oil. The regular wine list has 18 offerings (two sparkling, eight whites, eight reds) available by the glass ($14 to $30) and bottle ($56 to $120). The reserve wine list (two champagnes, three whites, 18 reds) ranges from $93 to $270; 14 of them are from California and the rest are mostly French and Italian.

SERVICE: Polished (mostly) and knowledgeable

The Coldest Martini in DC is presented with spritzes of vermouth from an atomizer.

The 3,080-square-foot restaurant, named after Laskarina Bouboulina, the female Greek naval commander of Greece’s 1821 War of Independence, opened in March. Entering via a handsome polished mahogany door, diners pass through a cozy, woodpaneled 22-seat lounge with a stunning marble-topped bar and then through the area where servers pick up dishes to get to the 50-seat dining room, which creates the feeling of being in a speakeasy.

D.C.-based HapstakDemetriou+ designed the sexy interior with a decidedly masculine palette: deep steel blue gray walls and matching wallpaper embossed with a coin-like circle pattern, cozy nooks with tufted brown leather banquettes, subdued lighting, turquoise velveteen settees and marble-topped tables.

Tsekouras oversees Melina, Julii and Bouboulina, which bills itself as a Mediterranean-inspired American grill. Its clubby throwback look aligns with such D.C. places as The Prime Rib and the newly reimagined The Occidental, and so do the prices. Appetizers (listed under “To Share”) approach the $30 mark; eight of 10 entrees cost more than $40.

Tsekouras’ small loaf of Hokkaido-style milk bread is dark and crusty on the outside and ethereally fluffy inside, with a faint smokiness from the wood oven. It comes with smoked butter topped with honey and shredded Parmesan. It’s so good that only two people could reasonably share it (it amounts to four little rolls), which makes the $12 price tag conspicuous. A crudo of thin tuna slices formed into a rosette in the middle of a stunning notched earthenware bowl is surrounded by a bright yellow sauce flavored with kosho, a Japanese paste made in-house with serrano peppers and lime, lemon and orange zest. The garnishes are smoked trout roe, purple flowers, sprigs of dill and red and green dots of Calabrian chili oil and parsley oil. The juxtaposition of colors and textures is a hallmark of Tsekouras’ refined cooking. I’m less a fan of a 1-pound meatball

perched on tomato sauce and draped with Parmesan cream. It’s tasty but feels out of place and gimmicky among all the finery.

Tsekouras plays with steakhouse stalwarts. Wedge salad has some usual suspects—bacon bits, avocado, cherry tomatoes and sour cream dressing—but gets elevated with tender chunks of poached lobster and halved jammy eggs. It’s a smashing rendition. A loaded baked potato side dish I order for the table as a starter to share with cocktails looks loaded, but the toppings are little more than skin deep. This is where Bouboulina seems to have a bit of an identity crisis. If it wants to be a steakhouse, there are certain things diners expect of those places, one being a creamy, fluffy potato loaded with vulgar amounts of sour cream, bacon, chives and cheese. The potato here is ultra flavorful and smoky from the charcoal oven but cold and undercooked on two occasions. Fancy adornments—cheddar powder and a pool of cheddar cream sauce—don’t rescue it.

For entrees, the Ora King salmon (a breed that’s farm-raised in New Zealand) has been dry-aged (a trend taking D.C.-area restaurants by storm) and cured with salt, sugar, coriander and citrus zest before being pan-seared and roasted to medium, its flesh custardy and rife with umami. It rests crispy skin side up atop tarragon-specked beurre blanc. The half chicken, deboned except for a wing joint, is cured for several hours, charcoal grilled, sliced and fanned over a rich chicken stock-based sauce enhanced with roasted garlic, lemon, thyme and chives. It succeeds in its succulence and restraint. Tsekouras’ version of lasagna, four pinwheel roulades of housemade noodles, veal Bolognese sauce, Parmesan and bechamel sauce baked in tomato sauce and topped with more Parmesan, is rich and indulgent.

There are four steaks on Bouboulina’s menu, including a filet

Basque cheesecake with raspberry coulis, vanilla olive oil and fresh berries

mignon with peppercorn sauce and a 32-ounce dry-aged tomahawk steak for two. My 14-ounce dry-aged New York strip is perfectly grilled to medium-rare and served with a full-bodied red wine and rosemary sauce and a whole roasted head of garlic. The meat, sourced from Kansas, has fine flavor but is tough, making it hard to swallow at $68. A wiser option is the $40 Australian wagyu picanha, a cut also known as sirloin cap or culotte steak. It’s served the same way as the strip but is sublimely tender and richer in flavor, thanks to more marbling.

Don’t miss side dishes here, such as the roasted head of cauliflower with parsley pesto, panko and black garlic; it’s plenty for four people to share. Also wonderful are carrots that have been

Congratulations to the

From left: Ike Grigoropoulos, Aris Tsekouras, Ted Xenohristos and Dimitri Moshovitis in the dining room at Bouboulina

placed in a metal basket and roasted in the charcoal grill’s embers. The combination of smoke and caramelization takes the humble vegetable—served with whipped ricotta cheese and a verdant pistachio and guajillo pepper salsa—and turns it into something royal.

There are only three desserts at Bouboulina, all winners. Smoked blueberries and hazelnut crumble top silken housemade soft-serve vanilla ice cream. Espresso syrup-soaked chocolate sponge cake that’s layered with ganache and crowned with espresso ice cream and Maldon salt satisfies the chocolate craving with a buzz. The must-have, though, is a generous wedge of Basque cheesecake, baked at high heat to achieve a creamy, barely set interior and deeply caramelized top crust and served with raspberry sauce and fresh berries. It’s a sumptuous ending that lives up to its surroundings.

2025 Winners

of the Bethesda Urban Partnership and Bethesda Magazine

ESSAY AND SHORT STORY CONTEST

Essay Contest

1st Place Sarah Craven, Cabin John, MD

2nd Place Kathy Wei, Bethesda, MD

3rd Place Lisa Park, Fairfax, VA

Essay Contest – High School

1st Place Logan Moran, Bethesda-Chevy Chase HS

2nd Place Caroline Easley, Walt Whitman HS

3rd Place Michaela Levy, Winston Churchill HS

Short Story Contest

1st Place Asma Dilawari, Bethesda, MD

2nd Place Laura Kuhlmann, Rockville, MD

3rd Place John Simpson, Germantown, MD

Short Story Contest – High School

1st Place Max Bakelar, Georgetown Prep

2nd Place Hana Sor, Montgomery Blair HS

3rd Place Asha Akkinepally, Richard Montgomery HS

Essay & Short Story Honorable Mentions

Marin Brow, Lila Grosko, Olivia Ikenberry, Kyi May Kaung, Eleham Salo, Celina Santana, Katja Treadwell, Lindsey Wray

Dining Guide

Best of Bethesda Readers’ Pick 2025 Editors’ Choice

Outdoor dining Reservations accepted

$ $$ $$$ $$$$

Most entrees under $15

Most entrees $15-$20

Most entrees $21-$30

Most entrees $31 and up

BETHESDA

AJI-NIPPON

6937 Arlington Road, 301-654-0213

A no-frills Japanese restaurant serving reasonably priced sushi, teriyaki, sukiyaki, tempura and udon. Lunch specials include a sushi and sashimi combo with miso soup and a house salad. ✓LD$$

ALA BETHESDA

4948 Fairmont Ave., ala-dc.com

This outpost of the D.C.-based Michelinrated restaurant offers colorful Levantine fare and a curated cocktail program. A bottomless brunch is offered on weekends; at dinner, try the six-course tasting menu b✓RD$$$

ALATRI BROS.

4926 Cordell Ave., 301-718-6427, alatribros.com The owners of Olazzo and Gringos & Mariachis run this Italian-inspired eatery serving small plates, salads and wood-fired pizzas. Don’t miss the whipped

feta with honey. Gluten-free pizza crust available upon request. bD$$

ANDY’S PIZZA (Editors’ Choice)

Choosing a restaurant in Montgomery County and Upper NW D.C. can be daunting, so we’re putting together an editor-curated guide to the area. In this issue, we’re including listings of restaurants in Bethesda. We’ll be running listings of more local spots in future issues.

4600 East West Highway, 240-204-6883, eatandyspizza.com This branch of a local chain offers New York-style slices and pies in addition to wings, fries and salads. Build your own pie or try the Pepperoni Special topped with burrata, basil and Mike’s Hot Honey. bLD$$

AVENTINO (Editors’ Choice)

4747 Bethesda Ave., 301-961-6450, aventinocucina.com Lauded local chef Mike Friedman brings Roman Jewish-inspired Italian cuisine to Bethesda with an elegant restaurant boasting aperitivi, antipasti, handmade pastas, protein-rich mains and shareable sides, plus sophisticated wine offerings that emphasize Italian vintages. ✓RLD$$$$

BACCHUS OF LEBANON

7945 Norfolk Ave., 301-657-1722, bacchusoflebanon.com A Bethesda stalwart with authentic Lebanese cuisine and a year-round outdoor patio. Try the hummus, lamb chops and fried cauliflower with tahini. A weekend belly dancer elevates the experience. b✓LD$$$

THE BARKING DOG

4723 Elm St., 301-654-0022, barkingdogbar.com This multilevel neighborhood watering hole serves traditional pub fare and more than 20 beers on tap, many of them local. Happy hour specials offered on weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m. bLD$$

BARREL & CROW (Editors’ Choice)

4867 Cordell Ave., 240-800-3253, barrelandcrow.com A Woodmont Triangle neighborhood eatery serving contemporary mid-Atlantic cuisine in a nice casual setting with windows that slide open to a patio. Highlights include fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese and seasonal soft-shell crabs. b✓RD$$$

BETH’S

4948 Fairmont Ave., bethsrestaurant.com Serving classic American food such as burgers and small bites crafted from locally sourced produce. Check out the all-day

happy hour menu at the bar Monday through Friday. b✓L$$$$

BETHESDA CRAB HOUSE

4958 Bethesda Ave., 301-652-3382, bethesdacrabhouse.com A no-frills institution since the 1960s offering steamed blue crabs, oysters and the like. Call in advance to reserve your crabs; picnic table seating is first-come, first-served. bLD$$$$

BETHESDA CURRY KITCHEN

4860 Cordell Ave., 301-656-0062, bethesdacurrykitchen.com Traditional Indian cuisine by chef Anil Kumar. For lunch or dinner, try the masala dosa, a lentil- and rice-filled crepe, or aviyal, a vegetable-heavy coconut milk curry. ✓LD$$

BISTRO PROVENCE

4933 Fairmont Ave., 301-656-7373, bistroprovence.org Serving French fare by notable chef Yannick Cam, this spot works for date night or a special occasion. Standout dishes include the lobster purse appetizer and the rack of lamb. The greenfringed patio is a plus. b✓LD$$$$

BLACK’S BAR & KITCHEN

(Editors’ Choice)

7750 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-5525, blacksbarandkitchen.com A New American restaurant that emphasizes seafood dishes, wood-grilled meats and cocktails, it’s part of the Black Restaurant Group. Stop in for happy hour or dinner on the outdoor patio. Voted “Best Wine List” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2025.

b✓LD$$$$

BT’S

4866 Cordell Ave., 240-802-2418, btsbethesda.com Founded by Walt Whitman High School alumnus Brian Lacey, BT’s is a sports bar offering American comfort foods and craft beers. D$$$

CADDIES ON CORDELL

4922 Cordell Ave., 301-215-7730, caddiesoncordell.com This dual-level sports bar has a large covered patio and TVs for game day. Pop by for happy hour, trivia night, live music or the rotating weekly specials featuring half-price pizzas and handhelds. Voted “Best Bar/Restaurant to Watch a

Game” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2025. b✓RLD$$

CASA OAXACA

4905 Fairmont Ave., 240-858-6181, casaoaxacamd.com Enjoy Mexican cuisine at this casual, family-friendly Woodmont Triangle eatery with outdoor picnic tables and string lights. Standout plates include the braised short rib tacos, quesadillas and sugarencrusted churros.

b✓RLD$$$

CHEF TONY’S

5225 Pooks Hill Road, 240-858-6735, cheftonysseafood.com Milan-born chef Tony Marciante plates Italian-inspired dishes alongside desserts prepared by his wife, pastry chef Sonia Marciante. Seasonal menus may include soft-shell crab and tomato mozzarella salad with watermelon.

b✓RD$$$

CHERCHER RESTAURANT

4921 Bethesda Ave., 301-652-6500, chercherrestaurant.com D.C.-based cult favorite Chercher showcases such traditional Ethiopian specialties as beef tibs, kitfo and doro wot. Try the crowd-pleasing vegan combo platter served over injera, a slightly sour pancake-like flatbread.

b✓LD$$

CITY LIGHTS OF CHINA

4953 Bethesda Ave., 301-913-9501, bethesdacitylights.com Classic Chinese with an emphasis on Sichuan-inspired dishes such as kung pao chicken and pan-fried green beans. Saddle up to a leather-backed booth in the casual restaurant or order takeout. LD$$

CORELLA CAFÉ & LOUNGE

4646 Montgomery Ave., 301-656-2260, corellabethesda.com A chic cafe at the AC Hotel with housemade pastries, hearty salads and sandwiches, plus a variety of small plates and locally sourced entrees in the evening. Try the espresso martini on tap.

b✓BLD$$$

CUBANO’S (Editors’ Choice) 4907 Cordell Ave., 301-347-7952, cubanosrestaurant.com A traditional Cuban restaurant serving popular dishes such as Cuban sandwiches and croquetas in addition to tender meats such as ropa vieja and lechon asado; order yours with a round of mojitos.

✓LD$$

DALIA’S FALAFEL

7750 Old Georgetown Road, 240-858-6918, dalias-falafel.square.site This falafel-focused pint-sized hut is best for takeout or delivery. Order your housemade chickpea patties wrapped up in a pita or in a rice bowl topped with tahini and spicy green schug. bLD$

EDITH’S PIZZA

6910 Arlington Road, 301-686-3224, edithspizzas.com The owner of neighboring Breads Unlimited brings his dough-making expertise to a casual eatery offering all-day breakfast burritos and omelets as well as sandwiches and pizza until 7 p.m. daily.

bBLD$$

FISH TACO

7251 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-0010; 10305 Old Georgetown Road (Shops at Wildwood), 301564-6000; fishtacoonline.com A fast-casual eatery with sustainably sourced Baja-inspired fare in the form of salads, bowls, tacos and burritos plus a selection of draft beers and margaritas. Don’t miss the housemade guacamole with fresh corn chips.

bLD$

FLOWER CHILD

10205 Old Georgetown Road (Shops at Wildwood), 301-664-4971, iamaflowerchild.com

This Arizona-based chain serves good-forthe-soul food with an emphasis on ethically sourced proteins as well as seasonal vegetable sides and salads. Bundles serving four to six are an option for families and groups.

bLD$$

FRANK PEPE PIZZERIA NAPOLETANA

7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-304-7373, pepespizzeria.com

New Haven-style pizzeria serving coal-fired slices and pies with a thin and chewy crust. Try the famous white clam pizza with garlic, oregano and freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese. b✓LD$$

GREGORIO’S TRATTORIA

4611-A Sangamore Road (The Shops at Sumner Place), 301-347-6830, gregoriostrattoria.com A family-friendly trattoria with accommodating staff serving large portions of Italian classics in addition to an extensive kids menu and a selection of gluten-free pizzas and pastas.

b✓LD$$$

GRINGOS & MARIACHIS

(Editors’ Choice)

4928 Cordell Ave., 240-800-4266, gringosandmariachis.com Authentic Mexican street fare served in an edgy setting with brick walls, roped chandeliers and tattoo art-style murals. Grab a seat at the bar for happy hour drink and food specials. Voted “Best Cocktails and Zero-Proof Drinks,” “Best Happy Hour” and “Best Latin Restaurant” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2025.

bRLD$$

GUAPO’S

8130 Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-0888, guaposrestaurant.com This family-owned and -operated Tex-Mex restaurant gives greenhouse vibes with a glass ceiling and a plethora of plants. Groups will appreciate the enchilada, taco and fajita party packs to go that serve four, six or eight.

b✓RLD$$$

GUARDADO’S

4918 Del Ray Ave., 301-986-4920, guardados.com Savory Spanish and Latin American cuisine by Salvadoran chef Nicolas Guardado, formerly of Jaleo. The paellas and extensive tapas, such as gambas al ajillo and papas fritas, are best for sharing.

b✓LD$$$

HAWKERS

7117 Bethesda Lane, 240-203-8135, eathawkers.com Asian small plates including dumplings, spring rolls, wings, curries, noodles, soups and the like are served inside or on the covered, heated patio. Weekday happy hour features discounted beers, spirits and select dishes.

bLD$

HOUSE OF FOONG LIN

4613 Willow Lane, 301-657-3740 Chinese cuisine served in a dining room anchored by a U-shaped thatched bar known for specialty tiki cocktails. Standout dishes include the crispy fried whole fish and Peking duck

✓LD$$

HOUSE OF MILAE

4932 St. Elmo Ave., 301-654-1997, houseofmilae.com Authentic Korean comfort food in a modest, family-friendly setting. Try the hot stone bibimbap, short rib bulgogi, and kimchi fried rice topped with shrimp and mushrooms. b✓D$$$

KADHAI (Editors’ Choice)

7905 Norfolk Ave., 301-215-7189, kadhai.com

This beloved neighborhood restaurant excels at traditional Indian cuisine. Try the potato and pea samosas, palak chaat and any of the vegetarian or meat entrees served with Kadhai’s signature saffron and cardamomstudded rice. b✓LD$$

KUSSHI SUSHI

7820 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-7851, kusshisushi.com Formerly Hanaro, this rebranded spot continues to delight after a renovation. The menu boasts Izakaya street food, tempura, teriyaki and noodles, but sushi remains the focus. Come with a group for the epic 76-piece sushi boat. b✓LD$$$

LA CATRINA LOUNGE

4935 Cordell Ave., 240-204-8460, lacatrinalounge.com A two-story venue featuring a first-floor Mexican restaurant below a cocktail lounge with DJs and live music. Try the Santa Diabla cocktail blended with tequila, prickly pear, coconut and lime. ✓RD$$$

LA PANETTERIA

4921 Cordell Ave., 301-951-6433, lapanetteria.com This Italian restaurant stands out with a menu section devoted to Argentine fare, courtesy of its Buenos Airesborn co-owner, as well as a sunlit atrium graced by hanging baskets, period paintings and white tablecloths. b ✓ D$$$

LILIT CAFÉ BEER & WINE

7921 Old Georgetown Road, 301-654-5454, lilitcafe.com A low-key cafe and gourmet grocery with an all-day menu featuring omelets, soups, salads, sandwiches and pizza as well as dinner items such as lamb chops and crabcakes, plus an extensive gluten-free menu. BLD$$

MAMAN

7140 Bethesda Lane, 301-656-1526, mamannyc.com This French-inspired cafe boasts rustic farm tables, antique decor and botanical accents to complement delectable pastries, breakfast dishes and tartines as well as coffee, tea and cocktails. The outdoor patio is a plus. bBL$$

MAMMA

LUCIA

4916 Elm St., 301-907-3399, mammaluciarestaurants.com This familyfriendly local chain is known for its New Yorkstyle pizzas and oversize portions of Italian

mains, such as penne alla vodka and chicken marsala, which serve two. b✓LD$$$

MATCHBOX

7278 Woodmont Ave., 240-465-0500, matchboxrestaurants.com Specializing in bistro-style fare and wood-fired pizzas, this local chain features a large patio. Make sure to order the crowd-pleasing mini burgers on brioche buns served atop a pile of crispy onion straws. b✓RLD$$

MEDIUM RARE

4904 Fairmont Ave., 301-215-8379, mediumrarerestaurant.com This D.C.-based chain delights meat lovers with a single prixfixe dinner menu comprised of rustic bread, a green salad and culotte steak with hand-cut fries. Eggs and French toast are available at brunch. b✓RD$$$

MON AMI GABI

7239 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-1234, monamigabi.com A traditional French bistro offering a three-course prix-fixe lunch, an extensive steak frites menu and rotating evening specials, plus a robust menu for tiny gourmands. Patio seating is first-come, firstserved. b✓RLD$$$

MORTON’S THE STEAKHOUSE

7400 Wisconsin Ave., 301-657-2650, mortons.com An upscale steakhouse specializing in prime-aged steaks and chops, fresh seafood and timeless desserts such as key lime pie and crème brûlée. The dining room, with white tablecloths and leatherbacked chairs, works for business dinners. ✓D$$$$

MUSSEL BAR & GRILLE

4903 Cordell Ave., 301-900-2599, musselbar.com/locations/bethesda Seafood enthusiasts will find thoughtfully crafted food in a casual setting, with an expansive Belgian beer list and wines and cocktails. Mussels are the star. b✓RLD $$$

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE’S

10400 Old Georgetown Road, 240-316-4555, notyouraveragejoes.com Made-from-scratch comfort food and cocktails in an industrialinspired environment. The wide-ranging menu offers soups, salads, handhelds, pizza and mains to satisfy every craving. Family-style meals, serving four to six, are available for takeout. b✓RLD$$

OISHII RAMEN CAFÉ

4901 Fairmont Ave., 240-956-4156, oishiibethesda.com Fresh, authentic ramen and bubble tea in a pint-size shop with firstcome, first-served high-top seating that’s open daily for lunch and dinner. Try the classic Tonkotsu made with pork and a soft-boiled egg. LD$$

OLAZZO (Editors’ Choice)

7921 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-9496, olazzo.com Italian fare in a relaxed setting with exposed brick walls, wooden tables and votive candles. Try the chicken cardinale tossed with sun-dried tomatoes in a tomatocream sauce over penne. Happy hour at the bar on weekdays. bRLD$$

ON ST. ELMO

4915 St. Elmo Ave., 301-701-6728, onstelmo.com Find Mediterranean-inspired dishes and a club-like vibe with live entertainment. It also has weekday specials such as all-day happy hour on Tuesdays and half-price wine bottles on Wednesdays. ✓D$$$$

THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE

7700 Wisconsin Ave., 301-986-0285, ophrestaurants.com An all-day breakfast chain serving everything from egg dishes and sweet crepes to pancakes and waffles in a casual setting. Try the Dutch baby dusted in powdered sugar, a house special. bBLD$$

PASSAGE TO INDIA

4931 Cordell Ave., 301-656-3373, passagetoindia.info British Colonial decor feels fitting at this traditional Indian restaurant. Weekday lunch specials include a main, such as palak paneer or chicken tikka, accompanied by saffron rice pilaf, lentils and salad. ✓RLD$$

PASSION FIN

4611 Sangamore Road (The Shops at Sumner Place), 301-229-2848, passionfinmd.com A conveniently located Asian bistro and sushi bar inside the Shops at Sumner Place with an expansive menu ranging from sushi and hibachi to teriyaki and fried rice dishes plus a handful of Thai curries. ✓LD$$$

PERSIMMON

(Editors’ Choice)

7003 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-9860, persimmonrestaurant.com Couples love this cozy American bistro. You can’t go wrong with the wasabi-crusted oysters or the daily fresh catch topped with a lemon butter sauce.

Pop in on Tuesdays for half-priced wine. b✓LD$$$

PHO VIET

4917 Cordell Ave., 301-652-0834, phovietus.com One of four locations around the D.C. area, Pho Viet offers authentic Vietnamese food in a comfortable setting with Asian artwork and a four-seat bar. Regulars praise the shrimp summer rolls and nourishing bowls of pho. b✓LD$

PICCOLI PIATTI PIZZERIA

10257 Old Georgetown Road (Shops at Wildwood), 240-858-6099, piccolipiattipizzeria.com Kid-friendly Neapolitan-style pizzeria with wooden tables and bench seating serving everything from antipasti and salads to sandwiches and pizza made with imported ingredients plus homemade Italian desserts. Gluten-free options available. bLD$$

PINES OF ROME

4918 Cordell Ave., 301-657-8775, pinesofrometogo.com Authentic Italian fare, such as veal Milanese and meatballs with spaghetti, served in a casual, family-friendly environment. Large trays serving eight or more are available for takeout. LD$$$

PISCO Y NAZCA CEVICHE

GASTROBAR

7401 Woodmont Ave., 301-514-4830, piscoynazca.com A modern take on Peruvian cuisine, featuring dishes such as lomo saltado as well as eight ceviches. The comfortable setting includes an open kitchen, lively bar and outdoor patio.

b✓RLD$$$

PIZZERIA DA MARCO (Editors’ Choice)

8008 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-6083, pizzeriadamarco.net A family-friendly eatery featuring Italian antipasti, bruschettas and Neapolitan-style pizza. Try one of the freshly made salads (large enough for two), the burrata con pesto pizza and half-priced wine on Wednesdays. bLD$$

PLANTA

4910 Elm St., 301-407-2447, plantarestaurants.com Serving 100% plantbased food, with offerings such as vegan sushi, brick oven pizzas and mushroombased “chicken and waffles” that taste just as delicious as they look. Try the weekday happy hour for discounted sips and snacks.

b✓RLD$$$

Noncompete Ban Set to Take Place for Certain Healthcare Professionals

Starting July 1, 2025, Maryland takes a step further in banning noncompete agreements. The focus this time is on licensed healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals who are licensed under the Maryland Health Occupations Article, provide direct patient care, and earn $350,000 or less in total annual compensation cannot be subject to a noncompete provision contained in an employment agreement, conflict of interest policy or any other document that “restricts the ability of an employee to enter into employment with a new employer or to become self-employed in the same or similar business.”

Some of the healthcare professionals who are included in this new law are:

• Dentists

• Registered nurses

• Optometrists

• Physicians

• Podiatrists

• Counselors and Therapists

• Psychologists

• Social workers

• Chiropractors

• Physical Therapists

Licensed healthcare professionals who make over $350,000 in total compensation can be subject to a noncompete, however the restriction cannot go beyond one year from the last day of employment or exceed a 10-mile radius of the employee’s primary place of employment. Employers will also be required, at the request of the patient, to inform patients of the departing employee’s new practice location.

This provision does not however, apply to other restrictive covenants employees may enter into such as non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements.

This new law is not retroactive so it will apply to any non-competes entered into after July 1, 2025. Employers in the medical sector should review their employment documents now to ensure compliance with the new law. If you have any questions or wish to discuss how best to protect your business, please contact a Stein Sperling employment law attorney.

Principal Business & Employment Law

Darla J. McClure is a business and employment law attorney, with an emphasis on helping management navigate the employment law landscape. She assists businesses on a wide range of legal issues faced in day-to-day operations, including compliance with federal, state, and local laws, and drafting employment policies, handbooks, and contracts. 301-340-2020 www.steinsperling.com

DARLA MCCLURE

PRALINE BAKERY & BISTRO

4611 Sangamore Road (The Shops at Sumner Place), 301-229-8180, pralinebistro.com A charming French bistro serving classics such as steak frites and salmon paillard plus a first-floor bakery with artisanal housemade pastries. The second-floor patio is a hidden gem for lunch. b✓RLD$$$

Q BY PETER CHANG (Editors’ Choice)

4500 East West Highway, #100, 240-8003722, qbypeterchang.com Modern Szechuan cuisine by renowned chef Peter Chang in a contemporary 8,000-square-foot space. Don’t miss the Peking duck served with housemade pancakes, scallions and sweet bean sauce. b✓RLD$$$

RAKU (Editors’ Choice)

7240 Woodmont Ave., 301-718-8680, rakuasiandining.com Find modern Asian fare with Chinese, Japanese and Thai flavors. The deluxe bento box offers a sampling of fresh sushi and warm tempura. Voted “Best Japanese Restaurant” and “Best Sushi” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2025. b✓LD$$$

RAKUGAKI

10223 Old Georgetown Road (Shops at Wildwood), 240-858-4856, rakugaki.com A stylish Japanese restaurant offering colorful sushi platters, homemade noodle dishes, Asian small plates and more. Try the Teishoku set comprised of a protein-rich main such as tonkatsu or black cod, a side dish, miso soup and rice. b✓LD$$$

ROOTED3

4916 Cordell Ave., 240-206-1265, rooted3.com Fast-casual beachy, botanicalinspired cafe serving plant-based food free of the top nine allergens. Try the umami shroom bowl, buffalo cauliflower bites and an organic cocktail, best enjoyed in the outdoor courtyard. bLD$

RUTA

4862 Cordell Ave., 240-316-1257, rutadc.us/ ruta-md Named after a legendary flower from ancient Ukrainian mythology, Ruta is one of Maryland’s first Ukrainian restaurants. It offers traditional dishes such as borscht, holubtsi and varenyky, along with modern fusion dishes in a rustic atmosphere. b✓RLD$$$

SALA THAI

4828 Cordell Ave., 301-654-4676, salathaibethesda.com Thai cuisine served

in a nice casual setting with wood tables. Loyal locals praise the well-executed pad thai, served with a choice of protein, as well as the mango with sweet sticky rice. ✓LD$$

THE SALT LINE (Editors’ Choice)

7284 Woodmont Ave., 240-534-2894, thesaltline.com Part of a D.C.-area chain, this coastal-themed restaurant offers an extensive raw bar with Chesapeake Bay oysters, clams and lobster rolls, plus locally sourced seafood entrees such as panroasted rockfish. b✓RLD$$$$

SEVENTH STATE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE

7707 Woodmont Ave., 240-539-3410, seventhstaterestaurant.com In the lobby of the Marriott Bethesda Downtown sits a business-friendly all-day eatery featuring modern American cuisine with a mid-Atlantic twist and locally sourced ingredients served in a light-filled space.

b✓BRLD$$$

SILVER

7150 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-9780, eatatsilver.com A New American brasserie serving upscale comfort food in an art decoinspired space with cozy red booths. Kids love the breakfast menu, served all day, plus the hand-spun milkshakes.

b✓BRLD$$$

SILVER AND SONS BARBECUE

(Editors’ Choice)

5362 Westbard Ave. (Westbard Square), 301500-3140, silverandsonsbbq.com Founded as a food truck by Jarrad Silver, this brick-andmortar spot serves smoked chicken, brisket, shredded lamb shoulder and other meats, while offering a blend of American, Jewish and Mediterranean flavors on its menu.

LD$$

SISTERS SANDWICHES & SUCH

4520 East West Highway, 240-531-2726, sisterssandwichesandsuch.com This branch of a family-owned Olney deli serves stacked sandwiches, homemade sides and good vibes. Don’t miss the Hottie—a twist on a Thanksgiving classic with turkey, brie, garlic mayo and fresh spinach. bBL$

SMOKE BBQ

4858 Cordell Ave., 301-656-2011, mysmokebbq.com A casual barbecue joint serving spice-rubbed smoked meats and craft beers with outdoor seating in the alley. Weekday happy hour and game day specials,

such as wing trays and sliders, are available. bLD$$

TACOMBI

4749 Bethesda Ave., 877-632-7610, tacombi.com This New York-based restaurant brings Mexican street fare to Bethesda with an emphasis on tacos. Colorful, spacious interiors and reasonably priced dishes make Tacombi a good spot for a casual meal. Giant doors open in nice weather for a seamless indoor-outdoor experience. b✓LD$

TAKO GRILL

4914 Hampden Lane (The Shoppes of Bethesda), 301-652-7030, takogrill.com This contemporary Japanese grill serves a variety of Asian dishes, including noodles, teriyaki, donburi and tempura in addition to sushi and sashimi. Platters, available for takeout, are great for a crowd. LD$$$

TASTEE DINER

7731 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-3970, tasteediner.com This local diner has retro vibes and serves old-school American diner classics such as all-day breakfast, handhelds and daily specials such as country fried steak and meatloaf. BLD$

TATTE BAKERY & CAFÉ

7276 Wisconsin Ave., 240-534-2115; 5300 Zenith Overlook (Westbard Square), 240-5342816; tattebakery.com A Boston-based cafe with a cult following, Tatte features tantalizing pastries, espresso drinks, a signature shakshuka (a North African egg and tomato sauce dish) and a seasonal menu with Israeli, Mediterranean and European influences in an airy space with leather banquettes and bistro tables. Voted “Best Bakery” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2025. bBRLD$

TIA QUETA

4839 Del Ray Ave., 301-654-4443, tiaqueta.com A casual Mexican cafe with a rooftop bar where you can enjoy pitchers of margaritas and tacos. Weekday happy hour offers discounted quesadillas and nachos plus drink specials. b✓LD$$$

TIKKA MASALA

4929 Elm St., 301-312-8191, tikkamasala.us Traditional Indian cuisine plus a handful of IndoChinese wok dishes served in a contemporary setting. The lunch buffet offers a variety of classics such as tikka masala and biryani plus appetizers and dessert. ✓LD$$

TOMMY JOE’S

7940 Norfolk Ave., 301-312-8282,

tommy-joes.com A casual dual-level sports bar and American grill with more than 40 TVs, daily specials and a year-round rooftop. Try the “Poho style” chicken wings glazed in a blend of hot and peanut sauces. b✓LD$$

TRATTORIA SORRENTO

(Editors’ Choice)

4930 Cordell Ave., 301-718-0344, trattoriasorrento.com A family owned and operated trattoria serving traditional Italian fare. Order the Italian Martini, made with limoncello, and the homemade spinach and ricotta ravioli baked with mozzarella in tomato sauce. ✓D$$$

TRUE FOOD KITCHEN

7100 Wisconsin Ave., 240-200-1257, truefoodkitchen.com Health-driven dishes comprised of seasonal ingredients served in a bright, airy setting that’s suitable for adults and children alike. Outstanding plates include the charred cauliflower, ancient grain bowl and smoked Gouda turkey burger. Voted “Best Vegetarian Dishes” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2025. b✓RLD$$$

UNCLE JULIO’S

4870 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-2981, unclejulios.com It’s always a party at the Bethesda outpost of this national Tex-Mex chain where groups flock for celebrations. Expect hacienda-style interiors, mesquitegrilled fare and an extensive margarita menu. Voted “Best Mexican Restaurant” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2025. b✓LD$$$

VIRRAAJ

4914 Cordell Ave., 301-847-7225, virraaj.com

Authentic Indian cuisine served in an upscale setting with black and gold decor. The wideranging menu boasts multiple biryanis, more than a dozen vegetarian entrees and several chaats. b✓LD$$$

WOODMONT GRILL

(Editors’ Choice)

7715 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-9755, woodmontgrill.com Modern American comfort food, hand-crafted cocktails and sushi served in clubby interiors with tufted red booths. Order the Crisp Martini made with gin and sauvignon blanc and leave the kids at home.

Voted “Best Business Lunch Spot” and “Best Restaurant in Bethesda” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2025.

✓LD$$$$

WORLD OF BEER

7200 Wisconsin Ave., 240-389-9317, worldofbeer.com This national brewpub features hundreds of global beers and classic American fare in a brick-walled space with high-top tables and a large outdoor patio. Try a curated beer flight or design your own. Voted “Best Beer Selection” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2025.

bLD$$

ZAO STAMINA RAMEN

7345 Wisconsin Ave., Unit B, 301-312-8399, zaostaminaramen.com This spacious restaurant run by a Tokyo-born chef offers comforting bowls of ramen made with homemade noodles. Try the Stamina Ramen prepared with spiced chicken broth, curly noodles, pork belly and a poached egg. bLD$$

The NOW Massage Bethesda 6917 Arlington Road, Suite G2 Bethesda, MD 20814 301.701.6046 | @thenowmassage thenowmassage.com/bethesda

FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD AND RECONNECT WITHIN

Fashion fun in the sun

TV’s Bridgerton inspired this wedding.

SHOPPING, TRAVEL, WELLNESS AND MORE

Recline on a floating dock at Cove Creek Lodge, a renovated property along Deep Creek Lake’s Arrowhead Cove in Oakland, Maryland. PAGE 142

COVER STORY

BY JACQUELINE MENDELSOHN

TROPICAL TOUCH

Island Cays pointelle full-zip rash guard, $128 at Tommy Bahama, 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), Bethesda, 301-500-2300, tommybahama.com

BRIGHT BRIM

Sunshine Tienda “Loraine” palm hat, $149 at Sassanova, 7134 Bethesda Lane (Bethesda Row), Bethesda, 301-654-7402, sassanova.com

ROSÉ ALL DAY

“Ellis” shirt, $178 at Rails, 4852 Bethesda Ave. (Bethesda Row), Bethesda, 240-858-4165, rails.com

MINT CONDITION

Active Pursuits sun sleeves, $26.95 at REI Co-op, 910 Rose Ave. (Pike & Rose), North Bethesda, 301-770-1751, rei.com

COOL COVER

Cabana Life tunic, $128 at Everything But Water, 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), Bethesda, 240-760-2147, everythingbutwater.com

GLOW SHIELD

Locally made Forah everyday mineral sunscreen SPF 30, $55 at Skincando Boutique at Flex All Day, 10231 Old Georgetown Road (Shops at Wildwood), Bethesda, 202-760-0876, skincando.com

scoutandmollys.com

PATTERN PLAY

“Laguna” linen relaxed shirt, $168, and “Bayview” short, $110 at Faherty, 4848 Bethesda Ave. (Bethesda Row), Bethesda, 240-634-3004, fahertybrand.com

Traveler’s Notebook

Three destinations to while away the dog days of summer

BY CHRISTINE KOUBEK FLYNN

Lodge at the Lake

Relax with the kids and dog at Cove Creek Lodge at Deep Creek Lake in western Maryland. What was once the Inn at Deep Creek reopened in June 2024 after the new owners completed an extensive renovation and renamed the property. The lodge’s location on quiet Arrowhead Cove is ideal for kayaking, swimming, paddleboarding or just sitting by the firepit with a beverage and gazing at the lake. The 29 renovated rooms and suites come in a variety of spacious configurations—several boast a fireplace and outdoor sitting area. Each space has a Keurig coffee maker, smart TV, walk-in shower, and kitchenette with microwave and mini-refrigerator (some have a larger

kitchen with a full-size fridge, two-burner electric stove and dining table). The Lakeside Double Queen Fireplace Room has a vaulted and wood-paneled ceiling, electric fireplace, leather armchairs, and comfortable chairs on the deck for savoring a lakeview sunrise.

Cozy relaxation nooks, tabletop shuffleboard, an outdoor pool, and the guests-only Black Antler Lounge, which serves craft cocktails, beer, ciders and more, round out Cove Creek’s offerings. Off the property, stop by The Casselman Bakery and Cafe, a short walk from the lodge, for fresh-baked cookies and cinnamon rolls, coffee drinks, and made-to-order breakfast and lunch sandwiches. Hike in nearby Swallow Falls

State Park to see Muddy Creek Falls, Maryland’s highest free-falling waterfall. Check out Deep Creek Lake’s 100th anniversary website, dcl100.com/events, for information on parades, a July 5 sailboat regatta, live big-band music and a birthday bash at the Garrett County Fairgrounds.

Rates at Cove Creek Lodge begin at $260 and include the complimentary use of kayaks and paddleboards. There’s no extra charge for dogs in the dedicated “dogfriendly” rooms; be sure to read the lodge’s pet policy, including breed restrictions.

Cove Creek Lodge, 19638 Garrett Highway, Oakland, Maryland, 301-387-5534, covecreekdcl.com

Clockwise from top left: A room at Cove Creek Lodge in Oakland, Maryland; an aerial view of the lodge; guests enjoying the outdoors

Snooze to a Real Nature Soundtrack

Disconnect from your blue light-emanating devices and plug into twilight at Firefly Ridge Luxury Retreat near Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. The collection of 14 glamping sites opened—or you might say “pitched”—in April 2024. Each large tent is set upon its own elevated decking. The husband-and-wife team of Corinne and Peter Traub stocked each site with essentials, making packing much easier than your average camping trip. Tents have either a king bed or two full beds, upholstered armchairs, linens, blankets and lanterns. Each site also includes a picnic table, Blackstone grill and firepit for cooking and making s’mores, plus cookware, cups, utensils, an electric water kettle, a pour-over coffee maker with filters, canvas wood slings with leather gloves for collecting and carrying wood, and more.

The classy-for-a-campground bathhouse has a men’s and women’s room, each with private shower stalls and toilets, shampoo, conditioner, bodywash, hair dryers and towels.

While Wi-Fi is available for all tent sites, along with a power station for charging phones, cell service is limited. Outdoor solar string lights give off a nice evening glow. Special “family glamping experience” weekends (July 7-9 and 21-23, and Aug. 4-6 and 18-20) feature forest bathing with a naturalist, telescope stargazing, a campfire masterclass, a farm-to-fire meal with grass-fed meat and s’mores, and a choice of adventures that range from a horseback trail ride in Cacapon Resort State Park to a soak in mineral springs at the Old Roman Bathhouse in Berkeley Springs State Park. Glamping season runs from mid-April to midNovember. Nearby Berkeley Springs is home to restaurants and breweries. Rates begin at $170 per night, $895 for the two-night, three-day family glamping experience.

Firefly Ridge Luxury Retreat, 9225 Cacapon Road, Great Cacapon, West Virginia, 304-901-4001, fireflyridgewv.com

COURTESY FIREFLY RIDGE

From top: Raised tent sites at Firefly Ridge Luxury Retreat near Berkeley Springs, West Virginia; one of the retreat’s glamping tents; a firepit and mountain view at a campsite

Hide Away and Play in OBX

Begin and end an active day in coastal-chic luxury at Pamlico Station Edgecamp, a hotel that opened in 2024 overlooking Pamlico Sound on Hatteras Island in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The windswept barrier island, known for its maritime history, is roughly 30 miles from the site of the Wright brothers’ first flight. It’s also a haven for surfers and kitesurfing enthusiasts. Jonathan Adler, renowned interior decorator, potter and author of 100 Ways to Happy Chic Your Life, was tapped to create Pamlico Station’s swanky-casual vibe.

Each of the 14 residential-like suites includes a living room, dining area, bedroom, fully equipped kitchen, immersive Marshall speakers, stylish accents and a well-stocked “Wellness Basket” that you may wish you could bring home. It includes two yoga mats, a yoga block, Therabody massage gun, foam roller and, upon-request, Hyperice-Normatec compression therapy boots that aim to make legs feel as good as new after a workout. Indulge in a cold plunge, a sauna session or a soak in the hot tub at the exclusive-toguests wellness center.

Pamlico Station’s concierge team is in touch before your visit to create a bespoke experience. Offerings include kitchen stocking and private chef-prepared meals; jet ski, pontoon boat and bike rentals; fishing and dune buggy adventures; and kitesurfing lessons. Rates begin at $289 per night.

Pamlico Station Edgecamp, 24267 North Carolina Highway 12, Rodanthe, North Carolina, 252-618-1442, edgecamp.com/pamlico-station

From left: Scenic views abound at Pamlico Station Edgecamp; Villas add a luxe hotel experience with outdoor adventures.

Visit Virginia’s River Realm for waterfront relaxation, small-town vibes and lots of oysters BY AMY BRECOUNT WHITE

Stand-up paddleboarding is one of many aquatic activities to try on Virginia’s rivers.

TIMES FLOW

The minute I lay eyes on the intimate saltwater pool steps from our private cottage at the Hope and Glory Inn in Irvington, Virginia, I feel the urge to submerge. The pool reflects the allure of Virginia’s newly branded River Realm, a coastal area boasting some 500 miles of shoreline along the Rappahannock River and Chesapeake Bay. The area is a nexus of relaxation and self-care with a dash of salinity.

Maybe I should call it Virginia’s “Rivah” Realm, which is how I so often heard the word genteelly pronounced when I lived in Richmond decades ago. The elegant Tides Inn in Irvington may be the bestknown landmark in these parts, but the nearby small towns—Kilmarnock,

Urbanna, Deltaville, White Stone, Topping, Lively, Saluda and Tappahannock— are also prime places to kick back and play in and around the water while enjoying a Southern taste of the good life.

Alas, the weather gods weren’t cooperating at the start of my visit in the summer of 2024, when we’d hoped to explore the area by boat. Hurricane Debby was reduced to a tropical storm by the time my husband, Pete, and I began the threehour drive south but she was still winging it up the mid-Atlantic. No matter. We still found plenty of ways to savor the salt air and the bay’s abundance on land.

ON THE DAY WE ROLL INTO

IRVINGTON, a little more than 150 miles from Bethesda, it’s evident that small businesses are

booming. Many older structures have been given new life in the post-pandemic economy. There’s a vibey exuberance about town, despite the rain.

“More younger people are moving here. [They] can work remotely, and the small town becomes a very appealing alternative for family life,” says Dudley Patteson, co-proprietor of the Hope and Glory Inn, a boutique hotel occupying a refurbished 1890 schoolhouse. He and his wife, Peggy, bought the place 20 years ago and turned it into a bed and breakfast surrounded by lush gardens, standalone cottages and unique amenities such as a private outdoor bath with a clawfoot tub.

Many of the young business owners who now make up the town’s fabric grew up visiting the area and have family hereabouts. “We didn’t necessarily set out to open a gourmet convenience market,” says Livi Justis Harlow, whose namesake Livi’s Market, tucked inside a former gas station, stocks everything from wine, cheese and cocktail bitters to sunscreen. During the pandemic, she and her husband, Tom, both Richmond natives, “hunkered down and didn’t want to leave.” They opened their business in 2023.

“Irvington has such charm,” she says. “You walk out down the street and everyone waves. There’s a strong sense of community. We wanted to contribute to that.”

Kristy Cotter, owner of the Richmond clothing boutique Dear Neighbor, has a similar transplant story. She opened an outpost of her shop in the town’s former Odd Fellows Lodge after moving here with her family during COVID so that her young son had a place to run around. Cotter invites her customers “to dress up and try on things that make them feel special.”

And yet, many longstanding traditions also remain. At the 76-year-old RAL (Rappahannock Art League) Art Center, a cooperative space showcasing ceramics, jewelry, paintings and fiber works by more than 50 artists, I find myself wishing I had a cozy waterside cottage to decorate. That fantasy continues as we peek inside the Tiles Projects, a design studio and showroom specializing in gorgeous custom designed tiles for kitchen and bath.

Hopping from town to town, we hear the term “merroir”—the water version of terroir—used to denote the realm’s riverine

The saltwater pool at the Hope and Glory Inn in Irvington, Virginia

The Tides Inn in Irvington focuses on ecotourism opportunities.

products. The salinity of local waterways produces a bounty of seafood, which in turn has inspired a thriving culinary community. Hope and Glory’s Ethiopian-born chef, Meseret Crockett, has taken the art to another level by creating what might be the world’s first dessert oyster. She tops a raw bivalve with a dollop of housemade lime sorbet infused with mint, adds a squeeze of lime juice and finishes it with dill.

“The flavors of that oyster just pop in your mouth,” a battle between salty and sweet, Patteson says.

BY DAY THREE OF OUR VISIT, the skies have calmed and we finally get out on the water in a Carolina Skiff with Will Smiley, the resident ecologist at the nearby Tides Inn complex. The purpose of our excursion is to learn more about the riches of these brackish waterways, specifically the oysters and blue crabs whose populations are still recovering from decades of overharvesting and poor bay health.

On Carter’s Creek, Smiley pulls up a crab pot and measures the “beautiful swimmers” (a translation of their Greek name’s origin) to make sure they meet the legal standard for harvesting. Noting the affirmative, he scoots us to a nearby dock, where the crabs are soon steaming and then generously sprinkled with Old Bay. As a novice picker, I heed Smiley’s advice on how best to extract the crustacean’s succulent flesh.

Smiley offers an equally popular Chesapeake Gold tour centering on oyster restoration efforts. “We take recycled oyster shells from restaurants and resorts,” he explains, pointing to stacks of bags filled with shells. “Then we put them in that big tank and release swimming baby oysters [larvae from a local hatchery] into the tank, and they connect to the shells.” Once attached to their new homes, the young oysters are known as spat. The spat are introduced to various sections of the creek to grow in submerged cages.

Oysters play a critical role in balancing the local ecosystem, he explains. They feed by filtering water and extracting algae and other microscopic particles that would otherwise proliferate and block sunlight from reaching the underwater grass beds where blue crabs thrive. A single oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water per day. In short: More oysters mean better

bay health and a higher crab population. The Tides Inn is doing its part by maintaining a restored living shoreline peppered with sunken cages filled with spat.

Our trip also includes a stop at the weekend farmers market in Urbanna, where Mayor William Goldsmith urges us to check out the famous 1755 “Mitchell Map” on display inside the James Mills Scottish Factor Store, once a hub for the tobacco trade and now a visitors center. It was “the go-to map for centuries,” Goldsmith says, adding that Urbanna was “one of the original colonial port towns.”

Created in 1750 by John Mitchell, a

local physician, the map was later used during the 1783 Treaty of Paris to define the boundaries of the newly independent United States—and reportedly helped resolve a fishing rights dispute as recently as the 1980s. Like the Library of Congress and the British Museum, this small town has its own impressive first edition.

Nowadays Urbanna is best known for its fall oyster festival, which attracts more than 50,000 connoisseurs annually for a shellfishthemed parade, an oyster-shucking contest and myriad ways to eat these sweet and briny sea creatures—maybe even for dessert. Gotta love that small-town ingenuity.

Will Smiley, resident ecologist at the Tides Inn, holds a tray of oysters.

A photo of the Mitchell Map, which is on display in Urbanna, Virginia

IF YOU GO

WHERE TO EAT, DRINK & STAY

Irvington’s Hope and Glory Inn ( hopeand glory.com) offers 13 enchantingly decorated rooms and cottages (some of the headboards resemble birdhouses or picket fences), with breakfast delivered every morning, plus a saltwater pool. The property’s elegant Colonnade restaurant is a must for Chef Meseret’s vichyssoise, crabcakes and chocolate ganache brownie, and the front yard is home to a popular microvineyard and oyster bar.

Situated along the banks of a Rappahannock tributary, the Tides Inn (tidesinn. com) offers a sandy beach, a large pool and river paddleboarding or kayaking. Its Salt & Meadow restaurant is a picturesque spot for upscale cuisine showcasing locally sourced fare. Camp Irvington (campirvington.com) is a place to chillax around firepits with live music, beer, wine and small bites.

If you’re traveling with a group, check out Rosegill (vrbo.com/4369359) an 18thcentury former plantation with five bedrooms on 700 acres near Urbanna. Kilmarnock Inn (kilmarnockinn.com) has

charming rooms and cottages named after the eight U.S. presidents born in Virginia.

to enjoy dishes such as rockfish cakes or lamb sausage with local clams.

Don’t be deceived by the looks of the Car Wash Cafe (facebook.com/p/car-wash-cafe-cater ing-61552956216386) in Kilmarnock housed in a former car wash and 7-Eleven. It’s a local brunch favorite for omelets and pancakes. Dig into lobster rolls and burgers at Small Town Burger (smalltownburger.com), a food truck enterprise with permanent parked locations in Kilmarnock and Urbanna.

In Deltaville, the casual Table at Wilton (thetableatwilton.com) emphasizes fresh, local ingredients such as softshell crabs and fried fish sandwiches. In Topping, slurp local oysters at Rappahannock Oyster Co.’s Merrior (rroysters.com/merroirtopping-va.html ), a casual eatery with indoor and outdoor seating.

If you forget to make a reservation at Adrift Restaurant in White Stone (adriftva.com)— it’s usually packed—grab a seat at the bar

WHERE TO SHOP

Aquatic wonders notwithstanding, Virginia’s River Realm is worth a visit for its boutiques. August Table (augusttable.com) in White Stone designs and stocks beautiful, patterned linens, towels, wallcoverings and other home goods. At Pointe Provisions (pointeprovisions. com) in White Stone, the merch includes rustic and vintage-style home decor, local art and a nice children’s section.

In Irvington, find stylish clothing, gifts and accessories at Sweet Tea (shopsweettea.com),

Irvington’s Hope and Glory Inn occupies a refurbished 1890 schoolhouse.

The pool, beach and river at the Tides Inn

Outdoor concerts at Music on the Half Shell in Kilmarnock

The Dandelion (thedandelion.com) and Dear Neighbor (shopdearneighbor.com). Peruse nautical arts at Objects Art Gallery (objectsart andmore.com) and hit up Urbanna Trading Company (urbannatradingcompany.com) in Urbanna for provisions ranging from wine and charcuterie to jewelry.

Find the perfect gift or a bright summer dress at The Rivah (facebook.com/shopthe rivah) in Kilmarnock. If you’re looking to give your home a refresh, don’t miss the RAL Arts Center (ralartcenter.com) for original artworks and the Tiles Projects (tilesprojects.com) for bespoke tiles and throw pillows.

WHERE TO PLAY

Take a Watermen Heritage Tour ( virginias riverrealm.com/things-to-do/take-an-ecotour-with-a-waterman/#explore) to learn about the region’s aquaculture or connect with Tides Inn ecologist Will Smiley for an educational outing that includes delicious seafood tastings. In addition, the Tides Inn’s resident horticulturalist leads birding, wildflower and honeybee excursions.

Urbanna’s Kayak Trail ( virginiasriver realm.com/things-to-do/urbanna-kayaktrail/#explore ) has 26 stops including beaches and former ferry landings. Take a three-hour daytime or sunset sail on a catamaran with Nauti Cat (sailnauticat.com) or rent a paddleboard or kayak from Paddle On’s walk-up kiosks (facebook.com/p/ paddle-on-100083411285614), and follow the suggested launch points.

Kilmarnock hosts an outdoor summer concert series, Music on the Half Shell (kilmarnockva.com/music-on-the-half-shell), with food trucks and beverage vendors. The Urbanna Oyster Festival ( urbanna oysterfestival.com), set for Nov. 7-8 this year, is a shuck fest of local bivalves, plus beer and wine tastings and kids activities.

Visit virginiasriverrealm.com for more ideas on places to explore around Essex, Lancaster and Middlesex counties.

Travel writer Amy Brecount White enjoys diving into any water-based exploration and appreciates the mid-Atlantic’s ample offerings. She lives in Arlington, Virginia.

Strickler, Platnick & Hatfield offers clients throughout MD, VA, DC, and even internationally the benefit of more than 90 years of combined experience in family law. We have extensive experience with numerous circumstances that can complicate family disputes, and we provide a wide range of dispute resolution options that allow us to customize our approach to each client’s unique needs.

THE ROYAL

After years of living in different cities, a couple threw a Regency-inspired bash to celebrate their union—with a gilded ballroom, ethereal decor and sumptuous feast to match

BY DANA GERBER

The couple: Kathleen Pham, 30, grew up in Oakton, Virginia. She is the senior director of practice operations for Privia Health, a platform for health care providers. James Calderwood Jr., 36, grew up in Chevy Chase Village and graduated from Georgetown Preparatory School in North Bethesda. He is the vice president of operations for AllerVie Health, a network of allergy and asthma clinics. They live in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

How they met: Kathleen and James met in 2017 during a summer internship at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio while they were both earning graduate degrees. A friendship blossomed, and that autumn, with Kathleen in D.C. and James in Philadelphia, the pair embarked on a long-distance relationship—a romance that endured even as Kathleen moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, and James moved to D.C. the following year. For the three-plus years before Kathleen moved back to D.C. in 2021, the pair drove more than 28,000 miles total to bridge the gap between them—a fun fact that appeared on the cocktail napkins at their wedding. “I just thought he was such an empathetic, caring person, and I think is really just my rock and my calm in the storm,” Kathleen says. “We’re just best friends.”

The proposal: James, a history lover, popped the question in the fall of 2022 at Mount Vernon in Virginia—the site of their first date. To keep Kathleen from suspecting his plan, he enlisted the help of her sister and brother-in-law. “Kathleen’s brother-in-law said, ‘Hey, I’ve never been to Mount Vernon. You guys want to go?’ And the ruse was set up,” James says. “I made everybody walk around for a good hour before to make sure she really was surprised.” At last, along the banks of the Potomac River, he got down on one knee. Kathleen, successfully stunned, said “yes,” and then the foursome celebrated at the wine festival happening that night at the estate.

The ceremony: Kathleen and James tied the knot on Aug. 26, 2023, at the Cosmos Club, a private social club in D.C.’s Dupont Circle neighborhood where James’ mother is a member. “We

loved the idea of being able to do our ceremony outside, because we spend … so much time outside as a couple,” Kathleen says. The property’s East Garden, an alcove bursting with lush greenery, proved the perfect environs for their 124 guests to watch them say “I do” on the sunny Saturday. As the couple walked back up the aisle as husband and wife, a duo of string musicians played “Africa” by Toto—a favorite song of theirs.

TREATMENT

The reception: After cocktail hour inside the club’s mansion, guests proceeded to the reception in the Warne Ballroom. Kathleen envisioned an aesthetic inspired by Bridgerton, the Netflix show set in the Regency era, and the space’s gilded plasterwork, rose-hued drapery and mythological painting overhead presented a “beautiful template,” she says. The tablescapes completed the ethereal vibe: A floral runner and

periwinkle candles decorated the central king’s table, and the other tables boasted elevated centerpieces with powderblue hydrangeas and pearly baby’s breath that appeared to float midair. Personalized luggage tags guided guests to their tables, which were each assigned a locale the pair had visited together. In place of a traditional guest book was a white Adirondack chair—destined for the couple’s porch at home—

for loved ones to sign. For the entertainment, the bride and groom “wanted all that energy” of a live band, James says. So after the pair’s first dance to “Until I Found You” by Stephen Sanchez, upbeat hits including “Everytime We Touch” by Cascada and “Any Way You Want It” by Journey lured guests to the dance floor in between sessions at the prop-filled photo station. A sparkler-lit exit saw the newlyweds off to their after-party at

Mission, a Tex-Mex bar and restaurant just blocks away, where they celebrated until the wee hours.

The outfits: Kathleen picked out her fit-and-flare Kelly Faetanini gown from The Bridal Room in McLean, Virginia, on her first day dress shopping. “[It] had really beautiful floral decals on the train of it, which is what sold me,” Kathleen says, and she had the straps and her veil customized to match. She also wore a sapphire and diamond bracelet from her grandmother (her “something blue”) and a ring (her “something new”) that James’ parents gifted her during the traditional Vietnamese tea ceremony the couple held about a month before the wedding to honor Kathleen’s cultural heritage. James, meanwhile, opted for a blue-toned tuxedo and bowtie to complement the azure florals.

The food and drink: “I don’t think anybody left hungry,” James says of the evening’s menu, which began with cocktail hour fare of wagyu sliders, bruschetta and other passed appetizers, as well as a crabcake station. Then came the plated feast: a choice of seared filet mignon, roasted salmon, duck breast or vegan mushroom ravioli. For dessert, the threetier cake—with strawberry and chocolate flavors—was topped with edible floral garnishes, a nod to Kathleen’s ensemble. Also on offer were two signature drinks: a boozy pineapple sorbet concoction and an old fashioned made with Maker’s Mark bourbon that the couple picked up during a road trip to the Kentucky distillery. That whiskey was also a key ingredient in the slices of groom’s cake that James’ mom baked for the occasion.

The honeymoon: A couple of days after the wedding, Kathleen and James took off on their two-week honeymoon, spending time traversing the Galapagos Islands via catamaran and relaxing in an overwater bungalow on Panama’s Bastimentos Island. It was there, in private, that the pair recited the vows they had written for each other. “I think we wanted that to be an intimate moment,” Kathleen says.

Vendors: Band, Encore of Washington Talent Agency; cake, Savvy Treats; catering/venue, the Cosmos Club; ceremony music, Da Vinci Strings of Washington Talent Agency; decor and flowers, Eight Tree Street Floral; hair and makeup, Jasmine Palma Artistry; invitations, Save the Date, LLC Events and Carlson Craft; photo booth, Washington Talent Agency; photographer, Genevieve Leiper Photography; planner and day-of director, Save the Date, LLC Events; rentals, Select Event Group.

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Private Schools

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Essential Information on Independent Schools 11

WELCOME TO LEARNING AS IT SHOULD BE.

At Green Acres School, students from Pre-K–8th grad e experience a dynamic program where... They are deeply known by their teachers.

They have a 15-acre wooded campus as a classroom.

They have a voice and use it to advocate for themse lves and others.

Their passions are reflected in the curriculum.

They are challenged to grow as learners and leaders

They are curious, determined, and love to learn.

They are fully prepared for high school, college, a nd beyond.

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UPPER SCHOOL (Grades 9–12)

Sunday, October 19, 2025

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Tuesday, November 11, 2025

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(Pre-K–Grade 4)

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Empowering leaders to serve with faith, intellect and confidence.

We are a Catholic, independent school for girls in Grades 1–12, with co-educational Pre-K and Kindergarten. Located in the heart of Bethesda, Maryland, our 35-acre campus is easily accessible via metro and bus routes throughout the Washington metropolitan area.

www.stoneridgeschool.org/visit

Mistakes Happen, It’s What You Do Next That Matters

Landscape architect Bernie Mihm started Fine Earth Landscape in 1977, while he was a student at the University of Maryland. He has grown the company to more than 100 employees, and services range from major projects costing hundreds of thousands of dollars to others requiring “a couple of hours of pruning.” The company has amassed more than 150 industry awards. Mihm’s best-known creation is the Family Heritage Garden at Number One Observatory Circle in Northwest Washington, D.C., done at the behest of then-Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill. The garden honors the residence’s previous vice presidents.

Mihm, 67, lives in Poolesville with his wife, Kathy. The couple met in North Bethesda as teens through a serendipitous fender bender when he (unintentionally) bumped into her at a stop sign. Mihm has a way of making accidents turn out in his favor: This is his story of a catastrophe that changed his behavior—and the way he looks at life.

Like a lot of young people in business, I got really upset over what I now consider little things. I was getting angry

and upset over things I now realize were really not worth losing sleep over. Things like “this employee didn’t show up,” or “this job took longer than I expected.” I was never a yeller but, in my mind, I was always looking for someone to get mad at.

As I put 30 or 40 years into the business, I did mellow a bit—but it was one event that really stands out as a defining moment [of change], and that’s when I made the biggest mistake of my career.

We were constructing a swimming pool and landscaping on a steep hillside in Bethesda. I neglected to instruct my crews to protect the beautiful new swimming pool overnight during our installation. As fate would have it, we had tremendous thunderstorms one night while the unfinished landscaping was in progress. The clients’ beautiful new pool was a disaster, filled with dirt and mud.

The clients, of course, were less than thrilled and, frankly, I was expecting them—rightfully, of course—to ream me out for my mistake. To their great credit and being the wonderful people that they

are, they remained perfectly calm. Of course, they were disappointed, but they didn’t know me well at the time and they didn’t know what I was going to do. As it happened, I took a “money is no object, no expense too great” approach to making it right, and in the end—it took a couple of weeks—it all turned out beautifully.

I definitely had a change after that— a change in attitude—and it affected every part of my life. There are things that are super important in life—family, friends, health—and there are other things that are less important and not worth getting angry about. I don’t ignore the little things. I just put them in a better perspective now.

The clients have enjoyed their pool and their landscaping immensely. They have referred me to friends and neighbors in the years since, and we have become friends as well.

And that beautiful project ended up winning a regional award and then a national grand award.

—As told to Buzz McClain