Bethesda Magazine: November-December 2019

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The Jane Fairweather Community Service Scholarship Jane Fairweather and her team will grant college scholarships to three deserving high school seniors, one each from Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Walter Johnson and Walt Whitman high schools. Recipients are chosen based on their outstanding service to the people in the community.

For more information and a copy of the scholarship application, contact your school’s representative: BCC: Patty Parmelee, patricia_b_parmelee@mcpsmd.org WJ: Katherine Simmons, katherine_a_simmons@mcpsmd.org Whitman: Nathaly Lobo, nathaly_a_lobo@mcpsmd.org

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November/December 2019 | Volume 16 Issue 6

contents

ON THE COVER 68 Going Nowhere Fast Our traffic is terrible. Will widening the Beltway and I-270 really help?

BY LOUIS PECK

PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

COVER: Photo by Skip Brown

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

contents P. 82

162 Doc Rock They’re leading physicians, scientists and researchers— even the director—at the National Institutes of Health.

They’re also just musicians having fun.

BY EUGENE L. MEYER

170 Bethesda interview Bethesda resident James Brown, host of The NFL Today, talks about his basketball days, memorable on-air bloopers and a story that brought him to tears

BY STEVE GOLDSTEIN

82 Vegging Out

94 Turf War

107 Top Attorneys

For vegetarian and vegan diners on the lookout for superlative fare, these 10 dishes fit the bill

Artificial turf is replacing natural grass at many schools and parks in Montgomery County.

But some parents and experts worry that the fields pose health and safety risks to the athletes playing on them.

We asked more than 1,800 attorneys who practice regularly in Montgomery County who they would hire if they needed a lawyer. Here are the 265 attorneys in 25 practice areas who were recommended most often.

BY DAVID HAGEDORN

BY DAVID GOLDSTEIN

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

178 Change Makers Philanthropists of the Year Hope Gleicher and Andy Burness have spent most of their lives helping to give others a voice

BY MIKE UNGER

186 Guide to Giving More than 60 ways to make a difference in our community

PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

FEATURES

Steve Wydler Associate Broker | VA, MD & DC 703.348.7298 The Grinch Naughty “Best Realtor” Arlington Magazine Dartmouth, Vanderbilt JD

Hans Wydler Associate Broker | DC, MD & VA 301.640.5701 The Nutcracker Nice “Best Realtor” Bethesda Magazine Yale, Harvard MBA

Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdraw without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. Exact dimensions can be obtained by retaining the services of an architect or engineer. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Compass is licensed as Compass Real Estate in DC and as Compass in Virginia and Maryland. 5471 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 300, Chevy Chase, MD 20815 | 301.298.1001

contents

DEPARTMENTS 20 | TO OUR READERS

P. 62 219

22 | CONTRIBUTORS

home

283

dine

284 | REVIEW

220 | HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS It’s getting cold outside, so stock up on cozy creature comforts and stay indoors this season

Our critic’s take on the recently opened China Garden in Rockville

222 | WITH THE PUSH OF A BUTTON

What’s happening on the local food scene

Can’t-miss arts events

Smart technology is helping local homeowners simplify everyday living

292 | DINING GUIDE

38 | ARTS CALENDAR

232 | HOME SALES BY THE NUMBERS

29

good life

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

34 | BEST BETS

288 | TABLE TALK

Where to go, what to see

49

249

banter

health

The owners of a concierge gift service offer tips for picking out presents and wrapping them

250 | BE WELL

52 | FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING Deer, by the numbers

A local orthodontist talks about getting braces, the “Do Not Eat” list, and how technology is changing his job

56 | QUICK TAKES

252 | HEART TO HEART

News you may have missed

Five years ago, Karin Bertozzi collapsed at Balducci’s in Bethesda and was rushed to Suburban Hospital, where she underwent a 12-hour open-heart surgery. Now the 51-year-old yoga instructor visits other cardiac patients to help them see that they can get their lives back, too.

New books by local authors, literary events and more

62 | HOMETOWN A former college football player is teaching young men with autism how to box—and they’re teaching him some lessons, too

262 | WELLNESS CALENDAR

etc.

310 | SHOP TALK

people. politics. current events. books.

58 | BOOK REPORT

309

314 | WEDDINGS The wedding of a CAVA co-founder included a choreographed dance, Shake Shack burgers and the Greek custom of breaking plates

318 | GET AWAY Your cheat sheet for a weekend away

320 | DRIVING RANGE Hunting for antiques on Maryland’s Eastern Shore

334 | PETS For Travis the bloodhound, working with Montgomery County police is more than fun and games

BY STEVE ROBERTS

AD SECTIONS PROFILES: ASK THE ATTORNEYS 125

16

LONG & FOSTER AD SECTION 208

SHOWCASE: KITCHEN & BATH 240

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PROFILES: SENIOR SERVICES 264

PRIVATE SCHOOLS AD SECTION 326

PHOTO BY DARREN HIGGINS

336 | OUTTAKES

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Serving Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George’s Counties, and the District of Columbia

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

❱❱ JOB BOARD

GIVEAWAYS STARTING

NOV. 1

Job Board by Bethesda Magazine is a new online resource that connects area employers with Montgomery County job seekers. Learn more at BethesdaMagazine.com/JobBoard.

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Consistent results.

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

The winner will receive a gift card to shop at Montgomery County’s only outlet shopping center. Shop more than 90 brands— including Under Armour, Tory Burch and UGG—with savings up to 65% off. Located at exit 18 off I-270. Restrictions apply.

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

COURTESY PHOTOS

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to our readers

A FEW YEARS AGO, I spoke to about 30 Montgomery County residents at a Leadership Montgomery event and asked them what they liked most and least about living here. Their answers to what they liked most ran the gamut from the diversity of the people, to the quality of the public schools, to the proximity to D.C. But their responses to what they liked least were uniform: the traffic.

The Washington area is consistently ranked among the leaders for worst traffic in the country. In one recent survey the region ranked second worst; in another it was third. The traffic in Montgomery County mirrors the rest of the metropolitan area: terrible during rush hour and surprisingly bad at other times of the day. Interstates, local roads, eastwest, north-south—it doesn’t matter.

They’re all bad.

I’m fortunate that I live less than 3 miles from my office. In the morning, I turn onto East West Highway in Chevy Chase, just east of the intersection with Connecticut Avenue. When I look in the rearview mirror, the line of cars usually stretches as far as I can see.

Several times a month I have early morning meetings in Shady Grove. As I head north on I-270, I marvel at the length of the backup in the southbound lanes. Even when there hasn’t been an accident and the weather is good, vehicles are often stacked up from the Beltway to the exit for Route 28 in Rockville.

Experts say the traffic here is a downside of an upside—the economy in the area is booming, which means jobs are plentiful and people want to live here.

And more people, the worse the traffic.

But there’s a catch: The worse the traf20

and minuses of the proposed solutions.

Solutions in this case is a relative term: Peck found that even if the Beltway/I-270 widening and the BRT lines are completed, traffic in Montgomery County will continue to get worse (just not as bad as it would be without the projects).

That’s far from comforting.

Peck’s story begins on page 68.

EVERY YEAR IN OUR November/Decem-

ber issue we run a photograph of our staff on this page. We do so because I want to recognize the people who are responsible for the quality and success of everything we do. I’m fortunate and grateful to work with such a talented and dedicated group of people.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Bethesda Magazine!

STEVE HULL Editor & Publisher

Back row, from left: Jennifer Farkas, Cindy Rich, Amélie Ward, Kathleen Neary, Penny Skarupa, Dan Schere, LuAnne Spurrell, Onecia Ribeiro, Andrew Schotz, Erika Litman, Arlis Dellapa.

Front row, from left: Erin Roby, Jenny Fischer, Caitlynn Peetz, Susan Hull, Jill Trone, Kate Masters.

Not pictured: Sylvia Gashi-Silver, Laura Goode, Leigh McDonald, Meghan Murphy, Julie Rasicot.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

GRIDLOCK

fic, the lower the quality of life—and a diminished desire to stay here. It’s a dilemma being faced by most major metropolitan areas in the country.

Our elected officials recognize that something has to be done, especially because the population of the county and the region is expected to continue growing. The problem is that they disagree on the solutions. Gov. Larry Hogan has proposed a massive project to widen the Beltway and I-270, and to add toll lanes.

County Executive Marc Elrich is focused on mass transit and supports building 10 bus rapid transit (BRT) lines. One, on Route 29 in the east of the county, is already under construction.

It’s unlikely that much of anything is going to be done soon. The governor’s plans face stiff opposition in the county, and the county executive has no idea where the money will come from for the remaining BRT lines.

In our cover story this issue, Contributing Editor Louis Peck examines just how bad our traffic is and the plusses

Left to Right: Mary Beth Taylor, Meghan Ellis, Katie Breslin, Mark Hudson, Patty Rhyne-Kirsch, Sabina Emerson, Kathy Byars.

We live here, we work here.

We are Kensington.

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3804 Howard Avenue, Kensington, MD 20895 I 301.979.7270 I www.McEnearney.com 14th Street I Alexandria I Arlington I Kensington I Leesburg I McLean I Middleburg I Spring Valley I Vienna

contributors

2013 | 2016 | 2017 | 2019

JOSEPH TRAN

AMANDA CHERRIN

LIVES IN: Fairfax, Virginia

LIVES IN: Chevy Chase

IN THIS ISSUE: Photographed Dr. Peter Grayson, who plays in the band the Affordable Rock ’n’ Roll Act along with other physicians, scientists and researchers from the National Institutes of Health. Tran also took the photos in the “Table Talk” column.

IN THIS ISSUE: Wrote about houses filled with smart technology.

WHAT HE DOES: After working in the information technology field for eight years, Tran now runs his own photography business. He specializes in commercial, editorial and fashion photos. “Working in IT provided me with a great platform of tools to problem-solve, and this carries over into my photography.

Every project is different, so coming up with creative solutions is at the heart of what I do.”

WHAT SHE DOES: She’s a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Sports Illustrated and Glamour.

FAVORITE ITEM IN HER HOME: The mantel above the fireplace in her living room. “It holds some of my most prized possessions, including a framed picture of Paris that I bought after getting engaged on top of the Arc de Triomphe, silver candlesticks engraved with my mother’s maiden name, a picture of my late grandmother in an ornate vintage frame, and pictures of my two children taken over the years.”

COURTESY PHOTOS

FAVORITE PLACE: “I love the landscape of Iceland. Not only is it beautiful for photography, the connection to nature and the elements makes me feel rejuvenated every time I visit.”

22

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Live.

Learn.

Explore.

Grow.

Triumph.

Together.

You’re on a unique path. And Holy Cross Health is on that path with you and your family, to help you achieve your best health and quality of life every step of the way.

You can find our hospitals, primary care sites, specialty care and wellness programs throughout the region. Discover your path to good health at HolyCrossHealth.org.

EDITORIAL EDITOR

Steve Hull SENIOR EDITOR

Cindy Rich ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Kathleen Seiler Neary DEPUTY EDITOR

Julie Rasicot CONSULTING ART DIRECTOR

Sylvia Gashi-Silver DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR

Laura F. Goode ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR

Jenny Fischer BETHESDA BEAT MANAGING EDITOR

Andrew Schotz BETHESDA BEAT REPORTERS

Kate Masters, Caitlynn Peetz, Dan Schere WEB PRODUCER

Erin Roby RESTAURANT CRITIC

David Hagedorn CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

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

Elisabeth Herschbach, Steve Wilder EDITORIAL INTERN

Hallie Kay DESIGN INTERN

Alisa Gao CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Caralee Adams, Jennifer Barger, Stephanie Siegel Burke, Amanda Cherrin, Deborah K. Dietsch, Dina ElBoghdady, Margaret Engel, Michael S. Gerber, Steve Goldstein, Melanie D.G. Kaplan, Rachael Keeney, Christine Koubek, Laurie McClellan, Melanie Padgett Powers, Amy Reinink, Steve Roberts, Charlotte Safavi, Mike Unger, Mark Walston, Carolyn Weber, Adrienne Wichard-Edds PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS

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

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

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

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PUBLISHING PUBLISHER

Steve Hull VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLISHING AND ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Susan E. Hull SALES AND MARKETING DIRECTOR

Jennifer Farkas ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Arlis Dellapa, Erika Litman, Penny Skarupa, LuAnne Spurrell AD PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Meghan K. Murphy MARKETING AND EVENTS MANAGER

Amélie Ward MARKETING ASSOCIATE

Leigh McDonald CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER

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Jill Trone ADVERTORIAL WRITERS

Jennifer Beekman, Ann Cochran, Jim Mahaffie ADVERTORIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS

Stephanie Bragg, Adam Freedman, Heather Fuentes, Lisa Helfert, Darren S. Higgins, Tony J. Lewis, Hilary Schwab, Joseph Tran, Stephanie Williams Subscription price: $19.95 To subscribe: Fill out the card between pages 96-97 or go to BethesdaMagazine.com.

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

good life

GET ARTSY

PHOTO BY LIZ LYNCH

STUDENTS WEARING DUST MASKS lean over the workshop table at Weisser Glass Studio & Gallery in Kensington. They want a closer view of studio owner and instructor Nancy Weisser as she sifts colored powder, a puff of dust rising around her. The powder is actually finely crushed glass, and the sifting is part of a technique Weisser is demonstrating in a class on making colorful glass bowls etched with unique patterns that resemble batik fabric. After watching Weisser, the students try the technique, sifting powdered glass over flat glass slabs, spraying each layer with a fine mist of water and then using blades and cutters to etch the glass with designs.

The projects get fired twice in a kiln—once to fuse the layers of glass, and again to get them into a bowl shape over a mold. The “Batiky Bowls” workshop is one of dozens of classes at the studio, where techniques are taught for

stained glass and fused glass (joining pieces of glass by heating them in a kiln).

First-timers looking for a creative outlet might want to check out a class on blown glass ornaments (Nov. 30, $99) or “Create ’n’ Bake” sessions focused on fused glass projects such as plates, decorative tiles and or naments (projects start at $10). Create ’n’ Bake sessions are usually held around holidays such as Mother’s Day and Christmas and are open to all ages.

Weisser Glass Studio & Gallery offers several classes and workshops each month. Registration is required. Most beginner level workshops run two to three hours, and prices vary by project. 4080 Howard Ave., Suite B, Kensington; 301-5718966; weisserglass.com.

—Stephanie Siegel Burke BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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good life

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

MAKE IT TO THE TOP and about 30% of climbers are adults.

The most popular pieces, Killen says, are Mount Rushmore, which gives climbers a chance to race their friends to the top, and the skateboard wall, which features a skate ramp you run up in order to begin the climb.

Steve Suettinger, who lives in Rockville, brings his kids to ClimbZone once or twice a year and always tells people about the wall that was built to look like a giant bookshelf. “It’s a thrilling place for the kids,” he says.

ClimbZone Laurel, 13200 Mid Atlantic Blvd., #130, Laurel, 301317-1970, climbzonelaurel.com. $25 for a three-hour session for ages 6 and older; $12 for a threehour session for ages 2-5.

—Setota Hailemariam

PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

“IT’S NOT ABOUT holding on… it’s about letting go” is the mantra you see sprawled across a wall in ClimbZone Laurel, an indoor rock climbing center.

But it’s the 70 massive climbing walls spanning the facility that steal the show—not only because of their size (28 to 30 feet tall), but because each one has a distinct theme, from landmarks (the Washington Monument) to pop culture moments (King Kong atop the Empire State Building). Rather than faux rocks, many of the walls feature untraditional handholds, such as soccer balls, ladder rungs and alphabet blocks.

ClimbZone’s auto-belay system makes it easy for climbers to lower themselves to the ground whenever they’re ready.

Kevin Killen, ClimbZone Laurel’s general manager, says children as young as 2 can climb,

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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culture watch The Velveteen Rabbit Adventure Theatre Nov. 15, 2019- Jan. 1, 2020 Margery Williams’s classic toy story gets a vibrant retelling in this brand-new adaptation by Patrick Flynn. When the Child gets the Rabbit for Christmas, they discover that love is the greatest force in the Universe and can make impossible things Real.

VELVETEENRABBITADVENTURE.COM

National Philharmonic Holiday Singin’ Pops Fri Dec 6, 7:30pm Ali Ewoldt, Phantom of the Opera; Luke Frazier, conductor Join top-level Broadway and international talent for a festive evening featuring fresh new takes on beloved holiday songs.

Maryland Youth Ballet’s The Nutcracker

Dec. 20, 7pm; Dec. 21-23, 1pm & 5pm; Dec. 24, 11am Dec. 26, 3pm & 7pm Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center Montgomery College, 51 Mannakee Street, Rockville, MD Magical dolls, dancing snowflakes, and an enchanting kingdom of sweets take the stage this holiday season for Maryland Youth Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. Set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless score, the incredible dancing and dazzling costumes bring to life the story of Marie and her Nutcracker Prince. Join MYB for the full-length classic with all new choreography by Artistic Director, Olivier Muñoz.

MARYLANDYOUTHBALLET.ORG | 301-608-2232

Handel’s Messiah Sat., Dec. 21, 8pm & Sun., Dec. 22, 3pm Esther Heideman, soprano National Philharmonic Chorale Stan Engebretson, conductor Tickets from $29; Kids 7-17 Free!

Free Parking NATIONALPHILHARMONIC.ORG | 301-581-5100

Lights! Camera!

Community!

Docs in Progress The 10th Annual Community Stories Film Festival takes place November 13-18 at venues in Silver Spring, Takoma Park, and Sandy Spring. Join Docs In Progress for the only film festival in the region that exclusively features films by local filmmakers about local topics.

All screening events are free! Learn more about the festival and yearround documentary filmmaking classes, screenings, and more.

DOCSINPROGRESS.ORG | 301-789-2797

Arts on the Green presents

JAZZ-INSPIRED POP AND SOUL

Cool Yule with Rochelle Rice Dec. 14, 8pm Arts Barn Tickets $25/$18 Youth (18 and under) Join award-winning singer and songwriter, Rochelle Rice, for an evening of familiar holiday classics through a new musical lens.

Inspired by the spirit of the great songwriters of the 70s and guided by her study of jazz and Black American Music, Rice’s sound is woven tapestry of jazz-inspired pop and soul.

FOR TICKETS CALL 301-258-6394 OR ONLINE AT GAITHERSBURGMD.GOV/AOTG

Creative Voices + Cultural Happenings at CultureSpotMC.com CultureSpotMC.com is a service of the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County

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31st Annual Production of The Nutcracker

AN ENCHANTING TALE

Metropolitan Ballet Theatre & Academy Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center Montgomery College, 51 Mannakee St., Rockville Dec. 7-14 at 1 pm & 5 pm; Dec. 15 at 1 pm The Nutcracker Suite: Dec. 7-15 at 10 am Start your holiday season with the enchanting tale of The Nutcracker! Awarded 5 stars from DC Metro Theater Arts, MBT’s full-length, traditional production features student and professional dancers, fabulous costumes, and beautiful scenery, including a growing Christmas tree, magical dancing dolls, marching toy soldiers, a dazzling blizzard of dancing snowflakes, and a land of luscious sweets.

Sensory-friendly performance of The Nutcracker Suite on December 8 at 10am.

Advance Tickets: $28 adults, $24 students and seniors, group discounts available MBTDANCE.ORG | 301-762-1757

Holiday Art Show & Sale

Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture Nov. 23, 2019 – Jan. 5, 2020 Sat. & Sun., 11am-6pm; Thur. & Fri., 10am-2pm Check website for additional hours. Closed November 28.

Browse and buy fine artworks for everyone on your holiday shopping list at Glen Echo Park Partnership’s annual Holiday Art Show & Sale. Silver jewelry, stunning glass art, paintings, pottery, photographs, ornaments, and more.

In addition to this special show, the Partnership presents year-round weekend exhibitions in three galleries – Popcorn Gallery, Stone Tower Gallery, and Park View Gallery – presenting work by both established and emerging artists.

Resident visual artists also present exhibitions and classes in their galleries and open studios.

GLENECHOPARK.ORG/HOLIDAYARTSHOW | 301-634-2222

A STORY OF LOVE, SACRIFICE, AND REDEMPTION

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Imagination Stage Original concept by Kathryn Chase Bryer, David Palmer, Janet Stanford, and Septime Webre Directed by Janet Stanford, Choreographed by David Palmer The Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Theatre Bethesda, MD Nov. 23, 2019 – Jan. 5, 2020 Leap through the wardrobe and into a winter wonderland in this dance-based adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s treasured novel from the Chronicles of Narnia. A remount of Imagination Stage’s Helen Hayes award-winning 2012 production, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe tells the story of four siblings who journey from war-torn England to a magical land frozen in eternal winter, where the powerful lion Aslan leads them on a journey to discover their destiny. Music, modern dance, and breathtaking puppetry tell a story of love, sacrifice, and redemption.

Best for ages 5+ (All ages welcome!) Tickets $15, 25, 35+

MC.com

IMAGINATIONSTAGE.ORG | 301-280-1660

Find all these events and more at CultureSpotMC.com

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good life

BEST BETS

Our picks for things to see and do in November and December

BY STEPHANIE SIEGEL BURKE

Nov. 8

American singer-songwriter and producer Bhi Bhiman never shied away from political music. At once folksy, funky and soulful, his songs often broach serious subjects over catchy grooves. But as Bhiman explains in a recorded introduction to his latest album, Peace of Mind, you can only go so deep in a three-minute song. So, taking a new approach, Bhiman released the album as a podcast and included discussions with artists, activists and policymakers about current issues facing the country— immigration, gender equality and Russian interference in Western politics, to name just a few. Bhiman’s Montgomery College concert will be a solo performance, but he’ll weave in content from the podcast throughout.

8 p.m.; $15-$20, $5 Montgomery College students, $10 faculty/staff; Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center, Silver Spring, mcblogs.montgomerycollege.edu/cac

Nov. 27

BIG HAIR, BEER AND BINGO If you think bingo is just for church basements, think again. The monthly Drag Bingo night at Silver Spring’s Denizens Brewing Co. is hosted by the drag queens from Haus of Stone, a group of five local performers.

The event features free rounds of bingo, prizes (including beer coupons), fierce musical performances by the drag queens and plenty of crowd interaction.

Nov. 22-Dec. 31

NIGHT LIGHTS

8 p.m., last Wednesday of the month (no event in December), free, Denizens Brewing Co., Silver Spring, denizensbrewingco.com

Seneca Creek State Park gets a magical makeover with thousands of sparkling lights for the Gaithersburg Winter Lights Festival. Visitors can see 450 displays from their cars as they cruise along the 3½-mile drive. The park offers events to see the spectacle before the lights open for nightly drive-through viewing (Nov. 29 to Dec. 31). S’more Lights on Nov. 22 includes campfires, trolley rides, selfies with Santa and food trucks. Run Under the Lights on Nov. 23 is a 5K race through the park. Wine Under the Lights on Nov. 24 offers tastings from local vineyards, trolley rides and live music. Leashes ’n’ Lights on Nov. 26 includes dog-related vendors and pet pictures with Santa.

6-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 6-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, closed Dec. 25; $12$50 per vehicle ($10-$40 per person for special events); Seneca Creek State Park, gaithersburgmd.gov

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Hometown Holidays features a full schedule of live music.

Southern Avenue performed at last year’s event.

BHIMAN COURTESY PHOTO; WINTER LIGHTS COURTESY OF CITY OF GAITHERSBURG, BY MARLEEN VAN DEN NESTE; DRAG BINGO COURTESY OF DENIZENS BREWING CO.

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good life

BEST BETS Dec. 1

JAZZ FOR THE JUICE BOX SET Two months after her son was born, Lucy Kalantari started writing one song a week. The composer and music producer had published songs in genres ranging from acoustic to industrial rock. But at home with her newborn, she found herself writing upbeat, jazzy ukulele ditties. Those tunes ended up on her first kids album, and she went on to form the band Lucy Kalantari & the Jazz Cats, which plays jazz age-inspired children’s music. The 2019 Grammy winner for best children’s album comes to AMP by Strathmore for its periodic kids concert series, Kids Pajama Jam Party— jammies welcome, but not required.

GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST

5:30 p.m., $12 in advance, $15 at the door, ages 2 and under free, AMP by Strathmore, ampbystrathmore.com

With countless adaptations in literature, theater, film and television, A Christmas Carol is one of the most well-known and loved Christmas stories. But Olney Theatre Center’s one-man performance of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol presents the tale in a remarkably unique way. The multitalented Paul Morella not only adapted the play from the original Dickens novella, but he also directs and stars in it, playing 49 characters. This year marks the production’s 10th anniversary, but Morella—who will perform the two-hour show nearly 30 times during this run—keeps the spooky holiday ghost story fresh season after season. Recommended for ages 10 and up. $40, Olney Theatre Center, olneytheatre.org

Nov. 29

Dec. 14

It’s a full-scale production of a classic ballet set to music

by Tchaikovsky—and it’s not The Nutcracker. Dance lovers looking for something slightly different this season can see the National Ballet Theater of Odessa’s performance of Swan Lake. The Ukrainian dance company features 55 dancers in its tour of the United States. The ballet is based on a legend about a princess who was transformed by an evil spell into a swan, and the prince who tries to save her.

Make a train-themed visit to Santa at the Gaithersburg Community Museum during All Aboard with Santa. Inside the historic railroad station, which was built in 1844, kids can enjoy hot chocolate and cookies, make crafts and participate in an elf hunt. Visitors can also meet with the jolly old elf himself and take pictures with him aboard the museum’s C&O Railroad caboose car.

7:30 p.m., $35-$75, The Music Center at Strathmore, strathmore.org

4-7 p.m., $10 children, $6 adults, advance registration required, Gaithersburg Community Museum, gaithersburgmd.gov ■

A DANCE WITH ROMANCE

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

SANTA EXPRESS

CHRISTMAS CAROL BY TERESA CASTRACANE PHOTOGRAPHY; LUCY KALANTARI COURTESY OF STRATHMORE

Nov. 29-Dec. 29

It’s the little things that make your house more comfortable, like a warm bubble bath. Count on BGE HOME to provide a reliable, high-efficiency water heater that can help reduce energy usage and save you money.

Water Heaters Heating Cooling Plumbing Electrical & more BGE HOME is not the same company as BGE, a regulated utility.

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Priority scheduling from our local service ofďŹ ce

good life arts & entertainment

CALENDAR COMPILED BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN

of Greater Washington, Rockville. 301881-0100, engage.benderjccgw.org/ holocaustmusic.

Nov. 8 THE BLACKBYRDS. Formed more than 40 years ago by Howard University students, the Grammy-nominated group has had hits including “Walking in Rhythm,” which peaked at No. 4 on the R&B chart, “Happy Music,” which reached No. 3 and “Rock Creek Park.” 8 p.m. $40 ($20 food/beverage minimum not included).

Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, Bethesda. 240-330-4500, bbjlive.com.

Nov. 9 EMANUEL AX PERFORMS BRAHMS. Presented by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, piano virtuoso Emanuel Ax performs Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2, Lotta Wennäkoski’s Hava and Schubert’s Symphony No. 6. 8 p.m. $35-$90. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, bsomusic.org.

MUSIC Nov. 2 THE MUSIC OF ABBA. World-renowned ABBA tribute band ARRIVAL from Sweden joins the National Philharmonic onstage to perform the iconic pop band’s greatest hits, including “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Take a Chance” and more. 8 p.m. $29-$79; $10 college students; free for ages 7-17. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org.

Nov. 5 AN EVENING WITH CHRIS THILE. The mandolinist, composer and vocalist rose 38

to fame with the Grammy award-winning Americana trio Nickel Creek. 8 p.m. $33$79. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Nov. 7 LOST MUSIC FROM THE HOLOCAUST. Alexandra Birch, a researcher, violinist and violist, is committed to recovering music lost during genocide. Her latest project features rediscovered music from the Holocaust. The evening will include a lecture recital—a detailed discussion accompanies the performance of each piece—and post-concert Q&A. 6:30 p.m. pre-program reception; 7 p.m. recital. $15. Bender Jewish Community Center

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Nov. 9 SENSORY-FRIENDLY BACKSTAGE TOURS. Small-group tours at the Strathmore Concert Hall geared toward young people with autism or sensory sensitivities. All children and teens must be accompanied by an adult. 11 a.m. $5 (advance purchase recommended). The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org.

Nov. 10-11 TAKING BACK SUNDAY. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the influential 2000s pop/punk/emo band will play its debut album, Tell All Your Friends, in its entirety, as well as fan favorites and new music. 8 p.m. $35-$160. The Fillmore Silver Spring. 301-960-9999, fillmoresilverspring.com.

Nov. 12 MDLO ORCHESTRA WITH LEON FLEISHER. The Maryland Lyric Opera Orchestra’s first symphonic concert will include a performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 12, accompanied by legendary pianist

PHOTO BY DEVIN PEDDE

Mandolinist, composer and vocalist Chris Thile rose to fame with the Americana trio Nickel Creek. He comes to Strathmore on Nov. 5.

Give space to unique moments VISIT LENSCRAFTERS AT BETHESDA ROW 7141 Arlington Road, Space W-1 | Bethesda, MD 20814 www.lenscrafters.com

Music Above All

good life Fleisher. 7:30 p.m. $25-$75. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda.

301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Nov. 13 ROY ORBISON & BUDDY HOLLY. The two early rockers return to the stage—as holograms—in the Rock n’ Roll Dream Tour presented by Metropolitan Entertainment and The Birchmere. Go back in time with an evening of the pair’s greatest hits, accompanied by a live band and backup singers. 7:30 p.m. $58-$68. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda.

301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Nov. 15 PETTY COAT JUNCTION. The six-man band pays tribute to legendary late Americana rocker Tom Petty and his band. 8:30 p.m. $20-$30. AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, ampbystrathmore.com.

Nov. 15

Coming Up

ARTURO O’FARRILL {Latin jazz master}

THU, NOV 7

Tom Petty tribute with PETTY COAT JUNCTION FRI, NOV 15

THE SMALL GLORIES

{Synergetic Americana duo}

SUN, NOV 17

SONS OF SERENDIP

{Classical crossover quartet}

THU, DEC 5

SETH KIBEL & THE KLEZTET {Klezmer & Hanukkah songs}

WED, DEC 18

CHRIS MANN

{Songs of Tony Bennett}

SAT, JAN 18

Pike & Rose | N. Bethesda, MD Red Line–White Flint Metro

AMPbySTRATHMORE.COM 40

TAIPEI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Taipei Symphony Orchestra has grown from a modest ensemble to a forceful musical presence worldwide. The evening, presented by Washington Performing Arts, will feature Gordon Shi-Wen Chin’s Double Concerto for violin, cello and orchestra.

8 p.m. $25-$75. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org.

Nov. 16 MOZART PIANO CONCERTO. The performance, presented by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, will be led by fastrising young conductor Xian Zhang and Tchaikovsky Competition silver medalist George Li on the piano. 8 p.m. $35-$90.

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

Nov. 16 TIFFANY. The former teen icon, known for her chart-topping pop hits “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Could’ve Been,” has sold more than 15 million albums to date.

Touring her 10th studio album, Pieces of Me, Tiffany is immersed in Nashville’s songwriting community and has written music for both television and film. 8 p.m. $38-$50 ($20 food/beverage minimum not included). Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club. 240-330-4500, bbjlive.com.

Nov. 17 THE SMALL GLORIES. The Canadian folk duo features The Wailin’ Jennys founder and banjoist Cara Luft and

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

guitarist JD Edwards, whose “guitar and vocal harmonies deepen and enrich the duo’s sound,” according to NPR Music.

8 p.m. $16-$28. AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, ampbystrathmore.com.

Nov. 17 STEFAN JACKIW & ANNA POLONSKY. One of America’s foremost classical violinists, Jackiw will be joined onstage by pianist Polonsky, recipient of a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship. 7:30 p.m. See website for prices. Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, Rockville.

301-881-0100, benderjccgw.org.

Nov. 23 VOICES OF LIGHT. The National Philharmonic performs composer Richard Einhorn’s soundtrack to The Passion of Joan of Arc while the remastered version of the iconic 1928 film is played. 8 p.m. $29-$79. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Nov. 27 RARE ESSENCE. Go-go music, which blends funk, R&B and old school hip-hop, thrives when it’s performed live, and Rare Essence has been one of Washington’s premier go-go bands for more than 40 years. 8 p.m. $35 ($20 food/beverage minimum not included). Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, Bethesda. 240-3304500, bbjlive.com.

Nov. 30 HOLIDAYS IN HARMONY. An afternoon of classic and contemporary holiday music in a capella, featuring The Alexandria Harmonizers. The men’s chorus was founded in 1948 and has won four international gold medals. 4 p.m. $29$59. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Dec. 2 BÉLA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES. The groundbreaking banjoist reunited his original band, famous for its genre-bending combination of bluegrass, jazz, rock and more, for a special 30th anniversary tour.

8 p.m. $35-$75. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org.

Dec. 3 PATTERSON HOOD. The American singersongwriter and cofounder of Southern rock band Drive-By Truckers captivates crowds with performances rich in country

twang, introspective lyrics and gruff vocals.

8 p.m. $35-$55. AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, ampbystrathmore.com.

Dec. 6

NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC: HOLIDAY SINGIN’ POPS. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the holidays with top-level Broadway and international talent, including Phantom of the Opera’s Ali Ewoldt and acclaimed tap dancer Evan Ruggiero.

7:30 p.m. $29-$69; $10 college students; free for ages 7-17. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org.

Dec. 8

SHANGHAI QUARTET & ALEXANDER FITERSTEIN. The Shanghai Quartet’s elegant style traverses a wide range of musical genres. Clarinetist Fiterstein won first prize at the Carl Nielsen International Clarinet Competition in 2001 and was a recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant Award in 2009. 7:30 p.m. $50. Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, Rockville. 301-8810100, benderjccgw.org.

BayWoods of Annapolis The Only Waterfront Retirement Community on the Chesapeake Bay

Dec. 12

“Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours,” and a collection of holiday favorites.

8 p.m. $20-$35. AMP by Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, ampbystrathmore.com.

CHASE RICE. The singer-songwriter has skyrocketed to stardom since the release of his 2013 album, Ignite the Night, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and produced the platinum-certified song “Ready Set Roll.” Rice’s sophomore album, Lambs & Lions, included his first charttopper, “Eyes On You.” 8 p.m. $30. The Fillmore Silver Spring. 301-960-9999, fillmoresilverspring.com.

Dec. 21-22 HANDEL’S MESSIAH. Performed by the National Philharmonic, featuring such timeless highlights as “And the Glory of the Lord” and the “Hallelujah Chorus.” 8 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday. $29-$79.

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

Dec. 14 COOL YULE WITH ROCHELLE RICE. The jazz vocalist will regale the audience with familiar holiday classics. 8-10 p.m. $25; $18 for ages 18 and younger. Arts Barn, Gaithersburg. 301-258-6394, gaithersburgmd.gov.

DANCE Nov. 8

Dec. 21 SOUL CRACKERS ANNUAL HOLIDAY SHOW. Formed in 1982, the band performs classic Southern soul music, Motown and ’70s funk. Enjoy an evening of Motown with renditions of classic songs, such as “I Feel Good,” “Dancing in the Streets,”

RONALD K. BROWN/EVIDENCE. Combining African, modern Caribbean and social dance styles, choreographer and dancer Ronald K. Brown and his company, Evidence, will perform recent works.

Grammy Award-winning jazz musician Arturo O’Farrill will accompany them in a performance of New Conversations.

8 p.m. $35-$75. The Music Center at

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BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 41

good life Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org.

Dec. 7-15 THE NUTCRACKER. The Rockville Civic Ballet stages its performance for the 45th year. See website for schedule and prices.

F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, Rockville. 240314-8690, rockvillemd.gov/theatre.

Dec. 12

Dec. 15-16 THE MOSCOW BALLET’S THE GREAT RUSSIAN NUTCRACKER. World-class artists, spectacular costumes, stunning sets, towering puppets and soaring birds take over the stage in this Christmas classic set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless score. See website for schedule and prices. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Dec. 17-19 THE HIP HOP NUTCRACKER. This holiday mashup—featuring Tchaikovsky’s classic score with a hip-hop twist—follows MariaClara and the Nutcracker Prince on a magical adventure in modern day New York City. 8 p.m. $33-$68. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org.

THEATER, TALKS AND FILM Through Nov. 17 PORT AUTHORITY. A tale of lost loves and missed opportunities, as told by three generations of Irish men. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. $35; $25 seniors; $15 students.

Quotidian Theatre Company, Bethesda.

301-816-1023, quotidiantheatre.org.

Nov. 1-23 SWEAT. Lynn Nottage’s 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, which flashes between 2000 and 2008, addresses the de-industrialization of America as seen through the eyes of a blue-collar community in Reading, Pennsylvania. See website for schedule and prices. Silver Spring Stage, Silver Spring. 301-5936036, ssstage.org.

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Artwork by Sobia Ahmad will be on display through Jan. 5 at VisArts.

Nov. 8-24 GUYS AND DOLLS. The Kensington Arts Theatre presents the Tony Awardwinning musical romantic comedy. Set in Depression-era Times Square, the production follows some of Manhattan’s most unlikely pairings. See website for schedule and prices. $19-$27. Kensington Town Hall, Kensington. 240-621-0528, katonline.org.

Nov. 8-Jan. 5 SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN. The tale of Hollywood’s transition from the silent era is told through such beloved songs as “Good Mornin’,” “Make ‘em Laugh,” “Moses Supposes” and “Singin’ in the Rain.” If this were a movie, it would be rated G. See website for schedule and prices. Olney Theatre Center, Olney. 301-924-3400, olneytheatre.org.

Nov. 10 CINEMA J PRESENTS: WORKING WOMAN. This 2018 Israeli drama tells a timely story of women in the workplace. When Orna, the mother of three young children, reenters the workforce to help support her family, increasing success seems to parallel a pattern of predatory behavior.

6:30 p.m. reception; 7 p.m. film. $10.

Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, Rockville. 301881-0100, engage.benderjccgw.org/ WorkingWoman.

Nov. 15 KOUROSH TAIE. The artist’s one-man show combines comedy, magic and mentalism.

Recommended for ages 15 and older.

8-10 p.m. See website for prices. Arts Barn, Gaithersburg. 301-258-6394, gaithersburgmd.gov.

Nov. 20-Dec. 22 THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME. Christopher Boone’s

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

coming-of-age story begins with an investigation into the death of a neighbor’s dog in Simon Stephens’ Tony and Olivier Award-winning adaptation of Mark Haddon’s bestselling novel. Boone, the story’s narrator, is a self-described “mathematician with some behavior problems.” See website for schedule and prices. Round House Theatre, Bethesda.

240-644-1100, roundhousetheatre.org.

Nov. 29-Dec. 15 THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER. In this comedy, the arrival of the rambunctious Herdman siblings threatens to ruin the annual church Christmas pageant. Instead, the production ends up better than ever. Presented in partnership with the Kensington Arts Theatre. See website for schedule. $12-$20. Arts Barn, Gaithersburg. 301-258-6394, gaithersburgmd.gov.

Dec. 13-22 TINY TIM’S CHRISTMAS CAROL. Hijinks ensue when Tiny Tim devises a master plan to convince Mr. Scrooge to give his father the day off for Christmas. Adapted from the classic Charles Dickens novel

by Tony Award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig and his son Jack. Appropriate for audiences of all ages. See website for schedule and prices. Silver Spring Stage, Silver Spring. 301-593-6036, ssstage.org.

ART Through Jan. 5 SOBIA AHMAD. The Pakistani bornand-raised artist’s interdisciplinary work weaves personal experience and community narratives with current and historical sociopolitical contexts. Noon-4 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays; noon-8 p.m. Fridays.

Opening reception and artist talk 7-9:30

COURTESY OF SOBIA AHMAD

CIRQUE NUTCRACKER. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s twist on Tchaikovsky’s holiday classic features Troupe Vertigo’s acrobats, jugglers and high-flying aerialists. 8 p.m. $25-$75.

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

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good life p.m. on Nov. 8. Free. VisArts Rockville, Rockville. 301-315-8200, visartscenter.org.

Nov. 6-Jan. 5

2019 EMERGING CURATOR: KIARA CHRISTINA VENTURA. The DominicanAmerican journalist and independent curator strives to support emerging artists, especially those from underrepresented communities in the art world. Noon-4 p.m.

Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays; noon-8 p.m. Fridays. Opening reception and artists talks 7-9 p.m. on Nov. 5. Free. VisArts Rockville, Rockville.

301-315-8200, visartscenter.org.

Nov. 8

COMBAT PAPERS. The art exhibition features work by United States military veterans. 6-8 p.m. See website for event details. Triangle Art Studios, Bethesda.

301-215-6660, bethesda.org.

Nov. 15-Jan. 5

ALAN SIMMONS: A VISUAL JOURNEY. This collection of black and white and color images taken by Simmons is inspired by the local photographer’s travels throughout America, Europe and the Middle East. 5:30

a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 5:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.

Special reception with the artist 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Dec. 8. Free to attend; registration requested for reception. Goldman Art Gallery, Bender Jewish Community Center, Rockville. 301-881-0100, engage. benderjccgw.org/Simmons.

Nov. 16-Jan 5

FINE ART IN MINIATURE. More than 700 mini masterpieces—from the size of a postcard down to a postage stamp— in stone, oil, pastel and print will be on display at the 85th annual juried exhibition curated by The Miniature Painters, Sculptors, and Gravers Society of Washington, D.C. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 10 a.m.9 p.m. Wednesdays; noon-4 p.m. Sundays.

Opening reception 2 p.m. Nov. 17.

Free. The Mansion at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Nov. 16-Jan 5

SHADES OF PASTEL. The Maryland Pastel Society’s biennial juried exhibition will feature pastel artists from across the country. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays,

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 10 a.m.9 p.m. Wednesdays; noon-4 p.m. Sundays.

Opening reception 2 p.m. Nov. 17. The Mansion at Strathmore, North Bethesda.

301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Nov. 23-24 PLEIADES JEWELRY SHOW & SALE. Launched 34 years ago by seven local artisans, Pleiades features a selection of unique, high-quality, handcrafted jewelry and metalwork from more than 30 female artists. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. The Mansion at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org.

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES Through Nov. 22 LEN PIPER’S PINOCCHIO. A life-size marionette version of the classic children’s tale adapted for the Puppet Co. stage.

Recommended for ages 5 and older. 11 a.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 11:30 and 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. See website for prices. The Puppet Co., Glen Echo. 301634-5380, thepuppetco.org.

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INSIDE OUT. While playing dress-up instead of getting ready for bed, two imaginative children discover the joy of turning things inside out in the interactive show recommended for ages 1-5. See website for schedule and prices. Imagination Stage, Bethesda. 301-280-1660, imaginationstage.org.

Nov. 23-Jan. 5 THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE. Leap through the wardrobe into the magical winter wonderland of Narnia with Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy and learn about love, sacrifice and redemption. This production, appropriate for ages 5 and older, features music, modern dance and puppetry. See website for schedule and prices. Imagination Stage, Bethesda. 301280-1660, imaginationstage.org.

Nov. 29-Dec. 29

Thank you,

from postal carrier Terry Oroark

THE NUTCRACKER. Marionettes and costume characters tell this classic story of Clara-Marie’s adventures with her favorite toy in the Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

Includes music from Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet. Recommended for ages 5 and older.

11 a.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 11:30 and 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. See website for prices. The Puppet Co., Glen Echo. 301-634-5380, thepuppetco.org.

Dec. 6-Jan. 4 ALICE IN WONDERLAND. This traditional British pantomime play, presented by the Washington, D.C., area’s British Players Club, is appropriate for ages 4 and older.

See website for schedule and prices.

Kensington Town Hall, Kensington. 301949-2424, britishplayers.org.

SEASONAL/SPECIAL EVENTS Ongoing After more than 35 years serving Bethesda and Chevy Chase, it’s time for me to retire. Thanks for the hot coffee in winter and the cold water in summer. It has been a pleasure.

-Terry Oroark, USPS

ICE SKATING AT VETERANS PLAZA. Lace up your boots and glide around the outdoor rink. 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sundays; noon-10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; noon-midnight Fridays; 10 a.m.-midnight Saturdays. See website for prices and holiday hours. Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring. 301-588-1221, silverspringiceskating.com.

Ongoing ROCKVILLE OUTDOOR ICE SKATING. The

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

7,200-square-foot Rockville Town Square ice rink is the largest outdoor skating rink in Montgomery County. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays; noon-10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; noon-11 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays. See website for prices and holiday hours. Rockville Town Square, Rockville. 301-545-1999, rockvilleiceskating.com.

Nov. 2 DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS. The Mexican holiday celebrates life and honors loved ones who are no longer with us. The program will include live performances of songs by Manuel Ponce and an excerpt of Brahms’ Requiem. 8-10 p.m. $30; $18 for ages 18 and younger. Arts Barn, Gaithersburg. 301-258-6394, gaithersburgmd.gov.

Nov. 7-10 MUSEUM SHOP HOLIDAY MARKET. Bringing together the area’s best museum and cultural shops; every purchase supports nonprofit museums and arts organizations in the community. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Free; $10 suggested donation. The Mansion at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org.

Nov. 11 VETERANS DAY OBSERVANCE. Recognizing those who have served our country.

City officials, veterans and community organizations will participate in a solemn wreath laying ceremony, followed by a reception inside City Hall. 1 p.m. Free. City Hall Concert Pavilion, Gaithersburg. 301258-6350, gaithersburgmd.gov.

Nov. 22-24 44TH ANNUAL SUGARLOAF CRAFTS FESTIVAL. Shop the new work—including art, fashion, jewelry, home decor—of more than 400 independent artisans. You can also sample specialty foods, watch live art demonstrations and enjoy interactive theater for kids. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. $8 online; $10 at the door; free for kids 12 and younger. Montgomery County Agricultural Fairgrounds, Gaithersburg.

800-210-9900, sugarloafcrafts.com.

Nov. 27 THANKSGIVING DANCE. Join Washington, D.C.-based roots and blues band The Nighthawks for the Town of Kensington’s 16th annual dance to benefit Bethesda

2019-20 SEASON Help and the 20895 Hunger Free Zone.

7-11 p.m. See website for details.

Kensington Town Hall, Kensington. 301949-2424, tok.md.gov.

EMANUEL AX PERFORMS BRAHMS

Dec. 7 BETHESDA’S WINTER WONDERLAND. The holiday-themed festival will feature live ice sculpting, musical performances by local school groups and visits with Santa Claus.

1-4 p.m. Free. Veterans Park, Bethesda.

301-215-6660, bethesda.org.

MOZART PIANO CONCERTO NO. 23

Dec. 7 JINGLE JUBILEE & TREE LIGHTING. Celebrate the holidays with a traditional tree lighting ceremony, holiday music and a visit from Santa. 6-7:30 p.m. Free. City Hall Concert Pavilion, Gaithersburg. 301258-6350, gaithersburgmd.gov.

Dec. 7-30

OFF THE CUFF:

STRAVINSKY PULCINELLA STRAVINSKY PULCINELLA

Emanuel Ax

HOLLY TROLLEYFEST. Take a trolley ride with Santa aboard the National Capital Trolley Museum’s streetcars. 12:30-4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. $10 ages 18-64; $8 children and seniors. National Capital Trolley Museum, Silver Spring. 301384-6088, dctrolley.org.

HOLIDAY:

CIRQUE NUTCRACKER

Dec. 8 SILVER SPRING CHRISTMAS MARKET AND HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR. Vendors will sell arts and crafts, jewelry, baked goods, hair care items and more. Noon-4 p.m. Free. Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring. silverspringdowntown.com/do/silver-springchristmas-market-and-holiday-craft-fair.

SAT, NOV 9, 8 PM

RUTH REINHARDT, CONDUCTOR LOTTA WENNÄKOSKI Hava SCHUBERT Symphony No. 6 BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 2

SAT, NOV 16, 8 PM

XIAN ZHANG, CONDUCTOR CHEN YI Ge Xu (Antiphony) MOZART Piano Concerto No. 23 PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 5

FRI, NOV 22, 8:15 PM

MARIN ALSOP, CONDUCTOR STRAVINSKY Pulcinella Followed by Q & A with Marin Alsop

SUN, NOV 24, 3 PM

MARIN ALSOP, CONDUCTOR BRAHMS Academic Festival Overture LERA AUERBACH Eve’s Lament – O Flowers, That Never Will Grow PROKOFIEV Symphony No. 1, “Classical” STRAVINSKY Pulcinella

THU, DEC 12, 8 PM

NICHOLAS HERSH, CONDUCTOR TROUPE VERTIGO TCHAIKOVSKY The Nutcracker

George Li

Troupe Vertigo

Dec. 14 A CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS. This event featuring the Washington Chorus and National Capital Brass will include a candlelight processional and popular holiday songs. 8 p.m. See website for prices. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-581-5100, strathmore.org.

Dec. 29 SALUTE TO VIENNA NEW YEAR’S CONCERT. The Strauss Symphony of America’s 19th annual program will feature European singers, ballroom dancers and ballet. 3 p.m. $49-$130. The Music Center at Strathmore, North Bethesda. 301-5815100, strathmore.org. n

Marin Alsop

MOZART PIANO CONCERTO NO. 23

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banter

ON TRACK

Local women enjoy competition and camaraderie of Free State Roller Derby

PHOTO BY JOSH LOOCK

BY CARALEE ADAMS

IT’S FRIDAY NIGHT IN late August at the Michael & Son Sportsplex in Rockville, and roller derby coach Sandi Burtseva is giving a quick pep talk to five female skaters before they head into a scrimmage with another team.

“This jam is going to be so chill! Stay together,” says the 35-year-old nicknamed “Slaughter Lily.” Burtseva coaches in the Free State Roller Derby, a women’s flat track league in Montgomery County that she helped establish 10 years ago. A Silver Spring resident who has worked as an editor and publisher, she had

Skaters Christina Kay, who’s nicknamed “H.E. Double Hockey Sticks,” and Laura Villarreal (left), known as “Killah Reel”

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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Free State skaters at an August scrimmage in Rockville

Rockville, played in a local junior league as “Rainbow Bash.” When she turned 18 in January and was old enough to compete in the adult league, she changed her derby name to “Edgar Allan Hoe”.

During roller derby bouts, five members from each team face off in two 30-minute periods that consist of multiple “jams.” Each jam, which can last up to two minutes, offers an opportunity for the designated “jammer” of each group to score points. The jammer attempts to pass opposing team members as many times as possible by sprinting around the track. She can score a point each time her hips pass those of an opposing blocker.

Officials can bench players for penalties, such as creating a multiplayer block by linking with a teammate. The league, which practices twice a week, holds eight to 10 bouts annually. Free State is one of seven leagues from Maryland affiliated with the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association.

At 4-feet-9½-inches tall, Laura Villarreal, 29, says being short provided an advantage as a field hockey player at Rockville High School, as it does now as a roller derby skater. “I try to be a good blocker and get as low as I can to get in people’s way and annoy them,” she says.

Villarreal, who works in information technology, describes herself as shy and

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

says co-workers were shocked to learn that she participates in roller derby.

“Because I’m small and I’m nice, they can’t imagine me hitting anybody,” says Villarreal, who has suffered two concussions while competing. “I’m the person who hits you and says, ‘I’m sorry.’ ” The sport’s physical intensity appeals to Christina Kay, who also plays ice hockey and was an amateur boxer. “My favorite ways of blocking people in roller derby are completely illegal in hockey,” says Kay, a 31-year-old solar physicist from Silver Spring.

“It’s not a question of if you’ll get injured. It’s a question of when,” adds Alexandra “Nikki Trikki Savi” Thirumalai, 30, of Silver Spring, who has broken her arm and injured one of her shoulders several times during the three years she’s been playing. She sticks with the sport because of the community; teammates have driven her home from the hospital and provided meals when she was injured.

The teams wrap up the scrimmage that Friday night by performing a traditional bonding ritual of “going into the volcano.”

Skaters form a circle and roll into the center of the track for a huddle and calland-response cheer. “Who are we?”

“Free State!”

“How do we keep it?”

“Real!”

PHOTO BY JOSH LOOCK

never skated before she was inspired to help organize the league after seeing Whip It, a 2009 roller derby movie.

“When we started out, there were four of us, and only one had played roller derby,” says Burtseva, who approached other area leagues for coaching instruction. Over the years, the Free State Roller Derby’s big-tent approach has appealed to skaters of all backgrounds and sexual orientations. Now there are nearly 70 skaters with varying levels of experience who may compete on two Free State teams—the Black-Eyed Suzies and the Rock Villains—and skate against other leagues.

Free State skaters have been as young as 18, with the oldest in her 50s; some are single, others are married with kids.

All skaters must learn the basics through the “Fresh Meat” program and pass a physical skills test—including the ability to complete at least 27 laps around a track in five minutes—and a written exam on the rules before they can compete on a team.

“The sport is really taking off,” Burtseva says. “I like to think we have created a particularly welcoming, diverse supportive community.”

While roller derby is a contact sport, skaters say it’s not the rough-and-tumble spectacle it used to be. Now there is more emphasis on strategy, and the league markets the games, known as bouts, as family-friendly events. Still, skaters do get hurt, suffering concussions, broken bones and other injuries, though the women wear four-wheeled roller skates built for stability, helmets, mouth guards, wrist guards and pads on their knees and elbows. Despite the injuries, the women say they are drawn to the intensity of the competition and a sense of connection.

“I just love the spirit of it—a bunch of strong women playing a friendly, fun sport,” says Maria “Dirty Marteeny” Watson, 38, of North Potomac, who hadn’t skated before joining the Free State league eight years ago. Her daughter, Kalani VanMeter, a recent graduate of Thomas S. Wootton High School in

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banter

BY KELLY SANKOWSKI

FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING DEER BY THE NUMBERS

White-tailed deer crossing streets or grazing in yards are a familiar sight in many Montgomery County neighborhoods. County officials say data about the number of deer in the county is not available, but the state estimates there are about 207,000 deer in Maryland. The overpopulation of deer comes with a cost: an increase in deer-vehicle collisions, agricultural damage caused by foraging, and more reported cases of Lyme disease carried by deer ticks. In response, the county runs programs designed to reduce the number of deer. From September through January annually, Montgomery Parks conducts shotgun and archery hunting programs for pre-screened members of the public. A park police-based sharpshooting program runs from January to February. The county also holds workshops for landowners on how to prevent deer damage around the home, as well as workshops for farmers about effective deer management on private property. Venison harvested from the sharpshooting program and through hunts allowed on farms is donated to area food banks. Here’s a look at deer in Montgomery County, by the numbers:

1.25 TONS Amount of plants an average deer eats in a year

19,197

19,549

7,043

Number of deer removed from county parks since deer management programs began in 1995, as of June 2019

Number of deer killed countywide through managed hunt and sharpshooting programs in the 2017-2018 season

Number of deervehicle collisions reported in 2018

$4.4 MILLION Economic loss in one growing season due to deer reported by farmers in 2014 survey

25,125 Number of pounds of venison donated by the county’s sharpshooting deer management operations in FY 2019 (July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019)

280 Number of probable and confirmed cases of Lyme disease in Montgomery County in 2018

Sources: Maryland Department of Natural Resources; Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services and Office of Agriculture; and Montgomery Parks

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

INFOGRAPHICS BY AMANDA SMALLWOOD

1,984

Acres of lost crops due to deer in one growing season reported in a 2014 survey of county farmers (most recent available data)

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banter

HARDWOOD HEIRLOOMS Wooden bowls remind Bethesda neighbors of trees removed from their yards

FOR YEARS, ANDREA WITT enjoyed the shade provided by a towering tulip poplar in her backyard and gazed at its large trunk from the windows of her Bethesda home. Now she owns beautiful wooden bowls that were made from the tree after it was cut down last year.

The 100-foot tree had been in decline since it was struck by lightning in 2011.

Witt turned to her trusted arborist— aptly named Forest Bowen—to try to save the tree by trimming its limbs and treating its roots, but eventually it became clear that the tree would not rebound.

54

“It was such a massive tree that if it fell on someone’s house, it would have obliterated it,” Witt says. She decided to have the tree cut down at the same time that next-door neighbor Sharon Washburn was planning to remove an ash tree that had died from damage caused by the emerald ash borer, a type of beetle. So, in October 2018, the Huntington Parkway residents hired a tree removal company to cut down the trees, estimated to have been at least 75 years old, and grind their stumps at a cost of about $13,000 for the poplar and $11,500 for the ash. Witt and her husband, Michael, who moved to

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Huntington Parkway in 1994 and raised their two daughters there, mourned how the view from the house changed with the removal of the tree, one of two tulip poplars that framed a carefully landscaped backyard.

“The tree was a big part of our life,” Andrea Witt says. “We raked all the leaves from it. It shaded the house.

When we built the addition, we planned everything around not disrupting the roots of the tree. …We were amazingly attached to it.”

Instead of having the tree company haul away the wood, Washburn, an

PHOTOS BY DEB LINDSEY

BY CARALEE ADAMS

From left: A bowl created from the wood of a 100-foot tulip poplar has a black scorch mark from where the tree was once struck by lightning; Andrea Witt in her Bethesda backyard, where the tulip poplar stood before it had to be cut down; artist woodworker KC Cromwell uses repurposed wood to make bowls and other items; Cromwell sets up shop on Sundays at the Bethesda Central Farm Market.

architect, had an idea for how to resurrect something from the loss of her 40-foot tree.

She contacted KC Cromwell, an artist woodworker from Culpeper, Virginia, who uses repurposed wood from trees, barns and houses to make bowls, furniture and other items.

Washburn had been buying Cromwell’s bowls for years at the Bethesda Central Farm Market, where he sets up shop on Sundays, and given them as wedding gifts.

Clients of Washburn’s who were having trees removed would often be referred to Cromwell, who has operated his business, Affinity Woodworks, since 2009.

Cromwell agreed to haul away the ash wood and made Washburn a bowl from a piece of it. Witt wanted her poplar to have a second life, as well, so she donated the wood to Cromwell, and over the

past year he made a bowl for her along with others that he expects to sell. Witt bought nine bowls, including some to give her daughters, now ages 19 and 23, as keepsakes.

“My husband jokes that the tree keeps costing us more and more every day,” Witt says. “I wanted to have some remembrance. Eventually this [house] won’t always be home for our kids, but this is where they started out.”

Washburn and her husband, Patrick Southerland, are buying four bowls made from their tree and plan to give a nesting set of two to their 29-year-old daughter and her husband.

Having a keepsake in their homes and to give to their daughters is “pretty sentimental and emotional,” Cromwell says. “It’s something [that] every day for the rest of their lives they will remember

that tree and that house. Those are the types of things that make lasting impressions in a family.”

Cromwell says about one-third of his business involves custom orders using repurposed wood. He eventually plans to make a total of about 50 bowls from the poplar and 100 from the ash. The bowls, which are sealed with mineral oil and beeswax, come in a variety of sizes and can be used to serve food. The bowls range in price from $200 to $400.

One made from the poplar has a black scorch mark from the lightning strike.

Meanwhile, the Huntington Parkway neighbors say they are enjoying backyards filled with more sunlight now that the trees are gone. Witt says she appreciates seeing blue sky through her skylight. Next door, Washburn plans to install solar panels on her roof.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

55

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QUICK TAKES

News you may have missed

BY THE BETHESDA BEAT STAFF

THOUGHTS FROM THE ‘MAYOR’ As humans argued over whether to keep a noisy Chevy Chase Village dog park open, the unofficial “mayor” weighed in. Louie, a black French bulldog, issued a “press releash” encouraging the community to speak in favor of the park.

Julia Small, a member of a group that supported the park, admitted that Louie didn’t actually put paw to paper. The statement was crafted by his owner, Patty Martin. “My pack and I will leave no stone, I mean, tennis ball unturned in our dogged opposition to the proposal to close the park,” the statement read. Louie’s advocacy wasn’t enough: The village board voted 5-2 to close the park.

MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH

A SMOOTH RIDE

Danny Hultzen of Bethesda had major league hopes when the Seattle Mariners drafted him in 2011 as the second overall pick. Then injuries got in the way, forcing the left-handed pitcher to miss the 2014 and 2017 minor league seasons.

His pursuit finally paid off in September, when the Chicago Cubs called him up from their AAA team. Hultzen’s debut the next day was memorable. After hitting the first batter he faced and giving up a single to the second, he struck out the next three. “You just think about all the ups and downs of these past few years,” he said in an interview posted online. “This makes it all worth it.”

To make a smoothie, Montgomery College President DeRionne Pollard got her legs in gear.

She hopped onto a stationary bike and pedaled.

The bike was connected to a gear that powered a blender filled with the necessary ingredients, and her pedaling made the blender spin. It usually takes 10 to 25 seconds of pedaling to make a smoothie, according to Wheely Good Smoothies, which provided bikes with blenders for a “make your own smoothie” event on the college’s Rockville campus to help greet students for the start of the school year. Pollard tries to visit all three campuses—Rockville, Germantown and Takoma Park/Silver Spring—during the annual “welcome week.”

For six months, Montgomery County is trying out electric bikes and scooters on trails.

The county’s planning board approved a program in which the small motorized vehicles can be used on five hard-surface park trails until Dec. 1. Some community members have said through an online feedback forum that the vehicles, which can go up to 20 mph, are dangerous to pedestrians, particularly children and the elderly. Others have commented that bikes and scooters are left in random places when they are not being rented. But supporters say bikes and scooters help senior citizens and people with disabilities who otherwise couldn’t use the trails.

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARY ANN SMITH

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banter

BOOK REPORT

Long before gender restrictions for military service were lifted in 2016, women served in America’s armed forces. Kensington’s Ann McCallum Staats tells the stories of 14 women who answered the call to serve in Women Heroes of the U.S. Army: Remarkable Soldiers from the American Revolution to Today (Chicago Review Press, July 2019). The Rockville High School teacher gathered information from documents at the U.S. Army Women’s Museum in Fort Lee, Virginia, and interviewed some of her subjects to craft the young adult book for ages 12 and older. “Many of the women came from humble roots, yet they did these extraordinary things with their lives—some were more heroic in the classic sense, others were more typical,” Staats says.

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Too often, Chris Palmer says, professors conduct classes by droning on while students passively take notes. In his new book, College Teaching at Its Best: Inspiring Students To Be Enthusiastic, Lifelong Learners (Rowman & Littlefield, May 2019), the retired American University communications professor encourages an interactive approach to engage students with passion.

“You can make the class much more interesting and learning oriented if you help students to be active, discussing and questioning. Have them work in pairs and stand up in front of the class to give a little talk,” says Palmer, a Bethesda resident.

“A good professor who is caring, enthusiastic, works hard, gives substantive comments and mentors can have a transformational impact on a student’s life.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Business journalist Christopher Leonard realized he could tell the entire story of American capitalism by profiling one corporation: Koch Industries. “Koch is the hidden giant of our economy. This is a company whose annual sales are bigger than Facebook, Goldman Sachs and U.S. Steel combined,” the Silver Spring resident says. “This company specializes in the kinds of industries that we use to survive every day— gasoline, building materials, clothing materials, fertilizer that makes our food system work.” His book Kochland: The Secret History of Koch Industries and Corporate Power in America (Simon & Schuster, August 2019) is the result of seven years of reporting on the privately held company based in Wichita, Kansas.

It also covers other topics, including the world of bluecollar manufacturing and labor unions.

Bethesda’s James Johnston served as a staff lawyer on the 1975 Senate Intelligence Committee that investigated CIA plots to assassinate Cuban President Fidel Castro and their potential relationship to the 1963 death of President John F. Kennedy. The author pored over records in the National Archives— including national security documents and testimony declassified in 1998—to chronicle what happened inside the government for Murder, Inc.: The CIA Under John F. Kennedy (Potomac Books, August 2019). Johnston details how the Warren Commission, which investigated Kennedy’s death, was steered away from examining the possibility of foreign government involvement in the assassination.

“History didn’t happen the way people thought it did,” Johnston says.

ALL BOOK COVERS FILE PHOTOS

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banter

READING LIST

LITERARY EVENTS CALENDAR

DATA PROVIDED BY

The top-selling books in our area. Data is based on books sold at Politics and Prose’s Connecticut Avenue location in Upper Northwest D.C., from Aug. 28 to Sept. 11, 2019.

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

Nov. 7

Nov. 8 and Dec. 4 THE LESSANS FAMILY LITERARY SERIES. The Nov. 8 event will feature a conversation with Sarah Rose about her latest book, D-Day Girls: The Spies Who Armed the Resistance, Sabotaged the Nazis and Helped Win World War II. On Dec. 4, authors Margalit Fox (Conan Doyle for the Defense) and Edward Berenson (The Accusation) discuss their experiences writing about two real-life cases involving anti-Semitism, sensational stories and scandalous accusations.

See website for event details.

Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington, Rockville.

301-881-0100, benderjccgw.org.

Nov. 24 DAVID J. SILVERMAN. The author and George Washington University professor, who specializes in Native American, Colonial American and American racial history, discusses his latest book, This Land Is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving. Book signing to follow. 7-8 p.m. Free. Politics and Prose, Washington, D.C. (Connecticut Avenue location).

202-364-1919, politics-prose.com.

HARDCOVER FICTION 1.

A Better Man, Louise Penny

1.

2.

The Nickel Boys, Colson Whitehead

2.

Beloved, Toni Morrison

3.

The World Doesn’t Require You: Stories, Rion Amilcar Scott

3.

My Sister, the Serial Killer, Oyinkan Braithwaite

4.

4.

Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Yuval Noah Harari

5.

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong

5.

A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles

6.

Normal People, Sally Rooney

6.

Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Explain Everything About the World, Tim Marshall

7.

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, Robin DiAngelo

8.

The Other End of the Line, Andrea Camilleri

9.

The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison

7.

Inland, Téa Obreht

8.

Chances Are…, Richard Russo

9.

The Secrets We Kept, Lara Prescott

10. The Dragon Lady, Louisa Treger

HARDCOVER NONFICTION 1.

How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems, Randall Munroe

2.

Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead, Jim Mattis, Bing West

3.

Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life—in Judaism (After Finally Choosing to Look There), Sarah Hurwitz

4.

The Rabbit Effect: Live Longer, Happier, and Healthier with the Groundbreaking Science of Kindness, Kelli Harding

5.

The Overstory, Richard Powers

10. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, Bryan Stevenson

CHILDREN’S 1.

The Magic Misfits: The Minor Third, Neil Patrick Harris

2.

Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls (Dog Man Series, No. 7), Dav Pilkey

3.

Harbor Me, Jacqueline Woodson

4.

Rescue and Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship, Jessica Kensky

All the Powers of Earth: The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln, Vol. III, 1856-1860, Sidney Blumenthal

5.

The Tyrant’s Tomb (The Trials of Apollo Series, No. 4), Rick Riordan

6.

Dinosnores, Sandra Boynton

6.

How to Be an Antiracist, Ibram X. Kendi

7.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle

7.

Silver, Sword, and Stone: Three Crucibles in the Latin American Story, Marie Arana

8.

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates, Ryan T. Higgins

9.

Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You, Sonia Sotomayor

8.

Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion, Jia Tolentino

9.

Educated: A Memoir, Tara Westover

10. The Optimist’s Telescope: Thinking Ahead in a Reckless Age, Bina Venkataraman

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

10. Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown

ALL BOOK COVERS FILE PHOTOS

THE WRITER’S CENTER LIVE! The event features readings by Jose Padua, 2019 winner of the Miller Williams Poetry Prize; Rion Amilcar Scott, whose short story collection released in August 2016 won the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Award for Debut Fiction; Courtney Sexton, cofounder of D.C.’s The Inner Loop writing community; and others.

The event will include live music

by Ralvell Rogers II. 7:30-9 p.m.

Free; registration requested; donations appreciated. The Writer’s Center, Bethesda. 301654-8664, writer.org.

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banter | HOMETOWN

BY STEVE ROBERTS

BACK IN THE GAME

A former college football player is teaching young men with autism how to box—and they’re teaching him some lessons, too 62

ON JAN. 1, 1981, Ken Gear played wide receiver for the University of Michigan at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. A crowd of 104,863 watched the Wolverines pummel the University of Washington by a score of 23-6. These days, Gear runs the Bethesda Boxing & Kickboxing Academy, a small storefront gym on St. Elmo Avenue, where he teaches a class of four young men with autism. There are no marching bands or television cameras, no cheerleaders or championships. But at 59, he is rediscovering the passion and purpose he felt

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

long ago as a college athlete.

“In our autism class, at the end of each class we put our hands together and we say, ‘team on three,’ ” he tells me. “We’re a team, and I think that’s resonating with them. We’re all in it together, and that’s the approach that seems to work.”

“They were not allowed to be on sports teams, and I view this like it’s a sport,” Gear says of his students, who range in age from their late teens to mid30s. “We’re just practicing, we don’t have any games, but practice is our game.

We’re getting better every time, and

PHOTO BY DARREN HIGGINS

Ken Gear with a student at the Bethesda Boxing & Kickboxing Academy

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banter | HOMETOWN

they’ve responded very well. People rise to the expectations that are set for them.

That’s always been my experience.”

Progress is measured in very small steps. Gear describes one class regular who could not learn to throw a left hook. Finally, the boy’s mother, who was observing the lesson, suggested he move his left foot at the same time. “As soon as he turned his left foot, his shoulder turned as well, he was doing the form I was looking for,” Gear recalls. “That was a huge breakthrough, I could see in his face how happy he was at getting it.”

Gear grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, where his father worked as an extension agent for the University of Wisconsin and his mother was a nurse practitioner. At the beginning of his junior year at Michigan, six months after the Rose

Bowl, he “pulverized” his liver when he ran into a retaining wall during preseason practice. “That ended my football career,” he says, “but it opened the door for me to explore as a student.”

He took a creative writing class, hung out with a group of grad students, “read a lot of black literature” and, after graduation, earned a master’s degree in urban policy at the New School for Social Research in Manhattan. Gear was working on Wall Street for Standard & Poor’s, the bond-rating agency, when his wife’s job with a financial services company brought the family to this area in 2006.

They settled in Potomac with their three children, who are now in their 20s, and Gear cycled through jobs with Fannie Mae and the D.C. government.

Gear had always been a “gym rat,” and

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in 2013 he discovered kickboxing at the Bethesda facility where he worked out.

“There were group classes, and for the first time since I played on a team I had people that I worked out with every day,” he recalls. “I had an instructor who was like a coach, teaching us, and I was like, this really clicks, this really clicks.”

Two years later, Gear decided to leave his job. He was 55, his kids had left for college, and he had reached another inflection point. “I woke up one morning and said, you’ve been an athlete all your life, do something in athletics,” Gear recalls. “That’s what I can speak passionately about. So I opened this gym.”

Most of his clients are young professionals in their 20s and 30s, but his interest in autism started about a year ago when the mother of a teenager

asked him to train her son and find an outlet for his restless energy. “I found that it doesn’t matter how much a person lacks communication skills, or what their physical ability is,” Gear says. “If you show them enough times, if you’re patient, if you treat them like they’re just...people who want to learn something and you stick with the learning process, you win people over. I’ve learned as much from them as they’ve learned from the process.”

I ask what he’s learned: “I think it’s the patience level that I didn’t know I had, and my desire to be a coach, to teach people and see them have success, and my investment in their success.”

Boxing is a sport well-suited to autistic athletes because it involves learning basic techniques that are repeated over

and over again—throughout every class, every week. But there’s a second goal, too: imparting confidence as well as competence, improving attitudes as well as abilities.

“These folks work as hard, if not harder, than our [other] members because they’re filtering everything I say to them through a different lens. It’s more difficult for them to take in,” Gear says. “So there’s that mental aspect. They feel better about themselves, they feel more independent—I can see it. When they come in and high-five people, they open up to a broader community. In a small way it builds confidence, it shows them that they can start something and finish something, and that makes a difference in how they interact with people.”

One student who picks up the lessons

quickly now takes responsibility for helping others who need more time. “For the first time, he’s in a kind of leadership role, a role where others are following him,” Gear says. “His mother has told me he feels good about helping the other guys in the class, and I have to believe that’s a great thing.” Thirty-eight years after a brick wall and a bruised liver ended his football career, Gear is back in the game. But today, his joy comes from being a supporter not a star, a coach not a player, clasping the hands of four autistic boxers and saying one simple word together: team.

Steve Roberts teaches journalism and politics at George Washington University.

This column was suggested by a reader; send future ideas to sroberts@gwu.edu.

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Going Nowhere Fast

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Our traffic is terrible.

Will widening the Beltway and I-270 really help?

BY LOUIS PECK | PHOTOS BY SKIP BROWN

SIX MORNINGS A WEEK, Randi Brecher

drives 16 miles from her Gaithersburg home to her catering business in Silver Spring. On Saturdays, she makes the trip along Interstate 270 and the Beltway in 20 to 25 minutes. On weekdays, her rush-hour commute can take up to three times as long.

To avoid I-270, she sometimes takes Route 355, turns east onto Veirs Mill Road and then south onto Connecticut Avenue. She relies on apps such as Waze, but with mixed results. “Sometimes…I’ll put on the app before I get in the car and it will tell me 270 is fine. And then, when I get on there, it’s like a parking lot,” she says.

When possible, Brecher delays her commute until after the height of rush hour, leaving it to a member of her staff to open the business. Brecher says mass transit is not an option as she often must pick up supplies or make deliveries during the day. She wistfully summons Star Trek-style teleporting after a detailed recounting of her traffic avoidance strategies. “I go every which way and then some, short of ‘Beam me up, Scotty,’ ” she chuckles.

Brecher’s daily commuting challenges are shared by tens of thousands of Bethesda-area residents. According to the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA), an estimated average of 259,000 vehicles travel each day on I-270 between I-370 and the Beltway, along with the 253,000 vehicles that use the Montgomery County portion of the Beltway between the Virginia line and I-270. In fact, two recent surveys ranked the Washington, D.C., area as having the second-worst (in one survey) and thirdworst (in the other) traffic nationwide.

And officials say that traffic and commuting times are going to get significantly worse unless Montgomery County and the Washington region address the problem—and perhaps even if they do.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

69

Randi Brecher, owner of Creative Cakes in Silver Spring, commutes from Gaithersburg six mornings a week.

SHA officials say daily traffic will jump to 282,000 vehicles on the Montgomery County portion of the Beltway between the Virginia line and I-270 and nearly 300,000 on I-270 by 2040—increases of 11 percent and 15 percent, respectively.

If nothing is done, they say the 8.5-mile Beltway trip from the American Legion Bridge to the Connecticut Avenue exit could take an average of 73 minutes during the afternoon rush hour in 2040.

That’s more than two and a half times the 28 minutes it typically takes today at that time, although SHA officials say traveling this leg of the Beltway currently can be highly variable during evening peak hours, ranging from a low of 20 minutes to a high of 45.

While that sounds bad, a forecast by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) is positively dire. According to COG, even if plans

are approved to widen and add toll lanes to the Beltway and I-270, and to build at least six bus rapid transit lines in the county, weekday traffic congestion— as measured by delays in trips by car— will increase by an average of 25 percent throughout the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region by 2045. Absent these initiatives, the projected increase in congestion would top 68 percent, COG says.

IF IT’S ANY CONSOLATION to drivers idling in traffic on the Beltway or in downtown Bethesda, the source of the problem in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region is much the same as in other major urban areas atop the traffic congestion lists. Blame it on growth and prosperity. “…The economy-congestion linkage is as dependable as gravity,” concluded a recent Texas A&M University traffic

study. Paul Lewis, vice president of the Eno Center for Transportation, a D.C. think tank, puts it bluntly: “Really, the best way to get rid of congestion is to collapse your regional economy.”

Since that’s not likely to happen, state and local officials are exploring ways to ease future congestion—or at least keep it from getting much worse.

Despite apparent agreement that a combination of road improvements and enhanced mass transit is necessary to combat the region’s traffic woes, the past year has highlighted stark differences in the transportation policy outlooks of Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and the all-Democratic government of Montgomery County.

While contending that his administration “has invested more in transit than any other administration in the history of the state of Maryland,” Hogan said at a

Coming up with solutions to the area’s traffic woes is complicated by the advent of self-driving vehicles, as well as population and demographic trends, and driving and living habits.

70

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

June meeting of the state’s board of public works—consisting of himself as well as state Comptroller Peter Franchot and Treasurer Nancy Kopp—that “it is completely impossible to relieve the horrendous traffic congestion without taking action to increase the capacity on our roads as well.” During that session, a divided board gave the go-ahead to the first phase of Hogan’s ambitious initiative to widen the Beltway and I-270 utilizing toll lanes—a plan that has faced sharp criticism for doing little to make mass transit more accessible.

At one point during the board of public works session, Hogan sparred openly with Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, who shares with most elected officials in the county a skeptical view toward road building. “I believe if you provide a faster route from someplace…you’re going to pick up traffic that uses it,” Elrich says later in an interview. “It also means that you never look at a transit solution; you always end up bypassing a transit solution as soon as you add lanes.”

Elrich is a longtime advocate of public transit, and his top transportation pri-

ority is building a bus rapid transit network of 10 lines. One of those lines, along U.S. Route 29, is under construction and is scheduled to open in 2020. Two others, which would run along Route 355 from Clarksburg to Rockville, and Veirs Mill Road from Rockville to Wheaton, have received funds for planning, but not for construction. No funding has been approved for the other lines.

The $2.4 billion-plus light-rail Purple Line, which is under construction and will run between New Carrollton and Bethesda, is expected to ease traffic along local roads, in particular East West Highway, but provide little relief for the Beltway.

Coming up with solutions to the area’s traffic woes is complicated by the advent of self-driving vehicles, as well as population and demographic trends, and driving and living habits.

Former Montgomery County Councilmember Roger Berliner, who headed the council’s transportation panel for eight years, says Hogan’s road-widening proposals are “a 20th century solution to a 21st century problem.” He adds: “Within years of when this project would

be completed, we’ll have autonomous vehicles. And there are many studies that autonomous vehicles alone double your [highway] capacity.”

But Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Rahn says that the time frame for and the impact of selfdriving vehicles remains in question.

“We can anticipate that there are going to be changes in how vehicles operate from the standpoint of whether they’re [autonomous],” Rahn says. “That technology is going to come in over a period of time.

But the experts are split as to whether... autonomous vehicles will increase miles traveled or decrease them.”

For vehicles with drivers, it is estimated by COG that the average number of vehicle miles traveled per person will be 3 percent less in 2045 as compared to now, a statistic that Kanathur Srikanth, COG’s director of transportation planning, terms “stunning.” But that drop in per capita car use will be more than offset by the increase in the Washington area’s population, which is forecast by COG to grow by 23 percent by 2045, bringing the total regionwide population to more than 6.9 million.

Rush hour out of Bethesda heading north on Bradley Boulevard

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

71

Amy Thaler (far right), who raises guide dogs, bought her property in Bethesda’s Locust Hill Estates because of the large yard.

The Beltway widening project would take all but 5 feet of her backyard.

Srikanth also points out COG projections that vehicles with just one occupant will decrease between now and 2045, while carpooling as well as getting to work via mass transit, walking and biking will increase. Nonetheless, a majority of commuters, an estimated 56 percent, will still rely on single-occupancy vehicles in 2045 (down from 61 percent currently).

“So, the glass is half full if you look at it, but the reality is that the glass is also half empty,” he says. “This is still going to result in a 25 percent increase in congestion.”

Adds the Eno Center’s Lewis: “Thinking about it as how do we cut congestion is wrong, because it’s a fool’s errand to try and fix that. The way to think about transportation is how do we provide people with options that aren’t just in their car alone—and how do we increase access so that people can access more things with these different options.”

AMY THALER HAS OWNED her house in

Bethesda’s Locust Hill Estates neighborhood for five years. “I bought the property because of the large yard,” she says.

When the state highway administration released an impact study of the Belt72

way widening last spring, it identified as many as 34 homes that might have to come down. While Thaler’s home was not among them, the project would practically reach her back door, taking all but 5 feet of her yard. “How on earth can you come in and do this to my property and say you’re not going to take my house?”

Thaler wonders, describing herself as “sitting in limbo.”

Thaler has been raising guide dogs for two decades. “Many weekends, I have 10 to 12 puppies that come over to play,” she says. These “puppy rumbles” in her yard are aimed at socializing future guide dogs being nurtured by Thaler and other trainers. Though the Beltway is just a short distance away, “I have quite a large yard, and it’s far enough back that [the noise level] is not that bad,” she says. At one meeting for property owners, she was told by state officials that there would be no replacement for the existing sound barrier during a construction period that could stretch for 18 months or more.

“I bought the property knowing the Beltway was right behind my house,” she says. “I did come to the nuisance, but the nuisance is coming a whole lot closer than ever imagined.”

The proposal to widen both the Belt-

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

way and I-270 involves adding “managed” toll lanes to existing “general purpose” free lanes along both interstates, with the toll lanes designed, built, operated and financed by an outside “concessionaire” through a public-private partnership. Known as a “P3” in transportation circles, this approach to highway building has become increasingly common in the United States over the past three decades, notably in neighboring Virginia. With an estimated cost of $9 billion to $11 billion, the I-270/I-495 project would be the most expensive P3 highway project ever in North America.

Rahn says he hopes the widening project can be completed over the next decade. “Ten years represents an aggressive delivery of the program,” he acknowledges. “The danger to all this, though, is we know that in five years the traffic projections are horrible.”

Rahn contends that “dynamic pricing”—used to control the volume of traffic in toll lanes by applying supply and demand to rates—will help avoid a repeat of the early 1990s, when new toll-free lanes added to I-270 filled up years ahead of expectations. Numerous transportation experts agree that dynamic pricing has worked to keep traffic in the toll lanes

moving, while also speeding up the adjacent toll-free lanes by diverting vehicles from them.

Critics deride this strategy as “Lexus Lanes” while pointing to tolls exceeding $40 during several rush hours after managed toll lanes opened in late 2017 along 10 miles of I-66 in Virginia between I-495 and the D.C. line. In a report on the I-270/I-495 project in late 2018, the state transportation department countered that “only [a little more than one-quarter of 1 percent] of all toll payers paid more than $40” during the first six months that managed lanes were in operation along I-66; tolls during that period averaged $8.49 eastbound and $4.60 westbound, according to the report.

Thaler’s residence lies along a stretch of the Beltway in Montgomery County where the right-of-way narrows to about 200 feet, down from 300 feet farther west, providing little leeway for expanding the roadway without affecting private property. Most of the 34 homes that could be taken are along I-495 in Silver Spring from Georgia Avenue east past Colesville Road/Route 29. Shortly after the potential impact on property was disclosed last spring, nearly 500 people packed a town hall meeting organized by County Coun-

cilmember Tom Hucker in Silver Spring to protest the plan.

But more than private property is at risk. Montgomery County officials are concerned about the impact of the Beltway widening on public preserves, such as Rock Creek Park and Sligo Creek Park.

The amount of parkland that could be at risk is disputed. In discussions with the county, the state highway administration has put the figure at about 80 acres, which is significantly less than the up to 300 acres county officials believe could be adversely affected. Much of the acreage that could be affected resulted from an act of Congress nearly a century ago.

“When the land for those parks was acquired during the Depression era… there was a concern about urbanization and a lot of residential construction without environmental controls in place, and the feds wanted to protect the Potomac and Anacostia watersheds,” says Carol Rubin, the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) official coordinating the county’s response to the widening project. “Now, the urbanization has occurred and those parks serve both as conservation areas and recreational facilities for the urban areas. That’s why they are such

critical resources.”

Concerned about the impact, the M-NCPPC, owner and guardian of the park acreage in question, voted 9-1 in June against the Hogan administration’s proposal as currently designed. The action came just a day after a 2-1 vote by the state’s board of public works to approve the widening and toll lanes, with Hogan and Franchot voting in favor. But Hogan, to win the support of Franchot, a Takoma Park resident, first “reluctantly” moved to amend the project by leapfrogging the I-270 portion ahead of the more controversial proposal for widening I-495, providing up to two more years for discussion of the I-495 portion with county officials. Work on I-270 between I-370 and I-495 is expected to go out for bids in 2020, while work on I-495 will be subject to further study and require additional action by the board of public works.

Hucker, who chairs the county council’s transportation and environment committee, sees that move as part of a recent effort by state officials to adopt a less confrontational stance. “I really tried to make clear to them that we could hold them up in court for well over three years until there’s no more Hogan adminis-

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The proposed monorail, seen here in a rendering, would run along I-270 from Frederick to the Shady Grove Metrorail stop.

The first urban monorail began operating in Tokyo 55 years ago, and monorails are now an established form of mass transit in more than 40 cities across five continents. But in this country they remain limited largely to airports and amusement parks.

“The only real monorail in the United States right now is in Las Vegas,” says Rockville developer Robert Eisinger, who is hoping to construct a monorail along Interstate 270 from Frederick to the Shady Grove Metrorail stop. If it works, the line could become part of a monorail network extending south to Bethesda as well as east and west beyond the county, he says.

Three years ago, Eisinger created a foundation to promote the idea, and personally invested $300,000 to underwrite a recently released ridership study by Cambridge Systematics in Bethesda. The Maryland Department of Transportation is conducting a further monorail study in conjunction with plans to widen I-270, and Eisinger has piqued the interest of some influential legislators.

“I think it’s unique enough that it could pull some people out of their cars just to ride on this thing,” says state Sen. Nancy King of Montgomery Village, who represents an up-county district where mass transit options 74

are limited and is chairwoman of the budget and taxation committee.

Adds state Del. Kumar Barve of Rockville, chairman of the environment and transportation committee: “Americans tend not to like elevated trains. But elevated trains are noisy, and monorails aren’t. I think we need to seriously look at this proposal.”

Eisinger is proposing a 28-mile route between Frederick and Shady Grove that would stop in Urbana, Clarksburg (at the former Comsat campus), Germantown and Metropolitan Grove. He estimates the trip from Frederick to Shady Grove would take 39 minutes.

Eisinger once owned property near the route but says he doesn’t now. “I have no skin in this game at all,” he says. “To a large extent, I’m trying to fix this for my grandchildren.”

In his view, the monorail’s key advantages include its ability to fit within a public right-of-way—avoiding the need to take significant property— as well as a limited environmental footprint. The elevated railway would be supported by concrete piers spaced 100 to 120 feet apart, with the issue of storm water runoff “almost nonexistent,” Eisinger says.

The Cambridge Systematics study puts daily ridership as high as 32,800

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in 2025, and as high as 47,600 in 2045. According to estimates provided to Eisinger by Cambridge Systematics, nearly one-third of the 2045 ridership—about 14,000—represents vehicles that would be removed from the congested I-270 corridor.

Eisinger says a one-way $5 fare between Frederick and Shady Grove would more than cover operating costs. How to pay for the estimated $3.4 billion price tag to build it remains under discussion. “There are numerous pieces to the financing puzzle; there is no one answer,” he says, suggesting a combination of public and private financing would be needed.

While Eisinger contends that the per-mile cost of building a monorail would be significantly less than heavy or light rail, mass transit advocates such as Ben Ross, a Bethesda resident who chairs the Maryland Transit Opportunities Coalition, believe the state should study all three options.

His group has long advocated the construction of a third track to expand passenger service from Frederick via the MARC (Maryland Area Regional Commuter) Brunswick line that runs through Montgomery County. “It would be wrong to invest…$3 billion or anything like that without taking a serious look at the alternatives,” Ross says.

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Up in the Air

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“I bought the property knowing the Beltway was right behind my house,” Amy Thaler says. “I did come to the nuisance, but the nuisance is coming a whole lot closer than ever imagined.” tration,” says Hucker, referring to the legal battle that could be set off if the M-NCPPC decides against ceding the needed acreage in the parks. “So, they were really, I think, being unwise strategically, as well as from a policy point of view, not to be working with us.”

IN LATE SEPTEMBER 2017, Hogan

held an open-air press conference alongside I-270 in Gaithersburg—with Rahn and state highway Administrator Gregory Slater behind him on a temporary podium framed by a banner proclaiming the I-270/I-495 “Traffic Relief Plan”—to announce his proposal to widen the two interstates with toll lanes.

Hogan quickly took heat for announcing the plan on Rosh Hashana. “To announce this sort of massive project on a holy day of obligation for…half of my colleagues who represent Montgomery County demonstrates a lack of understanding of the community,” declared then-state Sen. Richard Madaleno who at the time was seeking the Democratic nomination for governor.

But the primary source of anger among elected county officials was the lack of discussion with them before the announcement. “There was no consultation—zero,” Berliner says.

The Rosh Hashana timing of Hogan’s announcement “was dictated by the governor’s schedule. That was unfortunate,” Rahn concedes. But he strongly takes issue with “the idea that there has been no consultation with the counties or local governments,” citing nearly two decades of letters from Montgomery County to the state listing local transportation priorities. “The idea that doing something about 495 and 270 came out of the blue; I can’t believe anyone with a straight face can say there hasn’t been wishes expressed by local governments

for the state to do something about these interstates,” Rahn says.

Indeed, an amendment to the county’s master plan for highways adopted in April 2004 advocated HOV (high occupancy vehicle) or HOT (high occupancy toll) lanes along I-270 and I-495. The HOT lane option is similar to the one contained in the P3 proposal. But county officials are quick to point out that in the master plan amendment, along with subsequent letters to the state, they limited their advocacy of such an approach to I-270 and the portion of I-495 between the so-called “western spur” of I-270 and the American Legion Bridge over the Potomac River.

Not included, they add, was the most controversial piece of the plan put forth

by Hogan in 2017—to widen the relatively narrow portion of I-495 from Bethesda east through Silver Spring to the junction with I-95. An alternate plan presented by Hucker and other county officials last spring, which the state department of transportation agreed to study, would utilize the Intercounty Connector (ICC) to channel traffic headed for the American Legion Bridge to I-270 and then south to the bridge.

The trade-off was intended to preempt widening the portion of I-495 through Silver Spring and Bethesda with toll lanes, sparing public and private property along that route. But with traffic volume on the ICC still lagging behind initial expectations despite recent growth, the county proposal to divert vehicles onto the ICC and then down I-270 has prompted questions about the willingness of drivers coming from the north to take a toll road and drive 10 miles longer than staying on I-95 and the Beltway to the American Legion Bridge.

The extra mileage notwithstanding, traffic modeling by the county plan-

ning staff has found that it is currently several minutes faster to use the ICC/ I-270 alternative during the southbound morning rush, with travel times similar to the I-495/I-95 route during the northbound evening rush. Advocates say the time advantage of the ICC option would increase once I-270 is widened with toll lanes. Under a federally mandated process, the state must decide on a “preferred alternative” route for the I-270/I-495 widening project early next year after weighing both economic and environmental factors.

Intertwined in the state-county jockeying over the future of the Maryland portion of I-495 is a subplot that could be entitled “Whose Beltway Is it Anyway?”

“People who live here think of the Beltway more as a Main Street,” says Rubin, the M-NCPPC official coordinating the county’s response to the widening project. She echoes concerns of other county officials that the toll lanes, in an effort to speed traffic along, will limit options for local drivers: Preliminary plans depict the toll lanes without exits to Wisconsin or Georgia avenues, two major north-south commuter routes.

“Most of the impact is being borne by the locals,” Rubin says. “Shouldn’t the locals also get some benefit from it?”

Rahn, in turn, views the Beltway’s function primarily within the context of the interstate highway system. “Interstates are unique from a transportation standpoint; that’s not a local road, and they cannot be limited by just simply a local desire,” he says. “Our job is to respect local residents and to have the least impact on them. But ultimately, as the nation’s capital, we have got to be able to move people from wherever they come from—whether they come from Montgomery County or not.”

To date, this aspect of the debate has

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going nowhere fast

been conducted in the absence of detailed data on who uses the Beltway and why.

The Maryland Department of Transportation says such information will not be publicly available until early 2020, when a draft environmental impact statement required by federal law is published.

Rahn, who oversaw major highway construction projects as head of the transportation departments in New Mexico and Missouri, doesn’t try to sugarcoat the potential disruptions once construction is underway. At this point, however, few specifics will be clear until an outside firm is chosen to build the toll lanes.

“That will be one of our selection criteria for concessionaires: ‘How are you going to deal with keeping traffic moving while construction is going on?’ ” Rahn says. “On the American Legion Bridge, do you build a parallel bridge to it? There are a lot of options from an engineering standpoint.”

He continues: “But I don’t want to kid anyone. You’re rebuilding in a very tight area. …Part of everyone’s concern is that 270 and 495 are tight. And so we will have to see some innovative approaches 76

to making sure that people can still get around, at least as well as they do today.”

With a slight chuckle, he adds, “Now, that’s not saying much.”

BEGINNING IN MARCH 2020, sleek new

buses will make their way along Route 29, picking up passengers at facilities that look more like light-rail stations than traditional bus stops. In addition to limited stops, the new service will include fare collection before boarding to speed up the trip, as travelers enjoy onboard amenities such as Wi-Fi. Welcome to Montgomery County’s first bus rapid transit line. By utilizing a shoulder lane north of the White Oak area, county transportation officials estimate the 14-mile trip between Burtonsville and downtown Silver Spring will be about 25 percent faster during morning rush hour than conventional buses, saving about 11 minutes. By 2040, the Route 29 BRT is estimated to boost net transit ridership along that corridor by 18 to 22 percent on weekdays, translating into as many as 6,400 vehicles being taken off the road, according to a 2017 planning study

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conducted jointly by the state and county.

Route 29 is among 10 BRT lines in a plan adopted by the county council in 2013. This past July, the council approved $4 million to begin engineering work on two others: a 6.4-mile route along Veirs Mill Road between Wheaton and Rockville, and a 22-mile stretch of Route 355 from Clarksburg south to Bethesda.

The goal is to provide greater access to mass transit in areas largely lacking such options, as well as luring back former transit riders. Al Roshdieh, the longtime director of the county’s department of transportation who resigned in October, says boardings on the county’s Ride On bus system, which was created in the mid-1970s, have decreased 20 percent since 2015. He attributes the drop to a variety of factors, including recent reliability and safety issues on the Metrorail system. A key purpose of the Ride On bus system is to deliver passengers to Metrorail stops.

“I really think BRT is going to change some attitudes in terms of transportation,” Roshdieh says. “It’s choice riders, and the key component of bus rapid tran-

COURTESY OF MCDOT

A rendering of a bus rapid transit stop on the Route 29 line between Burtonsville and downtown Silver Spring

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going nowhere fast sit is being rapid.” In transportation circles, “choice riders” refers to those who currently have options other than taking a bus.

BRT ridership may get a boost from recent trends on Metrorail, where systemwide boardings, after a nearly 17 percent drop during the 10 years ending in 2017, ticked up last year following completion of the so-called “SafeTrack” initiative to improve both safety and on-time performance. Along Metrorail’s Red Line in Montgomery County, where boardings dropped by 23 percent between 2007 and 2018 at the northern terminus at Shady Grove, a doubling of the frequency of trains to that destination produced a 4 percent increase in passengers to and from stations north of Grosvenor in early 2019, says Shyam Kannan, vice president of planning for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

Recognizing that a key to BRT’s success is attracting riders who live outside easy walking distance of a BRT station, the county’s department of transportation is already experimenting with increased bus service on neighborhood streets.

Like the Beltway and I-270 widening project, BRT has a problem with space for dedicated bus lanes. This has sparked fears among private property owners along the proposed routes. Plans for a Georgia Avenue BRT run were panned by Olney residents five years ago, prompting then-County Executive Ike Leggett to delay the project. While there is no funding in the county’s six-year capital improvements budget to resume planning on the Georgia Avenue line, Elrich says he may try to revive it. “I’m hoping to go back and say, ‘Here’s something sensible, we’re not going to mess up downtown Olney,’ ” he says.

At this point, the Route 29 BRT line does not involve an expanded roadway. Neither does the Veirs Mill line, although it relies in part on “queue jumpers”—short lanes that allow buses to cut around other vehicles at intersections— to speed up the trip. On Route 355, an option that would run a dedicated lane 78

down the center median could require taking as many as 61 acres, including displacing four residences and two dozen businesses. Officials say this is a maximum estimate that is expected to decrease during a planning process that’s just getting underway.

Some transportation experts consider a dedicated lane a prerequisite to achieving “rapid” status. “If it doesn’t have a dedicated lane, it’s not BRT,” asserts the Eno Center’s Lewis. Roshdieh responds that the Federal Transit Administration recognizes a line as BRT “as long as you have about one-third of the corridor as a dedicated lane.” He adds, “As far as I know, the only 100 percent dedicated-lane BRT is the Orange Line in Los Angeles,” while acknowledging that, to the extent a BRT line is in a dedicated lane, “the more effective and attractive… it’s going to be.”

The county’s transportation department is studying a detailed proposal by Sean Emerson, Hucker’s transportation aide, to eventually add a dedicated Route 29 BRT lane inside the Beltway by utilizing the existing center median. Elrich, while a member of the county council, advocated a similar move during planning for the line. “We’re not calling the Route 29 system a BRT because there’s not a dedicated lane south” of the junction of Route 29 and New Hampshire Avenue, Elrich says. As it launches, the new service is being branded as the “FLASH.” Hogan boasts that the state’s proposed network of toll lanes along I-495 and I-270 would be built “at no cost to the taxpayer” via the P3 process; the concessionaire would be “paid” through toll revenues. Elrich faces the challenge of finding a way to finance the county’s proposed network of 10 BRT lines. “If you could figure out a decent financing scheme, I would try to do this in the space of five to 10 years,” Elrich says.

The cost of the Route 29 BRT is pegged at about $30 million, with about one-third coming from a federal grant (that doesn’t include the possible addition later of a dedicated lane). The Veirs

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Mill BRT is pegged at up to $70 million.

The cost for the more ambitious plans along Route 355 is estimated in preliminary planning documents at $500 million to $900 million, contingent on how much of the route includes dedicated lanes.

Elrich and Roshdieh both express confidence that modifications in the design and construction process can bring those estimates down.

Under state law, the county has a mechanism to underwrite the BRT system by establishing transportation taxing districts. But the law currently does not enable the county to levy different tax rates on residential and commercial properties, leaving Elrich with the politically touchy task of drawing district lines in a way that would place the burden on businesses.

“Virginia has successfully used transit taxing districts that basically impact commercial property,” Elrich says. “We could do that. The only problem [is that] you would have to do what they did in Loudoun County, when they did the Silver Line transit taxing district. They drew out all the residential because they’re not the beneficiaries: The [developers] who…want to build tall buildings are the beneficiaries.”

WHEN SHE TAKES I-495 on her way to work, Randi Brecher often avoids the exit closest to her Silver Spring business as traffic can back up onto the Beltway waiting to get onto Georgia Avenue. “At the traffic light where I have to get off the exit onto Georgia Avenue, it can be ridiculous,” she says. “It’s not worth it to sit there and wait.”

According to the Montgomery County Planning Department’s latest Mobility Assessment Report, issued in 2017, Georgia Avenue inside the Beltway ranks as one of the county’s 10 most congested roadway corridors during the morning or afternoon rush hours. Seven of the 10 local roads with the worst traffic run between the Beltway and the D.C. line.

County officials worry that Hogan’s Beltway/I-270 plan will exacerbate the congestion on local roadways by lim-

going nowhere fast iting the number of exits from the toll lanes, thereby channeling traffic onto just a handful of north-south arteries.

(Rahn counters that his department’s calculations show a slight reduction along these corridors as a result of the project.) But county officials also say there is virtually no space available to build or widen major arterial roads. “How can you widen Maryland 355? How can you widen Georgia Avenue?” Roshdieh asks.

“Where it’s congested, there is no real estate [available]. And where we need it is not all the way north of Olney; we need it in downtown Silver Spring, and there is no opportunity for that or the cost will be astronomical because of the [land] value.”

The current dearth of major local road projects also reflects the preferences among those now in power in Rockville.

The last outspoken advocate of road construction, former county Councilmem-

ber Nancy Floreen, left office last year due to term limits and was unsuccessful in a bid for county executive. The two major unbuilt roads currently in the county’s master plan, Montrose Parkway East in Rockville and the so-called “M-83” six-lane highway between Gaithersburg and Clarksburg, are both dormant, if not dead.

The roads versus transit debate also highlights a division between officeholders with political bases along the Beltway, who dominate county government, and up-county elected officials who tended to welcome Hogan’s P3 proposal, particularly given the limited options of constituents caught in traffic along I-270.

“For the inside-the-Beltway and nearthe-Beltway folks, the challenge is that area is so built up that any expansion of roadways at all, whether it’s the Beltway or arterial roads, is really not possible—

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or it’s hugely expensive and hugely disruptive,” says Gaithersburg Councilmember Neil Harris. “So, despite the fact that most of the people in that region still take their cars to get to work and other places, the sentiment is that roads are not helpful. Whereas up here, where we’re past the end of the line of the Metro system, we don’t really have a lot of choice if we don’t do something about the roadways.”

IN THE 1980S, Robert Eisinger, head of

Rockville-based Promark Partners, who is currently touting the construction of a monorail along I-270 (see story on page 74), sought to move the Montgomery County Airpark from Gaithersburg to Clarksburg. He put together a proposal for a “Maryland Corporate Air Center,” aimed in part at mitigating traffic congestion along the lower portion of I-270.

E xplains Eisinger : “ The whole

theory behind this was that this was an employment center that was going to capture the traffic coming south on 270 and stop it from getting any further south,” while offering job opportunities closer to residential development in the northern portion of the county.

His plan died with changes in federal tax law in the mid-1980s. But more than three decades later it reflects a belief among planning officials that significant reductions in traffic congestion lie with land-use strategies. “We cannot build ourselves out of this congestion, we need to be examining where we are allowing growth to happen, and what type of growth is happening,” says COG’s Srikanth. Beyond steering development to places where transit is available, he says the goal is to create a situation where individuals can live within walking and biking distance of their jobs.

Looking ahead to 2045, Srikanth adds: “Our plans indicate three-fourths of the new employment will be in regional activity centers. We believe more than two-thirds of all of the new population will be in such centers. …These are mixed-use, high-density places where people can live and work and shop and go to entertainment in the same place— like Bethesda, for example.”

But Harris is skeptical that such a vision can be realized. “We’re doing a long-range visioning project in Gaithersburg, and the very distressing news was that while we have 40,000 jobs in Gaithersburg, only 3,000 people [both] live and work in Gaithersburg,” he says.

“Most of the workers here are living in less expensive jurisdictions to the north.

You can’t legislate that, you can’t plan that. And unless you figure out how to make housing more affordable, you can

build houses wherever you want—and [people] are still going to make those decisions differently.”

Floreen, who spent eight years on the county’s planning board before holding elected office, sees the county’s hybrid nature at the heart of the challenge.

“We are not dense enough to have these new-fangled urban solutions. And on the other hand, people would say we’re too dense to have the suburban lifestyle,” she says. “We’re kind of in the middle, and that is the ultimate problem with Montgomery County. We could never decide which way we wanted to go. So we took the middle road. Well, the middle road makes everybody mad.”

Louis Peck has covered politics extensively at the local, state and national level for four decades. He can be reached at lou.peck@bethesdamagazine.com.

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BY DAVID HAGEDORN PHOTOS BY DEB LINDSEY

VEGGING OUT

Let’s face it. Even though it’s 2019, vegetarians—and especially vegans—get the short end of the stick at most restaurants. Sure, there are plenty of vegetarian appetizers and side dishes, but well-executed, complex and thoughtful main courses that go beyond standard meatless pastas, plates of steamed vegetables, or side dishes cobbled together and called entrees aren’t so easy to find. So, we found them for you. Here are 10 vegetarian or vegan dishes in the Bethesda area that pique our interest and palates.

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VEGETARIAN TACOS at Casa Oaxaca

Mexican restaurant Casa Oaxaca opened in the former TacoArepa space in Bethesda in May. It’s owned

by Raquel and Marco Zavala, who have a home improvement business, and husband-and-wife chefs Ismael Galguera and Maria Barragan, who hail from Oaxaca, a city in central Mexico. The menu includes dishes such as fajitas, Oaxacan mole (nutbased Mexican chocolate sauce) and quesadillas, but the tacos, made with delicate, flaky house-made tortillas, are a main attraction. Order these three to make a perfect vegetarian meal: nopal (lime- and garlic-laced grilled cactus), vegetable (sauteed carrots and onions, and grilled yellow squash and zucchini), and sauteed corn and mushrooms in chipotle (smoked dried jalapeno) sauce. Make lavish use of lime wedges for acid, and for heat, a trio of homemade salsas: mild tomatillo and avocado; medium heat tomato and red pepper; and fiery tomato and chile de arbol.

The tacos come with rice and stewed black beans topped with cotija cheese. (Vegans can nix the cheese.)

Casa Oaxaca, 4905 Fairmont Ave., Bethesda, 240-858-6181, casaoaxacamd.com

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CHILI AND ONION OOTHAPPAM at Bethesda Curry Kitchen Indian food is celebrated for its emphasis on vegetarian cooking, so you can find plenty of options in that category at Indian restaurants, including dals (pulse stews), curries, biryanis (baked rice casseroles) and side dishes. At Bethesda Curry Kitchen, chef Anil Sustarwar offers all those things and more in unfancy surroundings.

Notably, he doesn’t use ghee, a form of clarified butter often found in Indian meals. He cooks with canola or vegetable oil, which he says makes his restaurant even more appealing to vegan customers. (The menu does include meat and fish dishes.)

Oothappam, a griddled pancake made with a fermented batter of rice and urad dal, a husked dried black pulse, is a specialty of southern India, particularly the Tamil Nadu region. Sustarwar’s version— crispy on the bottom and topped with chopped onions and lots of sliced and fiery hot chili peppers— grabs our taste buds by the collar. On the side are a chutney of grated coconut, roasted lentils, Thai chiles and curry leaves, along with a bowl of sambar. Sambar is a stew of lentils, urad dal, roasted chickpeas, cumin, coriander, fenugreek seeds, tamarind and curry leaves topped with hot oil infused with asafetida (a sulfuric onionflavored powder), mustard seeds and cumin seeds. This dish is a glorious roller coaster ride of heat, coolness, flavor and texture.

Bethesda Curry Kitchen, 4860 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, 301-6560062, bethesdacurrykitchen.com

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QUINOA PILAF WITH VEGETABLES AND POACHED EGG at Buck’s Fishing & Camping

Many restaurants serve quinoa bowls, but the one at Buck’s Fishing & Camping in Upper Northwest D.C. stands out as more than just a random collection of vegetables piled on top of grains. Chef James Rexroad toasts golden quinoa, then cooks it in house-made vegetable stock and sautes it with leeks and onions. That gets topped with seasonal greens, such as Swiss chard or spinach, which are dipped in rosemary, thyme and garlic-infused olive oil and then grilled. He 86

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perches grilled vegetables, such as squash and sugar snaps, and a pile of house-pickled red onions on the quinoa. In the center goes a local farm egg, poached and sprinkled with smoked salt. “We always have elements of the wood grill in this dish,” says owner James Alefantis. “It adds complexity.”

Buck’s Fishing & Camping, 5031 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 202-364-0777, bucksfishingandcamping.com

BLACK PEPPER MUSHROOM STEW at Q by Peter Chang

Sure, the Peking duck and dry-fried eggplant at Q by Peter Chang in Bethesda are superlative, but don’t overlook the vegan black pepper mushroom stew. “A typical Chinese meal consists of an array of hot and cold meat and vegetable dishes, some spicy, some mild. So, it’s essential to make sure we have a lot of vegetarian options,” says Q’s chef and owner, Peter Chang.

With his daughter, Lydia, translating, he explains that there’s a famous Chinese dish called ma gu xian shou, and the literal translation is: “Aunt Ma [the goddess of fertility in the Tao religion] presented longevity.” It’s a play on words because ma gu (Aunt Ma) sounds like mo gu (mushrooms) in Chinese.

So mushrooms are a musthave at birthday celebrations for elders to wish them longevity.

Chang’s version is an assortment of dried and fresh mushrooms (beech, lion’s mane, shiitake) stirfried with scallions and ginger, then a rich, dark, soy-based sauce. To finish the dish, Chang adds more mushrooms, plus fresh rosemary and a hefty amount of ground black pepper.

Spooned over brown rice, it’s a hearty, earthy and deeply satisfying meal.

Q by Peter Chang, 4500 East West Highway, Bethesda, 240-800-3722, qbypeter chang.com

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PAELLA WITH MUSHROOMS AND VEGETABLES at Jaleo We expect to find paella at a Spanish restaurant, but expectations are extra high when it’s at Jaleo, the tapas restaurant owned by superstar chef (and Bethesda resident) José Andrés. The restaurant’s vegan paella with seasonal mushrooms and vegetables exceeds those expectations.

Ramon Martinez, Jaleo’s director of culinary operations, explains the process behind this meatless version of the classic Iberian rice dish. First, they make a roasted vegetable and mushroom stock. Then they prepare a paella base known as salmorra (a concentration of tomatoes, garlic and smoky dried Spanish nora peppers) and simmer it slowly with sauteed vegetables. The resulting sofrito is cooked with the mushroom stock, then with short-grained Calasparra rice in a large paella pan over an open flame until the liquid is absorbed.

Then they add sauteed mushrooms and vegetables. Depending on the season, you might find artichokes, squash blossoms, peas and sugar snaps in the paella, as well as cremini, oyster, hen of the woods or morel mushrooms.

The paella, which serves six to eight, takes about 45 minutes to prepare. It’s served with romesco (a Catalan sauce made with red peppers, tomatoes, hazelnuts, sherry vinegar, olive oil and garlic) instead of the traditional eggbased garlic mayo (alioli) to keep it vegan.

Jaleo, 7271 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, 301-913-0003, jaleo.com

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SPICY CUMIN TOFU at Vegetable Garden Vegetable Garden owner George Zhong has been committed to vegetarian and vegan eating for almost three decades, starting in 1991 when he opened the vegan restaurant in White Flint Mall. Over the years, the restaurant has moved twice—to Rockville Pike in 1994, and then to its current Leisure World Plaza location in Silver Spring in 2013—but Zhong remains steadfast. “I feel like I need to carry on the mission of promoting vegetarianism,” he says, “even though it’s hard to find and keep good cooks and staff, particularly in our unique style of cuisine.”

Consult any of his devoted regulars and they will likely recommend the spicy cumin tofu, which Zhong added to the menu three years ago. For this nod to Sichuan cooking, large cubes of fresh tofu are deep-fried, inflating them into airy puffs the size of golf balls. Then they are quickly stir-fried with red onions, scallions, garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, Sichuan peppercorns, freshly ground cumin seeds and turmeric, so the spice mix coats the puffs. “If you don’t fry the tofu, it won’t be crispy,” says Zhong, conceding that sometimes you can’t make everything 100% healthful. He came up with the idea of giving french fries the spicy cumin treatment. Those were a hit, but spicy cumin tofu remains the restaurant’s most popular dish.

Vegetable Garden, 3830 International Drive, Silver Spring, 301-598-6868, vegetablegarden.co

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EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA at I’m Eddie Cano

RAVIOLI DÉSTRUCTURÉ AUX TROIS LÉGUMES at La Ferme This upscale old-school French restaurant, tucked away in a quiet Chevy Chase neighborhood, has been a go-to for special occasions since it opened in 1985. For vegetarians, chef Scott Chambers, who has worked at La Ferme for 30 years, has a lovely offering—deconstructed ravioli, which he put on the menu four years ago to rave reviews from guests. Chambers sautes a surfeit of assorted fungi, such as shiitake, oyster, cremini, lobster or chanterelle mushrooms, and drains them, collecting the concentrated mushroom juice to make a sauce he enhances with black truffles. He puts a large square of cooked pasta in a soup plate and tops it with creamy artichoke flan and the mushroom medley, sauteed with spinach and mushroom jus.

He lays another square of pasta over the vegetables and garnishes the dish with frisee lettuce, chopped tomatoes, curls of ParmigianoReggiano cheese and more truffle jus.

La Ferme, 7101 Brookville Road, Chevy Chase, 301-986-5255, lafermerestaurant.com 90

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In the January/February 2019 issue of Bethesda Magazine, we raved about the eggplant parmigiana at I’m Eddie Cano, a 60-seat Italian restaurant in Upper Northwest D.C. helmed by chef and coowner James Gee. We’re still fans of the neat rectangle of ultrathin, breading-free eggplant slices layered with ParmigianoReggiano cheese, fresh basil and a bold sauce rich with San Marzano tomatoes.

“I’m not a vegetarian myself, but I like paying attention to vegetables. I believe a lot of cooks underplay them on the menu,” Gee says. “The way we roast the eggplant slowly, it turns silky and custardy. Because we don’t fry it, the greasiness is eliminated. It’s eggplantdense, eggplant-rich.” Indeed, a pound and a quarter of eggplant goes into each 8-ounce portion of the dish, served bubbling hot and draped with melted buffalo mozzarella cheese in a cast-iron baking pan. Along with another vegetarian dish, cacio e pepe—tonnarelli (like spaghetti) with pecorino cheese and black pepper— the eggplant parmigiana is a top seller.

“We will never take it off the menu,” Gee says. “Too many people love it.”

I’m Eddie Cano, 5014 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 202-890-4995, imeddiecano.com

IMPOSSIBLE MEATLOAF at Founding Farmers

Impossible Burgers are all the rage, but at Founding Farmers, the Kensingtonbased chainlet that opened its Park Potomac location in 2011, the Impossible Meatloaf impresses us more. When the Impossible Burger was introduced to the market in 2016 by Impossible Foods Inc., it caused an instant sensation, because the texture, taste and color of the plant-based product approximates that of actual ground beef. (Ingredients include water, soy protein concentrate, sunflower oil and coconut oil.) Founding Farmers got squarely behind it, using the product for applications beyond burgers, including breakfast sausage, tacos, chili and meatloaf. “When I tasted the Impossible Burger, I thought, ‘Wow, this tastes like real meat,’ ” says Joe Goetze, Founding Farmers’ senior vice president of culinary development. “It’s not cheap, though. It costs us $11 to $12 a pound, as much as rib eye.”

Founding Farmers’ meatloaf can easily go head-to-head with any respectable beef version. Shallots, garlic, mustard, thyme, sage and lots of sauteed mushrooms imbue the vegetarian-but-not-vegan loaf with tons of flavor; its tomato and vinegar glaze creates a pleasing caramelized crust. This American comfort food classic from the 1950s, which comes with buttery mashed potatoes and sauteed green beans, has become Impossibly 21st century.

Founding Farmers, 12505 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac, 301-340-8783, wearefoundingfarmers.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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vegging out

ROASTED VEGETABLE GNOCCHI at Seasons 52 All-fresh, never-frozen produce with an emphasis on seasonality is part of the business model at Seasons 52, a Florida-based chain with 45 locations nationwide. (The North Bethesda location opened in 2011.) You won’t find dishes prepared with butter or cream, and the menu touts that they don’t have a fryer.

Along with the regular menu, diners receive a specialty menu that clearly lays out the gluten-sensitive, lactose/dairy-sensitive, vegan and vegetarian dishes. Roasted vegetable gnocchi, a vegan offering, captures our attention—first because of its multicolored presentation, then because it just tastes so good. The potato-based dumplings are sauteed in olive oil to brown and crisp their exterior, then tossed with zucchini, roasted tomatoes, roasted broccoli florets and tomato basil sauce. For crunch, the dish is topped with a granola of almonds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and quinoa. “The dish appeals to vegetarians, but also to people who are looking for something lighter,” says Christophe Holmes, Seasons 52 North Bethesda’s executive chef. “We let the vegetables tell the story of who we are.”

Seasons 52, 11414 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, 301-984-5252, seasons52.com

David Hagedorn is the restaurant critic for Bethesda Magazine.

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Turf War

Artificial turf is replacing natural grass at many schools and parks in Montgomery County. But some parents and experts worry that the fields pose health and safety risks to the athletes playing on them.

BY DAVID GOLDSTEIN PHOTOS BY SKIP BROWN 94

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The installation of the new artificial turf field at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in August

IN LATE AUGUST, work crews raced to finish the new artificial turf field at BethesdaChevy Chase High School in time for the start of the fall sports season. Over several days, workers laid the turf in large rectangular strips. The bright green field was a welcome sight to B-CC student-athletes and their parents. In 2016, B-CC’s natural grass field was turned into a staging area for the equipment and materials needed for a major addition to the school. Since then, the football, lacrosse, soccer and field hockey teams have played their games at other schools.

Even before the school construction started, there was little doubt that something had to be done about the B-CC field. With about 2,200 students, B-CC is one of Montgomery County’s largest schools in terms of enrollment, but at 16.4 acres, the property it sits on is, by far, the smallest. The school has only one multipurpose athletic field (in addition to a baseball/softball field). The old natural grass athletic field used to be reseeded every summer, but much of the grass would be worn away midway through the fall sports season, exposing cementlike dirt.

For the B-CC sports booster club, replacing the grass with artificial turf was a necessity. “We’ve been trying to get a turf field for many years,” says Kristie Galic, who served as the club’s president during the 2018-2019 school year. “There were many instances where the [old] field was unplayable.”

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MCPS replaced the athletic field at Walter Johnson High School with artificial turf in 2010. The field is spread with tire crumb, tiny shreds of rubber to help hold up the blades.

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B-CC’s switch to an artificial turf field—and the installation of more than 20 of them over the last 10 years by Montgomery County Public Schools and the county’s parks department—hasn’t made everyone happy. Area parents and players, as well as environmental and community advocates, have banded together in recent years to question and investigate the safety of artificial turf fields in the county. They are part of a loose network of local and national individuals and organizations called the Safe Healthy Playing Fields Coalition.

The group has a Facebook page and a website and has taken steps to become a nonprofit. Members worry that the materials used in the fields, the

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way the fields can get hard after years of use, and how hot the fields become on warm days may pose health risks to the people playing on them.

In Montgomery County, a core group of about 30 people have taken the lead. They attend meetings of the school board, the county council and the Maryland General Assembly to press their case. More follow the issue on social media.

CHORMAN ROMANO OF BETHESDA has two teen-

agers who play a lot of soccer.

Short of the bruises, scrapes and occasional broken bones that can be expected when a scrum of teenagers runs around a field trying to force a ball

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMANDA FARBER

into a goal, she sends them out the door in their uniforms, cleats and pads with the expectation that they will be safe.

They play soccer on several artificial turf fields and come home with pieces of those fields clinging Velcro-like to their shoes and uniforms. The material is tire crumb—tiny black shreds of rubber from pulverized tires that are worked into the turf as infill.

The material helps hold up the blades of plastic grass and serves as a shock absorber. The artificial turf itself is hard, and the tire crumb is supposed to help reduce injuries. Gaithersburg, Paint Branch, Walter Johnson and Wootton high schools currently have tire crumb on their fields.

Romano worries that tire crumb is a health risk to children who inhale its odor, fall on it, and slide in it during practices and games.

“You have to do what you can as a parent to mitigate any risk,” she says. In her family, that means her kids remove their soccer shoes before they enter the house, shake out their uniforms, and then wash their soccer gear separately from the regular laundry.

Multiple state and federal agencies have studied tire crumb and no one has concluded that it presents a health risk. But the research continues.

Known also as crumb rubber, tire crumb contains a variety of components, some of them toxic, such as benzene and lead. The federal government long ago took steps to reduce the amount of lead in children’s toys and other items to prevent the heavy metal from invading a child’s bloodstream. Tighter standards for lead dust from paint hit the books over the summer.

Tire crumb also contains phthalates, a group of chemicals used to soften plastic that shows up in everything from vinyl flooring and adhesives to children’s toys, cosmetics and other home care products.

The effect of low-level exposure to phthalates on humans is unknown, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But the CDC says some phthalates have affected the reproductive system of lab animals. Other studies have

Images of the newly installed B-CC High School artificial turf field were taken with an infrared camera (top) and a smartphone on Sept. 3 when it was sunny and in the upper 80s.

The temperature reading on the field was around 140 degrees, according to Bethesda community activist Amanda Farber.

shown that some phthalates have been linked to cancer.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in 2008 and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2009 appeared to give tire crumb a clean bill of health. Then both agencies backpedaled, the EPA in 2013 and the CPSC two years later, saying their initial research had been too limited to reach blanket conclusions.

“By the time it came to the political level in the [George W.] Bush administration, they went way too far and claimed the products were safe and ordered a press release,” says Elliot Kaye, who as CPSC chairman in 2015 ordered the commission’s redo of the research. “It was totally outrageous.”

In 2016, the CPSC, EPA and CDC launched a joint study of tire crumb. But Kaye, a Bethesda resident who is now a CPSC commissioner, says the

B-CC’s switch to an artificial turf field—and the installation of more than 20 of them over the last 10 years by Montgomery County Public Schools and the county’s parks department—hasn’t made everyone happy.

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Over time, the shock-absorbing infill material on artificial turf fields— including the tire crumb shown here at Walter Johnson High School—can get washed away by rain, blown away by wind, or stuck to players’ clothes, skin and hair, resulting in a harder surface.

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Trump administration has withheld financial and political support.

Concern over tire crumb grew in 2014, when NBC News reported that a University of Washington soccer coach, in an unscientific study, had collected data over several years on a group of goalkeepers who had played on crumb rubber fields and had developed blood-related cancers.

By 2016, her list had grown to 53 former players dating back to the mid-1990s. But a Washington State Department of Health investigation in 2017 that looked at the coach’s data found that while crumb rubber contains materials that have been linked to cancer, the exposure was too low to pose “a significant health risk.”

“There’s no additional risk for people of any age with recycled rubber infill over natural grass,” says Dan Bond, president and CEO of the Synthetic Turf Council, an industry trade group in Forest Hill, Maryland. “The state of Washington department of health took a look and they found a lower incidence of cancer among athletes than in the normal population.”

In 2015, the Montgomery County Council banned

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the use of tire crumb on any newly constructed artificial turf fields funded by the county “to allay ongoing community concerns about the potential unknown environmental and health risks…,” according to a council memo that year.

As a result, MCPS and the parks department have been using alternative materials on new fields and for the replacement, when necessary, of the infill on existing fields. For example, the artificial turf field installed at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring in 2017 has an organic infill made from coconut husks and cork. The Blair field is operated by the parks department under a shared use agreement with the school system.

“We felt like there was enough real substantiation of health concerns about crumb rubber,” says county Councilmember Hans Riemer, one of five co-sponsors of the tire crumb ban. “We just thought there’s got to be alternatives, and there are. Why wouldn’t we just require the use of materials that don’t have the kinds of concerns we’ve seen?”

MCPS is using ZeoFill as the go-to infill material on many of its fields. ZeoFill is a form of zeolite. It’s composed of a group of volcanic minerals that can

stein high school clusters about contracts for new artificial turf fields, MCPS Chief Operating Officer Andrew Zuckerman (no relation to Diana) said zeolite met “multiple safety standards.”

He said that at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, the three artificial turf fields—among its 21 grass fields—use the same material, as do other communities around the country.

In his letter, Zuckerman accused artificial turf critics of spreading “inaccurate information…in an effort to undermine the project.” He said MCPS would “use the best practices and materials available to ensure student health and safety.”

Diana Zuckerman penned an angry reply, charging the MCPS official with “accusing scientists and parents in Montgomery County of providing misleading information because he disagrees with facts we have shared with the County Council and [board of education] about the dangers of artificial turf.”

Sacks filled with one ton of zeolite, which is composed of a group of volcanic minerals, were lined up to be spread on the Walt Whitman High School artificial turf field in September. The infill on the field is a mixture of silica sand and zeolite.

trap water and is used in a variety of products, including water softeners and kitty litter because it absorbs odors. So far, ZeoFill has been used to replace tire crumb at Richard Montgomery High School and on new fields at Walt Whitman, Albert Einstein, B-CC and Wheaton high schools.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMANDA FARBER

TO FINISH THE NEW B-CC field, workers used trac-

tor-drawn spreaders to disperse dozens of bags of ZeoFill. In the process, clouds of ZeoFill dust formed above the field and blew into the adjacent East Bethesda neighborhood, causing alarm among some residents and a temporary stop-work order from MCPS. A cloud hanging over the field seemed fitting, as many people also question the safety of ZeoFill.

Diana Zuckerman, a Yale Medical School-trained epidemiologist from Bethesda, says the science behind zeolite is unclear.

“You’re rattling about a field where your feet are crunching material down and little tiny particles are going into the air,” says Zuckerman, president of the National Center for Health Research, a nonprofit, nonpartisan health think tank in Washington, D.C. “You don’t ever want kids breathing in particles of rocks, let alone volcanic rock.”

MCPS has vigorously defended the safety of ZeoFill. In a letter last year to the Whitman and Ein-

THE ATHLETIC FIELD BEHIND Walter Johnson High

School sits along Democracy Boulevard in Bethesda.

On a warm afternoon last spring, Amanda Farber, a Bethesda community activist and the mother of two boys, 13 and 16, who occasionally play sports on artificial turf fields, reaches down into the turf, which is matted and worn, and pulls up a handful of tire crumb.

“These fake fields were sold to schools, parks and jurisdictions as a panacea,” she says. “But when you add up the problems with heat, disposal, hardness, injury, toxicity and actual expense, you really have to question why are we doing this and is it really worth it?”

Farber carries a thermometer to measure the heat off the turf and borrowed an infrared camera from

Chorman Romano worries that tire crumb is a health risk to children who inhale its odor, fall on it, and slide in it during practices and games.

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reinforce her daughter’s concerns. Young cited independent testing MCPS had done earlier in the year on the artificial turf fields at Richard Montgomery and Whitman.

The tests, using standards set by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), which oversees global soccer competitions, found that the artificial turf at Richard Montgomery was four times more abrasive than the FIFA guidelines. The Whitman field measured less abrasive than what FIFA calls for, but lower in friction—more slippery—than FIFA advises.

The report concluded that “adjustments to the…existing fields will continue to improve field conditions.”

“There is something very wrong with the RM turf,” Young said. “It is so abrasive it is tearing the skin off the athletes.”

Patricia O’Neill, vice president of the school board and a member for 21 years, says she has safety concerns about all MCPS fields, whether they’re grass or artificial turf. She says that as a mother of two daughters who played school sports, she “was horrified” to hear about Molly Winchenbach’s injury.

“We asked the staff in this case to look into it,” O’Neill says.

Seth Adams, director of construction for MCPS, says the school district has done several studies of the problems at the Richard Montgomery field. Despite multiple modifications, as well as seeking expert advice from the industry, the turf remained more abrasive than other fields of similar construction, Adams says.

He says the school district discovered that while the Richard Montgomery field uses the same organic infill of zeolite and sand as, for instance, the field at Albert Einstein High School, the infill material at Richard Montgomery was installed in layers, like a cake, not blended together as it was at Einstein.

A week before students returned for the current school year, MCPS was still making repairs and modifications to improve conditions for safety. “We’re putting the puzzle pieces together on this

PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER YOUNG

and lower extremities,” says Dr. Michael Lewis, founder and president of the Brain Health Education and Research Institute in Potomac. Lewis says studies have shown that artificial turf can be more damaging to brain health than a natural grass Molly Winchenbach, a soccer player at Richard Montgomery High field, but he has not seen School, suffered injuries after playing on the school’s artificial a difference in his own turf field. practice.

While artificial turf the Bethesda library to depict the high warranties typically cover eight years, temperatures. field life expectancy depends on “the “On a warm sunny day,” she says, climate, number of hours played on the “when you aim the laser thermometer field and…the maintenance program,” on a spot and see the temperature reach Bond says. “Fields can and do last lonupwards of 150 [degrees] Fahrenheit, ger than the warranty under the right it is eye-opening. However, when you circumstances.” use the [camera] and see that the whole That hasn’t always been the case 80,000-square-foot artificial field is reg- locally. Montgomery Parks, a part of istering that hot, then it is pretty alarm- the Maryland-National Capital Park ing. It truly is a heat island. The artificial and Planning Commission, joined a turf looks green to the naked eye, but in class-action lawsuit last year against FieldTurf, the maker of the first artificial reality it can be burning hot.”

Jim Kuhnhenn of Silver Spring, who turf installed at Blair in 2009 for $1.3 milplays in an adult soccer league, says he lion, claiming the field was defective. could feel the heat rising off the turf durThe lawsuit, which MCPS did not join, ing a game on the Blair field several years is proceeding with discovery and efforts ago. It was hotter on the field than off. to certify class, according to Mike Riley, “My feet were pretty hot,” he says. “When director of Montgomery Parks. The field I sat down on the sidelines, I noticed the at Richard Montgomery also had probsole of one of my shoes was peeling away. lems with FieldTurf. Installed in 2008 for The heat had melted the glue.” about $1 million, it failed a firmness test MCPS has guidelines for when to limit in 2016. But even after MCPS replaced play on artificial turf fields. “When the the infill last year with ZeoFill, the new heat index is between 91-104 degrees turf needed maintenance a few months between the hours of 12:00 noon and later after athletes complained about its 5 p.m., school athletic activities are abrasiveness.

“I’m not talking about your average restricted on artificial turf fields to one hour, with water breaks every 20 min- turf burn,” Molly Winchenbach, then a utes,” according to the MCPS website. freshman goalie on the school’s soccer Plastic grass can become harder team, told the school board at a public than natural grass because over time, hearing last year. “I’m talking about skin it becomes matted. And as the shock- lacerations so severe they bleed so that absorbing infill material disappears over players have to be taken out of the game time—washed away by rain, blown away to get treated by the athletic trainer.”

Jennifer Young, Molly’s mother, by wind, or stuck to players’ clothes and appeared at a Montgomery County hair—the surface becomes harder still.

“It can be really tough on the knees Board of Education meeting in June to

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMANDA FARBER

one,” Adams says. “We’re feeling really good about the current state of where we’re heading with these fields.”

In March of 2018, when The Black & White, the student newspaper at Walt Whitman High School, recounted some of MCPS’ travails with artificial turf, FieldTurf Vice President Darren Gill defended the company’s work in a letter. Both were published before the most recent problems with the field at Richard Montgomery.

“Richard Montgomery is in its 10th season of play this year,” Gill wrote.

“And Walter Johnson will soon reach the 8-year mark. As for Montgomery Blair High School, their FieldTurf field was installed in 2009 and lasted for the full standard eight-year warranty term.”

He also cited a 2016 study of men’s collegiate soccer injuries by The American Journal of Sports Medicine that found

“FieldTurf is, in many cases, safer than natural grass…”

Tw e l v e t e a m s i n t h e National Football League play in stadiums with artificial turf; 19 play on grass. (There are 32 teams, but both New York teams, the Jets and the Giants, share a stadium.) Sports Illustrated in 2015 asked players to rank their favorite fields around the league. The top 12 were grass.

An NFL panel in 2010 found that knee and ankle injuries were more prevalent on a widely used brand of artificial turf than on grass.

A survey of NFL players that same year found that more than 80 percent believed artificial turf led to more injuries and fatigue than grass and was

Amanda Farber used an infrared thermometer to measure the temperature of the Walter Johnson High School artificial turf field on a sunny 90-degree day in July.

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turf war

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more likely to shorten their careers.

FieldTurf, which is used in some NFL stadiums, as well as on collegiate and high school fields around the country, disputed the findings of increased injuries. Other studies have shown that more injuries have occurred on grass. Mike May of Bethesda, who coaches soccer for fifth grade boys in the Montgomery Soccer Inc. (MSI) league, and whose daughter also plays, says he hasn’t seen a difference as far as injuries on different surfaces.

Artificial turf fields are supposed to be tested regularly to measure firmness. If the turf is too hard, it’s the athlete’s body, not the surface, that absorbs the brunt of the impact when a player falls. That’s when injuries can occur.

The test, called Gmax, drops an object onto the field and uses a complicated formula involving acceleration, deceleration and gravity to find a numerical value to determine whether a field is safe. ASTM International, formerly known as American Society for Testing and Materials, uses a Gmax value of 200 as its upper limit. A higher result is considered unsafe. MCPS uses the same standard.

The Synthetic Turf Council sets the bar at 165. The NFL uses 100.

The District of Columbia uses the 200 limit. In testing this past summer of 54 fields and playgrounds around the city, 13 failed the hardness test and had to be closed for repairs.

In Gmax tests last spring, no MCPS high school field, nor the field at Somerset Elementary School in Chevy Chase, scored higher than 170, according to MCPS testing records.

IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, where youth

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soccer is extremely popular, the demand for field time exceeds what’s available.

“Unfortunately, there’s not enough supply of high-quality fields, particularly what leagues request for a high level of play,” says Montgomery County Councilmember Gabe Albornoz, who headed the county recreation department for 11 years before his election to the council in 2018. “This has been an ongoing chal-

lenge for the county for decades.”

Albornoz says the county has a lot of grass fields, but they weren’t built for the kind of heavy use that they get now. That, plus a lot of rain over the past four years, has led to a record number of game cancellations, he says.

“Synthetic turf is one potential tool helping to alleviate” the problem, Albornoz says.

With so many teams waiting to play games on a limited number of fields, May, the MSI soccer coach, says “it’s like Grand Central station on a lot of these fields. I just wish there were more fields so the grass fields wouldn’t be so overused and they’d have a chance to rebound.”

A lack of field maintenance has contributed to the problem. Each MCPS school receives a limited amount of money to take care of its fields. Booster clubs often help out with the maintenance of grass fields or to rally support and raise funds for artificial turf fields.

At some schools with higher populations of students from low-income families, such as John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring, booster clubs are unable to muster the support or the money needed to improve their fields.

At other schools, especially in affluent areas, parent organizations play a key role. “The PTA and a private foundation raised half a million dollars and built their own artificial turf field,” former school board member Jill OrtmanFouse says of the Somerset Elementary School field. “If you go to the wealthy schools, schools with booster resources, you get good, quality fields. To me, this is an equity issue.”

Laura Stewart is vice president of advocacy for the Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations. She is also the coordinator for the Albert Einstein High School cluster in Kensington.

As such, she has had to deal with the competing desires of parents who agreed on the problem—that the grass athletic field at the school was worn out and needed to be replaced—but not the solution.

Supporting the College Within Our Community Jeffrey Slavin and Ashley Cheng ’93 share an important trait: their unwavering commitment to ensuring individuals who seek an education have access to one at Montgomery College. As co-chairs of the MC2020 Campaign, they give generously of their time and talent to help make certain that the $30 million campaign goal is reached.

As the final year of the campaign begins, Jeffrey and Ashley want to thank the community for your continued commitment to help provide a high quality education to all who seek it.

Learn more about the MC2020 Campaign at montgomerycollege.edu/foundation.

montgomerycollege.edu/foundation Joyce Matthews Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations Executive Director of the Montgomery College Foundation joyce.matthews@montgomerycollege.edu 240-567-7493

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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A new grass field or artificial turf?

“Most people would say, ‘Yes, we see the downside of artificial turf. We’d rather have grass. But we don’t trust the way the system takes care of grass,’ ” Stewart says.

Last year, the school board chose turf for Einstein. MSI agreed to pay up to $5.2 million toward the cost of new fields at Einstein, Whitman and Julius West Middle School in Rockville so it could also use them.

At Burning Tree Elementary School off River Road in Bethesda, the field behind the building and next to the playground is a stone’s throw from the county’s Burning Tree Local Park. The park has baseball diamonds carved into a plush grass field that get aerated and top-seeded regularly.

“We have hard-packed dirt,” Susan Loftus, the school’s physical education teacher says of the Burning Tree field. “It has never, ever been maintained. They call it grass, but it’s as hard as a parking lot.”

Among the plusses of natural grass, according to the Sports Turf Managers Association, are the environmental benefits of helping to improve air quality and preventing pollutants from leaching into the water supply. But grass fields need to be properly maintained to be playable and safe.

“The [school district] thinks they need synthetic turf fields,” says Jerad Minnick, a former director of grounds at the Maryland SoccerPlex and a natural grass consultant. “That’s fine. We [the natural grass industry] failed to produce good quality grass fields to meet the demand.

But they’re not using the best methods of maintenance to maintain the grass fields they do have.”

He said those practices include planting the right kind of grass to fit the climate and conditions, de-compacting the soil at least monthly to soften the effects of foot traffic, and regular mowing.

Maintenance, whether for grass or artificial turf, is key to safety, according to Andrew McNitt, professor of soil science and director of the Center for

Sports Surface Research at Penn State.

“Natural grass is cooler when the sun is shining, often warmer at night,” he says.

“Synthetic turf can be harder, the same, or softer than natural. It all depends on [the] maintenance of both.”

A promoter of field safety, the Sports Turf Managers Association in Lawrence, Kansas, is a professional organization for people who manage outdoor sports fields. Patrick Coakley, who has served on several of the organization’s committees, says artificial turf can be easily oversold.

“I’ve worked in 25 minor league baseball parks,” he says. “Artificial turf definitely has its place as a nice tool, but it has been marketed as a magic wand that’s going to solve all your problems.

That’s just not the case.”

Coakley thinks schools’ motives are solid when looking at the question of which type of field to install. But experienced sports turf professionals often are not involved in the decisions. “It gets put to maybe administrators or people who don’t necessarily know how to take care of the field,” he says. “They’re making assumptions that are flat-out incorrect. They are reading from a brochure and taking it as fact.”

For parents, it’s a confusing environment. Naya Robitaille of Bethesda says her 14-year-old daughter, Malee, plays soccer on tire crumb fields that can get extremely hot and comes home with pieces of black rubber on her clothes and shoes.

“I’m worried about chemicals and heavy metals that leach into the waterways,” Robitaille says. And she isn’t convinced that a fall by Malee on artificial turf is less risky than a fall on real grass.

Kaye, the CPSC member and the father of two sons who play sports, says: “Parents are in the dark about what is the safer environment for all of our kids.

“That’s hugely frustrating.”

David Goldstein is a former political and investigative reporter in Washington, D.C., for McClatchy Newspapers and The Kansas City Star.

congratulates our

BETHESDA MAGAZINE TOP ATTORNEYS

FRED BALKIN

MILLARD BENNETT

MICAH BONAVIRI

JULIE CHRISTOPHER

KATHRYN DECKERT

DAVID DE JONG

MICHAEL GOLDBERG TAX

MONICA GARCIA HARMS FAMILY LAW/DIVORCE

BETH IRVING

JONATHAN LIEBERMAN

IVONNE CORSINO LINDLEY

PERSONAL INJURY

PERSONAL INJURY

ERIC ROLLINGER

ANDREW SCHWARTZ

MARK SCHWEIGHOFER

BUSINESS/CORPORATE

TAX

BUSINESS/CORPORATE

PAUL STEIN

STEVEN VINICK

STEVEN WIDDES

PERSONAL INJURY

BUSINESS/CORPORATE

FAMILY LAW/DIVORCE

REAL ESTATE (COMMERCIAL)

JEFF SCHWABER CIVIL LITIGATION

DON SPERLING

BUSINESS/CORPORATE

TAX

CRIMINAL DEFENSE

TRUSTS & ESTATES

PERSONAL INJURY

FAMILY LAW/DIVORCE

TAX

KAREN SHAPIRO

TRUSTS & ESTATES

25 West Middle Lane · Rockville, MD 20850 301-340-2020 · steinsperling.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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Attorneys TOP

We asked more than 1,800 attorneys who practice regularly in Montgomery County who they would hire if they needed a lawyer. Here are the 265 attorneys in 25 practice areas who were recommended most often.

The attorneys are listed alphabetically.

2019

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TOP ATTORNEYS 2019 ADOPTION Jennifer Fairfax Family Formation Law Offices Silver Spring Kate McDonough McDonough Law Silver Spring Harvey Schweitzer Schweitzer & Scherr Bethesda Sogand Zamani Zamani & Associates Washington, D.C. Michele Zavos Delaney McKinney Chevy Chase ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION Douglas Bregman Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday Bethesda

108

John Weaver Weaver Law Rockville

James Hoffman Offit Kurman Bethesda

Deborah L. Webb Webb Soypher McGrath Bethesda

Thomas Kokolis Parker, Simon & Kokolis Rockville

APPELLATE

Michael Lichtenstein Shulman Rogers Potomac

Lauri Cleary Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda Joseph Creed Bramnick Creed Bethesda Timothy Maloney Joseph, Greenwald & Laake Greenbelt J. Bradford McCullough Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Stephen Metz Offit Kurman Bethesda Jeffrey Orenstein Wolff & Orenstein Rockville Craig Parker Parker, Simon & Kokolis Rockville BANKRUPTCY – INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

Kate McDonough McDonough Law Silver Spring

Alan Eisler Eisler Hamilton Rockville

Jonathan Dana Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell Washington, D.C.

Rachel McGuckian Miles & Stockbridge Rockville

John Farnum Miles & Stockbridge Rockville, Washington, D.C.

Heather Hostetter Hostetter Strent Bethesda

Thomas Murphy Murphy & Mood Rockville

James Hoffman Offit Kurman Bethesda

Arthur House Paley Rothman Bethesda

John Weaver Weaver Law Rockville

Daniel Kennedy III Barkley & Kennedy Rockville, Frederick

Jessica Markham Markham Law Firm Bethesda

Trish Weaver Paley Rothman Bethesda

Diana Valle The Valle Law Firm Bethesda

Kate McDonough McDonough Law Silver Spring

BANKRUPTCY – CREDITORS’ RIGHTS

BUSINESS/CORPORATE

Sarah Novak Nesbitt Family Legal Advocacy Group Rockville, Columbia

Howard Bierman BWW Law Group Rockville

Deborah Reiser Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Alan Eisler Eisler Hamilton Rockville

Millard Bennett Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

Darcy Shoop Darcy A. Shoop Rockville

John Farnum Miles & Stockbridge Rockville, Washington, D.C.

Constance Cantrell Cantrell Cohen Bethesda

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Paul Alpuche Jr. Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Congratulations to

Jeffrey N. Greenblatt

DIVORCING AFTER 50?

You’re not alone. More couples are divorcing in their later years.

What’s become known as “gray divorce” brings more challenges, especially since you have fewer years left to make up for the financial loss when dividing assets. Jeffrey N. Greenblatt is a renowned attorney, who has practiced family law, exclusively, for the past 46 years. He will protect your rights and help you move forward. With the right guidance, you will be prepared to make the most of the next phase of your life.

240.399.7894 | jgreenblatt@jgllaw.com | jgllaw.com

Over 46 Years in Family Law

TOP ATTORNEYS 2019 Michael Gottlieb Momentum Law Group Rockville Dave Hotes Bethesda Law Group Bethesda

Donald Sperling Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS

CIVIL LITIGATION

Ronald Bolt Bolt Legal Germantown

David Kay Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Michael Bramnick Bramnick Creed Bethesda

Rada Machin The Machin Law Firm Rockville

Lauri Cleary Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Robert Maclay Paley Rothman Bethesda

Kristin Draper Shulman Rogers Potomac

A. Howard Metro McMillan Metro Potomac

David Feinberg Venable Washington, D.C.

Jerry Miller Joseph, Greenwald & Laake Greenbelt

Michael Goecke Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Jack Orrick Jr. Linowes and Blocher Bethesda

William Goldberg Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

James Peppe West & Feinberg Bethesda

Robert Grant Furey, Doolan & Abell Bethesda

Kimberly Reed Shulman Rogers Potomac

Mary Lombardo Rismiller Law Group Rockville

Jordan Savitz Offit Kurman Bethesda

Rachel McGuckian Miles & Stockbridge Rockville

Andrew Schwartz Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

Thomas D. Murphy Murphy & Mood Rockville

David Shapiro Paley Rothman Bethesda

Jack Quinn Ethridge, Quinn, Kemp, McAuliffe, Rowan & Hartinger Rockville

Karen Shapiro Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

Jeffrey Schwaber Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

Raymond Sherbill Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda 110

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Brian Bichy Linowes and Blocher Bethesda

Daniel Hodin Paley Rothman Bethesda Ruth Katz Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda Thomas Schild Thomas Schild Law Group Rockville Jeremy Tucker Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda CRIMINAL DEFENSE Kush Arora Price Benowitz Rockville Stuart Berman Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda Thomas DeGonia II Ethridge, Quinn, Kemp, McAuliffe, Rowan & Hartinger Rockville David Felsen Felsen & Sargent Rockville Andrew Jezic Jezic & Moyse Wheaton Paul Kemp Ethridge, Quinn, Kemp, McAuliffe, Rowan & Hartinger Rockville David Martella Barry H. Helfand & David Martella Rockville Stanley Reed Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

MATTHEW D. ALEGI

TODD D. BROWN

MEREDITH CAMPBELL

PAUL CHUNG

KRISTIN E. DRAPER

JAY M. EISENBERG

MICHAEL J. LICHTENSTEIN

HEATHER L. MEHIGAN

ALEXANDRA MICHAILOV

ALEXIS H. PETERS

KIMBERLY D. REED

NANCY P. REGELIN

301-230-6574 malegi@shulmanrogers.com Commercial Real Estate

301-231-0943 kdraper@shulmanrogers.com Civil Litigation

301-231-0922 amichailov@shulmanrogers.com Immigration

301-230-6579 tbrown@shulmanrogers.com Land Use and Zoning

301-230-5223 jeisenberg@shulmanrogers.com Trust and Estates

301-255-0538 apeters@shulmanrogers.com Commercial Real Estate

301-255-0550 mcampbell@shulmanrogers.com Employment and Labor Law

301-230-5231 mjl@shulmanrogers.com Bankruptcy (Creditors)

301-230-5955 kreed@shulmanrogers.com International

301-230-5230 pchung@shulmanrogers.com Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury

301-255-0552 hmehigan@shulmanrogers.com Family Law/Divorce

301-230-5224 nregelin@shulmanrogers.com Land Use and Zoning

Our attorneys provide sound legal advice and develop creative strategies to help achieve your business and personal goals.

ROXANNE L. WARD

301-230-5207 rward@shulmanrogers.com Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury

Shulman Rogers 12505 Park Potomac Avenue Potomac, MD 20854 T: 301-230-5200

info@shulmanrogers.com ShulmanRogers_v3.indd 1

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TOP ATTORNEYS 2019 Rene Sandler Sandler Law Rockville

Morris Klein Morris Klein Attorney at Law Bethesda

James Hammerschmidt Paley Rothman Bethesda

Paul Stein Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

Ron Landsman Landsman Law Group Rockville

Jay Holland Joseph, Greenwald & Laake Rockville, Greenbelt

Camilla McRory Camilla McRory, Attorney at Law Rockville

Neil Hyman Law Office of Neil S. Hyman Bethesda

EMPLOYMENT – EMPLOYEE

James Rubin Rubin Employment Law Firm Rockville

ELDER Jenica Cassidy Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda Mindy Felinton Felinton Elder Law & Estate Planning Centers Rockville Barry Fierst Fierst & Fink Rockville Stephanie Fink Fierst & Fink Rockville

Michael Amster Zipin, Amster & Greenberg Silver Spring Joseph Creed Bramnick Creed Bethesda Gregg Greenberg Zipin, Amster & Greenberg Silver Spring

Diane Seltzer Torre The Seltzer Law Firm Bethesda Jason Zuckerman Zuckerman Law Washington, D.C.

Congratulations

DONNA K. RISMILLER

Voted A Top Attorney by her peers, Donna K. Rismiller is the founder of the firm and is an accomplished litigator and collaborative resolution professional. Focusing her practice exclusively in the area of Family Law, she assists her clients with complex financial resolutions, significant custody decisions, as well as highly emotionallycharged disputes, often involving the challenging dynamics of abuse and control.

“We consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to assist you with your legal needs.”

Family Law, Trusts & Estates, Business Law, Criminal Defense, Civil Litigation and Employment Law 51 Monroe Place, Suite 1406, Rockville, MD 20850 | (301) 340-1616 | WWW.RISMILLERLAW.COM

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Congratulations

Sandra Guzman-Salvado Sandra has been representing clients in Divorce, Child Custody, Child Support matters in Maryland since 2004. She knew from the beginning of her legal career that family law was her calling. Her legal career started at the Baltimore City office of the Legal Aid Bureau in the Domestic and Child in Need of Assistance (CINA) units as an intern while attending school at the University of Baltimore School of Law. After graduation

from Law School, she practiced family law throughout Maryland and often volunteered at various legal clinics throughout Maryland to gain more experience while giving back to the community. She has a well-established law firm with the main office in Rockville. Her satellite offices are located in Greenbelt, Frederick, and Anne Arundel.

11 N. Washington St., Suite 230 , Rockville, MD 20850 • (301) 340-1911

TOP ATTORNEYS 2019 EMPLOYMENT – EMPLOYER Meredith Campbell Shulman Rogers Potomac Hope Eastman Paley Rothman Bethesda Marc Engel Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda Jonathan Greenbaum Coburn & Greenbaum Washington, D.C. James Hammerschmidt Paley Rothman Bethesda Jay Holland Joseph, Greenwald & Laake Rockville, Greenbelt

Michael Neary Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Lisa Seltzer Becker Offit Kurman Bethesda

Nathan Postillion Gleason, Flynn, Emig & McAfee Rockville

Tammy Begun Capital Family Law Group, Price Benowitz Rockville

Julie Reddig Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda Deyka Williams Spencer The Spencer Firm Rockville FAMILY/DIVORCE Alexander Anderson The Law Firm of Alexander K. Anderson Rockville Michael Barrett The Firm National Harbor, Maryland

CONGRATULATIONS TO MICHAEL J. BRAMNICK AND JOSEPH M. CREED FOR BEING VOTED 2019 “TOP LAWYERS”

Sandra Brooks Offit Kurman Bethesda David Bulitt Joseph, Greenwald & Laake Rockville, Greenbelt Julie Christopher Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville Tracey Coates Paley Rothman Bethesda

BRAMNICK CREED, LLC • CIVIL LITIGATION • EMPLOYMENT LAW,

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JOSEPH M. CREED

MICHAEL J. BRAMNICK

Mike@BramnickCreed.com

“Top Lawyer” in Employment Law, Appellate Law

“Top Lawyer” in Civil Litigation

JCreed@BramnickCreed.com

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

www.BramnickCreed.com

Heather Collier Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Marjorie DiLima Fait & DiLima Rockville, Frederck

Casey Weinberg Florance Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Aindrea Conroy Ethridge, Quinn, Kemp, McAuliffe, Rowan & Hartinger Rockville

Sara Donohue Offit Kurman Bethesda

Susan Friedman Kuder, Smollar, Friedman & Mihalik Washington, D.C.

Glenn Cooper Paley Rothman Bethesda

Kathleen Dumais Ethridge, Quinn, Kemp, McAuliffe, Rowan & Hartinger Rockville

Steven Gaba Law Office of Steven J. Gaba Rockville

Jonathan Dana Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell Washington, D.C.

Robert Eustice The Law Offices of Robert C. Eustice Bethesda

Jennifer Davison Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell Washington, D.C.

Darryl Feldman Feldman Jackson Bethesda

Kathryn Deckert Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

Stephanie Fink Fierst & Fink Rockville

Emily Gelmann Offit Kurman Bethesda Jeffrey N. Greenblatt Joseph, Greenwald & Laake Rockville Anne Grover Joseph, Greenwald & Laake Rockville Sandra Guzman-Salvado Law Offices of Sandra GuzmanSalvado Rockville

DAVID BULITT 240-399-7888 | dbulitt@jgllaw.com | jgllaw.com

DURING DIVORCE, SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN ARE A PRIORITY. David Bulitt is a veteran family law attorney who understands the additional challenges divorce poses for children with ADHD, autism or other special needs.

Parents in the midst of separation and divorce depend on David to protect their financial rights and interests while remaining passionate and concerned about the most important asset – their children.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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TOP ATTORNEYS 2019 Monica Garcia Harms Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville Cheryl Hepfer Offit Kurman Bethesda Heather Hostetter Hostetter Strent Bethesda Anne Marie Jackson Feldman Jackson Bethesda Virginia Joehl Joehl Law Bethesda, Rockville

Samantha Kravitz Markham Law Firm Bethesda

Rachel McGuckian Miles & Stockbridge Rockville

Carlos Lastra Paley Rothman Bethesda

Heather Mehigan Shulman Rogers Potomac

Jeff Lowinger New & Lowinger Bethesda

Pilar Nichols Offit Kurman Bethesda

Jessica Markham Markham Law Firm Bethesda

Lindsay Parvis Joseph, Greenwald & Laake Rockville

Heather McCabe McCabe Russell Fulton, Maryland

Brian Pearlstein Brodsky, Renehan, Pearlstein & Bouquet Gaithersburg

Kate McDonough McDonough Law Silver Spring

Sheila Kadagathur Hostetter Strent Bethesda

Linda J. Ravdin Pasternak & Fidis Bethesda

Rhian McGrath Webb Soypher McGrath Bethesda

Erin Kopelman Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Donna Rismiller Rismiller Law Group Rockville

securities

labor relations

labor & employment

criminal defense

corporate & whistleblower

class actions

antitrust

problem solvers ¡ trial lawyers coburngreenbaum.com

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Christopher Roberts Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Stewart A. Sutton Law Office of Stewart A. Sutton Germantown

Sogand Zamani Zamani & Associates Washington, D.C.

Megan Rosan Bulman, Dunie, Burke & Feld Bethesda

Michelle C. Thomas M.C. Thomas and Associates Silver Spring, Washington, D.C.

HEALTH CARE

Darcy Shoop Darcy A. Shoop Rockville

Donna E. Van Scoy The Law Office of Donna E. Van Scoy Rockville

Michael Sinay Paradiso, Taub, Sinay, Owel & Kostecka Bethesda

Deborah Webb Webb Soypher McGrath Bethesda Jan W. White Pasternak & Fidis Bethesda

Howard Soypher Webb Soypher McGrath Bethesda

Dana K. Whitten Law Offices of Dana K. Whitten Rockville

Amy Strent Hostetter Strent Bethesda

Brian Wise Wise Family Law Division of Altman & Associates Rockville

Elyse Strickland McMillan Metro Potomac

Sigrid Haines Whiteford, Taylor & Preston Columbia, Baltimore Nathan Postillion Gleason, Flynn, Emig & McAfee Rockville David Shapiro Paley Rothman Bethesda IMMIGRATION Himedes Chicas Jezic & Moyse Wheaton

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BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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TOP ATTORNEYS 2019 Ignacio Donoso I.A. Donoso & Associates Bethesda

Becki Young Grossman Young & Hammond Bethesda, Silver Spring

Arthur House Paley Rothman Bethesda

Maria Glinsmann Glinsmann Immigration Gaithersburg

INSURANCE

LAND USE/ZONING

Jonathan Marlin Friedlander Misler Washington, D.C.

Robert Brewer Jr. Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Nathan Postillion Gleason, Flynn, Emig & McAfee Rockville

Todd Brown Shulman Rogers Potomac

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Peter Ciferri McMillan Metro Potomac

Matthew Glinsmann Glinsmann Immigration Gaithersburg Sandra Grossman Grossman Young & Hammond Bethesda, Silver Spring Denise Hammond Grossman Young & Hammond Bethesda, Silver Spring Alexandra Michailov Shulman Rogers Potomac Sonal J. Mehta Verma Nankin & Verma Rockville

David Crosland Edell, Shapiro & Finnan Gaithersburg Ira Edell Edell, Shapiro & Finnan Gaithersburg

Casey Cirner Miles & Stockbridge Rockville Bob Dalrymple Linowes and Blocher Bethesda

MARC S. LEVINE A TOP

TRUSTS AND ESTATES ATTORNEY

Marc L evine has been working with clients in Maryland, V irginia and DC for over 25 years, helping them, and their families, plan for the future. Marc understands how family dynamics intersect with estate tax and estate planning issues, especially with blended and non-traditional families. He focuses on the client - and not j ust their assets - to combine careful estate planning with common sense solutions.

4520 East West Highway, Suite 700, Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 961-6464x3313 | www.handlerlevine.com | marc@handlerlevine.com 118

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Heather Dlhopolsky Linowes and Blocher Bethesda

Nancy Regelin Shulman Rogers Potomac

Denis Mitchell Stein Mitchell Beato & Missner Washington, D.C.

Timothy Dugan Bean, Kinney & Korman Arlington

Steven Robins Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Nathan Postillion Gleason, Flynn, Emig & McAfee Rockville

Patricia Harris Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Stacy Plotkin Silber Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Roxanne Ward Shulman Rogers Potomac

Robert Harris Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE

PERSONAL INJURY/ WORKERS’ COMP

Paul Chung Shulman Rogers Potomac

Phillip Hummel Linowes and Blocher Bethesda

Fred Balkin Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

Annie Hirsch Hirsch & Cosca Silver Spring

Jody Kline Miller, Miller & Canby Rockville

Robert Michael Shadoan, Michael & Wells Rockville

Patrick O’Neil Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Alan Belsky Belsky, Weinberg & Horowitz Baltimore Joshua Berman Dross Berman Rockville

ADOPTION ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY FAMILY SOGAND ZAMANI, ESQ.

2121 K Street, NW, Suite 900 Washington, DC 20037 202.510.9112

zamaniassociates.com

CONFIDENCE. EXPERIENCE. RESULTS. BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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TOP ATTORNEYS 2019 Linda Faith Burgos Burgos & Burgos Silver Spring

Jonathan Marlin Friedlander Misler Washington, D.C.

Kenneth West Abrams & West Bethesda

Steven Cooper Cooper Law Firm Silver Spring

David Martella Barry H. Helfand & David Martella Rockville

John Yannone Price Benowitz Washington, D.C.

Manny Fishelman Antezana & Antezana Gaithersburg

Steven Rohan Rohan Law Firm Silver Spring

REAL ESTATE – COMMERCIAL

Meliha Pérez Halpern Pérez Halpern Rockville

Megan Rosan Bulman, Dunie, Burke & Feld Bethesda

Jonathan Lieberman Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

Daniel Shaivitz Bulman, Dunie, Burke & Feld Bethesda

Ivonne Lindley Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

Steven Vinick Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville Steven Weisbaum The Weisbaum Law Firm Rockville

Matthew Alegi Shulman Rogers Potomac Howard Bierman BWW Law Group Rockville Michael Bramnick Bramnick Creed Bethesda Douglas Bregman Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday Bethesda

Estates and Trusts Family Law

Congratulations to our Bethesda Magazine “Top Attorneys”:

Kabel

Anne W. Coventry Stephanie Perry Linda J. Ravdin Adam P. Swaim Anne (Jan) W. White

7735 Old Georgetown Road, Suite 1100 Bethesda, MD 20814 301.656.8850 pasternakfidis.com 120

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Sharon Nelson Craig Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Thomas Kokolis Parker, Simon & Kokolis Rockville

Brad Dashoff Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott Bethesda

Dan Kotz First Class Title Rockville

Christine Gresham Gresham Cahn Gaithersburg

Ann Marie Mehlert Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Alexis Peters Shulman Rogers Potomac

Daniel Hodin Paley Rothman Bethesda Beth Irving Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

Howard Bierman BWW Law Group Rockville Lynn Caudle Boynton Clifford, Debelius, Boynton & Hyatt Gaithersburg

Craig Parker Parker, Simon & Kokolis Rockville

Ronald Hirschel The Hirschel Group Gaithersburg

REAL ESTATE – RESIDENTIAL

Daniel Hodin Paley Rothman Bethesda Harvey S. Jacobs Jacobs & Associates Rockville Thomas Kokolis Parker, Simon & Kokolis Rockville

William Riggins III Linowes and Blocher Bethesda

Dan Kotz First Class Title Rockville

David Weintraub Linowes and Blocher Bethesda

Commercial Landlords and Tenants Rely on Us I Commercial Litigation I Construction & Buildout Issues I Contract Review I Entity Formation I Environmental Issues I Financing Issues I Intellectual Property Law

I Lease Review & Negotiation - Industrial - Medical - Office - Restaurant - Retail I Letters of Intent I Liquor Licensing

I Mixed Use Projects I Non-Disturbance & Subordination I Reciprocal Easement Agreements (REAs) I Review of Insurance Issues I Sale & Purchase of Businesses I Subleases & Assignments

Call Today! Michael A. Faerber, Attorney | (301) 251-1180 x 305

McMillanMetro.com Contact us for all of your business & personal legal needs.

I Arbitration & Mediation I Corporate & Business Law I Commercial Law I Education Law I Employment Law & Litigation I Estate Planning & Administration I Family Law I Intellectual Property I Land Use, Zoning & Municipal Law I Military Law I Partnership Planning I Personal Injury BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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TOP ATTORNEYS 2019 David P. Modell Law Office of David P. Modell Bethesda

Michael Eig Michael J. Eig & Associates Chevy Chase

Diana Savit Savit & Szymkowicz Bethesda

Craig Parker Parker, Simon & Kokolis Rockville

Barry Fierst Fierst & Fink Rockville

Jaime Seaton McDonough Law Silver Spring

Adam Polsky Peak Settlements Rockville

Brian Gruber Law Office of Brian K. Gruber Rockville

Elizabeth Tello Tello Law Rockville

Diane Rosenberg Rosenberg & Associates Bethesda

Patrick Hoover Hoover Law Rockville

Katherine Thomas Family Legal Advocacy Group Rockville

Randall Rothstein Paragon Title & Escrow Company Bethesda

Natasha Nazareth McMillan Metro Potomac

TAX

SCHOOLS/EDUCATION

Sarah Novak Nesbitt Family Legal Advocacy Group Rockville, Columbia

Lisa Seltzer Becker Offit Kurman Bethesda

Patrick O’Neil Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

AWARD WINNING IMMIGRATION LAW FIRM UNITED STATES AND CANADIAN IMMIGRATION SERVICES TEMPORARY WORK VISAS FOR PROFESSIONALS AND INVESTORS PERMANENT RESIDENCY FOR SKILLED AND UNSKILLED WORKS U.S. SELFSPONSORED GREEN CARDS FOR EXTRAORDINARY ABILITY WORKERS AND NATIONAL INTEREST WAIVERS INVESTOR GREEN CARDS U.S. EB5 AND CANADIAN PROVINCIAL NOMINEE FAMILY IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATIONS

WWW.DONOSOLAW.COM

301 276 0653 122

WASHINGTON DC TORONTO DELHI

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Paul Alpuche Jr. Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda James Dawson Jr. Miles & Stockbridge Baltimore, Rockville

Dave Hotes is the founding member of the Bethesda Law Group. BLG is a business-oriented firm located on East West Highway in Bethesda. Dave, who is both a CPA and an attorney, serves as a trusted business advisor and outside general counsel to a variety of small and mediumsized businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the DC area. Through his prior experiences with large downtown firms, Dave delivers sophisticated legal services at a costeffective rate in the following practice areas: business and corporate law, transactional matters, and tax controversy resolution. Please contact BLG if you are forming, buying or selling your own business, have other businessrelated needs or are being underserved or overcharged by your present counsel.

4520 East West Highway, Suite 700 Bethesda, MD 20814 dave@bethesdalawgroup.com

WWW.BETHESDALAWGROUP.COM

David De Jong Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville Wayne Eig Paley Rothman Bethesda Michael Goldberg Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

Paul Marcotte Jr. Paley Rothman Bethesda

Gary Altman Altman & Associates Rockville

John Pontius Pontius Tax Law Rockville

Frank Baldino Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Eric Rollinger Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

Mary Beth Beattie Law Office of Mary Beth Beattie Rockville

Mark Schweighofer Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

Steve Jacobson West & Feinberg Bethesda Chaya Kundra Kundra & Associates Rockville Robb Longman Longman & Van Grack Bethesda

Micah Bonaviri Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

TRUSTS AND ESTATES

K. Lynn Carter The Carter Law Firm Annapolis

Charles Abell Furey, Doolan & Abell Bethesda

Kerri Castellini Price Benowitz Washington, D.C.

Karen Hulme Alegi Alegi Anderson Frederick

Michelle Chapin Paley Rothman Bethesda

Cooper Law Over 60 years of combined experience, integrity and results

301.587.9170 stevencooperlaw.com Steven M. Cooper, Esq.

Stephanie L. Cooper, Esq.

Mr. Cooper is a well-known and experienced trial lawyer. His personal injury have resulted in many million dollar verdicts/settlements, including one of the highest verdicts in Maryland history. He has advanced and changed the law in favor of injured claimants in Maryland & Washington D.C. Because of his achievements, commit he was recently selected for the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, recognizing him for his qualifications and achievements in personal injury cases.

Mr. Cooper's daughter, Stephanie Cooper, practices family law, criminal, and traffic defense and is a professional certified mediator. As a mediator, she strongly believes in using non-litigation strategies to save parties substantial fees, stress and the risks that come with trial. She grew up in Montgomery County, Maryland and is a graduate of the University of Southern California.

She brings a unique combination of views beyond the local area and applies a broader perspective with her skill, creativity and resourcefulness.

smcooper@stevencooperlaw.com

stephanie@stevencooperlaw.com

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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TOP ATTORNEYS 2019 Richard Chisholm WardChisholm Bethesda

Jeffrey Kolender Paley Rothman Bethesda

Stephanie Perry Pasternak & Fidis Bethesda

Anne Coventry Pasternak & Fidis Bethesda

Marc Levine Handler & Levine Bethesda

Jeremy Rachlin Bulman, Dunie, Burke & Feld Bethesda

Jay Eisenberg Shulman Rogers Potomac

Kate McDonough McDonough Law Silver Spring

Paul Riekhof Joseph, Greenwald & Laake Rockville, Greenbelt

Marc Feinberg West & Feinberg Bethesda

Jeffrey McEvoy McEvoy Law Frederick

Adam P. Swaim Pasternak & Fidis Bethesda

Robert Grant Furey, Doolan & Abell Bethesda

Brian McFarland McFarland & Masters Catonsville

Megan Wallace Wallace Law Bethesda

Will Hellams Lerch, Early & Brewer Bethesda

Leah Morabito Gimmel, Weiman, Ersek, Blomberg & Lewis Gaithersburg

Steven Widdes Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll Rockville

Phil O’Donoghue Furey, Doolan & Abell Bethesda

Richard Winters Law Offices of Richard M. Winters Frederick

Lauren Jenkins Offit Kurman Bethesda, Tysons Corner

Pontius Tax Law, PLLC John Pontius - Tax Attorney 6 Years - Super Lawyers Rising Stars Selection 7960 Old Georgetown Road #3B Bethesda, Maryland 20814 (240) 396-4373 www.markhamlegal.com

Trust. Dedication. Value.

Representing local, national and international businesses and individuals with complex tax issues.

Markham Law Firm would like to thank our peers for voting for Samantha H. Kravitz and Jessica Markham for Bethesda Magazine Top Attorneys.

Avvo Rating - 10/10 Veteran Owned Business — FBAR Examination and Offshore Disclosures

— Audits and Appeals

— Tax Planning

— IRS Penalty and

— Unfiled Tax Returns

Samantha H. Kravitz Top Family Law Attorney

Jessica Markham Top Family Law Attorney Top Alternative Dispute Resolution

— State Tax Issues Interest Abatement

— Lien Release

— US Tax Court Litigation

— Levy Relief

— Tax Fraud and Tax Evasion

— Trust Fund Recovery Penalty

www.PontiusTaxLaw .com I

202.875.7988

john.pontius@pontiustaxlaw.com

1101 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Ste. 300, Washington, DC 20004 124

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TONY J. LEWIS

Stacy Blondes Talbott Principal Law Office of Stacy B. Talbott, LLC See ProямБle page 139 BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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PROFILES

Shelly D. McKeon, Esq. & Jessica S. Kern, Esq. THE MCKEON LAW FIRM

Once a divorce is finalized, is there a way to later make modifications?

Shelly McKeon: While divorce signals the end of a marriage, it is not always the final word on how two parties will move forward with their lives. Life changes. Kids get older. One of you might get a new job, become disabled or move away. Sometimes, the other person isn’t sticking to what you agreed on or what a court ordered. While some aspects of divorce aren’t changeable, there are often fixes that can be negotiated or pursued through the court. For issues that need to be modified from an original divorce, an experienced family law attorney can guide you to a resolution that addresses your concerns.

What issues fall under the category of “family law” which your firm could help me with?

Jessica Kern: Our firm works on everything from prenuptial agreements to simple uncontested divorces to highly complex divorce cases involving businesses, partnerships, pensions, financial tracing and multiple properties.

The firm has extensive experience with settlement negotiations and trial litigation involving custody and visitation; enforcement, contempt and modification of prior orders; domestic violence; child, spousal, and retroactive support. We deliver the perspective as well as the experience to help you with your family law issue.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

A boutique firm with offices in Bethesda and Gaithersburg, The McKeon Law Firm offers a personal approach and customized solutions for all types of family law matters. Shelly D. McKeon has been recognized as a top lawyer by Washingtonian and has been included in Maryland Super Lawyers. The McKeon Law Firm also holds the highest Martindale-Hubbell rating. Many of the firm’s clients are referred to Shelly D. McKeon and Jessica S. Kern by the firm’s prior clients and other local professions; the firm considers this one of their greatest achievements.

17 B Firstfield Road, Suite 101 Gaithersburg, MD 20878 3 Bethesda Metro Center, Suite 700-71 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-417-9222 www.mckeonlawfirm.com

TONY J. LEWIS

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Manuel D. Machin, Esq. & Rada A. Machin, Esq.

HILARY SCHWAB

THE MACHIN LAW FIRM, LLC

What sets apart The Machin Law Firm from others?

The Machin Law Firm is a full-service firm. We practice business law, handle immigration applications, provide drunk driving defense, prepare estate plans and represent clients in high net worth divorce cases. We are able to master each of these areas, especially as they may relate to each other, by representing clients with multiple di erent legal needs and individually tackling the separate areas of law. We then come together to share our combined knowledge with our clients. s a family run law firm, each and every client has the benefit of both of us being involved in their legal matter and being fully up to speed and invested in their representation. We are always accessible to our clients, know each case thoroughly, and represent our clients with ealous advocacy and enthusiasm.

We have the benefit of being selective with our clients and cap our case load to ensure the most involvement as possible for each of our cases. We also do this at one billable rate. When our clients hire our firm, they get two attorneys. This approach is very innovative in the legal field and is highly uncommon. t’s the biggest benefit of hiring our law firm and our clients appreciate that level of service.

We have been pleased to provide five-star service to our clients, as we have been rated among many di erent platforms and we are proud that Rada Machin has been peer-nominated and recogni ed as a Top ttorney in the Business orporate law field in Bethesda Magazine. Our reputation for excellent service is extremely important to us and we wish to continue providing excellent legal representation to all of our clients.

HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Rada Machin, Top ttorney for Business orporate Law, Bethesda Magazine, 2019; Top 40 nder 40 in mmigration Law, ssociation of merican Trial Lawyers, 2018

One Research ourt, Suite 4 0 Rockville, MD 208 0 301-731-2000 info machinlawfirm.com www.machinlawfirm.com

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Darryl Feldman, Anne Marie Jackson, Rebecca Shankman, Marc A. Isaacs, John S. Dame and Rachel De Rose

Feldman Jackson, PC With a reputation for integrity, udgment and s ill, our attorneys at Feldman Jac son offer clients compassion, guidance, advocacy and, most importantly, a sense of control over their future. We help our clients to manage change with integrity.

ow does the firm approach divorce cases?

We are committed to advocating for each client in a way that will achieve their goals in the current dispute while recognizing that the parties will remain in contact for years to come, especially if there are children involved. Our lawyers are skilled in negotiation, Collaborative Law, and litigation. We will pursue settlement of our client’s claims as that is almost always preferable, but we will also strategically pursue litigation if that is the best way to achieve our client’s goals.

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AFFILIATIONS & AWARDS

Lawyer of the Year, Family Law-DC, Best Lawyers in America; Darryl Feldman and Anne Marie Jackson, Top Attorneys Divorce and Family Law, Bethesda Magazine; Best Law Firms, Tier 1, Family Law in DC, U.S. News & World Report; Best Lawyers in America; SuperLawyers, MD & DC

7600 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 625 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-715-8110 www.FeldmanJackson.com

ERICK GIBSON

What makes Feldman Jackson unique?

We devote our entire practice to family law. Our singular focus ensures that we are well-equipped to handle any divorce, from the most straightforward and amicable to the most complex and contentious. Our experience is both broad and deep and ranges from complex financial and business valuation issues to high con ict custody cases, and everything in between. Our attorneys are nationally recognized and frequently teach CLEs including trial advocacy to other family law attorneys. With this experience comes knowledge, judgment and the ability to creatively solve the complex problems that arise in family law cases.

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L-R: John Yannone, Kush Arora, David Benowitz, Founding Partner, Seth Price, Founding Partner, Virginia Vile Tehrani, Shawn Sukumar and Matthew Wilson

Price Benowitz LLP

ERICK GIBSON

Tell us about Price Benowitz? rice Benowit LL is a 38-lawyer firm with o ces throughout Maryland, the District of olumbia and irginia. Our legal team is experienced in many areas of law, including criminal defense, white collar and civil litigation, personal injury, medical malpractice, trusts and estates, family law, immigration, and whistleblower ui tam.

We take great pride in the diverse legal services we o er and our client-centered approach. ll rice Benowit team members are devoted to delivering an unparalleled client experience and ensuring that no uestion or concern goes unaddressed. We are a group of people dedicated to one cause: using great legal prowess to level the playing field as we fight for the best possible outcome in each case for our clients.

What makes Price Benowitz special?

Our firm is special because, under the guidance of managing partner Seth rice, we have assembled talented teams of attorneys passionate about helping others. We are a regional powerhouse of dedicated and skilled lawyers and sta committed to ealously and aggressively representing people in need.

For almost 2 years, founding partner David Benowit has vigorously advocated for those he represents in white-collar and high-profile criminal defense cases. David is a member of the Mid- tlantic nnocence roject, an organi ation that helps defend and exonerate wrongfully convicted people in Maryland, Washington, D. . and irginia.

John annone is passionate about personal injury, workers’ compensation and medical malpractice law. Glenn vey brings years of experience as the former State’s ttorney for rince George’s ounty and a former ssistant nited States ttorney. Kush rora o ers years of criminal defense experience with a client-oriented approach, Tammy Begun’s passion for protecting her clients interests in their family law issues is imbued in each case, and Kerri astellini skillfully guides people in handling their trusts and estates needs.

Throughout Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia, Price Benowitz has built a roster of attorneys that brings tremendous skill, dedication, and knowledge to the table. We are proud representatives of those who find themselves in need of legal counsel.

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

Super Lawyers; Rated, Martindaleubbell; arvard Law School Trial dvocacy Workshop Faculty Members; Washingtonian, Best of D. . Best Lawyer David Benowit ; ational Trial Lawyers Top 100; ational Board of Trial dvocacy

409 7th St. W Washington, D 20004 110 . Washington St. Rockville, MD 208 0 info riceBenowit .com www. riceBenowit .com

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Front Row (L-R): Linda Delaney, Michele Zavos, Joseph Figini, Margaret McKinney, Hope Stafford. Back Row (L-R): Abraham Sisson, Lauren Sharrock, Emily Cunniff, Bianca Pinnock, Mary Likos, Shaoli Katana

Delaney McKinney LLP

How do you approach working with a client?

There is no such thing as a typical domestic dispute every case is di erent. We make sure that every client receives individual attention, knowledgeable guidance and experienced legal representation that they need.

Our first step is to understand the client’s needs and goals. We take a holistic approach by looking at legal problems in the context of the person’s entire life. lients often have complex issues that require a creative solution in order to attain the best result, so we take the time to understand and assist them in defining and achieving their goals. We also bring a multifaceted approach to cases, ranging from traditional negotiations to mediation and complex litigation. We try to resolve cases amicably, but should a case require litigation, our team is prepared to use our keen negotiating skills and powerful courtroom presence to pursue the best possible result. ltimately, our forward-looking approach to cases helps the client face di cult situations and redefine their lives.

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42 Wisconsin ve., Suite 401 hevy hase, MD 2081 301-913- 23 info delaneymckinney.com

TONY J. LEWIS

Delaney McKinney is an established family law firm in the Washington, D metropolitan area, which is nown for being leaders in the field. We assist with life transitions such as prenuptial agreements, family formation adoption, assisted reproductive technology, surrogacy , divorce, custody, LGBT issues, estate planning and probate. Although we view litigation as a last resort, we are highly s illed and e perienced litigators. We apply the right mi of nowledge, creativity and compassion to successfully resolve even the most comple family matters amicably, constructively and with dignity.

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Back row (L-R): Paul T. Stein, Don N. Sperling, Julie B. Christopher, Mark W. Schweighofer, Ivonne Corsino Lindley, Eric J. Rollinger Middle row (L-R): Fred A. Balkin, Jonathan F. Lieberman, Monica Garcia Harms, Andrew L. Schwartz, Kathryn E. Deckert, David S. De Jong, Steven B. Vinick, Steven A. Widdes, Michael Y. Goldberg Front row (L-R): Micah A. Bonaviri, Millard S. Bennett, Jeff M. Schwaber, Karen N. Shapiro. Not pictured: Beth M. Irving

COURTESY PHOTO

Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll PC What sets Stein Sperling apart?

For over 40 years, Stein Sperling has provided a broad range of services to meet the business and personal needs of our clients throughout the metropolitan Washington area.

Our passion—for the law, for our clients, for providing quality and valuable service, creative thinking and practical solutions—permeates Stein Sperling’s culture and di erentiates our work. This passion shared among our 1 attorneys in 10 practice areas creates a unique, collaborative approach achieving the best possible results for our clients.

The collective strength of our attorneys’ partnership and communication with each other gives the firm a competitive advantage, allowing each of our clients to benefit from the network of resources made up of our practices and from our attorneys working together. This ability provides not only a strong foundation but also strengthens our services.

In addition, our attorneys’ extensive experience and willingness to step out of traditional boxes is the driving force behind their confidence in successfully resolving a client’s matters, and it has fueled Stein Sperling’s connection to the people, businesses and communities we serve.

As a result, our attorneys are leaders in each of our practice areas and have earned a reputation as the premier go-to law firms in this region. This connection and confidence have led to such recognition as Bethesda Magazine’s Top Attorneys award highlighting 20 of our attorneys in eight di erent practice areas.

HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

20 Top Attorneys, Bethesda Magazine shown in photo , 2019; Best Law Firm, U.S. News & World Report, 8 years; 9 attorneys listed as Best Lawyers, U.S. News & World Report; 24 Maryland Super Lawyers & Rising Stars

2 West Middle Lane Rockville, MD 208 0 301-340-2020 info@steinsperling.com www.steinsperling.com

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Reza Golesorkhi

JOSEPH GREENWALD & LAAKE PA Reza Golesorkhi is widely recognized as one of the top-tier divorce lawyers in Maryland and D.C. His business background makes him the go-to divorce lawyer for high net worth individuals. Skilled in all facets of client advocacy, his command of the courtroom sets him apart— he’s the divorce lawyer you want in court!

Shall I mediate or litigate my divorce?

The candid answer is that you will do both. Today, in virtually every divorce case, the parties attend mediation before filing for divorce or the court orders them into mediation.

This is the reason why you need to hire an attorney who not only has command of the courtroom but is also a very e ective negotiator. My philosophy is that mediation and litigation re uire the same skills, patience, preparation and precision.

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111 Rockville ike, Suite 97 Rockville, MD 208 0 240-399-7900 D: 240-399-7892 rgolesorkhi jgllaw.com www.jgllaw.com

ERICK GIBSON

Why does choosing the right divorce lawyer matter so much?

Divorce is extremely di cult. ou need an experienced divorce attorney by your side, one that listens to you, provides you candid advice and, most importantly, answers his phone. t is not the time to hire your cousin’s boyfriend’s uncle who speciali es in estate planning ou need an attorney who can navigate you through the emotional and financial issues of family disputes. ou need a skilled divorce attorney and an advisor who understands the law, is familiar with the legal system and is not afraid to stand up for your rights. s your attorney, will go toe-to-toe with my colleagues to get you the best outcome both in and outside of the courtroom. f you are looking for a strong advocate to provide you the personali ed service that you deserve, call me.

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Jay Holland

JOSEPH GREENWALD & LAAKE PA Jay Holland represents individuals and businesses in workplace disputes. He has litigated and negotiated settlements for thousands of clients facing employment issues. Jay also represents senior-level executives in contract and severance negotiations. He is nationally known for his representation of whistleblowers under the federal False Claims Act in cases involving government contract fraud.

Why did you choose workplace disputes and whistleblowers as a specialty area?

It is so gratifying to help my clients—both individuals and businesses—resolve problems whether it’s through negotiation or litigation.

Whistleblowers and victims of harassment and discrimination often feel as if no one is on their side. I pride myself on actively listening to my clients to truly understand not just their predicament, but what resolution they are seeking. find it incredibly rewarding to be an ally for my clients throughout what might be a di cult legal battle. Helping my clients understand the law, their options and getting great results is the most satisfying part of my job.

What do your clients need to know about you?

After resolving a very hotly contested whistleblower case, I received an unexpected gift from my client. It is a plaque that reads: “The Best Lawyer a Client Could Ever Have.” The plaque is a reminder of the importance of serving as a loyal ally, protector and advocate for my clients.

The process and “legalese” can be daunting. My job is to make sure they understand the process and their options. You can be passionate without arrogance. I maintain a healthy dose of humility which is appreciated by my clients and helps achieve their goals. As C.S. Lewis said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”

ACCOLADES

HILARY SCHWAB

Super Lawyers, Maryland & D.C.; Named by peers as a Top Attorney for Employment Law in Bethesda Magazine; Author, Family & Medical Leave Act, Maryland Employment Law Handbook; Over $650 million recovered for federal & state governments in False Claims Act/Qui Tam cases.

6404 Ivy Lane, Suite 400 | Greenbelt, MD 20770 111 Rockville Pike | Rockville, MD 20850 O: 301-220-2200 | D: 240-553-1198 jhollaand@jgllaw.com | www.jgllaw.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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Deborah Webb, Howard B. Soypher, Lisa Fishberg and Rhian McGrath WEBB SOYPHER MCGRATH, LLC

Webb Soypher McGrath is a premier family law firm whose attorneys are trusted leaders in family law. We provide personalized service with a high level of e pertise. ur goal is to assist our clients in reaching favorable outcomes through negotiation, mediation and litigation, when necessary. We are mindful to be cost-efficient when managing your case.

In Maryland, do I need to be separated from my spouse for a year before I can get a divorce?

If you and your spouse enter into a written agreement resolving all of your issues such as, custody, child support, alimony and disposition of your property, then you can mutually agree to immediately proceed with a divorce on the grounds of mutual consent. The final divorce hearing is typically held about -8 weeks after the re uest for the hearing is filed.

Our attorneys are consistently recognized as top leaders in family law by numerous local and national publications, including Super Lawyers, Top 100 in the State of Maryland and D.C. We are also fellows in prestigious national and international organizations that advance the practice of family law.

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4340 East West Highway, Suite 401 Bethesda, MD 20814 Main: 301-298-8401 HSoypher@WSMFamily.com www.WSMFamily.com

HEATHER FUENTES

Will text messages that I have sent or social media postings that I have made come up in the divorce proceeding?

In the majority of contested cases, the answer is “yes.� It is now routine for each side to request that the other produce copies of all text message exchanges with certain individuals.

Our clients are regularly reminded to be judicious in what they chose to write in text messages and what they chose to post on social media.

Our general rule of thumb is do not write or post anything that you would not want a judge to read.

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Standing (L-R): Jim Hammerschmidt, Trish Weaver, Carlos Lastra, David Shapiro, Tracey Coates, Art House, Bob Maclay, Michelle Chapin, Glenn Cooper Sitting (L-R): Jeffrey Kolender, Hope Eastman, Daniel Hodin Not pictured: Wayne Eig, Paul Marcotte

Paley Rothman Founded in in Bethesda, aley othman is one of the leading law firms representing businesses and individual clients across multiple practice areas.

COURTESY PHOTO

What has remained consistent at the firm over the years?

The Paley Perspective—We see matters through the lens of your desired objectives and from there, we develop a strategy to meet your needs. Businesses and individuals, like you, rely on Paley Rothman to identify key issues, analyze and interpret complex information and develop approaches that protect your interests and ensure your longterm success. The “Paley Perspective” has led to Paley Rothman’s reputation among the Top Lawyers in Maryland. mid-si ed firm in Bethesda, aley Rothman has developed a loyal base of clients who appreciate our e ciency, collegiality and knowledge in such areas as family law, estate planning, corporate, tax, real estate, litigation, insurance, healthcare and employment law. We operate cost-e ectively with lean sta ng and a multicultural workforce, to provide you with the highest level of personal service. ow has aley othman evolved as ontgomery ounty has grown?

Paley Rothman is proud to be part of Montgomery County, and as the county has grown more diverse and sophisticated, so has the firm. We have added lawyers who are adept in numerous new growth practices, and we represent clients in larger, more sophisticated matters. We’re committed to many business and civic groups and provide pro bono representation through several social justice organizations.

We are a multi-lingual, multi-racial, inviting workplace that values diversity and inclusion.

As Montgomery County has become one of the best places to live, Paley Rothman has evolved into one the best places to work.

HONORS & ACCOLADES

Best Lawyers, “Best Law Firms” national & metropolitan rankings, .S. ews; Best Lawyers in America; Super Lawyers and Rising Stars, Maryland, D.C. and Virginia

4800 Hampden Lane, 6th Floor Bethesda, MD 20814 301-656-7603 info@paleyrothman.com www.paleyrothman.com

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Ignacio Donoso MANAGING ATTORNEY, I.A. DONOSO & ASSOCIATES Donoso & Associates is nationally recognized as a leading business immigration law firm with particular e pertise in visas for professionals, researchers, investors, professional athletes and families. ur clients see e perienced guidance on how to obtain appropriate wor visas or green card status in the nited States.

When is the right time to apply for a visa?

The short answer is to plan ahead because visa availability varies each year. Some applications can be filed at any time, such as family sponsored green cards, work sponsored green cards, L visas for transfer of workers or T visas for professionals from anada or Mexico.

By contrast, the -1B temporary skilled worker program has an annual lottery for new visas for private employers held the first week of pril each year unless the worker already has an -1B visa .

Similarly, -2B visas for temporary non-agricultural workers, sometimes used by hospitality workers and landscapers, begin the application proceess at least 120 days before start of employment, and new visas are o ered semi-annually, from Oct. 1-March 31 and pril 1-Sept. 30.

7401 Wisconsin ve., Suite 400 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-27 -0 ignacio.donoso@donosolaw.com www.donosolaw.com 136

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COURTESY PHOTO

What are the best ways for obtaining a green card for an employee? always advise clients to take a exible approach to planning because a particular visa program that s helpful today may become unavailable in a few years. Green cards for employees re uire careful planning and depend entirely on the type of job. isa re uirements are di erent, for example, for a valuable production worker compared to a high-skilled researcher with do ens of publications. Two green card programs that are usually uite helpful are the B-2 and B-3 programs. Both usually re uire first an application to the federal Department of Labor followed by a visa application to S S. limited number of green card categories allow a person to self-sponsor their green card, such as the B-1 and B-2 ational nterest Waiver.

They re reserved for people with extraordinary achievements in sciences, arts, business or athletics. The B- investor visa re uires a significant investment of lawfully earned capital and creation of at least 10 new jobs for .S. workers.

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Back Row (L-R): Heather Collier, Erik Arena, Christopher Roberts, Casey Florance Front Row: Erin Kopelman, Deborah Reiser, Elizabeth Estephan

Lerch, Early & Brewer Lerch Early’s team of divorce lawyers, one of the most respected family law groups in the D.C. metropolitan area, represents clients in comple and highly contentious con icts, as well as in simpler, more amicable matters in Maryland and D.C. We regularly handle issues including alimony, asset distribution, child support custody visitation, post-divorce modifications and prenuptial postnuptial agreements. n addition, five of our divorce attorneys were recognized by their peers in Bethesda Magazine’s first Top Attorneys list.

MICHAEL VENTURA

What should I expect from my divorce attorney?

If you are going through or are contemplating separation or divorce, you need information. Our attorneys are responsive: they’re excellent listeners, they answer their phones and they include you in the process at every step of the way, so you understand your rights and responsibilities.

When working with us, you always know exactly where things stand in your case.

Lerch arly clients also benefit from the experience of a bouti ue family law shop backed by the knowledge and support of a full-service law firm. When a matter involves complex real estate, business, tax, employment, estate or criminal defense issues, our clients benefit from close collaboration between our divorce attorneys and their colleagues in the firm’s other practice areas.

When should I go to court for a divorce?

Ideally, disputes are resolved amicably, without the need for litigation. Lerch Early attorneys are highly skilled at negotiation, mediation and collaborative law. However, in the case you are unable to come to an amicable resolution, you need attorneys who excel in the courtroom. Lerch Early’s divorce attorneys are prepared and forceful advocates before the courts in Maryland and the District, with significant trial experience.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Best Lawyers in America, U.S. News; Top Lawyers, Washingtonian; Top Attorneys, Heather Collier, Casey Florance, Erin Kopelman, Deborah Reiser & Christopher Roberts, Bethesda Magazine, 2019; Best Lawyers; Super Lawyers

7600 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 700 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-986-1300 www.lerchearly.com

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Rene Sandler, Esq.

SANDLER LAW LLC

Rene Sandler, Esq. is proud to be the only female recognized by her peers as a Top Attorney for Criminal Defense in this issue of Bethesda Magazine.

Born and raised in Montgomery County, Sandler is a zealous advocate who fights passionately on behalf of her clients in every case.

I am in trouble—why should I hire you as my attorney?

I have extensive experience in criminal (adult and juvenile) misdemeanors and felonies, DUI, MVA and tra c matters, and all aspects of child protective services investigations, including administrative appeals. For more than two decades of handling criminal defense in Maryland, I have practiced law and litigation with one motto: Results Matter. ou should feel complete confidence and trust in making the decision to hire an attorney. I am committed to work closely with each client to set goals and develop strategies to obtain the desired results. I approach cases with creativity and outside-the-box thinking to problem solve and identify all of the issues in a case.

The amount of time I dedicate to each case absolutely sets me apart from other attorneys. I am accessible to my clients and regularly communicate to keep them up to date and informed about any developments in their cases. Every case and client are important and deserve my personal attention, time and full consideration.

What tools are available to assist you in defending cases?

In today’s world the use of social media and technology are featured in almost every case. A criminal lawyer must be skilled and competent in the use of technology and how to use it to benefit a client.

As an experienced litigator, I use state-of-the-art tools in investigations, including forensic experts, to a ord clients the best possible defense. My knowledge and skills in forensic evidence, such as DNA and digital evidence, gives my clients cuttingedge advantages for their cases.

HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

11 N. Washington St., Suite 210 Rockville, MD 20850 301-610-9797 | sandler@sandlerlawllc.com www.sandlerlawllc.com 138

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LISA HELFERT

SuperLawyers, 2011– 2020; Top 50 Women in Maryland 2012-2018, 2020; Top 100 Lawyers in Maryland 20122013, 2016-2018,; National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Criminal Defense, Best Trial Lawyers in the U.S.

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Stacy Blondes Talbott PRINCIPAL, LAW OFFICE OF STACY B. TALBOTT, LLC Ms. Talbott s new Bethesda office is in the Landow Building at Woodmont Ave., offering plenty of convenient par ing. She continues to have a oc ville office, as well. The ircuit ourt appoints her as a mediator to help resolve divorce cases.

How can we simplify this divorce and get it done fast?

No matter the length of your marriage, I’ll help you select the best method to deal with your divorce, custody and support matters. Whether your situation is hotly contested in court or in negotiations with counsel, o er strong litigation, mediation and negotiation skills. At a reasonable cost, I will strive to protect you, your children and your finances.

I have a results-oriented pragmatic approach and can resolve complex matters by separating them into manageable legal issues. With this blend of skills and proven approach, I help clients achieve their long-term goals.

I opened this business in Rockville in 1986, expanded into Bethesda, and have been providing exceptional Family Law services to my clients ever since.

How can you help me achieve my goals and help me through this di cult time?

Family Law matters are very stressful. But I o er a calm and compassionate demeanor, with a little gentle good humor and listen to the details of your personal circumstances. find this really helps my clients deal with the stress that comes with the uncertainty of divorce and custody matters. I derive professional pride from satisfied clients whom assist as they enter the next phase of life. o matter how di cult it may get, ’ll stay even-tempered under pressure and try to keep you smiling throughout the process to a successful conclusion.

HONORS AND SPECIALTIES

TONY J. LEWIS

AV® Preeminent Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®; Maryland Top 50 Women Attorney; Top Attorney for Family Law, Bethesda Magazine, 2019; Super Lawyers, Maryland & D.C.; Active in the Collaborative Divorce Association, Women’s Bar Association & Montgomery County Bar Association.

7910 Woodmont Ave. | Bethesda, MD 20814 301-424-7799 | stacytalbottlaw@gmail.com stacytalbottlaw.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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L-R: Sydney A. Montgomery, Jillian S. Morris, Janelle Walwyn-White, Jessica Markham, Leslie Miller and Samantha H. Kravitz.

Markham Law Firm

ow do clients descri e your firm? lients describe us as e ective, responsive, caring, trustworthy and providing a sense of calm. These are excerpts from actual reviews: “…friendly and easy to work with. They made my process much [more] enjoyable than I anticipated.”

“Jessica, Leslie, and Jillian all made me feel as though they truly cared about what was happening and were supportive of me when I felt like all hope was lost.”

Throughout the process she was a good friend and fierce advocate genuinely sympathetic and comforting…” she really instilled a sense of confidence, morale and hope in me during those tough times.” always new could count on Samantha to peel me off the ceiling, coach me with options and a plan, and put the divorce on track.”

“A pleasure to deal with!”

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Markham Law Firm’s team of attorneys practice family law in Maryland and Washington, D . The firm serves clients who are navigating complex and often emotional transitions such as divorce, custody, child support, alimony, guardianship, pre and postnuptial agreements, division of property and retirement assets, and name changes.

HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Top ttorney, Jessica Markham, Samantha . Kravit , Bethesda Magazine, 2019; Rising Stars MD-D SuperLawyers; Best Lawyers in merica for Family Law D rea; Best Family Law Firm D rea, US News and World Reports, Daily Record Leading Woman and Reader’s oll Winner, Family Law.

79 0 Old Georgetown Road, 3B Bethesda, MD 20814 240-39 -4373 www.markhamlegal.com

ERICK GIBSON

Why don t you all, well, look like a law firm?

We certainly don’t act like a traditional, old-fashioned law firm. es, we provide excellent representation and have proven expertise in family law. But we set out to reimagine the family law firm and throw out old ways of doing things. We embrace new technology, making us more e cient. We o er a team approach so that someone’s always available and responsive to the client. We apply a holistic approach to our cases. We make our client experience a pleasant one, despite often-unpleasant circumstances.

Our o ce is inviting, intentionally not stu y, and provides a calm atmosphere. We’re all warm, relatable and personable. Our clients actually like us and enjoy working with us.

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Sitting (L-R): Sandra Brooks, Pilar Nichols, Stephen Metz Standing (L-R): Emily Gelmann, James Hoffman, Lisa Seltzer Becker, Jordan Savitz, Cheryl Hepfer, Sara Donohue, Lauren Jenkins

COURTESY PHOTO

Offit Kurman Attorneys at Law What makes your best lawyers stand out?

Family & Education Law: Lisa Seltzer Becker represents clients in high-con ict custody and divorce cases, and students in Title and education matters.

Sandra Brooks helps clients survive the divorce process while maintaining their emotional and financial health. She works on complex custody and high asset matters.

Sara Donohue focuses on complex divorce and high con ict custody cases. er 30 years of trial experience and negotiating settlements leaves her clients’ interests well served.

Emily Gelmann guides clients through the divorce process. She’s trained to represent children as a Best nterest ttorney, and is certified in collaborative divorce.

Cheryl Hepfer, with over 40 years of experience, handles domestic litigation involving significant assets and business interest. She is past president of the ML and ML. Pilar Nichols has extensive trial experience, a niche representing clients in domestic violence matters, and significant experience in divorces involving employees of international organi ations.

Creditors’ Rights, Business & Transactions, Bankruptcy: James Hoffman represents creditors, bankruptcy trustees and all aspects of business issues through closing the business through sale or li uidation.

Stephen Metz represents parties in bankruptcy and non-bankruptcy debtor creditor matters, as well as parties to real estate disputes.

Jordan Savitz’s background in business helps him craft practical solutions, from entity formation through exit planning, that meet his clients’ strategic objectives.

Estates & Trusts: Lauren A. Jenkins represents clients for estate planning, estate and trust administration, and premarital agreements.

A full-service legal provider, ffit Kurman assists clients throughout the mid-Atlantic region. ur firm is well positioned to meet the legal needs of dynamic businesses and the people who own and operate them.

ACCOLADES

reeminent Top Rated Lawyers by Martindale- ubbell; Top ttorney, Bethesda Magazine, 2019; Super Lawyers; Best Lawyers in merica; Best Lawyers, Washingtonian

4800 Montgomery Lane, inth Floor Bethesda MD 20814 240- 1 -4 0 contact o tkurman.com www.bethesdabestlawyers.com

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Marjorie DiLima, Dorothy Fait, Sylvia Borenstein and Laura Duncan FAIT & DILIMA

Fait DiLima is one of the area s most accomplished family law firms, dedicated to vigorously advocating on behalf of their clients, with decades of client centered results in even the most complicated of family law disputes. They are forceful litigants, strategic counselors and client-focused. The firm is consistently sought out by colleagues and clients for their record of e celling in negotiation and prevailing in Maryland courtrooms.

What is a divorce by mutual consent?

Dorothy Fait: f all issues are settled between two parties by way of a signed Marital Settlement greement, either party can obtain a divorce based upon the ground of mutual consent’ without the normal statutory waiting period.

Sylvia Borenstein: Divorce by mutual consent is the only ground for divorce in Maryland that allow parties to file immediately without either party being at fault.

There is no true no-fault ground for divorce in Maryland.

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ACHIEVEMENTS

Best Law Firm, Best Lawyers, 2020; Avvo 10.0 Rating; Super Lawyers; Marjorie DiLima Dorothy Fait: Top ttorney, Bethesda Magazine, 2019; Best Lawyers, Best Lawyers, 2020

One hurch St., Suite 800 Rockville, MD 208 0 301-2 1-0100 233 West atrick St. Frederick, MD 21701 301- 98-1704 www.FDFamilyLaw.com

TONY J. LEWIS

Can you negotiate a divorce settlement without going to court?

Marjorie DiLima: bsolutely, we always make every e ort to negotiate a settlement. s your attorney, will work with you to address any and all issues in your case. ot all cases can be settled and in the areas where agreement cannot be reached aggressively fight on behalf of every one of our clients.

Laura Duncan: Whether a settlement is reached or the case re uires litigation, your Will may need revision once you are divorced. ou may want to remove your ex-spouse as the primary beneficiary, make changes to your power of attorney, or your advance directive. ny changes should be made promptly after your divorce.

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Standing (L-R): Jack Orrick, Phillip Hummel, Heather Dlhopolsky, Bob Dalrymple, Bill Riggins Sitting (L-R): David Weintraub, Brian Bichy

Linowes and Blocher LLP

DARREN HIGGINS

Why should hire your firm for my real estate pro ect? t Linowes and Blocher LL our clients are our first priority. We provide comprehensive legal services across various practice areas, handling sophisticated litigation and real estate matters as well as complex tax and corporate structuring. Our experience in land use and oning is unparalleled in the region and enables us to be innovative and confident in our approach to modern day development challenges.

Since 19 , we have represented a variety of clients including developers, property owners, business owners, nonprofits, investors and public sector entities. We continue to broaden our client base by expanding our knowledge and experience throughout the Maryland-D. .- irginia area. With cutting-edge technology incorporated into our legal practice, we can better serve our clients and remain connected and responsive.

What types of matters does your firm handle?

Linowes and Blocher attorneys have broad and deep experience in targeted areas of practice. We are known in business circles for our industry depth and focused advocacy, whether we are around a negotiating table, serving our clients as an agent of change or protecting their position in a courtroom. Linowes and Blocher attorneys practice in the areas of real estate transactions, land use and oning, business law, condo O , environmental, litigation, and trusts and estates.

Linowes and Blocher LLP is a real estate and business law firm with dedicated attorneys striving for client-oriented results. We serve our clients from our offices located throughout the greater Washington, D. . metropolitan area.

7200 Wisconsin ve., Suite 800 Bethesda, MD 20814 301- 4-0 04 info linowes-law.com www.linowes-law.com

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L-R: Zhia Shepardson, Mary C. Lombardo, Elizabeth Danquah-Brobby, Maura L. Lynch, Donna K. Rismiller, Andrew R. Italia, Gloria Lee and Patrick J. Galasso

Rismiller Law Group

ow do clients enefit from working with your firm?

Our clients benefit from the reputation we have built and from our goal-centric approach.

Our reputation is guided by the fundamental principles of integrity, professionalism and results. With each client, we develop a plan that is custom-tailored to help the client achieve his or her desired goals in the most cost-e ective way.

While some firms market themselves as being aggressive litigators or collaborative peacemakers, we handle all resolution methods, such as mediation, alternative dispute models, collaborative methods, litigation and everything in between. We consider ourselves in a partnership with clients. We don’t just tell them what to do, we explain all options and the most likely outcomes. We are vigilant about staying in communication and being proactive.

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Rismiller Law Group practices in the areas of family law, employment law, business planning and formation, trusts and estates law, and civil and criminal litigation. We combine experience and compassion to provide effective legal representation with integrity, professionalism and unrivaled commitment to our clients’ best interest. We are conveniently located next to the Rockville Metro Station.

51 Monroe Place, Suite 1406 Rockville, MD 20850 301-340-1616 info@rismillerlaw.com www.rismillerlaw.com

ERICK GIBSON

How do I select an attorney?

Attorney selection is an important and personal decision. We believe the attorney and client relationship works best when it feels like a partnership. We each have an important role and trust is key. Our client needs to trust that we understand our client’s unique situation and we are competent to manage all the legal challenges that situation brings.

We need to trust that our client will consider our advice and be candid with us. We map out strategies to meet our client’s individual needs and we emphasize the importance of the partner-like relationship at each turn, so that we are always working cohesively to maximize our clients’ outcomes.

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Jennifer Davison and Jonathan Dana FELDESMAN TUCKER LEIFER FIDELL LLP

A Tier ne Best Law Firm by Best Lawyers, many FTLF attorneys have been recognized as top in their fields by Washingtonian, Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers. The firm has offices in Bethesda, Washington, D. . and Fairfa .

HILARY SCHWAB

What do you help divorcing and family law clients achieve?

We help divorcing and family law clients achieve resolution in a smart, thoughtful and creative way.

We empower clients by giving them knowledge and information.

We counsel, listen, brainstorm, strategize and work closely with them throughout their case. We do not hesitate to be direct with our clients.

We educate clients about their rights, claims and responsibilities. We assist them with understanding their finances. Whenever possible, we help achieve resolution outside the court process—through negotiations, mediation and Collaborative Law. When necessary, we take cases to litigation to protect our clients’ rights.

Most importantly, we help clients alleviate concerns about what the future will bring and show them how to protect that future.

1129 20th St. NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036 202-466-8960 www.feldesmantucker.com dditional o ce location in Bethesda, MD

Gary Altman

ALTMAN & ASSOCIATES Altman Associates is an award-winning law firm bringing more than years of combined estate planning and ta e perience to residents of MD, D , A, FL and .

How does having an estate plan protect me and my family?

COURTESY PHOTO

A thoughtful, comprehensive estate plan should go beyond deciding who will inherit your assets after you’re gone. It should bring clarity to an array of highly important and deeply personal issues that impact us all. t should articulate who you trust to make health, financial, business and parental decisions on your behalf should you become incapacitated, o er protections in the event of creditors, lawsuits, divorce and or remarriage, plan for the long-term care and finances of a special needs child or other beneficiaries who are incapable of managing their finances, identify ways to reduce income, gift and estate taxes, wisely facilitate gifts to loved ones and charitable organizations, and more. Our team wholeheartedly believes that your estate plan should be a living, breathing process—not a product. Together, we'll make sure you and your family are protected.

11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 708 Rockville, MD 20852 301-468-3220 gary@altmanassociates.net www.altmanassociates.net BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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John Pontius, Esq. PONTIUS TAX LAW, PLLC

John Pontius represents individual and business clients with sensitive and serious tax matters before the Internal Revenue Service and state taxing authorities.

1101 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 300 | Washington, DC 20004 202-875-7988 | john.pontius@pontiustaxlaw.com www.pontiustaxlaw.com dditional o ce location in Rockville, MD

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

What are the areas in which you have represented clients with complex tax issues?

I navigate my clients through stressful tax matters through trust, dedication and value in: FB R examinations, o shore and domestic disclosures, F T , F R T , tax planning, unfiled tax returns, release of tax liens and levies, employment taxes, trust fund recovery penalty, RS and state audit examinations as well as appeals, penalty abatement, U.S. Tax Court litigation along with defense of tax fraud and tax evasion.

Before opening my firm in 2017, worked for five years at tax controversy firms in Maryland and the preceding two years in the international corporate tax group of K MG in irginia. n 200 , began my legal career as a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Army. In 2010 I earned my Tax LLM Master of Laws from the Georgetown niversity Law Center.

Jennifer Fairfax, Esq. FAMILY FORMATION LAW OFFICE

Jennifer Fairfa , LL , Family Formation Law ffice helps clients grow and build their families through Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART). Jennifer Fairfax and Catelyn Slattery are both licensed in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Jennifer is a former VP, Trustee and current Fellow of the American Academy of Adoption & Assisted Reproductive Technology Attorneys.

827 Woodside arkway Silver Spring, MD 20910 240-8 3-2441 jfairfax jenniferfairfax.com www.jenniferfairfax.com 146

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HEATHER FUENTES

How do we get started with adoption?

I always recommend clients begin with a consult with an experienced adoption attorney who can explain international and domestic adoption options, including agency and private adoption. Adoption attorneys often work across all areas and types of adoption and have experience representing expectant parents, agencies and adoptive parents, so their perspective is more universal and their advice based on broad experience.

When meet with clients, we talk about options for family building and work collaboratively to determine which approach makes the most sense. From there, we work toward identifying a home study agency before we start putting together a client-specific strategy.

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Virginia B. Joehl ATTORNEY AT LAW, JOEHL LAW What can e pect if hire your firm?

When you hire my firm, you can count on skillful navigation through the legal process by a prudent advisor and tenacious advocate. will work closely with you to develop and execute a successful strategy for your case. n both the courtroom and at the negotiation table, will leverage my knowledge and experience to staunchly represent your interests in any family law matter.

With over 20 years of family law practice and a background in psychology have the knowledge and experience to manage the dynamics of high-con ict family law matters; to wisely represent the interests of children, negotiate resolution between con ict-ridden people and e ectively litigate the most contentious matters. Whether we pursue mediation, or your situation re uires immediate litigation, you can depend on my ability to make e ective decisions and obtain the best possible outcome.

DARREN HIGGINS

51 Monroe St., Suite 408 Rockville, MD 20850 301-605-7887 virginiajoehl@vbjlaw.com www.vbjlaw.com

Cantrell Cohen LLC Cantrell Cohen specializes in corporate law and transactions, employment law, and commercial and civil litigation.

MICHAEL VENTURA

Why do or my small to medium sized usiness need a law firm?

While you don’t need your own general counsel, you need legal advice on structuring agreements and transactions, resolving disputes and navigating all aspects of employment law.

We learn how your business works. lients rely on us to understand the complexities of their needs, and provide legal advice that is creative and cost-e ective. We bring years of experience at large law firms and corporations to focus strategically on your specific goals for corporate agreements, formation and transactions, employment law, business disputes and litigation.

We also help individuals at every stage of their careers, including negotiating all types of executive employment agreements, reviewing severance arrangements, guiding you if you are bound by a noncompetition agreement and advising you if you suspect you might be terminated.

We also bring our dogs to work.

From left: Constance H. Cantrell and Aileen Miller Cohen

730 Radnor Road Bethesda, MD 20817 ileen Miller ohen: acohen cantrellcohen.com 240-3 3-8923 onstance . antrell: ccantrell cantrellcohen.com 202-431-0300 www.cantrellcohen.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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Darcy A. Shoop, Esq.

FAMILY LAW & ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION ATTORNEY Darcy Shoop is a family law attorney who was selected by her peers as a Top Attorney for Alternative Dispute Resolution in the 2019 November/ December issue of Bethesda Magazine. One of the D.C. area’s most experienced collaborative divorce attorneys, she is an accomplished negotiator and a skillful mediator.

51 Monroe St., Suite 1901 | Rockville, MD 20850 301-340-7950 | dshoop@darcyshoop.com www.darcyshoop.com

ERICK GIBSON

In this issue of Bethesda Magazine, your peers identified you as a Top Attorney for “alternative dispute resolution.” What is ADR in the context of divorce?

After years of litigating divorce cases, and seeing the emotional and financial damage that results from courtroom battles, made a heartfelt decision to focus on healthier alternatives such as ollaborative Divorce, mediation and negotiation. By focusing on creative, constructive settlement solutions, separating couples are much more likely to make mutually beneficial decisions that protect their children, maintain family dignity and preserve precious financial resources. n my experience, durable agreements are reached only when both people feel vested in the outcome. Divorce is heartbreaking enough. Obtaining one can be achieved without adding to the pain.

Jeremy Rachlin, Esq.; Dan Shaivitz, Esq. and Meg Rosan, Esq. BULMAN, DUNIE, BURKE & FELD, CHTD.

What sets your firm apart from other local firms?

For over 80 years, the firm has provided uality legal services to residents of Maryland and D.C. We are one of the oldest continuouslyoperating law firms in Montgomery ounty and we provide a wide variety of legal services, a small firm atmosphere in downtown Bethesda and a focus on cost-e ective solutions.

4610 Elm St. Bethesda, MD 20815 301-656-1177 www.bulmandunie.com 148

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DARREN HIGGINS

What sets you apart from other local attorneys?

Selected for inclusion on the 2019 Maryland and D.C. Super Lawyers lists, all three of us are recogni ed by our peers as being among the top lawyers in Maryland and D.C. in personal injury, family law, estates and trusts, and other civil litigation matters. The bulk of our referrals come from prior clients and other attorneys, who know and trust the uality of our work. We are leaders in the county bar, the three of us all raise our families here in Montgomery ounty, and we are proud to be the next generation of lawyers at Bulman, Dunie.

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Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday, LLC Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday, LLC has been providing experienced legal counsel to national and local clients for over 40 years. We are a general practice law firm with special emphasis on commercial real estate, civil litigation, business transactions, alternative dispute resolution, wills and estates, and state and local governments.

JOSEPH TRAN

What di erentiates from other law firms?

At BBS&G, our focus is always on the best way to advance our clients’ interests. By prioritizing client service, we have produced successful results for thousands of clients, many of whom have been with our firm for decades. We retain clients by responding uickly, treating them with respect, communicating e ectively, advocating ealously and solving problems e ciently. We build strong, personal relationships with our clients and serve an ever-growing client base of diverse businesses, industries and individuals. We push hard for our clients, but we also give them straight answers so that they can make smart, meaningful decisions about their legal matters.

7315 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 800 West Bethesda, MD 20814 301-656-2707 www.bregmanlaw.com

Dana K. Whitten ATTORNEY AT LAW, LAW OFFICES OF DANA K. WHITTEN, LLC ow does a family law client enefit from hiring you?

I provide assertive and experienced representation for my clients in all aspects of family law. I am equally skilled in zealously advocating for my clients in trial as I am in negotiating settlements that obtain successful results in di cult cases. ommitted to pursuing and defending my client’s interests, I treat every case as if it is my own.

I have practiced family law in both small private practices and at a top-rated nationally recogni ed law firm, and have represented clients in nearly every county in Maryland. I opened my own practice to provide clients with my strong advocacy skills and personal support.

JOSEPH TRAN

HONORS “Rising Star” selection by Maryland Super Lawyers, 2017 – 2019; 10 Best Attorneys Award, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys.

51 Monroe St., Suite 408 Rockville, MD 20850 301-762-2528 www.dwhittenlaw.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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Lynn Caudle Boynton, Esq.

CLIFFORD, DEBELIUS, BOYNTON & HYATT, CHTD. Can I handle consent if my adult child, spouse or parents are in a car accident or have a medical crisis?

You cannot consent for medical treatment or act on behalf of your child who is over 18, without a properly written, notarized and witnessed medical or financial power of attorney. The same is true for your spouse or elderly parent!

Failing to get your a airs in order is tempting fate. The alternative is to file a petition for guardianship, which takes months and costs thousands of dollars in attorney’s fees. If someone dies without a will or trust in place, you have opted to let the laws of intestacy of the State of Maryland decide how your estate will be distributed.

For over 30 years, my practice has allowed me to combine my reverence for family with my legal skills to create estate plans and solve or anticipate problems for clients. Allow me to help you preserve your family legacy.

COURTESY PHOTO

HONORS AND SPECIALTIES Rated by Super Lawyers; Wall Street Journal Top Lawyer; Rated by Martindale Hubbell; Estate, trust planning, probate and trust administration services

316 East Diamond Ave. | Gaithersburg, MD 20877 301-840-2232 | D: 240-499-7465 lboynton debelius.com www.cli orddebelius.com

Robert C. Eustice

THE LAW OFFICES OF ROBERT C. EUSTICE Robert Eustice brings more than 25 years of experience, reasonable rates and skilled representation in divorce and custody matters to client in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

4520 East West Highway, Suite 700 Bethesda, MD 20814 O: 301-961-6464, ext. 3349 C: 301-755-3940 bob@eusticelaw.com | www.eusticelaw.com 150

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LISA HELFERT

When I hire you, how do I know my lawyer will be you and not some junior attorney? ’m a solo practitioner, o ering my complete, individuali ed attention to your case. You will not have the frustrating experience of hiring me, and then find out your matter has been handed o to someone with whom you have no rapport.

I am involved day-to-day with every aspect of your case. I return phone calls as soon as possible and take calls after hours and weekends. rely on a variety of trusted professionals to provide expert assistance, as needed, for financial management investments, wills and trusts, pensions, immigration, real estate and business valuations.

Depending on the si e scope of your case, and especially with litigation, have available my long-term paralegal and law clerk who both assist me as needed.

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Adam R. Polsky PEAK SETTLEMENTS, LLC

ea Settlements is a team of attorneys and settlement professionals that have been providing e ceptional service to its clients since .

Thousands of settlements later, they’re proud to offer services throughout Maryland, irginia and D. .

HEATHER FUENTES

Where is the strangest place you have conducted a settlement?

Most people think that settlements have to take place in a lawyer’s o ce, but that’s not always the case. Many people choose to use our services for purchases and refinances because we can close almost anywhere. From a real estate agent’s or the lender’s o ce for purchases, to customer homes and fast food restaurants for refinances we have seen it all.

The strangest place? The back seat of a Lincoln Continental. The customer was injured and couldn’t get out of the car, so we did the next best thing we brought the settlement to her ou have the right to choose your own settlement company and can choose the one that can best suits your needs.

00 Je erson la a, Suite 420 Rockville, MD 20852 301-528-1111 D: 301-512-7744 apolsky@peaksettlements.com www.peaksettlements.com

Hostetter Strent LLC A boutique domestic relations law firm, we deliver an individualized case plan to each client and provide a high level of responsiveness, creative solutions to tough problems, attention to detail and accessibility. We value our clients’ input and employ the team approach to problem solving with clients and within our firm. The firm s reputation in our legal community means that, when needed, our attorneys can call on other professionals to provide any additional services a client needs.

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How do I pick the best family law attorney for me?

Look for someone who listens; someone with extensive knowledge of Maryland law, appears in court regularly, is known by judges and works well with other firms. ou want someone with the skills to litigate, while maintaining the judgement and discretion to seek other dispute resolution methods if more e ective. Find someone who is responsive to re uests, truly cares about you and will be on your side, working to improve your family situation.

7201 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 675 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-657-0010 www.hostetterstrent.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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David Felsen

FELSEN & SARGENT, LLC Felsen Sargent attorneys practice in criminal defense, family law and general practice. ach has litigated in ust about every courthouse in Maryland and D. . They have e perience in federal and state law matters.

What ualities make the most successful attorney client relationships and why?

The best relationships are formed when there is agreement on the goals of the representation and an understanding of the strategies used to achieve those goals.

Many law firms provide experience. We o er the benefit of making sure our clients understand the process and strategies that go into our plans to achieve their goals. We take time to review options, and the pros and cons of any decision. ach of our attorneys has well over 30 years’ experience in criminal law, family law and general legal practice.

There are few issues we have not dealt with over the years.

We use our experience and familiarity with local courts to put our clients in the best positions possible.

TONY J. LEWIS

00 Je erson la a, Suite 201 Rockville, MD 208 2 301-251-4010 Dfelsen mdlawyers.com www.mdlawyers.com

Heather McCabe and Emily Russell MCCABE RUSSELL, PA

Mc abe ussell, .A. offers over years of Family Law e perience.

The partners understand the importance of client advocacy and strive to create a stress-free e perience for clients. They are active in local and legal communities, supporting an array of issues and organizations.

O ces in oward ounty 443-812-143 www.mccaberussell.com 152

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Montgomery

ounty, MD

HILARY SCHWAB

What makes c a e ussell di erent?

We put clients first. Our attorneys have established reputations as assertive and confident negotiators and litigators o ering legal guidance designed to eliminate clients’ stress, worry and confusion. lients work with a responsive and supportive team. We serve as legal advisors, advocates and emotional support for clients. This role is strengthened by the depth of our expertise and our ability to relate to our clients’ situation. recent client shared, highly recommend the Mc abe Russell team. They are dedicated to helping their clients achieve stability from a stressful, life-changing event. Whether you seek mediation or aggressive defense and support, the Mc abe Russell team will remain focused on helping you achieve a positive outcome.

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Brian K. Pearlstein MANAGING PARTNER, BRODSKY RENEHAN PEARLSTEIN & BOUQUET At BRP Family law, our singular focus on family law means our clients in the Maryland and Washington, D. . area receive the most efficient representation and best opportunity to achieve their goals.

MICHAEL VENTURA

What separates you and your firm from others?

Life’s transitions—especially those involving separation and divorce, custody and child support—can be confusing, emotional and stressful. That’s why we don’t “handle cases.” We have relationships.

We find creative solutions by understanding people s goals and helping them create solutions to meet them. Our attorneys possess a deep understanding of family law, but our approach is a holistic combination of expertise, experience, intuition and compassion.

I have successfully resolved complex cases involving property division and hidden assets, valuation of businesses and professional practices, real and personal property, stocks and deferred compensation, and domestic and international custody and support.

But I’m even prouder to have helped people formerly mired in some of life’s most di cult experiences to find a way forward.

16061 Comprint Circle | Gaithersburg, MD 20877 301-869-1700 | bkp@brpfamilylaw.com | www.brpfamilylaw.com

The Hirschel Group THE HIRSCHEL GROUP, P.C.

The Hirschel Group, which celebrates its 30th year in business next year, has extensive experience in negotiating and structuring complex real estate transactions for projects ranging from traditional grocery anchored centers to urban, mixed-use developments. Our goal is to complete deals timely and efficiently. Since opening, we have done more than , different real estate transactions.

HILARY SCHWAB

What is one thing your clients should know a out you?

We are a bouti ue real estate firm with 11 attorneys who focus their practice on commercial leasing. Many of our attorneys are former inhouse lawyers with major retailers and developers, and the one thing we know for sure is “time kills deals.” Acting as if we were in-house attorneys to each client, we are available when our clients need us; we work to satisfy our clients’ goals and not our egos.

177 Kentlands Blvd.

Gaithersburg, MD 20878 301-556-4940 rmhirschel@hsphlaw.com www.hsphlaw.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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Christine Levonian Gresham, Esq. GRESHAM CAHN LLC

Gresham ahn is a boutique commercial real estate law firm that provides legal representation to national, regional and local owners, developers, investors, operators and other real estate professionals.

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

What makes you and your firm di erent from the rest?

Our attorneys are more than just skilled lawyers—we’re dealmakers who are connected to our clients and are an extension of their teams.

Our clients depend on our legal expertise as much as our business sense and strategy to solve issues creatively. The majority have been with us for many years, and value our authenticity, integrity, business acumen and service. They trust us to get the job done.

We value personal relationships, culture and balance, which is evident in our dealings with clients and counterparts, as well as o ce operations. It’s always been critical to me to build a team that shares my work ethic, commitment and passion, so together, we can do the absolute best for our clients.

506 Main St., 2nd Floor Gaithersburg, MD 20878 301-926-9561 www.greshamcahn.com

Elizabeth Tello, Esq.

TELLO LAW

Elizabeth practices Education law and Family law in Montgomery County and Frederick County. She represents families of children with special needs and also handles a wide variety of family law matters including divorce, custody, child support and property distribution. She is an experienced litigator, negotiator and collaborative law practitioner.

51 Monroe St., Suite 1901 Rockville, MD 20850 301-825-9010 bt@tellolaw.com www.tellolaw.com 154

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JOSEPH TRAN

Why should hire you? s an education attorney, ’ve e ectively assisted clients with obtaining supports and services at their child’s school. I’ve also advocated and secured private school placement for students who cannot obtain an appropriate education from their public school. I’m the mother of five children who all attend Montgomery ounty ublic Schools so understand the process, emotions and di culty of what you and your family are going through.

Thoughtful, sound advice is key to helping you navigate the special education process. o er strategies for working with the school system on your own, attending school meetings with you or representing you in a due process complaint.

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Steven J. Gaba Steve practices family law e clusively in Montgomery ounty where he is often appointed by the court to represent children in high-con ict custody cases. He is a seasoned litigator who also represents clients in collaborative cases and mediates cases for other attorneys.

STEPHANIE BRAGG

With all the family law attorneys in Montgomery County, how should a prospective client select counsel?

A good place to start is with friends or professional acquaintances who you know have had a positive experience with their attorneys.

However, some people want to keep their impending separation and divorce a private matter and turn to the Internet as a resource.

Because the separation and divorce process can last well over a year, it is important that you feel comfortable telling your attorney intimate details of your relationship. Interview more than one attorney and be prepared with specific uestions that are important to you.

If you don’t feel comfortable sharing intimate details, you should probably move on.

200A Monroe St., Suite 200 Rockville, MD 20850-4437 301-738-7770 sgaba@mdfamilylaw.net www.mdfamilylaw.net

Neil S. Hyman

LAW OFFICE OF NEIL S. HYMAN, LLC eil S. Hyman is the founding member of the Law ffice of eil S. Hyman, LL , which started in March, to focus on employment law.

Mr. Hyman received his BA from the niversity of Maryland in and his JD from the niversity of Louisville, Louis D. Brandeis School of Law in . He lives in hevy hase with his wife, three children and their dog Teddy.

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

What’s happening in wage and hour law?

Wage and hour claims are a constant source of new claims. Cities, counties and states establishing minimum wage rules di erent from the federal minimum wage create potential liability for employers.

As employers continue to misclassify employees and improperly record and pay wages, the risk of an overtime lawsuit is constant. With the continuing expansion of technology and remote work, employees are working outside of traditional business hours and o the clock lawsuits are on the rise. We can help you mitigate these risks.

4520 East West Highway, Suite 700 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-841-7105 neil@neilhymanlaw.com www.neilhymanlaw.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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Michelle C. Thomas, Esq. M.C. THOMAS & ASSOCIATES, PC

Serving Montgomery County, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia.

Notable: SuperLawyers, Family Law in Washington D.C. (2019); Top Attorneys for Family Law, Bethesda Magazine, 2019.

Silver Spring, MD | 301-841-7404 Washington, DC | 202-536-4841 mthomas@thomaslawdc.com www.thomaslawdc.com

TONY J. LEWIS

ow do know if your firm is the right fit? t our firm, nothing is more important than your family. When you choose us, you gain a team of strategic partners, persuasive writers and fierce advocates who are relentless in pursuit of your goals. We are committed to excellence from initial consultation through the conclusion of your case. It’s our mission to exceed expectations— every time.

We devote 100% of our practice to divorce and family law, which enables us to remain current on changes in the law, and ultimately serve our clients better.

We strive to settle cases swiftly; when settlement isn’t possible, our team of seasoned trial lawyers is prepared to litigate to protect your legal interests, assets and future. Though client preferences vary, your selected attorney’s commitment to excellence and advocating for you should not.

Sonal J. Mehta Verma, Esq. NANKIN & VERMA PLLC

Sonal J. Mehta Verma is a recognized leader in immigration law. Clients and fellow practitioners from around the world often seek her assistance with complex immigration problems. Her clients range from families and small businesses, to multibillion-dollar global corporations. She has held several leadership positions within the immigration bar and is a frequent guest speaker on immigration topics.

700 King Farm Blvd., Suite 550 Rockville, MD 20850 240-456-0000, ext. 228 sverma@nankin.com www.yourimmigrationfirm.com 156

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ERICK GIBSON

What do you find most rewarding a out your practice?

I help companies in the United States secure top talent from all over the world, including the innovators and thought leaders in their field.

I also get to see people reach their American dream—my most memorable case was helping a 94-year-old gentleman become a U.S. citizen.

Immigration has always been one of the most complex and convoluted areas of law. Recent changes in immigration procedures have only complicated matters. Practitioners need to stay on top of rapidly changing regulations and procedures to ensure we provide the best possible advice to our clients.

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Phil O’Donoghue, Charles Abell and Robert Grant FUREY, DOOLAN & ABELL, LLP

MICHAEL VENTURA

Since the firm’s founding in , lawyers at Furey, Doolan and Abell, LL have prided themselves on professionalism, s ill, and service to clients and community. We are proud to be selected by our peers as Top Attorneys in Bethesda Magazine.

What can clients e pect when they work with the attorneys at urey, oolan ell? ersonali ed solutions from lawyers who are pragmatic, communicate well and think creatively. We guide the preparation of your estate plan by getting to know you and your goals and values. Four of our estate planning lawyers are fellows of the merican ollege of Trust and state ounsel, the country’s pre-eminent peer-reviewed association of estate and trust lawyers.

While the firm maintains a broad civil litigation practice, the resolution of estate- and trust-related disputes is a particular focus. These matters include disputes over the validity, interpretation and administration of wills and trusts; fiduciary conduct and compensation; and complex guardianship issues. Our attorneys bring a practical, problem-solving approach to often contentious matters.

7 00 Wisconsin ve., Suite 00 Bethesda, MD 20814 301- 2- 880 www.fdalaw.com

Barry Fierst, Stephanie Fink, Shai Fierst & Michael Gerton FIERST & FINK, PC

ow is ierst ink di erent from other law firms in ontgomery ounty?

Fierst Fink, . . is a small firm devoted to serving families. We are known for our expertise in estate planning for families who have family members with disabilities. n addition to handling all aspects of estate planning and family law, we expertly assist our family law clients who have a child with a disability to ensure that their child’s special needs are properly addressed.

We are able to help parents obtain the myriad of services and benefits for which their children may be eligible. We advocate for parents who have children with special needs with public schools. We also assist clients with an aging parent or other family member with a disability who may re uire the appointment of a guardian.

LISA HELFERT

HONORS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND SPECIALTIES Barry Fierst and Stephanie Fink, SuperLawyers since 2010; Shai Fierst, SuperLawyers Rising Star; Barry Fierst, Washingtonian Best Lawyer, 201 , 2018; Stephanie Fink, - reeminent rating from Martindale ubbell since 2010

200-A Monroe St., Suite 200 | Rockville, MD 20850 301-7 2-8872 bfierst fierstfink-law.com sfink fierstfink-law.com www.fierstfink-law.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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Michael Gottlieb

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MOMENTUM LAW GROUP

We proudly represent entrepreneurs and privately held businesses as outside general counsel. We work with their leadership to uniquely address the legal and strategic speedbumps they face in their businesses.

9211 orporate Blvd., Suite 3 0 Rockville, MD 208 0 301- 8-220 connect momentumlawyers.com www.momentumlawyers.com

ERICK GIBSON

What makes an entrepreneur’s legal needs unique? ntrepreneurs demonstrate an unmatched passion for scaling their business and a willingness to take risks. s each entrepreneur’s needs are uni ue, we take a tailored approach to solving each challenge they face or uestion they have.

For an entrepreneur, the law alone often doesn t tell the whole story. When evaluating their uestions or concerns, we first look at the psychology behind any decision and how it will a ect the entrepreneur, as well as others involved. The next step is to look at the business implications and how each alternative could positively or negatively impact the business. Only after we evaluate the psychological and business conditions, does the legal approach come into play. ntrepreneurs move at 100 miles per hour; our goal is to remove any speedbumps that might interfere with their momentum.

Robb A. Longman, Esq. LONGMAN & VAN GRACK, LLC

Why do you practice tax law? racticing tax law gives me the opportunity to help people during di cult times. o one enjoys dealing with the nternal Revenue Service or Maryland omptroller. Whether someone is having to deal with an audit, wage garnishment or tax lien, people are always stressed when dealing with tax problems. am genuinely glad when clients leave my o ce feeling better about their situation and reali ing that am working to assist them in resolving their problem. Many clients tell me that they sleep better at night after only our first meeting. truly enjoy being able to help people through the extremely stressful situations that tax problems can create.

Longman an Grack, LL is a law firm based in Bethesda, practicing in tax law, estate planning, business law and commercial litigation.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS & AWARDS

L-R: Theodore Kiviat, Robb Longman and Adam Van Grack

158

10411 Motor City Drive, Suite 750 | Bethesda, MD 20817 301-291- 027 D: 240-324-770 rlongman lvglawfirm.com www.lvglawfirm.com

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

STEPHANIE BRAGG

O Superb Rating ward in Legal ractice, 2014-2019; Legal lite, Washington SmartCEO, 2009; Secretary, merican Bar ssociation, Tax Section, 2019; hair, Maryland State Bar ssociation, Tax Section, 201 -1 .

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Deyka Williams Spencer, Esq. THE SPENCER FIRM, LLC

The firm handles employment law issues, such as litigation, mediations, legal advice and agreements, representing individuals in discriminationbased lawsuits, wage hour overtime issues and breach of contract and severance agreement negotiation. We also help businesses avoid disputes and minimize e posure.

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS

What sets your company apart from competitors?

We have litigated and settled many cases. We are one of the few small firms that are able to negotiate and litigate, if needed. This means you are able to keep your case within the same firm. t also gives us a full perspective on how to resolve cases more cost e ectively.

Two of our members are native Spanish speakers and one speaks partial French, appreciated within communities that prefer to speak native languages in di cult times. We’re able to reach a wide spectrum of business clients and workers by o ering more personali ed representation of their cases. Our main focus is communication and we pride ourselves in coming up with creative ways to resolve cases based on our client’s needs.

2275 Research Blvd., Suite 500 Rockville, MD 20850 301-637-2866 dspencer spencer-firm.com www.spencer-firm.com

Donna E. Van Scoy VAN SCOY LAW, LLC

Donna . an Scoy is a dedicated family law attorney with years of e perience. She listens and wor s with her clients to determine the most effective way to protect their interests. Ms. an Scoy has received the highest Martindale-Hubbell recognition by members of the bar and udiciary.

TONY J. LEWIS

How do I determine who should represent me in my divorce? n uire of your family, friends, peers and co-workers regarding recommendations. Search sources available to all of us in the age of technology. Depending on the referral source, you may meet with more than one attorney. Spend the time contemplating what s important to you and have a checklist of uestions and concerns to discuss during your consultation. t’s critical that you disclose all facts to your attorney. dvice is given based on information you provide. Be sure the attorney is listening.

Look for someone experienced in and outside the courtroom. The attorney should discuss all options including negotiation, mediation, collaborative law and litigation.

0 West Montgomery, Suite 2 0 Rockville, MD 301-610-0110 donna vanscoylaw.com www.vanscoylaw.com BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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Alexander K. Anderson, Esq.

THE LAW FIRM OF ALEXANDER K. ANDERSON, LLC Alex Anderson runs a boutique litigation practice focusing on goals-based family law litigation. His approach is to hear the client’s goals and develop a plan to effectively meet them. Ale is there to get you the results you need while making the process as smooth as possible for you.

200-A Monroe St., Suite 100 Rockville, MD 20850 301-675-5672 aanderson@akalegal.com www.akalegal.com

DARREN HIGGINS

I am thinking about separating from my spouse. What steps should I take to prepare?

Gather as much information as possible, as early as possible. With financial matters, this means collecting account statements to ensure you know exactly what you and your spouse own. For custody matters, it means having a plan about when you want your spouse to see the children, and making sure the logistics of that are feasible with things like school and your own work commitment. You should also consult an attorney as soon as possible. Even if you don’t plan to separate immediately, an attorney can help you formulate a plan on how best to proceed.

Kenneth R. West, Esq. ABRAMS AND WEST, P.C.

How do you feel about being selected by your peers as a top personal injury attorney, and what should an injured person look for in an attorney?

It’s an honor to be highly rated by attorneys who I work with and against. An injured person wants to be represented by a skilled, experienced and honest attorney. I have over 40 years’ experience and know what insurance companies need in order to evaluate claims.

A client’s only responsibility is to get better. I communicate with the hospitals, doctors, employers and the insurance company.

In addition to recovering millions of dollars for clients in personal injury cases, I have represented one of the large Eastern Seaboard retailers in Maryland courts for over 20 years and have also successfully represented clients in estate and trust litigation.

4550 Montgomery Ave., Suite 760N | Bethesda, MD 20814 301-951-1570 | kwest@awsdlaw.com | www.abramsandwest.com 160

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HILARY SCHWAB

HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS Top-rated lawyer, Washington, D.C. & Baltimore, personal injury, trust & estate litigation & commercial litigation; America’s Registry of Top 100 Lawyers; Highest Peer Review Rating AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell.

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PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

DOC ROCK

Members of the band, from left: Dr. John Tisdale, Dr. Peter Grayson, Dr. Francis Collins, Allison Mandich, Quino Maduro, Dr. Michael Lenardo and Ivan Vujkovic-Cvijin

They’re researchers, scientists and physicians—even the director—at the National Institutes of Health. They’re also just musicians having fun.

BY EUGENE L. MEYER

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Clockwise from left: Dr. Michael Lenardo, who sings and plays guitar; sax player Scott Durum, left, with Dr. Peter Grayson on guitar and NIH Director Dr. F rancis Collins; Cecelia Tamburro, left, and Laura Chopp on vocals; and bass guitar player Dr. John Tisdale

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PHOTOS BY DEB LINDSEY

O

ON A JUNE EVENING in the basement of Dr. John O’Shea’s house in North Bethesda, National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins belts out a 1960 Sam Cooke classic. “Don’t know much about history, don’t know much biology. Don’t know much about a science book, don’t know much about the French I took…”

The Affordable Rock ’n’ Roll Act, a band made up of NIH physicians, scientists and researchers, is getting ready for its next gig, a two-hour set under the portico at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda.

O’Shea, on guitar, is the scientific director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. His work led to a new drug for rheumatoid arthritis that is marketed by Pfizer.

“That’s such a stupid song,” Collins says. At 69, he oversees the $39 billion annual budget for the largest biomedical research agency in the world, though you wouldn’t know it when this towering 6-foot-4-inch tenor belts out the rock and roll classic. He finds it ironic—but not disqualifying—that a band from NIH covers a tune that mocks the importance of science.

“You can’t work genetics into it?” jokes Dr. Michael Lenardo, 63, who sings and plays guitar and is director of the Clinical Genomics Program at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. Before a performance at the 2010 USA Science & Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C., Collins and another band member actually did write their own lyrics to the song, and he prefers those over the real words.

“But I do know that this stuff is cool. If they only taught more science in school, what a wonderful world this would be.”

WHEN THE AFFORDABLE Rock ’n’ Roll

Act performs at NIH, staffers line up for selfies with members of the band. They

are rock stars, both at work and at play.

Collins oversaw the Human Genome Project, which identified the sequence of human genes and has led to new ways of combating disease. Dr. John Tisdale’s groundbreaking genetic research on sickle cell anemia—a type of red blood cell disorder—was featured on 60 Minutes earlier this year. Dr. Peter Grayson is researching inflammation of major arter-

trumpet player Laura Chopp, one of four women in the band, is a doctoral student and fellow in the laboratory of immune cell biology. The 27-year-old joined the group after seeing a performance two years ago while she was a student at the University of Pennsylvania.

“Michael Lenardo and [another band member] stayed after,” says Chopp, who was doing dissertation research at NIH

When the Affordable Rock ’n’ Roll Act performs at NIH, staffers line up for selfies with members of the band. They are rock stars, both at work and at play. ies, hoping his work will lead to a cure.

On the job, they are engaged in cutting-edge research, seeking cures for intractable diseases. Under NIH-funded protocols, they see and treat patients, putting their test results to work. Most toil away on the Bethesda campus, comprising 75 buildings on more than 300 acres, while others work at NIH outposts. They work in clinics, labs and the research hospital at the NIH Clinical Center, sometimes in all three.

Their leader is Collins, who often performs in a T-shirt that reads: “Vaccines Cause Adults,” hinting playfully at his serious side. The 15 band members (the number fluctuates) currently range in age from 24 to 72. Lead vocalist and

for her doctorate at Penn. “We were just talking about music. They asked if I played any music. I said trumpet. They said, ‘Come to rehearsals.’ I fell in love with playing music with all of them.”

Lenardo, her accidental recruiter, also joined the band by happenstance.

“I was asked to fill in for a guitarist who didn’t show up, probably due to illness,” he says. “I was very inexperienced and performed at such a low level—I was astonished when they invited me back.”

There are no formal tryouts. “Band members just find out about other talented scientists who might be interested,” Collins says. “They get invited to a rehearsal to see if it’s a good fit. We are very open to new people, which is how

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the band has grown.”

Occasionally, important scientific advances have emerged from informal band chatter. Tisdale, 55, a bass guitar player, recalls the time in 2016 when the band was getting ready for a gig to welcome the new post-baccalaureate fellows at a restaurant in Bethesda. After they set up, they had time for a quick bite to eat.

“I told Francis we need something like a ‘Moonshot’ for sickle cell,” Tisdale recalls, referring to the federal government’s Cancer Moonshot initiative that had recently been announced. “We had the mounting tools available to start

THE BAND’S NAME—the Affordable Rock ’n’ Roll Act—is a fitting one. As government employees, they aren’t paid for their performances—eight this year, at venues ranging from The Loft at 4935 in Bethesda for a celebration of NIH trainees, to AMP by Strathmore at Pike & Rose for a Friends of Patients at the NIH event. In past years they’ve performed at the Library of Congress and the National Building Museum.

“Some of us give talks at big conferences,” says sax player Scott Durum, a senior investigator at the National Cancer Institute, one of 27 institutes and centers at NIH. “O’Shea and I often say we’d

Collins, who became NIH director in 2009 and lives in Chevy Chase, believes there is a correlation between music and science. “The proportion of scientists who play a musical instrument is much higher than the general population,” he says.

thinking about curing the disease. We needed now to get everyone on the same page, get more funding, organization, advocacy, more patients involved, and we’d really be able to do something.”

The conversation didn’t go too far that evening, but a couple of weeks later an email from Collins suggested that Tisdale should put together a proposal and pitch it to him. “This was the genesis of the sickle cell initiative,” Tisdale says, “which launched about a year later in 2017.”

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rather play for a party than give a talk at a somber lecture hall. It’s more fun.”

Durum, 72, supervises researchers who inject mice with cancer and then treat them with an experimental drug that appears to extend their lives. The targeted disease is acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common cancer in children. Current courses of chemo have a high cure rate, “but the chemical treatments are extremely harsh,” he says. So his lab is working to develop a less toxic

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

drug. “It’s so absorbing. It keeps evolving,” says Durum, who has worked at an NIH facility at Fort Detrick in Frederick since the 1980s. “It’s a challenge, but not in the usual sense of doing something to make a buck and [you] can’t wait for retirement. It’s the opposite—we can’t get people to retire.”

It was Durum who came up with the name for the band, “riffing off the Affordable Care Act,” during the Barack Obama administration. “Somehow the name stuck,” he says, “as cumbersome as it is.”

The band first formed as “The Directors” back in 1998, “because it was primarily led by institute directors at NIH,” Collins says. He and O’Shea, 67, are the only original members left.

“People have come and gone. With fewer actual directors leading the band, we needed a new name, and so the Affordable Rock ’n’ Roll Act was born about eight years ago.”

They don’t raise funds directly for NIH, but their presence at charity events draws donors. A dinner gala to benefit Friends of Patients at the NIH is one of the band’s biggest gigs, most recently held on Oct. 24 at AMP by Strathmore.

Founded 35 years ago by NIH employees who saw families sleeping in their cars and on couches at the Clinical Center, “Friends at NIH” started with bake sales.

Today, the organization provides housing and emergency support for patients and their families.

“The fact that it’s a band of NIH people makes it special for me because we often get to lend our talents to medical and research-related charity events,” says Grayson, 43, who lives in Chevy Chase and works under O’Shea as head of the vasculitis clinical research program.

“I’m young, but this has been the highlight of my career,” Grayson says of his work at NIH. “My goal is to take it [to] the next level, to be able to leverage new ways to acknowledge and assess the disease to get more effective treatments.”

If that sounds impressive, Grayson insists: “Compared to [other] people in

PHOTO BY JOSEPH TRAN

Band member Dr. Peter Grayson, pictured at the NIH Clinical Center, is head of the vasculitis clinical research program at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

that band, I’m a big nobody.”

Like others in the group, Grayson started playing in a high school band.

Collins was in a folk music band called The Castaways, “and we [needed] to be cast away as soon as possible,” he jokes.

Media savvy, Collins occasionally tweets about the band if the performance is at NIH. “But not so often,” he says, “because my Twitter feed is supposed to be more proper and not so wild into rock and roll.”

The band has no formal hierarchy, though it’s undeniable that Collins is the top dog at NIH. “I don’t realize it’s a big thing until my friends [tell me], and then they get starstruck,” says Rose Graf, 24, who plays alto sax and xylophone and works at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. “I mean to me, I just know him as Francis, nice guy.”

But some band members are unabashedly in awe. Guitar player Ivan Vujkovic-Cvijin, who holds a doctorate

in research science, recalls one rehearsal when Collins was telling him about “research on the amazing concept of mitigating harmful effects of opioids through vaccines that stimulate antibody responses against the drugs, and then moments later detailing modern gene-editing strategies to eliminate HIV viral genomes from infected patients to create a cure.”

“Oh man, he’s incredible,” says VujkovicCvijin, who works at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. “I mean, it’s really exciting to be able to hear about all the policy decisions and the future directions of science.”

For some members, the band is pure fun; for others, like Collins, it’s a way to release stress. “Being part of the band provides a joyful experience of working together as a team with other talented and fun-loving scientist/musicians,” he says.

“When inspired instrumental riffs and sweet harmony emerge from our band,

it’s a total rush. You can’t be stressed out after those magical moments.”

Collins, who became NIH director in 2009 and lives in Chevy Chase, believes there is a correlation between music and science. “The proportion of scientists who play a musical instrument is much higher than the general population,” he says. “And there’s increasing awareness of the connection between music and health. In the very near future, NIH will award its first set of solicited grants specifically focusing on how music interacts with the human brain, and its role in everything from childhood education to music therapy for victims of PTSD, Parkinson’s disease and stroke.”

JOHN O’SHEA PLAYS mandolin, drums,

“whatever is needed,” he says, but mostly guitar. At work, he oversees a staff of 250 and an annual budget of $60 million.

“Being a musician and performer— especially with the kind of music we

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play—combines discipline, devotion to craft, effective teamwork, and attention to detail mixed with creativity, spontaneity and confidence,” he says. “These attributes are a good combination for a productive scientist.”

O’Shea came to NIH in 1981 on a research fellowship to find a drug that could cure vasculitis, a rare autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the blood vessels and can lead to potentially fatal tissue and organ damage. At NIH, O’Shea and his team discovered a gene, Janus kinase 3, which led to a 25-year collaboration with the pharmaceutical company Pfizer and a new class of drugs, Janus kinase inhibitors.

“My goal was to come up with better treatments for autoimmune disease,” O’Shea says. “I didn’t expect things to work out as well as they did.” The bestknown drug, tofacitinib, marketed as Xeljanz, was advertised during the Super Bowl in February. It is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ulcerative colitis.

In a sense, O’Shea serves as the group’s institutional memory. During a prerehearsal dinner at Lenardo’s house this past summer, he recalls a controversial case from the early 1980s involving Ling-Ling, one of the first giant pandas at the National Zoo. The panda had a bacterial kidney infection. According to The Washington Post, doctors at Children’s Hospital recommended dialysis for the panda and lent dialysis machines to the zoo hospital. NIH got involved as consultants, O’Shea says, and instead recommended antibiotics, which worked. However, he recalls, “It was a political nightmare.”

AT BAND REHEARSALS, it’s not all play

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and no work. Music occasionally mixes with shop talk, and the jargon-filled conversations can seem indecipherable to outsiders. “We scientists do have a hard time speaking English sometimes,” O’Shea says. They use acronyms and terms that are obvious to them, like

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

BCL11A erythroid enhancer, polygenic risk score, electroceuticals and TIL cells.

“How’s your research?” Lenardo asks fiddler Dr. Will Sears, 35, the band’s newest member, during a late-August rehearsal. Lenardo is doing the dinner dishes at his Potomac home before the band begins to play.

“It’s basically not happening,” Sears says.

“Eventually it happens,” Lenardo tells him.

Sears, a fellow in the infectious disease program, has been trying to kill whipworms, parasites that infect the large intestine, with drugs that might also be used in humans. “The worms I got [for the experiment] were already dead,” he says, “so I couldn’t kill them again.”

Lenardo, who’s been at NIH since 1989, encourages Sears not to give up.

A doctor’s son, Lenardo chose research over traditional medicine. “We study the basic mechanism of how cells of the immune system respond to pathogens,” he says. His clinic studies children with genetic abnormalities of the immune system. The children he treats “get referred to NIH because nobody else knows what to do.”

The program’s patients are being treated at four centers in Turkey, where the disease he studies is most evident, and Lenardo has made many trips there to oversee their care. “We apply a contemporary genomic approach, down to what gene is involved, why is it abnormal and what that tells us about how the immune system functions,” he explains. “We have had children very, very sick who had a problem with their gastrointestinal tract, chronic diarrhea, losing proteins, a number of complications. It’s almost as if they were starving when they were trying to grow. Most die between 10 and 20 years old.”

The disease—CHAPLE, which stands for complement hyperactivation, angiopathic thrombosis and protein-losing enteropathy—was identified only two years ago, and more than a dozen children have since been treated for it. “We

are just getting referrals for patients in the U.S. with the same genetic problem,” Lenardo says. “We will treat them, too.

Any kid in the world can be treated.”

Through the FDA’s expanded access program, known as “compassionate use,” Lenardo’s branch has been able to employ the costly drug eculizumab, which is not yet approved by the FDA for this specific disease. “It’s absolutely miraculous,” Lenardo says. “These kids immediately get better. Their protein levels improved. They start to grow, mature, run around playing, where they were in bed, effectively dying.”

Without genomic analysis “there is no way we would’ve thought of using this,” Lenardo says. “It’s really very heartening… . Everyone’s life is centered around this very sick child. When they get better, the whole family dynamic changes.”

Lenardo and his staff of 25 toil on the

11th floor of the NIH Clinical Center.

When he’s not working, there’s the band, in which he gets to play (and sing) his favorite song, the Beatles’ “Eight Days a Week.”

On a deeper level, he says, “I find that music—both listening and performing—unleashes creativity and optimism, which helps my scientific work on these devastating diseases.”

IT’S GETTING LATE at Lenardo’s, where

the Affordable Rock ’n’ Roll Act is practicing for a gig at an Immunology Interest Group workshop at The National Conference Center in Leesburg, Virginia. Grayson thinks it’s time to play “Seagull,” one of two songs he’s written that the band performs.

“Love is the great fire escape, until it all goes up in flames,” Grayson sings. “Until the world is washed away. I’ll see you on

that judgment day. …I am the early morning cat that was outside the hospital…”

“I wrote that song—like the music and lyrics entirely—in like [the] two-minute walk from my house to the hospital in Boston where I worked,” he tells the band. “There was a cat outside the hospital. That’s why that’s in there. Kind of random, right? But I got into the elevator to go up to my office, and they have that fire escape sign, with the person running down the stairs, and somebody wrote, love is the great fire escape.”

“So it’s not your song,” O’Shea declares. “You stole it!” There’s a chorus of laughter, and the band plays on.

Eugene L. Meyer, a former Washington Post reporter and editor, is a contributing editor for Bethesda Magazine and the author of Five for Freedom: The African American Soldiers in John Brown’s Army.

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interview

A CONVERSATION WITH

JAMES BROWN The Bethesda resident and host of The NFL Today talks about his basketball days, memorable on-air bloopers and a story that brought him to tears

BY STEVE GOLDSTEIN | PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

WHEN BROADCASTER JAMES BROWN gives his name to strangers over the phone—say, when he’s making a restaurant reservation—there’s a good chance he’ll be mistakenly identified as the “Godfather of Soul” (who died in 2006) or the legendary NFL running back (who went by Jim). Most often, Brown says, “the response is a musical rendition, like ‘Owwww, I feel good.’ ” “JB,” as he’s known, has reasons to feel good. He is the genial host/ringmaster of The NFL Today on CBS, eliciting incisive observations from the ex-jock commentators—“The quarterback needs to get rid of the ball faster, JB!”—while harmonizing their egos. At 68, he also works as a special correspondent for the network’s news division, demonstrating a versatility in reporting skills that is rare among broadcasters.

Brown was born in Southeast D.C., the oldest of four boys and a girl. A basketball star at DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, he went on to Harvard University in 1969 and was named to the All-Ivy League team before being drafted by the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. Although he was cut by the Hawks before the season began, Brown learned lessons that have served him well in “the game of life,” an expression he frequently uses to describe the world outside the hermetic environment of professional sports. His career as a sportscaster began in D.C. in 1984 with Home

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Team Sports as the expert commentator on telecasts of the NBA’s Washington Bullets (now the Wizards), and he soon replaced Frank Herzog as sports reporter at Channel 9.

“That’s when I gave serious consideration to taking a ‘stage’ name,” Brown says. “But I stuck with JB.” Brown is a large man—6 feet, 5 inches tall—and he freely admits that his weight has fluctuated like the stock market, adding that it is time to sell. Like reformed smokers who become zealots regarding their former habit, Brown came late to religion and has embraced it thoroughly. In 2009, he became an ordained nondenominational Christian minister.

Brown and his wife, Dorothy, have lived in the Burning Tree section of Bethesda since 1996. “When I moved there,” Brown recalls, “the first thing I wanted to know was, given my amount of travel, whether my wife would be comfortable there. …I wanted to make sure the neighborhood was welcoming.” Indeed it was, he says. They have a daughter, Katrina, who lives with her husband, John Walker, and their four children in Charles County.

Brown apologizes profusely for arriving 45 minutes late to our interview, and adds that it’s not a rare occurrence.

“It’s my lifestyle, being on call for news as well as sports,” he says. “My schedule is very fluid. But it’s all good.” He makes up for lost time, rapid-fire paragraphs overtaking sentences, a lifetime habit of speaking against the clock.

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interview

You originally wanted to be a doctor?

I always wanted to help people. Then, in fifth grade—well, this just goes to show the influence one teacher can have—I had gotten a book out of the library: So You Want To Be a Doctor? This teacher spotted me with it and said, ‘You might want to consider another profession, because kids like you don’t do well in math and science.’ That rocked me! It influenced my self-concept. But I did not tell my parents. Teachers were authority figures, and I took her at her word, though I was disappointed.

Who were the most influential people in your life?

My parents and my high school coach, Morgan Wootten, were. I saw how my father worked two or three jobs to provide for our family—as a taxi driver, as a prison guard in Lorton, Virginia, and seasonally at rental car companies.

And it didn’t matter to my mother that I played on the nationally known DeMatha High School basketball team. One day, I was late home from practice. My mother called the gym and told the assistant coach that if I wasn’t home in the next 30 minutes she would remove me from the team. Coach Wootten called her and apologized. He assumed the same influence on me that my parents did.

How else did Coach Wootten guide you?

He reinforced what my mother taught me, which was God first, family second, school third—and then came basketball. Coach also had one rule when we visited a college that wanted to recruit us, which was never say yes on the first visit. Say you’re 99% sure but need more time. That’s what I did when Dean Smith was recruiting me for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I wound up going to Harvard.

You were admitted to Harvard in 1969, one of 100 African American 172

freshmen, almost double the size of the previous freshman class, as schools pledged to increase black admissions in the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Was there a backlash at the school?

I don’t know how much overt racism there was, but there was a leaflet circulating in the dorms questioning the admission of so many black students. It was disappointing, and I remembered the old adage that the higher you rise, the easier it is for folks to shoot at you.

Your Harvard roommate was [activist and social critic] Cornel West. What was he like in college?

He is a very caring individual. He believed in civility even when you disagree. We got along fine because, for a brilliant man, he was unpretentious.

When we went to social mixers, he brought books with him—but he always got up to dance.

You had a good basketball career at Harvard, and you were drafted in 1973 by the Atlanta Hawks. What happened?

I was the last man cut by Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons. I did not work hard enough. I promised myself that I would never again let an opportunity that I really wanted slip away again because I failed to work hard. When I looked back on it, there’s a verse in the Bible that says, ‘Why be concerned about the speck in your brother’s eye when there’s a plank in your own eye?’ And if you point a finger and blame at somebody, there are three pointing right back at you. It was on me.

How did the job with the Washington Bullets come about?

I was working at Xerox, climbing the corporate ladder. Then I was a guest on the Petey Greene radio show, and he suggested I audition for the job as TV analyst for the Bullets. I did a practice interview with Phil Chenier, the team’s

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

star at the time. My Xerox colleagues thought I’d lost my mind.

In fact, you’d found your calling, right?

Once I got the Bullets gig, it led to doing some college games. I realized that this was the closest thing to playing the game of basketball—giving me the same highs. It gave me the confidence that I could do the color to complement the play-by-play. Incidentally, at a banquet around that time, I was introduced as ‘the colored announcer for the Bullets.’

When I took the mic, I said, ‘Technically, that is correct.’ Anyway, I decided to leave Xerox and give myself five years in broadcasting. If it didn’t work out, I’d still be only 33 and I’d go back to the corporate world. But it did work out, and I’ve been able to broaden my horizons beyond basketball and football. I did the Tour de France, the Pan Am Games, even rock climbing. I did as many sports as possible so I’d be viewed as well rounded.

Given your history with the team, did the Bullets-turned-Wizards ever seek you out as a potential general manager?

No, but that would have been flattering. I would have seriously considered it. I thought I brought some big-picture experience.

Basketball commentary came naturally, but you had some on-the-job training with football?

During my first play-by-play broadcast of an NFL game in Tampa, I referred to a runner crossing the 55- and then the 60-yard line.

Why does pro football retain its popularity given the growing awareness of its problems and abuses?

To me, it’s almost like going back to ancient Roman times. It’s a tough, tough game, but people like it for whatever reason.

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There is a general perception that the NFL is not doing enough to curtail domestic violence by its players.

What’s your take?

I would respectfully dispute that. That is certainly the public perception, but the incidence of domestic violence is not significantly higher in the NFL than in the general population. It is unacceptable at any level. I’ve spoken with people hired by the NFL to address the problem. My message is, you can win with people of good character.

What about concussions and head trauma, which the NFL has historically played down?

It’s a fair question to ask whether enough is being done [by the NFL]. Better equipment is not going to be enough. But the issue is real. I know of former players now in broadcasting who think they have CTE [chronic traumatic encephalopathy], but they want to continue working, so they don’t want to do anything about it. That’s their mindset.

Should NFL players be permitted to exercise their first amendment rights by kneeling during the national anthem, or in similar ways?

Yes, but just because you exercise those rights does not mean you’re free of the consequences in any given work environment. I think a better approach is for there to be a meeting at the table to discuss the underlying issues and arrive at a solution that represents a compromise.

A number of the players have taken these actions with that objective.

So do you reject authoritarian and punitive actions by team owners?

The owner has the right to run the organization as he or she sees fit. But to dictate without understanding the underlying issues is not the best approach. If issues in the community rise above the level of the game itself, they should be addressed. Sports historically

has been a venue that moved the social needle forward. I don’t know if a leaguewide policy is best. The ideal is that any owner or coach should lead on these issues—they have to show they care.

On television, you lead a group of explayers and coaches turned analysts and commentators. What is the quality they need to succeed?

The audience is discerning. They can tell a phony, someone who is self-centered or who doesn’t put in the work like a real ‘gym rat.’ What made John Madden so outstanding? He talked in lay language. He demonstrated a passion for the sport. As for me, I want to know the strengths and weaknesses of our guys. For example, I know Jimmy Johnson gets a little tired during the second game of a Sunday broadcast, so if he gives me the deer-in-the-headlights look, I know to skip over him. The guys know I’m not going to embarrass them.

In 1994, you began hosting the Fox NFL Sunday pregame show.

Describe what happened on your first broadcast.

We had just come back from commercial break and Howie Long was staring at me. The teleprompter operator was running the script backwards. My experience in local television taught me to always have a printed script with me. So I glanced at that and read while the teleprompter was corrected.

I know you’ve said Terry Bradshaw was great to work with. But you did have a memorable blooper with him, right?

Terry’s a country boy, and big on horses.

I’m the urbane brother from D.C. The producer tells me he’s going to show some beauty shots of Terry’s quarter horses on his Oklahoma ranch. As background, Terry explains these are ‘cutting horses,’ able to separate a single cow from the herd. So the shots of the farm BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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go up and I describe the animals as ‘cut’ horses. I can see a deep frown on Bradshaw’s face as we go to commercial. ‘Do you know what you just said?’ he asks.

‘Cut horses are the ones who have been castrated!’

Bradshaw has figured in some memorable moments, hasn’t he?

I was doing a lead-on to the second game of our Sunday broadcast, a big, important game, so I thought I didn’t have to specify the teams. I give Terry the opening, talking about what a knock-down, drag-out affair it will be. Bradshaw picks up with some very good analysis—only he’s talking about the wrong game. I soft-pedal his error, saying something like, ‘Well, the game you were describing is not the one we’ll be showing.’ Without missing a beat, Terry goes, ‘It’s still going to be a heck of a game, JB!’ Which television commentators are the gold standard?

Bryant Gumbel and Ted Koppel are extremely skilled and versatile, and are great interviewers. In sports, Sonny Hill, Hubie Brown and Madden, of course.

The late Pat Summerall could work with anyone, and he could tie up someone else’s comment better than anyone else.

Pat was doing a Thanksgiving football game, and Madden was describing how he prepares his famous ‘turducken’ [a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey] by pushing it here and patting it there and rubbing it. ‘With all those pats and caresses,’ Summerall quipped, ‘I think it’s already done!’

What are your favorite stories to report as a correspondent?

Both sports and news satisfy an intellectual curiosity for me. As a special correspondent for CBS News, I can contribute to all platforms, including 60 Minutes. I have a special proclivity

One-Stop Shoppes toward stories about athletes of character and integrity. I know Charles Barkley says athletes should not be role models—but they are. One of my favorite stories was covering 12 mentally disabled Californians, ages 19 through 30, as they climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in 1990. Five made it to the top, demonstrating the strength and determination of the human spirit. It brought me to tears.

In addition to everything else, you own a piece of the Washington Nationals.

Yes, the size of my investment is probably equal to the owners’ per diem rate. I am—literally and figuratively—a minority owner of the Nats. Baseball was actually my first love. My father and uncle were fans of the Homestead Grays, and my grandfather owned a team, the Black Sox, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

You are very active with your ministry, I understand.

I speak at churches around the country, and now I’m getting invitations to speak abroad—in Scotland, for example.

I’ve been speaking at the Church of the Redeemer in Gaithersburg for about seven years. A visit to Israel in 2015 was extremely significant and meaningful for me and strengthened my commitment to be a positive influence on people.

Any thoughts of hanging up your rollaboard and leading a less frenetic lifestyle?

Typically, when you retire, you go and devote time to something you want to do. But I’m doing that now. I love what I’m doing, and I’ll do it as long as I am able.

Steve Goldstein is a freelance writer and editor and the former bureau chief in Moscow and in Washington, D.C., for The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Bethesda Interview is edited for length and clarity.

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Change Makers Philanthropists of the Year Hope Gleicher and Andy Burness have spent most of their lives helping to give others a voice

BY MIKE UNGER

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PHOTO BY LISA HELFERT

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He lent the man a book called So You Want to Start a Business! and gave him an old computer.

“The idea was, what can we do to help?” Burness says.

That’s essentially the question that has driven the couple’s personal and professional lives. Over the years, they’ve given hundreds of thousands of dollars to dozens of national and local charities and nonprofits, and countless hours to the causes they hold dear.

“Philanthropy has always been a piece of it, but really they’re full of goodness,” says Sally Rudney, founding executive director of the Community Foundation in Montgomery County. “They want to make a difference in their own community. They don’t just say that, or do that

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

on the side—it’s a part of their daily life.”

Through his company, which works with nonprofits and a few governmental entities, Burness has focused on issues related to health, science, poverty and social justice. Gleicher, who has run three nonprofits in Maryland, is now the chief strategy officer at Identity, which is based in Gaithersburg and serves Latino youths and families in Montgomery County. Together, the couple has supported organizations from the American Civil Liberties Union to The Universities at Shady Grove.

Although they’re each motivated by a shared desire to be a “net-plus” in society, injustices bother them in different ways. “For him, it’s ‘that doesn’t make sense,’ and for me, it’s ‘that isn’t fair,’ ”

COURTESY PHOTOS

A

ANDY BURNESS AND Hope Gleicher arrive bearing snacks.

But before they have a chance to open the popcorn, block of cheese, and crackers they brought to Burness’ office in downtown Bethesda, where they’ve come to discuss—with great reluctance—being named the Community Foundation in Montgomery County’s 2019 Philanthropists of the Year, each warmly greets a custodian they see on the way in.

The young man holds down two fulltime jobs, one of which is cleaning the building that’s home to the eponymous public interest communications firm that Burness started more than three decades ago. He and the custodian used to converse in Spanish until one day, the man, a native of Central America, spoke to Burness in English. “I want to better myself,” Burness recalls him saying. “I want to do more than just clean these buildings.”

That was all Burness needed to hear.

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Opposite page: Burness and Gleicher visited Colima, Mexico, in 2001 with Rotary Project Amigo.

Left: Burness spoke out against hunger in front of a Giant grocery store in 2014. He’s turned his personal philanthropic focus towards alleviating hunger in Montgomery County.

Below: Gleicher (center) and Burness (far right) with the Hope Springs Eternal team before their first bike ride to support multiple sclerosis research.

Gleicher says.

Burness can’t understand how more than 60,000 people in one of the wealthiest counties in the country don’t know where their next meal will come from.

Gleicher finds it patently unfair that everyone who works hard isn’t paid a living wage. They’ve made it their life’s work to right these wrongs, but they find it awkward to be honored for their efforts. Sitting at a circular table in the seventh-floor corner office, surrounded by books, African art, and photos of Burness’ family, friends and sports hero Derek Jeter, they dive into the discomfort.

“It’s very flattering, and it’s very nice of people to want to recognize anything about us,” Gleicher says. “But it’s also kind of absurd. We have been lucky enough to have more than we need. Why wouldn’t we share?”

information officer for the first presidential commission to examine medical ethics (a note he received from President Jimmy Carter hangs on his office wall), then went to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to work in external relations.

He started Burness in 1986.

“There weren’t many people doing social change communication, the notion of trying to use communications as a tool to influence change for good,” he says. “I had a background in ethics, I knew some journalists. Starting this company felt like the best idea for using my particular skills.”

A few years later, as part of a contract

with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Burness called the director of Health Care for the Homeless in Baltimore to ask about spending a day there.

Gleicher was the executive director.

“I said sure, just don’t come wearing a suit,” she recalls.

A native of Chicago, Gleicher, 59, credits her parents with instilling in her the importance of giving back to the community. “They were always active volunteers,” she says. “I remember my family hosting City of Hope [cancer research and treatment center] meetings and Leukemia Society meetings in our house. I don’t know why. We had nobody

BURNESS, 67, GREW UP in Connecticut in a family with values he describes as “progressive.” He attended Duke University, where he served as the college newspaper’s sports editor. (The new dog in the household is named Zion, after former Blue Devils basketball phenom Zion Williamson.) After graduating, Burness worked on Terry Sanford’s 1976 presidential campaign before coming to Washington, D.C., as a legislative assistant on health and education for U.S. Rep. L. Richardson Preyer of North Carolina. Burness served as public BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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in the family with those illnesses.”

Gleicher worked at a shelter for battered women in St. Paul, Minnesota, while attending Macalester College there. She came east after graduate school and married Burness in 1989, less than two years after they met during his visit to Baltimore. The couple has two children, now in their 20s, and lives in Chevy Chase.

Their lives have always centered on the public good. Burness’ firm has 65 employees and an office in Nairobi, Kenya. The job of its communications and media relations experts is to broaden the impact of the message of the company’s clients, who focus on agricultural research, vaccine development and public health interventions, among other issues. Working with the global nonprofit PATH, Burness played an important role in shaping the messaging connected to the debut of the first malaria vaccine in Africa.

“In one way or another, all the work we do touches on people who have less opportunity and lower quality of life, and how we can raise the profile of that issue, give voice to people whose voices need to be heard, and hopefully impact 182

“We have been lucky enough to have more than we need. Why wouldn’t we share?”

Gleicher says. change,” he says.

The company places a high priority on philanthropy, matching up to $1,000 of charitable giving annually for each employee and offering college scholarships to staff members’ children. It donates more than $100,000 a year to nonprofits in the county and beyond.

Each year, Burness is a member of his company’s team at the Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy’s spelling bee fundraiser. (The firm has donated more than $10,000 to the organization.) The team has never won, and

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Burness is still kicking himself about the word that stumped the group this year: exscind.

“I don’t know the word, but I should have known how to spell it,” he says. “I’ve learned that I’m a good speller, I’m not a great speller. There are more words I don’t know than I do know.”

Burness has turned his personal philanthropic focus toward alleviating hunger in Montgomery County. He and Shondra Jenkins co-founded Business Leaders Fighting Hunger, which helps fund innovative new projects that align with the county’s food security plan. The coalition already has provided grants for three projects, including one for Food Is Medicine, which aims to link health care programs in a largely Latino section of eastern Montgomery County with food assistance and nutrition programs. Its first project is aimed at providing diabetics with healthy food.

“He understands that you have to have a balance between feeding people today—handing out a meal, but also looking at ways to fund programs that help ensure people will not be hungry again tomorrow,” Jenkins says. She met Burness when they were volunteering

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Burness is a member of his company’s team at the annual Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy’s spelling bee fundraiser.

at the Manna Food Center. “It’s great to feed 10 more people, but if we’re really going to end hunger in Montgomery County, we need to be looking at this a little bit more holistically, and that is exactly what Andy does.”

Burness and Gleicher are major donors to the Crossroads Community Food Network, which runs the Crossroads Farmers Market in Takoma Park.

It’s an ethnically diverse market where shoppers might hear people speaking Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, French or Russian.

“I vividly remember when I first met him, he said he needed to get to the market,” says Christie Balch, Crossroads Community Food Network’s executive director. “Our market is really different than most farmers markets. It’s primarily immigrant and low-income shoppers.

You don’t always hear English. It’s like

being in a market in another country.

Sometimes people visit and they don’t get it. When Andy showed up, he got it.

He still comes and buys stuff, which a lot of other donors don’t always do. He just blends right in.”

GLEICHER IS A co-founder of Montgomery Moving Forward (MMF), an initiative of Nonprofit Montgomery, and she’s played a critical role in the organization’s work in early care and education, as well as workforce development.

“One of the things that Hope reminded me is that it’s really important that you not only hear from the leadership, but that you also make sure that you have the perspective of the folks that are living it every day,” says Sharon Friedman, MMF’s project director. “She helped me come up with this very good strategy for how we get everything from focus groups to

The

surveying to one-on-one interviews with people who are living the child care experience, and that’s everybody from parents to grandparents to the providers.”

Burness and Gleicher donate to MMF, but their largest local gifts have been to Identity, where Gleicher has worked since 2016. Diego Uriburu, the organization’s executive director, calls their philanthropy “transformative.”

“For lack of a better word, they’ve adopted us,” he says. “When you adopt someone, you open everything you have for them. Their wallet, their guidance, they share Burness’ resources—they’re coaching us, they’re rooting for us.”

Uriburu says Burness’ company has contributed more than $100,000 in communications work to Identity, which offers educational, social and emotional support, gang prevention programs, workforce development and more to

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change makers about 3,500 young people and their families in the county.

Tatiana Murillo was one of those young people when she was in high school. Now 27, the former Identity client is the organization’s director of finance.

When Murillo started in the position, Gleicher arranged for her to meet with Burness’ chief financial officer, Wendy Mackie, as well as an executive from the Jewish Social Service Agency. Murillo calls those meetings “invaluable,” but she can put an actual price tag on another gift she’s received from the couple. She’s one of eight Identity employees each of the last three years to benefit from the Burness scholarship program, an initiative Gleicher pushed for.

“I complained a lot about the unfairness of the scholarships that are available to children of families with some means, and would come home and tell stories of my colleagues, who

are one-class-at-a-time trying to get through [The Universities at Shady Grove] or [Montgomery College] while working full time,” Gleicher says. “Andy one day comes home and says, ‘How about we offer essentially the same kind of package [that Burness does] to Identity employees?’ ” A Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) student, Murillo didn’t qualify for any financial aid and was progressing through the University of Maryland at a glacial pace. The scholarship helped her earn her undergraduate degree in accounting more quickly, and she is now pursuing a master’s degree in accounting at American University.

“It’s been a huge help, and lessened the financial burden on me,” says Murillo, who’s from Nicaragua. “I’m so grateful because it’s not every day that you find people who are willing to help others. Especially the DACA students.

We have very limited resources because of our status. People like Hope and Andy are the kind of people that make this country great. They give back so much to the community, and they are an example to all of us.”

Seven years ago, Burness started the Frank Karel Fellowship in Public Interest Communications. Named after a friend and mentor who was a pioneer in the field, it matches first-generation and/ or minority students with leading nonprofits in the D.C. area, where they work on social justice issues under the guidance of a communications mentor. Luisa Guaracao was a fellow in 2016, and now runs the program and works as a senior communications coordinator at Burness.

“When I was a fellow, I was in training at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. One of the issues that I got to work on was around police brutality,” she says. “I learned how to

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use communications to promote and advance issues that I care about.”

Andy Burness also impacts the future of the field by teaching strategic communications. He is an adjunct lecturer at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

“It’s fantastic being able to learn from the students, and to be able to mentor them in an area they are hungry to learn about,” he says. “They have a passion for making the world a better place.”

As do the couple’s own children.

Molly is a transplant nurse at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital; Alex covers state politics for The Denver Post. His parents “have made a point to dedicate their lives to the service of the greater good,” Alex says. “They feel…if you have money, if you have time, if you have resources, you should help out your community. They impressed that upon my sister and me a really long time ago.

I think that’s probably why we’re doing the jobs we do now.”

NINETY MINUTES AFTER arriving at the office, Burness and Gleicher have packed up the leftover munchies and finished fielding questions about themselves. They have complemented each other well, bouncing thoughts back and forth here the way they say they discuss ideas and problems at home—or, really, anywhere.

“Hope has been helping me think through understanding how to advance the issue of hunger in Montgomery County and be strategic about it,” Burness says. “Her knowledge of the county, her knowledge of social change and how to work at a community level, and her understanding of community politics has been really helpful. In fact, it was the topic of a car ride we took on a vacation one time in the south of Chile.”

When the conversation shifts back to the building custodian, their faces light up. In addition to his two full-time custodial jobs, he has started his own cleaning business on the side, but he’s also more than willing to help with any home improvement projects. Gleicher promised him that she’ll ask neighbors and friends if they could use an extra set of hands, and Burness has mentioned it to colleagues at work.

“He hopes to get rid of his second job,” Burness says.

“Which would change everything for him,” Gleicher adds. “We’re trying to help him get some more control over his life.”

Of course they are. It’s only fair, and it just makes sense.

Mike Unger is a writer and editor who grew up in Montgomery County and lives in Baltimore.

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GUIDEto GIVING More than 60 ways to make a difference in our community

Give a Child a Chance ARTIVATE (goartivate.org) celebrates

the arts as an essential part of everyday life, creating dynamic experiences in schools, libraries and community centers, as well as correctional facilities and juvenile detention centers, through Project Youth ArtReach. Artivate engages communities to create interactive arts experiences that inspire learning, advancing the arts to better understand diverse cultures and unify communities regardless of age, race and ethnicity.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Maryland, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 covers painting supplies for 15 youths to create a multipanel mural.

• $500 funds a cultural arts performance for 350 students at a Title I school.

• $1,000 provides key support for a five-week creative writing residency for court-involved youths.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with a special event.

• Ongoing: Provide office support.

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All of the organizations below have been recommended by either The Community Foundation in Montgomery County or the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County. If an organization offers Student Service Learning SSL hours or internships I , we noted that under volunteer opportunities.

For more local nonprofits vetted by these organizations, visit BethesdaMagazine.com.

BELLXCEL (bellxcel.org), formerly Bell-Building Educated Leaders for Life, exists to transform the academic achievements, self-confidence and life trajectories of children living in underresourced communities. At no cost to families, BellXcel delivers studentcentered summer learning solutions to 2,100 children in third through fifth grade who are falling behind in Montgomery County Title I schools.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville (local headquarters) SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 sends a class of 20 students on a summer Friday field trip.

• $1,500 supports academic instruction and engaging enrichment activities for one student.

• $10,000 sponsors two teachers’ professional development, ensuring high-quality instruction for each classroom of 20 students.

I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Share the steps you took to achieve success at a “Career and College Pride Day.” • One day: Conduct on-site interviews with teachers, parents and students.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

COMMUNITY BRIDGES

(communitybridges-md.org) empowers girls from diverse backgrounds in elementary, middle and high schools to become exceptional students, positive leaders and healthy young women. Each year, the organization supports more than 400 girls at 16 public schools in discovering their unique identity, voice and potential through leadership development, college and career readiness, family support and mentoring.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 covers the annual activity fees for 10 girls in the program.

• $1,600 sponsors one girl for the year.

• $10,000 supports the annual Community Bridges Career and Innovation Summit.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Become a volunteer for an event or field trip.

• Monthly: Mentor a high school or middle school girl.

CRITTENTON SERVICES OF GREATER WASHINGTON

(crittentonservices.org) helps 500 teen-

Spotlight

URBAN ALLIANCE Giving high school students experience in the corporate world

PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

BY CARALEE ADAMS

NAJMAH ABDUR-RAHMAN wanted an internship during her senior year at Paint Branch High School in Burtonsville, but she had no idea where to look or who was hiring.

Then she learned about Urban Alliance, a Washington, D.C.based nonprofit that partners with businesses to provide an on-ramp to the corporate world for students in underresourced schools. In Montgomery County, it places a total of about 30 to 35 students from Springbrook High School in Silver Spring and Paint Branch in paid internships each year. After being accepted into the Urban Alliance program, Abdur-Rahman spent six weeks in after-school classes to prepare for the workplace—learning to dress professionally, manage her time and communicate in a business setting.

“Coming into the program, I was really shy being around people I had never met,” says Abdur-Rahman, 19, of Burtonsville, who was placed at Chevy Chase Trust in Bethesda. “[The training] gave me practice and let me know what to expect.”

Abdur-Rahman worked at the investment firm for three hours most weekday afternoons from November through May and full time in the summer, putting in a total of 600 hours.

She worked on research projects and digitized files.

Urban Alliance tries to match students with companies in

Najmah Abdur-Rahman (left) with her Urban Alliance mentor, Amy Newman of Chevy Chase Trust

industries that interest them, but that’s not always possible.

Although Abdur-Rahman’s internship wasn’t in the field she planned to pursue (she’s now a civil engineering major at Montgomery College with plans to transfer to the University of Maryland in two years), she says it was useful to learn about investments and become more financially savvy. She took the advice of her mentor, Amy Newman, a senior trust officer at Chevy Chase Trust, and saved most of her money from the internship for college expenses. “She was that person who helped transition me to adulthood,” Abdur-Rahman says of Newman. “We had a lot of great conversations that have helped me feel more confident and prepared as I enter this next phase.”

Newman says she was pleased to see Abdur-Rahman take an interest in finance and grow as she worked collaboratively and showed initiative. In May, Abdur-Rahman noticed that another intern was leaving at the end of the school year and inquired about taking on some of that work in the summer. “I was really impressed that she was thinking about what the firm needed and how she could help,” Newman says. “Najmah is very ambitious.”

Throughout Abdur-Rahman’s time in the program, Urban Alliance held sessions to help the interns polish their resumes and work on their public speaking and networking skills. The organization operates an alumni program to support students as they attend college and launch careers, and Newman has offered to be a resource to Abdur-Rahman during college and as she enters the job market.

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age girls achieve academic success, make healthy choices and chart their own bright futures. Through proven curricula, Crittenton helps teenage girls believe in their ability to succeed—even in the face of significant challenges. The organization’s school-based programs teach teenage girls to value their education, build healthy relationships, speak up for their own needs and explore successful paths toward college and careers.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $350 allows one teen to participate in the career exploration program.

• $1,500 underwrites the costs for a Crittenton teen for an entire year.

• $10,000 sends 15 teenage girls to Crittenton’s Leadership Academy.

I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with Crittenton’s supply drives for students.

• Ongoing: Serve as an executive adviser or board member.

HORIZONS GREATER WASHINGTON

(horizonsgreaterwashington.org) prepares students from low-income families to succeed by building academic and life skills outside the traditional school year. Horizons fosters a joyful environment full of academic, artistic and athletic activities that inspire young minds and build a love of learning. Students attend the Horizons program for nine years, from kindergarten through eighth grade. Horizons currently serves more than 370 students.

HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides a classroom with supplies and healthy snacks.

• $1,000 replenishes supplies in a STEAM makerspace.

• $10,000 pays to hire two additional reading specialists.

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SSL

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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• Weekly: Volunteer to assist teachers

and support students in the classroom.

IDENTITY (identity-youth.org) works with more than 3,000 Latino and other multicultural youths after school, in the community and on the playing fields.

The organization aims to help youths develop social and emotional skills, do better in school and get ready for work.

HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides five backpacks full of school supplies for newly arrived students.

• $1,000 turns spring break from a high-risk time to an enriching safe time for 10 teens.

• $10,000 helps 10 GED students earn their high school diplomas.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Tutor struggling young readers.

• Occasional: Conduct mock job interviews with older youths.

LATIN AMERICAN YOUTH CENTER/ MARYLAND MULTICULTURAL YOUTH CENTERS (layc-dc.org) reaches approxi-

mately 5,000 at-risk youths in the region through job readiness training, paid internships, work experience, GED instruction, college preparation, case management, mentoring and leadership development. In 2018, LAYC helped 159 Montgomery County teens obtain employment certification, paid job placement or a GED. HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides public transportation fare cards for three young people for a year.

• $1,000 allows 20 youths to take the GED exam.

• $10,000 pays for Microsoft certification for low-income youths.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

SSL

I

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

• One day: Become a motivational

guest speaker to the youth program.

• Weekly: Tutor a high school or GED student (background clearance required).

MENTORPRIZE (mentorprize.org) aims to mitigate the chronic shortage of mentors in the D.C. area so children and young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds get the emotional, academic and/or professional support everyone deserves. The organization recruits mentors and refers them to mentoring programs that serve a wide range of constituents—from homeless kids to first-generation college students. MentorPrize has recruited 190 mentors for their nonprofit partners in Montgomery County.

HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 underwrites the matchmaking for a mentor-mentee pair.

• $1,000 provides a sponsorship of a mentors and mentees event.

• $10,000 pays for a large portion of a mentor coordinator’s salary.

I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Serve as a mentor for one of 18 nonprofit partners.

PROJECT CHANGE

(projectchange-md.org) is a youthdriven nonprofit that empowers middle school and high school students to be agents for positive change within their communities through youth health and safety, service, and leadership opportunities. Through musical theater, the organization’s Team of Stars program has helped more than 500 youths learn significant life skills and theater skills, and to engage in the art of collaboration.

HEADQUARTERED: Olney SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

Spotlight

CHEER Empowering residents to improve their lives

PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

BY CARALEE ADAMS

ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, Benjamin Edwards was diagnosed with diabetes, which led to numbness and pain in his hands and feet. Edwards, 62, who lives in Silver Spring, no longer drives and can’t walk well enough to take public transportation. After his wife died 12 years ago, he quit his home improvement contracting job to care for his daughter Stephanie, 32, who has lupus and uses a wheelchair.

About three years ago, a spike in Edwards’ blood sugar level landed him in the hospital. While there, he learned about the Long Branch Healthy Food Access Program, which would deliver healthy fresh food—especially tailored to help him manage his diabetes—to his home.

CHEER (Community Health and Empowerment through Education and Research) operates the program for local residents with diabetes who struggle to make ends meet and don’t have reliable access to food. The Silver Spring-based nonprofit partners with health clinics, hospitals and food providers to deliver a weekly box of groceries for 12 weeks. It also connects individuals with a community health worker for expert advice and offers healthy eating classes.

With a regular supply of fresh vegetables and fruit, Edwards’ blood sugar levels dropped significantly over the

Benjamin Edwards Jason Sheer (left) and David Baum helped makeat his Silver Spring home improvements on Eula Knight’s home as volunteers with Rebuilding Together Montgomery County.

course of the program. CHEER then referred him to a program that has provided a monthly diabetic food box from Manna Food Center that covers about a third of his grocery needs. “[The CHEER program] really improved my health,” says Edwards, a musician who plays piano and drums regularly at church and local jazz clubs. “It made me pay attention to the right things to eat, like more leafy vegetables.”

The food program, which has served about 250 residents, is one of many initiatives coordinated by CHEER. The organization was co-founded in 2010 by Bruce Baker of Takoma Park and Andrew Kleine of Silver Spring to help empower residents to improve their lives. CHEER operates a free summer enrichment program for low-income kids, helps residents with health care enrollment, supports new immigrants settling in the area, and organizes neighborhood advocacy events. CHEER, which has about 16 part-time employees, uses grants, private donations and government contracts to design innovative strategies to address a variety of needs in Montgomery County.

“We take a holistic approach. We try to connect people to whatever resources they need. …It’s a completely different approach to community,” says Baker, CHEER’s executive director. “Typically, an organization takes one function and specializes. Our theory of change is that you can do more by building strong relationships with people and using that synergy to address whatever issues the community faces.”

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• $300 provides tuition for two students to • • I

• •

attend the Student Leadership Institute. $1,000 supports the minimum cost to run the monthly Teen Coffeehouse. $4,000 covers the cost to run a service club at two local schools.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: One day: Volunteer at the annual spring “Party in the Park” for the whole family.

Ongoing: Serve as a middle school or high school member of the Project Change service club.

URBAN ALLIANCE (theurbanalliance.

org) opens doors to economic opportunity for underserved high school seniors by providing paid internships, job skills training, one-on-one mentoring and lifelong post-program support. Over the past two years, Urban Alliance has placed 60 Montgomery County youths in paid professional internships with caring mentors. Additionally, Urban Alliance has reached hundreds of high school students with its workforce development training, offered in partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools.

HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. SERVES: Greater Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Detroit WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $25 covers an intern’s wages for one day of work.

• $100 provides the completion bonus for an intern who excels during Urban Alliance’s culminating Public Speaking Challenge.

• $1,000 covers an intern’s training and college counseling.

I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help high school seniors navigate the college application process during “College Essay Day.” • Ongoing: Mentor a high school intern.

YMCA YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES (yfs.ymca.org) provides

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mental health therapy, family support/ case management, and youth development programming to help vulnerable youths and their families become safe, secure and connected to community supports. The Y’s mentoring, counseling and case management programs provide critical preventative and early intervention strategies that stabilize families during uncertain times.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $1,000 provides trauma-based mental health therapy for a child facing adversity.

• $2,500 supports a yearlong mentor match for a young person experiencing the juvenile justice or child welfare system.

• $5,000 sends six kids to summer camp.

SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Lead activities or small games at the annual Healthy Kids Day event.

• Ongoing: Mentor or tutor a young person.

Help Build Communities IMPACT SILVER SPRING

(impactsilverspring.org) aims to achieve a racially and economically equitable Montgomery County through building and sustaining community-based, equity-focused spaces where people and organizations can take collaborative action. IMPACT believes that achieving true equity requires transformation at the personal/interpersonal, neighborhood and systems levels.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 seeds a resident-led community improvement project.

• $1,000 pays for four scholarships for low-income residents to participate

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

in the Network Weaver Learning Program.

• $10,000 sponsors a symposium on cooperative development.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • As needed: Assist as a social media strategist.

• As needed: Help as an English/Spanish interpreter.

Help Someone Go to College COLLEGETRACKS (collegetracks.org) changes lives by helping low-income, first-generation-to-college students navigate the college application and financial aid process and then enroll, persist and graduate from college or technical school. The organization serves 1,800 students annually.

HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Wheaton, Watkins Mill and Quince Orchard high schools WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 allows three recent high school graduates to attend College Success Skills Workshops.

• $1,000 provides one year of college admissions advising for a high school senior.

• $10,000 provides College Success Coaching for seven college students.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Help students with the admissions and financial aid process.

(Must be a college graduate.)

• Weekly: Help students to prepare for the ACT test.

FUTURE LINK (futurelinkmd.org)

seeks to close the social justice gap by empowering first-generation-to-college, low-income young adults through career exploration programs, academic advising, scholarships, internships and mentoring. Its individualized, intensive program emphasizes persistence in postsecondary education; teaches

Voted Best Financial Advisor workplace, self-advocacy and personal decision-making skills; and helps young adults develop a concrete plan for a meaningful career pathway to enable self-sufficiency.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides textbooks to a Future Link student.

• $1,000 provides career planners for three Future Link seminar classes.

• $10,000 funds a 15-week career development seminar for 15 students.

I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Provide informational interviews to students interested in your career field.

• Ongoing: Mentor a young adult.

by the Readers of Bethesda Magazine 5 Consecutive Times

GENERATION HOPE

(supportgenerationhope.org) surrounds motivated teenage parents and their children with the mentors, emotional support and financial resources that they need to thrive in college and kindergarten, thereby driving a twogeneration solution to poverty.

HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides gas cards to help 10 students attend class for one week.

• $1,000 funds four family dinners where teens build relationships with each other and learn about topics related to parenting and college, while their children participate in fun and engaging educational activities.

• $10,000 provides a complete fouryear sponsorship for one student.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help teens with resume reviews, mock interviews and networking practice at the career center, or host students for a careershadowing day at your workplace.

• Ongoing: Become a mentor or participate in a group mentoring opportunity.

David B. Hurwitz

CFP®, CRPC®, CRPS®, RICP®, APMA®

Private Wealth Advisor Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and CFP (with flame design) in the U.S. Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2018 Ameriprise Financial, Inc., All rights reserved.

6400 Goldsboro Road, Suite 550 Bethesda, MD 20817 Direct: (301) 263-8509 Email: david.b.hurwitz@ampf.com davidbhurwitz.com

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GUI DE TO G I V IN G Support Those with Special Needs

• $1,000 buys instructional ingredients/

RED WIGGLER COMMUNITY FARM

• $10,000 underwrites a scholarship for

(redwiggler.org) is an organic farm where people with and without developmental disabilities come together to work, learn and grow healthy food.

Annually, more than 1,900 volunteers and workers harvest organic vegetables that are delivered to the community, including 30 percent going to lowincome people in Montgomery County.

HEADQUARTERED: Germantown SERVES: Primarily Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides 10 weeks of fresh vegetable deliveries to 10 group homes for adults with disabilities.

• $1,000 provides ergonomic hand tools for growers and volunteers.

• $10,000 supports winter greenhouse educational programming and job opportunities.

I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day or weekly: On-farm education and volunteer opportunities (must be at least 12 years old).

SUNFLOWER BAKERY

(sunflowerbakery.org) prepares young adults with learning differences for employment through the pastry arts and Café Sunflower employment training programs. The pastry program includes 26 weeks of professional instruction, skills training and a paid in-house internship, and serves 18 to 20 students annually. Café Sunflower offers three months of formal instruction to eight young adults and, if successful, the opportunity to continue on for six months of paid employment and training. The cafe also offers eight-week internships to four to six high school students annually.

HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg SERVES: Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Washington, D.C. WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 covers tools for one student to

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practice skills.

supplies for one pastry arts student.

one low-income pastry arts student.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Assist employees at Café Sunflower.

Feed the Hungry COMMUNITY HEALTH AND EMPOWERMENT THROUGH EDUCATION AND RESEARCH (CHEER) (communitycheer.org) partners with local organizations to address the needs of low-income neighbors who are at risk or suffering from diabetes, hypertension and other health challenges. CHEER’s staff and volunteers provide weekly food distributions and coach individuals on targeted interventions that can improve their health. CHEER also assists in health care enrollment, operates a free summer enrichment program for lowincome students, and facilitates community organizing events to help neighbors make their community thrive.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides boxes of fresh food and delivery to 15 residents.

• $500 provides three months of support to five low-income residents with diabetes.

• $10,000 provides six weeks of Lunch and Learn to 20 children who would otherwise have no summer enrichment opportunities.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly/monthly: Serve as a translator or interpreter.

CROSSROADS COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK (crossroadscommunity

foodnetwork.org) educates community members about healthy food and strives to create universal access to healthy food. Programs include microenterprise

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development, healthy eating education and farmers market nutrition incentives at the Crossroads Farmers Market, which serves 5,000 people annually.

HEADQUARTERED: Takoma Park SERVES: Takoma Park and Langley Park WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $500 covers ingredients for a series of Healthy Eating sessions for local fifth graders.

• $1,000 provides one session of business training for 15 low-income food entrepreneurs.

• $5,000 doubles SNAP (food stamp) farmers market purchases for seven eligible families for the entire market season.

I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Give cooking demonstrations at local schools.

• Weekly: Help older customers shop for produce at the market.

MANNA FOOD CENTER (mannafood. org) works to end hunger every day through healthy food distribution, nutrition education, and advocacy to reduce poverty across Montgomery County. Last year, Manna assisted 32,000 individuals and families, including children, seniors, veterans and the working poor. Manna partners with community groups and businesses to address immediate needs and create sustainable healthy communities for all.

HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides weekend bags for 50 elementary school children.

• $1,000 provides 40 families with fresh, frozen and shelf-stable food for one month.

• $10,000 supports weekend bags at one elementary school for one year.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Adults (17 and older) can prepare food boxes and sort canned goods.

• One day: Host a food and funds drive.

Spotlight

ASPIRE COUNSELING Prioritizing the mental health of low-income mothers

PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

BY GRETA ANDERSON

JACQUELINE CAMARA DIDN’T RECOGNIZE her perinatal depression until she had her second child in 2013. She felt overwhelmed, and a friend recommended she seek counseling.

As a single mother, she’d been accustomed to pushing through emotional pain and the stress of caring for her family.

“The main thing is [there’s] nobody you can ask for help,” she says, explaining how some of her friends and family members showed a lack of compassion for her situation.

“Everybody just wants to pull you down. ...I was feeling the negativity.”

When Camara had her third child in 2017, she found support in the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies (HMHB) program of Aspire Counseling, a Gaithersburg-based nonprofit that has provided free and reduced-cost therapy and case management to low-income families in Montgomery County for more than 40 years.

Camara, 32, who’s unemployed, lives in Silver Spring with her four boys—ages 7, 6 and 1, plus an infant. Before giving birth in April, she babysat other children in her home to make some money, but she’s found it difficult to maintain that income while caring for a baby by herself. She has again sought help from HMHB and says her weekly in-home therapy sessions with Cristina Astrada-Keeling, a licensed therapist who directs HMHB, are essential for her mental health.

Aspire therapist Cristina Astrada-Keeling (left) with Jason Sheer (left) and David Baum helped make Jacqueline Camara and one improvements on Eula Knight’s home as volunteers of her children with Rebuilding Together Montgomery County.

Camara has grown to value her counseling sessions and says others shouldn’t be embarrassed to take a step back and accept their need for mental health support.

“The more you hold on to your problems, the more it’s gonna get worse, and you might end up hurting yourself or hurting somebody else,” Camara says. “For me, it's like the way you go to the doctor—you can have time to sit down and talk to a counselor about your situation.”

HMHB started with 15 mothers in 2003, and served 160 in 2018. According to Aspire’s 2018 annual report, 86% of participants showed reduced depression symptoms after 10 to 12 therapy sessions.

Since Astrada-Keeling took over HMHB in May, she’s received three or four referrals to the program each day from other community organizations in the county. She says 85% of the women currently helped by HMHB are Latina.

The program’s therapists are bilingual, including AstradaKeeling, whose parents are from Argentina. “Even with their own children, [our clients] have a language barrier at times,” Astrada-Keeling says. “Having somebody to talk to in their own language, and to have that rapport...it helps build that relationship.”

Samantha Dellosso, Aspire’s director of operations, says recent research shows significantly higher mortality rates and a lack of perinatal care for African American mothers and infants, so one of HMHB’s goals for 2020 is to increase the number of African American women served.

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GUI DE TO G I V IN G SHEPHERD’S TABLE (shepherdstable. org) serves more than 2,400 individuals experiencing homelessness in the county every year, providing meals, clothing, a mailing address, prescription assistance, information and referrals, as well as other social services. The bimonthly Eye Clinic provides vision screenings and prescription eyeglasses for the uninsured.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides prescription eyeglasses for five low-income, uninsured adults.

• $1,000 provides medical prescription assistance for 50 individuals.

• $10,000 covers 6,666 meals.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One Day: Prepare and serve a nutritious meal.

• One Day: Sort donations in the Clothes Closet.

Improve Someone’s Health ASPIRE COUNSELING (we-aspire.org) offers mental health services to Montgomery County's diverse citizens. Aspire works to ensure its mental health services are affordable and accessible to all.

They serve the insured, the uninsured and those with Medicaid, Medicare and Tricare. Services take place in trusted and accessible locations, including primary-care clinics, local schools, senior housing venues and homes. Aspire ensures vulnerable individuals get treatment where they are most comfortable and accessible.

HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 helps fund support groups for seniors with aging-related depression.

• $1,000 provides 12 sessions of inhome therapy to a very-low-income mother with postpartum depression.

• $10,000 provides a year of mental health counseling to 40 children who

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are uninsured.

I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: Ongoing: Provide Spanish translation assistance.

SSL

•

CCI HEALTH & WELLNESS SERVICES

(cciweb.org) is a Federally Qualified Health Center that provides comprehensive health services across the region. Serving more than 63,000 people, CCI offers integrated services that include primary care, dental care, behavioral health, prenatal, family planning, HIV and infectious disease care, and refugee health assessments.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $45 provides one medical visit for an uninsured patient.

• $50 provides one dental visit for an uninsured patient.

• $2,000 covers comprehensive prenatal care for one uninsured patient.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Host a book drive for our reading corners.

MOBILE MEDICAL CARE (MOBILEMED) (mobilemedicalcare.

org) provides primary health care for more than 4,500 low-income, uninsured and underinsured Montgomery County residents annually. MobileMed’s commitment to accessibility is achieved through multiple clinics and mobile van locations throughout the county, extensive outreach in collaboration with faith-based and ethnic organizations, and a policy of never turning anyone away for inability to pay. Staff and volunteer clinicians deliver linguistically and culturally sensitive care, integrated behavioral health and wraparound support.

HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 provides flu shots for 10 individuals.

• $500 supports a MobileMed clinic

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session for one woman.

• $1,000 supports one week of mobile

van operations.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly or monthly: Serve as a volunteer in a clinic or at headquarters.

SSL

NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS MONTGOMERY COUNTY (NAMI MC) (namimc.org) provides

comprehensive support, education, advocacy and public awareness to promote recovery so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 funds five Ending the Silence presentations to promote mental health awareness to students at local schools.

• $500 funds support groups for individuals living with mental illness for one month.

• $2,000 funds a year of the suicide prevention program Sources of Strength.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Facilitate a class and support group.

• Monthly: Facilitate a mental health awareness presentation.

VOICES FOR CHILDREN MONTGOMERY (casamontgomery.org)

supports abused and neglected children by providing them with trained courtappointed special advocates (CASAs) to ensure their best interests are represented in the legal and social service systems. CASAs work with nearly 300 children each year.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 covers recruiting/training for four new child-advocate volunteers.

• $1,000 provides ongoing support and supervision for volunteer advocates to serve three children for one year.

• $10,000 covers the full cost of

providing volunteer advocates for seven children for one year.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Donate household items to support older youths transitioning out of foster care.

• Weekly: Train to become an advocate (must be 21 or older).

Put a Roof Over Someone’s Head HOUSING UNLIMITED

(housingunlimited.org) provides 213 individuals with affordable homes at 77 fully furnished properties. Housing Unlimited empowers people in mental health recovery to live on their own and learn the skills they need to be successful and confident members of the community.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides pots, pans, plates and tools for a new home.

• $1,000 covers living room furnishings for a new townhome.

• $10,000 supports an AmeriCorps intern to help serve 213 residents.

SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help landscape or mulch a yard.

• Weekly: Provide administrative help, such as data entry assistance, at the Housing Unlimited office.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS (mcch.net) sup-

ports 1,600 men, women and children annually in emergency shelters and permanent housing, creating a community where everyone has a safe, stable and affordable place to call home.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides one month of afterschool care for formerly homeless children.

• $1,000 provides move-in kits for four

veterans ending their homelessness and moving into a new home.

• $10,000 provides a month of rental assistance for 10 formerly homeless families now living in permanent supportive housing.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help connect Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless clients with food assistance providers through the Healthy Food Every Day program.

• Weekly/Monthly: Provide meals for clients of the emergency shelter.

MONTGOMERY HOUSING PARTNERSHIP (mhpartners.org) is the

largest private nonprofit developer of affordable rental housing in the county, managing more than 2,000 affordable homes. MHP houses people, empowers families and strengthens neighborhoods. For more than 25 years, MHP has acquired, rehabilitated, built and managed quality affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families and provided Community Life programs for its residents.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides supplies for an afterschool homework club.

• $1,000 helps cover two field trips for 72 children to the National Zoo. • $10,000 covers the stipend for one AmeriCorps member to support community life programs.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Participate in a neighborhood cleanup.

• Ongoing: Wrap/deliver gifts for a holiday toy drive.

Help Seniors HOME CARE PARTNERS

(homecarepartners.org) provides inhome services to low-income elderly,

chronically ill and disabled residents.

It provides home care aide services to more than 1,000 adults, supports family caregivers and offers caregiver education for aides and the community through its Training Institute. Its Safe at Home partnership with the D.C. Department of Aging and Community Living provides elders with home modifications to reduce fall risk and barriers to mobility.

HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $150 pays for an occupational therapist assessment visit, including a fall-risk screening and developing a home modification plan.

• $500 enables certified aides to help 10 low-income elders with personal care, housekeeping and meal preparation.

• $10,000 supports home care services for a year for six frail elders or persons with disabilities.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly: Volunteer as an intake worker.

• Long term: Serve as a marketing or development coordinator.

REBUILDING TOGETHER MONTGOMERY COUNTY

(rebuildingtogethermc.org) provides free home repairs, accessibility modifications and energy efficiency improvements for vulnerable seniors, individuals with disabilities, veterans and low-income families with children to enable them to remain in their homes.

HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides handrails and grab bars so a frail senior can age in place.

• $1,000 secures a working stove and new hot water heater for a single veteran.

• $10,000 replaces a leaking roof, remediates damage caused by mold and prevents structural hazards that threaten to make a home unlivable.

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GUI DE TO G I V IN G Offer Those in Need a Safety Net A WIDER CIRCLE (awidercircle.org)

helps individuals and families living in poverty by providing basic-need items, employment assistance, and comprehensive support via neighborhood centers in low-income communities.

A Wider Circle has also developed a national plan to eradicate poverty, utilizing every sector and replacing the national poverty line with locally based income standards to guide the effort.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro Region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $50 supplies baby items for a new parent.

• $450 furnishes the home of a family of four.

• $1,000 provides comprehensive employment assistance for four adults.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help organize furniture in the showrooms or pick up donations in the community.

• Weekly: Serve as a job coach, provide resume-writing support, or provide administrative support in the offices.

FAMILY SERVICES INC., A PART OF THE SHEPPARD PRATT HEALTH SYSTEM (sheppardpratt.org), improves

the quality of life for more than 17,000 low-income children, individuals and families each year by compassionately providing prevention and early-intervention services, emergency assistance, mental health and substance abuse services, early childhood programs, domestic violence services and community outreach. Offering more than 30 programs across Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, Family Services is reimagining what it means to develop and sustain a continuum of care that keeps people healthy throughout their life span.

HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg

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SERVES: Montgomery and Prince George’s counties WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $500 provides aid and shelter to a woman and her children fleeing domestic violence and human trafficking, allowing them to find safety and build new lives.

• $1,000 provides safe environments for youths to prevent gang involvement and support recovery from substance abuse.

• $10,000 furnishes a playroom at the Betty Ann Krahnke domestic violence shelter.

I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Weekly or monthly: Prepare food and/or serve lunch in Family Services’ commercial kitchen, or tutor elementary, middle and high school students.

• One time: Volunteer at a special event.

INTERFAITH WORKS (iworksmc.

org) helps more than 16,000 residents each year, equipping homeless and low-income neighbors to lift themselves from poverty through integrated prevention, stabilization and empowerment programs. Interfaith Works’ programs change lives with the help of 5,500 volunteers and 165 congregations.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides four students with backpacks filled with quality school supplies.

• $1,000 provides job counseling and workforce readiness classes.

• $10,000 provides housing for a homeless family for seven-plus months, along with professional case management and supportive services to help them toward independence.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Donate or sort clothing and home goods to provide to neighbors in need.

• Prepare and/or provide meals for women experiencing homelessness.

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Help Someone Find a Job LATINO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER (ledcmetro.org) equips Lati-

nos and other underserved Greater D.C. residents with the skills and tools to achieve financial independence and become leaders in their communities. The organization’s small-business services include technical assistance and microloans for aspiring and existing low- to moderate-income entrepreneurs. Its housing services prepare families for responsible homeownership.

HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. SERVES: Maryland and Washington, D.C. WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 helps establish tenant associations to preserve affordable housing.

• $1,000 helps a low-income family or senior in crisis remain in their home.

• $10,000 helps capitalize an aspiring low- to moderate-income entrepreneur.

I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Offer expertise related to personal and business financial management.

• Weekly: Help with survey administration.

PER SCHOLAS (perscholas.org/

nationalcapitalregion) opens doors to technology careers for individuals from often overlooked communities. Through its full-time, tuition-free technology job training courses, Per Scholas equips 240 individuals annually with industry-recognized certifications and connects them to in-demand tech jobs in the National Capital Region. In addition to technical training, the organization provides a variety of career development and support services throughout training and for two or more years after graduation to help students secure jobs and thrive and grow in tech careers.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region

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WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 pays for the professional IT certification that makes a student a certified tech.

• $1,000 supports career skills training for graduates to impress future employers.

• $10,000 covers 10 weeks of IT Support/A+ Certification training for two students.

I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Ongoing: Speak to the class on industry-specific and/or career development topics.

• One day: Edit resumes or participate in mock interviews.

Support the Arts and Humanities CLANCYWORKS DANCE COMPANY

(clancyworks.org) serves as a strong resource and community partner that highlights dance as a means to advance positive social action. The organization’s programs shift perceptions through performance, making personal connections among diverse participants of every age and income level.

For 18 years, ClancyWorks has made an impact with K-12 in-school and outof-school programs, higher education residencies, senior citizen programs, quality performances, keynote speeches and professional development for artists, educators and administrators.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $150 supports one workshop for up to 40 senior citizens.

• $500 provides costumes for 50 students.

• $1,500 covers school assemblies for up to 1,000 students.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with special events.

• Weekly: Provide administrative or fundraising support for specific projects.

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CREATE ARTS CENTER

(createartscenter.org) invests in the community by offering a free, innovative after-school art program called smARTkids to level the playing field for elementary-age students from low-income households. CREATE provides low-cost individual and group art therapy services to people living with emotional and physical challenges, including those with autism.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $25 helps send a child to art camp.

• $125 provides an intake and group therapy session for a person on a fixed income struggling with emotional challenges.

• $300 covers an eight-week semester enrollment in smARTkids.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with community events and art shows at CREATE. • Weekly: Help with art education classes at CREATE.

DC BEAUTY OF BEIJING OPERA (DCBBO) (www.dcbeijingopera.org)

aims to promote cultural diversity in the eastern United States through Beijing Opera, an ancient Chinese form of theater and a UNESCO-listed intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Programs include performances, workshops and training classes.

HEADQUARTERED: North Potomac SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 sponsors a family of four to attend a three-hour public performance.

• $250 sponsors a private 30-minute demonstration and performance for a local community organization.

• $500 sponsors a 60-minute private workshop for a local community organization.

SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • Short term: Support special events of DCBBO.

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GLEN ECHO PARK PARTNERSHIP FOR ARTS AND CULTURE

(glenechopark.org) manages one of the most lively visual and performing arts sites in the Washington, D.C., area.

More than 360,000 people visit the park annually to renew their creative spirit through classes, festivals, exhibitions, social dances, children’s theater, music performances and more.

HEADQUARTERED: Glen Echo SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $75 supports monthly installation expenses in one of the park’s three galleries (serves 500 visitors).

• $250 supports booking musicians for one free summer concert (serves 250 attendees).

• $500 pays for artists/performers to provide free performances during the park’s Carousel Day festival (serves 3,500 participants).

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with special events at Glen Echo Park.

• Weekly: Assist staff with administrative and pre-event tasks.

HERALDS OF HOPE THEATER COMPANY (heraldsofhopetheater

company.com) offers theater training opportunities for residents interested in learning to be actors, playwrights, and light and sound technicians. Participants from ages 8 to 80 and older have an opportunity to learn new skills and/ or demonstrate their talent in theater productions, plays and readings.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 sponsors four adult tickets to a play.

• $150 sponsors six acting workshops on Saturdays for students ages 8 to 16.

• $300 provides a two-week scholarship for a student to a Heralds of Hope Theater Company summer camp.

I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

Nursing Excellence it’s who we are.

Learn more at Suburbanhospital.org/magnet

Thanks to our nurses’ commitment to excellence, we’re one of only 8% of hospitals nationwide to receive Magnet recognition — the most prestigious distinction a hospital can receive for nursing excellence and high-quality patient care.

We are Montgomery County’s first hospital to receive this designation.

The Promise of Medicine

GUI DE TO G I V IN G

• One day: Help with plays and special •

productions of the Heralds of Hope Theater Company.

Weekly: Provide assistance with set construction, sound design and acting workshops.

IMAGINATION STAGE

(imaginationstage.org) empowers all young people to discover their voice and identity through performing arts education and professional theater.

HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides a scholarship to one student for a weeklong summer camp.

• $1,000 provides free tickets and pre- and post-performance learning opportunities and resources for 40 Montgomery County Public Schools third graders.

• $2,500 provides a 10-session in-school residency for an underresourced school.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Volunteer at an Imagination Stage special event, such as the annual gala or children’s festival.

• Weekly: Volunteer as an usher for Imagination Stage’s professional theater performances.

INTERACT STORY THEATRE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

(interactstory.com) is a touring educational theater company, bringing interactive arts-based learning opportunities to nearly 30,000 kids and adults each year in schools and communities throughout the area.

HEADQUARTERED: Wheaton SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $50 provides five children with the opportunity to attend a play through the Theatre for All free ticket program.

• $150 provides arts-based learning for

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100 to 300 children through classroom workshops that teach reading through theater.

• $500 provides professional theater to 600 students in a single day.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Provide event coordination or ushering.

• Weekly: Help with administration or outreach activities.

INTERPLAY ORCHESTRA

(interplayorchestra.org) is a community orchestra comprised of 40 adults with cognitive and/or physical disabilities who “interplay” music in collaboration with high school seniors, college students and professional musicians. interPLAY Orchestra operates yearround, including weekly rehearsals and three quarterly concert performances each year.

HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 provides sheet music/CDs for two orchestra members.

• $500 provides instruments for two orchestra members.

• $1,000 provides one annual tuition scholarship for one orchestra member.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Assist with concert performances.

• Weekly: Bandaides are student or adult volunteers with basic musical training who play alongside and/or assist individual orchestra members to play their instruments during rehearsals and concert performances.

KALANIDHI DANCE (kalanidhi.org)

inspires appreciation for the classical Indian dance style of Kuchipudi through artistic excellence, creative performances, high quality educational programs and collaborations. Its training program reaches more than 100 students annually, and its performance

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

ensemble captivates audiences in the U.S. and around the world through exquisitely conceptualized performances that push the traditional style in new and exciting directions.

HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $75 sponsors a family of four to attend a Kalanidhi Dance performance.

• $350 sponsors one Dancing Stories outreach workshop.

• $750 sponsors one full scholarship for a student in the Kalanidhi summer camp.

SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with special events of Kalanidhi Dance.

• Weekly: Provide support with data entry administration.

KOLOT HALEV-WASHINGTON’S JEWISH COMMUNITY CHOIR

(kolothalev.org) is a non-audition community choir whose mission is to uncover long-lost treasures of Jewish music from around the world and through the ages and to acquaint audiences with newly composed, inspiring Jewish choral music.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $180 sponsors a group of 12 senior citizens to attend Kolot HaLev’s annual concert.

• $360 covers tuition support for several choir members.

• $500 covers the cost of a concert soloist.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Be an usher at a Kolot HaLev choral event.

LEVINE MUSIC (levinemusic.org) pro-

vides music education for more than 3,500 students weekly and is open to all regardless of age, ability or means. Faculty artists offer instruction on voice

Spotlight

HERALDS OF HOPE THEATER COMPANY Bringing African American history to life onstage

PHOTO BY MICHAEL VENTURA

BY SETOTA HAILEMARIAM

AMONG THE COMMUNITY THEATERS in Montgomery County, Heralds of Hope Theater Company has carved out a unique niche: It aims to bring African American history to life onstage.

Founded in 2005, the nonprofit is currently headed by the husband-and-wife team of Artistic Director Percy Thomas and Executive Director Alice Thomas, who live in Gaithersburg.

Percy Thomas got his start in theater around age 21 by performing in community theater productions in Baltimore after graduating from college. In the early 1970s, he created his own community theater company, which focused on productions about black history. Now he writes the majority of the plays produced by Heralds of Hope, including a one-woman show about Harriet Tubman and Fire in My Eyes, a play about police brutality.

“We see ourselves in opposition to revisionist history,” Percy Thomas says. “The truth is eliminated from history books, it’s not being taught accurately in school. So we think that—as always has been the history of our nation—the performing arts can bring truth.”

Felton Armstrong, 20, of Rockville, often performs in Heralds of Hope productions and most recently appeared in Fire in My Eyes.

From left: Arnold Aubrey, Percy Thomas andmake Jason Sheer (left) and David Baum helped Emmanuel at a improvements on Eula Knight’s home asKerry volunteers rehearsal of FireCounty. in My Eyes with Rebuilding Together Montgomery for the Heralds of Hope Theater Company

“Heralds of Hope has really given me an outlet to express myself creatively that I haven’t really experienced since my last production [in] my senior year of high school,” he says.

“They’re really doing a lot of good work in the community, and trying to show that black theater is still alive and well. It’s not going anywhere.”

Heralds of Hope occasionally offers well-known productions, such as For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/ When the Rainbow Is Enuf and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The company typically produces three shows a year with the help of volunteers and grant funding from the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County and other sponsors. It rents the Randolph Road Theatre in Silver Spring for performances and holds rehearsals in local church basements. Percy Thomas says the county-owned theater is set to close in 2021, so Heralds of Hope is looking for a new home.

Alice Thomas, who handles marketing, says the theater company strives to enlighten patrons—which include residents from Montgomery County, the District, Prince George’s County and Baltimore—about local black history. Its show about Tubman highlighted Montgomery County’s involvement in the Underground Railroad.

“I think that we’ve exposed them to a lot of things in Montgomery County that they did not know existed, and that the residents didn’t even know about,” she says.

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and more than 20 instruments. The Levine Presents series showcases faculty in free or inexpensive concerts, and more than 600 children receive free or subsidized instruction.

HEADQUARTERED: Washington, D.C. (Montgomery County offices at Strathmore in North Bethesda) SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $200 supports two children in an eight-week Suzuki Sampler class.

• $500 allows one child private music lessons for a summer.

• $1,000 allows three children to participate in Levine’s nationally recognized First Music (early childhood music) classes for one year.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Welcome, direct and assist visitors at performances and special functions.

• Weekly: Provide support to staff and work on special projects.

MARLOW GUITAR INTERNATIONAL

(marlowguitar.org) offers affordable, accessible, world-class classical guitar performances to diverse audiences.

The Marlow Guitar Series has wowed local audiences for 25 years, presenting six annual performances with worldclass global musicians, including free preconcert lectures, free admission for children with parents, and half-price tickets for students.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides transportation and concert tickets for 45 students.

• $500 sponsors a free concert and discussion at a public library or school.

• $2,000 sponsors one judge’s fee for

ServingTogetherProject.org 1.855.738.7176 ServingTogether connects military members, veterans and their families to resources in the National Capital Region.

Housing Employment Financial Support Education Physical and Mental Wellness and much more.

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the youth competition.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help at the Marlow Guitar Series.

• Weekly: Provide support with data entry administration.

METROPOLITAN BALLET THEATRE & ACADEMY (mbtdance.org) offers

exceptional dance education in a nurturing environment at state-of-the-art studios in Gaithersburg and Clarksburg. This nonprofit dance school is committed to offering high-caliber training in classical ballet, jazz, modern and hip-hop from professional artists and degreed faculty, as well as providing a robust community outreach program.

HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

• $25 provides a dance buddy in class

for a student with special needs.

• $100 provides a beginning level student with tuition assistance for a month.

• $1,000 provides a full-year scholarship for a beginning-level student, or a principal dancer’s tutu for professional performances.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with special events.

MONTGOMERY COMMUNITY MEDIA (MCM) (mymcmedia.org) produces

unique content that educates, entertains, informs and inspires those who live and work in Montgomery County.

MCM is the only independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization providing access to public media (public access television and broadband media) directly to Montgomery County’s more

than 1 million residents as well as resident nonprofit organizations, associations and businesses.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 sponsors one custom social media post.

• $500 sponsors the production of one website news article.

• $1,000 sponsors the production of one video interview.

I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with a special event at MCM’s headquarters or the Silver Spring Media Lab. • Weekly: Provide support with data entry donor information.

MONTGOMERY PHILHARMONIC

(montgomeryphilharmonic.org) is a community orchestra providing

opportunities to enjoy, explore and create music. As a community orchestra centered on education, the organization promotes excellence for musicians of various levels to play orchestral music. The goal is for the audience to experience classical music from composers such as Bach and Webern while bringing equity to community music.

HEADQUARTERED: Gaithersburg SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $75 supports Montgomery Village Middle School concert music.

• $200 supports the Youth Chamber Music Festival.

• $400 supports rental fees for an initiative to place music by composers of color/women into orchestral canon.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Greet the audience at

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concerts.

• Weekly: Help set up rehearsals or

assist with audience development.

THE NEW ORCHESTRA OF WASHINGTON (NOW)

(neworchestraofwashington.org) was founded by two immigrants, Artistic Director Alejandro Hernandez-Valdez from Mexico and Executive Director Grace Cho from South Korea, who envisioned an organization that would thrive in the 21st-century arts marketplace. NOW offers concerts of diverse programming at interesting venues, from traditional concert halls to wine shops and restaurants.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $30 sponsors a monthly utility bill for the NOW office.

• $350 sponsors a full scholarship for a music student to attend the 2020 NOWsummer Festival.

• $500 provides one meal for all participating students and faculty of the 2020 NOWsummer Festival.

I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Volunteer as an usher for a concert.

OLNEY THEATRE CENTER

(olneytheatre.org) produces, presents and tours performances for a diversity of audiences, and educates and inspires the next generation of theater-makers.

Olney Theatre welcomes nearly 100,000 visitors for award-winning performances, Theater for Young Audience presentations, and community events each year. The theater also reaches more than 5,000 students in the region through arts integration programs, student matinees, workshops, summer camps and more.

HEADQUARTERED: Olney SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

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• $60 underwrites one in-school ses-

sion of the Our Play arts integration program.

• $120 allows 12 children to enjoy a student matinee.

• $300 supports the professional development of one apprentice for two weeks.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Volunteer during the SummerFest celebration.

• Monthly: Serve as an usher.

ROUND HOUSE THEATRE

(roundhousetheatre.org) is a home for ensemble acting and lifelong learning.

Each year, the theater produces a full season of contemporary plays, musicals and modern classics for 55,000 patrons and offers year-round educational programming for 4,000 students of all ages.

HEADQUARTERED: Bethesda SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $1,000 underwrites 50 tickets for high school or college students to attend a student matinee at Round House.

• $250 sponsors food and beverages for a Teen Night event for 40 teens.

• $100 supports professional development for one summer intern.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Assist in the administrative office with a year-end mailing appeal.

• Weekly: Become an usher for Round House shows.

THE SANDY SPRING MUSEUM

(sandyspringmuseum.org) supports community-generated cultural arts and educational programs. The museum provides the environment and inspiration for artists and community members to create and host events, activities and exhibits that engage, stimulate and bring people together.

HEADQUARTERED: Sandy Spring SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS:

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

• $250 underwrites one History Happy Hour.

• $500 underwrites a year of supplies for the WondeRoom.

• $1,000 underwrites the use of the I

• •

museum for community events such as open mics, bluegrass jams and summer beer gardens.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: One day: Help with special events.

Weekly: Be a front desk receptionist.

STORY TAPESTRIES (storytapestries.

org) infuses Greater Washington with creative energy, interweaving professional performances and educational community arts programs that promote equity. Led by a network of professional artists and educators, its collaboratively designed programs reach more than 150,000 people annually (primarily those living in areas of high poverty) at low to no cost for participants.

HEADQUARTERED: Germantown SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $55 affords three adults three hours of professional development.

• $100 gives three young people access to a life-changing summer Leadership Week.

• $565 sponsors a Family Night for youths and adults to enjoy a performance and an interactive, intergenerational workshop.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Support special events.

• Weekly: Remotely support social media communications or data entry.

SUTRADHAR INSTITUTE OF DANCE & RELATED ARTS (dancesidra.org)

offers Kuchipudi dance, classical myth, yoga, rhythm analysis, choreography, and Kalaripayattu and Thang-ta martial arts. Students of all ages are welcome and encouraged to make the art form their own through creative learning. Advanced dancers can join the Devi

Dance Theater, which creates cuttingedge performances about uplifting ideals.

HEADQUARTERED: Silver Spring SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 sponsors one student scholarship for four sessions.

• $190 sponsors one student scholarship for eight sessions.

• $300 sponsors the annual students’ showcase stage rental.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Help with organizing supplies.

• Weekly: Provide administrative and marketing assistance.

We Are Growing to Serve You Better

UNEXPECTED STAGE COMPANY

(unexpectedstage.org) is a nonprofit professional theater company that dedicates itself to exploring the intimacies and intricacies of the human experience.

The Helen Hayes Award-nominated organization produces high-quality plays and musicals at affordable prices.

HEADQUARTERED: Montgomery County SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $250 provides costumes for one play or musical.

• $1,000 covers a season’s worth of set materials.

• $10,000 pays actors and designers for the full run of a production.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Usher for one performance.

• Weekly or long term: Provide support with graphic design or set building.

VISARTS (visartscenter.org) trans-

forms individuals and communities through the visual arts. The organization provides art education classes for people of all abilities, summer and day camps for children and teens, artist studios for creating new work, residencies to support working artists, and free contemporary exhibitions and gallery

E. Cohen is excited to announce that our firm is expanding our office space to accommodate our continued growth and new business activity. In December 2019, we will be moving into 23,000 square feet of modern, upgraded office space in Suite 400 of our present location at 1 Research Court in Rockville, MD. In addition to serving the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond with accounting, tax, assurance and consulting services since 1991, we are expanding our IT managed services firm, ECC IT Solutions, and growing our wealth management firm, Impact Capital, to provide an integrated approach to all aspects of a client’s lifetime needs.

We believe our growth is reflective of our commitment to our clients as well as our employees. As a recipient of the Best Accounting Firms to Work For award for ten years and counting, recognized as an IPA Top 400 firm, and named in the top ten Managing Partner Elite, we remain committed to best-of-class customer service and strong employee advancement opportunities in a family-like culture.

Contact Us and Join Our Growing Number of Satisfied Clients.

1 Research Court • Suite 101 • Rockville, MD 20850 ecohen@ecohen.com • 301•917•6200 • ecohen.com

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Give Other Ways to

SHARING MONTGOMERY FUND thecommunityfoundation.org

Established more than 20 years ago, the Montgomery County office of the Greater Washington Community Foundation was created to make it easier for county residents and businesses to give to the causes most dear to their hearts, anywhere in the world. The foundation also pools contributions from hundreds of people through Sharing Montgomery, a fund that supports local nonprofits serving our low-income neighbors. The foundation’s staff and donor-led committees conduct a rigorous annual vetting process that evaluates each applicant for strong leadership, fiscal management and program excellence. Through a gift to Sharing Montgomery, a donor can touch the lives of thousands of neighbors with safetynet services that address the basic needs of the most vulnerable residents; educational opportunities that help youths succeed; and workforce-development programs that enable adults to secure living-wage jobs.

ARTS AND HUMANITIES COUNCIL OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY (AHCMC) creativemoco.com AHCMC is a nonprofit organization that cultivates and supports excellence in the arts and humanities, expands access to cultural expression, and contributes to the economic vitality of Montgomery County through the creative sector. As Maryland’s largest and most active local arts agency, AHCMC provides leadership, capacity-building support and professional development resources to Montgomery County’s vibrant arts and humanities community. Donations to AHCMC support programs that provide grants and capacity building services to the diverse array of artists and arts and humanities nonprofits throughout Montgomery County, and bring arts education to Montgomery County Public Schools classrooms.

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programs. VisArts’ outreach and scholarship programs increase access to the arts for veterans, seniors, low-income families and individuals with disabilities.

HEADQUARTERED: Rockville SERVES: Metro region WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 provides paint and hanging materials for one gallery exhibition.

• $500 provides two full scholarships to summer camp.

• $1,000 provides an emerging artist with a free studio residency.

SSL I VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Assist staff with art activities at community events.

• Weekly or long term: Assist staff in administrative offices.

THE WHEATON ARTS PARADE (WAP)

(wheatonartsparade.org) brings the community together through art, showcasing local artists and Wheaton’s cultural diversity. The annual parade and festival in late September features artists, neighbors and community groups marching along Georgia Avenue and an all-day gathering offering music, dance and food. Additionally, WAP supports community art workshops, pop-ups, and a gallery at the Westfield Wheaton mall.

HEADQUARTERED: Wheaton SERVES: Montgomery County WHAT A DONATION BUYS: • $100 pays for an artist to teach a workshop.

• $300 pays for materials to construct a parade float.

• $500-plus sponsors a portion of the $30,000 cost to produce the Wheaton Arts Parade & Festival.

SSL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: • One day: Work with WAP artists to organize community art events.

Bal

CHRIS THILE Tue, Nov 5

RONALD K. BROWN/EVIDENCE WITH ARTURO O’FARRILL ENSEMBLE Fri, Nov 8

HOLIDAYS IN HARMONY

AN A CAPPELLA CONCERT WITH THE ALEXANDRIA HARMONIZERS & FRIENDS Sat, Nov 30

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30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR Mon, Dec 2

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SINBAD Fri, Dec 13

THE HIP HOP NUTCRACKER WITH GUEST MC KURTIS BLOW Tue–Thu, Dec 17–19

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WE KNOW

9005 Congressional Court | Potomac, MD Zelda Heller | 202.257.1226 c | 240.800.5155 o $7,950,000 | 6+ BR | 5 full + 4 half BA | 2.01 Acres Stunning Aspen-inspired custom home near Congressional Country Club with 14+ garage spaces.

BETHESDA KENSINGTON POTOMAC SILVER SPRING

9606 Falls Road | Potomac, MD Mary Magner | 301.785.1601 c | 301.907.7600 o $4,999,000 | 9 BR | 9 full + 2 half BA | 2.02 Acres Grand-scale entertaining indoors and out walking distance to Potomac Village.

Sales of $4.9 Billion in these areas alone

Totaling Over 7,300 transactions

8819 Chalon Drive | Bethesda, MD Sarah Funt | 301.509.1283 c | 301.907.7600 o $2,499,900 | 5 BR | 5 full + 1 half BA | .48 Acres Spectacular custom build has newly updated kitchen with quartz countertops and marble backsplash.

More Market Share than our next 5 competitors combined

Source: Bright MLS as calculated by Broker Metrics October 1, 2016 – September 30, 2019

5815 Madaket Road | Bethesda, MD Deborah Cheshire | 202.288.9939 c | 301.907.7600 o $1,099,500 | 3 BR | 3 full + 1 half BA Gracious townhome boasting chef’s kitchen and rare first-floor family room.

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Most people would balk at the thought of working with an in-law, but not Sondra and Pam. Both from families of entrepreneurs, the sisters-in-law have worked as a team since 2007 and couldn’t do it more seamlessly. Pam, married to Sondra’s brother, became a Schiattareggia, a name Sondra was happy to gift to her.

“Everyone has trouble with the 14 letters,” Sondra jokes, “but since I was raised in the area and live in Bethesda, it does help to have my maiden name on our real estate signs!” Sondra and Pam enjoy working and playing in Bethesda. In the mornings you’ll find Sondra spinning at Zengo or walking her dog on the Crescent Trail. On the weekends, you may find them at the Bethesda farmers’ market or one of Bethesda’s many cultural events.

Sondra and Pam have been listing and selling in Bethesda since 2003 with over $250 million in career sales.

“Sondra and Pam go way beyond most people’s understanding of agent representation.

I would engage them again in a heartbeat! Consider yourself lucky if you select Sondra and Pam to sell your home!” — Seller, Maiden Lane, Bethesda

Sondra Mulheron & Pam Schiattareggia 301.785.9536 | 301.802.7796 smulheron@LNF.com | pam.scat@LNF.com | homesbySondraandPam.com Bethesda Gateway Office | 301.907.7600

WE KNOW BETHESDA As a mother-daughter team who grew up in Bethesda, we offer deep local perspective in addition to broad market knowledge that is valuable for any purchaser or seller, from first-time homebuyers to the highest price brackets.

We also have unique technical expertise that allows us to access potential buyers quickly and effectively through our high-profile online presence on LegendaryHomes.com and BethesdaRealEstate.com. This digital marketing strategy ensures that our listings are in front of potential buyers exactly when they’re searching. Plus our interior design and staging skills guarantee that our listings show their best in person and online!

For the luxury market, our belief that “Legendary Homes deserve Legendary Service” is intrinsic in everything we do. Our goal to exceed every client’s expectations, from start to finish, has resulted in working with many top executives, politicians, professional athletes and entertainment personalities. We invite you to reach out to us for a free consultation!

Lynda & Christina O’Dea 240.988.4400 | lynda@legendaryhomes.com www.Legendaryhomes.com | www.Bethesdarealestate.com LFC at Bethesda Office | 240.800.5155

BETHESDA KNOWS US

“Living in Kensington is like going back in time,” Helen says. “We moved here so our boys could grow up in a neighborhood with a small-town feel. Everyone knows and looks out for one another. People really do go next door for a cup of sugar here!”

Helen enjoys workouts at Anytime Fitness, lattes at La Gelateria and specialty cakes from Jenny Cakes bakery. All are in walking distance from her house. Her favorite new restaurants for dinner and wine are Knowles Station and Dish & Dram. For dinner in a rush, Old Town Market can’t be beat.

Named Rookie of the year in 2000, Helen has never lost momentum and has been a top producer since, as well as being named a top agent by Washingtonian Magazine. Helen does much of her business in Chevy Chase View, where she lives with her husband Tim and twin sons, Sam and Andrew.

Helen Trybus 240.381.0530 | helen.trybus@LNF.com Bethesda Gateway Office | 301.907.7600

WE KNOW KENSINGTON

KENSINGTON KNOWS US

Alexa Goulding 301.675.2241 | alexa.goulding@LNF.com Bethesda Gateway Office | 301.907.7600 “I love everything about Kensington,” Alexa says. “My kids were raised here; my book club meets here; I buy lunch at Old Town Market. And we haven’t missed a Labor Day parade yet!”

Alexa was well known in Budapest, Hungary, where she grew up -- both of her parents were Olympic athletes. Today she enjoys being recognized in Kensington, where she moved 27 years ago, and her business is now by referral. In 2018 and 2019 Alexa was featured as a Top Producer in Washingtonian and Bethesda Magazines.

Alexa loves to support Kensington’s small businesses. She buys flowers at Johnson’s, coffee at Java Nation and personalized settlement gifts at the “super cute” Pink Dot. “Do you know about food truck night?” she asks. “They’re here twice a month” – a welcome service for a busy Realtor.

Thinking of Buying or Selling in Bethesda?

As a long time realtor in the Bethesda area and a Walt Whitman alumni Vicki knows all the in and outs of our local market! Don’t miss the opportunity to work with Vicki to position your home for a speedy sale at top dollar or find your next dream home.

Clients are saying “If you are looking for a real estate agent who is very professional, knowledgeable, effective, and goes above and beyond the average realtor, look no further than Vicki Porter! Vicki helped my wife and I sell our house of over 31 years. We got an excellent price, amazing stipulations, and in “As-is” condition.” — Robert M., Bethesda “Vicki is from Bethesda and knows the area very well. During the purchase process, she educated us, negotiated for us, and presented options for us. After the offer was accepted we were away for vacation and Vicki kept us informed about every change throughout the process. Even after the closing, she was readily available for any additional questions.“ —Samantha L., Bethesda

Vicki Porter 301.325.2965 | vicki.porter@LNF.com Bethesda All Points Office | 301.229.4000

WE KNOW BETHESDA Deborah has lived and worked in Bethesda for many years and has had a frontrow seat watching the downtown area grow into a vibrant shopping, dining and entertainment destination.

An award-winning Realtor, Deborah leads a hectic schedule and loves the convenience of living steps from everything in downtown Bethesda. Focused on healthy eating and living, Deborah starts each day with an invigorating workout.

You may see her jogging to the Arlington Road Giant or the shops of Bethesda Row. Her go-to shops are Bluemercury and The Apple Store. She especially enjoys dinners at Mon Ami Gabi and True Foods.

Debborah leads the DC Team of Long & Foster Real Estate at the billiondollar Bethesda Gateway Office. She is among Long & Foster’s top producers companywide.

Deborah Cheshire Founder and Executive Director The DC Team of Long & Foster Real Estate 202.288.9939 | deborah.cheshire@LNF.com Bethesda Gateway Office | 301.907.7600

BETHESDA KNOWS US

BETHESDA KNOWS US

WE KNOW BETHESDA

Bethesda is Roya’s go-to destination for dining and entertaining family, clients and friends. She enjoys morning strolls along the Crescent Trail with her Springer Spaniel ‘Hunter’ and the walkability of the downtown area. You will often run into her at Raku or Woodmont Grill which are two of her favorite spots. On Sunday nights she and her mother enjoy an early dinner at Mon Ami Gabi followed by a movie at the Landmark Theater. Of Persian heritage, Roya spent her adult years in Europe and the Washington DC area and loves the ‘outdoor cafe’ feel of Bethesda.

“It’s very European,” she says.

Licensed in Maryland and DC, Roya is affiliated with the top-producing Bethesda Gateway Office. She has her master’s from SAIS John’s Hopkins in International Economics and International Relations. Fluent in French, Italian and Farsi, she serves a diverse client base.

Roya Hakimzadeh 202.744.8985 | Roya@LNF.com Bethesda Gateway Office | 301.907.7600

WE KNOW SILVER SPRING

SILVER SPRING KNOWS US

During his 17 years in real estate Marc has sold more homes in Silver Spring than any other area. “It’s affordable, with great character and history,” he says. Marc sees Silver Spring’s downtown revitalization as its greatest asset with its wide variety of restaurants, stores and businesses. “But I love nostalgia,” he says. “Gifford’s Ice Cream, a Silver Spring icon, was one of my favorite spots.”

With a master’s degree in Art History and Conservation, Marc has a special appreciation for the charm and architecture of Forest Glen’s National Park Seminary, where he loves selling homes.

A foodie and music lover, Marc enjoys dinner at Urban Butcher and concerts at the Fillmore. Another little known fact about Marc? He’s a certified scuba diver.

In September he was part of the Baltimore Aquarium’s Atlantic reef exhibit -swimming with the sharks!

Marc Infeld 240.355.5487 | marc.infeld@LNF.com Bethesda Gateway Office | 301.907.7600

WE KNOW BETHESDA

Andy Alderdice 301.466.5898 | andy4homes@gmail.com Bethesda All Points Office | 301.229.4000

BETHESDA KNOWS US

As a multi-generation Washingtonian and a seasoned real estate professional for more than 25 years, Andy recognizes and values the trust her clients place in her. Her appreciation and recognition of that trust is demonstrated each day as she strives to exceed her clients’ expectations. Modestly stated, Andy has made it her life’s passion to meet her clients’ needs and expectations.

As a leading top producer, Andy has harnessed the strength of her local area expertise with her years of real estate experience to deliver success for her clients. Having grown up in Bethesda, attending Maryland schools from kindergarten all the way through to her college years at the University of Maryland, there’s no question that Andy knows her way around the local neighborhoods. Having worked with numerous buyers and sellers throughout her years in the industry, there isn’t a need Andy hasn’t met or a style of home she has not had direct experience with. From new construction, to horse farms and country homes, to luxury or historic properties, Andy has sold them all. Joined by her daughter, Jessica, in 2006, they have proved to be a formidable team, covering MD, DC and VA, and are continually surprising their client base with their outstanding customer service.

Regardless whether the client is buying or selling a home, looking for a rental property, or investing in real estate, Andy’s goal remains constant – to outperform her client’s expectations. This committed approach continues to position Andy as a leader among her peers.

GRETA KNOWS BETHESDA

GRETAHOMES.COM

Greta Nicoletti

7161 Woodmont Ave. | Bethesda, MD 20815 | 240.800.5155

â&#x20AC;¢ 301.910.2696

GRETA JUST LISTED

Greta Nicoletti

$1,750,000

â&#x20AC;˘ 301.910.2696

Gorgeous Elegant NEW construction 4 Level Colonial home built by renowned Rui Ponte Architect in 2006.

Unique floor plan with exceptional attention to detail. Great Price, Great Location!! Easy/quick to Virginia, DC, and downtown Bethesda. Bannockburn Neighborhood offers a fun and active List-Serve, plays & musicals in the Bannockburn Club House, Co-op Preschool near Bannockburn ES, and 2 neighborhood swimming pools. Just too good to be true. To schedule a showing, call Greta Nicoletti at 301.910.2696.

Greta Nicoletti

301.910.2696 gretahomes@gmail.com Christieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International 7161 Woodmont Ave, Bethesda, MD 20815 240.800.5155 Featured in Ethan Allan Magazine

Featured in Ethan Allan Magazine

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10319 DICKENS AVENUE

10513 AUBINOE FARM DRIVE

5620 WOOD WAY

$799,000

$1,155,000

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&

BU YE R

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$1,259,000

5613 BRADLEY BOULEVARD $892,000

8101 TOMLINSON AVENUE

5806 GROSVENOR LANE

$1,330,000

$725,000

SHE KNOWS BETHESDA! Cheryl Leahy #1 INDIVIDUAL AGENT IN THE REGION #10 INDIVIDUAL AGENT IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND Bethesda Magazine Top Producers 2019 Washingtonian Magazine Best Agents 2019 Real Trends Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Agents List 2019

301.370.2484 | cheryl.leahy@LNF.com CherylLeahyHomes.com Bethesda Office | 240.497.1700

Bethesda All Points Office A Top Long & Foster Office for 2018

A destination for top producing luxury market agents and their clients!

4701 Sangamore Rd, Suite L1, Bethesda, Maryland | 301.229.4000 TAMMY GRUNER DURBIN Tammy: 301.996.8334 • TGDHomes@LNF.com Associate Broker • Licensed in MD/DC

ANNE & LAURA EMMETT Anne: 301.466.2515 • Anne.Emmett@LNF.com | Laura: 202.422.6374 Laura.Emmett@LNF.com

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BETHESDA, MD PRICE: $875,000

List Price: $1,150,000

Built in 1939, this delightful 3-story, 2,188 square foot townhome in the Palisades, blocks from shopping & dining!

Four bedrooms, three bathrooms, large formal rooms and wonderful outdoor entertaining space.

Sold: $1,200,000

A few days on the market with multiples offers. I would be delighted to share the formula for the success on this fabulous home.

MICHAEL SEAY TEAM Michael Seay Homes • 202.415.4992 • Seayhomesdc.com

PRICE: $2,900,000

• A Top Producing Long & Foster Office with Award Winning Agents • An Executive Approach to Real Estate • Serving the DC MD VA area • Relocation Services Interested in joining our team? Call Susan today!

SUSAN SANFORD VP, Managing Broker ssanford@LNF.com Direct: 301.320.8300

KELLY BOHI

• Your relocation expert for over 15 years BETHESDA, MD

• Offering our Luxury Clients specialized Christie’s International Real Estate Marketing

301.580.4991 • Kelly.Bohi@LongandFoster.com Licensed in DC, MD & VA

Overall Individual #5 for 2017 Overall Ranking #9 for 2017

Spectacularly decorated colonial with unbelievable layout on sought after Country Club Drive in Bethesda. With over 6500 square feet this open yet traditional floor plan with offers amazing light throughout. Located on a 2-acre lot on cul-de-sac backing up to a natural preserve. Includes a STUNNING over-sized study that was a builder’s upgrade. Also, includes 6 beds, 5 Full baths, 2 half baths, 5 fireplaces, 2 laundry rooms, large deck, & 3 car garage.

Congratulations to Susan Sanford and her Extraordinary Team!

Your Trusted Real Estate Advisor Since 2002 WHAT SHARRON’S CLIENTS SAY ABOUT HER:

• Top producer in the Bethesda All Points Office

“High standards, thoroughness and patience” “Honest, tireless, attentive to every detail” “Goes above and beyond”

• Your Massachusetts Avenue Corridor Neighbor • I can simplify your home buying and selling process to take the pressure off of you!

BUYING OR SELLING? CONTACT SHARRON TODAY!

301.351.4517

Scochran@LNF.com

SCochran.com

ANDY ALDERDICE 301.466.5898 • 301.229.4000 andy4homes@gmail.com • andy4homes.com

A 5th generation Washingtonian assisting many MD, DC & VA residents in the sale and/or purchase of their first and subsequent homes since 1994.

WASHINGTON, DC

PRICE: $820,000

Call her to schedule a private consultation.

The one you’ve been waiting for in one of Washington’s most desired gated communities! Lovely, 2 level brick condo/townhouse with hardwood flooring throughout, updated kitchen w/stainless appliances, renovated baths, fireplace, and the rare balcony with new retractable awning. Generous room sizes and parking too!

Integrity. Experience. Commitment. Local.

HILL SLOWINSKI

HAMID SAMIY

301.452.1409 • HILL@LNF.com www.HillSlowinski.com

• Board of Directors The Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce • Member, Charles County Chamber of Commerce • #9 Agent Washington Metro Region (2011) • Chairman’s Club • GCAAR 2019 Silver Award • Serving clients in DC•MD•VA

WASHINGTON, DC

Top producing agent of Long & Foster | Christie’s Bethesda All Points Office

202.714.1300 • Hamid.Samiy@LNF.com REALTOR®

As a seasoned professional, Hamid possesses a positive outlook, a calm demeanor, top notch negotiation skills, and extensive experience in real estate finance. He can assist you in making informed decisions about your next move and see you through all the details of your home purchase or sale.

PRICE: $349,900

The perfect jewel box located in the heart of DC, ideally situated between the Dupont Circle and U Street Metros. Updated with bamboo flooring & recessed lighting throughout, newer dishwasher, washer/dryer & HVAC, and an awesome updated bath. Sun floods through the large living room windows into the open kitchen. Charm Charm Charm!

• Neighborhood Specialist – MD, DC & VA • Client First Approach • Expert Contract Negotiator • Strategic Sales Consultant Call for a complimentary price evaluation of your home. c 202.365.3222 LydiaBenson@StanfordAlumni.org

Wendy Banner and The Banner Team D: 301.365.9090 | info@BannerTeam.com | BannerTeam.com | Bethesda Gateway Office | O: 301.907.7600

$619,900

$735,000

$1,250,000

$1,395,000

Potomac/Fallsreach

Potomac/Horizon Hill

Potomac/Clagett Farm

Bethesda/Arylawn

Renovated Townhouse in serene setting with a new roof (2018), freshly painted interior, renovated kitchen open to family room and access to deck. Owner’s suite with luxurious renovated bathroom.

Walkout lower level leads to incredible wooded views backing to conservation land.

Stately brick Colonial in turn-key condition on quiet, tree-lined street just minutes to downtown Rockville, major transportation routes and METRO! Updated windows, kitchen and baths, fresh paint and new carpet, plus a fully finished lower level.

Stunning Colonial in Clagett Farm community backs to trees with 5 bedrooms, 4 full and 1 half baths totaling 5,716 finished sq ft. Dramatic 2 story great room is flooded with natural light and open to kitchen/breakfast area, custom office on main level with seating for 5, and expansive flat backyard perfect for entertaining!

Mitchell and Best home on premium lot in Bethesda! Four finished levels features hardwood flooring throughout main and upper levels, gourmet kitchen open to two story great room with access to patio and yard. Don’t miss the 3 car garage and quaint porch perfect for guests and entertaining!

Must See!

NEW ON MARKET

$1,549,900

$1,775,000

$2,250,000

$2,295,000

Bethesda/Alta Vista Gardens

Bethesda/Lionsgate Condo

Bethesda/ Longwood

Darnestown/Rive Gauche Estates

Stunning NEW construction by Award Winning Wormald Homes. Featuring an open floor plan, 6 bedrooms, 5 full and 1 half baths.

High end gourmet kitchen open to great room, main level guest suite/office. Upper level with 4 bedroom suites plus a fully finished lower level with rec room, game area, fitness room and bedroom suite. 2 car garage. Still time to customize! Estimated delivery Spring 2020. Ilene Gordon 301-440-1060

Luxury and location at its finest! Elegant, corner unit in the heart of Bethesda featuring gourmet Viking chef’s kitchen, 2BRs, 2.5Bas, den and 2 garage spaces plus storage. Full-service bldg. with 24-hr concierge, valet parking, fitness center, roof top terrace, club room and much more!

Your own private oasis surrounded by mature trees and set back off the main street, you will love the refuge this estate offers. Features an award winning kitchen

by Jennifer Gilmer, cherry paneled library, stunning owner’s suite with marble bath and private screened porch, lush grounds with swimming pool and circular driveway. An elegant retreat in the sought-after Longwood neighborhood.

Designed by Patrick Cullinane, on 5+ acres and easily accessible to all major transportation. Unwind after a long day by fishing in your private pond, workout in your upper level fitness area or choose a wine from your cellar and enjoy in your fabulous kitchen open to family room.

Whole house generator. Additional land available. Near Bretton Woods Golf and Tennis and steps to the C & O Canal.

COMING SOON!

$2,375,000

$2,750,000

$2,795,000

NEW ON MARKET!

$3,689,000

Potomac/Bradley Farms

Potomac/Bradley Farms

Bethesda/English Village

Potomac/Potomac Village

One of the finest homes in close-in Potomac on a private resort setting.

Features 5 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, embassy sized entertaining spaces, high ceilings, exquisite finishes. Pool, pool house, tennis court, spacious yard, and award winning landscaping. Close to Potomac Village with easy access to Bethesda, DC and NoVa. A sensational value!

Ilene Gordon 301-440-1060

Nestled on 2 stunning private acres on Potomac’s Gold Coast, this renovated open floor plan offers spacious entertaining areas, 6 bedrooms, 6.5 baths and an expansive yard with pool, spa and fire pit. Located just blocks from the shops and restaurants of Potomac Village and minutes to DC, Bethesda, No VA! Whitman school cluster.

Ilene Gordon 301-440-1060

NEW home (2019) in sought-after English Village, steps from downtown Bethesda, sited on flat .41 ac lot with 5 bedrooms suites up, plus main and lower level bedrooms. Stunning finishes throughout, walk-up rec room with bar, exercise room and fabulous owner’s suite with fireplace and luxurious bath.

Julia Fortin 240-603-5760

Magnificent 2 year young home on beautiful cul-de-sac minutes to Potomac Village! Enter into the beautiful gallery with groin vault ceiling leading to the spectacular great room with fireplace.

Meander to the gourmet kitchen open to sun-drenched breakfast room with views of private 2.06 acre lot. 5 ensuite bedrooms, 3 ensuite bonus rooms, wine tasting room, theater, wet bar, rough-in for elevator, and more.

interior design. architecture. home sales.

PHOTO BY PAUL WARCHOL

home

Architect David Jamesonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bethesda home includes high-performance smart features and systems. For more on homes that incorporate technology, turn to page 222.

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home | HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS

2

1

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS It’s getting cold outside, so stock up on cozy creature comforts and stay indoors this season

3

1. FRAGRANT FLAMES

2. COFFEE TALK

3. CUSHY TUSHY

Fill your home with earthy scents of the forest without hauling a tree into the living room. Thymes Frasier Fir collection includes long-burning candles in a range of sizes, priced from $14 to $36, and diffusers in large and medium, for $36 and $50.

The entire line is available at The Cottage Monet in Rockville Town Square (301-2792422; cottagemonet.com).

Customize everyone’s coffee order with a single-serve machine that brews five cup sizes, from a 1.35-ounce espresso to a 14-ounce grande. It’s also high on design, with a water tank that swivels out to the side or tucks behind. And there’s no waste, because the aluminum capsules are recyclable. The VertuoPlus in cherry red (and other colors) is available for $179 at the Nespresso store at Westfield Montgomery mall in Bethesda (800-562-1465; nespresso.com).

Curl up with a good book in the comfortable, yet elegant, tufted Marler chair. Inspired by a vintage design, the updated version from Hickory Chair features gently sloping arms and tapered walnut-stained legs. It’s available in any of the company’s fabrics, including this emerald cotton velvet (item #2948-75), which retails for $6,536 (the starting grade fabrics are $3,781) through Urban Country in Bethesda (301-654-0500; urbancountrydesigns.com).

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ALL COURTESY PHOTOS

BY CAROLYN WEBER

4 5

6 4. PIECE PROCESS

5. SERVE IT UP

6. WARMING TREND

Working on a big puzzle is a holiday tradition for many families, and a great screen-free activity for kids. The colorful “I’d Rather Be Reading” puzzle from Galison with 1,000 pieces will keep everyone busy. Find it for $16.99 at Tabletop in Takoma Park (240-467-3982; tabletopdc.com).

Nothing says holidays like a homemade pie. Bake something delicious in this stylish ruffled pie dish from Emile Henry that can go directly from oven to table.

The smooth, scratch-resistant, virtually nonstick glaze makes cleanup a cinch. It’s priced at $29.96 at Sur La Table at North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose (301-230-1503; surlatable.com).

You can’t have too many throw blankets in the wintertime. Snuggle up with this soft herringbone knit pattern trimmed with whimsical faux fur pom-poms. It measures 50-by-60 inches, comes in three colors— ivory, smoke and cardinal—and retails for $149 at Pottery Barn in Bethesda (301654-1598; potterybarn.com).

Carolyn Weber lives in Silver Spring and frequently writes about architecture and home design.

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Brian Abramson can use a tablet or smartphone to control most of the technology in his North Bethesda home.

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WITH THE

push OF A

BUTTON Smart technology helps local homeowners simplify everyday living PHOTO BY MICHAEL BENNETT KRESS

BY AMANDA CHERRIN

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W

WHEN SHARI ABRAMSON’S TESLA gets within 70 feet of her North Bethesda residence, her garage door opens automatically, as if to welcome her home after a long day of shuttling her two young boys to and from school, sports practice and playdates. As she crosses the threshold into her 10,000-squarefoot house, the push of a single button on the palladium keypad mounted in the foyer can activate her ambience of choice by simultaneously raising lights, opening blinds, setting the temperature and turning on the TV. “It’s really as simple as pressing a button,” Abramson says of operating the advanced systems that run throughout her family’s smart home. “The technology is intuitive.”

This past June, Abramson and her husband, Brian, moved their children, ages 7 and 9, and two dogs—a Great Dane and a Bernedoodle—into the technologically forward house they had 224

Abramson describes the style of his almost 10,000-square-foot home as “chateau chic.”

spent a year and a half building. After the family’s previous home burned down in an electrical fire in 2016, the Abramsons decided to rebuild on the same 1-acre lot, constructing the home of their dreams with all the bells, whistles and gadgets that the market had to offer.

“When young girls are growing up, they are imagining what their wedding is going to be like; I always imagined what my house was going to be like,” says Brian Abramson, a Potomac native and third-generation builder whose grandfather founded The Tower Companies, a Rockville-based real estate development firm that Abramson co-owns.

Abramson describes the style of his dream house as “chateau chic,” but while the exterior may have an “Old World, French country” feel, the inside is decidedly modern. In addition to six bedrooms, five full bathrooms and three half baths, an indoor basketball court and an elevator, the sprawling house boasts

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

state-of-the-art lighting, security, sound, entertainment and heating/cooling systems, all of which the Abramsons can easily control through their smartphones.

THE ABRAMSONS’ HOUSE IS one of millions of smart homes across the country. To qualify as “smart,” according to a definition created by Coldwell Banker Real Estate and the technology media outlet CNET, a house must have a reliable internet connection and a smart security or temperature system, plus two other smart features, such as lighting or appliances. Smart technology ranges from Bluetooth devices and virtual assistants such as Alexa that can be purchased at stores like Best Buy to fully integrated home systems that can cost as much as $300,000 to install, depending on the size of the home, according to vendors. By 2022, more than 60 million North American homes will be designated as “smart,” according to the

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL BENNETT KRESS

Swedish research firm Berg Insight.

The popularization of smart homes dates back more than a decade, says Christian Vives, chief operating officer of A.B.E. Networks, a technology integration firm in Rockville. “The advent of the smart home as it’s known today came about with the introduction of the smartphone,” says Vives, whose company serves hundreds of clients throughout the Washington, D.C., region. “Prior to that, you had remote controls [that weren’t integrated]. Once the smartphones were in everybody’s pocket, you had a remote control in your pocket—all you had to do was put an app on. The market exploded at that point because the interface is what was missing.”

This interface can be seen in its most advanced form through smart home automation systems that integrate technologies in a way that doesn’t require homeowners to spend time accessing individual apps to control their environment. The Abramsons use the Savant system to create “scenes” that tap their various smart systems to produce customized ambiences for dinner parties, outdoor entertaining, slumber parties and other family events. For example, when the Abramsons want to watch a movie with their children on the weekend, they select the “movie night” scene on their smartphones or one of the four iPads mounted throughout their home, and with a push of a button the blinds go down, the lights dim and Apple TV turns on.

Today’s sophisticated home technology has left some homeowners intimidated. “The biggest misconception that customers have with home technology is, ‘I don’t want it because it’s going to be overly complicated,’ ” says Ray Sobrino, executive vice president of construction at Sandy Spring Builders, the Bethesda-based custom home building company that worked on the Abramsons’ home and where Brian

Above: The iPads mounted throughout the Abramsons’ house, such as this one in the master bedroom, allow the family to control their smart systems through apps.

Below: When the Abramsons have movie nights with their two boys, a push of a button closes the blinds, dims the lights and turns Apple TV on.

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The master bath features a smart shower with programmable settings that is controlled through a touchscreen display.

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PHOTOS BY MICHAEL BENNETT KRESS

All of the kitchen appliances, including the Thermador oven, are Wi-Fi enabled, which allows the Abramsons to preheat the oven from the car to get a head start on dinner.

Abramson is a partner. “It takes a little education to explain that the technology has come a long way, and it’s all very simple. If you can use your cellphone to make a call, you can use everything in this house. Technology shouldn’t be seen as overwhelming.”

In fact, smart home technology is about simplifying daily life. “It makes managing the house easier,” says Shari Abramson, raving about a feature that simultaneously turns off all the lights in the house to allow for a quick exit.

“When I’m rushing to get the kids out of the house, and all the lights are on, and it’s a huge house, the all-off switch is amazing.”

The master bedroom’s automated blinds are Brian Abramson’s favorite smart feature. He has them programmed to open at 7 a.m. during the week and later on weekends, allowing him to sleep in. “I’m notoriously not a morning person, and I no longer need an alarm clock, which is jarring,” says Abramson, who is also co-founder of District Design + Development (D3), a real estate firm.

“The blinds go up at 7 a.m., and the sunlight pours in and wakes me up softly.

The sun is my alarm clock now.”

The Abramsons’ master bathroom features a smart shower with a heated bench, steam feature and nine showerheads, all of which are connected to the internet and controlled with a touchscreen display. Brian and Shari each have customized shower settings, the push of a button sending water heated to a preferred temperature through the selected showerheads and body sprayers.

Another beloved feature in the bathroom is a TV hung above the bathtub.

Below: A vacuum slot that runs along the kitchen floor sucks up any debris that is within a certain proximity.

The Abramsons also have a kitchen full of smart appliances and technology, including a vacuum slot that runs along the kitchen floor, at the base of the cabinets and island, and sucks up dirt, dog hair and dropped snacks that are within range. All of the kitchen appliances, including the Thermador dishwasher, oven and refrigerator, are Wi-Fi enabled, allowing the Abramsons to use their smartphones to check the status of brewing coffee from their bedroom or to preheat the oven from the car to get a head start on dinner.

“When I’m rushing home from basketball or sports and I have to cook dinner, being able to turn on the oven will be huge,” says Shari, who jokes that her kitchen does everything except “cook the kids’ breakfast on Sunday morning.”

After experiencing a break-in at BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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the rental house the family occupied during construction, a smart security system was particularly important to the Abramsons. “Having a smart, hightech house is supposed to make a more relaxed environment where you don’t have to worry as much,” Brian Abramson says, citing the house’s smart security features, which include a doorbell that sends alerts to the Abramsons’ phones when pushed and supports remote video and two-way audio. Their smart door locks allow the Abramsons to unlock the front door for guests when they aren’t home and to set up codes for house cleaners and contractors to allow access to the house during a set time period.

The family says the security capabilities are particularly useful during vacations and travel. The Abramsons’ Lutron smart lighting system is able to track their use of lights and automatically generate a vacation scene that reproduces their daily patterns to make it look like the house is occupied while they are away. “It’s all about peace of mind,” says Vives, whose company helped install the Abramsons’ smart systems.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFICIENCY IS another benefit of smart home technology. Bethesda architect David Jameson’s “Vapor House” was heavily influenced by his childhood on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and was designed to look like “the various transformative states of water” while incorporating high-performance smart features and systems that make it “one of the most sustainable houses in the U.S.,” he says.

“I wanted to build a house that was less about being a house and more about demonstrating performative technology,” says Jameson, who rebuilt his Bethesda home in 2016 with concrete and steel materials after a fallen tree crushed the wood-frame house that 228

On the outside of David Jameson’s Bethesda home is a striking black rainscreen facade that covers the building like a skin, helping to protect it from the elements and control the indoor climate.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHOTOS BY PAUL WARCHOL

The courtyard of Jameson’s house features a smart swimming pool that uses LED lights to change colors.

had existed on the lot. The new home’s performative features include a striking rainscreen facade, a black stainless steel skin molded to look like rippling water that covers the building, helping to protect it from the elements and to control the indoor climate. Concrete floors contain radiant piping that contributes to an energy-efficient and cost-effective geothermal-fed heating and cooling system, which uses heat from the ground as a power source to heat and cool the home.

Jameson also uses smart technology to improve the overall comfort of his home through more than 40 thermostats, each of which are dedicated to small areas of the 7,700-square-foot house and can be controlled from his smartphone. “By having so many of these, it allows much more control in each zone,” says Jameson, who shares the six-bedroom, seven-bathroom home with his wife, Nancy, 16-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son, in addition to the family’s two Bedlington terriers. “I can have my son’s room be a different temperature than my daughter’s [adjacent] room.”

The L-shaped house is built around

a courtyard that features an outdoor living space and smart swimming pool that was inspired by Jameson’s childhood spent enjoying the waters off the Eastern Shore and family diving trips in the U.S. Virgin Islands. “My kids love when their friends come over and they can change the color of the pool,” Jameson says. The pool uses LED lights and other smart technology to help the family entertain, including a feature that allows Jameson to prepare for parties by draining water into an underground cistern so that it won’t splash out as kids pile in. “It’s not pragmatic to have a wet [pool] edge…when there are 20 kids in it,” says Jameson, who credits the feature for controlling his water bill despite frequent pool parties.

Though the home is modern, both in style and functionality, it is not overwhelmingly so, according to Julia Walter, managing director of Boffi Georgetown, the interior design firm that contributed to Jameson’s house. “Sometimes we go in houses that are overly smart to the extent that you don’t know how to use the panels anymore,” Walter says.

“It’s important to make it as simple as

possible, but the technology is still there.”

In addition to system complexity, another concern for homeowners is network security. According to Vives, the use of DIY smart technology, such as consumer-installed doorbell cameras and smart locks, can result in weakened firewalls and networks in addition to creating challenges with integration with other smart systems. As a result, resources like the website YourThings Scorecards, which was created by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, were designed to help consumers determine the security risks of popular smart home technologies.

To avoid such pitfalls, one of the core tenets of smart home technology for new construction is to invest in a sophisticated wiring system that can accommodate upgrades to smart features and systems as they become available. “You need to have the infrastructure in place so you can do anything later,” says Sobrino, who estimates that of the almost 20 houses that Sandy Spring builds in Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Northwest D.C. each year, 80% to 90% of homeowners employ high-end smart technology systems for blinds and audio.

The other 10% of those building new homes, like the Abramsons, opt for additional smart features, such as advanced lighting and home automation systems.

For Shari Abramson, the smart technology has created an elevated style of living. “It’s a totally different realm of being in a home,” she says. “Everything is something we dreamed of, that we thought we’d never be able to do. It was worth the time and the effort.”

Amanda Cherrin lives in Chevy Chase and is a former reporter for Sports Illustrated magazine.

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GUIDE TO LUXURY LIVING: Condos, Apartments and Townhomes

PROPERTY

TYPE

LOCATION

STATUS

# OF UNITS

UNIT SIZE

PRICE

PETS

PARKING

Apartment

Bethesda

Leasing

311

Efficiency to 3 BR

$1,335 to $7,220

Yes, up to 2 cats

Indoor garage

Townhomes

Bethesda

44

2,901 - 3,151 SQ FT

from $1.3M

Yes

2-car garage

Townhomes

Bethesda

Now selling

61

1,849 - 2,138 SQ FT

from the low $600's

Yes

garage

Condo

City of Rockville

Now selling

136

2,106 - 2,326 SQ FT

From the upper $600's

Yes

garage

Townhomes

Rockville

Now selling

217

1,820 - 3,288 SQ FT

From $795,000

Yes

2-car garage

Townhomes

Chevy Chase

Now selling final homes

62

3,360 - 3,620 SQ FT

From $1.58 million

Yes

2-car garage

Townhomes

Potomac

Opening for sales November 2019

48

From the upper $900's

Yes

2-car garage

PALISADES OF BETHESDA 301-725-4723 | palisadesapts.net Utilities included; In-unit washer/dryer; fitness center, business center and pool available; Indoor parking, “open concept” floor plans, 24-hour front desk.

QUARRY SPRINGS 301-691-8029 | wmld.co/qs1 Elegant Clubhouse, pool, hot tub, locker rooms, steam rooms, saunas, fitness center, yoga studio, board and game rooms, 24-hour gated security, water fountains, waterfall walking path, lush landscaping, snow removal, grass cutting all homesites.

NORTH QUARTER 240-570-7109 | WinchesterHomes.com/ NorthQuarter Relax at the community green. Grab a ride at a Capital Bikeshare and enjoy shopping and dining in North Bethesda and Rockville. You’re 1.2 miles from White Flint Metro and 1 mile from Pike & Rose.

CHAPMAN ROW AT TWINBROOK METRO 240-570-7109 | WinchesterHomes.com/ Chapman Walk to Twinbrook Metro or to incredible shopping and dining on Rockville Pike or at nearby Pike & Rose. Then come home and unwind with neighbors at the community bosque with covered pavilion.

TOWER OAKS 240-743-7380 | eya.com/townhomes/ rockville-md/tower-oaks At the center of the community, the CORE will feature an outdoor pool, fitness center, neighborhood cafe, play area, full-time onsite lifestyle coordinator and much more

THE BROWNSTONES AT CHEVY CHASE LAKE 301-907-7500 | townhomes.eya.com/ chevy-chase-lake/ The townhomes feature personal elevators and private rooftop terraces, all in the ideal location just steps from Chevy Chase shops and restaurants and the future Purple Line station.

EYA TOWNHOMES AT CABIN JOHN VILLAGE 301-830-4335 | eya.com/townhomes/ potomac-md/cabin-john-village Tucked between Cabin John Village and Cabin John Regional Park, these townhomes are just steps away from new shopping and dining on one side, and endless recreational activities on the other.

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JUST AROUND THE CORNER FROM

everything

CHAPMAN ROW NEW 4-LEVEL URBAN TOWNHOMES IN THE CITY OF ROCKVILLE FROM THE UPPER $600’S

Less than 2 blocks from Twinbrook Metro and walkable to shopping and dining

NORTH QUARTER NEW MODERN TOWNHOMES IN NORTH BETHESDA FROM THE LOW $600’S

1.2 miles from White Flint Metro, 1 mile to Pike & Rose

YO U R E X P E R I E N C E I S O N U S .

WINCHESTERHOMES .COM/BE THESDA

The prices of our homes, included features, plans, specifications, promotions/incentives, neighborhood build-out and available locations are subject to change without notice. Not all features and options are available in all homes. Unless otherwise expressly stated, homes do not come with hardscape, landscape, or other decorator items. Any photographs or renderings used herein reflect artists’ conceptions and are for illustrative purposes only. Photographs or renderings of people do not depict or indicate any preference regarding race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, familial status, or national origin. Our name and the logos contained herein are registered trademarks of TRI Pointe Group, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Winchester is a registered trademark and is used with permission. MHBR No. 57. © 2019 Winchester Homes Inc., a member of the TRI Pointe Group. All rights reserved.

home | BY THE NUMBERS

Data provided by

AUGUST’S MOST EXPENSIVE

at A peek rea’s f the a some o pensive x most e sold n rece tly s house

HOME SALES SALE PRICE:

$3.3 million SALE PRICE:

$6 million LIST PRICE: $6.5 MILLION

Address: 7205 Arrowood Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 367 Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 8/3

LIST PRICE: $3.9 MILLION

Address: 10717 Ardnave Place, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 30 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 7/3

SALE PRICE:

$2.8 million LIST PRICE: $2.9 MILLION

Address: 8618 Beech Tree Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 43 Listing Agency: Allied Realty Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/2

SALE PRICE:

SALE PRICE:

LIST PRICE: $4 MILLION

LIST PRICE: $3.2 MILLION

$3.5 million Address: 7515 Exeter Road, Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 429 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 6/1

$2.8 million Address: 7116 Fairfax Road, Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 88 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 4/0

SALE PRICE:

$2.7 million LIST PRICE: $3 MILLION

$3.4 million LIST PRICE: $3.5 MILLION

Address: 11 E Lenox St., Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 60 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/2

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SALE PRICE:

$2.6 million LIST PRICE: $2.5 MILLION

Address: 7031 Wilson Lane, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 12 Listing Agency: RE/MAX Town Center Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 6/2

COURTESY PHOTOS

SALE PRICE:

Address: 5214 Oakland Road, Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 301 Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 6/2

home | BY THE NUMBERS SALE PRICE:

Listing Agency: RE/MAX Realty Services Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 6/2

LIST PRICE: $2.5 MILLION

SALE PRICE:

$2.4 million Address: 4702 West Virginia Ave., Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 1 Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.4 million LIST PRICE: $2.4 MILLION

Address: 7111 Longwood Drive, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 71 Listing Agency: TTR Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Realty Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 6/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.3 million LIST PRICE: $2.4 MILLION

Address: 5605 McLean Drive, Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 68

$2.2 million LIST PRICE: $2.3 MILLION

Address: 9309 Rapley Preserve Drive, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 83 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 6/3

SALE PRICE:

$2.2 million LIST PRICE: $2.5 MILLION

Address: 8717 Burdette Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 60 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 6/2

SALE PRICE:

$2.2 million LIST PRICE: $2.5 MILLION

Expanded & Renovated Classic 8606 Nutmeg Court, Potomac Offered at $1,795,000

Address: 9613 Halter Court, Potomac 20854 Days on Market: 47 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/2

SALE PRICE:

$2.2 million LIST PRICE: $2.2 MILLION

Address: 6427 Barnaby St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20015 Days on Market: 42 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.1 million LIST PRICE: $2.2 MILLION

Address: 7009 Arandale Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 125 Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

Country Club Setting

MY

10913 Burbank Drive, Potomac Offered at $1,685,000

OF

Backing to the C & O Canal National Historic Park, this breathtaking all-brick Potomac beauty boasts 2 expansions, a 4-car garage, 7 Bedrooms/5 Full & 2 Half Baths, a separate efficiency-style apartment and over 6,100 sq ft of elegant space, all within minutes to Potomac Village, DC & VA. 234

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A gated, private entrance leads to this truly exceptional property with unique character & European charm on 5+ aces, just minutes to Potomac Village & Great Falls Park! Luxurious details & 12 ft ceilings throughout all 3 levels grace this beautifullyappointed 9,159 SF retreat, complete with a stunning pool..

SALE PRICE:

$2 million LIST PRICE: $1.9 MILLION

Address: 8410 Westmont Terrace, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 78 Listing Agency: Beacon Crest Real Estate Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 6/1

SALE PRICE:

$2 million LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

Address: 5649 Moreland St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20015 Days on Market: 4 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2 million LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

Address: 5804 Highland Drive, Chevy Chase 20815 Days on Market: 5 Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties

Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 4/1

Days on Market: 35 Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 6/2

SALE PRICE:

$2 million LIST PRICE: $2.1 MILLION

Address: 6604 Millwood Road, Bethesda 20817 Days on Market: 311 Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2 million

SALE PRICE:

$2 million LIST PRICE: $2.1 MILLION

Address: 4522 Cheltenham Drive, Bethesda 20814 Days on Market: 218 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

Address: 5723 Ogden Road, Bethesda 20816 Days on Market: 93 Listing Agency: Realty Advantage Bedrooms: 5 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2 million

$1.9 million LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

Address: 4217 Glenridge St., Kensington 20895 Days on Market: 186 Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 7 Full/Half Baths: 5/1

LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

Address: 10600 Rivers Bend Lane, Potomac 20854

Note: Some sale and list prices have been rounded.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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home | BY THE NUMBERS

REAL ESTATE TRENDS

BY ZIP CODE

AUGUST 2018

AUGUST 2019

20015 (Upper NW D.C.) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

14 $1.4 Mil. 6 5 11

21 $1.5 Mil. 6 10 13

13 $2.1 Mil. 4 8 13

20814 (Bethesda) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

23 $1.1 Mil. 4 14 8

20 $1.4 Mil. 2 16 12

20815 (Chevy Chase) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

31 $1.5 Mil. 10 20 23

26 $1.3 Mil. 7 13 18

20816 (Bethesda) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

12 $1.3 Mil. 7 3 10

15 $1.3 Mil. 2 10 11

36 $1.4 Mil. 9 23 24

51 $1.3 Mil. 11 32 25

20817 (Bethesda) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

236

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

2 $1.1 Mil. 1 1 2

2 $1.2 Mil. 0 2 1

AUGUST 2018

AUGUST 2019

20877 (Gaithersburg) 18 15 $594,986 $636,900 9 8 6 6 0 0

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

13 9 $465,230 $419,889 3 2 9 4 0 0

20850 (Rockville)

20878 (North Potomac/ Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

22 27 $734,405 $780,333 7 4 13 21 3 4

40 34 $686,440 $718,799 8 5 28 20 1 4

20851 (Rockville)

20879 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

10 10 $422,100 $392,230 3 5 7 5 0 0

13 11 $465,800 $425,318 4 4 7 7 0 0

20852 (North Bethesda/Rockville)

20882 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

18 17 $745,222 $625,024 6 5 7 10 3 2

12 13 $592,108 $617,273 3 2 9 10 0 0

20853 (Rockville)

20886 (Gaithersburg)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

30 23 $503,750 $571,822 9 10 17 9 0 0

20854 (Potomac)

20818 (Cabin John) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

AUGUST 2019

20832 (Olney) 18 $1.2 Mil. 6 6 11

20016 (Upper NW D.C.) Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

AUGUST 2018

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

11 9 $451,909 $430,044 2 4 7 4 0 0

20895 (Kensington) 47 $1.2 Mil. 8 32 26

59 $1.1 Mil. 10 39 23

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

19 32 $699,105 $696,698 6 6 11 18 4 3

20855 (Rockville)

20896 (Garrett Park)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

19 11 $534,258 $585,900 5 4 12 5 0 0

1 2 $1.4 Mil. $592,500 0 0 1 0 1 0

COLDWELL BANKER Property Marketing That Works Coldwell Banker’s® exclusive marketing program combines the power of online and print advertising to showcase your home and reach more buyers.

Professional Photography 36 professional photos and one virtual twilight photo, perfect for print and online to make your property look its very best

Simply Stunning Home!

Property Brochures Beautiful, professionally printed property brochures to showcase your home

Single-Property Website Professionally designed property website that is viewable on all devices and easily shared via social media

Just Listed eFlyer “Just Listed” announcement eBlast sent to an exclusive list of personal and professional contacts

Property Tour Professionally produced photo slideshow with narration

Targeted Online Advertising Geographic targeting technology markets your property directly to local buyers online and on social media

Online Promotion Property photo slideshow posted on the At Home in the Mid-Atlantic YouTube™ channel

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

Area REALTOR® Notification Agents at all local real estate companies in your area will be notified that your home has come on the market

Mobile Brochure Exclusive yard sign panel with CB Mobile Brochure technology that delivers your home’s unique details and photos to consumer mobile phones

Silver Envelope Home Announcement Stunning, trifold property announcements direct mailed to your neighborhood in silver envelopes that get noticed

Online Property Syndication Your home will be displayed on hundreds of websites, including the most-visited real estate websites in the world

UPDATE PROPERTY MARKETING

We are very pleased to share that we have been busy over the last few days preparing your home for sale. Following are the items that we have completed thus far on your behalf.

• Ordered and installed property sign • Entered the property into the MLS • Fed the property to 900+ Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage partner websites • Professional photography • Included the property in Coldwell Banker’s weekly The Update, which notifies real estate professionals at all of the top real estate companies in the area that your home has come on the market • Promoted your property to my network of fellow REALTORS® during our weekly sales meeting • Posted the announcement of your home on our company Facebook page and demographically boosted it for additional exposure • Posted the announcement of your home on my own personal social media page(s) • Posted your property on our company websites, ColdwellBankerHomes.com and ColdwellBanker.com • Distributed an eBlast to my personal sphere • Distributed a tri-fold gold envelope neighborhood announcement to 100 of your surrounding neighbors • Created a high-end, professional property brochure for display during property tours and open houses • Developed a video slideshow of your property • Developed a property website of your property and positioned it online on our partner websites • Prepared an ad of your home to be featured in the April/May 2017 edition of Sactown Magazine • Professionally produced a 30-second video spot to be featured on the Coldwell Banker TV show, At Home in Northern California, on Saturday, March 18 at 4:30 pm and is now posted on Coldwell Banker’s YouTube channel Additionally, once per week I will be sending you a report from our HomeBase inSight platform which will show you all of the views your property is generating on our partner websites, including ColdwellBankerHomes.com, Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia and more.

We hope you are pleased with the progress in marketing your property thus far. Rest assured this is only the beginning.

We look forward to taking your property from Just Listed to Just Sold as soon as possible.

BECKY ARNOLD 2015 & 2016 Top Producer Coldwell Banker Tahoe City Cobblestone 530.363.0176 becky.arnold@cbnorcal.com CalBRE #01262238

Seller Update Detailed report outlining everything that has been done to bring your home to market and maximize its exposure

To discuss how you can leverage exceptional marketing and exposure to help sell your home for the highest possible price, contact us today.

Kelly Vezzi Nicklas Branch Vice President Kelly.Vezzi@cbmove.com

Tammie Henderson Branch Vice President Tammie.Henderson@cbmove.com

Potomac/Rockville 301.983.0200 12435 Park Potomac Avenue, Suite 550 Potomac, MD 20854

Bethesda Downtown Office 301.718.0100 4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 100 Bethesda, MD 20814

Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2019 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved.

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. 19MLRY_MA_9/19

home | BY THE NUMBERS

AUGUST 2018

AUGUST 2019

AUGUST 2018

AUGUST 2019

AUGUST 2018

20901 (Silver Spring)

20903 (Silver Spring)

20905 (Silver Spring)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

40 35 $489,718 $477,939 20 9 16 18 0 0

4 9 $425,000 $458,378 1 4 2 3 0 0

25 12 $526,910 $530,825 4 3 16 7 0 0

20902 (Silver Spring)

20904 (Silver Spring)

20910 (Silver Spring)

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

Number of Homes Sold Average Sold Price Above Asking Price Below Asking Price Sold Over $1 Million

27 35 $456,326 $458,720 8 11 16 16 0 0

25 35 $490,182 $495,426 6 13 16 16 0 0

AUGUST 2019

17 22 $564,263 $716,920 3 6 11 11 0 1

Information courtesy of Bright MLS, as of Sept. 13, 2019. The Bright MLS real estate service area spans 40,000 square miles throughout the mid-Atlantic region, including Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and parts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. As a leading Multiple Listing Service (MLS), Bright serves approximately 85,000 real estate professionals who in turn serve more than 20 million consumers. For more information, visit brightmls.com. Note: This information includes single-family homes sold from Aug. 1, 2019, to Aug. 31, 2019, as of Sept. 13, 2019, excluding sales where sellers have withheld permission to advertise or promote. Information should be independently verified. Reports reference data provided by ShowingTime, a showing management and market stats technology provider to the residential real estate industry. Some sale and list prices have been rounded.

TRUSTED ADVISORS. OUTSTANDING OUTCOMES. WE CAN DELIVER FOR YOU, TOO.

Corey Burr +1 301 346 3345 m. +1 301 967 3344 o. cburr@ttrsir.com

Maria Barbi

Stephanie McGovern

Margie Leachman

Kimberley O’Neill

Jen Fritz

Cristina Carrillo

Cam Burke

Mary Alice Swengros

Chris Hamilton

Ed Burke

Kathy Cravedi

Alan Seldin

Led by Corey Burr, Senior Vice President at TTR Sotheby’s International Realty, the Burr Group is TTR Sotheby’s International Realty’s Top Team in Maryland, representing the region’s finest properties. Our combined 208 years of experience has taught us the character of nearly every block and the expertise to successfully handle any type of sale or purchase in any type of market condition. Contact us today for a confidential discussion of your real estate plans.

Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered (or unregistered) service marks used with permission. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated.

If your property is listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers. We are happy to work with them and cooperate fully.

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FIVE YEARS IN A ROW!

Best Real Estate Team!

Checkout this Yard!

7515 MARBURY ROAD, BETHESDA $1,995,000

If you’re thinking about moving, let’s talk!

Full Size Riding Arena

4550 N PARK AVE #304, CHEVY CHASE Call for Pricing

5 BEALL SPRING CT, POTOMAC $1,395,000

CT A R T N O C

5602 NAMAKAGAN ROAD, BETHESDA $995,000

CT A R T N O C

4114 EDGEVALE COURT, CHEVY CHASE $1,649,000

With 15 years of experience as a top-producing agent in the DC metro market, I will work with you to accomplish your real estate goals. My team of lifelong DC residents draws upon a vast network of local resources and deep market insight to deliver the highest quality service and results to our clients!

CAROLYN SAPPENFIELD 240.353.7601 4318 ROSEDALE AVE, BETHESDA $1,749,000

CT A R T N O C

8210 THOREAU DRIVE, BETHESDA $1,899,000

Visit CarolynHomes.com for Reviews, Recent Sales and to Checkout our Blog!

RE/MAX Realty Services • Bethesda Row • 301.652.0400 4825 Bethesda Avenue #200 • Bethesda, MD 20814

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SHOWCASE KITCHEN & BATH

MERIDIAN HOMES, INC. At Meridian Homes, we specialize in luxury renovations and custom home building. Our mission is to create exceptional residences that exceed expectations. Our highly personalized design process and careful management of every project has earned us a reputation over many years for outstanding client service and solid, beautiful craftsmanship.

BIO

4938 Hampden Lane #330, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-652-4440 | info@meridianhomesinc.com www.meridianhomesinc.com

Our clients wanted their new custom home to have an overall light, airy, modern aesthetic. To achieve this look, the kitchen was designed with contemporary slab front cabinetry in a combination of light gray lacquer and a complementary dark-brown matte finish. Open shelving floats above the white quartz countertops that have the look of marble with enhanced durability. The plumbing fixtures and appliances are in a brushed stainless-steel to contrast with the glossy cabinetry and the highly polished light wood floors add warmth to the space. In each of the seven bathrooms throughout the home, dramatic materials were chosen to make a statement. In the guest bath, a shiny black countertop, light colored cabinetry and custom glass shower doors all have sleek, clean lines. The result is contemporary, yet welcoming. To see more photos of this project and our many others, visit www.meridianhomesinc. com/portfolio.

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COURTESY PHOTOS

OUR WORK:

S HO WCAS E

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

KITCHEN & BATH

HOUSE TO HOME SOLUTIONS Before

Envision Design Renovate. House to Home Solutions specializes in luxury home renovations.

The team focuses on understanding our customers’ vision and translating that vision into highly functional and aesthetically pleasing outcomes.

Each part of their streamlined process, from conception through completion, is designed to provide an overwhelmingly positive customer experience.

BIO

15745 Crabbs Branch Way, Derwood, MD 20855 301-762-6621 | www.HousetoHomeSolutions.com

COURTESY PHOTOS

THE PROJECT: This Sterling, VA remodel started with a focus solely on the kitchen and turned into a full main-level remodel. With just the minor relocation of things and opening of a small section of the wall, we transformed this dated kitchen to a centerpiece and focal point of this home. We tied in the existing hardwood flooring with the new flooring to create a seamless transition between the two. Recessed lighting was added throughout the kitchen with smart WiFi-enabled dimmers. New pendant lights and under-cabinet lights added task and accent lighting. A large functional island included seating, additional countertop space and newly relocated sink replaced the single cabinet island. A bright blue hand-painted arabesque tile backsplash provides just enough touch of color to finish off the design.

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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SHOWCASE

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

KITCHEN & BATH

DIVKOV1 REMODELING LLC Divkov1 Remodeling is a full-service remodeling company that has served the Washington, DC metropolitan area for over 15 years. We employ highly experienced craftsmen who will do whatever it takes to successfully finish your pro ect. ighty percent of our revenue comes from referrals from our satisfied customers. e offer our customers quality, timeliness, and flexibility.

BIO

1716 Sturbridge Place, Crofton, MD 21114 240-422-9772 | divkov1llc@gmail.com | divkov.com

Divkov1 Remodeling LLC specializes in kitchen, bathroom, attic and basement renovations. Our job is to make our customers’ ideas into reality.

After we completed a bathroom renovation, a customer’s neighbor sent the following message: “Our neighbors recommended you since you have done kitchen and bathroom renovations in our building before, and they were very, very happy with the work that you did.” hen we converted an unfinished attic into a spacious living area, including construction of a new staircase and opening a hole in the exterior wall for a new window, another customer commented: “…You are the easiest contractor I have ever worked with.”

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COURTESY PHOTOS

OUR WORK:

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KITCHEN & BATH

KITCHEN & BATH STUDIOS INC For over 26 years, Kitchen and Bath Studios has built a reputation for being the premier design center in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Our showroom features four custom cabinet lines that provide a vast selection of styles and finishes. ontact us today and receive a free design layout with expert consultation from one of our six designers on staff.

BIO

7001 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-657-1636 | designnow@kitchen-bathstudios.com kitchenbathstudios.com

OUR WORK:

COURTESY PHOTOS

Kitchen and Bath Studios Inc.’s new front showroom display features Christiana Cabinetry in an eclectic blue stain with Caesarstone honed quartz countertop and Gaggenau appliances. Visit our showroom today to view countless other styles and receive a free design consultation.

CELEBRATING 26 YEARS!

BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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SHOWCASE

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

KITCHEN & BATH

DAVIDA'S KITCHEN & TILES Davida has over 30 years of experience designing kitchens and baths in the D.C. area. She spent 10 years in the industry providing custom cabinetry then added 10 years of custom tile work to her repertoire. 2006 saw the creation of Davida’s Kitchen & Tiles. The new showroom followed where she continues to offer personalized designs to her clients.

BIO

435 A&B E. Diamond Ave. Gaithersburg, MD 20877 240-361-9331 | www.davidaskitchenandtiles.com

Visit our award-winning showroom and you’ll discover why Davida’s projects have been featured in multiple publications. At Davida’s Kitchen & Tiles, we showcase a vast array of materials including custom cabinetry, the very finest selection of tiles in glass, ceramic, porcelain and stone, as well as exquisite granite, quartz and marble countertops. We pride ourselves on the attention to detail we bring to our designs and hope to exceed your expectations and transform your new kitchen or bathroom into a space that adds comfort, beauty, functionality and value to your home.

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COURTESY PHOTOS

OUR WORK:

S HO WCAS E

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KITCHEN & BATH

JACK ROSEN CUSTOM KITCHENS, INC. As Bethesda Magazine’s only 3-Time Winner for Best Kitchen Design Firm, Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens, Inc. continues to be one of the most renowned kitchen design firms in the Washington, D.C. area. Offering awardwinning designs and fine cabinetry for culinary, closets, home offices and entertainment with outstanding service for over 37 years! Visit our Showroom today!

BIO

12223 Nebel St., Rockville, MD 20852 240-595-6732 | www.BeautifulRosenKitchens.com

COURTESY PHOTOS

OUR WORK: Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens is widely recognized for creating captivating home environments. The kitchen pictured at the top is an ideal example of very prevalent trends towards "transitional" kitchens. The beautiful custom cabinetry offers organizational systems to keep everything in its place and maximize storage throughout the space. The photo at the left shows a more contemporary kitchen with sleek cabinetry and a custom island featuring an eat-in countertop. Jack Rosen Custom Kitchens, Inc. believes every awardwinning design should be laid out beautifully, but should also serve as a central space that can function easily.

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KITCHEN & BATH

GILDAY RENOVATIONS With over 40 years of experience, Gilday Renovations provides its clients with a highly collaborative design-build process that seamlessly blends the expertise of its award-winning integrated team of architectural designers, interior designers and master builders, led by principals Kevin Gilday and Tom Gilday.

BIO

301-565-4600 | www.gilday.com

With the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family grown and on their own, Gilday Renovations was retained for the design and construction of an expanded kitchen and family room.

The requirement was to provide a welcoming space for entertaining and complement but not necessarily mimic the design of the existing home. For instance, the upper kitchen cabinets included glass doors to balance the open expanse of family room windows, doors and transoms. Additionally, the appliances in the kitchen were paneled to integrate with the woodwork in the adjacent family room. To complete this design element, the Gilday design team included wood beams at the family room ceiling. The prior kitchen space was remodeled into a butler pantry and much-needed powder room. Finally, to satisfy the remodeling goals for the second ďŹ&#x201A;oor, ilday renovated two bathrooms and a dressing room to complete the renewal of their home.

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COURTESY PHOTOS

OUR WORK:

S HO WCAS E

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KITCHEN & BATH

7550 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 120, Bethesda, MD 20814 301-657-5000 | www.CARNEMARK.com

BIO

CARNEMARK DESIGN+BUILD From condo conversions to whole-house remodels, CARNEMARK design + build creates solutions that flow meeting the practical needs of contemporary life. Using a client-responsive and ecosensitive process, abstract ideas turn into clean, sensible designs built with careful craftsmanship.

For more than 30 years, Bethesda-area clients have enjoyed the award-winning combination of function and beauty we’ve helped bring home.

PHOTOS BY ANICE HOACHLANDER

THE PROJECT: A young couple had designs on the perfect master bathroom—that is, two perfect master baths. For her, a sleek white retreat. For him, a handsome spa with steam. Thankfully, their 1920s bungalow was able to accommodate both, one upstairs and one down. Her frameless glass shower— set against a dramatic wall of marble-look porcelain tiles— features a simple rain shower and storage niche to establish the clean, uncluttered design, while a linear drain allows for curbless entry. A freestanding white cabinet provides convenient storage just outside the shower, opposite the toilet. ownstairs, anthracite porcelain walls and floors define his reconfigured master. frameless steam shower with a blocky bench for relaxing offers up a ceiling-mount showerhead with hand spray combo for a quick, refreshing clean.

The transom-like window opens and shuts to regulate the steam. Coordinating chrome details round out the minimal and masculine master bathroom.

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KITCHEN & BATH

5011 Olney-Laytonsville Road, Olney, MD 20832 202-363-4626 | www.cahilldb.com

BIO

CAHILL DESIGN BUILD CAHILL DESIGN BUILD meets our clients’ needs with truly custom solutions. Our creative team, supported by our own custom cabinetry line, is not limited in any way. Clients turn to Cahill Design Build when perfection is the only solution. Our craftsmen turn our award-winning design into works of art to be enjoyed for generations.

This stunning kitchen was part of a full custom design home designed and built by Cahill Design Build. The house has 10’ ceilings and the custom cabinetry allows the doors to the refrigerator to soar to the occasion, with hidden cabinets behind the upper portion of the refrigerator doors. Custom inlayed doors with an antique mirror hides the things one doesn’t want to see while the custom hutch shows the items one wants to display. The exquisite island was custom glazed to appear as a piece of furniture in the room. A seamless counter was custom colored and manufactured to ensure a flawless end result that perfectly matches the hand-made tile. We will miss no detail in the pursuit of perfection for our clients.

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COURTESY PHOTOS

OUR WORK:

fitness. wellness. medicine.

PHOTO BY LISA HELFERT

health

Karin Bertozzi survived a 12-hour open-heart surgery at Suburban Hospital. Now sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s helping other cardiac patients as a volunteer for Mended Hearts. For more, turn to page 252.

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health | BE WELL

MR. FIX-IT A local orthodontist talks about getting braces, the “Do Not Eat” list, and how technology is changing his job

BY CARALEE ADAMS | PHOTO BY LISA HELFERT

WHEN EDUARDO AVILA was in dental school, his dad bought him the horror movie The Dentist as a joke. “He said, ‘This is what patients are thinking of you…so be compassionate,’ ” says Avila, who keeps that advice in mind and uses humor to help put patients at ease.

Avila, who owns Sublime Smiles, has known he wanted to be an orthodontist since he was 12 years old and had braces himself. His orthodontist took him under his wing, teaching him about X-ray machines and how to make models of teeth. Avila enjoyed having braces as a child and was fascinated by the process. He went on to have orthodontic treatment two more times as an adult, both to tweak his own teeth and to gain a firsthand understanding of the techniques and products being used.

“I love seeing how people transform from being shy and [not wanting] to smile to being happy and more positive,” he says. “As a kid, I liked to play with Erector [construction] Sets and Legos.

Being an orthodontist is like being an engineer, but on a micro scale.”

At his offices in Gaithersburg and Rockville, Avila sees patients as young as 7 and some into their 80s. A graduate of the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, where he later returned for two years of specialized training in orthodontics, he bought the practice in 2011 and has expanded it from 110 to 500 patients. About half are adults who often want treatment after seeing their children’s teeth straightened and realizing how the process has improved.

Technology has changed the way 250

Avila treats patients and, he says, often leads to better, quicker results. Gone are the days of impressions made with a gooey material. Now machines scan patients’ teeth to make digital models. Avila, 44, uses computer software to simulate the movement of teeth and to show patients what their smiles could look like after treatment. The digitized records allow for virtual consultations, minimizing emergency trips to the office. About 60 percent of his patients opt for Invisalign, which involves transparent removable aligners; the rest get traditional metal braces.

Avila’s wife, Amanda, a dental hygienist, is the office manager at Sublime Smiles. The Bethesda couple has two children, ages 3 and 5. Settling in the D.C. area was a compromise: She’s from Maine; he was born in El Salvador and grew up in Miami, so they picked a place about halfway in between.

They try to create a fun atmosphere at work. “We play music, and it’s not uncommon to see people dancing around,” Amanda says. One Halloween, the staff dressed up as foods that patients shouldn’t eat if they have braces. For National Karaoke Week every April, they put a karaoke machine in the waiting room.

The most excitement, however, occurs on the days when patients get their braces removed. “When people at the end give me a high-five, or they feel so comfortable with me that they give me a big hug, that makes my heart melt,” Avila says. Once the braces are off, they leave with an exit gift: a bag full of items on the “Do Not Eat” list, including popcorn, a Snickers bar and chewing gum.

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IN HIS OWN WORDS...

BENDING THE RULES “Initially, it’s good for [patients] not to eat the things on the ‘Do Not Eat’ list.

But after a while, I’m sure everybody eats everything on that list. It’s just a matter of how you adapt. Instead of eating a whole bagel toasted, you can slice it up and eat it in pieces.

You can get by with eating things on the list, just making sure you do it the right way. It’s kind of like speeding— everybody does it. …We give them five broken brackets without being charged.”

Orthodontist Eduardo Avila and his wife, Amanda, a dental hygienist

THE PRICE OF ROUGHHOUSING

UNEXPECTED REACTIONS

“I had one kid who was wrestling in the living room and the carpet got stuck in his braces. They had to cut around it, and he came into the office with a little tuft of it that I had to clean out. I came into the office on the weekend to meet him.”

“Sometimes, actually, when they get their braces off, people are sad the experience is over. They are actually in tears. They want them back in because they miss the feel and being able to come in. Maybe they think they can’t get out of school early anymore.”

ON SOCIAL MEDIA

THE FUTURE

“People are more conscious about their looks, and that drives people into our office.

They are always shocked by the before-and-after photos. They are extremely grateful most of the time about how their bite has changed. Now they can take their Instagram photos from different angles. They used to say they could only do their right side, and now they can do both sides.”

“The next revolution will be the virtual consult. Basically, everything will be on [the] computer. There will be stations set up in CVS that take a scan [of your teeth]. A doctor will talk to you about it virtually.

Or maybe there will be a van that goes to your house to take a scan, and a doctor goes over your case virtually on FaceTime. [This approach] is starting to slowly be integrated. It might be mainstream in three years. I hope to be part of that.”

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t r a e Ho t Heart

Five years ago, Karin Bertozzi collapsed at Balducciâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Bethesda and was rushed to Suburban Hospital, where she underwent a 12-hour open-heart surgery. Now the 51-year-old yoga instructor visits other cardiac patients to help them see that they can get their lives back too.

BY MIKE UNGER | PHOTOS BY LISA HELFERT Karin Bertozzi caption

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K

“KNOCK, KNOCK,” KARIN BERTOZZI says cheerfully as she breezes through the open door into Room 3105 in the intensive care unit.

“Are you up for a visitor? I’m a volunteer. My name’s Karin.”

Bertozzi has proffered that greeting countless times since she started dropping in on heart surgery patients at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda as a member of Mended Hearts, the largest cardiovascular peer-to-peer support network in the world. It’s the words that follow it—“I had heart surgery here a few years ago, so now I come around and talk to other patients”—that usually resonate so deeply.

Looking fit in slender black jeans and a casual blue shirt, sleeves rolled up to her elbows, Bertozzi, 51, seems too young and vibrant to have survived open-heart 254

Bertozzi, who volunteers with Mended Hearts, visits cardiac patients at Suburban Hospital.

surgery. But five years ago, she too was in the ICU at Suburban fighting for her life.

The 76-year-old patient immediately warms to Bertozzi, who seems to have that effect on people. She asks about the specifics of his case: what procedure he had, the surgeon who performed it, the progress he’s made since the operation.

They converse in the shared language of heart patients, discussing doctors, electrocardiograms, stents and stress tests.

He tells her about the leg and disc problems that predated his bypass. He’s not so much complaining as he is sharing a checklist of maladies, injuries and general annoyances that he senses Bertozzi innately understands.

“Oh my gosh, you’ve had a rough few months,” she says. “Well, at least you’re smiling now.”

A grin as visible as the chest scar

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

peeking out from his gown creeps onto his face. In true D.C.-area fashion, he begins to rattle off his resume. He worked for the Department of Labor and other government agencies, has traveled extensively around the world, once shook John F. Kennedy’s hand, and was photographed with President Jimmy Carter in the White House.

Bertozzi listens intently until the man says he has to place his dinner order.

“We can come back if you’d like,” she says.

“Come back,” he replies.

THE LAST MEMORY BERTOZZI has of Oct. 16, 2014, is seeing lemons. Like most Thursdays, she had stopped into Balducci’s on Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda to pick up sushi for lunch after teaching a yoga class. As she walked into

the store, she felt dizzy, a sensation she chalked up to hunger. But in the produce aisle, she feared it was something more serious.

“I knew I was going to faint, so I got down to the floor because I didn’t want to crack my head open,” she says. “I told a guy that worked there that I definitely was going to need some help. And then I don’t remember anything for four days.”

A fervently active woman with normal blood pressure and low cholesterol, Bertozzi had never experienced any shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness or chest pain—common symptoms of heart disease in women. Growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, with three older brothers, she was a “bit of a tomboy.”

She swam and ran cross-country in high school, which is when she met her future husband, Gianfranco, at a Catholic youth retreat. They’ve been married for 23 years.

More than two decades ago, the young couple was living in New York City when Bertozzi, pregnant with the first of her three children, started doing yoga. It was transformative. “I’ve always loved moving my body, but with yoga there’s a spiritual and emotional part to it as well,” she says.

“The deeper exploration spoke to me.”

Gianfranco’s job at the World Bank brought the family to Bethesda, where they’d been living for five years when Bertozzi walked into that gourmet grocery store. Luckily, when she collapsed she was only about a mile from Suburban, where doctors discovered that she had an ascending aortic aneurysm with a dissection. “The layers of my aorta were tearing apart, causing my blood flow to become erratic,” Bertozzi says. If the aneurysm had ruptured, they later told her, it likely would have killed her. She underwent a 12-hour open-heart surgery, which involved replacing a 5-inch portion of the aorta with a graft.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention defines an aortic aneurysm as “a balloon-like bulge in the aorta, the large artery that carries blood from the heart through the chest and torso. …The force of blood pumping can split the layers of the artery wall, allowing blood to leak in between them. This process is called a dissection.” Aortic aneurysms were the primary cause of 9,928 deaths in the United States in 2017, according to the CDC, and aortic

aneurysm or dissection were listed as either the underlying or a contributing cause of 16,954 deaths. But just onethird of people with an aortic aneurysm are female, and it’s rare for a fit woman in her 40s to have one. This led Bertozzi’s doctors to suspect that her condition was hereditary.

“My paternal grandfather died of a cardiac event when he was 53,” Bertozzi says. “Because he was so young, there was an autopsy done that showed that he died in his sleep of an aortic aneurysm and dissection.”

Tests performed on Bertozzi following her surgery confirmed that an unnamed connective tissue disorder runs in her family. After her aneurysm was discovered, her three brothers all were found to have one as well. The oldest, Steve, and youngest, Bob, underwent procedures to repair the aneurysms. Tragically, Bob died last year from complications connected to his surgery. He was 54.

“He had a fungal infection that caused a massive heart attack,” she says. “Bob did all the right things to proactively combat this disease, but in the end, his own anatomy let him down. It constantly reminds me how vulnerable we all are. I don’t take that lightly.”

Bertozzi’s middle brother, Tom, has chosen to take medication instead of undergoing surgery, but monitors his condition closely. Bertozzi’s son, Luca, 21, and daughters Gabi, 18, and Sophia, 16, now get echocardiograms annually,

Tests performed on Bertozzi following her surgery confirmed that an unnamed connective tissue disorder runs in her family. After her aneurysm was discovered, her three brothers all were found to have one as well.

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Jeffrey Steinhorn was one of the first patients Bertozzi visited when she became a Mended Hearts volunteer in 2015. Now, Steinhorn—pictured showing Bertozzi a phone app he uses to monitor his heart—is also volunteering for the organization.

which they will have to do for the rest of their lives, but otherwise, the condition does not affect them. Bertozzi says she focuses on educating herself and her family about aneurysms and heart disease by attending conferences and webinars, and reading as much as she can.

Back in the fall of 2014, Bertozzi’s surgical team was focused on saving her life. After the operation she suffered an MRSA scare and blood clotting. She also had to have a pacemaker implanted.

“Pain is not fun, that’s for sure, but I felt protected,” she says. “Maybe that was my faith, or the confidence I had in the care I was getting at Suburban. I had a lot of love surrounding me.”

Bertozzi was in the hospital for 18 days, and she could sense the increasing concern among her family and doctors as complications developed. But she was rarely alone. Her husband, mother, 256

children and other relatives and friends practically set up camp in her room, yet it was another visitor, an octogenarian she’d never met, who changed the course of her life.

WHEN BERTOZZI WOKE UP four days after her “event,” as she calls it, she thought she had been in a car accident.

When her surgeon and husband told her what had happened, the news was unnerving, to say the least.

“There is a real aspect of fear when someone fiddles with your heart,” she says. “You’re powerless. It can be a real test in patience. You’re worried about not being at work; you’re worried about finances; you’re worried about the face you put on for your family.”

In 1951, Boston heart surgeon Dwight Harken noticed similar anxieties and uneasiness in some of his patients, so he

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

assembled four of them to discuss what they could do to mitigate it. From this meeting, Mended Hearts was born. The Albany, Georgia-based nonprofit organization now has approximately 27,400 members across 285 chapters and groups around the country. (Bertozzi is treasurer of the Washington, D.C., chapter.)

Last year, its 3,000 accredited volunteer visitors made about 230,000 bedside visits to patients in 460 hospitals.

“Everyone in this country has a heart story to tell,” says Norm Linsky, a resident of Northwest Washington, D.C., and executive director of Mended Hearts. “Either themselves or a relative or a close friend.”

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans, taking more than 600,000 lives each year, according to Mended Hearts, and people living with the disease face many mental and physical obstacles.

health “It took a long time for me to understand that every ‘normal’ ache and pain was just simply that—normal,” Bertozzi says. “I was still going to get headaches, colds, pulled muscles. I just had to learn to convince myself that it was just normal, and not related to my disease.”

According to the American Heart Association, up to 25 percent of patients experience cardiac depression. “It’s usually situational, and gets better once people are more physically active and outside of the hospital and recognize that they can do well and have vibrant, very active lives after heart surgery,” says Dr. Philip Corcoran, a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon with Suburban’s Heart Center who operated on Bertozzi.

He credits Mended Hearts with helping many of his patients.

“They come with a phenomenal amount of credibility because they’ve been through the process, sometimes more than once,” he says.

John Barton was 82 when he shuffled into Bertozzi’s hospital room. A Mended Hearts volunteer, he had undergone bypass surgery more than a decade earlier.

“I have to say, there was a little cynicism in my head,” Bertozzi says. “Here’s this old guy, and here I am about to go home to three kids. It wasn’t fair, but in my head I was like, OK, easy for you to say that I’m going to get through this. But he charmed me. He was very sweet and thoughtful. It makes a difference when somebody outside of your circle visits you. Your family and friends sort of have to come. This guy didn’t know me at all, and he was there every day, telling me I could do this.”

Neither Bertozzi, who was often in a medicinal haze, nor Barton remember many details of their visits, but Barton vividly recalls one moment they shared while he was at her bedside. “She looked up at me and said, ‘I want to do what you do,’ ” the Chevy Chase resident says.

“Even in her situation in her life at that time, she was determined. She’s a kindred soul.”

Six months after leaving the hospital, 258

Bertozzi took training courses through both Suburban Hospital and Mended Hearts. She learned patient privacy laws, how to be an active listener, and that all heart patients are unique.

“We all process fear differently. We all recover at different rates. We all have our own sets of challenges,” she says.

“Even with all these differences, there is an invaluable common bond that brings heart patients together. Without sounding corny, it just spoke to me. It felt like this was the way I could give back.”

Jeffrey Steinhorn was one of the first patients she visited. He underwent a 4½-hour surgery to repair a mitral valve prolapse on the Monday before Thanksgiving 2015. Bertozzi first saw him later that week. “Most everyone who’s there is traumatized. She’s effective because she has compassion for the situation,” says Steinhorn, who pauses to regain his composure. The 72-year-old is now one of four accredited Mended Hearts visitors at Suburban. “I’m sorry…I get emotional. You give comfort to a family by saying, ‘I’m a survivor. Look at me. I’m walking around, I’ve got my life back.’ ”

AFTER CHECKING IN AT the hospital’s volunteer office, Bertozzi places a heartadorned ID lanyard around her neck and takes the stairs—“because I am a heart patient,” she says—to the third-floor ICU. On her way, she’ll often say a short prayer for the patients, some of whom she’s never met.

She scans a computer to find the heart patients—they’re identified by a little heart icon in the “status” column— and then starts popping into rooms.

She always begins by asking the patient if they’re up for a visitor, and can only recall one instance when the answer was “no.” Next she identifies herself as a volunteer, because “I don’t want them to think I’m going to poke them.”

Some patients are intubated or too sedated to talk. Sometimes she’ll simply sit with them to give their loved one a break to grab a cup of coffee. Once, with his wife lying in the hospital bed next to him, a husband broke down and

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

admitted that he’d treated her poorly.

Another time, a man she hopes was loopy on medication offered details about his sex life. But talk mostly centers on families, careers and the common experience of open-heart surgery.

“We’ve had patients that are highpowered attorneys, we’ve had clergy, we’ve had patients that have been homeless,” Bertozzi says. “It doesn’t matter.

They’ll tell me their story and I’ll tell them mine, and we’re on level ground.”

Her trips to the hospital, she tells people, are the highlight of her week.

“The patients have given me the opportunity to share a pretty scary time in my life with them, and that can be therapeutic for me,” she says. “But the visit is not about me, it’s about the patient.”

Over the years she has kept in touch with some of the people she visited (primarily through Facebook), and attended funerals for three of them. But mostly she’s an in-the-moment friend during what could be the most trying time in a person’s life.

“It’s a little bit of cheerleading,” she says. “I think it gives people hope to know that not everybody who goes through heart surgery ends up with limitations on their life. You can get back to where you were.”

ON A SUNNY JUNE evening, Bertozzi is back where she was five years ago.

Sitting outside of Balducci’s, she sips a bottle of KeVita mango coconut sparkling probiotic. Caffeine is now a no-no.

She’s always been a diet-conscious person, but these days, perhaps counterintuitively, she allows herself a little more wiggle room.

“If my kids want to have a burger, we’re going to go have a burger and I’m going to eat it with them,” says Bertozzi, now an assistant manager at Truebody, a fitness club in Bethesda. She still teaches yoga, although she can’t do all the poses she once could. “I think I beat myself up more before. I had more guilt if I had some chocolate or drank too much.

Maybe it’s an age thing, too, but now I just think we’ve got to enjoy ourselves

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DENTIST

FINDER

Your Guide to Leading Dentists in the Bethesda Area

PERIODONTICS, DENTAL IMPLANTS

DR. ROY ESKOW Bethesda Dental Implant Center

5626 Shields Drive Bethesda, MD 20817 301-493-6200 www.bethesdadentalimplantcenter.com

Dental School: University of Maryland School of Dentistry Expertise: We provide state of the art periodontal therapy in a comfortable and caring environment. 30 years experience in dental implant surgery, periodontics, oral medicine, dental sleep apnea. Paramount is building a quality relationship with each and every patient.

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Dental School: University of Maryland, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery Expertise: At our office we love what we do. We believe dentistry should be painless, functional and esthetic. We are committed to exceptional personalized care and use the latest technology to help you achieve a healthy beautiful smile.

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Dental School: Georgetown University Expertise: Provide patients with excellent care and health education in a contemporary and comfortable atmosphere

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health while we’re here.”

It took her four years to set foot back in Balducci’s. (“It was actually good for our budget,” she quips.) She knows that was irrational, especially considering that it was the store’s employees who rushed to her aid. But if there’s one thing Bertozzi understands, it’s the power of fear.

On the same May night that she visits the 76-year-old jet-setter (she did indeed return after he’d ordered dinner), there are two other stops to make, neither of which is equally upbeat.

In one room, a 57-year-old man lies in bed, breathing with the assistance of a ventilator. After her introduction, Bertozzi gently rests her left hand on his right leg, which is covered by a white blanket.

“Last time I was here you had been outside. You were pretty tired,” she says.

“You look good. Your eyes look good.

You’re not watching politics, are you?

Waiting for sports to come on?”

It’s a one-way conversation, but she infuses it with easy laughs, questions that need no answer, and reassurances that can only come from a person who was once in the same position.

“I just can’t tell you how powerful it is to have a visitor like Karin Bertozzi come into the room and say, ‘Listen, this was me in October of 2014. I sat in your bed right here. I had emergency open-heart surgery, I didn’t think I was going to survive. I survived and I’m doing just fine,’ ” says Corcoran, her surgeon at Suburban.

Bertozzi’s final stop is the room of a 59-year-old man who is recovering from an aortic aneurysm and dissection. “I had what you had,” she tells him and his mother, who’s sitting beside the bed. “It’s hard to be a patient patient, but you’ll get there—it just takes time.

I know, I was here a long time, too. Are you comfortable?”

The man, who cannot speak, offers a barely perceptible nod.

“Mine happened when I was 46,” Bertozzi says. “It was a surprise also. Day by day, right?”

Mike Unger is a writer and editor who grew up in Montgomery County and lives in Baltimore.

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CALENDAR COMPILED BY JENNIFER BEEKMAN Nov. 30

The post-Thanksgiving Turkey Burnoff on Nov. 30 will include 10K and 5K races through Seneca Creek State Park.

TURKEY BURNOFF. Work off those extra Thanksgiving calories with this scenic 10K/5K race through the rolling hills of Seneca Creek State Park. 8:30 a.m. 10K/5K; 8:35 a.m. 2.78K fun run. $10; $5 younger than 18; free for Montgomery County Road Runners Club members (registration is race day only for MCRRC members). Seneca Creek State Park, Gaithersburg. mcrrc.org/calendarevent/turkey-burnoff-2019.

Dec. 8 JINGLE BELL JOG. The Montgomery County Road Runners Club 8K race weaves through a residential Rockville neighborhood. 9 a.m. $10; $5 younger than 18; free for MCRRC members. Registration is race day only.

Rockville Senior Center, Rockville. mcrrc.org/ calendar-event/jingle-bell-jog-2019.

Dec. 15

Nov. 3 ROCKVILLE 10K/5K. The 44th annual race will follow the same challenging course as previous years through the King Farm neighborhood. Includes a 1-mile fun run and post-race festivities. 8:30 a.m. 10K; 8:45 a.m. 5K; 8:10 a.m. fun run. $35 10K/5K through Nov. 1; $45 on Nov. 2 and race day; $12 fun run. King Farm Village Center, Rockville. rockville10k5k.com.

Nov. 9 STONE MILL 50 MILE. This Road Runners Club of America event—and the 10th running of this race—will lead participants along the Seneca Greenway and Muddy Branch trails. 6 a.m. See website for fees. Stedwick Elementary School, Montgomery Village. stone-mill-50-mile.org.

Nov. 10 CANDY CANE CITY 5K. An out-and-back run on the Rock Creek Trail. 8 a.m. $10; $5 younger than 18; free for Montgomery County Road Runners Club members (registration is race day only for MCRRC members). Ohr Kodesh Congregation, Chevy Chase. mcrrc. org/calendar-event/candy-cane-city-5k-2019.

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FREEDOM IS NEVER FREE 5K/10K/HALFMARATHON. Proceeds benefit Operation Enduring Warriors, a nonprofit organization geared toward empowering and motivating America’s wounded military service members. 8 a.m. half; 8:15 a.m. 10K; 8:30 a.m. 5K. $25-$30 5K; $40-$45 10K; $60-$65 half. Carderock Recreation Area, Potomac. bishopsevents.com/event/2019freedom-is-never-free-5k-10k-half.

Nov. 23 RUN UNDER THE LIGHTS. Presented by the Montgomery County Road Runners Club and the City of Gaithersburg, this event leads runners and walkers through the City of Gaithersburg’s Winter Lights Festival in Seneca Creek State Park. 6 p.m. See website for fees. Seneca Creek State Park, Gaithersburg. mcrrcrununderlights.com.

Nov. 28 TURKEY CHASE. Proceeds benefit YMCA Youth & Family Services and YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase financial assistance and scholarship programs. Montgomery County’s largest 10K typically draws more than 10,000 participants. Includes 2-mile, 1K and 50-meter races. See website for details. YMCA Bethesda-Chevy Chase. turkeychase.com.

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SENECA SLOPES 9K. The Montgomery County Road Runners Club’s cross country season comes to an end with this multiterrain race through Seneca Creek State Park. 10 a.m. $10; $5 younger than 18; free for MCRRC members. Registration is race day only. Seneca Creek State Park, Gaithersburg. mcrrc.org/calendar-event/seneca-slopes9k-2019.

Ongoing KENSINGTON PARKRUN. Weekly timed 5K on Rock Creek Trail for runners/walkers of all ages and abilities. Strollers and dogs are welcome. 9 a.m. Saturdays. Free; one-time registration required before first race. Beach Drive and Cedar Lane, Bethesda. parkrun.us/ kensington.

SCREENINGS/CLASSES/ WORKSHOPS Nov. 4 SKIN CANCER SCREENING. Co-sponsored

by Suburban Hospital and the Sidney J. Malawer Memorial Foundation, the event offers free skin screenings by board-certified dermatologists for those who haven’t been screened in the past year. 6-8 p.m. Free; registration required. Johns Hopkins Health

PHOTO BY DAN REICHMANN, COURTESY OF MCRRC

RUNNING/WALKING

Nov. 10

Care and Surgery Center, Bethesda. 301-8963939, events.suburbanhospital.org.

Nov. 6 FERTILITYCARE-NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING. A free introductory lecture, conducted by FertilityCare practitioner Therese Rodriguez, on the basics of this method of holistic fertility awareness that can benefit women from their teens through menopause. 7-9 p.m. Free; registration requested. Holy Cross Hospital, Silver Spring. 301-754-7000, holycrosshealth.org/classes-events.

Nov. 6 FRESH HOLIDAY MEALS. Presented by Suburban Hospital, this class will help you prepare for a healthy holiday season with demonstrations of recipes for nutritionally balanced meals rich in seasonal vegetables and whole foods. 6-8 p.m. $25. Total Wine & More corporate office, Bethesda. 301-8963939, events.suburbanhospital.org.

Nov. 8 YOUTH SUICIDE: SCIENCE & SOLUTIONS. Dr. David Brent, professor of psychiatry, pediatrics and epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, is the keynote speaker at this Adventist HealthCare Behavioral Health Symposium. 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

$35. Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center, Gaithersburg. 240-238-1604, adventisthealthcare.com/calendar.

Nov. 11 8TH ANNUAL SHINE A LIGHT ON LUNG CANCER CELEBRATION. Presented by Holy Cross Health and GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer, this evening of celebration, compassion, hope and support for those affected by lung cancer will include survivor stories and inspiring speakers. 6-7 p.m. Free; registration requested. Holy Cross Hospital, Silver Spring. 301-754-7000, holycrosshealth. org/classes-events.

Nov. 13 HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS AND APPEAL PROCESS. Support and education to help cancer patients and survivors navigate the health insurance process. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Free; registration required. Holy Cross Hospital, Silver Spring. 301-557-1850, holycrosshealth.org/classes-events.

Nov. 13 THE PAIN CONNECTION. Dr. Dermot Maher will highlight treatment options for acute and chronic pain in this Suburban Hospital community health seminar. Participants will be introduced to the latest in cutting-edge

Rise the Athlete in You.

interventional procedures that can reduce and possibly eliminate pain for good. 1-2 p.m.

Free; registration required. Friendship Heights Village Center, Chevy Chase. 301-896-3939, events.suburbanhospital.org.

Nov. 14 MOVING FORWARD WITH PARKINSON’S DISEASE. Join Dr. Kelly Mills, a Johns Hopkins assistant professor of neurology for the Movement Disorder Division, to learn more about the neurodegenerative brain disorder as well as current research and findings. 1-2 p.m. Free; registration required. Rockville Senior Center, Rockville. 301-896-3939, events.suburbanhospital.org.

Nov. 16 and Dec. 7 CHILDBIRTH—JUST THE FACTS. This discussion and lecture class will cover “just the facts” of childbirth, including signs of labor, the process of labor, medical interventions, medications and pain management. 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. $60. Holy Cross Hospital, Silver Spring. 301-754-7000, holycrosshealth.org/classes-events.

Nov. 19 SHINGLES: MORE THAN A RASH. Nearly one in three people in the United States will develop shingles, and treating the disease

MARYLAND ROOTS. COLORADO EXPERIENCE.

GET YOUR 3-DAY PASS! The energy and support at Rock Creek Sports Club are contageous. One day you’re a beginner, next day you’re helping a beginner.

We’ve grown a culture of diverse people who believe in quality workouts and, more importantly, in uplifting each other!

Everyday we honor veterans with a 22% discount, 20% for first responders, 10% for patients over 55 and 10% for first time patients!

2001 Chapman Avenue,Rockville, Maryland 20852 info@peakereleaf.com | www.peakreleaf.com

8325 GRUBB ROAD, SILVER SPRING, MD 20910 | 301.587.4447 rockcreeksportsclub.com

Medical cannabis is for use by qualifying patients only.

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health in a timely manner can prevent serious long-term consequences. In this Suburban Hospital community health seminar, Dr. Janna Lachtchinina will discuss signs, symptoms, treatments and prevention. 1-2 p.m. Free; registration required. Holiday Park Senior Center, Silver Spring. 301-896-3939, events. suburbanhospital.org.

Nov. 21 BLOODMOBILE. One blood donation could save up to three lives, according to the Red Cross. 10 a.m.-4p.m. by appointment.

Suburban Hospital, Bethesda. 301-8962244, events.suburbanhospital.org.

Dec. 1 SIBLING CLASS. Designed to help siblings understand their new roles as big brothers and sisters. “I’m a big brother/sister” T-shirts provided for participants. 1:30-2:30 p.m. for siblings ages 3-5; 2:45-3:45 p.m. ages 6-10. $20. Holy Cross Hospital, Silver Spring. 301-754-7000, holycrosshealth.org/ classes-events.

Dec. 12 COMMUNITY CPR. Learn to respond effectively in emergency situations in

this Suburban Hospital WellWorks class.

Appropriate for young adults, nannies, au pairs, lifeguards and preschool teachers, the course will cover infant, child and adult CPR (CPR certification is provided). 5:309:30 p.m. $75. Oasis at Macy’s Home store, on the second floor, Westfield Montgomery mall, Bethesda. 301-896-3939, events. suburbanhospital.org.

Dec. 17 GIRL TALK. Designed to help girls ages 8-11 and their mothers open up the lines of communication. Grandmothers also welcome. 6:30-8:30 p.m. $20. Holy Cross Resource Center, Silver Spring. 301-7547000, holycrosshealth.org/classes-events.

Ongoing ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS EDUCATION SEMINAR. Presented by Suburban Hospital, for teens ages 13-18 and their families who would like more information on alcohol, marijuana and other drugs. Topics include the effects of drugs and alcohol on the brain and body, legal aspects of alcohol and drug use and the long-term impact your choices about substance use can have on your life. Program consists of two, two-hour sessions held in a

single week. 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays (for parents and teens); 6-8 p.m. Thursdays (teens only). $100 per teen; call for event details and to register. Suburban Hospital Addiction Treatment Center, Rockville. 301-896-6608, events.suburbanhospital.org.

SUPPORT GROUPS Nov. 2 and Dec. 14 NAVIGATING FATHERHOOD. Connect with other new dads and learn—and share— tips on surviving the first several months after your baby’s birth. 1-3:30 p.m. Free; registration requested. Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove, Rockville. 301-315-3030, adventisthealthcare.com.

Ongoing ADVANCED CANCER SUPPORT GROUP. Facilitated by a licensed clinician. 2-3 p.m.

Thursdays. Free; registration required.

Beaumont House, Bethesda. 301-6347500, hopeconnectionsforcancer.org/ support-group. ■ To submit calendar items, go to BethesdaMagazine.com.

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SENIOR SERVICES PROFILES

“There are places people move to retire—and there are places like Riderwood, where people move to live!,” says Sales Counselor Debbie Brumbach. As the nation’s largest senior living community, Riderwood has everything seniors need to enjoy their freedom years.

Riderwood’s sprawling 120-acre campus offers over 250 resident-run clubs plus premium amenities, including a salon and day spa, pharmacy, convenience stores, bank, fitness centers and seven restaurants. Riderwood’s on-site medical center gives residents easy access to quality health and wellness care.

There are major restorations and renovations in process at Riderwood. A newly updated clubhouse is complete while another one will be finished in the spring. A new wellness center is opening in 2020 as well. Best of all, Riderwood apartment homes are maintenance-free. Residents can do as much or as little as they like, without the hassles of upkeep.

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Riderwood

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Senior Services

Steve Lorberbaum

JOSEPH TRAN

OWNER, CERTIFIED SENIOR ADVISOR, ASSISTING HANDS HOME CARE Assisting Hands Home Care provides dependable and compassionate care to people of all ages who are facing di erent situations such as l heimer’s and dementia, arkinson’s, respite care, hospice, disability care or post-surgical care. ssisting ands recogni es that individuals have specific re uirements that are constantly evolving, thus the need for concierge-type services that are tailored to help clients remain at home.

The caregivers hired by ssisting ands ome are are employees of the company, not contractors, and are all Maryland licensed certified nurse aides, extensively prescreened by the operations team and supervised by the director of nursing.

Our caregivers are the heart of the company, says Steve Lorberbaum, owner of ssisting ands. Based on conversations with the prospective client and family, we select the caregiver that best meets their needs. We take pride in finding the right caregiver for each situation. f ever a caregiver is not the right fit, we gladly make a change so that everyone is happy and completely satisfied.

Because the safety of the client is always a major concern, the company o ers the elp lert system that notifies family, friends and caregivers when there is an urgent need. This emergency system is pre-set to call designated contacts. t is a customi ed service that provides 24 7 protection for anyone who is alone. With real-time G S location, seniors can live comfortably and independently while the entire family enjoys peace of mind.

“Concierge-type services are tailored to help clients remain at home.”

48 3 ordell ve., Suite 10Bethesda, MD 20814 301-3 3-2 80 slorberbaum assistinghands.com www.assistinghands.com potomac

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Maplewood Park Place

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“Owner residents enjoy all the advantages of home ownership without all the hassles.”

9707 Old Georgetown Road Bethesda, MD 20814 301-571-7444 www.maplewoodparkplace.com

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At Maplewood Park Place in Bethesda, residents enjoy exceptional musical performances in an award-winning senior community. Recently, Maplewood renewed its partnership with the Strathmore Center for the Arts, Bethesda's premier visual and performing arts organization. Over the next year, through the Artist in Residence Concert Series, Strathmore will bring seven concerts to Maplewood, spanning a range of genres. It’s just one of the many fun and fabulous activities the community brings to residents every day.

Maplewood is the area’s only senior living community o ering the best of all worlds: home ownership, an independent lifestyle, a full continuum of care and concierge medical services, all under one roof. Maplewood provides independent living, along with assisted living and skilled nursing care for independent residents who are ready to transition to more care. Owner residents enjoy all the advantages of home ownership without all the hassles.

The community’s signature promise of gracious senior living extends also to the Maplewood dining experience, with a variety of fresh, delicious and nutritious menu choices. Executive Chef Francis Otoo has a distinguished track record: preparing meals for President Clinton and international diplomats while recently serving as executive chef at the mbassy of Ghana. e and his sta artfully create each selection to appeal to the most discriminating tastes. Maplewood o ers formal dining as well as casual dining in their new Bistro and af with hearth oven.

Maplewood is conveniently located in a safe, wooded suburban neighborhood, just inside the beltway on Old Georgetown Road. It’s minutes away from Bethesda’s shops, restaurants, and medical centers, along with all that D. . has to o er.

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Senior Services

Clarice with her care team: Suzan, David, Gwyn, Barbara, Mada and Amy.

David Gibson

HEATHER FUENTES

OWNER, COMFORT KEEPERS For more than two decades, Comfort Keepers has provided in-home care for seniors and other adults. As a trusted resource for aging in place, companionship and personal care is provided through individualized care plans that extend to total wellbeing.

“It’s our team approach, our wonderful caregivers, our support for the whole family and our belief in elevating the human spirit,” says owner David Gibson, describing the Comfort Keepers characteristics that stand out.

It all starts with the caregivers. Every Comfort Keeper goes through a rigorous hiring process, including multiple face-to-face interviews and extensive background checks that include criminal background and driving record checks. During the interviews, they are also screened for this profession’s essential characteristic: empathy. After they are hired, they receive thorough training in home care. Comfort Keeper caregivers are empowered to improve the quality of life for seniors and their families.

In addition to high quality caregivers, clients are also assigned an internal and external care coordinator. Experienced, professional care teams engage with family members, physicians and healthcare professionals daily, working together to ensure that a client’s custom care plan is executed and updated.

Customized care plans include personal care, companionship, medication reminders and respite care. Comfort Keepers uses SafetyChoice in-home safety technologies, including medical alert systems and motion detectors. Seniors are engaged physically, mentally and emotionally.

“At Comfort Keepers, we go beyond daily care to bring a sense of hope, connectedness, purpose and, most importantly, joy,” says Gibson. “We help seniors reclaim all that life has to o er. When we lift people’s spirits, research shows they feel better, live longer and experience life more fully.”

“We help seniors reclaim all that life has to offer.”

414 Hungerford Drive, Suite 448 Rockville, MD 20850 301-340-0100 davidgibson@comfortkeepers.com www.ComfortKeepers.com/ Montgomery-MD

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Samuel R. Lish PRESIDENT AND CEO, ADVANCED NURSING + HOME SUPPORT

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“It isn’t just a business—it’s personal.”

1 800 rabbs Branch Way, Suite 205 Rockville, MD 20855 240-430-1500 www.advancedhomesupport.com

HILARY SCHWAB

Sam Lish founded Advanced Nursing + Home Support 26 years ago when his father needed home care services. Later, when his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, it was a comfort for him to turn to caregivers he himself had screened, hired and trained. know firsthand how stressful and frustrating it can be to navigate home health care for a loved one, and I know that Advanced is truly a committed partner in care. It isn’t just a business it’s personal, Lish says. With a strong belief in deep connections between his work and personal life, and the importance of maintaining dignity for those in need of care, he had a clear goal. e built a company that provides expert care and exceptional service at every level.

To prepare for the future, dvanced has grown, adding services that extend through the entire continuum of care, from companion and respite care to skilled care with specialties in ALS, MS, Parkinson’s and memory care. Advanced Nursing + Home Support can handle every client’s care needs, and seamlessly adapt when those needs change.

They use a team approach for every client. From the initial contact to a comprehensive needs assessment with clients and their families, they design a very specific plan of care with the best interests of both the clients and their families in mind. Lish’s team makes the best possible match of care providers, for physical and medical needs and personalities.

Our sta works diligently to deliver care that allows our clients to thrive in place and live with dignity, fulfillment and purpose, he says.

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Senior Services

ERICK GIBSON

Five Star Premier Residences of Chevy Chase In the lovely D.C. suburb of Chevy Chase, Maryland, Five Star Premier Residences is a resort-style senior living community with both independent and assisted living apartments as well as rehabilitation services.

Luxurious and comfortable, services and amenities include restaurant-style fine dining, a cocktail lounge, a full schedule of social and recreational activities each month, a newly renovated health club with heated indoor swimming pool and fitness center, a billiards room and computer center, beauty salon and barber shop, library and art studio. There are scheduled trips, a 24-hour concierge service and doorman, housekeeping, secure underground parking and a washer and dryer in every apartment.

This community also has an active residents’ council. The participation is voluntary, of course, with council members elected by other residents. The council is made up of the chairs of the following committees: Building & Grounds/Housekeeping, Dining Services, Health, Welcoming and Program. The council discusses issues that are of interest to the general resident population.

They serve as a sounding board, o ering suggestions at the committee meetings, resolve concerns when they can and help plan community events. The council does not participate in management of the community, but members work closely with the lifestyle director in scheduling meetings, the election process and with communications.

Diana Lacz, a three-year resident who moved from New Jersey to be closer to her daughter and grandkids, has served on the council for two years. "I came here for the ambiance, the friendly people and the many activities available to us," she says. "I looked at 12 other communities before I walked in the door here, and knew at once that Five Star was for me."

“I looked at 12 other communities before I walked in the door here, and knew at once that Five Star was for me.”

8100 Connecticut Ave. Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-915-9217 www.fivestarseniorliving.com

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Sitting (L-R): Millie Savage, Allen Farrar, Patty Savage, Carson Standing (L-R): Sandy Mayer, Betsy Davis, Joe Savage, Karen Pecoraro

Kensington Park Senior Living

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“Kensington Park is fortunate to have volunteers help carry out their mission.”

3620 Littledale Road Kensington, MD 20895 301-946-7700 www.kensingtonparkseniorliving.com

MICHAEL VENTURA

Kensington Park Senior Living blends joyful residents and passionate families with an experienced team on one campus that feels like home. The community’s strong spirit to serve is re ected through their group of sel ess volunteers.

Millie Savage, a resident, spends her Wednesdays serving lunch in memory care to honor her late husband, Albert. “I do it for the joy it brings to my heart,” she says. Millie’s son Joe, his wife, Patty Savage, and her sister, Karen Pecoraro, whose mom is a resident, bartend at happy hours across campus. They wanted to make a di erence in residents’ lives but uickly reali ed the experience was making a di erence in their own.

Betsy Davis was inspired by her father, a lifelong volunteer. Following in his footsteps, she wanted to give back to others. She fulfills purpose for residents as they engage in her photography class and celebrate their many ribbons won at the Montgomery County Fair. Sandy Mayer gardens with residents to honor her late mom, Laura. She says it has been therapeutic to give residents comfort and see them smile.

Allen Farrar dedicates his Sundays to laughing over comics with residents in memory of his late wife. He says, “I feel the presence of Helen when I am there.

My service is its own reward.” Finally, every home needs a pet. Carson the dog has been spreading companionship and kisses since he was a puppy.

Kensington Park is fortunate to have volunteers help carry out their mission to love and care for your family as we do our own. They o er compassionate care in many environments: independent living, assisted living and three levels of memory care.

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PROFILES

Senior Services

Roberta Z. Greenspan, CFA, CFP

®

DIVISION EXECUTIVE, SANDY SPRING PRIVATE CLIENT GROUP Sandy Spring Private Client Group is a division within the bank that takes a holistic approach to meeting clients’ financial needs through trust services, private banking, wealth planning and investment management.

“One of the key advantages of the Sandy Spring Private Client Group is access to all of the bank’s resources,” says Roberta Greenspan, division executive. “Our experts, a team of 45 professionals with an average of 20 years of experience, work together seamlessly to deliver comprehensive and personalized strategies to help each client achieve their financial goals.

Those goals can range from very straightforward to the most complex situations such as designing a legacy with blended families, inheritance planning and carrying out a client’s charitable intent. An important role this group can play for clients is as trust administrators or corporate trustees, and also as successor trustees when the original executor cannot fulfill his or her duties. The bank’s fiduciary care standard is the highest of financial standards.

Having a professional administer a trust or estate gives families peace of mind. They know a trusted expert is handling the funds, paying the taxes and filing the necessary reports. n addition to traditional transfers of wealth as an executor, the Sandy Spring Private Client Group is often appointed by clients to help seniors during periods of incapacity, or to serve as trustee of a special needs trust, such as one created by parents for a child with a disability.

Whatever the unique situation, the Sandy Spring Private Client Group can provide the personalized service and deep expertise clients need to help grow and protect what they have worked so hard to earn throughout their lifetime.

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“Having a professional administer a trust or estate gives families peace of mind.”

17801 Georgia Ave. Olney, MD 20832 800-399-5919, ext. 8401 RGreenspan@SandySpringTrust.com www.sandyspringbank.com/wealth BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019

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Family & Nursing Care

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“The client-caregiver bond is the foundation of this business.”

1010 Wayne Ave., Suite 1100 Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-588-8200 www.familynursingcare.com

MICHAEL VENTURA

“We want to make sure you never worry about how your older parent gets along with his or her caregiver,” says Natalie Blickman, client services manager. “We want the families of clients to know their loved one’s physical and emotional needs are being met.”

At Family & Nursing Care, expert client services managers (CSMs) and care coordinating managers (CCMs) work to make those goals a reality.

The CSM digs deep with the prospective client and their family and get to know about their physical needs, but also about their emotional needs, their interests, their personality and their preferences. They really get to know and understand clients and families on a deeply personal level and they become the family’s go-to person at Family & Nursing Care.

The CCMs get to know the caregivers’ skills, interests and personalities just as intimately. Together, they recommend a caregiver that possesses the skill sets, personality, interests and more to be that perfect match. And then they work to make sure the match remains perfect. The client-caregiver bond is the foundation of this business. Dedication to the perfect match process is why families have placed their trust in Family & Nursing Care for over half a century.

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Assisted Living at Landow House At Landow House, quality assisted living has many facets. The spacious one and two-bedroom apartments have kitchenettes, large walk-in closets and a choice of oor plans. ommunity space includes a theater, private dining room and an art studio. There are beautifully manicured outdoor spaces. Pets are welcome.

“Our clinical team conducts personal assessments and works with the residents and their families to develop a plan of care,” says Director of Nursing Bridget Onyeoke. Sta physicians make home visits and there is continuous on-site nursing care. Physical, occupational and speech therapy happens right in house.

We find that new residents experience a feeling of freedom as they’re suddenly unburdened from daily cooking and cleaning,” says Administrator Kellie Baker. “Our residents are happy to focus on social and cultural enrichment.”

Services are set apart by respect for Jewish values. Fine-dining kosher meals are part of a typical day that might include a yoga class, current events lecture or an excursion to a local artist’s studio. Landow ouse o ers rich musical programming and many cultural, recreational, wellness and fitness options are planned, with transportation when needed.

For a comfortable retirement lifestyle in a caring environment with like-minded fellow residents and excellent care as needed, Landow ouse is ideal. Seniors appreciate being able to stay close to friends and family enjoying fulfilling relationships for years to come.

Senior Services

“Our residents are happy to focus on social and cultural enrichment.”

1799 ast Je erson Street Rockville, MD 20852 301-816-5050 www.smithlifecommunities.org

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Capital City Nurses

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“Great care goes far beyond helping with activities of daily living.”

8401 onnecticut ve., Suite 1030 Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301- 2-4344 www.capitalcitynurses.com

HILARY SCHWAB

apital ity urses has been a prominent brand leader in home care for over five decades. The founder, a registered nurse, was a pioneer in anticipating the needs of a population navigating the challenge of aging in place gracefully. She created a service directed to address the needs of seniors and their families.

Today, the company still leads by setting industry standards in care, caregiver education and client/family services. Capital City Nurses has fully appreciated the Golden Rule of home care for over 40 years, providing the level of service that one would want for a grandparent, parent, spouse or loved one.

Company management realized early on that great care goes far beyond helping with activities of daily living. It is equally important to make personal connections with the clients and families, to match caregivers to their charges, and to make sure that those in Capital City Nurses’ care are enjoying life.

Capital City Nurses has always sought out the best caregivers. “We hire people who we’d want caring for our own moms and dads,” says Brian Rodgers, chief operating o cer. e developed apital ity urses aregiver cademy, an innovative program that emphasizes the engagement between nurses and clients by sharing unique ways to create stronger interactions and relationships, as well as improving clinical expertise.

Capital City Nurses continues to grow stronger and more connected through expansion into Maryland’s Eastern Shore and Delaware and through a recent merger with are dvantage nc., the mid- tlantic’s largest privately owned home healthcare company. Partnering with a company that understands the value of sharing expertise and resources is a fitting step in apital ity urses’ continued pursuit of thought leadership in home care services.

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Senior Services

L-R: Dr. Hilari Dunn; Dr. Brad Levine; Dr. Mark Taff; Dr. Janice Grossman

MICHAEL VENTURA

Taff & Levine DDS, PA DDS, PA A recent National Poll on Healthy Aging conducted by the University of Michigan revealed that 40 percent of Americans between the ages of 50 and 64 do not visit the dentist regularly, for routine cleanings or preventive treatment. The primary reasons: High costs and lack of dental insurance. Fifty-one percent of those surveyed were unsure where to get dental coverage once they turned 65, as Medicare doesn’t cover routine dental services. atients of Ta Levine DDS, a full-service dental practice, can rest assured the highest uality of care is available to them at an a ordable cost. Through its Membership lan, Ta Levine DDS provides discounted dental treatment to the uninsured. For one, low monthly fee all preventive, restorative and emergency treatment is well within everyone’s reach.

“It’s an incredible feeling to work with patients who thought this kind of dentistry was beyond their means, says Dr. Mark Ta .

Voted the Best Dentistry Group/Practice in 2017 by Bethesda Magazine readers, Ta Levine is a multigenerational practice celebrating its 44th anniversary in 2019. ts modern o ce is complete with D T ’s in every operatory, allowing the doctors to show patients their oral issues right on the screen. In house 3D CAT scan equipment provides for more accurate diagnoses and “one visit Cerec crowns” streamlines treatment.

Crowns are now placed on the same day without the need for additional appointments.

An intraoral digital scanner is used to take photo impressions of teeth for more involved cases, eliminating the use of messy and uncomfortable impression trays.

We’re committed to o ering state-of-the-art, full-service dental care in a relaxing atmosphere, surrounded by caring doctors and sta , says Dr. Brad Levine.

“Through its VIP Membership Plan, Taff & Levine DDS provides discounted dental treatment to the uninsured.”

7811 Montrose Road, Suite 300 Potomac, MD 20854 301-530-3717 www.ta andlevine.com

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Sitting (L-R): Loreto Albiol, M.D.; Livleen Gill, RD; Susan J. Miller, M.D. Standing (L-R): Tierra Anderson, CRNP; Modest Ndangoh, FNP; Rose Oshinsky, RN; Pinky Singh, M.D.; Susannah Edwards, RD; Margarita Matamoros, LCSW-C

Bethesda NEWtrition and Wellness Solutions

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“A new model for primary care encompasses prevention and behavioral health.”

10215 Fernwood Road, Suite 630 Bethesda, MD 20817 240-449-3094 www.bnws.co

HILARY SCHWAB

Although many of their patients are managing diabetes or are trying to lose weight, people of all ages—from toddlers to seniors—have been seen at Bethesda NEWtrition and Wellness Solutions ever since Livleen Gill, past president of the Maryland Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, went into private practice. Her goal is to help people attain their own individual best health. “Prevention is the key to better health,” says Gill.

The business has grown over the years from a nutrition practice to a full health and wellness team of 15 providers. Providers in primary care, which includes geriatrics and internal medicine, are skilled in their fields and have special interest in both ends of a spectrum: preventive and chronic disease.

Gill and her team of dietitians have nutrition covered, and a consulting psychiatrist oversees the behavioral health component. General wellness has broad reach, with health education classes, speech therapy and acupuncture, occupational therapy, massage and physical therapy.

Whatever a person needs all fits seamlessly with the guidance of an assigned care coordinator, who can also recommend community services such as Meals on Wheels or help in the home when that is needed. House calls are made to patients living in local assisted living and retirement communities.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Maryland chose Bethesda NEWtrition and Wellness Solutions to serve as a pioneering Care Transformation Organization, a new model for primary care that encompasses prevention and behavioral health. This healthcare practice is assisting other practices as they evolve into this new model.

PROFILES

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Senior Services

Nicki Beekman

ERICK GIBSON

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CHEVY CHASE HOUSE ow operated by Meridian Senior Living, a national firm with head uarters in Bethesda, hevy hase ouse recently underwent a dramatic 12 million renovation to enhance, update and moderni e its beautiful historic building in hevy hase, D . s a former apartment building constructed in the 1900s, the assisted living community preserved the charming architectural details and spacious apartments, adding luxurious amenities and upgrading features for today’s discerning residents.

Gracious studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom residences have full-si e kitchens, and extra cabinets and closets. Furnished short-term suites are also available. ssisted living never looked or tasted so good. Residents enjoy three delicious meals a day presented by the executive chef. ibrant city living is just outside the community’s front door with restaurants, shops, a library and community center, and the historic valon Theatre. n exciting programming calendar includes weekly trips to D. . cultural sites, exclusive dining events, continuing education and exercise classes to encourage new friendships and embrace wellness. ooking, health, sports, the arts and more fill a schedule that’s busy and expanding thanks to Life nrichment oordinator Kristen Sahd, who comes to hevy hase ouse with a master s degree in movement therapy.

For those who need it, the nursing sta is always available, 24 7. There is on-site physical and occupational therapy as well, provided by Legacy Rehab Services. artnering with the arkinson Foundation of the ational apital rea, construction is underway on a designated gym space for Rock Steady Boxing a liate classes for everyone, especially those with a arkinson’s diagnosis. fter a gorgeous renovation, and exciting new plans, we are proud to introduce the new hevy hase ouse to the community, says xecutive Director icki Beekman.

“Assisted living never looked—or tasted—so good.”

5420 Connecticut Ave. NW Washington, DC 20015 202-684-7204 www.meridiansenior.com chevychasehouse

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Anthony Iannarino, DPT SITE DIRECTOR, REHAB 2 PERFORM

6710 Rockledge Drive, Suite 120A Bethesda, MD 20817 301-798-4838 www.rehab2perform.com

DARREN HIGGINS

Rehab 2 Perform is not your average physical therapy space. Looking more like a high-end gym, their creative physical therapy plans serve di erent needs, from balance training to surgery recovery to athletic enhancement.

After consultation and evaluation, therapists perform movement analysis, then design and employ a plan to fit each patient’s specific needs and goals. ome exercise assignments e ciently graduate to full independence. Helping clients become stronger than before a surgery is satisfying, but these therapists find it just as rewarding to help a senior be able to live on their own after su ering a setback.

“Our philosophy for physical therapy is top performance, but not necessarily just for sports, says Dr. nthony annarino, site director for the new Bethesda location. “Our mission is to reduce the risk of re-injury, educate and empower people with the tools they need to be physically active, and achieve performance in the areas that matter most to them.”

Tom Najjar, FOUNDER, AUTHOR & ADVOCATE; Heather K. Najjar, MSN, CRNP, FNP-C CAREPLUS HOME HEALTH

221 Booth St., Suite 100 Gaithersburg, MD 20878 301-740-8870 www.careplusinc.com 278

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HILARY SCHWAB

“Thank you, thank you, for helping save the day," stated Julie S., one of many CarePlus clients that have expressed gratitude over the past 25 years. By providing high quality home care services with trained and compassionate caregivers, CarePlus is committed to meeting clients’ needs, whether for a few hours a day or 24/7.

They have a holistic approach to matching caregivers with families based on many attributes including culture, personality, age, lifestyle, temperament and skills. By making these connections and o ering speciali ed programs for clients with arkinson s, stroke and other conditions, an individual’s needs can be met.

Expert home health teams support clients in times of crisis, for short-term needs, and in long-term planning. Aleta W. shared, “I am extremely grateful and appreciative. Words can’t say enough.”

Known for being trustworthy and consistently reliable, CarePlus has been chosen as the preferred in-house provider for several local independent and assisted living communities.

PROFILES

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Senior Services

Kate Kavitski, MA, RDT, CDP

COURTESY PHOTO

DIRECTOR OF LIFE ENRICHMENT, INGLESIDE AT KING FARM Educated in psychology, theater and drama therapy, Kate Kavitski came to Ingleside at King Farm with almost a decade of experience. Her vision for her role as director of life enrichment is guided by what she refers to as “The four C’s:” being collaborative, community-centered, creative and consequential.

Ingleside at King Farm’s new state-of-the-art Center for Healthy Living opened this spring. Its amenities include a cultural arts center for performances and special events, an art studio and gallery, classrooms, a game and card room, and fitness studio. ew memory support residences opened this spring to the greater community. Ingleside at King Farm also o ers ngleside ngaged, a social day program open to those in the surrounding areas and serves people with neurocognitive impairment such as Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

Kavitski works with a team of professionals including a cultural arts manager, fitness manager, activities specialists, music and recreational therapists. Their ever-expanding roster of activities and programs are not about keeping busy. The goal is to help people grow, feel inspired and know that they belong to something special.

Professionals who inform and entertain are vetted and booked by one of the many resident committees. Ingleside at King Farm attracts active people who become involved, some in the scope of their past profession; others devote themselves to new hobbies.

All of these services and programs are available to Ingleside residents. Gardenside, Ingleside at King Farm’s newest addition will bring more residents to the community, and includes 120 new independent living apartment homes opening this fall.

“Relationships are at the core of life enrichment programs,” says Kavitski, “reminding us to ask how we can creatively utilize the strengths of our community. That’s a good guide for promoting meaningful new possibilities.”

“Relationships are at the core of life enrichment programs.”

701 King Farm Blvd.

Rockville, MD 20850 240-499-9019 www.ikfmd.org

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Collington Continuing Care Retirement Community A KENDAL AFFILIATE

10450 Lottsford Road | Mitchellville, MD 20721 301-541-7944 | www.collington.kendal.org

HEATHER FUENTES

Located on 125 acres, Collington’s campus features native trees, rolling lawns, a six-acre lake, walking trails and exquisite gardens.

This beauty promotes serenity of the mind, body and spirit.

Spacious apartment homes have private patios or balconies that take advantage of the surroundings. Clustered on quiet streets and cul-de-sacs, cottages and villas o er neighborhood-style living with the full complement of services and amenities. Over 0 oor plans range from e ciently designed studio homes to a three-bedroom, two-bath model. Skylights, hardwood ooring and sunrooms are popular custom upgrades.

Living with people of like minds and shared interests helps to nurture the connections we all need to thrive. Many Collington residents are still active in their careers and represent a diverse range of professions. The Residents Association has more than 30 committees that welcome newcomers. Collington management, residents and board of directors work together harmoniously to create a successful, delightful senior living community that is welcoming and resident-focused.

Andrew Balfour and Jim Vagonis OWNERS, HASSLE FREE HOME SERVICES

601 Dover Road, Unit 11 Rockville, MD 20850 301-294-9444 info@myhasslefreehome.com www.myhasslefreehome.com 280

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LISA HELFERT

One of the biggest challenges for seniors looking to stay in the home they have loved for decades is the day-to-day list of maintenance and repairs needed to keep the home safe and sound. Jim Vagonis and Andrew Balfour founded Hassle Free Home Services more than 15 years ago with that exact challenge in mind. While their contract-based, monthly maintenance and home management service delivers value for all homeowners, it delivers special benefits for seniors looking to stay in their homes.

“Nobody likes maintenance chores,” says Vagonis, “but for older homeowners it becomes more di cult and even unsafe to take care of these important tasks.” Hassle Free takes on that responsibility for the customer. With a dedicated home manager and service tech, the customer has a team they can trust. “Our main goal,” says Balfour, “is to deliver peace of mind for our customers.”

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PROFILES

Senior Services

ERNESTO MALDONADO

Best Senior Care For almost 20 years, Best Senior Care has provided home assistance services with a particular emphasis on clients’ safety. Preventing falls is a high priority. A simple misstep can lead to a broken hip, recovery from which can be devastating. It’s far less costly to get a few hours of preventative help early on rather than what might be round-the-clock care later.

“When helping seniors or their loved ones decide on the right time for assistance, we look for unsteadiness, dizziness and trouble standing smoothly from a seated position,” says company founder Alex Petukhov. Primary care doctors are a good place to start for assessing care needs. The Best Senior Care team recommends asking about low blood pressure or unstable sugar levels.

Best Senior Care also focuses on medication management and nutrition. Many elderly seniors are simply forgetful about their medicine. Caregivers or family members can look at pill bottles and compare the number of pills in the bottle with the fill date to see if they are being taken on schedule. Caregivers also shop and prepare meals, making sure to cook extra for leftovers that can be reheated easily. aving caregivers in the home also solves the sociali ation deficit, from which many seniors su er out of choice or circumstances. n order to make the lives of clients as fulfilling as possible, the company’s caregivers engage them one-on-one and encourage the participation in the community.

Petukov says, “We take great pride in our caregivers, who are thoroughly screened, trained, certified, insured, bonded and, most importantly, compassionate and well spoken. Our ultimate goal is to make sure every client is heard, understood and cared for with dignity and respect.”

“Our ultimate goal is to make sure every client is heard, understood and cared for with dignity and respect.”

17860 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 302 Ashton, MD 20861 301-717-2212 www.bestseniorcare.us

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Chef Russell Edward Brown BAYWOODS OF ANNAPOLIS

Russell Brown, executive chef at BayWoods of Annapolis, has one main goal: to keep the menus changing with the times, o ering a variety of di erent menu items, di erent cooking techniques and impressive presentations that achieve the "wow!" factor.

Brown’s career spans more than 40 years, beginning as a dishwasher in a Colorado restaurant. After graduating with honors from the Culinary Institute of America in New York, his work took him to hotels in Denver, Atlanta and then Maryland. Taking a bold leap in 1985, he opened a restaurant that became one of nnapolis’s fine dining destinations, Northwoods. Since coming to BayWoods, he has recreated many dishes his patrons enjoyed there for 23 years.

“As executive chef at BayWoods, I know the residents individually and I listen to their concerns, ideas and suggestions to constantly improve the quality and diversity of our menus,” Brown says. “If a resident would like gnocchi on the menu, I will schedule it in.”

With a four-week seasonal menu cycle in the main dining room and in the casual bistro, there’s comfort food to haute cuisine. Being in Annapolis, seafood is very popular. Favorites include potato crusted halibut, seared diver scallops with Andouille sausage and tomato risotto, and every other month lobster feasts.

Sunday brunch is popular with the residents and their families, whether they gravitate toward brioche French toast, Belgian mussels or roasted salmon with pesto cream.

Brown recognizes that as residents age, food and hospitality take on new meaning and importance, therefore he endeavors to provide the most enjoyable culinary experience possible.

7101 Bay Front Drive Annapolis, MD 21403 410-268-9222 www.baywoodsofannapolis.com 282

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COURTESY PHOTO

“If a resident would like gnocchi on the menu, I will schedule it in.”

restaurants. cooking. food. drinks.

PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

dine

Our critic calls the beef shank casserole at China Garden in Rockville “hearty and delicious.”

For more on the recently opened restaurant, turn the page.

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SUM GOOD, SUM NOT China Garden offers up sometimes excellent Cantonese fare in Rockville

BY DAVID HAGEDORN PHOTOS BY DEB LINDSEY

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IT’S A SUNDAY AFTERNOON and China Garden restaurant, which opened in the former Paladar restaurant space off of Rockville Pike in July, is packed— no small feat considering there are 400 seats. Servers make their way through the labyrinth of tables, pushing carts holding

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all kinds of dim sum. Customers’ heads bob like chickens to see what each offering is, then nod acceptance or dismissal.

Thanks to a complete lack of resistance or restraint, my table quickly fills with translucent crystal dumplings fat with shrimp and garlic chives, rolled up rice crepes,

Overall Rating:

B-

china garden 11333 Woodglen Drive, Rockville, 301-881-2800, chinagardenhg.com FAVORITE DISHES: Dim sum items: congee rice porridge; pork and shrimp dumplings topped with fish roe; shrimp and garlic chive dumplings; pineapple buns; beef spareribs; and crab claw balls.

Entrees: steamed cod, Cantonese style; kingdom whole giant shrimp; sauteed Szechuan green beans; and beef shank casserole.

PRICES: Appetizers: $3.75 to $7.75; Entrees: $13.75 to $39.95; Dim sum: $3.50 to $8.75.

China Garden’s dim sum offerings, which can be selected from a cart that’s pushed around the dining room, include dumplings, crab claw balls and more.

1-inch-wide pork riblets and various other goodies. Though full, I nod yes to the offer of congee and the server ladles out the thick, soup-like rice porridge into a bowl and tops it with chopped scallions. It’s an intoxicating elixir, rich with chicken stock and rife with bits of

chicken. I scrape the bowl clean.

China Garden’s majority owner is Chris Zhu, who owns the Pacific Miss Asian American beauty pageant. Zhu, who lives in North Potomac, got into the restaurant business in 2015 when she and business partner George Cheung

LIBATIONS: China Garden serves standard-issue oolong or jasmine tea. Same for beers ($5 domestic, $6 imported), including Bud Light, Yuengling and Tsingtao; wine ($8 glass/$40 bottle), which is Woodbridge; and cocktails ($10 to $12), among them Sex on the Beach, Malibu Bay Breeze and Mai Tai. SERVICE: The food comes out at lightning speed and there is an abundance of servers to accommodate you, but very few of them speak English well enough to answer questions about the menu.

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bought the China Garden restaurant in Rosslyn, Virginia, from its founders, Ken and Linda Lee, who opened the Cantonese restaurant known for its dim sum weekends in 1973. “I have a big family in the D.C. area and we are from Canton,” Zhu says. “So being able to carry on this restaurant was a great opportunity. Mr. Lee was my mentor.”

The landlord bought back the lease in 2017, which is when Zhu and Cheung decided to move China Garden to Rockville. That took longer than expected when the original location, the former REI space at 1701 Rockville Pike, fell through. In the meantime, the business partners opened Pandora’s Seafood House and Bar in Rockville Town Square in October 2017 and vacated it a year later when they were evicted for nonpayment of rent. (Zhu and Cheung are suing their former real estate agent for misrepresentation.)

China Garden is a large, 8,600-squarefoot room, also meant to house banquets, using sliding partitions to create smaller private rooms when necessary. An enormous—and very bright—rectangular chandelier composed of rows of crystal balls the size of golf balls outlined with a fringe of crystal tubes dominates the space and screams wedding. Red and gold carpeting, carved wooden screens and framed silk panels add touches of formality. On a Saturday visit, I discover that a wedding is taking place (the human dragon making its way through the dining room is a clue), and it will be a 45-minute wait for a table. On another visit, I can hear wedding speeches from the next room. The strategy for inner peace as a China Garden diner: Go with the flow.

The chef is Keung Wang, who worked at China Garden in Rosslyn for 25 years.

The Cantonese cooking here is not revelatory, but there are bright spots here and there. Let’s start with the dim sum.

(China Garden offers dim sum every 286

Chris Zhu (left) and George Cheung are the owners of China Garden. They moved the Cantonese restaurant to Rockville from Rosslyn, Virginia.

day of the week at lunch only. On weekdays, the selection is more limited, but the cooking excels because the kitchen is under much less stress than on weekends.) In addition to the congee, I am a fan of beef riblets, coated with cornstarch and steamed with a tad of soy sauce and garlic. They are tender and meaty, whereas their pork counterparts are mostly bone and gristle. All the dumplings I try are excellent: pork and shrimp topped with fish roe; shrimp; and shrimp and garlic chive. Don’t miss the deep-fried crab mousse balls, each peach-size orb wrapped around a crab claw. Steamed or baked pork buns are nicely delicate, even if the barbecue pork filling may be too sweet for some palates. The dessert pineapple buns with

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eggy custard filling and a crunchy sugar topping are delightful.

There are clunkers aplenty, though.

Steamed rice crepes with shrimp are stingy on the shrimp and gelatinous rather than delicate. The sausage sticky rice I sample is cold and hard, a result of being left on the cart too long. The same condition afflicts chow fun noodles with beef. (It’s a good idea to ask to be seated near the kitchen.) Turnip cakes are nicely browned and crisp on the outside, but too mushy inside.

China Garden’s full menu, also available during dim sum lunch, is extensive.

In addition to the requisite noodle, rice, meat and seafood dishes found and expected in America’s Chinese restaurants for decades, there are ample

Cantonese specialties, plus a large section of casseroles. Frog, tripe and abalone make appearances, but you’ll also find barbecued ribs (reheated by deep-frying and therefore terrible) and General Tso’s chicken, a fine rendering of the dish with a light, crunchy batter on the deep-fried dark meat chicken pieces and a well-balanced sweet and sour sauce. The Peking duck is moist and flavorful but arrived cold. Another disappointment: The duck is served with pasty, store-bought bao buns instead of thin, delicate pancakes.

Hot and sour soup is way too heavy on vinegar. Combination fried rice is a shoulder shrug—not the best I’ve had, not the worst.

Exploring specialties is the best option at China Garden. Steamed cod topped with julienned scallions and ginger and resting in a subtle soy-ginger sauce is beautifully uncomplicated.

(Have your server extinguish the Sterno flames the platter rests over so the fish doesn’t overcook.) A casserole of braised beef shank slices with wood ear mushrooms, Chinese celery and dried jujubes (similar to dates) in brown sauce is hearty and delicious. Kingdom shrimp— giant head- and shell-on crustaceans in

a bold, barbecue-like sauce—dazzle the eyes and taste buds. A pile of Szechuanstyle green beans sauteed with bits of pork belly and a zesty red pepper sauce is enough for four people to share.

Service is attentive at China Garden, but English speakers definitely face a language barrier here. Don’t expect to ask questions about the food unless you speak Chinese. The food is hit or miss, but if you’re looking to satisfy the dumpling urge, dim sum service is the time to strike.

Clockwise from top left: kingdom shrimp; dim sum is available at lunch daily; steamed cod topped with julienned scallions and ginger in a soy-ginger sauce.

David Hagedorn is the restaurant critic for Bethesda Magazine.

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BY DAVID HAGEDORN | PHOTOS BY JOSEPH TRAN

From left: The Big Greek Cafeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s director of operations, Thomas Strawser, co-owner Simos Marmaras and his father, Vassilios Marmaras, who opened the first branch of the chainlet in 2007.

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BIG GREEK LEGACY WHEN YOU WALK INTO any of the four locations of The Big Greek Cafe— Silver Spring, Rockville, Kensington or Bethesda—you will see a large photograph of Koralia Marmaras, the matriarch who inspired the business after she died in 2006 at the age of 61.

“Her dream was to open a restaurant that served the food she served at home,” says her son Simos, 47, who co-owns the restaurants with his twin brother, Nikos.

In 1968, Vassilios Marmaras immigrated to Washington, D.C., from the Greek island of Andros and started working in restaurants. Three years later, he opened a restaurant in northeast Washington called Tom’s Grill, and then in 1972 a fine-dining steak and seafood restaurant in downtown Silver Spring called Golden Flame. Also that year, Koralia came to the United States.

The couple married and settled in Rockville. The twins were born later that year.

(Marmaras sold Tom’s Grill soon after.)

“My brother and I started working at Golden Flame when we were 13, dishwashing, peeling potatoes and onions, then pretty much every other job over the years,” says Simos, who went on to attend L’Academie de Cuisine cooking school in Gaithersburg (now closed), graduating in 1996.

He recalls that their mother got into the business once the boys were grown, helping with the carryout window and the books. In the evening, she’d sit by the entrance and greet every customer that came in.

“When she died in 2006, it was hard.

We were mama’s boys,” Simos says.

“So we decided to make her legacy into a reality by opening a fast-casual

place to show off her great food. She wanted Greek food to be accessible to everyone. We took all her recipes and opened The Big Greek Cafe in downtown Silver Spring in 2007, featuring spanakopita [spinach and feta cheese in phyllo pastry], moussaka [layered eggplant, ground beef and potato casserole topped with nutmeg-laced bechamel sauce], pastichio [a Greek version of lasagna], tzatziki [yogurt and cucumber dip], souvlaki and other specialties. It was an instant success.” (Having tasted the dishes just mentioned, we can see why. The moussaka, abundant and packed with flavor, rivals any we’ve had in Greece.)

“We chose Silver Spring because we knew the area and my father had a customer base there. People who knew my mom and Golden Flame came to support us. Word of mouth is still the best advertisement,” Simos says.

The Rockville location, which opened in 2012, got off to a rocky start in the first several months but turned around when Nikos came up with a promotion—$5 gyro Wednesdays. Says Simos, “It was cheap enough to get people to try it and we were confident that once they tried it, they would love it.” It worked. Now they run the promotion at all the locations.

The Kensington outlet opened in White Flint Plaza in 2016, and the Bethesda branch opened in 2018. Even though Vassilios Marmaras retired in 2013, he checks in on his sons’ restaurants regularly. “But my mother was the glue and still is. She was a large woman and in control at all times. She was a fierce bitch,” says Simos lovingly. “And you can quote me.”

&

COMINGS GOINGS Francis Namin, who owns local chainlet Fish Taco, will open Piccoli Piatti Pizzeria in the former Oakville Grille space in Bethesda’s Wildwood Shopping Center in 2020.

Local barbecue chain Red White & Blue closed its Gaithersburg outlet in July.

Fuddruckers on Rockville Pike and Tapp’d Bethesda closed in August.

Hiro Sushi in White Flint Plaza closed in September.

Bethesda restaurant Thelo Greek Grill closed in September to make way for a new building, but plans to reopen this winter in another location, as yet undisclosed.

Recently opened: Check out our Dining Guide on page 292 for details on Locavino (Silver Spring), MOD Pizza (Rockville), PLNT Burger (Silver Spring), Poke Dojo (Bethesda), Silver Diner (Gaithersburg), Silver Strings (Silver Spring) and Sisters Thai (Potomac).

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Eyes on the Pies STEPHANIE ORANTES, WHO has been the baker at Henry’s Sweet Retreat in Bethesda since it opened in October 2016, loves pies so much she can’t get enough of them.

Sometimes she can’t make enough of them, either, because it gets so crazy busy at the holidays.

The 31-year-old Silver Spring resident grew up in Rockville and knew from an early age that she wanted to cook professionally. While attending Thomas Edison High School of Technology’s restaurant management and culinary arts program, she realized she wanted to specialize in pastry.

Her next stop was Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia, where she earned an associate of science degree in baking and pastry in 2008. Her resume includes stints at Black’s Bar and Kitchen in Bethesda and three places that are now closed (CakeLove in Tysons Corner, Ripple restaurant in Washington and Eventide in Arlington).

She and her husband then moved to Philadelphia, where Orantes worked for Barbuzzo restaurant. Less than two years later, a job opportunity for her husband brought the couple back to Maryland. That’s when Orantes saw the ad for a baker at Henry’s and jumped at the opportunity.

“I’m the most comfortable here,” Orantes says. “I like being in a place where I can do a variety of things— like cookies, bars, cupcakes, pies, cakes—instead of being stuck doing the same thing over and over. [Coowner Patty Craver] is always very open to what I want to do. We always come together with our ideas. I found a good place to be.”

She loves holiday time and loves

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Baker Stephanie Orantes of Henry’s Sweet Retreat will make at least 100 pies at Thanksgiving time.

making pies. For Thanksgiving, she’ll make at least 100. Apple brown Betty, pecan and pumpkin pies are bestsellers, but the baker’s personal favorite is gingerbread pie, a recipe she developed because she’s crazy for ginger. “It’s bold and distinctive and versatile and holds its own even if you pair it with something rich, like eggnog,” she says.

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To make the pie, Orantes bakes her butter-based pie crust, then fills it with gingerbread mousse. She garnishes the pie with crushed gingersnaps and whipped cream. When she really wants to impress, she surrounds the pie with gingerbread people cookies. (The 9-inch pie serves eight and sells for $28.) One forkful and you’ll be impressed, too.

GINGERBREAD PIE From Stephanie Orantes, baker at Henry’s Sweet Retreat SERVINGS: 8 Note: To blind-bake a pie crust, line a 9-inch pie pan with a rolled-out crust and decorate the edge as you like. Freeze for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Press a large piece of parchment paper onto the dough and fill it with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans and continue baking the shell for 5 minutes, until lightly golden.

Remove and cool completely.

Ingredients 1 9-inch, blind-baked pie shell, in its pan (see note) 4 cups whole milk, divided 4½ teaspoons cornstarch ¼ teaspoon salt 3 large eggs, lightly beaten ½ cup sugar, divided 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons molasses ½ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves ¾ cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar ½ cup gingersnap cookies, crushed Whipped cream (½ cup heavy cream and 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar beaten to soft peaks)

Directions 1. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups milk and the cornstarch. Whisk in the salt, eggs and ¼ cup sugar. Set aside.

2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the remaining milk and sugar and heat until small bubbles form around the edge, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Slowly stir a third of the hot milk into the egg mixture. Then pour the warm egg mixture into the saucepan. Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla and butter until the butter is incorporated. Pour the

pastry cream into a large bowl. Press plastic wrap onto the top of the cream to keep a skin from forming. Cool completely.

3. Add the molasses, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves to the cooled pastry cream. In a mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the heavy cream and con-

fectioners’ sugar until fluffy. Fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream.

Fill the pie shell. Refrigerate the pie for 5 to 6 hours, preferably overnight.

4. Garnish the pie with crushed gingersnap cookies and top each slice with a dollop of whipped cream. n

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dine

DINING GUIDE

CHECK OUT THE ONLINE VERSION OF THE DINING GUIDE AT BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

BETHESDA AJI-NIPPON 6937 Arlington Road, 301-654-0213. A calm oasis on a busy street, where chef Kazuo Honma serves patrons several kinds of sushi, sashimi, noodle soups, teriyaki and more. Try a dinner box, which includes an entrée, vegetables, California roll, tempura and rice. L D $$

ALATRI BROS. (EDITORS’ PICK) 4926 Cordell Ave., 301-718-6427, alatribros.com.

The folks behind Olazzo and Gringos & Mariachis bought Mia’s Pizzas and revamped it with a new name and décor. They kept the Naples-style pies that come from a wood-burning oven, but added small plates and healthy options. Sit in the cheery dining room with green, gray and white accents or under an umbrella on the patio. J L D $$

&PIZZA 7614 Old Georgetown Road, 240-800-4783, andpizza.com. Create your own designer pizza from a choice of three crusts, three cheeses and eight sauces or spreads. Toppings for the thin, crispy crusts range from the usual suspects to falafel crumbles, fig marsala and pineapple salsa. This location of the hip, fast-casual chain has limited seating. L D $

BACCHUS OF LEBANON (EDITORS’ PICK) 7945 Norfolk Ave., 301-657-1722, bacchusoflebanon.com. This friendly and elegant Lebanese staple has a large, sunny patio that beckons lunch and dinner patrons outside when the weather is good to try garlicky hummus, stuffed grape leaves, chicken kabobs, veal chops and dozens of small-plate dishes. L D $$

BANGKOK GARDEN 4906 St. Elmo Ave., 301-951-0670, bkkgarden. com. This real-deal, family-run Thai restaurant turns out authentic cuisine, including curries, soups and noodle dishes, in a dining room decorated with traditional statues of the gods. L D $

THE BARKING DOG 4723 Elm St., 301-654-0022, barkingdogbar.com. A fun place for young adults, with drink specials nearly every night and bar food such as quesadillas and burgers. Karaoke night is held weekly. L D $

BARREL + CROW 4867 Cordell Ave., 240-800-3253, barrelandcrow. com. Contemporary regional and southern cuisine served in a comfortable setting with charcoal gray banquettes and elements of wood and brick. Menu highlights include Maryland crab beignets, shrimp and grits and roasted trout. R L D $$

BEEFSTEAK 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-365-0608, beefsteakveggies.com. The fastcasual spot from chef José Andrés is heavily focused on seasonal vegetables for build-your-own bowls and

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salads (or pick one of their suggested combinations).

Toppings such as poached egg, chicken sausage and salt-cured salmon are also in the lineup. L D $

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BENIHANA 7935 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-5391, benihana. com. Experience dinner-as-theater as the chef chops and cooks beef, chicken, vegetables and seafood tableside on the hibachi. This popular national chain serves sushi, too. The kids’ menu includes a California roll and hibachi chicken, steak and shrimp entrées. J L D $$

Price designations are for a threecourse dinner for two including tip and tax, but excluding alcohol. $ $$ $$$ $$$$

BETHESDA CRAB HOUSE 4958 Bethesda Ave., 301-652-3382, bethesdacrab house.com. In the same location since 1961, this casual, family-owned dining spot features jumbo lump crabcakes, oysters on the half shell and jumbo spiced shrimp. Extra large and jumbo-sized crabs available year-round; call ahead to reserve.

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BETHESDA CURRY KITCHEN 4860 Cordell Ave., 301-656-0062, bethesda currykitchen.com. The restaurant offers lunch buffet and Southern Indian vegan specialties, served in a spare and casual setting. There are plenty of choices from the tandoor oven, as well as vegetarian, seafood and meat curries. L D $$

BGR: THE BURGER JOINT 4827 Fairmont Ave., 301-358-6137, bgrtheburger joint.com. The burgers are good and the vibe is great. Protein choices include beef, chicken and Beyond Meat. Pick your own toppings or choose from a handful of selected combos, such as the Wagyu Wellington, with caramelized onions, roasted mushrooms, black truffles, blue cheese and BGR’s mayonnaise-horseradish “mojo” sauce.

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THE BIG GREEK CAFÉ 4806 Rugby Ave., 301-907-4976, biggreekcafe. com. Owned by the Marmaras brothers, the café serves Greek specialties, including a top-notch chicken souvlaki pita. L D $

BISTRO PROVENCE (EDITORS’ PICK) 4933 Fairmont Ave., 301-656-7373, bistroprovence.org. Chef Yannick Cam brings his formidable experience to a casual French bistro with a lovely courtyard. The Dinner Bistro Fare, served daily from 5 to 6:30 p.m., offers a choice of appetizer, main course and dessert for $35.

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BLACK’S BAR & KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 7750 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-5525, blacksbar andkitchen.com. Customers count on the impeccable use of fresh and local ingredients and enjoy dining on the expansive patio. The bar draws crowds for happy hour. R L D $$$

BRICKSIDE FOOD & DRINK 4866 Cordell Ave., 301-312-6160, brickside bethesda.com. Prohibition-era drinks meet Italian bar bites and entrées. Dishes range from fried pork

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up to $50 $51-$100 $101-$150 $151+ Outdoor Dining Children’s Menu Breakfast Brunch Lunch Dinner

and waffles to short ribs. Try one of the colorfully named punches, which include Pink Murder Punch and Snow Cone Punch. R L D $$

CADDIES ON CORDELL 4922 Cordell Ave., 301-215-7730, caddieson cordell.com. Twentysomethings gather at this golfthemed spot to enjoy beer and wings specials in a casual, rowdy atmosphere that frequently spills onto the large patio. Voted “Best Bar/Restaurant to Watch a Caps Game” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019. J R L D $

CAFÉ DELUXE 4910 Elm St., 301-656-3131, cafedeluxe.com. This local chain serves bistro-style American comfort food in a fun and noisy setting with wood fans and colorful, oversized European liquor posters. Menu options include burgers, entrées, four varieties of flatbread and mussels served three different ways.

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CASA OAXACA 4905 Fairmont Ave., 240-858-6181. The focus is on tacos at this family-owned Mexican restaurant, but you’ll also find fajitas, salads, quesadillas and more on the menu. There’s an indoor bar and an outdoor beer garden. J L D $$

CAVA 7101 Democracy Blvd., Suite 2360 (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-658-2233; 4832 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-1772; cava.com. The guys from CAVA Mezze restaurant have created a Greek version of Chipotle. Choose the meat, dip or spread for a pita, bowl or salad. House-made juices and teas provide a healthful beverage option. (Bethesda Avenue location) L D $

dine CESCO OSTERIA 7401 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-8333, cesco-osteria.com. Longtime chef Francesco Ricchi turns out Tuscan specialties, including pizza, pasta and focaccia in a big, jazzy space. Stop by the restaurant’s Co2 Lounge for an artisan cocktail before dinner. L D $$

CHEESY PIZZI 8021 Wisconsin Ave., 240-497-0000, cheesypizzibethesda.com. In addition to the standard offerings of a pizza joint, this spot (formerly Pizza Tempo under different owners) has sandwiches and boat-shaped Turkish pizza known as pide. L D $

CHEF TONY’S 4926 St. Elmo Ave., 301-654-3737, cheftonys bethesda.com. Chef-owner Tony Marciante focuses on Mediterranean seafood tapas, offering dishes ranging from fish and seafood to chicken, steak and pasta. Desserts include Drunken Strawberries and Classic Creme Brulée. J R L D $$

CHERCHER ETHIOPIAN 4921 Bethesda Ave., 301-652-6500, chercherrestaurant.com. The second branch of a D.C. Ethiopian spot, this restaurant and bar took over the space housing Suma. The décor is moderncontemporary and the menu features dishes—from beef to vegan—served on one large platter, meant for sharing, and Ethiopian wine. L D $

CITY LIGHTS OF CHINA 4953 Bethesda Ave., 301-913-9501, bethesda citylights.com. Longtime Chinese eatery serves familiar Sichuan and Beijing fare, including six types of dumplings and seven handmade noodle dishes. Red walls and chocolate-colored booths give the place a sharp look. L D $$

COOPER’S MILL 5151 Pooks Hill Road, 301-897-9400, coopersmillrestaurant.com/bethesda. The restaurant showcases a modern, stylish menu with stone-oven flatbreads, homemade tater tots and locally sourced produce. Local beers on draft and by the bottle, plus regional bourbon and gin.

Happy hour and private dining are offered.

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THE CORNER SLICE 7901 Norfolk Ave., 301-907-7542, thecornerslice. net. New York-style pizza, available by the slice or as a 20-inch pie. Specialty pizzas include the spinachartichoke white pie with ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan and the Buffalo Chicken Pie with blue cheese and hot sauce. L D $

CURRY PLACE 7345-A Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-4444, curryplacebethesda.com. Northern Indian and Nepali specialties such as butter chicken and fresh flatbreads known as naan shine here. The extensive menu ranges from soups and salads to tandoori and kabobs.J L D $

DAILY GRILL One Bethesda Metro Center, 301-656-6100, dailygrill.com. Everyone from families to expenseaccount lunchers can find something to like about the big portions of fresh American fare, including chicken pot pie and jumbo lump crabcakes.

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DOG HAUS BIERGARTEN 7904 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-4287, bethesda. doghaus.com. This fast-casual California-based chain serves hot dogs, sausages, burgers and chicken sandwiches. The hot dogs are all beef and hormone- and antibiotic-free. The industrial-chic

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space includes picnic tables, TVs, a bar and more than two dozen beer choices. J L D $

DON POLLO 10321 Westlake Drive, 301-347-6175; donpollogroup.com. Juicy, spiced birds and reasonable prices make this Peruvian chicken eatery a go-to place any night of the week. Family meals that serve four or six people are available.

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DUCK DUCK GOOSE (EDITORS’ PICK) 7929 Norfolk Ave., 301-312-8837, ddgbethesda. com. Thirty-five-seat French brasserie owned by chef Ashish Alfred. Small plates include steak tartare, and squid ink spaghetti with Manila clams and Fresno chilies. Among the entrées, look for updates of French classics, such as dry-aged duck with Bing cherries, and halibut with scallop mousse and puff pastry. L D $$

EJJI RAMEN 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 240-534-2842, ejjiramen.com. At this outpost of a Baltimore ramen shop, you’ll find build-your-own ramen and various spins on the noodle soup (pork, vegetarian, seafood). There’s also the Ejji Mac & Cheese Ramen Dog, a hot dog wrapped in ramen and cheese, then fried. J L D $

FARYAB AFGHAN CUISINE 4917 Cordell Ave., 301-951-3484. After closing for more than a year, Faryab reopened in 2017 and serves well-prepared Afghani country food, including Afghanistan’s answer to Middle Eastern kabobs, vegetarian entrées and unique sautéed pumpkin dishes, in a whitewashed dining room with native art on the walls. D $$

FISH TACO 7251 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-0010; 10305 Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center), 301-564-6000, fishtacoonline.com. This counterservice taqueria features a full roster of seafood as well as non-aquatic tacos, plus margaritas and other Mexican specialties. J L D $

FLANAGAN'S HARP & FIDDLE 4844 Cordell Ave., 301-951-0115, flanagansharp andfiddle.com. This stylish pub features live music several days a week, Tuesday night poker and Monday quiz nights. In addition to traditional stews and fried fish, Flanagan's offers smoked ribs, salmon and traditional Irish breakfast on weekends. ❂ J B L D $$

FLOWER CHILD 10205 Old Georgetown Road, 301-664-4971, iamaflowerchild.com. A fast-casual restaurant that’s part of a national chain, Flower Child has an emphasis on vegetarian eating (grain-based bowls, vegetable plates, salads) but also offers protein add-ons such as chicken, salmon and steak.

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GARDEN GRILLE & BAR 7301 Waverly St. (Hilton Garden Inn), 301-6548111. Aside from a breakfast buffet featuring cooked-to-order omelets, waffles, fruit and more, the restaurant offers an extensive menu, from burgers to pasta dishes. J B D $$

GEORGE’S CHOPHOUSE 4935 Cordell Ave., 240-534-2675, georgesbethesda.com. This modern bistro with pop-culture décor features a seasonally changing menu of house-made pastas, plus a raw bar and a variety of steaks. The braised beef cheek fettucine combines two specialties: house-made pastas and slow-cooked meat. L D $$$

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GRINGOS & MARIACHIS (EDITORS’ PICK) 4928 Cordell Ave., 240-800-4266, gringosand mariachis.com. The owners of the popular Olazzo Italian restaurants in Bethesda and Silver Spring trade in the red sauce for salsa at this hip taqueria with edgy murals and plenty of tequila.

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GUAPO’S RESTAURANT 8130 Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-0888, guapos restaurant.com. This outpost of a local chain has everything you’d expect: margaritas and chips galore, as well as a handful of daily specials served in festive Mexican surroundings. Perfect for families and dates. J R L D $

GUARDADO’S 4918 Del Ray Ave., 301-986-4920, guardados.com.

Chef-owner Nicolas Guardado, who trained at Jaleo, opened this hidden gem devoted to Latin-Spanish cooking in 2007 and has developed a following with tapas specialties like shrimp and sausage, stuffed red peppers and paella. J L D $

GUSTO FARM TO STREET 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-312-6509; 4733 Elm St., 240-3966398; eatgusto.com. The fast-casual eatery aims to serve healthy fare, with a focus on pizzas and salads. The menu includes suggested combos but you can also build your own. Pizza crust comes in cauliflower, whole grain or traditional. (Elm Street location only) L D $

HANARO RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 7820 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-7851, hanarobethesda. com. The restaurant’s modern dark woods combined with a light-filled dining room brighten its corner location, and the menu includes sushi and Asian fusion main courses such as pad Thai and galbi (Korean ribs). The bar offers a daily happy hour. ❂ L D $$

HIMALAYAN HERITAGE 4925 Bethesda Ave., 301-654-1858, himalayan heritagebethesda.com. The menu includes North Indian, Nepali, Indo-Chinese and Tibetan cuisines, featuring momos (Nepalese dumplings), Indian takes on Chinese chow mein and a large selection of curry dishes. L D $

HOUSE OF FOONG LIN 4613 Willow Lane, 301-656-3427, foonglin.com.

The Chinese restaurant features Cantonese, Hunan and Sichuan cuisine, including chef’s recommendations, low-fat choices and lots of traditional noodle dishes. L D $$

HOUSE OF MILAE 4932 St. Elmo Ave., 301-654-1997. The Kang family, who own Milae Cleaners in Bethesda, bring simple Korean dishes to their first food foray. Chef “M&M” Kang prepares home-style fare such as bulgogi, galbi and bibimbap. The kids’ menu has one item: spaghetti, made from the recipe of owner Thomas Kang’s former college roommate’s mother.

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THE IRISH INN AT GLEN ECHO 6119 Tulane Ave., 301-229-6600, irishinnglenecho. com. This historic tavern has been a family home and a biker bar, but its incarnation as the Irish Inn has been delivering smiles and hearty food since 2003. Traditional Irish music on Monday nights, The 19th Street Band or other live music on Wednesday nights and live jazz on Sunday nights.

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JALEO (EDITORS’ PICK) 7271 Woodmont Ave., 301-913-0003, jaleo.com.

The restaurant that launched the American career of

chef José Andrés and popularized Spanish tapas for a Washington, D.C., audience offers hot, cold, spicy and creative small plates served with outstanding Spanish wines. Voted “Best Small Plates” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019. R L D $$

farmhouse vibe, featuring organic breads, European breakfast and dessert pastries, savory egg dishes, soups, Belgian open-faced sandwiches, entrée salads, wine and Belgian beer by the bottle.

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LE VIEUX LOGIS

JETTIES 4829 Fairmont Ave., 301-769-6844, jettiesdc. com. The only suburban location of the popular Nantucket-inspired sandwich shop, which has five restaurants in Northwest Washington, D.C. Aside from the signature Nobadeer sandwich (roasted turkey and stuffing with cranberry sauce and mayonnaise on sourdough), look for large salads and an innovative children’s menu. J L D $

KADHAI (EDITORS’ PICK) 7905 Norfolk Ave., 301-718-0121, kadhai.com.

This popular Indian restaurant formerly known as Haandi serves a variety of traditional chicken, lamb and seafood dishes, plus rice and vegetarian dishes and a selection of breads. An extensive lunch buffet is offered daily. Voted “Best Indian Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. L D $$

LA PANETTERIA 4921 Cordell Ave., 301-951-6433, lapanetteria. com. La Panetteria transports diners into a quaint Italian villa with its impeccable service and Old World atmosphere, serving such Southern and Northern Italian classic dishes as homemade spaghetti and veal scaloppine. L D $$

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN 7140 Bethesda Lane, 301-913-2902; 10217 Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center), 240-752-8737, lepainquotidien.com. New Yorkbased Belgian-born bakery/restaurant chain with

7925 Old Georgetown Road, 301-652-6816, levieuxlogisrestaurantmd.com. The colorful exterior will draw you into this family-run Bethesda institution, but classic French dishes such as Dover sole meunière and mussels in a white wine broth will keep you coming back. D $$$

LOTUS GRILL & BAR 4929 Elm St., 301-312-8191, lotusbethesda. com. You have your pick of traditional Indian fare (including pork chops, chicken and other items cooked in a tandoor oven), tacos (lunch only) and pizza (some with elements of Indian food) at this downtown Bethesda spot. L D $$

LUCY ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT 4865 Cordell Ave., 301-347-7999. The authentic Ethiopian menu here includes beef and lamb plates, such as kitfo (raw beef) sandwiches and boneless braised yebeg alicha (Ethiopian mild lamb stew).

The interior is decorated with Ethiopian-inspired art and features a full bar. Beef and vegan samplers are available at the Bethesda location. L D $

LUKE’S LOBSTER 7129 Bethesda Lane, 301-718-1005, lukeslobster. com. This upscale carryout features authentic lobster, shrimp and crab rolls; the seafood is shipped directly from Maine. Try the Taste of Maine, which offers all three kinds of rolls, plus two crab claws. L D $

MAKI BAR 6831 Wisconsin Ave. (Shops of Wisconsin), 301907-9888, makibarbethesda.com. This tiny 30-seat Japanese restaurant and sushi bar offers 60-plus kinds of maki rolls, categorized as Classic (tuna roll), Crunch Lover (spicy crunch California roll) and Signature (eel, avocado, tobiko, crab), along with sushi, sashimi, noodle bowls and rice-based entrées. L D $$

MAMMA LUCIA 4916 Elm St., 301-907-3399, mammalucia restaurants.com. New York-style pizza dripping with cheese and crowd-pleasing red sauce, and favorites like chicken Parmesan and linguini with clams draw the crowds to this local chain. Gluten-free options available. L D $$

MEDIUM RARE 4904 Fairmont Ave., 301-215-8739, mediumrare restaurant.com. A prix fixe menu that comes with bread, salad, steak and fries is the sole option at this small chain outpost (there are two Medium Rares in D.C.). Desserts cost extra. Weekend brunch also features a prix fixe menu. D $$

MOMO CHICKEN & GRILL 4862 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, 240-483-0801, momofc.com. Skip the breasts, and head for the wings or drumsticks at Bethesda’s first Korean fried chicken spot. Options such as seafood pancakes, bulgogi and bibimbap are part of the extensive offerings, all served in a hip space with framed record albums gracing the walls. J L D $$

MON AMI GABI (EDITORS’ PICK) 7239 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-1234, monamigabi. com. Waiters serve bistro classics such as

Exquisite French food, charming atmosphere, and attentive service. In the heart of Chevy Chase, the charm of the country side at your door step.

“La Ferme is one of the area’s most pleasant places to catch up with friends, do business or toast a big day.”

Tom Sietsema, Food critique of the Washington Post (March 4, 2018)

7101 Brookville Road Chevy Chase, MD 301-986-5255

LaFermeRestaurant.com

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dine escargot, steak frites and profiteroles in a dark and boisterous spot that doesn’t feel like a chain. Live jazz Thursday nights. Voted “Best Restaurant Wine List” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019.

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MORTON’S, THE STEAKHOUSE 7400 Wisconsin Ave., 301-657-2650, mortons. com. An ultra-sophisticated steak house serving pricey, large portions of prime-aged beef and drinks.

The restaurant is known for a top-notch dinner experience but also offers lunch and a bar menu.

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MUSSEL BAR & GRILLE 7262 Woodmont Ave., 301-215-7817, musselbar. com. Kensington resident and big-name chef Robert Wiedmaier serves his signature mussels, plus wood-fired tarts, salads and sandwiches. Wash them all down with a choice of 40 Belgian beers.

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NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE’S 10400 Old Georgetown Road, 240-316-4555, notyouraveragejoes.com. This Massachusettsbased chain’s moderately priced menu offers burgers, big salads and stone-hearth pizzas, plus entrées including Anything But Average Meatloaf.

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OLAZZO (EDITORS’ PICK) 7921 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-9496, olazzo.com.

This well-priced, romantic restaurant is the place for couples seeking red-sauce classics at reasonable prices. Founded by brothers Riccardo and Roberto Pietrobono, it was voted “Best Italian Restaurant”

by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. L D $$

THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE 7700 Wisconsin Ave., Store D, 301-986-0285, ophrestaurants.com. Along with the classic flapjacks on this chain’s menu, you’ll find flavorpacked items such as apple pancakes with a cinnamon sugar glaze. And it’s not just pancakes to pick from: The restaurant serves a variety of waffles, crepes, eggs and omelets. J B L $

PASSAGE TO INDIA (EDITORS’ PICK) 4931 Cordell Ave., 301-656-3373, passagetoindia. info. Top-notch, pan-Indian fare by chef-owner Sudhir Seth, with everything from garlic naan to fish curry made to order. R L D $$

PASSIONFISH BETHESDA 7187 Woodmont Ave., 301-358-6116, passionfish bethesda.com. The second location of Passion Food Hospitality’s splashy seafood restaurant features stunning coastal-themed décor and an extensive menu of shellfish, caviar, sushi, chef’s specialties and fresh catches of the day. Voted “Best Happy Hour” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018.

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POKE DOJO (NEW) 7110 Bethesda Lane, 240-696-0990, pokedojo. com. The owners of Bethesda’s Hanaro Restaurant & Lounge opened this poke place at Bethesda Row. The menu includes a handful of signature bowls, or you can build your own from the raw fish, rice and toppings offered. L D $

POSITANO RISTORANTE ITALIANO 4940-48 Fairmont Ave., 301-654-1717, epositano.com. An authentic Italian, family-run restaurant popular for private events, large and small. Colorful rooms are decorated with Italian landscapes, copper pots and hanging plants, and the outdoor patio is one of the most beautiful in the county. L D $$

PRALINE BAKERY & BISTRO 4611 Sangamore Road, 301-229-8180, praline-bakery.com. This sunny restaurant offers a tempting bakery takeout counter, full dining service and a patio. The food, which includes chicken pot pie and pralines, is French with an American accent.

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PRIMA 7280 Woodmont Ave., 301-215-8300, craveprima. com. Renowned chef Michael Schlow aims to put a healthful spin on Italian food at this fast-casual eatery featuring bowls (no pizza or pasta here). Pick a suggested bowl (the della nonna has meatballs, ricotta, brown rice, roasted cauliflower, roasted zucchini and spicy tomato-basil vinaigrette) or create your own. Menu items are gluten-free and include local vegetables, fresh herbs, legumes and sustainable meat and fish. L D $

Q BY PETER CHANG (EDITORS’ PICK) 4500 East West Highway, 240-800-3722, qbypeterchang.com. Notable chef Peter Chang’s high-end flagship restaurant offers traditional Chinese dishes in an attractive, modern space.

Peking duck, double-cooked pork belly and other authentic Sichuan cuisine are served, and some dishes are “ultimate spicy” for brave palates.

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RAKU (EDITORS’ PICK) 7240 Woodmont Ave., 301-718-8680, rakuasian dining.com. Voted “Best Sushi” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018, this casual restaurant has bamboo walls that do little to dampen the noise, but the menu satisfies with everything from sushi to kung pao chicken.

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RICE PADDIES GRILL & PHO

PAUL 4760 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-3285, paul-usa. com. Fifth-generation, family-owned French bakery becomes an international chain, with locations in close to 35 countries. Aside from breads and pastries, look for soups, sandwiches and quiche.

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PINES OF ROME 4918 Cordell Ave., 301-657-8775. Longtime Italian restaurant, formerly on Hampden Lane, still serves traditional pasta, pizza, fish and seafood at prices that are easy on the wallet. The white pizza is a hit, and don’t forget the spaghetti and meatballs.

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PIZZERIA DA MARCO (EDITORS’ PICK) 8008 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-6083, pizzeria damarco.net. Authentic Neapolitan pizzas fired

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in a 900-degree Italian brick oven range from the Siciliana with eggplant confit and black olives to the Solo Carne with sausage, pepperoni and salame.

Salads, antipasti and calzones available, too.

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4706 Bethesda Ave., 301-718-1862, ricepaddies grill.com. This cute copper-and-green eat-in/carryout makes quick work of Vietnamese favorites such as pork, beef and vegetable skewers infused with lemongrass and the classic beef noodle soup known as pho. L D $

ROCK BOTTOM RESTAURANT & BREWERY 7900 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-1311, rockbottom.com.

India Pale Ales and specialty dark brews are among the award-winning beers crafted in-house at this cavernous yet welcoming chain, which offers a vast menu. The burgers are the real deal. J L D $$

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE 7315 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-7877, ruthschris. com. A dark and clubby feel makes this elegant chain popular with families as well as the happy-

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hour crowd. Don’t skip the fresh seafood choices, which include Caribbean lobster tail and barbecued shrimp. D $$$

SALA THAI 4828 Cordell Ave., 301-654-4676, salathaidc. com. This Thai mainstay cooks the classics and offers diners a nearly panoramic view of Woodmont Avenue through huge, curved windows. Live jazz Friday and Saturday evenings. L D $$

SAPHIRE CAFÉ 7940 Wisconsin Ave., 301-986-9708. A relaxing spot for tasting everything from Maryland-style crab soup to Argentine skirt steak, Saphire pumps it up a notch on Friday and Saturday nights with drink specials and DJs. Tiki bar open Wednesdays through Saturdays. L D $

SATSUMA 8003 Norfolk Ave., 301-652-1400, satsumajp. com. Bethesda’s first yakiniku (Japanese barbecue) restaurant has built-in grills at each table. Diners select a cut—short rib, chuck rib, skirt or tongue— and prepare it themselves. There’s also an extensive sushi and sashimi menu, as well as interesting cooked dishes. L D $$

SHARE WINE LOUNGE & SMALL PLATE BISTRO 8120 Wisconsin Ave. (DoubleTree Hotel), 301-652-2000, doubletreebethesda.com/dining. aspx. Share some buffalo chicken sliders or avocado bruschetta, or go for main courses ranging from Yankee pot roast to cedar plank-roasted salmon. B L D $$

SILVER (EDITORS’ PICK) 7150 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-9780, eatatsilver. com. Upscale, tonier version of the homegrown Silver Diner chain, with modern takes on American classics and an emphasis on healthy, local and organic ingredients. Sleek interior takes its cue from the 1920s. ❂ J B R L D $$

SMOKE BBQ BETHESDA 4858 Cordell Ave., 301-656-2011, smokebbq.com.

Pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, ribs and all the fixin’s, plus starters including smoked tomato soup and fried pickles served in a friendly, casual space. J L D $

ST. ARNOLD'S MUSSEL BAR 7525 Old Georgetown Road, 240-821-6830, starnoldsmussel.com. Czech, German and Belgian brews served in an authentic beer-hall setting, furnished with the same benches as those used in the Hofbrau brewhouse in Munich. Pub menu features mussels, hearty sandwiches, schnitzel and goulash. R L D $$

SWEETGREEN 4831 Bethesda Ave.301-654-7336, sweetgreen. com. The sweetgreen fast-casual chain—with its focus on local and organic ingredients— concentrates on salads (devise your own, or pick from a list) and soups. Look for eco-friendly décor and a healthy sensibility. L D $

TAKO GRILL 4914 Hampden Lane (The Shoppes of Bethesda), 301-652-7030, takogrill.com. Longtime, popular sushi destination relocated to the space formerly occupied by Hinode Japanese Restaurant. Look for the same traditional sushi menu, plus some new options, such as griddle-cooked teppanyaki at lunch, and more varieties of yakitori at dinner. L D $$

TANDOORI NIGHTS 7236 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-4002, tandoorinightsbethesda.com. Located in the heart of downtown Bethesda, the restaurant serves

traditional Indian fare ranging from tandoori chicken, marinated in yogurt and spices, to a biryani flavored with saffron, nuts and raisins. L D $$

TARA THAI 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-657-0488, tarathai.com. Thai cuisine goes high style at Bethesda Magazine readers’ pick for “Best Thai Restaurant” in 2018. With colorful murals of ocean creatures looking on, diners can try dishes ranging from mild to adventurous. L D $$

TASTEE DINER 7731 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-3970, tasteediner. com. For 80 years, this crowd-pleasing if slightly sagging spot has served up everything from breakfast to burgers to blue-plate specials such as steak and crabcakes to crowds of loyal customers.

Open 24 hours. J B L D $

TERRAIN CAFÉ (EDITORS’ PICK) 7228 Woodmont Ave., 240-345-9492, shopterrain. com/restaurants. Located inside the Anthropologie & Co. at Bethesda Row, this quaint café changes its menu with the seasons. Look for cheese boards; salads; toast topped with eggplant, smoked salmon or fig; and entrées such as duck breast and a fried cauliflower sandwich. R L D $$

TIA QUETA 4839 Del Ray Ave., 301-654-4443, tiaqueta.com.

This longtime family and happy-hour favorite offers authentic Mexican food such as moles and fish dishes, as well as the usual Tex-Mex options. Drink menu includes American and Mexican beers.

J L D $$

TOMMY JOE’S 7940 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-3801, tommyjoes.com.

This Bethesda institution is now in the space formerly housing Urban Heights. The second-floor, window-filled corner location suits its sports bar persona, and the vast rooftop is ideal for outdoor drinking and snacking. Fare includes wings (Pohostyle, grilled and smoky, are a good option), burgers, crabcakes and ribs. Chunky brisket chili, on its own or on nachos, is a winner. ❂ L D $$

TRATTORIA SORRENTO (EDITORS’ PICK) 4930 Cordell Ave., 301-718-0344, trattoriasorrento. com. This family-run Italian favorite offers homemade pastas, baked eggplant and fresh fish dishes. Half-price bottles of wine on Wednesdays.

D $$

TRUE FOOD KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 7100 Wisconsin Ave., 240-200-1257, truefoodkitchen.com. Health-focused chain prides itself on serving fresh ingredients and features an open kitchen. The eclectic, multicultural menu changes from season to season, and includes sandwiches, salads and pizza. Beer, wine and freshfruit and vegetable cocktails are also available.

Voted “Best New Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. R L D $

URBAN PLATES 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-690-9540, urbanplates.com. The fastcasual chain’s wide-ranging menu includes salads, soups, sandwiches, entrees such as grass-fed steak and striped sea bass, plus seasonal items.

Meals are offered at stations—customers grab a plate and get in their desired line where chefs serve the made-from-scratch dishes. J L D $

UNCLE JULIO’S 4870 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-2981, unclejulios. com. Loud and large, this Tex-Mex eatery packs in families and revelers fueling up on fajitas, tacos and

more. Kids love to watch the tortilla machine.

J R L D $$

VÜK 4924 St. Elmo Ave., 301-652-8000, vukpinball. com. VÜK owner (and MOM’S Organic Market CEO) Scott Nash consulted restaurateur Mark Bucher for the only thing offered on the short menu of his Bethesda pinball arcade other than Trickling Springs Creamery’s soft-serve ice cream: thin-crust New York-style pizza and thick-crust Sicilian pizza sold by the slice or as whole pies: cheese, sausage, pepperoni and mushroom/onion. L D $

WANG DYNASTY 4929 Bethesda Ave., 301-654-1188. A mix of dishes from Shanghai and Taiwan—sweet and sour chicken, crispy shrimp with minced pork, Peking duck, pan-fried noodles with beef—fill the long menu at this Chinese restaurant in the space that housed Shanghai Village. Weekend dim sum is offered. R L D $$

Great LUNCH SPECIAL $14.95 HAPPY HOUR at the bar every day 4pm–7pm 50% OFF ALL BOTTLES OF WINES on Wednesday 4pm–close 50% OFF ALL BUBBLES AND BEERS by the bottle ON THURSDAY (not valid for beers on tap) 4pm–close

WILDWOOD KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 10223 Old Georgetown Road (Wildwood Shopping Center), 301-571-1700, wildwoodkitchenrw.com.

Chef Robert Wiedmaier’s attractive neighborhood bistro serving fresh and light modern cuisine.

Entrées range from Amish chicken with a scallion potato cake to grilled Atlantic salmon with creamy polenta. L D $$

WOODMONT GRILL (EDITORS’ PICK) 7715 Woodmont Ave., 301-656-9755, hillstone. com. Part of the Houston’s chain, the eatery offers such classics as spinach-and-artichoke dip and its famous burgers, but also house-baked breads, more exotic dishes, live jazz and a granite bar. Voted “Best Restaurant Service” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018, and “Best Restaurant in Bethesda” by readers in 2019.

L D $$$

8008 Woodmont Avenue Bethesda, Md 20814 301-654-6083

PIZZERIADAMARCO.NET

WORLD OF BEER 7200 Wisconsin Ave., 240-389-9317, worldofbeer. com. Craft beer-focused tavern chain offers 50 brews on tap rotating daily and hundreds of bottled options. Food is classic pub fare, including hamburgers, wings and bratwurst sandwiches, as well as flatbreads and salads. J R L D $

YUZU 7345-B Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-5234, yuzu bethesda.com. Diners will find authentic Japanese dishes, including sushi, sashimi and cooked tofu, vegetable, tempura, meat and fish dishes, prepared by sushi chef and owner Yoshihisa Ota. L D $$

CABIN JOHN FISH TACO 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 301-229-0900, fishtacoonline.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂JLD$

SAL’S ITALIAN KITCHEN (EDITORS’ PICK) 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 240-802-2370, salsitalian kitchen.net. Persimmon and Wild Tomato owners Damian and Stephanie Salvatore replaced their Asian concept Indigo House with a return to their roots. Find traditional Italian fare, such as bruschetta, risotto balls, Caprese salad, meatball subs, fettuccine Alfredo, chicken cacciatore and shrimp scampi. ❂ L D $$

WILD TOMATO (EDITORS’ PICK) 7945 MacArthur Blvd., 301-229-0680, wildtomatorestaurant.com. A family-friendly neighborhood restaurant from Persimmon owners

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dine Damian and Stephanie Salvatore, serving salads, sandwiches and pizza. Voted “Best Neighborhood Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019. J L D $

CHEVY CHASE ALFIO’S LA TRATTORIA 4515 Willard Ave., 301-657-9133, alfios.com.

This Northern Italian classic on the first floor of The Willoughby of Chevy Chase Condominium has been feeding families and casual diners for more than 30 years. Look for traditional pasta, veal and chicken dishes (plus pizza), served in an Old World environment. J L D $$

THE CAPITAL GRILLE 5310 Western Ave., 301-718-7812, capitalgrille. com. The upscale steak-house chain, known for its He-Man-sized portions and extensive wine list, is located in The Shops at Wisconsin Place. Entrées also include chicken, lamb chops, salmon and lobster. L D $$$$

CLYDE’S 5441 Wisconsin Ave., 301-951-9600, clydes. com. The popular restaurant features a frequently changing menu of American favorites and a collection of vintage airplanes and cars, as well as a model train running on a track around the ceiling.

J R L D $$

DON POLLO 7007 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-0001, donpolloonline.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

LA FERME (EDITORS’ PICK) 7101 Brookville Road, 301-986-5255, laferme restaurant.com. This charming Provence-style restaurant serving classic French cuisine is a popular choice for an intimate dinner. Cognac Le Bar at La Ferme, a bar within the restaurant, opened in fall 2016. The bar serves small plates and cocktails. Voted “Best Romantic Restaurant”

by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018, and “Best Restaurant in Chevy Chase” and “Best SpecialOccasion Restaurant” by readers in 2019.

R L D $$$

LIA'S 4435 Willard Ave., 240-223-5427, chefgeoff.com.

Owner Geoff Tracy focuses on high-quality, low-fuss modern Italian-American fare at this modern space with a wine room. Pizzas, house-made pastas and fresh fish please business lunchers and dinner crowds. J R L D $

MANOLI CANOLI RESTAURANT 8540 Connecticut Ave., 301-951-1818, manolicanoli.com. Italian and Greek specialties abound at a fun family eatery that features a large prepared foods section, dishes made with olive oil from owner Stavros Manolakos’ family farm in Greece and homemade mozzarella on pizza and subs. J L D $

MEIWAH RESTAURANT 4457 Willard Ave., 301-652-9882, meiwah restaurant.com. This modern restaurant on the second floor of a Friendship Heights office building offers top-quality Chinese dishes that are hard to beat. There’s also a sushi bar with an extensive menu. A fountain sparkles on the outdoor patio.

L D $$

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MOBY DICK HOUSE OF KABOB 7023 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-1838, mobyskabob. com. This kabob takeout/eat-in mainstay was one of the first kabob places in the area. It makes its own pita bread. The menu includes a variety of salads and vegetarian sandwiches and platters.

LD$

PERSIMMON (EDITORS’ PICK) 7003 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-9860, persimmon restaurant.com. Owners Damian and Stephanie Salvatore’s popular restaurant offers casual fare from salads to sandwiches to meat and seafood entrées in a bistro setting featuring a lively bar, cozy booths and bright paintings on the walls.

R L D $$

POTOMAC PIZZA 19 Wisconsin Circle, 301-951-1127, potomac pizza.com. This cheery, casual dining room provides a break from the ultra-posh shopping surrounding it. In addition to pizza, subs and pastas are popular.

Beer and wine available. J L D $

SUSHIKO (EDITORS’ PICK) 5455 Wisconsin Ave., 301-961-1644, sushiko restaurants.com. Known as one of the Washington, D.C., area’s most respected sushi restaurants, Sushiko offers a wide range of sushi and other dishes. Kōbō, a restaurant within the restaurant, allows eight people to dine on 12- to 15-course tasting menus. L D $$

old family recipe. Wines and homemade sodas served on tap, too. Voted "Best Pizza" by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. L D $

JAVA NATION 10516 Connecticut Ave., 301-327-6580, java-nation.com. A coffee shop with a brunch menu by day turns out a full-service menu with sandwiches, salads, quesadillas and tacos on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Beer, wine and liquor are offered along with coffee that’s roasted on-site. J R L D $$

K TOWN BISTRO 3784 Howard Ave., 301-933-1211, ktownbistro. com. Try filet mignon, duck breast à l’orange, chicken marsala and other classic continental dishes from this family-run eatery owned by Gonzalo Barba, former longtime captain of the restaurant in the Watergate Hotel. L D $$

KNOWLES STATION WINE & CO. 10414 Detrick Ave., Suite 100; 301-272-9080; knowlesstation.com. Part retail wine shop, part restaurant, part bar, this spot near the intersection of Knowles and Summit avenues features a short menu with meat and cheese plates, appetizers, salads and sandwiches (including grilled chicken, roast pork and crabcake). Find more than a dozen beers on draft and more than two dozen wines by the glass, plus lots of beer and wine to go.

J L D $$

TAVIRA 8401 Connecticut Ave., 301-652-8684, tavira restaurant.com. Fish stews and several versions of bacalhau (salted cod) figure prominently on the menu of this intriguing Portuguese restaurant, which manages to be charming and attractive despite its location in an office building basement. L D $$

GARRETT PARK BLACK MARKET BISTRO (EDITORS’ PICK) 4600 Waverly Ave., 301-933-3000, blackmarket restaurant.com. Sublime American bistro fare served in a restored Victorian building next to railroad tracks; the building once served as a general store and still houses a post office.

Entrées range from swordfish to a burger and pizza, including several vegetable options. Voted “Best Restaurant in Garrett Park/Kensington” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019.

J R L D $$

KENSINGTON THE DISH & DRAM 10301 Kensington Parkway, 301-962-4046, thedishanddram.com. The owners of The Daily Dish in Silver Spring serve comfort food made with local ingredients in a 2,800-square-foot space in Kensington. Steak frites, Maryland crab soup, burgers and house-made desserts are on the menu. J R L D $$

FRANKLY…PIZZA! (EDITORS’ PICK) 10417 Armory Ave., 301-832-1065, franklypizza. com. Owner Frank Linn turns out high-quality pizza in a rustic brick-and-mortar restaurant. The menu offers wood-fired pies topped with home-cured meats and tomato sauce made from an 80-year-

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NORTH POTOMAC/ GAITHERSBURG &PIZZA 258 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 240-4998447, andpizza.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ L D $

ASIA NINE 254 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 301-3309997, asianinemd.com. Pan Asian restaurant with a first location in Washington, D.C.’s Penn Quarter offers dishes from Vietnam, China, Thailand and Japan. Specialties include grilled lamb chops served with mango-soy coulis and miso honey duck breast drizzled with a sake butter sauce.

R L D $$

ATHENS GRILL 9124 Rothbury Drive, 301-975-0757, athensgrill. com. This casual, friendly, family-run restaurant specializes in authentic Greek cooking, using recipes handed down through generations.

Specialties such as rotisserie chicken, chargrilled salmon with a lemon dill sauce and lamb kabobs are cooked on a hardwood grill. L D $

BARKING MAD CAFE 239 Spectrum Ave., 240-297-6230, barkingmad cafe.com. Cooking from a wood hearth and selecting vegetables, herbs and edible flowers from its aeroponic (grown in air/mist but without soil) organic garden, Barking Mad Cafe has a corner spot in Watkins Mill Town Center. Look for madefrom-scratch brunch, lunch and dinner sweets and savories, such as breakfast pizza, watermelon salad and farro salad. ❂ R L D $$

BGR: THE BURGER JOINT 229 Boardwalk Place (RIO Washingtonian Center), 301-569-7086, bgrtheburgerjoint.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂ J L D $

BONEFISH GRILL 82 Market St., 240-631-2401, bonefishgrill. com. While fresh fish cooked over a wood fire is the centerpiece of this upscale Florida chain, the steaks, crab cakes and specialty martinis make it a fun option for happy hour and those with hearty appetites. R L D $$

BUCA DI BEPPO 122 Kentlands Blvd., 301-947-7346, bucadibeppo. com. The Kentlands outpost of this national chain serves huge, family-style portions of Italian specialties from fresh breads to antipasti and pasta dishes amid a sea of Italian kitsch. Desserts include Italian Creme Cake and tiramisu.

J L D $$

CAVA 213 Kentlands Blvd., 301-476-4209, cava.com.

LD$ See Bethesda listing.

COAL FIRE 116 Main St., 301-519-2625, coalfireonline.com.

Homemade crusts fired by coal and topped with your choice of toppings and three different sauces: classic, spicy and signature, which is slightly sweet with a hint of spice. Salads, sandwiches and pasta also available, plus a full bar. L D $

COASTAL FLATS 135 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 301869-8800, greatamericanrestaurants.com. First Maryland locale for Great American Restaurants, a Fairfax-based chain. Seaside-inspired décor extends to the menu, which offers lobster and shrimp rolls, fried grouper and Key lime pie. Steaks, pasta and burgers also served. Voted “Best Restaurant in Gaithersburg/North Potomac” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. J R L D $$

COPPER CANYON GRILL 100 Boardwalk Place, 240-631-0003, ccgrill.com.

Large portions of American classics such as salads, ribs and rotisserie chicken prepared with seasonal ingredients at family-friendly prices are the bill of fare at this spacious and casual chain restaurant.

J L D $$

DOGFISH HEAD ALEHOUSE 800 W. Diamond Ave., 301-963-4847, dogfishale house.com. The first Maryland outpost of the popular Rehoboth Beach brewpub, the restaurant is packed with revelers and families clamoring for the Dogfish Head brews, burgers, pizzas and ribs. Check out the burger of the week. J L D $$

DON POLLO 9083 Gaither Road, 301-990-0981, donpollogroup. com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

FIREBIRDS WOOD FIRED GRILL 390 Spectrum Ave., 301-284-1770, gaithersburg. firebirdsrestaurants.com. Part of a chain, this restaurant in the Watkins Mill Town Center cooks steaks and seafood over a wood-fired grill. Designed to look like a Colorado lodge, the eatery tends toward classic fare for entrées (surf-and-turf, salmon, burgers) and dessert (chocolate cake, Key lime pie, carrot cake). J L D $$

GUAPO’S RESTAURANT 9811 Washingtonian Blvd., L-17, 301-977-5655, guaposrestaurant.com. See Bethesda listing.

JRLD$

HERSHEY’S RESTAURANT & BAR 17030 Oakmont Ave., 301-948-9893, hersheysat thegrove.com. Fried chicken that tastes like it was made by an aproned elder is served up in a clapboard building constructed in 1889. Besides

the fab fried chicken, Hershey’s serves up warm rolls, inexpensive prices and live music.

J B R L D $$

IL PORTO RESTAURANT 245 Muddy Branch Road, 301-590-0735, ilporto restaurant.com. A classic red-sauce menu, elegant murals of Venice and an authentic thincrust pizza are hallmarks of this friendly, unfussy Italian restaurant tucked in the Festival Shopping Center. Fried calamari and the white pizza are among customer favorites. Voted “Best Restaurant in Gaithersburg/North Potomac” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019. L D $

INFERNO PIZZERIA NAPOLETANA (EDITORS’ PICK) 12207 Darnestown Road, 301-963-0115, inferno-pizzeria.com. Tony Conte, former executive chef of Washington, D.C.’s Oval Room, goes casual with his first restaurant, an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria offering sophisticated toppings such as shaved truffles and garlic confit. Cozy dining room seats 39, with a tiled, wood-burning pizza oven as the centerpiece. D $$

IXTAPALAPA TAQUERIA 411 N. Frederick Ave., 240-702-0217, ixtataqueria.com. The owners of Taco Bar (in a Gaithersburg gas station) serve Mexican street food at this fast-casual spot. Pick a protein to go on corn tortillas, then head to the fixings bar. Or try a taco that comes already topped (the alambre with bacon, grilled onions and red peppers and Oaxaca cheese is good).

LD$

PHỞLUSCIOUS CATERS

Please call us to cater your special events!

10048 Darnestown Road, Rockville

301-762-2226

KENAKI SUSHI 706 Center Point Way, 240-224-7189, kenakisushi. com. This sushi counter at Kentlands Market Square offers what the owners call a “modern take on traditional sushi.” Experiment with the Black Magic roll, which comes with truffle oil and black sushi rice. Lunch is more informal, but at dinner there’s full service. L D $

LANZHOU HAND PULL NOODLE 3 Grand Corner Ave. (RIO Washingtonian Center), 240-403-7486, lanzhounoodlemd.com. The madeto-order noodles (choose hand-pulled or knife-sliced) at this fast-casual spot are served in soups and stirfries with beef, chicken, duck and other proteins.

Rice dishes, dumplings and pork buns are also available. L D $

THE MELTING POT 9021 Gaither Road, 301-519-3638, themeltingpot. com. There’s nothing like dipping bits of bread, vegetables and apples into a communal pot of hot cheese to get a date or a party started. The Melting Pot chain also offers wine, oil or broth to cook meat tableside and chocolate fondue for dessert.

J D $$

MOD PIZZA 145 Commerce Square Place, 240-552-9850, modpizza.com. The Bellevue, Washington-based chain offers design-your-own fast-casual pies (hence, Made on Demand, or MOD). Pizzas, cooked at 800 degrees for three minutes, can be topped with a choice of nearly 40 sauces, cheeses, meats, spices and veggies.

LD$

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE’S 245 Kentlands Blvd., 240-477-1040, notyouraveragejoes.com. See Bethesda listing.

J L D $$

OLD TOWN POUR HOUSE 212 Ellington Blvd. (Downtown Crown), 301-9636281, oldtownpourhouse.com. One of the eateries from Chicago’s Bottleneck Management restaurant company, this place features more than 90 local and international brews on tap. Classic American cuisine is served in a setting with copper-inlaid bars and high ceilings.

L D $$

PALADAR LATIN KITCHEN & RUM BAR 203 Crown Park Ave., 301-330-4400, paladarlatinkitchen.com. This Cleveland-based chain covers the spectrum of Latin cuisine, with dishes from Cuba, the Caribbean and Central and South America. From Brazil, there’s feijoada stew; from Cuba, ropa vieja; and from Jamaica, jerk chicken. Bar selections includes 50 varieties of rum, 15 tequilas and six types of mojitos.

J R L D $$

QUINCY’S BAR & GRILLE 616 Quince Orchard Road, 301-869-8200, quincysgroup.com. Energetic neighborhood pub with a sports bar atmosphere, Quincy’s also has an extensive menu with wings, pizza, build-yourown burgers and chicken sandwiches, plus entrées including Guinness-braised brisket. Live music is also a big draw. L D $

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE 106 Crown Park Ave. (Downtown Crown), 301-9901926, ruthschris.com. See Bethesda listing.

D $$$

SILVER DINER (NEW) 9811 Washingtonian Blvd. (RIO Washingtonian Center), 301-321-3530, silverdiner.com. This branch of the trendy diner includes a full bar and brasserie-style interior. The latest food trends (think quinoa coconut pancakes) share company

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dine on the enormous menu with diner staples such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes. J B R L D $$

SIN & GRIN 353 Main St., 301-977-5595, singrintacos.com.

Located in the heart of Kentlands Market Square, Sin & Grin is a fast-casual restaurant owned and operated by the Hristopoulos family, which also runs Vasili’s Kitchen. Pick from eight tacos, rotisserie chicken and an assortment of Mexican cuisine. L D $

TACO DADDY 555 Quince Orchard Road, 240-261-9777, tacodaddycantina.com. Tacos and tequila are the focus at this branch of a restaurant based in Frederick, Maryland. Other Mexican food (such as enchiladas and fajitas) round out the offerings in the brightly painted space with kitschy décor. A mariachi band plays on Thursdays. L D $$

TANDOORI NIGHTS 106 Market St., 301-947-4007, tandoorinightsmd. com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

TARA THAI 9811 Washingtonian Blvd., L-9, 301-947-8330, tarathai.com. See Bethesda listing.

L D $$

TED’S BULLETIN 220 Ellington Blvd. (Downtown Crown), 301990-0600, tedsbulletin.com. First Maryland location of the modern diner chainlet from the folks at Matchbox Food Group. Boozy milkshakes, homemade pop tarts and the Cinnamon Roll As Big As Ya Head (served weekends only) are among the specialties. J B R L D $$

TED’S MONTANA GRILL 105 Ellington Blvd. (Downtown Crown), 301-3300777, tedsmontanagrill.com. First Maryland location of billionaire and bison rancher Ted Turner’s restaurant chain, which uses bison as the showpiece in a humongous selection of dishes, including burgers, meatloaf, nachos and chili.

Soups, salads, American classics and spiked milkshakes also available at this saloon-style eatery. J L D $$

THAI TANIUM 657 Center Point Way, 301-990-3699, thaitanium restaurant.com. Authentic Thai food laced with lots of chilies and garlic as hot as you like. Try one of the Thai street food dishes, such as roasted pork with Thai herbed sweet sauce and noodle soups.

JLD$

UNCLE JULIO’S 231 Rio Blvd. (RIO Washingtonian Center), 240-6322150, unclejulios.com. See Bethesda listing.

J R L D $$

UNION JACK'S 9811 Washingtonian Blvd. (RIO Washingtonian Center), 240-780-7139, unionjacksrio.com. With a British pub theme, this spot includes lots of drink specials, live music events and a menu with fish and chips, citrus salmon, burgers, pizzas and pub fare. Billiards, darts and a slew of TVs are also here.

R L D $$

VASILI'S KITCHEN 705 Center Point Way, 301-977-1011, vasilis kitchen.com. Tan and brown décor lends a cozy vibe to this 4,700-square-foot Kentlands restaurant.

The owners ran the popular Vasili’s Mediterranean Grill in another Kentlands location for more than a decade before closing it to focus on Vasili’s Kitchen.

The Mediterranean menu is heavy on seafood dishes. J D $$

300

YARD HOUSE 211 Rio Blvd., 240-683-8790, yardhouse.com. Part of a chain with locations in California, Illinois and Texas, this RIO Washingtonian Center spot is big: The 13,000-square-foot restaurant has more than 100 beers on draft, and more than 100 items on its menu, from poke nachos and Nashville hot chicken to Parmesan-crusted pork loin and ginger-crusted salmon. J L D $$

YOYOGI SUSHI 317 Main St., 301-963-0001. yoyogisushi.wixsite. com/yoyogisushi. A no-nonsense neighborhood sushi place offering the familiar sushi, teriyaki, tempura and green tea or red bean ice cream.

LD$

ZIKI JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE 10009 Fields Road, 301-330-3868, zikisteakhouse. com. This large steak house on a busy corner charms patrons with its fountains, stone Buddhas and geisha mannequins. Food offerings include sushi, as well as meats cooked on a tableside hibachi. J L D $$

POTOMAC ADDIE’S (EDITORS’ PICK) 12435 Park Potomac Ave., 301-340-0081, addies restaurant.com. Longtime North Bethesda restaurant from the Black Restaurant Group that closed in 2013 is reborn in the Park Potomac development. Date nights call for the signature entrées for two. R L D $$

ATTMAN’S DELICATESSEN 7913 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301765-3354, cabinjohn.attmansdeli.com. This landmark Baltimore deli has run a second location in Potomac since 2013. The menu offers the same legendary corned beef, pastrami and other deli specialties. Third-generation owner Marc Attman is at the helm. J B L D $

BROOKLYN’S DELI & CATERING 1089 Seven Locks Road, 301-340-3354, brooklyns delimd.com. From chopped liver to chicken soup, Brooklyn’s serves all the deli specialties, plus more.

Think hot pastrami with coleslaw and Russian dressing on pumpernickel. J B L D $

CAVA 7991 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301200-5398, cava.com. See Bethesda listing.

LD$

ELEVATION BURGER 12525-D Park Potomac Ave., 301-838-4010, elevationburger.com. Fast-food burgers go organic and grass-fed at this Northern Virginia-founded chain. Veggie burgers, chicken sandwiches, grilled cheese and a BLT available, too. Shake flavors range from banana to Key lime and cheesecake.

LD$

GRAND FUSION CUISINE 350 East Fortune Terrace, 301-838-2862, grand fusionrestaurant.com. Diners will find something for everyone seeking a taste of the Asian continent, a full sushi bar, and Chinese, Malaysian and Singaporean specialties. Chef’s specials include Crispy Eggplant in Spicy Orange Sauce and Double Flavored Shrimp. L D $

GREGORIO’S TRATTORIA 7745 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301296-6168, gregoriostrattoria.com. Proprietor Greg Kahn aims to make everyone feel at home at this

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family-owned restaurant serving a hit parade of traditional Italian favorites, with all the familiar pasta, pizza, chicken, veal and seafood dishes; the gluten-free menu offers pizza, cheese ravioli and quinoa pastas. J L D $$

THE GRILLED OYSTER CO. (EDITORS’ PICK) 7943 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301299-9888, thegrilledoystercompany.com. This Chesapeake-style seafood eatery features small plates, salads, sandwiches and entrées. The sampler of four grilled oysters—with ingredients such as coconut rum and cucumber relish— showcases the namesake item. J R L D $$

GRINGOS & MARIACHIS (EDITORS’ PICK) 12435 Park Potomac Ave., 301-339-8855, gringosandmariachis.com. See Bethesda listing.

This location voted “Best New Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019.

D$

HUNTER’S BAR AND GRILL 10123 River Road, 301-299-9300, thehuntersinn. com. At this Potomac institution and popular English hunt-themed spot, try a big salad or hamburger for lunch and a traditional pasta dish or filet mignon for dinner with the family.

J R L D $$

LAHINCH TAVERN AND GRILL 7747 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 240499-8922, lahinchtavernandgrill.com. The menu of this sister restaurant to The Irish Inn at Glen Echo commingles Irish standards (traditional sausage roll, shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash, lamb stew) with fare such as Alaskan halibut. Lahinch is a coastal town in Ireland’s County Clare.

J R L D $$$

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN 7991 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 240205-7429, lepainquotidien.com. See Bethesda listing. J B R L D $

LOCK 72 KITCHEN & BAR (EDITORS’ PICK) 10128 River Road, 301-299-0481, lock72.com.

Well-known chef Robert Wiedmaier’s RW Restaurant Group runs this upscale American pub (formerly called River Falls Tavern). Entrées include panroasted duck breast, crabcake, rockfish and New York strip steak.

R L D $$

MOCO’S FOUNDING FARMERS 12505 Park Potomac Ave., 301-340-8783, wearefoundingfarmers.com. Farm-inspired fare in a modern and casual setting; this is the sister restaurant to the phenomenally popular downtown D.C. Founding Farmers. Try the warm cookies for dessert. Voted “Best Restaurant in Potomac,” "Best Cocktails" and “Best Brunch” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018, and also “Best Brunch” in 2019.

B R L D $$

NORMANDIE FARM RESTAURANT 10710 Falls Road, 301-983-8838, popovers.com.

This fine-dining French restaurant, open since 1931, strives to preserve its classical heritage while embracing new traditions. Dinner entrées run from seafood to beef and lamb. The restaurant offers quick service, a casual café option and a violinist at afternoon tea. J R L D $$

O’DONNELL’S MARKET 1073 Seven Locks Road, 301-251-6355, odonnells market.com. This market, from the family that ran O’Donnell’s restaurants in Montgomery County for decades, features a 10-seat bar for lunch and happy hour. The menu includes a raw bar, salads and many O’Donnell’s classics, among them a lump-filled crabcake sandwich, salmon BLT, seafood bisque

and crab gumbo.

L$

OLD ANGLER’S INN 10801 MacArthur Blvd., 301-365-2425, oldanglers inn.com. Open since 1860 and known for its refined American food and beautiful fireplaces and grounds, it features live music on weekends.

Signature cocktails include hard cider sangria and a pumpkin pie martini. Voted “Best Outdoor Dining”

by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018.

R L D $$$

POTOMAC PIZZA 9812 Falls Road, 301-299-7700, potomacpizza. com. See Chevy Chase listing. J L D $

RENATO’S AT RIVER FALLS 10120 River Road, 301-365-1900, renatosatriver falls.net. The Italian restaurant offers fish dishes among its menu of pastas and classics such as penne with eggplant, and chicken parmigiana.

Traditional Italian desserts include tiramisu, profiteroles and cannolis. Voted “Best Restaurant in Potomac” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019.

J L D $$

SISTERS THAI (NEW) 7995 Tuckerman Lane (Cabin John Village), 301299-4157. The owners of a Thai restaurant and bakery in Virginia serve classic Thai dishes in a setting that mixes several decor styles (one room has a fireplace and looks like a living room filled with books). A dessert counter offers coffee and tea drinks along with ice cream, snow ice and other treats. L D $$

SUGO OSTERIA 12505 Park Potomac Ave., 240-386-8080, eatsugo.com. This stylish spot starts you off with honey-thyme butter on rustic bread. The menu focuses on Italian small plates, meatballs, sliders, pizza and pasta. Chef specialties include blue crab gnocchi and charred octopus. R L D $$

TALLY-HO RESTAURANT 9923 Falls Road, 301-299-6825, tallyhorestaurant. com. A local fixture since 1968, the eatery serves an expansive diner-style menu with Greek and Italian specialties. Choose from options ranging from burgers and deli sandwiches to pizza, calzones and dinner entrées. J B L D $

THE WINE HARVEST 12525-B Park Potomac Ave., 240-314-0177, thewineharvest.com. Stop by this popular Cheerslike wine bar for a glass of wine or a Belgian beer.

The menu includes salads, sandwiches and cheese plates. L D $

ZOËS KITCHEN 12505 Park Potomac Ave., Suite 115, 240-3281022, zoeskitchen.com. A fast-casual restaurant, Zoës features Mediterranean dishes such as kabobs, hummus and pita sandwiches. It specializes in takeout dinner for four for under $30.

JLD$

ROCKVILLE/ NORTH BETHESDA A & J RESTAURANT (EDITORS’ PICK) 1319-C Rockville Pike, 301-251-7878, aj-restaurant. com. Northern dim sum is the specialty at this hard-to-find cash-only spot in the Woodmont Station shopping center. Warm-colored walls surround the crowd digging into thousand-layer pancakes and fresh tofu. R L D $

AKIRA RAMEN & IZAKAYA 1800 Rockville Pike, 240-242-3669, akiraramen. com. This minimalist Japanese eatery serves house-made noodles and vibrant food such as a poke salad. The sleek establishment, located on the first floor of the Galvan at Twinbrook building, features an open kitchen and several variations of ramen to choose from. L D $

AL CARBÓN 200 Park Road, 301-738-0003, alcarbonrestaurant. com. Serving authentic Latin American fare across the street from the Rockville Metro station, this unassuming roadhouse has a loyal following for its arepas, empanadas, tapas and more. Try one of the natural juices including mango and tamarindo.

BLD$

AL HA'ESH 4860 Boiling Brook Parkway (Randolph Hills Shopping Center), 301-231-0839, al-haesh.com.

Kosher Israeli grill serves vegetable and protein skewers (including chicken, lamb, beef, chicken livers and sweetbreads). All entrées come with small ramekins of salads (think curried chickpeas; marinated red cabbage; and balsamic marinated mushrooms). L D $$

AMALFI RISTORANTE ITALIANO 12307 Wilkins Ave., 301-770-7888, amalfirockville. com. A family-run, red-sauce Italian restaurant with specialties including white pizza and lasagna. Lots of antipasti choices, too. The gazebo is a charming spot to dine during the summer. J L D $$

AMICI MIEI RISTORANTE 6 N. Washington St., 301-545-0966, amicimieiristorante.com. Previously located at the Potomac Woods Plaza, this upscale Italian restaurant serves wood-fired pizzas, homemade pastas and creative salads. The new, smaller establishment is cozier than the last with a menu that changes twice a year. L D $

AMINA THAI RESTAURANT 5065 Nicholson Lane, 301-770-9509. Pleasant and bright, Amina Thai is run by a husband-andwife team and bills itself as the first Muslim Thai restaurant in the area, using only halal meats and serving familiar Thai dishes. Chef’s specials include pineapple fried rice and grilled salmon. L D $

&PIZZA 11626 Old Georgetown Road (Pike & Rose), 240621-7016, andpizza.com. See Bethesda listing. ❂LD$

BARONESSA ITALIAN RESTAURANT 1302 E. Gude Drive, 301-838-9050, baronessarestaurant.com. Pizzas made in a woodburning oven and more than two dozen Italian entrées star on the menu at this 100-seat stripmall restaurant. Trivia nights and kids pizza-making classes are offered. J R L D $$

BB.Q CHICKEN 9712 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-309-0962, bbqchickenrockville.com. This Korean chain uses olive oil for frying its chicken, which you can order as whole, half, wings or boneless. Other Korean and fusion entrées and sides—including kimchi fried rice, calamari and fried dumplings—are on the menu too. There’s also a full bar. L D $

THE BIG GREEK CAFÉ 4007 Norbeck Road, 301-929-9760; 5268 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-4976, biggreekcafe.com.

See Bethesda listing. L D $

BOB'S SHANGHAI 66 305 N. Washington St., 301-251-6652. Dim sum and rice and noodle dishes are the specialties at

this popular eatery offering Taiwanese, Shanghai and Sichuan cuisine. It’s also one of the area’s top destinations for soup dumplings, where you can even watch the chefs making them in a glassenclosed booth. R L D $

BOMBAY BISTRO 98 W. Montgomery Ave., 301-762-8798, bombaybistro.com. Bombay Bistro opened in 1991 as one of the first Indian restaurants in the area to combine high style, reasonable prices and a fresh take on traditional Indian, and it has been packed ever since. House specialties include tandoori lamb chops and shrimp and scallops masala. J L D $$

BONCHON CHICKEN 107 Gibbs St., Unit A (Rockville Town Square), 301637-9079, bonchon.com. International fried chicken franchise with Korean roots serves up wings, drumsticks and strips with soy-garlic or spicy hot garlic sauce, plus other traditional offerings such as bulgogi, bibimbap and scallion seafood pancakes.

LD$

BOTANERO 800 Pleasant Drive, Suite 160, 240-474-5461, botanerorockville.com. Located in the King Farm neighborhood, this small plates restaurant and wine bar features cuisine that changes seasonally.

Some recent offerings include a fig and prosciutto flatbread and quinoa grilled salmon. B L D $

CAVA 12037 Rockville Pike (Montrose Crossing), 240235-0627; 28 Upper Rock Circle, 301-200-5530; cava.com. See Bethesda listing.

LD$

CAVA MEZZE (EDITORS’ PICK) 9713 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-309-9090, cavamezze.com. The dark and elegant CAVA Mezze offers small plates of everything from fried Greek cheese, octopus and orzo in cinnamon tomato sauce to crispy pork belly and macaroni and cheese. There are martini specials, too.

R L D $$

CHINA BISTRO 755 Hungerford Drive, 301-294-0808. Extensive Chinese menu features many familiar favorites, but this is the place to go for dumplings. With tender dough wrappers and chock-full interiors, these beauties come 12 to an order and with 16 different filling choices. Fresh, uncooked dumplings are also available for carryout. L D $

CHINA GARDEN 11333 Woodglen Drive, 301-881-2800, chinagardenhg.com. The Cantonese restaurant moved from Rosslyn, Virginia, to the former Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar space. The lunch menu includes dim sum items (they are on a pushcart on weekends). See our review on page 284. L D $$

CHUY’S 12266 Rockville Pike (Federal Plaza), 301-6032941, chuys.com. Drawing inspiration from New Mexico, Mexican border towns, the Rio Grande Valley and Texas’s deep south, Chuy’s is part of a family-friendly chain that serves up a Tex-Mex experience. Colorful food meets colorful décor, where “If you’ve seen one Chuy’s, you’ve seen one Chuy’s” rings true—eclectic collectibles give each location its own flair. Free chips are served out of a car trunk display. ❂ J L D $

CITY PERCH KITCHEN + BAR 11830 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-2312310, cityperch.com. Located above the entrance to the iPic Theaters at Pike & Rose, City Perch offers creative, seasonal American cuisine in a rustic, inviting space. The menu includes raw-bar

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dine selections, small plates, shareable salads and entrée options such as grilled shrimp and Long Island duck. R L D $$$

CLYDE'S TOWER OAKS LODGE 2 Preserve Parkway, 301-294-0200, clydes.com/ tower. Here is Clyde’s version of a lodge in the mountains. Well-prepared food runs the gamut of American desires, from burgers to fish, plus a raw bar. Check out the twig sculpture spanning the ceiling of The Saranac Room. Voted “Best Restaurant Décor” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. J R L D $$

COMMONWEALTH INDIAN 11610 Old Georgetown Road (Pike & Rose), 240833-3055. The owner of two Bollywood Bistro restaurants in Virginia opened this fine-dining spot that serves traditional Indian favorites such as curry chicken and butter chicken, along with fresh-baked bread and Indian salad. The bar has Indian-inspired cocktails and Indian beers and wines.

R L D $$$

COOPER'S HAWK 1403 Research Blvd. (Research Row), 301-5179463, chwinery.com/locations/maryland/rockvillemd. Part of a national chain, this restaurant and winery lists which of its wines to pair with the contemporary American dishes on the sprawling menu (pasta, steak, seafood, burgers, 600-calorie or less dishes). There’s also a tasting room and a retail space. J L D $$$

THE CUBAN CORNER 825 Hungerford Drive, 301-279-0310, cubancornerrestaurant.com. Pork and empanadas shine at this small space brimming with ethnic pride (there’s a tribute wall to famous Cuban-Americans).

Don’t skip the Cuban coffee or the Cuban sandwich, a sub bursting with ham, pickles and tangy mustard.

LD$

CSNY PIZZA 1020 Rockville Pike, 301-298-3650, csnypizza. wixisite.com/sneaksite. Carry out a New York-style pizza from this spot by the owners of Pizza CS. Their second Rockville location also offers six seats for guests to dine in, and serves whole pies, hot subs and pizza by the slice. L D $

DON POLLO 2206 Veirs Mill Road, 301-309-1608, donpollogroup.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

EAST PEARL RESTAURANT 838-B Rockville Pike, 301-838-8663, eastpearl restaurant.com. Choose from many options of Hong Kong cuisine, including familiar dishes featuring chicken, beef, poultry, pork and even duck, as well as those for adventurous tastes. Try the soups ranging from egg drop to seafood with bean curd.

LD$

EL MARIACHI RESTAURANT 765-D Rockville Pike, 301-738-7177, elmariachi rockville.com. Serving Tex-Mex and South American food in a bright, pleasant space made lively with colorful art. In addition to the usual enchiladas, tacos and burritos, look for Peruvian seafood and Cuban beef specialties. L D $

EL PATIO 5240 Randolph Road, 301-231-9225. This bustling café with pretty green umbrellas on the patio serves up the traditional meat-heavy dishes of Argentina, as well as pizzas and freshly made baked goods.

Look for mouth-watering empanadas, beef tongue and sausage specialties. J B L D $

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FAR EAST RESTAURANT 5055 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-5552, fareastrockvillemd.com. Owned and operated by the same family since 1974, this classic Chinese restaurant greets customers with two royal stone lions out front and sticks to the familiar ChineseAmerican basics. Check out the daily specials and dim sum menu. L D $$

FINNEGAN’S WAKE IRISH PUB 100 Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-3398267, finneganswakerockville.com. Irish pub with a nice selection of bourbons, whiskeys and Irish beers and a very limited bar menu offering such fare as bangers and mash, poutine (french fries, gravy and cheese curds), a chicken club sandwich, fish and chips, wings and a burger. L D $

FLOR DE LUNA 11417 Woodglen Drive, 240-242-4066, flordeluna md.com. Latin American fare includes tamales and lomo saltado (a stir-fry of beef and peppers) at this 75-seat restaurant near Whole Foods Market.

Tacos, nachos and quesadillas are also in the lineup. Finish off your meal with the tres leches (three milks) cake. J R L D $$

FLOWER CHILD 10072 Darnestown Road (Travilah Square Shopping Center), 301-545-6750, iamaflowerchild.com. See Bethesda listing.

LD$

FOGO DE CHÃO 11600 Old Georgetown Road (Pike & Rose), 301841-9200, fogodechao.com. Part of an international chain, the Brazilian steakhouse offers cuts of meat—plus a salad and vegetable station—at allyou-can-eat prices.

R L D $$$

FONTINA GRILLE 801 Pleasant Drive, 301-947-5400, fontinagrille. com. A trendy spot with its curvy maple bar and wood-burning pizza oven, Fontina Grille is a favorite gathering place for the King Farm neighborhood.

Pizza, pasta and salads are the main attractions.

Three-dollar pasta dishes available on Monday nights and half-price bottles of wine on Tuesdays.

J R L D $$

GOLDEN SAMOVAR 201 N. Washington St. (Rockville Town Square), 240-671-9721, goldensamovarrestaurant.com.

Chicken Kiev, plov (a lamb-and-rice dish) and borscht are among the long list of Russian and central Asian dishes here. Infused vodkas and Russian and Ukrainian beers are available. A framed wolf pelt adorns one wall. J R L D $$

GORDON BIERSCH 200-A E. Middle Lane (Rockville Town Square), 301340-7159, gordonbiersch.com/restaurants. The national brewpub chain prides itself on house beers and friendly service. The shiny bar is boisterous, and the menu includes bar favorites with some barbecue and Asian touches, small plates, salads, pizza and flatbreads. J L D $$

GYROLAND 1701-B3 Rockville Pike, 301-816-7829, gyrolandmd.com. Build-your-own salads, open-face and wrapped sandwiches, and other Greek choices star at this fast-casual spot near Congressional Plaza. For dessert, Gyroland serves loukoumades, a bite-size fluffy Greek doughnut soaked in hot honey syrup. L D $

HARD TIMES CAFÉ 1117 Nelson St., 301-294-9720, hardtimes.com.

Good American beer selections, hearty chili styles

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ranging from Cincinnati (cinnamon and tomato) to Texas (beef and hot peppers), and hefty salads and wings bring families to this Wild West-style saloon for lunch and dinner. L D $

HINODE JAPANESE RESTAURANT 134 Congressional Lane, 301-816-2190, hinode restaurant.com. Serving traditional Japanese cuisine since 1992. All-you-can-eat lunch and weekend dinner buffet offers 40 types of sushi, 14 hot foods and a salad bar. Check out the patio with full bar service. L D $$

IL PIZZICO (EDITORS’ PICK) 15209 Frederick Road, 301-309-0610, ilpizzico. com. Setting aside the strip mall location and lack of pizza (il pizzico means “the pinch” in Italian), chef-owner Enzo Livia’s house-made pasta dishes, gracious service and extensive wine list of mainly Italian wines make even a weeknight meal feel special. L D $$

IRON AGE 1054 Rockville Pike, 301-424-1474, ironagekoreansteakhouse.com. Part of a small chain of all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue restaurants, this branch opened in 2012. Garlic pork belly, spicy chicken and beef brisket are among the dozen-plus offerings. There are two menu options (the pricier one includes a few more items, such as steak and octopus). J L D $$

JINYA RAMEN BAR 910 Prose St. (Pike & Rose), 301-816-3029, jinyaramenbar.com. A 74-seat eatery that’s part of a chain, Jinya serves 12 different types of ramen, ranging from the classic wonton chicken to a creamy vegan option. Try the Jinya Mini Tacos, which come with a choice of salmon poke, pork chashu and kimchee, or spicy tuna. J L D $

JOE’S NOODLE HOUSE 1488-C Rockville Pike, 301-881-5518, joesnoodlehouse.com. Chinese expats and many other customers consider the Sichuan specialties (soft bean curd with spicy sauce and hot beef jerky) among the area’s best examples of gourmet Chinese cooking. L D $

JULII (EDITORS’ PICK) 11915 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-5179090, julii.com. A French Mediterranean bistro from the owners of CAVA, Julii looks like a glass box from the outside and serves fare such as salmon crudo, roasted bone marrow, crispy trout, New York strip au poivre and tableside nitrogen ice cream. L D $$

KUSSHI 11826 Trade St. (Pike & Rose), 240-770-0355, kusshisushi.com. The owners of Hanaro Restaurant & Lounge, a Japanese restaurant in Bethesda, serve up similar sushi offerings here. A boat-shaped platter with 64 to 128 pieces of sushi or sashimi is a fun shareable option. L D $$

KUYA JA’S LECHON BELLY 5268-H Nicholson Lane, 240-669-4383, kuyajas. com. This fast-casual restaurant that started as a pop-up in the Rockville area specializes in serving lechon, a Filipino pork belly dish. Chef and owner Javier J. Fernandez, a native of the Philippines, shares the flavors of his home country through ricebowls, spiced wings and homemade pastries.

LD$

LA BRASA LATIN CUISINE 12401 Parklawn Drive, 301-468-8850, labrasa rockville.com. A bold, yellow awning marks the unlikely industrial location of the popular La Brasa.

Customers rave about the rotisserie chicken, lomo

saltado (Peruvian marinated steak), Salvadoran pupusas and Tres Leches. L D $

LA CANELA (EDITORS’ PICK) 141-D Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-2511550, lacanelaperu.com. Sophisticated, modern Peruvian cooking shines in a regally furnished dining room in a yellow stucco building graced with curvy black ironwork. The menu includes artfully prepared seafood, pork, chicken and beef dishes. L D $

LA LIMEÑA GRILL 1093 Rockville Pike, 301-417-4922. An offshoot of nearby La Limeña Restaurant, this Peruvian eatery with a spacious patio serves several traditional seafood dishes, including Ceviche Mixto, an appetizer of lime-marinated tilapia served with glazed potatoes and crispy dried corn kernels.

The Chicha Morada, a sweet corn-based drink, pairs nicely with authentic and tender braised-beef J L D $$ entrées.

LA LIMEÑA RESTAURANT 765 Rockville Pike, 301-424-8066, lalimena restaurant.com. Diners can choose dishes such as beef hearts, tripe and homemade pastries in this tiny but well-appointed eatery. Desserts include passion fruit mousse and vanilla flan. And of course, there’s rotisserie chicken to go. L D $

LA TASCA 141 Gibbs St., Suite 305 (Rockville Town Square), 301-279-7011, latascausa.com. The Rockville location of this regional chain strives to keep things interesting with 45 tapas dishes and six kinds of paella, including Paella Mixta with chicken, shrimp, chorizo, scallops, mussels, squid and clams.

R L D $$

LEBANESE TAVERNA CAFÉ 115 Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-3098681, lebanesetaverna.com. A casual and pleasant family spot for lunch or dinner, the café is a more casual offshoot of the local Lebanese Taverna chain, serving hummus, pita, falafel, lamb kabobs, salmon and chicken. J L D $

LEBTAV 1605 Rockville Pike, 301-468-9086, lebanesetaverna.com. LEBTAV has a shorter menu than its fast-casual sibling Lebanese Taverna Café.

You’ll find sandwiches, bowls, hummus, falafel, chicken and lamb kabobs. L D $

LIGHTHOUSE TOFU & BBQ 12710 Twinbrook Parkway, 301-881-1178. In addition to the numerous tofu dishes ranging from Mushroom Tofu Pot to Seafood Beef Tofu Pot, diners at this Korean stalwart can try barbecue, stirfried specialties and kimchee, the national dish of pickled cabbage. L D $

MAMMA LUCIA 12274-M Rockville Pike, 301-770-4894; 14921-J Shady Grove Road, 301-762-8805; mammalucia restaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $$

MATCHBOX (EDITORS’ PICK) 1699 Rockville Pike, 301-816-0369, matchbox restaurants.com. Look for mini-burgers, a “ginormous meatball” appetizer and thin-crusted pizza with toppings including herb-roasted chicken and portobella mushrooms or fire-roasted red peppers and Spanish onions served in a super-cool space in Congressional Plaza. J R L D $

MISSION BBQ 885 Rockville Pike, 301-444-5574, mission-bbq. com. This outpost of a national chain, known for its support of U.S. military troops and veterans, serves its barbecue—including brisket, ribs and pulled

pork—alongside a slew of add-your-own sauces.

Come for lunch and stay to recite the national anthem at noon. J L D $

MOD PIZZA (NEW) 12027 Rockville Pike, 301-287-4284. modpizza. com. See North Potomac/Gaithersburg listing.

LD$

MOSAIC CUISINE & CAFÉ 186 Halpine Road, 301-468-0682, mosaiccuisine. com. A diner with a soft European accent. Try the fresh Belgian waffles for breakfast. For those with hefty appetites, the waffle sandwiches are worth the trip, but don’t overlook the homemade soups or light dinner entrées. J B R L D $$

MYKONOS GRILL 121 Congressional Lane, 301-770-5999, mykonosgrill.com. An authentic Greek taverna with whitewashed walls with Mediterranean blue accents on a busy street, Mykonos Grill turns out legs of lamb and fresh seafood expected at any good Greek L D $$ restaurant.

NADA 11886 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-7714040, eatdrinknada.com/n-bethesda. Part of a small national chain, Nada serves street tacos with fillings such as caramelized cauliflower, fried tofu and pork carnitas. The brief menu also includes soups, salads and a fajita plate. Margaritas and seasonal cocktails are available. R L D $$

NAGOYA SUSHI 402 King Farm Blvd., Suite 130, 301-990-6778, nagoyasushirockville.com. Cheery yellow walls decorated with shelves of Japanese knickknacks greet customers who come for the large selection of sushi at this unassuming sushi spot in King Farm.

L D $$

NANTUCKET’S REEF 9755 Traville Gateway Drive, Rockville, 301279-7333, nantucketsreef.com. This casual New England-style eatery offers a wide range of reasonably priced seafood dishes, including raw and baked oysters, stuffed cod, fried Ipswitch clams, seafood tacos, tuna and salmon salads, and lobster items. Signature cocktails are made with Nantucket Nectars juices. R L D $$

NICK’S CHOPHOUSE 700 King Farm Blvd., 301-926-8869, nickschop houserockville.com. Aged Angus beef cooked over an open fire is the specialty at this upscale spot, but seafood lovers can get their fill from big crabcakes.

Signature steaks include slow-roasted prime rib weighing 10 to 32 ounces. Separate bar menu.

L D $$

NIWANO HANA JAPANESE RESTAURANT 887 Rockville Pike, 301-294-0553, niwanohana. com. Clean Asian décor and elegant wooden screens greet diners at this friendly and busy sushi spot located in Wintergreen Plaza. There are the usual sushi rolls, plus creative options such as a Spicy Scallop Roll with mayonnaise and chili peppers, noodle dishes, teriyaki and yakitori.

L D $$

THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE 12224 Rockville Pike, 301-468-0886, ophrestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing. This location stays open until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. J B L D $

OWEN’S ORDINARY (EDITORS’ PICK) 11820 Trade St. (Pike & Rose), 301-2451226, owensordinarymd.com. This Americanstyle restaurant, barroom and beer garden from

Neighborhood Restaurant Group boasts 50 rotating drafts and more than 150 types of bottled beer. The 175-seat restaurant serves salads, burgers, pork, seafood and fondue entrées, and those looking to grab a drink can make the most of the space’s 60seat beer garden. Voted “Best Restaurant Beer Selection” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019.

R L D $$

PETER CHANG (EDITORS’ PICK) 20-A Maryland Ave. (Rockville Town Square), 301838-9188, peterchangarlington.com. Chef Peter Chang’s Sichuan specialties are showcased in an apricot-walled dining space. Garnering a cult-like following over the years, Chang is best known for dishes such as dry-fried eggplant, crispy pork belly and duck in a stone pot. L D $$

PHO 75 771 Hungerford Drive, 301-309-8873. The restaurant is one of the Washington area’s favorite spots for the Vietnamese beef noodle soup known as pho. Soup can be customized with bean sprouts, Thai basil, chilies, lime, and hot and hoisin sauces.

Beverages include interesting options such as Iced Salty Pickled Lemon Juice. L D $

PHO HOA BINH 11782 Parklawn Drive, 301-770-5576. This pleasant pho restaurant offers the full gamut of variations on the beef noodle soup, plus about a dozen grilled entrées. The Adventurer’s Choice features “unusual” meats, including tendon, tripe and fatty flank. The Vietnamese iced coffee is divine. L D $

PHO NOM NOM 842 Rockville Pike, 301-610-0232, phonomnom. net. As the name suggests, the specialty is pho, but there are also grilled dishes, noodles and the Vietnamese sandwich known as banh mi. House specials include Vietnamese beef stew and pork and shrimp wontons. L D $

PHOLUSCIOUS VIETNAMESE GRILL 10048 Darnestown Road, 301-762-2226, pholuscious.com. This casual restaurant and bar is home to traditional Vietnamese cooking, with fresh ingredients, minimal use of oil and many herbs and vegetables. The menu features pho, noodle dishes, rice plates and lots of protein dishes. Beverages include bubble tea, smoothies, beer and wine.

L D $$

PIKE KITCHEN 1066 Rockville Pike, 301-603-2279, pikekitchen. com. The 6,200-square-foot, 100-seat Asian food hall at the Edmonston Crossing shopping center includes eateries dishing up Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, pho, poke, ramen, bibimbap and more.

LD$

PIZZA CS 1596-B Rockville Pike, 240-833-8090, pizzacs.com.

Authentic Neapolitan pies are offered in a sub-shop atmosphere. Choose from a list of red and white pizza options, or build your own pie with herbs, cheeses, meats and vegetables. J L D $

POTOMAC PIZZA 9709 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-279-2234, potomacpizza.com. See Chevy Chase listing.

JLD$

QUINCY’S SOUTH BAR & GRILLE 11401 Woodglen Drive, 240-669-3270, quincysgroup.com. See North Potomac/ Gaithersburg listing. L D $

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dine SADAF HALAL RESTAURANT 1327-K Rockville Pike, 301-424-4040. An elegant alternative to the run-of-the-mill kabob places dotting Rockville Pike, Sadaf is pristine, with lace curtains and glass mosaic tiles in front. In addition to kabobs, it offers Persian curries and fish dishes.

JLD$

SAM CAFÉ & MARKET 844 Rockville Pike, 301-424-1600, samcafemarket. com. Fill up on the kitchen’s juicy skewered meats or interesting entrées, including pomegranate molasses stew and marinated grilled salmon, then have a gelato and check out the hookahs.

LD$

SEASONS 52 11414 Rockville Pike, 301-984-5252, seasons52. com. A fresh, seasonal menu featuring items under 475 calories. Choose from flatbreads including Blackened Steak & Blue Cheese and Grilled Garlic Pesto Chicken to entrée salads to meat and seafood dishes. Nightly piano music.

L D $$

SHANGHAI TASTE 1121 Nelson St., 301-279-0806. Co-owner and chef Wei Sun, a Shanghai native, specializes in preparing three different flavors of soup dumplings at this small restaurant in a strip mall. The menu also includes traditional Chinese-American dishes, such as General Tso’s chicken and fried rice.

LD$

SHEBA RESTAURANT 5071 Nicholson Lane, 301-881-8882, sheba rockville.com. The menu features authentic Ethiopian cuisine with lots of vegetarian and vegan options. House specialties include Dulet Assa, chopped tilapia mixed with onion, garlic and jalapeño and served with a side of homemade cheese. L D $

SICHUAN JIN RIVER 410 Hungerford Drive, 240-403-7351, sichuanjin river.com. Customers find terrific Sichuan cuisine served in a no-frills setting. Take the plunge and try something new with the authentic Chinese menu, including 23 small cold plates. L D $

SILVER DINER 12276 Rockville Pike, 301-770-2828, silverdiner. com. Customers flock to this trendy diner that still offers tableside jukeboxes. The latest food trends (think quinoa coconut pancakes) share company on the enormous menu with diner staples such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Voted “Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019. J B R L D $

SPICE XING 100-B Gibbs St. (Rockville Town Square), 301-6100303, spicexing.com. Chef and owner Sudhir Seth, who also owns Bethesda’s Passage to India, serves up small plates and dishes that reflect the history of culinary influences on India. Try the all-you-can-eat lunchtime buffet.

J R L D $$

THE SPOT 255 N. Washington St., thespotdmv.com. This 6,200-square-foot, 200-seat Asian food hall, not far from Rockville Town Square, includes a handful of vendors, including Mian Pull Noodle (dumplings and noodle dishes), Poki DC (the Hawaiian-inspired raw fish dish called poke) and Alpaca Dessert (shaved snow ice and ice cream-filled waffle cones).

LD$

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STANFORD GRILL 2000 Tower Oaks Blvd., 240-582-1000, thestanford grill.com. From the Blueridge Restaurant Group, owner of Copper Canyon Grill restaurants, comes this 300-seat American eatery on the ground floor of an office building. Salads, burgers, steaks and seafood, plus sushi, with an eye toward high quality.

R L D $$

STELLA BARRA PIZZERIA 11825 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301-7708609, stellabarra.com. Adjacent to its sister restaurant, Summer House Santa Monica, Stella Barra is an artisan pizzeria with a hip, urban vibe.

Look for crisp crusts with chewy centers topped with butternut squash and candied bacon or housemade pork sausage and fennel pollen. Italian wines available. R D $$

SUMMER HOUSE SANTA MONICA (EDITORS’ PICK)

11825 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), 301881-2381, summerhousesm.com. An airy, light and stunning space sets the scene for modern American cuisine with a West Coast sensibility.

Fare includes salads, sushi, tacos, sandwiches and steak frites. Do not miss the bakery counter. Voted “Best Restaurant in Rockville/North Bethesda” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018 and 2019.

J R L D $$

SUPER BOWL NOODLE HOUSE 785 Rockville Pike, 301-738-0086, superbowl noodlehouse.com. Look for a large variety of Asian noodle dishes in super-size portions, plus a wide selection of appetizers. Also, bubble tea and desserts, including Sweet Taro Root Roll and Black Sugar Shaved Ice. L D $

SUSHI DAMO 36-G Maryland Ave. (Rockville Town Square), 301340-8010, sushidamo.com. A slice of New York sophistication, this elegant restaurant offers sushi à la carte or omakase, chef’s choice, plus beef and seafood entrées and an impressive sake list.

L D $$

SUSHI HOUSE JAPANESE RESTAURANT 1331-D Rockville Pike, 301-309-0043, sushihouse1331.com. A tiny, plain restaurant serving a large selection of fresh sushi, including sushi and sashimi combinations. Lunch specials for under $7. It’s popular, so be prepared to wait.

L D $$

SUSHI OISHII 9706 Traville Gateway Drive, 301-251-1177, sushioishii.com. This charming sushi bar in the Traville Gateway Center offers friendly service and 24 specialty sushi rolls, bento boxes and a few grilled items, including beef, poultry and seafood teriyaki. L D $$

TAIPEI TOKYO 14921-D Shady Grove Road (Fallsgrove Village Center), 301-738-8813; 11510-A Rockville Pike, 301-881-8388; taipei-tokyo.net. These sister restaurants offer a sizable roster of Chinese, Japanese and Thai dishes. The Fallsgrove Village location is the younger and sleeker of the two, with full sit-down service. The older sister, opened in 1993, is more like a noodle shop/cafeteria.

L D $$

TARA THAI 12071 Rockville Pike, 301-231-9899, tarathai.com.

See Bethesda listing. L D $$

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TEMARI CAFÉ 1043 Rockville Pike, 301-340-7720. Deep-fried oysters, classic rice balls, ramen noodle soup, sushi and sashimi and comic books to peruse while you await your order set this Japanese restaurant apart from the rest. L D $$

THAI FARM 800 King Farm Blvd., 301-258-8829, thaifarm restaurant.com. A tastefully modern dining room soaked in a soothing yellow light. The usual suspects are on the menu here, but chef’s suggestions include an intriguing broiled fish wrapped in banana leaf and stir-fried duck. L D $$

THAI PAVILION 29 Maryland Ave., Unit 308 (Rockville Town Square), 301-545-0244, thaipavilionrestaurant.com. The soaring ceilings decorated with red chandeliers shaped like giant, stationary spinning tops give the feel of a modern museum. When the menu says spicy, believe it. J L D $$

THAT’S AMORE 15201 Shady Grove Road, 240-268-0682, thatsamore.com. This local chain focuses on familystyle portions of classic Neapolitan dishes such as lasagna and chicken Parmesan in a more elegant setting than might be expected. Good for groups and large families. J L D $$

TRAPEZARIA 11 N. Washington St., 301-339-8962, thetrapezaria. com. This down-to-earth and hospitable Greek/ Mediterranean restaurant serves top-notch and unfussy small plates and entrées. Choose among a variety of dips, vegetarian mezze, souvlaki, sausages and more-involved fish and lamb dishes.

Save room for the baklava. L D $$

URBAN BAR-B-QUE COMPANY 2007 Chapman Ave., 240-290-4827; 5566 Norbeck Road, 301-460-0050, urbanbbqco.com. Urban BarB-Que Company, a tiny joint run by a couple of local friends, has a winning formula and features fingerlicking ribs, burgers and wings, plus salads, chili and smothered fries. Staff is friendly, too. J L D $

URBAN HOT POT 1800 Rockville Pike, 240-669-6710, urbanhotpot. com. On the first floor of the Galvan at Twinbrook building, this hot pot spot features a conveyor belt where food travels to diners. A prix fixe all-you-caneat menu allows you to create your meal at your table using one of the stationed iPads. Choose from a selection of noodles, vegetables and meat to add to a bowl of hot stock, then do it again if you’re still hungry. L D $$

VILLA MAYA 5532 Norbeck Road (Rock Creek Village Center), 301-460-1247. Here you’ll find all the traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex favorites from quesadillas to fajitas that are sure to please the whole family.

R L D $$

THE WOODSIDE DELI 4 N. Washington St., 301-444-4478, thewoodside deli.com. A second location of the venerable Silver Spring eatery and caterer that has been dishing up matzo ball soup since 1947. Choose from a wide selection of sandwiches, burgers and entrées. This JBRLD$ one has a pickle bar.

WORLD OF BEER 196B East Montgomery Ave., 301-340-2915, worldofbeer.com. See Bethesda listing.

JRL D $

XI’AN GOURMET 316 N. Washington St., 301-875-5144, xian-gourmet.business.site. This casual diner prides itself on its comfort food. Named after an ancient city, Xi’an heavily features Sichuan and Shaanxi cuisines, after the chefs’ regional heritage. Go for the Shaanxi cold steamed noodles or the Shanghai soup dumplings. L D $

YAMACHAN RAMEN 201 E. Middle Lane, 301-666-6685, yamachanramen.com. This Rockville Town Center restaurant lets diners customize their bowls of ramen, from the soup base and noodles to protein and toppings. The eatery shares an address with Pearl Lady, a bubble tea shop. L D $

YEKTA 1488 Rockville Pike, 301-984-1190, yekta.com.

Persian cuisine, including a selection of beef, chicken and lamb kabobs, is served in a beautiful dining room. Try a dessert such as frozen noodle sorbet or saffron ice cream. Check out the adjacent market after polishing off your kabob. L D $$

YUAN FU VEGETARIAN 798 Rockville Pike, 301-762-5937, yuanfuvegetarian.com. From tea-smoked “duck” to kung pao “chicken,” the whole menu is meatless, made from Chinese vegetable products. There is a large selection of chef’s specials, including Pumpkin Chicken with Mushrooms in a hot pot. L D $

SILVER SPRING ADDIS ABABA 8233 Fenton St., 301-589-1400, addisababa cuisine.com. Authentic Ethiopian-style vegetables and fiery meats are served atop spongy bread in communal bowls. Traditional woven tables and a roof deck add to the ambience. There’s a weekday lunch buffet, too.

RLD$

ALL SET RESTAURANT & BAR 8630 Fenton St., 301-495-8800, allsetrestaurant. com. American cuisine with a focus on New England specialties. Look for clams, oysters and lobster, plus crab cakes, and beef and vegetarian options.

J R L D $$

AMINA THAI 8624 Colesville Road, 301-588-3588, aminathai silverspring.com. See Rockville/North Bethesda listing. L D $

ASTRO LAB BREWING 8216 Georgia Ave., 301-273-9684, astrolabbrewing.com. A menu of about a dozen items—including handheld savory pies, a sausage roll and a hummus platter—are served in the downtown Silver Spring brewery’s taproom. Grab one of the hop-forward beers brewed on-site to sip at the communal tables or on the patio.

JLD$

AZÚCAR RESTAURANT BAR & GRILL 14418 Layhill Road, 301-438-3293, azucarrestaurant.net. The name means sugar, and it fits: The colorful Salvadoran spot is decorated in bright purple and orange with Cubist-style paintings.

The pork-stuffed corn pupusas are stars. Also look for more elegant dinners, including fried whole trout.

L D $$

BETE ETHIOPIAN CUISINE 811 Roeder Road, 301-588-2225, beteethiopia. com. Family-run Ethiopian restaurant with a modest dining room but some exemplary cooking. Don’t

miss the vegetarian sampler, and in nice weather, opt for eating outside in the lovely, shaded back patio. J B L D $$

THE BIG GREEK CAFÉ 8223 Georgia Ave., 301-587-4733, biggreekcafe. com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

BUENA VIDA (EDITORS’ PICK) 8407 Ramsey Ave., 301-755-6132, buenavidarestaurant.com. The second-floor fullservice restaurant (its sister restaurant Tacos, Tortas & Tequila fills the first floor) has a menu with à la carte items, or you can pay a set price for unlimited Mexican small plates. Offerings include ceviche, guacamole, salads, tacos and enchiladas.

The space is light-filled, with vibrant murals and a 720-bottle tequila and wine rack. R L D $$

CAVA 8515 Fenton St., 301-200-8666, cava.com. See Bethesda listing.

LD$

COPPER CANYON GRILL 928 Ellsworth Drive, 301-589-1330, ccgrill.com.

See Gaithersburg listing. J R L D $$

CRISFIELD SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 8012 Georgia Ave., 301-589-1306, crisfieldseafood.com. With its U-shaped counter and kitschy, oyster-plate-covered walls, this landmark seafood diner has customers lining up for the Eastern Shore specialties such as oysters and crabmeat-stuffed lobster that it has served since the 1940s. L D $$

CUBANO’S 1201 Fidler Lane, 301-563-4020, cubanos restaurant.com. The brightly colored tropical dining room and the authentic Cuban cooking evident in dishes such as ropa vieja (shredded beef in onions, peppers and garlic) and fried plantains keep customers coming back.

L D $$

THE DAILY DISH 8301 Grubb Road, 301-588-6300, thedailydish restaurant.com. A neighborhood favorite serving seasonally inspired, locally sourced comfort food, including bar bites and brunch dishes. Full-service catering is available, too.

J R L D $$

DENIZENS BREWING CO. (EDITORS’ PICK) 1115 East West Highway, 301-557-9818, denizens brewingco.com. The bright-orange building houses Montgomery County’s largest brewery, featuring core beers and seasonal offerings, along with drafts from other regional breweries. Menu of snacks, sandwiches and salads includes vegetarian options.

There is a large outdoor beer garden and indoor seating overlooking the brewery. D $

DISTRICT TACO 1310 East West Highway, 240-531-1880, districttaco.com. This branch of a local chain of eateries that grew out of a food truck serves fastcasual fare, from egg-filled tacos for breakfast to quesadillas, burritos and tacos for later in the day.

JBLD$

DON POLLO 12345 Georgia Ave., 301-933-9515; 13881 Outlet Drive, 240-560-7376, donpollogroup.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

EL AGUILA RESTAURANT 8649 16th St., 301-588-9063, elaguilarestaurant. com. A cheery bar and generous plates of TexMex favorites such as enchiladas and Salvadoran seafood soup make this eatery popular with families and others looking for a lively night out. L D $

EL GAVILAN 8805 Flower Ave., 301-587-4197, gavilan restaurant.com. The walls are bright, the music’s upbeat, the margaritas are fine and the service is friendly. The usual Tex-Mex fare is here, as well as Salvadoran specialties such as tasty cheese- or pork-filled pupusas. J L D $

EL GOLFO 8739 Flower Ave., 301-608-2121, elgolforestaurant. com. Friendly, home-style Latin service is the hallmark, as attested to by the many Salvadorans who stop in for lunch and dinner. Pupusas, soups and beef dishes such as carne asada as well as more adventurous choices can be found in the charming, raspberry-colored dining room.

JRLD$

EL SAPO CUBAN SOCIAL CLUB (EDITORS’ PICK) 8455 Fenton St., 301-326-1063, elsaporestaurant. com. Cuban specialties are the focus at this restaurant from owner and chef Raynold Mendizábal, who also owns Urban Butcher in Silver Spring. Small bites such as empanadas and cod croquettes are on the menu with dishes that Cuba is known for, including the beef entrée ropa vieja and puerco asado (roasted pork). L D $$$

ETHIO EXPRESS GRILL 952 Sligo Ave., 301-844-5149. Ethiopian food goes fast-casual in this counter service eatery that offers your choice of carbohydrate bases (i.e., injera, rice, pasta), plus grilled meats (or tofu), sauces and lots of vegetables (the spicy lentils and yellow split peas are especially good). L D $

FENTON CAFÉ 8311 Fenton St., 301-326-1841, fentoncafesilver spring.com. An out-of-the-way crêperie serving 31 kinds of sweet crêpes and 16 varieties of savory crêpes. Savory versions range from cheese and ham to roasted eggplant with zucchini, bell pepper, sundried tomato, garlic and onion. B L D $

FIRE STATION 1 RESTAURANT & BREWING CO. 8131 Georgia Ave., 301-585-1370, firestation1. com. A historic firehouse made over as an eatery serves 21st-century pizza, sandwiches, meat, seafood and vegetarian entrées. Try the Cuban sandwich with seasoned pork, chipotle mayo, Dijon mustard, pickles and Swiss cheese on a ciabatta roll. L D $

GHAR-E-KABAB 944 Wayne Ave., 301-587-4427, gharekabab.com.

This spot offers a mix of authentic Indian and Nepali cuisine. From Indian staples such as chicken tikka masala and lamb curry to Nepalese appetizers such as furaula (vegetable fritters) and cho-e-la (marinated duck), there are a variety of South Asian flavors. J L D $$

THE GREEK PLACE

EGGSPECTATION 923 Ellsworth Drive, 301-585-1700, eggspectation. com. This Canadian import features fresh and creative egg plates in an elegant yet casual dining room complete with a fireplace and colorful Harlequin-themed art. It also serves great salads, dinners and dessert.

B L D $$

8417 Georgia Ave., 301-495-2912, thegreekplace. net. Here are big portions of better-than-average food at reasonable prices. The bifteki pita sandwich, a seasoned ground lamb and beef patty with tzatziki, tomatoes and red onions, is especially good. L D $

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dine GUSTO FARM TO STREET 8512 Fenton St., 301-565-2800, eatgusto.com.

See Bethesda listing. ❂ J L D $

ITALIAN KITCHEN 8201 Fenton St., 301-588-7800, italiankitchenmd. com. Casual, attractive pizzeria with bar seating also turns out homemade sandwiches, calzones, salads and pasta dishes. L D $

JEWEL OF INDIA 10151 New Hampshire Ave., 301-408-2200, jewelofindiamd.com. Elegant décor and excellent northern Indian cuisine make this shopping center restaurant a real find. Diners will find a good selection of curries, and rice and biryani dishes.

L D $$

KAO THAI 8650 Colesville Road, 301-495-1234, kaothai restaurant.com. This restaurant turns out top-notch curries, noodle dishes and vegetarian options, plus house specialties, such as Siam Salmon with Spicy Thai Basil Sauce and Thai Chili Tilapia. Dishes are cooked medium spicy. L D $$

LA CASITA PUPUSERIA & MARKET 8214 Piney Branch Road, 301-588-6656, lacasita pupusas.com. Homemade pupusas, tamales and other Salvadoran specialties are available, plus a full breakfast menu and a small selection of grocery items. B L D $

LA MALINCHE 8622 Colesville Road, 301-562-8622, lamalinche tapas.com. Diners will find an interesting selection of Spanish and Mexican tapas, plus a full Saturday and Sunday brunch featuring huevos rancheros, variations of tortillas Espanola and more.

R L D $$

LANGANO ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT 8305 Georgia Ave., 301-563-6700, langano restaurant.com. Named for the popular Ethiopian vacation spot, Lake Langano, this longtime restaurant offers fine Ethiopian cuisine such as doro wat (spicy chicken stew) and tibs (stewed meat) in a cozy white- and red-accented dining room. Lunch specials on weekdays. L D $

LEBTAV 8535 Fenton St., 301-588-1192, lebanesetaverna.

LD$ com. See Rockville listing.

LOCAVINO (NEW) 8519 Fenton St., 301-448-1819, locavino.com. In the space that overlooks Veterans Plaza and that once housed Adega Wine Cellars & Cafe, this wine bar focuses on local wines and beer but includes offerings from other regions. Salads, burgers, sandwiches, pasta and flatbreads fill the menu.

LD$

LUCY ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT 8301 Georgia Ave., 301-589-6700. See Bethesda listing. L D $

MAMMA LUCIA 1302 East West Highway, 301-562-0693, mammaluciarestaurants.com. See Bethesda listing.

L D $$

MANDALAY RESTAURANT & CAFÉ 930 Bonifant St., 301-585-0500, mandalay restaurantcafe.com. The modest dining room is packed most evenings with families and large groups who come for the Burmese food, a cross between Indian and Thai. L D $

306

MATCHBOX 919 Ellsworth Drive, 240-247-8969, matchboxrestaurants.com. See Rockville listing.

J R L D $$

MCGINTY’S PUBLIC HOUSE 911 Ellsworth Drive, 301-587-1270, mcgintys publichouse.com. Traditional Irish pub and restaurant features corned beef and cabbage, live music and dancing. Early-bird special, three-course menu for $15, from 5 to 7 p.m.

J R L D $$

MELEKET 1907 Seminary Road, 301-755-5768, meleketrestaurant.com. This family-owned, Ethiopian-Italian restaurant serves classic vegetarian, beef and chicken Ethiopian plates, alongside Italian entrées such as pesto pasta with chicken. For breakfast, try a traditional Ethiopian dish of kinche (a buttery grain porridge) or firfir (bread mixed with vegetables in a red pepper sauce). B L D $

MI RANCHO 8701 Ramsey Ave., 301-588-4872, miranchomd.com. You'll find a boisterous party atmosphere every night at a place where customers can count on standard Tex-Mex fare at good prices. The outdoor patio, strung with colorful lights, is the place to be in nice weather.

LD$

MIX BAR & GRILLE 8241 Georgia Ave., #200, 301-326-1333. Modern American bistro with charcuterie and cheese plates, brick-oven flatbreads, ceviche and other light fare.

Look for lots of wines by the glass and beers on tap.

J R L D $$

MOD PIZZA 909 Ellsworth Drive, 240-485-1570, modpizza.com.

LD$ See North Potomac/Gaithersburg listing.

MRS. K’S RESTAURANT 9201 Colesville Road, 301-589-3500, mrsks.com.

Here’s an elegant, antique-filled option for special occasions and brunch. This historic restaurant beckons a younger crowd with the Wine Press, a European-style wine bar downstairs, which has its own more casual menu.

R L D $$$

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE'S 8661 Colesville Road, 240-839-3400, notyouraveragejoes.com. See Bethesda listing.

J L D $$

OLAZZO (EDITORS’ PICK) 8235 Georgia Ave., 301-588-2540, olazzo.com. See Bethesda listing. J L D $

PACCI’S TRATTORIA & PASTICCERIA 6 Old Post Office Road, 301-588-0867, paccis trattoria.com. Diners will find a range of classic Italian dishes, including homemade meatballs and sausage. L D $$

PARKWAY DELI & RESTAURANT 8317 Grubb Road, 301-587-1427, theparkway deli.com. Parkway features a bustling back dining room that makes this popular spot so much more than a deli. Longtime waitresses greet regular customers and kids with hugs during busy weekend breakfasts. All-you-can-eat pickle bar. B L D $

PHO HIEP HOA 921-G Ellsworth Drive, 301-588-5808, phohiephoa. com. Seventeen kinds of Vietnamese soup called pho can be customized to taste in this upbeat restaurant overlooking the action in the downtown area. L D $

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

PHO TAN VINH 8705-A Colesville Road, 301-588-8188, photanvinh. com. A family-owned Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Tan Vinh was opened in 2014 by Tiffany Chu, who sought the traditional food she ate in her youth.

She and her chef mother serve emergent classics such as pho and put their own spin on items such as the Tan Vinh special, a “deconstructed” banh mi sandwich. L D $

PLNT BURGER (NEW) 833 Wayne Ave. (Whole Foods Market), 301-6089373, plntburger.com. This vegan fast-casual eatery within Whole Foods Market serves cooked-to-order plant-based Beyond Meat burgers, fries and softserve dairy-free ice cream.

JLD$

PORT-AU-PRINCE AUTHENTIC HAITIAN CUISINE 7912 Georgia Ave., 301-565-2006, paphaitiancuisine.com. The eatery serves a small menu of Haitian fare: five appetizers, five entrées (plus an entrée salad) and two desserts. Chicken wings, fritters, whole red snapper, fried turkey and legume casserole are among the highlights. A Sunday brunch buffet draws crowds. R D $$

QUARRY HOUSE TAVERN (EDITORS’ PICK) 8401 Georgia Ave., 301-844-5380, facebook. com/quarryhouse. Closed for nearly three years after a fire, this basement-level dive bar reopened in its original space. The inside holds the same 1930s-era feel as the original bar, and burgers and Tater Tots are still on the menu. D $

SAMANTHA’S 631 University Blvd. East, 301-445-7300, samanthasrestaurante.com. This white-tablecloth, Latin-Salvadoran spot in an industrial neighborhood is popular because of its welcoming attitude toward families with young children. The steak and fish specialties are good. L D $$

SERGIOS RISTORANTE ITALIANO 8727 Colesville Road, 301-585-1040. A classic red-sauce Italian restaurant that manages to feel special, with soothing wall murals and high-quality service, despite a basement location inside the DoubleTree Hotel. Ravioli with asparagus and cheese in a tarragon sauce is popular. L D $$

SILVER STRINGS (NEW) 8630 Colesville Road, 301-587-0596. Serving classic American food in downtown Silver Spring, this spot features live music in the evenings by mostly jazz, blues and classic rock musicians.

L D $$

SLIGO PIT BBQ 9701 Sligo Creek Parkway (Sligo Creek Golf Course), 301-585-9511, sligopit.com. This opento-anyone spot at Sligo Creek Golf Course serves meats—turkey, pork, brisket and chicken—cooked in wood-fired smokers. Burgers, hot dogs, classic sides and beer are available.

J B L D $$

THE SOCIETY RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 8229 Georgia Ave., 301-565-8864, societyss. com. A sleek and modern atmosphere catering to a nightlife crowd, Society offers fare with a Caribbean accent. Check out the rooftop seating and daily drink specials, which include $25 beer buckets.

L D $$

SUSHI JIN NEXT DOOR 8555 Fenton St., 301-608-0990, sushijinnextdoor. com. The eatery is spare, clean and modern, and offers terrific udon noodle soup and impeccable raw fish. Choose from 11 appetizers and seven soups and salads. L D $$

SWEETGREEN 8517 Georgia Ave., 301-244-5402, sweetgreen. com. See Bethesda listing. L D $

TACOS, TORTAS & TEQUILA 8407 Ramsey Ave., 301-755-6132. Also called TTT, this first-floor fast-casual spot is below its fancier sister restaurant, Buena Vida. The focus is on quesadillas, tortas and tacos—carne asada, garlic shrimp and house-made chorizo among them.

There’s a full-service bar and an outdoor patio.

BLD$

TASTEE DINER 8601 Cameron St., 301-589-8171, tasteediner. com. See Bethesda listing. J B L D $

THAI AT SILVER SPRING 921-E Ellsworth Drive, 301-650-0666, thaiatsilver spring.com. The Americanized Thai food is second to the location, which is superb for people-watching on the street below. A modern and stylish dining room with a hip bar in bold colors and good service add to the appeal. L D $$

URBAN BAR-B-QUE COMPANY 10163 New Hampshire Ave., 301-434-7427, urban bbqco.com. See Rockville listing. L D $

URBAN BUTCHER (EDITORS’ PICK) 8226 Georgia Ave., 301-585-5800, urbanbutcher. com. Hip, eclectic setting is the backdrop for this New Age steak house, with its home-cured salamis, sausages and other charcuterie, plus meat dishes made from local animals of yesteryear breeds.

There’s a lounge, bar, meat curing room, retail counter and dining area. Voted “Best Restaurant in Silver Spring” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018 and 2019. R D $$

URBAN WINERY 949 Bonifant St., 301-585-4100, theurbanwinery. com. This tasting facility offers craft wines made with local and international grapes, and customers can even create their own wines (by appointment).

Light menu includes artisan cheese, charcuterie and smoked seafood platters, plus Greek mezze. D $

VEGETABLE GARDEN 3830 International Drive (Leisure World Plaza), 301598-6868, vegetablegarden.com. The popular vegan, vegetarian and macrobiotic Asian restaurant features a wide variety of eggplant and asparagus dishes, plus vegetarian “beef,” and “chicken” dishes often made with soy and wheat gluten. L D $$

VICINO RISTORANTE ITALIANO 959 Sligo Ave., 301-588-3372, vicinoitaliano.com.

A favorite neighborhood red-sauce joint that hasn’t changed in decades, Vicino features some fine seafood choices in addition to classic pasta dishes.

Families are welcome. L D $$

UPPER NW D.C. THE AVENUE 5540 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-244-4567, theavenuedc.com. A family-friendly neighborhood restaurant and bar with dishes such as crab pasta, poutine, burgers and baby back ribs. Fun décor includes classic posters and a giant magnetic scrabble board. J B L D $$

BLUE 44 5507 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-362-2583, blue44dc.com. The menu features classic American

favorites infused with the flavors of Italy and France, including ratatouille, pork schnitzel and bouillabaisse. J R L D $$

BUCK’S FISHING AND CAMPING 5031 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-0777, bucksfishingandcamping.com. Diners can enjoy a seasonal menu that changes daily, and offers hip takes on comfort food such as roast chicken (locally raised) in an artsy-chic setting. D $$$

CAFÉ OF INDIA 4909 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-244-1395, cafeofindiadc.com. Here’s a cute corner café with two levels of dining and an extensive menu that includes vegetarian and tandoori entrées, dosas, L D $$ samosas, tikkas, curries and kabobs.

CAPITAL CRAB AND SEAFOOD CO. 5534 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-966-2722, capitalcrab.com. The owners of a food truck and catering business opened this Chevy Chase, D.C., restaurant. There’s a large patio for cracking crabs and eating classic crab house fare, including hush puppies, corn and coleslaw. Carryout with curbside pickup available.

D $$$

COMET PING PONG (EDITORS’ PICK) 5037 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-0404, cometpingpong.com. Landmark fun spot where you can play Ping-Pong or admire local art while you wait for your wood-fired pizza. Choose from more than 30 toppings to design your own pie. R L D $

DECARLO’S RESTAURANT 4822 Yuma St. NW, 202-363-4220, decarlosrestaurant.com. This is a family-owned neighborhood staple, with a traditional Italian menu and upscale/casual atmosphere. Signature dishes include agnolotti, veal scallopini, broiled salmon and hand-made pasta.

L D $$

GUAPO’S RESTAURANT 4515 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-686-3588, guaposrestaurant.com. See Bethesda listing.

R L D $$

I’M EDDIE CANO (EDITORS’ PICK) 5014 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-890-4995, imeddiecano.com. A play on the way “Americano” is pronounced, I’m Eddie Cano is an Italian joint with nostalgic 1970s-themed décor. The standouts on executive chef James Gee’s menu include fried zucchini, spaghetti and meatballs, spaghetti with clams, escarole salad and eggplant parmigiana.

D $$

JETTIES 5632 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-364-2465, jettiesdc.com. See Bethesda listing. J L D $

LE CHAT NOIR 4907 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-244-2044, lechatnoirrestaurant.com. This cute, cozy neighborhood bistro is run by French restaurateurs, who cook traditional fare such as steak frites, bouillabaisse and braised lamb cheeks. R L D $$

LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN 4874 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-459-9141, lepainquotidien.com. See Bethesda listing.

JBRLD$

LITTLE BEAST CAFÉ & BISTRO 5600 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-741-4599, littlebeastdc.com. At this dinner spot on the corner of McKinley Street NW, find pizza cooked in a woodburning oven, sharable dishes such as Brussels sprouts, and entrées such as lamb ragu. D $$

MACON BISTRO & LARDER (EDITORS’ PICK) 5520 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-248-7807, macon bistro.com. Southern and French cuisine converge at this airy, charming restaurant in the historic Chevy Chase Arcade. Appetizers include raclette and fried green tomatoes, and steak frites is offered alongside short ribs with grits for main courses.

Voted “Best Restaurant in Upper Northwest D.C.” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2018. R L D $$

MAGGIANO’S LITTLE ITALY 5333 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-966-5500, maggianos.com. The restaurant features oldstyle Italian fare that’s a favorite for large groups and private celebrations. Check out the signature flatbreads and specialty pastas, including lobster carbonara. J R L D $$

MASALA ART 4441-B Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-362-4441, masalaartdc.com. Here is fine Indian dining featuring tandoor-oven specialties and masterful Indian spicing. Start off by choosing from a selection of nine breads and 17 appetizers. L D $$

MILLIE’S (EDITORS’ PICK) 4866 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-733-5789, milliesdc.com. This eatery in the Spring Valley neighborhood may be from up north—it’s the second location of a popular Nantucket restaurant—but its flavors are distinctly south-of-the-border. The menu offers coastal takes on tacos, quesadillas and salads that are as summery as the bright, nautical décor of the dining room. Voted “Best Restaurant in Upper Northwest D.C.” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2019. J R L D $$

PARTHENON RESTAURANT 5510 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-966-7600, parthenon-restaurant.com. This is a neighborhood eatery taken up a couple notches, with an extensive menu full of authentic selections familiar and exotic, including avgolemono (egg/lemon soup), tzatziki, moussaka, dolmades and souvlaki.

L D $$

PETE’S NEW HAVEN STYLE APIZZA 4940 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-237-7383, petesapizza.com. The crunchy-crusted New Havenstyle pizzas can be topped with a choice of almost three dozen ingredients. There's also pasta, panini, salads and house-made desserts. J L D $

PIZZERIA PARADISO 4850 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-885-9101, eatyourpizza.com. An outpost of the small chain started by chef and owner Ruth Gresser, this Spring Valley spot has the same style of woodfired Neapolitan pizza as the original Paradiso that opened in D.C. in 1991. Try the Di Mare pizza, which has spicy garlic pesto, mussels, shrimp, spinach, red onions and Grana Padano cheese. L D $$

SATAY CLUB ASIAN RESTAURANT AND BAR 4654 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202-363-8888, asiansatayclub.com. The restaurant prides itself on providing a comfortable/casual setting with a menu that spans Japanese sushi, Chinese moo-shi vegetables, Thai curries and Vietnamese spring rolls. L D $

TARA THAI 4849 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-363-4141, tarathai.com. See Bethesda listing. L D $$

WAGSHAL’S RESTAURANT 4855 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202-363-5698, wagshals.com. Longtime popular deli expands grocery and carryout section, and adds a casual sit-down restaurant in the Spring Valley Shopping Center. Same high-quality fare, including the overstuffed sandwiches. L D $

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PHOTO BY LIZ LYNCH

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Candace Ourisman (left) and Ashley Bronczek started Secretly Gifting, a concierge service that specializes in custom and unusual gifts.

For more, turn the page.

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SHOP TALK

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The women behind a local business share tips for selecting just-right items for everyone on your list

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IN 2017, CANDACE OURISMAN of Bethesda and Ashley Bronczek of Washington, D.C., founded Secretly Gifting, a concierge service that specializes in custom and unusual gifts, after bonding over their shared knack for sussing out just the right item for any person or occasion.

“So much of our time was spent answering emails and Instagram messages from friends and strangers asking, ‘Where can I get this?’ ” Bronczek says. They realized it was time to turn their passion into a business.

In order to zero in on the perfect present, Ourisman and Bronczek learn about the recipient through a questionnaire or conversation with the gift-giver. Then they dip into their arsenal of ideas and leverage the relationships they’ve established with vendors to come up with two options for their clients to choose from. “Ninety-nine percent of the time we nail it on the first try,” Ourisman says, “but we always work with our clients until they’re

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100% happy.” We asked the duo to share their secrets for elevating your holiday giftgiving game.

IT REALLY IS THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS Ourisman: “I’ve lived in Bethesda for eight years now and seen the evolution of downtown Bethesda; as the city becomes more cosmopolitan, so does our clientele.

Bethesda residents are savvy, well-traveled and well-informed, [and] are looking for things that not everyone else has. It’s important to really understand what drives your gift recipient and what their passions are, what puts a smile on their face. We encourage our clients to give us the most random details about the person they’re buying for, because sometimes it’s the smallest details that are the key to the perfect gift.”

Bronczek: “And if you don’t know much about the person, bring something that you love [as a gift for them]; if you do know something about the person, bring

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Ashley Bronczek (left) and Candace Ourisman in their D.C. office

something that speaks to their passion or interest.”

SOME OF THEIR FAVORITES Bronczek: “One Love Organics’ heartshaped cleansing sponge from Follain [in Bethesda] is one of my go-to gifts for girlfriends. For an on-the-spot hostess gift, I like the Vinglacé wine chiller. And Blue House in Bethesda for a great selection of gifts for everyone... . I was just there last week to pick up a wedding gift, a baby gift and a gift for a college-bound student.”

Ourisman: “I love popping into Whyte House Monograms [in Chevy Chase] for personalized last-minute baby gifts. I also love the Terrain section in the new Anthropologie in Bethesda. They’ve got great plants and succulents, and also lovely sets of notebooks.”

STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD Ourisman: “You don’t want to be the 51st person showing up to a party with a bottle

PHOTO BY LIZ LYNCH

GIFTED GIVERS

BY ADRIENNE WICHARD-EDDS

COURTESY PHOTOS

of wine, unless it’s a truly thoughtful bottle that the host has a connection to—maybe from a place you traveled together.”

Bronczek: “Instead, you could bring cookies or a pie from Henry’s Sweet Retreat in downtown Bethesda, tied with a ribbon and a note that says you’re so sweet to host. Or afterward, you could send one of those little dinosaur planters from [D.C.- based floral delivery service] UrbanStems with a note that says thanks for a roaring good time!”

Ourisman: “We’re also not huge fans of gifting the Nest candle. It’s overdone.

I’d rather give a candle from Nightspace, or from this cheeky candle company out of Harlem [in New York] called 125 Collection. We also love Diptyque candles—the Baies scent is our fave.

We’re big believers in being able to reuse the vessel; when the candle is burned down, take a dull knife and scrape out the wax. You can mention this on the card, something like, Don’t forget, this container will be perfect for your makeup brushes once you’re done enjoying the candle!”

A MOST UNUSUAL REQUEST Bronczek: “For a client whose friend was having a double mastectomy, she wanted a custom cake made in the shape of two breasts delivered to her home, along with a cozy blanket and an at-home mani-pedi. Something comforting and uplifting to help her through recovery. The majority of our challenging requests, however, involve a tight turnaround on customized work. We did just [deliver] a custom bracelet for a client within a week—but we can do that because we have great relationships with our vendors, so they will bend over backwards for us. Plus, we drive all over the city at all hours to make sure our clients get their gifts on time.”

Secretly Gifting (secretlygifting.com) posts gift ideas and information on shopping events @secretlygifting on Instagram.

A few favorites from the owners of Secretly Gifting

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1. ZZ plant in jute pot, $78 at Terrain at Anthropologie & Co. (4801 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda; 240-345-9413; shopterrain.com) 2. Vinglacé wine chiller in copper, $89.95 at Nordstrom (Westfield Montgomery mall, Bethesda; 301-365-4111; nordstrom.com)

4. One Love Organics’ The Cleansing Sponge in rose clay, $10 at Follain (4810 Bethesda Ave., #24, Bethesda; 240-5342360; follain.com) 5. Diptyque Baies candle, $65 at Bluemercury (7105 Bethesda Lane, Bethesda; 301-986-0070; bluemercury.com)

3. The Rex with air plant from UrbanStems, $55 (855-614-2779; urbanstems.com/ products/the-rex-airplant)

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Wrap Like an Expert We asked Candace Ourisman and Ashley Bronczek, the owners of Secretly Gifting, how they make gifts look beautiful “Presentation is everything,” Bronczek says. “The wrapping can help elevate a gift, no matter what the price point. If you take the time to wrap something—even tying a ribbon around a pie with the card, or writing a personalized and hand-tied tag on a wine bottle—it doesn’t matter how much money you spend, it’s that you’ve taken the time to show that you care about them that speaks the loudest.”

“The trend of wrapping in gift bags robs the recipient of the tradition and joy of opening up a wrapped package,” Ourisman says. “Whenever possible, we try to create that experience for the recipient.”

Here are the duo’s tips for a perfectly prepped gift-wrapping station: Stock up on a half-dozen different rolls of wrapping paper: one for baby, one for wedding, a hostess/floral option, a plain or graphic black and white design (“that could be masculine or feminine depending on the ribbon,” Bronczek says) and two for holidays.

“I also look for a higher quality, thicker paper—the cheaper brands rip,” Bronczek says.

Keep a few spools of satin or grosgrain ribbon on hand: an all-purpose navy ribbon, one in dark green for men’s and holiday gifts, and a natural or burlap ribbon. “And I love a good neon ribbon for children’s gifts and summer gifts,” Ourisman says.

Matching the paper to the gift is a thoughtful detail—for example, wrapping a champagne bucket in champagne-themed paper.

If you’re going to give wine, invest in some custom-printed tags that you can slip over the neck of the bottle. And never put a gift tag or a sticker directly on the bottle of wine. “It makes things awkward when you serve it at a party,” Bronczek says.

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1. Prosecco wrapping paper, $9.95 at Paper Source (4805 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda; 301-215-9141; papersource.com)

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2. Gold and black marble foil wrapping paper, $4.95 at The Container Store (1601 Rockville Pike, Rockville; 301-770-4800; containerstore.com)

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4. Natural jute ribbon, $8.99 at The Container Store (1601 Rockville Pike, Rockville; 301-770-4800; containerstore.com)

COURTESY PHOTOS

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WEDDINGS

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BY LEIGH MCDONALD

A Smash Hit

PHOTO BY ALEXANDRIA FRIENDLY FOR FILLMANFOTO

The wedding of a CAVA co-founder included a choreographed dance, Shake Shack and the Greek custom of breaking plates THE COUPLE: Dimitri Moshovitis,

THEIR FIRST DATE: For their first of-

40, grew up in Darnestown and attended Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg. He is the executive chef and co-founder of CAVA, the restaurant group behind the Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant chain and several full-service restaurants. Donna Rismiller, 45, grew up in Silver Spring and graduated from Paint Branch High School in Burtonsville. Donna is an attorney and the founder of Rismiller Law Group in Rockville. They live in North Potomac.

ficial date in the fall of 2016, Dimitri surprised Donna with chocolates and two dozen white roses and hired a private driver to take them to dinner at Bourbon Steak in D.C. “Everything was—the word that comes to mind is—magical,” Donna says. “I probably won’t forget a moment of that, ever.” She says she appreciates all the time and effort Dimitri put into the date. “None of those frills were necessary,” she says. “I would have had the same feelings.” After a year of dating, the couple moved in together.

HOW THEY MET: Dimitri and Donna

THE PROPOSAL: “With my whole thing of going big or going home,” Dimitri says, “I decided this would not be one of those times.” He wanted to keep things simple.

“I had the ring for a while and just didn’t know how to ask. Then one night I said, ‘Tonight’s the night.’ ” In September 2017, the couple was having drinks on their patio. “He tells me he loves me and wants to spend the rest of his life with me and shows me the ring,” Donna says.

“I think my response was, ‘Is that thing real?’ The ring took my breath away.”

Donna remembers saying yes over and over again.

have mutual friends and knew of each other before meeting formally in 2014 at CAVA Mezze in Rockville. Donna was dining with friends when Dimitri came over to chat, as he often does with diners. The pair realized they had a lot in common, including kids from previous marriages. “We actually lived literally 1 mile away from each other,” Donna says. “That was pretty surprising to find out.” The two kept in touch and gradually grew closer.

When Dimitri found out Donna loves bubble gum machines, he delivered one to her door. “It was a pretty massive gesture,” Donna says. “He said to me, unabashedly, something like, ‘Go big or go home.’ ” Looking back, Dimitri admits he was starting to be interested in Donna romantically. “I had more feelings at that point than I had let on.”

THE WEDDING: The couple wed on July 21, 2018, at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. They had 160 guests.

GETTING IT RIGHT: Dimitri and Donna had previous weddings and knew exactly what they wanted this time

around. “Both of us actively participated in the planning of this,” Donna says.

“We were both the only people making the decisions.” They both say they still got wedding day jitters.

THE DRESS: Dimitri’s mother, Kiki Moshovitis, designed and hand-made Donna’s gown. Together they selected silk from G Street Fabrics in Rockville and ordered lace from a store in London. “The dress was more special than anything I could have dreamed of because she created it for me from a pile of fabric and string,” Donna says. Dimitri’s mom also made the flower girl dresses.

THE CEREMONY: Dimitri and Donna each have two children from their previous marriages and wanted them to be part of the wedding. During the ceremony, Dimitri, Donna and their children poured different colors of sand into a vase, symbolizing the creation of their family.

They let the kids choose their roles in the wedding—Dimitri’s daughter, then 9, decided to be a flower girl because she thought she’d get to wear a prettier dress than if she was a bridesmaid.

THE FOOD: “It was very important to me that it wasn’t your typical, generic, ‘Would you like chicken or beef or fish?’ type of thing,” Dimitri says. He collaborated with the Watergate Hotel’s chef to create the menu: charred asparagus salad and an entree of sous-vide rib eye cap with poached lobster, lobster tortel-

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lini, pomme puree and mushroom ragout. “I didn’t want to go the Mediterranean route because that was too obvious.” For dessert, the couple chose a cake with black frosting in honor of Dimitri’s favorite color.

THE RECEPTION: “I’ve been to one too many weddings...where they’ll sit down and eat, and then party, and then stop and do speeches, and then party again,” Dimitri says. To minimize the interruptions, the couple didn’t announce the cake cutting and had just one speech. Led

by Donna and her bridesmaids, female wedding guests performed a surprise choreographed dance to Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.” The bride wore custommade, blinged-out Converse sneakers for the performance. There was a band for the first part of the reception, then a DJ took over and played Greek music. Dimitri says there were two special stipulations in their contract with the hotel: a late-night delivery of Shake Shack burgers and fries, and smashing plates (a Greek custom intended to bring good luck). “The workers were sweeping up the plates as we were dancing,” Donna says. The couple had booked the ballroom until 11:30 p.m., but the party went well into the night.

THE HONEYMOON: The newlyweds

VENDORS: Cake and catering, The Watergate Hotel; florist, EDGE Floral Event Designers; hair and makeup, StyleMeBar (now closed); invitations, Lovepop; live music for the ceremony and reception, Andy Kushner Entertainment Design; photobooth, Unforgettable Events; photographer, FillmanFoto; programs, Minted; reception DJ, Fun Sounds Entertainment; videographer, Avail Visuals; wedding planner, The DC Event Planner.

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PHOTOS BY SARAH FILLMAN FOR FILLMANFOTO

spent a week in Paris. Neither had been there before. “We wanted to experience something new together,” Dimitri says.

They brought a padlock engraved with their names and wedding date to attach to Pont des Arts bridge, where couples have fastened locks as a sign of their love. But when they arrived, they discovered locks were no longer allowed. Instead, they threw theirs into the Seine River.

Weddings of the Year Coming January/February 2020 Issue

To learn about advertising in our Wedding Resource Guide, contact advertising@bethesdamagazine.com | 301-718-7787 ext. 220

etc.

GET AWAY

RETURN TO TRAVEL’S JET AGE THE TWA HOTEL, which incorporates the iconic former Trans World Airlines Flight Center at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, opened in May after a $265 million renovation and construction project inspired by the jet age and midcentury modern design. The hotel is 12 miles from midtown Manhattan and has quickly become a destination for aviation aficionados. Nods to the 1960s show up in red rotary phones, a sleek ’60s-inspired bar and a rooftop infinity pool that overlooks runways (and looks like one).

There’s also a jet age-themed minimuseum located primarily in the hotel’s lobby and created in partnership with the New-York Historical Society. Among other things, the museum showcases uniforms worn by TWA pilots and stewardesses. A vintage suitcase is packed with retro travel amenities, and at the end of the Howard Hughes hallway you can take a seat behind the desk of the onetime TWA owner.

Dining options include the Paris Café (for breakfast, lunch and dinner) and Lisbon Lounge. The Sunken Lounge—where crowds gathered in 1965 to watch the Beatles arrive—is the place for 1960s-inspired cocktails with swizzle sticks. Each of the hotel’s 512 retro guest rooms and suites features floor-to-ceiling windows designed to block out noise, midcentury modern Knoll furnishings, a stocked walnut and brushed-brass bar (charges apply) and a terrazzo-tiled bathroom. Rates begin at $209 per night.

The TWA Hotel, 6 Central Terminal Area, Jamaica, New York; 212-806-9000; twahotel.com.

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BY CHRISTINE KOUBEK

COURTESY OF TWA HOTEL/PHOTOS BY DAVID MITCHELL; COURTESY OF FOUR SEASONS HOTEL; COURTESY OF VIRGINIA WOMEN’S MONUMENT

SERENITY IN THE SKY THE NEW FOUR SEASONS Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center occupies the upper floors of the 10th tallest building in the U.S. Opened in August, the 180 elegant guest rooms and 39 suites are located on floors 48 to 56. All have sweeping views of the city through floor-to-ceiling windows; a flatscreen TV with access to more than 50,000 free movies and shows (searchable by voice remote); plus a well-stocked in-room bar (charges apply).

Michelin starred FrenchAmerican chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten leads the 59th floor Jean-Georges Philadelphia restaurant and the 60th floor JG SkyHigh cocktail bar—the two are joined by a staircase with waterfalls on either side, and share a soaring atrium with a mirrored ceiling.

Greg Vernick, a James Beard award-winning chef and former

student of Vongerichten’s, opened his latest restaurant, Vernick Fish, a modern American oyster bar, on the tower’s ground floor. One floor above, Vernick Coffee Bar offers drinks and unique treats. Try the butterfly pea flower matcha latte and carrot cake pie.

If you visit from Dec. 1 to 22, travel a few miles from the hotel to Fairmount Park for “A Very Philly Christmas.” Meander through six of the park’s historic 18th- and 19th-century houses, decked out for the holidays and offering music, holiday treats and crafts. Visit holidaysinthepark.com for special event dates, hours and details.

Rates at the Four Seasons begin at $625 per night.

Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center, 1 N. 19th St., Philadelphia; 215-419-5099; fourseasons.com/philadelphia.

Life-size statues of notable women from Virginia history before getting installed in an outdoor space in Richmond

A TRIBUTE TO TRAILBLAZING WOMEN THE NATION’S FIRST MONUMENT to celebrate a wide-range of achievements by women had its dedication ceremony in October in Richmond, Virginia. It’s called Voices from the Garden: The Virginia Women’s Monument and about half of the 12 bronze statues are completed, with the remainder targeted for 2020. The figures are located on a plaza in Capitol Square, along with a glass “Wall of Honor” that’s inscribed with the names of 230 notable Virginia women, including Patsy Cline and Pocahontas.

The life-size statues represent 400 years of Virginia history. The statues are positioned so you can sit beside or walk among them, connecting eye-toeye with Elizabeth Keckly, Mary Todd Lincoln’s dressmaker and confidante who helped establish the Contraband Relief Association to provide assistance for black refugees; Cockacoeske, leader of the Pamunkey tribe in the mid1600s; and Adèle Clark, suffragist and co-founder of the Atelier, a training ground for a generation of Virginia artists. Sarah G. Jones, one of the statues to come, was Virginia’s first female African American doctor.

Voices from the Garden: The Virginia Women’s Monument, Capitol Square at Ninth and Bank streets, Richmond; 804-786-1012; womensmonumentcom. virginia.gov.

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F

ABULOUS INDS Hunting for antiques on Maryland’s Eastern Shore

BY JENNIFER BARGER | PHOTOS BY STEPHEN WALKER

ENGLISH SETTLERS WERE LIVING, sailing and slurping oysters on the Eastern Shore of Maryland as early as the 1630s. Signs of those past lives dot the bucolic towns on the Chesapeake Bay’s Delmarva Peninsula, from the 1684 Third Haven Meeting House in Easton and the 1741 Pemberton Hall in Salisbury (now a museum) to rows of candy-colored Victorian cottages in St. Michaels.

Since it’s been occupied for so long, it’s not surprising that the area bustles with antiques stores, vintage shops and a well-known auction house. They’re all repositories for treasures and trinkets left behind or passed along. “It’s fun and

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relaxing to antique on the Eastern Shore, and I never know what I’ll find,” says Amber Petry, who lives in Washington, D.C. She furnished her weekend house on the Eastern Shore with used furniture and accessories from area shops.

“I’ve bought country chairs with slats and whitewashed tables. And if you want duck decoys, this is your place.”

Goods are often cheaper and more unusual than what you’ll find on the mainland, and there’s a nautical flair to many items. Here’s our guide on where and how to shop for furniture, jewelry and other treasures, plus tips on where to stay and eat along the way.

PHOTO CREDIT

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CRUMPTON

In the tiny town of Crumpton, Dixon’s Crumpton Auction (2017 Dudley Corners Road; 410-928-3006; crumpton auctions.com) sells about 600 items an hour most Wednesdays throughout the year. If you’ve bought a farm table or midcentury modern lamp at a D.C.area vintage shop, chances are it came from here. That’s because dealers up and down the East Coast snap up their stock at this auction. “I’ve purchased a lot of odd items there over the years,” says Pixie Windsor, the owner of Miss Pixie’s vintage shop in D.C. “I’ve found diaries, X-rays, paintings by known artists and a collection of over 500 ceramic frogs.” The family-run auction business started in 1961, and locals, dealers and newbies all come for shopping and a show.

On any given Wednesday, you might see 1930s dressers, midcentury modern leather chairs, 1960s jewelry worthy of a Mad Men outfit and deserthued Moroccan rugs on display inside and outside of the large barnlike structure. Auctioneers with microphones ride in golf carts or pushcarts, speaking in rapid, nearly musical phrases. It sounds like gibberish until your ears start decoding things.

To bid, you register in a small office and choose between concurrent auctions. In the back of the building, they’re selling off “smalls,” which, at a recent auction, ranged from a Ken dollsize statue of Christopher Columbus to

322

At Dixon’s Crumpton Auction, auctioneers ride around in carts while selling items.

The indoor and outdoor auctions take place on most Wednesdays.

enough vintage china to supply a dozen bistros. At the front of the warehouse and outside, there’s a mother lode of 19th- and 20th-century furniture.

And in the afternoon, there’s usually a jewelry auction. The prices? They can be downright cheap; I snagged a pair of midcentury modern metal lamps for $40 (similar items on eBay are $400) and a dramatic carnelian stone dragon ring for $50.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

Be prepared for heated bidding, with the pros communicating via nods and hand signals and at a rapid pace that could cause you to overpay or lose out on what you want. Still, Windsor says, “When first-timers bid and win the item, their friends and the crowd cheer. It’s a good-natured bunch.” And if competition makes you hungry, a Mennonite-run cafe on-site offers whoopie pies and good barbecue.

EASTON

Easton’s 19th-century red brick buildings and retro storefronts make a fitting setting for a handful of antiques shops.

Take Trumpeter Swan Antiques (35 E. Dover St.; 410-463-5805), where weathered nautical and sporting antiques include duck decoys, metal ammunition boxes and early 20th-century Outdoor Life magazines ($17 each), their covers decked with Hemingway-like fishermen and guys in safari clothes.

Nearby, Easton Antiques and Art Gallery (25 N. Harrison St.; 410-7639298) offers classic to quirky pieces such as a dark wood Federal bureau, an orange glass Aladdin brand lamp from the 1950s ($195) and an authentic black bear rug, faux eyes gleaming yellow. Under the same roof, The Modern Bulldog

(443-239-6668; themodernbulldog.net) traffics in midcentury modern cool.

Proprietor T.J. Hindman stocks groovy pieces such as a 5-foot-tall metal whisk ($595), rainbow-hued 1970s Heller plastic dinnerware ($250 for a set) and Eames chairs galore. “Customers either grew up with this stuff and want it back, or they’re millennials and the good design appeals to them,” Hindman says.

On the outskirts of town, dozens of dealers hawk wares at Foxwell’s antiques mall (7793 Ocean Gateway; 410-8209705). The clean, cavernous space is stuffed with items, including fab aqua Atomic-era cocktail glasses ($32 for eight), wing chairs in multiple styles (a child-size model is $350) and an outsize vintage books section.

ST. MICHAELS

French, English and Asian antiques fill the warehouse at The Gatz Home & Garden.

Bistros, ice cream shops and preppy dressed locals throng Talbot Street, the main drag of St. Michaels, the Eastern Shore’s tony, historic town on the Miles River. Antique and vintage stores shine, too, particularly estate jewelry temple Guilford & Co. (101 N. Talbot St.; 410-745-5544; guilfordandcompany. com), where gleaming glass cabinets hold baubles ranging from Edwardian sapphire engagement rings to chunky gold chains from the disco days (from about $1,400).

A few blocks away, weathered wooden floors and a blue antique French canoe summon a minimalist, seafaring vibe at the newish 1 O.A.K. (202B. S. Talbot St.; 410-745-8032). Finds range from a vintage pine “Rum Runner” sign ($250) and broken-in leather club chairs to a 1920s cedar dog carrier with a built-in

The Modern Bulldog stocks midcentury modern items.

water bowl ($1,900). “You could put glass on top for a cool coffee table,” owner Joe Morton says.

Other stops: the snug Antiques on Talbot (211 N. Talbot St.; 410-7455208), with vintage oyster cans ($25 and up), granny-chic china cups and duck decoys, and The Gatz Home & Garden (1210 S. Talbot St.; 410-745-3700; thegatz.com). The Gatz, a direct importer, stuffs a 30,000-square-foot warehouse with French, English and Asian antiques, including castle-size armoires, gilt-trimmed French bed frames and nearly life-size religious statues. A vibrantly painted, 5-foot-tall plaster figure of St. George slaying a dragon dates from the early 20th century; it would look regal in a great room or dining space.

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DRIVING RANGE

If you go WHERE TO EAT Bas Rouge Sophisticated European-meets-mid-Atlantic dishes—such as Maryland crab cabbage rolls and local tomato terrine—are served for lunch or in a prix fixe dinner in a whitetablecloth space with chandeliers.

19 Federal St., Easton; 410-822-1637; basrougeeaston.com Limoncello Blue-and-white tiles and bushels of faux lemons create a sunny vibe at this popular Italian trattoria, which serves panini, pastas and strong negronis. 200 S. Talbot St., St. Michaels; 410-745-3111; limoncellost michaels.com Scottish Highland Creamery At this wee local dessert favorite just off the water, traditional and unusual ice cream flavors (“Italian Lemon Cookie,” “Banoffee Pie”) headline.

314 Tilghman St., Oxford; 410-924-6298; scottishhighlandcreamery.com

WHERE TO SLEEP Bartlett Pear Inn This 1790 beauty in downtown Easton features seven rooms with colorful walls and plush furniture, each named for a different type of pear. Ask for the Bosc suite with its cozy working fireplace. Breakfasts here are homemade and focus on local ingredients.

Rates begin at $149 a night.

28 S. Harrison St., Easton; 410-770-3300; bartlettpearinn.com Inn at Perry Cabin You’ll pay a premium to stay at this luxurious waterside inn with four restaurants, a spa, a pool, tennis and golf. But the scenic grounds, coastal-chic rooms (many with views) and pampering might be worth it. Rates begin at $333 a night. 308 Watkins Lane, St. Michaels; 410-745-2200; innatperrycabin.com Wylder Hotel Tilghman Island On 9 waterfront acres, find beachy rooms, a saltwater pool and on-site restaurants Tickler’s Crab Shack and Bar Mumbo. Bocce courts and kayaks add to the outdoorsy appeal. Rates begin at $116 a night. 21551 Chesapeake House Drive, Tilghman; 877-8181922; wylderhoteltilghmanisland.com

T at The General Store In a vintage country storefront, local ingredients are transformed into weekend brunch fare, happy hour snacks and inventive dinner dishes (think Nutella French toast or chai tea-rubbed roast chicken). There’s also an extensive tea menu and long wine list.

25942 Royal Oak Road, Easton; 410-7458402; tatthegeneralstore.com Two If By Sea This breakfast and lunch favorite slings hearty fare, including eggs Benedict with fried chicken and a Chesapeake burger, aka a beef patty topped with crab.

5776 Tilghman Island Road, Tilghman; 410886-2447; twoifbysearestaurant.com

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Ice cream flavors at Scottish Highland Creamery include “Italian Lemon Cookie” and “Banoffee Pie.”

Chairs are displayed on the wall at Oak Creek Sales.

ROYAL OAK

At eclectic, shabby chic Oak Creek Sales (25939 Royal Oak Road; 410-745-3193; oakcreeksales.com), dozens of old wooden chairs are suspended from the roof and walls of a barn that’s seemingly overseen by a cowboy hat-wearing mannequin.

The multibuilding, crammed-to-therafters vintage store offers up rusty garden urns, 1950s lamps, and old tomes like the unmissable Giant Book of Snakes. “Anything fun, funky or unusual will sell,” says Julie Andrews, the store’s buyer. “Plus, people love anything nautical—ship wheels, mermaids, paintings of boats.” Just expect to dig around a bit.

TILGHMAN ISLAND

Over a drawbridge 11 miles southwest of St. Michaels, sleepy Tilghman Island feels like a place to curl up with a good read, maybe on a hammock or in a deck chair. Good thing that new and used volumes pack Crawfords Nautical Books (5782 Tilghman Island Road; 410-886-2230;

crawfordsnautical.com), a smallish, circa-1918 red brick bank building with a tin ceiling. “People ride their bikes here and stop for a novel or history book,” says Susan Crawford, who owns the shop with her husband, Gary. They’re offering about 9,000 volumes on sailing, fishing and

naval history, plus modern fiction.

On a recent browse, interesting titles included Basil Lubbock’s 1921 The Colonial Clippers and a 1969 guide to canoe camping with a cryptic inscription that reads: “To Tim, in memory of a wild canoe trip and a great weekend, Sherry, 4/23/77.”

Jennifer Barger lives in Washington, D.C., and is a design, travel and lifestyle writer. She’s on Twitter and Instagram @dcjnell.

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Extraordinary Environment for Learning

School Drop-in Tours

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Admission Open House Sat., Jan. 11 | 1 to 3:30 pm Montessori 12 mos. - Grade 5

The Power of Project-Based Learning Grades 6-12

RSVP Today! admission@barrie.org or 301.576.2800

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13500 Layhill Road • Silver Spring, MD Minutes from the ICC & Glenmont Metro Bus Transportation & Extended Day Available

The Nora School

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A Good Fit Is Everything A Good Fit is Comfortable

When you're a college prep student, “comfortable” isn't often the first word that comes to mind. With 12 or fewer students in a class, there’s time to question, probe, explore, clarify, and even laugh.

A Good Fit Makes Sense

When you're a college prep student, dealing with with a “system” can make school feel meaningless. We help students make connections - we teach to the “why.” Work is meaningful, and connected to life. Students who have lost motivation, or have found school frustrating, find at Nora a real school that makes sense.

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Potomac, Maryland 240.395.0698 admission@mcleanschool.org

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PETS

BY SETOTA HAILEMARIAM

ON THE SCENT IN MANY WAYS, TRAVIS acts much like an ordinary dog—he plays fetch, runs around with other canines, and enjoys lying in the sun. But the bloodhound also has a job to do: As a trailing dog in the K-9 unit of the Montgomery County Police Department, he follows human scents to help find missing people.

Three-year-old Travis came to the police department from a breeder in Alabama when he was 12 weeks old. All K-9 unit dogs live with their handlers, so Travis moved into the Damascus home of police Officer John Greene, who says Travis became “part of the family.”

Greene trained Travis with the help of his two now-grown daughters who lived at home at the time, and he was certified as 334

a trailing dog when he was around age 2.

Travis, who weighs about 100 pounds, is the only bloodhound in the police department’s search operations unit, though another hound is set to join him this fall, according to police. There are 21 handlers in the K-9 unit and some work with more than one dog. In addition to Travis, the unit includes patrol dogs and dogs that are cross-trained for detecting narcotics and explosives.

Travis’ training included playing games that strengthen and refine the bloodhound’s natural skills, according to Greene. Trailing dogs differ from tracking dogs in that trailing dogs follow a specific scent, while tracking dogs follow someone through an area, he says.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2019 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

“You’re sort of focusing a lot on hideand-seek-type games where the dog is rewarded for using his nose to follow the scent and find the person who then rewards them,” he says. As the dog gets older, “you start adding complexities to that—turns, time delays, distance—but it remains a game in the dog’s mind.”

Police bloodhounds are trained to pick up a scent from personal articles collected from a missing person. Bed linens and clothing are used most often, as well as pieces of gauze containing scents collected from a steering wheel or a vehicle headrest. “We take the dog to the area where the person was last seen, we let the dog walk around and kind of explore for a few minutes, and then we

PHOTOS BY LIZ LYNCH

For Travis the bloodhound, working with Montgomery County police is more than fun and games

PHOTOS BY LIZ LYNCH

A trailing dog in the K-9 unit of the Montgomery County police, Travis is trained to follow human scents to find missing people. The 3-year-old bloodhound—pictured with his handler, Officer John Greene—came to the police department when he was 12 weeks old.

present them with that scent, and then it’s off to the races,” Greene says. “They experience smells like we see words.”

K-9 unit dogs are also trained from a young age to adjust to various situations they might encounter, such as areas with people, traffic and loud noises. When Travis was younger, Greene says he would take the dog to places like Home Depot and Great Falls in the C&O Canal National Historical Park so he could get used to the noise made by machines and the crowds he might encounter while trailing a scent.

Greene says trailing dogs can help determine the direction a missing person was headed and eliminate areas where searchers think the person may have traveled. “Think of the dog as being our GPS,” he says.

In one notable case, Travis searched for the father of another county police officer, according to Greene. The man, who was in his 70s and had dementia, went missing from a nursing home in Wheaton in 2018. After getting the man’s scent from his pillowcase, Travis picked up a trail along nearby Bel Pre Road. Patrol officers searching that area found the man, who was uninjured, a mile from the nursing home.

Travis is expected to be able to work for another five years or so—most bloodhounds retire by age 9 after showing physical signs of aging that can also cause them to lose interest in the job.

When Travis isn’t searching for missing people, he helps the department connect with county residents. Greene says he often takes Travis to community outreach events where they demonstrate his skills and children can hug and pet him. “He is a big, lovable dog,” Greene says. “He is probably one of the friendliest dogs you could imagine.”

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etc.

What should have been a relatively easy shoot at ClimbZone Laurel (“Make It to the Top,” page 30) left photographer Skip Brown in pain. As he photographed 7-year-old Alex Watson reaching the top of a wall at the indoor rock climbing center, he found himself trying not to fall. The auto-belay system at ClimbZone is designed so that if climbers fall, they are slowly released to the ground. “There was no way that I could tie off and just dangle comfortably with my camera gear,” Brown says.

“When I topped out on my own route and waited for Alex to climb up, I was holding on desperately with one hand while shooting with the other. It turned into one of the more physically demanding shoots I’ve had in a while. It’s not so easy hanging off a wall with only one hand and a toehold while leaning out into space for a good photo angle.”

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PHOTO BY SKIP BROWN

OUTTAKES

THE ALL-NEW Acura TLX S-Type Concept made it’s debut in Pebble Beach!

Stay tuned.

Proud to be Maryland’s #1 New Acura Dealer!

Number one Acura Dealer in Maryland based on AHM new Acura volume sales for 2018.

“We make friends through sales...and keep them through service!”

7725 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda 301-656-9200 www.ChevyChaseAcura.com

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YOU ALWAYS KNOW A STUART KITCHEN. SINCE 1955, WE’VE BEEN FIRST CHOICE FOR THE BEST KITCHEN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. COME VISIT OUR SHOWROOMS. EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR THE ROOM YOU’LL LOVE THE MOST IS HERE IN ONE PLACE. AND, YOU’LL UNDERSTAND WHY SO MANY PEOPLE SAY, “NOTHING ADDS MORE VALUE TO YOUR HOME.”

BETHESDA SHOWROOM AT 8203 WISCONSIN AVE. 240-223-0875 ANNAPOLIS SHOWROOM 2335B FOREST DR. 410-761-5700 WWW.STUARTKITCHENS.COM