WISDOM MARTIN 30 YEARS OF NEWS, FAMILY & FAITH LIFE + CULTURE
KELLY TOWLES TURNS CITY WALLS INTO CULTURAL LANDMARKS ARTS + CULTURE
THE BEST OUTDOOR SPOTS AND EVENTS NEAR GAITHERSBURG THIS JUNE ENTERTAINMENT
The Gentleman’s Issue
June has always felt like a month of abundance. Long days, open windows, and the kind of warmth that invites you to slow down and take stock of what matters most. And this year, we're leaning into that feeling with everything we've got.
We open this issue honoring the fathers and father figures who shape us in ways we don't always have words for. The men who show up quietly, consistently, and with purpose, passing down not just lessons, but character. That spirit of legacy runs through every page of our June issue, and it starts with our cover story.
Passing it On introduces you to Wisdom Martin, Emmy-winning journalist, WUSA 9 morning anchor, author, and one of the DMV's most trusted voices. Wisdom's story is, at its core, a father's story. It's about what you carry forward, what you build, and who you become when the values instilled in you finally have room to grow. We think you'll find his journey as inspiring as we did.
Beyond the cover, this issue is rich with the spirit of the season. Culture, Community, and a Limitless Canvas reminds us that creativity thrives when we invest in the spaces around us. Nature in Our Backyards invites us outside, because June deserves to be experienced, not just observed. And Around Town has everything you need to make the most of the month ahead.
However you're spending this June, celebrating a dad, being one, or simply savoring the season, we hope this issue gives you something to feel, something to do, and someone to call.
With gratitude,
ANICIA JUAREZ, PUBLICATION DIRECTOR @GAITHERSBURGCITYLIFESTYLE
June 2026
PUBLISHER
Adam Taylor | adam.taylor@citylifestyle.com
PUBLICATION DIRECTOR
Anicia Juarez | anicia.juarez@citylifestyle.com
MANAGING EDITOR
KC Cole | kc.cole@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
David Robert Lambert, Deborah Blumberg
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Dr. Ceylon Mitchell, M3 Mitchell Media
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
CoS Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Zach Miller
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kirstan Lanier
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Marina Campbell
Treating Your Pets Like Our Own.
Compassionate Care for Pets, Trusted by Families
At Best Friends Veterinary Hospital, we believe pets are family. Our mission is to provide compassionate, high-quality veterinary care tailored to meet the unique needs of every pet. Located in the heart of Gaithersburg, MD, we proudly serve local pet owners with comprehensive medical services for dogs, cats, and exotic animals — including pocket pets, reptiles, and birds.
Wellness Exams & Preventive Care | Vaccinations & Parasite Prevention | Puppy & Kitten Care
Senior Pet Care | In-House Laboratory Testing | Digital X-Rays & Ultrasound
Dental Exams & Professional Cleanings | Soft Tissue & Orthopedic Surgery | Spay & Neuter Procedures Microchipping | Pain Management & Laser Therapy | Allergy & Dermatology Care
Internal Medicine & Chronic Disease Management | Nutritional Counseling & Prescription Diets Boarding & Day Care | Same-Day & Drop-Off Appointments | Exotic Pet Medicine & Surgery
Schedule your pet’s visit today & experience the compassionate care your best friend deserves at Best Friends Veterinary Hospital.
PRECISION MEDICINE FOR MEN WHO EXPECT MORE
At Osteopathic Center for Healing in Rockville, we specialize in helping high-performing men restore energy, sharpen focus, and extend longevity through personalized, data-driven care.
We combine advanced PEPTIDE THERAPY, HORMONE OPTIMIZATION & REGENERATIVE MEDICINE to accelerate recovery, support long-term vitality and keep the your edge. We help you perform at your best, longer.
Jennifer Gularson, PA-C, IFMCP
AROUND TOWN
Your Guide to All Things June in the Area
ARTICLE BY BIANCA BAIN VILLEGAS
PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL
The National Mall
March – November
For the U.S. semi-quincentennial in 2026, the Smithsonian expands beyond the Mall with “Of the People: The Smithsonian Festival of Festivals.” Spanning March through November, the initiative partners with nearly 40 festivals nationwide, with programming at the National Museum of American History, Anacostia Community Museum, and a Folklife Marketplace at the Arts + Industries Building. festival.si.edu
TEACH GIVE INSPIRE FRIDAYS
TPC at Avenel Farm, Potomac
June 5 | 9:30 AM – 12 NOON
Begin summer with intention at TGIF. Centered on the theme “Step Into Your Power: Own Your Voice, Story and Purpose,” this morning gathering invites connection, clarity, and renewed perspective across both work and life. eventbrite.com
BETHESDA URBAN PARTNERSHIP SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
Corner of Norfolk & St. Elmo Ave
Every Friday All Summer | 6 PM – 8 PM
A seasonal favorite returns with live music each Friday evening through September 18, bringing an effortless rhythm to downtown Bethesda’s open-air setting. bethesda.org
BSO @ MUSIC CENTER AT STRATHMORE
5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda
June 6 | 8 PM
Music Director Jonathon Heyward leads an inspired program featuring Shostakovich’s Festive Overture, a world premiere by Billy Childs with Demarre and Anthony McGill, and Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 3. my.bso.org
DC/DOX FILM FESTIVAL
Various venues across Washington, DC
June 11 – 14
Four days of compelling documentary storytelling unfold across the District, with screenings and conversations hosted at leading cultural
institutions including the National Archives and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. dcdoxfest.com
BSO @ MUSIC CENTER AT STRATHMORE
5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda
June 12 | 7 PM
Verdi’s Rigoletto closes the BSO season in a powerful in-concert presentation, featuring a distinguished cast and the Washington Chorus in a sweeping tale of love, betrayal, and vengeance. my.bso.org
UFC FREEDOM 250 (TOPURIA VS GAETHJE)
The White House, South Lawn
June 14 | 7 PM
Marking the nation’s 250th anniversary, this landmark UFC event pairs elite competition with cinematic storytelling. Weigh-ins are expected at the Lincoln Memorial on June 12. Ticketed event with live broadcast on Paramount+.ufc.com
SMITHSONIAN SOLSTICE SATURDAY
Various Smithsonian Museums
June 18 – 21
Celebrate the first weekend of summer
with extended hours, performances, and special programming across Smithsonian institutions, offering rare after-hours access. Free admission. si.edu
HOME RULE MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Parks at Walter Reed
June 20
A celebration of DC’s music and cultural identity, the festival highlights emerging talent through a Youth Showcase alongside a full day of live performances. homerulemusicfestival.com
FÊTE DE LA MUSIQUE –WORLD MUSIC DAY
Throughout Georgetown and at La Maison Français
June 21 | 3 PM – 7 PM & 6 PM – 10 PM
Georgetown hosts its lively edition of the global music celebration, featuring genres from jazz to bluegrass across multiple stages, including the French Embassy. georgetowndcmusic.com
NATIONAL YOGA DAY
The Yards DC
June 21 | 8 AM
An open-air, all-levels yoga session at The Sundeck invites participants to begin the day with movement
and mindfulness. Bring a mat and water. theyardsdc.com
WORLD REFUGEE DAY: AN EVENING OF SOLIDARITY
Mindspace, 1301 K St NW
June 24 | 6 PM – 8:30 PM
An immersive evening of storytelling and connection brings together voices and supporters to reflect on journeys of resilience and rebuilding. unrefugees.org
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MUSEUM OF EXPLORATION
OFFICIAL OPENING
1600 M St NW | June 26
A new immersive destination opens, blending innovation, photography, and storytelling to illuminate the wonders of the natural world. moe.nationalgeographic.org
GIANT NATIONAL CAPITAL BARBECUE BATTLE
Pennsylvania Ave NW between 3rd and 7th Streets | June 27 – 28
Pitmasters and local chefs transform Pennsylvania Avenue into a lively culinary showcase, complete with tastings, demonstrations, and live music. bbqindc.com
JAZZ IN THE GARDEN
National Gallery of Art, Sculpture Garden, 6th St & Constitution Ave Fridays through July | 6 PM – 8:30 PM
An iconic summer tradition, this openair series pairs live jazz with the serene setting of the Sculpture Garden. Entry is free via lottery. nga.com
ADAM PENDLETON: LOVE, QUEEN Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, Independence Ave & 7th St NW
Through Jan. 3, 2027 | 10 AM – 5:30 PM
Pendleton’s first solo presentation at the Hirshhorn showcases paintings and video works that reflect his influence on contemporary American art. Free admission. si.edu
INSIGHT: PHOTOS AND STORIES FROM THE ARCHIVES
National Museum of the American Indian, 4th St & Independence Ave SW
Ongoing | Museum Hours
Drawn from an archive of more than 500,000 images, this exhibition offers a rare and intimate look into Indigenous lives across the Western Hemisphere. si.edu
WHERE FUTURE LEADERS
Rockville Soccer Club invites your family to be part of the excitement right here at home. As the world turns to soccer’s biggest stage, Rockville Soccer Club develops players from first touch to future champion levels—building confidence, discipline, and leadership along the way.
• Professional coaching & competitive pathways
• Development for beginners through elite players
• Ages 5–19 programs designed for every stage
• A strong, inclusive community rooted in growth
• College & advanced development pathways for dedicated athletes
Inspiration for your best local life.
Exclusive giveaways.
Hidden gem alert!
Good news in your neighborhood.
Local content by local creators.
Inside scoop on all things local.
Locally-inspired
PASSING IT ON
Wisdom Martin’s career is built on family, faith, and telling the stories that matter
ARTICLE BY DEBORAH BLUMBERG PHOTOGRAPHY
BY DR. CEYLON MITCHELL, M3 MITCHELL MEDIA
The sunshine yellow 1970 Cutlass 442 convertible on the cover of this issue belonged to Wisdom Martin’s late father. Martin has been restoring it himself — new engine and all — and when you see him leaning against it, you understand immediately that this isn’t just a car. It’s the whole story: what gets handed down, what you carry forward, and what you eventually pass along to someone else.
Photo by: Dr. Ceylon Mitchell, M3 Mitchell Media
As a child, Wisdom Martin absorbed every note of the beloved Christian gospel hymn his mother, Shirley, sang at home: “If I can help somebody as I pass along, then my living shall not be in vain.” That guiding sentiment has shaped the Emmy-winning journalist throughout his 30-year career, including 23 years covering the DMV.
As a friendly face and trusted guide on the early morning airwaves, Martin has reported on some of the area’s highest-profile stories. He covered how former D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams brought a major league baseball team to the nation’s capital in the 2000s and reported on Michael Jordan’s final home game in D.C.
For the last three years, he’s served as co-anchor on the WUSA 9 morning show, airing weekdays from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. Martin also hosts “Commanders Kickoff,” the station’s weekly Washington Commanders pregame show. On his streaming show, “A Moment of Wisdom” on WUSA9plus, he sits down with celebrities including actor Kevin Bacon, singer Kevin Ross, and costume designer Ruth E. Carter, the first Black woman to win an Oscar for costume design.
“Meeting so many different people from so many walks of life is like getting an education every day,” Martin says. “You’re participating in real-time history, and you have to be knowledgeable about everything. That’s what moves and motivates me when it comes to the news. If you’re authentic with what you do, people will embrace you—and the people of Washington, D.C. have truly embraced me as their own.”
Martin’s interest in journalism took shape after he enrolled in Jackson State University, following in his parents’ footsteps, where he studied broadcast journalism. Before moving to the DMV in his thirties, he covered sports and news in Jackson, Fresno, and Raleigh. His reporting spans Hurricane Katrina live from New Orleans and several presidential inaugurations from George Bush to Barack Obama to Joe Biden.
“Have a moral compass pointing in the right direction — even when no one else is looking.”
He’s taken his passion for sports beyond the broadcast studio, too, turning it into his work as a published author. His first book, “Pass Interference: The History of the Black Quarterback in the NFL,” chronicles trailblazing Black quarterbacks whose careers reshaped the league. “I interview players from the 1950s to today about their journeys, the obstacles they had to overcome to play football,” he says.
His second, “Conventional Wisdom, Volume 2” features career lessons from celebrities like Shaq, Magic Johnson, the Russo Brothers (who produced The Avengers), and actor and tap dance extraordinaire Gregory Hines. Volume 3, scheduled to come out in 2027, will share additional celebrity career stories.
Martin is hard at work on a fourth book, a non-fiction account of the 1970 Jackson State tragedy.
“Jackson State is a small historically Black Southern college, and not a lot of people even know about the tragedy,” he says. “But it impacted a lot of lives.”
Wisdom is a self-professed history and documentary buff. “If you put a documentary on TV, I’m probably going to watch it.” He’s a major car enthusiast, “I love all kinds of cars,” says Wisdom, who attends the Washington, D.C. Auto Show every year. “I’m just fascinated by the speed, the quality, the technology.” His all-time favorite is the 1966 Corvette Sting Ray.
“I own an old SUV, but what I’d really love is a black Corvette with black wheels.” But with mint condition
Photo by: Dr. Ceylon Mitchell, M3 Mitchell Media
“If you’re authentic with what you do, people will embrace you — and the people of Washington, D.C. have truly embraced me as their own.”
Corvettes often exceeding several hundred thousand dollars, Wisdom says, “At this point I’ll take any old Corvette. I don’t care what color it is.”
When he isn’t on the air or writing, Wisdom plays pick-up basketball around Clarksburg, and he loves to cook—Old Bay chicken wings, seasoned salmon, anything he can prepare on his two home grills or smoker. “I love the challenge of cooking,” he says. “I’m not opening a restaurant anytime soon,” he says, but his wife, Monifa, and kids, Anaya, 21, Wisdom, 18, and Nadira, 17, are well fed.
Wisdom will forgo his 6:30 p.m. daily bedtime to enthusiastically attend his kids’ basketball
and volleyball games and support their schoolwork. “At the end of the day, family is what it’s all about,” he says. His own parents, both teachers, stressed the importance of a well-rounded education and of paying it forward.
“Have faith, have a plan, and believe in yourself,” Wisdom says. “Have a moral compass pointing in the right direction at all times, even when no one else is looking, and then when you get to a certain point, you pass it along.”
Learn more about Martin at wisdommartin.com.
Photo by: Dr. Ceylon Mitchell, M3 Mitchell Media
Experienced
BUILD YOUR BACKYARD PARADISE
Culture, Community, and a Limitless Canvas
PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
Kelly Towles is the D.C. artist, designer, and curator whose public murals stretch from Washington to Tokyo.
Kelly Towles
Kelly Towles is a Washington, D.C.-based artist, designer, and curator whose practice spans large-scale public murals, studio objects, and cultural programming. Born in Ohio and raised in Alice Springs, Australia, his early visual influences included animation, comic imagery, and broadcast-era pop aesthetics. That foundation shaped a body of work defined by bold character work, graphic patterning, and a visual language that sits at the intersection of street culture, design, and contemporary storytelling. His sensibility is equal parts cinematic and human, translating seamlessly from exterior walls to intimate collectible works.
Towles works across formats with consistency. His murals appear on exterior walls in cities including Tokyo, Taipei, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Austin, and Washington, D.C. In the studio, he has developed engraved tile and other surface-driven work that treats texture, line, and finish as narrative tools, expanding his material approach well beyond traditional paint and wall surfaces. The result is a practice that moves fluidly between public-facing work and refined studio output.
His client and collaborator list reflects the full range of that practice. Apple, NASA, NPR, the Human Rights Campaign, Red Bull, Heineken, Jameson, The Phillips Collection, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and Tishman Speyer are among those who have commissioned or presented his work. Additional collaborators include D.C. United, DC Brau Brewing Company, Twelve Snowboards, Ginkgo Bioworks, Haikan, Natty Wine, and Dolcezza, among others. His work is collected and commissioned by organizations and private clients seeking projects that are visually iconic, thoughtfully executed, and culturally resonant.
CONTINUED >
Kelly Towles has painted murals in Tokyo, Taipei, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Austin, and Washington, D.C., while continuing to develop
studio work, engraved tile, and cultural collaborations.
Towles also serves as Director and Curator of D.C. Walls Mural Festival, a platform dedicated to bringing artists and communities together through ambitious public art experiences. The festival connects local residents and neighborhoods with artists from across the country, making public art accessible to the communities that live and work within it. Through the festival and his independent practice, Towles has developed exhibitions and collaborations that connect public-facing work with refined studio output, building a body of work that operates at multiple scales simultaneously. In the studio, Towles has expanded his material approach well beyond paint and wall surfaces. Engraved tile has become one of the primary formats through which he explores surface, craft, and material experimentation. These works are intimate and collectible, designed to be examined closely rather than viewed from a distance. Where his murals operate at the scale of buildings and city streets, his studio objects bring the same precise visual language into a more personal and tactile format. Texture, line, and finish serve as narrative tools, carrying character-driven imagery and graphic symbolism into a format built for close observation and private collection. His Ohio roots and Australian upbringing left a lasting mark. Those cross-cultural influences remain visible throughout his
work today. The bold character work that anchors his large-scale murals, the graphic patterning that structures his compositions, and the playful tension embedded in his visual language all trace back to that formative cross-cultural experience. His practice is described as both accessible and concept-driven, a combination that has allowed him to work simultaneously with major cultural institutions, global brands, and private collectors.
His work sits at the intersection of street culture, design, and contemporary storytelling. That positioning has allowed him to move between exterior walls and gallery exhibitions, between large-scale public commissions and refined collectible studio objects, and between his own independent creative practice and the broader cultural programming he leads through D.C. Walls Mural Festival. Towles continues to develop new exhibitions and collaborations that bridge his public-facing work with his studio practice.
Towles is based in Washington, D.C. and is available for commissions and travel. His work is collected by organizations and private clients seeking projects that are visually distinctive, thoughtfully executed, and culturally grounded. Inquiries can be directed to info@kellytowles.com.
kellytowles.com | @kellytowles | @dcwallsfestival
AN EXCERPT FROM EPISODE 6 OF SHARE THE LIFESTYLE, A CITY LIFESTYLE PODCAST
Photographer: Brittany Dawn Short
Creative Director: Jen Birn
Stylist: Stephanie Coultress O’Neill
Location: Hotel Saint Cecilia, Austin, TX
MIKE JOHNSON HAS BUILT HIS LIFE AROUND ONE QUIETLY RADICAL IDEA: THE STANDARD YOU SET PRIVATELY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS.
After eight years in the Air Force, a celebrated run on national television, and a health crisis abroad that sent him deep into supply chains and ingredient certifications most founders never touch, the result is Oshun — a luxury ritual brand built on provenance you can trace and integrity you can verify. In an exclusive conversation for the Share the Lifestyle podcast, Mike shares what it actually takes to build something worth putting your name on. Read the highlights below, then scan the QR code for the full episode.
Q: YOU BECAME A FAN FAVORITE ON THE BACHELORETTE AND THEN LEFT THE SPOTLIGHT. YOU MOVED TO MEXICO, LEARNED SPANISH, THEN COSTA RICA, AND BUILT A COMPANY. WHAT DID THAT EXPERIENCE TEACH YOU ABOUT HUMAN BEHAVIOR?
A: “If you’re a good person going in, that shows. If you’re not, that shows too. I also learned that people form this parasocial relationship with you — they assume things about you. When all actuality, different circumstances bring out different parts of who you are. I was on TV trying to find love. The kindness people were showing after felt a bit fake, because they wanted to be a part of something that isn’t who I am individually, but a part of what they saw on TV. And so I had to get away from everybody and everything and the noise.”
THE QUIET STANDARD:
MIKE JOHNSON
“Too many people have prayed for me. So I’ve got to get up and do the walking.”
— Mike Johnson
Q: YOU JOINED THE AIR FORCE RIGHT OUT OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE. WHAT WERE YOU ACTUALLY RUNNING TOWARD?
A: “There was something in me that was saying: I’m not living up to my full potential. I was being a follower. My uncle said, ‘What’s going to make you become an adult the fastest?’ I said, obviously, the military. The Air Force broadened my thought process more than anything. We’re so caught up in our own perception — when you learn to understand different people’s perspectives, it adds to you in so many ways.”
Q: WITH OSHUN, YOU OWN YOUR MANUFACTURING, YOU EMPLOY A CHEMIST, EVERY PRODUCT HAS A BATCH NUMBER TRACEABLE TO ITS ORIGIN DATE. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GO THAT DEEP WITH THE BRAND?
A: “The EU bans 1,100 ingredients in personal care products. The U.S. bans nine. That’s my starting point. Oftentimes, it might be the same ingredient, but it comes from a place where it doesn’t have the highest purity. And 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed. Every product Oshun makes carries a batch number that goes back to the exact day it was created — I can show you every single supplier, the date, the origin. I own more than one part of the supply chain because that’s the only way I can stand behind what’s in the bottle.”
This conversation is just the beginning. Mike goes deeper into why he’s buying land up north, the family in the Philippines who prayed over his factory floor, and what he’d tell every person ready to stop performing and start building. Scan the QR code for the full, exclusive City Lifestyle interview on the Share the Lifestyle podcast.
MIKE JOHNSON
NATURE IN OUR BACKYARDS
MONTGOMERY COUNTY’S PARKS AND WILDLIFE ARE WAITING TO BE EXPLORED.
Wildlife, beautiful scenery, and manicured gardens abound in Montgomery County, Maryland.
AGRICULTURAL HISTORY FARM PARK
ARTICLE
BY DAVID ROBERT LAMBERT PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAM ROSENTHAL, DAVE LAMBERT, US PARK SERVICE, AND MARYLAND DNR.
The Agricultural History Farm Park (AHFP) in Derwood is an early 20th-century farm on a 455-acre site with rolling hills, open fields, an apple orchard, and a variety of farm animals. The mission of AHFP is to preserve and interpret agricultural practices and lifestyles spanning the early 1700s through the
late 1960s. The University of Maryland Extension Office is located on the property. For more information, visit their website at: montgomeryparks.org/parksand-trails/agricultural-historyfarm-park CONTINUED >
CHESAPEAKE & OHIO CANAL NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK
The C&O Canal Park preserves a 184.5-mile historic waterway and towpath from Washington DC (Georgetown) to Cumberland, Maryland, offering extensive opportunities for hiking, biking, paddling, and exploring American transportation history, diverse nature, and Civil War sites, with amenities like lockhouse stays, visitor centers, and ranger programs. This linear park features over 1,000 historic structures, wildlife, and scenic beauty, with major access points in Maryland and DC.
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY FLOURISHES
ALONG THE C&O CANAL
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Potomac residents Sam and Danielle Rosenthal discovered an unexpected opportunity along the C&O Canal. As life slowed and wildlife became more visible, the father-daughter duo took up photography, equipped with mirrorless cameras and zoom lenses to document abundant wildlife along the canal's towpath.
Stretching for miles along the Potomac River, the canal’s wooded corridors, quiet towpath, and open clearings create ideal habitat and excellent opportunities for wildlife photographers. Morning mist and evening light enhance images, whether capturing a majestic buck or newborn owlets learning to fly. Cooperative subjects, like a fox lounging on a fallen tree, offer particularly memorable shots.
Although the pandemic has subsided, Sam and Danielle's passion for wildlife photography remains strong. Years later, they remain dedicated to appreciating and documenting the rich natural world thriving along the canal. Visit FoggyglenPhotography. zenfoliosite.com
MCKEE-BESHERS WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
The McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area (WMA) on River Road, south of Poolesville, is managed by a division of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). In total, 235 acres are managed by DNR's Wildlife and Heritage Service. McKee-Beshers WMA's 30 acres is the largest of Maryland's 20 WMA Dove Fields; It's the only WMA in Montgomery County.
DNR plants over 100 acres of sunflowers, primarily at McKee-Beshers, to provide food for mourning doves and other wildlife. Sunflowers and sunflower seeds are a favorite food source for a host of other songbirds, mammals, and pollinators. These large
fields are planted in late April or early May and typically hit peak bloom in mid-July. This Wildlife Management Area is free for the public to visit, photograph, and enjoy.
ESCAPE TO SENECA CREEK STATE PARK
Just off I-270 in Gaithersburg, this 6,300-acre gem offers the perfect retreat from urban life. Established in 1958, Seneca Creek State Park sprawls along 14 miles of scenic waterway, delivering something for everyone.
Nature enthusiasts can explore the peaceful Lake Shore Trail, winding through old-growth forest with towering oaks; it's an easy 3-mile loop perfect for families. Water lovers enjoy kayak and canoe rentals during the summer months, plus fishing and boating opportunities. Active visitors tackle the 27-hole disc golf course or cycle miles of maintained trails.
The park shines with thoughtful amenities: abundant picnic areas with grills, playgrounds, restrooms, and ample parking. Maryland residents pay just $3 per person (free weekdays!). Dogs welcome.
Beyond summer recreation, don't miss the magical holiday light displays that transform the park each December. Whether you're seeking woodland solitude or family adventure, Seneca Creek delivers year-round.
For more information about McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area and Seneca Creek State Park, visit their website at dnr.maryland. gov or call 410-356-9272.
We are very fortunate to have so much wildlife and natural beauty in Montgomery County!
David Robert Lambert is an author and freelance writer who has lived in Potomac for over 35 years. When not writing or travelling the world with his wife, Deborah, he is a certified pickleball teaching professional at Dill Dinkers indoor pickleball club in North Bethesda, Maryland.
COMBINING ARTISTRY AND PRECISION TO CREATE BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHY SMILES THAT RADIATE CONFIDENCE.
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Our Smile Makeover is a personalized treatment plan that combines various cosmetic dentistry treatments and restorative dental procedures to enhance the appearance and health of your smile. Dr. Markogiannakis will work with you to create a custom plan that addresses your unique concerns and goals.
We offer ZOOM! Whitening treatment for immediate results with our in-office professional supervision. Our whitening solutions can remove years of stains caused by coffee, tea, wine, and tobacco, revealing a dramatically brighter smile.
Restore damaged teeth or replace missing ones with our custom-made crowns and bridges. Crowns cover and protect weakened teeth, while bridges fill the gaps left by missing teeth.
For minor imperfections, dental bonding and contouring offer a quick and effective solution. Bonding uses tooth-colored resin to repair chips, close small gaps, or improve the shape of teeth. Contouring involves gently reshaping the enamel to improve the appearance of slightly misshapen teeth.
Our practice also specializes in dental crowns and bridges, tooth colored fillings, gum contouring, porcelain veneers, and orthodontic options. Your journey to optimal oral health begins in a setting where expertise meets elegance, and your comfort and satisfaction are always our ultimate goals.
Discover What’s Next at German International School Washington D.C.
With over 550 students from preschool to 12th grade, we offer high-level academics in a warm, multicultural setting since 1961. Our German curriculum, combined with a global perspective, leads to a dual diploma graduation: the German International Abitur (DIA) and a high school diploma. Focused on world languages and science, we nurture critical thinking and prepare students for top universities worldwide. Please contact admissions@giswashington.org for your personal campus tour. German language skills are NOT a requirement for students enrolling in Preschool through Grade 5, provided the family is highly motivated for their child to learn German, and the child demonstrates strong academic performance.
