Bethesda Magazine - May/June 2026

SANDWICHES GREAT

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THE FOOD & DRINK ISSUE

110

11 Great Sandwiches

Hand-held bites to try from delis and restaurants in Montgomery County BY TODD KLIMAN

122 Design to Go

Replicate the looks of cozy cafes and refined eateries with furniture, lighting and more BY CAROLYN WEBER

132 Table Talk

Corner Bites’ dim sum, a pound cake recipe from Praline Bakery and Beteseb’s James Beard news BY TODD KLIMAN

138 Dining Guide

Our list of places to eat in Bethesda and Chevy Chase

FEATURES

144 Bethesda Interview

A conversation with Chevy Chase, D.C., author Kwame Alexander BY MIKE UNGER

150 Data Center Drama

Why the data center industry came to Dickerson BY ELIA GRIFFIN & CEOLI JACOBY

MOMENTS. STYLED.

From special occasions to life’s biggest milestones, it all comes together here. Find a thoughtful gift, define your perfect look, and celebrate in style.

Rep

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Sentimental Sandwiches

I’M NOSTALGIC FOR CERTAIN SANDWICHES, MOSTLY BECAUSE I CONNECT THEM TO LOTS OF GOOD MEMORIES. From my childhood, there’s the grilled cheese made with love by my mom and the turkey sandwiches that I stuffed with Pringles on cross-country road trips to visit family. Remembering a picnic at Arlington, Virginia’s Iwo Jima Memorial in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic makes me emotional because of that fraught time, but being there with my family next to that towering statue, a symbol of strength, while enjoying delicious chicken shawarma sandwiches gave me the feeling that everything might turn out OK. I could go on (cheese and butter on white bread in an Ireland pub, Thanksgiving-themed subs gobbled on the lawn at the University of Delaware), but I’ll instead let writer Todd Kliman’s feature on 11 sandwiches entice with unforgettable eats (“11 Great Sandwiches,” page 110). Go ahead and dig in—hopefully you’ll find some that become part of your greatest hits.

As important as food and service are to a dining out experience, a restaurant’s ambience can also create a memorable outing. Writer Carolyn Weber drew inspiration from eye-catching decor at four Montgomery County eateries and rounded up similar items that you can buy from local stores to bring the cool vibes home (“Design to Go,” page 122).

This issue also features a timely piece on data centers in Montgomery County (“Why the Data Center Industry Came to Dickerson,” page 150), an interview with author Kwame Alexander, best known for his middle-grade book The Crossover, on page 144, and more.

Please reach out to me at Kathleen.Neary@BethesdaMagazine.com with any feedback on this issue.

KATHLEEN NEARY EDITOR

CONTRIBUTOR SPOTLIGHT

CAROLYN WEBER SILVER SPRING

BACKGROUND: “I am a freelance writer and longtime contributor to Bethesda Magazine, specializing in home design and construction topics.”

IN THIS ISSUE: Weber wrote the feature about inspiring local restaurant interiors and how to re-create the looks at home in “Design to Go” (page 122).

FAVORITE MOCO HANGOUT: “I enjoy dining out at restaurants around the county that have great food. A pleasing interior design and warm atmosphere only add to the experience. My kids love the Great Room at Clyde’s Tower Oaks Lodge, which is designed like a rustic hunting camp with a soaring timber-frame ceiling and two huge stone fireplaces. It brings back good memories of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (and the cheeseburgers never disappoint).”

CONTRIBUTOR SPOTLIGHT

SCOTT SUCHMAN

WASHINGTON, D.C.

BACKGROUND: “I’ve lived in Washington, D.C., in Adams Morgan, since 1995; 30 years in the same neighborhood.” Suchman is originally from Morris County, New Jersey. He is a freelance photographer specializing in food and restaurants.

IN THIS ISSUE: Suchman took some of the photos for “11 Great Sandwiches” (page 110) and Table Talk (page 132).

FAVORITE MOCO HANGOUT: “If I’m anywhere near the Potomac location of Attman’s deli, I swing by for a hot pastrami.”

The Many Faces of Revolution

Ulster County: Imagine. It’s October 1777,

the American Revolutionary War is raging with no end in sight. The British are furious that Kingston had been established as New York State’s first capital. Wasting no time, British soldiers from the previously captured New York City, sailed up the Hudson River in retaliation against colonial settlements, including the biggest target—Kingston. Landing at Kingston Point, the Redcoats marched along the Rondout Creek, maliciously burning houses along the way.

Before the British arrived, courageous colonists were able to save essential documents and ledgers of the county and state capital. With the city largely abandoned to avoid the advancing soldiers, valiant locals remained to fight the Redcoats.

In a mere few hours, the British had burned over 300 buildings, leaving Kingston in ruins. But resilient and brave Kingston residents returned, determined to rebuild their city. Known as the Burning of Kingston, more than a momentous event in

history, it remains a testament to the City of Kingston that officially celebrates its resiliency every year. Visitors to the 2026 Burning of Kingston will be informed, enlightened, and even entertained.

The four-day commemoration from October 15 to 18 features live reenactments including street battles, tours, performance art, film screening, a grand ball, presentations and discussions, and a commemorative 5k. Front and center will be the unique perspectives of the many faces of the Revolution and combatants from all sides, including civilians, the indigenous, enslaved and indentured servants.

The resilient City of Kingston lives on and is recognized as the most historically progressive city in New York State by the Hudson River Valley Institute. The revolution lives!

History Was Made Here. Celebrate It.

Events and Experiences

RevCon 2026 | June 13, 2026 | Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, Hyde Park

Step back in time at RevCon, where Revolutionary War reenactors demonstrate camp living, military tactics and weapons of the war; plus, lectures, demonstrations and hands-on activities for the entire family at this living history festival.

Historic Sites to Explore

Revolutionary Cider Celebration | June 27, 2026 | Fishkill Farms, Hopewell Junction

Raise a glass to liberty! Explore the relationship between craft beverages, agriculture and the Revolution with tastings, talks, storytelling, hayrides and live Americana music.

Commander in Cheers

Toast with Tiny George

Listen to stories of Dutchess County's revolutionary heroics as told by a pint-sized, augmentedreality version of George Washington, "Tiny George." Scan the specially marked coasters in select taverns, tasting rooms and restaurants for six different tales. Collect limited-edition Commander in Cheers Beers from local brewers.

Dine and stay at Old Drovers Inn (Dover Plains), whose history as a watering hole dates back to 1750. Have a drink and spend a night “America’s Oldest Continuously Operated Inn,” the Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn (Rhinebeck); reported guests and tavern visitors include George Washington, Benedict Arnold, Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. Tenmile Distillery (Wassaic) continues their monthly release of Revolutionary War-themed whiskies with a bottle for every battle. New this spring, visit the John Kane House museum’s exhibit focused on Washington’s 1778 headquarters in Pawling. Younger visitors will love his AR companion, Sergeant Chirp. Mount Gulian Historic Site (Beacon) was HQ for General Friedrich Von Steuben, who helped form America’s first veterans’ organization. Get a glimpse of colonial life at Mesier Homestead and Museum (Wappingers Falls), the rumored site of The Wappingers Tea Party of 1777. Learn through artifacts about Daniel Nimham, the last Sachem of the indigenous Wappinger people, who fought alongside the Continental Army.

Discover even more ways to celebrate America’s 250th with engaging events, unforgettable sights and visits to the places legends made history.

Your America 250 Road Trip Starts Here

Nestled in the heart of the Hudson Valley, Orange County, N.Y., is rich with Revolutionary War history and road trip–worthy landmarks waiting to be explored. From storied battlefields and historic homes to scenic trails and charming downtowns, centuries of America’s story are woven through every corner of this vibrant and timeless landscape.

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Magic

Catskills Magic

INTERIM PUBLISHER

Sherri Greeves

BETHESDA MAGAZINE EDITORIAL

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Kathleen Neary

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Banter

THINGS WE LOVE RIGHT NOW 5

IF YOU BUILD IT

Brendan Gregory, 44, of Olney, has owned White Flint Auto Repair in North Bethesda for 16 years. Across from the auto shop is a venture dedicated to Gregory’s other passion: woodworking.

Gregory opened White Flint Creations in October 2024. The 4,000-square-foot workshop offers craftspeople the tools to bring their projects to life, including numerous workbenches, a selection of hand tools, two table saws, a metal shop and a finishing room. “I love creating, I love building. I do a lot of it with my three kids, and I wanted to attract a community of makers and builders,” Gregory says.

White Flint Creations has subscriptions that cost $236 to $316 per month to use the space for woodworking and metalworking projects (bring your own materials). Staff are on-site to assist with projects, and a lounge and kitchen offer spaces where members can socialize.

11810 Coakley Circle, Rockville, whiteflintcreations.com

SWEET TEA

Perhaps best known for its outdoor boat-shaped bar, Hello Betty cruised into a fancy foray in February: afternoon tea. The restaurant in Canopy by Hilton at North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose has a window-filled room that is now decked out in cascading blooms. Tables are set with floral china and whimsical touches, such as a small vase that stands on a bent silver spoon. The room holds 24 and seatings are Thursday through Sunday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Nine small bites—mini-sandwiches, a buttery scone, tiny quiche, a pintsize doughnut—are served alongside a little teapot with your choice of more than a dozen loose-leaf teas. It’s a lovely outing for special occasions—or any time you need a little indulgence. Prices start at $65 for afternoon tea—a good value that rivals the teas at other fancy hotels. Vegetarian and glutenfriendly menus are available. A kids menu for ages 5-10 starts at $45. Reservations can be made through OpenTable.

940 Rose Ave. (Pike & Rose), North Bethesda, 301-389-5840, hellobettybethesda.com/afternoon-tea

MAHJONG MADNESS

Molly Hugo, 46, is looking to bring mahjong fever to more players in the area. In the six years she has played the tabletop tile game, Hugo says she has watched mahjong evolve into a cultural phenomenon. “Mahjong is more than a game. It creates and fosters community,” Hugo says. The Potomac resident recognized a need for instruction and facilitation for players desiring community, and she was inspired to start MoCoMahjong, her mahjong instruction business where clients can schedule lessons or book mahjong events, with a studio space in Bethesda.

On select dates, players can join an open play session for $25. There are also classes offered with levels starting at “learning to play” and up to “master.” While grounded in American mahjong, the space includes Chinese and Hong Kong styles of the game (Wright Patterson is coming soon). Keep an eye out for the mahjong bar, which will allow players to mix and match their mahjong set of racks, mats and tiles. “[When] the tiles start shuffling, the rest of the world just fades away,” Hugo says. “I wanted to have a place that people could gather, play and share.”

4334 Montgomery Ave., Bethesda, @mocomahjong on Instagram

4

STILL GROWING STRONG

HarvestShare is a blossoming nonprofit that collects fresh, locally grown produce from community gardens, farmers markets and even backyard vegetable patches, and donates it to food pantries in Montgomery County. Individuals can drop off surplus fruits, vegetables and herbs they’ve grown at more than 20 HarvestShare collection sites in the county. The volunteer-run nonprofit has its own Giving Garden in Potomac, where fresh food is harvested and sent to Nourishing Bethesda, a local pantry, and it partners with Montgomery Parks’ community garden plots to donate produce. Its homegrown efforts, which have also included outreach events, such as a Seed Share & Food Gardening Expo, earned a citation from the Montgomery County Council in May 2025.

Cat Kahn, 63, of Rockville, the founder and executive director of HarvestShare, started the organization in 2020 as a response to an increase in food insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The nurse practitioner and master gardener says HarvestShare surpassed its initial target to donate 1,000 pounds of locally grown food in the first year with 9,000 pounds donated. HarvestShare reported a total of 59 tons of local produce donated as of 2025. This growing season, Kahn urges residents with green thumbs to think beyond the garden gate and donate via HarvestShare. “Plant that extra row,” Kahn says. “Instead of just being extra, it could be purposefully grown.”

For a list of drop-off sites, visit harvestsharemd.org

5

THRIFTY GIFTING

The Lucky Penny is a new gift shop that opened in the Potomac Village Shopping Center in February. The boutique offers a mix of vintage, used and new home decor items ranging from glassware to cookbooks. It gets its name from a moniker owner Danielle Hutt (pictured left) gave her daughter, Kate, 17, in honor of her knack for finding coins on the street. Born and raised in the Midwest, Hutt, 52, has lived in Potomac for the past 10 years. Her upbringing and eye for refinishing furniture keep her grounded in her pricing and offerings, she says, placing importance on having something for everyone. Her least expensive items are $1 bags of stones for kids to spend their allowance on. The Lucky Penny welcomes customers with a sign that reads, “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” To sum up what she hopes customers will find in her cozy shop, Hutt says, “the perfect gift.”

9812 Falls Road, Potomac, 240-232-2941, theluckypenny1.com

A LOOK ABOUT TOWN

From its curving streets to its lush gardens, Kensington will be on full display this June

The Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage will come to the Town of Kensington on June 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a tour of historic homes, sites and private gardens. There are eight homes on the self-guided tour, some offering looks around the grounds and private gardens, and others allowing visitors to go inside the main levels.

Other landmarks that will be open on tour day include the train station, town hall and the Compass Art Center, along with sites in Ken-Gar, a historically Black neighborhood. Tickets are $50 in advance or $60 on the day of the event. While the tour is walkable, shuttles will be available for people with limited mobility. For more information, visit mhgp.org/kensington

Here are six highlights planned for the tour.

FOUND OBJECTS

The town’s history is tied to Washington, D.C., developer Brainard Warner, who bought property in the area and sold parcels to other D.C. elites. Several summer houses were built in the 1890s as getaways from the city. Like the other homes on the tour, 10304 Kensington Parkway, a Queen Anne-style residence built in the late 1800s, has been renovated. The owners plan to set up a shadow box display featuring artifacts and objects they found in the walls of the house during the renovation, according to Kyle Richards, one of the event’s co-chairs.

A NEW CHAPTER

The Maryland House & Garden Pilgrimage selects a historic preservation project to receive the proceeds of each tour it sponsors. For the Kensington tour, proceeds will benefit the Noyes Children’s Library Foundation, which is raising funds for the renovation of the one-room space built in 1893. Carrie Storer is one of the co-chairs of this year’s event and her 1898 Queen Anne-style home will be one of the stops on the tour. “It’s a great vantage point to sort of look across the street at the library and talk about the project,” Storer says.

SUNNYCREST

Dr. Katharine Chapman lived and worked in this Georgian Revival-style home built in 1901 at 3924 Baltimore St. Chapman delivered many babies there during her 60-year practice from 1926 to her death in 1986, according to Richards. You’ll be able to go into the house and see archival material about what it was like almost 100 years ago, Storer says.

A PRIZE-WINNING TREE

There’s a state champion magnolia tree at 3929 Baltimore St., one of the stops on the tour. With a sprawling canopy and massive trunk, it is recognized by the Maryland Big Tree Program.

KEN-GAR

There will be videos and displays on the history of KenGar, a historically Black neighborhood, at the First Baptist Church of Ken-Gar at 3922 Hampden St. Video topics will include the Leonard D. Jackson Community Center, which was once a two-room schoolhouse for Black children.

THE WARNER MANSION

The Warner Mansion, a Queen Anne-style residence built in 1892 and the former residence of Brainard Warner, will offer visitors a glimpse inside its walls for the first time in decades. After changing hands, Montgomery Parks sold the mansion and a carriage house to Washington Landmark Construction in June 2025. The buildings are being redeveloped into condominiums.

—Jillian Lynch

CAUGHT ON CAMERA

In October 2025, a new law went into effect in Montgomery County, switching speed camera violations from a flat fee to graduated fines. While the base fine of $40 for speeds between 12 and 15 mph over the speed limit did not change, now fines for going 16 mph or more over the limit are $70 (16 to 19 mph over), $120 (20 to 29 mph over), $230 (30 to 39 mph over) and $425 (40 mph or more over).

1. 18,764

Which Montgomery County-maintained speed cameras issued the most violations? These were the top 10 in fiscal year 2024 (July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024), the most recent time frame with available data. (Cities such as Gaithersburg and Rockville also maintain speed cameras—that data is not included.)

—Kathleen Neary

13600 block of Darnestown Road westbound in Darnestown

2. 16,092

17700 block of Georgia Avenue northbound in Olney

3. 14,639

18800 block of Muncaster Road southbound in Derwood

4. 13,317

27000 block of Ridge Road southbound in Damascus

5. 10,986

14500 block of Schaeffer Road westbound in Boyds

6. 10,520

3400 block of Olney Laytonsville Road westbound in Olney

7. 9,301

13300 block of Georgia Avenue northbound in Silver Spring

8. 9,290

2900 block of Olney Sandy Spring Road eastbound in Olney

9. 8,854

9000 block of Georgia Avenue southbound in Silver Spring

10. 7,918

18600 block of Muncaster Road northbound in Derwood

SOURCE: Data Montgomery

$200K

THAT’S THE AMOUNT BUSINESSMAN Robert Herjavec invested for a 20% stake in Tiffany and Chris McCasland’s company

The Chair Blanket on the ABC television show Shark Tank. The company’s blankets are covers that are waterproof on one side and soft fleece on the other and have a stretchy fit to secure over outdoor chairs and protect the user from sitting on wet or dirty surfaces. The Potomac couple pitched the product to a panel of investors—also known as sharks—on an episode that aired in early March and is available to stream on Hulu. “It keeps you clean, dry and cozy,” Tiffany McCasland told Bethesda Magazine in March. “I use it on my office chair, too.”

The covers cost $59.99 and are available at citybonfires.com

—Jacqueline Kalil

Come home to

extraordinary.

At ANTHONY WILDER, we design and build spaces you can’t wait to come home to. Our in-house architects, interior designers, project managers and craftsmen work together to create custom design solutions just for you. We mind every detail, so you can simply live—and love—the life you’ve built.

ON A ROLE

An actor who grew up in Rockville lands a spot on ‘The Pitt’

Mara Klein spent a lot of her time on the set of HBO Max’s hit series The Pitt in the special effects makeup room dubbed “The Sanctuary.” Her character, Debbie Cohen, was suffering from severe pain, and in one scene, Dr. Robby, played by Noah Wyle, slices into her inflamed leg. But it’s a prosthetic leg, custom made for Klein, on the gurney while her real leg hangs through a hole in the bed. Klein appeared in three episodes of The Pitt, and in other scenes she had her leg painted pink to indicate an infection that had quickly become more serious.

Klein’s previous acting gigs hadn’t included special effects makeup. “[For other shows] you spend some time in the makeup trailer, you do your hair, you go to set, but getting to be part of [The Sanctuary]—and that is such a big part of that show. A lot of the other actors who are also dealing with special effects makeup are also in that room,” she says.

Growing up in Rockville, Klein took classes at Round House Theatre in Bethesda and Adventure Theatre in Glen Echo, eventually becoming a counselor and teacher at Adventure Theatre. She performed in shows at school, graduating from Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville. “I was the kid who was like, ‘I want to be an actor,’ ” Klein says. “I never had anything else I wanted to be in my life.”

After majoring in drama at New York University, Klein moved to Los Angeles and started waiting tables, taking acting classes, going on auditions and interning at a casting office.

She landed her first television credit in 2014, on the ABC show

Art Adventure

This new pop-up is a creative outlet in Friendship Heights

Suburgatory, playing a restaurant hostess and delivering one line. She started acting in local theater and also got a role as the young version of actor Michaela Watkins on the Hulu series Casual in 2017.

Each time Klein got a role, she was hopeful her career would really take off. “It is like I have this momentum, and just because of it, it doesn’t lead to where you thought it was going to lead. But you’re still at it, and I’m still at it today,” she says.

Klein started an audition coaching business in 2018 and continued to pursue acting, landing small roles on Netflix’s The Upshaws and NBC’s Suits LA.

“The audition I ended up booking on The Pitt was my fifth audition for the show,” Klein says. “It felt like a life-changing booking, because it’s my first time getting to do multiple episodes. … I knew it was such an amazing caliber of acting that I was going to be a part of.”

—K.N.

THE PAVILION POP-UP, located in Chevy Chase Pavilion, opened last fall in a 2,113-square-foot spot as a gallery space for artists and for people to visit while shopping or on a lunch break. Located next to The Heights Office Building lobby, the space hosts artist talks and workshops, including key chain making. In addition to curated exhibitions of work by local artists (the environmentally focused collection titled “A Distinct Terroir” will be on display through May 20 with more to follow), the pop-up sells prints of pieces by featured artists. The gallery is open and free to the public on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.

—Olivia Yasharoff

Pavilion Pop-Up, 5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., friendshipheights.com/events/pavilion-pop-up

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8 QUESTIONS FOR JASON BEEKMAN

In his Netflix docuseries about America’s Next Top Model, Jason Beekman (left) included interviews with the reality show’s core team, clockwise from top, Tyra Banks, Jay Manuel, Nigel Barker and Miss J.

A recent Netflix docuseries called Reality Check: Inside Amer ica’s Next Top Model is all about the drama and the stories behind that reality TV show, which aired from 2003 to 2018. “In the first episode, I wanted to make sure that in the begin ning, you can’t help but laugh at what they put the models through, the waxing, for example,” says Jason Beekman, 40, a co-executive producer of the docuseries who grew up in North Potomac and lives in Los Angeles. “But then I made sure at the end of the first episode that you see the models reflect on that airing and how it hurt them.” Beekman also wanted audiences to be reflective. “The whole point of the show was to be kind of a mirror to society and the audience,” he says.

Growing up, Beekman took dance and voice classes at Musical Theater Center in Rockville, performing in shows there and at Thomas S. Wootton High School, also in Rockville. After graduating from Wootton in 2004 and from Cornell University and Cornell Law School, he worked for a law firm in Washington, D.C., for a couple of years in government and regulatory litigation. He moved to New York City in 2019 to work for the production company RadicalMedia, eventually becoming a vice president.

In 2023, Beekman started Wise Child Studios, which coproduced Reality Check with EverWonder Studio. The show debuted at number one on Netflix’s Top 10 English list in February, staying in that spot for a week and reaching Netflix’s global number one spot. The docuseries had views by more than 14 million subscriber accounts in its first week.

Beekman recently co-produced a feature film called On the End and executive produced the documentary feature ASCO: Without Permission, and he’s working on a true crime series that’s in production.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

DID YOU WATCH AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL WHEN IT WAS OUT?

I’ve been a lifelong fan, and it has a particularly important place for me because I didn’t really come out until law school, and I remember just watching it and being so impressed with the Jays [Miss J and Jay Manuel, two key figures on the show] and their open gayness, and just seeing that on mainstream TV. It really stuck with me.

WHAT WAS YOUR ROLE AS A PRODUCER FOR REALITY CHECK?

For this project, for example, or what my company does generally is we kind of are soup to nuts. I came up with the concept. I wanted to look back at the impact of early reality TV and I developed the project. I built a relationship with all of the models and the judges to book them, as they say, to get access. I built out the creative and then I pitched it to the network. I was an on-theground, hands-on producer from the beginning through delivery to Netflix. I still do all the legal for our company, but I’m also our lead creative producer.

SO DID YOU JUST

START REACHING OUT TO ALL THE PEOPLE INVOLVED?

Yeah, I think it’s an interesting process, because it’s not like a scripted show where actors get paid, or even a reality show where people are getting paid and where there’s a prize. Getting people to sit down and talk about their own experience in very personal ways is very hard. You have to build a really strong relationship and trust, especially since no one on the show had any approval rights. I was adamant that I wanted this to be a really journalistic endeavor. Documentary filmmaking has really come a long way, I would say, not for the better in many ways, [with] celebrity [producers] or celebrities approving their own projects. This was kind of old-school filmmaking, and so it took a long time.

It really started with Miss J because I knew that I’d have a connection with them. I watched them all these years, and I couldn’t figure out where they had gone. They were notonline for over a year, and it was kind of weird, because they were a huge personality. So when I reached out to his team, that’s when I found out that he was in a rehab facility because he had had a stroke. I met Miss J bedside at the rehab facility in New York. Everything kind of stemmed from that. I really bonded with him, and he introduced me to Jay Manuel and to [photographer and Top Model judge] Nigel [Barker].

HOW DID YOU CONVINCE TYRA BANKS, THE SHOW’S CREATOR, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND HEAD JUDGE, TO BE PART OF IT?

We actually sold the project without Tyra. It was always our intention that we would reach out, but we sold it without her. We were in production, and we reached out and got her to participate. She lives in Australia, so it was actually more of a logistics question of how we would shoot her, but she ended up coming to New York to film a [Today with] Jenna & Friends episode, and we booked her that week. But it wasn’t that challenging to get her participation. I mean, her perspective—crucial—and I wanted to make sure that we gave her the opportunity to speak. None of this creative is preplanned in doc filmmaking, or at least in the journalistic doc filmmaking that I wanted to make. We had a general idea of the creative, but we let everyone speak on camera and then we look at the interviews and piece together the story.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE WHICH CONTESTANTS TO INTERVIEW?

I wanted to focus on the first few seasons in particular because that was really what was so groundbreaking. So most of the models are from the earlier seasons, and a range of stories. And I didn’t want anyone booked that had already come out and said their opinion about the show. I wanted the stories to be new and fresh and authentic and organic, and so that’s how we ended up with the group of models.

HOW DID YOU DECIDE THREE EPISODES WAS THE RIGHT AMOUNT?

A lot of people have said that it should have been four or five. My biggest thing is I hate when I watch a series and the last episode you feel is filler. I like it to be propulsive all the way till the end, and I felt we did that.

WHAT DID YOU DO TO CELEBRATE THE DEBUT OF REALITY CHECK?

I hosted a very small friends-and-family screening. And I’ll never forget, I mean, I could cry talking about it, because a lot of people even came up from Maryland, and people that live in New York that I grew up with, many of them have supported me financially and personally while I’ve struggled with this startup. And you know, when you watch Netflix, you don’t watch it with other people. It’s not a theatrical experience. But to have that for this, and to see people laugh together and cry together—I’ll never forget it.

DO YOU EVER COME BACK TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY?

Oh, for sure. My parents still live in the same house that I grew up in, and so I come back for holidays and to see them, and also to see my friends. I’ve kept my 301 number. And LA is 310. So all the time, people will be like, ‘Did you put a typo?’ And I’m so proud to say, ‘No, it’s a Maryland number.’ I’m keeping my Maryland number. And the joy that people get when it’s another 301 calling me from the industry—it’s always really exciting.

SIPS AND CLIPS

Kick back with an alcoholic drink at these barbershops

A 2014 law in Montgomery County allowed salons to apply for a license to serve beer and wine. In July 2025, a new law went into effect renaming the “beauty salon beer and wine license” as the “beauty salon and barbershop beer, wine and liquor license,” making it easier for the spots that cater to men to say cheers—and to allow businesses for men and women to offer sips of spirits.

The newest barbershop planning to offer a drink to each customer is Hammer & Nails, scheduled to open in July at 7712 Woodmont Ave. in Bethesda. It’s slated to be the first Maryland spot for the national chain with more than 50 locations. Another shop in Potomac’s Cabin John Village is expected to open soon after. The franchise owners plan to offer a complimentary beer, wine or mixed drink to each customer. A haircut is $75. The salon also offers memberships (a “classic” membership is $120 per month and includes two services—haircut, manicure, pedicure, waxing or shave; higher membership levels are also available).

Here are other spots where you can enjoy a drink while getting groomed.

—K.N.

BARBERS AND BREW

Opened in 2020 in downtown Rockville, Barbers and Brew offers each customer one complimentary alcoholic drink— either a 7 Locks Brewing beer or 1.7 ounces of Song Dog Farm Distillery spirits—and one nonalcoholic beverage, such as coffee from Neighbors Coffee, soda, juice, sparkling or still water. Haircuts are $35 to $50.

77 S. Washington St., Rockville, 202-579-9169, thebarbersandbrew.com

BEARDED GOAT

The Kentlands outpost of Bearded Goat—one of five in this local chain—opened in February 2025 and offers customers complimentary Commonwealth Joe nitro cold brew on tap and cans of Bearded Goat Lager brewed by Aslin Beer Co. Haircuts are $50 to $60. 720 Center Point Way (Kentlands), Gaithersburg, 301-368-0008, beardedgoatbarber.com/kentlands

GREAT VIBES BARBERSHOP

Complimentary snacks are offered along with one free drink from a rotating selection at Great Vibes Barbershop. In March, the offerings were beer from Brookeville Beer Farm, Waredaca Brewing Co., Lone Oak Farm Brewing Co. and Elder Pine Brewing & Blending Co., hard seltzers, hard ciders and tequila shots. Open since 2018, Great Vibes is by appointment only and cuts are $45 to $60.

2 Professional Drive, Gaithersburg, 301-728-9425, greatvibesbarbershop.com

TAPERS & TEQUILA

Opened in June 2025, Tapers & Tequila is a barbershop, lounge and event space. Because it holds a different type of license, drinks are available for purchase to sip while receiving services or hanging in the lounge. On the menu: beer, wine and spirits (including tequila brands such as Don Julio and Casamigos). The space is available for private events. Haircuts are $50 to $75. The owners also run Royal Cut Kings barbershop (sans alcoholic drinks) and Slash Lash, which provides beauty services, both in Gaithersburg. 16821 Crabbs Branch Way, Rockville, 240-663-0480, tapersandtequila.com

Tales of Tales

A Rockville resident’s podcast explores storytelling around the world

SHILPA DAS GUPTA WANTED to be a political journalist. But when she turned in a radio documentary for her first master’s degree in India in 2010, her teacher told her that she was “meant for radio.” Nobody had said that to her before. “They tell you to become engineers and doctors and lawyers. Radio jockey? Not really a very regular thing,” says Das Gupta, who went on to work in radio for a few years.

Das Gupta, 38, migrated to the U.S. in 2014 and has lived in Rockville for the past seven years. She’s the e-learning support services manager at American University in Washington, D.C. During the pandemic, Das Gupta says she needed something that would “make her feel alive again.” Enter the idea of spotlighting lesser-known folktales through a podcast titled Ohh Folk!!, a name inspired by using the f-word in a more

constructive way. The podcast debuted in 2021, and as of mid-March she had posted 27 episodes. In each, Das Gupta introduces an ancient story by starting with contextual information about the country it comes from. Then she narrates the story in its entirety, sometimes adding short dialogues in along the way to make the tale more interactive.

In one episode, she shares the story of a man-eating demon from Nepal, a legend that still holds significant cultural importance today. In another, she celebrates Lunar New Year with a Chinese story about a silkworm mother. She has standards, or “rules,” for the tales she researches, prioritizing stories that center on marginalized people and do not promote oppression or abuse.

Storytelling is important to Das Gupta. She believes oral storytelling, in particular,

plays a vital role in reconstructing the way we think. “I feel it’s an antidote to this visual bombardment that’s happening, because when we see something, we are made to believe that it can only happen in one certain way. … But when we hear something, we can design it in our own way,” she says.

Das Gupta plans to continue releasing episodes every month or two, and would love to see Ohh Folk!! become part of education systems around the world in order to create a cycle of storytelling.

Defying the Odds

A new novel highlights immigrant struggles across the generations

MARIA KARAMETOU WAS WORKING as an art professor at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, when she decided to write a fictional story that drew on the experience of her grandparents—who were forced to move to Greece as refugees during World War I—and her own immigrant journey to the U.S. from Athens in the late 1970s as a college student. She entered an excerpt from an early draft of the novel in Bethesda Magazine’s Short Story & Essay Contest in 2018 and earned second-place recognition in the Adult Short Story category. “I was wondering if it was any good and reluctant to pursue publication,” says Karametou, who lives in Bethesda. “When I got the award, I thought, Maybe I should continue writing the book. Maybe I have something there. It was what I needed at the time to continue writing. So I’m grateful for that.” She retired from George Mason in 2022 and began writing full time. The story, which takes place in the U.S., Greece and Turkey and weaves together a family saga, became her debut novel, The Amalgam (Vine Leaves Press, March 2026).

—Caralee Adams

Road Map for Success

A Potomac educator shares best practices for uplifting Black students

HAVING WORKED AS A TEACHER, counselor, professor and education leader, Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy says she’s often been asked how to turn things around for Black children who struggle in school. In her book Beyond the Doll Tests: Affirming and Uplifting Black Students’ Well-Being (Harvard Education Press, March 2026), the Potomac author combines history, research, case studies and her own observations to provide a road map for educators and parents to help Black students overcome challenges they often face. “We continue to see glaring gaps in opportunities for students,” says Holcomb-McCoy, 61. “This is about saving lives. I think sometimes we need to talk about education in that way.” Early in her career, Holcomb-McCoy worked for Montgomery County Public Schools in Silver Spring as a kindergarten teacher and later as a school counselor. She became dean of American University’s School of Education, and now is president and CEO of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.

—C.A.

MORE RECENT BOOKS

BY

LOCAL AUTHORS:

• The Other Beautiful People (Regal House Publishing, June 2026) by Caroline Bock of Potomac

• Off the Record (Lake Union Publishing, June 2026) by Sara Goodman Confino of Rockville

• G.I. Jive: A Dictionary of Words at War: The Vernacular of Victory (1939-1946) (Bloomsbury Academic, January 2026) by Paul Dickson of Kensington

• Becca and Bubbe’s Bucket List (Rocky Pond Books, May 2026) by Laura Gehl of Chevy Chase

• The Song of the Blue Bird (100 Block by Row House, March 2026) by Esther Goldenberg of Silver Spring

• Everything She Most Admired (Apprentice House, May 2026) by Deborah Kalb of Chevy Chase

• Chitra Demands to Go Home (Modern Artist Press, May 2026) by Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay of Bethesda

• Small Wonders: A Field Guide to Life’s Quiet Joys (Rock Point, April 2026) by Jennifer Shoop of Bethesda

HAVE AN IDEA FOR A STORY ON A LOCAL RESIDENT OR BUSINESS? Email editorial@

READING LIST

These were the bestselling books at People’s Book in Takoma Park in February.

Fiction

1 Vigil

George Saunders

2 Heated Rivalry

Rachel Reid

3 The Correspondent

Virginia Evans

4 What We Can Know

Ian McEwan

5 Thereafter Johnnie

Carolivia Herron

6 Game Changer

Rachel Reid

7 Project Hail Mary

Andy Weir

8 Three Bags Full Leonie Swann

9 They Ain’t Proper M.B. Guel

10 The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny Kiran Desai

Nonfiction

1 Too Precious to Lose: A Memoir of Family, Community, and Possibility

Jason G. Green

2 Why We Suffer and How We Heal: Using Narrative, Ritual, and Purpose to Flourish Through Life’s Challenges

Suzan Song

3 Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s Sorrow Tears and Blood

Stephanie Shonekan

4 Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy

Jamie Raskin

5 Everything Is Tuberculosis

John Green

6 The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue: A Story of Climate and Hope on One American Street

Mike Tidwell

7 Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution

Cat Bohannon

8 Your Song Changed My Life

Bob Boilen

9 The Creative Act: A Way of Being

Rick Rubin

10 On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century

Timothy Snyder

BETS BEST

BEST

Memorial Day Events

May/June

May 22-25

Flags for Our Heroes

Visit the Field of Honor in Gaithersburg’s Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm to see a display of 750 American flags flown on 8-foot-tall flagpoles. The Gaithersburg Rotary Club and the Historic Emory Grove Rotary Club along with the city of Gaithersburg and other city organizations present the display, which pays tribute to military service members, firefighters, police officers, teachers, coaches and other community leaders. An opening ceremony will be held on May 23. flagsforourheroes.org

May 25

Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade

Each year, Rockville honors fallen military members with a ceremony, musical tribute and parade around downtown Rockville This year’s event also celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with roving entertainment and patriotic giveaways. rockvillemd.gov

Community Events

May 14

Best of Bethesda Party

Get to know some of the best local businesses, services and restaurants as chosen by Bethesda Magazine readers and editors at this event celebrating the winners who appeared in the publication’s annual Best of Bethesda issue. Sample food and drinks from award-winning restaurants and party with The 19th Street Band during this bash at the Bethesda Marriott BethesdaMagazine.com/best-ofbethesda-party

May

31

Invent the Future Expo

Check out presentations and inventions created by middle school students, as well as exhibitions from local, regional and national organizations working in AI, biotech, sustainability and other science and technology fields. The celebration of all things STEM occurs at the Kid Museum in Bethesda. kid-museum.org

June

2

Opening Night

The 2026 Cal Ripken Sr. Collegiate Baseball League season starts with the Bethesda Big Train taking on the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts at Shirley Povich Field in Rockville and the Olney Cropdusters facing off against the Gaithersburg Giants at Criswell Automotive Field in Gaithersburg. The eight-team league, including four from Montgomery County, brings in college baseball players from around the country to develop skills and entertain fans. The season runs through July. calripkenleague.org

June 27, 28

Heritage Days

Learn about the history of the Civil War, agriculture, African American communities, railroads and trolleys, life along the C&O Canal and other topics at this free festival highlighting historic and cultural sites around the county. Locations will offer special programs including exhibits,

demonstrations, live music and activities for children. heritagemontgomery.org/thingsto-do/heritage-days

Comedy

June 20

Patton Oswalt

The comedian and actor known for his roles on TV shows including The King of Queens and as the voice of Remy in Pixar’s Ratatouille brings a fresh hour of selfdeprecating observational comedy to the stage at The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda. strathmore.org

Music

May

26

Jason Mraz

Before he was a two-time Grammy Award winner, the “I’m Yours” singer-songwriter was a coffee shop performer. He returns to those roots at this solo acoustic concert at The Music Center at Strathmore. Expect hits and deep cuts from a career that spans more than 20 years. strathmore.org

June 20

Silver Spring Blues Festival

Blues musicians from the region and around the country are set to perform at this free musical block party on Ellsworth Drive in downtown

Silver Spring It caps off Silver Spring Blues Week, which features blues performances at venues throughout downtown Silver Spring from June 14-20. See the full lineup online. silverspringblues.com

Theater

May 27-June 28

Sally & Tom

It’s a play within a play in this show by Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks at Bethesda’s Round House Theatre. A theater troupe is staging a play about Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, with Luce, the playwright, starring as Sally, and her boyfriend, Mike, directing and starring as

Tom. Complexities and questions arise about race, power and both the present-day relationship between Luce and Mike and the historical one between Jefferson and Hemings as the actors explore their roles. roundhousetheatre.org

June 3-July 12

Carla Hall: Please Underestimate Me

After opening Bumblebirds, her new Southern fare restaurant in Washington, D.C., earlier this year, celebrity chef Carla

May 1-10

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Christopher, a boy with autism, tries to figure out how his neighbor’s dog was killed in this show based on the novel of the same name and presented by Rockville Little Theatre at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre in Rockville. rlt-online.org

Spring Forward

Bold menus, fearless design, and next-level entertaining. Ridgewells

Catering elevates every detail from expected to extraordinary.

Let’s make your next event unforgettable.

May/June

Hall (The Chew, Top Chef) reveals how she learned to embrace her unique qualities and went from an awkward theater kid in Tennessee to an award-winning chef and TV personality in this one-woman show at Olney Theatre Center olneytheatre.org

June 17-July 26

Pete the Cat: A Live Rock Musical

Based on the popular children’s book series, this production follows Pete the Cat and his friend Jimmy Biddle as they travel to Paris in a Volkswagen bus to find artistic inspiration. The show at Imagination Stage in Bethesda is recommended for children ages 4-10. imaginationstage.org

June 18-Aug. 23

Sleeping Beauty: The Time Traveler

The classic fairy tale gets a time-traveling twist in this production at Adventure Theatre MTC in Glen Echo. Rolly’s summer break gets a lot more interesting when the modern-day fifth grader meets Aurora, a 12-year-old medieval princess who dreams of becoming a knight. The kids try to evade Aurora’s fate to sleep for a hundred years by escaping to the present day. The show is recommended for age 5 and older. adventuretheatre-mtc.org

Street Fairs and Festivals

May 2

Sligo Creek Fest

Sligo Creek Parkway in Silver Spring turns into a family-friendly festival. Musical performers include local bands DuPont Jazz and Capital Effect on the main stage and children’s entertainers Rocknoceros and Culture Queen. Other activities include touch-a-truck, a mobile science station, inflatable archery and lawn games. The festival is free, but bring your wallet for purchases from local food and drink vendors. montgomeryparks.org

May 9, 10

Bethesda Fine Arts Festival

Local and national artists show and sell their original creations—from painting and photography to sculpture, jewelry and

furniture—in Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle neighborhood. The free event also features live music and food from local restaurants. bethesda.org

May 16

Gaithersburg Book Festival

More than 120 writers, including best-selling novelists, local authors, nonfiction writers and poets, will sign books and participate in book discussions and workshops at this free literary event in Gaithersburg’s Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm. gaithersburgbookfestival.org

May 16

Paws in the Park

Bring your pooch out for a day at the Montgomery County Agricultural Center in Gaithersburg for this dog-centric festival that raises money for the Montgomery County Humane Society. Two-legged attendees can expect pet-friendly vendors, main-stage entertainers, music, food and contests, while their four-legged counterparts can experience toys, treats, exercise, dips in a baby pool and even bacon bubbles. mchumane.org/events

May 23, 24

Hometown Holidays

This kickoff to summer features two stages of live music in downtown Rockville. The free event also includes food from local restaurants, an artisan market and family activities such as crafts and lawn games. rockvillemd.gov

June 6

Strawberry Festival

The sweet red berries are the star of this community party, where you can eat strawberry shortcake, drink strawberrythemed beverages and participate in a strawberry spirit costume contest. Other

May 2, 3

Rockville Arts Festival

Shop for unique art and handmade crafts at this festival in downtown Rockville. The event, which is organized by VisArts, supports the art center’s VisAbility Art Lab studio program for artists with autism and developmental disabilities. Check out more than 100 artist booths, as well as live art demonstrations and gallery exhibitions. visartscenter.org

draws include live entertainment, a petting zoo, hands-on cultural heritage activities, craft vendors and a plant sale. It all takes place at the Sandy Spring Museum sandyspringmuseum.org/strawberry-festival

June 27

SummerFest

Gaithersburg celebrates Independence Day a week early at this free festival featuring a fireworks display, live music, and food and beverages from local vendors at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm. Stick around for the SummerGlo after-party with live music and roaming performers such as stilt walkers and jugglers. gaithersburgmd.gov

June 28

Pride in the Plaza

Celebrate Pride Month in Silver Spring with drag performances, music and dancing at Veterans Plaza during this free event in recognition of the LGBTQ+ community. Vendors and representatives from community organizations will also be on-site. liveinyourtruth.org/pride-in-the-plaza Stephanie Siegel Burke

See our weekly list of things to do at BethesdaMagazine.com . Submit events at BethesdaMagazine.com/submitcalendar-event.

Coming up at

Jason Mraz

Still Yours Tour

With Special Guest Gregory Page

Tue, May 26—sold out!

Solo acoustic hits and deep cuts

Renée Fleming Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene

Wed, May 27

International opera star is the voice of nature

Andrew Bird with National Philharmonic 20th Anniversary of The Mysterious Production of Eggs

Wed, June 3 & Thu, June 4

Full album performance with sweeping orchestral arrangements

Cécile McLorin Salvant Book of Ayres with the Brandee Younger Trio

Thu, June 11

Grammy-winning vocalist blending jazz, folk, and baroque influences

Patton Oswalt Live!

Sat, June 20

Smart, incisive wit and personal storytelling

Straight No Chaser

Beach Bash

Tue, June 23

A cappella renditions of summer hits

Jesse & Joy

El Despecho Tour

Wed, June 24

Latin pop blends with folk and acoustic influences

Chris Botti

Fri, June 26

Lush, jazz-pop sound and bold arrangements

Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers

Indigo Park Tour

Wed, July 29

Timeless hits and new material come together in a genre-spanning rock and roots set

Coming of Age

Seniors prove it’s ‘never too late’ for a b’nai mitzvah BY

When she was growing up in the 1950s, bat mitzvahs, Jewish coming-of-age ceremonies for girls ages 12 and 13, were not as common as their male counterparts, bar mitzvahs, says Esther Strauss, 82, of Rockville.

The first bat mitzvah took place in 1922, when Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan of New York held a ceremony for his daughter Judith, according to a story by NPR. While the bar mitzvah has been celebrated since the 14th century, bat mitzvahs were not widespread in the U.S. until the 1970s or 1980s. “My daughter was bat mitzvahed in 1982,” Strauss says. “I was very proud and happy for her, but also unhappy because I never had the chance. I never thought that I could do anything about it.”

But Strauss says that changed last summer after she chatted with Emily Howard Meyer, a volunteer rabbi at Revitz House, an independent living residence at the

MEG DRENNAN

Charles E. Smith Life Communities in Rockville, where Strauss lives. “I said, ‘It’s really a shame that when we were the right age, it wasn’t done.’ And she said, ‘Well, I can do something about that,’ ” Strauss recalls.

After conferring with Rabbi Daniel Friedman, the director of spiritual life and senior rabbi at Charles E. Smith Life Communities, Howard Meyer offered to work with a small group of Revitz House residents to prepare for an adult b’nai mitzvah, in this case, a joint coming-of-age ceremony including men and women.

Starting in July, a group of eight residents, all in their 70s and 80s, met weekly to prepare much like 12- and 13-year-old students would. Their studies included learning the Hebrew alphabet, practicing trope, a system of musical notation that guides the pitch and phrasing of words in the Torah, and discussing readings from the Torah that they would each share at the ceremony.

“But we delved into everything at a much deeper level because they are adults,” Howard Meyer says. “We talked about what it meant to be Jewish, and they brought their life experiences to those discussions. They were able to speak in-depth about challenging issues, such as slavery in the U.S. and how it differed from slavery in ancient Egypt, and what it was like to be a woman in that time.”

Each person’s backstory was different. Some were raised in the Orthodox or Conservative traditions but now practice Reform Judaism. Some grew up focusing on civil rights instead of religious practice, and others had no experience with Jewish traditions.

“Right before I left the Soviet Union in 1990, my father found a moment when we were alone. I had my plane ticket in my hand. He whispered in my ear, ‘Do you know we are Jewish?’ I was 42,” says

Yelena Sadigurski, 78, a Revitz House resident who participated in the b’nai mitzvah group. “He was concerned about antisemitism. It was a lot to deal with right then at my departure. It took time.”

Over the years, she tried to learn more about Judaism, but found it challenging until connecting with Howard Meyer. “She is a special person. She is very patient and kind with us,” Sadigurski says.

In February, their studies culminated in a b’nai mitzvah. “There is no official way to do a b’nai mitzvah service. But the most important piece is the blessing over the Torah,” Howard Meyer says. “That’s the moment.”

prayers, others just a few lines.

As a result, participants had the freedom to craft a ceremony in a way that worked for everyone, Howard Meyer says. Each person chose a different way to celebrate and participate: two created paintings, one wrote a speech, another played the piano. Some read entire

“We did our readings in pairs because everyone was nervous, not scared, just nervous and excited,” Sadigurski says. “When you’re old, there’s lots of forgetting.”

More than 75 friends, family and fellow residents attended the b’nai mitzvah, which was held at Revitz House. Afterward, they enjoyed a catered meal with bagels, lox, tuna and egg salads, and cake. A klezmer band played traditional Ashkenazi Jewish folk music. A professional photographer captured special moments.

Strauss’ son, Ari Strauss, 53, of Washington, D.C., is grateful his mother finally had the chance to celebrate her bat mitzvah. “She always wanted to do it,” he says. “And this was the perfect time, because in Judaism we have a belief that once you attain the age of 70, it’s like having a second life.” It’s becoming more common for Jewish people to have a second bat or bar mitzvah as a celebration in their 80s, according to Howard Meyer.

Esther Strauss says, “It’s never too late for anyone. You should go back and see what you can do now.”

Sadigurski says the ceremony even included her grandson, who is 14 and didn’t have a bar mitzvah. Howard Meyer “nicely involved him in the ceremony,” Sadigurski adds. “It is very meaningful for us to have this shared memory.”

While making a documentary film, Kelsie Kimberlin visited Izium, Ukraine, where a high-rise building had been hit by a Russian missile.

Filming for Peace

After her cousin died in Ukraine, a Bethesda activist set out to document what happened

BY SOFIA APPOLONIO

When singer-songwriter Kelsie Kimberlin of Bethesda visited Ukraine in the early 2020s to film music videos, her younger cousin Andrii Rachok (she called him by his nickname, Andrusha) was never far from her side. They had bonded as children, filling Kimberlin’s frequent trips to Ukraine, where her mother was born, with adventures in the countryside.

So when Rachok told her in 2023 that he had decided to enlist in the Ukrainian armed forces to fight against the Russian invasion, Kimberlin tried to dissuade him. The two argued, and it was one of the last times they spoke. He joined the service that year and was 21 when he was killed on the front lines in February 2024 during a Russian airstrike.

“Every Ukrainian has an Andrusha story,” says Kimberlin, now 26.

Kimberlin’s October 2024 journey to visit Rachok’s grave and the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine war is the focus of the documentary The Last Message, which Kimberlin worked on and starred in, and which shows her in the studio writing music. She made the film to amplify Ukrainian voices on the front lines, to advocate for

continued U.S. support and to showcase the resilience of the Ukrainians. Kimberlin says the film was funded by donations from several organizations, many of which are based in Ukraine.

The pop singer-songwriter regularly intertwines her art with personal causes. She’s penned songs about women, gun violence and LGBTQ+ community rights. Her YouTube channel has more than 200,000 subscribers, with multiple videos topping 1 million views.

“I feel like when you have music and you add politics into it, it kind of makes it a little more lighthearted, and people understand a little bit more, versus going to listen to some newscaster guy being like, ‘This is what happened today,’ ” Kimberlin says.

Kimberlin filmed three music videos for her songs in Ukraine in 2023 after the invasion and revisited the country in September 2025 to film for her song “Dream of Peace,” which she says premiered at the Concert for Peace at International Peace Day in Los Angeles that month.

Kimberlin’s path to The Last Message began in 2024, when she targeted some Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives in an Instagram video after they voted to withhold funding from Ukraine. Her words caught the attention of Ukrainian filmmakers familiar with her work in the country, who said they’d like to help her document life on the front lines. In the film, she interviews activists, soldiers, famous Ukrainian figures and everyday people.

“Where I fought through song and video, he took up arms to defend Ukraine,” Kimberlin says in the film when speaking about her cousin.

Through drone, cellphone and professional camera footage, Kimberlin tracks her journey to visit her cousin’s grave. She worked with a production company based in Ukraine and says she received access to ride along with Ukrainian special forces to film in a war zone, showing the depth of the damage to infrastructure from the war— homes, schools, churches, hospitals—while navigating real-time threats to her safety from attacks. During her travels, she helped evacuate her and Rachok’s grandparents from the village of Raipoli following the threat of increased bombings.

In presenting the horrors of war, Kimberlin says she wants The Last Message to be a story of resilience. Parallel to the destruction, film footage captures sunny open fields and relics of the history of Ukraine. “The craziest thing about Ukraine … despite them being in the middle of a war, they have cleaner streets than we do. And they take care of everything. They keep it clean, no matter what. If there’s debris and something goes off, there are people putting in efforts to immediately clean their country,” Kimberlin says. “Even on the front lines, there’s mom-and-pop shops making meals for people and soldiers.”

Andrii Samerkhanov, a producer on the film who lives in Ukraine, says, “Kelsie is like a fire. When we put out a message for anyone to hear us and share our voices [after the invasion], we found Kelsie.” He says Kimberlin became a prominent activist in Ukraine and speaks in awe of her bravery to arrive at the front lines. “She’s become a national figure here, everyone knows her,” Samerkhanov says. Outside of filmmaking, Kimberlin’s support of Ukraine includes working with families and schools as they rebuild their communities following Russian attacks, visiting with Ukrainian amputees at Medical Center Orthotics & Prosthetics in Silver Spring, and shining a spotlight on notable Ukrainian figures through interviews she posts on YouTube.

Kimberlin hopes The Last Message will be included in upcoming film festivals. Through the film, she wants to confront political apathy toward the war in Ukraine. She hopes viewers will see the dire need for aid and take action to support the country. “I wanted to bring light to what’s actually happening and what’s being overshadowed by showing people’s truth, resilience and actual stories [in Ukraine],” she says. “My main goal is to wake people up and ask, what side of history do we want to be on?”

The Keys to Healing

A Bethesda psychiatrist promotes stories, rituals and purpose to ease suffering

BY CARALEE ADAMS

“We’re not supposed to do life alone,” says Dr. Suzan Song, 47, a psychiatrist who lives in Bethesda and sees patients virtually.

Listening to trauma survivors in her work around the world, Song says she came to value the role of community in recovery. Her recent book, Why We Suffer and How We Heal: Using Narrative, Ritual, and Purpose to Flourish Through Life’s Challenges (Harmony/ Penguin Random House, February 2026), emphasizes the importance of sharing stories, establishing rituals and finding a sense of purpose to move forward after hardships.

“Healing really happens with a sense of belonging in relation with others,” says Song, who grew up in Ellicott City, Maryland.

Throughout the book, Song writes about her suffering, including the death of her father when she was 15 and lessons learned from the experience. Song says she didn’t talk about the loss for years, pouring herself into her work in a quest for stability. She has a doctor of medicine degree from the University of Chicago, a doctorate in social-behavioral medicine from the University of Amsterdam and a master’s in health policy from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Song worked for universities and humanitarian agencies across sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, along with completing fieldwork in Burundi for her Ph.D., and is an adviser to U.S. federal agencies, including the departments of State and Justice.

Song says she tries to bridge what she learned as a physician with what she witnessed from healers in other cultures working with people who seemed to thrive after crisis.

In Sierra Leone, Song says she met a woman who had been a child soldier and sex slave for nearly a decade. She was a mother of two who seemed to be doing well in her village. Initially, Song thought the woman must have coped by talking through her ordeal with close family and friends. Instead, it was when her village elder got everyone together and did a body purification ritual that the woman felt accepted and it reinforced her identity. “That’s when I really saw the power of other ways of healing,” Song says.

While working in Haiti in 2010, a month after the country’s devastating earthquake, Song encountered a boy who had lost his entire family in minutes. He befriended many of the other orphans and was giving them lessons in basic Haitian Creole and math. When Song asked if he needed anything at that moment, she expected him to say food or water. “He said, ‘I want you to help me become a teacher,’ ” Song says. “That really carried him. He felt the sense of purpose.”

In retelling these stories in her book, along with anecdotes of patients she treats in the U.S., Song offers practical advice for navigating the setbacks of life. She encourages people to give up the “illusion of stability” and dismiss the pressure in American society to think of resilience as an individual act of perseverance and grit. Song says suffering isn’t meant to be “privatized” and people need each other to weather life’s storms together.

While Song says the book is for anyone going through a hard time, she was motivated to write it for an audience of two: her children, ages 8 and 10. Beyond grades and achievement, she says, children need to learn how to handle adversity.

Song adds: “What I most want for my kids is to know that life’s hard and they have the skills to get through it.”

Advanced General Dentistry and Implant Dentistry

SMILES OF CHEVY CHASE DESPINA M. MARKOGIANNAKIS, DDS

At Smiles of Chevy Chase, dentistry is elevated into a seamless, refined experience where innovation, precision and trust come together. Under the leadership of Dr. Despina M. Markogiannakis, the practice sets a new standard for advanced general and implant dentistry in the Washington, D.C. area. Known for combining cutting-edge technology with an artistic eye, Dr. Markogiannakis and Dr. McShane deliver exceptional, natural-looking results designed to enhance both health and confidence.

Offering comprehensive general, cosmetic, implant and sedation dentistry in one location, the practice provides a streamlined, patient-centered approach with one trusted team guiding every step. Utilizing state-of-theart 3D imaging and seamless digital scanning, patients

experience clarity, comfort and precision—eliminating traditional impressions while ensuring highly accurate, personalized outcomes.

Every treatment plan is thoughtfully curated and clearly communicated, empowering patients with confidence and ease. From same-day solutions to advanced implant care, accessibility and excellence define the patient experience. Sedation options further enhance comfort, creating a calm and elevated environment.

For those seeking exceptional dentistry without compromise, Smiles of Chevy Chase offers a sophisticated, all-encompassing approach where beauty, function, and longevity align.

Schedule your complimentary consultation today. Follow @smilesofchevychase

Whole Family Dentistry and Orthodontic Care

ENSOR, JOHNSON & LEWIS

DRS. ENSOR, JOHNSON & LEWIS

The multi-specialty practice of Drs. Ensor, Johnson & Lewis (EJL) stands as a pillar of premier dental and orthodontic care in Rockville, Bethesda, Kensington and the surrounding area. With an unwavering commitment to excellence, their esteemed team, led by Drs. Shalija Ensor, Timothy Johnson, Lauren Lewis, Jennifer Matelis, Katie Staub and Charmy Patel, is dedicated to providing superior, friendly and professional service.

With its rich history, the practice has nurtured deep connections with generations of patients, fostering genuine and lasting relationships. Every individual who walks through the door receives personalized attention and care, ensuring comfort and addressing concerns with patience and thoroughness.

The EJL team boasts extensive tenure and a relentless pursuit of ongoing education and skill enhancement. Armed with cuttingedge technology and techniques, they offer a comprehensive suite of dental and orthodontic services, including general checkups, cosmetic enhancements, restorative procedures, laser soft tissue frenectomies, and orthodontic alignment with Invisalign.

From infants to adults, with a significant focus on those with special needs, Drs. Ensor, Johnson and Lewis deliver unparalleled care by focusing on not only crafting but inspiring lasting smiles. Their warm, family-centered environment provides a sanctuary for individuals with dental anxiety, where they receive compassionate and reassuring treatment from a team dedicated to their well-being.

In essence, Drs. Ensor, Johnson and Lewis uphold a proud legacy of excellence and personalized care, ensuring that every patient receives top-notch treatment in an environment characterized by warmth, compassion and professionalism.

FACES OF STRATEGIC FAMILY LAW

1 LAW FIRM + 2 DIFFERENT APPROACHES = HIGHER CHANCE OF SUCCESS

DAVID BULITT, PRINCIPAL JOSEPH | GREENWALD | LAAKE

Awarded as a Leader in Law for Alternative Dispute Resolution by the Maryland State Bar Association, David Bulitt is a nationally recognized family law specialist who advocates for his clients’ best interests with the same fervor he would want someone to fight for his. A skilled mediator and litigator with extensive knowledge of divorce’s impact on special needs children, Bulitt is not afraid to think outside the box and is often sought out by other attorneys and appointed by local courts to mediate high conflict custody and financial disputes.

Married to a family therapist for almost 40 years, a father of four daughters, and with uncommon insight into mental health issues, Bulitt brings a unique perspective to every client’s case. A regular guest on local television, David also hosts his law firm’s podcast “JGL Law for You” and co-hosts with his wife the relationship centric show, “Conversations for Couples.”

For nearly two decades, Reza Golesorkhi has been the divorce lawyer that the Washington metropolitan area’s most discerning professionals turn to when the stakes are highest. Recognized among the region’s elite family law attorneys—his appellate work has shaped Maryland family law—he offers something even more than courtroom command and sharp negotiation skills: lived experience. As a divorced father of four, he brings a uniquely

human perspective, serving not only as a legal advisor but a steady, empathetic guide through one of life’s most challenging transitions. Reza knows that divorce is rarely straightforward, and he navigates that complexity as both a problem-solver and negotiator, always keeping his clients’ best interests—and their children’s wellbeing—at the center. “Winning,” he says, “means allowing a client to move forward with confidence, dignity and security.”

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Advocacy in Family Law and Personal Injury Law

MATTHEW D. ALMAN, ESQ. & ELLIOTT A. ALMAN, ESQ. ALMAN & ALMAN, LLC

Alman & Alman, LLC brings more than 50 years of combined legal experience representing clients throughout Maryland in both family law and personal injury matters. The firm handles a wide range of cases, including divorce, custody and child support, as well as personal injury and auto accident claims.

The attorneys understand that legal challenges, whether involving family disputes or serious injuries, can have a profound emotional, physical, and financial impact. They approach every case with honesty, dedication, and empathy, taking the time to understand each client’s unique circumstances and goals.

As a boutique firm, Alman & Alman emphasizes a client-centered and collaborative approach.

Clients are treated as informed partners, with a clear understanding of their rights, options, and likely outcomes. The firm works closely with clients to resolve matters efficiently through negotiation, mediation, and when necessary, trial.

In personal injury matters, the firm is committed to helping clients recover compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages and medical expenses. The attorneys negotiate aggressively with insurance companies and pursue litigation when needed to protect their clients’ rights and maximize recovery. Elliott A. Alman is a past Family Law Chair of the American Association for Justice, and both Elliott A. Alman and Matthew D. Alman have been recognized on the Maryland Super Lawyers list.

hen families face major transitions, having trusted legal representation makes all the difference. Malech Law provides expert guidance for custody arrangements, asset division and spousal support, helping clients navigate these challenges with confidence.

With decades of experience, Lloyd Malech and his team are trusted leaders in family law, known for their strategic expertise and compassionate approach. Malech Law is committed to providing discreet, ethical and client-centered representation customized to each individual’s needs. Whether facing a narcissistic spouse, complex marital estates, or co-parenting challenges, Malech Law offers the support and clarity clients need to move forward with strength and optimism.

JASON A. COHEN, DDS

Dr. Jason Cohen’s patients appreciate the artistry that goes into his dentistry. His practice offers gentle treatment in a caring atmosphere and aims to preserve, protect and enhance patients’ dental health, while treating patients like family. He and his staff prove that going to the dentist can be an enjoyable experience.

Ranging from simple aesthetic bonding to complex implant dentistry, Dr. Cohen’s office utilizes digital radiography and photography to ensure the most ideal aesthetic results. Dr. Cohen, a detail-oriented perfectionist, and his team have a commitment to continuing education that enables them to provide the most current, state-of-the-art care.

Practicing in the area since 2002, Dr. Cohen lives in Bethesda with his wife, Stacy, and sons Corey and Blake.

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Bethesda's Best Builder

Sandy Spring Builders is the premier custom homebuilder in the Washington, D.C. area. For more than 40 years, Phil Leibovitz and Mimi Brodsky Kress have been building new and doing large-scale renovations of award-winning homes and bringing their clients’ visions to life. Sandy Spring Builders has won the Best of Bethesda Magazine award for “Best Builder” every year since its inception. Their incredible team, who are among the most talented and passionate in the industry, have built a portfolio of spectacular homes for their clients. They are full-service custom builders, and their expertise is unmatched in the industry. Their clients, including friends and family, are the biggest testament to an enduring theme that everyone at Sandy Spring Builders goes by, “We are your builder for life.”

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Business Law

Nazareth Bonifacino Law is more than a law firm; it is a force for good.

Maryland’s first Certified Benefit Corporation legal practice, this award-winning firm is dedicated to driving positive change throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Trusted as general counsel to businesses, nonprofits and independent private schools, the attorneys at Nazareth Bonifacino Law bring joy and purpose to their work, transforming

communities for a brighter future. The firm, founded by Natasha Nazareth and Ginny Bonifacino, offers deep proficiency, intuitive problem-solving and innovative resolutions in business, intellectual property and education law, empowering clients to thrive. Experience their personal, collaborative and affordable approach tailored to your needs, with intentional listening and honest conversations that redefine legal practice standards.

Retirement Planning

B. HURWITZ, CFP®, AIF®,

The alphabet soup after my name is evidence of my commitment to the specific needs around retirement planning strategies.

I hold the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®), Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ (CRPC™), Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist™ (CRPS™), Retirement Income Certified Professional® (RICP®), Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor™ (APMA™), AEP Accredited Estate Planner, and the Behavioral Financial Advisor (BFA™) designations, on top of being a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner (CFP®).

Our team helps clients not only plan for how to make their money last throughout retirement, but also all the other challenges, like planning for kids and grandkids, dealing with volatile markets, and often coaching people on how to spend and enjoy their money. When it comes to retirement planning strategies, we can help with saving, growing, preserving or gifting your nest egg. Visit our website to request an initial consultation.

David B. Hurwitz, CFP®, AIF®, BFATM, APMA®, CRPCTM, RICP®, AEP®, CRPSTM is a Private Wealth Advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC in Bethesda, MD. He specializes in fee-based financial planning and asset management strategies and has been in practice for 20 years.

Advisor is licensed and registered to do business with U.S. residents only in the state of MD.

The initial consultation provides an overview of financial planning concepts. You will not receive written analysis and/or recommendations.

Investment products are not insured by the FDIC, NCUA or any federal agency, are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by any financial institution, and involve investment risks including possible loss of principal and fluctuation in value.

Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser.

Securities offered by Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2026. Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.

Westbrook Neighborhood Homes

DANA RICE GROUP OF COMPASS

Specializing in the distinctive collection of Westbrook neighborhoods, Dana Rice has become a trusted and familiar presence in Bethesda and Chevy Chase real estate.

“These neighborhoods are known for their solid construction, timeless appeal and unbeatable proximity to Friendship Heights and Washington, D.C.,” says Rice. “My team lives and works here, and that local perspective truly shapes how we serve our clients.”

From charming bungalows to expansive custom new homes throughout Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Washington, D.C., Dana Rice offers a depth of neighborhood and market knowledge that consistently delivers results for both buyers and sellers. Dana Rice Group offers an unmatched marketing strategy, an on-staff stager, an interior designer and a trusted network of local experts. Clients receive a seamless, concierge-level experience from start to finish.

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Anational leader in dyslexia education now in its 20th year, The Siena School serves bright, college-bound students with language-based learning differences on two campuses in Silver Spring, Md. (grades three through 12) and one in Oakton, Va. (grades three through 11).

Siena’s mission-focused innovative dyslexia education is designed for students with strong interests in the arts, sciences, history, social justice and more. Technology, individualized reading instruction,

multisensory teaching, lessons in self-advocacy and executive functioning, and collaboration with faculty and staff help meet students’ learning needs.

Siena’s programs for grades three and four in Northern Virginia and Silver Spring continue to refine students’ learning experiences with necessary early intervention, self-advocacy lessons and multisensory reading techniques.

Siena also provides virtual tutoring and a summer academic program.

Elevated Thai Dining

PORNTIPA PATTANAMEKA PATTANA RESTAURANT GROUP

Chef Porntipa Pattanameka, known as Chef Pat, is redefining how the Washington, D.C. region experiences Thai cuisine. As executive chef and co-owner behind Sense of Thai, Tiki Thai, Dok Khao and Thai At Restaurants, she leads distinctive restaurant concepts that combine authentic Southern Thai flavors with thoughtful design and warm hospitality.

Chef Pat continues to innovate by reimagining the Thai dining experience, translating traditional flavors into dishes and spaces designed for today’s diners. Through contemporary presentation, craft cocktails and immersive restaurant design, she offers a modern perspective on Thai cuisine while honoring its cultural roots.

As a successful minority woman entrepreneur, Chef Pat has developed her restaurants into vibrant community gathering places that celebrate Thai culture and elevate the dining experience throughout the region.

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hat moves you matters at Ingleside at King Farm. Whether it is staying active, exploring creative interests, connecting with others, or finding moments of quiet renewal, this dynamic community is designed to support the way you want to live. Offering a continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, memory support assisted living, skilled nursing, home care, and a social day program, residents have the freedom to focus on what brings purpose and fulfillment each day. Here, engaged living is rooted in choice and possibility. Enjoy experiences that nourish your body, mind, and spirit, from creative pursuits in the cultural arts center to relaxation in the saltwater pool. Join a yoga class, meet friends at the coffee shop, or explore inviting amenities that encourage connection and discovery. Located in the walkable King Farm neighborhood, everything you need is just steps away—shopping, parks, dining, and easy access to Washington, DC. This is a community shaped by what moves you.

TRENT & CO AT COMPASS REAL ESTATE

While the 2025 housing market challenged many, there’s always a “sweet spot” to leverage. For buyers, post-Covid pricing adjustments mean less competition and more negotiating power, with contingencies, inspections and financing back to normal timelines. The Washington, D.C. condo market also presents a great opportunity to start building wealth, especially for younger buyers. For “rightsizers” or downsizers, there are now more one-level living options than we’ve seen in years.

For sellers, remember: Presentation, Price and Patience. In one case, a split-level home received a $1.25M builder offer, while other agents suggested $1.35M. With strong presentation and strategic pricing, we achieved over $1.5M—proving that when you nail both price and presentation, results follow. Builder offers are just one option—especially under $2M, a strong agent knows how to position, price and present to unlock your home’s true value.

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Modern Family Law

Family dynamics are constantly evolving, and so should your legal representation. Strickler, Platnick & Hatfield understands the profound impact its actions have on clients’ lives and, with decades of experience in family law—even in complex and contentious cases—stands as a beacon of compassionate guidance, expertise, and dependability. At the forefront of the ever-changing family law landscape, managing partner Geoffrey S. Platnick and

the Strickler, Platnick & Hatfield team work collaboratively, leveraging their collective knowledge and experience to secure optimal outcomes. Whether you’re navigating divorce, custody disputes, property division, alimony calculations, or other family conflicts, Strickler, Platnick & Hatfield recognizes that every family deserves tailored solutions. “Achieving clients’ goals is our highest priority; we pursue those objectives intently through creative strategies and fervent advocacy,” says Platnick.

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Since 1998, Dr. Gail Linn has been providing doctorate level hearing care people can trust. The practice added a pediatric specialist when Dr. Linn’s daughter, Dr. Tricia Terlep, joined in 2007. Over her 35 years in practice, Dr. Linn has become a leading voice in the industry for Real Ear Measurements, a procedure that allows her to measure exactly what the hearing aid is delivering to the ear through a tiny tube attached to a microphone in a patient’s ear. While not widely done, Dr. Linn considers this the most important component of a hearing aid fitting. There is no reason to risk spending thousands of dollars on hearing aids that may not be programmed to the best of their ability.

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Tom Gilday leads Pinehurst Design Build with extensive expertise and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Supported by a talented team of architects, designers, project managers, and master craftsmen, he ensures each custom renovation reflects the client’s distinct vision and lifestyle.

With decades of experience and an impeccable reputation, Pinehurst has simplified a process that is often complex and stressful. Their integrated design-build approach unites planning, design, and construction under one roof, aligning the team around a shared vision.

Pinehurst’s proven process—explore, build, and enjoy—guides each project from concept to completion, prioritizing communication, craftsmanship, and thoughtful design to deliver home transformations that are beautifully designed and thoughtfully executed.

Estate Planning Law

THE FACE OF S

elzer Gurvitch is one of the region’s leading firms in trust and estate law, helping individuals, families, and business owners plan with purpose and peace of mind. The firm’s seasoned attorneys understand the complexities of modern families and businesses—from blended households and generational wealth transfers to the sale or succession of closely held companies.

Drawing on deep experience in estate planning, estate and trust administration, and business and tax planning, the team provides practical, strategic guidance tailored to each client’s values and long-term goals. Several attorneys hold advanced tax degrees and backgrounds as Certified Public Accountants, bringing added insight to sophisticated planning strategies. Selzer Gurvitch helps clients protect what they have built, care for those they love, and preserve their legacies for generations. Learn more at www.selzergurvitch.com.

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When you need specialized dental care, expertise is paramount. Drs. Israel Puterman and Chris Barth offer an unparalleled blend of cutting-edge technology and personalized attention to ensure you receive the highest level of care in a comfortable, relaxing office environment. From dental implants to treatment for gum recession, gum disease or a gummy smile, or simply offering their expert opinion, Drs. Puterman and Barth excel in helping with a wide range of

periodontal and implant dentistry needs.

ImplantsDC uses the latest, trusted technology, including 3D microscopes, digital guided surgery, laser periodontics, and minimally invasive techniques, to provide optimal results with minimal discomfort. You can also rest comfortably with IV sedation.

Perennially voted by peers as a "Top Dentist," with Drs. Puterman and Barth, you'll receive worldclass periodontics and implant dentistry in a most welcoming atmosphere.

THE FACE OF Pediatric

Dentistry:

Airway, Tongue-Tie & All Things

Myo

KAREN BENITEZ, DDS, QOM

We welcome you with palpable vibrancy because we love what we do! Our office design is inviting with serene calmness, transitioning to pops of color. The kids’ nook, interactive wall-toys, costume sunglasses and movies bring your littles closer to comfort. “These decisions help kids gain confidence,” says Dr. Karen.

As an airway-focused pediatric dentist, Dr. Karen provides newborn, toddler and children's functional tongue-tie releases to optimize growth of the facial skeleton. We work collaboratively with orthodontists, pediatricians, ENTs, lactation counselors, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and chiropractors to support our patients from infancy. Oromyofunctional therapy surrounding tongue posture is critical for proper "face-forward" growth trajectories.

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

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

Thinking about working with a builder can feel overwhelming. An experienced real estate professional makes it easy. We represent buyers interested in all types of new construction—from large projects to infill development—often finding pre-market opportunities. We monitor the stages of the building process and provide advice on inspections, value and closing. In other circumstances, we represent sales to builders, help homeowners determine whether to sell an older home directly, and assist

in selecting a reputable builder. And we represent new construction for builders, bringing strong prices and smooth transactions. The result? Happy clients! As a 30-plus year industry veteran, and the top individual agent for TTR’s Bethesda office for seven consecutive years, Barbara’s success in all aspects of real estate marketing and sales is predicated on experience, strategic insight, persistence, warm sincerity. Home. Let’s get there together.

THE FACE OF Architecture

ELIE BEN ARCHITECTURE, LLC

Elie Ben Architecture is an award-winning architectural firm that provides premium architectural services throughout the Washington, D.C. area, including designing custom and speculative homes, residential additions and renovations, and commercial interiors and facilities improvements.

Driven by her passion for neighborhood reinvigoration through innovative home designs, founder and principal architect Maryam Tabrizchi, AIA, NCARB, strives to create costeffective projects that are welcoming from the outside and functional and loving on the inside.

"Each of our custom homes is unique, representing each owner's needs and lifestyle. In addition, our speculative homes are thoughtfully designed with the same level of care and creativity, anticipating the expectations of discerning future homeowners. " says Tabrizchi.

Elie Ben Architecture values clients' expectations and is committed to a seamless client experience. With clients' vision in mind, the firm's team designs inspiring and timeless living spaces.

Life rarely unfolds exactly as planned. Divorce, loss, career changes and other major transitions can reshape a person’s financial future overnight.

Julie Bonvillain, CFP, CDFA, understands this reality and has built her career helping people regain clarity and confidence during life’s most pivotal moments. As Director of Financial Planning at Sandbox Financial Partners, Julie specializes in guiding clients through complex financial transitions with empathy, expertise and steady guidance. Working as a fiduciary, she helps clients understand where they are today and build a thoughtful plan for what comes next.

Her focus is simple: help people regain control, make confident decisions and build lasting financial resilience so they can live more and worry less.

THE FACE OF Kitchen Design

AIDAN DESIGN

Nadia Subaran knows the look—that slight panic when a client starts worrying she hasn’t left them enough storage. After 24 years, the Aidan Design principal has seen it hundreds of times, and the answer is always the same: trust me. The best compliment, she says, comes later, when she revisits a finished project and those same clients can’t wait to show her what isn’t there—the empty drawer, proof that efficiency always beats quantity.

From induction cooktops to steam ovens, smart ventilation to sustainability, every decision—for any space in the home—is guided by how people actually live, and how they’ll be living 25 years from now.

“We love what we do,” Subaran says. “Design is a process. Our job is to do the heavy lifting so clients can enjoy the exploration.”

THE FACE OF Facial Plastic Surgery

CHEVY CHASE FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY

For more than two decades, double-boardcertified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Jennifer Parker Porter has blended cutting-edge technology with compassionate, white-glove care to help thousands of patients look refreshed, natural and most importantly, unmistakably themselves, with minimal downtime.

Specializing in procedures from the neck up, Dr. Porter brings an exceptional understanding of facial anatomy—and therefore exquisite precision and artistry—to every procedure. From rhinoplasty and facelifts to minimally invasive injectables and laser resurfacing, she tailors every treatment to each patient’s unique facial structure, skin type and aesthetic goals.

“My goal is to help patients look like the best version of themselves,” Dr. Porter says. “No drastic changes, just subtle, stunning results that restore their confidence.”

One of the most exciting building and remodeling firms in the area, STRUCTURE. is leading a new generation in home construction. The core of the team is Matt Covell and Omar Shawqi, renovation specialists with a fresh take on home aesthetics and a soulful, creative approach to how home improvement is experienced. Established talent in the local building scene, they have a reputation for

high quality, highly customized projects that shine with undeniable style. Their unique work has been featured on the cover of HGTV Magazine and highlighted in The Washington Post, Bethesda Magazine and others. With more and more STRUCTURE. signs appearing in yards across the area, home envy is becoming more prevalent with Covell and Shawqi working next door!

r. Josh Funk, DPT, is the Founder and CEO of Rehab 2 Perform, a performance-based physical therapy company with 15 locations across the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia region. A former collegiate and professional lacrosse player — whose own shoulder injury inspired R2P's founding — Dr. Funk brings a uniquely athletecentered perspective to care, specializing in bridging the gap between rehabilitation and performance. At R2P, everyone is an athlete and receives the same top notch care typically reserved for elite athletes.

Under his leadership, Rehab 2 Perform has become the DMV's leading Movement Health destination. By combining individualized treatment, strength and conditioning principles and education, Dr. Funk and his team help athletes, active adults and anyone looking to lead a more active life not only recover from injury, but build resilience, enhance capacity and reduce future risk.

Committed to long-term success, Dr. Funk and the Rehab 2 Perform team empower people of all levels to move better, stay healthy and Perform For Life.

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MARAGH DERMATOLOGY, SURGERY & VEIN INSTITUTE

SHERRY

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

The groundbreaking work Dr. Maragh is performing within her practice and as National Aesthetic Medical Director for Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery’s 150-plus offices nationwide is literally changing the “face” of cosmetic dermatology.

Board certified in general, surgical, cosmetic and laser dermatology, Dr. Maragh has been recognized as a Top Doctor, Best Dermatologist in the D.C. Suburbs, and Patient’s Choice Award recipient for excellence in patient care. Her unique practice offers the full spectrum of dermatologic care for skin and hair health, whether you’re managing a chronic condition, on an aesthetic journey to enhance your appearance, or undergoing facial reconstruction after skin cancer removal. Her services range from BOTOX Cosmetic, dermal fillers and laser procedures, to advanced cosmetic surgeries and highly effective Mohs skin cancer procedures.

“Face” life with confidence. Talk to Dr. Maragh today to learn how to enhance the health and radiance of your skin.

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Senior Real Estate

LISA SIEGEL, THE JANE FAIRWEATHER TEAM OF LONG & FOSTER.

For many homeowners, there comes a time to ask: What’s next? Whether you’re thinking about simplifying your lifestyle, exploring one-level living, or considering one of the many vibrant senior communities in Montgomery County or Washington, D.C, the options can feel overwhelming.

Lisa’s deep local knowledge, hands-on downsizing support, and end-to-end preparation expertise set her apart. She understands the full range of housing options throughout Montgomery County and Washington, D.C.—from independent senior communities to right-sized one-level living. Lisa helps clients tackle what can often be the most daunting part of the move—deciding what to keep, what to let go, and how to get started.

Making a move later in life is about more than real estate—it’s about lifestyle, comfort and peace of mind. With the right guidance, it can also be an exciting new chapter.

Custom Homes DOUGLAS CONSTRUCTION GROUP (DCG)

Twenty-five plus years ago, Doug Monsein blended his business acumen with a passion for building, deep knowledge of construction and a fanatical eye for detail to create the Douglas Construction Group (DCG). With delighted clients as their best ambassadors, they’ve just delivered their 245th home.

With every client’s vision of their new custom home as their north star, the DCG build process includes:

1. Extraordinary communication before, during and after construction

2. A keenly organized and stress-free fixture and finish selection process aided by an experienced on-staff decorator

3. Trade professionals and vendors dedicated to DCG’s high standards and expectations

4. A deep commitment to green building practices. DCG is the only builder to receive the recognition of Bethesda’s Best Green Builder as voted by Bethesda Magazine readers

JILL AHARON COLDWELL BANKER REALTY POTOMAC/ROCKVILLE

Awards are nice, but for native Washingtonian Jill Aharon—who earned her International President’s Circle designation as one of Coldwell Banker’s top 4 percent of agents worldwide in 2025—the highest compliment is a referral. Nearly all her business comes from people who trust her enough to send friends and family her way, proof that word travels fast when you build your business on integrity and genuine connection. Buying a home is as emotional as it is financial, and Jill—Coldwell Banker Potomac’s top agent in 2025—knows that what her clients need most is someone who’ll listen first, stay calm and offer clarity. Perennially among the D.C. area’s top producers, Jill is licensed in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia, with 20-plus years of market experience. Her concierge-level service makes every client feel like her only one.

C: 240-328-2640

O: 301-983-0200

JillAharon.com

EYE DOCTORS OF WASHINGTON

n a field where precision is paramount, Dr. Jewel Sandy has established herself as a leading authority in cosmetic eyelid surgery. With extensive training and a disciplined, detail-driven approach, she specializes in blepharoplasty, ptosis repair, brow lifts, lower eyelid surgery, and nonsurgical facial rejuvenation. Her work is defined by technical excellence, sound clinical judgment, personal warmth, and a steadfast commitment to patient safety. Known among peers and patients for her consistency and expertise, Dr. Sandy manages both routine and complex cases with confidence and care. For anyone looking for a bespoke experience with elegant results, Dr. Sandy is the go-to expert. Follow our journey and discover the art of refined aesthetics @AestheticsByEDOW and @jewelsandymd

THE FACE OF Fertility

DR. OLUYEMISI FAMUYIWA, MD, FACOG

MEDICAL DIRECTOR, MONTGOMERY FERTILITY CENTER

Dr. Oluyemisi Famuyiwa is a double boardcertified reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist and the Medical Director of Montgomery Fertility Center in Rockville. Recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor since 2012, she is known for delivering personalized, evidence-based fertility care with a deep commitment to compassion and clinical excellence.

Dr. Famuyiwa has built a practice centered on individualized treatment strategies, strong physicianpatient relationships and a focus on outcomes. Her approach integrates advanced reproductive technologies with thoughtful attention to each patient’s medical, emotional and cultural journey, resulting in consistently strong clinical results and high patient satisfaction.

Dr. Famuyiwa is a respected voice in reproductive medicine. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and serves as a reviewer for scientific publications, reflecting her ongoing dedication to advancing the field. She is also the host of the Fertile Talks podcast.

THE FACE OF

Led by Compass Bethesda founding agent Margie Halem, the Halem Group is one of the Washington metropolitan area’s most acclaimed real estate teams. With more than $1 billion in career sales and a top 1 percent ranking nationwide by The Wall Street Journal, they bring unrivaled expertise and personalized attention to every transaction.

Voted “Best Real Estate Agent” by Bethesda Magazine readers in 2023, the Halem Group consistently delivers exceptional results and a seamless

approach. Over four decades, Margie has built lasting

and

her

The Halem Group is proud to be the Washington,

THE FACE OF

Oral Surgery

MOSA’s award-winning doctors offer the full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery. The state’s oldest and largest oral and maxillofacial surgery practice, MOSA has expanded in 52 years from two full-time surgeons to 13. All have trained at the world’s highest-rated surgical programs. With eight locations throughout Maryland, patients can schedule appointments at their convenience and with many geographical options.

These dentists relish the entire process of meeting a patient, understanding their needs and concerns, and addressing them. They enjoy connecting with patients on a personal level, allowing for a holistic experience and customized treatments that result in optimal outcomes. The official oral surgeons for the University of Maryland athletic teams for nearly 20 years, specialties include dental implants, bone grafting, wisdom teeth, extractions, and cosmetic dentistry.

THE FACE OF

or 85 years, Jack’s Roofing Company has earned the trust of Washington, D.C.-area homeowners through specialized work in slate, tile, wood shingles and metal roofing. Founded in 1940 by Jack Warfield, the family-run company built its reputation on integrity, quality craftsmanship and relationships that span generations. Last August, Jack’s became part of Wagner Roofing Company, another family-founded legacy

Divorce—and family law matters in general—have a way of making even the most capable people feel like they’ve lost their footing. But the dissolution of a marriage doesn’t constitute failure, even if it often feels that way, especially when children are involved. At The McKeon Law Firm, Shelly D. McKeon and partner Jessica S. Kern, working together for more than a decade, have 50 years of combined experience helping people navigate the emotional and

of

and come out the other side ready—excited, even—to rebuild on their own terms. As parents and spouses themselves, they get it, and it’s evident in the way they listen and advocate for their clients. That’s why most of their new clients come through referrals— and for McKeon and Kern, there’s no better measure of success.

FOSTER+BLOOM FAMILY FORMATION LAW GROUP

Foster+Bloom Family Formation Law Group is a law firm focused on helping families grow. Led by Catelyn Slattery, Esq., who brings more than a decade of experience, the firm provides customized legal representation to clients in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia.

Focusing exclusively on adoption and assisted reproductive technologies like surrogacy and donor agreements, the firm guides clients through the legal complexities of forming their families.

"Our mission is to support individuals or couples on their exciting yet intricate journey to parenthood through adoption, surrogacy, and donor services. At Foster+Bloom Family Formation Law Group, we believe that every individual and family should have the opportunity to create a family in a way that suits their unique needs” says Slattery.

THE FACE OF

Bethesda Dental Specialists offers a thoughtful approach to family dentistry, designed to support patients at every stage of life. Located in the Crescent Gateway Building in the heart of Bethesda on Arlington Road, the practice brings pediatric dentistry, orthodontics and comprehensive adult care together, making it easy for families to receive coordinated, high-quality care in a single, convenient setting.

Its team of experienced clinicians provides everything from preventive care to cosmetic enhancements, including whitening, veneers and bonding, as well as same-day dental implants, orthodontics, periodontics and dental sleep medicine for patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

For those seeking a more elevated dental experience, Bethesda Dental Specialists offers a comfortable, refined place to call your dental home.

Play-Based Learning

Georgetown Hill is a nonprofit, family-operated preschool and childcare provider that offers a safe, nurturing and joyful learning environment for infants through school-agers. For more than 40 years, we have provided an unsurpassed early childhood experience for families in Montgomery, Frederick and Prince George’s counties. We have created warm, welcoming environments, and recruit dynamic teachers who are the heart of our school.

In 1980, our founder Ellen Cromwell developed a play-based curriculum framework that supports

children’s cognitive, physical and social-emotional growth within a family-centered community. As Georgetown Hill has grown over the years, we continue to support Ellen’s vision and remain dedicated to our mission: to partner with our families through the challenges, changes and celebrations of raising young children.

We are excited to share that we’re opening a new campus on Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda on May 2 and invite families to call us to see our playbased learning in action.

THE FACE OF Best Pediatric Dentist in Bethesda

BCC PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

DR. ELIZABETH SHIN

Being recognized as the face of the Best Pediatric Dentist is truly an honor, and something I receive with sincere gratitude. To me, titles only matter when they reflect the trust families place in us and how children feel when they walk through our doors.

That trust is what has led families and peers to vote for me multiple times as a Top Pediatric Dentist by Washingtonian and Bethesda Magazine, and in 2026, to recognize our work as Best Pediatric Dental Office in Bethesda and a Top Pediatric Dental Business. Just as importantly, our entire team shares that same philosophy and is trained to be gentle, patient and genuinely caring with every child.

We take the time to understand each child and create a calm, positive experience. We pair that with advanced care, including zirconia crowns, pediatric partial, in-office IV sedation, and a conservative approach to tongue tie release. We work with many insurance plans, and families travel from across the country, including Michigan and Texas, to seek our care.

THE FACE OF

For more than 50 years, generations of Montgomery County families have trusted the Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group, PA (GWOG) to listen, understand their needs, and deliver compassionate, personalized care, helping them stay active and live their lives to the fullest. With 10 boardcertified/eligible, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons and caring physical therapists across offices in Rockville, Silver Spring and Germantown, GWOG employs

cutting-edge techniques to offer advanced orthopedic care—from traumatic accidents and sports injuries to overuse, arthritis, and joint pain, as well as workers’ compensation and motor vehicle accident cases. Individualized treatment plans blend conservative and operative approaches, empowering patients to achieve optimal health and performance. From elite athletes to weekend warriors and active seniors, GWOG has a specialist ready to help you regain your quality of life.

11 SANDWICHES Great

Stacks of pastrami, wedges of cheese and smooth sauces—there’s so much to love in these handhelds

By Todd Kliman

WHAT MAKES A SANDWICH GREAT?

As I hopscotched across Montgomery County to compile this roundup, going from sub to arepa to bao to torta, I kept coming back to something I first learned as a kid.

Decades before I became a food writer, traveling the country and the world to cover food and food culture, my oracle on all things culinary was my mother. As a young girl, she worked the counter at her parents’ corner store in Philadelphia, whipping up milkshakes, dispensing sodas from the fountain and sending customers to swooning with her sandwich-making magic. That girl grew up to be a woman with strong opinions about many things, none stronger, perhaps, than her conviction that a sandwich is not a substitute for a meal, it is a meal, and involves far more than just stacking a bunch of ingredients one on top of the other.

Among the many things she taught me about the sandwich-maker’s art was that the trick to making a truly great one is—are you ready for it?—air.

A sandwich can contain a day’s worth of calories, it can arrive all but spilling from the edges of the bread—but notice the great ones: They’re never too dense, or overmuch. They don’t pull you down with them.

And more than that, the various elements are given space to be, and breathe. There’s no congealing, no massing. Each ingredient is individual and distinct, but also, as in jazz, serves to support and sharpen the others.

Every great sandwich thus contains a secret ingredient, one that every good sandwich-maker understands intuitively and knows to build into the process of assembly.

The sandwiches you’re going to read about span the gamut—some are complex and some are simple; some are massive and some are delicate—and the inspiration for them comes from many corners of the globe. But it’s what unites them that matters—the recognition that a dense, heavy sandwich is a burden not just on the palate and stomach, but also the soul. The recognition that (as the oracle taught me all those years ago) air is all.

Fried Chicken Sandwich FRYER’S ROADSIDE

The fried chicken sandwich became such a cultural phenomenon that even people who pooh-poohed fast food were compelled to try it out. “It’s actually good,” they’d tell me, as if it’s some sort of revelation that a precisely engineered foodstuff that’s been vetted by countless focus groups should be so satisfying. Of the many versions that chefs came up with in response, or maybe rebuke, this is one of the best you’re going to find in the area. Edward Reavis has a sit-down restaurant, All Set in Silver Spring, and Fryer’s Roadside is his chance to relax a little while applying his technical know-how to fried chicken and biscuits. Everything you could hope for in a fried chicken sandwich is here—crunch from the craggy coating of fry, creamy tangyness from the slaw, briny bite from the pickle, and a bun that both smooshes nicely and also holds up as you squeeze the thing down to get it into your mouth. Best of all is a thick portion of chicken breast with the texture of actual chicken. I could wish that the meat had spent a touch less time in its salty, precook brine, but I get it: Reavis knows the model he’s up against.

Fryer’s Roadside, 12830 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, 443-594-3029, fryersroadside.com

Brie Cheese BON FRESCO

Walk through the door and the unmistakable (and incomparable) aroma of yeasty, long-proofed dough baking will have you flashing back to your last trip to Paris. With bread this good as the starting point, it’s no wonder the sandwiches here are so good. The owner, Gerald Koh, who worked for years at Breadline in Washington, D.C., before opening Bon Fresco and turning it into a small chain, is a master craftsman when it comes to bread, but he’s also smart at finding combinations that work with and not against the star. The Brie Cheese—baguette slathered while warm with a thick wedge of brie and topped with sun-dried tomato pesto and a mound of lightly caramelized onions—is my pick over the more popular London broil. Of all the sandwiches here, the Brie Cheese is the one that best honors the bread. And I love the wonderful cognitive dissonance that arises after those first two bites—it’s Italian, no, it’s French, no, it’s neither, no, it’s both. What it is, indisputably, is brilliant.

Bon Fresco, 534 Gaither Road, Rockville, 301-339-8679, bonfresco.com

Italiano GEMELLI’S

ITALIAN MARKET

The secret to a great Italian sub isn’t the meats. It’s not even the layering or the rolling of the meats, which is an even harder thing to find. It’s the understanding that you must shower those meats with herbs and douse the whole sandwich with olive oil and vinegar to bring the elements into alignment. Gemelli’s knows. The result is the best kind of sloppy—the kind that speaks to exuberance and joy. And what that dousing also does is turn what might have been a load—I mean, three kinds of meat (ham, mortadella and Genoa salami), plus a layer of provolone—into something that’s not the least bit heavy. It compels you—just watch—to scarf it down much too fast.

Gemelli’s Italian Market, 12169 Darnestown Road, Gaithersburg, 240-477-8225, gemellisitalianmarket.com

Mortazza AP PIZZA SHOP/ FOSSETTE FOCACCERIA

Mortadella and pistachio are such natural bedfellows—after all, there’s no mortadella without pistachio. The combo is best, I think, when neither predominates, as in Fossette Focacceria’s ingenious take on the Italian classic mortazza, which offers a generous stack of made-in-house mortadella (aka pork bologna), and tops it with pistachio two ways: a supernally smooth pistachio cream, and a garnishing shower of crushed pistachios for salty crunch. There’s also, for balance and contrast, a layer of stracciatella, a soft, nearly liquefied cheese. And I haven’t even gotten to the bread of this sandwich—a chewy but springy focaccia that serves as the inspiration for this takeout in downtown Bethesda (essentially a brick-and-mortar food truck: no beer or wine, no real seating) that’s part of AP Pizza Shop, which is run by the Italian sit-down restaurant Aventino Cucina next door. What gives this gourmet sandwich coherence and a synergy beyond its parts—what makes it great—is that it allows for air between the elements. There’s nothing dense or heavy about it. The Italians have a word for something without strain, without heaviness, and that word could hardly be more apt here: sprezzatura.

AP Pizza Shop/Fossette Focacceria, 4747 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, 301-961-6451, appizzashop.com

Lechon Belly Sandwich KUYA JA’S LECHON BELLY

Lechon is not just a dish, it’s a craft and a tradition. The be-all, end-all of this de facto national dish of the Philippines, a gloriously slow-roasted pork, is to wind up with an exterior so cracklingly crisp that it snaps in two like brittle while at the same time ensuring that the meat within is as luscious and yielding as a semisoft cheese. Of course, the process to achieve the one works against the other and therein lies the rub. Fortunately for us, Javier Fernandez is a master of the tradition—more specifically, the Cebu tradition, widely regarded as the preeminent lechon style—and this sandwich turns an ancestral art into a great grab and go. The contrast of soft meat and crunchy skin is the push-pull that compels the next eager bite, but it’s the condiments that conduct you through the richness and enable you to finish: atsara (pickled green papaya) for sharpness and tang, arugula for texture and brightness, and jalapeno mayo.

Kuya Ja’s Lechon Belly, 5268-H Nicholson Lane (White Flint Plaza), Kensington, 240-669-4383, kuyajas.com

Black Bean and Paisa Arepa AREPAS PUES

The menu provides a build-your-own option, and this is mine. It affords a proper showcase for the quality of the arepa itself: its subtle corn flavor, its grainy texture, the contrast between the lightly crunchy exterior and soft, fluffy interior. Paisa is a farmer’s cheese, and its creaminess and slight funkiness are an ideal contrast to the slow-simmered black beans. In Venezuela and Colombia, an arepa is street food, a hand-held meal that can be consumed on the run. But here, in a culture where quick food is seldom soulful or sustaining, a good arepa transcends its graband-go purpose. And this one all but commands you to stop and savor and relish in the details.

Arepas Pues, 8555 Fenton St., Silver Spring, 301-842-4112, arepas-pues.com

Torta El Güero EL GÜERO MEXICANO

I love a sandwich that risks gluttony, especially if the impulse behind it is simply to dazzle the eater with its daring, as well as to show just how much a single torta can bear. As it turns out, a lot. The light, pillowy bread is the only light and pillowy thing about this sandwich. The kitchen smears on a layer of creamy, lardy refried beans, then tops it with a Milanese, a cutlet of pounded beef that’s been breaded and deep-fried, and, to lock in this foundation, a thick layer of griddled queso. Now comes ham, and, because one cut of pork isn’t statement enough, a hot dog that’s been split and griddled. But we’re still not done. We need the fixings: sliced avocado, lettuce, tomato and onion. You can’t eat it without— à la a taco—tilting your face to the side to accommodate everything. And unless you’ve skipped a couple of meals, you’re probably not going to be finishing it. But the folks at El Güero—who ditched their longtime gas station restaurant last fall for slicker, more conventional digs— have wisely anticipated this and made the sandwich available in a half size. Which, ha, you might not finish either. El Güero Mexicano, 200 Ellington Blvd. (Downtown Crown), Gaithersburg, 301-987-0376, elgueromex.com

Hot Pastrami Sandwich CORNED BEEF KING

Jon Rossler has been at this a long time—and by this, I don’t just mean running this glorified food stall in a Rockville industrial park, along with his roving food truck. I mean that Rossler is a deli lifer, having grown up in the business. His parents owned and operated Celebrity Delly, a Falls Church, Virginia, fixture that last year clocked half a century of service and today is overseen by his mother, sister and brother-in-law. What he knows in his bones is that Jewish deli food is Jewish soul food, and that you can’t lay claim to authenticity without being generous and zesty. The corned beef is great but the hot pastrami sandwich is my pick for its lusciousness (there’s just the right amount of fat to give each bite a kind of melting softness, but not enough to overwhelm) and perfect peppery crust. Don’t ignore the pickle spear on the side—it brings the right amount of tang and crunch to counteract all that meat and fat.

Corned Beef King, 330 N. Stonestreet Ave., Rockville, 301-881-4422, cornedbeefking.com

Tamago Sando NEKO NOOK

The Tamago Sando’s simplicity is its virtue. And simplicity is hard. When there aren’t more than a couple elements in play, flaws become that much more conspicuous. But this sandwich is pretty close to perfect. The egg salad works only because of the fine chopping of white and yolk, producing a texture that (combined with generous dollops of Japanese Kewpie mayo) is more creamy than chunky, and an ideal filling for what essentially is thick white bread. The surprise here is that, for all its delicacy and minimalism, this is a sandwich of sneaky amplitude, and one that will leave you feeling nearly as full as some subs. Neko Nook, 422 Main St., Gaithersburg, 240-477-7306, nekonookcafe.com

Roseda Roast SOKO BUTCHER

Soko Butcher piles the roast beef high on its Roseda Roast sandwich, and that’s nice. But it’s not how high the meat is piled that matters, it’s what that pile contains. In this case, you’ll find perfectly sliced meat that retains a rosy cast even after it’s been pulled from the oven and tastes anything but generically meaty, along with a slice of sharp provolone, slow-carmelized onions and a nest of fresh arugula. Close your eyes and you can imagine sitting before a plate of prime rib—an impression only reinforced by a sophisticated (and optimally zingy) horseradish aioli.

Soko Butcher, 7306 Carroll Ave., Takoma Park, 240-588-3331, sokobutcher.com

Cold Cut Banh Mi

MI LA CAY

“Cold cuts,” in the world of banh mi, is sometimes a catchall for all manner of gelatinous, cartilaginous or even sometimes crunchy lunch meats. The cuts here are light on that kind of texture, and light, too, on the almost-fermented intensity you sometimes find elsewhere—but that’s not a knock against them; it makes for a gestalt of a sandwich, with each element having its say, and no one taking over. It might sound surprising to say for a sandwich of pâté and deli meats, but this really is a statement about balance—the richness of the liver and cold cuts answered by the zing of pickled carrot and daikon, and all of it brought to a kind of brightness by the verdant bundle of cilantro. The last word here goes to crunch—the magically airy and sneakily crusty baguette can be heard across the table with each glorious bite.

Mi La Cay, 2409 University Blvd. W., Wheaton, 301-929-2822, milacaywheaton.com

Todd Kliman is an author, essayist and two-time James Beard Award winner.

Design

Go

F YOU’VE EVER EATEN IN A RESTAURANT WITH BEAUTIFUL INTERIORS AND WISHED YOUR HOME LOOKED AND FELT AS GOOD, YOU’RE NOT ALONE.

Great food and a comfortable atmosphere that engages all the senses keep us coming back. The best spaces are carefully crafted to reflect what’s on the menu, and every detail— from wall color, to seating, to silverware— contributes to a purposeful ambience. We’re serving up four stylish local establishments and some key ingredients to replicate their looks with furniture, lighting, finishes and more.

BY CAROLYN WEBER

Elegant Evening

JULII IS A SOPHISTICATED

French Mediterranean bistro at North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose designed by HapstakDemetriou+.

Open and airy, it has herringbonepattern wood floors, dramatic rope and pendant lighting, and rich green and gold accents.

1 Posh Perch

The chic green velvet and brass seating at Julii is a standout. Get the look at home with the Elowen armless counter stool in the Morgan Contessa Moss color. Each is equipped with a clever brass handle on the back. $698 at Anthropologie, 4801 Bethesda Ave. (Bethesda Row), Bethesda, 240-345-9413, anthropologie.com

2. Tile Style

Take a cue from the Julii bar decor by running colorful tile all the way up the wall. The Hanami 2-by-10inch glossy glazed ceramic wall tile, in the Forest color, is made in Spain. $23.34 per square foot at Architessa, 1170 Rockville Pike, Rockville, 301-744-8668, architessa.com

3. Golden Globe

1.

The Somerset pendant from Hinkley Lighting features a streamlined metal yoke and ring and an etched opal glass globe. It’s available in three lengths and multiple finishes, including Heritage Brass (shown). $119 to $499 at Ferguson Home, 800 E. Gude Drive, Rockville, 301-424-1393, fergusonhome.com

4. At Your Service

Sleek modern flatware gives tabletops an instant upgrade, especially in a bold gold color. The Zephyr 45-piece flatware set from Hampton Forge is stainless steel and dishwasher-safe. $259.99 at Bloomingdale’s, 5300 Western Ave., Chevy Chase, 240-744-3700, bloomingdales.com

5. Touch of Brass

Unique pieces such as this French Industrial shelving, made of brass tubing and tempered glass, add form and function to a polished kitchen or bar. The wallmount shelves come in two sizes—30 or 40 inches wide. $3,795 to $4,295 at Williams Sonoma, 4824 Bethesda Ave. (Bethesda Row), Bethesda, 301-718-3071, williams-sonoma.com

2.

3.

4. 5.

2. 1. 3.

IT’S ALWAYS A PARTY at Bartaco at Pike & Rose. It serves upscale street tacos in a lively atmosphere designed by RDstudio. Get the look with whitewashed walls, warm woods, rattan lighting, rustic tiles and oversize coastal prints.

1 Good Wood

The Atticus counter stool has an organic-shaped seat of sustainably harvested kiln-dried mango wood in a honey finish. It’s 24 inches high, and the base has an extra stretcher for durability and support. $199 at Pottery Barn, 4750 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, 301-654-1598, potterybarn.com

2. Tile One On

Made in Spain, Merola’s Artisan Oldker 13-by-13inch floor and wall tiles feature a blue-and-white matte finish with an aged patina for that imperfect, laid-back appearance. $11.82 per square foot at Home Depot, 15740 Shady Grove Road, Gaithersburg, 301-330-4900, homedepot.com

3. Open Weave

Basket pendants exude seaside charm. The Whit extra-large dome shade is made of natural wicker and hangs from a brass-tone chain. The shade measures 21¼ inches high by 30¾ inches wide, and diffuses soft light into the kitchen, dining room or foyer. $1,999 at Visual Comfort & Co., 7316 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, 240-635-3264, visualcomfort.com

4. Pillow Talk

A bench in an informal dining space is a casual look, and throw pillows add comfort and an opportunity for color and patterns. The Yarra Stripe Fringe linen/cotton pillow cover in deep indigo is 24-by-16 inches. $69.95 at Crate & Barrel, 4820 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., 202-364-6100, crateandbarrel.com

5. Photo Finish

Feel like you’re never far from the beach with this color image, titled “Just the Two of Us,” by photographer Summer Strauch. It’s 32½ inches wide by about 40½ inches high and comes complete with a simple white mat and frame. $898 at Serena & Lily, 7121 Bethesda Lane (Bethesda Row), Bethesda, 240-531-1839, serenandlily.com

Coastal Fiesta

Snug Tavern

THE HUNTER’S HOUND IN

Chevy Chase is a cozy Irish pub. The atmosphere created by Benjamin Kay at Adorn Designs is inviting, with warm lighting, a textured ceiling, comfortable leather banquettes and a soothing color palette.

1 Moody Blue

Saturating a room with a deep paint color such as Stiffkey Blue (No. 281) on the walls and trim sets the tone for a dramatic space for entertaining. One gallon of flat eggshell paint is $165 at Farrow & Ball, 7118 Bethesda Lane (Bethesda Row), Bethesda, 202-479-6780, farrow-ball.com/us

2. Soft Glow

Multiple indirect lighting sources create a pleasing ambience, setting the tone for a relaxing meal. The Andreas wall sconce is refined and tasteful, with a brass finish, fluted glass shade, and a backplate that’s 13¼ inches high and 4½ inches wide. $500 at Arhaus, 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), Bethesda, 301230-2973, arhaus.com

3. Luxe Lounge

A cushy leather banquette elevates any dining space. The Taite leather dining bench in Maynard Saddle (L8668) with a Northwood finish (945) is a generous 61 inches wide, 28 inches deep and 40 inches high. $3,350 at Ethan Allen, 1800 Rockville Pike, Rockville, 301-984-4360, ethanallen.com

4. Precious Metal

A tin ceiling finish, like the one at The Hunter’s Hound, adds vintage charm and interest overhead. These 2-foot-square stainless steel, surface-mount sheets from American Tin Ceilings are sold as a five-pack that covers 20 square feet. $85 at Lowe’s Home Improvement, 40 Market St., Gaithersburg, 301-208-0400, lowes.com

2. 1.

3.

MAMAN, LOCATED ON BETHESDA ROW, is a French bakery and coffee shop with a welcoming rustic aesthetic designed by owner Elisa Marshall. People gather at long farm tables and sip cafe au lait from sweet blue-and-white floral porcelain cups.

1 True Blue

This flowery Burleigh Blue Calico Sandringham mug has a unique curvy shape. It’s made in England, holds 9.6 ounces, and is dishwasher- and microwave-safe. $50 at Sur La Table, 11874 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), North Bethesda, 301-230-1503, surlatable.com

2. Bon Buffet

A large, sturdy furniture piece is versatile for storage and serving. This reclaimed elm sideboard has four doors and two drawers and measures 59 inches wide, 15¾ inches deep and 33½ inches high. $2,863 at The Kellogg Collection, 10207 Old Georgetown Road (Shops at Wildwood), Bethesda, 301-347-6045, kelloggcollection.com

3. Gather Together

Inspired by early 19th-century farm tables, this new version has square posts joined by low stretchers. The top divides, exposing a storage compartment for two 20-inch leaves. Crafted from oak solids and veneers, it is 84 inches long by 40 inches wide. $5,985 at HomeWorks, 4920 Fairmont Ave., Bethesda, 301-652-4111, shophomeworks.com

4. Charming Chairs

Classic bistro chairs, reminiscent of a Parisian patisserie, bring a vintage vibe to a kitchen or dining room. They’re available in two distressed finishes: light walnut (shown) or blackwash. $399.98 for two at World Market, 12266 Rockville Pike (Federal Plaza), Rockville, 301-816-2480, worldmarket.com

Cozy Cafe

Dim Sum Dynamo

A new spot for Chinese bites adds up to greatness

BY TODD KLIMAN

Many dim sum lovers have come to fear that the dormancy of the scene is not temporary and has only hardened into a kind of permanent state: a new normal for this beloved meal of small buns, dumplings and tea. The losses, sadly, keep mounting. One of the best, Gourmet Inspirations in Wheaton, survived the COVID-19 lockdown only to close early last year, a casualty of rising costs, labor shortages and the owners’ fatigue. Eight months later, the grande dame of the scene, Hollywood East Cafe in Wheaton, closed, too, after 29 years.

That makes the arrival of Corner Bites, a tight-quartered dim sum spot just north of Rockville Town Center, cause for rejoicing.

Open since August, Corner Bites already stands atop the scene it just joined, and only its relative inexperience keeps me from saying that it might just be the D.C. area’s best spot for dim sum in more than a generation.

And here’s the funny thing: If not for the disappearance of two pillars of the scene in less than a year, Corner Bites might never have come to be.

The restaurant’s owner, Steven Wu, saw opportunity when Gourmet Inspirations and Hollywood East Cafe closed. He rushed to fill the void, securing a space in Rockville and recruiting Zhuohuan Zhou (aka Sat Joe) to join him as partner and chef.

Joe is a major get, having worked almost exclusively in dim sum for nearly three decades, including at the late Good Fortune in Wheaton and, more recently, at two Peter Chang restaurants—Q in Bethesda and Mama Chang in Fairfax, Virginia. (Wu’s own good fortune was to find that the former chef of Gourmet Inspirations was still on the market, and so he snatched him up, too.)

If you’ve grown disaffected with the generic flatness of most of the area’s dim sum, coming upon these plates is like encountering an old cabinet that’s been stripped of its heavy varnish.

At Corner Bites, the shumai looks, at a glance, like every other version. But dig in and you find a meatballlike filling of pork and shrimp with none of the leaden heft. Or take the har gow. Every dim sum parlor carries a version of these small bundled dumplings, but few are rendered with this degree of delicacy—the thin, semitranslucent wrappers seem likely to tear at any moment but never do.

This lightness of touch extends across the menu, from the noodle rolls (elongated sheets of rolled pasta, but which are fashioned from rice flour not wheat, and are meant to be a showcase of glutinously chewy texture) to the various stuffed buns, whose pastry is lighter, flakier and richer than that of many bakeries. A variation on the noodle roll theme—in which a mauve-colored rice noodle is draped like a warming blanket atop balls of crunchy fried fish— might have been a disaster, and not just to look at. But the mix of textures proves fascinating and the fish retains its crunch.

When a restaurant can pull off a difficult dish like this, it enables you to settle in and relax, confident that you can order without fear. There isn’t a single section of the long, sprawling menu here that isn’t studded with hits. That’s even higher praise than it might sound, given that many dim sum houses prioritize buns and dumplings, relegating the rest of the menu to the status of slot-fillers.

THERE ISN’T A SINGLE SECTION OF THE LONG, SPRAWLING MENU THAT ISN’T STUDDED WITH HITS.

A great dim sum house is a little like a great French bistro. It’s not novelty and daring that the chef is judged on; it’s the ability to make the familiar and expected feel new and exciting. That’s why Wu’s first act of business was to dispense with the metal pushcarts that, along with lazy Susans and small cups of tea, define Cantonese dim sum culture.

“The carts—that means the food has been steamed twice,” he says. “First in the kitchen and then as it sits.”

Not here. Joe cooks every dish to order, and no sooner does a plate hit the pass than a server ferries it to your table.

“We want you to taste it at its freshest,” Wu says. “To taste it the way the chefs want it.”

Wu says he made a promise to himself (and to Joe) to forswear a Brooklyn dim sum factory that has grown increasingly popular with restaurateurs, who pass off frozen or premade product as their own.

PHOTO BY DEB LINDSEY

Here you can roam through the menu freely and without worry. Clay Pot Beef Brisket is so profoundly rich that you could be content to just spoon its lush, ink-black sauce over some white rice. Honey walnut shrimp might read terribly (fried shrimp bathed in mayo and tossed with honey-glazed walnuts), but this rendition of the Hong Kong classic is near perfect.

No meal can be considered complete here without a plate of either the roast duck (see the birds in a case up front, hanging from a hook) or the soy chicken, which is made irresistible with succulent meat and cracker-crisp skin.

Dessert is not a matter of “if there’s room at the end.” The sesame balls are larger than the norm, fried to a perfect golden brown, and taste so intensely of the seeds that flavor them that you might wonder whether they’d been spiked with liqueur. Even better are the egg custards, in which a buttery crust that flakes at the touch somehow contains—and preserves—a rich, almost runny center that jiggles like Jell-O.

I haven’t gotten to the bad news. It’s nothing to do with the food or the service, which is attentive, swift and, occasionally, personable. It’s the parking lot, which is a small-scale version of every suburban shopping mall the week before Christmas. Plan to park a few blocks away and walk. Annoying? Yes. But be glad for all that awaits you.

Corner Bites 316 N. Washington St., Rockville, 240-268-1497, gocornerbites.com

Accolades for an Ethiopian Eatery

A

conversation with the co-owners of Beteseb BY TODD KLIMAN

Beteseb made surprising news earlier this year, becoming just the third Ethiopian restaurant in the area—and the first in Montgomery County—to claim a James Beard Award nomination. I sat down in early March with co-owners Darmyelesh and Aynalem Alemu, sister and brother (and chef and manager) at their restaurant in downtown Silver Spring to talk about the nomination for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic. (Beteseb was not selected to move on as a finalist when that list was announced in late March.)

This is the second wave of national attention for Beteseb. The first came in 2019, when celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson pulled up to the restaurant to shoot a video for Eater about its kitfo, a finely minced tartare of (in Darmyelesh’s version) eye round beef tossed with a spiced fermented butter (niter kibbeh) the color of liquefied gold. Proclaimed Samuelsson, after a single, eye-closing bite: “I think I’ve found the kitfo goddess.”

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Tell me what it was like when you got word of the nomination—it had to come as a pretty big shock, yes?

DARMYELESH: Oh my God. … I cried and cried. This nomination—I never imagined it, it was out of my imagination. It was fully emotional, and still right now is, because when you start from scratch, and this is your dream, and you work

so hard, day by day, for yourself and your family, but also your community— showing them what can happen.

AYNALEM: How many restaurants are there in America? And so many kinds, Italian, Mexican, Chinese. … It’s a lot. And in our area? And the Ethiopian restaurants—how many? 50? 60? More, probably. And so, you know—why us? But also: This honor—it is for all them, too. I have a cousin—58 years she’s here, in this area. She lives in Potomac. She called to congratulate us, she was so happy. She said, ‘You have to understand, there was nothing here when I first came.’

Nothing here?

A: No Ethiopian restaurants. No cafes. No coffee shops.

Right, that was in the ’60s. The first wave arrived in the ’70s and then came a dramatic growth spurt in the ’80s, with Red Sea, Fasika, Meskerem and Dukem, all in D.C. And then another wave followed in the aughts: Etete and then, later, Zenebech, which also received a Beard nomination. And of course, Silver Spring has become its own scene over the past decade, which coincides neatly with your timeline. You opened in 2015. But as I understand it, your family was on the scene well before that.

A: Yes. My bigger brother came first to D.C. And he had a factory in Addis Ababa [in Ethiopia]. And started a business here, in 2008—ET Teff Injera—importing injera from Addis. And that business made injera for many of the restaurants. And still does. And all the spices, too.

How important is that, to have that kind of hook-up?

D: Very important. In Ethiopian cooking, so much is about the spices, how you spice, the mix. We know who made them. Other places maybe they buy from a distributor that maybe they don’t know. But we get it to our specifications.

You talk about the importance of the spicing—I think one of the misperceptions of Ethiopian food, among people who are new to it, or who don’t eat it a lot, is that it’s spicy, as opposed to spiced. Your dishes don’t shy away from heat, but most of the time the mission seems to be to deliver something more symphonic and rich than simply to zap or tingle the tongue.

D: Oh. That makes me happy to hear. The way you spice, that is your—I don’t know the word.

Your signature?

D: Or your fingerprint. I get mine from my mother, and so when I spice, I am with her, I am talking to her.

A conversation across time and space …

D: Yes.

I want to go back for a moment with the two of you—back to when you opened, in 2015. I understand there were some hard, lean months.

A: It took a lot of money to start. Just the construction—$245,000. And then everything else, the permitting, the design, the furniture. We didn’t have money for staff. It was just the two of us, running dishes, buying, cooking.

D: We didn’t buy like restaurants buy, from Restaurant Depot—the sizes were too big and we couldn’t afford to waste food. We were buying from Safeway.

Safeway—really?

D: Safeway, yes. Right around the corner, we were lucky. For five, six months we did this, buying just what we needed. But day by day, gradually there was changing, and we never gave up.

A: And we had a lot of support. Not just family, but other restaurants around us, the other Ethiopian businesses.

And now look—with the nomination, you have a massive wave of new customers.

D: Oh yes, sir. A lot of customers. Some of them, they tell us it’s the first time for them here and the first time, also, tasting this food. They tell us it’s good, it’s amazing— but sometimes there’s a negative thought.

And how does that feel?

D: That is good, too—we can use it to learn and improve.

That’s a great way to look at things.

D: You have to learn, always, you have to. Every year I go back to visit my mom, and I take classes in Addis.

What kind of classes?

D: Cooking classes, baking classes. And here, too, in the U.S. I am taking cooking classes right now, online. Learning from other chefs. New things. Everything always is changing—always. And we have to keep learning. Always, as long as we are alive.

Beteseb 8201 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, 301-448-1625, betesebrestaurant.com

Sweet Success

The staying power of Praline Bakery & Bistro

The restaurant business is a fantastic way to lose money, sanity and sleep. The vast majority of places fold within two years, casualties of their owner’s ambitions or the public’s fickleness, or sometimes both.

So how has Praline Bakery & Bistro in Bethesda managed to reach its 20th anniversary?

Susan Limb, one of the co-owners and chefs, doesn’t have an easy answer, other than to describe a give-and-take that has unspooled over two decades like a kind of dance: “to be a part of a community that supports you, that you can support back, is so amazing.”

Limb opened the place in 2006 with Patrick Musel, both fresh off their time together in the White House—not as experts in policy, but in pastry. The experience of working at the highest level and under intense scrutiny proved to be good preparation for the rigors of running a bakery.

But it was a vow the pair made from the very start— to ignore trends and not chase relevance—that was even more important.

Praline’s lemon-blueberry pound cake—adapted from a now-forgotten White House confection Limb once worked on—has been more than their signature item; it’s served as kind of a mission statement in cake form, steeling them to stick to their fad-free philosophy in spite of the risks.

It’s not particularly eye-catching—the Instagrammers are never going to pass it around. But take a bite. There’s a reason it’s never come off the menu. This is comfort food that actually comforts, the kind of reliable pleasure that builds loyalty and devotion rather than buzz.

Praline Bakery & Bistro 4611 Sangamore Road (The Shops at Sumner Place), Bethesda, 301-229-8180, praline-bakery.com

BY TODD KLIMAN

PRALINE BAKERY & BISTRO’S LEMON-BLUEBERRY POUND CAKE

Makes 2 loaves

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE

1 pound all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

8 ounces salted butter at room temperature, plus more for pans

20 ounces sugar

8 ounces sour cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

6 large eggs at room temperature

Zest of 2 lemons

8 ounces fresh blueberries

FOR THE GLAZE

Juice of 2 lemons

1 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl.

3. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.

4. Mix in sour cream and vanilla, scraping bowl thoroughly.

5. Alternate adding eggs and flour mixture, scraping bowl after each addition.

6. Gently fold in lemon zest and blueberries.

7. Grease two loaf pans with butter. Divide batter between the pans. Bake 40-45 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

8. Let rest 15-20 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks.

9. Whisk lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Brush over cooled cakes.

Agora Bethesda

OPENING JUNE 1, 2026

Agora Restaurant Group, founded by Betul and Ismail Uslu, brings its celebrated dining experience to Bethesda with a bold, modern take on Mediterranean cuisine inspired by Turkey, Greece, and Lebanon.

Led by Executive Chef Ismet Sahin, Agora Bethesda’s menu offers a vibrant selection of mezze, flame-grilled kebabs, house-made künefe, and signature pistachio soufflé, all thoughtfully crafted with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and featuring a range of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.

Your New Favorite Gathering Spot

Start your day with a delicious breakfast, savor a leisurely brunch, or enjoy a vibrant lunch Agora Bethesda is your go-to destination for every meal Celebrate life’s moments in our warm, inviting space, from private events to weekend gatherings, featuring our weekend bottomless brunch and full-service catering that brings the Mediterranean experience to any occasion.

A Legacy of Excellence

For over 15 years, Agora has been a regional favorite, recognized among the area ’ s top dining destinations in Tysons and Washington, D.C.

Bethesda, get ready something extraordinary is coming. Stay tuned.

Dining Guide

Best of Bethesda Readers’ Pick 2026

Choice

$ $$ $$$ $$$$

Most entrees under $15

Most entrees $15-$20

Most entrees $21-$30

Most entrees $31 and up

BETHESDA

AJI-NIPPON

6937 Arlington Road, 301-654-0213

A no-frills Japanese restaurant serving reasonably priced sushi, teriyaki, sukiyaki, tempura and udon. Lunch specials include a sushi and sashimi combo with miso soup and a house salad. ✓LD$$

ALA

4948 Fairmont Ave., ala-dc.com

This outpost of the D.C.-based Michelinrated restaurant offers colorful Levantine fare and a curated cocktail program. A bottomless brunch is offered on weekends; at dinner, try the six-course tasting menu Voted “Best Mediterranean/Middle Eastern Restaurant” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026. b✓RLD$$$

ALATRI BROS.

4926 Cordell Ave., 301-718-6427, alatribros.com The owners of Olazzo and Gringos & Mariachis run this Italian-inspired eatery serving small plates, salads and wood-fired pizzas. Don’t miss the whipped feta with honey. Gluten-free pizza crust available upon request. b D$$

ANDY’S PIZZA (Editors’ Choice)

Choosing a restaurant in Montgomery County and Upper NW D.C. can be daunting, so we’ve put together an editor-curated guide to eating out in the area. In this issue, we’re including some listings of local restaurants. We’ll be adding more in future issues.

4600 East West Highway, 240-204-6883; 7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-347-6080; eatandyspizza.com

This local chain offers New York-style slices and pies in addition to wings, fries and salads. Build your own pie or try the Pepperoni Special topped with burrata, basil and Mike’s Hot Honey. bLD$$

AVENTINO CUCINA (Editors’ Choice) 4747 Bethesda Ave., 301-961-6450, aventinocucina.com Lauded local chef Mike Friedman brings Roman Jewish-inspired Italian cuisine to Bethesda with an elegant restaurant boasting aperitivi, antipasti, handmade pastas, protein-rich mains and shareable sides, plus sophisticated wine offerings that emphasize Italian vintages.

✓RLD$$$$

BACCHUS OF LEBANON

7945 Norfolk Ave., 301-657-1722, bacchusoflebanon.com A Bethesda stalwart with authentic Lebanese cuisine and a year-round outdoor patio. Try the hummus, lamb chops and fried cauliflower with tahini. A weekend belly dancer elevates the experience. b✓LD$$$

THE BARKING DOG

4723 Elm St., 301-654-0022, barkingdogbar.com This multilevel neighborhood watering hole serves traditional pub fare and more than 20 beers on tap, many of them local. Happy hour specials offered on weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m. bLD$$

BARREL & CROW (Editors’ Choice) 4867 Cordell Ave., 240-800-3253, barrelandcrow.com A Woodmont Triangle neighborhood eatery serving contemporary mid-Atlantic cuisine in a nice casual setting with windows that slide open to a patio. Highlights include fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese and seasonal soft-shell crabs. b ✓ RD $$$

BETH’S

4948 Fairmont Ave., bethsrestaurant.com Serving classic American food such as burgers and small bites crafted from locally sourced produce. Check out the allday happy hour menu at the bar Monday through Friday. b ✓ LRD $$$$

BETHESDA CRAB HOUSE

4958 Bethesda Ave., 301-652-3382, bethesdacrabhouse.com A no-frills institution since the 1960s offering steamed blue crabs, oysters and the like. Call in advance to reserve your crabs; picnic table seating is first-come, first-served. bLD$$$$

BETHESDA CURRY KITCHEN

4860 Cordell Ave., 301-656-0062, bethesdacurrykitchen.com Traditional Indian cuisine by chef Anil Kumar. For lunch or dinner, try the masala dosa, a lentil- and rice-filled crepe, or aviyal, a vegetable-heavy coconut milk curry. ✓LD$$

BISTRO PROVENCE

4933 Fairmont Ave., 301-656-7373, bistroprovence.org Serving French fare by notable chef Yannick Cam, this spot works for date night or a special occasion. Standout dishes include the lobster purse appetizer and the rack of lamb. The greenfringed patio is a plus. b✓LD$$$$

BLACK’S BAR & KITCHEN (Editors’ Choice) 7750 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-5525, blacksbarandkitchen.com A New American restaurant that emphasizes seafood dishes, wood-grilled meats and cocktails, it’s part of the Black Restaurant Group. Stop in for happy hour or dinner on the outdoor patio. b✓LD$$$$

BT’S

4866 Cordell Ave., 240-802-2418, btsbethesda.com Founded by Walt Whitman High School alumnus Brian Lacey, BT’s is a sports bar offering American comfort foods and craft beers. D$$$

CADDIES

ON CORDELL

4922 Cordell Ave., 301-215-7730, caddiesoncordell.com This dual-level sports bar has a large covered patio and TVs for game day. Pop by for happy hour, trivia night, live music or the rotating weekly specials featuring half-price pizzas and handhelds. Voted “Best Bar/Restaurant to Watch a Game,” “Best Dog-Friendly Resaurant/Bar” and “Best Happy Hour” (tied for first place) by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026. b✓RLD$$

CHERCHER RESTAURANT

4921 Bethesda Ave., 301-652-6500, chercherrestaurant.com D.C.-based cult favorite Chercher showcases such traditional Ethiopian specialties as beef tibs, kitfo and doro wot. Try the crowd-pleasing vegan combo platter served over injera, a slightly sour pancake-like flatbread. b✓LD$$

CITY LIGHTS OF CHINA

4953 Bethesda Ave., 301-913-9501, bethesdacitylights.com Classic Chinese with an emphasis on Sichuan-inspired dishes such as kung pao chicken and pan-fried green beans. Saddle up to a leather-backed booth in the casual restaurant or order takeout. LD$$

CORELLA CAFÉ & LOUNGE

4646 Montgomery Ave., 301-656-2260, corellabethesda.com A chic cafe at the AC Hotel with housemade pastries, hearty salads and sandwiches, plus a variety of small plates and locally sourced entrees in the evening. Try the espresso martini on tap. b✓BLD$$$

CUBANO’S (Editors’ Choice)

4907 Cordell Ave., 301-347-7952, cubanosrestaurant.com A traditional Cuban restaurant serving popular dishes such as Cuban sandwiches and croquetas in addition to tender meats such as ropa vieja and lechon asado; order yours with a round of mojitos. Voted “Best Caribbean/Cuban Restaurant” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026. ✓LD$$

DALIA’S FALAFEL

7750 Old Georgetown Road, 240-858-6918, dalias-falafel.square.site This falafel-focused pint-sized hut is best for takeout or delivery. Order your housemade chickpea patties wrapped up in a pita or in a rice bowl topped with tahini and spicy green schug. bLD$

EDITH’S PIZZA

6910 Arlington Road, 301-686-3224, edithspizzas.com The owner of neighboring Breads Unlimited brings his dough-making expertise to a casual eatery offering all-day breakfast burritos and omelets as well as sandwiches and pizza until 7 p.m. daily. bBLD$$

FISH TACO

10305 Old Georgetown Road (Shops at Wildwood), 301-564-6000; 7251 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-0010; fishtacoonline.com A fast-casual eatery with sustainably sourced Baja-inspired fare in the form of salads, bowls, tacos and burritos plus a selection of draft beers and margaritas. Don’t miss the housemade guacamole with fresh corn chips. bLD$

FLOWER CHILD

10205 Old Georgetown Road (Shops at Wildwood), 301-664-4971, iamaflowerchild. com This Arizona-based chain serves goodfor-the-soul food with an emphasis on ethically sourced proteins as well as seasonal vegetable sides and salads. Bundles serving four to six are an option for families and groups. bLD$$

FRANK PEPE PIZZERIA NAPOLETANA

7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-304-7373, pepespizzeria.com

New Haven-style pizzeria serving coal-fired slices and pies with a thin and chewy crust. Try the famous white clam pizza with garlic, oregano and freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese. b✓LD$$

GREGORIO’S TRATTORIA

4611-A Sangamore Road (The Shops at Sumner Place), 301-347-6830, gregoriostrattoria.com A family-friendly trattoria with accommodating staff serving large portions of Italian classics in addition to an extensive kids menu and a selection of gluten-free pizzas and pastas. b✓LD$$$

GRINGOS & MARIACHIS

(Editors’ Choice)

4928 Cordell Ave., 240-800-4266, gringosandmariachis.com Authentic Mexican street fare served in an edgy setting with brick walls, roped chandeliers and tattoo artstyle murals. Grab a seat at the bar for happy hour drink and food specials. bRLD$$

GUAPO’S

8130 Wisconsin Ave., 301-656-0888, guaposrestaurant.com This family owned and operated Tex-Mex restaurant gives greenhouse vibes with a glass ceiling and a plethora of plants. Groups will appreciate the enchilada, taco and fajita party packs to go that serve four, six or eight. Voted “Best Mexican Restaurant” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026. b✓RLD$$$

GUARDADO’S

4918 Del Ray Ave., 301-986-4920, guardados.com Savory Spanish and Latin American cuisine by Salvadoran chef Nicolas Guardado, formerly of Jaleo. The paellas and extensive tapas, such as gambas al ajillo and papas fritas, are best for sharing. b✓LD$$$

HAWKERS

7117 Bethesda Lane, 240-203-8135, eathawkers.com Asian small plates including dumplings, spring rolls, wings, curries, noodles, soups and the like are served inside or on the covered, heated patio. Weekday happy hour features discounted beers, spirits and select dishes. bLD$

HOUSE OF FOONG LIN

4613 Willow Lane, 301-657-3740 Chinese cuisine served in a dining room anchored by a U-shaped thatched bar known for specialty tiki cocktails. Standout dishes include the crispy fried whole fish and Peking duck. Voted “Best Chinese Restaurant” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026. ✓LD$$

HOUSE OF MILAE

4932 St. Elmo Ave., 301-654-1997, houseofmilae.com Authentic Korean comfort food in a modest, family-friendly setting. Try the hot stone bibimbap, short rib bulgogi, and kimchi fried rice topped with shrimp and mushrooms. b✓D$$$

KADHAI (Editors’ Choice)

7905 Norfolk Ave., 301-718-0121, kadhai.com

This beloved neighborhood restaurant excels at traditional Indian cuisine. Try the potato and pea samosas, palak chaat and any of the vegetarian or meat entrees served with Kadhai’s signature saffron and cardamomstudded rice. Voted “Best Indian Restaurant” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026. b✓LD$$

KUSSHI SUSHI

7820 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-7851, kusshisushi.com Formerly Hanaro, this rebranded spot continues to delight after a renovation. The menu boasts Izakaya street food, tempura, teriyaki and noodles, but sushi remains the focus. Come with a group for the epic 76-piece sushi boat. b✓LD$$$

LA CATRINA LOUNGE

4935 Cordell Ave., 240-204-8460, lacatrinalounge.com A two-story venue featuring a first-floor Mexican restaurant below a cocktail lounge with DJs and live music. Try the Santa Diabla cocktail blended with tequila, prickly pear, coconut and lime. ✓RD$$$

LA PANETTERIA

4921 Cordell Ave., 301-951-6433, lapanetteria.com This Italian restaurant stands out with a menu section devoted to Argentine fare, courtesy of its Buenos Airesborn co-owner, as well as a sunlit atrium graced by hanging baskets, period paintings and white tablecloths. b ✓ D$$$

LILIT CAFÉ BEER & WINE

7921 Old Georgetown Road, 301-654-5454, lilitcafe.com A low-key cafe and gourmet grocery with an all-day menu featuring omelets, soups, salads, sandwiches and pizza as well as dinner items such as lamb chops and crabcakes, plus an extensive gluten-free menu. BLD$$

MAMAN

7140 Bethesda Lane, 301-656-1526, mamannyc.com This French-inspired cafe boasts rustic farm tables, antique decor and botanical accents to complement delectable pastries, breakfast dishes and tartines as well as coffee, tea and cocktails. The outdoor patio is a plus. bBL$$

MAMMA LUCIA

4916 Elm St., 301-907-3399, mammaluciarestaurants.com This familyfriendly local chain is known for its New Yorkstyle pizzas and oversize portions of Italian mains, such as penne alla vodka and chicken marsala, which serve two. b✓LD$$$

MEDIUM RARE

4904 Fairmont Ave., 301-215-8379, mediumrarerestaurant.com This D.C.-based chain delights meat lovers with a single prixfixe dinner menu comprised of rustic bread, a green salad and culotte steak with hand-cut fries. Eggs and French toast are available at brunch. b✓RD$$$

MON AMI GABI (Editors’ Choice)

7239 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-1234, monamigabi.com A traditional French bistro offering a three-course prix-fixe lunch, an extensive steak frites menu and rotating evening specials, plus a robust menu for tiny gourmands. Patio seating is first-come, firstserved. Voted “Best Date Night Restaurant,” “Best Outdoor Dining,” “Best Overall Restaurant in Montgomery County/Upper NW D.C.,” “Best Restaurant in Bethesda,” and “Best Special Occasion Restaurant” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026. b✓RLD$$$

MORTON’S THE STEAKHOUSE

7400 Wisconsin Ave., 301-657-2650, mortons.com An upscale steakhouse specializing in prime-aged steaks and chops, fresh seafood and timeless desserts such as key lime pie and crème brûlée. The dining room, with white tablecloths and leatherbacked chairs, works for business dinners. ✓D$$$$

MUSSEL BAR & GRILLE

4903 Cordell Ave., 301-900-2599, musselbar.com/locations/bethesda Seafood enthusiasts will find thoughtfully crafted food in a casual setting, with an expansive Belgian beer list and wines and cocktails. Mussels are the star. b✓RLD $$$

NAN XIANG SOUP DUMPLINGS

7101 Democracy Blvd. (Westfield Montgomery mall), 301-456-6888, nanxiangxiaolongbao.com Known for their multicolored soup dumplings,

2026 | BETHESDAMAGAZINE.COM

this Chinese spot conveniently located at Westfield Montgomery mall also offers soups, noodles and more. Large windows into the kitchen allow diners to watch the experts shape dumplings from scratch. BLD$$

NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE’S

10400 Old Georgetown Road, 240-316-4555, notyouraveragejoes.com Made-from-scratch comfort food and cocktails in an industrialinspired environment. The wide-ranging menu offers soups, salads, handhelds, pizza and mains to satisfy every craving. Family-style meals, serving four to six, are available for takeout. b✓RLD$$

OISHII RAMEN CAFÉ

4901 Fairmont Ave., 240-956-4156, oishiibethesda.com Fresh, authentic ramen and bubble tea in a pint-size shop with firstcome, first-served high-top seating that’s open daily for lunch and dinner. Try the classic Tonkotsu made with pork and a soft-boiled egg. LD$$

OLAZZO (Editors’ Choice)

7921 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-9496, olazzo.com Italian fare in a relaxed setting with exposed brick walls, wooden tables and votive candles. Try the chicken cardinale tossed with sun-dried tomatoes in a tomatocream sauce over penne. Happy hour at the bar on weekdays. Voted “Best Italian Restaurant” and “Best Wine List” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026.

bRLD$$

ON ST. ELMO

4915 St. Elmo Ave., 301-701-6728, onstelmo.com Find Mediterranean-inspired dishes and a club-like vibe with live entertainment. It also has weekday specials such as all-day happy hour on Tuesdays and half-price wine bottles on Wednesdays. ✓D$$$$

THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE

7700 Wisconsin Ave., 301-986-0285, ophrestaurants.com A breakfast chain serving everything from egg dishes and sweet crepes to pancakes and waffles in a casual setting. Try the Dutch baby dusted in powdered sugar, a house special.

bBL$$

PASSAGE

TO INDIA

4931 Cordell Ave., 301-656-3373, passagetoindia.info British Colonial decor feels fitting at this traditional Indian restaurant. Weekday lunch specials include a main, such as palak paneer or chicken tikka, accompanied by saffron rice pilaf, lentils and salad.

✓RLD$$

PASSION FIN

4611 Sangamore Road (The Shops at Sumner Place), 301-229-2848, passionfinmd.com A conveniently located Asian bistro and sushi bar inside the Shops at Sumner Place with an expansive menu ranging from sushi and hibachi to teriyaki and fried rice dishes plus a handful of Thai curries. ✓LD$$$

PERSIMMON (Editors’ Choice)

7003 Wisconsin Ave., 301-654-9860, persimmonrestaurant.com Couples love this cozy American bistro. You can’t go wrong with the wasabi-crusted oysters or the daily fresh catch topped with a lemon butter sauce. Pop in on Tuesdays for half-priced wine.

b✓LD$$$

PHO VIET

4917 Cordell Ave., 301-652-0834, phovietus.com One of four locations around the D.C. area, Pho Viet offers authentic Vietnamese food in a comfortable setting with Asian artwork and a four-seat bar. Regulars praise the shrimp summer rolls and nourishing bowls of pho. b✓LD$

PICCOLI PIATTI PIZZERIA

10257 Old Georgetown Road (Shops at Wildwood), 240-858-6099; 5306 Zenith Overlook (Westbard Square), 240-8584728; piccolipiattipizzeria.com Kid-friendly Neapolitan-style pizzeria serving everything from antipasti and salads to sandwiches and pizza made with imported ingredients plus homemade Italian desserts. Gluten-free options available. bLD$$

PINES OF ROME

4918 Cordell Ave., 301-657-8775, pinesofrometogo.com Authentic Italian fare, such as veal Milanese and meatballs with spaghetti, served in a casual, family-friendly environment. Large trays serving eight or more are available for takeout.

LD$$$

PISCO Y NAZCA

7401 Woodmont Ave., 301-514-4830, piscoynazca.com A modern take on Peruvian cuisine, featuring dishes such as lomo saltado as well as eight ceviches. The comfortable setting includes an open kitchen, lively bar and outdoor patio. Voted “Best Latin Restaurant” and “Best New Restaurant” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026. b✓RLD$$$

PIZZERIA DA MARCO (Editors’ Choice) 8008 Woodmont Ave., 301-654-6083, pizzeriadamarco.net A family-friendly eatery featuring Italian antipasti, bruschettas and Neapolitan-style pizza. Try one of the freshly

made salads (large enough for two), the burrata con pesto pizza and half-priced wine on Wednesdays. bLD$$

PLANTA

4910 Elm St., 301-407-2447, plantarestaurants.com Serving 100% plantbased food, with offerings such as vegan sushi, brick oven pizzas and mushroombased “chicken and waffles” that taste just as delicious as they look. Try the weekday happy hour for discounted sips and snacks. Voted “Best Vegetarian Dishes” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026. b✓RLD$$$

PRALINE BAKERY & BISTRO

4611 Sangamore Road (The Shops at Sumner Place), 301-229-8180, pralinebistro.com A charming French bistro serving classics such as steak frites and salmon paillard plus a first-floor bakery with artisanal housemade pastries. The second-floor patio is a hidden gem for lunch. b✓RLD$$$

Q BY PETER CHANG (Editors’ Choice)

4500 East West Highway, #100, 240-8003722, qbypeterchang.com Modern Szechuan cuisine by renowned chef Peter Chang in a contemporary 8,000-square-foot space. Don’t miss the Peking duck served with housemade pancakes, scallions and sweet bean sauce. b✓RLD$$$

RAKU (Editors’ Choice)

7240 Woodmont Ave., 301-718-8680, rakuasiandining.com Find modern Asian fare with Chinese, Japanese and Thai flavors. The deluxe bento box offers a sampling of fresh sushi and warm tempura. Voted “Best Japanese/Sushi Restaurant” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026. b✓LD$$$

RAKUGAKI

10223 Old Georgetown Road (Shops at Wildwood), 240-858-4856, rakugaki.com A stylish Japanese restaurant offering colorful sushi platters, homemade noodle dishes, Asian small plates and more. Try the Teishoku set comprised of a protein-rich main such as tonkatsu or black cod, a side dish, miso soup and rice. b✓LD$$$

RAMEN MENRI

7345 Wisconsin Ave., 301-312-8399, ramenmenri.com This spacious restaurant run by a Tokyo-born chef offers comforting bowls of ramen made with homemade noodles. Choose from more than a dozen suggested bowls; add-on toppings and sides are available. bLD$$

ROOTED3

4916 Cordell Ave., 240-206-1265, rooted3.com Fast-casual beachy, botanicalinspired cafe serving plant-based food free of the top nine allergens. Try the umami shroom bowl, buffalo cauliflower bites and an organic cocktail, best enjoyed in the outdoor courtyard. bLD$

RUTA

4862 Cordell Ave., 240-316-1257, rutadc.us/ ruta-md Named after a legendary flower from ancient Ukrainian mythology, Ruta is one of Maryland’s first Ukrainian restaurants. It offers traditional dishes such as borscht, holubtsi and varenyky, along with modern fusion dishes in a rustic atmosphere. b✓RLD$$$

SALA THAI

4828 Cordell Ave., 301-654-4676, salathaibethesda.com Thai cuisine served in a nice casual setting with wood tables. Loyal locals praise the well-executed pad thai, served with a choice of protein, as well as the mango with sweet sticky rice. ✓LD$$

THE SALT LINE (Editors’ Choice)

7284 Woodmont Ave., 240-534-2894, thesaltline.com Part of a D.C.-area chain, this coastal-themed restaurant offers an extensive raw bar with Chesapeake Bay oysters, clams and lobster rolls, plus locally sourced seafood entrees such as panroasted rockfish. b✓RLD$$$$

SEVENTH STATE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE

7707 Woodmont Ave., 240-539-3410, seventhstaterestaurant.com In the lobby of the Marriott Bethesda Downtown sits a business-friendly all-day eatery featuring modern American cuisine with a mid-Atlantic twist and locally sourced ingredients served in a light-filled space. b✓BRLD$$$

SILVER

7150 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-9780, eatatsilver.com A New American brasserie serving upscale comfort food in an art decoinspired space with cozy red booths. Kids love the breakfast menu, served all day, plus the hand-spun milkshakes. Voted “Best Brunch” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026. b✓BRLD$$$

SILVER AND SONS BARBECUE

(Editors’ Choice)

5362 Westbard Ave. (Westbard Square), 301500-3140, silverandsonsbbq.com Founded as a food truck by Jarrad Silver, this brick-andmortar spot serves smoked chicken, brisket,

shredded lamb shoulder and other meats, while offering a blend of American, Jewish and Mediterranean flavors on its menu. The food truck continues to operate. Voted “Best Food Truck” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026. LD$$

SISTERS SANDWICHES & SUCH

4520 East West Highway, 240-531-2726, sisterssandwichesandsuch.com This branch of a family owned Olney deli serves stacked sandwiches, homemade sides and good vibes. Don’t miss the Hottie—a twist on a Thanksgiving classic with turkey, brie, garlic mayo and fresh spinach. bBL$

SMOKE BBQ

4858 Cordell Ave., 301-656-2011, mysmokebbq.com A casual barbecue joint serving spice-rubbed smoked meats and craft beers with outdoor seating in the alley. Weekday happy hour and game day specials, such as wing trays and sliders, are available. bLD$$

TACOMBI

4749 Bethesda Ave., 877-632-7610, tacombi.com This New York-based restaurant brings Mexican street fare to Bethesda with an emphasis on tacos. Colorful, spacious interiors and reasonably priced dishes make Tacombi a good spot for a casual meal. Giant doors open in nice weather for a seamless indoor-outdoor experience. b✓LD$

TASTEE DINER

7731 Woodmont Ave., 301-652-3970, tasteediner.com This local diner has retro vibes and serves old-school American diner classics such as all-day breakfast, handhelds and daily specials such as country fried steak and meatloaf. BLD$

TATTE BAKERY & CAFÉ

7276 Wisconsin Ave., 240-534-2115; 5300 Zenith Overlook (Westbard Square), 240-5342816; tattebakery.com A Boston-based cafe with a cult following, Tatte features tantalizing pastries, espresso drinks, a signature shakshuka (a North African egg and tomato sauce dish) and a seasonal menu with Israeli, Mediterranean and European influences in an airy space with leather banquettes and bistro tables. bBRLD$

TIKKA MASALA

4929 Elm St., 301-312-8191, tikkamasala.us

Traditional Indian cuisine plus a handful of IndoChinese wok dishes served in a contemporary setting. The lunch buffet offers a variety of classics such as tikka masala and biryani plus appetizers and dessert. ✓LD$$

TOMMY JOE’S

7940 Norfolk Ave., 301-312-8282, tommy-joes.com A casual dual-level sports bar and American grill with more than 40 TVs, daily specials and a year-round rooftop. Try the “Poho style” chicken wings glazed in a blend of hot and peanut sauces. b✓LD$$

TRATTORIA

SORRENTO (Editors’ Choice)

4930 Cordell Ave., 301-718-0344, trattoriasorrento.com A family owned and operated trattoria serving traditional Italian fare. Order the Italian Martini, made with limoncello, and the homemade spinach and ricotta ravioli baked with mozzarella in tomato sauce. ✓ D$$$

TRUE FOOD KITCHEN

7100 Wisconsin Ave., 240-200-1257, truefoodkitchen.com Health-driven dishes comprised of seasonal ingredients served in a bright, airy setting that’s suitable for adults and children alike. Outstanding plates include the charred cauliflower, ancient grain bowl and smoked Gouda turkey burger. b✓RLD$$$

UNCLE JULIO’S

4870 Bethesda Ave., 301-656-2981, unclejulios.com It’s always a party at the Bethesda outpost of this national Tex-Mex chain where groups flock for celebrations. Expect hacienda-style interiors, mesquitegrilled fare and an extensive margarita menu. b✓LD$$$

VIRRAAJ

4914 Cordell Ave., 301-847-7225, virraaj.com Authentic Indian cuisine served in an upscale setting with black and gold decor. The wideranging menu boasts multiple biryanis, more than a dozen vegetarian entrees and several chaats. b✓LD$$$

WORLD OF BEER

7200 Wisconsin Ave., 240-389-9317, worldofbeer.com This national brewpub features hundreds of global beers and classic American fare in a brick-walled space with high-top tables and a large outdoor patio. Try a curated beer flight or design your own. Voted “Best Beer Selection” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026. bLD$$

CHEVY CHASE

THE CAPITAL GRILLE

5310 Western Ave. (Shops at Wisconsin Place), 301-718-7812, thecapitalgrille.com This fine dining American steakhouse offers handcarved steaks, seafood, shareable sides and indulgent desserts. Swing by for happy hour

on weekdays or order a Steak Grille Box for home cooking. Voted “Best Steakhouse” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026.

✓LD$$$$

CLYDE’S

5441 Wisconsin Ave., 301-951-9600, clydes.com With multiple locations in the D.C. metro area, Clyde’s offers expansive seating for groups and an all-day menu with classics such as crabcakes and farm-fresh beef burgers. Try their daily oyster happy hour. Voted “Best Restaurant in Chevy Chase” by the readers of Bethesda Magazine in 2026.

b✓RLD$$$

DOK KHAO THAI EATERY

8551 Connecticut Ave., (Chevy Chase Lake), 301-718-8889, dokkhao.com/dok-khao-chevychase-home From bubble tea and sticky rice with mango, to family-style drunken noodles and curries, this eatery serves up vibrant Thai street food in a chic setting.

b✓BLD$$$

ELENA JAMES

8551 Connecticut Ave. (Chevy Chase Lake), 240-723-7093, elenajamescc.com From the owners of Nina May and Opal, this neighborhood place serves brunch and dinner. Try the argula salad, pappardelle with sausage Bolognese, fried duck wings and pan-seared sea bass. b✓RD$$$

THE HUNTER’S HOUND

5471 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 206A, 301-969-8281, thehuntershound.com

A modern Irish pub with wooden tables and a camel-colored tufted leather banquette. You can’t go wrong with classic fish and chips, bangers and mash or shepherd’s pie along with a pint of Guinness.

b✓RD$$$

JUNCTION

5471 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 206B, 586-949-2035, junctionbakery.com

This family-friendly all-day bistro boasts Commonwealth Joe espresso, freshly baked pastries and colorful plates such as spiced salmon with rainbow quinoa and a citrus salad topped with pistachios and pomegranate seeds.

bBRLD$$$

LA FERME (Editors’ Choice)

7101 Brookville Road, 301-986-5255, lafermerestaurant.com Ideal for a romantic tête-à-tête, La Ferme offers elegant country farmhouse decor, live piano music and an expertly executed classic French menu. Grab a seat at the bar for a more casual bite.

✓RLD$$$$

LIA’S

4435 Willard Ave., 240-223-5427, liasrestaurant.com A family-friendly neighborhood eatery with a large outdoor patio and Italian American plates, including shrimp scampi with housemade pasta and a burger topped with gorgonzola, crispy onions, wild mushrooms and garlic aioli. b✓RLD$$$

MANOLI CANOLI

8540 Connecticut Ave., 301-951-1818, manolicanoli.com Find Greek specialties such as pork souvlaki and moussaka alongside pasta Bolognese and chicken parmigiana prepared with hand-pulled mozzarella at this family owned and operated Mediterranean restaurant. b✓LD$$$

MEIWAH RESTAURANT

4457 Willard Ave., 301-652-9882, meiwahrestaurant.com This contemporary Chinese restaurant offers everything from lo mein and fried rice to moo shu chicken and kung pao shrimp. Chef’s specialties include Beijing duck with homemade pancakes and a Cantonese-style whole steamed sea bass. ✓ LD $$$

RO SUSHI CO.

8551 Connecticut Ave. (Chevy Chase Lake), 301-337-1293, rosushi.co Serving sushi and Japanese-inspired dishes, this spot took over the space that was Elena James’ cafe. Sushi platters and larger entrees, such as soy honey sea trout and Japanese beef curry, are on the menu, along with a kids bento box. ✓LD$$$

SHIBUYA EATERY

4461 Willard Ave., 240-858-4720, shibuyafood. com Look no further for authentic Japanese ramen in a modern, fast-casual space. Choose a house specialty ramen or build your own with a variety of bases, broths, proteins, toppings and garnishes. bLD$

SUSHIKO (Editors’ Choice)

5455 Wisconsin Ave., 301-961-1644, sushikorestaurants.com An upscale Japanese restaurant with an eight-seat sushi bar. Standout dishes include the crispy Brussels sprouts with spicy soy caramel and the Element roll comprised of tuna tartare, avocado and a potato crisp. b✓LD$$$$

TAVIRA

8401 Connecticut Ave., 301-652-8684, tavirarestaurant.com This old-world establishment with white tablecloths and muraled walls features Mediterranean wines and Portuguese plates. Save room for the pastel de nata, a traditional tart made with puff pastry and lemon cinnamon custard. ✓ LD$$$

cavamezze.com | @cavamezze

Rockville and Olney locations

cavamezze.com | @cavamezze

| @cavamezze

Rockville and Olney locations

cavamezze.com | @cavamezze Rockville and Olney locations

Rockville and Olney locations

cavamezze.com | @cavamezze Rockville and Olney locations

cavamezze.com | @cavamezze Rockville and Olney locations

BETHESDA INTERVIEW

A CONVERSATION WITH

KWAME ALEXANDER

The Chevy Chase, D.C., author on the rhythm of writing, the virtues of poetry, and the most important person in his target audience

BY MIKE UNGER

THE SOULFUL SOUNDS OF A HORN, accompanied by a stand-up bass, drums, maybe a piano, start flowing into Kwame Alexander’s ears as he sits down at a card table off the living room in his Chevy Chase, D.C., home every morning at 6 a.m. Motivated by the music of jazz greats such as Miles Davis and Oscar Peterson, words travel from his brain through his fingers and onto the screen of his laptop for the next few hours. Writing is a daily ritual the 57-year-old author, publisher, producer and speaker can’t live without.

Alexander has become a noted commentator and advocate for child literacy, founding the nonprofit One Word at a Time, winning a 2025 NAACP Image Award and being named a 2026 Sine 250+ Fellow at American University. He achieved notoriety as an author of books for young adults. The Crossover, his 2014 breakthrough, is about twin 12-yearold boys who, like him, have a love of basketball and a complicated relationship with

their father. It’s a free-flowing story written in verse; Alexander has always first and foremost considered himself a poet.

“The most important thing that I’ve come to know is that if you want to change the way people act, you got to change the way they think. You want to change the way they think, you got to change the way they feel,” he says. “What better way to get people to feel something immediately than through a poem, that language of love that cuts through all the fat and gets to the meat of the humanity of us.”

The power of the written word was instilled in Alexander by his parents. His mother was a folklorist and an educator, his father a Baptist preacher, writer, publisher and college professor. As a child growing up in New York City, North Carolina and ultimately Chesapeake, Virginia, reading was essential. Once Alexander took a poetry class as an undergraduate at Virginia Tech, he began writing seriously. He knew it was his calling.

Like many writers before him, Alexander says he struggled to be heard until he had a big hit. The Crossover was his. It won a Newbery Medal and a Coretta Scott King Award and became a Disney+ television show, winning Outstanding Young Teen Series at the Children’s and Family Emmy Awards. He’s now working with two Hamilton alums—director Thomas Kail and Christopher Jackson, who played George Washington—to adapt The Crossover into a musical.

Still, no matter what direction his career takes him, this father of two (and new grandfather) tries to start each day at his laptop. Writing, he knows, is his bedrock.

“It always comes back to that,” he says. “The thing about trying to write good books is that you have to have something worth saying. In order to have something worth saying, you have to live a life that matters.”

Bethesda Magazine spoke with Alexander at Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza in D.C.’s Friendship Heights neighborhood in February. The interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

ABOVE LEFT: Alexander with Stephen Colbert after his appearance on The Late Show

ABOVE RIGHT: Alexander at The Crossover Disney+ television show premiere

You often talk about how your parents immersed you in books. How did their relationships with books impact you as a child?

They were both in graduate school when I was born. My mother was getting her master’s in business education, and my father was getting his master’s and his doctorate. So just for their schooling, they were reading quite a bit. In addition, my father also decided to start a publishing company. The first books he published were his dissertations from Columbia University. So I think they were as much a part of our lives as, let’s say, music was for the Marsalis family.

Their lives were very literary and very bookish. And so I come along, and of course now they’re going to indoctrinate me in that way of life. I think they believed that books were a way to instill a sense of identity and purpose and direction in me and my siblings.

Was reading something that you loved, or was it a chore?

My mother made it fun because of the books she surrounded us with. My mother was a folklorist, so she told stories. She traveled around the world. So she made literature and language fun. My father, it was a chore. It was functional. It was like, you need to learn about the world. And so here is this Brazilian educator, Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed. You need to read that. I was 12 years old. When I look back on it, I’m like, ‘How cool was that?’ So I loved some of the things that I read, and loathed other stuff that I had to read. But certainly it all made an impact.

Your father was a Baptist preacher. How were your personal views of religion impacted by him?

We grew up in a house where we believed in this religious idea of faith, the evidence of things unseen, the substance of things hopeful. There was a lot of belief. There was a lot of traditional religious practice, going to church every Sunday. Growing up in that house with a father who was not only a minister, but who was an activist and who used his ministry in a way

that promoted social justice, one of the things that did for me was it made me feel confident and worthy. I had a place in this world, and I was going to stand tall and proud.

My first speech was given in church. I was a youth pastor. I remember that feeling of being on stage and delivering this message that resonated with me. And then to hear the response from the congregation, that empowered me. And so I think there was a certain level of inspiration and empowerment that came from being immersed in the Baptist church in general and being the son of a pastor in particular.

When did you start writing?

The first poem was probably seventh grade. It was a poem for my mother. Sporadically after that I’d write some stuff here and there. But when I began to sort of write in earnest was sophomore year at Virginia Tech. The Black students wanted to get Virginia Tech to divest [from] apartheid, to take their money out of companies that were in South Africa supporting of that form of slavery. We held rallies and protests, and at these I began to read poems. And then there was a woman I liked. I began to write her poems.

Alexander with Elmo on The Not-Too-Late Show

KWAME ALEXANDER

FROM: New York, North Carolina and Chesapeake, Virginia

LIVES IN: Chevy Chase, D.C.

AGE: 57

COLLEGE: Virginia Tech

OCCUPATION: Author

A young Alexander

Why poetry? What can a poem convey that other styles of writing cannot?

You’re giving attention to a moment in time, to an experience, to a feeling, to an observation in a way that’s immediate. And so the reader, the listener, they get it.

Let’s jump back to the woman you wrote the poem for. Did it work?

It did. She married me. We got divorced, but that’s another [story].

When you’re writing poetry or a novel in verse, do you have to consciously think about what weight you’re giving to the meaning of the words as opposed to whether they rhyme or how they sound?

You’re paying attention to all of that. You do it so much that it becomes sort of a natural way of writing. It becomes a part of the process. But absolutely, you’re thinking about the way the words sound. You’re thinking, Is this metaphor? Am I still carrying the same metaphor? I was talking about stone, am I now talking about a baseball? Is there a connection? Am I making it work? You’re thinking about all those sort of things. The most important thing is, am I showing you something? Because I don’t want to tell you. Am I conveying something that’s meaningful and significant by showing you? You’re thinking about all that. I think it’s the right words in the right order.

You were once asked, ‘What would you say to a kid who thinks they don’t like to read?’ You said, ’Read a poem.’ Why is poetry a good gateway for that kind of kid?

Look at all the white space on the page. You’re saying a whole lot in a few words. It’s not intimidating. You get through a

poem, you get through a three-line haiku, you’ve gotten through a beginning, middle and end. Oh, I finished. It builds confidence. It allows students to be able to say, ‘I’ve accomplished this, and now I can move on to the next one.’ I think it’s a bridge to kids being able to appreciate longer forms of literature.

When you sit down to write one of your books, do you have a specific audience in mind? Are you thinking, Is a 14-year-old boy going to like this? Is a 15-year-old girl going to like this? I am thinking, 10 times out of 10, am I going to love this book? Kwame at 7, Kwame at 12, Kwame now. Every time. I just published a book called The Mighty Macy. It’s a chapter book, which means it’s for ages 6 to 10. I did not say when I sat down to write, ‘Is this going to work for a 7-year-old?’ I said, ‘Is this going to work for me?’ I’m writing about a 9-year-old girl, but I’m writing for me at all the ages, and I got to love it. I’m the audience.

I think the first novel I wrote was called He Said, She Said. I sat down and I said, ‘This is going to be a young adult novel. I’ve got to write this for the 15- and 16-yearolds.’ I thought about them the whole time I was writing it. It’s the worst novel I’ve ever written. It didn’t work.

You published several books before breaking through with The Crossover. Did you ever think that you weren’t going to be able to support yourself and your family through writing? I thought every day this is not going to work. So I’d go get another job. Graphic design, publications coordinator, proposal coordinator. And then I’d try to do it again and it wouldn’t work. Twenty-three years going through that process. So every day I was like, ‘This is never going to work. But I’m going to keep trying.’

Why did you keep trying?

When I read The Crossover, I was a little surprised to see a Horace Silver reference. I thought that a preteen might not get that reference to a 20th-century jazz pianist. You include a lot of references to music and musicians in your work. Why?

It probably goes back to when I was a freshman at Virginia Tech and I came home for spring break. I was up in our attic and I saw a crate of records. I was like, ‘Perfect. I got a record player and now I got some records.’ They were my dad’s. I took them back to college. It was Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra and Ornette Coleman and Freddie Hubbard and Duke Ellington and Miles Davis. And I just fell in love with it. I remember I had a girl over, the girl who eventually married me, and I played her jazz. Jazz became the language with which I was able to learn how to write, to be cool, you know, to sort of enjoy myself. The rhythm with which I write, I think, is musical. You can see it and feel it. And so it plays a role in everything I write.

“ WELL, I WASN’T HAPPY. I’D WON ALL THE AWARDS, HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS IN PUBLISHING. HAD A TV SHOW WITH DISNEY. ON THE OUTSIDE, IT LOOKED LIKE EVERYTHING WAS JUST GOING WONDERFUL. AND I WASN’T SLEEPING. I COULDN’T FIGURE IT OUT.

LIKE, WHAT IS GOING ON?”

—KWAME ALEXANDER

What’s it like seeing an idea you translated from your head to the page become reborn as a TV show?

It was tremendous. I think it would have been probably a not-so-pleasant experience if I weren’t involved. But being the co-showrunner and being the executive producer and being on the set every day, it was remarkable to see this vision that you had in a Panera Bread on Elden Street in Herndon, Virginia, where I wrote the first page, to see that now blossom into 200 people trying to make this into a TV show. It was the most beautiful thing.

Would it have been hard if you didn’t have that control?

Yeah. I remember it was suggested to me that one of the boys in the story should be on drugs. And I fought that, pushed back on that, and it didn’t happen. What if I were not in the room?

Well, it goes back to your question about religion. Faith. You got to believe in yourself. And I’ve never lacked that growing up the way I did. Reading all those books as a kid. One of the things that [stuck] with me is this quote that I remember reading [in] the Muhammad Ali book The Greatest. ‘I am the greatest, not because I’m better than anyone, because no one is better than me.’ I’ve always believed in myself. And so, yeah, I cried and I doubted myself. … When I woke up the next morning [I’m thinking], You can do this. I just had that belief. You miss 100% of the shots you never take.

You said in an interview around the time your memoir, Why Fathers Cry at Night, came out in 2023 that you’ve always been a person who hasn’t opened up. So why did you decide to write a memoir?

Well, I wasn’t happy. I’d won all the awards, had a lot of success in publishing. Had a TV show with Disney. On the outside, it looked like everything was just going wonderful. And I wasn’t sleeping. I couldn’t figure it out. Like, what is going on? You got all this success. Why can’t you just be happy?

So I began to write some poems, love poems, that began to reveal some of the cracks and some of the problems that I

had not admitted to myself. And so writing those poems led me to sort of expand into writing a fullon memoir. It was really a way for me to look at how I love, how I’m loved, and how I want my daughters to know they were loved. This was going to be a love letter to them. And it ended up being a love letter to myself. I learned a great deal, and it did what it was supposed to do.

Did you ever have an instance where you were reading your work and having to admit to yourself that, hey, I wasn’t being 100% honest there? Or I need to be more honest about why I was feeling this way.

Oh yeah. And not only that, but I also realized, oh s---, I can’t publish this book. I’ve been too real. I can’t put this out in the world. And I tried to get the book pulled.

Really?

I called my editor and said, ‘This can’t happen.’ And she said, ‘Well, I hear you and the book is at the printer.’ But yeah, I felt that. But I really had to go all in because I wanted to feel better and be better, especially for my kids.

During your interview with Terry Gross on NPR’s Fresh Air , it sounded like you were on the road to strengthening your relationship with your father. You had improved relationships with your siblings, and you seemed to be on the way to doing that with your older daughter, with whom you had not spoken in a while. So three years later, where are you with those relationships now? My father and I have a much more open and authentic relationship. Whereas we didn’t before. So we’ll talk about things that matter. It’s not just, ‘Hey, how’s your day?’ With my oldest daughter, I’m a grandfather. Dude, I’m a grandfather. How cool is that?

Alexander, right, with J vs K co-author Jerry Craft, left, and illustrator Don Tate during the J vs K book tour

Very. Congratulations. For the most part, I hadn’t shared [Why Fathers Cry at Night] with them [before publication]. I figured it would be better to ask for forgiveness. It was not better. It was challenging, but we came out on the other side of it in a much better [place].

You mentioned your divorce earlier. How have you come through that process?

I prefer not to use the word divorce. We’re partners. We’re co-parents. Here’s something funny I’ll tell you. My daughter is going to college in August. And so when we were looking at colleges last spring, she was talking to a counselor. And she was letting her know, ‘I’m going out of town. My parents and I are going to look at colleges.’ And she said her counselor was like, ‘Really? They’re not together though.’ And my daughter looked at her and said, ‘Yeah, but we’re still a family.’ That was our goal. And I feel like we’ve achieved that and we’re still on that journey together.

You’ve been to Ghana—where you opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Library and Health Clinic—11 times. What is it about that country that has so profoundly moved you?

You mean besides the snapper and the jollof rice and the plantains? And the people and the children and the culture? And to be in a country, to be in a community where you don’t feel like you are other or where people are trying to not make you feel like you are other? To be close to a culture that birthed your ancestors, it’s a homecoming. And it just feels great. It’s very inspirational. I’ve just come to love the people there.

What do you like about living in this area?

It reminds me of the food and how much I loved it in London. And it’s near my [youngest daughter’s] school. And I’ve got a lot of friends here. But I tell you what: as soon as this child goes to college, I’m back in St. John’s Wood in London, England [where I lived from 2019 to 2022].

Do you ever sit back and think, How did I get here?

Every morning—to go back to that religious household I grew up in—I thank the universe for conspiring to give me what I wanted. Every morning I thank the creator of the heavens and the earth for all of the opportunities, for all the wonders and all the wounds and all the challenges and all the lessons. I try to remain so grateful because I know it didn’t have to happen and I know it doesn’t have to continue. I think I’ve worked really hard, and I’m grateful for all the fruits of this labor.

Mike Unger is a writer and editor who grew up in Montgomery County and lives in Baltimore.

Why the data center industry came to Dickerson

BY ELIA GRIFFIN

THE CONVERSATION ABOUT DATA CENTERS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. HERE IS WHY PEOPLE CARE NOW.

BY ELIA GRIFFIN AND CEOLI JACOBY

For nearly six years, a decommissioned coal-fired power plant in Dickerson has been sitting idle. The facility no longer sends exhaust into the air or streams of warm water into the nearby Potomac River. There are no obvious signs of development activity, no construction workers or heavy machinery waiting to break ground. Most of the property’s neighbors would have been content to keep it that way, Montgomery County Council Vice President Marilyn Balcombe (D-Dist. 2) says.

“If the community had the choice, nothing would go there,” says Balcombe, whose district includes Dickerson. “But that’s not the reality.”

Terra Energy, the Florida-based company that owns the 700-acre site of the former power plant on Martinsburg Road, lists the property on its website as an “ideal space for data warehouse and battery storage.” Data centers are secure warehouses used to store computer servers and other information technology equipment.

Atmosphere Data Centers, a California-based company, has applied to the county to develop a campus of five data center buildings plus associated infrastructure on 110 acres zoned for heavy industry that it is under contract to purchase from Terra Energy. The parcel is part of Terra’s 700 acres, which is surrounded by the county’s Agricultural Reserve. As of April 3, Montgomery Planning spokesperson Chris Peifer says that Atmosphere’s application is moving through the department’s intake process and application materials will be made public when the review is complete.

Growing regional concern over the power needs of data centers has put Atmosphere’s plans squarely in the spotlight—though plans have been in the works for years. According to Balcombe, Terra Energy had been in talks with upcounty civic and environmental groups about a possible data center campus in Dickerson before she joined the council in December 2022.

Terra Energy filed an initial application to build a data center campus within the 700-acre retired coalfired power plant site in December 2023, county planning records show.

The C&O Canal National Historical Park runs parallel to the Potomac River and is downhill from the site of the decommissioned Dickerson coal-fired power plant.

Only in recent months, however, have residents in other parts of the county taken a serious interest in the Dickerson proposal, Balcombe says.

Now, local officials and environmentalists are sounding the alarm about environmental and climate impacts—with some members of the Montgomery County Council, including Balcombe, pushing for stricter rules governing such facilities.

“Nobody paid attention to it until it became this zeitgeist moment of ‘oh my gosh, data centers,’ ” Balcombe says.

It is by design that prospective data center developers find the Dickerson site appealing. For more than a decade, economic development officials have worked to market the Washington, D.C., region and the state, gener-

‘When it comes to data center land, there are four legs of the stool—you need power, zoning, water and fiber,’ says real estate broker Ben Mann. The Dickerson site has all of them.

ally, as a hub for digital infrastructure.

Maryland Tech Council CEO Kelly Schulz says her introduction to the data center conversation came in 2019, the first of her three years as Maryland’s secretary of commerce under then-Gov. Larry Hogan (R).

That year, Schulz says state officials traveled to California on an economic development trip and met with three companies that use data center servers about bringing the industry to Maryland.

“Those conversations were very helpful to really understand what it is they’re looking for,” Schulz says.

One outcome of those conversations, Schulz says, was the creation of a sales and use tax exemption for data center personal property, such as computer servers, above a minimum investment.

The Maryland General Assembly passed a law to establish the tax exemption during its 2020 legislative session.

“True to their word, that’s when we started receiving phone calls from the industry about very specific interest in opportunities that were available in different parts of the state,” Schulz says.

‘Kind of a unicorn’

Bethesda’s Ben Mann, who leads real estate broker Cushman & Wakefield’s data center capital markets practice in the greater D.C. area, described the Dickerson site as “kind of a unicorn” during a Feb. 3 community forum on data center policy.

“When it comes to data center land, there are four legs of the stool—you need power, zoning, water and fiber,” Mann tells Bethesda Magazine. The Dickerson site has all of them.

Atmosphere’s plan for the Dickerson

site involves the construction of five two-story, 225,000-square-foot data center buildings, according to Atmosphere CEO Chuck McBride.

Collectively, the proposed data center buildings would use 360 megawatts of electricity, McBride wrote in a statement emailed to Bethesda Magazine on March 11.

“This is a place that used to generate hundreds of megawatts of power, so it sits at an infrastructure hub,” Mann says of the Dickerson site. “It’s cost effective to deliver power to that location.”

Like the power plant that came before them, the proposed data center buildings in Dickerson would use water from the Potomac River to cool the machinery inside.

According to McBride, Atmosphere’s campus would use an average of 69,300 gallons of water daily for cooling. Usage would be lower in colder weather and higher when air temperatures top 75 degrees.

The proposed maximum daily allowance for the campus would be 500,000 gallons, while the coal-fired power plant used up to 400 million gallons per day, according to McBride. Atmosphere has submitted water withdrawal and discharge permit applications to the Maryland Department of the Environment, aiming to be in “full compliance with county, state and federal environmental regulations,” the company says in a fact sheet about the project.

Proposed zoning text amendment

The issue of zoning has become more complicated in recent months as the Montgomery County Council considers legislation to limit where data centers can be built.

According to planning officials, the county’s existing zoning ordinance categorizes data centers as communication facilities that can be built in any zone with the approval of the county Office of Zoning and Administrative Hearings.

A zoning text amendment introduced by council President Natali Fani-González (D-Dist. 6), Balcombe and Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles (D-At-large) in January would restrict data centers to the county’s industrial zones. It also would create new regulations related to noise, emissions and distance from residential areas.

According to McBride, Atmosphere “generally supports” the criteria in the proposed zoning text amendment and has suggested minor changes related to site safety and security.

As part of their review of the proposed zoning text amendment in February, Montgomery County Planning Board members called on the council to recognize that not all data centers are equal

An entrance to the site of the decommissioned coal-fired power plant on Martinsburg Road where Atmosphere Data Centers plans to construct a campus

in size and potential impact on their surrounding communities.

County planners are aware of four data centers in the county. Two are in Silver Spring, one is in Rockville and another is in Germantown. The four vary in size from an 8,000-square-foot center in an office building in Silver Spring to a 214,000-square-foot standalone data center building in White Oak, according to a Montgomery Planning analysis.

The proposed data center campus in Dickerson—with buildings totaling approximately 1.125 million square feet—would be larger than any of the county’s existing data center facilities. A total of 3,200 acres in Montgomery County is zoned industrial, according to

planning documents. The average industrial property size is about 3.6 acres, much smaller than the 110 acres for Atmosphere’s proposed site.

Taken in combination with the setbacks proposed under the zoning text amendment, county planners say the relatively small size of Montgomery County’s industrial properties means “few, if any” apart from the Dickerson site would meet the criteria for data center development.

Still, residents are wary of the possibility of more data centers in the county.

During public meetings earlier this year, dozens of residents expressed concerns about the possible environmental, health and economic impacts of the proposed Dickerson data center campus.

Some have called for a temporary moratorium on data center development in the county—a measure County Executive Marc Elrich (D) says he would only pursue with support from the council.

Elrich is in the final months of his second four-year term as county executive. He cannot seek re-election this year due to term limits. Whether to impose a moratorium on data center development and for how long has become a point of contention among the candidates vying to succeed Elrich.

Two of the three sitting councilmembers in the race, Evan Glass and Will Jawando (both D-At-large), support the concept of a data center moratorium, with Glass favoring a six-month pause and Jawando

saying he would support a two-year delay.

Councilmember Andrew Friedson (D-Dist. 1), who is also seeking the Democratic nomination for county executive this year, has not expressed support for a moratorium. He says data centers in the county should bring their own clean energy sources, a position on which he is aligned with his main primary opponents.

The data center campus would run on electricity from the regional power grid, according to Atmosphere.

‘It will literally blow up the county’s climate goals,’ says Mike Tidwell of Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

If the next county executive does pursue a temporary moratorium on data center development, it likely would not apply to projects that already have county planning approval.

McBride, the Atmosphere CEO, tells Bethesda Magazine that Atmosphere expects Montgomery Planning to complete its review of the company’s latest application “as early as July 2026.” He did not provide an estimated timeline for when construction on the proposed data center campus could begin.

What about the environment?

On a sunny mid-March day in Dickerson, the high-pitched croaking of frogs fills the air during spring mating season in the C&O Canal National Historical Park while ducks and geese paddle in the adjacent Potomac River.

Beyond a hill overlooking the canal sits the decommissioned coal-fired power plant—its smokestacks a reminder that fossil fuels used to be burned here to provide energy—on the property where Atmosphere hopes to build.

Local activists including Mike Tidwell, founder and director of the Takoma Park-based advocacy group Chesapeake Climate Action Network, are calling for the data center campus and all future data center projects in the county to be run entirely on renewable clean energy. Atmosphere has not committed to running the 360-megawatt campus on clean energy—and that disappoints Tidwell.

The campus would run on electricity from the regional power grid, and power would be supplied by FirstEnergy transmission lines that border the site,

according to Atmosphere. Construction of the campus would require additional on-site electrical infrastructure, such as a substation and a switchyard. While there are no publicly available plans yet to use renewable energy sources to power the campus, Atmosphere notes that energy procurement is still in progress.

Tidwell believes the campus “will literally blow up the county’s climate goals,” referring to the county’s 2021 Climate Action Plan. The initiative aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2027 and 100% by 2035, and improve resilience to climate change.

That’s why Angie McCarthy, a Maryland conservation advocate for the Chevy Chase-based Nature Forward, is among those encouraging Atmosphere to use batteries as an alternative to diesel generators for backup energy.

“Data centers need 24-hour access to the grid … [and] because of their voracious need for energy, a lot of our options often are posed as … we need to develop more natural gas and coal power. But we have seen in other states and through other localities that that is simply not the case,” McCarthy says.

For his part, Mann of Cushman & Wakefield says those who call for hyperscale data centers to use batteries rather than generators for backup power underestimate the sheer number of batteries that would be needed to keep the facilities running in the event of an outage.

Atmosphere says on its website that it develops and operates the “greenest and most energy-efficient data centers on Earth,” with a focus on sustainable technologies and advanced cooling systems.

Still, the company plans to use diesel generators as backup power for the campus, raising red flags for environmental advocates because of the carbon emissions and air pollution they produce.

According to Atmosphere, all of the diesel generators that will power the data centers during a potential emergency power outage will have emissions control technologies. Those technologies include selective catalytic reduction and diesel particulate filters.

Kevin Walton of Climate Coalition Montgomery County, a network of organizations and individuals dedicated to addressing climate change, says advocates are not opposed to data center development but want to ensure that facilities are constructed “in a manner appropriate for the site and for residents.” He’d like to see the facilities run on renewable energy, especially for backup power, and handle power demand responsibly.

“We hope that if [data centers] can be more flexible, then it won’t necessarily cause an increase in power costs,” Walton says, referencing concerns that the electricity demands of data centers may drive up costs for Maryland residents.

Walton says the proposed Dickerson data center development also could pose an issue for recreation on the C&O Canal, and that would be a topic advocates need to “pay attention to” as the project continues.

McBride notes the C&O Canal park is “not adjacent” to the proposed data center campus, which is about 1,000 feet uphill and northeast of the Potomac River. He says that because Atmosphere is “committed to developing environmentally responsible data center campuses,” the project “will comply with all applicable environmental regulations and permitting requirements designed to protect surrounding natural resources and wildlife.”

On March 13, about 60 environmental advocates rallied outside of a county executive candidate forum in Silver Spring, chanting, “Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Dirty data centers have got to go!” Friedson, Glass and Jawando spoke at the rally, expressing their support for the clean energy goal.

“We’re not against innovation. We’re not against technology. But we are for clean energy,” Jawando said. “We don’t need to be first in this race to the bottom. We need to be right. … We don’t have to rush into it. There’s no rush.”

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A graduate of a boarding school in Geneva, Switzerland and further earning a masters degree in international law at American University, Ben has a deep-rooted appreciation for many cultures and enjoys the diversity of Washington, D.C.‘s international market. Ben spent over 20 years in the banking industry, where he managed multiple departments and over 70 employees. This experience awarded him a discipline that he now brings to his real estate business for over 17 years at the award-winning One Bethesda o ce.

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Straight out of the Gilded Age, this circa-1890 stately Grande Dame commands a premier position overlooking life on Logan Circle. With two sides of broad bay windows bathing the home in natural light—each framing picturesque views of the park—and a coveted, fenced and private courtyard, you’ll have a front row seat to this historic neighborhood in downtown DC. Four impressive levels include soaring 11-foot ceilings, rich hardwood floors, custom woodwork, three fireplaces, and separate living on the lower level. Period touches and original details set a tone of timeless elegance, while expansive entertaining rooms offer both grandeur and warmth.

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SWIN

SWIN G

THE

THE

EMBRACING THE GROOVY HELPS THE VOICE OF THE COMMANDERS AND HIS DESIGNER WIFE CREATE AN IDEAL BETHESDA HOME

By Jennifer Barger

WWHEN THEY MOVED TO BETHESDA FROM CONNECTICUT IN 2016, Heather Golde and Bram Weinstein were bewitched by a 1966 rambler they could spy from the back windows of their rental house in Bannockburn Estates. “It was basically a mid-century time capsule with a huge pool and these big windows—but it was falling apart,” says Golde, 50, the lead interior designer and owner of Fini & Martin.

In this neighborhood known for large lots and rolling hills, many people scoop up these older homes as teardowns to make space for large new houses. But once the couple talked to the owner of the groovy relic—and arranged a tour of the rundown interior in 2017—they were too charmed to consider knocking it down.

The house, which sprawled over nearly 7,000 square feet on two levels, had floor-to-ceiling windows, a retro low-slung roof, and such wild original details as a carpet-walled steam room and a basement disco room with purple shag carpet and metallic orange and purple wallpaper. The seven-bedroom, four-bathroom, two half-bathroom house—which had only two owners over half a century—hadn’t been significantly remodeled or redecorated since its construction.

“We knew we wanted to buy it to upgrade and renovate it while maintaining the integrity of this mid-century house and the scale and beauty of the neighborhood,” says Weinstein, 53, a sportscaster who works as the play-byplay announcer for the NFL’s Washington Commanders. “You could tell that this was a happy house, a party house where people had fun.”

CLOCKWIS E F R OM ABOVE

Golde sits on the island in the renovated kitchen as Marty the dog relaxes; a remodeled half bathroom displays a 1960s painted door that originally hung in the foyer; the parlor was updated with a blend of contemporary and vintage furnishings, including armchairs original to the house.

After some back-and-forth with the owner, who no longer lived at the property, Golde and Weinstein bought the house in 2018. The plan: to shore up the structure’s systems and windows, and then move on to larger projects such as rehabbing the awkward galley kitchen and replacing the primary bath, with its Mad Men-era sunken bathtub. “We did the bare bones we needed to move in—

rebuilding a rotting stair landing, sanding the floors,” Golde says.

Though there was no working stove in the original kitchen and the large inground pool was full of trash, the couple and their daughter (now 16) and son (now 13) moved into the fixer-upper in September 2018. They started working on DIY projects (Golde painstakingly painted the upstairs hallway to resem-

ble spendy dot-and-dash wallpaper) and larger tasks that required contractors.

“We knew this was going to be a marathon not a sprint, and for the first few years there were so many things that needed to happen that no one would see—redoing plumbing, putting on a new roof, replacing dozens of windows,” Golde says. “But that allowed me to visualize what I really wanted.”

Even small areas—such as this hall with Cole & Son “Talavera” wallpaper— received design attention from Golde; Marty the dog lounges between the dining area and the den.

As the project progressed, Golde retained many of the home’s original swinging ’60s details: a 15-foot-long, wall-mounted oak buffet in the dining room, an orangey-pink stone fireplace surround and wood wall paneling in the parlor. “And I didn’t yank out much of the old brass hardware—doorknobs, powder room sink faucets— since the original owners had spared no expense,” she says.

In 2023, the couple redid the kitchen with Fulton, Maryland’s Saturnia Builders, taking down two walls to open it to the adjoining great room and dining room. Out went laminate countertops and worn parquet flooring, in came floor-to-ceiling walnut cabinets from Cuisine Idéale, a six-burner GE stove, and an outsize island wrapped in creamy porcelain slab from MSI. Golde chose a showstopping backsplash in “Mount Rainier” quartzite, a green stone spiderwebbed with brown. “It reminds me of leaves and really brings the outdoors in,” she says. A new spice cabinet is concealed behind one sliding

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and

ABOVE

panel of backsplash next to the stove.

Golde updated the adjoining great room and dining area with a blend of vintage and contemporary furnishings. In the dining area, Mr. Brown London pendant lights hang over a “Bibianna” table and leather-upholstered “Halston” chairs, both from Four Hands. In the great room (not pictured) a Crate & Barrel sectional is paired with an Eames chair inherited from the previous owner. Golde reupholstered it in an earthy zigzag fabric. “Bram was dragging that chair to the dumpster and I rescued it,” Golde says.

The latest updates on the ongoing punch list: reworking the wood-paneled parlor into a family-friendly den where the couple’s daughter plays guitar and Golde hosts mahjong parties. The couple refinished the pale original wood paneling in a deep brown and fur-

nished the space with a vintage Baker card table that came with the house, a framed antique poster of a French cancan dancer, and a cinnamon-hued “Raffiné” sofa from Crate & Barrel.

Additionally, the primary bedroom was recently given a serene pattern-forward update with textiles in a range of gray and white prints: a curvy bed frame upholstered in Ian Sanderson’s “Pyjama Stripe” and curtains and closet door insets in Mark Alexander’s “Kerala Dove.”

The house isn’t finished yet—they want to replace the primary bath and extend the back patio over the ground that holds the now-filled-in swimming pool—and Golde feels inspired to continue the transformation. “It’s such an intriguing puzzle when you look at an old house like this and try to figure out how to make it comfortable and livable for today.”

The primary bedroom received a pattern-forward update including closet doors Golde covered in fabric.

A.B.E Networks

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Since our founding, we’ve specialized in delivering state-of-the-art technology solutions tailored to fit the unique needs of both residential and commercial clients. Our design-driven approach ensures that technology enhances, rather than disrupts, the aesthetic and functionality of each space. We collaborate closely with architects, interior designers and builders to integrate sophisticated systems such as smart home automation, audiovisual installations, lighting and shading control, security cameras and dedicated home theaters, all while maintaining a seamless connection to the design vision. Our expert team ensures every installation is intuitive, user-friendly and built to evolve with emerging technologies. We believe in building lasting relationships with our clients, providing ongoing support to ensure systems continue to perform flawlessly. From design through implementation and into continuing care, we’re committed to delivering personalized solutions.

GTM Architects

GTM Architects is a nationally recognized, award-winning design firm specializing in architecture, planning, and interior design. With a collaborative, client-focused approach, the firm creates inspired, enduring designs across residential, commercial, and multifamily sectors.

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Founded in 1989, GTM Architects is an award-winning, employee-owned design firm specializing in architecture, planning, and interior design. Known for blending creativity, precision, and functionality, GTM has shaped some of the region’s most familiar spaces, from vibrant restaurants and retail hubs to striking custom residential and commercial projects.

Today, GTM is proud to call Bethesda Row home, with our newly designed office recently awarded the NAIOP DC|MD Award of Merit. With over 60 professionals in Bethesda, Washington, D.C., and Frederick, GTM operates through a collaborative studio model, ensuring tailored solutions aligned with each client’s vision. This approach has led to the success of many well-regarded projects.

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From beautiful custom homes to multifamily and commercial spaces, GTM continues to push the boundaries of thoughtful design, creating places that inspire and endure.

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Founded in 2001, MOSS Building & Design is an award‑winning residential remodeler serving Northern Virginia, Maryland and the Washington, D.C. metro area. We specialize in whole house remodeling and additions with an in house team of architects, designers and craftsmen. MOSS completes approximately 100 high‑end projects annually, focused on clarity, craftsmanship, and client trust relationships.

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This renovation was guided by a clear goal: creating a home that enhances daily life. While the family loved their home, its layout no longer supported how they lived. A closed kitchen limited connection and flow, and the upper level lacked flexibility.

MOSS worked closely with the homeowners to unify function, structure, and design. Walls were removed to open the kitchen into a bright, connected hub anchored by a long island. A two-story addition introduced a comfortable sitting room and enhanced the primary suite, while coordinated finishes reinforced continuity and warmth.

The result is a refined, livable environment that supports everyday routines, entertaining, and time together—shaped around comfort and lasting value.

Imagine coming home to your own little oasis after a long day at work: floating in your backyard pool as a firepit casts a warm glow and your dinner grills in an alfresco kitchen. Dream-worthy private getaways like this are transforming backyards around Montgomery County.

Relaxing outside has become a priority for area homeowners, says Germantown architect James Gerrety. It’s a trend that started more than a decade ago and grew during the COVID-19 lockdown. Gerrety says today’s homeowners want “tailored, fully outfitted outdoor spaces,” often with cooking stations and luxurious pools as central features.

Here is a look at three outdoor living areas elevated by a swoon-worthy place to go for a swim.

The Grandchildren Magnet

To enjoy the beauty and tranquility of country living, Robin and Sarah Salomon, both in their 60s, bought a house several years ago on an 8-acre property abutting forestland in Darnestown. In July 2024 they added a landscaped pool and pool house complex designed for entertaining and family gatherings (pictured left). With three adult children and two grandchildren, Robin, an affordable housing developer, says, “We were hoping the pool would be a grandchildren magnet.”

It worked. Their 10-year-old granddaughter loves swimming and making s’mores over a Solo Stove firepit in the pool house pavilion. Their 8-year-old grandson tosses balls into a poolside basketball hoop. The whole family watches Commanders games on the pavilion television facing the pool. Robin and Sarah use the pavilion to grill dinner, sometimes for themselves and sometimes when hosting groups.

Alpine Pool & Design Corp. of Annandale, Virginia, designed and installed the 20-by-40foot heated pool with a PebbleSheen ocean blue finish. It is 3½ feet deep at the shallow end and 7½ feet at the deep end. Sarah loves its infinity edge, which makes the water seem to “float away from the shallow edge toward the woods.”

A DIP

BY WENDY A. JORDAN

A DIP

Sarah also loves the wall-enclosed outdoor shower on the side of the pool house. “There’s something really nice about showering outside,” she says. It’s reminiscent of the showers she used as a child on family vacations in Bethany Beach, Delaware, but more stylish, with its Azek PVC walls, slatted cedar bench, brushed chrome clothing hooks and Kenzo triple function outdoor shower that includes a rain showerhead, handheld shower and foot wash spout.

Gerrety designed the rustic yet elegant pool house and pavilion. Hopkins & Porter Construction in Potomac built the 16-by-20foot pool house and outdoor living features. Mid-Atlantic Timberframes of Paradise, Pennsylvania, crafted and assembled the 17-by-20foot weathered finish Douglas fir post-andbeam pavilion. Gerrety’s design included such details as shaped rafter tails, fir support brackets, wooden dowel peg connectors, and “light, delicate” stainless steel rods to structurally support the ceiling’s vaulted and exposed timber frame.

Inside the pool house, a powder room wrapped in airy floral wallpaper brings a welcoming garden ambience. The kitchen has a Miele refrigerator, Zline dishwasher, cabinetry, and a sink deep enough for Sarah’s flower arranging. Gaines Hurdle of Potomac’s Scarlett Interiors says she used Tarkett vinyl composition black-and-white checkerboard flooring with tiny specs in the kitchen and powder room “for a fresh, clean look.” A pool house storage room doubles as a studio annex for Sarah, a fine art photographer.

The cooking is done in the pavilion, where an 8½-foot-long island features a grill and side burner from Summerset, plus stainless steel storage and a pullout trash bin. Gerrety designed the custom buffet built by Johann International of Kensington. It runs across a painted brick veneer wall. Board-and-batten cement board covers the other walls. The buffet has an Architecture Stones granite top, storage below and Douglas fir cabinetry. Brown Jordan Venetian chairs and sofas in mica finish cluster around a coffee table. A Brown Jordan Venetian dining table is nearby. The pool deck and pavilion floor are paved with limestone.

At night, the pavilion exudes a soft glow from sconces, concealed tape lights in the roof rafters, ceiling spotlights, and lights in the custom cupola that Hopkins & Porter built on-site. Caroline Ervin of Washington, D.C.-based Caroline Ervin Landscape Design subtly illuminated the flagstone path between the house and pool with tiny, flat lights installed by Outdoor Illumination of Bethesda. She surrounded the roomy pool deck with flowering plants that produce “lots of blooms and gorgeous color” spring through fall. Native grasses, perennials, shrubs and trees ensure visual interest and natural beauty all year.

You can find Sarah and Robin in the pavilion rain or shine. On hot days, two fans “make all the difference,” Gerrety says. As for rain, Robin says 11 friends came over for dinner the first time the Salomons used the pavilion. “It started pouring, but the pavilion covered us completely. Nobody got wet, and the raindrops falling on the pool looked very pretty.”

Mediterranean in Rockville

Katerina Andrawos brought a little magic to her home on a quiet cul-de-sac in the Granby Woods section of Rockville in June 2025. Behind the 2004 house, she added an outdoor living area that fuses fire and water, dark and light, serenity and sparkle.

Andrawos, who owns Home Tech Restoration in Rockville and ProTech Contractors in Baltimore, says she wanted a place where her two children, ages 11 and 14, “could enjoy time with their cousins and friends, while also giving adults a place to unwind after a long day. I wanted it to feel like a private resort.” Eden Design Group, a custom pool builder and outdoor living contractor in Gaithersburg, made it happen.

From opposite left: The Salomons’ post-and-beam pavilion has ample seating and is cooled on hot days by two fans; an outdoor shower was a must-have, reminding Sarah Salomon of childhood vacations in Bethany Beach, Delaware; the pool complex is a magnet for the couple’s children and grandchildren.

Joshua Seek, Eden’s co-owner, says, “Our goal always is to create an outdoor space so beautiful that you can’t help but come out of the house” and experience it. In full view from a sweep of large windows across the back of Andrawos’ house, the outdoor area is a constant draw.

Seek and Eden Design Coordinator Isabela Kisi designed the tightly composed area for dramatic impact as people come out through the house’s glass doors. Centrally aligned on either side of a 20-by-40-foot pool are a 10-by-10-foot sunken firepit and a hot tub of matching size. The pool is 3½ to 5½ feet deep and includes a shallow, 20-by-10-foot tanning shelf. Lined with white plaster, the pool is accented with blue tile on the waterline and on the tanning shelf.

A waterfall flows from the hot tub into the swimming pool. Water also flows from 29-inch Moderno 2

Katerina Andrawos’ Rockville backyard includes a pool with a tanning shelf, sunken firepit and hot tub.

Fire/Water bowls, two flanking the hot tub and two more along the poolside. The fire bowls augment the spectacle of the 48-inch Prism Moderno 4 fire bowl in the firepit.

Because Andrawos, 42, loves traveling to the Mediterranean, where white stucco and plaster set the tone, Seek and Kisi used light gray for the Techo-Bloc smooth pavers and pool coping. A border of black Mexican pebbles around the pools and firepit accents the light paving. Andrawos chose black-framed, white-cushioned outdoor furniture that echoes the dark/light theme.

But she wanted a splash of color, too. Glass mosaic tiles in iridescent aquamarine “lightwaves”

from National Pool Trends line the tanning shelf and pool perimeter and wrap around the hot tub and fire bowl posts. They’re perfect, Andrawos says. “When the sun hits the tiles, they shine” and display a rich mix of blues.

When the sun goes down, low-voltage LED ground lights in the pebble border and color-changing strip lights under the firepit rim, all from Alliance Outdoor Lighting, provide visibility and atmosphere.

“The hot tub is definitely my kids’ favorite space,” Andrawos says. “We used it daily until November.” And when the cousins come over, they all sit on the ledge surrounding the firepit. “It’s kind

of their space.” She says her favorite spot is the tanning shelf, where there are two lounge chairs in the 8-inch-deep water. She turns on the fire and water features and sits on the ledge to relax at day’s end.

Eden will be back soon to add two more features. In the rear yard, Seek says, “We’ll build a pavilion with covered seating, bar, outdoor kitchen and an accent waterfall wall. And we’ll install an illuminated glass wall” that marks the way to a new basketball court.

Andrawos devoted much thought and research to the outdoor living space she dreamed of having. Looking at it now, she says the project is “exactly what I envisioned.”

Urban Getaway

Paresh and Dina Patel’s oasis is in the heart of Bethesda. Both are physicians and unable to get away often for vacations, so last July the Patels, each around 50, brought getaway ambience to their home. Equipped with a lounge pool, firepit, sunroom, pergola and outdoor kitchen, their backyard offers beauty, comfort and a versatile mix of entertainment options, all within a 30-by-90-foot space.

Potomac Outdoor Living designed and produced the project. The Bethesda-based full-service outdoor living contractor is a dealer for Four Seasons Sunrooms and Windows, Soake Pools and several other

From top: Glass mosaic tiles in iridescent aquamarine appear throughout the project; accent bowls do double duty as fire and water features.

The Patels’ Bethesda backyard fits multiple high-end amenities in a compact layout, including a 7-by-13-foot Soake hybrid pool that doubles as a hot tub, outdoor appliances for food prep, and a pergola with radiant heaters and an adjustable television.

manufacturers. Its Germantown showroom displays full-size sunrooms, pergolas, outdoor appliances and finish products, many of which the Patels selected for their style and easy-care features.

When they built their house in the Landon Woods area of Bethesda in 2011, their three children were small. By 2025, two were in high school, one was in college, and the backyard swing set had long been idle. “We wanted to make better use of the yard and have outdoor living space we could enjoy,” Dina says. “I grew up with a pool and wanted one here. Paresh wanted a hot tub.”

The compact 7-by-13-foot Soake

hybrid pool is both. In the evenings, Dina often treads water and does water aerobics in the 5-foot-deep pool. When the water is heated to 104 degrees, the Patels use it as a spa. App-controlled water jets and color-changing LED lights customize the pool’s look and function. Guests seated on the perimeter walls that border the pool and curve gracefully around the adjacent patio can enjoy the pool’s dramatic waterfall feature and the firepit nearby.

Potomac Outdoor Living converted the family’s 14-by-20-foot screened porch into a sunroom for year-round use by installing Four Seasons glass wall panels, insulated luxury vinyl tile flooring, and a heat pump for heating and cooling.

Steps lead down to the outdoor kitchen and gathering space arranged in an 11-by-16-foot Four Seasons pergola featuring a wall-mounted television that rotates for viewing from the pool.

With a remote-controlled retractable roof for use in sun or rain, the pergola is

also equipped with hanging Bromic radiant heaters and an overhead fan to extend the season for lounging outside. The powder-coated aluminum sunroom exterior, pergola structure, and TimberTech stair rails at the sunroom and family room steps are maintenance-free.

Blaze stainless steel outdoor appliances—beverage refrigerator, cabinets and grill with rotisserie—are contained in an island that’s topped with a leathered granite counter. The food prep center serves the pergola and an alfresco dining area.

Because the outdoor space is relatively small, “we didn’t want too much going on” visually, Dina says. “I definitely wanted a peaceful aesthetic.” The Patels achieved a tranquil, uncluttered look by selecting the same Unilock Beacon Hill smooth hardscaping material and tones for the patio surface and wall veneers. Dave Trybus of Potomac Outdoor Living says the low-maintenance pavers are factory sealed to resist stain-

ing and increase longevity.

All of the outdoor furniture came from RH. The suite—including Striata and Nusa seating in black aluminum with light-tone cushions, a black aluminum dining table and neutral-finish concrete side tables—delivers a clean, sophisticated feel.

A 6-foot-high white vinyl privacy fence is maintenance-free. For added privacy and natural beauty, Potomac Outdoor Living came back this spring to plant a border of fast-growing green giant arborvitae evergreen trees (not pictured).

The Patels say that one of the best aspects of the outdoor area is its flexibility. “We’ve used all of the space in different ways,” says Dina, arranging different food stations and seating clusters. “It’s super easy to entertain.” And to be playful. Paresh says, “One of the more fun things is watching movies in the pool with our younger niece and nephew. The space works for all ages.”

EXPENSIVE

HOME SALES

SALE PRICE:

$4.25 million

LIST PRICE: $4.25 MILLION

Address: 7204 Fairfax Road, Bethesda 20814

Days on Market: 6

Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 4

Full/Half Baths: 4/2

SALE PRICE:

$3.81 million

LIST PRICE: $4 MILLION

Address: 4905 Van Ness St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 43

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.74 million

LIST PRICE: $3.9 MILLION

Address: 1 W. Melrose St., Chevy Chase 20815

Days on Market: 212

Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 7

Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.7 million

LIST PRICE: $3.45 MILLION

Address: 6420 Brookside Drive, Chevy Chase 20815

Days on Market: 3

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 3/2

SALE PRICE: $4.9 million

LIST PRICE: $5 MILLION

Address: 7027 Longwood Drive, Bethesda 20817

Days on Market: 89

Listing Agency: TTR Sotheby’s International Realty Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 6/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.57 million

LIST PRICE: $3.7 MILLION

Address: 4712 Falstone Ave., Chevy Chase 20815

Days on Market: 0

Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.45 million

LIST PRICE: $3.45 MILLION

Address: 3709 Brandywine St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 32

Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 6/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.4 million

LIST PRICE: $3.5 MILLION

Address: 5068 Sherier Place NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 79

Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.25 million

LIST PRICE: $3 MILLION

Address: 4822 Drummond Ave., Chevy Chase 20815

Days on Market: 6

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

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$3.14 million

LIST PRICE: $3 MILLION

Address: 6518 Elgin Lane, Bethesda 20817

Days on Market: 1

Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 5/2

SALE PRICE: $2.96 million

LIST PRICE: $2.9 MILLION

Address: 6521 Marywood Road, Bethesda 20817

Days on Market: 0

Listing Agency: RLAH @properties Bedrooms: 7

Full/Half Baths: 6/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.53 million

LIST PRICE: $2.6 MILLION

Address: 7712 Rocton Ave., Chevy Chase 20815

Days on Market: 88

Listing Agency: Century 21 Redwood Realty Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 6/1

SALE PRICE: $2.52 million

LIST PRICE: $2.6 MILLION

Address: 5445 33rd St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20015

Days on Market: 32

Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 6/2

SALE PRICE: $2.47 million

LIST PRICE: $2.52 MILLION

Address: 6107 Dunleer Court, Bethesda 20817

Days on Market: 89

Listing Agency: Spring Hill Real Estate Bedrooms: 7

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.3 million

LIST PRICE: $2.4 MILLION

Address: 5502 Roosevelt St., Bethesda 20817

Days on Market: 9

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

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE:

$2.28 million

LIST PRICE: $2.38 MILLION

Address: 3200 44th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 49

Listing Agency: Washington Fine Properties Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 3/2

SALE PRICE:

$2.03 million

LIST PRICE: $2 MILLION

Address: 9508 Purcell Drive, Potomac 20854

Days on Market: 1

Listing Agency: Compass Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE: $1.92 million

LIST PRICE: $1.92 MILLION

Address: 5222 Loughboro Road NW, Washington, D.C. 20016

Days on Market: 173

Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate

Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE: $1.92 million

LIST PRICE: $2.05 MILLION

Address: 4517 Clermont Place, Garrett Park 20896 Days on Market: 83

Listing Agency: Pearson Smith Realty

Bedrooms: 7

Full/Half Baths: 6/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.91 million

LIST PRICE: $1.8 MILLION

Address: 9421 Thrush Lane, Potomac 20854

Days on Market: 9

Listing Agency: Long & Foster Real Estate

Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 4/2

SALE PRICE: $1.9 million

LIST PRICE: $1.9 MILLION

Address: 10010 Edward Ave., Bethesda 20814

Days on Market: 13

Listing Agency: RLAH @properties

Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 5/1

SALE PRICE: $1.9 million

LIST PRICE: $1.9 MILLION

Address: 10104 Newhall Road, Potomac 20854

Days on Market: 17

Listing Agency: Serhant

Bedrooms: 6

Full/Half Baths: 4/1

SALE PRICE:

$1.88 million

LIST PRICE: $1.7 MILLION

Address: 7012 Exeter Road, Bethesda 20814

Days on Market: 6

Listing Agency: Northrop Realty

Bedrooms: 5

Full/Half Baths: 4/1

REAL ESTATE TRENDS

20814

20816

20815 (Chevy Chase)

20817

20832 (Olney)

20877 (Gaithersburg)

20902

20850 (Rockville)

20878 (Gaithersburg/North

20851

20879 (Gaithersburg)

20904

20852

20882 (Gaithersburg)

20853

20886 (Gaithersburg)

20854

20895 (Kensington)

20855

20901

Information courtesy of Bright MLS, as of March 15, 2026. The Bright MLS real estate service area spans 40,000 square miles throughout the mid-Atlantic region, including Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and parts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Bright serves approximately 100,000 real estate professionals who in turn serve over 20 million consumers. For more information, please visit brightmls.com. This information includes single-family homes from Feb. 1, 2026, to Feb. 28, 2026, as of March 15, 2026, 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.

Spring Traveler’s Guide

Pack your bags, set the GPS, and get ready to savor and explore some of the hottest, must-see spots along the East Coast. From Massachusetts to Maryland, this guide is your dependable and fun travel companion, immersing you in 16 visit-worthy destinations that offer something for everyone—from couples seeking world-class dining and art to outdoor excursions for families and adventure lovers of all ages. Let these pages be your starting point for memories that will linger long past your return home.

BY MEGAN WILSON

New York Massachusetts Connecticut

NORTH COUNTRY CALLING

Explore the hip, laidback vibe of the cities and towns in the shadow of the Catskills and Berkshires, or dive into the easy flow of life along the shores of the Hudson River and Long Island Sound.

TARRYTOWN SLEEPY HOLLOW

NEW YORK

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Known as the fabled home of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman, Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown both have plenty to explore. On the Hudson River, you’ll find RiverWalk Park and the Tarrytown Riverwalk, which offer strolling paths and views of the Mario Cuomo Bridge. Along with walking trails, Tarrytown Lakes Park allows paddling and fishing on the water (an outpost of Hudson River Recreation rents out kayaks on location). For a spooky experience, take an evening lantern tour of the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, the final resting place of Andrew Carnegie, William Rockefeller, and others.

MUST-SEE SITES

The sister towns (and surrounding area) are steeped in rich history, with several sites offering public access and tours. Make a point to visit the Colonial-era estate Philipsburg Manor, which has period-specific demos; the 19th-century Gothic Revival Lyndhurst Mansion; the Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse, one of seven remaining lighthouses on the Hudson; and nearby Sunnyside in Irvington, the former home of author Washington Irving.

ON THE TOWN

STAY

Tarrytown House Estate

49 E Sunnyside Ln, Tarrytown

Sleepy Hollow Hotel

455 S Broadway, Tarrytown

Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow are home to many upscale restaurants. For fresh seafood with a prime view of the river, head to Hudson Farmer & the Fish Goosefeather, located on a 19th-century estate, serves modern, seasonal Cantonese fare. Farm-to-fork New American cuisine is served at RiverMarket Bar & Kitchen, and shareable Spanish dishes shine at Basque Tapas

If you’re in town on a Saturday, plan a trip to the TaSH Farmers’ Market at Patriots Park. Over 50 vendors offer fresh produce, meats, and pantry goods while local musicians play, chef demos occur, and kids are kept busy with activities.

WOODSTOCK

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Think of Woodstock as your gateway to the northern Catskills: from the Ulster County town, you can easily access a number of hiking trails (from Woodstock’s own Overlook Mountain to the flat paths around the Ashokan Reservoir), as well as skiing peaks in the winter months— Hunter Mountain Resort and Belleayre Mountain Ski Center are both just under 40 minutes from the town’s center.

MUST-SEE SITES

Although it wasn’t the site of the 1969 festival of the same name, Woodstock is home to several historic music venues. The Bearsville Theater, still in operation today, was originally opened by the manager of Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, and The

Band. Other bustling performance halls include Colony, Levon Helm Studios, Woodstock Playhouse, and Maverick Concert Hall.

ON THE TOWN

Starting from the intersection of Tinker Street, Rock City Road, and Mill Hill Roads, you’ll find shops and restaurants in all directions. For breakfast, stop by Moonrise Bagels for specialty stuffed bagels—think bacon, egg, and cheese or chicken Parm—or Bread Alone for coffee, sandwiches, and more. For an upscale meal, book a table at American restaurant Silvia, or its Southeast Asianinspired sister restaurant Good Night

Beloved stores include The Golden Notebook for books; Candlestock, a 50-plus-year-old candle emporium; Beck Home + Goods, which carries locally made wares; and Casa Ziki, a designforward shop with eyecatching home décor. For even more to do, take a 20-minute detour to Kingston.

STAY

Hotel Dylan 320 Maverick Rd, Woodstock

Woodstock Way Hotel 10 Waterfall Way, Woodstock

Twin Gables of Woodstock 73 Tinker St, Woodstock

The Herwood Inn 48 Tinker St, Woodstock

BEACON

NEW YORK

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Located on the east bank of the Hudson River, Beacon offers several opportunities to either get in the woods or out on the water. Hikers seeking a challenge will enjoy trekking to the summit of Mount Beacon, which features a climbable fire tower. For something less strenuous, consider heading to Bannerman Castle. From the river shore, a boat will ferry you to Pollepel Island, where you’ll embark on a walking tour of the abandoned military warehouse and grounds.

MUST-SEE SITES

Immerse yourself in the arts in this creative Hudson Valley city. Several small art galleries are sprinkled

throughout Beacon, such as Super Secret Projects, BAU Gallery, Christopher Stella Gallery, and Garage Gallery. Dia Beacon, a mustvisit museum in a converted Nabisco box factory, lies just outside of downtown, and exhibits art from the ’60s to the present. You can find additional art exhibits, plus live shows, at the Howland Cultural Center.

ON THE TOWN

One of the biggest appeals of Beacon is its Main Street— over a mile long, it’s packed with stores and eateries, and perfect for strolling. Some highlights include dipping into beauty store Witch Hazel, Japanese stationery and gift shop Zakka Joy, plant shop

Flora Good Times, Sybil for homewares, and Stanza Books

STAY

The Roundhouse

For a quick bite between store hopping, pop into one of the many cafés, such as Kitchen & Coffee or Beacon Falls Café. Want something more formal for dinner? Head to The Roundhouse or The Wild Kitchen & Bar; both serve up seasonal, locally sourced fare, or try classic Italian at Brother’s Trattoria

2 E Main St, Beacon

The Factory Hotel and The Dutchess

151 Main St, Beacon

Beacon Bed & Breakfast

4 N Elm St, Beacon

LIVINGSTON MANOR NEW

YORK

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

One of the best parts of visiting the Catskills? Immersing yourself in nature. For a hike, try nearby trails such as the Frick Pond Loop (2.1 miles), Beer Mountain (1.1 miles), and the Balsam Lake Mountain Fire Tower trail (6 miles). Sonoma Falls also has miles of trails to explore, as well as seven tiers of waterfalls, and stocked ponds for fishing.

MUST-SEE SITES

Considered the birthplace of American fly fishing, no trip to Livingston Manor is complete without a visit to the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum. In addition to exhibits and programs for fly fishers of all skill levels, the 50-acre campus has a number of nature trails that weave along the Willowemoc Creek.

Step into the past and immerse yourself in places that shaped Delaware’s culture, creativity and community—from grand estates and gardens to museums and galleries of art, history and innovation. All for one unbeatable price.

You can also see creative exhibits at the Catskill Art Space.

ON THE TOWN

Livingston Manor’s downtown is small but buzzing with businesses. Dedicate an afternoon to shopping, and visit stores such as Corners, which carries art, books, and home wares; Nest, another home goods destination; outdoorsy outpost Old Souls; and modern general store DROOZ + Co.

For a bite and a drink, hit up barslash-restaurants

Van Smokey, Stumble Out, or The Kaatskeller

Authentic Korean meals made with Catskills ingredients shine on the menu at Threshold. Looking for coffee and casual dishes? Try The Walk In and Main Street Farm.

STAY

The Arnold House 839 Shandelee Rd, Livingston Manor

The DeBruce 982 Debruce Rd, Livingston Manor

Antrim Streamside

408 Debruce Rd, Livingston Manor

Beaverkill Valley Inn 7 Barnhart Rd, Livingston Manor

NORTH ADAMS MASSACHUSETTS

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Just across the state line from the Hudson Valley lies another natural gem: Massachusetts’ Berkshires. From North Adams, drive south to Mount Greylock State Reservation. The mountain, which is the tallest in the state, has an array of hiking trails that vary in length and difficulty. Rounds Rock Trail and the Bradley Farm Interpretive Trail are gentle, familyfriendly options, at 1 mile and 2.1 miles long, respectively. For a more challenging route, try the 5.8-mile Bellows Pipe Trail, which will take you to the summit. (Or, weather permitting, drive up to the summit for the same payoff of panoramic views.)

MUST-SEE SITES

Aside from the breathtaking environs, the Berkshires are also renowned for arts and culture. Right in North Adams is The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA), which hosts rotating exhibits and performances in converted factories. Just one town over, you’ll want to check out the Williams College Museum of Art and the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown.

ON THE TOWN

The dining scene in North Adams is on the rise. For dinner, try PUBLIC eat + drink, an American spot with flatbreads, shareables, and burgers, or Casita, a Mexican restaurant and mezcal bar. Greylock WORKS, a multi-use space, is home to STATE, a café with a veggie-forward, rotating menu, as well as the Berkshire Cider Project and The Distillery at Greylock WORKS.

STAY TOURISTS

915 State Rd, North Adams

Porches Inn at Mass MoCA

231 River St, North Adams

Hotel Downstreet

40 Main St, North Adams

at the Inn. The staff are friendly and welcoming and the restaurant is very good. We enjoyed a good dinner and cocktails after hiking. The town is SO quiet in a way that we loved. If nature, silence, and walking appeal to you- this is the place.”

— 2025 Guest

“Eagles Mere Inn is a meticulously maintained property. Their housekeeping is top notch, and their entire staff is very accommodating, could not have been better. An absolute pleasure to spend the weekend there.”

— 2025 Guest

Mere, the Eagles Mere Inn has welcome travelers since 1887. Today, our beautifully restored rooms, inviting indoor and outdoor bar and restaurant, and thoughtfully curated experiences make us the perfect destination for weekend getaways, celebrations, and quiet retreats. Whether you’re sipping a cocktail by the fire, strolling around the lake, or exploring nearby trails, every stay is designed to feel personal, peaceful, and unforgettable.”

GREENWICH CONNECTICUT

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Greenwich is a coastal town known for its affluence and charm. Besides visiting beaches (such as Harbor Point), there is plenty to explore inland, including the public Griffith E. Harris Golf Course, the Fairchild Wildflower Sanctuary, and the Greenwich Audubon Center. You can also go hiking at the Babcock Preserve and the Converse Brook Preserve

MUST-SEE SITES

Founded in the 1600s as a frontier town named after Greenwich, England, the region is steeped in rich history that can be learned from visiting local historic spots—from carefully preserved homes to Revolutionary War sites. Make a point to visit the circa 1730 Bush-Holley House (now the site of the Greenwich Historical Society), the 1645 Feake-Ferris House, and Greenwich Point, a neighborhood filled with old homes on the coast. And don’t miss the Bruce Museum, a hub for art, science, and natural history.

STAY

High-end stores line the expanse of Greenwich Avenue.

ON THE TOWN

Sometimes dubbed the “Rodeo Drive of the East,” Greenwich Avenue is home to luxury stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Lilly Pulitzer, Lululemon, Tiffany & Co., Hermes, and Prada, making the half-mile-long strip perfect for browsing. Once you work up an appetite, settle in for a meal at top-notch restaurants like repeat James Beard Award nominee

Stanton House Inn

76 Maple Ave, Greenwich

Delamar Greenwich Harbor

500 Steamboat Rd, Greenwich

The J House Greenwich

1114 East Putnam Ave, Greenwich

Pennsylvania New Jersey

MID-ATLANTIC MAGIC

From the popularJersey Shore to Pennsylvania’s Amish Country, this is the area to enjoy beachy strolls, fascinating historic sites, and a world of cultural curiosities.

HAWLEY

PENNSYLVANIA

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Located along the Lackawaxen River and the northern shore of Lake Wallenpaupack, Hawley is at the center of the Poconos. Pedal through the scenery at Pennsylvania Rail Bike, float on the water at Wallenpaupack Scenic

Boat Tour & Boat Rentals, or go for a walk on the Shuman Point Hiking Trail

MUST-SEE SITES

Hawley has been a hub since the 19th century, thanks to its position along the D&H Canal (a waterway which connects the Delaware and

STAY

The Settlers Inn

4 Main Ave, Hawley

Ledges Hotel

119 Falls Ave, Hawley

Hotel Belvidere

The Cottage, fresh seafood locale Elm Street Oyster House, upscale Chinese eatery MŌLÌ, or Mediterraneo.

In Hawley, spend time walking the shores, swimming, and boating on the waters of Lake Wallenpaupack.

330 Main Ave, Hawley

The Northern Outer Banks is where your vacation feels untamed, unhurried, and unforgettable.

The Northern Outer Banks is where your vacation feels untamed, unhurried, and unforgettable.

Here, wild beauty still leads the way—from the legendary Corolla Wild Horses roaming freely across the dunes to miles of wide, uncrowded beaches inviting you to slow down and stay awhile. Spend your days soaking up the sun, shell hunting along pristine shorelines, or climbing the historic Currituck Beach Lighthouse for sweeping views of the coast. Step into the past at the Currituck Maritime Museum and explore the grandeur of Whalehead in Historic Corolla Park, where coastal history and architecture meet ocean breezes. Whether you’re seeking outdoor adventure, rich history, or simple moments by the sea, the Northern Outer Banks delivers it all with authentic coastal charm. Experience long beach days, warm waters, and memories that last well beyond your vacation. Discover The Northern Outer Banks.

Here, wild beauty still leads the way—from the legendary Corolla Wild Horses roaming freely across the dunes to miles of wide, uncrowded beaches inviting you to slow down and stay awhile. Spend your days soaking up the sun, shell hunting along pristine shorelines, or climbing the historic Currituck Beach Lighthouse for sweeping views of the coast. Step into the past at the Currituck Maritime Museum and explore the grandeur of Whalehead in Historic Corolla Park, where coastal history and architecture meet ocean breezes. Whether you’re seeking outdoor adventure, rich history, or simple moments by the sea, the Northern Outer Banks delivers it all with authentic coastal charm. Experience long beach days, warm waters, and memories that last well beyond your vacation. Discover The Northern Outer Banks.

Plan your visit today at

Hudson rivers). Industry boomed in the borough, with production of glass and textiles taking over. Today, you can walk through the town and explore its industrial past on the Hawley Trail, which stretches from Lock 31 on the D&H Canal to Lake

GETTYSBURG PENNSYLVANIA

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Because of its rich Civil War history, Gettysburg is a perfect destination for history buffs. If you’re able, the battlefield is best explored on foot, as it allows for an up-close look at where and how the Battle of Gettysburg was fought. Check out spots such as Little and Big Round Top, Cemetery Ridge, Seminary Ridge, and Pickett’s Charge. For a more challenging hike, try the Billy Yank and Johnny Reb trails.

MUST-SEE SITES

Wallenpaupack, passing several historic signs.

ON THE TOWN

A reminder of its roots, the historic Hawley Silk Mill has been converted into a center for shopping and culture. Inside, you’ll find

Cocoon Coffee House, a bakery and café, as well as stores such as Frugal Elegance for antiques, Yarn Over the Falls fiber supply, Lake Lights Candles, and Looking Glass Art Gallery

For great food around town, stop by The Settlers Inn,

a fine farm-to-table dining destination; classic Italian joint Ravyn & Robyn; Glass, a kitchen-slash-wine bar that serves upscale small plates with waterfall views; and, for a more casual atmosphere, head to Wallenpaupack Brewing Company

STAY

The Union Hotel 27 Chambersburg St, Gettysburg

The Brafferton Inn 44 York St, Gettysburg

The Federal Pointe Inn 75 Springs Ave, Gettysburg

In addition to the battlefield (part of the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center), take a trip to the past at the Gettysburg Heritage Center, the Gettysburg Diorama & History Center, and the Gettysburg Museum of History. For more details about local families, visit the David Wills House, the Jennie Wade Birthplace House, and the Rupp House

ON THE TOWN

The borough’s dining scene is dominated by pubs and taverns serving American and Irish-inspired classics. Garryowen Irish Pub, The Sign of the Buck, Blue & Gray Bar & Grill, and O’Rorke’s Family Eatery are just some of the locales in the mix. For finer fare, head to Gettysburg’s oldest house, the Dobbin House, where you can enjoy dinner by candlelight in the dining room.

For a fun way to explore the bars and craft beverage makers, sign up for a “Boos & Booze” ghost tour and pub crawl, hosted by Gettysburg Ghost Tours. You’ll be regaled with true stories of haunting occurrences around town over drinks.

There’s so much to explore in Gettysburg by foot—cannons and monuments are scattered throughout the battlefields.

SPRING LAKE NEW JERSEY

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Dubbed the “Jewel of the Jersey Shore,” Spring Lake is known for its picturesque beach. While you can always set up a blanket on the sand or hit the waves (for a fee), the two-mile-long boardwalk that runs along the shore is not to be missed. Not far from the ocean lies Divine Park, which encompasses the town’s lake.

MUST-SEE SITES

One of the town’s biggest attractions is the Spring Lake Community House & Theatre. The company produces six high-level performances per season in a 100-year-old building. Charming art galleries are also scattered throughout downtown; dip into The Frederick Galleries,

Euphemia Gallery, KellyMcKenna Gallery, and Design Domaine Gallery to browse multimedia works.

ON THE TOWN

Spring Lake’s downtown district is quaint and just a short walk away from both the ocean and the lake. Casual eats abound, from breakfast spots like Honey Berry Café and Dune Donuts and Bagels to Faherty Sun & Waves Kitchen & Coastal Market. For dinner, enjoy a fresh catch from Spring Lake Seafood or Arugula Spring Lake, or opt for upscale Italian on the ocean at Amelia’s by the Sea

Spend some time strolling 3rd Avenue and dip into the many gift shops (like Artisan Spirit and Seas the Day) and clothing boutiques— such as Coral Cove, Village Tweed, and Waterlily

STAY

Grand Victorian Spring Lake

1505 Ocean Ave, Spring Lake

The Ocean House Bed & Breakfast

102 Sussex Ave, Spring Lake

Chateau Inn & Suites

500 Warren Ave, Spring Lake

LANCASTER PENNSYLVANIA

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

While Lancaster has plenty to do within its city borders, a big perk for visitors is its proximity to Amish country. The rolling hills of the surrounding Susquehanna Valley are home to small towns such as Lititz, Strasburg, and Ronks, which host markets, educational tours, and more.

Interested in a trip to Hersheypark and the adjacent zoo? It’s less than an hour drive from the city center.

MUST-SEE SITES

Traveling with kids? Lancaster is full of child-friendly museums and activities, such as the Lancaster Science Factory, North Museum of Nature and Science, and Tiny Town. Older audiences can appreciate art at The

Demuth Museum and the Lancaster Museum of Art

And, immerse yourself in history at President James Buchanan’s Wheatland, watch a ball game at Penn Medicine Park, and walk the grounds at Conestoga House and Gardens

ON THE TOWN

From farm-to-table fare to international cuisine, downtown Lancaster has it all. To name just a few,

Lancaster is surrounded by farms; take a day trip out of the city to explore Amish country.

STAY

The Belvedere serves upscale American (and has a jazz lounge upstairs); Norbu has flavorful Nepalese and Bhutanese plates; and Parisian-inspired dishes shine at C’est La Vie bistro. Can’t choose? Lancaster Central Market and Southern Market both have a variety of stalls to please everyone in your party. Downtown’s shopping scene is anchored by its art-

Lancaster Arts Hotel

300 Harrisburg Ave, Lancaster

Cork Factory Hotel at Urban Place

480 New Holland Ave, Suite 3000, Lancaster

forward stores and galleries. Pick up a piece to take home at Red Raven Art Company, Christiane David Gallery, and Friendship Heart Gallery & Studio, among other spots.

Discover what awaits you in Baltimore County. Charming main streets filled with local shops and restaurants. Back roads leading to award winning wineries and breweries. Miles of waterfront and challenging hikes with rewarding views. Here, there are no wrong turns. Learn

at

BETHLEHEM PENNSYLVANIA

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Once an industrial city famous for steel production, visitors can get a glimpse of Bethlehem’s past life by walking on the HooverMason Trestle, a former rail line for raw materials at Bethlehem Steel that has since been converted into a 1,650-foot-long linear park that sits at 46 feet tall. If you’d rather stay on the ground, a stroll through the city’s historic Rose Garden is always beautiful.

MUST-SEE SITES

Known for its colonial past, Bethlehem has been dubbed a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historic Moravian Church settlement, made up of chapels, former seminary homes, and the Geimenhaus, which hosts

the Moravian Museum

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the city’s vibrant arts scene. Galleries and studios are sprinkled throughout the SouthSide Arts District, and SteelStacks, a 10-acre campus once home to Bethlehem Steel, is a hub for culture and events, from food festivals to concerts and more.

ON THE TOWN

Downtown is full of diverse eateries, where you can satisfy whatever you’re craving. A local favorite is Apollo Grill, a longstanding spot for American fare and craft cocktails. Options for international cuisine include Tapas on Main (Spanish), Steak & Steel Hibachi

STAY

The Wilbur Mansion

201 Cherokee St, Bethlehem

The Sayre Mansion

250 Wyandotte St, Bethlehem

Historic Hotel Bethlehem

437 Main St, Bethlehem

(Japanese), Casa del Mofongo (Latin American), and Urbano Mexican Kitchen & Bar

Aside from perusing art galleries around town, step into shops like La Petite Provence, a home goods store; Moravian Book Shop, the oldest bookstore in America (founded in 1745); and Schropp Dry Goods Shoppe, a kitchen and pantry store.

THE COAST UNCOVERED

Delaware Maryland

Activate true vacation mode with a visit to the buzzy, salty communities that hug the Chesapeake Bay and eastern seaboard.

ANNAPOLIS MARYLAND

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

America’s “Sailing Capital,” one of the best ways to enjoy Annapolis is by water. Take a stroll along Ego Alley, a narrow waterway where captains park their yachts; sail around Chesapeake Bay on the Schooner Woodwind; or take a Watermark sightseeing cruise, such as a tour of the pretty harbor on the Annapolis Water Taxi

The Maryland State House (built in 1779) is the oldest state capitol continuously used for legislation.

MUST-SEE SITES

Aside from being Maryland’s capital city, Annapolis is best known as the home of the U.S. Naval Academy, which welcomes visitors for tours. The Colonial Annapolis Historic District, which runs along Main Street and the waterfront, is also

full of historic charm; make a point to visit the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum, which details regional African American history from the 1600s to the Civil Rights Movement.

ON THE TOWN

Recognized for its walkability, downtown Annapolis comprises eateries, specialty shops, and more businesses that are housed in 300-year-old buildings. On Main Street alone, you’ll find boutiques such as Lilac Bijoux, The Lucky Knot, and Tyler Boe; pantry stores like The Spice & Tea Exchange; and nautical-themed gift shops.

If you work up an appetite while exploring, there are plenty of options for a meal. For farm-to-table fare, try Leo. Indulge in great seafood and craft cocktails at Seasalt. And, for dinner and a show, head to Rams Head Tavern, an American-style pub restaurant that is connected to the music venue Rams Head on Stage

STAY

1313 West 1313 West St, Annapolis

The Annapolis Inn 144 Prince George St, Annapolis

Flag House Inn 26 Randall St, Annapolis

FREDERICK MARYLAND

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

In the middle of Maryland, Frederick is a historic city set against a mountainous backdrop. Just west of the city on the ridge of the Catoctin Mountains lies Gambrill State Park, a 1,207-acre preserve. Several lookout points offer scenic vistas of the environs, and over 16 miles of trails will delight both hikers and mountain bikers. And, in town, Carroll Creek Park, a paved pathway along the creek, offers plenty of walking space, as well as public art to view.

MUST-SEE SITES

The architecture of Frederick plays a large part in the city’s identity. Known as the city of “clustered spires,” Frederick’s skyline is dotted with church steeples from the 18th and 19th centuries. Historic sites worth visiting include the Barbara Fritchie House, Loats Female

Orphan Asylum, the National Museum of Civil War Medicine and, slightly outside the city, the Monocacy National Battlefield. The arts scene in Frederick is also bustling. See a show at Weinberg Center for the Arts, Maryland Ensemble Theater, or New Spire

restaurants, craft beverage makers, and everything in between. A sampling of what the top eateries have to offer: elevated bar food at ; woodBrewer’s ; and modern, sophisticated Hootch & Banter

STAY

Visitation Hotel Frederick

211 E Church St, Frederick 10 Clarke 10 Clarke Pl, Frederick Hollerstown Hill Bed & Breakfast

4 Clarke Pl, Frederick

LEWES DELAWARE

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Coined “The First Town in the First State” (founded in 1631, it was the first European settlement in Delaware), Lewes sits at the confluence of the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Cape Henlopen State Park, a preserve on a former military base, offers beach access, hiking trails, observation towers, and a disc golf course, as well as opportunities for fishing, biking, and birding.

MUST-SEE SITES

Within Cape Henlopen State Park lies the Fort Miles Historical Area, Artillery Park, and Museum, which tell the story of the World War II army base. In Lewes proper, you’ll find several 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century buildings— among them are the 1686 Ryves Holt House, the 1765 Lewes Maritime Museum at the Cannonball House, and the 1898 Midway School And learn more about the town’s life as a Dutch colony at the Zwaanendael Museum

ON THE TOWN

Fresh seafood shines throughout this coastal town. Lewes Oyster House, Striper Bites, and Wheelhouse all serve up the catch of the day in a variety of ways, from raw bar plates to fish and chips. For more options, try eateries like Harvest Tide Steakhouse, Heirloom, Bramble & Brine, and Harbour Restaurant at Canal Square

Shopping downtown means browsing toy stores PUZZLES and Kids’ Ketch; trying on pieces at boutiques such as Lewes Wear and Beach Jetty; and digging through old finds at The Vintage Underground record store, Biblion Used Books & Rare Finds, and Lewes Mercantile Antiques

Cape Henlopen State Park is a destination for all things outdoors, from hiking to swimming, fishing, birding, and more.

STAY

Dogfish Inn

105 Savannah Rd, Lewes

Hotel Rodney 142 2nd St Suite 2A, Lewes

Savannah Inn 330 Savannah Rd, Lewes

WILMINGTON DELAWARE

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

On the outskirts of Wilmington lie a wealth of mansions that were built by the du Pont family, French immigrants who championed industry in the area. The Hagley Museum, Nemours Estate, and Longwood Gardens all have expansive grounds to explore.

To get a bit closer to nature, visit the DuPont Environmental Education Center. Located where the city meets the Christina River and adjacent marsh, visitors can glimpse wildlife such as bald eagles, wood ducks, otters, and turtles.

MUST-SEE SITES

Aside from being a “corporate capital,” Wilmington serves as an arts and culture hub. The Delaware Art Museum has the largest collection of pre-Raphaelite paintings outside of the U.K. and also has a 9-acre sculpture garden on the grounds. On the other side of town, The Delaware Contemporary features about 24 changing art exhibits each year.

For families, a trip to the Delaware Children’s Museum—both toddler and teen friendly—is a no-brainer. And, if you want to see a show, get tickets to OperaDelaware Studios or The Queen, a venue for modern music.

STAY

The Quoin Hotel

519 N Market St, Wilmington

Hotel Du Pont 42 W 11th St, Wilmington

The Nemours Estate (above) features gardens and a French neoclassical mansion; learn about local flora and fauna at the DuPont Environmental Education Center (right).

ON THE TOWN

For lunch or dinner, try one of the many stalls at DE.CO Food Hall, serving Italian, Mediterranean, and sushi. Finer dining can also be enjoyed throughout the city at Le Cavalier French restaurant, Snuff Mill steakhouse, and Bardea Food & Drink, known for its James Beard Awardnominated American cuisine.

A statue of Frederick Douglass, born nearby, stands at the Talbot County Courthouse.

EASTON MARYLAND

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Thanks to its location near the east shore of the Chesapeake Bay, visitors to Easton can explore several parks and waterways. Launch from Easton Point Park to kayak or canoe on the Tred Avon River (which connects to the bay)—you might spot some coastal wildlife. Kayaks and stand-up paddleboards can be rented from Easton Cycle and Sport. On land, you can also walk, run, or bike on the 3-mile-long Easton Rails-to-Trails pathway.

MUST-SEE SITES

STAY

Hummingbird Inn 14 N Aurora St, Easton

Tidewater Inn 101 E Dover St, Easton

Easton’s vibe is rooted in both its history and thriving arts scene. In addition to smaller galleries like the Trippe and Troika galleries, Easton hosts the Academy Art Museum, which puts on rotating exhibits, as well as concerts and other performances. You can also catch live music (plus food and gifts) at the weekly farmers’ market, Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

ON THE TOWN

Presenting as a quaint town with idyllic tree-lined streets, Easton’s upscale culinary scene gives it an urban edge. Fabulous meals await at Bas Rouge, a Viennese fine dining locale; The Wardroom, a market and bistro serving wine, charcuterie, and gourmet sandwiches; and The Stewart, a bar and lounge with top-shelf Scotch, Champagne, and shareable small plates (just to name a few).

Downtown, browse a variety of wares at specialty shops on every block. You’ll find books at Flying Cloud Booksellers, clothing at La De Da and Levity & Wit, and toys at Crackerjacks.

Perfect Pairings with Kevin Zraly & Peter Kelly

The Briarcliff Manor, Briarcliff Manor, NY

Party on the Pier

Playland, Rye, NY

Burgers, Beer & Barrels

Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla, NY

Wine Collectors’ Dinner

The Kittle House Inn, Chappaqua, NY

Grand Tasting Village

Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla, NY

PROFILES Ask the Experts: Seniors & Aging

The Grandview

The Grandview℠, Bethesda’s premier senior living community, is now open. Managed by Erickson-Senior Living®, an industry leader with over 40 years of experience, The Grandview offers everything you need for a vibrant retirement in a location you already love.

7051 Rockledge Dr. Bethesda, MD 20817 1-888-216-3149 TheGrandviewSeniorLiving.com

Q Where is The Grandview located?

A The private, 33-acre campus is ideally located in the heart of Bethesda, just minutes from dining, shopping and entertainment. You can browse one of the area’s many small businesses during a shopping trip or eat a delicious meal from a local restaurant.

Q What kind of amenities are offered?

A From on-site dining venues to the fitness and aquatics center, a park with walking paths, a bocce court, and more, you’ll experience countless opportunities to stay active, social and engaged. A medical center steps from your door provides priceless peace of mind.

Q What sets The Grandview apart?

A An array of stylish, maintenance-free residences for every budget lets you enjoy a truly hassle-free lifestyle. Homeowner worries are a thing of the past, with a fulltime maintenance team handling all repairs, landscaping and groundskeeping so you don’t have to.

There’s never been a better time to learn more about this brand-new community. Call 1-888-216-3149 for your free brochure or to schedule your personal tour.

PROFILES Ask the Experts: Seniors & Aging

The Carnegie at Washingtonian Center

The Carnegie at Washingtonian Center redefines retirement living in the heart of Gaithersburg—perfectly situated between Washington D.C. and Baltimore, and steps from Rio Lakefront and Downtown Crown. Here, each day is designed with intention, where tranquil outdoor spaces, resort-style amenities and a vibrant, engaged community come together to create a life that continues to expand.

10100 Washingtonian Blvd. Gaithersburg, MD 20878 240-540-5062

LifeattheCarnegie.com

Q What distinguishes The Carnegie from other senior living communities in the region?

A What truly distinguishes The Carnegie is the seamless integration of luxury hospitality, intellectual engagement and personalized living. This is not simply a place to live but a place to continue evolving. There is a vibrancy here that feels more like a boutique hotel or private club than a traditional senior living setting. You notice it immediately in the warmth of our associates, the sophistication of the environment and the genuine sense of connection among members.

Q What is the biggest misconception people have about senior living today?

A That it’s about slowing down. Today’s communities—especially The Carnegie—are designed for people who want to stay engaged, curious and connected. Our partnership with the Osher Lifelong Learning

Institute is a perfect example, offering university-level courses, lectures and discussions right within the community. Senior living today is about choice, freedom, and enhancement, not limitation.

Q How do families know when it’s the right time to start exploring a community like The Carnegie?

A It’s earlier than most think. The most successful transitions happen when individuals decide proactively, from a place of empowerment—not urgency. When daily responsibilities feel like a burden, or when someone craves greater connection, enrichment, or peace of mind, then it’s time to begin the conversation.

Q What do you wish more families knew before they started touring senior living communities?

A Culture matters just as much as amenities. Look beyond the physical space and experience how a community feels. How are you welcomed? How do associates engage with members? What is the energy in the dining room or during programming? Those subtle differences often tell the most important story.

Q Why is the continuity of care available at The Carnegie important for residents and their families?

A Continuity of care at The Carnegie provides something invaluable: true peace of mind for both members and their families. As needs evolve, members can remain in the community they know and love, supported by a team that understands their preferences, history, and routines—allowing them to age in place with dignity, supported at every stage, without compromising the lifestyle and connections that matter most. Our highly personalized approach to care is thoughtfully integrated into daily life, ensuring that support feels seamless rather than intrusive and gives families confidence that their loved one is cared for with the consistency, compassion and expertise they deserve.

Q What role does dining and nutrition play in the overall living experience at The Carnegie?

A It’s both a daily pleasure and a social anchor. Our chef-driven culinary program offers restaurant-quality experiences that prioritize flavor, nutrition and connection— where relationships are built and strengthened over shared meals.

JYPSY BAILEY, GENERAL MANAGER SALOME ATAPAGREM, ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER

Arbor Place

4413 Muncaster Mill Road Rockville, Maryland 20853 301-924-0666 arborpl.com

Q Arbor Place provides medically-focused memory care. Why does this matter?

A A 2026 Best of Bethesda Readers’ Pick Finalist for Best Senior Living Community, Arbor Place was created by geriatric psychiatrist Walter Fanburg, MD to provide care for 16 residents with cognitive and dementia-related needs. Our approach is designed to anticipate risk and recognize subtle changes early, supporting medical, emotional and social well-being.

Q Who is on-site to recognize and respond if a resident's condition changes?

A Our long-tenured team, with on-site RN/LPN coverage day and night, is led by Rita Cherfan, RN, DN/CM, ALM, CDP, Director of Nursing. We provide attentive care and strong clinical judgment, adapting care and engagement to individual interests, abilities, routines and evolving needs.

Riderwood

3140 Gracefield Road Silver Spring, MD 20904 1-800-610-1560 Riderwood.com

Q With so many senior living options available, how do you determine the best fit for your lifestyle, finances and future?

A Riderwood, the premier continuing care retirement community in Silver Spring, offers this advice:

Find a community that helps you stay active.  At Riderwood, you’ll enjoy an abundance of amenities and 250-plus clubs, classes and activities, such as yoga, travel, continuous learning opportunities and much more.

Get the most value for your money.  Many people are surprised by all that’s included at Riderwood. A predictable Monthly Service Package covers day-to-day expenses like signature dining in nine on-site restaurants, all utilities, maintenance, property taxes and more.

Plan ahead for future needs.  With continuing care health services at Riderwood, you’ll have access to multiple levels of support right on-site. You may never need additional care, but what a secure feeling to know it’s available.

Discovery Village Chevy Chase

Formerly known as Five Star Senior Living, Discovery Village Chevy Chase brings renewed energy to a community with deep roots. The team in the picture above represents more than 200 years of combined senior living experience— all staff members in the photo above have been there for 15-plus years— allowing for a seamless transition honoring the continuity that has long defined this community.

8100 Connecticut Ave. Chevy Chase, MD 20815 301-907-9894

DiscoveryVillageChevyChase.com

Q What sets Discovery Village Chevy Chase apart?

A Our location next to Columbia Country Club and minutes away from Rock Creek Park is so special. Our residents enjoy beautiful views of the golf course and surrounding greenery, and such a picturesque backdrop is genuinely rare in the heart of an urban setting. We’re also a rental community that offers the same luxuries and amenities you’d expect from a buy-in community—including spacious apartments, a fitness center, an indoor pool and a robust calendar of wellness programs, lectures and events—giving residents exceptional value and flexibility. That combination is hard to find anywhere. Plus, our reputation here has been built largely on word of mouth and resident referrals, which we think says it all.

Q What can families expect from the major renovation set to be completed by this summer?

A A gorgeous, fresh look that honors everything our residents have always loved about this community. We’re updating our spaces and systems to further enrich daily life here with the same warmth, character and classic feel that have defined our community. We think of it as a beautiful new chapter for a community with a deep, proud history of serving seniors in this area ... and we can’t wait for residents and their families to see it!

Q What is the biggest misconception people have about senior living today?

A That it’s a last resort. You actually want to move before you think you’re ready— because the real beauty of senior living community life is in the friendships and shared experiences you gain.

CarePlus

7361 Calhoun Place #301, Rockville, MD 20855

301-740-8870

CarePlusInc.com

Info@CarePlusInc.com

Q What’s the difference between in-home health and skilled nursing?

A Our experienced caregivers help loved ones remain safe and independent at home by supporting personal care, medication reminders, appointments, meals and companionship.

As medical needs become more complex, our clinical team assesses each situation and provides advanced, skilled nursing. Licensed RNs and LPNs provide wound care, catheter and ostomy care, medication management and more. They also support recovery after surgery, illness, injury or stroke.

Q When should families consider extra support?

A Families may consider in-home or private duty support during times of transition or increased need, such as returning home from the hospital or rehab, recovering from a fall, adjusting to medication changes or when loved ones require more help than independent living provides.

Easterseals Adult Day Services

1420 Spring St. Silver Spring, MD 20910

301-920-9765

Eseal.org

Q Is there a less costly alternative to nursing home care for seniors?

A Absolutely! The cost of nursing home care in Maryland is astronomical—families paid an average of more than $170,000 in 2025, according to CareScout. Easterseals Adult Day Services (ADS) is a cost-effective option that supports the health and wellbeing of older adults and adults with disabilities. Our warm, homelike centers offer individualized medical care, nutritious meals, engaging activities and a sense of community. Plus, we provide daily transportation, and our program is Medicaid-approved, helping keep out-of-pocket costs low.

Q My elderly parent spends the day watching TV while I’m at work. How can Easterseals help?

ADS centers offer gentle exercise, mind-stimulating games, guest performers and local excursions—all under the attentive care of compassionate staff. Your parent will come home smiling every day!

Ask the Experts: Seniors & Aging

Family & Nursing Care

Since 1968, Family & Nursing Care has provided access to compassionate, reliable home care services in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Family & Nursing Care is awarded for its commitment to service excellence. Ninety-seven percent of clients say they would confidently recommend Family & Nursing Care to friends and family.

301-588-8200

FamilyNursingCare.com

Q Home care needs don’t always happen during business hours. How does Family & Nursing Care ensure calls are answered and handled appropriately at any time?

A At Family & Nursing Care, we know that the need for home care doesn’t follow a 9-to-5 schedule or pause for nights, weekends, or holidays. We are available around the clock, honoring our commitment to answering calls with responsiveness, clarity and appropriate escalation when it matters most.

During business hours, our reception team serves as the primary gateway for incoming calls. Outside those hours, calls continue to be answered so clients, families and caregivers are never left without support or direction.

No matter when a call comes in, it is acknowledged, prioritized and routed to the appropriate resource.

Q What role does your reception team play, and how do they ensure each caller reaches the right support?

A Our reception team serves as the first line of live contact for Family & Nursing Care. They listen carefully, assess the reason for each call, and determine where it needs to go within our organization, with a strong understanding of internal teams and escalation protocols.

Throughout the day, they direct client and family calls to Client Services, route caregivers to care coordination or recruiting, and connect those seeking information about starting care with our intake team. When a situation is urgent or sensitive, they know how and when to escalate.

By providing calm direction, the reception team helps ensure callers feel heard.

Good Life

Shopping, travel, wellness and more

NOVEL IDEA

Mural tote, $24 at Wonderland Books, 7920B Norfolk Ave., Bethesda, 301-347-7136, wonderlandbooks.com

ICE, ICE BABY

Carmen’s koozie, $10 at Carmen’s Italian

LOCAL LOVE

Rep your neighborhood with these MoCo-themed essentials

BY OLIVIA YASHAROFF

SIP HAPPENS

Pink bagel mug, $21 at Call Your Mother, 11807 Grand Park Ave. (Pike & Rose), North Bethesda, 202-891-6322, callyourmotherdeli.com

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EASY AS ABC

The Paper Darlings Marylandthemed alphabet art print, 11-by14 inches, $30 at Wonderland Books, 7920B Norfolk Ave., Bethesda, 301-347-7136, wonderlandbooks.com

PIN THIS

Terratorie Bethesda map, 13-by-19 inches, $38 at The Blue House, 7833 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, 301-656-6088, thebluehousebethesda.com

COOL BEANS

Java Nation hat, $19 at Java Nation, 11120 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, 301-836-6022, javanation.shop

CHEERS TO YOU

Hugs from Kensington mug, $20 at SW7, 3750 Howard Ave., Kensington, 240-274-6448, sw7.design/home

PEAK OUTFIT

“Take a Hike” unisex organic cotton sweatshirt, $34.50$37.50 (online only) from the Montgomery Parks Foundation, montgomeryparksfoundation.org

TRAINING SEASON

Glenmont Metro station T-shirt, $26.95 (online only) from Metro, dcmetrostore.com

The Art of

CHARM CITY

Baltimore’s Artscape festival is a canvas for all the creativity the city has to offer

BY JENNIFER BARGER

ON A TYPICAL WEEKDAY in downtown Baltimore, you might see a smattering of suited workers passing through War Memorial Plaza, a fountain-filled park bookended by the dome of City Hall and the circa-1925 War Memorial building. The green space is often deserted, save for the occasional lunch-hour picnic or a tourist snapping a selfie with one of the dramatic winged horse sculptures. But that wasn’t the case over Memorial Day weekend in 2025, when the buttoned-up plaza

turned over to a raucous party with hundreds of revelers grooving to live performances by R&B star Fantasia and pop-soul rocker Robin Thicke. My husband, Cal, and I were immersed in the throng, having made the trip north for Artscape, a free annual festival that’s taken place in Charm City since 1982. Last year was the first time this cultural carnival—which draws up to 100,000 visitors in one weekend—took place downtown, spanning roughly six city blocks.

Artscape is an annual festival that takes place Memorial Day weekend in Baltimore. The party moved downtown in 2025.

The mood was jubilant, with screenings of locally made films at Baltimore Center Stage and food vendors hawking Maryland delicacies from stands under the Jones Falls Expressway. (Think scoops of Baltimore’s own Taharka Brothers ice cream or coddies, mid-Atlantic fishcakes.)

For the first time since Artscape began, an affordable art fair called Scout saw local photographers, sculptors and painters showing and selling their work inside the polished marble walls of the War Memorial building. “It was like our own mini Art Basel,” says Rowan Bathurst, a muralist and portraitist known for lush florals and goddess-like figures. “It really highlighted the diverse mix of talents we have working in this city.”

“IT JUST MAKES IT EASIER FOR ARTISTS TO THRIVE HERE. THERE’S AN UNDERCURRENT OF INNOVATION AND CHARM.”

—artist Brandon Donahue-Shipp

Artscape has long been heralded as an avant-garde mashup of all sorts of art and culture, from African music performances and outdoor ballet recitals to poetry slams and craft stations for kids. This year’s event returns to downtown Baltimore May 23 and 24, with musical performances by hip-hop legends The Roots and R&B artist Stephanie Mills, along with a second Scout art fair and Beyond the Reel, a new program focusing on cinema, TV and digital storytelling.

This annual festival weekend certainly isn’t the only opportunity to see the city’s exuberant and eclectic artistry on display. Baltimore explodes with creativity year-round, thanks to its world-class museums, buzzy performing arts scene and flourishing visual arts community.

“Compared to other East Coast cities, we have a ton of universities, murals everywhere and a cheaper cost of living,” says Brandon Donahue-Shipp, a local artist whose bright works incorporating airbrushing and collage are shown at local galleries, such as Connect + Collect on the edge of the city’s Old Goucher neighborhood. “It just makes it easier for artists to thrive here. There’s an undercurrent of innovation and charm.”

Here’s how to spend a weekend enjoying the arts in Charm City.

A CITY OF MUSEUMS

Artscape is a deep dive into BMore’s rollicking contemporary creative scene, although any weekend offers great museum- and gallery-hopping opportunities.

The Baltimore Museum of Art (artbma.org), a sprawling, 210,000-square-foot complex near Johns Hopkins University, fills a 1929 columned building (and several additions) with everything from African masks and the world’s largest collection of works by Henri Matisse to Baltimore album quilts, which consist of various blocks appliqued by different women. Take time to linger at the outside tables next to the on-site Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen (gertrudesbaltimore.com)—the mustardy crabcakes and fried oyster po’boys are delish.

Amid the Gilded Age rowhouses of the Mount Vernon neighborhood just north of downtown, the Walters Art Museum (thewalters.org) shows off 19th-century French paintings, ancient Roman artifacts and contemporary illustrations in an Italian palazzo-inspired building. Through Aug. 9, catch the exhibit, Douriean Fletcher: Jewelry of the Afrofuture, which highlights the acclaimed jewelry designer’s dramatic bronze breastplates, bold headdresses and costume pieces she created for the Black Panther movies.

Near Baltimore Harbor, the American Visionary Art Museum (avam.org) centers on imaginative, offbeat works by self-taught artists. Examples include mosaics rendered in recycled bottle caps and credit cards, portraits composed entirely of seeds, and a 10-foot-

tall sculpture of the legendary drag queen and character actor Divine, who starred in several cult-classic films (Pink Flamingos, Hairspray) by Baltimore native John Waters. The gift shop sells affordable art by local creatives, as well as books, art

On May 2, the museum hosts the annual Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race, which sends an armada of handmade art vehicles and vessels—a bicycle-powered giant poodle, a raft decked with 15-foot-tall cardboard models of Baltimore’s iconic rowhouses—hurtling through the streets and the harbor itself.

GALLERY CRAWLS

To really take in the city’s dynamic art scene, try a Saturday afternoon gallery crawl. Cal and I did just that on a weekend in January, starting at the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower (bromoseltzertower.com), a 15-story clock tower (and icon of the downtown skyline) built in 1911 as the headquarters for a headache remedy maker. Converted into an art space in 2006, the tower now holds studios for 25 illustrators, painters and jewelry makers between the fourth and 14th floors and is open to the public most Saturdays. We zipped up to the top floor in a tiny elevator, taking skinny stairs between floors to meet artists including Julia Roble, whose multimedia works fuse photography and printmaking, and painter Tommy Roberts, known for saturated, impressionistic landscapes and portraits of musicians.

A few blocks north of the Bromo tower, Current Space (currentspace.com) is a gallery with a back-garden bar. “If you land in town and you want to see what’s hip, that’s where you go,” says Teri Henderson, a Baltimore culture writer and curator. “It’s got everything from wild puppet shows to films and exhibits.”

Acting on a recommendation from muralist Bathurst, we checked out a few art spaces in the Station North Arts District

(stationnorth.org) near Baltimore Penn Station, the city’s 1911 Amtrak train depot. The blocks surrounding the train station boast galleries and studios such as Area 405 (area405. com), a brick-walled, circa-1848 warehouse that hosts changing exhibits meshing video, painting and sculpture. Galerie Myrtis (galeriemyrtis.net) is a space showcasing Black artists, “including some of the biggest names in the Baltimore arts scene,” Bathurst says, such as Monica Ikegwu (known for hyperrealistic portraits) and Jerrell Gibbs, an oil painter capturing scenes of everyday life.

Galleries and performing arts spaces also populate Highlandtown (ihearthighlandtown.com) , a rowhouserich neighborhood tucked around Patterson Park in southeast Baltimore. Explore the area on foot during the monthly First Friday Art Walk, or on your own any weekend afternoon. Top stops include Highlandtown Gallery (highlandtowngallery.com), known for affordable works by Maryland artists, and Creative Alliance (creativealliance.org), where working studios, gallery displays, classrooms and performing arts spaces are spread across two buildings, including a onetime 1930 movie theater.

MAD ABOUT MURALS

The most approachable, in-your-face emblems of Baltimore’s aesthetic may well be its ubiquitous outdoor murals, says Donahue-Shipp, who has painted murals in Tennessee and other parts of Maryland, but is “still looking for the right site and commission in Baltimore.”

The Mount Vernon neighborhood is where you’ll find a three-story portrait of Divine, a symbol of LGBTQ+ pride, on the exterior of a rowhouse (106 E. Preston St.). “Corridor of Colors,” a 7,000-square-foot mural by local artist Saba Hamidi, splashes rainbowhued, abstract forms across the Maryland Avenue Bridge in Station North. And you might spot tagging artists or muralists in action in Graffiti Alley, a paint-covered passageway tucked behind Motor House (motorhousebaltimore.com), a restaurant and performance space housed in a converted early 20th-century car showroom.

Murals are especially prevalent in Station North, Highlandtown and Fells Point, a cobblestoned, waterfront enclave established in 1763. To take them in—and hear about their creators and the events that inspired them—book a walking tour with Liz Miller, a bubbly local fiber artist who founded Mural Art Tours Baltimore (muralarttoursbaltimore.com) in 2017. “I wanted to help popularize murals and let people know how they can transform neighborhoods,” she says. “Baltimore itself changes block by block, and so do its murals.”

Miller especially loves John Ellsberry’s nearly 200-foot-long trio of alligators in the Remington neighborhood and geometric, candy-colored works by her friend Jaz Erenberg. “Jaz has such a beautiful color palette and her work is everywhere—on people’s front doors, on buildings and even wrapping around an auto body shop,” Miller says.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that murals were front and center during Artscape 2025. In the months leading up to the festival, 30 commissioned artists created art wrapping around 43 of the cement pillars under the Jones Falls Expressway downtown, normally the site of a Sunday farmers market. As the weekend’s events unfolded, partiers shopped for crafts and ate street food amid pylons decorated with everything from a Baltimore oriole bird to Bathurst’s sinuous image of a woman dancing in a dreamlike tropical landscape.

“The columns were a great canvas for us to work on. They were spaced out enough to have their own presence, but they also work together as a whole,” Bathurst says. “It was a fun opportunity to get to know the people in your field. It showed how many different types of art we have in Baltimore.”

If You Go

WHERE TO SLEEP AND EAT ARTFULLY

At Hotel Revival (hotelrevivalbaltimore. com), a 14-story hotel in Mount Vernon, you’ll find curated collages, prints and paintings (some by Baltimore artists) decorating the guest rooms and public spaces. A rooftop bar offers terrific views of the city, and the hotel is just a few blocks from the Walters Art Museum.

Meander Art Bar, a yellow-walled corner bar in Upper Fells Point, offers burgers and beers, along with crafting experiences (jewelry, figure drawing) and displays of local art.

The posh Pendry Baltimore hotel (pendry.com/baltimore), also in Fells Point, shows off a cheeky portrait of Francis Scott Key by local muralist Gaia in its lobby, and a 3,500-pound, 12-foottall bronze sculpture of a chubby horse by Colombian legend Fernando Botero in its outdoor courtyard.

WHERE TO CATCH A SHOW

The downtown Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (bsomusic.org) hosts classical concerts by Charm City’s resident Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, as well as visiting artists ranging from sultry jazz singer Diana Krall to songwriter and social activist Ani DiFranco. At the Chesapeake Shakespeare Co. (chesapeakeshakespeare. com) , see works by the Bard and other acclaimed playwrights staged in a converted 19th-century bank in downtown Baltimore.

Launched in 1963, the long-running Baltimore Center Stage (centerstage.org) presents edgy new works and visiting shows in a historic Mount Vernon building.

RIVERDANCE 30 The New Generation JUNE 26–28 STING MAY 21–23

SARAH McLACHLAN

Allison Russell

JULY 5

GARY CLARK JR.

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram JUNE 6

THE BEACH BOYS

JUNE 7

Songwriters Celebrate JOHN PRINE

Ft. Emmylou Harris, Margo Price, Patty Griffin, and many more! JUNE 9

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s THE SOUND OF MUSIC

Sing-A-Long JUNE 13

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

FEATURING LIZZO

JULY 7

WILCO JUNE 18

MELISSA ETHERIDGE WYNONNA JUDD

Maggie Rose JUNE 24

THE HUMAN LEAGUE with Very Special Guests Soft Cell & Alison Moyet JUNE 30

HARRY CONNICK JR. JULY 3 AND MANY MORE!

Atlantic Park Surf features a Wavegarden surf lagoon. Inset: The property anchors Virginia Beach’s new Atlantic Park development.

Surf’s Up

Hang loose and ride the waves in Virginia Beach—no ocean required

BY ELLA MAKLEFF

Set in the heart of Virginia Beach’s revitalized Oceanfront district, Atlantic Park Surf offers a new way to catch a wave. The park opened in August and features North America’s first Wavegarden surf lagoon, an advanced system that creates consistent and rideable waves on demand. Unlike the unpredictability of the ocean, the waves in the lagoon are customizable to be between 1- and 6-feet tall.

There are waves to accommodate any skill level ranging from gentle, rolling white water for beginners, to fast, barreling waves for experienced surfers. Whether you’re riding your first wave or practicing tricks on a reliable break, wet suits and boards are available to rent on-site, and sessions can be booked online. A schedule on the website helps visitors determine the best time to surf at the lagoon, as specific periods are designated for different skill levels.

Atlantic Park Surf’s 55-minute sessions

are available year-round, with hours varying by season. Surfers have the chance to catch an average of 12 waves per session; the capacity for each session ranges from 20 to 40 people, depending on the wave profile. Surfing rates also change based on wave profiles and seasons, ranging from $117 to $171 per session. Groups rotate through waves that break in both directions across the split lagoon, as the current of the water directs surfers in a loop to prevent collisions. Group coaching sessions cover fundamentals such as paddling techniques, board control and safety, while private instructors offer more personalized guidance.

The surf lagoon spans 2.67 of the Atlantic Park development’s 10.2 acres. Backed by music producer Pharrell Williams, who was born and raised in Virginia Beach, the new district blends surfing, dining, entertainment and lodging just a short walk from the Atlantic Ocean.

The Atlantic Park complex includes 100,000 square feet of restaurants, shops and entertainment venues. Visitors could spend half a day or an entire weekend surfing, dining, shopping and relaxing around the complex. The Dome, a reimagined music venue is an eye-catcher, plus you’ll find a variety of curated retail and dining options that include Nami Nori, Wiseguy Pizza, Johnnie-O, The Grill, Lululemon, Quiet Storm Surf Shop, Milk & Honey and Faherty.

In addition to the various lodging options in the surrounding area, boutique hotel The Sitio opened in March in Atlantic Park. With 20 surf-inspired rooms overlooking the lagoon, The Sitio’s guests have access to a private lounge and pool deck.

Atlantic Park Surf, 365 18th St., Virginia Beach, Virginia, 757974-8198, atlanticparksurf.com

ANCHORS AWAY

This North Bethesda couple’s engagement, ceremony and reception all took place by the water

BY JILLIAN LYNCH

THE COUPLE: Chase Rieder, 34, works as a special education teacher and head coach for the boys varsity basketball team at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda. He grew up in North Bethesda and graduated from Walter Johnson in 2009. He has worked as a team attendant for the Washington Wizards for 19 seasons. Irene Rieder (maiden name Burgos), 33, was born in Japan and moved to Germantown in 2006. Irene graduated from Clarksburg High School in 2010. She works as a nurse practitioner at a primary care and pulmonology office in Chevy Chase. They live in North Bethesda.

HOW THEY MET: Chase and Irene matched on Tinder in February 2021. At the time, Irene, who had been undergoing treatments for lung and thyroid cancer, was recovering from a surgery that removed part of her lung. Their first date was on March 9, 2021, at Yard House at Gaithersburg’s Rio, where they met for happy hour and ended up staying for five hours. The pair bonded over their mutual love of WWE wrestling—something Irene didn’t usually admit on dates, she says. “I’ve watched WWE since I was 6, and he was into it a lot when he was younger. That’s something that we both shared,” Irene says. At the end of the date, they went for a walk along the Rio lakefront and when Chase got cold, Irene offered him her jacket, which he wore for the rest of the date, the couple says.

THE PROPOSAL: On Sept. 3, 2023, the pair took a water taxi from the Wharf to the Georgetown waterfront in Washington, D.C. Irene expected to meet a few friends, but when they neared the Georgetown waterfront, 65 of their friends and family were waiting for them. Chase took Irene’s hands and popped the question. Irene

says she wasn’t wearing glasses and didn’t recognize anyone at first. After she said yes, the group celebrated at Nick’s Riverside Grill. The middle stone in the engagement ring belonged to Chase’s grandfather.

THE CEREMONY: Chase and Irene wed in front of 153 guests on Oct. 5, 2024, at the Anchor Inn, a waterfront venue in Pasadena, Maryland. The ceremony took place outside on a covered porch overlooking the water and was officiated by Chase’s friend Tim Heidenberg. Chase was raised Jewish, and Irene was raised Catholic. Honoring Jewish tradition, the couple exchanged their handwritten vows beneath a chuppah made of birch branches and topped with Chase’s grandfather’s prayer shawl, and Chase broke a glass at the end of the ceremony. In a nod to Irene’s Filipino heritage, a veil and cord were draped over the bride and groom, and the couple had godparents light the same candles that were lit at Irene’s parents’ wedding. “I didn’t grow up around a lot of Jewish people … so it was important that we had both of our moms write the significance of each ritual and we had our officiant say it, so each side understood what was being done and why,” Irene says. In their vows, Chase spoke about Irene’s strength through her medical challenges and her care for his family as her own. Irene shared that Chase’s sense of humor and support carried her through her treatments for cancer. Irene says she has now been cancer-free for five years.

THE RECEPTION: At the cocktail hour, guests enjoyed lobster bisque and beef Wellington while mingling on a wraparound porch. For dinner, guests moved inside the reception hall lined with bay windows overlooking the water. The couple had their first dance to a cover of “You’re Still the One” by Teddy Swims. The night included details paying homage to Chase’s love of basketball and the couple’s shared enthusiasm for WWE. “We have two WWE belts that we took pictures

with,” Irene says, and Chase’s parents tied basketball puns into their joint speech. The decorations were simple—Irene says she wanted the focus to be on the natural beauty of the scenery. Centerpieces included florals from Floral Impressions and floating votives. The DJ got guests onto the dance floor with 2000s pop music, the hora and line dances. The hashtag for the wedding was #Riederdie.

THE OUTFITS: Irene says she went to Love Couture Bridal in Park Potomac with her friend Janelle Mizera, who was also the wedding planner. She says she fell in love with a spaghetti strap dress with pearl details and a lace bodice that was discounted as part of an end-of-year sale. “I didn’t even have anyone with me. Like, I didn’t have my mother, I didn’t have my cousin, I didn’t have anyone with me. That’s how much I didn’t think I was going to find the dress that day,” Irene says. Chase wore a gray suit from Macy’s with a blue floral tie he says he ordered from Amazon.

THE FOOD: For the plated meal, guests enjoyed an appetizer course of mesclun salad with bell peppers and thinly sliced cucumber drizzled with ginger-soy dressing, followed by a dual main course of grilled salmon with lemon dill sauce and chicken au poivre, a filleted chicken breast served with peppercorns and a vermouth sauce, along with asparagus bundled in yellow squash rings and garlic red skin

mashed potatoes. Chase and Irene’s wedding cake had tiers of chocolate cake and yellow cake with a chocolate mousse filling. The couple’s shared sense of humor was on display in the cake topper they chose: a custom metallic cutout with a silhouette of a bride dragging a groom away from a basketball hoop over the words “Mr. & Mrs. Rieder.” Chase’s mom, Shelley Rieder, made more than 200 “magic cookie

bars” in milk chocolate and peanut butter, macadamia and white chocolate, and M&M flavors, which were also served.

THE HONEYMOON: After enjoying Sunday brunch with family at Bagels ‘n Grinds in Hanover, Maryland, the newlyweds headed to Turks and Caicos the following morning. They spent six days relaxing on the beach, parasailing, riding Jet Skis and

horseback riding. “It was funny, because it was hurricane season, like early October, but we had the best weather. It was like 80 to 85 [degrees], sunny the entire week,” Chase says.

VENDORS: Catering/venue, Anchor Inn; DJ/MC/photo booth, Weddings by Kurtis Cross; flowers, Floral Impressions; hair, Emily Koczot; hotel block, Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland; makeup, AMZ Artistry; photography and videography, All-Pro Reels; planner, Janelle Mizera; transportation, Awards Limousine Service

Enjoy our estate wines paired with casual, seasonal menus. Spend a relaxing afternoon or plan a private event, surrounded by vineyards and beautiful Piedmont Ridge views. Located 40 minutes from the nation’s capital.

The Therapy of Your Dreams

How a Potomac psychologist helps clients overcome chronic sleeplessness

BY RENEE SKLAREW

Before a D.C. lobbyist began working remotely, he considered himself a good sleeper. But his changing routines— going virtual then later back to in-person—greatly impacted his ability to fall asleep. That’s when he contacted Virginia Runko, a clinical psychologist in Potomac who specializes in behavioral sleep therapy. “He was really frustrated, and as most people do, tried to fix the problem by hyperfocusing on sleep efforts,” says Runko, 44. “That made it worse.”

Runko prescribed wearing blue lightblocking glasses at least an hour before bedtime. When he still couldn’t fall asleep, the lobbyist would try getting out of bed instead of staying there and feeling frustrated. Runko says it’s common for people with insomnia to develop wakefulness as soon as they get into bed.

He also established a downtime routine he sticks to even when traveling. “People need a runway to wind down,” Runko says. “Most people realize it’s valuable but don’t carve it out for themselves.”

Everyone has an occasional night when sleep is elusive, but a 2024 survey by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) reported that 12% of Americans 18 and older say they were diagnosed with chronic insomnia. AASM classifies insomnia disorder as having difficulty falling asleep or maintaining sleep, or early morning awakening with an inability to go back to sleep. These disturbances occur three or more nights a week, for three months or more, and cause significant distress or impairment, such as irritability and reduced concentration.

The American College of Physicians endorses cognitive behavioral therapy

for insomnia (CBT-I) as the initial treatment for chronic insomnia. The recommendation is based on evidence showing patients experienced improvements that were more effective in the long term and more durable over time than medications. In some cases, CBT-I may also benefit people with snoring problems or sleep apnea, Runko says.

As a teen, Runko was fascinated with primatologist Jane Goodall and her studies of animal behavior. She focused her college studies on health psychology, earning a Ph.D. at the University of Miami in 2011. A one-year internship at a sleep clinic at the Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center cemented her passion for CBTI. “I was impressed with how quickly people got better,” she says.

After graduation in 2011, Runko pursued a postdoctoral fellowship in behav-

ioral sleep medicine from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. She moved to Bethesda in 2011 while working part time at the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep at Howard County General Hospital and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. She then took a job at The Ross Center, a mental health center in Washington, D.C.’s Friendship Heights neighborhood, in 2014 and purchased a house in Potomac that same year.

To balance caring for her two young children, Runko opened a private practice at her home in 2019 and she now only sees patients virtually. She says her license allows her to treat patients in 43 states. She has a long waitlist. “I don’t have time to treat everyone, so I offer resources and referrals. There aren’t enough providers to deliver this treatment,” she says.

CBT-I therapy is a weekly program, consisting of six to eight sessions, that introduces a collection of strategies, including maintaining a sleep log, learning breathing techniques and practic-

ing sleep hygiene, such as cutting down on caffeine, moderating alcohol use and keeping the bedroom cool, dark and quiet. “CBT-I gets at the underlying causes of insomnia,” Runko says. “Even when patients stop going to therapy, they know the skills and can adjust their habits.”

CBT-I also helps people reframe their maladaptive thoughts to reduce stress around sleep. “This might be believing you will never be a good sleeper and your life will become a wreck,” Runko says. In therapy, she acknowledges what her patients are feeling while noting the positive aspects of their lives, such as support from family and friends or the ability to maintain a job despite having sleep challenges.

Patients come to Runko with a range of problems. She recently worked with a 60-year-old who developed chronic insomnia after starting therapy for childhood sexual trauma. Runko directed this client to track the correlation between her sleep problems and experiencing anxi-

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ety about her past. Now when she has trouble sleeping, she automatically gets out of bed and practices relaxation techniques to break the link. Along with adding in better sleep hygiene, the client reports feeling more balanced and less pessimistic.

A pregnant client with a history of depression and anxiety developed postpartum symptoms that included worrying about her baby’s sleep. Runko focused on mindfulness training and having the client listen to sleep stories on the Calm app rather than excessively researching insomnia on her phone at night.

Runko remains steadfast about her sleep hygiene and strives to have lights out at 9:45 p.m. with the alarm set for 5:45 a.m. “I really protect and preserve it, no matter what. Even when my husband and I are watching a show with a cliff-hanger, I get up from the TV to start winding down,” Runko says. “I still toss and turn sometimes, but part of insomnia treatment is understanding every night is not going to be perfect.”

65+

of

Hungry for More

BY MYLES MELLOR

ACROSS

1. Coffee roaster with a Bethesda outpost

5. Bar and kitchen offering seafood and steaks on Woodmont Avenue

10. Building blocks of protein: acids

11. Pool stick

12. Peruvian hotspot y Nazca

13. The namesake of a Chevy Chase restaurant

14. Beverage served hot or iced

16. Cook under direct heat

19. Restaurant ratings guide of yore

23. Informal refusal

25. Remove moisture from

26. Place for Ukrainian fare in Bethesda

28. Vegetarian or surf and turf, for example, 2 words

31. Scan through

32. House or bottled, in a restaurant

35. Attempt

36. Chocolate confection

39. Monte

40. Prepares to make tea, 4 words

44. Ethiopian stew served at Beteseb or Chercher

45. Cake topping

47. French-inspired eatery at Pike & Rose

49. Metal container

50. Fish eggs

51. Yearly flowers

52. Exclamation of surprise

1. Guru Groceries & House 2. Indian yogurt salad

3. Cow’s sound

4. Cheese-topped chip

6. Bolivian capital, 2 words

7. NBC rival

8. Produce buds

9. Wine storage room

15. Australian bird 17. Whiskey types

18. Between

20. Include, in a recipe

21. Stove top

22. Cries of regret

24. Female chicken

26. Uncooked

27. Little drink

29. Fishing equipment

30. Garden tool

33. Dhabi

34. Greek wine

36. Bacon by-product

37. Web address, abbr.

38. Sticky substance

39. Tech executive, abbr.

40. Electricity

41. Find treats with Middle Eastern flair at this bakery chain

42. French bottled water

43. Unwanted sound

46. Academic average, abbr.

47. Sauce made from meat juices

48. Segment of a journey