Bethesda Actually

Just saw this very interesting story about the 52 acre tract of land near Walter Johnson High School. One of the plans for the space: Read the rest of this entry »

I’m not sure if you have had a chance to visit Nando’s Peri Peri restaurant in Washington, DC (or for that matter visit one of the international branches of the Nando’s empire). If you haven’t, well, you should! The restaurant is oriented around chicken (although it has lots of other good stuff on offer as well) and a wonderful sauce called Peri Peri (see here).It was founded in South Africa and is massively popular in many countries around the world. Read the rest of this entry »

Now, as you all know, I am very happy that Vapiano’s will soon be opening in Bethesda. Of course we are still a few months away from the launch so patience is in order. That is hard for when you receive emails listing specials like the ones below! Read the rest of this entry »

Bethesda is set to receive yet another new restaurant!  King Kabob & Pizza is filling the space along Old Georgetown Road vacated by Norky’s.  I’m just a little confused at this point which “King Kabob” is actually is.  Here’s one based in Fairfax, Virginia, specializing Afghan cuisine and Halal meat.  But it doesn’t make any mention of the “pizza” aspect of the meal, so I’ve decided not to post an image until I’m certain of the actual company.  Can anyone enlighted me on this one?

Tip of the hat to Sum Random Knowledge for the heads-up.

As we have flagged previously the building that will house Equinox will also include a new Vapianos. NOW — adding to the general awesomeness of this new project — we hear that Taylor’s Gourmet (the terrific Philly sandwich place) is opening a Bethesda venue in the same building!

I visited Taylor’s first DC area spot on H street a few months ago (a pal is renovating a house around the corner) and loved it. FAB sandwiches and a really good vibe all in all.

Very happy that they are moving to Bethesda — welcome to the community gang!

PS If you haven’t read the terrific story about their co-owners check this link out.

The weather today is what I would expect from the last week in March — it always seems to be a little colder, darker and damper than it should at this time of year (it feels closer to late fall than early spring) but I am consoling myself with the fact that by mid-April we will be bathed in sunshine and likely complaining about the humidity!

But that is for another day. This afternoon I wanted to share a few suggestions for the afternoon/ evening — this is my take on what you can do to lift your mood on such a glum day.  Here is my top 3 — feel free to share your thoughts below.

1. Go to a nice happy hour with your friends, colleagues or family. There are lots of fun options available that should warm the spirit ranging from Cafe Deluxe (well priced wine, beer and margaritas at the bar along with some terrific food specials including a lovely Tilapia sandwich and fries for about $4) to Mon Ami Gabi (yes the red wine is super and well priced for their happy hour and the salmon burger is fab) to Redwood (always a good time with quality food and drink specials).

2. An inexpensive dinner that includes some warming soup or a splash of summer. In the first category there are toasty options ranging from Raku (if you fancy some Asian cuisine) to Cosi or La Madelines (inexpensive and just right for a damp evening) to Penang (try their starter soup with roti!). In the second, if you feel the need to act as if summer is here I’d suggest considering a visit to Jaleo (have some tortilla soup and perhaps a sangria) to Uncle Julios (ceviche and margaritas) to Ben and Jerry’s (especially if you missed free cone day!).

3. Head to Barnes and Nobles this evening — spend the evening with your neighbors and indulge in something tasty from the cafe while you check out the latest books on offer.

So — do any of these work for you? Have any alternatives to share?

I’ve been out of town for the last week and can’t believe I missed this… Still, better late than never as they say!

March 25th is Maryland Day, commemorating that day in 1634 when settlers first disembarked from two small sailing vessels – the Ark and the Dove – only Maryland soil.

On June 20, 1632, Charles I of England granted a charter authorizing the Maryland settlement to Cecilius Calvert, Baron of Baltimore.  Lord Baltimore’s brother, Leonard Calvert, lad the settlers on the journey to find their new world.  140 souls departed Cowes on the Isle of Wight on November 22, 1633.  Three days into the voyage a severe storm almost put pay to the expedition, and no trace could be found of the smaller Dove.

But remarkably, while Calvert’s ship, the Ark, was refitting on the island of Barbadoes, the Dove reappeared, having managed to weather the storm.  The travelers continued on and reached Virginia by February 27th.  They reached Maryland shores the following month and after reaching a peaceable accord with the Conoy Indian chief, they continued down the Potomac and disembarked on March 25, henceforth commemorated as Maryland Day.

Find out more about Maryland Day here.

We hope everyone is having a fashionable Friday, despite the wind and rain. What better to brighten up a gloomy week day than a few toga-inspired tops and dresses? This week, Essie says that a bare shoulder is your best accessory, so stock up on single shouldered attire that will keep you cool and chic in the warmer weeks ahead.

Stella McCartney – Fall 2010 – Style.com

Milly – One Shoulder Ruffle Dress – $356

Earlier this week I was getting pretty frustrated with the slow speed of the metro between Bethesda and Friendship Heights — we were inching along at a painfully slow pace. I was also irritated by the fact that there was no announcement made on my train to let passengers know what was happening. Now, it seems that (a) we have some answers and (b) the problem is being addressed.  Please see this metro press release for more details:

Read the rest of this entry »

Some really good news just up the road from our community — Montgomery County Council has approved plans that, if well implemented, will see White Flint look a lot more like Bethesda down town and a lot less like the strip mall neighborhood it currently resembles. Our friends at GGW have the details here and have been on top of the story.

As you know, here at Bethesda Actually, we are delighted at the possible development of the White Flint area. Firstlyit should create a really nice neighboring area for folks in Bethesda to visit and secondly, if businesses are creative the tandum of Bethesda and a “new” White Flint should be more attractive to shoppers and those looking to play and work who live in the District and the surrounding area — that would be good for the local economy and signal that people really do vote with their pocket books when it comes to smart growth.

I just hope they keep Bertucci’s at White Flint — I like that place