Photo Gallery: The first snow of winter in Bethesda

Taste of Bethesda 2017 Photo Gallery + Video

Did you miss the Taste of Bethesda on Saturday? Live vicariously through these photos taken during the event.

Chef Tony's

Perfect weather

The sunniest Taste of Bethesda
in recent years...

...but darkened by new
high-rises

In darkness even at midday

Now that's dark

Bethesda's first taste of
Ashish Alfred's new
George's Chophouse

Metro dared to have a
display, and they were
not run out of town on
a rail, surprisingly - how
civilized we are in Bethesda!

Jaleo's giant paella is always
a crowdstopper

People can't get enough of
the giant paella

Montgomery County Executive
candidate Robin Ficker works
the crowd - and social media

One of his potential
Democratic opponents,
Roger Berliner was close by

Bethesda-Chevy Chase
Regional Services Center tent

Smoothie King

Another live band gets
ready to play

Dine and listen to
live music

Bethesda remembers 9/11 (Photos)

Flags at half-staff

Flags were at half-staff yesterday in downtown Bethesda, on the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, as well as of the related crash of a passenger plane in Pennsylvania, which was said to be under the control of hijackers who were aiming to hit the U.S. Capitol. Another large flag was draped from a building at the Bethesda Metro Center.

Bethesda Row Arts Festival set for October 14-15, 2017

Save the date: One of the top fine arts festivals in America will return to Bethesda Row this fall, on October 14 and 15, 2017. More than 190 artists will converge on the streets around Bethesda Row, with works in a variety of mediums: ceramics, drawings, fabrics, glass, graphics, jewelry, metalwork, paintings, pastels, photography, printmaking, sculpture, wood, and 2D and 3D mixed media.

The festival will be held rain or shine from 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM on Saturday, October 14, and from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Sunday, October 15. There is no charge for admission, but artists' works will be available for sale. For full details, and information about parking, etc., visit the official festival website.

Kenwood fireworks 2017 set for June 29

via GIPHY
The best fireworks display in the D.C. area will once again be presented by the Kenwood Golf and Country Club in Bethesda. This year's Kenwood fireworks will be held on Thursday, June 29, 2017. The event at the private club is for members only. However, the fireworks are visible some distance around the club, and usually begin after 9:00 PM.

Nearby residents - and those with apartment balconies facing the club - know the drill by now: Plan a backyard party modest or grand, and then gain the cachet of The Great Gatsby himself when an expensive fireworks display suddenly erupts in the sky above, and caps off the evening.

Savvy Bethesdans (a.k.a. readers of this blog) who aren't part of the landed class can still partake of the fireworks - if they know where to go. The smart spot is in the church parking lot across River Road from the club, where those-in-the-know converge on foot or by car.

I haven't bothered to go into D.C. or out to Rockville for fireworks since Kenwood began their fireworks displays over a decade ago. The Kenwood display is superior, and gets better each year, and it certainly did in 2016.

Impress your friends, avoid getting your pocket picked or purse snatched downtown (or by the crooked Montgomery County Council!), and take in the best fireworks in the D.C. area. Gracious toast and "I'm Gatsby" line are optional.

Dates set for Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week Winter 2017

The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington has announced its Winter 2017 Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week will be held between Monday, January 30 and Sunday, February 5. Participating restaurants will offer fixed-price, multi-course menus costing $35 for dinner, $22 for lunch, and - for the first time ever - $22 for brunch.

A new feature for Winter 2017 will be a rewards program. Anyone who books their dining reservation through the official RAMW restaurant week site, and opts into the rewards program, will be eligible for special deals and prizes from restaurant week sponsors like event tickets and restaurant gift cards.

The participating restaurants haven't been revealed on the website yet, but usually include establishments in Bethesda, Rockville and Silver Spring alongside their DC counterparts. When they are added, you'll be able to search by type of cuisine and location to find your favorites.