Tastee Diner reopens in Bethesda

The venerable Tastee Diner has managed to survive Wave 1 of the coronavirus pandemic. Tastee has reopened at 7731 Woodmont Avenue in downtown Bethesda. Masks are required to enter, and you must stay 6 feet apart from others inside the diner.

Bethesda Metro station escalator repair, controlled blasting

WMATA is making "minor" repairs to the oft-broken escalator between the plaza and bus bays at the Bethesda Metro station. In related news, there is expected to be controlled blasting near the Metro station for the Purple Line light rail project between now and the end of the year.

When blasting occurs, Metro trains will be held outside the station for several minutes. Passengers inside the station will be directed to exit by personnel, and then re-enter following the detonation. WMATA says to "expect loud noises during this time."

One caveat to all of this, is that the Purple Line contractor has said it will abandon the light rail project in the middle of construction as of today, June 20, unless they are compensated for cost overruns. Stay tuned.

Utility work on Edgemoor Lane

One lane of Edgemoor Lane was closed for utility work last night in downtown Bethesda. The Maizon Bethesda construction site is there, but it's unclear if the work was related to that. The workers were not identified as WSSC nor Pepco, and were working underground in the manholes.

Bethesda Row businesses reopening as Montgomery County Phase 2 rules go into effect today

Montgomery County will enter Phase 2 of its reopening from the coronavirus lockdown today at 5:00 PM. Many Bethesda Row businesses that have been shuttered for weeks or months are now moving to reopen as early as today.

The County rules provide business owners with the flexibility to operate at the level they feel comfortable with. So while some may take full advantage of the return to limited indoor shopping, others are choosing to operate by curbside pickup or by appointment. This is why it is best to call ahead before going to a particular business, to ensure your expectations will be met when you arrive.

Here are a few examples of stores that have announced their plans in advance:

Neuhaus Chocolates

Neuhaus Chocolates will again be selling their famous Belgian gourmet candies starting today. However, they are going to be operating on a pickup-only basis. Customers should call or text 1-240-858-4667 to place their order, and schedule their preferred pickup time. Their hours today through Sunday will be 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Neuhaus is offering a free gift on orders of $50 or more for the Father's Day weekend.

Indochino

Menswear retailer Indochino will reopen today, but by appointment only. Go to Indochino.com to schedule an appointment. Curbside pickup is available if what you're ordering doesn't require fitting. Customers entering the store for appointments must wear a mask. Indochino is asking those with appointments who feel unwell to reschedule. Their initial hours will be Thursday-Saturday, 10:00 AM-6:00 PM and Sundays, 12:00-6:00 PM.

Paper Source

Paper Source will reopen Saturday with indoor shopping. Masks must be worn and social distancing of 6' observed. County restrictions limit the number of shoppers who can be in the store at one time, so prepare to be patient if necessary. Paper Source will only take cashless transactions at this time.

Westbard redevelopment set to begin with groundbreaking on new Giant store

Regency Centers' redevelopment of their commercial properties in the Westbard area of Bethesda is finally about to begin. The first project is going to be construction of a new Giant grocery store on the site of the Westwood Shopping Center.

Regency's contractor is now in the process of filing for construction permits for that building, which will be on the parking lot by the "Rite Aid" entrance to the shopping center. The Rite Aid closed last year, but the bank next to it couldn't be vacated until the end of May. Regency will build the structure, but Giant will have its own contractor fit out the grocery store space.

Washington Sports Clubs closes downtown Bethesda gym

The downtown Bethesda Washington Sports Clubs location at 6828 Wisconsin Avenue has permanently closed, the fitness chain said in an email to members. It had been closed like all other gyms during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, but with gyms now allowed to reopen with restrictions, WSC had to make the announcement. 

Members of the Bethesda gym are having their memberships transferred to the North Bethesda WSC gym. Not exactly convenient for downtown residents, but WSC says they are upgrading everyone's membership to "Passport" status, and won't bill anyone until September 1 so they can try the North Bethesda location for a couple of months.

City Perch to reopen for indoor dining at Pike & Rose Friday, June 19

City Perch will reopen its dining room at Pike & Rose on Friday, June 19, 2020. They've had curbside takeout and patio service so far. Now diners who wish will be able to dine in the air-conditioned dining room once again.

Diners will be seated at least 6 feet apart, and dining room capacity cannot exceed 50% under Montgomery County Phase 2 reopening rules that begin at 5:00 PM Friday. Temperatures will be checked at the door, and employees will wear masks and gloves. You can use their online menu on your device, or request a single-use physical copy of the menu.

City Perch is celebrating their return with four new dishes. They are Seared Ahi Tuna, Shrimp Avocado Salad, Cavatappi Spinaci, and Spinach Quinoa Salad. Reservations can be made online through OpenTable.

Westfield Montgomery Mall to reopen Tuesday, June 23; Nordstrom opening early this weekend

Westfield Montgomery Mall is ready to come out of Covid hibernation. They will be reopening on Tuesday, June 23, 2020. The mall's hours initially will be 11:00 AM-7:00 PM Monday-Saturday, and 12:00-6:00 PM Sundays.

But you can get an even earlier start to shopping beginning this Saturday at Nordstrom, because they'll be reopening ahead of the rest of the mall this weekend (Nordstrom has its own entrance).

Nordstrom will have special hours this Saturday and Sunday 11:00 AM-5:00 PM.  Starting Monday, Nordstrom will be open Monday-Saturday 11:00 AM-7:00 PM, and Sundays 12:00-5:00 PM.

Montgomery County's Phase 2 reopening that begins Friday at 5:00 PM requires masks to be worn, and social distancing observed, in stores. There may be restrictions on how many customers may be in a store at one time if it gets crowded.

Malls in Montgomery County will be "open for shopping, not for socializing," County Executive Marc Elrich said yesterday. "The food courts will not be opening," Elrich said. "We are not going to allow people to gather in the mall."

Tommy Curtis lives on new internet tribute page to Yacht Club's famed matchmaker

The recent passing of Tommy "The Matchmaker" Curtis, legendary captain of the Yacht Club of Bethesda and Hollywood movie mogul, has brought a rising tide of fond memories and tributes. Many of these are now docking at a cyber yacht club website called Tommy "The Matchmaker" Tribute at tommythematchmaker.com.

You can read the tributes posted already. And you can also email your own memories of Tommy, his career, the Yacht Club and more to the webmaster on the page. Your email address will not be displayed on the website. Head over to Tommy "The Matchmaker" Tribute now to reminisce about a time when there was still nightlife in downtown Bethesda.

Fire at North Park Apartments in Friendship Heights

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services personnel are responding to the report of a fire at the North Park Apartments, located at 4615 N. Park Avenue in the Friendship Heights area of Chevy Chase. The fire is believed to be in the building's trash chute, MCFRS spokesperson Pete Piringer said. However, smoke from the fire has been seen on the 15th floor, he added.

Car stolen from Worthington Drive

A vehicle was reported stolen in the Massachusetts Avenue corridor of Bethesda, which has seen a spike in auto-related crimes recently. This time, a vehicle parked on the street on Worthington Drive was taken over the night between Monday evening and Tuesday morning. If you live in this area, be extra vigilant about locking your car doors at night, and removing valuables visible inside the cabin.

Peet's Coffee closes in Chevy Chase

Peet's Coffee has closed permanently at The Shops at Wisconsin Place in the Friendship Heights area of Chevy Chase. Workers were removing furniture and fixtures from the store yesterday. You may recall that the downtown Bethesda Peet's location was also a casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.

NORAD air defense exercise put military jets over Bethesda, DC early this morning

DC National Guard F-16 fighter jet

Military jets were heard over Bethesda and Northwest Washington for the first time in two weeks early this morning. Around 12:50 AM, a military jet aircraft was audible circling over Bethesda. At 12:57, it began performing maneuvers at an increased speed.

The aircraft then moved away in a southwest direction, where it continued to circle and could still be heard from Bethesda for about 35 minutes. At 1:39 AM, the aircraft returned to fly over Bethesda at a higher speed with more jet engine noise. By 1:50 AM, the jet flew away for good. A military helicopter then circled over Bethesda for about 10 minutes, before it, too, flew off.

What was happening? I investigated, and learned it was a not-well-publicized air defense exercise by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) over the DC area. The exercise was called Falcon Virgo, and was in support of Operation Noble Eagle, which provides air surveillance over the United States and Canada.

According to NORAD, the aircraft heard last night included Air Force F-16 aircraft, an Army C-12 aircraft, a United States Coast Guard MH-65D Dolphin helicopter, and Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182T general aviation aircraft. I personally heard the F-16 and MH-65D, but I can't say that I heard the two propeller aircraft.

Photo courtesy NORAD

CVS Pharmacy reopens on Arlington Rd. in Bethesda

CVS Pharmacy has reopened at 6917 Arlington Road in downtown Bethesda. The store has finally removed the boards that have covered the windows for two weeks to prevent looting. The usually-24-hours-a-day store is also open more limited hours temporarily, 7:00 AM-10:00 PM daily. Masks are required to enter the store.

Rock Bottom to reopen in Bethesda

After months of rumors about the future of Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery at 7900 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda, now we know their immediate fate. Rock Bottom will reopen this Friday, June 19, 2020 at 12:00 PM.

Concerns over the future of the longtime fixture began last year. Rock Bottom's landlord began marketing the space for lease. During the coronavirus lockdown, Rock Bottom closed and did not offer curbside or takeout sales. One employee reported the staff had been let go during the lockdown. Eventually, the curtains were closed in the windows, and many people began writing Rock Bottom off.

Instead, Rock Bottom will return just as Montgomery County enters Phase 2 of its reopening from the lockdown this Friday at 5:00 PM. That means indoor dining is allowed at 50% of capacity, with staff and customers wearing masks and other precautions. Fortunately, Rock Bottom has a large space, meaning they can serve more at 50% capacity than many other restaurants. 

I-270 resurfacing begins

The Maryland State Highway Administration is beginning a resurfacing project on southbound I-270 between Falls Road in Rockville and Democracy Boulevard in Bethesda. Expect lane closures in that direction between 7:00 PM and 5:00 AM Sundays-Thursdays through late summer 2020. SHA says that two lanes will always be open southbound during the work hours. Sure enough, crews were out already Sunday evening.

Pike & Rose to add new dog park, shipping container bar

New additions to Prose Street are in the works at Pike & Rose. A new pop-up bar will be constructed out of refurbished shipping containers there, where The Beach at Pike & Rose has drawn crowds the two previous summers.

The bar's concept has not been made public yet, but you can see an example of a beer garden that was built out of shipping containers at Assembly Row in Boston, another property in Pike & Rose owner Federal Realty's portfolio. Also coming to Prose Street will be a fenced-in dog park.

Hair Cuttery sets reopening date at Bethesda Row

Those self-inflicted quarantine haircuts may be coming to an end for the daring among us. Hair Cuttery at 4818 Bethesda Avenue has been shuttered for the coronavirus lockdown, but are now sharpening their scissors for a reopening later this week.

The shop will reopen this Thursday, June 18, 2020. They'll start taking reservations tomorrow, June 16. Call 301-656-0760 to schedule an appointment. Hair Cuttery's new hours at Bethesda Row will be 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily.

New crosswalk at Wisconsin and Avondale in downtown Bethesda

A new crosswalk is being added at the north side of the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and Avondale Street in downtown Bethesda. The new crosswalk also has ADA-compliant ramps and a pedestrian-activated horizontal flashing signal to alert oncoming drivers. You're still taking a greater risk using this than crossing at a signaled intersection, so remain alert and don't presume traffic will stop.

Ourisman Jeep Bethesda (Photos)

The Jeep inventory is expanding at the new Ourisman Jeep Bethesda dealership at 6700 Wisconsin Avenue. This was previously a CVS Pharmacy. The dealership relocated here earlier this week.