HECKMAN'S DELICATESSEN CONSTRUCTION UPDATE (PHOTOS)

Here's the latest progress at one of two Bethesda delis under construction in the Woodmont Triangle. Heckman's Delicatessen has removed the Maggie's awning and signage at last. Furniture and seating is now in place, as well. Note that the white checkerboard pattern on the seat cushions matches the similar pattern on the floor. What's that thing looming over the deli in the background? Why, that's the Bainbridge Bethesda apartment tower, still under construction a block away.

SMART ONES FISH AND CHIPS REVIEW (VIDEO)

Fried fish and french fries for 300 calories? How will that taste? Watch my video review of Weight Watchers' Smart Ones Fish and Chips to find out!

This frozen dinner has one of those silver-lined packages, designed to make the fish and french fries crisp in the microwave. How did that work out? We'll find out in the video.

The fish and chips are an Alaskan Pollock filet, and crinkle-cut french fries, respectively.

UMBRELLAS OUT FOR DINING AT VETERANS PARK IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Spring is here at last, and that means outdoor dining in Bethesda. Veterans Park, at the intersection of Norfolk and Woodmont Avenues, is a great place for al fresco dining. Bring your meal from a nearby restaurant, or sit at the outdoor tables at Jetties or BGR, both of which have patios that border the park.

MD 355 LANE CLOSURE RIGHT NOW IN BETHESDA (PHOTO)

The far-right lane of southbound Wisconsin Avenue (MD 355) is closed as you approach Battery Lane, when entering downtown Bethesda. This is just past Jones Bridge and Woodmont Avenue.

THEFT AT OUR LADY OF LOURDES, VEHICLE BREAK-IN AT BETHESDA ROW GIANT - CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on April 2, according to crime data:

Theft. 7300 block Wisconsin Avenue (north of Waverly Street).

Vehicle theft. 4900 block Hampden Lane.

Theft. Our Lady of Lourdes, 7500 Pearl Street.

Vehicle burglary. Bethesda Row Giant.

Theft. 6600 block Hillandale Road (Kenwood Forest).

Burglary. 5000 block River Hill Road (Brookmont).

Theft. 5400 block Edson Lane (White Flint).

Theft. 11300 block Rockville Pike (White Flint).

FIRST BOOK MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOOKMARK CONTEST

First Book Montgomery County, a local non-profit that has distributed tens-of-thousands of new books to economically-disadvantaged children since 2001, has launched its 5th Annual bookmark contest. Local children are invited to design a bookmark that communicates their love of reading; one will be chosen as the official First Book 2014 bookmark, to be distributed at many events throughout the year.

Winners will be selected in the following age groups: Pre-K, Grades 1-3, Grades 4-6, and Grades 7-8. The Grand Prize winner will receive a $25 gift card to put that love of reading to work at Barnes and Noble.

The official entry form can be found at First Book's website. Entries must be postmarked by Saturday, May 14, 2014. If you have any questions, email First Book.

One of First Book's local sponsors is the Bethesda Big Train baseball club.

TASTEE DINER ENDORSES DOUG GANSLER FOR GOVERNOR IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

The venerable Tastee Diner has made another very public endorsement in the 2014 county elections. If your first name is Doug, you may have a leg up on receiving the popular diner's endorsement.

After posting a sign last year touting former County Executive Doug Duncan (who is currently running for that office again versus incumbent Ike Leggett, and fellow challenger Phil Andrews [one of whom will face Republican Jim Shalleck in November]), the diner recently posted a second sign - for Maryland gubernatorial candidate Doug Gansler.

Gansler is one of two Montgomery County residents (Del. Heather Mizeur is the other) running for governor against Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown.

Duncan's sign remains in the diner window, as well. Both Gansler and Duncan were political fixtures in the county seat of Rockville over the last two decades.

The Doug Duncan sign remains
in place, making this the
All-Doug slate

VEHICLE BREAK-IN AT GARAGE 35, WEAPON ARREST AT CHEVY CHASE ES + MORE - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on April Fool's Day, according to crime data:

Theft. 7200 block Woodmont Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. Rugby Avenue at Del Ray Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. Parking Garage 35, 8216 Woodmont Avenue.

Theft. 4600 block Chestnut Street (just outside downtown Bethesda in Chevy Chase).

Weapons arrest. Chevy Chase Elementary School, 4015 Rosemary Street.

Vehicle burglary. Wisconsin Avenue at Western Avenue.

Theft. 6700 block Democracy Boulevard.

Theft. 5100 block Nicholson Lane (White Flint).

Theft. Macy's at Westfield Montgomery Mall.

Vehicle burglary. 11800 block Coakley Circle (White Flint).

Theft. 6000 block Executive Boulevard (White Flint).

Drug arrest. 4700 block Randolph Road (White Flint).

Drug arrest. 5900 block Montrose Parkway (White Flint).

TACO THERAPY LUNCH POP-UP AT REDWOOD IN BETHESDA (PHOTO)

You could win a taco lunch for 10 at Redwood on Bethesda Lane next week. Just stop in during lunch hours (11:30-2:30) between Monday, April 7 and Friday, April 11, order one of the tacos on the menu below, and fill out the contest entry form.

With the April 7 launch of Taco Therapy at Redwood, and the opening of Gringos & Mariachis on Cordell Avenue recently, upscale tacos are trending in downtown Bethesda. At Redwood, premium taco fillings like Filet Mignon, pork belly, rotisserie chicken and daily fresh seafood make the $4 cost not bad for lunch. You can also go gluten-free with their corn tortilla option.

The taco pop-up menu will be available in the bar.

Here's the taco menu (click to enlarge for detail):

Redwood Restaurant and Bar

7121 Bethesda Lane

301.656.5515

PEET'S COFFEE BETHESDA CONSTRUCTION UPDATE (PHOTOS)

Construction is underway for the future Bethesda location of Peet's Coffee and Tea, in the former Caribou Coffee space at 7629 Old Georgetown Road. The Caribou logo has left a burnt-in impression on the building exterior. Peet's is hiring; if you missed the recent job fair, you can apply online.

The ghost of Caribou...

NEW HAPPY HOUR APP GOES LIVE IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Searching for the best happy hour deals in Bethesda? A new app for your iPhone or Android will point you in the right direction. Clink launched recently in Dupont Circle, but has now expanded up the Red Line to include Bethesda bars and restaurants.

Clink will give you maps and directions, specific happy hour specials, prices and happy hour schedules, although the level of detail may vary for each establishment.

DRUG ARREST AT HOME DEPOT, VEHICLE BREAK-INS ON CORDELL & IN GREEN ACRES - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on March 31, according to crime data:

Theft. Bethesda Metro Center 1.

Vehicle burglary. Cordell Avenue at Norfolk Avenue.

Assault. 5000 block Bradley Boulevard.

Theft. 4400 block South Park Avenue (Friendship Heights).

Theft. 5300 block Westbard Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 5300 block Wakefield Road (Green Acres).

Theft. 5200 block Pooks Hill Road.

Theft. 4700 block Bayard Boulevard (Crestview).

Drug arrest. 3800 block Dresden Street (Chevy Chase View).

Vehicle burglary. 11300 block Rockville Pike (White Flint).

Theft. 6700 block Rockledge Drive.

Theft. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard.

Theft. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard.

Drug arrest. Home Depot, 7111 Westlake Terrace.

TACO BELL A.M. CRUNCHWRAP REVIEW (VIDEO)

The Taco Bell breakfast menu also includes a breakfast variation on the popular Crunchwrap. You can order the new A.M Crunchwrap in three variations: steak (my choice), sausage or bacon.

Inside the warm, grilled tortilla are Taco Bell's marinated thick-cut steak, scrambled eggs, a hash brown patty, cheddar cheese, and jalapeño sauce. It is a heartier entree than the new Waffle Taco.

How does it taste? Watch my video review to find out:

GREENHILL LOCKS DOWN BLACKFINN AGAINST TRESPASSERS IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Greenhill Realty, the owner of the building that housed BlackFinn up until this week, has locked down the building. Signs have been posted to discourage anyone who would attempt to enter the now-vacant nightclub. Such signage is somewhat unusual for Bethesda. I recall the ousted ownership of Plaza del Sol on St. Elmo Avenue complaining they were locked out of the building by the landlord. But usually, you don't see signs in the windows like this around downtown Bethesda.

Taken with the end of the month having just passed, it does suggest that the rent was not paid, and the owner(s) may have been locked out as a result. A person familiar with the ownership told me rising rent had exceeded revenue for the restaurant/bar. Everything is frozen in time inside, just as it was left at the close of business on BlackFinn's last evening of operation. Obviously, whatever decor, materials and equipment that belong to the owner(s) - well, you can expect they'd want that back.

The locksmith sign indicates a concern by the landlord that someone might even try to dupe a locksmith into opening the doors without authorization from Greenhill.

MULTIPLE ESCALATOR OUTAGES AT BETHESDA METRO STATION (PHOTOS) #WMATA #DC

All down escalators were out of service early this evening at the Bethesda Metro station. Commuters were walking down the escalators. To boot, the now-infamous escalator between the Bethesda Metro Center plaza and bus bays was offline, as well.

According to WMATA, that surface escalator will be out until April 5. The surface-to-mezzanine escalator outage is estimated to be fixed by April 4.

In short, it's a mess at Bethesda Metro, as usual.

One technician on the
job tonight in Bethesda

Promoting better health
through walking at
Bethesda Metro Center

MAKE MEANING TO OPEN IN MAY AT BETHESDA ROW (PHOTOS)

Make Meaning has announced its new Bethesda Row location will open in May. The Bethesda Avenue space remains under construction. A popular family party spot and activity center that originally launched in New York City, Make Meaning is a favorite playdate for celebrity moms like Katie Holmes and Jennifer Garner, and their kids.

The chain is expanding across the country based on that celebrity buzz, and the Bethesda Row outpost will be be the first Make Meaning in the DC region. They also host corporate events.

Want to work at Make Meaning? They are currently hiring servers, shift supervisors, party captains and staff. Send a cover letter, photo and resume to julie@makemeaning.com to apply.

Warning: "glitter tattoos are part of the uniform."

Some of the activities
offered at Make Meaning

BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on March 30, according to crime data:

Theft. 7900 block Wisconsin Avenue (downtown Bethesda).

Theft. 4800 block Bethesda Avenue.

Drug arrest. Old Georgetown Road at Huntington Parkway.

Drug arrest. 5400 block Wisconsin Avenue (Friendship Heights).

Assault/"other sexual offense." 4500 block Willard Avenue (Friendship Heights).

Theft. 11100 block Rockville Pike (near White Flint Mall).

Vehicle burglary. Marriott North Bethesda Conference Center.

Vehicle burglary. 5700 block Marinelli Road (White Flint).

BLACKFINN CLOSED FOREVER IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

BlackFinn has confirmed they have permanently closed in Bethesda. It is unclear why the popular nightspot would have had to call it quits.

The closure seemed all-but-certain, as not only has their social media accounts vanished, but their landlord had the 4901-A Fairmont Avenue space listed as available for lease as of last night.

PRINT & SHIP STORE OPENS ON FAIRMONT AVENUE (PHOTOS)

Print & Ship Worldwide has opened in the former Take 5 Boutique space at 4920 Fairmont Avenue. The new shop offers standard printing services (flyers, business cards, invitations, etc.), and shipping via major carriers like FedEx and DHL.

Take 5 recently relocated to the Mosaic District in Fairfax, saying it was too costly to do business in Montgomery County. As you can see in these photos, some Take 5 signage remains on the storefront. The new tenants also benefit from the renovations Take 5 made to the space.

Print & Ship joins Cordell Avenue's News Express as another limited option for Woodmont Triangle residents, who were left in the lurch when both Bethesda post offices closed. The new, single downtown post office (at 6900 Wisconsin Avenue) is hardly within walking distance for residents in "Old Town" Bethesda, and USPS still has made no announcement regarding a second postal facility.

PLANNING BOARD TO URGE COUNTY COUNCIL TO MOVE UP WESTBARD SECTOR PLAN ON CALENDAR TODAY

Today at 1:30 PM, the Montgomery County Planning Board is scheduled to present its Semi-Annual Report to the Montgomery County Council. In the report, the board is strongly urging the council to move up the timeline for the Westbard Sector Plan, due to the current redevelopment push by new landowner, Equity One.

Last revised in 1982, the archaic Westbard plan has languished for over 30 years. 

The report states that "the Westbard Plan needs to be updated as soon as possible, given the age of the Plan and the interest from both the property owner and community in moving forward."

Two problems:

First, the moving up of the Westbard process will result in the delay of the Gaithersburg East, Aspen Hill "and Vicinity," and White Flint Phase II plans. The Rock Spring plan - also located in Bethesda - remains in flux, as well. Leaders in the communities affected by the Gaithersburg East/Montgomery Village Plan are not pleased by this sudden news, and are mobilizing support to keep their plan from getting bumped to the back burner by Equity One's Westbard push. In contrast to the absence of planning for the future of the Westbard area as a whole, Montgomery Village has already gone through a planning process, and has produced a Vision 2030 concept for future development. No such detailed work or document has been generated for Westbard yet. Is it therefore ready to jump ahead of communities who are further along in the process?

Westbard is currently scheduled for review in September 2017; Gaithersburg East/Montgomery Village is scheduled for January 2016. Planners are now suggesting flipping Westbard to November 2015, and GE/MV to September 2016.

Second, this is just the latest instance of Westbard planning being mismanaged by the planning department. If you are so derelict as to leave a plan sit for 32 years, you can't suddenly feign a sense of urgency just because a developer is ready to do something. If the rewrite was about a larger vision, and not a rush to help a particular developer, this could have been started years ago.

A master plan process is designed to determine a vision for the area in question, and guidelines for achieving that vision. The tail can't wag the dog here - the top priority is figuring out what the entire land area is going to look like in 20 years. The planning board and council already sabotaged the Westbard Sector Plan update early, by approving an incompatible use within the industrial area. An EYA townhome development there was given the green light, without any community or planning staff discussion of a critical question - what uses will be permitted in the Westbard industrial area in the future? Is that a place that should remain as a location for services and industrial uses? Housing? Land for corporate headquarters?

And what about the already-stressed Little Falls watershed that runs through the Westbard area? Planners and councilmembers rushed to profitable judgement, allowing a residential development on the banks of the stream. Now we're stuck with a potential mishmash, and lost opportunities.

Is it time to update the Westbard plan? Absolutely. Should that plan be tailored precisely to one developer's proposal for one property within the larger plan area? No way.

BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on March 29, according to crime data:

Theft. 7600 block Old Georgetown Road.

Vehicle burglary. 4600 block N. Park Avenue (Friendship Heights).

Vehicle burglary. Hills Plaza (Friendship Heights).

Vehicle burglary. 6200 block Winston Drive (River Road corridor).

Drug arrest. Tower Oaks Boulevard at Montrose Road.

BETHESDA ROW RESTAURANT WEEK 2014 - RESTAURANTS AND MENUS

Bethesda Row Restaurant Week 2014 will be held April 21-27. It's the perfect time to try out all of the restaurants around the Row, at a relatively-affordable price. Three-course lunches are $15, and three-course dinners are $30.

Click here to register to win a $200 Dining Certificate to Vino Volo, and to see the menus for each restaurant. Here's the full list of participating restaurants:

100 Montaditos

American Tap Room

Assaggi Mozzarella Bar

Cafe Deluxe

Jaleo

Lebanese Taverna

Luke’s Lobster

Mamma Lucia

Mon Ami Gabi

Mussel Bar & Grille (lunch only)

Nando’s Peri Peri

Parker’s American Bistro

Raku (dinner only)

Redwood

Vapiano