Pottery Barn opens in Bethesda (Photos)

This past weekend witnessed the long-awaited Grand Opening of Pottery Barn, and Pottery Barn Kids, on Bethesda Avenue. Both are located in the ground floor of the new Flats at Bethesda Avenue luxury apartments. Now that the barn doors are open, let's take a tour of the store:

Pottery Barn Kids

Excelsior!
The Avengers bedding set
at Pottery Barn Kids

Freshbikes hoping to reopen Bethesda store in mid-June (Photos)

Freshbikes, which was flooded out of its store by a massive pipe burst in April, is planning to reopen this month. They say they are targeting mid-June for the reopening at 7626 Old Georgetown Road.

Yum Crepes opens at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda + Yum Crepes menu (Photos)

Yum Crepes opened its kiosk in the Dining Terrace at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda yesterday. Like many crepe restaurants today, they offer crepes of both the savory and sweet variety.

But unlike many crepe restaurants, Yum Crepes takes the French theme a step further by offering macarons.

The owner says Yum Crepes is a new concept he hopes to franchise elsewhere in the area. But he said that those future locations will be more likely to open in Northern Virginia than Montgomery County.

Yum Crepes has an existing location in the Dulles area.

I noticed their website doesn't seem to be up yet, so I got photos of the menu here for you to check out:

Power outages in Bethesda, Glen Echo

Two significant power outages have customers in the dark tonight in Bethesda and Glen Echo. The largest involves 2355 Pepco customers in an area roughly around Wilson Lane, River Road and Goldsboro Road. But the outage seems to follow Goldsboro, and a second dark spot is in the Glen Echo area where that road meets MacArthur Boulevard. That outage also extends west to the Wilson Lane area south of River Road.

The gas station and other properties at Goldsboro and MacArthur are all pitch black, as are homes on the west side of Goldsboro. Glen Echo Park still has power, but the traffic signals at Goldsboro and Massachusetts Avenue are out. A truck crew was using their own lighting to try to load deliveries into a business at the retail center when I passed by.

Pepco is estimating a 1:00 AM restoration for Glen Echo and the lower Goldsboro vicinity, but 3:00 AM for the larger outage near Walt Whitman High School.

Sabun Home opens at Bethesda Row (Photos)

Sabun Home, a bed, bath and accessories boutique, has opened at 7123 Bethesda Lane at Bethesda Row. Handpicked items from the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts include towels and robes, and soaps, candles and pillows. Sabun moved from its original location in Georgetown, and is located by the entrance to the Upstairs at Bethesda Row apartments on Bethesda Lane.

Assault in Kenwood, sex offense in Pooks Hill + more - Bethesda crime update

A highly-unusual late night assault in Kenwood tops the Bethesda rap sheet for this past Thursday. There was also a second assault within 48 hours in the Randolph Hills neighborhood, which is worth keeping tabs on in the coming days. Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 4, according to crime data:

Theft. 7600 block Old Georgetown Road.

Theft. 4800 block Bethesda Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 7000 block Wisconsin Avenue at 8:27 AM.

Assault. 6400 block Shadow Road at 11:46 PM (Kenwood).

Sexual assault/"Other sexual offense." 5200 block Pooks Hill Road at 7:11 AM.

Burglary. 7300 block Pinehurst Parkway (Chevy Chase).

Drug arrest. 5400 block Edson Lane (Pike District).

Theft. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard.

Theft. 5400 block McGrath Boulevard (Pike District).

Assault. 11300 block Schuylkill Road (Randolph Hills).

Monument Bank establishing Bethesda Regional Banking Center in Garden Plaza (Photos)

Monument Bank is in the process of moving its Crescent Building branch at 7475 Wisconsin Avenue over to 7700 Old Georgetown Road. Monument recently relocated its headquarters to Rockville, but intends to make this new Bethesda location more than just a branch.

At 7700 Old Georgetown, it also plans to open a new Bethesda Regional Banking Center, as well as house offices for several business development officers. Monument CEO H.L. Ward will have a second office here, as well as his main office in the Rockville headquarters. That is because Monument wants to continue to be an active presence and community bank in downtown Bethesda.

The bank has now posted some Coming Soon signage in the windows of its future home, which is on the ground floor of B.F. Saul's renovated Garden Plaza building. Monument Bank was founded in 2005 in downtown Bethesda, and currently employs 70 people.

Bethesda construction update: 4825 Montgomery Lane luxury condos (Photos)

The finishing touches are on the 5-story condominium building at 4825 Montgomery Lane in downtown Bethesda. This building contains 4 luxury units, each comprising an entire floor of the building. The ground floor of the stick-built project houses 4 individual, private garages, one for each resident. It's been interesting to watch this unusual and unique project come together over the last 18 months. Also interesting - you're not allowed to smoke within 25 feet of this building.

Resident No. 4's private door
to his/her private garage -
to the Batcave, Robin!

Robberies in downtown Bethesda, Randolph Hills; sex assaults in Grosvenor, Pike & Rose - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 3, according to crime data:

Robbery. 7300 block Wisconsin Avenue at 1:09 AM.

Theft from vehicle. 4400 block Montgomery Avenue.

Theft. 4400 block East-West Highway.

Theft. 5500 block Devon Road (Bradley Hills).

Theft. 5400 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Sexual assault. 5700 block Grosvenor Lane at 9:50 PM.

Theft. 5400 block Tuckerman Lane.

Robbery. 11600 block Ashley Drive (Randolph Hills).

Theft. Westfield Montgomery Mall.

Theft. 11500 block Old Georgetown Road (Pike District).

Sexual assault/"Other sexual offense." 900 PerSei Place at 6:57 AM (Pike & Rose).

Johnston & Murphy opens at Westfield Montgomery Mall (Photos)

Johnston & Murphy, which sells shoes, apparel, leather goods and luggage, has opened at Westfield Montgomery Mall.

I found out that they are a subsidiary of Nashville-based Genesco, and I used to shop at the Genesco factory store often when in Music City, U.S.A. And I got some great deals on very high-quality shoes, boots and other items there.

So this might well be worth checking out. Genesco is a brand name I put a lot of trust in based on past experience.

Theft at Walter Reed, car broken into on Oakmont Ave. + more - Bethesda crime update

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

Theft. 7700 block Woodmont Avenue.

Theft. 7600 block Old Georgetown Road.

Theft. 7300 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Theft. Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Theft. 5100 block River Road.

Vehicle burglary. 5500 block Oakmont Avenue.

Theft. 5400 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Theft. 100 block Quincy Street (Martin's Additions).

Theft from vehicle. 7100 block Whittier Boulevard.

Theft. Westfield Montgomery Mall.

J. Crew closed for renovation until August at Westfield Montgomery Mall (Photo)

Bethesda residents who favor a preppy look may find the opening of Vineyard Vines at Westfield Montgomery Mall to have been perfect timing. That's because the J. Crew store at the mall is going to be out of commission for most of the summer. The store is undergoing a major renovation over the next 2 months, and will reopen on August 3.

The length of the closure does get the Spider Sense tingling, with the recent struggles of J. Crew in mind. However, I've heard very positive comments about recently remodeled J. Crew outposts in New York City and Miami, so stay tuned.

MoCo Transit Authority public hearing trying to limit number of speakers to 40

A public hearing on perhaps the most controversial issue in Montgomery County - the proposal for an unelected Independent Transit Authority with unlimited taxing power to fund an equally-controversial $5 billion Bus Rapid Transit system - won't give every citizen a chance to speak, it turns out. A document uploaded to the County Executive's Transit Task Force website now says the number of speakers will be capped at 40. To quote the document, "It is planned that 40 people will be able to present their views during the Public Forum."

Other troubling details:

A May 23 memo from County Attorney Marc Hansen leaves gigantic loopholes you could drive a (rapid) bus through.

It claims, for example, that the unlimited eminent domain authority the ITA would wield is limited by Bill MC 24-15.

Not true.

Hansen states that the legislation "places an indirect limitation on the Transit Authority’s power to condemn, because it requires that the Authority submit a 6-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) to the County for approval."

Whoops. Check out the actual legislation posted on the TTF website. On Page 5, Item 6 of the proposed legislation, it only says that the County "may include a requirement" for submission of a 6-year CIP. "May" does not equal "requires".

It also does not require the ITA to submit any budget for review by anybody. On Page 6, section II, it clearly states this: "MAY NOT REQUIRE THE TRANSIT AUTHORITY TO SUBMIT ITS CAPITAL OR ITS OPERATING BUDGET TO THE COUNTY FOR APPROVAL" (italicized emphasis mine).

To that broader lack of accountability, later in the memo Hansen clearly admits "The legislation specifically prohibits, however, the County from requiring the Transit Authority to submit its capital and operating budgets to the County for approval."

One other controversial provision Hansen does acknowledge is the proposed power of the ITA to create unlimited debt. This provision will, in Hansen's words, "prevent debt incurred by the Transit Authority from being considered as County debt by bond rating agencies."

Do the math - unlimited debt, with no fear from County Council members of losing their AAA bond rating. Unlimited power by the ITA to raise taxes on you to pay back their unlimited debts. What could possibly go wrong, right?

Well, conversely, how about if the ITA somehow went bankrupt? Who would be left holding the bag for an unlimited amount of debt? It seems that the taxpayer loses under any outcome.

The document notes that state legislation may be written to create the taxing authority as soon as early September. It states that a second public hearing will be held in September, as well.

Written statements are being encouraged by the document, which civic activists recognize are utterly useless, as the general public and media rarely examine written statements submitted at these hearings. If it isn't heard live, or reported in the media afterward, it essentially is the proverbial tree falling in the forest.

That's what makes the attempt to limit the number of speakers so troubling. And let's not forget how those driving this agenda stacked the speaking list last time with government/elected officials and others who stand to financially profit from BRT. They could entirely squelch the public at this one, if they simply took up as many of those 40 slots as possible.

Important to note if you plan to (try to) speak at this forum - you must sign up online by noon on June 17, by calling 240-777-7165. The hearing will begin at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, June 17 in the 3rd Floor Council Hearing Room at the County Council office building, located at 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville.

In an interesting footnote, the White Flint 2 Sector Plan launch meeting has been postponed to June 22 now, as citizens realized it was scheduled for the same time as the ITA hearing:

Morley to take over Ginger Boutique space at Bethesda Row

Fashionistas lamenting the July 15 closing of Ginger Boutique have something to look forward to: the opening of a new boutique in that 7114 Bethesda Lane space this August. Morley, a Florida-based independent fashion retailer plans to open there August 1.

Once Ginger closes, the space will undergo a complete transformation, Periwinkle/Morley Vice President Megan Knott said today. This will be Delray Beach-based Morley's first location outside of Florida, and Knott says "we couldn't be more excited to land it in Bethesda."

Speaking of beaches, Morley's apparel, accessories and home items reflect a coastal resort style that Knott promises they will also "winterize" for year-round appeal in Bethesda. Bottle openers, tableware, gifts and decor items share nautical and ocean themes. Morley's apparel comes from modern brands that reflect a classic sophistication, with a fun and colorful resort living vibe.

That apparel isn't just for ladies, as Morley offers a line for men as well. You can get a preview of everything they carry in their online store and on Facebook.

You can also check out their Instagram accounts at @morleydelray and @periwinklepics.

Progress on new Wisconsin Avenue crosswalk in Bethesda (Photos)

One of the dangerous pedestrian crossings in downtown Bethesda that is being addressed is the one that crosses MD 355 at 6900 Wisconsin Avenue. Among the foot traffic drivers here are the popular Trader Joe's, as well as the US Post Office across the street.

Work has been concentrated on the island portion of the crossing recently, in the middle of the street.

This spot has been an embarrassment for some years now, due not only to the dangerous crossing, but also to the failure to ensure functional access for the disabled to the new post office. Which doesn't have drive-up drop boxes, either.