That 70s Building, a.k.a. The Gallery at Bethesda, continues to climb skyward between Del Ray and Auburn Avenues in downtown Bethesda.
Donohoe is on target to be the first developer to deliver a luxury residential building in the post-recession Bethesda building boom.
It's only April, but it feels like June. Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row to the rescue, with some new, icy drinks to cool off with in downtown Bethesda.
Dunkin' Donuts at Bethesda Row has 2 new iced coffees with Baskin Robbins ice cream flavors.
Enjoy a Mint Chocolate Chip or Butter Pecan iced coffee today on Bethesda Avenue. And enjoy it with some trivia: Long before Haagen Dazs, Baskin Robbins was the king of major ice cream chains in Bethesda. Competing with Swensen's (which took a wrecking ball in the now-demolished Bethesda Square Shopping Center) and Gifford's, Baskin Robbins served up 31 flavors and ice cream cakes at 2 Bethesda locations: Arlington Road (wrecking ball again - it was in a strip shopping center where the Bethesda Row Giant stands today), and in the Westwood Shopping Center on Westbard Avenue.
My question to Dunkin' Donuts: How about Peanut Butter and Chocolate or Baseball Nut as the next iced coffee flavor?
For a decidedly more adult beverage, head to Plaza del Sol on St. Elmo Avenue.
There you will find the Margarita Loca, which you can order frozen or on-the-rocks. Flavors include Strawberry and Lime.
Stay hydrated!
Here's something new to try for dinner tonight: Wendy's new Asiago Ranch Grilled Chicken Flatbread sandwich. I stopped by the Wendy's on Rockville Pike last night to try it out myself.
Here's my review, including a zoomed-in closeup of all the fillings in the sandwich: lettuce, salad greens, bacon, tomatoes, grilled chicken breast, Asiago cheese and ranch dressing.
Don't forget the artisan bread, which is one of the strong points in Wendy's attempt to challenge upscale competitors like Panera Bread.
The developer of a mixed-use project on the former site of the Arlington Road post office in Bethesda is wasting no time.
After demolishing the post office building, crews are now beginning the excavation process.
Oops. They've also ripped the Adopt-a-Road sign out of the ground and thrown it aside. Arlington Road's foster parents are not getting their money's worth.
You can finally see a structural resemblance to the artistic renderings at the future site of Roof, a rooftop bar and restaurant opening this summer in Bethesda.
The building housing Roof, Norfolk-Cordell II, is being constructed at the corner of its namesake avenues.
Be alert for signs prohibiting on-street parking around downtown Bethesda later this week.
Starting Thursday, Montgomery County will be conducting Spring street sweeping operations in Bethesda. As you can see from this sign along Woodmont Avenue, you may not be able to park on certain streets during that period.
Signs are popping up now, so plan ahead if you utilize downtown street parking.
You may have seen Bethesda Urban Partnership's street sweeper before. It makes regular rounds to keep downtown Bethesda clean. But the county sweeper is doing a more-thorough cleaning. Hence, the parking restrictions.
There goes another Bethesda small business.
After 17 years, Cookies by Design at 4913 Cordell Avenue has closed permanently.
The store received negative publicity on television and in newspapers last month, when it was briefly closed by county health inspectors, who reported finding mice and roaches.
Although the shop passed a second inspection, it has now closed by the owner's accord.
Enjoy lunch or dinner in Bethesda during Thai Restaurant Week, starting this Wednesday, April 10, and running through next Wednesday, April 17.
The annual event is organized and sponsored by the Royal Thai Embassy's offices of Commercial and Agricultural Affairs, in Washington, D.C.
Participating restaurants in Bethesda are:
Bangkok Garden, 4906 St. Elmo Avenue, 301-951-0670.
Sala Thai, 4828 Cordell Avenue, 301-654-4676.
Tara Thai Bethesda, 4828 Bethesda Avenue, 301-547-0488.
Whether you are a beer novice who wants to learn, a Samuel Adams aficionado, or just a single person searching for an interesting event in downtown Bethesda, Beer 101 is worth signing up for.
Samuel Adams brewery representatives will be talking about all aspects of making and tasting beer at this April 18 event.
The cost is $20, and you must be 21 or older to attend. It will be held at 6:30 PM, Thursday, April 18, in the Share Wine Lounge and Small Plates Bistro in the Doubletree Bethesda Hotel.
This is one of the hotel's "Singles Appreciation Night Events" (S.A.N.E.).
The early renderings and work on the outdoor patio area at Aroma Espresso Bar in Bethesda are finally being converted into reality. As you can see in this photo, it won't be long now.
Patio furniture is out, and this is sure to be the coolest place to hang out with friends at Westfield Montgomery Mall this summer.
You may have noticed the paper window coverings at the building pictured below, on the plaza level of the Bethesda Metro Center.
It is currently being renovated by and for Streetsense, a rapidly-growing Bethesda firm that does everything from real estate to branding to design/architecture and development consulting. Its current HQ is at 4600 East-West Highway, but it will move to this new building when renovation is completed.
Check out this video to see the actual detonation of explosive charges yesterday, at the 4500 East-West Highway construction site, from high above the site. Thanks to a very helpful reader for forwarding this. Blasting will resume Monday morning after 10:30 AM.
EXCLUSIVE
Update 5:10 PM:
The news that Max Brenner is opening a new chocolate bar concept at Bethesda Row has chocolate lovers in the DC area abuzz.
Today, Max Brenner's CEO is making his first public comments about the Bethesda Row outlet here on Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row:
“Bethesda Row has unique style and taste and we’re excited to introduce it to our chocolate culture. The location will premiere our new and exciting pure Chocolate Bar, a concept that focuses heavily on our famous sweets, desserts, pastries and beverages. We look fotward to delighting Bethesda and the entire DC metro area with all of Max’s sweet icons.”
- Sam Borgese, CEO, Max Brenner
Contrary to initial assumptions I had, based on existing Max Brenner outlets and their menus, we are getting a unique and separate concept here at Bethesda Row.
Stay tuned, chocoholics of Bethesda, for more Max Brenner Chocolate Bar news!
Just in time for the weekend, I have a video review of the newest DiGiorno frozen pizza product at Giant, DiGiorno Pizza Dipping Strips.
This is basically a DiGiorno pepperoni pizza sliced into 4 breadstick-size strips. You get a small, plastic pocket of marinara sauce to dip the strips in. All of this you can heat up in the microwave.
The serving size per person is 2 strips, but that portion is unlikely to satisfy a grown adult. Yet eating all 4 strips is a tremendous amount of salt and fat. So, you will definitely want to pick up a somewhat healthier side item to have with these, if you are trying to reduce your salt and fat intake.
BAROOOOOM!
Contractors will be blasting today at the 4500 East-West Highway construction site, former home of the Bethesda McDonald's.
Detonations will occur between 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM.
If you are within 300 feet of the site, you can expect to hear an underground roar, and feel vibrations. (In my experience, it can be heard further than that!). There will be an audible alert prior to blasting, a second alert just before detonation, and an all-clear signal after detonation. You know the drill.
Blasting is expected to resume again on Monday, same Blast time, same Blast channel. This will likely go on all next week.
What's going on, is that excavators struck an area of solid rock at the southern end of the site when digging. This is not unusual, given the geological makeup of the ground under Bethesda, or Montgomery County, in general. Blasting is now necessary to complete excavation.
One of the ubiquitous rug shops on Wisconsin Avenue - Arut Oriental Rugs - has closed its doors.
A new tenant, Ultimate Home Design Center, is moving in. Designed as a one-stop decorating and remodeling center, the store is opening just as Bethesda real estate is heating up again.
UHDC is located at 7942 Wisconsin Avenue.
VIP Outdoor has closed its doors at Bethesda's Westfield Montgomery Mall. Given that the store primarily sold high-end, winter outerwear, this was probably the plan all along.
The store's operator, David Castain, is one of Washington D.C.'s top young entrepreneurs. Castain recently announced that he has been accepted into a postgraduate program at Georgetown University.
First the Israeli equivalent of Starbucks opened in Bethesda. Now "Startup Nation" is bringing us the Israeli equivalent of Willy Wonka.
When you hear that Max Brenner started in 1986 in Ra'anana, Israel, your first thought might be, "so this is the Godiva of Israel." But Godiva's staid mall outposts have not prepared you for the chocolate experience of Max Brenner.
Co-founder Oded Brenner embraces the Wonka comparison, saying that he wants customers to experience a "3-D" world of chocolate. Brenner has been quoted saying, "I have freed chocolate from its cage."
Your chocolate addiction may reach new extremes when you purchase a chocolate-filled "syringe," made to squirt into your mouth, from the restaurant's gift shop.
What can you expect to find on Max Brenner's chocoholic menu?
* Waffle fries dusted with chili powder and cocoa powder
* Chocolate burger
* Chocolate pizza
* A romantic chocolate fondue menu for two
* Max's White Russian (the restaurant's signature cocktail, made with Absolut Vodka, Kahlua, and white chocolate, served on the rocks)
* Illegal Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Pancakes
* The Brenner Burger (with secret BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese and Vidalia onion)
* Really Cheesy - Really Crunchy Mac & Cheese
* Crepe Brulée & Sugar Waffle
* Urban S'mores
* The Melting Chocolate Truffle Heart Cake and Shake (Milk and white chocolate heart-shaped cake served with vanilla ice cream, berries and an iced milk chocolate "shot")
* Chocolate Chunk Pizza (choice of toppings includes hazelnut, peanut butter and/or marshmallow)
* O.M.G. Chocolate Chunk Cookies (served with whipped cream, berries and melted chocolate)
The pizza was featured on Food Network's Best Thing I Ever Ate.
This decadent menu arrives in a Bethesda Row-appropriate package: Brenner not only learned chocolate-making in Paris, but says Max Brenner is ultimately a fusion of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory and a Parisian café. Which fits the Row's faux-European atmosphere perfectly.
Of course, each Max Brenner restaurant features location-specific menu items, so some surprises are in store.
Save Metro fare to Coco Sala in the District, as Max Brenner may satisfy your chocolate addiction closer to home.
Enjoy the Miacomet sandwich during April at Jetties Bethesda.
Named after yet another Nantucket Island landmark, the Miacomet features roasted pork, broccoli rabe, fried shallots, and apricot Dijon mustard, all on a toasted sub roll.
Another great lunch or dinner from Jetties, for a limited time only.
A solution to the Capital Crescent Trail tunnel problem once considered unthinkable is back on the table again. And it could leave downtown Bethesda residents without a mainstream movie theater.
The owners of the Apex Building, home of Regal Bethesda 10 theaters, are offering to demolish the building in exchange for a high-density development opportunity on the same site. This would require a Master Plan Amendment that would leapfrog over the much-delayed Bethesda sector plan revision. Obviously, that is a separate controversy in itself.
But what many may not realize - with "Apex Building" not exactly a household name - is that the wrecking ball would also demolish Regal Bethesda 10 in the process.
It's hard to believe, but Bethesda residents once had to travel far (Congressional Plaza, MacArthur Boulevard, Jenifer 1 & 2, Georgetown Square, etc.) to see a first-run movie at a theater. By the 1980s, only the Baronet 2 (in the now-demolished Bethesda Square shopping center with Swensen's Ice Cream) and Bethesda Cinema and Drafthouse were still operating downtown.
United Artists Bethesda opened nearly 25 years ago in the brand-new Apex Building. The Apex is an "air-rights" building constructed over the former CSX railroad right-of-way. Where the Apex stands today was once a sheer drop-off from a bridge that carried Wisconsin Avenue over the tracks. I can remember looking over the railing of this bridge in the 1980s, hoping a train would emerge. More often, a homeless man would emerge instead. The Chessie System train usually made one round trip per day at that time, so there was very little rail traffic.
Anyway, "UA" was a big deal at the time here. And for many years, it was well-managed by the formally-dressed manager who was a nightly presence in the lobby. He ran a tight ship, and they actually had something called, "ushers."
Eventually, the AC unit became unreliable in Auditorium 10, stadium seating was added, and the efficient manager disappeared.
It went downhill after that.
Now operated by Regal, the multiplex is past its prime. But as far as a multiscreen theater, it remains the only game in town.
Should the Apex Building be torn down, Bethesda would have no mainstream theater. Contrary to the stated goal of reducing automobile trips, this would actually require more driving.
I'm not prepared to take a position yet on the Apex proposal, because it is very complicated, and I want to examine all the details first.
The general idea is to provide the tunnel space to allow both the Purple Line and the Capital Crescent Trail to run parallel beneath Wisconsin Avenue. Originally, the Purple Line was a single-track commuter rail concept. The Apex building was built to accomodate that. But planners have expanded the line to 2 tracks, leaving no room for the CCT despite politicians' promises to do so.
There are a number of pros and cons to weigh in this deal. And there is also the question of the special amendment, which could become a precedent for hundreds of future development projects.
But on the point of the movie theater, should the demolition go forward, the developer should be required to include a multiplex theater in the new project. Losing the existing Regal 10 - and not building a replacement - would be a major step backward for a "walkable" community.
Starr Hill IPA is the beer of the month at BlackFinn in Bethesda.
It earns an average score of 82 (good) on Beer Advocate, and comes from Charlottesville, Virginia.
Enjoy it for only $4 this month at BlackFinn.
The Majestic Bar and Grille has closed in Bethesda as of today, according to Chef Damon Hersh.
Open for about a year, the sports pub with gastropub aspirations will be remembered for bringing unusual regional favorites like poutine to Bethesda diners.
Formerly Gaffney's, restaurants have found the Wisconsin Avenue space challenging to succeed in. Both restaurants tried something different, and you have to give them credit for that.
The Lauren, an ultra-luxury boutique condo building, could replace The Hampden apartments, a gravel parking lot, and two houses along Woodmont Avenue between Hampden Lane and Montgomery Lane.
A 7-story building with 22 large units, The Lauren aims to be downtown Bethesda's most exclusive address. Private elevator entrances, a Mr. Drummond-style rooftop terrace, and a 24-hour concierge are just a few of the amenities residents will enjoy.
An amendment to the existing site plan that would allow balconies has been submitted by prominent development attorney Jody Kline.
Although by no fault of the Lauren's developer, once again we witness not only the loss of existing affordable housing in downtown Bethesda, but the betrayal of decade-old promises by the county council.
Over ten years ago, the Arlington Road corridor was planned to have more affordable apartments. Ironically, it has ended up being home to - literally - the most expensive and exclusive residences in downtown Bethesda.
This is why I always say to ignore what Montgomery County councilmembers say, and pay attention to what they actually do.
They say they want young people to live in Bethesda.
But they're knocking down what little affordable housing is left.
This is not as bad as the Battery Lane disaster. But it's worth doing the math, folks.
"Smart" growth advocates tell us overdevelopment is about creating affordable housing.
The Hampden currently contains 12 units with rents of $1100-1575.
The Lauren will house 15% MPDUs. With 22 units, that comes to 3 MPDUs by my calculation.
In total, then, this project represents a net loss of 9 affordable housing units in Bethesda.
Again, this is in no way the fault of the developer of The Lauren. It sounds like it's going to be a fabulous place to live, literally across the street from Bethesda Row.
The fault lies squarely with the planning and zoning decisions made by the county council - the buck stops there, at least in theory.
Here are some photos of what's there now, and some renderings of what The Lauren will look like:
You're invited to enjoy food, wine and fine art this Thursday afternoon, at the grand opening of Evers & Co.'s new downtown Bethesda office. Please RSVP as instructed on the invitation if you would like to attend:
Do you love to attend Washington Nationals games, but hate being a sardine at the mercy of inept WMATA on Metro? Or - even worse - having to wait for yet another shuttle transfer, when Metro shuts down stations between Bethesda and Nationals Stadium on weekends?
I have good news for you: DC Hopper, the same company that has made getting to DC nightclubs from Bethesda easier, is now launching a Bethesda Nationals shuttle to weekend Nationals home games.
The DC Hopper bus will leave 2 hours before the scheduled first pitch from in front of Caddies on Cordell, at 4922 Cordell Avenue in downtown Bethesda.
You can either reserve seats in advance on the DC Hopper website (definitely the smartest way to go) or show up early in front of Caddies.
You can - literally - "pre-game" at Caddies, but only non-alcoholic beverages are allowed on the Hopper buses. No food is allowed on the bus. Who needs food, when there is so much great food available at the stadium.
After a pressure-free ride into SW DC, you will be dropped off outside the First Base Gate at 1st and Potomac Avenue. This is the same spot where you'll be picked up 30 minutes after the game. And even if the night game goes for 30 innings, the DC Hopper will still be waiting for you 30 minutes after the game.
Once again, resourceful entrepreneurs are filling the vacuum of public transit with private transportation. New York City doesn't shut down its subway on weekends. Somehow, here it is not only acceptable to shut down a line during major weekend events, but they give the boss a raise for doing so! With trains still on manual, stranded passengers walking through tunnels, and yet another near miss incident, there are no tangible results from the weekend track work that is not only scaring away riders, but cutting revenue. You can't make money if you don't run trains!
Fortunately, with baseball season here, DC Hopper is offering us a convenient - if pricier - alternative, at $24 round trip.
Martini drinkers around Bethesda Row have spoken, and the drink they have voted the winner of the 2013 Bethesda Row Martini Madness contest is:
The Clouds Over the Cosmo Martini at Jaleo!
Stop in to celebrate with one tonight.
The new Ruffles Max Beer Battered Onion Rings potato chip promises "maximum flavor." Can a chip deliver the flavors of one of America's favorite side dishes? Watch my review and find out! I found these chips at Giant.
Excavation and grading continue at the Carr construction site at 4500 East-West Highway in Bethesda. Formerly a McDonald's restaurant, the site will now house a Class A office building.
It amazes me how these unwieldy machines work on and near these steep grades without ever taking an accidental tumble.
Contractors have been blasting a layer of rock on the south end of the site.
Say goodbye to the American College of Cardiology on Old Georgetown Road. The college's entire campus will be obliterated soon, if the Montgomery County Planning Board approves the Bethesda Mews development plan on April 11.
Bethesda Mews will be a residential subdivision of 29 single-family homes, 3 townhouse lots, and 2 duplexes. The duplexes are to look like single-family homes to skirt the Master Plan recommendation for SFHs along this part of Old Georgetown Road.
If you examine this duplex sketch below - I'm not fooled, are you?
A lot of green space is going to be lost with this plan, but at least it's not an urban "town center."
Camberley Avenue will be extended through the neighborhood to Alta Vista Road. It's going to be a nice place to live for the new residents, with the Bethesda Trolley Trail running right alongside. On the other hand, existing residents along Camberley will now have cut-through traffic to deal with.
One final note on this site: Bethesda Mews will be on, or in close proximity to, the former location of Bethesda Park. Bethesda Park was an 1890s amusement park on the trolley line at Alta Vista. The amusement park burnt down in 1897. It's a fascinating piece of Bethesda history for which, sadly, there is little-to-no memorabilia or detailed documentation.
