What's Up, June?

June is gettin' hot. Tons of events and so much to do in Downtown Silver Spring to close out spring and kick off summer. Here's a list of what's going down in the neighborhood. If you have an event, party, happy hour, sale, etc to add in DTSS, send it my way!

June 1, 9pm

I&I Riddim (reggae band) will be performing live outside on the patio of Piratz Tavern.  Also grand opening of the Tiki Bar. Drink specials all night long.

June 2, 1pm - 5pm
Taste the World in Fenton Village. There are 26 confirmed restaurants with prices ranging from $2 - $5 per taste. Check out some of my pics and restaurants I tasted at last year's event. This is a great opportunity for you to sample the neighborhood restaurants and what they have to offer. Pick up your passports at Fenton Village, located between Wayne, Georgia and Burlington avenues and Fenton Street. It's also the first year they'll have wine tastings as well. Two Maryland wineries will be represented Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyards and Black Ankle Vineyards. Here's the line up for bands this year:
12.30-1.10: The Blackjacks (Rock)1.30 - 2.10: Tahuantinsuyo (Andean Folkloric)
2.30 - 3.10: Dual Rhythm (Jazz)
3.30 - 4.10: Cafe y Caribe (Latin)
4.30 - 5:10: Soul Brazil (Brazilian / Bossa Nova) 1st set
5:40 - 6:30: Soul Brazil (Brazilian / Bossa Nova) 2nd set

June 8, 8pm
Kiki DC at The Fillmore. Presented by Pyramid Atlantic Arts. As per the event site, "more than 25 area artists and fashion designers have been selected to create original wearable art to be modeled on a runway before a panel of celebrity judges. Funds raised will support arts education programs for artists of all ages and abilities. Wearable Art is this years fashion show theme. Think paper dresses, colorful jackets made from crushed glass and bikinis made out of painted bottle caps. More than 25 area artists and fashion designers have been selected to create original wearable art to be modeled on a runway before a panel of celebrity judges."

June 9, 11am - 5pm
Taste of Wheaton. Prices ranging $1 - $5 per taste. Cooking demos from The Limerick Pub, The Washington Post Food and Travel, Green Plate Catering, and Hollywood East Cafe. (Not in DTSS, but just a metro stop away on the red line, Wheaton station.)

June 10, 6pm - 9pm
Blues Week Kick Off Party. Great Hall of the Silver Spring Civic Building.
$10. Purchase tickets here.

June 10, 3 - 5pm
Grand Opening of Starbucks Sheraton on Georgia. Free samples in the hotel lobby.

June 15, 10am - 9pm
5th Annual Blues Festival. On the Market Stage (Veterans Plaza) 10am to 3 pm and On the Fountain Stage (Ellsworth Drive) 3pm to 9 pm. Free! Bands and info here.

June 19 - 23
AFI Silver Docs. Individual tickets are $13; combo tickets are $100. Check out the program guide for scheduling. Look for the showings in the purple boxes for those at AFI. There are some really great features this year. I'm looking forward to 'Approved for Adoption', '12 O'Clock Boys', 'White Black Boy', and 'Rent a Family, Inc.'. There are so many great documentaries this year. Make time to support the neighborhood restaurants and catch dinner and a doc! 

Early to mid June. New restaurant opening - Pete's New Haven Style Pizza on Wayne Avenue. Delivery from day one!

June 22, 10am for kids and 11:30am for adults.
Free yoga by Sky House Yoga. At the Fenton Street Market on the plaza. Bring your own mat.

June 27. Lagunitas Draft Night. Scion Restaurant on East West Highway. As per City Paper, they will be "featuring several beers usually only served at the brewery's tap room." 

Early Summer.  Sweetgreen coming soon. I'll tweet an update as soon as I hear. On Georgia (old Living Ruff space).

What did I miss? Shoot me an email!

Keep it in the Neighborhood

Our neighborhood has a lot to offer. Here are a list of reminders to keep it local. Next time you might want to drive across town to go pick up a tool at Home Depot or you want to hit up to a restaurant in Bethesda, don't forget about all the great spots in our backyard:

Strosniders on Wayne Avenue is more than just a hardware store. They sharpen knives and scissors. You can buy Redskins packing tape or pick up a Lodge Cast Iron. They hold classes such as last year’s “Canning” seminar that taught one how to can jams and jellies. I recently scooped up an Adirondack chair for $29.99. and that’s the cheapest I’ve seen. 

Ulta on Ellsworth does more than just sell beauty products. They style hair and do nails. You’ll have to make an appointment though; it’s usually pretty busy since prices are reasonable.

Plaza Artist Materials & Picture Framing on Georgia is more than just an art & framing shop. They sell really cool gifts and trinkets. I’ve scooped up a few things for my nieces such as a travel color set and a paper dolls book. They carry fabric markers if you want to get creative on your t-shirts. You can also pick up a Make Your Own Comic Book Set, and Kikkerland Jumping Bugs.

There’s an Electric Vehicle Charging Station on East West Highway. It’s available 24 hours. Wish there were more cars that used it.

You can rent art studio space at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center. They offer 200 square foot studio space with free WiFi. Rent is $350 per month. Contact Jose, Executive Director.

You can drink a glass of merlot while you watch a movie watch at AFI Theatre. Wine and Beer are readily available at the cafe.

Mamma Lucia's sells Gelato! I always forget that since I only think pizza when I think of Mamma’s but they usually have about 8 flavors to choose from to include items such as creamsicle or strawberry cheesecake. 

There is now a Reddit Silver Spring online community. It's a great site to find out event info, news, random stories, pics, etc.

La Malinche on Colesville hosts a bottomless brunch on Saturdays and Sundays! This includes all you can drink and eat from a selection of tapas. It's often a little tougher to find brunch spots on Saturdays so spread the word!

Pacci's on Georgia has an awesome outdoor patio which is especially great for large parties. It’s often tough to find restaurants in DTSS that can cater to large groups let alone outdoors with good quality food. 

On The Purple Couch on Bonifant is an Annie Sloan chalk paint retailer. Her chalk paint is designed for furniture but can also be used on walls and paintings. So if you have a cool piece of furniture that could use some life and color – stop in and see Bahia, the shop’s owner who is always ready to help! 

The Society Lounge on Georgia has a nice spacious bar with lots of TVs to watch the games. You can also watch the games from many of their dining tables as well. I would recommend getting there early, as the bar can get crowded during big games. They also have a brunch buffet but only on Sundays for $25. For $10 more you get bottomless mimosas.

The Silver Spring meetup site http://www.meetup.com/cities/us/md/silver_spring/ has lots of activities and groups for locals. Some of the nearby groups I came across include The Silver Spring Writers Meet Up Group, The Metro Caribbean Expats Meetup Group, Meditation Museum, 30+ of Silver Spring, Thursday Night Silver Spring Badminton Meetup to name a few.

This is random, but Whole Foods in Silver Spring has an awesome selection of kids and baby toys. You can scoop up the coolest organic toys alongside flowers if you need to grab a quick gift. 

You can get a huge delicious bowl of Pho (picture here is actually the size small) for $6.99 at Lotus Cafe on Georgia.  It's tasty and legit. Great for a rainy day or to nurse a hangover. They also has a good size outdoor deck.

Sweet Menu Cover

Tropical Ice Cream Cafe on Georgia sells the most unique and bizarre flavors of ice cream. You can grab a scoop of Grapenut, Guinness, Apple Pie, Guava, Lychee, and Tamarind (seasonal). They also carry sorbet (no dairy) and sherbet. They make ice cream cakes but you have to pre-order them. They typically do “Flavor of the Month” so check in with them for flavors.

Woodside Methodist on Georgia welcomes all! 

Upcoming Events and What's on Deck in DTSS

Spring Brings New Restaurants

As spring slowly creeps in, more events start popping up. We also have a few new restaurants on deck.

So far we are waiting on Scion, La Madeleine (with a nice outdoor patio to come), Sweet Green, and Pete's New Haven Style Apizza. My most recent communication with the Scion folks a few weeks ago told me they were aiming for April. So we anxiously await…

I also noticed a new restaurant on Georgia not technically in Downtown Silver Spring, but definitely within walking distance located in that shopping center where 16th street ends – La Casa del Mofongo. It’s a Caribbean/Latin American restaurant and there is a Grand Opening sign but no date on the sign or their website so we’ll stand by. I noticed their website says delivery so I will add that to my “Delivery!" blog post once they are up and running.

I'm looking forward to NaiNai, a creation by Scion which is expected to be next door to their Downtown Silver Spring location offering Asian noodles and a dumpling bar. Opening date TBD.

Patios Opening Soon

Also to note - The Daily Dish's patio is opening soon. It's a great spot for Saturday & Sunday brunch and they have the "Make Your Own" Bloody Mary bar.

Golden Flame Pedro

Also recently saw on Twitter that the former chef from 8407 Kitchen Bar (Pedro Matamoros) has joined Golden Flame on Fenton. While I can neither confirm nor deny this allegation, I think we all can agree that this should be interesting. Can’t wait to hear more. 

Here's the Tweet:

Bryan Walton (@Be_Double_Love)3/20/13, 11:19 AM Chef Pedro Matamoros (Nicaro/8407 Kitchen Bar) And His Culinary Team Has Joined The Golden Flame. Stay Tuned For Menu Updates And More News!

What's Up at the Sheraton

Wanted to also mention Mica’s restaurant – opened last year at the Sheraton Silver Spring and they are now hosting daily happy hours with a great lunch/carry out menu. Located at 8777 Georgia Avenue.

Speaking of the Sheraton Silver Spring – in regards to the Starbucks “coming soon” sign they had up – they still don’t have a date. I'm gonna go ahead and write that one off for now...

Upcoming Events:

March 17– April 15 -  AFI, Korean Film Festival DC 
Celebrating films from South Korea. You can download the festival brochure here.

Saturday, March 23 – First Baptist Church of Silver Spring (Fellowship Hall)
8415 Fenton Street
Free Easter Egg Hunt
1-3pm

March 27 – Spring Sippers Cocktail Class, Jackie’s
6:30pm
$65 per person. They will demo 5 cocktails. As per their Facebook post, “The cost of the class includes a half portion of each demonstrated cocktail, light snacks, and a voucher for a free drink at Sidebar. Plus, soak up the all the booze with dinner at Jackie's before or after the class and we'll take 25% off your bill in the dining room.”
Call 301-565-9700 to reserve your space.

March 28 – Scotch Tasting Dinner, McGinty's
4 course meal. Call (301) 587-1270 for reservations

March 29 & April 14
With Two Pay-What-You-Can night at the Round House Theatre Silver Spring (March 29 & April 11).  Shows start at 8pm with the exception of the Sunday, April 7 & 14 shows which are at 2pm. Tickets are regularly $15 and are $10 for under 30. You can purchase tickets here.
Happenstance Theatre presents: VANITAS. Featuring Mark Jaster, Sabrina Mandell, Karen Hansen, Gwen Grastorf, Sarah Olmsted Thomas and Alex Vernon. For updates and info, check out the Vanitas progress blog. Get out and support our local venues, actors, and artists!
8641 Colesville Rd

Starting March 30 at La Malinche
La Malinche will begin doing a bottomless brunch on weekends from 11am – 2:30pm.
$30 unlimited brunch and tapas and drinks (must be ordered by entire table). Bottomless drinks include: sangria, draft beers, mimosas, and Bloody Mary. Reservations recommended at 301-562-8633.

April 13 & 14 – The 4th Annual Art Hop Takoma
11am – 3pm both days
From their website: "Art Hop Takoma will once again transform Old Takoma’s main street into a neighborhood arts district. The event will showcase a variety of art including photography, jewelry and wearable art, paintings, sculptures, installations, and a plethora of collage and mixed media works from dozens of artists in shops throughout Old Town, the Takoma Junction and Takoma DC. Enjoy a day or the entire weekend, but don’t miss Art Hop and the chance to see a sampling of local art like you’ve never seen before. On Sunday, hop on the Art Hop Trolley from 11am-3pm to make your way through the shops, restaurants and galleries of Old Takoma!"

Be sure to check out local Takoma Park photographer Selena Malott's exhibit. You can check out some of her pics on the Art Hop website. I met Selena in a photography group on Facebook and needless to say, she's amazing. Go see her work and support a local designer & photographer.

April 27 – DTSS Fountain Opening & Community Day
3 - 6pm
The fountain officially opens. Live music from local bands, face painting, giveaways, and more.

On Ellsworth

June 2 – Taste the World, Fenton Village
Check back closer to the date on their website for times and restaurants participating. More details to follow, but save the date!

And that's it for now. If you know of something new popping up or have an event in Downtown Silver Spring, shoot me an email!.

Delivery!

I know I’ve been slacking in the blogosphere for the past few months and that’s mainly due to my quasi hibernation in these winter months. Due to the weather as well, I've been relying more on delivery than I'd like to admit.

One of the things I love most about the Downtown Silver Spring are the international food options ranging in prices. Another great thing about this area is how everything is close, convenient, and easy to get to. That being said, if you’re not up for walking or venturing out on these cold and wintry rainy days and you’re just not ready to relinquish your squishy comfy couch, here are a few options for delivery:

Jimmy John's. “Gourmet Sandwiches.” You can order online and their website is really easy to navigate through. You can customize your sandwiches just how you like them. The only downside to their menu is that they don't offer warm sandwiches (so you won't go here to get a steak & cheese). Delivery is usually on a bike and they sandwiches are good. They close at 10pm.

CapMac. As per their Twitter feed, @CapMac is now delivering to Silver Spring. They deliver delicious mac & cheese from their food truck straight to your door. I had their Classic Mac & Cheese for lunch once and it was hearty and delicious. My favorite parts were the crumbled cheez-its on top and that it was $6. Check out their delivery menu from their FB page. Their hours state they are operating from from 5pm-9pm Mon-Thursday. 5pm-10pm Fri-Sunday. Note - they may still be cash only but this might be worth double checking with them, since that is something that can change any day.

Spring Garden. Ordering is really easy. You can do it directly from their Eat24 link on their website Once you set up your account, it takes seconds to re-order for future orders. They are accurate and consistent and best of all, they deliver sushi! Don't know how they keep it so fresh but it tastes great when it arrives. Minimum delivery $12.

Charm Thai. By far my favorite Thai restaurant in DTSS. Their ingredients are always quality and fresh and they really take pride in their food. They have a great menu. The dumplings and the curry puff are great. The crispy duck is outstanding. You can't get a bad dish here. Minimum delivery $15.

Soupergirl. In a nutshell, they are a local soup company based out of DC and they bring homemade kosher soup to your door. So, next time you decide you want to have soup (but not right away - it's for that following week delivery), this is the place to go. They have 52 reviews on Yelp with 4 stars. This is the deal: you have to place your order by Thursdays at 6pm to get your soup delivery that following week. Delivery for Silver Spring is on Tuesdays only alongside Potomac, North Bethesda, Shepherd Park, Takoma Park, Kemp Mill and Kensington from 1:30pm - 4:30pm. If you can't take a half day off work for your soup delivery, they have pick up locations and one includes Moorenko's on Georgia Avenue Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Ghar-E-Kabab. Indian and Nepalese cuisine. You can order by calling in to 301 587 4427 or via the Eat24 website. The food is good but pricey. For example, the Ghar-E-Kabab special with chicken, lamb, and shrimp will run you $26.99.

Flippin' Pizza. NY style pizza. You can order easily directly on their website. I've ordered from there once and never had any issues. They were prompt and we got exactly what we ordered. However, this Yelp reviewer mentioned they were really literal on their website when you order. So basically if you want cheese on your pizza, you have to select it (and not assume it comes on it). Perhaps keep that in mind when ordering and call in if you have any questions.

Andy's Restaurant. This is another easy to order online place, however, the options are plentiful and you can order the world. If you're ever craving General Tso, a cheeseburger, and a fish fillet with a side of crab cakes, wings, and gyros, this is your go-to. Oh, and they deliver coffee too with a ham and egg sandwich.

Angelico. They have a pretty decent menu and they deliver more than just pizza. The menu includes pastas, gyros, sandwiches, and rolls with a great list of appetizers. They are always consistent and timely. Great customer service!

Armand's. Deep Dish style pizza. You have to call in for your order: 301-588-3400. Good for when you have lots of people over since it's so filling and sometimes delicious (hit or miss).

Kao Thai. They feature a menu with lots of options as well as vegetarian dishes. $20 minimum. Friday & Saturday until 10pm. All other days until 9:30pm. 

Jerry's Subs & Pizza. Jerry's finally delivers. You can order through their online menu. 

As painful as it be and it breaks my heart, Urban BBQ is no longer delivering to our area.

In addition, last time I was in Taqueria Distrito Federal (who has yet to update their website to add the Silver Spring location), they mentioned they were working on getting delivery in the very near future.

I know there are options I’m missing so please feel free to chime in with comments or any suggestions that are MUST haves for this list! 

Why Won't They Bring Us Home?

Finally. A break in the DC to Silver Spring cab war has dawned upon us.

The December holidays and the first part of January led to a lot of functions and events where I roamed out and about often in DC, and I often found myself needing a cab to get back home.

Leaving Downtown Silver Spring is somewhat easy, as one can frequently walk over to the forever-in-progress transit center in front of Kitchen Bar and hop in a cab. Not sure why Sun Cab can't get their ish together and relay the call outs to the cabs. On numerous separate occasions, I've called them, asked for a cab, they say it will take about 15 minutes (I'm situated just 6 blocks away), and then I get a call back that "there are no cabs available at this time." So the last two of those unfortunate times, I've walked to Kitchen Bar (which I normally wouldn't mind in the spring/summer/fall, but there were some inclement weather days), to find a whole string of cabbies just chillin', looking for work. So the most recent time, I finally asked what's up with that. I told the cabbie about how I had called their main line and the cab driver said that unfortunately sometimes that happens, that the main line phones don't connect to them, and they just miss out on business. And here we are trying to support our local drivers.

Getting home late night after metro has closed, that's a different story. Why do DC taxis have such an issue bringing passenger to DTSS? It's not like we're in Fairfax, VA. We're literally 10 blocks outside of the city. What gives?! I even asked my last cab to take us to the border of DC and Silver Spring and we'd just walk. He thought twice about that and then changed his mind to NO! And in the event that they change their mind and bring you, it's a rip off cab fare and we're at their mercy. Not sure why this keeps happening. The one solution I've found to this (albeit an expensive one), is Uber. They are drama free, won't complain, and they'll get you home. You can order right from your phone with a touch of a bottom and they charge it on your credit card. They also include the tip on your card, so no cash is exchanged. The price to pay is based on supply and demand. If the demand is high, you could end up paying up as much as $52 (or much higher) from K Street, NW to Downtown Silver Spring but you're guaranteed a ride home. They show up within 10 minutes from when you call them and they drive black sedans. Is it worth it? If it's freezing cold out and you've been rejected by cab after cab and the metro is closed, yeah, it is.

Alas, recently Uber has introduced UberTaxi, the same service Uber provides, but this now includes hailing DC cabs through the Uber app and paying the $2 dispatch fee plus the cab fare. As per the nifty email they recently sent out to all their customers, "just like with our black car service, open up your Uber app and you can easily request a DC taxi, pay with your credit card, and do it all with just the tap of a button. In a nutshell, UberTAXI offers the reliability and convenience you expect from Uber at a lower cost, so you can pick exactly what kind of ride you need, whenever you need it." I will assume that this most likely forced joint partnership came from the DC Council, who had issues with Uber earlier this year. Not sure why they had the issues, when DC cabs have the business but REFUSE TO ACCEPT IT! Anyhow, I'll take it, if this guarantees me the ride home and I don't have to pay the inflated price. Also, one should note that you can only pick up UberTaxi from DC. The service isn't available yet from the VA/MD suburbs. Regular Uber, however, will pick you up from Downtown Silver Spring. The Uber application is easy to use and works well for both Taxis and Uber pick up.

But at least there are several options to get to and from Downtown Silver Spring:

Sweet pic taken by my brother-in-law, Mark

Silver Spring Metro - Red Line. Honestly - more recently, more than not, metro has just been unreliable on the weekends. With up to 45 minute waits due to construction and single tracking on the weekends, until they shape up and wrap that stuff up, we're just gonna have to deal. However, you can check on wmata's website for arrival times. Most of the time, that's accurate. If you have to be on time to something, I suggest to find a back up plan (that's how I ended up with the cabs a couple of times).

Metro Bus. If they are on schedule, Metro Bus might be one of the most feasible ways to get to DC. The Trip Planner will help you know where you need to pick up the bus, what bus to take, and exactly how much. It will estimate the time frame but I would recommend to tack on twenty minutes extra in addition to what they list for you.

Cabbie. The taxi cabs park in front of 8407 Ramsey Avenue. On Sun Cab's website you can either book ahead online, text them at 301-605-9222, or call them at 301-252-0575.

Zipcar. There are a few locations in DTSS that you can scoop up zipcar: 1200 East-West Highway, 8320 Georgia Avenue, 1701 East-West Hwy.

Greyhound Bus. For more information on times and schedules, visit their website.

Coming soon: Capital Bikeshare. Proposed location - Second Avenue to Spring Street and that the Second Avenue/Fenwick.

If there's anything else I may have missed, please let me know! I'll happily add it to the blog post. Just go ahead and shoot me an email.

A Little Bit of Spain and Mexico - La Malinche

As a follow up on my previous blog post, I finally had a chance to pop into La Malinche. They have a nice set up with appropriate art decor to their theme featuring the hybrid of the two cultures - Mexican and Spanish and they did a good job of portraying that. They have a nice bar set up on the left as you walk in.  On this fine Friday night in particular there were a few people watching soccer at the bar. It had a nice vibe to it and I was happy to see the restaurant pretty full.

I don't know that I would call the food Mexican and Spanish fusion, since in reality, the foods aren't "fused" together. For example, you won't find tacos de pulpo (octopus tacos), chorrizo al vino fajitas, or horchata sangria, however, you will find plates individually from each culture on one menu.

Service was great, food was good and consistent, and everything tasted fresh. The ham came out first and then 5 minutes later the rest came out all at once, which was a little too fast for tapas. My Portuguese father-in-law uses an expression for this style of food: "estas aqui a fazer sala," meaning one should take their time and dine as if hanging out in someone's living room. Of course we weren't looking to take up a table for hours and hours, but tapas are meant to be shared and enjoyed and are usually brought out a couple at a time. So in other words, slow your roll.

We started with the jamon serrano (ham) followed by the rest: albondigas a La Malinche (meatballs), patatas bravas (potatoes with spicy tomato and aioli sauce), fritura de bacalao (codfish croquette with potatoes and garlic aioli), and gambas a la cazuela (sauteed shrimp with wine and garlic). To drink: Traditional Sangria Tinta and a glass of the Malbec, recommended by our waiter. Both were great, although the sangria was a a little sweet for me but the boo enjoyed it just fine. My only qualms were: the tacos served (we didn't get these but we saw others) were the larger hard taco shells. I would expect the smaller more authentic soft corn tortillas for this type of restaurant. Also, the boo pointed out that if they left the heads still on the shrimp, it would kick them up two levels, but that's the Iberian in him talking. Although I definitely agree with him and he makes a great point, as one would then be able to suck out the delicious goodness out of the heads. 

The restaurant makes for a great addition to Downtown Silver Spring for a much needed tapas spot.  One will notice right away that the waiters and staff take pride in their product. I hope that our neighbors go out and continue to support this venue so it can be around for many years to come.
La Malinche

8622 Colesville Rd
Silver Spring, MD 20910Easily accessible via the red line metro (just a few blocks). Also there are two parking garages within walking distance that offer free parking on evenings, weekends, and holidays. The Spring Cameron Garage and Town Square Garage are the most convenient. 

Right at Home with Mexican Spanish Tapas

I had a chance to catch up with Jaime Jorto, one of the four owners of La Malinche, set to open on Colesville Road within the next few weeks. They don't have a set date yet, but they know it will definitely be before Christmas.

"La Malinche," fittingly named for the marriage of the cuisine the restaurant will feature, is termed after an Aztec legend for a woman from Mexico who played a role in the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Wiki legend has it she was Hernán Cortés' lover and that she gave birth to his first son, Martín, who was considered one of the first "Mestizos" (European and Indigenous American mixed baby), hence combining two fabulous cultures to form a tapas style restaurant.

I peeked into their dining room and it's looks good; tables are out, the bar is set, and it looks like they are just working on last minute details, artwork, etc. I did ask to peruse the menu and featured items but they are still making changes to it, so unfortunately I don't have much to report regarding what we can expect to chow down on.

They have a website up but it's not fully functional just yet. However, there's a picture of a nice looking slice of what appears to be prosciutto and cheese to whet our appetites. In my mind, there's an Iberian black hoof pig just chillin back in the kitchen waiting for his place in the sun. Obviously, since I don't have the menu, that's solely speculation and my wishful desire.

Jaime sounded really excited to be in Downtown Silver Spring. We're happy to have this new and unique restaurant in DTSS. I think it will fit in perfectly in our multicultural neighborhood.

La Malinche
8622 Colesville Road

Thanksgiving: Eat, Give, Shop, and Slug

Gratitude. Tradition. Lots of food, family, and friends - if you're fortunate. To some, Thanksgiving means catching up with old friends, feasting on traditional and non-traditional meals, catching up on sleep or watching re-runs of Curb Your Enthusiasm (me). But to others, it may not be different than any other day, especially if they have to work.  Reminder to thank those who might be working events, or at a movie theater, behind a kitchen, in a cop car, in the hospital, working late to make sure we have power or cable, or driving a cab or an ambulance. Those who are working so we can have our conveniences. Lots are working because they don't have a choice. Just a simple "thank you" is good enough to let them know we appreciate it.

Thanksgiving Day Meals

There's still time to order your Thanksgiving turkey or entire meal from Whole Foods. You can get your turkey fresh, cooked, or ready to cook. You can also get the entire meal to serve 16 for $189.99. They also have smaller meals depending on how many are dining.

On Thanksgiving Day, Mrs. K's Tollhouse Restaurant will be serving a 4 course meal for $55/person. They'll have turkey and ham as well as prime rib and other options. A reservation is strongly suggested. For details please contact the restaurant at 301.589.3500.

Twisted Willow Restaurant & Bar inside the Doubletree Hotel on Colesville will be doing a Thanksgiving Day buffet from 12noon - 6pm for $29. Kids under 4 eat free. You can check out their buffet menu on their Facebook page.

The Society Lounge confirmed they will be open on Thanksgiving evening, after 5pm. They will have some specials, but those are TBD. Check back for updates. 

C-C-Courage

After dinner, you can hit up AFI Silver Theatre on Thanksgiving night and see Wizard of Oz at 7pm. On Black Friday and Thanksgiving weekend, The Godfather will feature one showing per day: Fri, Nov 23, 4:00 Sat, Nov 24, 4:00 Sun, Nov 25, 8:00.

Shop Local

Fenton Street Market will be launching their first ever holiday street market on Small Business Saturday, November 24, running through the Saturday, December 22 (for last minute shoppers). Hours are 10am - 4pm and they will feature over 75 vendors. 

Donate Goods or Volunteer Your Time

The Fillmore is hosting the first annual "Giving Thanks" event on Thanksgiving Day. They will provide a free lunch at the venue for those in need from 11am - 2pm. They are currently looking for volunteers and donations (food and clothing). To volunteer, please call The Fillmore at 301.960.9999. 



The Wheaton Patch mentioned that the non-profit "A Wider Circle" still needs sponsorship for families who are less fortunate in Silver Spring, Aspen Hill and Wheaton. The center is located at 9159-C Brookville Road, Silver Spring. As per the article, the items they are requesting are low-sodium canned beans, yams, vegetables, collard greens, low-sodium gravy, stuffing mix, and cranberry sauce.

The Thanksgiving Parade on November 17 is still looking for volunteers. If you're interested, call 240-777-6821. The Thanksgiving Parade will start at 10am on Ellsworth and Veteran's Place. The parade will head South on Georgia and will end at Silver Spring Avenue. Don't forget about the road closures through 1pm on that route. Also, the Spring Street and Ellsworth garages are closed during the parade so plan other options for parking. The Silver Spring metro stop is just a few blocks away and that will be your best bet to avoid the cluster. 

Zombieween, Costume Parties, Discover the Taste of Silver Spring

Zombieween

This year won't be quite like last year, as mentioned by Silver Spring, Singular, most know by now, there will be no organized "Zombie Walk" like previous years. However, there will be so much else going on this weekend of 10/27 & 10/28! Check out Silver Spring Zombie Walk for a detailed list of events and more info on Zombie Night.

Don't forget McGinty's

On Saturday, October 27, in addition to the Zombie Assemblage at 8pm at Sidebar and the Dance-Off in the Back Room of Jackie's (ie the sideroom of SideBar) going on from 9pm - 12pm, Piratz Tavern is having Zombie Ball as mentioned on the Zombie Walk site. Or, at 9pm you can Zombie crawl to Quarry House Tavern, for drinks and then move onward to Halloween on Screen at AFI.

Also on October 27, McGinty's is having a costume party starting at 9pm. There will be prizes for best costume, creepy Halloween themed drink specials, and DJ Hawk will be throwin' down some dope boo beats. There is a $5 cover for this Halloween party.

Also going on Saturday, October 27, The Society Lounge on Georgia Avenue is having a Halloween Party with DJ Nica. They will have a Sexy Costume Contest and the winner gets a $50 bar tab. Party starts at 10pm. So, theoretically, you could compete in every costume party in the Downtown Silver Spring area on Saturday if you were a slutty Zombie...

Still Undecided on my Costume

I'm still undecided on what I will be for Halloween. Previous costume includes my all time cheapest and best costume idea I've come up with - the "Can you hear me now?" annoying people from the Verizon commercial. My sarcastic "The 1%" costume from last year wasn't nearly as popular as this group costume:

A few ideas that have crossed my path are: SunDrop girl from the commercial, a ghost (old school style), Vicki from Small Wonder - I'm wide open to suggestions on fun, creative, make at home costumes; there's still time. Creative minds, please send me your best suggestions! 

The Great Pumpkin

There's still time to get your pumpkin from the Pumpkin Patch at the Woodside Methodist Church. They still have lots of pumpkins so get out there and support the Boy Scouts! Woodside United Methodist Church
8900 Georgia Avenue

Discovering How Tasty Silver Spring Is

Tuesday, November 13 from 5:30pm - 8pm is the 8th Annual "Discover the Taste of Silver Spring." This event will be held at the Discovery Communications building. It's ages 21 and over (cash bar). Tickets seem a little steep, although your ticket includes all the tastes you can eat from many restaurants in the area. They are $60 for Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce members and $70 for non-members. However, if you buy your tickets before October 26, tickets are $50 for members and $60 for non-members. Note that the deadline for this event is November 7 and you must pre-register. They will not accept walk-ins at the door. For more info, visit or contact the Silver Spring Chamber. 

That's it for now! Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Your Right to Vote

Voting. It's your duty and your right. You gotta get out there and represent. Hopefully this info that I've compiled from various resources will help in knowing where to go and what to do.

Important dates to know

Last day to register: Tuesday, October 16, 2012
General Presidential Election - Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Where do I vote?

While here is a list of polling places list of polling places, (scroll down to page 5 of 6 for more of the locations in Downtown Silver Spring), the easiest way to find out where you vote is by looking at your voter registration card (if it is updated) and/or checking out this Polling Place locator provided by Montgomery County.

Am I registered to vote? I can't remember.

You can call 1-240-777-VOTE (Montgomery County Board of Elections) and follow the prompts:

• For information on registering to vote - prompt 4
• To confirm you are a registered voter - prompt 2
• Enter Date of Birth in 2 digit format followed by # sign
• Numerical portion (house number) of street address followed by # sign
• Then an automated guy will butcher your name - but you'll know you're registered.

Can I vote early? 

Yes. The Silver Spring Civic Building is one of the locations. Saturday, October 27, 1012 - Thursday, November 1, 2012 from 10am - 8pm (except Sunday, 12pm - 6pm).  Here is the link from Montgomery County with details/locations regarding voting early.

The following info below is directly from Silver Spring Center:

May I Register to Vote?

All residents of Montgomery County may register to vote, if they meet the following requirements:

• County resident
• United States citizen
• At least 18 years of age on or before the next General Election
• Have not been convicted more than once of a disqualifying crime
• Are not under a sentence imposed pursuant to conviction of an infamous crime
• Are not under guardianship for mental disability

Where Do I Register?

You can either print a Voter Registration Application and then mail it to your County Board of Elections. It has to be mailed or dropped by in person because it needs an original signature. See their website for their additional info, their address, etc.

Voter Registration Applications are available in Montgomery County at :

Montgomery County Post Offices
Montgomery County Public Libraries
Montgomery County Public Schools
Montgomery College Campuses
Montgomery County Government Regional Services Centers
Montgomery County Community Health Centers
Montgomery County Aging and Disability Services
Montgomery County MVA Offices
Montgomery County Licensing
Montgomery County Register of Wills

Voter registration applications are available from the Elections Office, 751 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville. Our office hours are 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday; telephone (240) 777-8500. You may have a form mailed to you by calling our 24-hour voter information line at (240) 777-VOTE and leaving your name and address after the recorded message.