Silver Spring, Singular

One More Sign

2010-07-27T08:54:00.006-05:00

It appears that the skateboarders' (and scooters'?) reign over the Veterans Plaza ice rink has come to an inglorious end after just three short weeks. The following sign has recently been posted in the plaza:

Two things about this sign:

A. Where does one obtain a permit to drink alcohol?*

B. I hate to be the Grammar Gestapo, but is it not "Veterans Plaza"? It is intended to honor all veterans, not just one, right? Or would that make it Veterans' Plaza? Confused.

*Yes, I know what this actually refers to.

Here's the (verbose) explanation from the Silver Spring Regional Center as to why this rule was implemented:

WHY WE MADE THE DECISION TO PUT A “NO SKATEBOARDING” SIGN ON VETERANS PLAZA

Skateboarding on Veterans Plaza has become the subject of much heated debate. The skateboarding community has embraced the Plaza as a place to skateboard. This has created tension in our community among many of our community members. There is no easy or perfect solution to this situation. Different groups in our community have very different opinions of “what is the right thing to do”. We have listened to many voices. We have had countless conversations and sought input from all segments of the community.

Our decision may not be the perfect decision; but, hopefully, it is a decision that most community members can live with. We commit to continue dialoging with all community members wanting to do so. Some issues remain unresolved – and we want to continue working on those issues.

We want to make sure that Veterans Plaza is a place welcoming of all community members. The Plaza is a place for all to come to, to gather, to enjoy. It is our public square. All community members should feel equally comfortable and equally welcomed in this shared space.

We all agree that skateboarding is a good, healthy activity. Our skateboarding community includes some of our finest youth, adults, and children of all ages. We want our skateboarding community to embrace Veterans Plaza. However, the activity of skateboarding itself is simply not an acceptable activity on the Plaza. The same could be said for many other perfectly good, healthy activities that other community members may engage in elsewhere. The activities themselves are ok - but not on the Plaza… Again, all community members are welcome on the Plaza. However, the activities that community members engage in on the Plaza must be regulated.

The activities that community members sharing the space engage in on the Plaza should be activities that are embracing of other community members. Of course, criminal activity – or activity that is intentionally disruptive and/or destructive - has no place on our Plaza and will be dealt with expediently. (Let’s be clear: Skateboarding is neither a criminal activity nor intentionally disruptive or destructive.)

Activities that are unintentionally disruptive or destructive are more difficult to deal with, and pose a different challenge. Beyond that, even activities that claim a particular part of the Plaza for exclusive daily use by a segment of the community can create unwarranted tension among community groups with different interests.

In the short time since the Plaza opened, skateboarding on the Plaza has been viewed by some as a harmless, welcomed ‘free entertainment’. This has been evidenced by the crowds of ‘spectators’ seating around the steps of the ice-rink enjoying the skateboarders doing their thing. Others have seen it as a hindrance to their enjoyment of the Plaza because of the constant loud pounding noise of skateboards on the cement and the use of the brick and pavers areas as a runway to jump onto the ice-rink area, impeding pedestrian flow. Many skateboarders have respected this and have limited their skateboarding to the ice-rink area. However, not all skateboarders have embraced this limitation.

An unfortunate unintentional consequence of skateboarding on the Plaza is the physical damage being caused to the facility. Skateboarding on the Plaza has –unintentionally - caused damage to the handrails; has already begun to wear down the wooden benches; and have chipped away some of the concrete steps. We are sure that it is not the intent of the skateboarders to cause this damage. Yet, allowing the activity of skateboarding everywhere on the Plaza inevitably leads to damage of certain parts of the facility. Most skateboarders have respected staying away from the rails and benches. However, it is simply impossible to monitor or regulate this on an on-going basis, or get this message to all new skateboarders consistently in time to avoid this unintended damage.

The safety of the skateboarders is another issue. The Plaza was simply not designed as a skate park. Therefore, skateboarders have ingeniously found ‘challenges’ that may put them at risk of serious injury. Some have tried to ‘jump’ from the wall above the ‘skatehouse’, which is at least 10 feet tall. This is simply a very dangerous thing. Again, consistently and successfully regulating this activity goes well beyond the scope of what the operation of this Plaza was ever intended to be.

Fortunately, as of Friday, July 30th , a new skate spot opens in Woodside Park, less than ½ mile from Veterans Plaza (a comfortable 5 minute ‘skateboard’-walk away.)* This new skate spot is adjacent to other athletic opportunities, including basketball, handball, and tennis – as well as areas in which to simply sit and enjoy the ambiance. Additionally, there is a skate park being planned in Takoma Park, about a mile south of Veterans Plaza.

We understand that some may view the Woodside Park new skate spot as an incomplete solution. If you feel this way, we want to continue working with you on a broader, more comprehensive solution to the issue of skateboarding in Silver Spring. If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions, (or want to get together as a group) please contact me anytime. To start, I invite you to come by the Civic Building this Wednesday, July 28th at6:30 p.m. to discuss ‘where we go from here’.

Silver Spring Unplugged

2010-07-27T08:10:00.005-05:00

Day 3 and still without power (I think). After returning home from work yesterday evening and confirming our power had yet to be restored, I bailed on my sweat lodge for the night in favor of a more temperate abode. I haven't been back this morning, but based on what I've seen elsewhere I'm skeptical that the electricity is back up and running on my street. I commuted up River Road this morning and the power was out from the D.C. line to at least the Beltway entrance. There's clearly a lot of work yet to be done in Montgomery County.

Apparently I am supposed to get some idea of what's going on from this Pepco map. If someone can translate for me, please do.

When the lights eventually do come back on, I intend to blare this out my window in celebration:

Signs, Signs, Everywhere There's Signs

2010-07-22T19:42:00.011-05:00

Here's some informative/amusing signage I spotted in downtown Silver Spring this evening...

Based on this sign posted on their door, it would appear that the Upscale Pharmacy is the latest Retail Fail in downtown Silver Spring. It just moved to this location across from Whole Foods last year. No idea if they plan to re-open elsewhere.

I spotted this wonderful context-free handmade cardboard sign lying in a gutter just outside the defunct pharmacy. I have half a mind to make it the new header of this blog.

Finally, just a block away at the intersection of Cedar and Ellsworth can be found this no less egregious misspelling - on a "Montogomery" County issued sign, no less.

Seriously?

On a side note, the po-lice were definitely out in force in Downtown Silver Spring, and not just in cruisers. There was a noticeable increase in foot and bike patrols in the area, and they were active. I saw them disperse some skateboarders using an (open for traffic) Ellsworth Dr. as their skate spot:

The skaters had been displaced from their new home at the ice rink, as there was a concert scheduled there tonight. (By a classic rock cover band that wasn't half bad, actually.) As I was leaving, I noticed they had found a new home behind the Civic Building.

Also, a bunch of other kids seemed to be getting citations (and a dressing down from officers) for some other infraction:

And finally, I would like to extend a big thank you to "Montogomery" County for installing crosswalks on Dale Drive, thereby lowering the likelihood that I will be killed on my way home from downtown S.S.

Toy Story

2010-07-15T14:09:00.006-05:00

Out of nowhere, it would appear that one retail vacancy in downtown Silver Spring may be filled as of this weekend. A Toys R Us Express will occupy the spot formerly used by Golf Etc at 8504 Fenton Street.

A Toys R Us Holiday Express in a mall.

What is Toys R Us Express? From what I was able to find, it is the name used by TRU for smaller, temporary holiday stores that have done well enough to justify their continued existence into the new year. Of course, as this location is being opened up in July, their plans appear to be to operate this location as a year-round store.

I hope it's nothing like KB Toys (which TRU bought after that chain failed). Those places were terrible.

Save the Date: Third Annual Silver Spring Zombie Walk

2010-07-15T13:34:00.007-05:00

Photo from last year's Zombie Walk from Flickr user M.V. Jantzen

Circle your calendars: The Third Annual Silver Spring Zombie walk has been scheduled for Saturday, October 23rd!

I'll post additional details here as they become available, or check the official event site and the Facebook event page for updates.

Baja Fresh Incident Follow Up, Plus: Sir Chompsalot

2010-07-15T08:08:00.014-05:00

So what, if anything, are the authorities going to do to try and prevent occurrences of the type that took place in Silver Spring on Monday evening? I do believe an incident of this magnitude is rare, particularly outside of weekend nights, and it won't have any effect on my behavior as far as visiting DTSS. Regardless, based on the tone of my post's comments section and comments on my neighborhood message board, people are pretty upset about it. It would probably behoove the local authorities to at least take some small, noticeable measures to make people feel more secure downtown.

In the process of making a list of potential solutions, I realized I had already written that post two years ago. I advise reading it if you already haven't. (Incidentally, I believe that 2008 post holds the current record for most comments at 126.) The points I made there are still relevant today. My favorite of the bunch remains Segway cops, though I hear the county may have sold those machines off.

In fairness to the police, it should also be noted that according to an eyewitness who commented on my previous post, it did not actually take cops ten minutes to arrive on the scene. In fact, they were apparently there fairly quickly. Of course, this begs the question as to why the behavior was allowed to occur in the first place if police were around, only being halted when it escalated into physical assault.

One thing a concerned citizen could do is to attend today's Silver Spring Urban District Advisory Committee Meeting, which takes place at 3:30 in the Urban District Office, located on the 3rd floor of 8110 Georgia Avenue. Of course, most working folks can't make it to a mid-afternoon meeting. For anyone that does go, please let us know if this subject is broached and if so, what the outcome of the ensuing discussion is.

UPDATE: Here's an article from the Gazette on this and other recent crimes.

Also:

I'm delighted with the ubiquitous use of my "Chompy" nickname when referring to Discovery's inflatable shark. Best of all is the fact that he is being referred to as such within Discovery itself, even if their spelling varies somewhat. My only regret is not bestowing a more amusing nickname, such as "Sir Chompsalot".

As a subject, Chompy has become a particular favorite among photographers, both amateur and professional. Discovery is sponsoring a Chompy photo contest through Express Night Out, with entries being accepted through July 26th.

Photo by Tom C.

In addition, Discovery has a couple local events and promotions planned around Shark Week:

- Outdoor Screening of Ultimate Air Jaws at Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring on Friday, July 30 at 8:30pm

- Shark Week specials throughout downtown Silver Spring from Monday, July 26 - Saturday, August 7 - from shark-themed cocktails to chocolate sharks.

While You Were Complaining About Skateboarders...

2010-07-13T14:50:00.004-05:00

Ahhhh summers in Downtown Silver Spring. The laughter of children playing in the fountain. Blockbuster movies at The Majestic. Enjoying an ice cream on the new Veterans Plaza. Getting your face smashed in on the sidewalk outside the Baja Fresh. Wait, what?

One would think a Monday evening would be a perfectly safe time to stroll through the bustling areas of downtown Silver Spring, but clearly that was not the case yesterday, when passers-by were subjected to verbal and physical assault by a group of teenagers. According to The Gazette, the teens were harassing pedestrians walking near the outdoor seating area of the Baja Fresh on Fenton Street, getting up in their grills and making "crazy sexual comments". This may sound like a familiar story to women who have passed through DTSS unaccompanied on a Friday or Saturday night, but unfortunately this time the abuse went beyond being strictly verbal:

From the Gazette:

One middle-aged man tried to ignore the teens and walk past them, but as he walked toward the intersection of Fenton Street and Wayne Avenue, the teen who was accosting pedestrians slapped the man in the back of the head, Wilhelm said. When the man turned around and showed his frustration, at least one other member of the group punched or hit him in the side of the head, according to witnesses and Montgomery County Police...The man fell, and his head slammed against the red brick sidewalk..."The sound I heard was like a brain getting crushed"

The man suffered fractured bones in his face, and ultimately fifteen men and women were arrested in connection with the assault.

Somewhat surprisingly, it took ten minutes (or so) for Montgomery County's finest to arrive on the scene. On weekends the nearby intersection of Fenton and Ellsworth is pretty much a cop shop, but I guess they think downtown is tame enough on a Monday night for DTSS security to handle. I would have thought so, too, but I guess not. I won't comment any more on this incident other than to say this is some bullshit. This could have very easily have been me in this situation - or you. Not sure what they can really do about it though, other than to have more cops down there on weekdays.

Oh, and also from the same Gazette article (emphasis mine):

Metro Transit Police (huh?) responded about 11:52 p.m. Saturday night to an unrelated incident outside the Majestic Theater, also at the corner of Fenton and Ellsworth. Several arrests were made in that incident and a handgun was recovered.

It's just a matter of time until someone gets shot on Ellsworth and the whole DTSS experiment ends tragically. Hopefully I'm wrong about that.

(Even the apologists may start coming around to my Mosquito idea soon.)

Chompy: The Revenge

2010-07-10T22:42:00.006-05:00

Just when you thought it was safe to back into downtown Silver Spring...

Chompy is officially back, folks, and after being relegated to a moldy storage unit for nearly four years, he's pissed off and out for blood.

Of course, until the work crew gets around to re-inflating him, he will continue to suffer the indignity of lying flaccid against the Discovery Building:

Token Silver Spring Civic Building Post

2010-07-08T19:53:00.015-05:00

So as you probably are aware, our Silver Spring Civic Building finally opened today after countless years of construction, fretting about the design, lamenting the loss of The Turf, etc. I figured I'd share a few photos I snapped at the grand opening event this evening.

I arrived at the Civic Building later than planned, thinking I'd missed the chance to be there for the ribbon cutting. However, since a seemingly endless progression of politicians needed to get their turn at the microphone, I actually ended up having to wait awhile to go inside. The sound setup was poor, so I couldn't really hear what they were saying as I waited impatiently in the sweltering heat.

My wife's initial impression of the building was that it looks a lot like Redwood restaurant in Bethesda, and I have to agree that it kinda does. Of course, that's not really a bad thing, IMO.

Anyway, once the pols finally concluded their bloviating...

...there was a rush to get inside.

At the front of the building is the main lobby:

...doors from which lead to the large hall:

My personal favorite feature of the building is its courtyard:

They even have little outdoor dinner trays available for use. What's the over-under on the number of days before these are all busted?

If you look closely, you can see that some of the windows looking out onto the courtyard are frosted with mini penguins (Thanks to JK for pointing this out to me.) A nice touch, despite how I feel about Silver Spring and penguins.

This guy wins the Suit of the Night award. By a landslide.

Along with some other visitors, I unintentionally wandered into the county offices on the upper level before we were all kicked out. This expulsion led some guy to start repeatedly yelling about how he wanted his tax money back. The crazies are already staking their claim on our Civic Building.

There are a number of other smaller rooms intended for use as classrooms, exhibit space and the like, but I won't bore you with photos of these.

I must say that the Civic Building is really quite nice. I am very interested to see types of things it ultimately gets utilized for. What is certain is that the newly-opened Veterans Plaza and its plentiful seating will get loads of use this summer and for many years to come.

I do hope those seats are skateboard proof.

Friday News 'N Notes

2010-07-02T11:39:00.005-05:00

- Those scruffy-looking nerf herders at the AFI Silver are offering but a single showing of The Empire Strikes Back and have chosen to schedule it during a weekend I (and presumably many others) are out of town.

UPDATE:

A. This is George Lucas' fault. (Lucasfilm will only a single showing.)
B. It's the "Special Edition".

- Under no circumstances are you to water your garden this weekend, or you will subjected to twenty lashes from a bamboo cane in the center of DTSS.

- The Silver Spring Fire Department has posted some old photos of fire department vehicles on their Facebook page. As this particular photo illustrates, the incorrect pluralization of "Silver Spring" spans decades:

- The Big Greek Cafe gets a writeup in the Post's Going Out Guide.

- Want to read yet another diatribe about how the DTSS development ruined Silver Spring? You can do so here.

- Last weekend the Silver Spring Historical Society opened up a small time capsule discovered under the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge on Wayne Avenue after it was torn down. Dolla, dolla, bills ya'll.

- Hey look, people are complaining over the design of the new library. Oh, and the Purple Line.

Frogurt Coming to Silver Spring

2010-07-01T15:53:00.005-05:00

No, not that Frogurt, this one:

It would appear that Silver Spring is set to become the final place on earth to hop on the frozen yogurt bandwagon. According to the website of FroZenYo, which already operates three stores in the District, a Silver Spring location is on the way. No mention of where in Silver Spring it will be opening, but I’ll keep you posted. I am going on the assumption that they mean downtown, but “Silver Spring” can refer to quite a number of places. FroZenYo claims to have a “self-serve” format. Can someone who’s been there before describe exactly what this means? Can I put my mouth directly under the nozzle then spoon candy in?

I can’t keep track of all the different frogurt places that have sprung up in the area in the last year or so. All their names seem to be variations of each other: TangySweet, SweetGreen, Yogiberry, Iceberry, etc, etc. I generically refer to them as “Fake Pinkberry” to keep it simple. I’ve only tried this new wave of frozen yogurt once or twice and wasn’t particularly enamored, but clearly a lot of people like it. I still think of frozen yogurt as that crap that was briefly popular in the late 80’s, though I’m told this new type is somehow different. It’s supposed to be “healthy”, but I imagine covering it and candy and cookies might negate any health benefits:

Credit for this tip goes to Tara, who provided this info via a comment on an earlier post.

Silver Spring Whole Foods on Top Chef DC

2010-07-01T09:56:00.005-05:00

You know what downtown Bethesda doesn't have? A Whole Foods. And certainly not one on television.

I briefly tuned in last night to Bravo's Top Chef DC to see our supermarket in prime time and managed to catch the tail end of the segment.

Courtesy of Hulu, here are the Whole Foods scenes from last night's episode. Recognize any of the local shoppers who made the cut?

The store may have been in earlier episodes as well, but I haven't watched any of those.

Coveting thy Neighbor's Restaurants & Retail (Part 1 of 3)

2010-06-30T15:37:00.007-05:00

Silver Spring and Bethesda are southern Montgomery County suburbs with downtown shopping and entertainment areas separated by just five miles of East West Highway. As a result of their proximity, they have inevitably been compared with each other over the years.

I know that in the minds of some Silver Springers, downtown Bethesda is the Anti-Silver Spring and that admitting anything they have there is superior would be tantamount to sacrilege, but the truth is that while my loyalty remains with Silver Spring, I am a bit envious of some aspects of downtown Bethesda.

With that in mind, I drafted a list of the top ten things that the denizens of Bethesda presently enjoy that I’d love to see us also have in Silver Spring. This list will be presented in three parts, and the items on it are in no particular order. It may be completely unrealistic to ever expect certain things on the list to ever materialize in Silver Spring, but others seem like obvious holes in our downtown shopping and dining landscape.

I should also mention before I proceed that there are retailers in Bethesda that I never want to see in Silver Spring, such as bakeries for dogs or something called "Sassanova".

So without further ado, the first three items of my list:

1. Rita’s Crepe Stand

Sometime last year, Rita’s Crepes opened in downtown Bethesda at the corner of Bethesda and Woodmont Avenues. What I wouldn’t give for something like this in Silver Spring. I’d trade the Auntie Anne’s pretzel stand on the Promenade for this in a heartbeat.

There are few foodstuffs I covet more than a fresh Nutella-filled crepe. Aside from being delicious, they evoke fond memories of Paris. Mmmmmmmmmm…crepes.

Photo from Rita’s Crepes Facebook Page.

Sure, there is a crepe stand at the Fenton Street Market, but the market is only open on Saturdays from 9-3, and only during the warmer months, so crepe availability is fairly limited. The beauty of crepes is that they make a great cold weather dessert - kind of like ice cream for the winter.

2. City Sports

I just noticed for the first time last week that downtown Bethesda now has a City Sports store. How is that downtown Bethesda has two sporting goods stores (they also have a Modell’s) while Silver Spring has zero? Are you telling me that downtown Silver Spring can’t support a proper sporting goods store?

I recently wanted to purchase some new gym clothes and had to travel all the way up to the Target and Kohl’s in SSINO to find what I needed. Side note: I love the fact that that if you Google the phrase “Sporting Goods Silver Spring”, Atlantic Guns is the top result.

Sure, there’s a Pacer’s Running Store in Silver Spring, but their inventory is limited to merchandise for a single sport. Where does one go around here if they want to purchase a soccer ball or perhaps a Stephen Strasburg jersey? Bethesda, I suppose.

3. Apple Store

While I may classify myself as a mid-level Apple fanboy, I freely admit that an Apple Store is totally superfluous. Outside of iPhone launches, I’m not sure if anyone actually buys anything at them despite their being packed wall-to-wall with people from open to close. Apple Stores just seem to attract hordes of iPad gawkers using some mystical marketing tractor beam. I would even venture that placing an Apple Store inside Shitty Place could even get two - perhaps even three - dozen people to venture into the mall each month!

Even if you are not enamored with Apple products, you have to admit that having an Apple retail location in your town brings with it a high level of prestige. To be touched by the Hand of Jobs means that where you live matters.

To be continued...

Another City Place Fail: Gold's Gym

2010-06-21T20:31:00.005-05:00

This happened a few days ago, but for those of you unaware, the Gold's Gym in City Place has permanently closed.

I'm not sure what the attraction of Gold's was when compared to WSC and LA Fitness, other than perhaps a cheaper (?) membership fee. The complaint I always heard about the City Place Gold's was that it was a franchised location and the membership wasn't good at any other area Gold's locations.

Thanks to reader GC for submitting the photo.

Langano Getting Kicked to the Curb?

2010-06-21T12:00:00.007-05:00

It's interesting the bits of information you can glean from commercial real estate sites such as LoopNet. For one, there is the fact that the Silver Spring post office intends to relocate in the next couple of years.

It would also appear from this listing that Langano, the Ethopian restaurant on Georgia Avenue will be "removed" as soon as their landlord can find a tenant to replace them. It'd be unfortunate to lose a pre-Silver "Sprung" restaurant, but that's the nature of the business, I suppose.

Admittedly, I haven't eaten at Langano in quite a few years. My personal embargo stems from an unfortunate lunch buffet incident involving a particularly spicy dish and the wait staff's complete disinterest in refilling my water glass or generally providing any customer service whatsoever.

You Will Never Have Your Fillmore

2010-06-17T20:27:00.003-05:00

Hahahhahahah remember just last week when you thought the Fillmore was a done deal after the project was approved by the county planning board? Don't be so naive. Now IMP (the 9:30 Club) is suing the county to stop it:

The lawsuit against the state, filed this week in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court by the club's parent company, IMP Inc., and that company's co-owner Seth Hurwitz, challenges the state subsidy for the project; Montgomery County is also spending $4 million in county funds. The suit says state officials would be breaking the law by paying the subsidy because Montgomery has provided only "skimpy" information about the project's costs, despite requirements by the General Assembly for more information.

The MF'n saga continues.

Some Fillmore Flashbacks:

Straight From the Other Horse's Mouth

Live Nation Q&A

Live Nation: Straight From The Horse's Mouth

IMP = Total Hypocrites

Beating a Dead Horse

For Sale: The Post Office

2010-06-17T15:55:00.003-05:00

Hey look: Silver Spring's main post office on 2nd Avenue is for sale. Presumably they will be moving elsewhere. Where, I have no idea.

Here's the key component of their sales pitch: "A major attraction of this area is the transformative City Place".

Hump Day News 'N Notes

2010-06-16T13:51:00.006-05:00

- Silver Spring's favorite/only Burmese restaurant, Mandalay, is expanding - opening up a second location at 9th & P streets in the District. How could this development positively affect you as a patron of the Silver Spring location? According to Washington Business Journal, the owner will "travel to Burma to get input on the new menu, with the hopes of adding 30 new dishes and a refined cocktail menu". Let's hope these new dishes are adopted at the existing Mandalay, as well.

Mandalay will join Mi Rancho and McGinty's (and others?) as restaurants which have opened new locations around the region after establishing themselves in Silver Spring. And yes, I do know that Mandalay started in College Park, but it moved here long before expanding.

- And here's a backhanded compliment on our restaurants taken from Tom Sietsema's "Ask Tom" chat on the WP website today (emphasis mine):

Q. Bethesda's mediocrity: Any theories why Bethesda has such mediocre restaurants? It's strange, considering. Wheaton and Silver Spring seem to do a lot better, and they're less well-off.

A. Tom Sietsema writes: Money does not buy taste. It amazes me, too. What say the chatters?

- Beginning July 1, Starbucks will begin offering free wi-fi at all company-owned stores. The DTSS location will then join Borders and Eggspectations in offering complimentary access along The Promenade. Sure, there's long been Silver Spring's free wi-fi, but that service never seems to work quite right for me. I can get what appears to be a slow connection on my phone, though most of the time there barely seems to be any data sent or received. I'm usually better off suffering with my craptacular AT&T 3G service.

- There was a great crowd at McGinty's for the USA-England World Cup match this past weekend. By the time the match started, it was standing room only in the packed upstairs bar. That being said, Silver Spring still really needs a proper sports bar, something I know readers of this blog have long coveted. Optimally, this bar would have a large projection screen, a feature essential to hosting large crowds for sporting events.

- A reminder: check out Bravo's Top Chef D.C. premiere tonight for a possible cameo from our local Whole Foods. Not sure if it will appear in this particular episode, though they did film at least one segment there.

Friday News 'N Notes

2010-06-11T13:57:00.007-05:00

- The seemingly never-ending saga of the Silver Spring ~~Birchmere~~ Fillmore took another step toward conclusion this week, as the Planning Board approved the plan for the music hall and the office and hotel projects that go along with it.

- In other good news, Sligo Creek Golf Course will remain open "indefinitely", though it's not entirely clear what that means. At least through the end of this year's golf season, and "most likely" for the next few years, though the course's long-term future remains a bit hazy.

I have have yet to receive an explanation as to why the Revenue Authority can't go ahead and build mini golf courses on the grounds. Were the mini golf and lighted driving ranges a package deal? Surely, neighbors can't reasonably protest the presence of mini golf alone, or would these, too, require disruptive lighting? If these courses could bring in additional revenue as the Authority originally claimed, why not just add them in the absence of the proposed driving ranges that would have accompanied them?

- Our local food blogger SoCo Eats recounts his first visit to Fire Station 1.

- Fenton Street Market: now with more Theremin!:

Arthur Harrison, formerly of DC’s favorite steampunk band The Cassettes, will be on hand to entertain with his amazing [theramin] skills.

Ok, A. Were there multiple steampunk bands in D.C.? And B. will he be taking requests? If so, here's mine:

- Just a reminder, the designated (by me, anyway) place to watch this Saturday’s U.S.A. v.

England

match in Silver Spring is McGinty’s. Even if you aren’t into the sport of soccer, go for the nationalism. The match starts at 2:30, but I’d recommend getting their earlier to try and secure a table. I’ve been surreptitiously watching today’s games via streaming video at work, though ESPN’s page seems to have crapped out so I've been forced to watch the afternoon game en Español via Univision.com.

World Cup. Saturday. McGinty's.

2010-06-07T10:03:00.009-05:00

As I’m sure you’re acutely aware, the upcoming weekend marks the start of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial sporting event that manages to slightly pique Americans’ interest in international soccer (“football”) for about a month. To make things particularly intriguing this year, Team U.S.A. has drawn an opening match against The Three Lions on Saturday afternoon.

Such an event is of course significantly more enjoyable to view as part as a partisan crowd, so I figure those of us in Silver Spring who are interested should congregate in a predetermined place to view the match. With that in mind, by the power invested in me by no one, I hereby declare McGinty’s Public House the Official Place to Watch the World Cup in Downtown Silver Spring^TM. At least for this Saturday. Sure, it may seem like the obvious choice, but where better to root against England than in an Irish pub? I briefly considered the brand new Fire Station 1 with its 16 6 brand-new televisions as a venue. However, due to their hiccups over opening weekend, I figure they need a little seasoning prior to hosting an event of such magnitude.

The match begins at 2:30, but I would strongly advise arriving somewhat in advance of that time to get a decent spot. Hopefully the U.S.A. will inflict a defeat so devastating that Wayne Rooney and his mates will be relegated to residing in a trailer park.

For fans of England, the viewing party will be held at the bus station on Fenton Street.

Friday News 'N Notes

2010-06-04T08:00:00.001-05:00

- So Fire Station 1 may be open today. Or not. If anyone can swing by today and confirm its status, please do. If it's up and running by next weekend, it may serve as a good venue for a U.S. v. England World Cup match viewing party. More to come on that.

- Silver Spring's unfortunate Murder House was the subject of a recent article in the Los Angeles Times.

- On the subject of killings, someone beheaded a chicken and left its rotting corpse at the corner of 16th St. and 2nd Ave. Do we have active practitioners of Voodoo in our neighborhood?

- Sadly, unlike Krispy Kreme and Dunkin' Donuts (neither of which we have), The Fractured Prune does not appear to be participating in today's National Doughnut Day. In their defense, some locations did give away free doughnuts on Memorial Day. Of course, you could just go in there today and demand a complimentary doughnut. Let me know how that works out.

- Set your DVRs: the new season of Top Chef begins June 16th. Now, why should one watch this for any other reason than to ogle Padma Lakshmi? Because reportedly segments of this latest season were filmed in our neighborhood Whole Foods.

- So now that Rue McClanahan has passed away, should we expect a zombie Blanche at this year's Zombie Walk to go along with the zombie Dorothy and Sophias?

Homicidal Dwarf on the Loose in Silver Spring

2010-06-02T20:49:00.007-05:00

The prime suspect in last week's recent murder on Georgia Avenue? He's 3'11".

(And just to preempt any unwarranted P.C. criticism - here's the definition of dwarf from the Little People of America website.)

Fire Station 1 Update: Almost There

2010-05-25T17:19:00.007-05:00

While my longtime dream of living in a converted firehouse may never come to fruition, at least I will soon be able to dine in a nearby one on occasion. While rumors that Fire Station 1 would be opening last Friday proved to be somewhat premature, renovation work appears to be winding down and the restaurant may be opening its doors by the end of this week.

According to a tipster (thanks!), FS1 hopes to be open as soon as Thursday, though they admit this target may be somewhat ambitious. Regardless, barring unexpected setbacks we should expect Silver Spring’s newest restaurant to be online shortly. The proprietors have been providing updates via their Twitter feed. One tweet was this photo taken last Friday of the interior:

And here’s a more recent shot of the interior (with new employees?):

Here's some additional details on FS1 I received from the aforementioned tipster:

- There will be 16 beers on tap on the lower level and 12 on the upper level. There will be some overlap in beer selection between the two bars.

- It will have a 21-pizza oven.

- Valet parking will be available. (What is this, Bethesda? Be very careful who you hand your keys to around here.)

- It will be open until 2AM on weekends.

But will it have a fireman’s pole for patrons to slide down? It would be enjoyable to watch people attempt this feat at closing time. You know what'd also be really cool? A fire hose that shoots beer. It would make for one hell of a keg stand.

Also, why do they have "brewing company" in their name if they don't brew beer? Discuss.

UPDATE: More on FS1, courtesy of The Gazette.

The Bridge on the Street Wayne

2010-05-18T10:47:00.010-05:00

Outside of thinking it might look a little awkward, I don’t really give a rat’s ass whether the new library has a pedestrian bridge or not. However, at a time when the county government has a ONE BILLION DOLLAR budget deficit, is it really prudent to be constructing an elective $800K addition such as this simply because a vocal minority demands it? It's surprising that this continues to be considered by many as a viable option. Given the current fiscal climate, even Ike Leggett must be reevaluating his support of the bridge.

As reported on ThayerAvenue.com, the East Silver Spring Civic Association is the latest group to lend their support to the construction of the bridge, voting overwhelming to do so in their meeting last night. What actual weight their support carries, I have no idea. The type of people who openly express RAGE over the prospect of that they might have to pay 50/75 cents an hour to park at a library (“It's un-American!”) are likely the same ones who have no problem with all Montgomery County residents shouldering the cost of an $800K bridge during a recession.

If they are going to ultimately build the bridge, here are some potential ways to do it equitably:

- Conduct a county-wide survey of residents’ preference for a library bridge. The $800K (plus overruns!) price tag will be divided equally and added to the tax bills of those who responded in the affirmative. The cost doesn’t even need to be divided uniformly - I have no qualms with making the supplementary charge progressive based on income. To prevent freeloaders from using the bridge, only those taxpayers who helped pay for it will be permitted to cross. Each of these people will be issued a keycard required to access to the bridge. Even better, to avoid sharing of keycards, a biometric identity validation system can be installed.

- Collect a toll from each library visitor who wishes to cross the bridge to offset construction costs. Of course, the toll would probably need to be in the thousands of dollars per crossing (about on par with taking a trip on the ICC).

- Only permit sufficiently disabled people to cross the bridge, as they are the ones for whom the bridge is intended. We wouldn't want any excessive wear on our precious bridge, would we? A physician would be stationed at the entrance to the bridge. Each prospective bridge-crosser would be required to submit to a comprehensive physical exam. If the doctor determines that the person is physically unable to take the elevator to the first floor and cross Wayne Avenue, they will be permitted to utilize the bridge. Otherwise, they will be made to walk their able-bodied ass across the street.

I’ve also been wondering lately how it is that the staff of the current Silver Spring library is permitted to actively promote the construction of a bridge at the future library. Not only do they have pro-bridge signs displayed all over the library grounds, they are distributing the lawn signs inside the building. They have every right to be in favor of the proposal, but in general are government employees allowed to make overt stands in the workplace on contentious political issues?

At this point, I’d be fine if they just kept the old library and sold the land allocated for the new library to a worthwhile retailer. At least the current library is in my neighborhood. Most of the books I check out are ordered from other branches, anyway.

On a related subject, one development that should be interesting to follow is Ike Leggett’s recent proposal to start charging for parking at the Rockville and Bethesda libraries.

Rockville Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio and City Council member Mark Pierzchala said the elimination of free parking for the library would have an adverse effect on the city.

"Of course I don't like it. It will have a negative impact on Town Square," Pierzchala said of the mixed-use development in the heart of the city. "We don't know who'll pay" for parking.

Really, how cheap and/or poor are people in Montgomery County these days? Parking in Rockville costs a dollar. I though MoCo residents were wealthy, or did all the rich people move to Virginia already? Perhaps I am just out of touch with the common man.

You know if they are paying for parking in Rockville and Bethesda, we’ll be paying for it in Silver Spring at our new library. There’s another fight we can all look forward to.

Also, in brief...

- Don't miss the latest Handmade Mart this Sunday from 10-5 on The Promenade.

- Nicaro: You're fired.

- Could Fire Station 1 be open by Friday? The Washington City Paper's Young & Hungry blog says maybe.

- I finally tracked down this shirt after seeing it for sale years ago and regrettably not buying it:

For those of you that hate Virginia as much as I do, it can be purchased online here.

A Quick Natural Getaway in Silver Spring: The Northwest Branch Trails

2010-05-17T10:00:00.003-05:00

Everyone is familiar with Sligo Creek Park, which, though it contains miles of trails for jogging and biking, doesn't really remove one from the bustle of traffic or the neighborhoods that surround it. However, just another mile or so up Route 29 along the Northwest Branch Stream are some other, lesser-known trails that offer an excellent opportunity to escape the suburban landscape without leaving the (nebulous) borders of Silver Spring.

While the existence of these trails is old news to the many nearby residents who regularly take advantage of them, I imagine there must be a fair amount of Silver Springers who have driven by the trails' entrances countless times without being aware of their presence.

The best way to access the trails, which run both north towards Wheaton and south into PG County, is via the parking lot at the Burnt Mills Dam where Colesville Rd. becomes Columbia Pike (roughly across from the the Trader Joe's).

The trails can be reached from the parking lot at the Burnt Mills Dam along Rt. 29.

One good option for a hike is a 5.5 mile loop that starts at the aforementioned parking lot and heads north along the eastern side of the stream and returns along the opposite bank. After just a few minutes on the trail, you leave the noise of Columbia Pike behind and enter a wooded area with few overt traces of civilization. This hiking-only trail is part of the Rachel Carson Greenway Trail, which when ultimately completed will stretch from Adelphi in PG County all the way to the Patuxent River.

Looking down at the Northwest Branch from the hiking trail.

Along the trail it is surprisingly quiet, with only the occasional distant traffic sounds reminding you of your presence in the middle of a major suburb. During a recent hike on a sunny weekend, I came across very few other people on this trail. The people that I did see were mostly on the path that runs along the opposite side of the stream. Though not particularly challenging, there are some changes in elevation along this first stretch. There are even portions of the trail on which horseback riding is permitted, though on that particular day I didn't see any equestrian activity.

The Northwest Branch Stream

Just before the hiking trail reaches Brookside Gardens, it crosses the stream and intersects the Northwest Branch Trail on the opposite bank. You can follow this trail back to the parking lot where you started your hike. This trail is much flatter and wider, and though not paved, there are stretches that appear to have been covered with gravel at some point. You'll probably encounter more joggers and dog-walkers on this side than you would along the hiking path across the stream. A small highlight along the trail is this Star Trek-like rock formation.

While they may not be on par with the Billy Goat Trail, the trails along the NW Branch offer a quick natural getaway just minutes away from downtown Silver Spring. If you haven't already, I'd recommend checking them out sometime on a pleasant weekend.