Weekend To Weekend Pick 9/2/10: Visit Backyards

Check out some backyards during a Wildlife Garden Tour. This is something special happening in Rockville and you can be a part of it. Find out how and be inspired!

Saturday, September 11, 2010
9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Croydon Creek Nature Center
Event Fees: $10R/$12NR

Register for the activity online by 9/4.

Want to attract wildlife to your yard? Explore of some of your neighbors’ yards that are certified as wildlife habitats. These yards are wildlife-friendly around Rockville. Some people are doing some small things that you might already be doing. Other neighbors have gone above and beyond. Find out the possibilities to:

• Provide Food
• Supply Water
• Create Cover
• Provide A Place To Raise Their Young
• Go Green

Some volunteers in Rockville are trying to get Rockville certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a Wildlife Habitat. It will take 200 properties for the city to be recognized. This tour will provide information and resources to help certify your yard, too.

If you want additional information, contact Croydon Creek Nature Center: 240-314-8770

During the past three years, I’ve often highlighted events in and around Rockville. For a year and a half I researched and wrote the Weekend to Weekend listing of all the happenings in Rockville before we asked Helen Triolo at Rockville Living to automate the process and encouraged everyone to post event announcements on her wonderful calendar. For a while I picked the best of the week to highlight here on Rockville Central. Now I’m back at it again with the W2W Pick.

Uncorked Grows Into A Signature Event

DiVine mesmerized the crowd at Rockville’s Uncorked Wine and Music Festival on Saturday. This vine-covered performer characterized the uniqueness and growth of the event as she walked along the streets then blended into the scene. A few years ago the music festival was much smaller in scope and not as well-attended. The Town Square was new with saplings along the streets. Now the trees and the festival have grown so that a large green performer on stilts easily disappeared in the crowded street setting.

Locals didn’t want to miss Uncorked, especially when they spied clusters of grape-shaped balloons decorating the streets. People also came from around the beltway to taste the Maryland wines, often comparing them to Virginia’s reserve. Although there might be Maryland wine festivals in other parts of the state, this is the only one in the DC area.

Intent on discovering a favorite Maryland wine at the Festival, I brought together a small band of tasters, both friends and strangers. One of our participants recently moved to College Park from Seattle and decided to go to Uncorked after interviewing for a job in Rockville and seeing the banners. As the gang made their way through the selections from the wineries, people learned of our mission and would make recommendations. Everyone preferred dry reds, so the group searched for the best red wine. Maryland wines are often fruity and white, but the group wanted to know how Maryland’s contributions compare to the wines they usually consumed.

Although the decision was close and the tasters couldn’t try all of the wines offered, the group decided the Cabernet Sauvignon from the Boordy Vineyards was best. The Cabernet was smooth, refined, and more complex than other selections. Established in 1945, Boordy is Maryland’s oldest family-run winery. Located on a 230-acre farm in the Baltimore countryside, the winery specializes in oak-aged cabernets and it shows. Elk Run’s Merlot and Basignani’s Lorenzino Reserve were also favorites.

This year, the City of Rockville ordered 3,000 wine glasses, up from last year’s 2,000. The supply ran out around 4 PM when the event was still crowded and going strong. At the time, Superland was performing their new-era funk on the main Plaza stage. A sure sign of a good show, the crowd grew during their performance as more and more people were drawn to their “raucous horn section”. The headliner stage showcased the best of our area’s local talent and I’ve been told Bill Kirchen’s “rockabilly rave-up” was amazing when he took the stage at noon.

The Wine and Music Festival is a rare opportunity to introduce our local music talent and vineyards to a broader audience. Terrapin Station Winery tweeted “Rockville Uncorked is in the bag and what a day! This is our third year, and we thought we could predict the wine we needed but we sold out of three wines today.” If Terrapin Station is any indication, the outcome was prosperous for all.

Colleen McQuitty, Rockville’s special event manager, had many people tell her how much they enjoyed the local musicians and Maryland wines. She described it as “A good crowd having a good time.”

As Ernest Hemingway said “ Wine is the most civilized thing in the world.” Uncorked certainly is our proof.

MCPS Back To School Fair Draws The Largest Crowd Yet, Weast Thanks ABC7/TBD

Families started to line up for free backpacks of school supplies at the Carver Educational Services Center at 8 AM on Saturday. The Third Annual Back-to-School Fair wasn’t scheduled to open until 11 AM. By 2PM all 5,000 backpacks had been distributed to kids who needed them to get their school year off to the right start.

The City of Rockville booth

The white tents spread across the entire parking lot to accommodate over 10,000 visitors to the Fair, up from 8,000 last year. Booths had information on recreation programs and resources available in the County. Kaiser Permanente provided health information. Nutrition was an important theme. A human-sized bunch of grapes and a banana traversed around the crowd. Kids jumped in the moonbounce, ate Carmen’s Italian Ice, and talked to a robot. Throughout the day, the main stage was jumping. The organizers understood that kids like to move. The Washington Talent Agency kept the crowd upbeat and dancing.

Dancing to the beat

During the Corporate Sponsor Recognition, School Superintendant Jerry Weast emphasized the importance of the sponsors and volunteers who make the event possible. The total sponsor amount has grown from $80,000 to $200,000 in three years. Representatives from all the corporations, organizations, and schools received awards of appreciation from Dr. Weast and Eric Davis, the director of Family-Community Partnerships which organized the event.

Jerry Weast, Eric Davis and Leon Harris

From the beginning, ABC7/TBD have been the main sponsor of the Back to School Fair. ABC7 Nightly News anchorman, Leon Harris, accepted the award then stayed to talk with his fans and sign autographs. As a MCPS parent, he’s always willing to help out. 

In case you missed it, News Channel 8 is now TBDTV. TBD.com is the place for all local news in the DC region. In addition to producing their own stories and linking to other news outlets, the site networked 130 blogs together including Rockville Central. Therefore I was on hand to help distribute t-shirts and answer questions. If you haven’t yet, visit TBD.com and put in your zip code for your local community news. Try it on your phone too. The apps are a terrific way to stay connected when you’re on the go.

Leon Harris and Cindy Cotte Griffiths

Weekend to Weekend Pick 8-26-10: Scandalous White Affair

Don’t let summer go without a proper goodbye hit the Scandalous White Affair Party!

We all know Labor Day weekend brings the end of summer even if the calendar disagrees. Traditionally, the white clothes are closeted for a few seasons and we get down to serious business. My advice is to stay outside as much as possible. Who knows what lurks around the weather corner.

Head up to the End of Summer Party on The Rooftop at Rockville Town Center and wear WHITE. It might be your last chance.

The facts:

Tuesday, August 31, 2010
5 PM till 11 PM
The Rooftop, 155 Gibbs Street, Rockville
$5 cover
21+ with ID
Drink specials until 6:30 PM

Do you want to dance? You can get down with FREE SALSA CLASSES then DJ Dario will be entertaining with music until 11 PM. The whole event was created by our friends at La Tasca.

During the past three years, I’ve often highlighted events in and around Rockville. For a year and a half I researched and wrote the Weekend to Weekend listing of all the happenings in Rockville before we asked Helen Triolo at Rockville Living to automate the process and encouraged everyone to post event announcements on her wonderful calendar. For a while I picked the best of the week to highlight here on Rockville Central. Now I’m back at it again with the W2W Pick.

Join Animal Exchange As They Turn 31! [UPDATED]

Rockville Central readers know that Ruth Hanessian’s Animal Exchange is the crossroads of Rockville.

This incredible establishment is marking its 31st anniversary this weekend with a celebration that will include a book signing and awarding of photo prizes.

It all happens Saturday, August 28 from 11am until 2pm

Here’s the scoop from Ruth herself:

We are 31!

Animal Exchange opened August 5, 1979.  You are invited to celebrate with your pets and ours from 11AM – 2PM on Saturday August 28th.  If you entered our photo contest, prizes will be awarded at 1PM.  The winners (congratulations) are on display at the store ’till then.  The author of “Jenny’s Own Puppy” will be here and will be signing copies of her delightful new children’s book available at Animal Exchange.  We enjoy her gentle guidance for choosing an appropriate breed of dog.

UPDATE: Ruth has announced that Dr. Karen Shanor, author of Bats Sing, Mice Giggle: The Surprising Science of Animals’ Inner Lives, will be on hand to sign her books too!

Be In A Music Video On The Rooftop

Here’s your chance to be in a music video for Do That Michael Phelps during SkyatFive on the Rooftop at Rockville’s Town Center on Thursday, August 26, 2010. The song is written and performed by Rockville resident and “Rising Artist”, Adam Bomb.

Listen to “Do That Michael Phelps” here. It be rap, right?

SkyAtFive starts at 5 PM (of course!) and filming will begin around 8 PM. Be early to make sure you get a spot.

If you attend SkyAtFive, the Rooftop has issued a notice:

All attendees irrevocably consent, and irrevocably grant us, our associates and our assignees a perpetual royalty free license, without compensation, to use photographs and audio/video recordings of all types in which attendee appears, and all comments, statements or testimonials made by attendee, for any legal purpose whatsoever.

The event sponsors include Absolut, Lindy Promotions, Malibu, Oro Pomodoro, Peroni, and Red Bull. You must be 21+ and a there’s a $5 cover charge. That’s not bad to be in a video and have the type of time that goes with it. To reserve VIP seating, email info@rockvillerooftop.com.

Join ABC7 And Me At The MCPS Back-To-School Fair

This Saturday over 8,000 people are expected at the Carver Educational Services Center for the school system’s Third Annual Back-to-School Fair from 11 AM until 2 PM. I’m going to be at the ABC 7 booth telling everyone about TBD.com and Rockville Central. Please stop by and say hello!!

The City of Rockville will also be on hand with information about City programs, services, recreation programs, and foreign-language resources. They’ll have registration information to get you started.

You’ll also be able to find out about NOAA, the Newseum, the Audubon Society, the Nationals, and the Girl Scouts, among many others.

Besides visiting the information booths, A full line-up of entertainment will be hosted by Angel Santiago on the Washington Talent Agency Main Stage. Here’s the schedule:

11:00 AM Watkins Mill HS Marching Band
11:30 AM Kaiser Permanente – Professor Bodywise’s Traveling Menagerie
12:00 PM Washington Talent Agency Performance
1:15 PM InToneNation singers from Montgomery Blair HS

On the Kaiser Permanente Stage Bill Grimmette will tell stories at 12 noon and the Kids on the Block puppet show will grab your attention at 1:15 PM.

The Imagination Stage will give 20-minute demonstrations:
11:45 AM Create a Story for grades K-1
12:30 PM Create a Character for grades 2-3
1:15 Fundamentals of Acting for grades 4-5

You’ll also find hip hop, salsa and Haitian dance every 25 minutes and reading every hour, plus demonstrations from Kicks Karate, Leap on Love Art, and Gymboree. Vision and hearing screenings will also be provided.

With so many people attending, you can be assured of getting there by taking a bus from your local high school starting at 10:30 AM. They will leave from Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Blair, Einstein, Kennedy, Northwest, Seneca Valley, Springbrook, Paint Branch, Wheaton, and Watkins Mill.

See you there!

Looking Back at the Montgomery County Fair

The largest Fair in the State of Maryland was a major attraction last week and Rockville residents were out in full force.

Before you even entered the Fair, you were greeted by friendly faces from Rockville.

Boy Scout Troop 447 from Rockville worked long hours to direct the cars in the parking lot. On the last Friday and Saturday nights, the lot was full and closed down early in the evening then reopened after the very popular Demolition Derby. The place was packed with friends and families enjoying the temporary fun on the fairgrounds.

The Fair is only possible because of volunteers. People helped in many different ways. The Unitarian Universalist Church of Rockville collected food for Manna outside the entrance on Monday.

On those hot days, our own Carmen’s Italian Ice was on hand to cool everyone down. Notice the free samples!

And of course, as I mentioned before, Ruth Hanessian from the Animal Exchange held the Hermit Crab Races on Wednesday even though the weather was iffy. As you can see, members of the Royal Court did attend again!

When the kids and I spent the day at the Fair I thought we would run out of things to do, but we didn’t even make it through all the displays and buildings. We did however join in the square dancing which the young ones had never experienced and enjoyed ourselves immensely. I wouldn’t miss the Fair!

Rockville Roundtable Is Tomorrow! (Aug. 24)

Rockville Roundtable guests at Ambrosia

Don’t forget! Rockville Roundtable is tomorrow, Tuesday, August 24 at 12:30 pm. We will meet at Bombay Bistro at 98 W. Montgomery.

In case you are a new reader, the Rockville Roundtable is a simple lunch where we all just meet somewhere and split the bill or, more often, get separate checks. Very informal, and always a lot of fun.

(The picture is from the most recent lunch. (more…)

Weekend To Weekend Pick 8-19-10: Swanky Exhibit Opening

Intuitive Paint, the new exhibit at VisArts, doesn’t open until  opened on July 6th, and you can be one of the first to view it and meet artists Mike Dowley and William Whitaker at their opening reception. Attending a VisArts reception always leaves me feeling very cosmopolitan and loving our Town Center. Elevate your being by immersing yourself in their paintings and the excitement of the opening. You can also meet all of the VisArts artists working in their studios. The crowd at these openings has grown over the past couple of years.

Friday, August 27th, 2010
6:30 to 8:30 PM
VisArts, 155 Gibbs Street, 2nd floor

Artisits Mike Dowley and William Whitaker flatten space through the use of line and color in their art. Whitaker’s technique focuses on painting familiar images and utilizing false perspective to enable viewers to create their own interpretation of the images. Dowley draws from personal memories and cultural traditions to evoke familiar feelings in his work which features textured brushwork and dense colorful shapes.

Mike Dowley received an MFA in Painting from Savannah College of Art and Design, and is currently an Artist in Resident at Georgetown University. He has exhibited in New York, Georgia, Maryland, and Washington, DC.

William Whitaker received a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. He has exhibited in Rhode Island, California, Maryland, and Washington, DC.

Read their thoughts on the exhibition. Really, it’s right here in Rockville!

During the past three years, I’ve often highlighted events in and around Rockville. For a year and a half I researched and wrote the Weekend to Weekend listing of all the happenings in Rockville before we asked Helen Triolo at Rockville Living to automate the process and encouraged everyone to post event announcements on her wonderful calendar. For a while I picked the best of the week to highlight here on Rockville Central. Now I’m back at it again with the W2W Pick.

Uncorked Wine and Music Festival Is A Regional Destination [Updated]

Several people have told me the Festival is not until the Fall. Let me clear this up!

Uncorked Wine and Music Festival
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Noon till 6 PM
Rockville Town Square (Be there or … you know what.)

Last year they ran out of wine glasses about half way through the event and wine enthusiasts had to make due with plastic cups. This year they only have 2,000 glasses again, so get there early and pay your $10 to enjoy the tastings. You also might want to be there at noon because my Rockville Central partner, Brad Rourke, will be performing with The West End! The event is free but you need to pay to taste the wines.

Growing in popularity, Uncorked was absolutely packed with smiling and friendly people exchanging opinions about our Maryland wines last year. In my case, I asked a woman to join our group and since then we’ve become friends and volunteer together for Montgomery Women. I’m looking forward to an even better time this year.

As I wrote in my 2009 review:

People were gladly standing around to share their opinions on scents and tastes. Complete strangers were enjoying each other’s opinions. From Elk Run’s “Montgomery College” to Solomon’s Island fruity wines, people would take a sip and inevitably make a comment and enter into a conversation about wine.

THE WINE

Look at this list of participating Maryland Wineries, the best our State has to offer:

• Basignani Winery
• Boordy Vineyards
• Bordeleau Winery
• Elk Run Vineyards
• Frederick Cellars
• Gilly’s Craft Beer and Fine Wine
• Running Hare Vineyard
• Solomons Island Winery
• Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard
• Terrapin Station Winery
• The Bottle Shop
• Woodhall Wine Cellars

If you love wine, you will be happy to know Rockville has a brand new wine bar!  Two weeks ago Jackie’s Wine Club opened next to Lola’s Cafe (same owner) [8/29 CORRECTION: the owners are not technically the same]. Although they are late to the table, this new little bistro is attempting to participate in Uncorked. Either way, you can easily stop by since the location is 12 North Washington Street. The wine list from around the world sells from $12 to $38.  You can buy by the glass or bottle and they’ll have regular tastings. Also they’re offering exclusive cheeses, imported meats & pate, and a variety of cold and hot tapas. You’ll want to unwind in this is the little corner.

THE MUSIC

The West End at Uncorked 2008

The music is top notch and it’s all FREE! Here’s the band lineup and descriptions from the City of Rockville site:

Noon to One PM:

The West End on the Maryland Stage
Together, The West End produces straight-ahead Americana rock. The band was formed when neighbors Mike Shawn, Monique DeFrees and Brad Rourke got together and they felt a musical kinship. Neighbor and friend Matthew Taylor fills out the sound. In 2007 they released their first EP, Risen, which was named an “editor’s pick” by the influential Smother.net. In 2008 they followed up with their first full-length CD, This Ride Could Be My Last.

Bill Kirchen and Too Much Fun on the Plaza Stage
You wouldn’t be wrong to refer to Word to the Wise, the latest outing from songwriter, singer and Titan of the Telecaster Bill Kirchen, as a “duets” album. The record—Kirchen’s second for Proper American, hit May 25. The new album opens with the rockabilly rave-up “Bump Wood.” On his first Proper album, Hammer of the Honky Tonk Gods, Kirchen saw his challenge as “trying to write some songs that were more from the heart and closer to the bone. I wanted to let go of my stance of writing attitude-laden truck-driver songs—I’ve done enough of those to last a lifetime. But, as with any of my albums, I love so many kinds of music that I haven’t figured out a way to focus down and just do one specific thing.”

Kevin Mittleman on the Gibbs Stage
Kevin Mittleman first began playing guitar at age 17 after becoming enamored with the sounds of Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. He soon gravitated towards Jazz at age 21 and began his studies under local Jazz Guiatr Master, Paul Wingo. While studying at Berklee, Kevin attended private lessons with Jazz Legend Mick Goodrick, a period which would prove to be pivotal in his development as a guitarist. He has performed in various venues in Boston and the DC area as well as The Knitting Factory in NYC. In 2005 Kevin co-founded The School of Music LLC in Rockville, MD where he currently teaches guitar.

One Thirty to Two Thirty PM

Kevin James on the Gibbs Stage
A veteran of the Washington, D.C., area acoustic music scene, Kevin draws on elements of pop, rock, country and Irish folk music. His easy-going manner and sense of humor combine with tasteful guitar playing, bluesy harmonica and heart-felt singing to create lively and entertaining performances. An award-winning songwriter, Kevin received national acclaim for his song “USS Indianapolis—Let History Remember.” Most recently his song “When Dixie Was Young” won honors in the Billboard Magazine song contest.

Two to Three PM

Mama Jama on the Maryland Stage
Since 1990, Mama Jama have been intoxicating Bay music lovers with their eclectic blend of rock, reggae, calypso and blues. The band plays everywhere, from week-long performances at local bars and restaurants to benefit concerts to the Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival. “You can’t sit down when we play. We just make you feel good.” Drummer and original member Larry Griffin is joined in the band by John Gladstone—the other remaining original member—Avon Lucas, Henry Sar, Fallah Dadzie and Mike McHenry.

Big Light on the Plaza Stage
San Francisco-based rock band Big Light first emerged in 2007 as a vehicle for aspiring singer/songwriter/guitarist Fred Torphy to get his songs into the world. Now hailed as one of the fiercest young rock bands on the Bay Area scene with a growing national buzz, Big Light is poised to release its debut full-length album, Animals In Bloom, through reapandsow on March 2. With band members Fred Torphy, drummer Bradly Bifulco, bass player Steve Adams and guitarist Jeremy Korpas, Big Light quickly climbed the S.F. club circuit, going from bar gigs to headlining The Independent to playing support at the legendary Fillmore; they’ve shared bills with Spoon, Broken Social Scene, The Mother Hips, Dead Confederate, Everest and Howlin Rain to name a few. Listening to the new album and watching the band evolve at such a rapid rate onstage, one gets the feeling that Big Light is poised to get a lot bigger.

Three Thirty to Four Thirty PM

Hand Painted Swinger on the Maryland Stage
Hand Painted Swinger, formerly the PestStrips, is one of Washington D.C.’s most sought after cover-original bands, playing an electric arrangement of hit songs spanning over the last five decades. Since their first show in 1991, the band has performed more than 1,000 cover songs at hundreds of mid-Atlantic venues all while promoting two self produced original full length CD’s. Hand Painted Swinger continues to tour the Washington D.C. area entertaining fans of all ages.

Four to Five PM

Toby Walker on the Gibbs Stage
Toby Walker is a unique, accomplished fingerstyle guitar virtuoso adept at blues, rags and hot country picking, coaxing more out of a guitar than anyone can imagine. He is also a skilled singer and songwriter who draws inspiration from traditional and contemporary music.
Toby takes this foundation and creates something uniquely his own and has been eagerly received in concert halls, festivals, schools and coffeehouses throughout the U.S., England and Europe.

Four Thirty to Six PM

Superland on the Plaza Stage
Formed in 2004 at the University of Maryland, Superland quickly became College Park’s favorite band. Featuring a raucous horn section playing funk classics from the ’60s and ’70s, the band was soon familiar throughout the region. On the way, Superland has played shows with local favorites Chuck Brown, the Bridge, and the Pietasters, as well as funk icons Papa Grows Funk and Sam Kininger. In 2008, Superland’s horns crossed generations to back up guitar legend Tom Principato in a reunion with vocalist George Leh, and later that year Superland released its first studio recording, “Taste the Mangos,” featuring all original compositions.

THE COOKING

If you are not into local music or wine, you might enjoy cooking!

One to Two PM

Chef Patrice Olivon, the Program Director of Culinary Arts at L’Academie de Cuisine, “uses humor, anecdotes, and charm to captivate live audiences and television viewers.”

Three to Four Thirty PM

Suzanne Carreiro, Cookbook Author & Independent Food and Wine Consultant, looks “at its ancient recipes, traditions and the people who pass them on.”

See you there!

Art Demos At Rockville Memorial Library

Judith Heartsong in her studio

VisArts goes next door to a neighbor! Several artists are bringing their skills to the Rockville Memorial Library for a very special program, Reading and the Arts: An End of Summer Celebration for Children and Their Families on August 21, 2010 from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM.

Two separate programs will include story readings from art-related picture books. The first story time will be in the morning at 10:30 AM and the next at noon. The art demos will follow the storytimes.

At 11 AM until noon, the first set of demonstrations will feature Karen Askin showing basic wheel and clay techniques, Judith HeartSong demonstrating watercolor still life, and Anne Sanderoff-Walker showing weaving techniques on a studio loom as she makes a scarf. If you are interested in reading more about Judith and Anne’s work, read my Rockville Living article Handcrafted Locally And Destined to Last A Lifetime where I featured their work.

Anne Sanderoff-Walker with her loom

The second set of demonstrations, beginning at 12:30 PM, includes Eileen Martin’s fused glass, Bertrand Mao’s Chinese calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting, and Janet Barnard’s table loom weaving. When I’ve visited Eileen’s studio I’ve stared in awe at how she masterfully bends glass.

All these passionate artists are sure to inspire the kids AND the adults. Together they are crossing innovative frontiers in the art world. Free opportunities to witness their talents should never be missed.

Sponsored by the Rockville Chapter of the Friends of the Library and VisArts, the event will also include snacks and prizes. Registration is not necessary.