Bethesda Archives - Page 145 of 262

Upcoming MoCo Restaurant, The Grove, Looks to Get Maryland’s First Michelin Star

Published June 2, 2023 at 8:26AM

Last June we let you know that Augie’s Mussel House and Beer Garden was coming to 7747 Tuckerman Ln in Cabin John Village, taking over the space that was previously home to Lahinch. Lahinch closed permanently last May. Since then, Common Plate Hospitality has decided to bring a new concept to the space– The Grove. According to a report by Eater DC, the restaurant believes its chef, Jose Lopez-Picazo, “has the potential to win a Michelin star here,”.

According to the article, The Grove will feature Mediterranean cuisine (Spain, Italy, and Greece) and hopes to open in July. “We realized there’s nothing there to cater to a higher-end, fine-dining experience,” says (Commonplate Founder) Chad Sparrow). “People don’t have to go to D.C. — we can offer that at the Grove.” The Grove had its hearingwith Montgomery County’s Alcoholic Beverage Services on Thursday, May 4th at 11am, where it was granted its license. Construction is ongoing at the restaurant.

Former Montgomery County Social Media Influencer Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Scheming to Obtain More Than $1.2 Million in COVID-19 Cares Act Loans

By MCS Staff

Published June 1, 2023 at 7:43AM

Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: Denish Sahadevan, a/k/a “Danny Devan,” age 31, of Potomac, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering, relating to his scheme to defraud lenders and the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) of more than $1.2 million in Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”).

According to the plea agreement, beginning in about March 2020, Sahadevan submitted EIDL and PPP application on behalf of four Maryland entities that he controlled, often creating fraudulent and fabricated documents, such as tax forms and bank statements, to be used in the applications. In addition, Sahadevan used the identifying information belonging to a tax preparer that he knew, without that person’s knowledge or agreement, to legitimize the fabricated tax forms he created and submitted.

MCPS Student, Larry Liao, Advanced to Quarterfinal of 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee

By MCS Staff

Published June 1, 2023 at 7:25AM

Larry Liao, a student at Cold Spring Elementary School in Potomac, advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee. To get there, Larry correctly spelled his first word, taedium vitae. He then correctly answered the question, “What is cybernetics?” with “the comparative study of communication and control in human and artificial intelligence.” To get to the quarterfinals, he correctly spelled conspiration. Unfortunately, in the quarterfinals, Larry was unable to spell the word precisian correctly. Larry made Montgomery County proud, earning 74th place in the National competition.

According to Larry’s bio, he was born on May 9th, 2012 and is now 11 years old. He participates in many extracurricular activities, but one of his favorites is tennis. The word he spelled correctly to make it to the National competition was flugelhorn, his favorite movie is Treasure Island, his favorite food is bacon, and his favorite subject is science.

Circus Coming to Montgomery Mall in June

By Patrick Herron

Published May 29, 2023 at 4:50PM

Do Portugal Circus is coming to Montgomery Mall ( 7101 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda) from June 9-25. According to its website, Do Portugal Circus is, “A combination of excellence and magic takes you on a journey of laughter and pure amazement. Our talented and passionate artists will have you gasping in awe as they perform their death defying acts. And of course no circus is complete without our wonderful clown that will have you grinning from start to finish. It truly is a show that every generation can enjoy, leaving you with memories that will last a lifetime!” Details and ticket information below courtesy of Do Portugal on Facebook:

tickets.doportugalcircus.com

Baskin Robbins to Hold Grand Opening Event With $2 Scoops

By Patrick Herron

Published May 29, 2023 at 4:35PM | Updated June 3, 2023 at 8:58AM

Courtesy Baskin Robbins

Baskin Robbins at 1079 Seven Locks Rd in Potomac Woods Plaza, which opened earlier this month, will hold its official grand opening event on Saturday, June 3, from 11-4pm. The event will feature a DJ, prizes, giveaways, and 2$ scoops of ice cream. Baskin Robbins is located in the space that was previously home to Ibhana Creations.

Last February, Baskin Robbins closed its doors at Cabin John Village and announced its plans to open in the nearby Potomac Woods Plaza shopping center. Baskin Robbins was replaced in Cabin John Village by The Scoop, which was opened this past August by Timothy and Mitch Ryoo– Potomac natives and Winston Churchill High School Graduates (2010 and 2006). Baskin Robbins will also be opening a location later this year in the Montgomery Village Center. Featured image courtesy of @baskinrobbbins on Instagram.

Westfield Continues Deleveraging Process in U.S., Currently Owns Montgomery and Wheaton Malls in MoCo

By MCS Staff

Published May 29, 2023 at 9:35AM

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) has maintained its deleveraging progress with US and European asset sales with the announcement of the sale of Westfield Brandon Shopping Center (located in Brandon, Florida) in the US for $220 million and “V” office building in France for €95 million, bringing total sale proceeds to €4.7 billion. It was reported in 2021 that Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) planned to sell all of it’s US holdings in 2022. Last year, then-Chief Executive Jean-Marie Tritant told investors that Unibail wants to shed most of its U.S. properties by the end of 2023, according to a Wall Street Journal report, which pushed things back about a year. Montgomery Mall and Wheaton Mall (Westfield Montgomery and Westfield Wheaton), both located in Montgomery County, are owned by URW.

URW operates over 75 shopping centers in 12 countries, including over 40 which carry the Westfield brand. These centers attract over 900 million visits annually. Fabrice Mouchel, Chief Financial Officer of URW, said: “URW continues to achieve deleveraging progress, even in a more challenging financing environment. With these two transactions, we have now generated €4.7 Bn in disposal proceeds since 2021 and consistently improving credit metrics. The Group’s robust operational performance and strong liquidity position will allow us to complete our deleveraging programme, including a radical reduction of our US financial exposure, in a timely and disciplined manner.”

Viamericas Relocates From MoCo to Miami

By MCS Staff

Published May 28, 2023 at 6:27PM

Viamericas Corporation, a licensed, international remittance company, recently relocated its corporate headquarters from Bethesda, Maryland to Coral Gables, Florida. Viamericas was located at 4641 Montgomery Avenue in Bethesda prior to its announced departure earlier this month and selected the Miami region because it is a major transportation hub connecting the Americas, making it an ideal location for a company specializing in cross-border money transfers. The city also has a large and growing Latin American population, which provides a natural customer base for Viamericas’ services.

Per the press release: Moving its headquarters to Miami also enabled Viamericas to tap into the city’s diverse talent pool, which includes skilled workers with experience in finance, technology and customer service. The company has been able to recruit top talent from both the local area and other parts of the United States, helping to drive its growth and expansion. “Moving our headquarters to Miami has been an excellent decision for Viamericas. We can leverage the city’s many benefits, which positions Viamericas for continued growth and success,” said Joseph Argilagos, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Viamericas. “We are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead as we continue to expand and innovate our offerings to meet the evolving needs of our customers.”

Trophy Office Tower in Bethesda Changes Hands

By MCS Staff

Published May 28, 2023 at 6:23PM

JLL Capital Markets announced earlier this month that it has arranged the sale of 4747 Bethesda Ave., a 300,508-square-foot, trophy office building in the heart of downtown Bethesda, Maryland, on behalf of the seller, JBG Smith. Built in 2019, 4747 Bethesda Ave. is an iconic asset that is 98% leased to a diversified tenant roster and serves as the headquarters location for JBG Smith. The LEED Gold and Fitwel-certified building offers new construction and a best-in-class amenity package highlighted by a rooftop lounge, state-of-the-art fitness facility and a penthouse conference room with floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

The property has a gateway location adjacent to Bethesda Row, which features more than 70 retailers, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Additionally, the property is walkable to mass transit, including the Red and future Purple Lines, which connect tenants to the Greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The JLL Capital Markets Investment Sales and Advisory team representing the seller was led by Senior Managing Directors Jim Meisel, Matt Nicholson, and Andrew Weir, Senior Director Dave Baker and Director Kevin Byrd.

Chicken On The Run Has Reopened After Being Closed For Over a Year

By MCS Staff

Published May 26, 2023 at 7:16AM

Chicken on the Run, a Peruvian chicken restaurant located 4933 St Elmo Ave in Bethesda, has reopened in the same location after a closure that lasted over a year. The restaurant announced what seemed to be a permanent closure in April 2022, writing “SORRY, AFTER MORE THAN 20 YEARS IN BUSINESS WE ARE CLOSING OUR BUSINESS DUE TO THE LANDLORD NOT RENEWING OUR LEASE.”

The restaurant first opened its doors in 2002 and reopened earlier this month. Chicken on the Run opens at 11am daily and closes at 9pm every day except for Sundays, when it closes at 7:30pm.

Washington Folk Festival Will Return to Glen Echo Park for Its 41st Year with Free Performances on June 3-4

By Patrick Herron

Published May 25, 2023 at 1:30PM

Per Montgomery County: The Washington Folk Festival, in its 41st year, will return to Glen Echo Park on Saturday-Sunday, June 3-4, with free performances each day from noon-7 p.m. The festival will host more than 450 performances on seven stages. Glen Echo Park is located at 7300 MacArthur Blvd. in Glen Echo.

The festival annual features music of all kinds, participatory dance, a fine crafts market and storytelling. The festival celebrates the diverse American and international music styles to be found throughout the Washington area among the local and talented performers.

Seven Suspects Using Stolen Kia Steal From Target and Sephora

By Patrick Herron

Published May 25, 2023 at 10:43AM

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division are investigating two thefts at department stores that were committed by seven suspects who used a stolen Kia to commit these crimes. Detectives have released surveillance photos of the suspects and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying them.

On Friday, April 28, 2023, 2nd District officers responded to Sephora in the 5300 block of Western Ave. in Chevy Chase for the report of a theft. The investigation by detectives has revealed that the seven suspects walked into the store, placed merchandise in shopping bags and ran out of the store without paying. The suspects then left the scene in a black Kia bearing Washington, D.C. license plate GC-5918.