“Remember that guy who used to paint at Rio?” Many do. If you walked through Rio in Gaithersburg between 2000 and 2016, you likely saw George Petridis working on one of his beautiful paintings, with many of his other works on display in the atrium just outside the movie theater. For more than 15 years, Petridis showcased his art and continually crafted new pieces, often interacting with those who stopped to appreciate his work amid the bustle of the Rio crowd.
The Orange Crush has officially become Maryland’s state cocktail, a well-deserved recognition for a drink that has become synonymous with Maryland summers. This designation, signed into law by Governor Wes Moore, went into effect on June 1, 2025. During our trip to Ocean City, we visited The birthplace of the Orange Crush: Harborside Bar & Grill.
Montgomery County native Matthew “Diggy” Diggs, a 2008 graduate of Damascus High School, just experienced a milestone moment in his short career as a barber that started just under two years ago. Recently selected to serve as the in-house barber in BET’s prestigious hospitality suite for the BET Awards, Diggs’ journey has been one of seizing unexpected opportunities.
Da’Von T. Moody, a 2012 graduate of Watkins Mill High School in Montgomery Village, MD, made his Broadway debut earlier this year as Young Compay in Buena Vista Social Club. Last night, he performed at the Tony Awards.
Daniel Stern, best known for his role as Marv Murchins, one half of the infamous “Sticky Bandits” duo alongside Joe Pesci, has deep roots in the Bethesda community. He grew up in Bethesda and attended Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, where he appeared in several theater productions. Although he eventually left school to pursue acting in New York, his early experiences in the local arts scene helped shape his future career. (more…)
Among the big winners at last night’s 78th Tony Awards was Buena Vista Social Club, a musical co-produced by Montgomery County native Doug Fellman and award-winning producer and philanthropist Thomas Perakos.
Regal is launching its Summer Movie Express with $1 movie tickets to the first show on Tuesdays and Wednesday. The summer event begins on Tuesday, June 10th and runs until Wednesday, August 6th at participating theaters including Regal Rockville and Regal Majestic in Silver Spring.
Maryland resident Pat Sajak will take his final spin on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. Although he retired from hosting the regular version of Wheel of Fortune in June 2024 after more than four decades, Sajak returned briefly to host the fifth season of the celebrity spinoff. His final episode airs June 10 on ABC.
Bret Michaels, the frontman of the rock band Poison, spent his Saturday night partying in Ocean City, MD. Michaels, who has sold over 65 million albums worldwide and is known for hits such as “Talk Dirty to Me,” “Something to Believe In,” “Nothing But a Good Time,” and the number-one ballad “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” was in town to support a local charity and ended up hanging out much longer than expected.
Taraji P. Henson, a DMV native born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Prince George’s County, MD, is currently starring in Tyler Perry’s film Straw– which has become the #1 movie on Netflix.
Recently featured on FOX29 Philadelphia, after going viral for her Labubu hunts, searches and fashion, Montgomery County, MD native Sophia Tyris (Apostolaros) took an unexpected journey from the courtroom to the craft table.