Local author Ada-Ari will be doing several events this week in Montgomery County as a part of her Black History Month book tour. Nigerian born Ada-Ari is the author of The Turtle’s Cracked Shell and The Spider’s Thin Legs, children’s books that document classic and beloved African folktales from her childhood. The book tour pays tribute and honors these historical artifacts that, for many, have been lost due to centuries of migration and oral transmission.
Ada tells us, “My kids, who were born at Shady Grove and are growing up in America, were my inspiration. I grew up in Nigeria and didn’t want my kids to miss out on the stories that my grandparents and family members told us. My books also include fun fact cards about the part of Africa that each story comes from. Children (and adults) get a geography and cultural lesson as well as an opportunity to learn moral lessons shared the African way – through stories that have been passed down for thousands of years. What a great way to reconnect with African roots. ”
Her DMV-area book tour kicked off February 5 in Sterling, VA and Ada-Ari will be in doing events in Bethesda and Gaithersburg this week (schedule below). For more information about The Turtle’s Cracked Shell, The Spider’s Thin Legs visit www.ada-ari.com.
2021 Year in Review
Below you’ll find some of our most popular (non-COVID) posts and stories from 2021.
January:
Inauguration Day Bernie
Waiting for the Cider Barrel to reopenhttps://t.co/thHHZQcMZa pic.twitter.com/gIQR55HkVI
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) January 21, 2021
Jon Bernthal hanging out at the Lego Store in Westfield Montgomery
“Originally from MoCo, the actor is popular for his many roles in television series and movies such as The Walking Dead, The Punisher, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Accountant, Ford v Ferrari, and the recent Soprano’s movie The Many Saints of Newark.
He grew up in the Cabin John area and graduated from Sidwell Friends in DC in 1995.
He still has family in the area and is spotted hanging out in MoCo all the time.
Photo courtesy of @e_j_fletch on Instagram”
February:
Good Counsel Alum Plays in Second Straight SuperBowl
Dorian O’Daniel, Good Counsel Alum, Set to Play in Second Straight Super Bowl
More in link.https://t.co/zAO2ixidAd
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) February 3, 2021
Kansas City Chief Dorian O’Daniel played against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers at this year’s SuperBowl LV in Tampa, FL.
Dorian attended high school and played football at Good Counsel in Olney, where he was a running back and linebacker. As a senior he was named the Montgomery Sentinal’s Offensive Player of the Year and the Gazette’s Montgomery County Player of the Year.
That year he also made the Washington Post’s All-Met First Team. O’Daniel then graduated from Clemson with a degree in parks, recreation, and tourism management.
In 2018, he was selected 100th overall in the 3rd round of the NFL Draft.
Last year Dorian and the Chief’s won the NFL Championship when they defeated the San Francisco 49ers SuperBowl LIV.
March:
Brian Nicholson, a MoCo Native, is the Youngest Krispy Kreme General Manager in Company History
Krispy Kreme recently opened a new shop at a Columbia Heights in Washington DC with general manager Brian Nicholson leading the way.
Brian is a MoCo native. He was born and raised in the county and graduated from Wootton High School in 2018.
He has worked for Krispy Kreme for five years, starting a the Fallsgrove location in Rockville, where he became a full-time in employee after his high school graduation and served as an assistant general manager.
After just 9 months, he was promoted to general manager of the DuPont Circle location before being asked to open the newest location at 3100 14th Street in Columbia Heights last month.
Brian tells us his experience opening a new store has been “more than fun” and was excited to be able to open the store in February– Black History Month.
We wish Brian the best at Krispy Kreme and look forward to seeing him continue to succeed. Maybe he will bring MoCo a second Krispy Kreme location? We can only hope!
Congratulations, Brian!
Steve Chu, QO alum and owner of Baltimore restaurant Ekiben, Drove 6 Hours to Cook for Customer with Cancer
Steve Chu, QO Alum and Owner of Baltimore Restaurant Ekiben, Drove 6 Hours to Cook for Customer with Cancer
Full story in the link.https://t.co/ljcrWJmClm
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) March 16, 2021
Steve Chu, QO alum and owner of Baltimore restaurant Ekiben, packed up and headed to Vermont when he learned that one of his customers, who was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, was craving one of their dishes.
A family member had reached out to the Ekiben team to tell them that her mother-in-law, who lives in Vermont but often visits Maryland, had stage 4 lung cancer and was craving Ekiben’s tempura broccoli. The family member shared that she was planning to drive up from Maryland to Vermont and wanted to surprise her Ekiben-loving relative with the dish.
After asking whether she could either have the recipe or ingredients for the broccoli dish so it would be fresh after the long drive, she got a surprising response from Ekiben’s team. Chu replied by saying “Thanks for reaching out. Ephrem [a co-owner] and I are more than willing to meet you guys in Vermont, and make the food fresh so it will be just like what she remembered.”
As reported by Good News Movement , Steve and his team stayed in the area for a couple of days and turned down the family’s offer to compensate them for their air bnb, food, and gas. Chu was joined by co-owner Ephrem Abebe alongside one other team member.
By: Michelle Katz @pike.and.rozay on Instagram
April:
Good Samaritan in Germantown
We want to give a shout-out to this gentleman.
IG user @ jimmyrojas3745 tells us that he was checking on everyone and helping out after a car accident near Wisteria/118 in Germantown earlier today until fire and rescue services around ❤️ pic.twitter.com/YP4Kn3oN6Q
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) April 23, 2021
Odessa Shannon Middle School Chooses New Colors and Mascot
Odessa Shannon Middle School (Currently E. Brooke Lee Middle School) Chooses New Colors and Mascothttps://t.co/EhCquTiWSX
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) April 25, 2021
Back in November, the Montgomery County Board of Education voted to change the name of Col. E. Brooke Lee Middle School in Silver Spring to Odessa Shannon Middle School.
The change will take place following this school year and yesterday the school staff unveiled the brand new mascot and school colors in a YouTube video.
Odessa Shannon Middle School has adopted “Wolves” as the new mascot and has chosen blue (the top color from a survey) and light green (Odessa Shannon’s favorite color) as the nee school colors.
Shannon was the first African-American Board of Education member and a lifelong activist. She worked tirelessly to help close the achievement gap for minority families and was the recipient of numerous awards, such as the Human Rights Hall of Fame, the African American Living Legend Award, and Hornbook Award for Outstanding Service to Education.
Shannon’s name will replace Col. E Brooke Lee, a Maryland politician whose policies shaped Montgomery County’s zoning and land use in the 1920s. These laws barred African-Americans from living in Silver Spring, with the exception as domestic servants. It wasn’t until 1968 that Montgomery County enacted fair housing policies.
May:
Police Search for a Raccoon After Attacks in Rockville
Per Rockville City Police:
“The Rockville City Police Department is asking community members to be on the lookout for a raccoon that attacked a dog and a child in Rockville on Monday morning.
Anyone who sees a raccoon acting aggressively should leave the scene and call 911.
A dog was attacked and bitten Monday morning near College Gardens Park, 615 College Parkway.
Later in the morning, around 11 a.m., a child was bitten in Kinship Park, 254 N. Washington Street.
Officers from the Rockville City Police Department are actively searching for the raccoon.”
The Last Arby’s in MoCo Closes
The Last Arby’s in MoCo Has Closed
More in link.https://t.co/8c6JgyxrkT
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) May 19, 2021
A few of the reactions from twitter:
June:
2021 High School Graduation Season
Aerial view of Quince Orchard High School’s graduation ceremony by our eye in the sky, @ dronifydmv (IG)https://t.co/9ULKOD86pL pic.twitter.com/SH5zcAIz60
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) June 2, 2021
Aerial view of Northwest High School’s graduation.
By our eye in the sky @ DronifyDMV (IG)https://t.co/9ULKOD86pL pic.twitter.com/lBIBTPUSX7
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) June 9, 2021
Aerial view of Watkins Mill High School’s graduation.
By our eye in the sky @ DronifyDMV (IG)https://t.co/vGwcqFb8yG pic.twitter.com/wUjdq555j6
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) June 12, 2021
July:
I<3U Jenny
In case Jenny didn’t catch this… you’re loved ❤️
As seen on the Wootton Parkway overpass on 270 S https://t.co/9ULKOD86pL pic.twitter.com/H2b3yaYnwZ
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) July 5, 2021
Former Damascus Student-Athlete Bikes Across the Country Raising Money for ALS
Damascus Native Wil Armstrong Completes Cross Country Bike Ride For ALS
Details in the link below.https://t.co/vHiI1C9I7w
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) September 7, 2021
“On Saturday, June 26th Wil Armstrong, a 2016 Damascus High School graduate, commenced his cross-country bike ride “Against the Wind” from Rehoboth Beach, DE. He is expected to finish 2.5 months later in Seattle, Washington. Throughout this journey, Wil is updating his daily blog with his progress, experiences, and updates on his banana consumption count. During his cross-country journey, he is crowdfunding for the ALS Association after seeing his mentor and former basketball coach, Rodney Lapp, go through it.
Wil played football for his high school’s state champion team and later played rugby at the University of Maryland. What started off as a high school job at Jimmie Cone carried over into his time at the University of Maryland, where he got his Master’s in Quantitative Finance through the Robert H. Smith School of Business through their Plus One program. With eight years under his belt, he was the Damascus Jimmie Cone’s longest tenured employee! How much more Damascus can you get?
When people ask Wil why he is taking on such an adventure he says, “Touring is a way to use my gifts to make a difference in the world, the stars are aligned, and nothing makes me feel more clear, focused, and alive.”
August:
Rockville’s Helen Louise Maroulis Becomes The First American Woman to Win Two Olympic Medals in Wrestling
Rockville’s Helen Louise Maroulis Becomes The First American Woman to Win Two Olympic Medals in Wrestling
Details in the link below.https://t.co/wstLds7SI0
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) August 5, 2021
Helen Louise Maroulis is a Rockville-born freestyle wrestler who competes in the women’s 55-kg 53-kg and 57-kg categories. She was the first-ever American to win a gold medal in women’s freestyle wrestling back at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
In August, she became the first American woman to win two Olympic medals in wrestling when she beat khongorzul Boldsaikhan from Mongolia for the Bronze medal.
She attended Magruder High School for three years, where as a freshman she became the first female wrestler to place at the Maryland state wrestling championships. She has been a great spokesperson for mental health awareness after suffering many physical injuries, brain trauma and the effects of prescription medicines.
2021 Montgomery County AG Fair
Amazing shots of the @mocofair by our eye in the sky, @dronifydmv
Come stop by @themocoshow stand and say hello!
We have some great t-shorts and the @tastemoco passport for sale.https://t.co/9ULKOD86pL pic.twitter.com/q9d03AotRF
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) August 19, 2021
September:
Glenmont then and now (60s and 2021)
Katie Ledecky visits Little Flower School in Bethesda
Ledecky provided words of encouragement to current students at the school while proudly wearing her most recent gold and silver medals from the recent 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held this summer).
She and her Team USA Swimming teammate Phoebe Bacon both attended the school while growing up right here in MoCo.
Ledecky has won 7 Olympic gold medals and 15 world championship gold medals, the most in history for a female swimmer. She is also the world record holder in the women’s 400-, 800-, and 1500-meter freestyle (long course), and holds the fastest-ever times in the women’s 500-, 1000-, 1500-, and 1650-yard freestyle events.
The school posted the following message and pictures on its social media:
“Little Flower School Alumna KATIE LEDECKY came back for a visit! Thank you Katie for being an amazing role model and inspiration to our entire Cardinal Community. We are so proud of you! 🥇🏊♀️🇺🇸”
October:
Red Light/Green Light
MoCo Squid Game
Video by AM passenger, Jon Puhl
Check us out on TikTok: https://t.co/WARSSzOwcm pic.twitter.com/iPt1N3mGog
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) October 12, 2021
Post Guapo’s Workout
November:
Local P.E. Teacher Recognized at Washington Football Team Game
Kennedy High School P.E. Teacher, Lenny Myers, Honored on the Field at Last Night’s Washington Football Team Gamehttps://t.co/PDOhR88VTn
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) November 30, 2021
On-field recognition for Lenny Myers, Kennedy High School P.E. Teacher, who was named educator of the month by Washington Football Team earlier this year.
Lenny Myers was awarded Educator of the Month by The Washington Football Team‘s Black Engagement Network earlier this year.
”Mr. Myers leads from the front. He is an amazing teacher in the classroom at John F. Kennedy High School and his students love and respect him.
His best work is in his community; Mr. Myers has a program for children looking to gain new basketball skills through his program, “Reach Beyond Basketball.” This program provides financial help to to children in the community with scholarships in order to take the burden off of struggling families.”
Tower Records in Rockville
Read our full article about the history of Tower Records in Rockville here.
December:
Happy 100th Birthday to Kensington man!
Happy 100th Birthday to Kensington resident, Paul Snyder!
Courtesy of IG User: @ Kensington_neighborhttps://t.co/9ULKOD86pL pic.twitter.com/q5OCdZVtCT
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) December 6, 2021
Thai Tanium in Gaithersburg
New server at Thai Tanium in Kentlands. You can pay with cache or credit 🤓
Video by Krista Brickhttps://t.co/9ULKOD86pL
Check us out on TikTok: https://t.co/V5t2kOkoNT pic.twitter.com/hbya17eyVF
— The MoCoShow (MCS) (@TheMoCoShow) December 10, 2021
Yuvan Sundrani (sophomore information science major at UMD), Jason Steinberg (sophomore computer science major at UMD), and Sid Jagtap (sophomore finance major at the University of Michigan) are launching an exciting new app called Soshi. Simply put, the app allows users to share all of their social media and contact information in one place with one tap.
These students were amongst the many seniors to miss out on the end of the year senior fun and started freshman year behind a screen. Quarantine left everyone with a little extra time on their hands. Jason Steinberg and Sid Jagtap founded MoCo Tutors, an affordable digital tutoring service aimed at helping Montgomery County students struggling with virtual instruction. Meanwhile, Yuvan Sundrani gained some experience and insight while interning with the artificial intelligence laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg as a Data Engineer Intern.
The winter break before the first back in-person semester started in the spring, Jagtap, a business major with an entrepreneurial spirit wanted to fix a common first-world problem: the awkwardness and tediousness of exchanging multiple contact and social media information one at a time. “Oftentimes, asking and exchanging your phone number, Instagram, and Snapchat all at once can really disrupt the flow of a conversation”, Jagtap said. Sundrani and Steinberg were immediately intrigued and, together, the trio gathered to create mock ups of the app in Sundrani’s basement.
Soshi, the app, develops an individualized QR code to quickly and efficiently exchange information. Without storing any passwords, it gathers all of a user’s selected social media under their personalized Soshi profile. With toggle switches, users are able to switch which social media they want to share depending on the person.
When non-users scan a Soshi user’s QR code, they are taken to an online webpage with the user’s desired socials neatly hyperlinked. Existing app users will be redirected to the friends section of the app where they can track their connections for later reference.
The creators emphasize the importance of simplicity so that anyone can use it. The trio noticed how competitors in the space either had too many overwhelming features or did not cater towards the everyday person. Steinberg stated how “this app is something that people, especially college students, can use with people they meet in class, at parties, the gym, a pickup basketball game, and more”.
The summer of 2020, provided the trio with more time to work on the app. On slow or rainy days at the Germantown pool, the other lifeguards would make fun of the trio for spending time on the app instead of having “fun.”
Along the way, Sundrani and Steinberg taught themselves a new programming language called “Flutter” that is compatible with both Android and iOS. When asked whether it was challenging to learn Flutter, Sundrani said “it was definitely a learning curve but Jason and I began to enjoy creating the app once we got past it”. This process has been a continuous cycle of trial, error, learning, and fixing errors, but one that has ultimately proved to be rewarding.
Steinberg shared that the most shocking part about the process was how long it took; the team started in the winter of 2021 and December 9th is the first scheduled beta release.Going forward, the three say that they envision themselves turning this side project into a full time job if the opportunity presents itself.
Fun Facts:
- One of Yuvan Sundrani’s favorite food spots is Mr. K’s Cafe Germantown
- Jason Steinberg has a biking hobby, he has even biked to Pittsburgh from MoCo! He loves living in MoCo because in a few hours he could find himself biking on back roads to sugarloaf or take the opposite and end up in a different location..
- Sid Jagtap, a former Arizona resident, enjoys cherry blossom season the most in MoCo and the pleasant weather that comes with it.
Taste MoCo: Best Deli in MoCo Tournament Winner: Filippo’s Italian Specialties in Wheaton
Filippo Leo has worked at the deli for over 30 years. He took over the deli back in 2012, a year after founder Thomas Marchone passed away. The deli, located at 11224 Triangle Lane in Wheaton, opened in 1955 and operated as Marchone’s until 2014.
Today, Filippo works alongside his son Christian running the day to day operations.
Last year, Filippo’s was the winner of our TasteMoCo tournament for “Best Deli” in Montgomery County.
Filippo’s beat out 31 other delis that had all been nominated by readers of the MoCoShow to win the award.
Full bracket below:
Below are some photos from a recent trip we took to Filippo’s:
Hours:
Thursday: 9:00 am–5:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am–5:00 pm
Saturday: 9:00 am–5:00 pm
Sunday: 9:00 am–2:00 pm
Monday: 9:00 am–5:00 pm
Tuesday: 9:00 am–5:00 pm
Wednesday: 9:00 am–5:00 pm
Good Counsel Alum Set to Play in Second Straight SuperBowl
Kansas City Chief Dorian O’Daniel will be playing this Sunday against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers at SuperBowl LV in Tampa, FL.
Dorian attended high school and played football at Good Counsel in Olney, where he was a running back and linebacker. As a senior he was named the Montgomery Sentinal’s Offensive Player of the Year and the Gazette’s Montgomery County Player of the Year.
That year he also made the Washington Post’s All-Met First Team. O’Daniel then graduated from Clemson with a degree in parks, recreation, and tourism management.
In 2018, he was selected 100th overall in the 3rd round of the NFL Draft.
Last year Dorian and the Chief’s won the NFL Championship when they defeated the San Francisco 49ers SuperBowl LIV.
Local Karate Instructor Publishes First Children’s Book
“Daniel views school in his own little way, but kids make fun of him all the long day. He may be strong and won’t stand for guff, but when push comes to shove, can he really stay tough? With engaging rhymes and colorful illustrations, this is the perfect book for any kid who could use a self-esteem boost and learn to tackle the social scene at school.”
“Not So Bad After All” is being released on February 2nd by Mascot Books and you can find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million.
For more info contact [email protected] and follow @DanielsBookClub on Facebook and
Instagram.
Updated from being for sale to being sold in January 2021.
Vince McMahon’s Former MoCo Home
The Montgomery Village home that Vince, Linda, and Shane McMahon resided in the late 1960s and 70s was sold earlier this year.
According to Wikipedia, the McMahons moved to the home in 1969. Vince focused on wrestling while his wife Linda worked as a receptionist at the Covington & Burling law firm as a document translator.
Back in 2016 we wrote: “When Vince McMahon Sr. wanted to expand the then-WWWF further down the east coast, he sent his son Vince McMahon Jr. down to D.C. to run operations. Since Vince and his wife Linda couldn’t afford to live in the city, they lived in Gaithersburg. On January 15, 1970, Shane Brandon McMahon was born in Gaithersburg. About 5 years later, they moved back and forth between Connecticut and Gaithersburg until finally moving to Connecticut full-time in the early 80s.”
In recent years, Linda McMahon ran two unsuccessful Senate campaigns before being appointed the head of the Small Business Administration from 2016-2019 by Donald Trump. Vince McMahon remains the Chairman and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment.
Halloween is a great excuse for local bars and restaurants to get creative with their menu specials. Here’s a selection of some of some of the best creepy concoctions from around Montgomery County:
The Flaming Freddy Krueger – Fusion Bar & Grill (Silver Spring)
This martini features Pineapple juice, strawberry, Jägermeister, and 151. Light it up and enjoy! Ask for cinnamon and your drink will sparkle!
Spooktacular Martini – Pinstripes (North Bethesda)
This creamy martini is made with La Colombe Mocha latte and Stoli Vanilla! Grab one while playing a game of Bocce at Pinstripes!
The Black Widow – 4 Corners Pub (Silver Spring)
Black vodka, pomegranate liquor, cranberry juice and soda! Black vodka is infused with black catechu bark, which gives the vodka it’s eerie color.
Green With Envy -The Block Food Hall (North Bethesda)
Featuring dry rum, Midori, simple syrup, lime, sparkling soda and lime peel. Only available at their Pike & Rose location!
Dawn of the Dead – Brews & Barrels (Gaithersburg)
A vodka based cocktail with grapefruit juice, seltzer, grenadine and one floating eyeball!
Reminder: Be safe & DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE this Halloween!
Today we’re cracking open a copy of the 1988 Montgomery County Fair Cookbook. The Montgomery County Fair’s roots date all the way back to 1945. While we missed out on the pig racing and Tilt-a-Whirls this summer, let’s see if we can capture a little bit of that county fair nostalgia with these vintage recipes!
The book features classics such as Grandma Butler’s Apple Pie, as well as more dated recipes like Mayo Rolls & Tuna Toastees. In this article we’ll be sharing two of the Moco recipes found inside.
We’ll start with an appetizer: Olive Cheese Balls by Carla Pappalardo from Potomac, MD
This is very easy to prepare, with the majority of items likely to already be in your kitchen. The closest thing I can compare them to are cheddar biscuits. I ended up using a tiny bit more water than suggested and it wouldn’t hurt to spray PAM on your baking sheet. If you are looking for an excuse to make these around Halloween, they do kind of resemble spooky eyeballs. Avoid if you don’t like olives.
Score: 6/10
Next up is Hot Spiced Cider by Mrs. Irene Lowe
This was chosen because it’s a great drink for the time of year. We should note that we boiled the ingredients in a pot instead of using the recommended percolator. The brown sugar might not be necessary if the cider you are using is already very sweet. A different approach could include adding a bit of your favorite rum.
Score: 8/10
Thanks for reading and let us know what types of recipes you’d like to see next!
Last week, we shared with you a list of Black-owned, MoCo-based restaurants compiled by MoCo resident Sydney Williams. This week, we wanted to share a list of a wider variety of Black-Owned businesses as well. This list consists of businesses that MoCo Show readers suggested to us, plus some businesses that were listed on SupportBlackOwned.com. We realize that this does not cover all Black-owned businesses in our community, so please feel free to comment with any that we might have missed (or if you notice anything that should be corrected).
Muna Dubbaneh was born and raised in Jordan before making the move to Wheaton with her family in 1980. Muna and Issa met a couple years later and were married soon after. They had five kids while working in the restaurants and constantly reminded their children to stay away from the food/restaurant industry. Their kids, Ronnie (31), Danny (29), Ronia (27), Johnny (25), and Deanna (21), listened for most of their lives…
A couple years ago the Dubbaneh boys decided they wanted to preserve their culture by learning more about it and presenting it in a fun way. They created Z&Z, which stands for Zayt & Za’atar (roughly translates to oil and herbs), and began selling their special blend of herbs/spices and Middle Eastern street food at the Foggy Bottom Farmer’s Market on Wednesdays.
The Z&Z website goes into detail about their story and also has some awesome tips for how to use za’atar.
Check out the official Z&Z Instagram