Restaurant

According to a report by Source of the Spring, Willie T’s Seafood Shack at 9326 Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring has permanently closed and will be replaced by Milk & Honey, a southern inspired brunch and soul food restaurant which has locations across DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Both concepts are owned by Thompson Hospitality, the group behind Matchbox (Bethesda, Rockville, and Silver Spring locations in MoCo), Austin Grill and American Tap Room (both previously in MoCo), and Wiseguy Pizza (opening this month at Wheaton Mall.)

Willie T’s began as a pop-up restaurant inside of Austin Grill in Springfield, VA and opened its Silver Spring location in March 2022.  The location was originally going to be a “joint restaurant,” splitting the space with BRB (be right burger), another Thompson Hospitality concept that currently has a location at Dulles airport. Menu items at Milk & Honey include “Chef Sammy’s Award Winning” Shrimp & Grits, Deep Fried Salmon Hash, Chicken & Waffles, and Crab Benedict. We will post an update when additional information is available. Featured image courtesy of Milk & Honey on Facebook. 


Montgomery Planning

Have you ever wondered how land gets developed in Montgomery County? The short video below the anrticle  explains the process. More per Montgomery Planning:

”When new development is proposed in Montgomery County, it’s important that it not only works for the owner, but also adjacent neighborhood residents, local business owners, and the broader community.


MoCo Government

Per Montgomery County: Montgomery County businesses looking to grow through partnerships with organizations overseas could be eligible for grants of up to $5,000 for qualified travel or marketing expenses through the Maryland Department of Commerce’s ExportMD program. Applications to receive grants must be submitted by Thursday, Sept. 7.

The grants would reimburse expenses for companies seeking customers, suppliers, manufacturers or academic partners to support the growth of their business. Montgomery County is organizing a delegation of business, academic and government leaders traveling to Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengalaru, Saigon/HCMC and Hanoi in late October to November. Businesses interested in joining the delegation can apply for an ExportMD grant to support this travel.


Sponsored

It’s Asian American Pacific Islander Month, and what better way to celebrate the culture than to immerse oneself at the Anne Arundel Asian American Festival outside of Annapolis on May 31st?

Or didn’t get enough Irish last month? Two of the biggest Irish acts returns to the stage with Gaelic Storm and Carbon Leaf. See below for more details and information!

All events are family-friendly, packed with food, live music, interactive experiences, and now even more ways to get active.

To kick things off, you can save 20% on tickets with code MOCOSHOW (valid through May 31 for general admission tickets).

2026 Festival Lineup

Annapolis Irish Festival

May 29 & 30

Experience the spirit of Ireland right here in Annapolis with two days of live music, great food, and high-energy performances. Headlined by internationally recognized acts like Scythian, Gaelic Storm, and Carbon Leaf, the Annapolis Irish Festival blends traditional Irish culture with modern rock festival vibes.

Haven’t heard of Gaelic Storm? Are you sure? They were the band in James Cameron’s Titanic and went from local stars to national powerhouses. We are lucky to have them right here in Maryland so don’t miss out!

Enjoy Guinness, Irish whiskey tastings, craft beverages, local vendors, and nonstop entertainment in a setting that brings thousands together to celebrate Irish heritage.

Anne Arundel Asian American Festival

May 31

Celebrate culture, community, and cuisine at the Anne Arundel Asian American Festival, a vibrant showcase of food, performances, and traditions from across Asia!

Come hungry and enjoy authentic dishes from a wide range of vendors, cultural performances throughout the day, and interactive experiences for all ages. This family-friendly event highlights the diversity and energy of the Asian American community during AAPI Heritage Month.

Food vendors include:

Namit Filipino, Ekiben, Bun’d Up, E-San Thai, MD Brad Butcher and Central Asian dishes, Thai Pinto, Pho Wheels, and The Sister House! (more…)


Entertainment

RocktoberFest will take place at the Whelan Commons (19701 Fisher Avenue) in Poolesville on Saturday, October 21st. The event will consist of a day of fun fall activities for the whole family.

The events will include pumpkin painting, a costume parade, scarecrow making, smores stations, and bounce houses for kids.  For adults there will be a beer and wine tent featuring Manor Hill, Landmade and Rockwell Breweries.  There will also be an assortment of wines. The bandshell lineup includes No Stop Light from 2 – 3:30 and the Front Page Band from 4 – 6 pm. Additional information can be found on the Town of Poolesville website.


Event

Beautiful venue; great art, gifts and hand-crafted items; refreshments; and meet the award-winning painters, photographers, mixed media artists, ceramicists, fiber artists, and more – some 40 artists in all. It’s an extraordinary array of framed wall works, 3-d media including sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, and fiber pieces, and unframed prints.

Among them, you’ll see:


Silver Spring

Per Shepherd’s Table: Forty years ago, a handful of faith-based organizations in downtown Silver Spring put their faith into action by cooking dinner for community members in need. “The first evening of service was a bit slow; I had to go out and encourage people to come in,” remembers Rev. Richard Leslie. “I’m amazed at the success and progress of this organization. I am so proud to have been there the first night.”

Today, Shepherd’s Table has served over two million meals. We serve multiple meals daily to an average of 150 people and have never missed a meal service in the last four decades. Through government shutdowns, pandemic chaos, and bad weather, our table has been set, and doors open for all who need a fresh hot meal. Our anniversary year began with a stark reminder that food insecurity is still prevalent, homelessness is on the rise, and access to daily necessities is more critical than ever; we have seen a 58% increase in meals served daily in the first seven months of 2023.


Montgomery Planning

The Montgomery County Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Thursday, September 14, 2023, at 6 pm for community input on the Takoma Park Minor Master Plan Amendment at the Maryland-National Park and Planning Commission’s Wheaton Headquarters on the 2nd floor Auditorium. There will be a virtual option through the Planning Board’s website. The Public Hearing will also be livestreamed at the City of Takoma Park’s Community Center for the public to watch and provide testimony. Sign-up to testify at the Public Hearing.

In addition to testifying in person or via Microsoft Teams, residents may also email testimony to [email protected], fax testimony to the Planning Board Chair at 301-495-1320, or mail written testimony to: Chair, Montgomery County Planning Board, 2425 Reedie Drive, 14th Floor, Wheaton, MD 20902.


East County

A replacement for Pho Hung & Grill at 11225 New Hampshire Ave. has signed on at the White Oak Shipping Center. Pho Hung & Grill closed over a year ago at the shopping center after a run of approximately 15 years (it opened in 2007). Danny Rubin of WashUrban tells us that they have signed Valle De Sula, a Honduran restaurant specializing in Central American cuisine, to the shopping center.

Some of the dishes that will be available at Valle De Sula include, baleadas, carne asada, sopa de mariscos, desayunos, flautas, pupusas, enchiladas, tacos dorados, chuleta con tajadas, sopa modongo, yuca con chicharron, pastelitos, sopa de res, pescado con tajadas, and more. The restaurant is currently building out and hopes to open in the coming weeks.


Rockville

Per the City of Rockville: The City of Rockville will mark the 22nd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and remember county residents who lost their lives with a ceremony at 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 11 at Courthouse Square Park, at the corner of East Jefferson Street and Maryland Avenue in Rockville’s downtown. The ceremony, which is free and open to the public, will include a presentation of colors and remarks by Rockville Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton.

The 9/11 memorial at Courthouse Square Park remembers the 11 Montgomery County residents who lost their lives on Sept. 11: William Edward Caswell, Dr. Gerald Paul Fisher, Capt. Lawrence D. Getzfred, Michele M. Heidenberger, Angela Marie Houtz, Teddington Hamm Moy, Lt. Darin H. Pontell, Scott A. Powell, Todd Hayes Reuben, Patricia J. Statz and Ernest M. Willcher.


DMV

At approximately 9:25, many in the Mid-Atlantic region witnessed a shooting star streak through the sky. The Capital Weather Gang’s Jason Samenow described it as a “vibrant fireball” streaking across the Mid-Atlantic sky. “It is probable that the meteor — or rock from space that entered Earth’s atmosphere — was a fireball, or particularly bright meteor.”

Many in Virginia, DC, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York captured the bright shooting star on camera, including Instagram user @OfficiallyKingPhilly from right here in Montgomery County, MD (explicit language warning). His video and a collection of videos from meteorologist Justin Berk  can be seen below:


Entertainment

Current and retired MCPS employees (and one guest) are admitted free into regular season contests hosted by MCPS schools, contingent upon proper identification and the availability of space. MCPS employees include teachers, administrators, coaches and support staff. Acceptable identification includes the following:

The season opens on Friday, Sept. 1. County Sports Zone is the official website for MCPS high school schedules. Opening day for middle schools is Sept. 26, and middle schools schedules are available here.