Stay Out of Cabin John Creek

Yesterday a bright orange sign appeared down by Cabin John Creek near Elwood Smith Park. I didn’t pay attention to it. When my boys saw the sign they insisted we stop and read every word. Good thing too, everyone needs to keep out of the Creek. If you see these signs, don’t be like me! Stop and read them!

Here’s the advisory from the City:

A sanitary sewer backup has caused sewage to flow into a storm drain leading to Cabin John Creek. It is believed that most if not all of the sewage will be contained by the stormwater management pond just north of Elwood Smith Park near the Richard Montgomery High School. However, warning signs have been placed downstream of the pond in Elwood Smith Park advising people and pets to stay out of the stream for 72 hours as a precaution.

The bacteria found in sewage do not typically survive in the environment for more than a couple of days; therefore, it is anticipated that the creek will be clear by Monday, July 14th.

My only concern is that the kids enter the stream through little paths cut through the weeds and many people in our neighborhood don’t read English or Spanish, so they might not be aware. Hopefully the pond will do its job.

While looking for the environmental advisory, I discovered some excellent information on the greening of Rockville - A Guide to Sustainability. It’s worth a look.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

POTD: Nose to Nose

(I guess I'm supposed to write "With apologies to The Bobs". I can't believe they're still putting out music.) Rockville Central friend, Keya Bala, over at Gordon Biersch sent along this picture she snapped in front of the restaurant. That's quite an expression!

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

Weekend to Weekend 7/10/08

Events in Rockville

Thursday, July 10

Gaming: Guitar Hero. Twinbrook Library, 1 PM registration, 2 PM play. For teens! (I know you wanted to go!)

Ruthie and the Wranglers, City of Rockville Concerts in the Square, Rockville Town Square, 6 PM – 8 PM. Roots Rock. If you would like to find out about the Kiwanis, you can join them for dinner at La Tasca during the concert. Pay your own way. 10% of the tab will be donated back to the our local Rockville Kiwanis.

Violin Concert, Twinbrook Library, 7 PM. Students from the studio of Kathleen Scarborough will perform solos and duets.

Friday, July 11

FREE READING of the play which inspired Puccini’s opera, The American Center for Puccini Studies, Rockville Christian Church, 102 Adclare Road, 7:30 PM. See performances listed below on Sat. & Sun.

Gypsy, Rockville Musical Theater, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 8 PM. $20/adults, $18 seniors, $16/students. Will be performed for three weekends! “Mama Rose takes her daughters on tour across the US in the 1920's to make them vaudeville stars. Fame comes their way, and burlesque is born with Gypsy Rose Lee.”

[Cindy's Prerogative (women have them): Leaving, TX with Van Meter, Quarry House in Silver Spring, 9:30 PM. I'M THERE so I thought I'd let all our readers know about the show, especially all of you down in Silver Spring. Leaving, TX has a twang problem. Lead singer Chris Patterson was a guest on Rockville Central radio and I can't stop listening to their CDs. Van Meter rocks so it ain't Hard to Say I'll like her too. Lookin' forward to hangin' out in my ol' hood.]

Saturday, July 12

Rockville Growers Only Farmers Market, Corner of Monroe Street & Rt. 28, 9 AM – 1 PM. Free parking. Flowers, fruits, vegetables, plants and home-baked goods. Always a good review.

Shadow Puppets, Twinbrook Library, 2 PM. Part of the “Catch the Reading Bug” program for elementary school aged students.

Rockville Express vs Silver Spring/Takoma Park Thunderbolts, Montgomery College Rockville, Knight's Field, 5 PM. Free Admission to all Home Games, which are family-friendly with souvenirs and food from O'Brien's Pit Barbeque.

"La Tosca" by Victorien Sardou and “Tosca” in concert, The American Center for Puccini Studies, Rockville Christian Church, 102 Adclare Road, 7:30 PM. $50 Caffe di Simo Seating (reservation required and includes complimentary beverages and light fare in a musical cabaret setting) or $25 general admission. For reservations and more information contact 301.528.4305 or visit http://www.pucciniamerica.org/

Gypsy, Rockville Musical Theater, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 8 PM. $20/adults, $18 seniors, $16/students. Will be performed for three weekends! “Mama Rose takes her daughters on tour across the US in the 1920's to make them vaudeville stars. Fame comes their way, and burlesque is born with Gypsy Rose Lee.”

Evan Almighty, Movies on the Square, Rockville Town Square, 8:30 PM (dusk). Free.

Sunday, July 13

Mattie’s Heartsong Swim, Rockville Municipal Swim Center, 8 AM – 10 AM. Registration was by 6/28 but you can still donate toward the statues of Mattie and his service dog for Mattie Stepanek Park.

Rockville Express vs College Park Bombers, Montgomery College Rockville, Knight's Field, 1 PM. [ This Doubleheader is a change in schedule from last week.] Free Admission to all Home Games, which are family-friendly with souvenirs and food from O'Brien's Pit Barbeque.

"La Tosca" by Victorien Sardou and “Tosca” in concert, The American Center for Puccini Studies, Rockville Christian Church, 102 Adclare Road, 6 PM. $50 Caffe di Simo Seating (reservation required and included complimentary beverages and light fare in a musical cabaret setting) or $25 general admission. For reservations and more information contact 301.528.4305 or visit http://www.pucciniamerica.org/

Tuesday, July 15

Mommy, Me and Daddy Too, Rockville Town Square, 10 AM – Noon. A morning out to play and socialize.

Rockville Concert Band, Patio Performance, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 7:30 PM. Free. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. If it rains or is too hot, the performance will be in the Social Hall.

Kid’s Day, Rockville Town Square, 6 PM – 8 PM. Free activities for the kids! Every Tuesday until July 22nd. Kids eat free at participating restaurants. Bert the Nerd at 6 PM & 7 PM. Rock climbing wall, spin art, name art, balloon artist, and face painter.

Rachel Cross, Kids Parks & Performing Arts, Montrose Park at 451 Congressional Lane, 7 PM.

TCAT (Town Center Action Team) Meeting, Rockville City Hall, Blue Crab Conference Room, 7 PM. David Levy will give an update on Town Square. Jack Gelin will give a status of the postal service available at the Rockville Frame Shop. (Read our review.) The new chair, Joe Jordan, will be taking suggestions for the group’s mission and priorities.

Wednesday, July 16

Patty Reese, Out to Lunch Wednesdays, East Montgomery Avenue in Rockville Town Center, 12 PM – 1:30 PM. Farmers’ Market and Food. You’ll love Patty! I did. -- Agh! Oh No! Rockville Central is having lunch at a different location! What are we going to do? She’ll be playing the August 1st Deck Party too!

Rockville Roundtable, Rockville Central Lunch, Jonathan’s Sports Pub, 12 Noon. It’s not the Publick House anymore.

Yu-Gi-Oh Card Tournament, Twinbrook Library, 1 PM. Fans can meet other fans and duel. Card trading and socializing for teens.

Come Out and Play with Rockville Summer Playgrounds, Twinbrook Community Center, 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM. Kids from all the “Summer Madness” playground camps will be performing. Both my kids are looking forward to the fun and I can’t wait to see the skits and songs. Carnival games, moon bounce, & food. Proceeds benefit various recreation programs.

King Cadillac, Concerts on the Square, Rockville Town Center, 6 PM – 8 PM. Retro Rockin’ and a Rollin’ to the point where if you weren’t in a brand new place, you might think you were back in the 50’s or 60’s.

Rockville Little Theatre, Theatre on the Lawn, Grassy Area behind the Cottage, Rockville Civic Center Park, 7:30 PM.

Thursday, July 17

Forensics 101, Rockville Library, 2 PM. For ages 5 and up. “Bugs, Garden, Food” will teach how investigators use bugs and plants to solve crimes. Who else likes CSI?

Teen Movie Night, “Eight Legged Freaks”, Rockville Library, 3 PM. Rated PG-13 for teens 13 and up.

Rockville Express vs Bethesda Big Train, Montgomery College Rockville, Knight's Field, 5 PM. Free Admission to all Home Games, which are family-friendly with souvenirs and food from O'Brien's Pit Barbeque. The Rockville Express are picking up steam and are in third place in the league. This is a big game as the BigTrain has been doing well.

Dixie Power Trio, Concerts in the Square, Rockville Town Square, 6 PM – 8 PM. Dixieland and Zydeco Dog. Do the Zydeco!

Friday, July 18

Gypsy, Rockville Musical Theater, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 8 PM. $20/adults, $18 seniors, $16/students. Will be performed for three weekends! This is the 2nd weekend. “Mama Rose takes her daughters on tour across the US in the 1920's to make them vaudeville stars. Fame comes their way, and burlesque is born with Gypsy Rose Lee.”

Saturday, July 19

Rockville Growers Only Farmers Market, Corner of Monroe Street & Rt. 28, 9 AM – 1 PM. Free parking. Flowers, fruits, vegetables, plants and home-baked goods. Always a good review.
Rockville Express vs Alexandria Aces, Montgomery College Rockville, Knight's Field, 1 PM. Doubleheader. Free Admission to all Home Games, which are family-friendly with souvenirs and food from O'Brien's Pit Barbeque

Gypsy, Rockville Musical Theater, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 8 PM. $20/adults, $18 seniors, $16/students. Will be performed for three weekends! This is the 2nd weekend. “Mama Rose takes her daughters on tour across the US in the 1920's to make them vaudeville stars. Fame comes their way, and burlesque is born with Gypsy Rose Lee.”Alvin and the Chipmunks, Movies on the Square, Rockville Town Square, 8:30 PM (dusk). Free.

Sunday, July 20

Gypsy, Rockville Musical Theater, F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, 2 PM. $20/adults, $18 seniors, $16/students. Will be performed for three weekends! This is the second weekend. “Mama Rose takes her daughters on tour across the US in the 1920's to make them vaudeville stars. Fame comes their way, and burlesque is born with Gypsy Rose Lee.”

Rockville Express vs Maryland Redbirds, Montgomery College Rockville, Knight's Field, 5 PM. Free Admission to all Home Games, which are family-friendly with souvenirs and food from O'Brien's Pit Barbeque

Email Cynthia Cotte Griffiths (Cindy CG) with information for any fun, educational or community events to be included in Weekend to Weekend. Businesses are invited to send along specials and discounts. Please include links to your event and organization. We publish event listings occurring in & around our coverage area (map) on Thursdays. The inclusion of events and specials is at our discretion.

If you attend an event, we invite you to write a Contributor Review. Just send it in and we will consider it. Rules: Event is in Rockville; fairly recent; article is your work; you are not offering it for publication elsewhere. Try to keep it under 500 words; we will edit for length. Include a photo if you have one!

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

POTD: Snake At The Door

Whenever I go down to the Elwood Smith Community Center, I know how a mouse feels. Since my kids have been enjoying the Summer Playground Program, it's been quite often lately.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

Boys Soccer Team Invites Players

Rockville Central friend, John Cooper-Martin, sends along this information.

The Rockville Tornadoes is an established U-14/Boys MSI Soccer Classic team that practices Mondays and Wednesdays in the Rockville/Aspen Hill area. They are seeking 2-3 field players as well as someone who would like to play goalie full time. Boys must be born between 8-1-94 and 7-31-95. The Tornadoes play in one local tournament each season and participate in one winter indoor session.

Final tryouts are on Monday, July 14th and Monday, July 21st from 5:30 to 6:30 at Parkland Middle School. Please email the manager, Pam Memenza, for additional information.
memenza@aol.com

Coach Toussaint has been coaching since 1994 and obtained his USSF "E" License in 1998. Since his son played for Coach Toussaint, John reports that he is excellent and runs a high-quality team.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

A Look Back at the Rockville Pike Charrette

Last month, the Rockville Pike: Envision a Great Place process culminated in a Design Charrette, which was a concentrated effort to pull all the ideas together and draw up plans for the Pike. Although I attended every meeting during this process including each day of the Charrette, it’s taken me a while to talk with people and gather my thoughts.

If you missed the Charrette, you can visit the City’s website and see all the presentations, pictures, and a detailed summary. Make sure to look at the map of all the vehicle crashes included in the Studio Display Boards, which demonstrates why traffic on the Pike needs to be fixed.

All in all, the grand boulevard design proposed would be an enormous improvement. The plan is to move people not just cars by incorporating transit and bikes, and “greening” the Pike to become a signature street. There would be three lanes in each direction with one additional lane in the middle for turns, as well as service lanes on the sides in both directions. These service lanes would be for bikes and buses and include angled front-end parking. A 58% reduction in driveways would occur when the existing 81 driveways are reduced to 34 entrances to the service lanes. Inexperienced bikers could use the sidewalk while the service lane would allow speed for experienced bikers. Since there would only be right turns into the service lane, it would be safer for pedestrians to cross. Pedestrian connections would be improved at the current bridge crossings at Twinbrook and Edmonston because these are the sections of the Pike people will want to visit. One current traffic signal would be removed. Trees would line the Pike and the service lanes. The boulevard design would produce a 10% increase in capacity but even with all this we were told to accept congestion as our destiny.

The consultants proposed some changes for existing cross streets. Realigning Edmonston would allow the addition of a right turn lane onto the southbound Pike. One of the tables at the Saturday morning Charrette session proposed redesigning Twinbrook Parkway to straighten it out directly across to Federal Plaza and the consultants agreed. The entire southern portion of the Pike around Congressional would be transformed into a grid network of streets. At my table we wanted to know where a proposed street was located and we were immediately told that it was just a proposal. But still, we wanted to know where it was proposed and had to figure it out ourselves. It runs straight through Congressional North’s Circuit City, Petco and Michaels. The consultants did not have a rough cost to realign the Pike or put in the trees. The changes would need to be made on the property owners’ terms and it would need to be a pubic decision to green the Pike.

The density proposed on the ground along the Pike is a lot less than is allowed under today’s code and there is development demand. Obviously all the properties along the Pike are privately owned and the decision to redevelop belongs to these owners. The consultants designed three catalyst sites with the owners’ permissions: Congressional Plaza, across from Congressional on Halpine (Fuddruckers), and the Koon’s Ford by Mt. Vernon Street. Together these properties total 29 acres. These plans would frame the Pike by bringing buildings up to the street which is a fundamental principle of place making. All of the designs are on the City’s website. If you have read this far, you should look at them. The mixed-use proposals are too massive to describe with housing, retail, office, and even hotel components. The Halpine site by the metro would mass up to 12-story buildings. The idea would be to keep the national chain stores in the southern portion and add some mixed-use in the northern portion. Artwork up by Richard Montgomery High School could create a grand entrance. Since the middle section by Woodmont Country Club is constrained by connectivity and size, it would stay neighborhood oriented with small retail and services. The environmental benefits of the Country Club were recognized and the entrance could be modified and enhanced with nice landscaping. All of the development proposed would take time. It is not all or nothing.

Since we are changing the zoning, we really could do anything we want with the Pike. We could go along and agree that since the County is building big right on our border, we should build big too. We could still decide that this is just way too much for our City and scale down the density. All I know is that I still want to be able to go to stores to do my shopping without going up 270, causing pollution and greater fuel expenses. My “great” Rockville Pike would be a useful Pike. Everyone I talk to would like a hardware store in Rockville. People want to buy the basic necessities like socks. I like Rockville Town Center and frequent the restaurants and shops, but I’m not going to be doing my back-to-school shopping there. Will I be able to do it on this future Rockville Pike? I hope that market demand will bring the types of stores we really need. Stores we will frequent without incentives because they sell what we can’t live without.

The community meeting scheduled for July 29th has just been cancelled. Instead, small informal meetings with citizen groups will be held. The Fourth and last Report to the Community on the draft plan will be held on Tuesday, October 7, 2008.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

POTD: True Blue Friend

I mentioned this Great Blue Heron in my very first post on Rockville Central. He or she is still down at Stoneridge Pond. Each day I search for my friend and marvel at nature's beauty in our neighborhood.

The bad and very sad news is that the beavers have been gone for quite a few weeks. Their sleeping place hasn't been disturbed for such a long time that I fear the worst. I miss them.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

Single Stream Recycling Has Started

Last week the City’s Refuse and Recycling Program announced that effective immediately, Rockville residents (who are served by Rockville refuse service) do not have to sort recyclables. This means you don’t have to wait for your new wheeled cart in order to place your mixed paper and cardboard into the blue bin with the glass bottles, aluminum cans and plastic bottles. With this new contractor, Waste Management Recycle America, the City is expecting an estimated revenue of $235,000 in FY 2009 from recycling materials.

I thought “Yippee, no more bundling the newspapers and boxes with string!” However, when I called the City to clarify, they suggested that we still bundle our paper and cardboard to avoid it blowing out of the blue bins and creating litter, so we are not quite there yet. Make sure your recyclables are secure until your neighborhood is added to the new refuse program and you get your own wheeled carts with lids. Also, boxes still need to be flattened. If you can’t fit everything in your blue bin, they suggest paper bags.

I want my wheeled carts!

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

POTD: Pink Fashion

While out on my run yesterday, I noticed this garbage can (or should I say wheeled cart) in Hungerford. For more than one reason, the word "fashion" in this scene reminded me of British pop star Lily Allen with her hair dyed pink at the Glamour Magazine awards last month.

I don't think the sanitation workers wound up taking it, but the cart really was decked out for the day!

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

Summertime Art at the Mansion

Yesterday the Korean American Artist Alliance opened their exhibit at the Glenview Mansion Art Gallery. As I usually sneak into the Gallery during the week for a quiet emersion, sharing my viewing space with the crowd was a new experience. The music of The Pendleton Trio wafted up the stairs creating a very sophisticated afternoon. Downstairs in the conservatory, where they were playing, it was standing room only.

A couple of dozen artists are selling their pieces this month. Even with so many different styles, consistency flows through the show. The use of strong contrasts and bold lines crosses the canvases. My favorite is Bokim Kim’s Fragrance of N.E.W.S ($900) on the stairs. This wonderful oriental brush painting technique brings white and purple to the black. A couple of the pieces manipulate thick paint, such as Myungsook Kim’s Upward ($2,200), an organic impression of bamboo. Taek Lee’s Bora ($7,000) is a large oil on canvas which caused my eyes to continually dart through the bold stripes, freeing my mind to contemplate my interactions. Wanjin Kim uses antique Korean rice cake stamps to create shadows over the painting of shadows on In The Cloud ($3,000). Don’t miss Barbara Han’s Terra Cotta Sculpture ($1,200) depicting an aging couple in their underwear, smiling and enjoying each other.

After visiting the exhibit, summer is the perfect time to wander the Civic Center Mansion grounds. I love sitting down by the fountain and enjoying the perfect landscaping of this historic property. A stroll through this beautiful jewel never fails to raise my spirits.

If you continue walking around the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre, you can also view this summer’s Sculpture on the Grounds Exhibit until October 19, 2008. This year just three sculptures are scattered around. Last Dance by Hanna Jubran (next to the Theatre), Gray, Black & White by David Shivetts (on the main entrance driveway), and Prairie House by John Mors (at the Mansion parking lot entrance) provide additional discovery destinations for a walk. The surroundings influence the sculptures and change your viewpoint when circling the pieces.

If you have a few minutes or want a nice place for a walk, Civic Center Park beckons.

Glenview Mansion Gallery hours are M-W-F 9 AM- 4:30 PM, Tu & Th 9 AM – 9 PM.

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...

POTD: Keeping Your Nose Above

... Flowers.


This little hydrant has some friends for the summer!

Article continues. Click to expand and read more...

Click for summary only...