Upcoming Rockville Events

Many >Rockville Central readers have come to look forward to and depend on our weekly Thursday feature, Cindy Cotte Griffiths’ Weekend To Weekend, which rounds up the next two weekends’ worth of Rockville happenings. I know a number of people who print it out and post it on their fridge!

As part of our commitment to the DC summer slowdown, W2W will be taking a brief vacation while we retool and figure out how best to get events information out to the community. As you might imagine, it’s a ton of work compiling all those listings and we want to devise a way of both making it easier and also making the listings more comprehensive.

Watch this space for more on that. Soon you’ll have a way to enter your own event information.

In the meantime, the best place to go to find up what’s up is to check out the calendar at Rockville Living, which is maintained by Helen Triolo. Helen is a good friend and we are always happy to figure out ways to send folks her way!

Once again . . . here is the Rockville Living Calendar.

My pick? Sleeping Beauty by the Rockville Civic Ballet, Sunday afternoon at the F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre. Here’s a bit more on the RCB.

Rockville Express Has A Hot Opening Day

>Even though my thermometer topped at 97 degrees, I had to stop by Opening Day for our Rockville Express team, the defending Cal Ripkin Sr. Collegiate League Champions, who played the Bethesda Big Train.

Admission is free to all the home games. The concession stand sells a variety of spiritwear, while O’Briens serves up the barbeque. Express Board Member Brad Botwin, sponsor Diana Whitfield of the Gude Drive Commerce Bank, and volunteer Teresa Telesco, were on hand to show their support.

Unfortunately I missed the first pitch thrown by Councilwoman Phyllis Marcuccio who was substituting for Mayor Susan Hoffmann. Brad Botwin reported that she did much better than last year. She has been practicing! As I watched the game with Mark Pierzchala, former President of the College Gardens Civic Association and candidate for mayor, he told me it was a strike, so I’m sorry I wasn’t there to see it!

Although I couldn’t stay until the end, the game was played with enthusiasm by these young men. The home team crowd was lively and cheering. When the bases were loaded and an Express player’s hit was caught by the Big Train making it three outs, Mark explained that the hit would have gone further if the bat was metal. Even so, the batting was impressive. Both teams were both so energetic. Their spirit was contagious.

At one point the announcer reminded the crowd that a donation could be made the the “Lights at the Knights” campaign. With lights on the field the temperature could be 20 degress cooler at night game! In case you don’t know, Rockville Community Baseball and Rockville Express are raising $250,000 to install lights at Knight’s Field on the Montgomery College Rockville campus. They are only $20,000 away from their goal. You can donate at the Rockville Express website or send a check made out to “Rockville Community Baseball, Inc.” to RCB Inc., P.O. Box 10188, Rockville, MD 20849.

Former Montgomery County Council Member Bruce Adams was intently watching the game. He was instrumental in bringing collegiate baseball to our area and it was my pleasure to meet him.

Don’t let the summer slip by without rooting for our home team. The schedule is on the Rockville Express site or find the games listed in my Weekend to Weekend.

Also, Boy Scout Night at the Bethesda Big Train is Saturday, July 12, 2008 at 7:30 PM. All Cub Scouts, Webelos, Boy Scouts and Venture Crews in uniform can experience a free night of baseball. Plus, you never know, I was invited to promote Rockville Central on Big Train Radio, so I might be around!

An Eventful Few Days

As I said on >Rockville Central Radio last Friday, the list of events scheduled for this past weekend was very long! Here’s a rundown of what’s been happening in Rockville.

The “Spring Fling” at Maryvale Elementary School was a real community occasion in the summery sunlight last Saturday. The kids went from playing games to riding horses with rock cover songs in the background. The middle school band, Medow, had t-shirts and a fan base. Kids lined up to be dunked in the dunk tank. With the heat they really should have been charging for the dunk rather than throwing the ball at the target! Squeals of happiness could be heard from little ones going on the giant slide after the moon bounce and trackless train. Personally, I was more than slightly dizzy after spinning in the tubs! Sometimes when you go to an event at a school that is not your own with unfamiliar faces you feel out of place, but the Maryvale “Fling” is just like a real old-fashioned carnival creating a great time for everyone.

At the Croydon Creek Nature Center “Spring Festival” also on Saturday, people were in and out all afternoon. The native plants were all sold in a half hour! If you sign up for the mailing list, you will be notified about preordering the plants next year. The Raptor Conservancy of Virginia presentation was standing room only. A cute little Eastern Screech Owl was brought out, but he was not the new resident of the Nature Center, who was in the back offices getting acclimated to the new surroundings in peace away from the crowds. The bees were a buzzing and the honey-making process was explained. Kids made a nature craft and learned about City environmental programs. Out on the back porch you could get a free sno-cone and tree seedling. Many took advantage of the naturalist led hikes on the trails. The Center was bursting with activity.

Although the weather turned colder and overcast on Sunday, everyone still enjoyed Science Day at Montgomery College. The rocket launches and pigeon release were outside, while inside there were many interactive displays. The student-designed robots moved and swept foam balls. Microscopes showed the details of creek critters. Snakes and monitors were on display with tortoises, which could be touched. Mars was seen through 3-D glasses. Kids continually lined up to land the space shuttle in a simulator, but when it was our turn, we unfortunately crashed it into the swamp! My son is still carrying around the feather he received from the Animal Exchange after answering three questions about birds. Parents were as interested and excited as the kids.

Last night The West End played Austin Grill to raise funds for the Beall Elementary School anthology. So many people turned out that every table was taken and supporters were still lined up at the door. An early start time made for a family event. The band skillfully played through all their favorites for an appreciative audience of both new and old fans. These Beall parents really know how to rock!

This Thursday’s Weekend to Weekend will be just as packed with activities, as the warm weather brings lots to do in Rockville.

How About Lunch at the Stonefish Grill?

>The Stonefish Grill has closed its doors.

Yesterday, Anil Lahori, the owner/manager of Stonefish Grill, (100 – B Gibbs Street, Rockville) emailed me about their ongoing lunch special for Weekend to Weekend, and then a friend offered to take me out to lunch. As it seemed destined, we decided to give it a try.

For just $8.95 Monday through Friday, the Executive Lunch Menu offers a choice of soup with a salad or sandwich. That’s a whole $1.05 cheaper than the Town Center Discount Lunch offered last month.

We chose a booth with high tan seats and comfortably settled in for what turned out to be a two hour lunch since we were not rushed and stayed to talk. The floors are stone with black tables. The bare tan walls with large fish create an open feeling, while the raised fireplace adds warmth. Jazz music blends in to create a very sophisticated atmosphere.

My lunch partner, Christine, is from the San Francisco area so she has experience with seafood. Stonefish Grill prides itself on fresh fish options. Christine had the Crab and Vegetable Chowder which was very well spiced, not bland at all. My Corn Chowder had thin slices of potato in a light cream base with a slightly hot finish. The Grilled Shrimp Quesidila which Christine ordered came with many side toppings and vegetables, quite healthy and filling. My Grilled Catfish on Herb Garlic Tortilla was refreshingly tasty. As I usually don’t have fish on a tortilla, this was a new combination, quite a treat. We recommend both and would order them again. Sandwiches come with a choice of coleslaw or French fries. The lemon-flavored ice tea tastes so good unsweetened that you won’t even notice if you don’t add sugar.

Mr. Lahori has been in the restaurant business for 18 years and knows how to treat his guests. We enjoyed our conversations with him and felt very much at home. All of the staff was friendly, attentive, and personable. The whole experience lifted my spirits.

Visit VisArts in Rockville

Yesterday was the first time I went to >VisArts and, simply stated, everyone needs to go!

On the first Friday of the month from 6:30 to 9:30 PM, the galleries and studios are open, and people perform at HearArts. Since I’ve been listing this event in Weekend to Weekend, I took the whole family over. One minute I was on the street in Rockville, and then suddenly I was in a gallery with lots of people appreciating art. The second floor gallery is a decent size with all types of artwork – photography, paintings, and three-dimensional pieces.

VisArts makes it easy for children to enjoy art with their VisKids! room. Kids can learn about techniques and go home with their own creation. However, children love to explore and interact with their surroundings, so just being at VisArts can inspire a child. Unbeknownst to him, I videotaped one of my sons in the gallery. Artwork can reach all of us, even though we may not be as free as a child to express it.

As I wandered in and out of the resident artist studios, I was reminded of the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria. We now have artists working publicly right here in Rockville! To be able to see the artist’s workspace, talk with the artist, understand the technique, and then buy the piece, is an absolutely unique and wonderful experience. Each studio strives to be open to the public 30 hours per week, so that at least one should be open during gallery hours.

We met all three of the artists sharing the jewelry studio. Their area is overflowing with creativity and an excited spirit of possibilities. Mimi Harris loves to work with animal themes and she showed my sons a necklace made out of snake vertebrae, which intrigued me so much that I find myself wanting it today. Pamela Hill-Byrne’s “Zig Zag Brooch” is on display in the gallery. Johnnie Gins makes wall art and rugs out of old ties. A client commissioned one with all of her late husband’s ties, prompting my husband to quip “You’d be able to continue to walk all over me.”, but he was only kidding – I think.

Each month, HearArts combines literature with music. As I marveled at Karen Fricke’s quilts, I could hear the vibraphone. By the time I entered the event room, someone was singing. The crowd then asked the fiction author if he would like to sing a few paragraphs of his work, but he declined and the audience chuckled. HearArts is a casual time for sharing and learning from each other.

VisArts is a beautiful white space, like a new canvas, ready for an art scene to flourish in Rockville. We all need to find it in the Rockville Town Center! One reader tried to attend an event and never did locate it. You enter through double doors which look like an office building entrance on Gibbs Street, between La Tasca and Beall Avenue.

VisArts is available for weddings, corporate events, workshops, and conferences. Family workshops, scouting programs, children’s classes, and summer camps are offered along with many special events.

Warm Holiday Wishes From Rockville Central

Dear Readers:>

Like many others, we plan to go over the river and through the woods (and along the Turnpike in our case) shortly. Barring major, calamitous events that beg for coverage, Rockville Central will be on hiatus until the later part of next week.

You can definitely look forward to a New Year’s-focused Weekend To Weekend from CindyCG and, if I can gather my wits, there may be a brief bit of opinion too.

This has been an incredible year and this little newsletter that started out as a bit of a lark seems to have taken on a life of its own. You, gentle readers, are entirely to thank for that — your comments, suggestions, thoughtful notes, and just the knowledge that so many are out there paying attention has kept us going and pushed us to improve every week.

In the New Year, we are planning a few surprises (good ones) that we hope will make this site more useful and enjoyable. You already know about my hopes to create a better method for mapping police blotters. We are also planning on moving the whole blog to a dedicated address (www.rockvillecentral.com) to make it easier to find for people. Don’t worry, your bookmarks will all still work.

(I may work on the switchover during the holidays. You may visit Rockville Central and find an error page. Do not be alarmed. This will only be temporary and indicates I am hard at work! Come back around later and it should be resolved.)

What else would you like to see from Rockville Central? A dedicated section for the local arts scene? Youth sports coverage? More restaurant reviews? An engaging lecture series? Let us know in the comments section. We can’t do everything, but we can try to add value where we can.

Please be safe, have a wonderful Winter break, and be excellent to each other.

RMHS Community, Take A Stroll Down Memory Lane

> This probably belongs in Weekend to Weekend, but we just couldn’t wait!

Take a last look at the old school; help out the new.

Friday, December 7, 2007 from 6:00 to 10:00 pm

• Tour of the OLD building – guided tours every 15 minutes from 6:00 to 7:30 pm
• Highlights of RMHS – media presentation in auditorium—6:00/6:30/7:00 pm
• Silent Auction – do your holiday shopping in the cafeteria– 6:00 to 8:00 pm
• Sock Hop – dance/listen to music from each decade in the Gym; 7-10 pm
• Alumni Concert – in auditorium starting at 7:30 pm –donations encouraged!

Ticket prices:

• Highlights of RMHS: $10/person
• Hop & Highlights of RMHS: $50/person or $75 for two
• Special pricing for RMHS faculty/staff (current and former): Sock Hop & Highlights of RMHS $25/person or $40 for two

Purchase the Highlights of RMHS dvd for $15.00 (a great stocking stuffer)

Alas, there is no online way to register, but I have scanned it and you can download the form you need to fill out here.

There Is Still Time To work On Your Hermit Crab's Costume

>Rockville Central friend Ruth Hanessian at Animal Exchange has passed along word of a very important event.

While it will no doubt be included in Weekend To Weekend, you probably ought to know about it right now. She writes:

All Hermit Crabs are invited to Animal Exchange on Sunday, October 28 for our annual Hermit Crab Costume Contest. Crabs of all sizes and shapes will compete for the funniest, most beautiful, and most creative crab prizes.

3:00 PM is when the event begins and every crab that enters is assured of a memento of their participation. Past winners have included a bunny crab, a ghost and of course there was a fantastic witch one year.

Put on your thinking cap now and start planning for the outfit that will make your crab the prize winner. Some entries have even come with a complete habitat decorated for Halloween.

Ruth says the event is free and is slated for Sunday, October 28 at 3:oo pm at Animal Exchange, 605 Hungerford Drive, Rockville Md.

For further information, call Ruth at 301-424-PETS.

(Image Wikimedia.)

Get Set For The Rockville Music Festival

>This will appear in Weekend To Weekend, but we wanted you to start thinking about this now!

For those who have not had an opportunity to discover and explore Rockville’s Town Square, now’s the chance. The Mayor and Council will host the Fourth-Annual Rockville Music Festival on September 29 from 12 to 6 p.m. This free event will also offer the 27th -Annual Hard Times Cafe International Chili Society Maryland State Chili Cook-off.

With his blend of 50′s rock & roll, pop and traditional country, co-headliner Steve Holy has crafted a unique sound that has won fans over across the nation. Originally from Lawrence, Kansas, co-headliner Sarah Buxton is one of Nashville’s most distinctive voices and engaging performers.

In addition to Steve Holy and Sarah Buxton, Cletus and Lori, and Leaving, TX will provide musical entertainment. Award-winning songwriters on their own, contemporary folk duo Cletus Kennelly and Lori Kelly combine their artistries, developing a style and a sense for each others voices that is magical. Gripping vocals, intelligent lyrics and songs filled with memorable hooks will be performed by Leaving, TX. This Washington, D.C.-based band delivers a clever blend of cutting-edge “twang-rock” mixed with a healthy dose of country. Cletus and Lori will perform at 12 p.m., Leaving, TX at 1 p.m., Sarah Buxton at 3 p.m., and Steve Holy at 4:30 p.m.

The closed off streets around Maryland Avenue and East Montgomery Avenue will be lined throughout the day with competitors in the 27 th-Annual Hard Times Café International Chili Society Maryland State Chili Cook-off . Up to 75 chili chefs—novice and champion alike—will serve up their blends of meat and spices to compete for $5,000 in prize money and the Maryland State Championship.

For more information, call the Department of Recreation and Parks hotline at 240-314-8620.