About a 2-2.5: I was able to attend the 2nd Annual Food, Wine & Arts Festival at Halstead Square…read morethis year (many thanks to Yelp NoVA!), and I was pretty excited for the event! Various activities include a free yoga class by Eat Yoga Drink, live music performed by Nelly's Echo on the main stage, wine tasting (for an additional fee per person, which includes a souvenir glass and 5 sample tickets), pop-up art exhibits, and appearances by various vendors (such as Blackfinn Ameripubb, Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Lost Dog Cafe, etc.). While the festival itself was on only a block spread on Gallows, it was a little confusing in regards to the registration/check-in process. There was no main registration table where ticket-holders and/or ticket-buyers can check-in. There was no security, as anyone can just access the festival by just walking off around the block or entering via the doors from the public garage. Most of the vendors didn't have signs or any indication of what their businesses were, so most didn't seem to know what they were standing in line for! I was only able to see one of the Crave Frozen Yogurt staff coming out from a random door with a tray of frozen yogurt samples, but I didn't see any other samples or vendors that were listed on the festival site. T____T I was sad that I didn't see any of the paint and sip from Pinot's Palette, one vendor that I really wanted to check out! T____T When we asked some of the attendees and the vendors to direct us to where we can check-in and/or purchase tickets, no one had a clue! I did pick up a poop bag dispenser and a reusable grocery bag from the Halstead Square table, and met a friendly adoptable cat from the Lost Dog Cafe. I'm glad I was able to check this event out, but I think there could have been better signage, some volunteers and/or a help desk for the attendees, and a better organization from the festival organizers!

Same as Hannah, I was able to attend this 2nd Annual Food, Wine & Arts Festival at Halstead Square…read moreevent with an Elite pass from Yelp NoVA. I was able to taste a lot of different wines and sample various food, including free chips and salsa, yogurt, and one or two others. Since its their 2nd event, hopefully this year will be more organized and offer more to food and drink craving yelpers :)

The event was spectacular! Ambiance was great. The awards ceremony and the dinner were held on…read moredifferent levels. It was a long walk in between but worth it in the end: the food and drinks were good. The serving sizes were perfect. Can't wait for the next one!

Outstanding event and experience!…read more Some of the best and the brightest of the DMV foodie and restaurant scene attended this event and received recognition from the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) --annual RAMMY 37th Awards. This event brought together every known restaurant, food and dining journalists, food blogger and food service industry professionals all under one roof for a black tie gala at the Washington Convention Center to honor the "Who's-Who" of DC's culinary delights. And, the event and night did not disappoint! Similar to the Grammy's, this year's affair distinguished who got bragging rights for the year with coveted titles like.... * Casual Restaurant of the Year: Royal * Food & Beverage Producer of the Year: Ivy City Smokehouse * Formal Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year: The Source by Wolfgang Puck * New Restaurant of the Year: Spoken English * Upscale Casual Restaurant of the Year: Iron Gate * Rising Culinary Star of the Year: Kwame Onwuachi, Kith/Kin * Restaurateur of the Year: Redstone Restaurant Group (All Purpose, Boundary Stone, & The Red Hen) * Chef of the Year: Kyle Bailey, The Salt Line Among these awards....there were many others. Meanwhile, fans and attendees alike got a chance to dine and fatten our faces over some of the best eats from these high-esteem restaurants. Also, as part of the event, there were many chef and culinary showcases where you were able to sample some of the best, creative-innovative dishes.....some as a sneak preview for a future menu item for the restaurants. Speaking of the food, there was plenty to be had --including libation and many eclectic bar drink showcases and experiments. There was never a dull moment. And, as the night continued...the dance floor became the icing on the cake to let loose and enjoy it all. The dance floor stay packed and the DJ's were on point. To be honest, this was my first time ever hearing about the RAMMY's and attending this event --which is now in its 37th award year. Not to mention, I live in the city...and never had a pulse on this event!! Well in all, I was completely blow-away and impressed. I enjoyed it so much, that I already have plans to attend it again next year. Thanks Yelp for truly a "one-of-a-kind" VIP experience! My guest and I truly enjoyed it. I have been bragging about this event to friends and coworkers all week!!

The McLean Reindog Parade is a local favorite with McLean residents who bring their pooches in…read morefestive attire to compete for prizes and glory on the first Saturday of every December. This is a small but charming event, that usually draws approximately 50 dogs and their families. Very kid friendly and fun. A nice alternative to more commercial events and Santa is always there, too!!

A great way to wrap up the year, Truckerboo was the Halloween version of DC's bit of local flavor,…read moreTruckeroo. Truckeroo is the monthly festival of Food Trucks that takes place during the summer months at Half Street Fairgrounds across the street from Nationals Park. Truckerboo had all the elements of the non-Halloween variety, but a bit scaled down as it was so late in the season and was actually added to the calendar as a bonus to the annual schedule. There was music, beer, non-alcoholic beverages and of course, Food Trucks! Among others, the all-stars were there of course including TaKorean, BBQ Bus, Surfside, Tapas Truck, DC Slices, Due South (a.k.a. The Woodshed) and a few surprises given the cold temps like Goodies and Captain Cookie & The Milkman. It was a great way to close out DC's food truck season for sure. While some trucks will continue serving through the winter, many close up shop for a few months and come roaring back in the spring. Tip of the hat to Truckeroo and to the trucks of DC!

I always have fun when I go to this event, there is however a couple of downsides, you can't buy…read moredrinks from the trucks, because they make you buy from the fairground vendors. Last is they have almost the same trucks everytime, there are tons of trucks in the DMV area, but they only select between 20-25 of them, and they are always the same ones.

Really fun event. Amazing folks competing with some truly brilliant cocktail creations. In the back…read morearea you could taste some of the phenomenal sponsor beverages and chat with the competitors while they prepped for showtime. It really makes you appreciate the artistry that goes into cocktails and the amazing talent in DC.

Silver Plaza is the at the heart of Downtown Silver Spring. The plaza, as its name suggests, is an…read moreopen space where the public can sit, stand, play, or simply hang out. The atmosphere here is almost always energetic and anyone looking to explore downtown Silver Spring should start here before venturing out towards the various shops, theaters, and restaurants in the area. The restaurants in the area (in between Georgia Ave. and Fenton St.) range from the expensive to the moderately priced. Just about anyone can grab a bite to eat here. From pho to fries, the choices in cuisine are expansive. Looking to do some shopping? City Place mall can be accessed from the plaza, as well as shops such as DSW, Borders, and the Ann Taylor Loft which are located outside of the mall. Feeling like seeing a movie? Check out the Majestic where there are always a large number of movies playing at any given time. Don't like the new stuff? Well there's always the AFI Silver Theater where you can catch Hitchcock classics and the like. The most stunning thing about the Plaza is the fountain. Symbolizing the actual silver spring that was discovered in the area (thus giving Silver Spring its name), the fountain is a place where parents bring their children to cool off during the summer, and provides everyone else with a soothing sensation only flowing water could give you. The only down side to the plaza is the amount of obnoxious high schoolers that can situate themselves throughout the plaza at any given time (mostly at night). But then again, that's anywhere and it's not too bad unless you're trying to watch a movie at the Majestic. The food is great, the shops are plentiful, the parking is ample, and the Metro is close. Don't miss out on such a wonderful public space to spend a day or an evening. P.S. The Downtown Silver Spring Summer Concert Series and the Farmer's Market are also situated in this wonderful Plaza.

This is a great new development in Silver Spring. Perfect for outdoor events and a true centerpiece…read moreof the neighborhood. Thanks to the County!

This version of the Apocalypse is a stand up Coaster that is kinda short lived and all around not…read morethat great by any means as it's turns are super compact making for a bit of a not so smooth ride across the entire cycle! The set up for this is kinda blah and not very thrilling it was more or less is this ride done yet kinda things as I really didn't care for it and only rode it one time. More or less if you need something to fill your day at Six Flags America then I'm sure you will be riding Apocalypse as there isn't all that much here in this park of The American Apocalypse! They did have cubbies for you to put your items in at the loading station but as with any ride you roll the dice on if they will be there when you get back so just leave them with a friend who isn't riding or get a locker so you don't lose your stuff! Overall this coaster isn't all that great but then again some others might enjoy it more than I did!

DOOMSDAY DEVICE…read more "It's the end of the world as we know it.......and I feel fine." As one of five B&M stand-up coasters currently in operation, this ride operated for two decades at Great America as 'Iron Wolf'. It's a very polarizing ride, with most complaints being the uncomfortable trains and excessive head-banging. Teens seem to be the target demographic for this one, as adults have more common sense/fragile bones and kids aren't tall enough to board. I rode it plenty of times back in Gurnee and the ride itself hasn't changed much since the relocation to Maryland. For those who've yet to experience the taint-mangling awfulness of stand-up coasters, the ride sensation is both highly unusual and unpleasant. Your feet are placed flat on the floor as the bungee-like restraints lock in place. A small padded section holds your crotch (seriously), so if you're packing a trouser python like the author of this review, good luck! Nowhere near as intense as 'Riddler's Revenge' @ SFMM or 'Green Lantern' (née 'Chang') @ SFGAdv, this modest roller coaster features a pair of inversions and a fairly compact layout. A 90ft drop gets the 28-passenger train up to a max speed of 55mph and one complete circuit lasts roughly 2 minutes. A vertical loop and corkscrew are the only inversions on this one. The most noticeable change is the theming. Six Flags took the rather plain 'Iron Wolf' (despite a badass sign) and transformed it into something pretty damn cool. The orange rails and black track are a gorgeous, vibrant color scheme that's a sizable improvement over IW's faded maroon and grey. What's better, the station music is wicked cool, a combination of ambient metal and techno, which fits the ride's theme to a tee. I was REALLY pleased to see such dynamic props used for this coaster; everything from a crashed airplane to an overturned helicopter, twisted metal pieces and various engine wreckage strewn about.....very few roller coasters at Six Flags parks get this much attention to detail. Even the paint job on the trains looks great, not to mention the ride's unofficial tagline of "stand up and fight". Very cool from top to bottom. Although......the more often I ride stand-up coasters, the less likely I am to have kids. It's no wonder that Cedar Point banished those old trains from 'Mantis' and replaced them with sit-down floorless ones, creating the (now fabulous) 'Rougarou'. Even California's Great America did away with their stand-up trains on 'Vortex' and re-branded it as the floorless 'Patriot', a smart move. Eric S's SFA Coaster Ranking = 5th out of 8. + coaster review in 40 words or less + Notorious for mashing your c*ck & balls, this is definitely a love-it-or-hate-it roller coaster. I dig the color scheme, music, and fantastic environmental props, but despite the rough ride I'd still say it's worth riding.

Nice clean building. Lots of light. Little parking on the actual lot. There is a school lot behind…read morethe parking lot to park. Meeting room has updated technology for presentations on a flat screen, microphones, audio recording, etc.