Located just across the border from Washington, D.C., the town of Bethesda, Maryland is a fairly…read morewell-to-do suburb and one of the last places one might expect to find a fantastical novelty house. The house at 4949 Allan Road in Bethesda has become something of a landmark, known for the curved canopies that earned it the name "the Mushroom House." The bumpy edges and pointed tip give the house a shape slightly reminiscent of a Dr. Seuss doodle. As it turns out, though, the original design was not particularly child-friendly. See link of interview from couple who had it built. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ94C2IKSK6/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

I had no idea that such a unique piece of architecture was located right in the suburbs of…read moreBethesda. I only found this out after searching for activities to do in the area and was recommended this site. Definitely a really cool crafted home that looks like a smurf or flinstone home!

Wheaton Triangle is really just a gathering place, but what the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce does…read morewith it makes it hip and happening. Once a year the Taste of Wheaton is held here. It's a really great way to show off the eclectic cuisine that Wheaton has to offer. There is also the summer band sessions which I have not personally attended. Then there is the Friday night outdoor movies which I did attend this past Friday. Not a high turn out, which was a plus for us. What I can't understand is why families would bring their one to ten year olds to watch The Hunger Games. Perhaps the biggest turn out here is for their Fourth of July Fireworks. They are pretty grand, and parking in the garage off Reedie (behind the new Safeway) is easy. There are traffic cops during The Taste and the fireworks to prevent any casualties.

Great outdoor area to enjoy some good music and meet new people…read more I love that they have "Taste of Wheaton" every year and it gets better and better every time! Their festivals are awesome, always a great time!

This was a really cool little event in downtown silver spring. I've been in the area for about 3…read moreyears and I always seem to be out of town or forget about it until this year! I went to about 6-8 locations along Fenton, Thayer ave, and Georgia Ave. The restaurants I tried were as follows: Ruang Kong tai cuisine (Thai) Roger Miller (West African) Italian kitchen ( pizza/ Italian) Society (American/ Caribbean) Pete's (Pizza) Edible Arrangements (fruit/ chocolate) Abyssinia (Ethiopian) Everyone had small plates or some type of great deal. The most amazing thing I tried came from Ruang Kong Ta Cuisine. They would get the gold star of the day for their mango and sticky rice. It was the last thing I ate and was very refreshing after putting my palate through such a rigorous task! The most out of the box thing I tried was the peanut butter chicken from Roger Miller. There jollof rice was good and curried chicken was flavorful. The worst thing I tried was the turnover from Abyssinia. I've struggled trying to eat Ethiopian food but I didn't enjoy the food I tried. Overall it was a beautiful event with various music artist around different areas in downtown for our listening enjoyment.

A good idea poorly executed. The "tastes" are not designed to be eaten out of hand as one strolls…read moreto the next venue, and would be better with smaller portions and prices. Yelp's stage was about as far as possible from the center of the action, which I consider a snub to an event sponsor.

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!

If you're looking for authentic Italian food with heart, Vicinos Italian Restaurant is an absolute…read moregem! We were in town for my son's swim meet and wanted a great Italian spot where he could carb up before his races and I'm so happy we found this beautiful, family-oriented restaurant. The moment we walked in, the smell of fresh, delicious food filled the air and instantly made us feel at home. From the very beginning, the owners were incredibly kind, warm, and welcoming. We were greeted with genuine smiles and treated like family, which made the entire experience even more special. The customer service here is truly top-tier attentive, friendly, and full of heart. The food was absolutely delicious! Everything tasted fresh, authentic, and made with love. We were even treated to complimentary bread and pizza, which was such a thoughtful and generous touch. And the dessert? AMAZING the perfect sweet ending to a fantastic meal. One thing that really stood out was how the owners greeted so many guests by name. You could tell there are many loyal regulars, and seeing that kind of connection between a restaurant and its customers is rare and beautiful. It created such a warm, welcoming atmosphere that made us feel like part of the community. We loved everything about this place and will definitely be coming back. Highly recommend Vicinos to anyone looking for incredible Italian food, outstanding service, and a true family-style dining experience!

Craving Italian, we found this spot conveniently close to our hotel. Upon arrival, our waiter…read moregreeted us with a friendly handshake, and we were promptly seated. With both the Yelp photos and the menu to guide us, it was tough to choose. The menu prices are very reasonable. We both went with the cheese ravioli, and I had an iced tea -- the total came to just $30. The ravioli were bursting with flavor and cooked perfectly, not overdone like so many places. Service was outstanding, yet the atmosphere remains relaxed and unhurried, so don't come here expecting super-fast dining.

For decades, the Lebanese are having the great festival and I am almost feeling guilty for not…read moreknowing about it, as if I missed something very important. For a half price of the restaurant cost you can experience the Lebanese delicacies and maybe try something new - like a Jallab ( It's made by diluting the syrup made of grape molasses, dates and rose water with water) The host (Lebanon men and women) were gracious and welcoming. Music over speakers was great, food and drinks even better. I felt like I had something very healthy. Vegetables and meats were savory; falafel (poor men burger) was made right there at that moment and it was extremely light, crispy with great taste. Actually, there was nothing to complain except about the size of my stomach that could not try more delicious food. I am sorry that I did not witness any dances or national costumes, or any cultural program with live music at the time I was there. If there was a program with times I would have timed it better. There was a section for the kids and parking was available at this fee free festival. I was happy to support Lebanese-American community.

It was super fun to have so many DC ramen chefs in one venue and to taste each one. I enjoyed…read moreeating different types of ramen - some not so traditional and others what you expect from ramen. There was also unlimited Kirin beer and various cocktails, as well as Sake Lemonade. Some stations had dumplings and there was gelato from Dolcezza. Also had a DJ spinning music and various rooms each restaurant was represented in. The event was fun and it was $75 per person if you bought early and then $90+ after the early bird discount. But with about 8+ bowls of ramen and drinks- its not so bad. The suggestion I would offer is to have some kind of organized way for people to queue. It was very confusing which way and where we were supposed to be in line. We would queue, but then others would just walk up and grab a bowl. It was chaos- but we all got our food. Just wish there was some kind of organization to this event- I never knew if I was in a line or stuck behind people just eating. Everyone left with a gift from the sponsors- Sun-J marinade and sauce. My friends and I had a lot of fun! I would do it again.

I must be sick in the head. So the day after having a 21 course tasting dinner at Volt, I decided…read moreit was a great idea to also go to Ramen World and eat endless HEAPING bowls of broth and noodles. I do not regret it. What I do regret is having a doctor's appointment the next day and having to explain the ABNORMALLY high blood pressure reading for someone who has low blood pressure. Doctor: That's a high reading for you.Do you feel dizzy, have any fainting spells? Me: I ate about six bowls of Ramen yesterday. Doctor: Yeah, well that would do it. Here are some things you should know about Ramen World before going. Eating over one bowl of Ramen is tremendously hard. I discovered ramen is not exactly sampling food. It's incredibly filling and heavy. Plan accordingly. Justin C. did a great job of explaining how the event was organized and highlighting the food. It was disappointing that there weren't clear signs of where each vendor was and what exactly they were serving. With regard to food, I would like to add that the strongest offering were from Thip Khao, they had long wide noodles (like chow fun) in their take on Khao Soi and I was pleasantly surprised by Chalin's bowls of tantan-men ramen, very Thai in flavor, spicy with a hint of peanuts. Both inspired me to visit their respective restaurants in the near future. Chaplin's also offered a fried pork dumpling, injected with a mixture of soy, Sriracha, and rye whiskey. It was...kinda gross actually. Dolcezza has me dreaming of their black sesame ice cream, and SnoCream had the cutest macarons in the shape of pandas, bears and frogs. We offered unlimited drinks but there was only so much Kirin one can drink. As Justin noted, the food ran out well before closing time. Not only did the food run out so did utensils and disposable plate wear. Donburi began serving on plastic plate lids. Classy move. I am not sure if I would attend this event in the future, given the poor planning and that ramen is not something I could eat in mass quantities, but I did have a blast while I was here. I would like to thank Erik Bruner-Yang for letting us borrow the decorative dragon heads on Toki's table to do our own interpretive dance with them. Great photo op there.

Mama Lucia is my personal definition of a "problem"... because once you start going, you can't…read morestop. The pizza is ridiculously good. The crust? Somehow both crispy and soft like it went to culinary school. The cheese actually tastes like cheese (rare these days), and the sauce is so good I literally order extra on the side just for dipping. Yes, I am that person--and I have zero regrets. And don't sleep on the pasta--it's just as solid. This place is not a one-hit wonder. Also, Anthony, the owner, might be the nicest human alive. He regularly gives me a free soda with my pizza, which feels like I've unlocked some kind of secret rewards program I never signed up for. I usually go to the East-West Highway location in Silver Spring because of work, but I also hit the Connecticut Avenue spot near my place in NW DC--and somehow they're BOTH consistently great. No off days, no drop in quality. Maybe it's because the owners are New Yorkers. Maybe it's magic. Either way, this is my go-to spot, and I'm not even pretending I'll stop going anytime soon.

Mamma Lucia of Silver Spring is such a gem! From the moment you walk in, the warm, mom-and-pop…read moreatmosphere makes you feel right at home. You're greeted with the amazing scent of freshly made pizza, and the staff is genuinely kind and attentive. We started with the fresh garlic bread (so good!) and then moved on to the menu... and wow. Favorites include: * Mussels in a garlic white wine sauce - perfectly cooked and flavorful * Shrimp Bada Bing - spicy, bold, and addictive * Seafood Asparagus - crab, shrimp, scallops, mushrooms, asparagus, penne, all in a creamy pink sauce * Cappelini Adriatico - scallops, shrimp, crab, angel hair pasta, and fresh cherry tomato sauce All pastas come with a side salad, and you can choose between garden or Caesar. And the tiramisu? Absolutely the best I've ever had -- light, creamy, and perfectly balanced. If you're in Silver Spring and craving authentic, comforting Italian food with great service, this is the place to go!

The Polka Dot Park is a fun, bright community space in historic Hyattsville. It's in a former…read moreparking lot. The space is large with blue picnic tables and murals decorated the walls. It's a great space for community events!

Polka Dot Park is awesome. There was a fairly desolate looking lot in Hyattsville that now has a…read morelot of tastefully done art that consistently provides backdrops for many many photos. The space is gently sloped and there are a number of picnic tables, umbrellas and lights that, along with the colors, make for a whimsical community space. During warmer months, bands will play on the loading dock that can be repurposed as a stage. While driving by on most days, you can see people taking selfies with the large "Handmade in Hyattsville" painting, or with one of the colorfully painted garage doors as the backdrop. According to their facebook page, it is made possible by Urban Investment Partners.