TAKE ANOTHER TRIP down the rabbit hole with Round House Theatre's "Alice," a new adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic tale. Just watch your kids' heads (the show is intended for children 6 and up) — the Queen of Hearts is apparently out for blood.
» Round House Theatre, 4545 East West Highway, Bethesda; through Dec. 28, $20-$60; 240-644-1100. (Bethesda)
Written by Express' Jason Koebler
Photo courtesy Round House Theatre
PERHAPS IT WAS SAN FRANCISCO'S love of carb-heavy Rice-A-Roni products that did it in. Because in SELF Magazine's 9th Annual America's Best Places for Women survey — released today — the reigning champ was knocked to second place by Bethesda, Md. Features director Sara Austin wasn't surprised by the suburb's impressive showing. It's the first year the area was ranked separately from D.C. (which, along with Alexandria and Arlington, came in at a very respectable 15 out of 100 cities). "It's a combination of smart habits and good resources," she says, noting such factors as low rates of disease and access to health clubs.
Bethesda has the least unemployment and the most doctors per capita (it can't hurt to have the National Institutes of Health in its territory). Residents are also the second least stressed (after Cambridge, Mass.), and spend their days in the second-healthiest workplaces (after Seattle, Wash.). After all, a winner needs high marks across the board.
Not that all's perfect in Montgomery County. "We all have our health bugaboos to work on," Austin adds. Bethesda's rates of STDs were above average, and while it gets kudos in the magazine for being a commuter's heaven — thanks to Metro and the Capital Crescent Trail — the average round-trip work commute of one hour, 12 minutes represents a big chunk of the day. Better get working on that for next year to keep San Francisco in its place.
WHATEVER THE OUTCOME of Tuesday's election, the winner is bound to emphasize he'll bring change to Washington. Perhaps the candidates don't realize it's already here. But instead of taxes or rebates or regulations, Hyun Martin has her own techniques. "I came to Washington to change the world, and I'm doing it in a spa," says the owner of Bethesda's Be You Bi You Wellness Center and Spa (5602 Shields Drive, 301-493-4911, Beyouspa.com).
Her bipartisan suggestion: Get a jaw massage.
Whether you've been gabbing incessantly on cable news — or at the dinner table — or gritting your teeth as you listened with a forced smile, your jaws have taken a beating over the past few months. And that, my friends, could wear out the muscles that support your temporomandibular joint (TMJ). So, Martin, who hatched the idea to target beleaguered jaws after dating a dentist, designed a 30-minute massage ($80) that targets trigger points on your cranium, neck and mouth. She slips on gloves and dives into your oral cavity, fatiguing the jaw muscles with pressure. "I ask them to clench, and after awhile, they can't clench anymore, so the muscle has to release," she says.
Continue Reading "Take a Break, Talking Heads: Loosen Up Jaws" »
BELLY DANCER MAYA TAAHIRA has to deal with some extra baggage as she circles her hips into figure eights: her 6-month-old son. But there's no problem with her wearing him in a sling while teaching her core-strengthening class. Students understand a little baby weight at the D.C. area's first gym devoted to moms, Hot Mama Fitness Studio (4715 Cordell Ave., Bethesda, 301-560-0626, Hotmamafitnessstudio.com), which opened last month.
It's the brainchild of owner Vionna Jones, who gears her classes toward prenatal and postnatal women (anyone who's had a child, whether six weeks or six years ago). A former civil engineer, Jones, 34, quit her job three years ago to become a fitness instructor and personal trainer. During her certification, Jones noticed that part of the population that cares very much about health and weight was underserved. "I was thinking I never see women who are pregnant at the gym. Even if they worked out before, they're not sure what they're supposed to do when they're pregnant," Jones says. "There's prenatal yoga all over the place, but nobody really does prenatal fitness. I saw that there was a need for it."
Continue Reading "A Place to Go Belly-Up: Hot Mama Fitness" »
I, FOR ONE, was feeling glum about missing Taberna del Alabardero's paella festival, which ended yesterday. Then, I came across this little gem and felt like the universe had given me a second chance:
Jaleo is having one too!
That's right -- the other Spanish restaurant about town is ready to serve up a variety of paellas and have special events at all their locations through Oct. 12. Tonight, they're kicking it all off with a little happy hour and tasting -- show up at the Bethesda locale, have a glass of sangria and sample a few varieties of this decadent, savory treat.
» Jaleo, 7271 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda; Weds., Oct. 1, 5-7 p.m., RSVP at bethesda@jaleo.com; 301-913-0003. (Bethesda)
Photo by Nikki Khan
JUST AS A FRIEND doesn't let a friend walk out of the bathroom with a wad of toilet paper stuck to her shoe or leave for a date with spinach in her teeth, a friend shouldn't give a friend license to eat unhealthy junk. Yeah, we're talking to you, party planner with a penchant for potato chips and buffalo wings.
Fortunately, it's not hard to create a menu for your next bash that makes your guests' health a priority. Just ask Tim Jones, executive chef of the OZ, a Zen-theme restaurant that focuses on calorie-conscious cuisine in the Doubletree Hotel Bethesda (8120 Wisconsin Ave.; 301-652-2000; Ozbethesda.com). "Use the best possible ingredients with just a little bit of fanfare," advises Jones, who is teaching a class on healthy entertaining at the OZ on Sept. 20. For instance, he says, an easy dish might be grilled heirloom tomatoes; add a brush of olive oil and sea salt to enhance their flavor. Browse local farmers markets to find inspiration from produce in its prime. Squash, potatoes, kale, eggplants, apples and heirloom tomatoes are all at their best this month, Jones says.
After you've stocked up on locally grown eats, Jones recommends firing up your grill. Grilling is "very healthy for you because there's very little fat involved," he says. Plus, it's not too time-consuming, which will free you up to mix with your guests.
And once you're making the rounds, should you tell your guests that they're in for some good-for-you grub? No way, Jones says. "It should just be something that you know and they wonder, 'Why does it taste so fresh and different?' It's your own little secret."
Photo courtesy OZ
IT TAKES PERSISTENCE to land a seat at Persimmon. With a small location on Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda and a big reputation, this upscale American bistro can be fully booked two weeks in advance. After a recent foray into the suburban restaurant capital, it's easy to see why.
Having made reservations three weeks in advance, a party of four came away thoroughly impressed with an interesting menu and excellent execution. There were several fish, poultry and meat dishes — including the signature barbeque rack of lamb that, while not cheap, is not unreasonably priced.
I'd enjoyed the lamb my previous trip, so in an effort to branch out, I jumped on the crab cake platter — featuring two perfectly sized cakes with no filler and healthy portions of delicious mashed potatoes and a corn hash. At $26, it was a bargain. Two in the group had the rockfish, and the bouillabaisse rounded out our entrees. Each was done exquisitely, making for a nice evening.
ADMIT IT: You love musicals. And if you don't, I don't want to talk to you. Not that there haven't been some dismal movie musicals released since "Chicago" revitalized the genre — "Dreamgirls," anyone? — but "Hairspray," which was too squeaky and self-conscious on stage, made a snappy, smart transition to film.
Except for John Travolta's drag turn, which wound up seeming like a cross between and his longtime pal Kirstie Alley's role as a murderous Minnesota mom in neglected '90s classic "Drop Dead Gorgeous" and Mike Myers's Dr. Evil. Can't have everything though.
Bethesda is showing the flick as part of a free outdoor film series tonight.
» Woodmont Triangle, Norfolk and Auburn avenues, Bethesda; Fri., Aug. 1, 9 p.m., free; 301-215-6660. (Bethesda)
Photo courtesy New Line Cinema
THE AFI voted "Annie Hall" the fourth funniest comedy of all time. Whether you agree depends on whether you find Woody Allen hilarious and poignant, or obnoxious and self-involved.
At least this was back when he was cast opposite Diane Keaton, a woman sort of close to his own age, as opposed to his films of recent years, in which his love interests are approximately one-seventh his age.
This neurotic love story, which is showing for free outdoors in Bethesda, is hilarious, and good to see with a significant other — after all, their quirks won't seem nearly as irritating when compared to Allen and Keaton's.
» Woodmont Triangle, Norfolk and Auburn avenues, Bethesda; Thurs., July 31, 9 p.m., free; 301-215-6660. (Bethesda)
Image courtesy United Artists
AMONG ALL THE famous trilogies of late — the new "Star Wars" films, "The Lord of the Rings," etc.), the three films starring amnesiac badass Jason Bourne often get forgotten. Though they may be less flashy, they're more consistent than, say, "Spider-Man." Go see the final installment, "The Bourne Ultimatum," for free in Bethesda.
Be sure to snag some popcorn. The Bourne movies are spectacularly exciting, even though they try to sell Matt Damon as an action hero. I mean, come on, what's next, Russell Crowe as a fat, ugly dude? Wait. Darn it.
» Woodmont Triangle, Norfolk and Auburn avenues, Bethesda; Wed., July 30, 9 p.m., free; 301-215-6660. (Bethesda)
Photo by Jasin Boland
Addison Road