30% Off Complete Restaurant Bill in Bethesda Area

Not just YOUR dinner - but your whole group's! Includes drinks!

GROUPON - Living Social - 2for's - WTSO....... The offers seem to roll in every day. Always a can't miss deal and a moments notice opportunity.

When I was "invited" to Village Vines - I was sceptical that this was just another program that would clog my inbox with daily offers that are 95% useless. Sure - they may be a good deal on dinner - but you can generally use only one coupon per table - or the coupon did not include drinks.

It is not my idea of "LivingSocial" if to use the coupon - I have to sit at the bar by myself.

This concept is different. It gives you 30% off your entire bill for your entire party. No fuss, no muss - just a hefty discount. I went to Indique Heights in Bethesda on Saturday and ran up a bill of $200 with my wife and group of friends before a late movie. The bill was promptly discounted to $120 - after the discount was applied.

I don't know about how others live - but eating and drinking for me is social. A 30% discount on the entire table is pretty sweet.

What is the catch? Well - you have to sign up - which takes about 5 minutes. You have to look at the current DEALS and see which restaurants are participating for the day you want to eat. Make a reservation through their system (Think Open Table) - and pay a $10 charge.

Did I say CHARGE? Yes I did. For me - paying $10 for the reservation was well worth the $60 discount.

You can also get credits for convincing others to join. They will credit your account $10 for each person or group that signs up on your recommendation. Certainly worth a try.

Go to Village Vines Website by clicking HERE!

Bethesda Restaurant Week EXTENDED!

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Restaurant Week Has Been Extended!

January 31 - February 6

Many area restaurants are extending their restaurant week promotions with two and three-course lunch for $12 or $15 and dinner for $25 - $30.
Please see restaurant Web sites for complete menus and reservations.

Alfio's La Trattoria 4515 Willard Ave, Chevy Chase (301) 657-9133
American Tap Room 7278 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda (301) 656-1366
Bistro Lazeez 8009 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda (301) 652-8222
Brasserie Monte Carlo 7929 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda (301) 656-9225
Cesco Trattoria 4871 Cordell Ave., Bethesda (301) 654-8333
Divino Lounge 7345-B Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda (240) 497-0300
Food, Wine & Co. 7272 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda (301) 652-8008
Geppetto 10257 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda (301) 493-9230
Grapeseed 4865 Cordell Ave., Bethesda (301) 986-9592
Guardado's Restaurant 4918 Del Ray Ave., Bethesda (301) 986-4920
La Ferme 7101 Brookville Rd., Chevy Chase (301) 986-5255
Lebanese Taverna 7141 Arlington Rd., Bethesda (301) 951-8681
Le Vieux Logis 7925 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda (301) 652-6816
Louisiana Kitchen 4907 Cordell Ave., Bethesda (301) 652-6945
Oakville Grill 10257 Old Georgetown Rd., Bethesda (301) 897-9100
Old Angler's Inn 10801 MacArthur Blvd., Potomac (301) 365-2425
Passage to India 4931Cordell Ave., Bethesda (301) 656-3373
Persimmon Restaurant 7003 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda (301) 654-9860
Redwood Restaurant 7121 Bethesda Ln., Bethesda (301) 656-5515
Tragara Ristorante 4935 Cordell Ave., Bethesda (301) 951-4935

FAIRMONT PLAZA - Come See Me! #613

Fairmont Plaza Brunch!

Stop in to say hello on Sunday 2/6.

I am holding open Unit #613

I will be serving Coffee and Bagels Too!

I will be open from 10am to 2pm

Coffee and Bagels are First Come First Serve!

Hope to see everyone on Sunday!

Fairmont Plaza is the sister building to Crescent Plaza. Both were built and developed by Nate Landow. I have a lovely 668 square foot Balcony unit in this building for $319,900.

If you have been looking for a balcony unit - or a little larger 1BR space - come see me for a cup of coffee and a tour!

NEW LISTING! Crescent Plaza #317

Come and Get It!

It won't last - so you guys get first crack at it!

Large, Corner, 1BR with large private balcony facing Woodmont.

714 Sq. Feet - FABULOUS!

I can only keep is secret for a short time. Call me today for a preview ! 703-216-9100

Under Contract - Crescent Plaza - #712

Under Contract!

The market is still strong for units at Crescent Plaza. We still have one of the more attractive "Downtown" properties, especially at the sub-$400K price point.

The buildings patience with my constant open houses on the weekends is paying dividends. I have been keeping a list of folks with interest in the building and have been successful in soliciting these buyers to return.

The larger one bedroom units tend to sell quickly as do those with a balcony. We have been able to get premium prices for these units as well. The smaller one bedroom units are still finding buyers - but the time on the market tends to be up to 90 days.

Call me today if you are planning to sell this Spring. I am happy to speak with you confidentially as to what your unit may be worth!

SOLD - FULL PRICE - $384,900 #916

SOLD!

It is nice to report that I sold unit #916 for full price in less than a week!

I thank the owners of Crescent Plaza for their continued faith in my ability to turn prices around in the building. I am happy to report I think we have hit bottom in the downtown market. Look for a slow increase in sales prices from this point forward.

I have been keeping a list of visitors to Crescent Plaza open houses for the past year. Every time a new unit comes available - I make sure an invite is extended to those that have been searching. It has been a very productive strategy.

Keep your eyes and ears open - as I will have a large 1BR unit with balcony coming available soon. Anyone in the building that wants to preview before it comes on the market - let me know. I will also reduce my commission on the sale - so the buyer and seller get a better deal.

Call me today for details!

Bethesda Arts Festival - THIS WEEKEND!

This Saturday and Sunday!

The outdoor event is held rain or shine on Bethesda Row located on Woodmont and Bethesda Avenues, Elm Street and Bethesda Lane, east of Arlington Road. The festival is in easy walking distance from the Bethesda Metro station and 15 minutes from downtown Metrorail stops. Numerous free parking garages (49 and 57) are conveniently located around the site. Click here for directions or more information, or you can join our mailing list to receive event updates.

About Each October, the streets of Bethesda Row are transformed into an outdoor art gallery of spectacular fine arts and crafts. More than 200,000 people have enjoyed the Bethesda Row Arts Festival in the heart of Bethesda’s designated Arts & Entertainment District since it began in 1997. This year many of the world's finest arts and crafts will be presented.

The Festival, underwritten by Federal Realty Investment Trust, features the work of 180 leading artists and crafters from the Mid-Atlantic and around the country. On display will be the finest in: ceramics, drawings, fabrics, glass, graphics, jewelry, metalwork, paintings, pastels, photography, printmaking, sculpture, wood and mixed media.

The Festival has been recognized as one of the top 200 fine art shows in the United States by Sunshine Artist magazine, and the event will benefit the NIH Children's Charities.

Crescent Plaza BRUNCH! Sunday 10 to 3pm

Crescent Plaza Brunch!

Stop in to say hello on Sunday 9/26.

I am holding open Unit #712

I will be serving Coffee and Bagels Too!

I will be open from 10am to 3pm

Coffee and Bagels are First Come First Serve!

Hope to see everyone on Sunday!

Construction Update - Lot 31 - Upscale Condos

For the past few years we have all been wondering what would be built on the county parking lot - known as lot 31 - adjacent to Bethesda Row. The Washington Post gave us an answer to this question in an article yesterday.

Monty Hoffman, owner of PN Hoffman and Doug Firstenberg owner of StonebridgeCarras spoke with Johnathan O'Connell of the Post to give them an overview of what is to come.

Latest word is that there will be 60 luxury condominiums above retail at street level. Prices of the condo units will range from $750,000 to $3,000,000. They are hoping that construction can begin next spring or summer. Much depends upon their ability to convince financial backers that the project is viable.

In addition - there would be over 40,000 square feet of ground level retail space and close to 1,300 underground parking spots. This will considerably increase the amount of parking that is there currently - and hopefully be enough to support the additional commercial and residential development.

The names of the projects will be "The Loft's" for StonebridgeCarras and "The Darcy" for PN Hoffman. "The Darcy" is named in honor of 19th century Bethesda store owner William E. Darcy.

Any concern about construction of this new project wreaking havoc in the resale market should now be allayed. The high end construction would be more likely to raise prices in our marketplace then depress them. For all condo owners in the area - congratulations! Your values will be going up.

I will continue to report on status of this project. Feel free to e-mail me at any time with questions. Click here for The Washington Post Article regarding construction!

Lovely 1BR - Shows like a Model

New Listing!

Upgraded Sunny 1BR

#712

Freshly painted - Spic &

Span clean and ready for

a

new owner!

Do you know someone that would love to live in Crescent Plaza? Call me today for a personal tour.

Taste of Bethesda - October 2nd!

It is hard to believe a full year has gone by since the last Taste of Bethesda. What started as a smaller street festival has morphed into one of the best food festivals in the MD/VA/DC area.

Bring your appetite, your camera and your family to join the fun. One of the best places in Bethesda to people watch, you can eat drink and be merry at this years festivities.

Here is a list of the Taste of Bethesdsa Restaurants: SEE YOU THERE!

Angeethi
Bangkok Garden Restaurant
Bangkok One Thai Restaurant
Ben & Jerry's
BGR The Burger Joint
Bistro Provence
Blackfinn
Brasserie Monte Carlo
Bundles of Cookies
California Tortilla
Caribou
Chef Tony's
Cookies by Design
Daily Grill
Dehli Dhaba
Divino Lounge
Flanagan's Harp & Fiddle
Flaxella Café
Fresh Grill
Georgetown Cupcake
Giffords Ice Cream and Candy Co.
Haagen Dazs
Haandi Indian Cuisine
Hanaro Sushi
Hard Times Cafe
Honest Tea
Jaleo
Just Cakes
Lebanese Taverna
Louisiana Kitchen & Bayou Bar
M & N's Pizza
Mamma Lucia of Bethesda
Matuba Japanese Restaurant
Mia's Pizza
Morton's
Nest Café
Olazzo
Original Pancake House
OZ Restaurant & Wine Bar
Passage to India
Penang Malaysian Cuisine
Quartermaine
Ri Ra Irish Pub
Rock Bottom Brewery
Ruth's Chris Steak House
Saveur India
Shangrila
Smoothie King
Spring Mill Bread Company
The Barking Dog
Tommy Joe's Restaurant
Uncle Julio's Rio Grande Cafe
Union Jack's Bethesda
Yamas Mediterranean Grill
Zen Tara Tea

New Listings Coming Soon!

The fall selling season is here - and the Bethesda/Chevy Chase market is vibrant. While last year at this time there were close to 10 units on the market for sale. Currently - there are only two units on the market and both are being shown quite a bit.

What does this mean?

The glut of inventory in the condo market in Bethesda/Chevy Chase is gone. New construction units at The Adagio and The Chase are almost sold out, and this has allowed the inventory to sell in our building. This bodes well for all units for sale at Crescent Plaza - and I'd love to have a few more to show.

Within the next two weeks I will be putting 2 separate one bedroom units on the market. Both units are on upper floors - and have parking included with the sale. Both of the units have upgraded kitchens and one of them has extensively upgraded the trim package with Crown Moulding and overhead spot lighting in the family room.

Call me if you would like to see either of these units before they formally are released to the public. If you have a friend or family member that loves the building - why not give them a call? I promise I will take very good care of them.

With the market heating up - I really need 2 additional listings to allow me to market the building efficiently. Why not call me today? I have all the latest data on sales in the building and local market. The time is now!

Ready to Sell ? Call Today!

Summer is almost over, and inventory of units to sell in Crescent Plaza is low. I have completed my last active transaction and am looking for the next unit here to market and sell.

Have you been considering selling your unit here? Do you have questions about what your unit may be worth? Do you need assistance in finding good and trustworthy contractors to make improvements in your unit?

I have the answers to all of your questions regarding Crescent Plaza. With 5 transactions this past year, I am the number one agent in the building. Who do competitors call when making pricing decisions? Me!

Most of all - I can supply references from your former neighbors and unit owners here. Call me today for a list of satisfied customers.

NEW LISTING - 2BR & 2BA with Balcony - $559.000

NEW LISTING

Rare 2 Bedroom and 2 Bath with Balcony

2 PRIMO Parking Spots

Next to Elevator

OPEN Sunday 11am to 4pm.

Call Gerry Dunn

Weichert Realtors

301-651-8600

Fire Alarm Testing - Don't be Worried!

Fire Alarm Testing

March 31st - 9 am to 3 pm

We will be completing a major parts replacement, as required, for our fire alarm system. The alarms will be tested at some point between 9:00 AM -- 3:00 PM. We appreciate your patience.

Stolen Bicycles This Week!

Garage Issues

Some unlocked bicycles were stolen over the weekend from our garage. As our door opens and closes an average of 800+ times per day, are our first line of defense for the safety of our building.

If someone looks suspicious do NOT hesitate to call either 911, or the non-emergency police number 301-279-8000. They are very responsive to this number which can also be used to report issues such as noise, parked cars blocking the street, etc. Please take care and drive slowly in the garage and when entering from Miller Avenue.

We have found many cigarette butts in the garage.Please remember that smoking in the garage is against the law and extremely dangerous.

Update on Parking Lot (Lot 31) Construction

Lot 31 Verizon Conduit Installation Work Update.

The February weather and a few "extra" unidentified items in the area of the manholes have delayed the project schedule considerably. All the manholes are now under construction or finishing construction. The conduit work that connects the manholes is underway and as you can all see the Lot 31A conduit path is also well underway. A few specifics:

-- Manhole at Barnes & Noble. The roof for the Barnes and Noble manhole has been poured. Next week they will work to remove the protective barrier and install a temporary patch on both the road and the sidewalk. They will need to close the lane again for a couple of days when they come back at the end of the project to permanently repair the sidewalk and road paving/surfaces. That will occur in June.

-- Manhole at Leland Street. Existing conduit had to be lowered going in and out of this manhole. The contractor has completed that work and now the new manhole roof needs to be poured. That work will be sequenced with other concrete pours over the next few weeks. This area will then have the plates removed and a temporary asphalt patch on the roadway.

-- Manhole at Miller Avenue. This work has just begun. They have about 6-8 weeks of work at this manhole.

-- Lot 31A. All the support piles were drilled successfully. The area is currently being excavated for the conduit path. They expect to begin the actual conduit installation next week. There is still approximately 1 month's worth of work in Lot 31A and then they will be restoring the parking lot.

-- Conduit installation. The conduit installation is currently going on right at the intersection of Bethesda/Woodmont. They have completed some sections along Bethesda and will be connecting the network over the next few weeks. It is very tedious work in that they are keeping the intersection open so their segments are small. Following this work they will proceed back to the connection for the two manholes at Leland and Miller.

They expect to be out of the roadway with all repaired in June.

UNDER CONTRACT! - Top Floor - 1BR - $354,990

FABULOUS Top Floor Unit

This is a One Bedroom unit priced to sell. With hardwood floors and fabulous floor plan - this condo home comes standard with 1 reserved underground parking spot.

The condo fee for this unit is $366 per month. This includes all utilities except for Electric - and also pays for maintenance of common elements and condo liability policy.

With a one block walk to Bethesda Row - and a short 4 block walk to Bethesda Red Line Metro - this building provides the ultimate in convenience.

Call today for personal showing. Listing agent is Gerry Dunn with Weichert Realtors. He can be reached at 301-651-8600 directly.

Snomageddon - BLIZZARD 2010

BLIZZARD 2010

Well, I had all the best intentions of working all weekend. I am sure many of us in Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Potomac had our plans thwarted by the incredible snowstorm.

Although I constantly shoveled through the storm - last count 5 complete sweeps of the driveway and walk - it was almost impossible to keep up with Mother Nature.

Many of us woke up this morning to a cold house. A majority of Potomac and Bethesda lost power starting at 1 a.m. last Saturday. I was frustrated thinking of how long I waited in line for food to get us through this storm only to realize I couldn't cook anything without power. Thankfully - Pepco restored power to our neighborhood about 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. The house was down to about 52 degrees. I am happy to report that the furnace is running full speed and we are back to a toasty 65 degrees.

How long will it take for us to recover from this storm? Typically - my street is not plowed until a few days after a big storm like this. I am pretty sure that whether I like it or not, I am stuck at home through Friday. Montgomery County has closed schools for the entire week to allow them to clear the school lots and sidewalks. Looks like those kids that wore their pajamas inside-out will have their wish. No school - exhausted fun in the snow - and very tired and frustrated parents by mid-week.

Most importantly - be safe in this weather. The snow is heavy - take your time shoveling the driveway and walks - do it in sections and don't risk your health. If possible hire a neighborhood kid to help you out.

Take a few moments to put the panic and anxiety aside. Look at the beauty in the snow - and enjoy the time with your spouse, friends, family kids and Mother Nature. Enjoy!

Friday Wine Review - Domaine Charbonniere - Perdrix - Chateauneuf du Pape – 1998

France / Chateauneuf du Pape $35 / Rhone

Ahh, the joys of having a cellar. With the economy ailing, and me being in an industry that has been severely affected, I am happy to have a cellar to drink during the downturn. I have been drinking 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape on and off for almost 10 years. It was a great vintage, and most of the wines have held up very well.

I was curious how this Domaine held up. A reasonably priced wine, it cost about $25 when I purchased this in 2001. It was a bit tight when I tasted it back then, and has had time to mellow over the years. The tannins have softened, and the wine has morphed into a wonderful treat.

The cork held up beautifully on this wine when I opened it. It poured ruby red, and did not look like a 10+ year wine. The scents from the glass were balsam, black fruit, cherry and a bit of earth. The wine was layered and long. There was still a bit of glycerin which was surprising after all these years. There were still sufficient tannins - though softer then in early life - that leads me to believe this one has 5-7 years left to drink.

Overall, this was a wonderful bottle of wine.

This producer always has a consistently good bottle from year to year. In the great years, this bottle is one that you should stock up on. With 2007 being compared to 1998 as a vintage, I may have to pick up some for the cellar.

What are some of your favorite CDP producers? Not the obvious - like Beaucastle and Pegau - but some of your favorite values in the region? Let me know....