From klezmer bands to hip hop, hard rock and honky tonk; this should be a concert for the whole family to enjoy.  It’s a unique collection of some of the best of the annual Jewish holiday celebration songs.

With classics (and not so classics), like O Khanuke, O Khanuke, (I have a little) Dreydl, Honky Tonk Hanukkah and the fun On Christmas I Got Nothing, it’s hard not to find something to smile about.

Here’s the opening verse of On Christmas I Got Nothing (lyrics by Chuck Brodsky)

My family never roasted chestnuts – on an open fire
Never went around the neighborhood – singing carols with a choir
Never went to Midnight Mass & sat on cold hard pews
My family – we had different views

This year, the eight days of Chanukah (or Hanukkah), is celebrated from sunset on December 21 to sunset, December 29.

A Chanukah Feast in Concert
The Music Center at Strathmore
5301 Tuckerman Lane
North Bethesda, MD 20852  (map it)

Date and Time – Saturday, December 27, 2008, 8:00 p.m.

Tickets – $21.00 and are available online.

Nearest Metro subway station – Grosvenor-Strathmore – Red Line.  Take the elevators to the 4th level and cross the sky bridge to the Music Center.

Parking – Free parking is included in the ticket price, valet parking is $10.00.

Images – Flickr – candles, Dreydl,
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Post from: The DC Traveler

Enjoy as Alice partakes in a race where everyone wins, a mad tea party, stolen tarts and her dream-filled escape to a strange land of amazing creatures, including the Madd Hatter, King and Queen of Hearts and the grinning Cheshire Cat.

The World Premiere of Alice, at Round House Theatre in suburban Bethesda, blends the childlike fantasy with a wildly imaginative theatrical experience that should delight both children and adults alike. 

Alice
Round House Theatre
4545 East West Highway
Bethesda, MD 20814 (map it)

Dates and Times – Wednesdays – Sundays, November 26 – December 28, 2008.

Tickets – $50.00 – $60.00 and are available online.  Appropriate for children 6 and up.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Bethesda, Red line, then a 1-block walk.

Parking – Paid parking ($4.00) in the attended underground garage across the street from the theatre. Entrance is on Waverly Street.

Image – Alice – public domain
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Post from: The DC Traveler

In a play perfect for children ages 4 and up, Imagination Stage brings back this musical comedy about the “worst behaved class in whole school” – the fifth graders of Room 207 at Horace B. Smedley Elementary School.

The unruly and spitball shooting students are so bad, even during story time, that their behavior drives their beloved and sweet Miss Nelson away. The next day, the appearance of the dreaded and not-so-sweet substitute, Miss Viola Swamp, changes everything.

Desperately trying to create an excuse for their teacher’s disappearance, they come up with several implausible stories, including a trip to Mars and a deadly shark attack. But later decide to engage in a mission to find and bring back their wonderful teacher, by hiring a bumbling detective named McSmogg.

Perhaps a bit predictable for the adults, kids are sure to smile at the silly, innocent and funny characters, as well as the discovery that the substitute teacher may not really be who they think.

Miss Nelson is Missing
Imagination Stage – Lerner Family Theatre
4908 Auburn Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814 (map it)

Dates and Times – Weekends from November 22, 2008 – January 4, 2009 – Performance times – Saturdays and Sundays 12:30 & 3:30 p.m., with an additional show on Saturdays at 7:00 p.m. Additional weekday matinees on Dec. 24, 26, 29–31, and Jan. 2, 2009

Tickets – $10.00 – $21.00 and are available by phone at 301-280-1660.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Bethesda – Red line, then a ½-mile walk or take the free Bethesda 8 trolley to Auburn and Norfolk Avenues.

Parking – Free parking is available in the area.

Image – 5th grade class – Flickr
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Post from: The DC Traveler

In return, Adam has been dating non-Jewish girls, but his mom has now forced his hand, and it’s time to find “a nice Jewish girl”. Yet he has no idea how to navigate the world of dating Jewish girls.

The pair teams up to help each other.  Adam instructs Chris on how to act “more Jewish”, and getting past meeting the girl’s Jewish mother, while Chris helps Adam work on his new Jewish image and persona.

World of Jewtopia combines the two staring writers/actors in a couple scenes from the play, with some irreverent and effective standup comedy, an interesting multimedia presentation about Jewish culture, and a good dose of audience participation.

The two takes a humorous shots at all kinds of subjects, such as:

• How to get the perfect table when dining out, if there is one.
• How to avoid catching the plague by properly disinfecting your hotel room’s hot zones.
• Classic Jewish foods, if they can even be identified.
• Selecting the perfect airline seat.
• Who’s the world’s most popular Jew. (Great audience participation…but Adam Sandler??)
• Word origins – such as rhinoplastie, German for Bat Mitzvah gift.

And expect a bunch of funny growing up stories, and of course, and the stereo typical portrayal of controlling yet loving Jewish mother.

A couple times I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard, and I’m not Jewish.

The World of Jewtopia
Bethesda Theatre
7719 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814  (map it)

Dates and Times – Through June 22, 2008.

Tickets – $40.00 – $75.00 and are online or by calling 800-551-SEAT.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Bethesda – Red line, then a 2-block walk.

Parking – Street and metered garage parking is available at the Cheltenham Public Garage behind the theater.

Images – Jewtopia, courtesy of Bethesda Theatre, theater – from personal collection – ©2008, Jon Rochetti

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Post from: The DC Traveler

The first hit he co-wrote was the country hit “The Story of My Life” sung by Marty Robbins in 1957.

His most productive hit maker was Dionne Warwick, who had 22 Top-40 hits written by Bacharach. Other singers and bands also had success turning his songs into top hits and many, into American standards. The Shirelles, The Carpenters, Aretha Franklin, Isaac Hayes, Tom Jones, Luther Vandross and Seal, along with many other singers all scored big with his tunes.

His music can be heard in countless movie soundtracks, from the original 1967 James Bond film Casino Royale to Austin Powers, thirty years later.

A Burt Bacharach medley of some of his hits – American Idol.

Some of his more remembered hits include:

• “What’s New Pussycat”
• “I Say a Little Prayer”
• “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head”
• “What the World Needs Now is Love”
• “Walk on By”
• “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me”
• “Alfie”
• “The Look of Love”
• “This Guy’s in Love with You”
• “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”
• “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head”
• “That’s What Friends Are For”

With so many pop hits, it’s easy to understand why his many hits from the 1960 and 70s still remain classics today.

Burt Bacharach
The Music Center at Strathmore
5301 Tuckerman Lane
North Bethesda, MD 20852

Dates – Sunday, June 8, 2008, 7:00 p.m.

Tickets – $28.00 – $72.00 and are available online.

Nearest Metro subway station – Grosvenor-Strathmore – Red Line.  Take the elevators to the 4th level and cross the sky bridge to the Music Center.

Parking – free parking is included in the ticket price, valet parking is $10.00.

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Post from: The DC Traveler

Roving costumed entertainers, dozens of activities and hands-on crafts, dance troupes, plus music and theatrical performances make this a special afternoon…just for kids.

Children can watch a 10-foot tall stilt walker, grab an animal balloon from one of the balloon artists, or have their face painted.

Last year, kid’s activities included:

• puppet, mask and bookmark making booths
• canvas bag, picture frame, cookie and tile decorating stations
• tours of Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad vehicles
• radio station music, games and prizes
• bicycle safety instruction
• yoga for kids

This year, the free activities should be just as fun.

Imagination Bethesda
Woodmont Ave. from Bethesda Ave. to Elm St.
Bethesda, MD  (map it)

Dates and Times – Saturday, June 2, 2008, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Admission – FREE

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Bethesda – Red line, then a 3-block walk.

Parking – Street and metered garage parking is available.

Read the meters careful as Bethesda parking enforcement is relentless and tickets for expired meters are expensive.

Images – Flickr – face painting, stilts, crafts

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Post from: The DC Traveler

We all know teenagers can be cruel to each other. Self doubt, the need for group acceptance, the desire to be popular, to lead or quietly blend into the background, all play a role in the maturing process on the road to self-awareness.

In William Golding’s classic 1954 tale of human nature and the lust for power and control, Lord of the Flies, a group of British school boys become stranded on a deserted island, with no adults to help or manage them. 

In the book, the reason the boys, most from different London prep schools were all on the same boat that sank, was that the boys were being moved to safety, from the bombings in England during WW-II.

On the island, they have food and water. So all they need to do is to survive and calmly manage themselves until hopefully rescued.  At first, the group works together effectively, foraging for food and water, maintaining a fire, electing a leader and erecting shelters.

Yet simply living peacefully is not in the boy’s cards. Using the promise of hunting wild pigs, dancing and having fun versus being responsible. one boy fractures the group, forming a clique of his own. Some of the aggression charged boys quickly disintegrate the group and form a wild pig hunting party.

As the student’s uniforms are traded for spears and war paint, the innocent boys devolve into uncontrolled, bloodthirsty hunters and ultimately, savages intent on killing the “beast”.

In the newest adaptation of Lord of the Flies at the Roundhouse Theatre in Bethesda, MD, the time is today or some time in the near future and it’s a plane crash that left the boys stranded.

The violent story, calm by today’s slasher-style standards, integrates modern rhythmic dance and loud, high-energy music from current bands such as Smashing Pumpkins, Linkin Park, Nine Inch Nails and Beastie Boys, to express the boys’ transformation from generally good adolescents to savages, intent on dominating each other. The fight scenes use a unique but effective combination of choreographed dance interlaced with slow-motion actions.

The characters include the elected leader who attempts to keep the group civil and united, the somewhat anal and ever-questioning nerdy kid (Piggy), the dark and misunderstood loner, several excitable followers looking to belong and for acceptance, and the self-imposed leader who splinters the group, and show how Darwin’s survival of the fittest can quickly take root.  The brutal and now totalitarian boys are eventually rescued…but only after the unspeakable happens. 

The skilled ensemble of mostly local young men in the late teens or early twenties (plus a 7th grader), play their parts believably and with the aggressive approach of testosterone-driven good boys gone “native”.  The stage set is minimal and props limited, leaving the audience to use its imagination of what we might become…if left to our own devices.

The original book, surprisingly sold only three thousand copies in it’s first couple years after publication.  But by the 1960s it became a best seller and required reading in many school curriculums.  Time magazine listed the book as one of the 100 best English language novels (1923-2005).

This was my first visit to the Round House Theater. It’s a comfortable, intimate venue with seating that puts you close to the actors.  The convenient location, just a couple minute drive from Bethesda’s Woodmont Ave. restaurant row, makes it simple and stress-free for grabbing a bite or as I did, a couple appetizers and a glass of wine before the performance.  The low-cost attached parking makes it even easier.

Lord of the Flies
Round House Theatre
4545 East West Highway
Bethesda, MD 20814 (map it)

Dates and Times – Wednesdays – Sundays, through April 27, 2008

Tickets – $50.00 – $60.00 and are available online.  This play is not recommended for children under 12.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Bethesda Red line, then a 1-block walk.

Parking – Paid parking ($4.00) in the attended underground across the street from the theatre. Entrance on Waverly St.

Images – Flickr – Island, pigs, book cover, theater – from personal collection – © 2008 – Jon Rochetti production photos – courtesy of Round House Theatre – group – Abe Cruz (as Henry), Kyle Schliefer (as Eric), Michael Grew (as Sam), Alexander Strain (as Ralph), Ryan Nealy (as Bill), and Evan Casey (as Jack) in Round House Theatre’s production of Lord of the Flies. Photo by Danisha Crosby, two savages – Evan Casey (as Jack) and Abe Cruz (as Henry) in Round House Theatre’s production of Lord of the Flies. Photo by Danisha Crosby

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Post from: The DC Traveler

It’s billed as a sophisticated California wine bar and bistro, but I must say, I did not get a very comfortable feeling when I entered the restaurant and looked over the wine bar. It seemed a bit too casual, colorless and cold. Definitely not what I would call hip California casual.  Based on its reputation as a DC favorite (in the “expensive” category), I had incorrectly assumed that patrons would be dressed up a bit more for a Saturday evening on the town. Yet the crowd looked similar to one found in any other “casual” or moderately priced neighborhood restaurant.

Checking in with the hostess within a couple minutes of our scheduled reservation time, turned into a bit of an ordeal.  It made me wonder if I had made a good selection for the evening. After giving my name, the hostess answered the phone which turned into about a 7-minute long conversation, completely ignoring me and my party.  We rated not even a glance or whispered “sorry”.  Even the addition of a second person at the hostess stand, after 5 minutes of waiting, who was more interesed in repeatedly checking the reservation book, then finding us a table. He did nothing except silently look at my party, which didn’t seem to help speed the process.  But eventually we were seated in a booth that was very comfortable and private.

We started off by checking out the extensive international wine list. With probably 100 selections by the glass or by the 3 ounce sample pour, the decision-making process took a while.  Luckily, our waiter was thoroughly knowledgeable about each of the wines we were contemplating, and described each one rather effectively.  We each selected a different Cabernet and when they arrived, shared a taste to determine which wine each person enjoyed the most.  Surprisingly, we all selected the same Cabernet from California for our second glass.

Their menu changes frequently and is not listed online, (only a sample menu is available), but the staff is very familiar with all the dishes and ingredients. Different from most bistros, I found the menu to offer a nice variety of more complex and seasonal dishes with a few non-traditional twists from the typical bistro offerings.

I thoroughly enjoyed my ultra-tender and rich braised lamb shank with mixed greens and white beans. The portion was more than filling.  Additionally, the phyllo-wrapped Black Cod with clams, olives and potatoes was also delicious and different. 

Our waiter was very helpful and attentive but did not intrude or over-manage our table. The no-rush attitude made us feel all comfortable and relaxed.

Dinner appetizers are priced $5.50 to $15.00 and entrees range form $25 – $35.

I would recommend Grapeseed, but don’t expect a high-end ambience. Think “upscale casual” in atmosphere, with decidedly “upscale” food.

Grapeseed
4865-C Cordell Avenue
Bethesda, MD  (map it)
301-986-9592

Hours - Daily from 5:00 p.m. until 10 Mon. – Thur., 11:00 Fri. – Sat. and 9:00 on Sunday.

Reservations - recommended, especially on weekends, and can be made online.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Bethesda – Red line, then a ½ mile walk.

Parking – Valet parking is available for $5.00 or metered street or public garage meter parking is available,. But check the meters for maximum times allowed and effective hours carefully. Bethesda is notorious for very expensive parking tickets and aggressive enforcement. 

Images – 1 – Grapeseed, 2 & 3 – personal collection

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Post from: The DC Traveler

At the Taste of Bethesda, you can sample food from the menus of 50 Bethesda restaurants and enjoy five stages of live music from 11:00 until 3:00 p.m.  Sadly, none of the more notable places are participating this year, but there should be some good offerings from Café Europa, McCormick & Schmick’s,  Ruth’s Chris and Jaleo. 

Taste of Bethesda
In the Woodmont Triangle – bordering Norfolk, Cordell, St. Elmo, Del Ray and Auburn Avenues
Bethesda, MD (map it)

Dates and Times – Saturday, Oct. 6th –  11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Tickets – Admission is free, food and drink tickets are packaged four tickets for $5.00 with a single food serving costing 1-3 tickets.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Bethesda – Red line, then a 3-block walk.

Parking – Parking is available in Bethesda’s public parking garages. Watch and read the meters carefully as Bethesda police aggressively write expensive parking tickets ($50+ for expired meters if I recall), some meters are free on weekends and others may be in effect until 10:00 p.m.
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Post from: The DC Traveler