Governor's Race Heats Up; Silver Spring's Sizzling Too

I went to the Martin O'Malley gubernatorial fundraiser with a friend last Thursday night at the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, Maryland. Currently the mayor of Baltimore, and named one of the top five mayors in the U.S. by Time magazine, O'Malley gave a rousing speech that resulted in a standing ovation, and we were able to meet and chat with him personally. I haven't made up my mind yet about who to vote for, but as far as I'm concerned right now, it's between Doug Duncan (Montgomery County Executive) and O'Malley. Our current governor, Robert Ehrlich, seems mainly concerned with pushing slot machines, selling off precious state land behind our backs, and getting career state employees who happen to be Democrats fired from their jobs, if self-proclaimed "Prince of Darkness" and chief head-roller Joe Steffen's e-mails are any clue. My impression is that Ehrlich fancies himself a mini-potentate who values "loyalty" over experience and a long history of public service. We've seen the results of that approach on a national scale too (can you say, "Heck of a job, Brownie"?). Apparently, running this rather smallish state has gone to Ehrlich's head. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Gov. Ehrlich.

On a lighter note, as many local folks know, Silver Spring's revitalization appears to be a smashing success, for which Duncan takes some deserved credit. Discovery's gleaming world headquarters complex is now located at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Colesville Road, a short walk from the Silver Spring metro station (Red Line).
Diagonally across from Discovery is the beautiful art deco Lee Building. About a half-block north on Colesville is the famed American Film Institute and AFI Silver Theatre. If you head around the corner, you'll hit all the attractions along Ellsworth Avenue, including Majestic cinema, Borders Books, and numerous fun restaurants and cafes, along with a colorful fountain and periodic free outdoor concerts and festivals. Also nearby on Fenton Street is a Whole Foods Market and a Baja Fresh. Cafes along Ellsworth include such attractions as Phillips Seafood, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Austin Grill (my personal favorite),
Lebanese Taverna Café, Eggspectation, Red Lobster, Romano's Macaroni Grill, McGinty's, Noodles & Company (I loved their Pesto Cavatappi with a spritz of the lemon slices located next to the soda machine), Asian Bistro (excellent food and a quieter atmosphere), Panera Bread (the latter two are around the corner -- walk from Ellsworth through the little breezeway next to Red Lobster and hang a right), and several others. The food at Romano's is delicious, but they have recently started delivering an annoying sales pitch before they take your order. They even hold up a wine bottle and ask if you want some. One server had the audacity to turn the page of the menu in my hands and start reading it to me. Knock it off, folks, and stop aggravating your customers and wasting everyone's time. Naming one or two specials is okay, but as for the rest, we can read the menu and decide for ourselves what to eat and drink.

At night, colored neon lights on Ellsworth and in the Discovery complex are turned on and it's quite a pleasant stroll.
The City Place Mall does not live up to the rest of Silver Spring; many people avoid it in favor of the Ellsworth area. The stores tend toward the cheap side. Anchors include Marshall's and Burlington Coat Factory (on the very top level). The food and attitude at the new Taste of Morocco were a disappointment, although a belly-dancing class recital was enjoyable. (I prefer the atmosphere and food at Casablanca's in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.) Ruby Tuesday's in City Place Mall has a nice salad bar and I loved their spinach dip, but they have an odd "seating chart" issue whereby you have to beg to be seated at the table of your choice even if there are many empty tables, and sometimes they say no. I wish management there would empower the hosts and servers to seat customers wherever they want.

A little off the beaten path but within walking distance are the historic Tastee Diner, which was physically moved from another location and preserved; Mi Rancho, which has a wonderful tent-like structure in the warmer months with colored lights that provide a festive Mexican-style atmosphere; and Cubano's, which I heard is good but haven't tried yet. Just down the road at Colesville and East-West Highway is a little shopping center with an Asian place and an Italian one that has great food, Mamma Lucia.

A little while back, we went to the jazz festival in Silver Spring with Wynton Marsalis (sorry, no photos -- that was in my prehistoric, digital camera-less days). Doug Duncan was there; he has an office in Silver Spring. The music and concept were great -- it turned into a fundraiser for Katrina victims -- but we felt that not enough of the old New Orleans songs were played, and that people might have dug even deeper into their pockets if they had heard their old "Dixieland jazz" favorites, which could have inspired thoughts of how much New Orleans culture has contributed to the national tapestry.

For more information on Silver Spring attractions, restaurants and events, see http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/.