Chip Boylan is the president of the Rockville Rec and Parks Foundation, a 501(c) 3 organization that raises money to help take our beloved city parks to the next level. Whether you are enjoying a pick-up basketball or pickleball game, cooling off with your kids at the Maryvale Park splashpad, or getting some me time in the garden at the Glenview Mansion, there is a park to be enjoyed by each and all. 

Rockville Rec and Parks Foundation: https://www.rrpfi.org/

Rockville Recreation and Parks: https://www.rockvillemd.gov/346/Recreation-and-Parks

Staycationing this summer? Explore Rockville can help you plan a perfect not-getaway.
https://explorerockville.org/

Link to Rockville Ice Cream Trail Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nvZywxFzSweg8taf7

Bookmark for next summer: Bethesda Big Train Baseball

Suggestions for a great day in Rockville:
Go for an early bicycle tour of Historic Rockville: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/7b493987dad34f3697032d698164d795
Stop for lunch in Town Square or at Al Carbon in East Rockville.
Visit the Glenview Mansion
Pick up dinner from Don Pollo, Hello Viet Nam, Dona Cici's, or the Twinbrook Deli on Veirs Mill
Put up your feet and look for fall theatre/performing arts tickets or classes:
Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center
F. Scott Fitzgerald Theatre
Vis Arts
Clay CoOp
Hammer and Stain
Or, if it's a Thursday, check out the Rockville Movies in the Park.

RedGate Park was a municipal golf course until the City of Rockville closed it in 2018. Now, it's a crown jewel of Rockville, providing green space for humans and habitat for animals.

At a time of deep concern for the steep decline in the bird population, RedGate is a haven for birds. Rockville-adjacent resident and documentary filmmaker Cintia Cabib caught a multitude of RedGate's birds on film, and in this episode, we learn all about it.

Bird Walk, the documentary: https://birdwalkfilm.com/
Friends of RedGate Park: https://redgatepark.org/
Cintia Cabib, Documentary Filmmaker: https://cintiacabib.com/
Il Pizzico: https://www.ilpizzico.com/
Anita's Guatemalen: https://www.facebook.com/AnitasRestaurante25/

Time for some summer fun, Rockville! In this episode, we learn about pickleball, a fast-growing sport.

MoCo Pickleball
Montgomery County Pickleball
App to get you started: Link and Dink

Where we've been eating:
Botenero's
Cava Mezza
Z&Z Manuoshe Bakery (again and always)
Kajiken

Jonathan's Sports Pub, located in the Burgundy Shopping Center between East Rockville and Twinbrook, was a MOCO/Rockville legend. We talked to the new owner about the transition to First Street Tavern.

First Street Tavern
Suds & Soles 5k Registration

We missed the Bender JCC event with Dana Bash, but if your kids have enjoyed their programs like ours have, you can donate here.

Spring is here, and summer is coming soon--a great time to ride bikes! We talk to Jake Jakubek, Chair of the Rockville Bicycle Advisory Committee, about bicycling in Rockville and the surrounding area.

Rockville Bike Hub: https://www.rockvillebikehub.org/
Rockville Bicycle Advisory Committee: https://www.rockvillemd.gov/327/Rockville-Bicycle-Advisory-Committee
Bike Rockville Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/bike-rockville/
Terrific Kids Bike Program: https://rockvillereports.com/free-reconditioned-bikes-for-terrific-kids-2/
Corned Beef King: https://cornedbeefking.com/
Mimi's Handmade Ice Cream: https://www.mimishandmade.com/

Affordability is bigger than housing, and we've been talking about an affordability series for months. With "things" unpredictable, a little frightening, and life feeling especially hard right now we understand that people are hesitant to engage. Multiple experts on what affordability means, and what constitutes an affordable life, turned down interviews or never responded to interview requests. We get it. So we talked amongst ourselves and started a list of questions for Matt Perkins, sociologist and criminologist who will be our guest in a couple of weeks.

Also, how many Mexican restaurants in Rockville Town Center are too many (no such thing!), and will Jaime cave and start calling it "The Square?"

Take good care of yourselves. Sleep, exercise, eat healthy food, hug your friends, and let us know if you want to talk at [email protected].

Center for Science in the Public Interest
CSPI Shop Smart page
Rockville Daycare Association
Grocery Affordability article (no surprises here)
We also contacted an economics professor at MC and a retirement specialist--no word, but we'll keep trying.

NEW! El Maguey--1203 Taft Street off of Gude near Norbeck
New-ish--try the breakfast taco and the $1 coffee--Little Miner Taco
NEW! Dirty Dough
Crumble Cookie
Z&Z Manoushe Bakery
Lavande Patisserie
Kiin Imm Thai
National Cathedral--great events, often on the less expensive or free side
2 Amys

Friend of the Pod Deborah Landau and Suzan drive around on a snowy, rainy fall day to preview local businesses for Small Business Saturday. Here's a short excerpt of their conversation and a couple of interviews with local business owners. Happy Thanksgiving, and happy Small Business Saturday!

Please note -- we do not sell advertisements and we have received nothing in-kind from the businesses on our list. These are businesses we have experience with or that have been highly recommended to us.

Interviews
Wool Winders--for knitters and crocheters
Shafa Blend Teas--highest quality teas, spices, fancy chocolate bars, tea accessories, and a few lovely gifts.

Other stops and recommendations
Gourmet Bazaar has gorgeous sweets, nuts, party food, cheese, and a nice variety of fancy rock sugar for the tea you pick up at Shafa Blends. They also have a take-out counter with hot food, subs, kabobs, etc. made to order.
Kielbasa Factory is under new ownership and is much the same, but fresh eyes have had a happy effect. They offer more than just sausage—pick up fresh Polish doughnuts or babka for holiday breakfast or brunch and European flour, butter, and jams for baking. They also have fancy candies and a small selection of Polish pottery.
Mariuchi Japanese Grocery and Gift is a few doors from the Kielbasa Factory. Pick up a rice cooker, chopsticks, or a sake set. Nice selection of Japanese groceries, and a really friendly staff.
Vignola Gourmet--Italian market with great items for foodie gift baskets and family meals for take-out. Across the parking lot from the Friends of the Library Bookstore, and technically in North Bethesda.
Purple Narwhal Music and Manga is a great place to find something unique for the vinyl and manga lovers in your life.
The Clay Co-op is across the parking lot from Purple Narwhal on North Stonestreet. In addition to classes, owner Chris Landers offers beautiful and functional tableware. He was sold out at last check, but keep an eye on his website for a restock.
Z&Z Manoushe Bakery--Recently on Bon Appetite's Best Restaurants in the US list, this little spot in Woodley Gardens offers prepared sauces, dips, spreads, and seasonings. Pick up a manoushe and a present after work.
Appalachian Spring offers hand-crafted gifts from around the country. They have unique, high-end handmade gifts for babies and young children and a nice selection of jewelry and home accents.
Humane Society Thrift and Gift is gentle on the planet and helps the community.

Town Center
Saints Valley--gorgeous, one-of-a-kind jewelry, scarves, pashminas, and other unique finds for your special people.
Nature by Trejok--fun boutique with new and vintage finds
Cottage Monet--classic gifts and decor
Maryland Women's Business Center Shop Local--creative gifts by women artisans and curators

Experiences
Hammer and Stain--fun and relaxed craft classes
Vis Arts--a variety of art classes
Clay Co-op--ceramics classes
Bones Jones Music--music lessons in a band setting with local performances.
Thrive Yoga--well-established yoga studio on the Pike
Rockville Civic Ballet--purchase tickets to the Nutcracker as an early gift.
Rockville Little Theatre tickets make great gifts that last beyond the holiday season.

We wrap up "the past, present, and future of Rockville" by bookending our conversation with Sunil Dasgupta with Mayors Ashton and Ashman, who talk about what cooperation and competition look like in practice. They had many restaurant recommendations, and hopefully we captured them all below. What a great hour!

Rockville mentions:
Rockville Holiday Drive
Engage Rockville
Global Bites
F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival
Home Town Holidays (returning to Town Center in 2025!)
Interfaith Works
Rockville's Role in the Underground Railroad

Rockville Classics:
Bombay Bistro--Rockville legend
La Canela--gracious, family-owned, and run, you'll feel a little fancy when you go there.
Giuseppi's Pizza Plus--Community favorite and a tremendous supporter of Rockville, just signed another 10-year lease!
Hard Times Cafe
Il Pizzico

Good for informal meetings:
Japon Bakery
Finnegan's Wake
World of Beer

New or new-ish:
Yummy Bowl
Chef Tony's
Little Miner Taco
Kung Fu Kitchen

Vegetarian
St. Veg--recent award winner!
Yuan Fu

Gaithersburg Mentions:
Gaithersburg Book Festival
Gaithersburg Holiday Giving

Gaithersburg Restaurants:
Gemelli's (brace yourself--it's amazing!)
Inferno Pizza
Mayan Monkey
Ixtapalapa Taco
Vasili's Kitchen
Village Green

Rockville is well-known for its diversity and its friendly, inclusive community. That didn't fall out of a coconut tree--today's vibrant Rockville has early roots in the Civil Rights Movement. The Gibbs decision played a crucial role in equal pay laws, and that decision was made right here in Rockville. Life-long resident Patrick Woodward shares his family's role in this monumental case that all residents of Rockville should know and be proud of.

Jaime and Suzan recently spent almost two hours talking with Judge Woodward and his wife, Patricia, about Rockville history.

An interview with Prof. Larry Gibson, author of Young Thurgood, which Patrick references:
https://youtu.be/soDusxjw65Q?si=DCXObTubxqZxc7tm

Jaime has eaten at the new Yummy Bowl in Twinbrook and highly recommends it.
https://www.eatyummybowlmd.com/