This is a Guest Post by Silver Spring Town Center

Taste the World in Downtown Silver Spring’s Fenton Village

Sunday, May 6, 1-5pm

Nearly two dozen restaurants featuring cuisine from around the globe will be showcased in the second annual Taste the World in Fenton Village on Sunday, May 6 from 1 to 5 p.m. Fenton Village is located just south of downtown Silver Spring between Wayne, Georgia and Burlington avenues and Fenton Street.

Pictured above: The band Eastern Standard Time plays at 4pm

Unlike other tasting events assembled on sidewalks or public lots, Taste the World, in a “pub crawl” style, welcomes participants into the restaurants to sample not just their specialties but their special atmosphere. Restaurants will offer appetizers or small tasting plates for $2, $3, $4 and $5.

Event attendees will pick up their Taste the World passports at Parking Lot 3 on Fenton Street between Thayer and Silver Spring avenues beginning at 1 p.m. An array of live music will be played on our Taste the World Stage, including Eastern Standard Time who will really get the party going with a Caribbean Beat! Once participants have their fill of the range of tastes, they return to the stage area and enter a free drawing for prizes from local merchants.

For more information, call 240-832-3078 or visit www.tastetheworldfentonvillage.org for maps, a list of participating restaurants, and other event details. Also join our event page on Facebook  

Addis Ababa Restaurant
8233 Fenton Street

Silver Spring, MD 20910

Bombay Gaylord

Fenton Cafe

Fire Station Restaurant

Ghar-E-Kabob

Good Food

Jackie’s Restaurant

Kefa Café

Langano Ethiopian Restaurant

Lesaac Ethiopian Cafe

Lizbeth’s Café

Lotus Café

Mandarin Restaurant

Manny & Olga’s Pizza

Original Big Greek Café

Pacci’s Neopolitan Pizzeria

Piratz Tavern

Roger Miller Restaurant

Thai Derm

Thai Market

The Greek Place

Vicino Ristorante Italiano

Zed’s Cafe

Great Kids Village Silver Spring has been *the* open play space, activity center, kids’ performance venue and ultimate birthday party locale in Montgomery County since Andrew and Paula Ross of Andy’s Parties brought their genius to the DC-MD border.

But to quote The Jeffersons theme song, they are moving on up…to an even larger, more awesome location in nearby lower Montgomery County…big announcement and details coming soon!

And these final weeks in Silver Spring at the Georgia Avenue location (in the old Mayorga Coffee space), they are bringing us TONS of incredible events for our kids!

Of course, the nearby Columbia, MD location will remain open as usual. BTW, this is my family’s FAVORITE weekend play spot. My husband can usually be found on a Sunday receiving ambulatory services from EMT Eve in the real live ambulance on site, while Charlie hustles at the foosball table.

Here are the special March events, in addition to general admission drop-in playtime:

Matilda Jane Trunk Show – Sunday, March 20  10:00-11:30 am

FYI – if you’re a GKV SS member, your neighborship payments will be suspended while we’re closed, and we can still do parties at any location – including your ho me, in Columbia, or at one of our satellite locations! Give Andy and Paula a call anytime at 301-309-2FUN.

Drop-in play time hours will remain the same until move-out week, when they will be as follows (subject to change if parties are scheduled):

Sunday 27th - 10:00-11:30 Little Girls Day Out, 11:30-7:00 General Admission

Monday 28th - 3:00-7:00 General Admission

Tuesday 29th - 10:00-5:30 General Admission, 5:30-7:00 Last Hurrah Pizza Party & Playtime

Wednesday 30th - 10:00-5:30 General Admission

Thursday 31st - 10:00-3:00 General Admission, 3:00 – 7:00 Final Product Pickup & Moveout

Silver Stars Gymnastics is celebrating Columbus Day with 2 for 1 pricing!
Monday October 11, 2010
12pm-1pm
2 for 1 ($7 for 2 kids) Bring a Friend!
Ages 7 & under
We are bringing out the train for this open gym!
This is a one time limited offer.
This offer does not transfer to other open gym days/times.
This offer expires Monday October 11, 2010 at 1pm.

School Year Open Gym Hours

MONDAY-FRIDAY 12PM-1PM

5 years old & under: $7 per child per visit
Buy a pass: 12 visits for $60 *Open Gym – Adult must stay with child at all times.

*******

Here’s my previously-published review of Open Gym at Silver Stars:

During the spring, summer and fall months of the year, my children and I are Montgomery County park and playground groupies. We obsess over the best slides, ratio of bucket swings to babies, best trails for animal sightings, which trains are running, whether to bring the Razor or the Big Wheel. With ice currently covering most of our favorite haunts, we are feeling like Deadheads that just lost Jerry.

Thank goodness for open gyms. The means for kids to run, crawl, jump and go bat-guano crazy on a frigid day is a blessing and a necessity. One of the best places in Silver Spring to let them loose is Silver Stars Gymnastics’ Open Gym. Open Monday – Friday for one hour, 12 – 1pm, this magical place supplies limitless options for kids to get their cuckoos out.

The gym is specially designed for children of toddler through age 7. It is simultaneously adventuresome and safe. Adults are required to participate and monitor their children, so taking turns on equipment is nicely facilitated by both Silver Stars staff and caregivers. For the older kids there are trampolines, lowered balance beams, a moonbounce with slide, Tarzan swings, scaled-down parallel and uneven bars. For the toddlers there is a room full of smaller versions of those activities, climbing structures and foam shapes to inspire creativity. The size of the facility is equal to two basketball courts.

We have enjoyed attending open gym at Silver Stars as a family for the last four years. To date, we have never had a negative experience. Whether our children were viewing the action from a sling, crawling on all fours or perfecting their split leaps, every visit has been a treat.

Cost is $7 per child, or a 12 visit pass is $60. Thankfully the staff keeps your pass on file for you, and you can use your credits to host friends for rambunctious playdates. Silver Stars closes its open gym in June in order to offer summer camps, so act now to enjoy all this indoor playground has to offer.

Silver Stars also offers classes for kids aged 18 months to 7+ years.  You can try out a class without commitment for two weeks after the session start date. Trial classes cost $25 per visit and you must pre-schedule your trial class by calling 301-589-0938. Space in the class you audit is not guaranteed without payment for the entire session.

I hope to see you at Silver Stars some afternoon soon. I’ll be the blonde mom practicing her Nadia-made-for-TV-movie floor routine while her kids wait in line for the trampoline.

Silver Stars Gymnastics and Fitness Club, Inc.
2701 Pittman Drive
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 Map
Phone: 301-589-0938
Fax: 301-589-1717
www.gosilverstars.com
ssgoffice@aol.com

SATURDAY

Kennedy Center Annual Open House Arts Festival and Multicultural Children’s Book Festival 12-4pm. This fun, free family day has a theme that celebrates Mexico, and will feature for kids an instrument petting zoo, Rocknoceros!, a humongous chalk art interactive activity, ballet dances by the Dance Theatre of Harlem Residency, performances by the National Symphony Orchestra and other world-renowned musicians and more! There will also be also be tons of children’s authors on hand performing readings for the kids as part of the Multicultural Children’s Book Festival on the rooftop level. Of special interest at the Open House is the Washinton National Opera’s special children’s performances at 3pm and 5pm.

Virginia Indian Festival in Fairfax 10am-4pm, Riverbend Visitor Center, 703-759-9018. “The Rappahannock dancers and drummers plus seven other area tribes will do live demonstrations, dance, and show and sell Indian crafts, pottery, and music. Help build a dug-out canoe, throw a spear, and shoot a bow and arrow. No reservations required. $8/adult, $5/child.”

Silver Spring Jazz Fest, full post here.

SUNDAY

Adams Morgan Day Festival
Noon-7pm. Revisit the playground of your DC youth and 20-something years…with your kid. Live music on six stages (including a new DJ Pavillion this year where your tikes can shake their thang), cheap eats, art, shopping and an introduction to the funkiest ‘hood in the District. (OK, I should be totally banned from using any more dated slang. I sound about 65 years old.)

Takoma Park Folk Festival 11am-6:30pm at Takoma Park Middle School, 7611 Piney Branch Road.
Family friendly folksiness is the vibe of this legendary event. There’s two entire stages devoted to musical and dance performances for kids and oodles of fun activities. A huge performance schedule, miles of good grub and crafts to admire and acquire.

Anacostia Community Boat House Youth River Day Free, 11am-3pm. “Learn how rowing and paddling build healthy bodies and a healthy river at a fun, free event for youth, adults, families, and kids of all ages!”

Patuxent National Wildlife Center Family Hunting and Fishing Day , Free, 1-4pm. “See how dogs help hunters retrieve wildlife, explore wildlife habitats with a guide, learn about wildlife conservation and hunting and fishing opportunities. Tie Flies to attract fish, view archery demonstrations, engage in craft activities for young children. Patuxent Research Refuge North Tract is located 1.4 miles east of the Baltimore-
Washington Parkway, off Route 198 east of Laurel. Call 301-776-3090 for more information or visit http://patuxent.fws.gov. Accommodations for individuals with  special needs are available with a two week advance notice.” THANKS KIM FOR THE RECOMMENDATION!

Yes, the Troy Bolton link goes to 17 Again and not High School Musical. He looked waaaay too young in those other pics. Even for a dirty old lady like me.  Hi Chris! xoxo