More Hurricane Irene damage in Bethesda

My last post talked about how Irene took it easy on us and Pepco did a better job than usual keeping the lights on.  I think I was a bit hasty on both counts.  I lost power this afternoon for almost an hour, yeah, during the sunny, calm part of the day.  Also, I've seen a bit more damage, I'll start with the most visually impressive.

This house on the corner of Greentree Road and Old Georgetown Road near NIH really got clobbered.  A tree fell right across the center of it, totally ripping through the attic.  The tree is now gone and there is just a gaping hole in the roof.  I see there is the red sticker saying this house isn't suitable for occupation on the front door.  Next to this house there is a large, white SUV that I always see and wonder how they get such a big vehicle in such a little parallel parking space, a tree fell on it too, partially crushing the roof (Bethesda Patch has some photos of it, and other storm damage).

Last post one of the commenters noted that a tree had fallen across the Capital Crescent Trail at the country club.  I took a walk there over lunch and it had been partially cleared.  You could walk or bike through without slowing down, but there were still some largish bits of tree on the trail.

Twitter user @kangkanglanlan posted this image of another car hit by a tree in Bethesda.

Hurricane Irene takes it easy on Bethesda

After all the news leading up to Hurricane Irene's arrival in Bethesda, MD, it turned out not to be so bad.  There was rain, but not too much.  There was also wind, but again, not too much.  Pepco's tree trimming campaign must have had some effect because there weren't even too many power outages.

I drove around this morning and lots of streets had extra leaves and small branches on them, the picture at the top is a pretty typical example.

There was a bit of damage though, this house had a pine tree fall on it, that tree then broke off and the top also fell on the back of the house.

Getting used to earthquakes

I didn't think it would happen this fast, but I am actually getting used to the earthquakes. Last night at just after 1am there was another earthquake.  It was fairly large for the area at 4.5.  I woke up, felt the bed rumble, heard all the pictures rattle and thought to myself, hey, an aftershock.  I then went back to sleep.  I didn't think of getting up and checking on the house at all.  A year ago I would have been awake with adrenaline pumping for hours.

Earthquake, rattle, and roll

Today, at 1:51pm we had an earthquake. As east-coast earthquakes go, this was big, a 5.8, and it lasted a long time too, it seemed to be about 45 seconds.  Fortunately, there wasn't much damage, but over-reaction mode was in full effect, lots of office buildings closed, all the DC monuments closed, Metro ran at 15 miles an hour (until 10pm when it went up to 30 mph).

I was at home when it happened and after about 10 seconds it started getting stronger and I decided to exit the house.  But then I went back in, its hard to decide which place is safest.   Earthquakes are rare around here, but they do happen.  There was a 3.4 quake in Gaithersburg last year, and there are quite a few that are too small to feel.

Damage was very light, I hunted around the house and the worst thing I found was this:

Yeah, not much.  There was also stuff knocked of shelves but no damage.

A few hours after the quake I found another bit of damage, a water main break in the neighborhood.  Again, nothing big.

Happy fourth of July

Happy fourth everyone I hope you have a good one. There are lots of places to see fireworks this evening. If you don't want to go to the national mall you van go to Einstein high school or the fireworks in Rockville.

Local neighborhoods are getting into the spirit too,this morning I went to the bicycle parade at Wildwood.

Matuba Sushi Restaurant

I've been by Matuba many times, but hidden in the back of this unassuming restaurant is a all you can eat sushi bar with a sushi conveyor!

 At the sushi bar a continuously refreshed stream of sushi comes trundling by.  The sushi is made right in front of you.  Occasionally they bring out non-sushi food like chicken teriyaki, and edamame.

  It's all you can eat so take as much as you want. I piled up a couple of stacks of plates

I've never eaten at a sushi bar with a conveyor so, but I was pleased and want to go back.  Matuba is located at 4918 Cordell Avenue Bethesda, MD

Coming Soon to Bethesda!

There are a few new stores coming to Bethesda, MD in the coming weeks and months.  Here are some that I have noticed.

 Irons Fitness is coming directly above the Safeway.  This will be super convenient for people living in the apartment building there or across the skywalk.  They claim to be "Bethesda's Premier Personal Training Studio" but since there not open yet I don't see how that can be true.  Sounds like a typical marketing lie to me.

 Jettie's is opening a location in Bethesda right at Veteran's park next to BGR.  Some of those sandwiches look really good, I'll have to try it.

Parva Latin Fusion Restaurant & Lounge is coming to the spot where Anseethi was on Woodmont Avenue, right around the corner from Jettie's.

Recent additions to Bethesda, MD

In the past month or two there have been a number of new stores that have opened  in Bethesda, MD.  Here are a sampling of some of them.

 First, we have Pizzaria Da Marco on Woodmont Avenue.  It's claim to fame is wood-fired pizzas and the oven is so hot that it only takes 90 seconds to cook them. (I timed one, it actually took less than 90 seconds.)

 In the same building but facing Cordell Avenue is LA Boxing.

 Cordell Avenue is also home to Freddy's Lobster + Clams.

I'm not sure if this is a new restaurant or just a name change (I suspect the latter).  What was Brooklyn's Pizzaria is now Red Tomato Pizzaria.  It is on Old Georgetown Road near the big 5 way intersection.

Fountain at Veteran's park shoots it high

I was walking to lunch today and noticed that the fountain at Veteran's Park in Bethesda (corner of Woodmont Ave and Norfolk Ave) was shooting water 20+ feet high instead of the more usual 4 feet.  It was thoroughly soaking the plaza surrounding it.  By the time I got back from lunch the fountain had been turned off.

Emergency Responce at Fitness First

 The fire department was out in force at the Fitness First in Bethesda, MD today shortly before noon. A large number of fire trucks, as well as several ambulances were called and the two right lanes of southbound Wisconsin Ave (MD-355) were closed.  When I went by they had the building evacuated and were ventilating it.  According to a Fitness First employee there had been a freon leak.