After working here in Silver Spring for almost two decades, it’s no secret that we at Go Brent Team love serving our neighbors in this incredible community. Whether it’s buying or selling homes, recommending local partners, or providing real estate advice, we’re always here to help put the spotlight on the best that Silver Spring has to offer.
Now, the spotlight is on us! Get to know more about Go Brent Team: our neighborhoods, favorite local spots, and local service recommendations – all the things we love about living and working in Silver Spring.
Liz Brent
SEVEN OAKS RESIDENT FOR 21 YEARS
I’ve lived in Silver Spring’s Seven Oaks neighborhood for 21 years now. The walkability is a huge plus since the kids could walk to schools and we have easy access to downtown Silver Spring. Kaldi’s Social House is my favorite local spot, it’s conveniently located next door to my office, and so stopping in for morning coffee is a must! I love that they are now offering lunch too.
A great local service provider I’ve found and worked with over the years is Diana Hyatt at the local M&T Bank on Georgia Avenue.
Debbie Gerald
SLIGO PARK HILLS RESIDENT FOR 4 YEARS
I grew up in Silver Spring then moved away, returning 9 years ago to renovate and sell a home in Woodside Park, and then moving to Sligo Park Hills 4 years ago. The close proximity to downtown Silver Spring and Takoma Park was really important to me; I also enjoyed meeting my neighbors, many of whom are the second-generation residents. Kaldi’s is my local coffee shop and I also head to 8407 Kitchen Bar fairly regularly; Woodside Deli’s Turkey Ruebens are also a favorite (think takeout!).
Fantasy Nails at the Woodmoor Shopping Center in Four Corners is my favorite nail salon.
Cari Jordan
WOODMOOR RESIDENT FOR 17 YEARS
I’ve really loved living in Woodmoor for the past 17 years. I enjoy the sense of community – meeting friendly neighbors out in the community walking dogs or playing with kids. When my kids turned 10, I felt very comfortable with them walking themselves to and from friend’s homes in the neighborhood. My kids now also walk to the Sweet Frog in the Woodmoor Shopping Center. Speaking of the shopping center, we really appreciate the great wine and craft beer selection at the Woodmoor Market, and Santucci’s subs can’t be beat! With two kids and a dog life is busy, so KitchKat is a local business that I now use for fresh meal delivery or we may run over to Wheaton for Thai food from Ruan Thai or Ren’s Ramen for amazing, homemade ramen noodle soup.
Two Coconuts in Kensington, owned by a Woodmoor neighbor, is my go to place for hostess and personalized gifts.
Susanna Drayne
NORTH WOODSIDE RESIDENT FOR 16 YEARS
Living in North Woodside has been terrific, especially with the walkability to stores, schools, daycare, and Metro. Living near Sniders is also a big plus – I can do a week’s worth of food shopping in about 30 minutes! Fenwick Beer & Wine has been a welcome addition to the local scene. Not only do they have a phenomenal selection of wine and beer, but they also host free Friday evening tastings.
A great local shop we use regularly is the Jalal Barber Shop on Georgia Avenue near Seminary Place.
Linda Magolda
WOODSIDE PARK RESIDENT FOR 2 YEARS
I live in Woodside Park, where I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s. I left the area and lived in New Jersey for the better part of 40 years, and just recently returned to Silver Spring to be closer to my family. The neighborhood holds memories for me, and coming back has been very nostalgic. I often walk with my dog, and enjoy the beautiful homes, trees, and landscaped gardens. The community is filled with friendly people — many fellow walkers and runners, and of course, canine buddies (and neighborhood cats too!)
The downtown I remember as a child was a smaller place; today’s city is bustling. I especially enjoy going to the year round Farmers Market in the heart of Silver Spring, and must also mention Sniders and Mrs. K’s Toll House Restaurant, which have been around as long as I have! Silver Spring was a fun place to be growing up as a child, and it’s equally as exciting returning as a seasoned citizen.
Tammy Thomas
WOODSIDE PARK RESIDENT FOR 33 YEARS
Having lived in Woodside Park for 33 years now, I truly appreciate the unique homes offering so much charm and appeal. Of course, our neighbors make this place special and we look forward to our annual Luzerne Block Party each year. Silver Spring offers so much — we enjoy dining at Mi Rancho and Mrs. K’s Toll House Restaurant, walking around the weekend farmers market, shopping at Sniders, and frequenting the Woodmoor Pastry Shop. It’s also wonderful to have Sligo Creek Park’s walking trails and golf course close by; I have fond memories of teaching our daughters to ride their bikes there!
For a special treat, we head to Velatis on Georgia Avenue in downtown Silver Spring; this local business has been making delicious caramels and other sweets since 1866.
Beth Stanton
WOODSIDE RESIDENT FOR 13 YEARS
We moved to Woodside from a nearby Silver Spring neighborhood (Sligo Branview) — we were looking to be closer to Metro, and were hopeful that downtown Silver Spring’s revitalization would come to fruition. So now 13 years later, we’ve love living inside the Beltway, walking to downtown Silver Spring, and having easy access to DC! Living and working in Silver Spring offers me a great work/life balance – I’ve got a 5-minute commute down Georgia Avenue and I’m able to be home with my kids after school. One of my favorite local restaurants is the Big Greek Café – their Greek salads are delicious! My kids are huge fans of Olazzo, and I recently learned they do catering which has come in handy when I need to feed a crowd.
There are many local businesses that I depend on, but two come to mind. John Greenan & Sons Jewelers on Fenwick Lane is a wonderful family-owned business. From watch batteries to jewelry repairs to gifts, it’s a local place I know I can trust. I like to entertain and was thrilled to find We’re Having a Party, located off Brookeville Road, for dependable but inexpensive party rentals – think tables, chairs, tablecloths, and more.
As a realtor and resident of the Silver Spring area, I love to read about our local history and view historical photographs of the community. For this reason, I have really enjoyed reading Sean Emerson’s blog, “Around The Corners.” Sean’s blog is dedicated to current and historical events, including information related to the urban planning history and future of Four Corners. He has scoured websites and libraries and unearthed some amazing images and historical facts.
A Woodmoor native who attended St. Bernadette parochial school and Dematha High School, Sean is now a rising senior at Washington College studying political science. He aspires to pursue a Master’s degree in urban planning.
I am dating myself by telling you that I watched Sean and his friends from St. Bernadette build a “fort” in the patch of woods that lie between our Woodmoor homes around 2008. He and his buddies spent months securing the various, recycled, materials for their fort. The fort is no longer there but can be seen if you look for it on the internet. “The fort got so big, it can actually be seen in a 2008 satellite image on Google Earth, so I’m proud of that,” Sean told me.
His most recent blog entry gives great historical information about the Woodmoor neighborhood and, specifically, 100 Williamsburg Drive – a home I have driven past, now for 15 years. Having always wanted to know the history of that home, I was fascinated by Sean’s article. Enjoy reading his article after you read, a bit, about Sean, himself.
Here’s a Slice Of Life with Sean Emerson:
#1 – How did you land in this area?
My parents moved here in 1990, my mom grew up in New Carrollton and my dad grew up in Bethesda. They wanted a place that was close to both of those areas that had a strong community feel. A house came up for sale in Woodmoor and my grandmother encouraged my parents to check it out, and they ended up buying it. I was born in 1994 and have lived here since then.
#2 – What inspires you, locally?
Sounds cliche, but probably the community feel and spirit. There are many people here and in the broader Silver Spring area who are very active in civic matters. While this can cause conflict when it comes to controversial issues, it is nice to know that so many people care and get involved. In a way, I felt obliged to get involved in community matters simply because so many other people were.
#3 – What is the restaurant that makes you feel most “at home”?
Definitely the Corner Pub, or as it’s now called, “the 4 Corners Pub”. I’ve been going there since I was a kid.
#4 – What are you listening to “these days”?
It varies, I listen to a decent amount of popular songs on the radio today, but I also also listen to some older music from the 50’s and 60’s (such as Sam Cooke) and some underground hip-hop and go-go music. It’s an unusual mix.
#5 – What is your favorite type/genre of book to read?
I’ve read many books related to urban planning and the history of community development, both recent books and older books. I read those because they’re both interesting and educational, some notable authors being James Howard Kunstler, Andrew Duany, and Jane Jacobs. I’m also a fan of crime novels, George Pelecanos is my favorite author in that genre because his books are great and mostly take place in DC area in locations I know well, so that makes them fun for me to read.
#6 – Aside from food, water, and shelter, what is the one thing you would not be able to live without?
Some form of internet access. I wouldn’t mind not having it temporarily, but loosing it long term would not be fun. I use the internet for much of my research and obviously blogging, and there such a wealth of information to be found online (in a short amount of time) if you look in the right places. Many of the blog posts I’ve written were made possible because of information I found online.
#7 – What is your secret to having a successful business?
The first would be writing stuff that people actually want to read and find interesting, and the second would probably be networking and coordinating with other bloggers and community members to generate quality content. With blogging, you can write really good posts and have great content, but if you don’t do anything to publicize it, it will largely go unappreciated. Other local bloggers like Dan Reed of “Just Up The Pike” and Pete Tan of “Silver spring Inc” have really helped me reach a broader audience by sharing most of my posts on their blog’s Facebook pages. I’ve found that those in the blogging community around Silver Spring are very gracious in helping as well as promoting newer blogs, which is really great.
#8 – What is the best-kept local area secret that you want people to know about?
Not exactly secrets, but I would say Northwest Branch and the especially the Beltway bridge over the gorge. When compared to Sligo Creek Park, Northwest Branch is not as well known because it doesn’t have a paved trail running through it (at least not north of Oakview) and it can be difficult to access. However, I think it is one of the best assets of the community because it is a large, mostly unaltered, area of nature within walking distance of so many places. Northwest Branch Creek has no road or paved trail running alongside it, so it really feels like you’re in the wilderness when you’re down there, even though its a short distance from “civilization”. Also, the Beltway bridge over the creek is a very impressive structure from below, but it barely looks like anything from the road above. I’ve written a post about it before, but I encourage anyone who can to hike down there and check it out. It’s about 120′ above the creek and the trail goes right under it, and it’s a good turn-around point for those hiking from Burnt Mills.
#9. What’s your idea of the perfect day?
I’d probably go for a morning bike ride around Four Corners and get some doughnuts at the bakery afterwards. Then I’d go play some tennis at Pine Crest and have some lunch, then maybe go for a hike in the woods. In the evening, I’d go to the Corner Pub for pizza, and then watch a Nats game.
Do you love your home and neighborhood but feel like you’ve run out of space? Do you renovate and build an addition, or move to a home that “has it all”? Many times homeowners aren’t sure what options are realistic. Then comes the nitty gritty, how do you best finance your dream home or renovation?
Join Go Brent Team’s Cari Jordan for a Home Expo on Tuesday, March 3 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at Pinecrest Community Center.
Cari lives in Silver Spring’s Woodmoor neighborhood and undertook a home renovation and addition about five years ago. As a local Realtor, she also regularly counsels homeowners in area neighborhoods (think Woodmoor, Highland View, Indian Spring, and Four Corners) who are considering major renovation projects. Cari has gathered several experts who will be on hand to answer your specific questions and help you weigh your options:
Paul Dickie, Owner – Winfield Builders
Amy Stacy, Architect/Owner – Stacy Studio
Chad Loube, SVP/Regional Manager – Talmer Bank & Trust (NMLS #675038)
I was fortunate to have attended Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School. With only 96 girls in my graduating class, we were afforded the opportunity to become personally acquainted with fellow classmates and many strong friendships were forged. With the advent of social media (Facebook and Twitter) some 20+ years later, I have remained connected with my former classmates in a way that is often difficult through more traditional social circles. Through Facebook, I know who has married, moved to a new home, grown a family, and started a business.
MaryAnn Ryan, founder of the Takoma Porch Music Festival, is one such classmate whom I’ve remained connected with through Facebook. I wanted to learn more about this festival and its origins so we met for coffee and I interviewed her for my “Slice of Life” series.
I love to read the interview questions at the back of Vanity Fair magazine and watch Inside the Actor’s Studio, listening to James Lipton ask his series of, predictable, questions to the actor being interviewed. Though I really wanted to learn her favorite curse word, I am convinced my first interviewee does not have one.
While you all were scrambling to gather your tax documents and get to the post office, I sat in a tiny chair across a tiny table from my friend and co-owner of The Little Gym of Silver Spring (TLGSS), Jasmine Kuzner. Jasmine was in a little chair, too (if you visit TLGSS, you will see that much of the furniture is kid-sized to accommodate their clientele). With a gaggle of kids bouncing, flipping, and having a fantastic time in the glass-enclosed room behind us, (and Katy Perry’s “Roar” on the sound system) I took my first crack at: “Slice of Life – Top 10 Interview Questions.”
#1 – How did you land in this area?
“My sister lived here, in Silver Spring, with her husband. We were tired of driving (commuting). We knew we did not know, exactly, what we wanted in our first home but we knew we didn’t want to be in our cars all the time.”
#2 – What inspires you, locally?
“I hate to give a predictable answer to this one, but I am inspired by the diversity of Silver Spring. I love how we can have a neighborhood BBQ and there are all different kinds of people who come. “
#3 – What is the restaurant that makes you feel most “at home”?
“It’s a tie. The Parkway Deli is a favorite because it has a great pickle bar and eggplant fries. It has great people watching and the consistency of the food and staff is great. We have, also, been hanging out at Pacci’s a lot lately. Great food.”
#4 – What are you listening to “these days”?
“At home, we are listening to a lot of the “Frozen” soundtrack. If I can turn off “Frozen” at home, I am a pop music fan. Much to my husband’s dismay.“
#5 – What is your favorite type/genre of book to read?
“It’s a boring answer. I will read everything and anything but my favorite is literary fiction. It is what I went to school to study. There are a lot of great writers around here.”
#6 – Aside from food, water, and shelter, what is the one thing you would not be able to live without?
“I’ve got three things I can’t live without- my husband and kids.”
#7 – What is your secret to having a successful business?
“It’s really is the staff. We (my sisters and co-owners, Amanda Abeya & Lani Abeya-Barnabas) have hand picked every member of the staff at TLGSS. We take our time interviewing because we are going to trust these staff members with our TLGSS families.”
#8 – What is the best-kept local area secret that you want people to know about?
“The little places you can go and get great dishes. One example is Santucci’s Deli in the Woodmoor Shopping Center. They have amazing frozen pastas and, of course, a fantastic Italian sub. The Woodmoor bakery has great pastries. Tropical Ice Cream on Georgia Ave has Guinness Ice Cream that is to die for. To work out, I’ve found some awesome local trainers: Lenore Baker, Amy Langevin and Shannon Stoughton.”
#9 – Situation, it’s a gorgeous day and you have the day off. Tell me about the ideal schedule for the day.
“I would go get my nails done. I like Kebana. Then I would work in my yard for a bit. To end my day, I would take a bike ride in Sligo Park along the path.”
#10 – What’s your favorite type of pie?
“Key Lime!”
Jasmine Kuzner, co-owner of The Little Gym of Silver Spring (TLGSS); co-owners with Amanda Abeya and Lani Abeya-Barnabas Date of Interview: 4/15/2014 Location of Interview: TLGSS
Guess what, I am going to do your grocery shopping AND cook you dinner. Sound good?
APRIL FOOLS!!
Seriously, though, I have been using two local business lately that help me with both my grocery shopping and cooking meals. You need to know about them!
La Cucina Pazza is a local Woodmoor business run by my friend and neighbor, Barb Enfantis. Barb cooks amazing meals (mostly Italian but many Greek dishes, as well) and freezes them. She puts out a menu every few weeks to let you know what she’s been cooking. All you need to do is swing by her deep freezer, drop off your check (or call ahead with your credit card), and pick up your meals.
