The Silver Spring Library Continues to Grow

I can't help but get a little excited when I drive up Wayne Ave and see how the construction on the new Silver Spring Public Library is progressing. It will be a while before it opens (perhaps a year) but from the design and photo published it is going to be a lovely structure and add to the excitement of downtown Silver Spring. The new Metro Purple Line  is slated to go right by the library and there is to be a stop there. Hopefully, that will draw a lot of patrons as the Purple Line will run from Bethesda through Silver Spring and on to parts of Prince Georges County. My local library is the old White Oak Branch located near the intersection of New Hampshire Ave. and Colesville Rd. That particular branch has gotten a little old in the tooth but I love it dearly and spend a lot of time there. I have always loved libraries ever since I was a little kid. Lately I have been checking out a lot of books on tapes and the movie collection at the White Oak Branch has grown quite extensive. I expect the new branch will offer a whole lot more for all county residents.

For more information about the new downtown branch you can go to the Montgomery County Website associated with it.

Salvation comes to Colesville

When you think of fine dining, Colesville does not come to mind that often. The whole New Hampshire Avenue strip from the beltway out to Cloverly leaves much to be desired as far as good eats go. When we moved to Hillandale 25 years ago it was so bad that we were unable to get pizza delivery to our home. With the passing of time and the addition of the FDA White Oak campus the availability of eating choices has improved but that does not mean that the situation is that great. Your choices seem to range from the good, the bad and the ugly and most recent additions tend to be franchises and fast food restaurants. There are a few exceptions-usually ethnic restaurants. Most of the better new restaurants are located close-in, around the White Oak and Hillandale shopping centers. However, there is a great new Mexican Restaurant located in the lowly Colesville Shopping Center at the intersection of Randolph Rd. and New Hampshire Ave.

I discovered Pollo Mex about four months ago although they have been in their location for about a year. They are in a store front that has seen a few failed eateries come and go over the past decade but I think this one is a keeper and will be there to stay for a while. There are plenty of Hispanic restaurants in the area but not so many in Colesville. But it is not just the Hispanic menu that is drawing crowds but the excellent quality of the food and service to be found there. The place is a notch about the competition both in ambiance and taste. The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful-mostly because it is the new owners waiting tables. Service is slower than you would expect but that is fine when you are getting the right service and food.

My favorite menu item is the Mexican Tacos made with pork, and fresh red onions. Marinated in lime juice and coming with three types of sauce, these things are just heaven. It is not on the menu but if you ask they will make you fresh lemonade or limeade, served without ice. Don't be bashful about asking them to make it for you. It is worth it. You had better give this place a try soon. It is getting noticed and the crowds are starting to get large.

New Child Care Center comes to FDA White Oak

Employees at the FDA White Oak Campus will be pleased when the new child day care center operated by Children's Creative Learning Centers begins operation on January 30, 2012. CCLC is a private organization that runs over 100 centers nationwide. CCLC has an excellent reputation and the children's center at FDA/White Oak should be a good match and provide an attractive alternative for employees.

FDA at White Oak Continues to Grow

The growing FDA campus at White Oak has passed the projected halfway mark. There are now about 5,400 employees located on campus out of a projected total of around 9,000. Construction and planning continues on the project that is not slated to be completed for a few years yet. There was a lot of controversy over this project but in the end, it has proved to be a good thing overall for the East County and Hillandale area in general. Yes, traffic is heavier on New Hampshire Ave, but we have seen a influx of new businesses-especially restaurants over the past few years. Those who have lived here for a long time know just what a wasteland for good dining this area has been. The FDA has worked hard to be good neighbors and for the most part I don't have much to complain about.

Duckpin Bowling in White Oak

Ok, so it may be lowbrow entertainment, but it is still fun as hell. I am talking about the duckpin lanes located in the White Oak Shopping Center on New Hampshire Ave. Duckpins have always been a regional sport and the little brother to tenpins which people seem to always prefer. However, duckpins is cool! And, much harder than tenpin bowling. There are not many duckpin lanes left in the area. One of the few left around is the White Oak Lanes, a real old school bowling ally where you still have to keep score with a pencil. Sited down in the lower bowels of the shopping center the place feels like you are back in the 1960s. Go check it out. The little bowling balls feel great and are small enough for any kid to hurl down the lane. If you score over 100 then you have had a decent game.

New FDA building

In December of this past year the Food and Drug Administration dedicated the newly refurbished Building One at the new FDA Campus in White Oak. This was a big step in the decade long transformation of this site from the old Naval Surface Warfare Institute into the FDA’s main campus. Presently about 3500 employees are located there and as the campus grows it is expected that over 8,000 FDA workers will be moved to the campus from outlying FDA locations. This is big news for the surrounding communities as it is hoped that the growth of FDA will help with home sales in a area that has been hit hard by the recent housing slump.

Building One is the cool old “decoish” main building that reminds me of some of the building I used to see on the old Superman TV show back when I was a kid. We can count ourselves fortunate that the FDA saw to preserve this old beauty.

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01930.html