Courage for Kids spotlighted at Hela Spa

Holli Thompson, George Worrell, Emily Villalva

Courage for Kids was the beneficiary of Wednesday evening's "Mirror Mirror" event presented by Hela Spa in Chevy Chase. The salon, while no longer affiliated with NYC stylist Ted Gibson, hosted  guest speakers Holli Thompson of Nutritional Style and event-planner and personal stylist George Worrell. Each made a presentation as guests enjoyed an assortment of treatments ranging from the latest in nails--Gelish and Minx--to Botox, Juvederm and brow shaping. Guests who donated $20 to Courage for Kids were eligible to receive complimentary treatments. Barefoot Bubbly provided the sparkling beverage, while Sushiko provided, yes, the delicious sushi. We loved hearing about stylist George's journey from homeless man to style maven, his upbringing in Atlantic City and style dos and don'ts. We can't wait to read more in his book, On the Other Side of Style, available on Kindle and Amazon.com. Holli Thompson shared tips and her journey from Chanel to her current career as a nutritional stylist. We also learned that in addition to a physician who provides Botox, Hela Spa now has an acupuncturist available for treatments.

Holli Thompson and MC Andrea Rodgers

Love the belted vest.

When crime hits close to home

It is with heavy hearts that we post this blog about lululemon athletica in Bethesda. The last time we got to write about the store was a happy and lighthearted occasion--when MoCo Scene was lucky enough to be part of their fashion show last October. Not so today. We want to express our deepest sympathies to everyone at lululemon and most of all, to the families of the beautiful young women who were victims of the brutal attack that took place in the store this weekend. Like many people in Bethesda, we shop at the store frequently. My daughter, a trainer, buys all her workout and training apparel there. We even picked up warm sweatpants for her boyfriend, deployed in Afghanistan, who calls the cheerful staff  his "lulufriends." Each purchase was always accompanied by the smiles of these two women and those of the rest of the staff.

 These women are part of our daily lives and of course, our community. Their eager smiles, energy and enthusiasm made every trip to lulu special. This event is a sad and horrible reminder never to take those people we meet along the way for granted, and to appreciate all that they give--and gave--us.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/12/AR2011031203629.html

Friday Bites: Lunch at Matchbox

Photo from the Matchbox website

This first Friday Bites finds us at the new Matchbox in Rockville. Though I've never been to the one downtown, I have come to this one before for dinner. We loved it for lunch as well.

Without a miss, the chef here knows all about flavor and texture--both stood out in the "mini trio," an appetizer plate of doubles: two scallops, two bunless mini-burgers and two crab cakes. Each teeny was perfectly executed--in seasoning, "just right" doneness and, yes, even petite garnish. The scallops were succulent and fresh; the crispy outside was the perfect foil to the buttery texture within. Mini burgers? A hit with a smear of gorgonzola and a crispy onion topping. And last but not least, the crabcake. Meaty, mild and tasty. With a side salad, this appetizer will be my next meal here.

We had two entrees--the marinated chicken muffaletta on house-made foccacia and the grapefruit salad with a requested portion of salmon. The salmon was dark pink and smooth inside, with a crispy, grilled exterior. But to me, the lettuce was the star of the show. Accented by Marcona almonds, goat cheese and of course, grapefruit, the generous oak leaves remained firm yet butter-lettuce soft, fresh and crisp. The sherry vinaigrette was slightly sweet and tangy and as my daughter said, "incredibly refreshing."

The muffaletta was GIGANTIC--fresh bread held together an olive tapenade, chicken breast, sundried tomato, provolone, chicken and serrano. A little gnome could've been in there, too. Next to this was a pile of crispy homemade "bistro" fries--skinny little waffle chips we devoured.
Score -- 5 stars.