Events - Week View

Sharing How We‘re Faring...Jane Boynton and Naomi Collins would love to see you all at an informal, unstructured gathering among us on Zoom. We‘ve probably all had enough of isolation ("ice-o-lation") by now...time to chat among us.

With the frigid weather this weekend, you can stay in the comfort of your warm home but be together on the computer to catch up with each other. Click on the Zoom link for open discussion with other BMAV members, no registration necessary.

BMAV‘s newest SIG reads fiction and nonfiction and discusses them in a social, informal setting. The host and moderator switches each month. This month we are reading The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel and meeting on Zoom. From 4-5 pm the focus will be on the book, and from 5-5:30, socializing. If you can‘t make it, contact SIG lead Andy Brown to be added to the group‘s email list and learn about the location and selection next month.

Join village members to talk about your book recommendations in this discussion led by Jane Boynton on Zoom. Unlike most book clubs where everybody reads the same book, this group encourages participants to share whatever they are currently reading or have enjoyed in the recent past. Members are also invited to come and just listen to get new ideas for books. To see book recommendations the group has discussed at past meetings, check out the forum.

The Chinese New Year is coming up on Feb. 17, and Elizabeth had the good idea of celebrating the occasion with Dining Out Together - a week ahead of time. This longtime Chinese restaurant has been a part of Bethesda for decades, so let‘s give it a try!

Once a month we pick a restaurant and descend en masse – partly for a fun meal out, partly to sample new places (or new choices from old places!), and partly to get to know each other better. We start early to go easy on the restaurant and get a little extra attention before the place fills up. Come at 5:30 for a Happy Half-Hour! We’ll have name tags for all. RSVP is required! Please click on the button on this page or send an email to the co-leads, Reid and Janet, the earlier the better.

Untreated hearing loss is linked to social isolation, depression, loneliness, and cognitive decline. Learn about hearing aids and other strategies for living with hearing loss from Bonnie O’Leary, hearing loss support specialist from the Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons. Bonnie will discuss hearing loss in general: hearing evaluations, how to interpret an audiogram, the difference between an audiologist and a hearing instrument specialist, differences between over-the-counter and prescription hearing aids, and some useful apps. ANV‘s Speaker Series is held each Wednesday from 10–11 am. and invites all villages to join the weekly conversations via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88948577106?pwd=eW0rN1RTTU5ITmJ5NnF2QXZINmdUQT09

Bethesda Metro Area Village and Chevy Chase At Home members and friends are invited to weekly Tai Chi classes with internationally recognized Master Nick Gracenin teaching. Nick brings 45 years of experience from China and North America. Study the essentials and forms of traditional Tai Chi, and improve balance, circulation, strength and relaxation. With a diverse repertoire, Nick tailors each class to the participants, allowing him to focus on their specific goals. The classes can be adapted to accommodate all levels of mobility and health.
Classes will meet from 10 - 10:55 am, Wednesdays, at the Town of Chevy Chase hall, 4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, weekly January 7 - February 11. The drop-in rate is $20 and the six-week session is $95. Chairs and reference materials will be available. Beginners through advanced practitioners are welcome. Register through your village and payment at the class via cash, check, mobile payment or credit card.

A new series of 6 sessions starting Wednesday, Jan 28, 4-5:30 pm (continuing Wednesdays Feb 11, 25, Mar 11, 25, Apr 8). Registration required by January 23 and limited to 15.

Weather permitting, BMAV members are meeting in-person at Bethesda Lane by the fire pit in the pedestrian paved area between Elm St and Bethesda Ave off Arlington Rd.

BYO coffee. RSVPs are not required. Hosted by Diane Goldman and Hanne Caraher.

If the weather is uncertain, we will send out an email by 9am on the day of the event to those on our email list to confirm or switch to meet at Marriott International (MI cafe), entered from Woodmont or from 7750 Wisconsin.

Parking near Bethesda Lane is in the fee-based County garage between Bethesda Row and Waverly.
Parking near MI cafe is most convenient below Pancake House and Lidl grocery (7650 Old Georgetown). Parking is free but please stop in Lidl to make a small purchase..

As we age, our connections often shrink—sometimes through retirement, mobility challenges, or the loss of loved ones. We will explore the hidden causes of isolation among older adults and reveal its profound effects on mental and physical well-being. Together with Marti Brown Bailey, we’ll uncover why loneliness isn’t just a feeling but a health issue and discuss practical strategies to foster connection and resilience in later life. Calendar Link: https://tinyurl.com/SSAReduceIsolation2026 Register at: https://smh.memberclicks.net/understandinglonelinessandisolationssa or email pnunez3@jhmi.edu or call 202-364-7602.

Join hosts Paul Thorn and Barbara Reese for a series of curated TED Talks. This month‘s topic is vulnerability. After watching videos together, we will discuss our reactions and the most important takeaways. Come for what is always an enriching conversation with other BMAV members.

Flavia Favali invites members to watch the Brookside Gardens GreenScapes Symposium at her home. Lectures will focus on traditional landscapes with native plants and offer the latest in ecologically focused management strategies. RSVP to Flavia to let her know if you would like to watch any of the lectures together and enjoy refreshments. See the schedule (or register to watch on your own) at brooksidegreen.org.

in coordination with the Potomac Community Center Seniors Program This month, Potomac Community Village invites you to make our own art, making collages under the direction of local artist and PCV member Sheila Moldover, who‘ll talk about color, shape, a little bit of art history and how to build a collage. We‘ll each take home a small collage of our own. Please bring your own scissors, as we will be cutting paper. All other materials needed will be provided. Please register, by Thursday, Jan. 8, 12 noon, so we know how many people to expect and will have enough materials for all. This program is free and open to all.

The Past, Present and Future of the Bethesda Meeting House – “the church that named Bethesda.” Despite being among the community’s most storied buildings, the Bethesda Meeting House was vacant and deteriorating when it (and the adjacent parsonage) was acquired in 2023 by the Bethesda Meeting House Foundation, an affiliate of the Bethesda Historical Society. Constructed in 1820 — and rebuilt in 1850 after a fire -- it features a rare “slave gallery,” was the town’s first Post Office, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the MoCo Master Plan for Historic Preservation. Tradition has it that Abraham Lincoln worshipped there, and it was occupied by Confederate cavalry during Jubal Early’s raid on Washington in July 1864. Bethesda historian Hank Levine will give an illustrated tour of this iconic building’s history, significance, and future. This program is cosponsored by the Bethesda Metro Area Village, the Bethesda Historical Society, and Connie Morella Library. Free and open to the public.

We will be meeting inside at Black‘s Bar and Kitchen, 7750 Woodmont Ave. RSVP required on website or to Kathy Wiggins by noon the day before so she can make a reservation.

Saturday and Sunday, 10 am - 4 pm. Come shop for art, collectibles, home decor, clothing, furniture, silver, crystal, jewelry, housewares and more! Proceeds fund WCCC Scholarships awarded annually to local high school seniors and also to an adult returning to school. Free parking behind the clubhouse off of Dunlop St. For more information: wcccmaryland.org or call: 301-652-8480. The Woman‘s Club of Chevy Chase is a 501(c)4 non-profit organization but donations are not tax dedutible. Donations can be brought to the art room at the club on Jan 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 and Feb 1.